LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Gun control, mental health are separate
7/1/2000The repeated, artificial linking of mental health and gun control makes it apparent that the left is attempting to use the problem of a long-broken social health system and recent assault tragedies as convenient excuses to discredit the legitimate rights of gun owners (“Taking aim at mental health,” editorial, Sept. 24).
The obvious but erroneous conclusion drawn by casual readers is that gun owners, hunters, and the National Rifle Association are insensitive to any effort to renovate our national mental health care system to protect their gun rights.
This is not so. Violence perpetrated with a gun or any other weapon is but one of the many expressions of insanity.
If the media are as devoted to the improvement of our mental health care system as they claim, they should focus on a broad, inclusive mental well-being program, not just relatively occasional tragic issues involving deranged abuse of a firearm.
EDWARD POPKOSKI
Cloister Road
Troops in Japan should be home
Your Sept. 20 article “Kennedy humbled by honor” says that Japan is the home to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet and 50,000 American troops.
What in the world are we doing with 50,000 troops there? World War II has been over for a long time. What are we paying the Japanese to house and feed them?
How many troops do we have in Germany and other places where no police action is required? And we wonder why our nation has so much debt.
If President Obama wants to reduce the national debt, eliminating the stationing of troops overseas would be a good starting point.
JACK GULVAS
Spencer Township
Obama doing well on Syria issue
There has been considerable displeasure surrounding President Obama’s changing position on Syria, with complaints emanating from those who will not be satisfied until he sends in troops (“Defusing Syria,” editorial, Sept. 30).
These people ignore the fact that he wanted three things: for Syrian President Bashar Assad to stop gassing his people, that U.S. ground troops would not be used, and that Mr. Obama’s threat to use military action would not have to be activated.
All three spokes in President Obama’s policy have been successfully implemented.
Critics can try to predict Syria’s future, but at present we are not in a war — a decision favored by most of the American public.
EDWARD NUSSEL
Sylvania Township
Don’t send all bus riders downtown
Why make transit riders go to downtown Toledo if they don’t work there (“Transit lifeline in peril; Spencer Twp. vote reflects local disconnect on vital issue,” Sept. 22)?
There are no department stores downtown. Those who can afford dining in fine restaurants can afford cars and parking fees. We already have buses to Mud Hens games.
The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority needs hubs and smaller buses. A Sylvania resident should not have to go downtown to make a connection to St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee.
LOUISE TORGERSON
Majestic Drive