Pro-Palestine OSU protesters got what they deserve. Charges shouldn't be dropped.
- Explain Hunter Biden, Bob Menendez
- Hamas got exactly what it wanted
- Integrity of Democratic voters a thing of the past
- OSU protesters got what they deserved
OSU protesters got what they deserved
Protesters on the Ohio State University campus should have no expectation of having charges dropped despite their impassioned pleas to city council.
They knew OSU's rules and deliberately violated them. Law enforcement showed great restraint, giving several warnings before taking action. I saw no clubs, no Mace, no pepper spray, no tasers, no guns drawn.
The only violence I saw was on the part of protesters as they resisted arrest. I suppose those students involved in the protest won't mind having their loans forgiven.
Larry Smith, Columbus
Hamas got exactly what it wanted
Whether you side with Israel or the Palestinians, you have to admit one thing: Hamas leadership is genius.
The events that have occurred since October 7 prove this.
October 7 was more than a military operation or even a terrorist attack. It was a provocation. It was a carrot. It was bait.
Hamas knew that if they could make the attack so horrendous and inhumane, Israel would not just respond, but overreact. They knew that Israel would attack until ‘Hamas is defeated’ once and for all.
So Israel began their ‘create a desert and call it peace’ campaign. And the results are, in no particular order: daily coverage of the suffering in Gaza (and don’t think that Hamas cares one iota); global condemnation of Israel’s response; divisions within countries along political and religious lines; campus unrest in the U.S.; divisions in Israel to return the hostages (this is the only reason hostages were taken).
As a result, instead of Ocober 7 just being another cross-border incursion with a limited Isreali response, has now been front page news for six months.
Genius.
Paul Jones, London
Renovate before ordering vacated
Re letter to the editor "Paying hotels to house displaced people wasteful," May 1: Using hotels to prevent homelessness is not wasteful when payments are a last resort to house folks displaced by deliberate negligence.
This letter writer was suggesting that the City’s Office of Development invest in properties with code enforcement violations and in turn place liens on the property in order to prevent reaching situations where vacate orders are issued.
Columbus can’t afford to lose any more affordable housing units to property owners who allow properties to become run down and uninhabitable, which in turn creates situations where homelessness is a possible outcome.
More:Paying to house displaced renters in hotels wasteful. Real solutions must be found.
Renting of hotels is desirable as a tool to prevent people from living on the streets; but other investments need to be made to prevent deliberate displacement.
I suggest the city take proactive steps to renovate properties prior to having to issue vacate orders.
This is a better outcome than having to make payments to hotel owners to house families who previously held leases in properties affordable to them.
Carl Faller, Columbus
Integrity of Democratic voters a thing of the past
Sam Tilden was the Democratic governor of New York 150 years ago and broke with the Tammany Hall Democratic political machine because of its corruption and oversaw the conviction of Tammany strongman Boss Tweed for corruption.
People of his party admired him for that making him their next presidential candidate. Although he did lose, he was greatly respected by people of his party for doing the right thing.
What happened to the integrity that personified those 19th century Democratic voters?
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
Explain Hunter Biden, Bob Menendez
Re Letter to the editor "A different standard for Biden," March 15: The writer, Timothy Michael, claims that there are two standards of laws. One for Democrats and another for Republicans.
Well, the last time I checked U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is under federal indictment for corruption and obstruction of justice.
By the way, he's a Democrat.
Hunter Biden is under federal indictment for gun related charges and tax-related charges.
By the way, he's the president's son.
Donald Trump is under federal indictment as well.
Here's my question: If all three of these men are found guilty, should they face the consequences of their actions?
Now, if our answer is "yes" to some and "no" to another, then weaponization of the of the judicial system is not the problem.
A jury of 12 Trumps?12 cartoons about hush money, Stormy Daniels as criminal trial starts.
The problem is our perception of the judicial system.
William Lewis, Pataskala
My faith stands in stark contrast to LifeWise
Re "Hilliard scuba facility to become HQ for LifeWise," April 30: The building will allow additional administrative and event space for the rapidly growing nonprofit.
LifeWise teaches Bible instruction to public school students during "release time." The program is strictly voluntary, but given that it is geared toward adolescents who need social inclusion, one might wonder what the social costs could be for students of different faiths or ideological positions.
The Bible is a highly complex book that is open to many different interpretations. It is estimated that there are 45,000 different Christian denominations globally. It is important to know how LifeWise interprets the Bible to understand the impact it could have on generations of young people.
More:LifeWise taking over Hilliard scuba facility as religious nonprofit sees rapid growth
Joel Penton is the founder of LifeWise. He has chosen to appear on Washington Watch, a network started by Tony Perkins. Perkins is also the founder of the Family Research Council, an organization that is openly and aggressively hostile to the LGBTQ+ community.
Just over a month ago, Penton appeared on the show, nodding and later smiling, as the host railed against, " . . . the indoctrination that the Left is forcing into our schools, pushing things like the LGBT ideology."
LifeWise now reaches 35,000 students. I am a Christian, but my faith stands in stark contrast to Penton and his agenda.
Kelly Vaziri, New Albany