Monday's letters: Record temperatures, even in water, make it tough for climate deniers

Let’s agree: It’s hot and getting hotter

Step outside and you’ll know we have never seen record heat and lack of rain like we are experiencing right now (“FLORIDA’S IN HOT WATER: Surrounding ocean temperatures rise, July 13).

It’s time to face the facts. The climate has changed.

It’s also time to stop politicizing the issue so we can come together as a community to develop equitable solutions that will reduce the serious effects climate warming has on all of us.

Insurance companies are pulling out of Florida because of the recent climate-related disasters. Companies were once proud to boast their commitment to environmental causes and to the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner.

More: How to send a letter to the editor

Now these same companies fear celebrating their commitment because of the ramifications they may face when speaking up about climate change.

Let’s admit we have a problem and rather than criticizing the people trying to develop pathways to adaptation and mitigation, let’s cheer them on to create new products and solutions that will help lower our risk right here and grow our climate economy.

Mother Nature doesn’t care about your party affiliation and you can’t deny the heat is on.

Let’s work together amicably to preserve and protect our way of life.

Amy Grossman, Climate Adaptation Center, Sarasota

Recognize their fascism by their laws

In her book “American Fascism,” Brynn Tannehill shows how the GOP is subverting democracy by enacting laws that are the very definition of fascism. Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Republican sycophants in the Florida Legislature have enacted or proposed similar laws.

More: Takeaways from DeSantis campaign memo to quell donor concerns

The organization Choose Democracy Now shows us how you can recognize their fascism by their actions:

• Telling big lies: Election police SB524 (2022).

• Targeting vulnerable minorities: “Don’t Say Gay” HB1557 (2023), Anti-Immigrant Act HB1617, SB1718.

• Citizen voting and assembly barriers: Election Bill SB524 (2022), HB1 (2021), SB7050 (2023).

• Attacking academic freedom: “Stop Woke Act” HB7 (2022), HB999 and assault on New College (2023).

• Imposing white supremacy: restricting Black studies, book banning, censorship, HB7 (2022).

• Intimidating journalists, weakening Sunshine laws: HB991, SB520, HB1495.

• Denying women’s reproductive rights: Abortion bill SB300 (2023).

• Threatening civic organizations, unions, local government: SB256, SB170, HB3 (2023).

• Undermining science: climate denial, banning vaccine, anti-mask mandates, anti-science conspiracies.

• Aligning with extremists: More access to guns HB543 and 1543, supporting white nationalists SB168 (2023).

I urge my fellow Floridians to read these bills and understand that despite what Gov. DeSantis says, he is a threat to our real freedoms.

Robert J. Catineau, Sarasota

Protesting Englewood apartments for naught

I attended the Sarasota County Commission meeting July 11 along with a large audience of Englewood residents from Boca Royale, Arlington Cove, Pine Lake, Oak Forest and other developments to protest the rezoning of a 16-acre property on State Route 776 between Boca Royale and Arlington Cove.

The Sarasota RMF zoning category states that the density of any construction on a property “shall be determined, in part, by the land use designations and residential areas surrounding the parcel.” In this case, one-story homes should be built next to one-story single or double homes.

A large Midwestern land company sent about eight lawyers and developers to rezone the property to allowthree-story buildings with 250 apartments and 500 parking spaces.  Some apartments would be within30 feet of current homes.

Our arguments were that the apartment site would lower our property values, cause noise and light pollution, increase the traffic on 776 and bring flooding due to poor drainage.

These arguments ended in a rubber-stamped 4-1 vote against us, with one vote for us from thesole Englewood commissioner, Ron Cutsinger.Fred Bingman, Englewood

Developer should do what’s right

One word in your reporting on the Pat Neal request to rezone a wetland at Jacaranda and Laurel Road in Venice says it all: “can.”

Neal’s lawyer argued that the developer “can” change common property. (“Venice changes zoning to allow shopping center,” July 12).

Never ruled on, however, in one project after another after another is whether or not Neal “should” do something that is the morally right thing to do in certain situations impacting homeowners, the general public and even the creatures of nature.

So because the law may suggest he can, Neal gets to write his own ticket to pave over a wetland for a Publix.

The question will be whether or not his legacy treats him so kindly. It could, but should it?

Bob Clark, Venice

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Climate change is here; we can't deny it