In response to questions relative to Donald Trump’s 2005 comments about assaulting women by kissing them without their permission and grabbing their p…..s, current Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn stated that those comments had “not changed his feelings” about the candidate, thus suggesting that Trump still has his support (BG Independent News, Oct. 9, 2016). Wasylyshyn characterized Trump’s remarks as something Trump had said “20 (sic) years ago” and implied that they were not relevant today. I strongly disagree. Sexual assault is always relevant and should be especially so to a law enforcement officer. Entrusting women’s safety to someone who is willing to publicly “blow off” Trump’s vile comments would be unconscionable. Ruth Babel-Smith, a candidate for Sheriff, has stated to me that she takes Trump’s comments very seriously. She understands that sexual violence is a problem in our culture. She believes that it is the role of law enforcement to protect women against sexual assault and to prosecute those who commit it. I believe that the women of Wood County would be safer with Babel-Smith in the office of Sheriff and that the perpetrators of sexual assault would be more likely to be brought to justice. I will cast my vote for her, and I encourage others who are concerned about sexual violence to follow suit.
Janet Parks
Bowling Green
