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Don't excuse political violence

Editorials

A society that begins to excuse political violence should not be surprised when political violence multiplies. Once you create a moral framework in which violence is not merely understandable but righteous — once you argue that certain institutions are so corrupt, so “murderous,” that the people who participate in them deserve to be killed — you are no longer condemning violence. You are licensing it. And when that cultural permission structure meets a criminal justice system increasingly designed to favor perpetrators over victims, the results are predictable: more criminals ...

Honor America’s fallen appropriately this Memorial Day

Editorials

Today’s Memorial Day holiday carries added poignance this year as it comes amid a new U.S. war — and war fallen — in Iran and as it ushers in a summer of events to mark this great nation’s 250th birthday. But sadly enough, many in the Mahoning Valley and across the country unintentionally will disrespect the true meaning and purpose of today’s solemn national holiday. After all, ever since 1971, when Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be observed on the fourth Monday in May, for many, the holiday is simply the final day of a long weekend dedicated to the ...

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Letters to the Editor

I’m struck by the similarities of the last days of the Nazi regime in April 1945 to the faltering Iranian government. Like Germany, Iran is controlled by a small, deadly group of fanatics, preserving their grip on power at any cost. Civilian dissent is ruthlessly crushed, and the country is kept in a perpetual news blackout. People are scooped on any pretext and just hung from a crane — or worse. The big difference from World War II Germany is the enabling power of the Internet to continually pipe out rhetoric and threats to every media outlet in the world. I have to wonder what ...

Orchids & onions

Editorials

ORCHID: To Dr. Robert Ricchiuti and Phyllis Ricchiuti for their prestigious and deserving honor as winners of this year’s Friends of the University Award from Youngstown State University. The high honor shows appreciation for their extraordinary leadership, philanthropy and lasting impact on YSU and the Mahoning Valley. More specifically, the Ricchiutis financed and launched The Paula and Anthony Rich Center for the Study and Treatment of Autism 31 years ago in memory of family members. Since then, it has grown into a formidable and nationally recognized institution that transforms the ...

Ohio needs ‘Top Cop’ who stands with the front lines

Guest columnists

When we talk about the Office of the Ohio Attorney General, we often use big ideas like protecting the Constitution or upholding the law. But the job comes down to something simple. Public safety does not happen on its own. It depends on people who put on a badge and run toward danger when others run away. My vision for this office is simple: If you have our backs, the attorney general must have yours. Supporting law enforcement isn’t just politics. It is how we keep our communities safe. When officers have what they need, families are better protected. Today, officers face ...

Add muscle to Ohio laws on sexual assault

Editorials

Most Ohioans likely will find little solace in knowing the official scope of rape and sexual violence in the Buckeye State has declined ever so slightly in recent years. According to a recent report from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, the statewide sexual assault crime rate dropped 4.3% between 2016 and 2023 in Ohio. That slight ray of hope, however, is completely overshadowed by other data that clearly illustrates sexual violence remains a painful, powerful and destructive cancer on our state. Consider: ● The Incident-Based Reporting System within the Ohio Office ...