Letters to the editor for Sunday, November 19, 2023
Where is the outrage?
I have two primary questions for residents and educators of Collier County: Where is the outrage? Where does it all end? Florida is leading the nation for books banned from school libraries, including titles from masters like Hemingway and Vonnegut. I suspect "To Kill a Mockingbird" or "Tom Sawyer" are next because of references to treatment of Blacks. What about "Moby Dick"? will it be stricken in reference to white-on-white crime? But there is yet another book needing a ban according to logic of others. A book with reference to out-of-wedlock sex, prostitutes, drunkenness and murder, as well as anti-government philosophy. That book is the Bible. Surely, copies of the Bible don't belong in school libraries either. I consider this, combined with advocacy from the disgraced former president who called for termination of the Constitution. Along with former Republican Senator Rick Santorum who recently claimed democracy isn't an "effective" form of government. Seems the way we're heading the Constitution and democracy will be banned along with so many books. Our governor, Ron Di Senseless, has fought with Disney, Hemingway books, gay people, and any doctor who supports vaccination, but who's fighting for Floridians by lowering costs of health care, cleaning up our water, doing something about safety from military-grade weapons? Little wonder Florida has become such a bad joke, but I'm not laughing while the rest of you sit back and cheer on these clowns. Where is the outrage? Where does it end?
Bill Schiller, Estero
Last Republican debate
As a lifelong independent who leans conservative on fiscal matters and liberal on social issues, I found the last debate to be unsettling. For two candidates who attended law school at prestigious Ivy League universities, neither Governor DeSantis nor Mr. Ramaswamy seemed to demonstrate a working knowledge of the Constitution. They repeatedly pledged to take actions which come under the purview of Congress rather than by executive fiat. They also spoke of massive reductions in government employment which would likely lead to administrative chaos and unemployment levels not previously seen since the Great Depression.
Mr. Scott seems like a thoughtful legislator, but his comments citing scripture as a basis for legislation are quite disturbing. The Unites States has never been a theocracy and hopefully will never achieve that status. You would suspect that since all five candidates considered Iran (an Islamic theocracy) to be one of our greatest enemies, they would be less supportive of religious doctrine influencing our government.
By default, former governors Haley and Christie behaved like the adults in the room. Ms. Haley’s understanding of foreign relations and executive limitations in a divided government suggested that she could be a capable leader. Likewise, Mr. Christie’s experience in divided government and his deep understanding of drug addiction issues (which do not include bombing or invading Mexico) were far more appealing qualifications than the hyperbole spewed by some of the other candidates.
We can only hope that the best candidate emerges.
Richard Meadows, Marco Island
Two-state solution
It is increasingly apparent that a resolution of the Hamas/ Israeli war amounts to a Hobson’s choice. Endure the slaughter of Israeli soldiers and Gaza Arabs or come to the bargaining table and agree to a “modus vivendi,” one that would inexorably lead to a “two-state” solution.
A Palestine State would offer a viable home to those millions of Arabs currently occupying Gaza and the West Bank as well as countless other would-be Palestinians in exile throughout the Middle East.
It would also allow Israel to remain a democracy securing the right to vote to all Israeli/Arabs.
Accusations of Israeli apartheid would no longer be valid and each state, Israel and Palestine, could lay down their arms and move into a future of peaceful co-existence and self governance.
Frankly, I see no other realistic outcome to the current bloodbath.
Robert P. Sanchez, Naples
Ukraine aid
In a Ukrainian-American family, it’s hard to be thankful as Russia launches rockets in the sky over our family's heads. The month of November is when we remember the Holodomor, where Stalin's Russia committed genocide of the Ukrainian people through starvation, so it’s hard to stomach a big Thanksgiving meal. It's hard to be thankful when the U.S. administration has dragged its feet in sending precision strike, over-the-horizon long-range weapons, such as ATACMS and F-16s, capable of out-ranging comparable Russian systems, armored vehicles and tanks, as well as ground and air-based platforms capable of intercepting or destroying Russian missiles, rockets, and artillery rounds.Meanwhile, after 600 days of war, with literally zero air cover, our ally Ukraine has weakened Russia's military -- one of America's top two adversaries, mind you.
