Be wowed at the Butler

Be wowed at the Butler
EDITOR:
Your entertainment section last Sunday carried a column about the remarks by Fletcher Young, a New York City native, who was in Youngstown with the touring company, "Crazy for You."
He remarked that he couldn't wait to get back to Youngstown to visit The Butler Institute of American Art. The single word he used to describe the Butler was "wow!"
This same expression has been heard by the Butler staff and docents on many occasions. Just a few of the many who also were very impressed when at the Butler are: Tony Bennett, Tony Curtis, Don Gummer and wife Meryl Streep, Charles Osgood, Flora Gufini, Graham Nash, Omar Visquel, Jane Seymour, Jamie Weyth and Robert Rauchenberg.
They were all "wowed" by what we in this Valley take for granted. You also can be "wowed" and impressed by what you will see, and by the admission free policy at the Butler. Another "wow!"
Those of you who have not been to the Butler recently have a treat in store when you see the newest addition, The Beecher Center. A whole other kind of art viewing. Do yourself a favor. Come and be wowed.
BILL BUCHMAN
Youngstown
In the home of the brave,we pat down students
EDITOR:
Trying to file some papers at the Clerk of Courts office recently, I experienced some difficulty trying to get into the Mahoning County Courthouse. In front of the courthouse, jammed on the steps leading up to the front door, were five busloads of high school students attempting to gain access to those hallowed halls. Unfortunately, there is now only one entrance open to the courthouse, and one metal detector through which all of the students had to pass, some more than one time, as they emptied their pockets of cell phones, chains, piercings and other badges of the teenage years.
It struck me what a sad state of affairs exists in our country today. In the land of the free and the home of the brave, these students were being wanded, patted down, and X-rayed as they were attempting to learn about our "justice system. & quot; What are we teaching these kids standing in line at the courthouse?
In the today's new reality, cameras are everywhere, watching our every move. Doctors hide behind HIPPA rules claiming patient privacy when we inquire about a loved one's health, while anyone with any knowledge of the Internet can pretty much find out everything there is to know about everybody. The City of Cleveland is installing cameras at traffic lights, not to increase public safety, but as a source of revenue for the city. Cleveland will generate over $1 million in revenue from people running red lights.
The state of Florida has just passed a law that says it is OK to defend ourselves if we are attacked. Before, we had to make a determination as to whether we were in "mortal" danger, in which case it was legal to use force to defend one's self; or whether in just "danger, & quot; in which case we would be required to flee.
Television news showed an out of control, 5-year-old girl, who was slapping and hitting her teacher and destroying property, being put in handcuffs and hauled away. How horrible, the network news complained, that the police would use handcuffs on a such a child. If it were up to me, that little girl should have had her arm yanked and butt swatted. Handcuffs, let alone calling the police, would not have been needed. But in the new reality, disciplining a child is abuse. Now the incident has become a racial issue.
The federal government is a shining example of how to use common sense rules and enforce them. Just look at the total lack of will on the part of our elected officials to do anything about securing the borders, leaving it to a private militia of volunteers to stop these people. Of course, the illegals are well rewarded for violating our immigration laws, with the courts granting them access to all our social services. They are even given "sanctuary" in certain cities. I wonder which illegal will be carrying the nuke in the backpack to blow up one of those sanctuary cities?
Finally, let's not forget Martha Stewart. She is being monitored with an ankle bracelet.Her parole officer, after granting her permission to attend a function relating to her work, has had regrets and is now using the limited resources of his office to find out how big the bash was that she attended. Meanwhile, in Florida, sex offenders are running amok, breaking into people's homes, kidnapping their children, raping them, and burying them alive. But we are safe from Martha Stewart.
In our new reality, illegal behavior is rewarded, and common sense behavior is punished.
Atty. MARK G. MANGIE
Youngstown
For those who make autos, these are interesting times
EDITOR:
I just read that GM lost over $1 billion in the last quarter. And a lot of the Big Three debt has been downgraded to junk status, and the stocks are at multi-year lows.
The tiny $100-plus profit per vehicle cannot compete with $1,500 costs per vehicle for employee health care.
Then read that for the first time in history, more cars were made last year in Ontario, Canada, than in the U.S.A. The makers were the Big Three automakers.
Perhaps it is because they have to pay $6,500 per employee and retiree health care, and in Canada, the cost is $800. Our splintered, at times nonexistent, health care system isn't helping. Some countries have a system that is far superior. In fact, Canada is sending patients to states in the U.S. because there are so many vacant beds in the U.S.A.
The future looks interesting for the automakers.
JOHN D. AMBROSE
Norton
Good things are happening
EDITOR:
I take my son, Ralphie, to West Elementary every morning and help with breakfast. It is such a joy to see all the children sharing, smiling and getting along. They are so excited about their new school that will be opening on the West Side, and they get along so well, regardless of racial differences. We adults should look to the children and be like them.
We had an incident happen at our home on the West Side, and we had to fill out a report for the Youngstown Police Department. I'd like to thank officer Richard S. Gresh for coming so fast and for being so nice in taking a report from my husband.
Things will change if everyone gets a better attitude.
SANDY DAVIS
Youngstown