Mike DeWine Needs to Hear His Father’s Cries for Help
Thanks to Rick Colby for publicly expressing his support and love for his transgender child, who is receiving the care he needs to be the individual “he was always meant to be” in the article “Life of transgender children are in DeWine’s hands” on December 20.
I can relate to the pain he and his family are experiencing. Colby is correct to observe that House Bill 68 uses his child and others like him as a societal scapegoat.
Gov. DeWine, help the kids in Ohio. My child was about to commit suicide. Use your power to protect trans kids.
As a gay Christian moderate Democrat, I am aware that there is a long history behind political persecution of minorities, whether they be sexual, cultural, religious, or otherwise.
The latest target is transgender people.
I sincerely hope that his plea is successful in persuading some of his own conservative Christian Republican friends, but I feel compelled to joyfully inform him that he can no longer refer to himself as “anti-woke” as a result of seeing the light and realizing the necessity of fighting for social justice.
Dr. Bradford Colegate, Columbus
The Best Case of Waking Up is Anti-Woke Dad
I want to express my utmost respect for Rick Colby in Re “Life of Trans Kids are in DeWine’s hands,” December 20. Colby supported his child’s transition with great compassion and filial love when his child was depressed because he was transgender.
Such a family is something that every child deserves.
Only one line in Colby’s guest column—the one in which he calls himself “a conservative, anti-woke, Christian Republican father”—gives me cause for concern.
You see, Colby acknowledged that he was unaware of what being transgender meant and had no idea what the next steps were at the time of learning of his child’s depressive thoughts.
DeWine has to reject the bills. Six trans children aren’t getting in the way of your sports glory.
However, he leaned in. He did some research. He learned from professionals.
He also learned how to support his child.
Colby is thus a prime example of waking up.
Being awakened to a new cultural consciousness and developing empathy and understanding for others going through hardship is essentially referred to as being “woke.” In the language of Christianity, it refers to feeling compassion.
Rick Colby serves as an example of how being “woke” —of love, compassion, and empathy—can improve our world. We must extend the kindness Colby showed his child to those who are not members of our family, and that is our challenge: to those whose struggles we may not physically encounter.
Only then will we be able to bring about peace on Earth.
Steve Shapiro, Bexley
In the Wings is Kamala Harris
Have you all given any thought to who you would find if Joe Biden were to be impeached? You’ll despise Kamala Harris if you didn’t like Joe!
Charlie M. Miller, West Jefferson
There is a Difference
Sandra Day O’Connor was urged by President Joe Biden in 1981 to “go out and campaign very strongly for the Equal Rights Amendment” before she became the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2023, former president Donald Trump boasts aloud and frequently that he was responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.
42 years have passed, and what a difference.
Pat Rhoads, Columbus
Is Gov. Greg Abbott Violating the Law?
Aiding and abetting illegally refers to encouraging or assisting another person in committing or promoting a crime.
Under Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas has been sending illegal immigrants to numerous out-of-state U.S. locations.
Raising the stakes: Gov. Abbott sends a plane for migrants to Chicago after a vehicle from Texas is seized in the city.
Isn’t he now committing a crime by assisting them in evading prosecution under the new Texas state law that permits the arrest of illegal immigrants? And shouldn’t Texas Attorney Ken Paxton be pursuing him with the same vigor he used to pursue the woman carrying the doomed fetus?
Dave Schwendenman, Columbus
