Letters: Ohio professor has it all wrong, majority aren't the tyrants

The minority aren't the tyrants

Re "Lessons from political enemy that Ohio GOP can use to stop abortion," Aug. 16: Lamenting Issue 1’s landslide defeat, Professor Marc Clauson of the notoriously conservative Cedarville University condescendingly suggests Ohio voters were either misled or too dim to understand the import of the ballot issue.

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“Of course," he sniffs, "it is not true that a supermajority vote (requirement) undermines democracy; it simply ensures that most voters favor any proposal, helping to prevent 'tyranny by the majority.'”

No, professor, it doesn’t.

By definition, a proposal that wins a simple majority means that it’s favored by “most voters.”

By contrast, requiring a 60% supermajority means — again by definition — that just over 40% of voters can stop whatever the other 59% of voters favor.

Passing Issue 1 would not only have “undermined democracy.” It would have meant the end of majority rule and forever subjected Ohio to a “tyranny of the minority.”

Some ideas are so preposterous that only academics could embrace them.

Which is why, when Issue 1 supporters like Clauson effectively invited Ohio voters to disenfranchise themselves, 57% didn’t merely say no; they said “hell, no!”

Dale Butland, Columbus

Frank LaRose should do his job

Frank Larose needs to keep his nose in the running of the Ohio Secretary of State's Office, which he is paid for, and was elected to do, and solve some of those problems, such as maintaining neutrality in elections and the blatantly ongoing gerrymandering issue.

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Instead, he was running around the state trying to tell people what a good idea Issue 1 was and announcing his U.S. Senate campaign.

The people of this state spoke loud and clear: Issue 1 was not for us. So, drop it.

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Also, to all of you elected officials out there, especially men, if you do not want to have an abortion, then you don't have to undergo that procedure. It is none of your business or anyone else's, so stay out of it.

We, the women, have been taking care of our health issues for millions of years and have done just fine.

Phyllis Eshman-Thomas, Marion

Can't wait until next week's fair

During the Ohio State Fair, I was privileged to watch 4-H participants during communication day.

These students selected “Illustrated Talk or Demonstration” for at least one of their 4-H projects.

They presented informative and entertaining talks ranging from the dangers of launching helium balloons to understanding consent; from raising rabbits to selecting fabrics and patterns to create a homemade dress.

They overcame what many people consider their greatest fear: public speaking.

OSU Extension delivers 4-H programs through county offices across Ohio to more than 131,000 kids. Students serve as club officers.

They run meetings using Robert's Rules of Order and select their own projects.

They are judged at their local county fair and some advance to the state fair.

No matter their score, they learn leadership skills and form life-long friendships.

My difficulty as judge was selecting only three winners from the 19 students in my group.

I commend all of the students, their club mentors, and the parents who brought them to Columbus for the honor of participating at the state fair.

I am already looking forward to next year.

Melissa Weber, Worthington

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Ohio professor has it all wrong, majority aren't the tyrants