Signs have their limits

Signs have their limits

EDITOR:

Election season is upon us as evidenced by the colorful signage that is sprouting up around our Valley. Political yard signs are a good way to show your support for a candidate or an issue.

Here are the regulations for political signs in the city of Youngstown (Ordinance Number 00-119. Passed 3-29-00):

A “political yard sign” is defined as any sign, poster, board or placard bearing information or advertising a candidate for public office or a public political issue which is installed by staking, guy wires or other methods of installation.

City law regulates, restricts and controls the display of political signs as to duration, size and location. The intent is not to prohibit or discourage political signs, but to enhance the appearance of the community before, during and after a political election, as well as to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city who may be endangered due to defective construction and location of the signs. Political yard signs in residential areas and on residential property shall not exceed two feet by three feet in size.

No person, firm or corporation shall post or cause to be erected a political yard sign, with the exception of billboards, for public display within the city limits prior to 30 days before the election. The political sign shall be removed from public display on or before the 10th day following the election.

No political sign shall be placed on or affixed to a city right-of-way and/or expressway right-of-way and/or city-owned property. No political sign shall be placed at an intersection on private property in excess of three feet in height and such sign shall be placed in such a manner as not to create a sight restriction to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

I will think twice before I vote for a candidate for public office who is unaware of or disregards the law.

RAY DeCARLO

Youngstown

No mystery when life begins

EDITOR:

At the Faith Forum held at Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, Calif., on Aug. 16, a very pertinent question relative to morality was asked by Rick Warren the moderator. At what point is a baby entitled to human rights? John McCain responded with little hesitation by saying, “At conception.” To be sure, the entitlement to human rights coincides to when there is a first recognition of human life. This is at conception. In contrast to this statement of truth, Barack Obama responded by saying that the answer to that question was “above his pay grade”.

In hearing this response from Barack, it was quite obvious to me that he was circumventing or skirting the truth. His answer is incomprehensible in this day of scientific enlightenment, There is a preponderance of scientific proof that human life begins in the fullest sense in the womb at the moment of conception when the sperm and the egg unite resulting in a chromosomal complete human being.

It is obvious why Barack responded to the question as asked the way he did. To concur that there was human life in the womb upon conception or any point of a pregnancy would then suggest a very harsh truth. To have an abortion, one terminates or kills that tiny defenseless human being. This is an act most definitely akin to murder. Politically he found the horror of this truth unacceptable to convey to his constituents. Politically he skirted the truth. Abortion is an act of abomination in the fullest sense of the word.

Yes indeed, the motivation or the response he gave in answering the question the way he did, most definitely was not above my pay grade nor should it be above yours. It is quite evident that truth was not spoken.

EMORY BEAL

Hermitage, Pa.