De Souza criticized; media missed Traficant's positives; Jimbo was one of the greats; drug testing necessary everywhere; smoke and mirrors with bill of rights

Columnist de Souza blasted for personal attack on Traficant

Bertram de Souza’s com- mentary has become so vitriolic and self-aggrandizing that his credibility has vanished.

Some months ago, I sent a letter to The Vindicator concerning the then-building crisis in Ukraine. I faulted the author of an opinion piece on this subject because, among other things, he had his post-Cold War European geography wrong.

Mr. de Souza refused to publish my letter because he considered it a personal attack on that particular author, and he didn’t condone personal attacks. Are you kidding me? All Mr. de Souza does is personally attack people even after they’ve died.

Jim Traficant certainly deserved the punishment he received. However, to refer to his political talent and legacy as an instrument of evil is ludicrous and crass. Mr. de Souza goes on to contrast Traficant’s evil instrument legacy with a glowing remembrance of Mike Kirwan.

Mike Kirwan did absolutely nothing for this area in his 34 years of stellar service. The historians who fondly remember Mike Kirwan 44 years after his death must have gone to the same school as Bertram de Souza.

William J. Fedor, Youngstown

Valley news media ignored many positives of Jim Traficant’s career

Why did the local media only report some of the late James Traficant’s accomplishments as congressman? Why no mention of the two veterans clinics in Youngstown and Warren? Why no mention of the 711-Connector? Why so little credit to Traficant for securing the federal funding to make the Covelli Centre a reality instead of a pipe dream?

Why did the local print media usually end their stories since Traficant’s tragic accident and death in a negative manner by emphasizing his conviction in federal court in 2002 and other negatives?

Why no mention by the local print media concerning Mr. Richard Detore who testified at the House Ethics Committee hearings that he never bribed Traficant and was later found innocent in a court of law of bribing Traficant?

Why didn’t the local media close their recent comments by mentioning juror No. 8 Leo Glaser who voted to convict Traficant at the federal trial in Cleveland and later during the congressional campaign in 2002, campaigned openly for Traficant.

Glaser said emphatically during interviews with Mahoning Valley media in 2002 that had he been presented with the facts that were not presented at the federal trial in Cleveland, that he would have found Traficant innocent of most if not all the 10 counts against him.

Why didn’t the local media in recent reports mention the tape-recorded conversations Traficant made concerning conversations he had with the key witnesses against him that were not allowed to be presented at his federal trial?

There is an old saying that no good deed goes unpunished. The good deeds Traficant did for people who asked for his help are absolutely astounding.

Those good deeds were not limited to just the Mahoning Valley. Countless people were helped by Traficant all over the late great USA. Because of all his good works, he deserved to be called America’s Congressman.

Jim Bunosky, Austintown

EDITOR’S NOTE: All of the accomplishments noted in the first paragraph of this letter were included in a story headlined “Traficant’s Top 10 accomplishments in office” in the Sept. 28 edition of The Vindicator.

Reader recalls Jim Traficant as one of the greats of our region

Meeting Jim Traficant was an honor I will always cherish. He was a person one could describe in six words, “He was one of the greats.”

Jim Traficant was different because he knew who he was, and was happy and comfortable living in his own skin. He had the courage, confidence and determination to do battle for the things he believed in.

I understand what my father meant when he said being a male will not make you a man. Before you earn that title, you must prove yourself to be a solid, good human being.

Were it not for the different people in the world, civilization would have died long ago. If everyone looked the same, thought the same, the lack of new ideas would stunt progress and be as a stagnant as water gathering debris.

Jim Traficant pumped life into our community, and I was proud to support him with my votes and defend his character by those who felt he wasn’t perfect enough to be in the public limelight.

Along with crediting Jim’s accomplishments, I personally applaud his ability to make people think.

Jim Traficant will be missed and never forgotten. Along with the other great people who death has claimed, he will be kept alive in memory.

Journey on and rest in peace great warrior.

Mary Lou Jurina, Youngstown

Drug testing today has become necessary fact of life everywhere

Earlier LAST week a TV news report stated the difficulty manufacturers face hiring people who cannot pass drug testing.

A school representative stated the school could not randomly test students, with the exception of sports participants, because students have the guaranteed right to an education.

A student, learning how to operate dangerous machinery, causes an accident. It is discovered the student was impaired while in class. Who bears the responsibility? The school for not protecting the student, the instructor for not being aware of the student’s condition, the parents for not knowing what is happening, the student for lack of personal responsibility?

What happens if an impaired student causes another student to be seriously or fatally injured?

The Vindicator has reported many industrial accidents, some serious, some fatal. Some of these accidents were equipment failure, some human error. The result is always the same; life changes forever.

Drug testing has become a necessary part in all areas of today’s life. Education prepares students for their future, and that future can depend on a drug test.

Patricia A. Turk, Boardman

Smoke & mirrors continue to fill group’s Community Bill of Rights

There comes a time in the lives of most normal sound- minded people that something is just not going to go their way; thus, they would abandon all efforts and move on. This unfortunately is not the case with the Lost Children of the anti-fracking movement. They have tried three times to corral the voters in Youngstown into voting for a Community Bill of Rights full of smoke and mirrors and a lot of hocus-pocus, proving they have lost all sense of direction and purpose.

We as a community must show the rest of the country that we are an aggressive city, ready to do what needs to be done to move ahead into the future by bringing industrial expansion, job growth and positive leadership to take Youngstown into the next decade.

This will not happen if you choose to support the Community Bill of Rights. It was a bad deal the last three times, and it’s still a bad deal this time. Vote no Nov. 4 on the Community Bill of Rights.

Jim Eidel, Beaver Township