Enough already with geese!; Without geese, park feels empty; Double standard for pope?; Let vets use Medicare; Make Bible law of land

Enough already with the geese! What about protecting children?

Good grief, how long are we going to immortalize 263 geese? How many letters to the editor have been dedicated to these animals, yet when it comes to battered and abused children, we become silent. Are geese more important than the life or well- being of a child? How many tragedies must happen before we act?

We are fast to put pen to paper when animals are involved, but fall far short when the safety and well-being of our children are involved. We need to act on a law or revise existing laws to protect our children and ensure their safety. It is time we enacted Teddy’s Law in Ohio or a version of it and move forward to protect our kids.

Jim Eidel, Beaver Township

Without geese, park feels empty

My wife and I would like to give our comments regarding the euthanasia of geese in Mill Creek Park. We strongly believe that having wildlife in Mill Creek Park can keep the balance of Mother Nature as it should be.

We do not believe that the geese were causing any danger to people in the park. As we drove through the park recently, it was like an emptiness feeling as compared to before.

We have not heard of any health problems that have occurred. We also believe that the geese elimination has caused more harm than good. A public survey could have been made before the elimination.

We are sure many people feel the same as us. The park will never feel the same after being in the park for our last 70 to 80 years.

George Brooks, Sharon, Pa.

Pope unlikely to excommunicate those in church who prey on kids

I am responding to BERTRAM de Souza’s July 27 column, “Pope’s edict affects local Mafia boss.”

Yes, Pope Francis excommunicated the Mafia. But he has yet to excommunicate even one of his bishops who continue to enable and empower their child-predator clerics who ruin children’s lives. Not one has been fired, demoted or punished for covering up their sex crimes.

Plus just a couple of weeks ago, Father Gerald Robinson of Toledo, who died in prison for viciously killing a nun, got to have a full priestly Catholic burial. Something is terribly wrong with this picture.

Sadly the sex abuse and cover-up within the church hierarchy throughout the world is still going on to this day, including the Youngstown Diocese’s own Bishop George Murry. Cardinals and bishops are still not removing accused predator clergy, and they are still not reporting to law enforcement. Their so called “zero-tolerance” policy is not being followed by the bishops who created it. They don’t have to, because there is no punishment to force the bishops to change their ways of protecting their power and the institution rather than protecting innocent children.

Sex abuse thrives in secrecy, and secret systems allow it to continue to this day.

Silence is not an option anymore; it only hurts. By speaking up, there is a chance for healing, exposing the truth and therefore protecting others.

Judy Jones, Marthasville, Mo.

Judy Jones is Midwest associate director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests [SNAP]. She has monitored cases in the Mahoning Valley.

Why not downsize the VA, then allow veterans to use Medicare?

The government is going to solve another good example of the bad of an oversized government. How? By wasting more money. Why? Because they don’t know how else to solve it.

I heard on the radio today that government leaders are planning to build 27 new Veterans Affairs facilities and hire thousands of new personel (borrow more money from China).

I also heard of plans for a solution that I have long spoken about. Since, the traffic jam at the VA is caused by more “civilian” medical issues than active-duty injuries with ongoing treatment requirements.

The most obvious and least expensive answer is to issue all veterans along with their discharge evidence a “VA-care” card to allow them to seek treatment from the private-sector medical community, their family doctor and other local specialists.

This will disallow government to “grow.” Medicare works for me, so why can’t it for veterans?

Daniel Bienko, Canfield

Positive story made her day

A bushel of thanks to The Vindicator for the July 29 story titled “Daughter’s call from Fla. averts a tragedy,” which made my day — big time.

With all the violence and tragedies reported in the news every day, reading something that expresses a daughter’s love and concern for her parents is so beautiful.

If I was to guess what Jennifer O’Hara’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Robert Casey’s favorite song was, I would guess Maurice Chevalier’s “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.”

I had to become an old lady to learn that “time and age” are great teachers. Love cannot be bought, love cannot be forced, love cannot be stolen, love can only be given, and if one is blessed, they receive it.

Once again, Vindicator, thank you for making my day.

Mary Lou Jurina, Youngstown

Christian Bible should be law of the land in the United States

In reference to the letter published July 13, reinforcing homosexual rights to equality of marriage backed by the Constitution.

The homosexual lifestyle does defy God.

So what’s the point?

The point is this: Homosexual lifestyle is against what the Constitution declared as equal rights to marriage; why? Don’t you know the Constitution was written by Christian men that was based on the Christian Bible and they would not give rights to sinfulness against the word of God?

Study the Bible, and you will understand where they came from.

Personally, yes, I want the Bible to be the law of the land.

Islam is the largest religion, but salvation is through Jesus Christ that the Christian God promised in Genesis 17: 18-21 “The seed is through Abraham’s son Isaac.”

Shariah law is not needed; we have a Constitution already.

There is no reason to stone adulterers or homosexuals or any other sinner. Jesus taught love your enemies. [Matthew 5:44] But do not accept what they do [Romans 12:2].

Marriage is between one man and one woman, as stated in 1st Corinthians Chapter 7. If you think woman, her, she refers to gay men or transgenders, then read Romans 1:18-32 and 1st Corinthians 6:9-11, to answer where the Bible does say one man, one woman.

You like the Constitution instead of Christian Bible? Well they’re the same.

The 14th Amendment guarantees equal treatment, yes, to love and respect people but not to accept the wrong they do as mentioned earlier.

The color of a man’s skin was an ignorant problem by the white man. Colors in marriage were never against biblical teaching. But it does forbid homosexual marriage.

Be careful wanting a Constitution instead of the Christian Bible. Check out Matthew 15:7-14.

James Brammer, Salem