Saturday, July 23, 2005
Is it 'peculiar' to follow an unedited Hippocratic oath?
EDITOR:
It is disconcerting to note the angry letters from two well-known physicians, espousing the anti-life rhetoric seemingly prevalent in their opinions. Many people take these impressions as truth, when in fact they are quite erroneous.
A June 26 letter berated Gov. Jeb Bush for trying to save Terri Schiavo's life. He ignored observations of over 33 physicians and therapists who studied Terri extensively. They believed she was minimally conscious and would have benefited from therapy. There is absolutely no proof she suffered from an eating disorder but rather "sever anoxic brain injury" ... "of undetermined cause." The notion that starvation, and dehydration especially, is painless and unstressful to mind and body is false and negated by reputable medical institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, etc. Proponents of passive euthanasia, ostensibly indicated here, conclude the symptoms of extreme thirst, kidney shutdown, rapid heart rate, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache with brain swelling and delirium, sunken eyes and extremely low blood pressure are unimportant if you medicate the patient.
A July 17 letter views the CatholicChristian pharmacists refusing to distribute the morning-after pill (ECP) to women, to be "peculiar" "self-righteous" and religious discriminators. These convictions and rhetoric belong to countries like China and organizations such as Planned Parenthood where barren women are the main objective.
A serious side effect of the ECP is ectopic pregnancy (high mortality risk), blood clots in legs, lung clots, heart attack, stroke, liver damage, liver tumor, and high blood pressure. While the ECP has three possible effects: (1) ovulation is inhibited -- the egg is not released; (2) the normal menstrual cycle is altered, delaying ovulation; or (3) if the first two actions fail and pregnancy ensures, the baby conceived will die before attaching to the lining of the uterus, resulting in chemical abortion.
It is unfortunate the paragraph of the "classic" Hippocratic oath to "... neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly, I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art ..." is omitted from the modern version. The pharmacists in question are adhering to the highest standards of God and their profession.
MARTI RUNYAN
Girard
Boardman has the best of everything, except diversity
EDITOR:
How is it that we can live in such an exciting, thriving community as Boardman, led by world renowned business leaders, excellent teachers, and fine township administrators, yet find ourselves "socially" victimized by the lack of minority representation on our local police department? Not only that, but how is it that we live in a community whose teachers teach our children cultural sensitivity, only for our children to daily witness the local police department repeatedly stopping minority drivers throughout the township, for whatever reason and only because they have the authority to do so? Why teach our children the personal-cultural-heroics of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez or Stephen Hawking only to have that learning compromised by those who enforce the "equal" laws "unequally?"
When will the oppression end? How many persons of color do you see staffing the police vehicles in Boardman? How many minorities do you see when you walk into the Boardman Police Department? Do you know of any culturally-sensitive programs the Boardman Police Department has in order to realize cultural diversity via minority applications and their resultant hiring? Have you ever inquired about minority hiring practices in the Boardman Police Department but been "spun" into believing untruths by the person to whom you were talking?
It is a disservice to all minorities living in Boardman Township, and to those who visit the community, to be unrepresented or underrepresented in a police department that is supposedly in business to protect the rights of all men, women, and children, regardless of age, gender, or disability. Ask yourself what kind of example we are setting for our children and future generations the next time you drive on Market Street and witness the Boardman Police Department stopping car after car of minority drivers "only because they can." Trust me, it happens, because I see it all the time.
Is Boardman the ivory tower of all of Youngstown's suburban communities? It surely is, and in more ways than you can imagine -- regretfully.
ALLAN HLEBOVY
Boardman
Using state funds to build new school makes sense
EDITOR:
I am a lifelong member of Girard and a teacher of 31 years who strongly supports the building of a new school. The state has offered Girard $17.2 million because our facilities are sub par and probably a double bogey when compared to other school facilities in the state.
Why am I in favor of building a new school? I could list many reasons, but the most important fact is it is needed and our children deserve the same opportunities that Struthers, Campbell, Lowellville, Newton Falls, LaBrae, McDonald, Badger, Youngstown and Warren have chosen for their communities. All of these areas have chosen to take state money and then pay their small percentage to build these facilities. School systems such as Liberty and Mineral Ridge have built their facilities without state funds. Note, none of these areas are to be considered affluent and most of these systems are smaller than Girard. If we do not take the $17 million the state is offering, there will be systems like Brookfield, Matthews and others who will.
Some people have said they would move out of Girard if the levy passes. Of greater importance to me is the type of people who will move out if the levy fails. Furthermore, I question the community's ability to attract young families if so many other districts have modernized and built new facilities which give them a better option. I suggest before you vote, go and look at some of these facilities such as LaBrae and Lowellville.
Some people say they would vote for the levy if we would build somewhere other than Mahoning Country Club. There have been four superintendents and two diverse community committees who have researched for five years where to build the school. These decisions were not taken lightly but rather were based on all the economic facts that would best secure Girard's present and Girard's future.
It is very easy to get someone to vote no on raising their taxes. One does not even have to give facts, just innuendoes or half truths. A list of facts, such as how much your taxes will actually be raised, is available at the board offices at the Prospect Intermediate School Complex.
All six of my children have attended St. Rose school and have graduated from Girard High School and from college. My grandfather was a Girard resident and my mother was a Girard graduate. I have written this letter because Girard will always be a very important part of my life. In a very short four years I will be retiring from this school system and I can only hope that I will have the privilege of paying for a brand new facility for your children and our community. At the very least, I hope my taxes for a new school will aid in bringing many new families to the wonderful community of Girard.
JOSEPH A. CAPPUZZELLO
Girard
Too clever for his claims
EDITOR:
For someone who claims to be mentally retarded, Danny Lee Hill continues to display remarkable skill in playing the system. His survival smarts are further proven in his knowing that living behind bars for life is better than not living at all.
The horrible death that Raymond Fife met at the hands of Hill can never be compared to the merciful death by lethal injection administered to death row inmates by the state.
Those sitting on death row for taking the life of another might give some thought as to how cheap and dehumanizing a price they placed on their own lives.
MARY LOU JURINA
Youngstown