I am outraged by the temerity of that racist trope. Depicting people of African descent as apes has been used for centuries to justify slavery and injustice by dehumanizing them – making them animals instead of people. As an American, Donald Trump has the free speech right to post any profane comments he chooses, but the rest of us do not have to sanction that speech.
I ask this question of every American, especially my fellow Roman Catholics, “How can you in good conscience continue to vote into public office people who support our vile president, or at the very least turn a blind eye to him?”
2026 is an election year. I urge everyone to listen to their conscience and vote every Republican sycophant of Donald Trump out of office.
Emilio D. Spinosa
Monroe
Keith Faber offensive in his column
I knew it would upset me if I read Keith Faber’s campaign piece, masquerading as an op-ed, that appeared recently in the Dayton Daily News. I was not wrong.
Mr. Faber’s piece begins with “You have no reason to fear if you are in the United States legally. Let me repeat that plainly: you have no reason to fear if you are in the United States legally.” I do not believe that.
I believe that when you have a President so hell bent on deporting immigrants that he can change their status from “legal” to “illegal” with the stroke of a pen, you have every right to be fearful.
Perhaps Mr. Faber should have talked to some of the Haitians in Springfield or those immigrants seized by ICE agents on their way to their immigration hearings before committing that whopper to paper, twice.
I think the party line has affected Mr. Faber’s abilities to see things clearly. In an effort to spin Rene Good’s death into something to benefit his political aspirations, Mr. Faber felt compelled to present his version of the “truth.” If you can stomach it, you should watch the videos and draw your own conclusions.
I don’t know about you but I hope that Ohio’s next Attorney General would offer a more measured response to events like this until a thorough review of all the evidence was done.
A family member recently mentioned a quote from George Orwell’s dystopian novel, “1984”. The quote is “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears.” They thought it was quite appropriate for today’s political climate.
I couldn’t agree more.
Lansing Ellis
West Chester Twp.
Hamilton making the tough choices
Rob Scott’s Sunday editorial highlights legitimate concerns about Ohio’s school-funding system and the heavy reliance on local levies. However, it mischaracterizes Hamilton City Schools and overlooks an important example of fiscal responsibility that deserves recognition.
The claim that Hamilton residents have been asked “repeatedly” to approve funding for basic operations is incorrect. Hamilton City Schools has not placed an operating levy on the ballot since 1997. That nearly 30-year span without asking voters for additional operating taxes is extraordinary in Ohio and reflects long-term financial discipline, not levy dependence.
Today, the district is confronting a projected spending deficit, and the response has been deliberate and responsible. Hamilton City Schools is undergoing a significant restructuring, making difficult reductions to align expenditures with long-term financial realities.
These actions are not easy, nor are they popular, but they demonstrate leadership willing to pay attention to financial trends and take corrective action early rather than defaulting to taxpayers as a first resort.
While the reductions are substantial, the district should be applauded for addressing challenges proactively and transparently. This is precisely the type of stewardship often missing from discussions about school finance.
Ohio’s funding system remains inequitable and overly dependent on property taxes, and meaningful reform is long overdue. But examples like Hamilton show that local districts can act responsibly within a flawed system. Accurate representation matters — especially when communities are cited as evidence in a broader policy debate.
If reform is the goal, facts and fairness must come first.
Robert A. Hancock
Hamilton
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