Letters to the Editor: Jan. 25, 2022

Let’s address the problems with the river that we know can be fixed

While I agree with Jim Weix’s Jan. 16 letter regarding Lake Okeechobee being a cause of seagrass devastation, it’s just one of many.

As a layman, I don’t understand how Lake O discharges could affect communities north of Fort Pierce. Just looking at water color tells me the nice blue water near the inlets never get to us here in Vero. The water here has gotten progressively worse since we’ve lived here.

Why not address the problems we know can be fixed? Runoff from rampant development, sewage leaks from water treatment plants and septic systems and foul water coming from the west are problems that can be fixed.

Sadly it comes down to politics. Developers can pay extra to destroy the environment, big agriculture (sugar) can do whatever they want as long as money from lobbyists keeps flowing.

When the river gets so toxic it creates a health problem for the multi-millionaires that live on it, someone may finally do something about it.

Dave Habel, Vero Beach

Florida legislators focused on reality...
Florida legislators focused on reality...

Fossil-fuel companies lobby to defend their industry subsidies

The 20 largest fossil fuel companies account for more than a third of global greenhouse emissions. Yet, while these companies rake in huge profits, American taxpayers continue to subsidize this industry to the tune of $15 billion a year. To continue their sweetheart deal, oil, gas, and coal interests spent more than $115 million lobbying Congress in defense of their taxpayer-funded giveaways.

Tom Tomlinson, Palm City

Is our justice system fair?

Here are two very well-known examples of recent situations involving police officers in similar scenarios and how the justice system handled their cases.

The two officers are Michael Byrd, who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt at the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 last year, and Kimberly Potter who killed Daunte Wright last April in Minnesota.

Both of these officers had excellent records, and both were with their police organizations for many years. Both said they had no intentions of killing any one on the days mentioned, both said they were caught up in the confusion and high intensity of the moment, made a very bad decision and ultimately pulled the trigger. Both were emotionally and visibly upset immediately after the shooting. Both were brought to tears and had to be comforted by fellow officers.

Officer Potter thought she grabbed her Taser and was yelling taser, taser, taser while another officer was attempting to handcuff Daunte Wright. Officer Byrd said rioters were pounding on the glass windows and he shot at Ashli Babbitt, who was coming through a broken window.

Both said they had no intentions of killing or shooting anybody.

Here is where the story changes. Officer Byrd was cleared of all charges and is now free and has his old job back while Officer Potter has been convicted of first and second-degree manslaughter and is in jail and could possibly be facing 20 years in prison.

Do you think justice was handled fairly in these two cases?

The two verdicts are so extreme that one wonders how this could possibly happen in the United States of America — the fairest country in the world.

Herb Bopp, Fort Pierce

On the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S.  Capitol attack, men dressed in Proud Boys attire put up a sign for Ashli Babbitt as they attend a Trump rally in West Palm Beach.
On the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, men dressed in Proud Boys attire put up a sign for Ashli Babbitt as they attend a Trump rally in West Palm Beach.

Since the election, America’s decline has worsened

This is a sequel to my 2020 letter. I write because since the Democrats won the election, the decline of America has substantially increased. The proof is in the facts, though left-wingers often disregard facts with spin, propaganda, and even lies.

Let me list a few facts that are evident. The ignominious surrender of Afghanistan and its Kabul airport went against all acceptable standards of surrender. Who withdraws all troops ahead of all supporting civilians? President Biden did.

Domestically, we have empty grocery shelves, along with the highest inflation rate in 40 years. Other negatives are paying people not to work, increased crime rates including smash-and-grab raids on jewelry stores, and plundering of freight trains’ cargos in their depots, as well as homicides; and very low or no bail for charged criminals.

The president vowed to control the COVID-19 virus. He has done a miserable job of that. His vaccination mandate was recently overturned by the Supreme Court. His administration has labeled parents who protest at school board meetings against the inclusion of critical race theory in their children’s curriculums as “domestic terrorists.” As a former teacher I state, “What schools need is not CRT, but critical science, critical math, critical English, etc.”

Of course, we still tolerate the continuous open southern border which permits an infinite number of undocumented immigrants to merely walk into our country. Included is the grave and frivolous flow over our borders of the dangerous drug, fentanyl.

Space prevents continuing. I end with a question and answer. What can we do to alter these obvious leadership errors? When business leaders fail or athletic coaches lose excessively, they are fired. No, we cannot do likewise. But we can use the ballot box and vote them out of office. America, let’s act.

George Phipps, Vero Beach

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Letters to the Editor: Jan. 25, 2022