Boardman Township workers should stand their ground

Boardman Township workers should stand their ground

EDITOR:

Well I see the trustees of Boardman are playing games again. Now they want to exercise a contract provision requiring the firefighters to trim their ranks again. The fire department was at a point where the firefighters can’t reduce their men any further. The best idea they can come up with is to eliminate important services to the taxpayers.

This is unacceptable. Why haven’t the police given up anything? They only had to give up civilian personnel. Aren’t firefighters just as important as police? They are all safety forces.

Why don’t the people of Boardman write letters or call the trustees and tell them what they think of their childish games? They are driving people away from Boardman with their antics instead of making it a “nice place to call home.”

I say to all the Boardman services, stand your ground and don’t give in to the trustees. If they don’t know how to run a township, they should incorporate the township, become a city, and let qualified people run it.

MADELINE SHANKS

Poland

Is city’s youth doomed?

EDITOR:

The deaths of three generations of the Crawford family and the latest homicide of 18-yer-old Demar L. Flores leaves those living outside the city to wonder: Is the youth of Youngstown doomed to die young.

Unfortunately, youth of today have no respect and a poor sense of understanding about the value of life and why Youngstown was founded. Youngstown is a melting pot. People of different religious views, ethnic backgrounds and social status came here to forge a foundation for future generations of their families.

When my grandparents migrated from South Carolina and Pennsylvania in the early 1940s, they saw Youngstown as a place where people came, young and died old. This was an area of opportunity. They no longer had to sharecrop (working on someone else’s land with no profit). One could work and make decent wages, own land and raise children in a safe environment. Although there were racial divides, people felt safe. People also felt responsible for one another.

I grew up on the lower South Side of Youngstown on a street called Wabash. It was a multicultural working class neighborhood. There were Greek, Hispanic, African-Americans, Italians, etc. living in the same area. We managed to get along. Children respected adults and neighbors respected one another. It wasn’t Mayberry, but if there was a problem between the children, families talked it out.

I am a strong believer in the old saying; it takes a village to raise a child. Wake up, Youngstown.

Parents need to take an active role in what is going on in their children’s lives. Parents need to parent. We have to teach our kids moral values. We have to teach our kids that our neighbors are to be treated like an extension of our own family. Most of all we have to teach our children that there is no disagreement so strong that it justifies taking another life.

Until they get the message, Youngstown will continue to be a place where the young die young.

DARLENE WAGNER

Liberty

Look at the bigger picture

EDITOR:

I understand why Liberty is embracing Wal-Mart’s plan. In today’s economy, who doesn’t look for lower prices, not to mention convenience? But beware.

Wal-Mart has a known practice of using child labor to slash its prices. I know other retailers also do this, but not to the extent of Wal-Mart. They are also known to use brutal business practices with their suppliers, not to mention how their employees are treated (ask them).

But my main points are these: Wal-Mart says it creates jobs, but there are more jobs lost than created. All the retailers that were shut down in Liberty Plaza are but a small example. Another point is that “buying American” in their stores is virtually impossible. The final thing I’d like to mention is try to keep your local retailers in business: drug stores, groceries, etc. (Remember them?)

I see signs like “support our troops” all the time, all caring thoughts, but how about supporting our way of life. This country has sold out, but it’s never too late.

GARY DAY

Girard

Catch his train of thought

EDITOR:

One time the railroads were the backbone to this nation. Almost everything was shipped by rail. If we rebuilt our railroads from one end of the country to the other, it would put a lot of people to work.

Produce and food that’s very costly now would be cheaper. Years ago we had Erie Railroad in Downtown Youngstown and you could go to Cleveland and back for a small fee. New York Central went to New Castle and Pittsburgh. If gas prices get any higher why not catch the train?

GUIDO ZARLENGO

Youngstown