Downtown businessman should get Trump pardon

Downtown businessman should get Trump pardon

I read the story in The Vindicator about Mr. Al Adi, who is being deported to Jordan after being in this kind, compassionate and generous country for nearly four decades. He has raised and educated a beautiful family, started a business downtown, where others were reluctant to do so, provided jobs for many, and conducted his life in an exemplary fashion.

The reason for his deportation was simply an allegation that he had a “fraudulent” first marriage. But that seems unlikely, especially when his ex-wife said statements handed out to her by the Naturalization Service agent were signed under intimidating circumstances. She stated in an affidavit: “At the time I signed the paper, I was annoyed at the disruption, scared of the officers and angry with Amer for causing me this trouble. I just wanted to get things over with so I could go back inside to my children. I got the sense that the officers wanted me to say what they wanted to hear so they would leave me alone.”

Women, who in the past married foreigners for “cash”, signed an agreement that they would divorce as soon as the “husband” received his green card, and no hard feelings. This does not seem to be the case with Mr. Al Adi, because his ex-wife even retained his name.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan recognized the unfairness of it all and “wanted to help,” but “unfortunately now the president has kept that from happening.”

It will be a golden opportunity for President Trump to pardon this man, especially when the reasons for his deportation are dubious at best and a “sham” at worst. Trump will show the world, especially the Jordanians, Palestinians, and all of Middle Eastern origin, that fairness, compassion and justice still reign supreme in our beautiful and great America. Mr. Al Adi belongs in our community and in our country. He is an asset, not a liability. He worked hard all his life, obeyed the laws, paid his taxes, and helped to make America great.

Rashid Abdu, M.D., Canfield

US Rep. Tim Ryan should consider run for president

When U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan embraced Youngstown business owner Amer Adi Othman at Othman’s store downtown last week, the public received another look at the compassionate and driven man who represents our Valley. Ryan introduced a bill in 2013 to help prevent Othman from being deported to his native Jordan. And last week he played a role in negotiating a successful stay of deportation for him.

In stark contrast to our current president, Ryan reminded the Mahoning Valley and the nation that welcoming immigrants, not deporting them, is what makes America great. It’s no small wonder that media outlets from Time magazine to the Washington Post have highlighted him as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

Ryan’s challenge to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in 2017 also showed courage. He has equally challenged the leadership of the GOP, repeatedly reminding the country of President Donald Trump’s failed promises to working-class Americans in the Rust Belt and beyond. Now is the time for Ryan to make a presidential bid that could help renew the Valley and restore America’s leadership role on the global stage. Run, Rep. Ryan, run.

Sean Posey, Canfield

More smoke and mirrors

Wow, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, here they come again, the Community Bill of Rights folks with their smoke and mirror rhetoric. But now they want to take their crusade to the state level. Are you for real? Have you not taken enough ridicule on this?

We, the people, are not interested in your doomsday conspiracy that you believe fracking will bring to the area. Instead, we believe that when there is a vast turnaround in the gas industry, Youngstown will be on the cutting edge of a booming industry creating hundreds of jobs and bringing new industry to the region, we will move forward, not remain in the Dark Ages. Get on board, or get out of the way.

Jim Eidel, Beaver Township

Scriptures do not belong on pages of The Vindicator

I’m writing in response to Terry Gallagher’s letter “Kudos to The Vindicator for publishing Scriptures” (1/7/18). I disagree with Gallagher. Printing “Scriptures” in a newspaper is a waste of space that could be better used to print something practical (like Letters to the editor, perhaps). Why should I shell out money to read Bible passages in The Vindicator when I already have two Bibles in my home? If I wanted to read Bible verses, I can do so at any time. A newspaper better serves the community by presenting news and current events, and by being a forum for public dialogue.

Gallagher claims to know of no other city newspaper in America that prints Scriptures. I wonder how many other newspapers Gallagher reads. I can name another newspaper within 30 miles of Youngstown that does so regularly. It sounds like Gallagher has a case of Christian Persecution Complex.

Gallagher’s claim that “Christianity is how and why our Founding Fathers formed America” is demonstrably false. Where in the New Testament does Jesus teach about democracy? Or republicanism? Or the right to vote? He doesn’t. Actually, the United States is based on the Constitution, a deliberately godless, secular document. It does not mention Christianity, Jesus, the Bible, God, resurrection, miracles, prophecies, virgins, the Holy Ghost, or anything else remotely related to Christianity. The only time the Constitution mentions religion at all is to exclude it from the government.

Article VI states that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, but does not establish, endorse, or require religion. In fact, the First Amendment’s famous Establishment Clause provides a broad guarantee of the separation of church and state. We have Founding Father Thomas Jefferson to thank for that stroke of genius. The Founders kept religion out of the government on purpose because they were educated and wise. They knew from their study of history that bad things happen when government and religion mix.

Silas Arch, Canfield

Harasser in chief, Congress do best to bring US down

Let’s get this straight: If I am Republican, I can do any sexual harassment I want; no difference if it’s a little girl, a “beauty queen,” a teenager, or elderly woman. Only a Democrat cannot get away with sexual harassment. Or in my case, any male who looks like eye candy to me or delectable in any other way. Or to paraphrase one of the boasts by the harasser in chief, if I am a star, I can grab any male by his genitals, and all he has to do is submit. Guess I should join the Republican Party. The only thing that stops me is a sense of integrity.

The harasser in chief can do anything he wants as long as he is a Republican who is bringing so much dirt to the Republican Party, they may never be able to shovel their collective way out of his mire and the swamp he continues to add to.

Let’s see, what else: Republicans wear out the old saw “tax and spend.” Who raised the national debt to close to 100 percent when President, but was known as the Teflon President? You guessed it, President Ronald Reagan. Now we have a guy who wants to add more than a trillion dollars to the national debt. Golly sakes, apparently no one ever heard of Bill Clinton and how he decreased the national debt! To pay for this ridiculous sum that is incomprehensible to imagine, taxes will be increased. That is, unless the harasser in chief can get away with doing away with Social Security and any other entitlements.

And those fools in Congress who do the Conga dance with him will fall in line.

Our harasser in chief is doing in bits and pieces all he can to inch our country into yet another war. Why do draft dodgers love war? He certainly is uncontested in his quest to make all other countries hate the U.S. And he says “little” Jared can create a miracle after hundreds of years of conflagration and unrest. He most probably never has heard of President James Earl Carter, and how he accomplished the Camp David Accords, the closest event to try for peace in the Middle East. And, of course, the conga dancers go right along with him and his continuing folly.

Shirley Bartlett, Austintown