Debate and dissent are essential in society

May 3, 2020

I noticed on Facebook last week a longtime friend’s post linking to a national news story discussing censorship in America. According to the Fox News report and host Tucker Carlson, YouTube, a worldwide online video sharing site owned by Google, recently removed a video posted by two California doctors that was gaining heavy traction with more than 5 million views. The video apparently outlined some statistics about novel coronavirus and then raised questions about the manner in which the government is reacting to the virus. They argued, apparently, that the number of U.S. and ...

Third-world memories create perspective

April 26, 2020

Undoubtedly, the most used buzzword today is “social distancing.” Until about two months ago, I can’t say that I ever had heard the term. And if I had heard it mentioned out of context, I might have assumed it referred to people like my mom who has never once engaged in any form of social media. Now, though, we’ve all become way too acquainted with the term. Most of us probably wish we we weren’t. But here in Ohio, social distancing truly isn’t so hard to achieve. We live in homes surrounded by decent-sized grassy yards. Most of us drive to work or the store alone ...

Knowledge of nursing home cases is vital

April 19, 2020

Family members of loved ones who live in Ohio nursing homes and assisted living facilities absolutely have a right to know the extent of COVID-19’s effects on the nursing home, particularly these days of strict limitations on access and visitation. At this point in my life, I have no relatives residing in long-term care facilities, but I know many readers who do. Visitation restrictions have been imposed logically to help stop the spread of COVID-19; still, it is adding new stress to those who are unable to visit and check firsthand on family members who live there and are unable to ...

Child abuse continues even in pandemic

April 12, 2020

Each April, gardens of hundreds of twirling blue pinwheels are planted in different areas of the Mahoning Valley. They aren’t there as a source of entertainment or to mark the onset of spring. Rather, they exist to draw attention to a dark truth that many of us don’t regularly think about. Each pinwheel is placed to represent a local case of reported child abuse and neglect. Known as “Pinwheels for Prevention,” they spin in the sunlight to send a critical message during Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. Understandably, some communities felt obliged this year to pass ...

Keep worshipping, but just do it safely

April 5, 2020

Today is Palm Sunday, but like many, I won’t be spending an important part of my day in church hearing the reading of the Passion of Christ. And I won’t be collecting my palms and holding them up high for our priest to bless them before the start of the liturgy. Instead, I will participate this afternoon in a “drive-up” procession to collect a bundle of blessed palms through my car window from the latex-gloved hands of church volunteers. As we begin what is considered the holiest week of the year for Christians, I may watch Mass on television, and I’ll make phone calls ...

COVID-19 crisis spotlights unlikely leaders

March 29, 2020

During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has been described as “an unlikely leader,” and has gotten mostly approval from national media for his handling of it. Likewise, DeWine’s counterpart in New York, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has been receiving rave media coverage. The comparison of these two governors is odd and probably could not have been predicted. But like it or not, each has been relentless in his response to the health crisis, and for that, each has increasingly received glowing media attention, growing familiarity among Americans and, ...