Hearing from home means more than words can say

Hearing from home means more than words can say

EDITOR:

I cannot begin to express my thanks for the cards and prayers I’ve received from folks who saw my name in The Vindicator as a soldier overseas at the holidays. I have been deployed to Iraq since November of 2008 and will be returning home in May of 2010. This is my third trip to this part of the world.

Words are inadequate to explain why those of us who have the privilege of serving our country and our flag do what we do. Words are also inadequate to express thanks to those who support us and our families as we do the hard things so that our flag can wave on.

Your cards and letters humbled me, made me smile, laugh and sometimes cry. More importantly, they made me feel remembered at a time when I am far away from my family and friends. Your U.S. military members over here are doing a phenomenal job and writing a new chapter in our country’s history, as well as the history of Iraq. The fact that you took the time to reach out to a soldier tells all of us here how proud you are of what we are doing. That means more than I can say.

NORA GARONO

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army

Baghdad, Iraq

Real men oppose abortion

EDITOR:

In last Sunday’s letter, “Why is abortion part of the health-care debate,” the writer says: “Being a man, I’ll never have to decide on having an abortion. The last thing I would ever do is to try to make that decision for a woman.”

As a man, I was disappointed but not surprised by his attitude. Real men are involved in every aspect of the life of a child. Real men are there to counsel the young women in respecting life and not having an abortion.

I believe women want a strong, godly man to take part in that decision making process. It is the feminization of society that tells men “it’s none of your business” if the women wishes to have the abortion.

As a “real man,” I don’t want my tax dollars paying for something I morally don’t believe in. I can’t force a woman to not have an abortion, and I shouldn’t be forced to pay for an abortion.

CARMEN AMADIO

Boardman

Happy Christmas forever

EDITOR

When I began reading the letter last Sunday’s urging the radio stations in the local area to reconsider the playing of certain holiday songs, I had a sneaking suspicion that “Happy Christmas (War is Over!)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono would be included among the tunes he wishes to “cease and desist.”

I couldn’t imagine a Christmas without it. Each time I hear it, I am reminded of the importance of personal reflection and responsibility, not only at the holidays, but throughout the year. The lyrics offer a worthwhile and challenging message urging individual and collective peacefulness, as pertinent today as it was almost 40 years ago when it first aired, “And so this is Christmas, and what have you done; another year over, a new one just begun.” With the continued strife in the Middle East, and as our country prepares to deploy additional service personnel to that region, “War is Over! If You Want It!” might be a refrain worth reconsidering.

Along with Yoko Ono, and the late John Lennon, I’m dreaming, and imagining, peace, happiness, love, and understanding this holiday season.

JOHN NOGA

Austintown

All you need is Bing

EDITOR:

I have been listening to Christmas music on the radio since Thanksgiving Day and will continue to listen until it’s over. Even if some of the songs are played over and over, the music is great. My two granddaughters are in their teens and listen to Christmas music on the radio all the time. They love it.

Some of the artists aren’t with us anymore, but their spirits are still with us. For example, Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas.” You can’t get any better than that.

Christmas is family, Christmas movies, Christmas cookies and listening to Christmas songs on the radio over and over again.

PATTY TOWNSEND

Liberty

Humane society needs help

EDITOR:

Every day our staff of 16 comes to work to care for our adoptable animals, educate the community, and provide affordable veterinary care to our clients. We are unique in the veterinary world because we specialize in rescuing animals that are abused and abandoned. We take on humane cases that are unimaginably cruel, and ensure those that are guilty are prosecuted for their actions. Those animals will have justice. We are the Mahoning County humane society.

There is no other humane society in Mahoning County, and we are the only vet clinic that provides shelter to homeless animals because of eviction or hard financial times. We are one of the few clinics that provide full services at low costs — almost giving things away at times just to save an animal.

We do all of this work and will continue to do so. However, we could use the help of public officials. Simply put, we do not receive the support we need. Our mayor does not return our phone calls, nor do the city prosecutors, county commissioners, or our city councilmen. We really need their help to prosecute cases. The Youngstown Police Department is not always available to assist us when we need their help with a vicious animal or a dangerous situation, even though we respond to them immediately. The dog pound refuses to work cooperatively with us by ignoring our requests to pick up stray dogs and by not referring humane cases to our agency. We are the only agency in the county that is legally able to handle these cases.

The only way to stop abuse is to have severe consequences and support. We cannot make that happen alone.

In addition, we never received any money that was to be granted by the city to respond to humane calls within Youngstown. Approximately 90 percent of our calls are within city limits. We remove and rescue hundreds of dogs from the city alone on a yearly basis.

If you would like to support our mission, let the city of Youngstown hear your voice. Write letters, sign petitions, post flyers, anything you can think of to fight for those that have no voice of their own. We must encourage law enforcement officials and the courts to take us seriously if we ever hope to put an end to animal abuse.

NIKOLE OWEN

Youngstown

X The writer is CEO of Animal Charity of Ohio in Youngstown and wrote on behalf of herself and the staff.