Pride doesn't mean taking advantage of Indians

Pride doesn't mean taking advantage of Indians
EDITOR.
Are we this desperate to have gambling in Youngstown?
I thought that I heard and saw every angle to get gambling in Youngstown until I read the article on the front page of a recent Vindicator.
Are we really going to try to relocate an Indian tribe to Youngstown so that we can take advantage of the & quot;right to gamble & quot; privilege that our government gives them?
Why not. We have taken advantage of Native Americans since ships landed on these shores hundreds of years ago. We have taken their land, killed their buffalo, given them disease and then forced them on reservations where alcoholism is a typical way of life. But now the & quot;Casinos for Youngstown Committee & quot; wants to take advantage of our Native Americans again.
A representative of the casino committee said that having an & quot;Indian-style & quot; casino in our area will bring pride to our community.
Pride? I had to laugh until I realized that he was really serious. I thought that with what our country had gone through in the last month that we would have a clear definition of what pride is.
I for one have pride in the New York Fire Department and the others who lost their lives. I am proud of our president and our nation's leaders. I am proud of our citizens who are putting their differences aside for the good of our freedom and our safety.
The theme of God Bless America is seen where ever you look. If we really want God to bless our country, we need to act in a manner worthy of his blessings. Using the American Indian for our own greed is no way to gain His favor.
MIKE BADER
New Springfield
Take World Trade Center photo out of textbook
EDITOR:
It has been little more than a month since the day that many Americans lives changed. I never thought that I would see the New York skyline destroyed, let alone by American planes. As details developed, I realized that the people who did this were faceless cowards. To me, the attacks spell out the worst three-letter word in the English language, WAR!
Since the United States has gone to war, the very way we live can change in a second. Not forever, but life will change. Constant military presence, the worry of being bombed and the possible draft of loved ones are all possible outcomes.
Teens across America may be stuck with a sense of terror that no one should ever have to experience. I personally don't know how to stop the violence or terrorist attacks, but I pray that our nation's leaders protect us. This is not a time for criticism. This is a time for unity, a time to stand behind our president and support him in all the tough decisions he will make in the months to come.
I also wanted to tell the community about our reading books. On page 426 of our reading book there is a picture of the World Trade Center. In a class discussion, I was the only person who felt that the picture should be taken out.
I'm not, in any way, trying to forget what happened; I would never be able to. I regret not sharing the following opinion with the class, in a scenario.
Picture this, you are currently in sixth grade, and a close family member had been killed in the attacks. You receive your eighth grade book two years later, and you are told to open the book to page 426. You break into a cold sweat, and immediately tears come because that is where your family member died. I am not trying to prove anyone wrong, but that's how I feel about the books.
Even though six weeks have passed, I still have a strong taste of disgust inside of me. Remember, no matter whom you voted for in the election, this is not a time for criticism. Stand behind President Bush, and stand behind your country.
MICHELLE BISTRICA
Youngstown
X The writer is an eighth grader at Glenwood Middle School.