Angry of Ohio

Saturday, December 22, 2007

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It seems my description of Mansfield, Ohio as "a drab and depressing little town" has infuriated at least one reader, after it was reprinted in local newspaper The Blade. I can only apologize to Mr. *****, whose letter is below, and any others I have offended.

All I can say is I didn't set out to cause offence. From Ohio to Texas, New York to California I have found most Americans to be far more welcoming - and more open to answering questions from journalists - than many Europeans.

However, I'm afraid I really didn't care for Mansfield - though I'm fully prepared to accept that the town has "fine commercial architecture, homes, scenery, and thriving businesses" and I would add that there are hundreds of English and other European towns of a similar size which are equally "drab and depressing".

Regarding Mr. Richey, if Mr. ***** cares to read my original article on his case in The Observer, he will see that I never claimed that Richey was "a model citizen". Justice in Ohio failed Kenny Richey - and Cynthia Collins' family, to whom my heartfelt sympathy goes out - horribly. But the truth is he should never have been convicted in the first place... (again, read my original 2002 article).

We live in northwestern Ohio (that's in the USA) and the Kenny Richey case has recently made the news as he seems to escaping his previous death row fate. James Silver's account of his visit with Mr. Richey in Mansfield was reprinted in The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) and drew my attention. I am no advocate of the death penalty and I am glad he will not die at Ohio hands. However, this poor soul portrayed was hardly a model citizen. He was also convicted in a duly constituted court of law based on the evidence at hand then. The system, however slowly, has modified the outcome to refine justice. He has a chance at some kind of life, unlike the small child who died, Cynthia Collins. And did Mr. Silver do any research on the city of Mansfield, dismissed in the first sentence? At 51,000+ people, it is hardly small by Midwestern or even UK standards. It's "real significance" extends further than hosting a prison. A perfunctory visit to the Chamber of Commerce web site might have shown that. Yes (like the English and Belgian cities I have visited), it has its dreary parts as a recovering mill town. It also (like those) has some fine commercial architecture, homes, scenery, and thriving businesses. It is a place where people live, work, and yes, worship, and not to be dismissed so by one ungracious visitor. Finally, we here have all been been struck by the dearth of regret expressed by his family and his foreign fans on the death of this child, apparently due to neglect. A child died horribly because of boneheaded, self-involved carelessness (Richey and the mother both). Sure we Americans just breed more, but this child, like all the rest, was precious. Take your darling Kenny and your yellow press journalists both and have a nice Christmas. Sincerely, **** *****

Posted by James Silver - On Saturday, December 22, 2007

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