Letters to the editor for Sunday, April 2, 2023
What Beach residents want to know
I have read features about Fort Myers Beach and the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian. News about Times Square recovery, housing replacement, and the like are interesting. But, I'll tell you what's really on our minds: 1. When will Publix reopen? 2. When will CVS reopen? 3. When will one or more 7-Elevens reopen? 4. When will home delivery of mail return? 5. When will home delivery of the daily newspapers come back?
That's what's on my mind and, I guarantee, the minds of many others on this island.
Ed Lombard, Fort Myers Beach
Stop abortion bill
I am a student at Florida Gulf Coast University in Southwest Florida. I am afraid for my safety, and the safety of all people in Florida. It is not just women being affected by this bill, it is everyone.
It baffles me that a handful of representatives in Florida get the power and control over our bodies. Because that is what HB7 and SB 300 boil down to. It is all about power and control. It also shocks me that these representatives are not listening to the majority of Florida, as most of Florida citizens do not want this bill to pass. My father, a veteran and a die-hard Republican, even thinks it is too extreme. He worries about the health care of people who need abortions to save their life but won’t be able to if they find out they are pregnant after six weeks, which most people do. He also worries for the men who do not want children, but will be forced to have one or pay child support due to the person they impregnated not being able to choose to get an abortion.
Senate President Passidomo has the power to stop SB 300. Call her office, share your personal story, share your anger, share your fears, and most importantly tell her to vote NO on SB 300.
Larissa Nichols, Fort Myers
We need gun control now
I implore the right to life movement, which is so focused on protecting the life of the fetus in the womb, to rally their support and energy to protect the children living in our society.
We need gun control now! Force the NRA and Congress to ban all assault weapons now!
Protect all the children. Surely they have a right to life as well.
Sedra Schiffman, Naples
Start leading on gun solution
I attended Covenant Presbyterian in Nashville, Tennessee and my ex-wife worked there for a period of time as well. It is quite a shame that this mass shooting has taken at a place where was a sanctuary for both church and work.
We have had at least 128 mass shootings so far this year in the U.S. Yet with these staggering numbers our politicians are more concerned with books in schools, border control of immigrants, abortion and gays. Seriously, how about gun control? Today I promise you the guns used in this shooting will have increased sales because of gun owners worried that Washington will outlaw these types of guns. Gun safes will also have an increase in sales.
Let's not use as excuses that better security is the primary need at schools. How about better control of who buys guns, what type of guns are allowed to be sold, better mental health cognizance, and more state and federal dollars committed to schools with sound and effective security in the future.
It is time that the NRA and our politicians sit down and rectify a problem that has gone unresolved for years. In fact, the politicians need to tell the NRA what is needed and distance themselves from the NRA political funding to their own campaigns. Pundits will say we have the right to bear arms. Well, do we have the right to monitor who buys guns and what guns need to be outlawed? This is not as hard as politicians make this out to be.
Our lives depend on Washington making the right decisions and laws. Others have asked, and I ask the same thing. You as politicians must do something about this terror that has gone uncontrolled by Washington. You took an oath to protect us, so protect us. Quoting Governor DeSantis, "Leaders don’t follow. They lead." So start leading.
Kevin Welsh, Punta Gorda
Stop government interference
I am an FGCU student and citizen of Southwest Florida who is afraid for my safety, the safety of my friends and family when it comes to HB 7 and SB 300, the six-week abortion ban.
The six-week abortion ban is ultimately the government forcing their religious agendas on us to enforce power and control over our bodies.
This ban comes with an impossible timeline, as most people do not know they are pregnant until six to eight weeks. Within the six-week abortion ban, there is $25 million dollars going to fund fake pregnancy clinics (who are not bound by HIPPA), policy to make us prove our rapes when two out of three people who are assaulted do not report, and make it impossible for rural communities to access care with the tele-health ban and two physician requirements.
Everyone should be able to make decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures without interference from the government. The choice to have an abortion is between the person seeking care, the physician, and their loved ones if they so choose. There is no room for government officials in an abortion decision.
