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There are scarier things than socialists
DEAR EDITOR:
A recent screed in The Vindicator op/eds surprised me for its lengthy attempt to tar Democrats as socialists and communists based on elected and nominated officials. The writer could have had an easier job of it by reviewing the "accomplishments" of the Trump administration and its collaborators in Congress.
The writer's anxiety over "... 250 elected offices ..." held by what he deems are socialists is less scary when you realize there are more than 500,000 elected officials holding office, so about .0005%
of elected officials are terrifying socialists.
Much more frightening are the 537 (President, VP, 100 senators and 435 representatives).
The majority (53% Senate; 50.1% House) of elected officials running the federal government are Trump collaborators, hijacked from the GOP by MAGA.
This one-party rule has enabled Trump to do many things that emulate the communist and "strong man" global despots he idolizes. For instance:
ICE once a minor border patrol force, elevated to a masked secret police, with an $85 billion budget, military weapons and uniforms patrolling, arresting, and even murdering citizens and noncitizens on the streets and in their own private gulag of detention centers. Similar groups, funded with tax dollars, can be traced from Caesar to Mao.
Government takeovers by firing whistleblowers, knowledgeable military leaders, fact-based financial and health advisers or anyone with facts you don't like.
Destruction of educational institutions from museums to universities and science-based medicine or healthcare service by rescinding funding by executive order.
Supporting constitutional opposition through misleading think tank ideas like Citizens United and unitary executive.
I fear Trumpist government more than an imaginary socialist overthrow. That may be because I appreciate socialist benefits like highways, airports, schools, healthcare assistance, oversight regulation of potential health and environmental hazards, hydroelectric dams etc. And I VOTE.
JIM CARTWRIGHT
Canfield
Nero and Trump: Two peas in a pod
DEAR EDITOR:
I think we're all familiar with the myth that "Nero fiddled while Rome burned." Historians tell us that Emperor Nero was a decadent and widely unpopular tyrant, primarily due to his "erratic rule" and heavy taxation of the people. The Roman Senate removed him from power 4 years after the fire, declaring him a public enemy. Fearing execution, Nero fled the city and died by his own hand.
It's difficult to ignore the similarities between Nero and our own current emperor, Trump. While the people or our country suffer under the burdens of his tariff-induced inflation, his unconstitutional and unnecessary war against Iran and his continuing efforts to undermine free and fair elections, our widely unpopular emperor spends his time building monuments to himself and renaming lakes.
We must continue to remain hopeful that a new Senate will exercise their power and their right to do what that Roman Senate did 2,000 years ago and remove this public enemy from office.
THOMAS BRENT
Struthers
SHAME on Trump for renaming lake
DEAR EDITOR:
As a former student from St. Dominic's in Youngstown, Ohio, I was taught the mnemonic "HOMES" for remembering the Great Lakes; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
According to an executive order, our president wants to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. So future generations will now have the mnemonic "SHAME."
If that doesn't tell you something, I don't know what does. Don't we have BIGGER FISH to FRY?
BEVERLY MIKE-NARD
Poland
Cutting first-responder money is a bad idea
DEAR EDITOR:
To save a few bucks, a letter writer last week is willing to short fund the one thing everyone is sure to need one day, first responders!
You say don't send paramedics to a crash until a cop with no medical training decides if anyone requires medical attention? Wow!
You also state your frustration that a local ordinance passed 30 years ago is not being enforced to your satisfaction. You say violators only receive a "slap on the wrist." For being outside? You want them flogged, I suppose? Is this ordinance still on the books?
Finally you complain about not enough high-speed chases. Just watch more police dramas on TV and get in the house!
Please vote yes. The money will be needed to replace the cost of removing the damage from the July 5 storm.
STEVE SOLAK
Youngstown
People are finally waking up to Trump
DEAR EDITOR:
Trump wants Greenland, Canada, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Venezuela, ( yes capturing Maduro was all about oil and not drugs) and to sell off parts, large acreage, of OUR national parks for both mining and developments, and I wouldn't bet against him being the recipient of money in these deals. He also thinks that renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario to America will actually catch on with both Americans and Canadians. Every day is something new to either whine about or claim is the best that only he can accomplish because he is the "best," Well, at "best,", he is a felon duping the world, the world that has finally started to catch onto him. But, please hurry.
