Governor's 'Goofy' actions; Putin's 'gotcha' move: Letters to the editor, April 9, 2023
Rep. Fine's hurtful words, actions
Everyone at some time in their life has had an uncomfortable encounter with another person. It could have been being bullied at school or work. Had someone call you names or spread untrue rumors. It could have been a neighbor or coworker who sought retribution for a perceived wrong doing against them. Or, it could have been threats made out of anger. These actions caused by others resulted in a reaction by the receiver. like hurt, shame, sadness, depression, embarrassment, or fear.
Most of us would go out of our way to avoid the type of person who would inflict those feelings on someone. So, why then would anyone vote to have this kind of person represent them in government?
Randy Fine has done all of the above. He has mocked constituents on social media; called a school board member a whore more than once; and, of course, threatened monetary retribution against Special Olympics and our Brevard Zoo.
I do not have any children in school nor am I associated with any of Mr. Fine's political opponents. I’m merely a citizen/voter who is just sick of all the negative, petty, mean-spirited actions of some of our politicians. Enough is enough.
We need to start somewhere to change this rhetoric. Let’s start at the bottom with Mr. Fine and work our way up.
Sue Aitkin, Melbourne
Standing up for safety
Kudos to the hundreds of school kids and their parents who participated in a peaceful gun safety protest in the Tennessee state legislature this week .A similar event in Tallahassee most likely would have led to multiple arrests.
I’m grateful the Florida Senate, for now, does not support lowering the age to buy a long gun, although I was extremely disappointed my local representative co-sponsored HB 1543. I asked him how allowing an 18-year-old to own an assault rifle would make our community safer. I’m still waiting for a response.
Kathy Ojeda, Merritt Island
Speak up while you can
It is disheartening to see what our state legislature is doing this session.
Our teachers are pushed to the brink and shown such little regard. The collective voice of public sector unions is under attack. The public school system stands to lose billions in funding in the name of vouchers for alternative schooling. While I don’t have a problem with how a family chooses a child’s schooling, I do have a problem with where that funding comes from. These bills are being rushed through and when the average constituent notices, it is all over.
Higher education is under scrutiny and our elected officials want to choose which majors can be taken in our colleges and universities. Since when did we stop valuing our educators and school support staff?
The new rule seems to be preempt everything and just let the state legislators rule it all. Why have county and municipal elections if we cannot make our own policies and decisions?
The average citizen is hard at work and doesn’t look at what is happening in our state legislature. But when the time comes that something affects them directly, like housing and insurance, it’s already too late.
The lesson we all need to learn is to be aware of what is going on and say something. If you don’t agree with what is being done, you must speak up. But a word of caution: You may not be allowed to speak up if we keep allowing change to take place without our knowledge or inclusion.
Karen Houston, Cocoa
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Dear Governor ...
Mr. DeSantis, have you no shame?
As the country continues to mourn with the families and citizens of Tennessee over the loss of children and teachers, you sign the "no-permit" gun law. If that was not shameful enough, you did it in a closed-door back room with only NRA representatives privy to what you were doing. Again, have you no shame?
On another note, please be very careful as you count your "wins" as Florida's governor because we fact-check anything you may claim. We are all well aware of the impact the bipartisan-approved American Rescue Act and the Safe Fiscal Recovery Fund have had on Florida. Our state received billions of dollars with stipulations as to how these funds are to be spent.
So, Mr. DeSantis, the eyes of Florida are upon you. By the way, how is that latest agreement with Disney working for you?
Cynthia K. Williams, Titusville
A Mickey Mouse move
What can be said when the dog bites the hand that feeds it? In this case, think of Mr. DeSantis, aka Goofy, and Disney.
In a recent news story about the governor and the Reedy Creek Improvement District agreement with Disney, it's reported that Goofy wrote, “These collusive and self-dealing arrangements aim to nullify the recently passed legislation, undercut Florida's legislative process, and defy the will of Floridians" What will of Floridians? It seems he and the Republican Florida Legislature, a rubber stamp for every whim and fantasy of Goofy, is including me. Please don't. I can think for myself.
Mr. Iger stated that Disney is the largest taxpayer in the state, employs around 75,000 workers and plans to invest $17,000,000,000 (that’s billion) in the next 10 years, with approximately 13,000 more jobs.
In another article, it's said 59% of Floridians supposedly want Goofy as our next president. Really? If you Republicans want the vote of us independents. Then, I suggest you find a candidate other than Trump or Goofy. Someone with a little more class and less crass.
