Letters to the editor: Ohio constitutional amendment hurts citizens

While collecting petition signatures, I spoke to a nice, small business owner who is voting "yes" on Issue 1 on Aug. 8. He explained that small businesses suffer from some regulations’ cost that bigger companies can absorb. He likes the idea that any one county in the state not meeting the signature threshold stops an initiative from getting onto the ballot.

However, voting "yes" on Issue 1 will have the exact opposite effect. Issue 1 puts all power into the hands of the big, the rich, the powerful. The armies of citizen volunteers are mighty but limited by time, age, location and money. The present thresholds are strict and very difficult to meet already. Once the initiative makes the ballot, all Ohio citizens have equal say and, as a true democracy, the majority wins. That will also change with the passage of Issue 1.

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His small business may one day want to get an important issue on the ballot. He will run up against the wall of Power and Money that is able to pay canvassers to saturate the state, flood the airways with misleading commercials and sometimes even run "special elections" to change the rules to block him.

Voting "no" on Issue 1 protects each of us ordinary citizens. Voting "yes" removes our right to have a say in the Constitution of a gerrymandered Ohio.

I would also like to say to another gentleman who stood next to me and prayed for my soul, "Thank you." I have had you in my prayers as well.

Karen Adams, Delaware

More:How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

The June 2 Dispatch carried a front-page story with the headline "2 Ohio GOP lawmakers want to end sales tax on firearms." I’d hoped the story was a joke. It wasn't.

Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, and Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, want to make Ohio more gun friendly and attractive to gun manufacturers who are looking to relocate.

"‘Sales tax makes a difference, especially for people who buy their ammunition in bulk," Cutrona is quoted as saying.

Ohio divided:Ohio's gun laws have seen major changes in 20 years. What happened?

What next? Perhaps the GOP will propose a voucher system to assist people in purchasing firearms and bulk ammunition.

Meanwhile, a story on the front page of Friday's Metro section had the headline, "Mayors see ‘moment of crisis’ with rising gun violence."

Another story that was no joke.

Darrell Ward, Gahanna

With mass shootings, drive-by shootings, road-rage shootings, mistaken shootings and plain old shooting shootings, gun violence has become a persistent topic of discussion. But without sensible gun-control legislation, gun violence discussions are pointless. And without rewriting the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, gun-control legislation is pointless. Hand-wringing and thoughts and prayers will just have to do.

Neal Snyder, Columbus

Our view:Puppet masters pulling lawmakers strings when it comes to guns in Ohio

D-Day, June 6, is remembered as the 79th anniversary of the 1944 invasion of Normandy. There will be mentions of this in various news media and numerous ceremonies all over the country commemorating that momentous event.

It is altogether fitting that we recall that day and honor those people who made it possible. But we should also remember that D-Day is a generic term. All major operations began at H-Hour on D-Day.

More:Stories of survival by veterans who were at Normandy still resonate

There were numerous significant D-Days before Normandy: Aug. 7, 1942, Guadalcanal; Nov. 8, 1942, North Africa; July 9, 1943, Italy, to name a few.

The personnel who participated in these and all the other D-Days were just as brave and dedicated as the Normandy personnel. They suffered the same casualties. And they learned valuable lessons, which helped the Normandy troops succeed.

More:Journey to Normandy: a reflection on the anniversary of D-Day

They and the people who were in the all the D-Days after Normandy should — must — be remembered with equal appreciation and gratitude.

Edward DeVennish, Blacklick