Letters to the editor for Sunday, May 14, 2023
Save Fort Myers Beach school
Fort Myers Beach Elementary School was the second-ranked elementary school in the entire Lee County School District. The top-rated school in the district was Sanibel elementary school. Both schools were destroyed by Ian which means children from both geographically closed schools are now sent to San Carlos Park school, an hour plus away and with an academic ranking lower than Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel.
Now that Fort Myers Beach is a community in transition, we should support restoring Fort Myers Beach Elementary School. Rebuilding the school reminds us of the history of the town before Hurricane Ian took away the culture of the community. Just like the Arch the elementary school is part of our identity as a town. Fort Myers Beach Elementary School is a historic school. It was added in 1999 to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It existed before Margaritaville and the commercialization of the island. It is part of our soul. By rebuilding the elementary school, we will be rebuilding one of the top three schools in the Lee County School District with higher academic scores than the other 88 elementary schools in the district.
Gema Hernandez, Panacea and Fort Myers Beach
Congratulations Dr. Ricciardelli
On behalf of Books for Collier Kids, congratulations to Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli on her appointment as superintendent!
Books for Collier Kids is an all volunteer-run nonprofit organization that has worked closely with Collier County Public Schools since 2005 to distribute more than 1.6 million new, age-appropriate books to children in need throughout our community.
We are thrilled that the School Board picked the best candidate for the position – an educator who grew up in the area, has experience working in Broward, Orange and Seminole counties, as well as in various positions in the greater Naples area, throughout her more than 28 years in education.
Our volunteers look forward to building upon the long-standing relationship we’ve established with CCPS as we collaborate with Dr. Ricciardelli to ensure all students in our community have access to books in the home. Books to read, share and cherish. Books that help them succeed in school and life.
Once again, congratulations to Dr. Ricciardelli for your appointment and to the School Board for, as Dr. Riccardelli noted, “putting our students, schools and community first.”
Sallie Williams, chair, Books for Collier Kids
An everyday occurrence
A guy, all in black, steps out of a silver car at a Texas outlet mall and begins shooting with a military-style rifle and .223 ammo. On the ground here's a 5-year-old girl with no face, there a weeping toddler covered in his protective mother's blood.
The media calls it a tragedy. It's not. A tragedy is something that happens once and/or is inexplicable, like a tornado, or the "Titanic." One whose outcome can be changed with adequate weather warnings, or legislated, like lifeboats.
But this is the U.S., and NO ONE will legislate against selling these weapons of war. Certainly no one whose political career is funded by the NRA. So instead we get thoughts and prayers, or the simple advice to Run Hide Fight.
At last count that I saw (there may have been more since) we've had 199 mass shootings in this country in the 128 days of 2023. These were not tragedies, they were everyday occurrences!
A.D. Slade, Naples
Would be banned in Florida
I watched with great interest the grand coronation of King Charles III of the United Kingdom. I saw many men dressed in beautiful long dress-like robes, kilts, and skirts, and some wearing flamboyant head gear the size of a giant panda; smartly attired women in crisp full-dress military uniforms and army boots; and even a few young ladies in suits and neckties. Good thing the event was not held in Florida. It would have been banned.Daniel Vega, Naples
Hurricane debris remains
Believe it or not, broken branches and sections of tree trunks from Hurricane Ian are still lying on the ground next to my townhouse at the Village of Cedarbend in Fort Myers. The Cedarbend Board of Directors and Compass Rose Management are responsible for this. On November 2 of last year I asked for this mess to be picked up. Today, six months later, the debris is still lying there. Pine Island is cleaned up. Fort Myers Beach is cleaned up, but not the property next to my Cedarbend townhouse. And since the area cannot be mowed, because of the hurricane debris, the weeds have grown three feet tall. I feel like I’m living in a ghetto.
R. T. Becker, Fort Myers
Is history repeating?
I read many letters noting the decline in morals in this country and the stunning increase in violence, hatred of certain groups, and general intolerance of others. And the horrid shootings!
