Rental costs are simply too high for the working poor: Letters, July 10, 2022

The right place to start might be with what looks like a wrong move

I had a very handy friend, years ago, who said, “Do something — even if it’s wrong."

I just finished reading the Wednesday article from FLORIDA TODAY about how new inlets could threaten the ecosystem. Right now nobody seems to be doing anything about it. Rampant development is happening all over along the Treasure Coast and runoff will become a bigger issue than it already is.

I certainly agree that it will change the ecosystem.

I live in Vero and as I travel north or south in my boat I can see the water quality change for the better, at least to my eyes and nose, nearer the inlets.

I have zero faith that the local brain trust will do anything about it. These are the same people who try to fix the downtown parking problem by issuing high density housing permits.

Do something — even if it’s wrong.

David Habel, Vero Beach 

Rental costs are an insurmountable problem for the working poor

My heartfelt thanks to Laurence Reisman and Jane McNulty Snead for Reisman’s June 22 column publicly exposing the sad state of affairs that our working poor find themselves in.

Just imagine for a moment how a parent feels who is already working two jobs and still can't afford a decent home for his/her family. Something is terribly wrong with a society that can turn a blind eye to this problem.

Our fellow hard-working citizens already know that buying a home is totally out of the question, but now rental costs have increased to the point where they are presented with an insurmountable and unattainable monthly cost.

So, this is an appeal to all the builder/developers currently working like crazy to satisfy the demand for upscale new homes in Indian River County.

There has to be at least one of you who has a big heart and can see the gross inequities in this situation. I have to believe that there is someone out there who is not all consumed with just money. Can you please find it in your heart to come up with some creative ideas of how to solve this heartbreaking problem? There has to be some land that the county can donate.

Please think of some way you and your subcontractors can at least make a dent in this issue and build some beautiful apartments that the working poor can afford. I guarantee if you can pull this off, not only will the families be so grateful, but you will sleep the best sleep you have ever had in your life because you did the right thing.

Susan Johnson, Vero Beach

Stuart’s ‘America’s Birthday’ concert was inspiring and just plain fun

Last Sunday, my wife and I, with friends, had the pleasure of attending the "America's Birthday" Concert presented by the Stuart Community Concert Band. It was an excellent experience. At various times, the group played old familiar standards that the audience sang to with vigor.

I would like to salute Band Director Jim LeBon for developing such a professional group. The program was inspiring, timely, and just fun. Too many times the idea of patriotism has many sides; but, on this Sunday, we just sat back, listened and enjoyed.

The program opened with the playing of the Ukrainian national anthem, which reminds us of the tragedy that is unfolding in Europe today. And the concert closed, as they always do, with “America the Beautiful,” great bookends to an amazing concert.

And our thanks to all of the musicians in this group. You made me feel very proud that day. Thank you.

Rich Oswald, Stuart

Women should be compensated for their involuntary service

If Florida is going to force a woman (or a girl) to carry and give birth to a child she never intended to conceive, the state should also provide her with support and compensation for that involuntary service, and help to care for the child.

Here are three ways to do that:

Pay for all health care for the “mother,” including mental health care, during the pregnancy and afterward for at least three years, and do it through private non-profits, including Planned Parenthood;

Pay for maternity leave for at least one month prior to the birth of the child and three months afterward, or a full year if the employment of the “mother” is terminated for any reason;

Pay for health care, childcare and education for the child for 18 years, whether or not the “mother” surrenders her/him for adoption; and for the health care and education of the “mother” until she is 21 if she is not an adult at conception.

It would also be a good idea to reclassify rape as a first-degree felony.

Donna Dupuy, Stuart

Congress must reinstate the ban on the sale of assault-type weapons

Our country actually had a ban on the sale of assault weapons at one time. This policy wasn't perfect, but for the most part, it kept military-style weapons out of the hands of the non-military and mentally challenged in our country. Through lobbying and pressure from the National Rifle Association this law was not renewed during the George W. Bush presidency. This lack of foresight by that administration and the GOP was decried by many at the time, but to no avail. Money talks and common sense walks.

Fast forward to the present day and we can see, after years of suffering through mass shootings in schools, movie theaters, malls, etc. just how damaging that political maneuver has been to our country and our beloved citizens, especially to our children.

Congress needs to vote to reactivate the ban on the sale of all assault-style weapons. Bring back a level of sanity to counter this utter craziness that we have been forced to live with. The GOP and the NRA will squawk loudly and often, but their noise must be ignored while the adults in the room vote for gun control measures in order to fight against this insane death machine.

We, as a nation, need to find the courage and strength to stand up to the political bullies who are forcing their needs and desires on the majority of this country who do not agree with them. The majority of U.S. citizens want to see gun control legislation passed by a united Congress. Now.

We are “sick and tired of being sick and tired” of seeing our children massacred in their schoolrooms. We shouldn't have to be begging our congressional representatives to protect the innocent.

Sharon E. Garland, Hobe Sound

Democracy doesn’t stand a chance with a leader like Trump

I've observed a number of July 4th celebrations but I fear that this may be my last. By the time next Independence Day rolls around we may not have a democracy to celebrate.

Today's Republican Party is led by a former president who plotted with private armed militias to attack the Capitol and overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The party members are mostly self serving politicians who either assisted him or stood by and did nothing to protect the people or our Constitution.

This party now appears to favor a potent democracy-destroying recipe that includes unlimited presidential power, taking personal freedoms away, talk of instilling the "will of God" in our government and schools, encouraging and plotting with private, armed, white supremacy militias and allowing the arming of any citizens over 18 years of age with military grade small arms.

I've never observed anything other than total unquestioning Republican support for former President Trump even when he made ridiculous statements like boasting he could shoot a person on 5th Avenue in New York City without losing any voters or that Article II of the U.S. Constitution says "the president can do pretty much anything he wants.” I can't prove his first statement is false, but I can assure you that anyone who actually reads Article II would be hard pressed to defend Trump's interpretation. I seriously doubt that Trump even bothered reading it himself.

With a man like Trump as our leader our democracy doesn't stand a chance.

An Independence Day that represents a change in leadership from a tyrant King to a totally corrupt American dictator certainly doesn't represent anything to celebrate. In fact, when you examine living conditions in countries like Canada and Australia, compared to ours, independence, could arguably be considered a huge mistake.

Jim Broadhurst, Palm City

Aren’t we well and truly civilized now?

Howdy, y’all. Ain’t it just wonderful to live in a civilized nation in a civilized world?

The Holy Bible contains words of St. Matthew as he writes scripture relative to Jesus saying there will be wars and rumors of wars until my return as your savior. Such was civilization in St. Matthew’s days of the first century A.D. We have come a long way as those begat have been begetting.

The preceding is to introduce you to the fact Christianity has been abandoned by over 12% of that group in the past decade. You need to understand we are at an advanced stage of social and cultural development.

Christianity in America is at 60% and rapidly declining. But 50 to 100 million Chinese are Christians, while just over 47% of Russians are Christians. Vladimir Putin claims Christianity, while Xi Jinping says worship the party, that is, Xi himself.

Ain’t it just wonderful to live in such a high state of civilized Christianity that the citizen on a killing spree at some crowded gathering, is Christian?

Lowell Sasser, Fort Pierce

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Rental costs too high; assault-type weapons must go: Letters, July 10