Anti-abortion politicians want to control our bodies and our choices, so they can maintain power and control over our lives.
Senate President Passidomo has the power to stop SB 300. Call her office, share your personal story, share your fears, and most importantly tell her to vote no on SB 300.
Katelyn Tellgren, Fort Myers
Backbones, not thoughts, prayers
The extreme right wing of the Republican Party always characterize Democrats as being liberals. The ad nauseam of school shootings and failure to rid ourselves of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and universal background checks, favored by an overwhelming populace, is once again on the back burner of Republican priorities. What is liberal about such a topic? Tennessee, like Florida in the near future, is another open-carry state with no license requirement. Is the public aware that, if the Nashville shooter was seen walking in public with weapons of mass destruction, nothing could legally be done until they enter a school and obliterate children and teachers? A little too late -- duh. Even the staunch Second Amendment proponents see our country going down the path to hell. When Republican lawmakers send Christmas cards with their entire family brandishing AR-15s, something is extremely amiss. Thoughts and prayers are not what are required -- backbones are -- especially when their own constituents want them to grow one.
Glenn Chenot, Cape Coral
Cameras at intersections
SWFL municipalities could make a fortune by mounting cameras at busy intersections and using them to issue summonses/fines to drivers who speed up at yellow lights and end up running red lights. A fortune.
Gene Emery, Fort Myers
That is a whopper
Most would agree that all politicians lie or at best make exaggerated claims. They most certainly are experts in the art of equivocation. On March 16 Joe Biden spoke into a microphone and stated Republicans are responsible for the crime problems because they are for defunding the police. I repeat “Republicans are for defunding the police?” That is not just a casual lie. That is a whopper.
John McWilliams, Fort Myers
Book banning irony
Wouldn’t it be ironic? If the book that Governor DeSantis authored would be banned? Robert Gerlicher, Fort Myers
Thoughts from retired officer
When are the smart politician lawmakers going to listen to the people they serve. For years the cops and Afro Americans have been at odds. I served 33 years as a cop in Rochester, New York and retired as a lieutenant. Following the riots in the late '60s all the cops were required to attend several seminars to improve our relationships, which was a great idea. Because I was a supervisor I was required to attend even more seminars. These seminars were conducted by ministers, priests, social workers, politicians, chiefs, and minority leaders and the main objective was for the cops not to be prejudiced toward the minorities and not to stereotype them. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know when two people are feuding like a married couple they BOTH need counseling. As a rookie cop we are trained to separate the feuding couple and talk to them separately to get their side of the story before making a decision on how to resolve the problem. A marriage counselor would do the same thing.
There are two sides to a story and it takes two to tango. In all the seminars I asked if this training was going to be given to the minorities to not stereotype the cops, not be prejudiced against us and most important to obey our commands. Most of the serious problems we have encountered leading to demonstrations, rioting, etc. have resulted in citizens not obeying the commands of a cop. No organized training or seminars for minorities is being offered or has been offered but is still ongoing for law enforcement. And you wonder why it doesn't work and never will.
Albert Joseph, Fort Myers
Promoting division
What has happened to civility and respect in our country? Aren't people allowed to have opinions? Aren't people allowed to express their opinions without being attacked? Should we not be allowed to either favor or oppose abortions, capital punishment, school choice, Ukraine war, big government, police, DEI, transgenders in sports, reparations, voting laws, vaccines, masks, lab leak, lockdowns, certain school standards and many other positions without being treated in a disrespectful manner or discriminated or attacked? We have become intolerant of any opinions that do not conform to our own. I have to admit that this seems to be exacerbated by our media and our politicians, both who seem to promote the divisiveness.
Ron Wobbeking, Naples
Use your conscience
I'm wondering if people are going to continue to vote with their bank account in mind in '24, as in 2016. I suppose they will as it turned out so much better than they could ever have hoped for, then. They were hand delivered, to most gated communities, the earliest doses of vaccine for COVID. They have voting precincts in the clubhouses. Who else would they vote for, other than those who coddle them and tell them lies, all in the interest of obtaining their vote? GOP right? DeSantis is becoming more and more obstinate, fearless, and is already making errors that he will lament soon enough. He is not ready for a debate with anyone of importance. Even Trump would beat him. When will his supporters FINALLY decide enough is enough, with book banning, and his vindictive attitude towards the LBGTQ+ community? When it comes down to the two of them, who would be best? Neither. It's time to use your conscience and vote Democratic. It's the kind way.
