DeWine's veto of transgender medical care bill was irresponsible not courageous | Letters

On controversial issues like transgender surgery for minors, there are obviously going to be different opinions. At the extreme, if you have a child in your own family who wants to change their sex, you're going to have a tough decision to make as a parent. Do you go along with him/her, or do you say, "Let's wait until you're older and we have more medical history to review that will tell us if the surgery is safe?" Gov. Mike DeWine made his choice, and by vetoing House Bill 68, chose to ignore not only countless medical experts but also his own Republican legislature that wanted to have that decision deferred until the child was 18 and more emotionally mature. Some will call DeWine courageous; I call him irresponsible.

Janice Wilson, Mason

DeWine holds conservative values absent from current GOP

Gov. Mike DeWine chose to side with parents and doctors rather than politicians by vetoing House Bill 68, which would ban all manner of medical and psychiatric care for gender-nonconforming youth, and ban trans girls from female sports teams. Once again DeWine has shown himself to be an anachronistic Republican. One who believes in privacy, freedom, parental responsibility, local decision-making, and lots of other conservative values that are absent from current Republican politics. Case in point, enter Donald Trump a day later, berating DeWine and making extreme, mean-spirited comments about trans youths.

It is possible to have different viewpoints on issues regarding gender expression. This is especially true because the subject was most mostly out of public view until recent years. But Trump is always eager to exploit any social disagreement. Even when the things Trump says don't make any sense, all that matters is that he sounds mean and disparaging and is aiming at the right people.

I count myself among all those who thought many times that some new outburst or action from Trump would finally be too depraved for his followers. But we've misunderstood them. Trump's followers just allow him to drag them further into depravity. That is what gives him the most satisfaction. He said in 2016 that "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters." It sounded too weird to believe, but his voters continue to prove him right. His latest mean shot at DeWine is only the most recent example.

Nelson Horseman, Amberley Village

Legislature should override governor's veto of HB 68

Regarding, "Jesus would veto House Bill 68," (Dec. 31): It surprised me that Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed legislation that would have prevented children under the age of 18 from receiving life-altering transgender surgery. While the governor didn't invoke the absurd argument that a recent guest columnist did (that the state was trying to "legislate away her unconditional love for her child"), he did make the dubious assumption that minors were emotionally capable of making such a decision. I totally disagree with that and hope that state leaders will muster enough support to override the governor's veto.

Clay Pritchett, Fairfield

DeWine's veto of HB 68 shows he's out of touch with Ohioans

It was with great disappointment, but not despair, that I heard of Gov. DeWine’s veto to House Bill 68. This bill, having been considered for three years and passing with substantial majorities in both the Ohio House (70% yes) and Senate (75% yes), was unfortunately dismissed by our governor who clearly is not in touch with neither the legislature nor the prevailing thought in Ohio and the nation at large.

The tide is turning, as Americans everywhere are starting to recognize the toll these often irreversible procedures, whether chemical or surgical, are having on children who are too young to make this kind of life-altering decision. According to US News and World Report (September 23, 2023) in 2023 alone, 20 states have either proposed or approved banning so-called gender-affirming care. Much like the need to have children buckled safely in car seats for their own safety, it is appropriate, even necessary, for government to have a voice in preventing unspeakable harm to our children.

Please urge your state representative and senator to vote to override Gov. DeWine’s action. It has already been successfully done in Arkansas and Louisiana. Why not here?

David Crofford, Delhi Township

Many reasons to remove Confederate memorial at Arlington

Regarding the guest column, "Confederate memorial at Arlington should remain," (Dec. 31): There are many reasons to remove the Confederate memorial at Arlington. It honors traitors; it was sculpted by a man who proudly displayed the Confederate battle flag in his studio in Rome for 40 years; it was commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who in no way were trying to reconcile the North and the South; and lastly, the removal was requested by the sculptor's descendants.

Thomas Moorman, Pleasant Ridge

Hunter Biden and Donald Trump not equally concerning

A Dec. 31 letter to the editor, "News media refuses to recognize the error of their ways," provided what I felt was an unusually clear window into the mindset of deep-red Republicans. It was concise, and its easily graspable main point was that media should treat Hunter Biden and Donald Trump as a news subjects of equal, urgent concern to our nation.

