Answering the Roe v. Wade wake-up call by voting
The Supreme Court overturning Roe v.
Wade should be a wake-up call for every Ohioan. With Roe no longer the law of the land, Ohio Republicans are going to work to criminalize abortion and enact cruel restrictions that would endanger mothers and force survivors of rape and incest to carry their pregnancy to term. Ohioans deserve better. Women deserve better. Young women like me deserve better. Our vote is our most effective weapon to defend against these attacks and ensure women can make their own reproductive health-care decisions. We have to elect pro-choice Democrats this November who know these personal health-care decisions belong between a woman and her doctor. KATE WALLACE, DAYTON
We can all be somewhat thankful and feel slightly hopeful for any gun regulations. Yet there are questions that need to be answered when we consider what will actually work to curb gun violence. I wonder how many very angry young or old men will accept any mental health counseling. What therapists are trained to effectively deal with very angry young or old men?
Anger is a good feeling for some, maybe the only feeling of power they may have. For some, the adrenaline surge is one of the few strong reactions that person may have, and it feels good. Why would that person want to change? Or take the time to practice anger management skills when he is feeling the victim for some slight or perceived rejection?
How much training do community therapists have for dealing with the kind of rage that causes one to buy and use a gun to kill? It doesn’t seem like teaching anger management skills has worked well in the past. Do we have any statistics on that?
I don’t think legislators have the slightest idea how complex this problem is or how long it would take to actually reduce anger levels in a seriously off-kilter populace. Until the angry person is willing to admit his destructiveness, or understand the complexity of his feelings, and want to change, it would be far more effective to regulate the sale of guns, especially high powered assault weaponry.
Having gun rights is no more important than the right of people to feel safe and live without fear. Until legislators can grasp the complexity of what really goes on and care more for victims of gun violence than the gun lobby, there isn’t a lot of hope. GLORIA DOAN, CENTERVILLE
The Ohio Department of Health recently confirmed a 17-month-old child is the first measles case in Ohio since 2019, raising concerns about the decrease in vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. This discovery serves as another harsh reminder that diseases continue to spread, underscoring how critical it is for children to stay up to date with vaccinations.
Vaccination against infectious diseases remains one of the most successful health interventions in the past 100 years. Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious injury and even death. Vaccination is the foundation to building a healthy life for Ohio’s children, and it is critical to ensure every child is protected from all vaccine-preventable diseases.
If your child is behind on routine immunizations, then now is the time to schedule an appointment to get caught up. MELISSA WERVEY ARNOLD, COLUMBUS