The old saying that history repeats itself if we do not keep ourselves aware and alert seems to be coming true.
Are we seeing the bits and pieces of the loss of our rights and freedom in America?
Remember the Hitler of 1933 and beyond? Read your history books!
Elaine I. Traxler, Naples
Book bans discourage thinking
When I was in high school our English teachers sold us, at discounted prices, copies of the literary works we studied; the school did not have an inventory of paperbacks to lend. After graduation, I had a nice library that included four of Shakespeare’s plays and several classic novels, including "The Catcher in the Rye," "Of Mice and Men," "Animal Farm," "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," and "Lord of the Flies." These novels have two things in common: They make the reader think and they’ve been banned in numerous places.
Thinking is an uncomfortable process because when you think you constantly bump up against ideas that don’t fit neatly into your perception of the world and how it works. If you don’t want your children to think, don’t encourage them to read, and certainly don’t give them library cards. Banning books is a way of discouraging thinking, but for some communities banning individual titles doesn’t go far enough; they favor defunding the public library system entirely.
In Florida, numerous school and classroom libraries have been closed while all titles are vetted according to vague standards of appropriateness heavily influenced by politicians with narrow political/religious agendas. Where is the evidence children are harmed reading books containing homosexual characters or vague references to sex? Where is the evidence children are harmed by learning the facts about American history, including the racial injustice that is a huge feature of that history?
Ray Clasen, North Fort Myers
Separation of church and state
Many Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential election preach to their constituents continuously about their faith and God. Many quotes from James Madison and Thomas Jefferson referred to the separation of church and state and the absolute necessity of a secular government. Can this be emphasized more in the media that there is no religious test for office? It is more than scary for candidates to emphasize their religious beliefs to get elected.
Tom Beck, Naples/Chicago
Elections and consequences
Most would agree that all elections including local, state, and most certainly the presidential elections have major consequences in our lives and our future. Of course media, pundits and prognosticators will often sway one's vote. Often media bias or falsehoods are reported affecting the drama of the potential candidate's chances to win. It seems unfortunate that in some of the more recent presidential elections voters actually made their selections based on the fact that they “hated” the personality of the opposition. Sadly, qualifications or policies weren’t that important. This usually proves to be a misguided approach especially when selecting the president of the United States regardless of political persuasion. This would be analogous to someone foolishly selecting a doctor for a serious medical procedure based on their personality. I would think the best most qualified surgeon's personality or even demeanor rarely matters when it comes to a medical procedure. Hopefully moving forward with future presidential elections more voters will see the value of the candidates, skills, policies, leadership qualities, cognitive status and not their personalities.John McWilliams, Fort Myers
Question Biden approval rate
So let me see if I have this correct: At the latest poll, 36% of voters think Biden is doing a good job. That’s a staggering amount of people. I wonder whether just a few of the 36% who read this newspaper would care to respond and pray tell us all exactly what Biden has done to earn your approval?
Michael Adler, Miromar Lakes
Battery operated tanks!
Our current administration has gone nuts!The current Energy secretary for the Biden administration is pushing to have our military go green!Yes all vehicles would be operated by battery! Remember some of the components for batteries come from potential enemies!War is difficult enough without some desk jockey, non-military trained person pushing for this! We are having a hard enough time filling our military quotas without telling young men and women they must “go green” when in battle!Please send this nut case into battle in a tank that is battery operated!See how long she lasts!Dennis Rosenhagen, Naples
Democracy requires 'woke' society
“Woke”, in the English language is past tense for wake. Our country was created by “woke” individuals and our country has been “Woke”-ing ever since and history proves it. These simple yes/no questions of the past facts will prove that our democracy has been fraught with “woke” ideas since its inception and that democracy can only exist in a “woke” society.Were the Pilgrims “woke” when they fled religious persecution in their homeland?Were the colonists “woke” when they dumped the British tea into Boston Harbor?Were the revolutionists “woke” when they went to war against the British?Were our Founding Fathers “woke” when they created our democracy?Was our country “woke” when we ended the heinous institution of slavery?Are new Christians “woke” when they come unto you, open their hearts to salvation, and accept Jesus Christ as their savior?Looks like if you put “anti” in front of every “woke” in the sentences above, we can see exactly want you don’t want.Most “woke” citizens want to continue the fight our ancestors started, to create a true democracy. Democracy is a living, breathing entity which flows through the people at the free will of the people. Free will is the foundation of our “woke” democracy. We will continue the pursuit of democracy and a more perfect union until we have liberty, justice, and equality for ALL American citizens! We will not stop “waking” until you stop “sleeping.”Kathrine Hamilton, Estero
Woke culture undermines us
The woke culture has taken over our country. It is destroying our traditions and challenging our moral values. To many, it’s exhibiting shear madness promoted by the press, Democrats/progressives, and our education establishment.
