The professor is wrong. There should be no place for extremism in the state of Ohio.

There is no place for extremism

Regarding “OSU President Carter Left Students to Armed Invaders,” March 2: Professor Michiko Hikida of Ohio State University appears to have a clouded view of the need for continued order in the State of Ohio. As protests at UCLA and other campuses show, some participants proclaim violence against Israeli citizens and their military.

In fall 2016, a radicalized student attacked a group of students and faculty, driving his automobile off the street toward them outside Watts Hall, injuring a faculty member, then jumping with a knife and cutting passers-by.

Fortunately, an alert OSU police officer was on the scene and immediately shot the attacker, possibly saving several lives.

OSU PRESIDENT: “What happened on our campus on April 25 was not intended to limit freedom of expression”

Extremism is a reality and it is the responsibility of law enforcement to protect the public. I commend President Ted Carter for his cautious message regarding the recent disruptions on the OSU campus and I support the OSU police force in their mission to protect the campus community.

Mitchell H. Grant, Dublin

The teacher showed courage

Re”OSU President Carter Left the Students to the Armed Invaders: The article written by Ohio State professor Michiko Hikida about what happened at the Oval on April 5 was spot on.

I was at the protest with my son, who attends OSU. It is offensive to OSU and the media to characterize students’ family members as “unaffiliated” and “agitators.”

OSU President Ted Carter and OSU police cooperated to brutalize students, faculty and community members who stood up for what is right. A student who suffered a concussion during her final week spoke before the Columbus City Council and pleaded for charges to be dropped.

The protesters’ religious rights were also violated during their detention. Muslim students were forced to remove their hijabs, deprived of the right to pray and eat halal.

I am grateful to Hikida for having the courage to stand up for his students and calling out OSU and law enforcement for a violent and hostile response.

Students have every right to defend the causes they believe in.

Arresting students and professors for speaking out about Palestine and condemning the Israeli genocide and forced starvation in Gaza is repugnant. OSU cannot penalize, suspend, or expel students because it is publicly funded. It is therefore required to respect students’ First Amendment rights, which include the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Mahmoud El-Yousseph, Westerville

Weapons are dangerous too

Regarding “Ohio bill could mandate alcohol training,” May 2: Since the State House GOP thinks alcohol server training is necessary, why not pass a bill law requiring mandatory training for anyone who owns a firearm?

After all, alcohol, like guns, doesn’t kill, but both can be very dangerous.

Jerry Bower, Columbus

No need for draft

Regarding the letter to the editor “The NFL Draft seems unfair,” May 1: Bill Hutter’s satirical May 1 letter argues for a flawed analogy that the NFL should incorporate diversity initiatives, equity and inclusion and, according to its definition, recruiting unqualified players.

Successful corporate diversity and inclusion initiatives simply cast the widest net possible when searching for potential employees and, in addition, create a welcoming and inclusive environment to retain good employees.

As a business owner, I want employees who don’t think like me or have the same experiences as me, whether those differences include age, race, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, culture, sexual orientation or abilities.

More: “Ohio University’s ‘Scholarship Pause’ Is Disgraceful.” Yost’s Backlash Against Race Makes Me Sick.

Diversity creates new perspectives and creative solutions to complex problems. And there is data showing that companies that launch these initiatives are more successful than their competitors, otherwise these programs would be abandoned.

Diversity and inclusion initiatives are not a new phenomenon. Decades ago, when our veterans returned home in wheelchairs after World War II, the answer was to create curb ramps.

Mark Bennett, Columbus

This article was originally published in The Columbus Dispatch: The professor is completely wrong. The president of Ohio State must protect students.