Evil of violence takes many forms

Evil of violence takes many forms

It is so sad to read each day of the violence that is occurring right here in Youngstown. Drive-by shootings, robberies and murder have become too common in this area. I am sure that the elected officials are trying to find ways to stop all of this crime, and I pray that they do. But I believe they are overlooking an area of evil that is growing rampant, and I believe that it has a connection to crimes in this area. I am speaking about animal abuse.

Studies in detail have shown that those who abuse animals more than likely will have a proclivity to do harm and commit crimes against people. Yet time after time, animal abusers are given a token fine and rarely do any jail time. Animal abusers have no concern for the value of life in any form — human or animal. That is why murder and violent crimes come so easily to them.

I recently heard of something that happened in this area and I am literally heartsick over it. It was reported that a woman witnessed three men dumping an injured Rottweiler into a Dumpster and then taking off in a vehicle. The poor dog’s leg was shredded and he was very scared and shaken. If this woman hadn’t called to report this, that dog would have died a miserable death in a Dumpster. As it was, the Mahoning County pound took the dog and would have put him down if a rescue did not step up and save him. The dog’s leg had to be amputated because of the serious injury to it. I extend my thanks to the rescue from Grove City who cared enough to help this animal.

As if that weren’t evil enough, an extremely emaciated, severely injured boxer was brought to the pound. This tortured boxer had obviously been used as a bait dog as he had scars and infected bites all over him. His hair was completely gone and his bones protruded everywhere from literally being starved. Although a rescue in Ohio took him in, he sadly died that night from all of his injuries. And those responsible for doing this evil to a helpless dog are walking around in our city. What makes it even more sad is if they do get caught, not much will be done against them. After all, it is just an animal. We don’t have jail space for that. We will just wait until they do a more heinous crime — which they will.

Where is it all going to stop? If we don’t demand stronger laws for those who commit atrocities against animals then we have ourselves to blame when these same criminals harm or shoot an innocent child or kill someone on the street.

Marianne B. Lordi, Youngstown

Doctors beget doctors

A recent Vindicator article featured the local graduates of Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Pharmacy. They should all be proud of their accomplishment. However, in further reading the article, I noticed that 6 of the 19 local graduates (32 percent) are children of doctors.

Given that something less than 1 percent of our population are doctors, the 32 percent number seems questionable.

Do the children of doctors have better grades? I doubt it. Are the children of doctors the only ones who wanted to enter medical school? I doubt it. Will children of doctors make better doctors? I doubt it. The disproportionate number of children of doctors hardly seems to be an accident.

I did ask the school how students are selected. I was told, “After the interview, recommendations are then brought forward to the Medicine Admissions Committee to determine the status of the candidates (accept, deny, etc.). Subcommittees bring forward recommendations and members of the Admissions Committee decide the status.” I was also told the admissions committee was made up of personnel from the school’s staff.

Some questions come to mind:

1. Is there any independent oversight of the admission process to prevent favoritism?

2. Are members of the admissions process required to excuse themselves from a decision on any prospective student if they have any relationship with them (family, friend, contributions, or business)?

3. What process is in place to prevent any personal contact with the admissions committee to influence the decisions? Are admissions personnel required to disclose any such contact?

Since this is a publicly funded school, all qualified prospective students should have a equal opportunity for admission. The figures mentioned above do not support this.

The selection process is apparently flawed and skewed toward children of doctors. An independent review and oversight of this process is needed.

I have no personal knowledge of anyone applying for admission and have no ax to grind. I just want to see the process being fair to all.

Frank A Micchia, Canfield

Pension payments in lieu of wage increases save the public money

He’s done it again. A Vin- dicator columnist has written yet another column strongly criticizing benefits (severance pay “buy out” and pension payments) for public employees.

The irony of his column is that it never reports on the other side of these issues.

The average severance pay and/or buy out is tens of thousands of dollars less than the example reported. Also note that buy outs and severance pays are most certainly not a new phenomenon and have been in existence for many years in most employer groups. Further, the local news media refuses to address the huge discrepancy in base wages between public workers and those who work in plants.

Skilled public workers (plumber, foreman, engineer aide, water and sewer line repairmen) make between $10 to $12 less than skilled workers in plants.

That being said, let’s address the columnist’s misconception and understanding of the benefit of pension payments by public employees. The columnist is basically correct that these payments are negotiated in lieu of pay raises. However, he fails to mention that virtually all plans include wage freezes as well.

The following is the rationale for payments of pension benefits in lieu of pay raises. Any pay raise of any amount results in the following:

1. Increase in base pay

2. Time and a half pay increases

3. Holiday pay increases

4. Vacation pay increases

5. Sick pay increases

6. Workers Compensation premium increase

7. Work up pay increase

8. P.E.R.S. payment for employees increase

9. Severance pay increase

10. Buy out pay increase

Payments of an employee’s pension costs result in no increases in those costs.

Doing the math, a reasonable observer could easily come to the conclusion that a program that includes pension payments would certainly be a wise financial solution to contain an employer’s personnel costs over a 3 to 4 year period.

Bertram de Souza should report the abuses and the extremes, but in all fairness, report the average and/or the norm.

Al DeVengencie, Girard

The writer is a former AFSCME union representative.

Playhouse just gets better

We attended the open- ing performance of “The Wedding Singer” at the Youngstown Playhouse July 16. It was almost a full house.

We have seen many great musicals there over the years, but this one was the greatest by far.

The new sound system is wonderful. The choreography, music and acting were phenomenal.

Therefore, we are urging the people of this area to get season tickets for the 2010-2011 season for some great upcoming shows. You will be in for a treat.

Richard & Frances Tkach, Youngstown