Letters: Beulah is a jewel and deserves better investment from Escambia County

Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are those of our readers and not the Pensacola News Journal. In order for letters to be considered for publication, they must be 250 words or less and include name, a full address and phone number. Only your name and city of residence will be published. Email submissions to opinion@pnj.com.

Beulah deserves better investment

My wife and I moved to the Beulah area from South Florida two years ago. As 40-plus year Florida residents, we have seen many changes throughout the state, and lots of development - some good, some bad.

Unfortunately, much of the development we’ve seen in Escambia County is of the latter type. It does not appear that a lot of long-term planning was involved. Gas stations, strip malls and housing developments appear to have been tossed out of a giant airplane, falling at random.

Coming from a large metro area, we have been impressed by the strong sense of community that exists here on in Beulah. We strongly believe that the Beulah area could be one of the jewels of Escambia County if its neighborhood cohesiveness and rural character can be maintained. The town center as envisioned in the DPZ Plan is the county’s best option.

The Breland organization, which has a successful history with this type development, should be allowed to submit a fresh bid.

When the Beulah Road interchange to I-10 opens, Beulah will be either the first or last community that travelers will experience in our state. Shouldn’t we try to make a good impression?

— James Stafford, Pensacola

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Basic questions need answers

I wonder if I might ask Patricia Edmisten (April 2) to indulge someone who isn’t as erudite as she by answering the following:

Were you encouraged to think for yourself or to adhere to professors’ personal agenda? When teaching about civil rights, did you label students as oppressors or oppressees based on their skin color? Do you believe everyone has the right to defend themselves? Did you place emphasis on hard work and saving to achieve what students wanted or encourage them to just take by force, and then justify their actions as “reparations”?

Did you prepare them for existence in the real world (of which many are woefully ill-equipped) and explain that it is healthy to listen to other sides of an issue, and not shout down anyone with whom they disagree? Do you believe in censoring or labeling as disinformation anything that contradicts your narrative?

Lastly, do you believe graduates should not be so weak as to be “triggered” by the sight of any word, image, or action and make vicious threats? If your response is to simply regurgitate liberal rot, then I would submit you have nothing about which to toot your “woke” horn.

— Delta Hixon, Pace

Keep DeSantis Florida’s problem

Merriam-Webster’s definition of fascism: “Fascism refers to a way of organizing society with an emphasis of autocratic government, dictatorial leadership, and the suppression of opposition.”

Sound familiar? Particularly when you think of Gov. Ron DeSantis and his lapdog legislature? I am not alone in this opinion.

A whole lot of folks who voted for these fascists last year are now realizing just how wrong they were. Too late for now, but you can protest. You can voice your opinion, as I am doing. You can get up off your easy chair and do something besides going, ‘tsk tsk tsk.’

And to think this guy wants to do the same thing in the White House. Never with my vote. I hope never with yours.

You can do something about his craven desire to make Florida “free” as long as you adhere to his kind of freedom, which is not free, at all. Help us make sure only Florida has to survive him - not America.

— John King, Pensacola

DeSantis very thin-skinned

This in reference to the comment DeSantis keeps making in regard to Disney pulling a fast one on him “by denying the will of Floridians”. I’m sure if Floridians, parents, teachers, LGBQ, police force, and just regular folks got a chance to vote on the fascist changes DeSantis has put forth so far, instead of pandering to these minority whackos, none of his agenda would pass. He keeps boasting a “free Florida” and its anything but that. It just seems he cannot take the criticism just like the dude residing at Mar-a-Lago.

— Jeanne Hagan, Pensacola

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Consider pregnancy risk factor

I am a retired obstetrician. I finished residency in 1976. Therefore, I never had to deal with the results of illegal abortion.

Something that has constantly amazed me in this nearly half century of profession practice is the seemingly intentional avoidance by media of the fact that every pregnancy has a significant increase in the probability of death or significant bodily injury. It is always safer for the mother to terminate than to continue the pregnancy.

— Michael Caire, Pensacola

DeSantis’ gun laws show disregard for safety

The Second Amendment guarantees our right to keep and bear arms. The reason for the amendment was to protect the country. Gov. DeSantis loves the Second Amendment as he recently legalized permitless, concealed carry of weapons.

This unpopular pro-gun law assures that more guns will be in cars, on the street, and at the next festival you attend. It also makes it easier for “bad guys” to steal weapons. Law enforcement officers that make traffic stops are now at more risk due to the presence of unknown weapons in vehicles.

CDC data last year revealed that gun-related deaths had become the leading cause of mortality among youths. And, the United States has already experienced over 140 mass shootings in 2023.

Our governor declares falsely that he is protecting your kids and babies from trans treatment, abortion, drag shows, Black history, and books in schools. However, DeSantis’ 2023 pro-gun law shows a blatant disregard for safety by legalizing and promoting “hidden” weapons to spread throughout our communities. This will not reduce gun violence, but is likely to add to it.

And to top it all off, the governor says he wants to take this style of governing to Washington!

— Charles Creel, Bagdad

Make roads safer for pedestrians

I just came upon yet another pedestrian hit by a car. It happened at the very busy intersection of Cervantes and Pace. There is only one solution and that’s to stop traffic from any direction from moving while the pedestrian walking sign is lit. No right turns, no left turns. Nothing moving. I certainly hope the woman wasn’t injured too badly since she was in a wheelchair.

— Debra Verner, Pensacola

Perdido Beach article needed

Thank you for an excellent article detailing the controversy surrounding Perdido Beach landowner’s rights.

In a sense, I don’t blame the Perdido property owners who are, no doubt, concerned about those who use and abuse the beaches by leaving trash on the beach and, of course, their now false impression that their purchase extended to the high-water line.

Just goes to show you that Mark Twain was right when he said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so”.

— Darrell Griffin, Pensacola

Clinton received ‘unequal’ justice

The recent classified government information leak by a low-ranking enlisted Air National Guardsman reminds me of the former U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary R. Clinton, email debacle.

Clinton used an unauthorized and unsecured email server in her home to send and receive government communications, many of which were verified to be classified and some top secret, and her system was hacked by foreign actors.

This was indirect violation of the very government regulations she issued for adherence by all Secretary of State employees. When subpoenaed by Congress, she deleted 31,000 emails from the server and destroyed government communication devices that were involved.

Her consequences?

The FBI gave her a pass by saying she acted carelessly and that her actions weren’t intentional. And there was no accountability. It will be interesting to see how our “equal justice for all” system plays out for the Air National Guardsman.

— Barry Koncan, Gulf Breeze

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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Letters: Beulah is a jewel and deserves more from Escambia County