Ukraine is at the mercy of U.S. support. Yet some commentators say the Ukrainians should be more thankful. From their disgraced mouths comes their paid “free speech,” as they shove down our throats on a daily basis -- practically raping us with Russian programming -- telling us the U.S. should cut off military aid to Ukraine. One would think those “profound questions” on Ukraine might be counterbalanced with criticism towards the actual serial killers and rapists in the Russian military. But somehow, that part gets left out.
The U.S. and Ukraine have an agreement. It’s called the Budapest Memorandum, and the U.S. promised Ukraine security assurances in exchange for denuclearization. Right now, Ukraine is not secure, so until then, I’ll save my “thanks.”
Alexandra Zakhvatayev, Cape Coral
Dangerous political movement
The unimaginable occurred November 9 with three hundred people congregating to hear the national head of the Interfaith Alliance discuss the origins and threat of Christian Nationalism. Just six months ago a local chapter of the Interfaith Alliance sprang up in SW Florida in defense of our democracy and our public schools from attacks by Christian Nationalism (CN). CN is a dangerous political movement (certainly not Jesus-like) which has installed extremists on the Supreme Court, members of local school boards, Trump elected in 2016 and now Mike Johnson, speaker of the House of Representatives, an avowed member of the CN sect.
Evangelicals predominate in the Christian Nationalist movement. They have divided our country, reversed Roe vs. Wade, depleted funds from public schools using vouchers and banned educational books from libraries and schools. They claim that America began as a Christian nation which is another lie like Trump winning in 2020. Their leader Trump has avowed to destroy our democratic institutions if re-elected.
The Interfaith Alliance includes sane members of all religions who are committed to saving our Constitution/representative democracy from CN. Recent elections supportive of women’s rights in swing states indicate that the CN/Trumpists are losing, clearly a positive sign. The cliche “know thine enemy” applies and it is CN, Trump and the extremely greedy wealthy who refuse to pay their taxes. Please google Interfaith Alliance of SW Florida. CN is NOT Christian.William Pettinger, M.D., Bonita Springs
Florida election laws
Having lived in four states and 10 counties up North, I thought I knew about elections, but last month I attended a lecture where Sandy Parker presented the concepts of Florida election laws. You could have water board tortured her and she would not have shared her voting preferences. What she said was nonpartisan.
Your continuing education can be found on your favorite Internet site to learn the meaning of closed elections. For Collier County, your source is sparkers-soapbox.com Dave Ray, Naples
Women’s rights
The recent election results in Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky manifest that women woke to the erosion of their rights. Supreme Court Justice Alito, when he overturned Roe v Wade, stated: “Women are not without electoral or political power” (p. 61 of Dobbs opinion). Women took the judge at his word.
Women also woke to the fact that right wingers were admitting that women had abortion rights when they proposed legislation which gave that right, albeit only for six weeks. And women realized that right wingers were arbitrarily talking that right away after six weeks to keep women in their place. Moreover, women woke to how disingenuous it was to call a 15-week limit a compromise because most serious birth defects are not detected until the 20th week.
Abortion is a wake-up call for women to save our democracy.
Other women’s rights are being challenged: the right to birth control, the right to understand menstruation. Perhaps the voting results in Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky will cause women’s right to vote to be called into question.
Best that women vote for Democrats who fight to preserve women’s rights.
Sally Lam, Naples
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
I have Alzheimer’s. I was diagnosed two years ago and am grateful it was discovered early. Since then, I have done everything I can to stay healthy by enrolling in a clinical study, making recommended lifestyle changes, and volunteering to help others facing this disease. The Alzheimer's Association estimates one in eight Florida seniors has Alzheimer’s. This results in over 800,000 unpaid family caregivers. You likely know someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. But how can you help them?
November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness and National Family Caregiver Month. A time to look at ways we are supporting our community. There are many ways you can help your relatives and friends with dementia. Call or visit them. Offer to help with household chores. Tell them you are available if they need help. And kindly treat us with dementia with dignity.
Please join me at my first Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Florida SouthWestern College, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers. Learn more at alz.org/LeeCountyWalk. Together, we will walk for a more dementia capable community. And together we will gain current information about Alzheimer's, caregiving resources, and how to get involved with the association. I look forward to meeting you at the Alzheimer’s Annihilators booth.
