A 'true work of art' doesn't need political narrative: Letters to the editor, Oct. 8, 2023

A win for local voters

I want to thank the Brevard County Commission for voting 5-0 to continue funding important aspects of elections. The decision to get rid of sample ballots and paid postage for mail ballots would have harmed voters, particularly seniors and disabled voters.

Sample ballots are a vital resource for staying informed about what actual ballots will look like on Election Day. Providing people with paid postage for the return of their mail ballots is also vital, as the inability to afford stamps should never affect one’s ability to vote. I also want to thank Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic for doing his best to make sure that these services were fully funded.

This is just the latest example in Florida of how increased elections funding equates to improved voter access. In a state where lawmakers continue to put up barriers to the ballot box that unfairly limit voter power, Brevard County officials did the right thing and ensured key administrative functions remained. It was also encouraging to see members of the public with vastly different political perspectives all speak out in support of funding these critical voting services at the commission meeting on Sept. 19.

This was a vote that may have flown under the radar. But victories like this that seem small often add up in a big way to build a strong democracy.

Brad Ashwell is Florida state director at All Voting is Local Action.

More: Funding for sample ballots remains after Brevard County budget passed in 5-0 vote

Rep. Fine's recent run-in

As a Jew, I deplore the actions of the Goyim Defense League; however, I feel Mr. Fine got a taste of his own medicine in this incident (Brevard Rep. Randy Fine says run-in with anti-Jewish extremist left him 'a little shaken', Oct. 5).

For quite some time Mr. Fine has expressed his dislike for our LBGTQ+ community, going so far as to make sure funding was cut for our aquarium when Brevardians peacefully protested his views when he had a meeting at the Brevard Zoo.

Mr. Fine also disparages his fellow Jews when they respectfully criticize Israel's policies, calling us "antisemitic" or "non-Jews" if we don't attend synagogues.

The only phrase that comes to mind is the old adage, "Free speech for me, but not for thee."

Susan Gold, Melbourne

Art vs. commentary

Perhaps John Cielukowski, featured on FLORIDA TODAY's front page on Oct. 1, needs a lesson in the difference between "paintings" and "political statements."

If his "painting" really did contain just an image of a cow and calf my bet is that it would have been kept on the wall of the Cocoa library. But including a long narrative about animal cruelty certainly changes his "work of art" from a true work of art into a political statement. A work of art stands alone without commentary.

Ron Meyr, Rockledge

Library is no place for censorship

I’m a member of Central Brevard Art Association and have hung my paintings at the Cocoa Beach Library. John Cielukowski’s painting teaches about the cruelty to cows, calves and bulls by the dairy industry. The removal of his painting from a wall of the Cocoa library is censorship and has no function of any library. Art is supposed to convey emotion and the passion of its creator.

Beverly Morgan, Viera

More: Brevard artist says painting 'educational' after library calls it inappropriate, removes it

Painting's point 'a bit disturbing'

I am very liberal. I do not understand parents who actually fear that their children might have the intellectual curiosity go to a school library, check out a book, and then read it. And while I don’t agree that the painting with the vegan message should have been removed from the Cocoa library, I also don’t agree that it should have been near the children’s section.

When it comes to nutrition, I do stand by “parental rights." I also found the message a bit disturbing, and I am in my 50s. (Yes, I eat meat, but I agree that animal husbandry does not need to be cruel and will not eat veal for that reason.)

The children’s section of the library (for small children) should be a place of light, hope and adventure. Maybe put it in the teen section, next to the "Twilight" and "Hunger Games" books. Or, better yet, in the section of history and politics. It should be a message for the parents, who can then make more informed choices for their children.Mary Kruger, Satellite Beach

Students should pay their own debt

President Biden had already approved a college loan forgiveness to over 800,000 students. Now he has upped the ante to include another large segment of students.

Where does he get the authority to override the decision of Supreme Court, which ruled this past summer that his plan to cancel about $400 billion in student debt was not within his authority? Why are your and my tax dollars being utilized to pay off loans that the students undertook in the first place, with the understanding that they would be responsible to pay the loans?

