Oxley truly represents constituents
11/18/2005I passed off your Nov. 3 editorial as a typical Blade anti-Findlay, anti-Republican, and anti-conservative blast. After some more thought, I decided I could not let a foreign newspaper tell what is clearly a total misrepresentation of our congressman from the Fourth Congressional District.
We in the Fourth District are very proud of Michael Oxley and his representation. He did not ever pull away from his constituents as you suggest. Yes, he represented business; yes, he represented farmers, and no, he did not always vote for unions, which your paper so strongly advocates.
Michael Oxley fought for and finally got funds for a new, four-lane U.S. 30, now under construction in Hancock and Wyandot counties. Our Congressman fought to save the Mansfield unit of the Ohio Air National Guard. He fought for and secured the future of the Lima tank plant and its employees. Carpetbagger Ben Konop, whom Toledo sent to the Fourth District to run against Mike Oxley and whom The Blade gleefully endorsed, was never a threat.
It is tragic that The Blade can misrepresent the 25-year career of an outstanding congressman who voted the philosophy and desire of those he represented. You owe the voters of the Fourth Ohio District an apology.
DAN SNYDER
Findlay
Shame on the Lake School District voters for not giving our kids a chance at a wonderful education. I graduated from Lake in 1998 and moved on to graduate with honors in college.
I decided after I was married to buy a house in the Lake district because I was proud of my education and experience there and wanted, in the future, my kids to have that same experience.
Well, the people of this district have quickly changed my mind. I cannot believe we live in a community where the people do not care about the education of its youth. It's time we gather as a district, rally behind the teachers, and the administration, and give our kids the education and school experience they deserve.
Kate Jaynes
Walbridge
Florida, 2000. Ohio, 2004. Lucas County, 2005.
I have followed elections since I was a child. This is the first year that I woke up and found that The Blade was unable to publish most final local election results.
What is wrong with our system that prevents local results from being counted early? It's not as if there was a massive turnout. I hope The Blade can find answers. We have a year now to get ready for 2006. Let's get a system in place that works.
Jim Perlman
Sylvania
Your Nov. 11 editorial regarding the recent unrest in France concluded that "Civilization is only a thin veneer."
With due respect, civilizations are the social groundwork from which political ideologies flow and upon which governments are constructed. The essentials of civilization, such as a common language and religious commitment, are deep and are the glue that holds societies together and give civilizations their character. These are underneath what is seen on the social surface.
When civilizations rise or fall, something more than veneer is gained or lost. Political ideologies such as communism, democracy, or monarchical systems are the veneer, not the essentials, of the civilizations from which their social systems naturally flow.
Harold Berk
Blissfield, Mich.
A writer to the Readers' Forum asks the question, "What number will be high enough (2,000 men and women killed in the Iraq War) before we decide enough is enough?"
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is 58,148. That is the number of casualties in the Vietnam War before we decided enough was enough and we pulled out in 1975. We sacrificed 11,465 kids under 20 to that futile effort.
J. Larry Roberts
Adrian, Mich.
If the hate-mongers honestly wish to return to our city and stir up the pot again (and that is their only intent), then there is one big solution that needs to be broadcast loud and clear: No performer will play to an empty house.
Shades should be drawn, with no one on the street and no one to observe. Complete and utter silence should greet them. This includes no publicity, no headlines, no news.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. But with a lot of public outcry for complete silence and lack of recognition, this can work. It is up to our citizens to see that every person carries out this plan.
Imagine the big party when no one shows up.
Sherry Ballou
Sylvania
I think it is an appropriate time to conduct an investigation on how The Blade is out of touch with Ohio voters. Voters have spoken and again proved how far left and out of the mainstream The Blade is. Issues 3-5 were overwhelmingly rejected by the voters on average by 35 percentage points. How strongly can we say it: 35 percentage points.
Even Governor Taft once again had another successful election night. You go ahead and continue with a far-left agenda and your anti-Bush, anti-GOP, anti-war on terrorism editorials (even on the front page), and Ohio Republicans will just continue winning election after election after election.
God bless Karl Rove!
RYAN C. SCHRADER
Maumee
The Pakistani-American community along with the rest of the world has been saddened by the recent earthquake in Pakistan. More than 100,000 have died, and 3 million people were made homeless. While the whole world, our own citizens, and the people in Pakistan have come together, providing help in a heroic manner, a Nov. 10 letter took needless potshots at the people of Pakistan and the earthquake response, which was exceptionally good considering the terrain and the lack of resources.
Instead of showing solidarity with a close ally of ours in their time of need, the gentleman pushed his own biased agenda. The statement that a terrorist organization like al-Qaeda has offered help to Pakistan is not only ludicrous but is based on misconceptions and biases that can only do harm. It is shameful that the writer would stoop so low. I am offended and saddened that instead of helping millions in need, people have time to write such prejudiced views.
Imran I Ali MD
Wembley Terrace West
On Dec. 10, the citizens of Toledo get a seldom-offered chance for a "do-over." The media will be here en masse hoping for a replay of the Oct. 15 riot. Let's hope the return of the skinheads is a non-event. It's up to Jack Ford and Carty Finkbeiner, together, to lead the effort to make that happen.
Tom Sussman
Sylvania Township
Roberta DeBoer, get the typing fi ngers ready! Four more
years of weekly humor provided by our beloved mayor, four
more years of humiliation from surrounding cities and communities
in their papers, and, of course, another term of getting
results even though the results we got in the past were,
at best, entertaining!
How quickly voters forget the blast from the past, but we
will be reminded soon enough of the antics and ideas of this
well meaning yet misguided man.
STEVE PRICE
Penelope Drive