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Letters to the Editor

Celebrating residents’ rights month

To the editor: Every October, communities across the country recognize National Long-Term Care Residents’ Rights Month, honoring the 1.3 million individuals who live in nursing homes, assisted living and other residential care settings, while bringing attention to the rights that protect them. It serves as a powerful reminder that residents deserve more than basic care. The federal Nursing Home Reform Law guarantees a set of rights that promote dignity, choice and a meaningful quality of life — rights that do not fade with age. In celebration of this year’s theme, Stand ...

What happened to free speech?

To the editor: George Orwell’s book, “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” written in 1949, is a dystopian novel about a totalitarian society ruled by the omnipresent party and its figurehead, Big Brother — the Thought Police. This is where one’s personal and political thought was unapproved. I can’t help but think about the context of this novel and how it is being reflected in the United State today, in 2025. Are we undergoing a dismantling of freedom of speech right now? Brendan Carr, a Trump lackey, and a key writer of Project 2025 and current chair of the FCC has the power to ...

Here we go again

To the editor: In his Sept. 20 letter, Barry Bardone claims Democrats are just as guilty of gerrymandering as Republicans, pointing to Massachusetts and Illinois to make his case. But his examples, as usual, don’t stand up to a simple Google search — and they certainly don’t excuse what has happened in Ohio. First, Massachusetts. The writer says the state has 11 districts and that Republicans are “gerrymandered out” despite Trump winning 42 percent of the vote. Both claims are incorrect. Massachusetts has nine congressional districts, not 11. And Donald Trump never won 42 ...

Answers and explanations

To the editor: Recent letters to the editor contain content that I would like to address. The author of a letter about the Equal Rights Amendment asked women if their insurance premiums are higher than men’s premiums. My late husband and I had identical life insurance policies. We were born in the same year. I had hypertension and he had no chronic health problems. His premiums were higher than mine. The author of that letter also stated that women who take their husband’s last name when married could have problems using their birth certificates as proof of citizenship at the ...

Scouting still important

To the editor: I am writing to share my thoughts on the importance of Scouting. This is for the communication merit badge. Scouting began in 1907 with Robert Baden-Powell’s first experimental camp, and since then, it has grown into a worldwide movement with millions of members. What makes Scouting special is not just the outdoor adventures, but the lessons of leadership, teamwork, and service that last a lifetime. Here in our community, Scouts continue that tradition by helping with service projects, volunteering at events, and building skills that prepare us to be responsible ...

Lower the volume, raise the standard

To the editor: We’ve turned every disagreement into a shouting match. And nobody’s winning. Earlier this week, I walked through the quiet hills of Arlington National Cemetery. Row after row of white headstones, perfectly lined and perfectly silent. In that silence, I heard a truth louder than any headline: our country was built on sacrifice, not spite. Those graves aren’t divided by party or ideology. They stand together, reminding us that freedom has a cost. A cost that was paid for all of us, regardless of our differences. Disagreement has always been part of America. ...