Michael Palmer, Cocoa Beach
Women's choices should be their own
Our state legislature is working hard on a bill that will ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Obviously, the transparent intent is to totally ban abortions in Florida since most women cannot positively determine whether they are pregnant after a few weeks and, if they are unable to raise the child, make arrangements to terminate the unwanted pregnancy.
The thought of abortion is difficult for most women in moral, religious, societal and financial terms. It is even more harrowing for those who are not sure whether the father of the baby will be around to participate in her/his upbringing, and, if single, whether she will be able to provide emotionally and financially. Six weeks may not allow to solve such a dilemma but the current 15-week period is usually sufficient.
No man has ever gone through such an emotional roller coaster and will never understand what a woman considering abortion is going through. Such decisions should be left to the women and not to our male-dominated legislature. Our politicians should stop legislating morality and drop macho posturing — just let women make the most difficult decisions of their lives themselves.
Renata Charminski, Indian Harbour Beach
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China's in it to win it
Can anyone say where and what we want for our nation in say 20, 40 or 60 years?
Do we have long-range “national goals”?
China does. Certainly they, like us, are striving to increase their prosperity, improve living conditions and assure their national security. But they also want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model — gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions. China wants to take over Taiwan and dominate the South China Sea. They have specific GDP growth targets. They seek energy independence. Most importantly, they want to displace the U.S. as the "World's Power."
We, however, seem to have no overarching goals other than to remain safe, prosperous and free.
Our politicians have two- and four-year goals focused on staying elected. Presidents talk of protecting our “values” whatever you think that means. Our press is focused on things like diversity, climate change, gender and Trump. Basically it seems we just don’t want to rock the boat, but have no idea where the boat should go.
Our strategies aim to protect, preserve and sustain the status quo, whereas our adversary knows exactly where it wants to go and is aggressively moving forward. They are playing offense. We’re playing defense. The best we can do is tie. They are playing to win.
Dave Riemondy, Indialantic
Putin's 'gotcha' gambit
I join millions of our fellow citizens in denouncing the Russian tricksters who have captured the Wall Street Journal’s journalist Evan Gershkovich, hiding behind a "law" that is nothing more than a political ploy to obtain some kind of "gotcha" leverage over us.
Why does it seem that an American visitor of some profile can barely breathe inside the Russian border without being detained for some kind of violation, all for the pathetic, sick self-satisfaction for the leadership?
I would like Secretary of State Antony Blinken to obtain from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the statutory language that the Russians have based their action on as well as a statement of the paranoid facts that they believe meet a violation of the law.
I doubt that the Russians would detain a fully credentialed Georgian or Belarusian journalist under the same law.
In Russia, justice is what Mr. Putin says it is, and he who dares to contradict that by word or action soon finds himself out of work and maybe out of town for a long time.
Francis J. Clifford, Suntree
Here's the GOP, 2023
Want to really understand what today’s Republican Party has come to? Here is a smattering of Republican leadership reacting to the March 31 announcement of Trump’s indictment:
• House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: “weaponizing our sacred system of justice."
• Rep. Steve Scalise: “extremist Democrats weaponizing government."
• Sen. Rick Scott: “weaponized by Democrats."
• Gov. Ron DeSantis: “weaponization of the legal system."
• Sen. Lindsey Graham on Fox News: “Go tonight. Give the president some money to fight this (expletive)!"
Quite a reaction before they knew the charges in the then-still-sealed indictment, much less the evidence. Yet, they loudly claimed that the justice system is being used lawlessly to target Trump.
Jim Jordan, chairman of the House "Weaponization Committee," wants to investigate the Biden family, which Donald Trump has referred to as a "crime family" but there have yet to be criminal charges. Yet, 11 Trump associates have already been charged with crimes. All were convicted or pardoned before or after trial by Trump (just as a good mob boss would). They include Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, and Allen Weisselberg. And don’t forget Michael Cohen, Trump’s "fixer," convicted by Trump’s own Justice Department in 2018 for the same crime related to the Trump indictment. What a crew!
Republican fealty to Trump seems to know no end. Sadly, their knee-jerk, hyperbolic support for Trump, their casual rebuke of the rule of law, and their willingness to throw the judicial system under the bus is laughable. But not funny. Or worthy of any patriotic American’s backing.
Jeff Dorman, Satellite Beach
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: DeSantis' 'Goofy' Disney fight: Letters to the Editor, April 9, 2023
