Letters: The Confederate monument was removed too hastily in heated George Floyd aftermath

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Monument removed hastily

One thing that has not been reported in this litigation concerning the Confederate monument that was removed from the top of Palafox Street is the reason it was erected in the first place. The inscription at the base reads, “Our Confederate Dead.”

The monument was basically a tombstone for the Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War. Were they fighting for an unjust cause? Were they morally wrong in defending the South? Certainly, slavery was morally wrong, but there is only one person who is to judge them for their actions at that time in our history.

Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, there were riots, lootings, burnings and a mood across the country, primarily in the south, to remove all symbols of the Confederacy. Here in Pensacola, there was a large gathering of protestors at the 17th Avenue trestle. They were rowdy, but not out of control.

Still, citizens were fearful they would not remain under control, and the city council at the time scrambled to appease them. The result was the removal of the Confederate monument and allowing “BLM” to be painted on the pavement of A Street. What’s sad is that there were probably members of the council who wanted to save the memory and heritage of some of our ancestors but were afraid to speak out and be labeled as racists.

— Woodrow Soderlind Jr., Pensacola

Readers don't hold back: Letters: With the odds of conviction increasing, the future of Donald Trump is fascinating

Don’t blame GOP for Dem policies

So, Carlton Charles decries the permanent Congress, yet he votes for a person who has spent 50 years slopping from the public trough – Joe Biden.

Inflation did not just happen Mr. Charles – it was caused by the crazed spending of Biden – to support his open borders policy by providing benefits to undocumented immigrants rather than help Americans, to pour money unchecked into the coffers of Ukraine, to support the Russian war effort by buying their gas and oil when he could have used American produced fuel, to fund his friends’ ‘green’ dreams – remember Solyndra?

To fund China by forcing Americans to buy products produced there like solar panels and then to sell oil from the strategic reserve to our enemy and Biden’s paymaster – China. Why do Democrats not support school choice so that instead of being a product of a failing school, kids could actually learn skills so that they were not forced into minimum wage jobs?

How many Americans were forced out of good paying jobs by Biden’s COVID rules because they would not take an untested vaccine? Of course, if a problem is caused by Democrats it is all Trump’s fault. Wake up!

— Alex Crawford, Pensacola

Hurricane season brings concern

We are in the beginning of Hurricane Season and my concern is two-fold.

No. 1, because of all the new subdivisions being built with many newcomers moving in, are there efforts being made to educate new Floridians on how to survive for a minimum of a week without water, electricity, gasoline, and food? Whose has that responsibility?

No. 2, because U.S. 29 is the only north/south evacuation route, how is emergency management going to handle the influx of thousands of additional cars trying to escape the damage brought on by a major storm?

Those of us who were here during Hurricane Opal in October of 1994 remember the chaos of trying to access U.S. 29 to go north.

— Bonnie Exner, Molino

We lost a great man in Don Salter

Our community lost a great leader and dear friend in William Don Salter on Aug. 20, 2023. He was a decorated veteran having served in combat in South Vietnam. In 2000 he ran for the Santa Rosa County Commissioner, District 3 seat and served five terms.

His accomplishments on behalf of veterans are numerous, including spearheading the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Plaza in Milton, building mortgage free homes for wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, establishing free transportation for vets to the VA Clinic in Pensacola, and chairing the Emerald Coast Honor Flight to take 960 World War II veterans to Washington DC at no cost to visit their Memorial.

He fought hard to protect NAS Whiting Field through four BRACs and establish the Whiting Aviation Park to bring new jobs to our area. In July, Leonardo Helicopters broke ground in that Air Park to build a 113,000-square-foot hangar.

Don Salter was a true visionary, and our community is better for all he accomplished. Well done, Mr. Salter.

— Pete Gandy, Pace

Hear from our readers: Letters: I have no love for Joe Biden, but I’ll take him over an unfit Donald Trump

Trump caught in thousands of lies

In response to Ms. Chrys Holly’s letter from Aug. 27,

Look at the fact checkers all over the internet when Mr. Trump was president. Mr. Trump was caught telling 30,000 lies in one term.

Remember, Chrys? Mr. Trump said Mexico would pay for the wall? Is it coming back to you, now?

Remember, Ms. Holly, Mr. Trump said had a health plan that was better than the Affordable Healthcare Act or Obamacare? What did he present? Answer: Nothing!

Let’s not be so quick to tell who goes to Heaven. From my reading of the scripture, the only sin that is unforgivable is sin against the Holy Ghost. People lie all day long, especially politicians, especially Mr. Trump. This doesn’t mean they don’t get into Heaven; it just means they have to get on their knees and beg for forgiveness from Almighty God.

I hope this letter finds you well.

— Mark Smith, Pensacola

Ban smoking on Casino Beach

Where does Pensacola Beach and the Santa Rosa Island Authority stand on banning smoking on Casino Beach?

In 2022, Gov. DeSantis made it legal for local municipalities to do such a thing. I recently visited Pensacola Beach and it was absolutely disgusting. Not to mention the smell of cannabis and cigarettes to the loud vulgar music. Some things we can tolerate, but being unable to enjoy one of our most precious resources is not one of them.

— Anson Terrell, Gulf Breeze

Fix insurance with legal weed

Insurance companies and the CEOs of them only care about themselves and not homeowners, which is clear by the costs going up as well as CEO pay.

I have a solution for the state of Florida and its corrupt governing body to fix the problem of insurance companies fleecing working people’s pockets. Legalize marijuana and use the taxes to fix insurance costs for the people of Florida. Everybody wins. Not an ‘R’ or a ‘D’ – everybody. Politicians, homeowners, and business owners small and large win. Why not?

We have to fix this problem, and this is the only way since politicians are swayed by lobbyists of the insurance industry.

— James Lingley, Pensacola

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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Letters: Confederate monument removed too hastily in Floyd aftermath