Is Sarasota heading for the Dark Ages? Don't be so quick to answer 'No.'
Banning books an ominous sign
A new Dark Age in Florida?
A small group of ultraconservatives want to rule our Sarasota County libraries, but libraries serve as centers of knowledge and learning for all people.
Sarasota County’s wonderful library system is being asked to disassociate itself from other professional organizations and control which books are on the shelves. But the organizations in question help ensure that we are using the best professional practices, trends and services at our public libraries, which exist to serve the entire community.
More: Opinion: Sarasota County's culture warriors should read the room and leave libraries alone
Michelle Pozzie, who favors cutting ties with the library associations and spoke at a recent Sarasota County Commission meeting, worries that children will see something “inappropriate” in libraries. But children should be supervised by their parents when they are in libraries – or by other adults who have the responsibility to monitor what children read.
Children have access to many disturbing things through the internet, broadcast news, newspapers and social media. Adults should monitor these activities and also discuss with children any disturbing ideas that they may have come across. These discussions will help children grow into thinking, well-rounded adults.
The rights of citizens to freely access printed materials in libraries should not be jeopardized to accommodate the few – and politically motivated, nonprofessionals should not seek to interfere.
Leave book banning in the Dark Ages!
Donna Cubit-Swoyer, Sarasota
Will we ever take action on guns?
I just returned from Maine.
It's a beautiful state with wonderful people, but it's easier to buy an AR-15 rifle in Maine than it is to purchase Sudafed at a local pharmacy.
The Sudafed is locked behind the counter, and it requires a driver's license to purchase; meanwhile, numerous weapons can be bought without any extensive background checks. You can walk into a shop and walk out with a killing machine.
More: Herald-Tribune: How to send a letter to the editor
Nearly 90% of the American people think this is crazy and want these laws changed. Yet once again a mass shooting has taken place – this time in Lewiston, Maine – because those who have the responsibility to enact gun laws continue to sit on their hands.
So here we are again.
God help us.
Robert O’Brien, Holmes Beach
Blame greedy insurers for crisis
Many Floridians are feeling the devastation of their homeowners insurance rates being doubled and tripled over the last two years.
However, our salaries and Social Security checks have not increased enough to accommodate the greed of these companies.
These companies claim that hurricanes are to blame, but if you research the salaries of the CEOs of the major Florida insurance carriers, you will find they are still receiving huge salaries and bonuses while also providing dividends to company investors.
When Florida went for years without experiencing a hurricane, these companies made massive profits – yet once hurricanes finally did hit, the state, they lacked the funds to make proper payouts to affected Floridians.
If we are struggling financially, we should at least be allowed to decide what risks we are willing to take in order to keep our insurance rates affordable. Most of us have never made a claim, which means the insurance carriers have been collecting free money. It seems as though big business is always the winner.
We need our politicians and lawmakers to fight for us.
Kathy Whyte, Sarasota
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Banning books could start a Dark Age in Sarasota
