Readers sound off on skewed history lessons, drag queens and hacky columnist | Commentary
Dear Scott, I work in the swimming pool industry so, thankfully, I have plenty of muriatic acid to pour into my eyes when I read columns like this one. [“South Florida city fires lobbyist over Orlando Rep. Amesty’s request for $3 million“] I can’t imagine how much time you spent on this one. Thank you and the Sentinel for working so hard to expose these people. JJ
Maybe we could use some of that acid to give the Legislature a thorough cleansing.
Scott, did you know the plastic bags that newspaper-delivery drivers use work as doggie dropping bags? Seriously. Cut off the top third of the bag, and the lower two-thirds does the trick. Steve
I think Rep. Amesty might argue that’s the single-best use of our newspaper.
You are a terrible hack. Michael
I’m trying to decide whether it’d be better to be a spectacular hack.
Scott, people ask me why I still get the paper. #1 The comics. #2 Your column. I learn more from you than anywhere else. Lisa
I’m honored to run second to Beetle Bailey.
Thanks for exposing the utter hypocrisy of this current movement designed to spin slavery as something positive. [“The benefits of slavery? Florida teaches warped version of history“] I tried to watch the video you mentioned, but could only stomach just under two minutes of that tripe. Trying to spin slavery as having positive points is an absurd proposition. I’m embarrassed this propaganda is being spouted by our state leaders. Neill
I think anyone who cares about true history feels the same way.
Maxwell, you really are a dumb f**k. The two authors of the slavery history in question are both black (I.e. negros). Art
Art, I think your choice of words reveals a lot about the mindset of those who see no problem with whitewashing Black history.
More slavery propaganda in Florida. And a secret salary | Commentary
Thanks for shining another bright light on the cockroaches in Tallahassee that are currently in charge of our state’s government. [“Florida lawmakers keep trying to make it harder for you to pass amendments“] Tim
I’m not sure cockroaches make for the best analogy. Roaches scurry when the lights shine on them. These folks do it all in broad daylight.
Scott, I hate to disagree with you but amending the constitution should be difficult; I know I am in the minority, but putting pot, even medical pot, in the constitution is wrong. Paul
Paul, you’re welcome to disagree with me. My wife does it all the time. But first of all, it’s already extremely difficult in Florida. This state has one of the toughest amendment paths in America. Second, the amendment process is the only way this state allows citizens to directly petition its government. Without it, we wouldn’t have a universal pre-K program, caps on class sizes, guaranteed rights for former felons or Fair Districts.
Scott, Your article is right on about politicians and legislators in general. Here’s the but: You made it look like another GOP hit job, showing your bias. I believe it’s better to not make it biased. Respectfully, Joe
I appreciate the perspective, Joe. But I can’t manufacture bipartisanship when it’s not there. Only one party is leading the crusade to make passing citizens initiatives more difficult, as evidenced by the party-line vote I cited. Just last week, I blistered local Democrats on another issue, convention-center spending. Both parties are beholden to tourism interests. Only one is trying to shut down the citizens’ only direct pipeline to democracy.
Scott, you’re from the South, aren’t you? I sometimes pick that up from your writing. Jane
Yes ma’am, I reckon I am. Born and bred in North Carolina, so colloquialisms seep into my writing like red-eye gravy into biscuits. It’s a family thing. Years ago, my Midwestern sister-in-law finally felt compelled to let the rest of us know that “might could” wasn’t the Queen’s English when it came to expressing our interest in possibly doing something.
Mr. Maxwell, many decades ago in college economics, we studied the Sunk Cost Fallacy “whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.” Future textbooks will be using the Orange County Convention Center as a prime example. Doug
Come on, Doug, when you’re losing $20 million a year on a center that’s 7 million square feet, you obviously just need more space.
Thank you for clarifying the bills most Floridians never read. [“Florida drag queen ruling reveals lies. Read the laws yourself.”] Keep calling out these politicians’ ‘weird obsession’ with drag queens. “Me thinks thou doth protest too much” comes to mind. Carol
Ain’t that the truth, Carol? This obsession doesn’t seem healthy for them. And it sure isn’t healthy for taxpayers who keep funding these losing legal battles.
Thank God these judges are slapping DeSantis and these legislators down. Cindy
Anyone familiar with the Constitution knows politicians can’t silence speech or performers just because they want to. There are already gobs of laws on the books about obscenity. That’s not what this is. This is an attempt to target one community for pandering purposes, which the courts have said is unconstitutional. And the drag-obsessed lawmakers are going to have trouble blaming all their legal beatdowns on “liberal activist judges,” seeing as how the most recent one came from the U.S. Supreme Court, courtesy of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
Florida drag queen ruling reveals lies. Read the laws yourself.
What makes this issue important enough for you to write about it in my favorite newspaper? Why is something so stupid as a guy dressing up as a gal and performing a stupid show important to me and you? Blessings, Jeff
Thanks for the blessings, Jeff, but I think you have this backward. In 25 years here, I hardly ever wrote about drag shows — until lawmakers repeatedly targeted them, spent gobs of tax dollars on losing legal battles and even tried to financially kneecap a respected nonprofit (the Orlando Philharmonic) for renting its theater to a private company that had drag. If you support government trying to control private business and parental rights, OK. But to suggest the problem is people who write about these extreme actions and costly legal battles seems disingenuous.
Full of BS as always, Maxwell. Frank
I’m nothing if not consistent.
