Letters to the editor
Standing with Canada
When Americans were taken hostage in Iran, Canadians risked their lives to smuggle many of our people out of that country.
When the United States suffered a devastating terror attack in 2001, Canadians stood in solidarity with us and the phrase “We are all Americans now” was widely voiced in Canada.
Canadians fought alongside American soldiers in our failed Afghanistan operation.
For decades, Americans have enjoyed a special bond with our neighbors to the north. We have visited each others’ countries, traded with each other, and boosted each others’ economies.
Not until the Trump era was the precious relationship we have enjoyed with Canada threatened.
The president came into office with guns blazing, figuratively, threatening to make Canada the 51st state, by force if necessary. He has mocked and humiliated Canada and its leaders, and has now proposed trade terms that would destroy many Canadian industries.
I stand in solidarity with Canada and against an evil American president who seeks to destroy relations with our allies while cozying up to ruthless and murderous dictators.
Someday a sensible, civilized human being will again be president of the United States. I hope it will not be too late to mend fences with our friends to the north.
Oren Spiegler
Peters Township
Why stop at ‘American Ocean’?
On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario, “Lake America.” This is the body of water that forms part of the border between the United States and Canada. It’s the body of water that shares the name of a Canadian province and has been identified on maps as “Lake Ontario” for nearly 400 years.
The lake’s name is derived from the languages of the Iroquois and Huron who are native to the area. The Iroquoian “oniatari:io” means “lake of shining waters.”
So ridiculous is it that Trump, with the swipe of his fat pen, can rip away the name of the lake from Native Americans and hand it to a 15th-century Italian.
“America,” after all, comes from Amerigo Vespucci, who explored the New World for Spain and Portugal at the turn of the 16th century.
“We have a gulf and we have a lake. Now, all we need is an ocean,” Trump said after signing his order.
Why stop at “The American Ocean”? What about a river? He could order the Rio Grande translated, or change the name of Niagara Falls. And why not “The American River,” rather than Mississippi, into which flow the Missouri, Ohio and Allegheny rivers (all derived from Native American languages).
This action is embarrassing, but it is nothing compared to the damage he has done to the United States’ relations with its closest ally, Canada. His tariffs will undoubtedly result in higher prices and greater pain for people on both sides of the border. It may take decades to recover from the economic and diplomatic chaos this demented egomaniac has caused.
Parker Burroughs
South Franklin Township
Teachers deserve better
I was both disgusted and deeply disappointed to see the editorial cartoon printed on Aug. 21 depicting a teachers’ union representative responding to concerns about students using artificial intelligence to cheat with the words, “They can’t spell AI.”
At any time, that would be an insulting and unfair characterization of educators. But publishing it as teachers and students are beginning a new school year makes it particularly offensive.
Across our communities, teachers are returning to classrooms, preparing lessons, buying supplies with their own money, learning new technology, addressing increasingly complex student needs and doing everything they can to give our children the education they deserve. They are educators, counselors, mentors and protectors.
Today’s teachers also undergo training and drills to prepare for the unthinkable possibility of violence in their schools. They are expected not only to teach our children, but to know how to protect them in an emergency — and, if necessary, put themselves between danger and the students entrusted to their care.
And yes, many of those teachers belong to unions. Teachers’ unions advocate for fair wages and benefits, but they also fight for safe classrooms, reasonable class sizes, adequate staffing, resources for students and working conditions that allow teachers to do their jobs well. Mocking unionized teachers as ignorant or incapable does nothing to advance a serious discussion about public education or the very real challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
The irony is that teachers are among those on the front lines determining how AI can be used responsibly while ensuring students still learn to think, write, research and solve problems for themselves. They deserve our support as they navigate that challenge — not ridicule.
Public education remains one of the foundations of our communities and our democracy. Our public schools welcome every child who walks through their doors, regardless of income, ability, family circumstance or ZIP code.
A newspaper certainly has every right to publish editorial cartoons that provoke thought and challenge institutions. But there is a difference between thoughtful satire and simply demeaning an entire profession.
As a new school year begins, I would hope we could do better than that.
Our teachers certainly do.
Pam Snyder
Jefferson