DEAR EDITOR:

The Nov. 26 Opinion Page was replete with headlines like “YSU Board of Trustees should be ashamed,” “Johnson not right fit for our beloved YSU,” “Johnson is not right choice for university,” “YSU should rescind its offer and be more open,” “Rescind Bill Johnson’s hiring as president,” and “Johnson’s record worrisome for students at YSU,” written by guest columnist Ohio Rep. Lauren McNally. (The newspaper didn’t mention that Lauren is a Democrat). Her column was loaded with innuendo, doom and gloom.

All the letters disagreed with Johnson’s politics. There was no mention of character, a fundamental attribute for leadership.

Do the nay-sayers know that Bill Johnson was born and reared on a family farm? He served in our nation’s Air Force for more than 26 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He received the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He graduated summa cum laude from Troy University and received a master’s degree from Georgia Tech. He authored a book, “Raising Fathers,” where he stressed the importance of fatherhood.

Bill is a conservative, no doubt. He defends oil, gas and fossil fuel as vital to our nation’s energy independence. He authored 23 bills that were signed into law. Bill Johnson, from day one in D.C., defended Social Security.

The anti-Johnson writers declared him “far-right” of our nation’s middle. I beg to differ. His stance on pro-life is very “mainstream.” Not many, other than the “far-left” support abortion on demand with no limits.

Rep. Johnson supports smaller, more effective and efficient governing. That is not far-right, that is common sense and at the nation’s middle. According to Red-Blue Translator (allsides.com) “far-right” or “extreme right,” (when used pejoratively as opinion writers do), refers to ideas perceived to be further on the right than the left-right spectrum, the mainstream political right.”

As I see it, Bill Johnson is only “extreme right” in the eyes of the “far-left.”

As Democrat Lauren McNally advised in her column … “cramming one-dimensional ideas down their throats (presume students here). Higher education must rise beyond the close-minded pettiness of partisan thinking of any stripe.”

Let’s hope the professors, students and teachers union heed McNally’s wise advice. Put on your “big boy pants” and prove your love for YSU by supporting our new president.

That’s what adults do. Help him to succeed!

JOE LoCICERO

Canfield