Bowersox deserves more credit
5/19/2010Crystal Bowersox is more than just an entertainer ("Why, she's just an entertainer," Readers' Forum, May 18). She is an artist who plays the piano, guitar, and harmonica. She writes her own songs.
Fame and fortune don't land in your lap or knock on your door, so give this 24-year-old singer and songwriter credit. She has given northwest Ohio something to cheer about during these hard times.
She also is teaching our children that no matter how hard life may get, stick to what you believe in and you can become or do anything you want.
Steve Brown, Jr.
West Circle Court
I'm glad to see more reports about Crystal Bowersox in the newspaper. It tells me there's been at least one less report about an innocent child abused, or another senseless murder. She is also more interesting than reports about dogs.
Renee S. Drew
Temperance
I am amazed at the number of negative comments in Readers' Forum about Crystal Bowersox's trip back to Toledo. I worked security during Ms. Bowersox's concert last Friday at Levis Square. When I arrived at 9 a.m. for a 12:30
p.m. concert, 50 people were already gathered. By the time the parade ended, there were thousands in the square.
The adjacent garage had fans leaning out from every level. Local restaurants were packed. People asked where they could buy T-shirts. Smiles and positive energy were abundantly on display.
Do a few moments of unbridled excitement solve unemployment, war, the high cost of medical care, or homelessness? No, but they provide a brief reminder that hope is not lost.
JEFFREY A. DAVIS
Sylvania
My husband and I have attended the five college graduations of our children. We never heard a guest speaker like the one we heard on May 8 at the University of Toledo.
She was Catherine Snow, sister of John Snow, secretary of the Treasury during the George W. Bush administration. She came off not only as a jealous sister, but also as a hater of the Bush administration, so much so that she was booed by some of the audience.
We appreciate difference of opinions, but when you are a guest speaker at a college graduation, you should give the new graduates some sound advice for the difficult world ahead of them, and not use this time for your own agenda.
The person responsible for booking this speaker owes a lot of people an apology. We have six grandchildren, and I will definitely try to discourage them from attending UT.
Deborah Quigg
Oregon
I'm tired of reading articles in The Blade that refer to "the former Medical College of Ohio."
Please let it go. The Medical College of Ohio no longer exists. After four years, you don't need to keep saying it.
Stephanie Franklin
Whitehouse
It was disturbing to read that Bowling Green State University President Carol Cartwright, the football and basketball coaches, and the athletic director have the top salaries ("Tuition skyrockets as colleges pay big salaries," May 16). There is no doubt that what counts at BGSU is sports.
A university should be admired for its pursuits of academic excellence. But it is apparent that at BGSU such admiration plays second fiddle to great expenditures for sports. At BGSU, lower-level employees lose their jobs while the top-salaried employees reap benefits.
Diane and Wally pretzer
Bowling Green
Editor's Note: The writers are, respectively, associate professor emeritus and chair of Romance Languages and professor emeritus of English at BGSU.
The suggestion that Bowling Green State University faculty salary increasesare the reason for hikes in tuition is not accurate.
At BGSU, facultywentwithout a raise last year and had a1.6 percent raise the previous year. Numerous faculty were not renewed during the past two years, 12-month salaried employees suffered a furlough,andclassified staff have been laid off.
BGSUisone of the best U.S. colleges for undergraduate teaching. Unfortunately,in terms of faculty compensation,it's ranked 11th out of the12 state universities in Ohio.
Jeffrey Peake
Associate Professor Department of Political Science
Bowling Green State University
I am happy not to deal with Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority buses in my town. I am againstthe attempt to levy an additional sales tax for TARTA.
Thisis a way of TARTA getting into Oregon and another attempt by Toledo to dictate to other communities.
For those communities that do not want TARTA, reject the tax and your stores and businesseswill have an advantage. That will stimulate the local economy.
Dan Martin
Oregon
I was shocked to learn that Ottawa Hills police officer Thomas White was convicted of felonious assault for shooting a motorcyclist ("Policeman convicted of assault in shooting," May 15).
But for the camera on the dashboard, the officer probably would have received a commendation based on his story.
I watched the video and tried to pick out anything threatening. The victim pulled over, sat, then suddenly dropped to the ground. If the minor actions of the victim justified the use of deadly force, then every citizen should fear for his or her life in a routine traffic stop.
I didn't believe the officer's story, and apparently the jury didn't, either. Fortunately, this time the jury saw through the standard "I thought he had a gun" excuse.
Mark Harrell, Sr.
Swanton
More violent crimes are committed by younger individuals. Why do people not recognize that the more people are exposed to violence in the media, the moredesensitized they become?
Maybe if we cut down on the exposure to violence, we will be less likely to learn it as a way to behave.
Sharon Tobian
Adella Street
Your May 15 editorial "Dead to rights" states: "The U.S. Constitution guarantees citizens' rights in criminal proceedings. Any attempt to chip away at this bedrock principle should invite alarm."
You could say the same thing in defense of any of the Constitution's amendments.
But The Blade would have no problem with an attempt to eliminate the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms.
This also is a "bedrock principle" that protects all of the others, including your right to print the newspaper.
An assault on one amendment is an assault on them all. Imagine your outcry if there were an attack on the First Amendment.
Louis Stefanoni
306th Street