Springer should make Dems happy

5/24/2003

Ohio Democrats should be rejoicing. If Jerry Springer announces that he is indeed seeking the seat of Senator Voinovich in 2004 as speculation indicates in recent weeks, it is a good thing.

Detractors inside and outside the party point to the image his television show portrays, as well as his fall from grace as Cincinnati mayor. I point to the many good things his campaign would bring about for Ohio Dems.

One major factor in the inability of Democrats to win any statewide election is the lack of young voters traveling to the polls.

As a young voter myself, I marvel at the number of my friends who just don't seem to care. A Springer campaign would bring huge amounts of media attention that would surely capture the attention of “Generation X.”

The other advantage of young voters taking the time to vote for Mr. Springer would be the fact that our esteemed leader, President Bush, is also up for re-election.

All the people my age are upset with our current president, yet I continually remind them that none of them even voted in 2000. If the citizens Mr. Springer would bring to the polls also feel the same way, Ohio could very well be the deciding factor in the 2004 presidential race.

The Ohio Democratic Party desperately needs a catalyst for change.

Even if Jerry Springer lost a race with George Voinovich, the campaign itself would be worth every bit of media attention and voter turnout.

It wasn't that long ago that people laughed at the notion of a former pro wrestler being governor.

NICK ROKICKI

North Haven Avenue

Question:

Mad cow disease or not, why are we importing beef from Canada? The United States produces the best beef in the world, and production is nowhere near capacity.

RUSS HUMMEL

Midwest Avenue

George W. Bush landing on an aircraft carrier was done to show the trust, respect, and conviction he has in the United States of America's Armed Forces. His bravery is being supported by most Americans.

A Forum writer from Adrian wrote that our past “leader,” William Jefferson Clinton, would have been scrutinized if he had done the same. I don't think so.

After checking with pollsters, Bill Clinton would have reluctantly gotten on that jet and made that same heroic landing, amazed and somewhat surprised by the skill and accuracy of the American pilot who landed him safely.

And the crew assigned to clean the cockpit of that plane would have had their work cut out for them.

STEVE BARBER

Sylvania

I wonder if the new baseball coach at the University of Toledo will be as dedicated to the game as Joe Kruzel.

Most people do not know that besides coaching, he raised the money, with no help from the athletic department, to have the practice facility built at Scott Park Campus.

He did this in addition to the yearly fund-raising he had to do, so that in the winter his team did not have to practice between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. at Savage Hall after the university took away the old field house as an indoor practice facility.

Then, once the building was donated by the Delp Co., it sat on the ground at Scott Park Campus, rusting, for two years before the university would erect it.

Many times Joe had to drag and work on the field before and after home games because he could not get any assistance. Also, he missed many holidays with his family because he was out of town recruiting.

Will the new coach do all these extra jobs?

Coach Joe Kruzel loves the game and he loves coaching. The next team to have him will be very lucky.

I am proud to say he is my son-in-law!

PEGGY SUBLESKI

Holland

I was struck by the faces and uniforms of the 116 men and women whose photos appeared May 18. . Many of them teens or just 20 years old, now all are dead because of President Bush's war on Iraq.

Some were killed by friendly fire, some through accidents, others through poor planning. They looked so smart in their military uniforms. The comment at the center of the page of photos reads, “As diverse as America itself, they made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”

Indeed they did. All were killed because President Bush told us that Saddam was a threat to Americans, that he had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, and links to al-Qaeda and the 9/11 terrorists.

The President told us that we and the rest of the world would be safer after Saddam was removed. The President sent these 116 men and women into war to make our United States safer from terrorism.

Now we read of terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Pakistan, and Israel. We are told to brace ourselves for another attack on American soil. Experts tell us that while our President was fixated on Iraq, al-Qaeda was rebuilding and recruiting more terrorists to attack us, the UK, and Israeli interests. They are stronger than ever, we are told.

Some brave anti-war Toledoans stood on street corners every Sunday afternoon battling not only the jeers and insults of passing motorists, but also the snow and freezing winds.

We tried to tell America that war was not the answer. Few listened; we failed.

We tried to save those 116 men and women from making the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Now many people are beginning to ask the most difficult question: What did they die for?

DENIS R. EBLE

Westcastle Drive

The May 18 photographs in The Blade of the more than 140 brave American soldiers killed in Iraq have emboldened my feelings of outrage about this unjust war. Was there really a reason for these young lives to be forfeited in addition to the thousands of innocent Iraqis who died too?

So many futures cut short. So many families who now mourn the loss of a loved one!

The war removed one dictator from the world stage. But by acting almost unilaterally, America is now feared and resented in the world more than we are respected. What precedent have we set for our nation or for other nations to follow? How long will our young soldiers remain in this volatile country? Some welcome them, yet some despise them and are hostile toward them. Have we inspired more terrorists to attack us? Are we safer now?

America's freedom is worth fighting for when our country is faced with an imminent threat. This did not exist in Iraq. On Sept. 11, 2001, our country was attacked by Al Qaeda. This may explain why our soldiers are still in Afghanistan.

As a concerned citizen, a parent, and a Christian, I cannot support nor can I accept that this pre-emptive, elective war was necessary. Many moral Americans, who love our country, are also distressed at the path the current administration has taken and feel that we have been misled.

There is now much rebuilding to do, and not just in Iraq. A sense of trust in the American government, among our own citizens and in the world community, must also be rebuilt. This should be a priority as we vote for new leaders in 2004.

MIKE WOOD

Luddington Drive