Tom Richardson, Bonita Springs
Federal debt, inflation
The inflation we are encountering in the economy is caused by the increase in the federal debt. You cannot spend $30 trillion of borrowed money without causing prices to go up. To remedy this, the Federal Reserve has the crude tool of increasing interest rates.Now increasing interest rates causes banks to fail, limits the ability of companies to find capital, increases unemployment and limits the number of start-up new businesses. It is much like watching George Washington die in 1799 when his doctors bled 40% of his blood to fight his bacterial infection. Not only did the procedure not work, it hastened his death.What the Federal Reserve has to deal with is that raising interest rates puts us in a game of whack a mole. The likelihood of a soft landing and avoiding recession is about as likely as Washington surviving after his doctors bled him.
Chris Corrie, Bonita Springs
Country before party
MAGA extremists who control the Republican Party are weaponizing their newly constituted “Weaponization Committee” to undermine legitimate state and federal investigations of Trumpian wrongdoing. This is a continuation of the six-year-long MAGA attack on the rule of law.
Prior to the Trump era, both Democrats and Republicans were prosecuted for alleged criminality. Elected officials refrained from interfering, which is a crime called “obstruction of justice.” Trump changed all that.
In a 2016 presidential debate, Clinton warned of consequences to our rule of law if Trump got control of the U.S. Justice Department, to which Trump admitted that he would see that she was prosecuted, then groomed MAGA supporters with “Lock Her Up” chants at rallies.
Proving Clinton correct, President Trump pressured the DOJ to investigate and prosecute his political rivals, proceeded to discredit or remove anyone investigating him for alleged criminality, and used the justice system to investigate non-existent voter fraud in election losses.
He tried to extort the Ukrainian president, and successfully exhorted followers to attack the Capitol to interfere with the 2020 elections.
Merrick Garland inherited a compromised Justice Department, along with public evidence of everything described above. Garland deferred to the January 6th Committee and state prosecutors in New York and Georgia, then named a special prosecutor less vulnerable to political influence and more able to pursue the evidence of federal crimes.
N.Y. Prosecutor Bragg will be the first one to (probably) indict Trump. To undermine Bragg’s attempt to hold Trump accountable, congressional MAGA extremists are threatening to bring Bragg before their “Weaponization Committee.”
I have refrained from voting for candidates in my party who I believe will undermine democracy. I saw that as my only option, one that many Republicans reluctantly took in 2020. I imagine it is now difficult to refrain from voting for MAGA extremists who are trying to obstruct prosecutorial attempts to hold Trump accountable. Country before party.
Judy Freiberg, Naples
Shameless lying
Are there any Republicans as insulted as I am to continue to hear their “leaders” lie repeatedly in public, shamelessly insulting the intelligence of millions of Americans? They do this about things that we have seen with our own eyes, heard with our own ears and for which there is sufficient validated evidence for even someone as intellectually challenged as Marjorie Taylor Greene to get it right for once. The latest iteration of this had the Jewish space laser lady accompanied by our own Byron Donalds, visiting the January 6 defendants at the District of Columbia jail and trying once again to rewrite history by telling us January 6 was not an insurrection and the inmates are political prisoners. This is the same lady who, when calling for martial law during the insurrection, spelled it “marshall” law. Mr. DeSantis should make it mandatory for her to enroll in one of his vaunted civic classes. One can forgive the frequent rants by MAGA writers to this paper that recycle Fox “news” propaganda, even in the face of that network being exposed in court as being the “You Can’t Handle the Truth” network. As a cult, there is an expectation that MAGA has been and continues to be immune from fact and logic when it comes to critical thinking involving all things Trump. Note however that even Fox “news” has decided there is no longer a financial upside to continuing to support Mr. Trump and have now turned toward mini-Trump DeSantis as their next propaganda cash cow. Some people and organizations never seem to learn the lessons of even recent history. The courts, while slow, are now holding all Mr. Trumps’ men and women to account. Representative Donalds should be careful not to join in that lengthening line of exposed liars in the Republican Party who tried to subvert an election and now try to rewrite history, simply because they could not handle the truth. Slowly but surely, all of them are being called to account before a judge and jury for the misrepresentations and lies they attempted to perpetrate on the American people for self-gain and at the expense of our democracy. Lies may have the head start, but in a democracy, truth will eventually overtake it.
