Pope Francis, Nikki Haley are making DeSantis look foolish

Pope Francis, Haley undercut DeSantis

It has been a bad couple of weeks for Gov. Ron DeSantis.

First, Nikki Haley (a woman) got a few swift kicks into his toxic masculinity.

Then, almost as bad, Pope Francis had a few transgender people over for lunch. The pope then averred that they were fine people, and he would be happy for them to become Catholics or even godparents. 

Then the pope announced that priests could bless gay couples just as long as they get married elsewhere.

Ron must be gobsmacked by this turn of events! But he seems to have a plan.

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He has sent his henchmen in the Legislature on a quest to “capture the Pride flag.” DeSantis seems to think that the Pride flag is the source of all his problems and if he can just make it illegal to fly, then all his problems will disappear.

Nikki will leave him with some remaining manhood, the pope will change his ways and the monster of Mar-a-Lago will stumble and leave him an opening.

On the other hand, maybe voters will see him lose the flag war.

And being defeated by a half-ounce of brightly colored cotton fabric just isn’t a good look for someone trying to be commander in chief.

Peter S. Cohoon, Bradenton

Get lung scan, start year smoke-free

Tragically, the actor Andre Braugher, 61, passed away from lung cancer Dec. 11. He was a former smoker, having quit years ago.

It’s a reminder to smokers, former smokers and those who have been exposed to secondhand smoke that they should get screened regularly for lung cancer. Early detection greatly increases the chance of surviving lung cancer.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital has a state-of-the-art lung cancer detection system. Please talk to your doctor and get a referral.

And smokers, it’s the time of year to make resolutions. If you are considering quitting, the Gulf Coast South Area Health Education Center can help.

The center's Quit Your Way program will help you make a plan and deal with triggers and will even provide nicotine replacement gum or lozenges for free.

Smoking is a notoriously difficult habit to quit, but those who use a program like Quit Your Way double their chances of success.

Sign up now at https://tobaccofreeflo.wpengine.com or give the Health Education Center a call at 866-534-7909.

Charles Denault, Tobacco Free Partnership, Sarasota County

New fees at golf course drive away public

I would like to add my voice to the chorus of outraged golfers protesting the exorbitant fees to play the new Bobby Jones Golf Course.

I greatly enjoyed playing the former courses, but it is clear to me that I can no longer afford to play there.

More: Bobby Jones course gives golfers the shaft on discount

The fact that my tax dollars are paying for richer golfers to enjoy the course is cause for further outrage. I strongly object to the new fees for this supposedly “public” course and ask those in charge a fundamental question:

Isn’t a public course supposed to be affordable for the entire public?

Granville Burgess, Sarasota

Israel needs willing partner in peace

I’m frustrated by the universal rallies seeking a cease-fire or truce in the Israeli-Hamas war, which was initiated by Hamas’ massacre of Israelis on Oct. 7.

Why are the protesters not demanding a lasting peace agreement?

Perhaps there is a recognition that no peace is possible so long as Hamas reigns in Gaza. So instead, they focus on a short-term fix.

In other words, they are fine with the status quo.

However, for Israelis the status quo is no longer acceptable. They have seen this movie many times before and it always ends badly.

Like previous cease-fires, they eventually end at the whim of Hamas and both Israelis and Palestinians end up suffering.The root cause of this conflict is the unwillingness of Hamas to:

• Recognize the legitimacy of the state of Israel.

• Forgo its mantra of annihilating Israel and its people.

• Work for a peaceful, lasting solution.

Israel has been and remains willing to negotiate for peace as it has done with Egypt and Jordan. But it needs a sincere and willing adversary/partner.

It still takes two to tango and, unfortunately, the world is once again asking Israel to dance alone.

Stuart Silbergleit, Sarasota

Trump’s hateful words reveal who he is

When former President Donald Trump says that immigrants are poisoning our blood, is he talking about the blood of white Americans? What other groups does he think are poisoning that same blood? Blacks, Jews, Muslims, Hispanics and any other minority?

President Joe Biden and others rightfully see a parallel to Adolf Hitler’s words. Don’t be fooled that these are just words. When somebody tells you and shows you who they are, you better believe them.

If you are a registered Republican, think carefully whom you vote for in the GOP primary and, more importantly, whom you vote for next November.

Josephine Bloom, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Pope's blessing for gay couples bad news for DeSantis