Neither history nor truth can be censored

Neither history nor truth can be censored
EDITOR:
With reference to the young lady from the Middle School in Boardman writing about removing pictures of the World Trade Center from her textbooks:
While I commend this young lady for her sensitivity, and for her courage in speaking out on an issue she finds important, I have to respond that her idea is just not all that good.
If we stick our heads in the sand -- if we try to protect our children from images or information that may be unsettling, we end up teaching them nothing..
If we remove those pictures, can we also remove all references to Germany and Japan from the 1920s through late 1945? Can we tell the various & quot;history & quot; channels we watch on TV to not report on that time period because millions of Americans were killed in World War II, and this information might upset their families?
(And what about the Jews -- six million, give or take -- and their families?)
My late grandfather had something like 17 brothers and sisters in Europe in that time frame. Only a couple of them can be accounted for. Should I have been shielded as a child from images of Nazi Germany because I might be upset?)
We have to teach our children (and, lately, ourselves) that there are people on this planet who are evil. Our enemies indoctrinate their children to teach them that we are evil. We at least need to teach our children that there are things that they will be expected to defend against.
STU MULNE
Youngstown
Brookfield zoning will help community prosper
EDITOR:
The recent tragic events can at times make issues we used to think were important seem trivial. We do, however, have an election on Nov. 6, and for Brookfield citizens, an important issue is on the ballot. We can improve our quality of life by voting "yes" for zoning.
Communities that have zoning likely consider the idea of voting "yes" a no-brainer, but in Brookfield some paranoid folks are using scare tactics and misinformation to keep the status quo, which is unacceptable if we want to grow and prosper in the 21st century.
The issue isn't about the government taking away your freedom. The issue is the right and freedom of a family buying or building their dream home, to be protected from someone moving next door and creating a junkyard.
It's senseless to work hard, skimp and save for years only to have your property devalued because of no zoning protection. Our community deserves better.
The terrorists attacked our nation's freedoms. One of those is the right to vote. Use your right on Nov. 6 and vote "yes" for zoning in Brookfield.
DEBORAH KIRK
Brookfield Township
Remembering the past in honoring firefighters
EDITOR:
September 11, 2001, will leave its mark on every American. For some of us it is a tragedy of now, while others reflect back to another era.
Recently, a delivery truck from Edward's Florist rang our bell with an enormous basket of goodies from an anonymous sender.
This wonderful woman told the secretaries of Edward's Florist that what happened in New York made her remember a tragedy that happened in her family many years ago for which Youngstown firefighters were there to help. She also said people do not realize when a fireman leaves his home there is always the chance that he may never go home again.
Firefighters risk their lives for all of us. Since September 11, she has many a sleepless night and she just wanted to do something to let the firemen of Station 7 know that she does care and that all firemen are in her prayers.
So all us at Station 7 and all of the Youngstown Fire Department want to thank this lovely, wonderful woman. We know we are in her prayers but we also want her to know that she is in ours.
FIREFIGHTERS of STATION 7
Youngstown Fire Department