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Is this a PTSD Nation?

I was born just after the end of World War II. The first half of the 20th century marked a particularly difficult, violent era. But the 21st century so far has been, well, one trauma after another. It started with 9/11, followed by the grim wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Then the Wall Street crisis of 2008 and subsequent Great Recession. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and its own economic crisis. The attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Then, beginning in 2024, President Donald Trump’s full-scale attack on democratic institutions, followed by his war on Iran and soaring prices. ...

Press invested in Islamophobia

On Monday, two teenagers killed three men at the San Diego Islamic Center, then killed themselves. What a pointless spasm of violence it was. It took a few days for The New York Times to flex their rhetorical muscles and blame conservatives. On the top left of Thursday’s front page, the headline read: “Islamophobia Spreads Fast, As Does Fear: Mosque Attack Reflects Rise in Overt Hatred.” The second paragraph from reporters Shaila Dewan and Jill Cowan was blunt: “To some, the killings seemed like an inevitable result of a swell of Islamophobia in the United States and around ...

Congress should approve help for Ohio River

State Rep. Kevin Ritter, R-Marietta, was among those testifying this week in support of House Concurrent Resolution 40, which urges Congress to enact the Ohio River Restoration Program Act. Speaking before the House Natural Resources Committee, Ritter reminded those in Washington, D.C., of what we here already know. “The Ohio River Basin is not merely an environmental asset,” he said. “It is a productive economic engine that supports jobs, commerce, transportation and regional competitiveness.” The act in question would create a federal restoration initiative for the Ohio ...

Don’t fear consolidation: Youngstown State is here to stay

The patriots who built America were known for their strong statements, such as Virginia House of Burgesses Delegate Patrick Henry’s declaration, “Give me liberty or give me death.” 250 years later, with the future of Ohio’s higher education system caught up in our state’s gubernatorial campaign, let me make an equally emphatic statement: Youngstown State University isn’t going anywhere! In fact, it’s not even in the conversation. I’m glad to see our community show its Penguin Pride and rally to YSU’s defense, but we’re uniquely suited for being part of the solution, ...

Parents should be better examples for their children

From school sporting events and recitals to board of education meetings and awards assemblies, plenty of adults have set terrible examples for the kids in their lives by behaving badly. A recent example from Queen of Apostles School in Toledo is particularly bothersome. One parent has been charged with felonious assault after a fight broke out, allegedly over seating, according to a report by WTVG. The event? A kindergarten graduation ceremony that had to be rescheduled because of the melee. Though the fight is under investigation, cell phone video appears to show a large group of ...

Trump and Thune: just you wait

Here in Washington, D.C., we endure slights of the president’s barking, his constant use of capital letters and his ever-present red ties. These are forms of shouting, weapons of psychological warfare that he wields as the master of repetition. Then there’s the 250-foot Arch he plans to build, which would block the view across Arlington Cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial shrine to freedom. But the Greek gods may yet get President Donald Trump for his hubris. Let me explain. When it comes to Senate Republican leader John Thune, Trump had better tread more carefully. The strong ...