Non-punishment of criminal behavior and the failure to enforce immigration laws is highlighted daily on the news. Legalizing and encouraging marijuana and gambling is a gateway to more harmful consequences. Taxpayer entitlements for refusing to look for work undermines worker self-esteem and contributions to our society.
Abortion is an emotional and morally dividing issue. Allowing abortion up till birth for any reason is illogical yet advocates promote this action without shame. Society is also accepting degrading behavior in public places and accepting transexuals as normal. These new behavior standards affect the very morals of our country.
Attacking Catholics and Jews and passing judgment without due process is an affront to our basic constitutional freedoms. Acceptance and funding of failed public schools where many students lack basic reading and math skills but are exposed to diversity, inclusion and equity standards dumbs down our culture. Gender changing acceptance in women's sports is defying natural law and using drag performers for military recruitment makes a mockery of our military readiness.
These are some examples showing the decline of American society where traditions are compromised. Speak up and support political candidates who oppose these woke changes and pray for our country. We get what we accept.
Frank Mazur, Fort Myers
Hold legislators accountable
Who exactly are our Florida legislative representatives representing? It clearly is not the best interests, welfare, or preferences of the majority of the voters who put them in office. Repeatedly the majority of voters support access to abortion, local control of development and our schools, and clean water and environmental sustainability policies. Unfortunately, this legislative session, instead, represented the political ambitions of our current governor at the cost of its constituents. The recent last-minute action of denying local government’s ability to pass new limits on the use of fertilizer is another startling example. And even more disturbing, it was passed without discussion or committee hearings. Why and for whom? Certainly not for the protection of our waterways. I plead with voters to carefully review the long list of repressive and extreme policies passed by this legislative session and hold our representatives accountable through phone calls, email, office visits, and our future votes.
Kathleen Davey, Punta Gorda
Liberals take over, crave power
The liberal mainstream media has done it again. Headlines in print, voices in radio and images on television: Biden is sending 1,500 troops to the border! Sounds like long-awaited reinforcements, but it’s not that at all. All the federal troops are going to do is relieve the border patrol of paperwork so the border patrol can round up more people and maybe catch their names before they release them into the country forever.
It’s not enforcement, it’s processing!
But you know what really frosts my onions about you liberals? You think you are being so kind and good by letting in oppressed people and giving them welfare, the likes of which the homeless people in scores of Democrat-run cities never see. But you know what? Even Mayor Adams of New York City is done with Biden’s busing in hundreds of illegals because the Waldorf Astoria has run out of rooms!
We have a right as a sovereign nation to control our borders, but our senile president knows nothing about that. The world knows that Biden has invited anyone who wants to come to our country to do so but only God knows many agents of MS-13, Russia, North Korea, Iran, China and whatever other yahoo government you can think of are walking right in and thumbing their noses at our border agents? Those effects won’t be known for years, but already we know about the thousands of pounds of fentanyl and other illegal drugs and the thousands of women and little girls who have been raped and terrorized by Mexican cartel coyotes. But you liberals don’t care about human destruction if it gives you a chance for more power. You are hoping to give those illegals the right to vote ASAP to secure your ill-begotten power. Give them welfare and the vote and you claim power forever. LBJ restarted New Deal giveaways with the Great Society and programs to re-enslave black Americans. Post 1960s liberalism has taken over and has as their goal to change America into a socialist state commanded by Democrats.