Lee Belanger, Fort Myers
Trump and veterans
The "Trumps" immigrated to America almost 145 years ago. Despite numerous wars, conflicts, Cold War and military drafts, not one member of this so-called patriotic family ever served in the military. No veterans. Cannot be too many families with this length of history who can claim this shameful legacy.
Yet, the leader of this clan, instead of praising those that served and continue to do so, has a history of criticizing these true patriots. As evidenced by recent trial testimony and civil and criminal lawsuits, he and his family are not real patriots, have no honor, and do not deserve the respect of any veteran and current service member.
The Trumps have not earned the right to talk about veterans and our military on Veterans Day. Hopefully, we can have one day where he and his family stay silent and reflect on their disgraceful legacy.
Donald Switzer, Naples
Veterans feel betrayed
It should be noted that most veterans I have spoken with feel totally betrayed by this current, miserably retrograde administration. What we are now watching in our beloved United States of America is almost the exact antithesis of the values for which most previous veterans fought and bled and died.Despite his shortcomings, even Democrat lawyers intuitively know that the country was in much better condition under Donald Trump’s accomplishments and leadership, which is exactly why he is so feared and so relentlessly attacked from every direction by the left-wing extremists presently controlling our country.Most veterans are aware that continuing in this abysmal, lawless and God-less direction will likely spell the end of the land of the free, and that they may have sacrificed for their country in vain.Robert A. Strohaver, Col. USAF, Ret., Naples
Senator's comments
Rick Santorum, the former GOP senator from Pennsylvania, apparently thinks he's still relevant, when blasting the voters of Ohio for enshrining abortion rights and legalizing marijuana in the state while attempting to excuse this action by voters who were either Democrats spending a lot of money, young people voting, or arguing that pure democracies are not the way to run a country. Apparently he never heard of Abraham Lincoln, you know, stove pipe hat and beard, when he said that "Democracy is a rule of the people, for the people and by the people."
It's a good thing Rick never got the nomination in 2016, unfortunately another dictator did.
Roger W. Quagliano, Estero
I say Tomato
I say Tomato; you say TomAHto
Biden is a salt of the earth Tomato. Trump is a specialty orange TomAHto.
Biden visits a war zone; Trump skips a veterans memorial for fear of wetting his coif.
Biden marches with the union. Trump gives tax breaks to the rich with a little residue for himself.
Biden’s son Hunter is attacked by MAGA reps; Ivanka and Jared laugh all the way to the bank.
Biden married twice because of the tragic death of his first wife; Trump dumps wives like old shoes.
Biden delivers an infrastructure bill; Trump promised but never delivered an infrastructure bill.
Biden gets slammed for a walk on the beach; Trump played golf numerous times while president.
Biden works to save our democracy, Trump promises retribution.
I’ll take the Tomato and dump the TomAHto.
Bernie Kennedy, Naples
Biden, Harris, Blinken
What an absolute disgrace that neither President Biden nor worthless VP Harris could not delay their flight to San Francisco a couple of hours to attend Tuesday’s rally in Washington. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Any Jewish person who votes for these obnoxious Democrats should move to Gaza.
I think we can all agree that the three worst and most incompetent secretaries of State were Madeleine Albright, Hillary Clinton and Antony Blinken. So of the three who is the worst?
Right now the hard money is on Blinken. Totally clueless.
Michael Adler, Miromar Lakes
Stubbornness and stupidity
The results of recent elections should signal to Republicans that their stance on abortion is a terrible losing proposition but, after all the beatings they have endured, it doesn’t appear to have affected their electoral messaging a bit. They painted themselves into a proverbial corner and instead of waiting for the paint to dry and extricating themselves, they continue the inexorable march toward eliminating women’s rights to choose. The suburban voting female electorate want no part of this philosophy and they are the deciding force in important elections. I guess it’s a beneficial outcome in that, with more Democrats winning seats, the likelihood of being able to codify Roe v Wade will be possible. So stay on your current trajectory knuckleheads and you’ll pay the consequences.
Thank you for your stubbornness and stupidity.
