Public officials see ‘threats’ everywhere

Warren County Sheriff David Gallant essentially says he “can’t tell” what a threat is anymore because of the rise of social media websites (“Threats to judges taken seriously in age of Facebook and Twitter, authorities say,” Feb. 24).

Oh, how easy it is for public officials to blame their own ignorance on some indescribable patina of mystification descending on us all by a strange new mysterious phenomena.

Blah, blah, blah. Bollocks, I say.

There’s no confusion about what a threat is. Look it up. This is a serious issue that needs to be clarified, quick.

Last week a man in Cincinnati was ordered by a judge to post a groveling apology to his wife on Facebook because of a previous post that said “all you need to do is say that you’re scared of your husband or domestic partner and they’ll take (your child) away.”

That’s political speech. A judge ordered a man around for it. Not an isolated incident.

Concerned citizens need to vent, but the Violence Against Women Act ensures an accused man will be punished even if the accusation turns out to be false.

In most cases, judges are immune from prosecution, even if their erroneous decisions profoundly harm families.

And if it’s in family court? The watchdog eye of the media is forbidden to ever know what happened.

This is pure insanity. If we are made to be afraid to vent by easily offended ignorant public officials, it’s time to have them removed from office.

ERIK ANDERSON

Independence Township

Feb. 29 is a day devoted to rare disease awareness

On Wednesday, the last day of February, millions of people around the world will be observing World Rare Disease Day. There will be activities across the United States, throughout Europe, in Canada, in Australia, in China and elsewhere to focus attention on rare diseases as a public health issue.

In the United States, a disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than 200,000 people. Some rare diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) are well known to the public, but many others are not. Imagine the loneliness of having a disease that most people have never heard of, has no treatment, and is not even being studied by medical researchers.

Many rare diseases are serious and/or chronic. Many are life-threatening. Even so, people with rare diseases often have trouble accessing the medical or other services they need because those making the decisions are not familiar with their diseases.

Nearly 30 million Americans (about 1 in 10) have rare diseases. My youngest child, Sydney, died at the age of 11 from one of these rare diseases.

I encourage readers to visit the U.S. Rare Disease Day website (www.rarediseaseday.us) on or before Feb. 29, to read about Rare Disease Day activities in the U.S. and the global website (www.rarediseaseday.org) to learn what’s being done around the world.

MARGARET CLANAGAN

Harrisburg