Words for fifth-graders -- and everybody -- to live by

Words for fifth-graders -- and everybody -- to live by
EDITOR:
Our class was intrigued by the article in the newspaper about Anthony Lariccia donating a large sum of money to Boardman Park. The article inspired us to write thank you letters to Mr. Lariccia. We wrote those letters in our fifth-grade English class. Our teacher, Mrs. Rothman, invited Mr. Lariccia to come in and talk to us about how to be successful. This is the message he told us:
1.Happiness begins where selfishness ends.
2.The most important word is love.
3.You are not born a winner.
4.You are not born a loser.
5.You are born a chooser.
6.Eagles fly alone.
7.I f you fail to plan, than plan to fail.
8.Only the disciplined are free.
9.Fortune favors the brave.
10.The greatest fault is to be conscious of none.
We believe this message is not only for fifth-graders, but for everybody. We would really appreciate it if you put this in the newspaper for everyone to see.
JEREMY VOYTKO
ELLEN FAUST
Boardman
Bush's re-election should becomforting to us, the world
EDITOR:
On the day before the election, I expressed my greatest fear: Iranians, Palestinians, Iraqi insurgents and Al-Qaida terrorists dancing in the streets at the news of George W. Bush's defeat. They did it after the 9/11 attacks, and I knew they would do it again because a defeat of the president would gave been a defeat of America.
It could be compared to Mogadishu. For those who get their history from Hollywood, Mogadishu was highlighted in the film "Black Hawk Down." It is where Islamic fundamentalists -- trained and financed by Osama bin Laden -- killed 18 U.S. soldiers in 1993. The reaction by the Clinton administration was to immediately cut and run, and that caused Osama bin Laden to conclude that we are weak and vulnerable. The lethal result was Sept. 11, 2001.
Had America's enemies run George W. Bush out of office, they would have again concluded that we are weak and vulnerable, and the result could have been much worse than 9/11. Fortunately, Osama bin Laden underestimated the grit and resolve of the American people, just as he underestimated the grit and resolve of our president.
Like it or not, George W. Bush symbolizes America's strength to the world, and our vote Nov. 2 confirmed that strength to our enemies and our allies. As a result, we will be safer over the next four years. Any other outcome would have proved disastrous.
In his first inaugural address after the tumultuous 2000 election, President Bush referenced a letter written to Thomas Jefferson by Virginia statesman John Page after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In his letter, Page asked the question: "Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?"
It's comforting to know the angel still rides with us.
JOSEPH K. WALTENBAUGH
New Castle, Pa.
Each of us can influenceregardless of the president
EDITOR:
On election night 2004, I felt a knot in my stomach that I knew would not be relieved by either the election of George W. Bush or John Kerry. I walked sadly to the polls, knowing that neither of those candidates would be one I would choose, but that one of them would win. I typed Ralph Nader's name, as he understands more than either of those candidates, what is and has always been the most important issue -- peace.
I am a Tibetan Buddhist, a follower of the XIV Dalai Lama, who lives by the idea that all life is sacred, that we must honor and protect every being as if it was our mother. We Buddhists believe that every being has been our mother many times, in countless lifetimes. Approaching life with this conviction changes one's perspective totally, and one cannot consider harming even the smallest creature without experiencing enormous turmoil and guilt. We humans must learn to be kinder and more mindful of how we treat one another and all beings on the planet, or we will soon perish.
I am not alone in these beliefs. Many others who are not Tibetan Buddhists share them. They probably feel frustrated, as I do, about our country's direction, and are struggling, as I am, to move forward in the hope of creating peacefulness in the world. Leaders like the XIV Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. understood truly and deeply, that without love, without a peaceful heart, we can resolve nothing, we can alter nothing for the better, and that it is possible to live peacefully and mindfully.
Having survived, along with the rest of the nation, the outcome of these elections, it seems now that who would be president was never really -- given the choices we had -- the issue of the day. The choice was and remains how are we going to improve as human beings, how are we going to change for the better so that we can change this nation? How are we going to improve our own destinies? As far as I know, the answers to these questions still lie in our own hands and within our control.
May we strive for peace in our own lives so that we can create it in the world. May we challenge our leaders to make peace a priority, so that they can lead us to genuine freedom and hope.
ARYA-FRANCESCA JENKINS
Youngstown
Youngstown offers plentyin sports, culture, the arts
EDITOR:
On a recent Friday night, there was an artist's opening in one of the better free-standing American university art museums.
Several thousand people filled the stands to watch one of the Youngstown area's premier high school football games..
A local theater troupe staged a classy performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
An internationally known violinist was accompanied by a very polished metropolitan symphony orchestra.
Another edition of a decades-old peace race drew more than 1,000 runners from all over the region.
The blues were heard being belted out in a well-known alternative music watering hole downtown.
The above list is not exhaustive, but all of the above did take place during one October weekend in the downtown Youngstown area.
It makes you wonder about all those who say that nothing is happening in the community or that no one goes downtown. They must be talking about another city named Youngstown in another state.
The Rev. EDWARD P. NOGA, pastor
St. Patrick Church
Youngstown
Dann disregarded voters
EDITOR:
In referring to state representative-elect Randy Law, your Nov. 3 edition quoted state Sen. Marc Dann as saying, & quot;even a blind squirrel gets a nut sometimes. & quot;
I hope the voters see the same rude, arrogant, condescending behavior that I find in Dann. Does the senator believe the people of the 64th district to be stupid? Dann owes the people of the 64th district and their newly elected representative an apology.
DON JOHNSON
Hubbard