No off switch on cruisers?

No off switch on cruisers?

EDITOR:

On May 23 around 11 a.m., I stopped at the Taco Bell on Youngstown-Poland Road near E. Midlothian Blvd. I backed into the parking space next to two Youngstown police vehicles. I noticed that both cars where running and had no occupants. I walked into the restaurant where the two police officers were seated at a table drinking cokes. When I was returning from the restroom I walked by their table and they were in a discussion that I could clearly hear on how they can receive additional overtime pay. When I returned outside and was walking across the parking lot another patron getting out of his car made a comment to which I agreed that, yes, the cars were running.

In many cities the police departments are requiring their officers to shut off their cars when they make a stop for traffic violations and also eliminating vehicles on the roads by parking one and having two officers in a car so that the department can save fuel. In this era of high gas prices and loss of revenue in the cities that are affecting our police departments, this is a blatant disrespect to the city taxpayers.

The city and departments want levy renewals and can’t understand why their residents balk at voting for them. If more of our police do the same thing, the waste of fuel by the city vehicles is probably enormous and adding to costs that are too high now.

FRANK KISHEL

Poland

More than a numbers game

EDITOR:

An essay by Ellis Henican that appeared in The Vindicator May 23 asserts that anyone who opposes John McCain’s candidacy because of his age is guilty of “ageism.” That totally misses the point. The issue is not how vigorous and mentally alert the senator is now, but the risk that things may go downhill in the next few years. As one who is bit older than McCain is, I feel free to tell the truth as I see it, without being judged to be a bigot. The hard reality is that, for someone of his age (and mine), the probability that a major medical crisis will occur in the next four years is much greater than would be the case for leaders in their fifties or sixties.

It is relevant to note that the article in question appeared in print the same week that we learned the tragic news of Sen. Edward Kennedy’s malignant brain tumor. Here is another stalwart public servant in his seventies who may be unable to complete his term in office. The history of our nation includes many presidents whose last years were marked by major physical and mental deterioration. It has been widely reported that Ronald Reagan was not the same man in the last years of his second term as when he first occupied the Oval Office There was Franklin Roosevelt, who was obviously a sick man at the time of the 1945 Yalta conference with Josef Stalin. Going back even further, there is the example of Woodrow Wilson, who was kept out of the public’s sight after suffering a stroke that crippled his ability to deal with the geopolitical issues that arose after the end of the first World War.

John McCain could prove to be an outstanding president throughout one or even two four-year terms, but this is not a time when our nation can afford to take the risk of becoming leaderless because of the illness or death of its chief executive.

ROBERT D. GILLETTE MD

Youngstown

Smaller can be better

EDITOR:

Why are the mega-churches thriving in today’s world? Is it because we want to be lost in the crowd, attend but not be involved, need groups that address our particular problems, or just want to be part of the biggest, and presuppose the best?

The smaller churches that have existed for 50, 75, 100 or more years find it increasingly hard to keep their doors open. The cost of heating alone is crushing budgets. My neighborhood church, which will soon be celebrating it’s 85th anniversary, had an increase of $500 per month to our cost of heating. This may seem like small potatoes to some, but we had to reduce our already small staff to continue operating.

Everything good in this world has evolved through the church and we must not let it become a victim of today’s greed and neglect. Let’s get together for change in this world before we no longer have a world fit to live it.

GRACE WILLIAMS

Youngstown

One takes, another gives

EDITOR:

I would like to share a story that shows there are still good, decent people left in this world.

About two weeks ago, my son’s bike was stolen from our yard. I wanted to say to the parent that condones their child stealing someone else’s property, shame on you. You took away any faith I had left in people’s basic goodness. Surely when your child came home with a bike that didn’t belong to him, you knew. How could you let him keep it? Shouldn’t that have been your opportunity to instill in your child the value of working for what you want, not just taking it?

Most people work hard for what they have, and you have no right to take that away from them. I’m a single mother who worked hard for everything that I have. No one gave it to me; I certainly didn’t steal it. Your child came on my property and took something they had no right to take.

But to the person who donated money to my son, I thank you more than words can say. My son also wishes to thank you. I don’t know who you are, but you did more than give my child a bike — you gave me back my faith. I will be forever grateful to you.

KATHY CRAMER

Youngstown