Time to take back the streets

Time to take back the streets

The recent carjacking of a local clergyman highlights the need for concerned citizens to take back our streets from rampant criminal elements. As reported in this paper, Rev. Kenneth Miller of St. Luke Church (Boardman) was recently returning home from a downtown restaurant when he responded to an apparent plea for assistance from two individuals who were standing near a car on Market Street. When Rev. Miller pulled over to investigate, one of the individuals pulled a gun and demanded the priest’s wallet and car keys. It is especially disturbing to learn that Rev. Miller was carjacked while acting as a Good Samaritan.

We must send a clear message to criminal offenders that such outrageous acts of violence are unacceptable and diminish our community. If such crimes are committed with impunity, they will surely undermine the progress that our community has made in the direction of revitalization. In response to rising crime, ACTION (Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods) has engaged in a broad range of activities designed to stabilize urban neighborhoods. We have sponsored Holy Ground Marches aimed at calling attention to both criminal hubs and inappropriate businesses that operate in neighborhoods with families and churches. We have distributed Hot Spot Cards that have enabled concerned residents to report criminal activity anonymously.

Our victories have included successfully pressuring the municipal government to raze an abandoned funeral home that had become a locus of crime, and helping to shut down a notorious bar that was the scene of numerous murders. Although these victories are heartening, there is much more to be done in a community that continues to be plagued with violence. Now is the time for decent, civic-minded residents to say, “Enough is enough.” It is clear that most of us desire a community we can be proud of, and one that offers a decent quality of life. If we are to achieve these goals, we must stand up to the criminal minority that seems determined to stand in our way.

Rose Carter, Youngstown

The writer is a lead organizer of the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods and submitted this on behalf of ACTION’s Crime and Safety Committee.

The wrong kind of architect

Could the Mahoning County Democratic Party have found no one more appropriate as their keynote speaker for a fund raiser than Congressman Barney Frank? Barney Frank was the architect of the federal legislation for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that created the mortgage mess and the collapse of the housing industry and our economy. His decisions as a congressman insured that Youngstown would remain in the top 10 for delinquent mortgages, foreclosures and unemployment. Rather than supporting small business, Barney Frank believes we need more government regulations.

Congressman Wilson and Chairman Betras should put their heads together and come up with a guest speaker who encourages personal responsibility and entrepreneurship rather than one more government handout.

Kathy Miller, Boardman

The writer is a real estate broker and appraiser.

Standing in the check-out line is an educational experience

Why do we take measures to keep men’s adult magazines out of sight from young children, but have completely ignored those “other” corrupting magazines?

Next time you’re checking out at the supermarket, take a good look at the supposed “women’s” magazines displayed all over the registers. As the father of a young boy who can read quiet well, I try to position myself between him and the magazine rack. Inevitably though, he catches glimpses of these magazines and we can only guess how his young mind interprets those outrageous covers.

It’s bad enough when the Globe and National Enquirer proclaim, “Who’s Gay and Who’s Not!” and “Child Actor Turns to Porn.” But magazines like Cosmo, Redbook and others are even worse. Next to the bikini-clad model licking her lips, the words on the cover shout out, “Your Best Orgasm Ever!” And also “Ten Places he Wants You To Touch But Won’t Tell You!”

Do we really need to have these publications shoved in the faces of families, where children have no choice but to stand there while their parents are paying for their groceries? These magazines are equally damaging to little girls and I wish more people would speak out about this. Let’s move these periodicals away from the cash register.

Nick Stratos, Youngstown

‘BP people’ are our neighbors

The oil spill in the Gulf has been a great tragedy. And I know BP is a giant company. But do the protesters of BP stations realize they are hurting innocent families that are running the stations?

The protesters should consider the jobs they are taking away. And they should stop and think of the other gas stations that buy fuel from BP, only the trucks don’t say BP.

VIRGINIA BARNETT, North Jackson