Letters to the Editor: Jan. 28, 2022

Ask yourself: Is it censorship or simply common sense and decency?

I was reading through some news feeds recently and came across an article with a link to the National Coalition Against Censorship. The title piqued my curiosity, so I clicked on the link and read their statement they posted in December 2021. Among other things, the NCAC claims that "an organized political attack on books in schools threatens the education of America’s children.”

So, I asked myself what kind of education are they claiming is being threatened? Based on what I’ve physically looked at and read, I’m not sure we have the same definition of “education.” Books that include inappropriate content, pornography, divisive rhetoric, and agenda driven theories doesn’t fall under my definition. Also, the books being challenged do contain all of the above and are conditioning our children to become prey to those with evil intent.

I am a firm believer in First Amendment rights and want to protect all our freedoms. However, the majority of these books in question cross the line. Schools have been usurping the authority of parents for decades and are allowing any and all subjects to be accessible to all children — regardless of age or grade.

It should be no surprise to anyone when you look at the organizations, publishers and agencies, bookstores, and individuals supporting the position of the NCAC. I am pleased to see our local bookstore isn't on the list.

The irony is the NCAC wants to "censor" the parents while they claim books should not be "censored" from children in our public schools.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

Karen Hiltz, Sebastian

Watching columnist Ben Shapiro grow up leads to fun reading for adults

Thanks to Treasure Coast Newspapers for a lively opinion section on Jan. 23. It’s fun to watch Ben Shapiro grow up.

Ben, during the pandemic, businesses didn’t use Paycheck Protection Program loans to pay sick leave to keep people at home just to irritate you. They also spent money to improve home offices so people who might pose a risk could work from home until the employee and the work place receive negative COVID-19 test results.

If he agrees that Americans like to work, perhaps Ben should take six months off from full-time writing and help a restaurant owner by doing the dishes at the going rate of pay. Surely he would come out of that sort of Hemingway-in-the-trenches experience with all kinds of new appreciations, especially for those he leaves behind at the dish machine. I for one would look at him in a new light, because, yes, I did do dishes for nine hours, dream at night about them, and then go back the next day to do it again. Ben, when old folks die of COVID-19, some of them leave an estate behind, so heirs retire early, and grand- and great-grand-children go up the ladder.

Another writer has figured out inflation, one contributing item being “payments to individuals.” So here’s a case. I did not get a payment because I did not qualify, but my son did. It was not enough money to quit his job. He kept working. But he did buy more gas for his car, boosting energy prices, took care of some deferred maintenance, boosting those trades, spent money at hurting establishments, and discovered a money-making opportunity. He also boosted the stock market by $500, benefiting profit takers. Cheer up!

Timothy C. Trewyn, Fort Pierce

Rep. Overdorf proposes 15-week ban on abortion adopted by Mississippi

State Rep. Toby Overdorf is all in on the new anti-abortion law before the Florida House of Representatives. In a race to the bottom, the Florida legislator is considering a law based on the proposed Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest. That Florida lawmakers would consider copying a law from the state of Mississippi which is 50th in the country in infant mortality and proclaim that they want to protect the unborn is ridiculous.

Rep. Overdorf’s district aide Joey Planz said, “Toby’s constituents want to protect the unborn.” If Toby really wanted to protect the unborn he would improve health care in the state of Florida. He could make sure Planned Parenthood gets funding so low-income women could get reproductive health care. He could promote Medicaid expansion which would provide healthcare to over 400,000. Floridians including children. But no. He wants to follow Mississippi’s lead in a race to the bottom.

To the people who voted for Toby Overdorf on the premise that he would protect the unborn, wake up! Protecting the unborn is not banning abortion — it is providing quality health care and prescription drug coverage for all Floridians, the poor included.

Rosemary Westling, Jensen Beach

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Letters to the Editor: Jan. 28, 2022