Legislature fiddles with Floridians' futures: Letters to the Editor, May 28, 2023

Tilting in Titusville

"Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes is a classic novel which portrays the life and insightful journey of Don Quixote de la Mancha, a Spanish man who seems to be losing his mind on his quest to become a knight and restore chivalry alongside with a farmer named Sancho Panza, with whom he fights multiple imaginary enemies.

The city of Titusville thinks that they are a knight in armor alongside staff, using the courts like a lance to attack Speak Up Titusville instead of a windmill. They have nothing to gain no matter who wins.

Speak Up Titusville is an imaginary enemy that has no authority or control over what the city of Titusville does. There is nothing to gain by suing Speak Up Titusville.

Bill Klein, Titusville

Fiddling with Floridians' future

As hurricane season approaches, many Floridians are distracted from the manmade disasters that are systemically drowning out the voice of the people.

Last year Gov. DeSantis overruled the Republican-dominated legislature’s fair congressional map that gave the GOP a modest electoral advantage. The legislature then caved as DeSantis stormed through his own severely gerrymandered version of the map.

This year the legislature passed an extreme, six-week abortion ban that goes against the will of the majority. Also passed was a no training, no permit concealed carry law that is vastly unpopular in Florida. As property insurance premiums continue to escalate, a tort reform bill passed, making it more difficult for homeowners to sue their insurance companies.

Rome is burning while our elected officials fiddle. We The People are under attack.

Kathy Ojeda, Merritt Island

Faithful must stand firm

It was said by a prominent 20th-century Christian evangelist that: “Tolerance is the last virtue of a depraved society.”

It seems the new “woke” definition of tolerance begins with the idea that there is no absolute truth and one lifestyle is as good as another. Therefore, you must not only put up with, endure and bear with those who have other views, habits and/or life styles than your own, you should accept and be willing to even promote and endorse those views or lifestyles as well. Further, never judge because there is no absolute standard to judge by.

Regarding entire societies, this attitude extends to a broader application. Proceeding as if there are no universal truths except those social constructs that a community, society, or nation has created for itself, which may not even apply beyond the borders of that culture. Note the socialist tendency of gradually undermining all authority except for that of the governmental variety.

America’s founders chose the Biblical Judeo-Christian value system and world view as a basis for the Constitution that created the greatest nation in history. Christianity is an absolute religion. It is about absolute values to live by and redemption. At its core, only Christ offers eternal life freely to those who trust in Him, by faith. Sadly, it is this very foundation the “woke” version of tolerance seeks to undermine to create a Godless socialist reality.

People of faith, stand firm for what makes America great while we can still stand.

Ed Taylor, Satellite Beach

Cheers, New College grads

Kudos to the young people of New College. It is so heartening to learn that you are speaking out in defense of your college and what it represents to all of you. I commend you for arranging an alternative commencement this year to honor and defend your graduates, to demonstrate that the progressive nature of your college offers inclusivity and warmth to all students.

It is painful to watch the governor and his minions attempt to mold this excellent college into their limited version of what a college should be.

Stay strong and continue to stand up for human rights.

Linda Lopardo, Titusville

Let's get back on track

We have heard from a number of individuals lately that what was previously regarded as good customer service in our country hardly exists in the post-COVID environment today.

Some attribute the change to a population being forced to accept a lot of new rules and requirements governing their lives for no demonstrated reason, many times with doubtful effectiveness and questionable validity.

Others blame failed leadership, pointing to bad political management of COVID and our country as a whole, which has instilled an acceptance of "trickle down political attitudes" originating with our leaders and communicating an aura of "We don't really care what your problem is — just follow the rules that I have made, and do what I say."

In our opinion, this is not good. This is a flawed and dangerous precedent for Americans to follow. In healing from COVID and, possibly, poor leadership, as well, we must move back in the direction of being fully American again.

We must remember how to stand up straight and tall, look bad precedent in the eye, and say, "No."

We are Americans, and deep in our individual and collective consciousness we know what we must do — get back on track, stand up to the bad leaders, and correct each other with love and understanding when correction is due.

Let's do what we must do, and do it with American love and American pride. Why? Because we care, and that's what Americans do when we are lead in the wrong direction — we just say "No."

Sylvia Sharpe, Doug Sharpe and Paula Estridge, Melbourne, are members of the Brevard Republican Executive Commit

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Kudos to vocal New College grads: Letters to the Editor, May 28, 2023