Letters to the Editor: April 27, 2023

When repeated corrections of obvious falsehoods are repeatedly ignored, truth is obviously not a concern.

And when holders of an ideological position refuse to address how it collides head-on with reality, the weakness of their position is unmistakable.

In her letter defending and promoting access to abortion, Michelle Venorsky repeated the oft-heard but never-convincing pro-choice argument that this is all and only about what a woman can do with her body. No mention is made of the body that abortion targets. Basic biology denied, repeated corrections ignored, weakness exposed.

But though I know this will continue to be denied and/or ignored by many, here are some incontrovertible and inconvenient truths.

Once a woman conceives, a new human being is created who is her child, and for whom her body was designed to protect and nourish. This child’s DNA is unique and is often male, so, “Not the mama.”

The right to life is a natural right, not one that can be conferred or denied by government. Since life begins at conception, every brand new human has the right to be protected from being unjustly killed.

Women have and will continue to have reproductive freedom. It’s post-reproduction that abortion restrictions are concerned with.

“Fetal viability” is a nebulous but nevertheless inconsequential distinction in determining the legitimacy of killing a child in the womb. A child has a right to the protection of his mother’s womb at every stage of his pre-born existence, wherein he remains viable.

We “have a say” in what a woman does with the body within her in the same way we have a say in what she does with the child once he’s born. Should we have no laws against child abuse?

A child cannot choose to be conceived. But men and women can choose whether or not to engage in a sexual activity which they know may result in the creation of a child. Their child. That is the time when reproductive choice can and should be exercised.

Once the very tiny but totally human person is created, it is too late. Then the choice desired by Ms. Venorsky and others becomes not one of reproduction but of death.

Caroline Smith

South Russell

Debt ceiling and the economy

We recently saw the effect that just two banks defaulting had on the economy.  It was unsettling and had significant  impact not only in the USA, but on global markets as well. 

Failing to raise the debt ceiling and causing the US to default will turn the world economy upside down. It has the potential to ruin every IRA, every 401k, pensions, and the spillover will cause shock waves on global markets.

The debt ceiling and the budget are two separate issues.  The former is to pay for spending already approved. The latter to determine how much to spend in the future.

The debt ceiling has been raised 100 times including three times during the previous administration.  It is not prudent to attempt to negotiate over history. The debt ceiling must be raised to pay for decisions made years ago. 

I implore you to call or write your elected officials and demand they act on the best interest of our collective economic stability and vote to approve the new debt ceiling. 

Keeping our national economic house in order is essential to maintaining our position as world leader.  To default is a sign of legislative failure to our fellow citizens. More over, it demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding by our elected officials on how our economy works and its place in the world economy. 

If you are retired or saving for retirement, making this call to your U.S. representatives may be one of the most important actions you can take this year. 

Contact information for your representatives: house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Joseph Murphy

Chagrin Falls

Republicans trying to rig the system

Republicans with a majority in the Ohio legislature apparently know they can’t win at the ballot box, so they’re planning to change the rules. State lawmakers are working overtime right now to change the law in order to stop the Protect Choice Ohio constitutional amendment from succeeding. If you’re uninformed about this important physician-initiated, citizen-led ballot initiative, learn more at protectchoiceohio.org.

Ohio legislators will soon vote whether to increase the votes necessary to pass the women’s reproductive health amendment from 50%-plus one to 60%. These legislators are also trying to push the election for this issue to a special election in August, something that the very same lawmakers were against a few months earlier when they voted to get rid of costly special elections in Ohio.

No wonder independent newspapers and nonpartisan groups like the League of Women Voters have come out against this attempt to rig the system and overturn 100 years of precedent. In the past, Ohio elections have been decided by a simple majority. Everyone understands that when you vote in a democracy “you always get your say, but you don’t always get your way.”

Desperate politicians, however, would rather cost the taxpayers an extra $20 million for an unnecessary additional election because they know they can’t win under normal rules. This is dirty politics. It’s undemocratic and hypocritical! Please call your representatives and demand that they stop subverting the democratic process and let the citizens of Ohio decide this issue.

Emilie Gottsegen

Chagrin Falls

Grand Marshall of Blossom parade

The Village of South Russell was created in 1923. As part of our Centennial Celebration, we are proud to announce that the village has been selected to serve as the Grand Marshall of the Blossom Time Parade in Chagrin Falls on Sunday, May 28, at 2 p.m.

We would like to advertise your business during the parade. Local businesses have offered to provide trucks that they will drive in the parade. Your Village business has the opportunity to place two signs, one for each side of the truck, to advertise your business. If you choose to participate, your sign will be visible by over 20,000 spectators as we roll down the parade route.

Your signs/logos cannot be over 24”x24” and must be able to adhere to the truck body with double-sided adhesive tape.

Bring your signs/logos to the SRV building department drop-off container by Friday, May 19.

Please remember the parade goes on rain or shine, so your signs/logos need to be able to withstand the weather. All signs/logos will be available for pick-up beginning Tuesday, May 30.

Questions? Attend a planning meeting on Monday, May 1, at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.

Want to sponsor one of our Centennial Celebration activities? Contact Mayor Bill Koons or council member Ruth Cavanagh.

Thanks in advance for all you have done and continue to do for the Village of South Russell.

Bill Koons

South Russell Mayor

Suggestion for lowering Solon Service Department overtime

In the Solon Times article of April 13, “City/service union negotiations getting closer to contract,” regarding union negotiations and the Solon Service Department, LLC, Ms. Mix “explained that as a service department worker, an average leaf pick-up season is 168 hours of overtime, or hours outside the 40-hour Monday through Friday schedule.”

She says that she and her co-workers “have worked almost every weekend from October through December for leaf season…” That 168 hours at around $26 per hour is $4,368 per worker - for leaf pick-ups.

I wonder how many workers are involved and is overtime paid at time-and-a-half? I support them being paid for their work, but does this much of this kind of work need to be done?

These employee costs do not include the fuel nor the air and noise pollution of the leaf-sucking trucks. 

Would it be better and more cost-effective for residents to use mulching lawnmowers, or simply lawn mowers without the catching bag, providing they can be used safely, a few times during leaf season?  We, and landscapers, could use lawn mowers to mulch the grass and leaves in our own yards, recycling nutrients back into the ground, and lessening the use of the abominable leaf blowers and the creation of great piles of nature’s leaves at the curbs to be sucked up by the trucks and our city service employees.

I remember Mayor Kraus recommended mulching grass and leaves back into our earth in an article a couple years ago in this publication.

Could this help reduce costs for overtime hours and fuel, and enhance a healthier lifestyle and much less noise pollution in our beautiful community? 

Lee-Ann Spacek

Solon