Sunday's letters: DeSantis 'hero' to Moms, parents too controlling, Piney Point concerns

Moms for Liberty finds ally in DeSantis

The Herald-Tribune published “DeSantis to moms: Gear up to ‘fight’” on July 16, as Gov. Ron DeSantis and hundreds of “amped-up” parents met at the Moms for Liberty inaugural summit in Tampa.

Only one and a half years old, Moms for Liberty reports it already has more than 200 chapters around the country and 100,000 active members.

Moms enthusiastically supports DeSantis’ agenda: He opposes closing schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19, appointed a surgeon general with “fringe” beliefs and backed bills that restrict how teachers can discuss race, sexuality and gender.

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At the summit, Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice introduced DeSantis as an “American hero” and presented him with the Sword of Liberty, modeled after those awarded to gladiators.

Moms, dads and teachers – all citizens alarmed by the beliefs and actions of DeSantis and the Moms for Liberty – must vote to oppose them in the coming election.

Martha Osborn Vinick, Sarasota

Protect schools from parents, not books

Language is powerful. Two words used again and again in ways that create convoluted understandings of their actual meanings are “freedom” and “liberty.” Both are used in political speech, naming of organizations and in the formation of laws that undermine freedom and liberty.

Organizations that want to ban books are such an example. This is particularly disturbing in a state such as Florida that is seeing a decline in literacy rates. Books and ideas are not what children need to be protected from.

In fact, our educational system needs to be protected from parents who think that they have a duty to control the ideas to which their children are exposed, particularly when those ideas are well-documented history.

The American system of public education was established to create a population that is not only literate, but capable of contributing to a republic based upon democratic principles.

The meaning of indoctrination is teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. This seems to be the goal of so many organizations that use the words “freedom” and “liberty” in their titles. Beware!

Marlene Resnick Simons, Venice

Worries about discharge at Piney Point

Operators at Piney Point reported to news outlets July 19 that there was nothing to worry about when it comes to their plan to discharge over 4 million gallons of stormwater into Tampa Bay. Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper disagree.

We believe that there is plenty to be concerned about, starting with the woefully inadequate closure plan that is driving the discharge.

The gypsum stack that they are set to drain has at least one tear in the pond liner that is supposed to prevent leaking of hazardous waste.  A full assessment of the liner condition is not addressed in the closure plan and is something that we believe is critically important.

The hazardous levels of arsenic reported in the bay sediments that the soon-to-be discharged water sits on top of are also concerning. The lack of details on their required water quality monitoring methods and the absence of public reporting are also troubling.

We believe that discharging polluted water that is merely less contaminated than previously discharged water is not only something to worry about but is just the beginning of a long list of problems we identify in Piney Point’s inadequate closure plan.

We’ve got to do better.

Abbey Tyrna, Suncoast Waterkeeper, and Justin Tramble, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper

Justices right to leave abortion to states

A critical part of the Constitution's separation of powers is that those not expressly reserved to the federal government belong to the states. Nowhere in our Constitution is the right to an abortion mentioned.

Therefore, if any such right exists, it is the sole domain of the states. That is not to say that the Congress and president could not pass legislation approving the right to an abortion.

Some states have laws that provide women with that right. Those that don’t will face insurmountable pressure by women and younger voters, in general, to provide that choice.

Until then, enough with harassing justices on the Supreme Court and vandalizing public property because you’re upset with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. That wins no support and weakens your position.

Thomas G. Moore, Bradenton

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Moms, DeSantis an ideal alliance, Piney Point discharge polluted