The following are comments or excerpts of comments posted on StaterOnline.com:

• In response to yesterday’s column “Hillary is not representing strong women”:

  Megan Walls

  Europeans laugh at us, as they should, because we think that our politicians’ personal lives are our business. We are all humans first and we’re just doing the best we can. We make the choices that we think are best and that’s all we can do. You happen to think that former President Bill Clinton’s choices within his marriage are not only your business but also define him as a moral failure. That’s fine, you’re entitled to that opinion, I suppose, but the fact remains that the country was in a much better state of being under his watch than it is now.

  It sickens me that anyone that would claim to have even a quasi-feminist outlook on life would go around making such prescriptive statements as “a self-respecting female would not stay with a husband who found pleasure in a White House mistress and a pack of cigars.” Part of being a self-respecting female is realizing that you don’t get to say what all other self-respecting females would do in any given situation. Everyone’s situation is different. Everyone has different personal needs. Just because all the “cool kids” are reacting to situation x in such and such a manner these days doesn’t mean it’s the only way or even the best way for everyone.

  As for Hillary herself, she graduated from Yale Law School years before she was married to anyone whose “coattails” she could possibly cling to. Did being First Lady add to her exposure and help her along in her career? Of course, but that’s not enough on its own. Senator Clinton has proven more than once by being re-elected to her “sensational job in New York” that she stands on her own and has the approval of the people.

  You’re not alone in your riding of moral high-horses and you’d have to step down from that position in order to see Hillary for the woman I’ve come to respect (as much as one can respect a politician). I don’t expect to convince you of my perspective, I can’t work miracles. What I can do, however, is ensure that come Election Day, Hillary Clinton will get at least one vote in Ohio.

• In response to Tuesday’s column “Gun ban doesn’t reduce crime”:

  SFC Stu Strickler, US Army, Retired

  More guns, less crime! This is true. Armed citizens deter crime and make criminals wary.

  I carry a firearm for personal protection in 35 states. I hope I never have to use it, but being licensed and trained to use it makes a difference.

  I can’t carry a Policeman 24/7, but I can carry a firearm for personal protection.

  sara

  Liberals claim that the criminal will take the gun away from a woman defending herself and use it to kill her … well I would rather have some chance for survival than none and gun use and safety training increases my chance of survival.