Being judgmental is essential in these times

Being judgmental is essential in these times
EDITOR:
At one time, people had no difficulty distinguishing right from wrong but today it seems, for a lot of people, to be impossible. We dare not point out where something or someone is doing something wrong because then we would be "judgmental." And today, being "judgmental" is more egregious than anything in the world you could do.
Perhaps that is one reason a lot of voters could continue to support a recent president who disgraced the office in many ways that need no repetition here. Locally, in years past, this Valley has elected a mayor (Franko) after he had been disbarred as a judge and had his law license revoked. We (the city of Youngstown) were given The Fickle Finger Award on a National TV program for that act of "brilliance."
In 1994 we elected Sheriff Jim Traficant to Congress after he was found not guilty of local mob involvement but guilty in a second trial of accepting mob money for which he paid no income tax. Just like O.J. Simpson, he won the criminal trial (had to be a brainless jury) but could not fool the judge in the tax trial. There he had no jury -- just a judge -- to make the decision.
Recently, a number of judges, attorneys and others have gone to prison from this area, and one has to wonder will they have a chance to be re-elected someday in this Valley?
If we dare not be "judgmental," perhaps they indeed do have a chance. I have no idea if the charges against Traficant this time are as strong as they were in 1983, but if they are not, wouldn't it be ironic if it turns out that he won the case where he was guilty and lost the case he should have won? Who said "What comes around goes around"?
So now we have this national celebrity about to go on trial again. The celebrity status comes from the fact that he makes good copy for audiences every where -- he sells programs -- which is the bottom line in the media business. But at the same time, we are the laughing stock. The joke is on us, and sadly, many in this area just do not care.
Some are actually enjoying the ride. I heard one talk show host say that when he saw Traficant on TV recently he was "mesmerized" Isn't that wonderful? Let me remind this host that Hitler was also a spell binder -- he also "mesmerized" people. I'm not implying that Hitler and Traficant are one and the same. Nor do I think that this host is of that opinion.
Just be careful of who "mesmerizes" you. It seems as if we have been mesmerized too often by unscrupulous politicians in this area and we continue to pay the price.
DR. ALBERT S. CELEC
Poland
Gore Vidal's position on McVeigh disillusioning
EDITOR:
Gore Vidal was one of my favorite writers. I thoroughly enjoyed his historic novels from Burr to Lincoln with Van Buren in between. However, today I am disillusioned.
In the Sunday, May 6, Vindicator, there appeared a short article recounting how Vidal became involved with Timothy McVeigh in a discussion about the recent loss of constitutional rights. The statement I cannot agree with is "this guy's got a case -- you don't send the FBI in to kill women and children."
After two or three exhaustive investigations of the Waco incident it has been established once and for all time the Branch Davidians were responsible for those deaths. Vidal surely know this.
Timothy McVeigh does not "have a sense of justice."
SALLY DUNCAN
Vienna
Rested nurses make sense
EDITOR:
Lacking stamina, I am not a nurse.
Yet my gratitude for these "angels of mercy" prompts this appraisal.
Reasonable working hours do promote an excellent performance owed to the patient. Fewer blunders occur and fewer lawsuits.
WILMA DELFOSSE
Youngstown