Readers’ thoughts on Afghanistan, other tough issues

Plenty of blame to go around for Afghanistan debacle — The war in Afghanistan went on for what, 20 years? It was conducted by four presidents — two Republican and two Democrats. Then, President Trump meets last year with the Taliban, no less, when it was obvious that our efforts were going nowhere on real nation building. Given our past errors in Vietnam and Iraq, should it be any real surprise to anyone with a functioning brain that the exit from Afghanistan was going to be bloody and chaotic? So why is (President) Biden being blamed for it all? He’s just the unlucky Joe who got handed the job. I defy any of his critics to come forward with a scenario that would have worked. BARBARA SCHENCK, DAYTON

Gerrymandering in Montgomery county

— Looking at the (Ohio general assembly) maps in the (Aug. 25 edition of the Dayton Daily News), it is pretty apparent that the black neighborhoods in western Montgomery are once again lumped in with the rural counties, which would overwhelm any influence they might have. Why not take a slice off the county, straight down from Miami to Butler, satisfying population numbers? I look at the map and cannot guess what House district I’m in, living in Kettering. There is a possibility that in the Senate, I could be lumped in with the farmers. My interests and theirs are likely far apart.

SHIRLEY MIKESELL, KETTERING

Debate over mask mandates — The proposed bills at the Ohio Statehouse to prohibit mask and vaccine mandates will only prolong the COVID-19 pandemic. Voluntary efforts have failed. The economy, children’s education, the medical care system, and the well-being of Ohio’s citizens continue to suffer. People who claim that mask or vaccine mandates violate their freedom have a spurious conception of what freedom means. Every citizen shares the responsibility to make sure they do not harm others. People who claim that they have the right to decide what goes into their own bodies do not have the right to decide what they will put in my body against my will. They have no right, and hence no freedom, to breathe out a deadly virus that goes into my body or anyone else’s. Frankly, this is a form of assault. Their claims of freedom amount to the freedom to commandeer public spaces. This is not freedom; it is tyranny over others. MARILYN FISCHER, DAYTON

Dayton eliminates ombudsman office — The city of Dayton has funded the ombudsman office for about 50 years. Now, those funds are threatened. The ombudsman is an important advocate for citizens requiring help in dealing with government offices. The ombudsman office is experienced in solving complaints through the proper channels. City Manager Shelley Dickstein has stated the city’s mediation staff can take on the ombudsman’s service, and has the experience to do so without additional cost. My experience as an office manager and a business owner has taught me that if your office can take on such an additional workload, you are overstaffed. It appears the mediation staff can be reduced without any loss of services. Those funds saved by the reduction of mediation staff could be used to continue to fund the ombudsman.