I believe that most MAGA-friendly people are smart enough to know how ludicrous that is on multiple levels but are still happy to spout it because they perceive it as a most useful club in service of Trump’s promised autocracy.

Jack Brennan, Clifton

Trump's inaction during Jan. 6 riot was a dereliction of duty

In his Dec. 31 letter to the editor, "Solution to a divided America is not electing the divider," Benjamin Crews refers to former President Donald Trump’s "non-activity during the Jan. 6 riots." I would use the term "dereliction of duty" to describe Trump’s behavior. The media, investigators and voters need to pay more attention to what Trump did that afternoon. For hours, he watched TV coverage of the attack on the people in and at the Capitol building, instead of responding to pleas from his family, Congress members, and other government officials to do something to quell the violence. Even if he truly believed the attackers were Antifa, he should have exercised the office of president as he swore in his oath. His behavior does not warrant him getting another term as president.

Gail Miller, Western Hills

Will new music venue affect Music Hall?

When I first heard about the decision to sell Coney Island to provide another music venue for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, I remembered the costs to renovate Music Hall and Washington Park in 2017. I remembered why the rides at Coney Island were moved to Kings Island. I remembered why Riverbend isn't useable during flood season (and why it needs to be rehabbed). I don't remember the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra ever saying they turned people away at performances because they were out of room. Will this new venue take patrons away from Music Hall?

Elizabeth Coriell, Cleves

Is Cincinnati prepared to deal with busloads of migrants?

Last week, 14 busloads of migrants were dropped off in New York City. If this happens in Cincinnati, I would like to know our City Council's plans − since we are a sanctuary city.

Thomas Fester, Bridgetown

Efforts to destroy Hamas might be strengthening them instead

Beware of unintended consequences. Nowhere is this adage more evident than in Gaza today. What man, seeing his wife and children burned, crushed, or shot to death, and his home destroyed, would fail to sign up for the resistance, i.e., Hamas? I fear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal of "destroying Hamas" is inadvertently strengthening it.

Let us pray that in this new year the Israelis will come to see the Palestinians as men and women like themselves, children of God, seeking lives of peace and prosperity, and in the light of that insight find a political solution that allows everyone to live in peace. Extending a hand of friendship to the Palestinians is more likely to take the wind out of Hamas’ sails than is trying to obliterate them.

Doris Gottemoeller, Mount Healthy

Other colleges can indeed learn a lot from Cincinnati

Regarding, "Harvard, U Penn and MIT can learn a lot from Cincinnati," (Dec. 31): In his guest opinion column, attorney Al Gerhardstein talks about the missed opportunities certain colleges have encountered when dealing with protests on campus. Indeed, some colleges have allowed their values to corrupt. In those institutions, freedom often pairs with disrespect. These incongruous catalytic components form a destructive, toxic environment in which building collaboration is often deemed a weakness.

The opposite is possible. In one of our Business Capstone Courses in Ethics and Law at Farmer School of Business at Miami University, every student is deemed a "Respect Ambassador" whose job requires spreading respect among campus stakeholders despite differences in opinions.

Yes, these colleges have a lot to learn from Cincinnati. Undoubtedly, they have esteemed professors who can carry restorative practices/collaboration forward in their classrooms with "Geiger Counter" success when given the chance to do so.

Al Gerhardstein should be thanked for bringing positive changes to our community. The Enquirer should be thanked for publishing his opinion.

Karen Meyers, West Chester Township

America was founded and built on faith in God

I feel sorry for Cindy Johnson's ignorance of the founding of our country and of the ways of God. The First Amendment of the Constitution does say that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." but in the same sentence goes on to say, "...or prohibiting the free exercise (of religion)." So it's pretty obvious that religious people have the right to express their religious views.

And in our Declaration of Independence, our founders declared that we have fundamental rights "endowed by (our) Creator." That sounds to me like − contrary to what Ms. Johnson declares − America was founded and built on faith in God.

