DEAR EDITOR:

On May 14 I attended the Rally for Reproductive Justice on the steps of the Mahoning County Courthouse in downtown Youngstown, sponsored by the Steel Valley Reproductive Justice Coalition. It was an exceptional and peaceful event with about 300 attendees and several speakers voicing their passionate support for one of the most critical issues of our time — a woman’s right to choose.

Among the speakers was Ohio Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, who gave a brief powerful speech in clear, unmistakable language about what exactly is at stake if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, as is widely expected. I am deeply grateful to her for her presence among us that day.

But where were the other Democratic leaders from our community? U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan? Mahoning County Commissioner Carol Rimedio- Righetti? U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown? Where were they or at least their representatives? And why can I not even get a phone call back from Rep. Ryan’s Youngstown office, which happens to be physically about a block from where the rally was held? Maybe all of these representatives were there, but they sure didn’t make themselves public or make their voices heard to the crowd.

So, if they were there, I believe they should have addressed the crowd and shown strong support for this solidly Democratic cause.

And if they weren’t there, please don’t bother sending me any more emails or flyers, especially the ones asking for donations of money.

JOHN SHARTLE

Canfield