More: See states with the most student debt as Biden Administration moves in on new deal

What's going to happen down the road when the same situation arises? Do we still subsidize college students? If Biden is going to stand by his loan forgiveness program, how about him finding a way to use taxpayer dollars to pay off my 30-year mortgage? In these times of Biden's high inflation, I assure you there are a lot of other mortgage holders that could use some assistance in making their loan payment.

Ted Hesser, Indian Harbour Beach

GOP inspires blue streak

The polls seem to be very discouraging to Democrats, but please don't get too discouraged to vote blue.

While they all seem to imply that Republicans have 60% in favor of Trump, that doesn't mean 60% of the entire voting public. They do not have a majority in the country, only among cult members and others who are either afraid of the backlash or just as cruel and mean as Trump himself.

I have become more patriotic than I ever was all my life, due to the shenanigans of the Republican Party. I was brought up in a Republican family, but that was 80-90 years ago, and Republicans have totally changed. I really wonder if they actually want to have a dictatorship with all of its  problems. How can they want to be led by a Putin or Hitler or Mussolini type?

Open up your eyes, Republicans. If you all band together, you can fight this monster who is deliberately trying to ruin the United States of America and the pledge on the Statue of Liberty.

Ruth Ceike Meier, Melbourne

'Demand better' than Trump

There is a crazy media split-screen.

On one side Joe Biden speaks about the new McCain National Library. He speaks of Sen. John McCain as a statesman, a man of conscience and principle. Of America's promise and of threats against democracy, including MAGA Republicans.

On the other side, Donald Trump calls former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley a traitor, for whom "in times gone by the punishment would have been DEATH!” Calls Nikki Haley a “birdbrain” and calls respected judges, DOJ and FBI leadership “deranged."

Trump calls for "retribution,” selling hate, grievance and punishment of Democrats. As if anyone could believe a convicted billionaire conman, with a private jet, could understand the plight of hardworking Americans, or care, or act, in support of them.

Trump foments hatred among MAGA supporters, invites antisemitic and white supremacy interest, and spews lies in support of his populist anti-democratic movement. He has no desire to advance the interest of anyone but himself, much less the country.

Sadly, the media plays along, exacerbating an American cultural divide unseen since the Civil War, purely in the name of profit.

Trump is not a normal politician. From his election denialism inciting the Jan. 6 riot, and the hateful (borderline illegal) calls for violence against generals, judges, political and other “enemies,” he proves it. He should be ignored by the media. Or locked up for the good of the country.

Demand better. Take Trump literally and seriously. Or welcome your new fascist overlord.

Jeff Dorman, Satellite Beach

More: Change is coming to our comics pages

About those comics changes ...

FLORIDA TODAY has printed a great many letters I've submitted to the Opinion page for which I'm appreciative, but I sincerely hope to see this letter appear in an effort to receive reader feedback.

This is in response to the Sept. 24 edition identifying changes to be made in the comics section.

I understand eliminating Doonesbury (I totally disagree) as its themes might offend the Republican Party base in Brevard County; the truth is often unpleasant. You've chosen to keep some classics, but Pickles, Zits, Dustin, Shoe, and Ziggy are perhaps the more thought-provoking strips printed in daily newspapers. Doonesbury falls into the classic category, but I get it.

Heathcliff remains despite its inane lack of humor and relevance. I stopped frequent reading in 2021 due to its absurdity, or perhaps that's Mr. Gately's intention and I missed it.

My wife has been insisting ending our subscription due to frequent increased costs and eliminating the printed Saturday edition for an e-version. These latest changes are weakening my resistance.

I enjoy reading the paper and doing the crossword at breakfast each morning; I'll miss that.

Gregory W. Hewitt, Melbourne

More: No child abuse? Then why is school board settling? Letters to the Editor, Oct. 1, 2023

More funnies business

Please tell me that the authoritarian campaign against books, publications and other media being carried out by some of our politicians and other misguided morality police members was not the real impetus behind FLORIDA TODAY’s realignment of the comics section.

It appears that the main result of this realignment was to get rid of the longtime international strip Doonesbury, that occasionally has the audacity to poke fun at the cult leader Donald Trump.

Ernest Lee, Melbourne

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: BIden's student loan plan stinks: Letters to the editor, Oct. 8, 2023