Glenn Chenot, Cape Coral
Ethical hypocrisy
As so often happens, the Republicans are giving their opponents a victory. This is not a simple one like an increase in the minimum wage, it is the all important battle over abortion. To win the White House in 2024, the Republicans must drop the pretense that they are defending their abortion position(s) on religious considerations.
They are handicapped by their own ethical hypocrisy, that is, they are willing to compromise over how long to wait before disposing of the unborn, yet no moral commandment provides for such flexibility. It is time to "render unto Caesar" and acknowledge that politics and religion are often incompatible.
William Boyd, Estero
Characteristics of a dictator
At the beginning of his first run in the 2016 presidential race Trump demonstrated his belief in retribution, often violent retribution, instructing his supporters to “knock the crap out of” hecklers.
On Jan 6, 2021, when he was told that the mob he was urging to march on the Capitol had many armed people in it, he told his aides not to worry, their weapons were not there to hurt him, implying they were there to be directed at his enemies in Congress.
His violence also takes forms that don’t directly involve physical violence, as when this year he stated, “I will fire the unelected bureaucrats,” meaning those who, in his previous administration, had refused to enact directives they considered illegal. While it may be impolitic to defend “bureaucrats,” remember that those are the people of the civil service who our nation depends on to lawfully execute the laws passed by local, state and federal legislators, no matter what party controls the White House.
Trump has all the characteristics of a dictator, which he plainly wishes, and intends, to be.
Tom Slater, Naples
Growth of manufacturing
There has been a sharp increase in construction spending for manufacturing facilities since 2021, during the pandemic. The manufacturing industry increased in 2022 by 6.2%.
President Biden and Congress have been strengthening our manufacturing sector in America through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Chips Act, the Science Act, and energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. Three types of government actions have been proposed: Development of a national strategy enhancing financial innovation of the tax code; Invest in skill development; Funding for competitiveness
In August, President Biden signed an executive order to allow investment in certain countries for national security technologies and the products of certain countries. If a concern develops, the secretary of the Treasury will regulate the countries of concern.
Categories identified are artificial intelligence, semiconductors, microelectronics and information technologies.
So invest in our U.S. companies!We must support our manufacturing in the U.S. so we can move forward in growing a robust economy and manufacturing.Overall the number of jobs rose above pandemic level by a significant amount.Semiconductor plants are being built in Ohio, Arizona and New Mexico. (Good paying jobs.)I applaud President Biden for being able to work with lawmakers and to have wisdom, perseverance, and foresight to be a leader in manufacturing innovation.
Kathleen Callard, RNBS, North Fort Myers
Biggest mystery
Regarding the letter Sunday, Nov. 5, the letter writer wrote that "a god that no one has ever seen, heard, felt nor even defined." To that I suggest that the writer speak only for himself. He then wrote "no one has provided a definition of god on which knowledgeable people will agree. Is god only an abstract concept?" I wonder why he is asking the editors of The News-Press for answers to the biggest mystery of human existence? I suggest that he go to the library and read the many books that may provide answers to his query and, also, go online where there is more information about religion to last a lifetime.
John S. Agresti, Fort Myers
Left's double standard
Talk about total nonsense. Trump was a witness at the trial in New York and as per his usual, he tended to be very expansive. The judge tried to admonish him, but Trump's attorney said that the judge needed to hear what he had to say. Here is the judge's response -- “I am not here to hear what he has to say.” Let that sink in. Trump is on trial and the judge is the sole decision maker. Trump is a witness in his own defense and the judge makes that statement. Totally ridiculous and tells you how fair the trial actually is with the judge taking that position. I can't imagine what an appeals court will say about the neutrality of the judge.
Recently, many on the Left are highly concerned that if Trump gets back in office he will use the DOJ to get revenge on various people. As usual, when the Left makes those kinds of accusations, it is because they have already done it. A couple of examples. How many different charges by the DOJ have been brought against Trump and his supporters since Biden has been in office? Letitia James, the AG of New York, campaigned on the promise that she would get Trump and lo and behold, she has charged him and has him in court as we speak. Just more evidence of the Left's double standard.
Ron Wobbeking, Naples
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Sunday, November 19, 2023