If my political/historical references don’t speak to you, let me put it thusly: The Democrats want to put enough people on the public dole and beholden to them politically so that they will stay in power forever. It’s like buying votes, but on a grand scale, and they’re doing pretty well so far.
Gary Marsh, Estero
GOP accommodates mass murder
When it comes to school and other mass shootings, they are always referred to as killings. They should call them what they are, murders. Murders of innocent children and murders of innocent adults. Today’s headline, “200th MASS SHOOTING IN 2023” should have read “200th Mass Murder of 2023.” These murders are MASS because of automatic weapons and Republicans. Automatic weapons were designed for humans to kill other humans. The manufacturers and distributors of automatic weapons bear a responsibility here. They knowingly sold warring weapons to non-military civilians for murder. The Republican politicians are permitting continued sales. Both are accessories before the fact. Let’s create specific criminal laws for prosecuting manufacturers, distributors and Republican politicians as accommodating murderers. Maybe with those folks off the streets, we can again use those streets.Sally Lam, Naples
Common ground on gun violence
The country is divided – red state, blue state, Right, Left, etc. However, there is common ground on which to agree in reducing gun violence. The anti-gun and the pro-gun population both agree that mental illness is the cause of the violence. Therefore, Congress should pass a law requiring gun purchasers to produce verifiable medical evidence that they have been certified sane and have no history that would prohibit them from owning a gun of any kind. This verification process could be managed by the local police and financed by the same funds that are used to make schools safe and by taxing guns as they are manufactured or imported. This will not stop but it will reduce future violent acts. I think this approach would be agreeable to most in Congress.If Congress fails to act on this, they should start proposing mandatory active shooter drills in stores, malls, houses of worship, nightclubs, airports, etc. just like the mandatory active shooter drills, fire drills, lifeboat drills and air raid drills we practice. It may seem ridiculous, but it really could save lives and is no more ridiculous than the gun violence we are enduring on a regular basis because of a constitutional amendment that protects the right to own a gun.John McCormick, Naples
Question on abortion
We have been told by Joe Biden, Fauci, and others that the decisions that they have made regarding COVID are based on scientific data. So, at what stage of a pregnancy might science conclude that the fetus is a living human? DNA. If science concluded that the fetus is a living human, wouldn’t the person performing an abortion be guilty of killing a living human?I am a lay person simply asking a question.
Bob Dorr, Bonita Springs
How you play the game counts
At some point in all of our lives, we must each of us come to grips with the truly big questions in our little worlds – questions like how we got here, what our lives seem to mean, and whether or not we might find a purpose for living, for example.
It’s likely a majority of those who call themselves Americans today are from families with a God-fearing, in-God-believing, religious faith. Many are Protestant Christians, Catholics, Jews, and many are Muslims, but in all cases where a deity is involved, the big questions in our little worlds are answered by a doctrine, a dogma spread amongst its followers by indoctrination.
As so many other children in this nation’s still-short history, I was raised in such a faith and given the spiritual answers parents and teachers thought I would need to find success in my life. As I matured and was formally educated, that powerful faith I knew as a child somehow faded.
As it often happens, in time I came to understand that the strength of my childhood’s faith had not come from organized religion’s effort to have me “play on their team,” but from the selflessly given and humbly accepted lessons to be learned through the story of its founder, Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was God’s son, come to save mankind from sin.
So, what’s the point of my confession? To use a simple, sports analogy, it’s not the team you’re on, but how you play the game that counts.
Ed McCoy, Bokeelia
Where is the goodness?
There is supposed to be some good in everyone, but where is the goodness in those leaders, whom we have elected to assure our safety and protection, and who instead have enabled themselves to power and special privileges of wealth? Our Constitution promises all of us happiness and peace. At the next election, let us vote for those who are honorable, truthful and take diligent action in dealing with our country's problems.
Marian Lauck, Naples
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Sunday, May 14, 2023