These are deflections from his inability to control the outcome of this war as he just might not win this war, and he doesn't deal with losing ... ever. Most people know he is in the Epstein files, AND most people have a pretty darn good idea of his involvement. We know he is a felon and a crook, taking money hand over fist from Americans. He has failed to keep any promises to lower prices on just about every facet of American lives. He has failed Ukraine, and has watched while Gaza is left with nothing but rubble, leaving Palestinians with…well, basically, nothing. The number of lives lost in these wars is staggering, lives sitting on his shoulders, his decisions.
I think one of the worst parts of this presidency, and there are so many 'worst parts', is the number of deaths on his watch. He lied that only felons among the immigrants would be deported. Th e abuse these immigrants endure in these detention centers is appalling. And, this is our country abusing thousands of innocent people and entire families that have been 'captured, some already deported to unknown destinations, unknown futures, with thousands still in detention centers, separated families, and from their children. Children are the saddest victims. Children, as young as 5 were in court recently to answer if they wanted to self-deport. Children who were to answer yes or no to a judge, children who didn't understand the process, had no attorney. CHILDREN! There are almost 7,000 children in detention centers. Who does this to children? Is anyone comforting these children; they will most likely suffer this trauma for life … if they live through it. Who would have thought our country would have come to this, a bully, bullying children, incapable of fighting back. Who can be so uncaring about human life, so trivial and evil as to not care, who just moves to the next deflection to try to control the next mess he has made, this same mess he will blame on someone else. Of course, he has had plenty of help, actually a lot from Hegseth, Miller, Vaught, et al. They planned ahead for this very situation.
There was a survey years ago that asked how many people thought they would make it to heaven. 70% answered yes. I really hope it is true. On the other hand I believe there is a very very warm place with an open door waiting for those who have contributed to this desecration of humanity, this casual horrific loss of human life.
On a positive note, if more people were as kind and good and caring as Dolly Parton, our world might be a nicer place. Rest in peace, Dolly.
JEANNE McDERMOTT
Liberty
Yosemite should be protected from Trump
DEAR EDITOR:
Yosemite National Park is federally owned; it belongs to America. NOT one square foot should be FOR SALE or trade by 47 or U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The proposal to the Interior, Mr. Burgum, is to SELL or TRADE a portion of park land to a "Trumpy" developer reportedly for a road providing closer access to the park for development owners.
Note: It was also reported that Mr. Burgum provided funds from national parks for a 47 vanity project.
When the president announced such a possibility, he could NOT even correctly PRONOUNCE this Park's NAME!!! It is very likely that he knows NOTHING about Yosemite or has NEVER been there. NO part of a National Park is FOR SALE, NO PRECEDENT should be set for one person. See Title 36.
Millions of visitors drive to established entrances every year! I personally spent a week at Yosemite NP, a beautiful national treasure. From the many waterfalls spraying ice crystals on the granite, ice floating down the Merced River, endless trails with dogwood blooming among the trees, the giant sequoias hundreds of years old reaching to the sky, giant boulders of granite along the paths, and the serenity within this magnificent treasure. PROTECT it all for generations!
LINDA HORN
Canfield
Catholic churches cartoon crossed line
DEAR EDITOR:
As someone who is relatively new to the Mahoning Valley, I look forward to reading The Vindicator daily. It has enabled me to know and appreciate our community. Likewise, I understand and appreciate freedom of opinion and expression. However, the editorial cartoon published for Saturday-Sunday, August 29-30, depicting tombstones for local churches, crossed over from social commentary into a deeply painful mischaracterization of our faith communities. These churches were sacred places where generations of families worshipped and celebrated their faith. They remain forever special in the hearts and minds of the faithful, and to reduce them to a symbol of death is most distressing. The living Church does not lie beneath a gravestone -- we remain alive and welcoming. Newly merged parishes have given life and vitality to this area, and this year welcomed more new people into the Church than they had since 2014.
I frequently remind our priests and parishioners that we must live in reality, and our reality includes shifting demographics, financial constraints and painful consolidations that may force the difficult decision to close a specific building. Such decisions do indeed engender grief and a profound sense of loss. Even more profound, however, is the inspiring and enlivening spirit of our clergy, vowed religious men and women, and our faithful who daily persevere in faith, hope, and love.
We have much to be grateful for in our past, and we have even more to look forward to in our future. Rear-view mirrors are important for driving, but they are always smaller than the front window. We are hopeful about where we are headed and confident that the best is yet to be. Our faith encourages our belief, "That All May Be One."
MOST REVEREND
DAVID J. BONNAR
Bishop of Youngstown