Readers comment on a UF coach's firing, DeSantis' use of the term 'woke' and more

Coach was subject of complaints

In the age of "me too,” I was pleased to see the University of Florida Athletic Association address complaints against coaches like Tony Amato in a timely way — and was pleased he was asked to leave UF's employ as the women’s soccer coach.

However, I do think public statements such as Scott Strickland made would be more honest and impactful had he said this coach was let go because repeated complaints of body shaming were made against him by the female soccer team. Instead, Strickland was quoted as saying "this is more about not being a fit, and me not believing we could get to the point where it's going to be a fit than it was these things happening."

Given the numerous complaints and the full scope of the Athletic Association’s investigation into this man’s behavior toward young women in a vulnerable position, there is something a wee bit more than "a poor fit" going on. There is nothing wrong nor libelous to call his abusive behaviors out for what they are — coercion by body shaming from a man with UF-sanctioned authority over young college women.

Joan McTigue, Gainesville

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Despicable use of 'woke’

In Gov. Ron DeSantis’ speeches, he uses the term “woke” as being derogatory and something for the right to hate. However, woke actually means alert to injustices in society, particularly to racism or is well informed in political or cultural sense, especially regarding marginalized communities. It describes someone who has woke up to social injustices.

On the other hand, DeSantis’ appropriated the word “woke” with his bill and gave it his own meaning. It says stop “Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees.” It codifies the Florida Department of Education’s prohibition on teaching critical race theory (CRT) in K-12 schools, which they don’t teach anyway. It prohibits colleges and universities from hiring CRT consultants. Corporations must protect employees against a hostile work environment due to CRT training, but CRT is only taught in law schools.

Consequences for not following the bill are ill-defined, and anybody can sue anybody at any time. His bill discourages awareness of modern political realities, discourages access to information, has no teeth in its consequences, is useless and appropriates the word “woke.”

DeSantis’ use of the term “woke” as a term of hate is despicable.

Linda Green and Sandy Swal, Gainesville

Abortion is a state issue

A recent Sun letter stated what many pundits have declared regarding the Roe v. Wade precedent being mulled by the U.S. Supreme Court: mainly, “The fundamental issue is whether any government has the right to prevent a woman from controlling her own body.”

The stated “fundamental" issue is passionate but incorrect.

First, the case being decided by the court is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, not Roe v. Wade. Second, the case question is not whether abortions should be prevented but addresses whether it is constitutional for a state’s interest to restrict them beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The government does have an interest in "controlling” the bodily behavior of women as well as men. Laws prohibit self-harm, public nudity, sexual misconduct with minors, rape, public urination and other acts that all would be acceptable under any argument the government has no interest in controlling what we can legally do to and with our bodies.

Those laws are mostly established and enforced by the states, which is where the “reasoned” argument leads to viability being a state interest, not one of the federal government. This is a parallel “reasoning” used for the various legalizations of cannabis by the states although being scheduled by the federal government.

Max Skeans, Hawthorne

Energy exports expensive

Stupidity is expensive, according to a recent letter opining that Europe should be getting oil and gas from the U.S. instead of Russia.

The writer fails to acknowledge that the U.S. only produces about 90% of the oil and gas we consume, while Russia produces three times more than it consumes. Oil and gas prices in the U.S. would be even higher if we export more.

Also, Russia is located in Europe and can send oil and gas to the rest of Europe by pipeline. The U.S. must use oil and liquid natural gas tankers to transport oil and gas, in much smaller quantities and at much higher cost.

While the U.S. can help Europe on an emergency basis, doing so for the long-term is “stupidly expensive.” Instead, Europe is getting additional supplies closer to home and producing more energy from renewable sources.

John Burgess, Gainesville

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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Letters on UF soccer coach, DeSantis' use of woke, abortion and more