Thomas Minor, Bonita Springs
Donalds aligns with far right
Marjorie Taylor Greene is a well known far right conspiracy expert. Her resume includes white genocide conspiracy, QAnon, Pizzagate and a host of others that would land you or me in a mental hospital. She led a delegation to the DC jail where political prisoners from January 6 were being held. Just a reminder that they’re being held because they tried to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power in a riot on the U.S. Capitol. These patriots beat cops, blinded and choked police with bear spray and caused general mayhem. MTG was joined by Lauren Boebert and to round out the circus clowns our very own Byron Donalds. So ask yourself if you voted for someone who aligns with the far right fringe. Who has no issue for supporting criminals who beat on law enforcement. Maybe it’s time to look yourself in the mirror and see if there’s a reflection. You’ll have a chance for redemption in 2024.
I’m not here to mention skyrocketing home insurance costs, if you can even get any. Nor the absurd rental costs for the lower and middle class who essentially go to work for the bare necessities. I’m here about declaring Ian a qualified disaster from the Federal government for tax relief. Florida Rep. Steube filed a bill March 1 only five months after hurricane Ian. Seems a bit long but I know many members are still searching for Hunter's hard drive. Our own governor who can’t make up his own mind if he’s for Ukraine or for Russia and flipped and flopped like a fish out of water. He seems preoccupied promoting his book tour and Midwestern values. I hear libraries are banning his freedom book based on the hypocrisy clause. Maybe our boys can focus this week and get Ian declared a qualified disaster. Please.
Laurence Jacks, Estero
Parallels in Vietnam, Afghanistan
I found the Vietnam War supplement in your Sunday March 26th paper very interesting and informative. I'm glad your paper is actually spending time to remember our American heroes from the Vietnam War.
Included is a quotation from "Laderman":
"The US withdrawal was haphazardly undertaken and left countless Vietnamese who had cooperated with the United States feeling betrayed and terrified of what the future might hold."
Substitute "Vietnamese" with "People of Afghanistan." See the parallels?
The USA is giving billions in armaments and dollars to Ukraine. Had we not left billions of dollars of military equipment in Afghanistan we could have given that to the Ukrainians.
God help America.
Greg Pellot, Naples
Lessons learned from Vietnam
I read the recent insert about the Vietnam War with interest since I served two tours of duty in S.E. Asia during that war. I was disappointed that while it mentioned why we lost the war it did not elaborate on the lesson to be learned from it. Our enemies have sure paid attention to why we lost and how to defeat us again. Here are the five points that will defeat the U.S. every time. 1. Do not attack the U.S. directly with a large force, we will crush you. 2. Be prepared to sacrifice the lives of tens of thousands of your and your allies' troops. 3. Drag out the conflict as long as possible. A decade or more may be necessary. 4. Bankrupt the U.S. Make sure we have to spend billions of dollars a month to fight the war and billions more to prop up the government of the country where the fighting takes place. 5. If possible get the U.S. to commit its own troops to the fight and spill as much of their blood as possible. Do these five things and you will win. The American public will tire of hearing about the war every day in the media. Eventually a recession or other calamity will turn the public and the politicians' attention to spending more money at home and not supporting a war thousands of miles away. With the current debt of the U.S. it is only a matter of time until we can't spend on foreign ventures and will have serious problems funding our government at home. It worked in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and to some degree in Korea.
Dennis Miller, Miromar Lakes
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Sunday, April 2, 2023
