Doesn't want Campbell to be another Columbine

Doesn't want Campbellto be another Columbine
EDITOR:
This is in response to a letter of June 9. First, Campbell certainly has produced many fine productive members of society, and I appreciate his outstanding comments on this matter. We do have high standards here, whether the rest of the Valley wants to see it or not.
I am a proud 2003 graduate of Campbell Memorial High School, and I do have a bit of a problem with Mr. Clark's critique of the security system in our new schools. First of all, the cameras are not hidden, and never were. They are there for all to see. I never once felt that I was being spied upon, and had no reason to fear the cameras. These cameras were not installed to give the principal something to do all day; they were installed for my, and all the students who will follow me, safety. Had Columbine had the advanced technology that Campbell was able to obtain, perhaps some of those young men and young women would not have been murdered that day.
Those who made the decision to install the cameras may or may not have read novels like "Brave New World." All they had to do was turn on the television and see the violence that has filled our schools these past 10 years. They are there so events like Columbine do not happen in Campbell. They are there so vandals are rightfully dealt with. They are there to stop intruders before anyone is hurt. That, Mr. Clark, is why they are there.
My basic liberties promised me in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were not challenged by such a system. In fact, this system sought to ensure that I would have life, that I would have liberty, and that I would be able to pursue happiness.
JON-PAUL BEVAK
Campbell
Chief's high-caliber failureto blame for weapons ban
EDITOR:
The recent Youngstown City Council meeting on proposed gun control legislation was actually held by the council's Safety Committee and was chaired by Councilman Artis Gillam. As expected, it is another fraud called an assault-weapons ban, but is actually a ban on all semiautomatic firearms other than .22 caliber.
The committee held two meetings, and I attended and spoke at the 5:30 p.m. session. All of the citizen speakers were against the ban (about eight men) and two supported it. One of the supporters was a coordinator of the Million Mom March from Chagrin Falls, near Cleveland, who had no true information to add but some major lies. Does the world know that the AK-47 was designed to be fired from the hip and spray bullets in every direction and cannot be aimed? I'm sure Mr. Kalishnikov didn't know that!
After the meeting the chairman said they may not do the popular thing but they will do the right thing. That's politicalese for, "We will do what we want and don't care about the citizens."
The Youngstown chief of police started this movement because he is not able to hold the crime rate down and needs to do anything to excuse his failure. If the measure fails he can blame the council for not supporting him, and if it passes he can arrest a bunch of honest citizens to show what a crime fighter he is.
STEPHEN M. MOSER
Youngstown
Local builders could handlearena for senior citizensEDITOR:
It is my belief that all options should be considered for the city of Youngstown's arena project. Before we give up, why not ask the local people to come up with suggestions. We have invited several outside sources to come up with their plans.
Therefore, as a private citizen, I make the following suggestions:
Youngstown has the highest population of senior citizens in the state of Ohio. Now it is some 38 percent, and in the very near future it will be 50 percent and growing rapidly. I recommend the city of Youngstown hire one of our local contractors to build an education-cultural arena for senior citizens. We have the DeBartolo Corp., The Cafaro Co. or even the A.P. O'Horo Co. All of them have a proven record of building large projects such as this.
Why are we always looking outside of our community? The time has come to look inside.
TOM GILMARTIN, SR.
Youngstown