I can't speak for other religions, but Christians find God's way a wonderful way to live. They want to share that way of life with others, and they encourage others to find that way to live. Yes, we do "want everyone to believe the same things (we) believe in." If we get too adamant in pushing our views, forgive us.

I guess we should learn, when facing non-believers like Ms. Johnson, to shake the dust off our sandals and move on.

Frank Lawrence, Norwood

Prank 911 call handled well by sheriff's deputies, dispatcher

This is a letter to compliment The Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies and the 911 operator for the professional and serious manner in which they handled an embarrassing situation at our home on Christmas Eve. We host our large family each Christmas Eve, and the great grandchildren always ask to sign in to our computer to track the progress of Santa Claus. They jointly got the idea to make a prank call to 911, and then laughed. The 911 operator wisely dispatched Hamilton County deputies to make sure this was a serious call for help. To the parents surprise, deputies responded and handled the situation very, very well and our great grandkids apologized and came away a lot smarter but very embarrassed and chastised.

Ray Mazza, North Bend

Closing of Coney Island is painful for many

I spent elementary years at Our Lady of Lourdes school on Glenway Avenue on the West Side. A highlight of the spring, and something the whole school anticipated, was Catholic School Day and the charter bus ride, spending the day at Coney Island without parents. I saved money from caddying and delivering newspapers for a month to splurge at Coney. I still remember the exact route via Columbia Parkway and Kellogg Avenue.  It seemed like the other side of the world to us West Side kids. The Shooting Star and The Wildcat roller coasters were the number-one challenge and something we wouldn’t dare try until we were in the later years. We watched in awe as the older kids took their initial rides, and looked forward to when we worked up courage for our turn, as we got older. Even after Kings Island opened, it was still a treat to go to Coney. I still have the best memories from those long ago years, and I’m sure my fellow "kids" feel the same.

Bob McElroy, Anderson Township

2024 presidential election is a vote for democracy or dictatorship

What did Donald Trump promise in his campaign for president in 2020? He promised a wall. That didn’t happen. He promised a health care plan that didn’t exist. He promised a middle-class tax cut, which ended up having the middle-class paying for the tax cut for the rich. He promised not to play golf. He set a record for the most presidential days on a golf course, which cost you and me $186 million. He promised to hire the best people, and fired three-fourths of them. He promised a trade war with China, which caused the loss of American jobs. He promised that the corporate tax cuts would help workers. Instead, the corporations bought back stocks.

But last weekend, he went a little far with his lies. Maybe his lie about the first Black president not being born in America didn’t bother you. Maybe the years of spreading vicious lies about Asians and Latinos didn’t bother you. But now, keeping those piles of Hitler’s speeches on his desk didn’t go to waste. He recently declared, at a rally, that undocumented immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country, a dehumanizing attack that many historians are comparing to Hitler’s speeches. He praised authoritarian dictators like Viktor Orban and Kim Jong-Un. He called Orban highly respected and referred to Kim Jong-Un as very nice.

It’s not so much that Trump is stupid, it’s just that millions of Americans can’t tell. He’s called for mass detention camps and rounding up of millions of Latinos. Trump is running his campaign on channeling his role models, by parroting Adolf Hitler, praising Kim Jong-Un, and quoting Vladimir Putin, while running for president, on a promise to rule as a dictator and threaten American democracy.

This is the one issue. It’s not going to be about Roe v. Wade, Israel and Palestine. It’s not going to be about a middle-class tax cut, health care, a wall, or immigration. It’s going to be Trump or not Trump. That’s it. It’s not about Biden or Trump. The vote you have is either for Trump to be president, or for Trump to be in prison.

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie said that Trump is dog whistling to Americans who feel absolutely under stress and strain from the economy, and from conflicts around the world. Dog whistling, to blame it on people from areas that don’t look like us.

The choice couldn’t be more crystal clear come next November. It is either vote for dictatorship or democracy.

Mel Shuller, Montgomery

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: DeWine's veto of House Bill 68 was irresponsible not courageous