My maternal grandmother died from breast cancer at age 52 when I was 6 years old. That was 51 years ago. I recall my mother, in tears, telling me at the time that surely a cure for this dreadful disease would soon be found.
Seventeen years after that conversation, my mother died from the same disease at age 46; and 21 years after that, her daughter (my younger sister) died of that disease at age 41.
That was 13 years ago. Now our two daughters are in their 20s, and we’re apprehensive, to say the least. Last year, my wife lost her best friend, age 56, to breast cancer.
The plight of my family is no different from that of so many others. Breast cancer is a scourge today on the human race (mostly, but not only, involving women) in the same way that epidemics such as tuberculosis decimated generations in the past.
The last thing we should do in this country is to politicize the disease in the way that occurred last week in the apparent street fight between the Susan G. Komen foundation and Planned Parenthood.
Nothing should stand in the way of delivering dollars to highly needed research efforts.
In the same manner, nothing should stand in the way of dollars being delivered where needed for breast care and examination, early diagnosis and treatment.
The injection of politics into this cause is wholly unacceptable. It is hoped this is the message both organizations heard from their constituents and the public in recent days.
Ronald C. Kopp
Akron
Influence at the Statehouse
I read with amusement and indignation the article concerning taxes on gas production in Ohio (“Tax on gas wells goes unchecked by state agencies,” Feb. 6). The Department of Natural Resources and Department of Taxation are not permitted by law to monitor the amount of natural gas that the multimillion dollar exploration companies are taking out of the ground. Those companies by law have to pay taxes and fees on the amount of that natural resource they extract.
The state agencies have to rely on information the companies provide, without being able to verify whether they are being truthful.
Why did this occur? It happened because our state representatives, who are influenced by contributions from the gas and oil industry, have allowed a system where there is no monitoring.
Imagine if we could all do this. Every year about this time, we would come up with a number and report that as our income. We would pay taxes on the number we made up.
We can’t, because as ordinary citizens, we do not have the influence that gas and oil producers have. In the meantime, millions of dollars that should be going into state coffers stay in the pockets of multimillionaires.
In turn, vital services and jobs are eliminated. Most vexing of all, as voters, we continue to return to office the very politicians who act in this manner.
Lee Adams
Cuyahoga Falls
Support for a strategic partner
Sister Kathy McIntyre (“Too much aid to Israel,” Feb. 5) is certainly correct that part of our rationale for aid to Israel is that it is a democracy and has values similar to our own.
Her main oversight is that we support Israel because it is our main, if not only, true ally in the Middle East.
As such, Israel can provide a base of operations for military actions should the need arise. Israel is also a customer for our expensive weapon systems; so, in a sense, we get some of our money back.
The bottom line is: Israel is a key strategic partner in a volatile region and must be supported.
Joe Kohn
Canton
