Tuesday's letters: Guns kill, mangroves need protection, going solar, more
Guns kill. Military guns kill faster.
Sen. Ted Cruz, the National Rifle Association and other proponents of a return to the totally armed days of the Wild West have been braying that “a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun.” Really?
What about the 19 good guys at the school in Uvalde, Texas, who did not, for the longest time, even attempt to stop a bad guy who was murdering a host of children?
Plain and simple: Guns kill! And military guns kill fast and deadly, without regard to good guys who might be around.
More: Demonstrators march against gun violence in Bradenton
More: How to send a letter to the editor
Wake up and wise up, America. As the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, renowned conservative and originalist constructor of the Constitution, wrote in District of Columbia v. Heller, there is no “right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”
Scalia plainly meant that the Second Amendment is not unlimited!
Sensible, reasonable requirements for obtaining firearms, which are not prohibited by that amendment, are needed, and they especially should be mandatory and restrictive for military-style killing machines.
Garo A. Partoyan, Osprey
In developer vs. mangroves, mangroves lose
If I were taking a youngster fishing in Sarasota Bay, and we headed toward Long Bar, he might ask me, “Why are the mangrove trees so short in front of those new buildings?”
I would say, “The company that is building the homes and condos thinks the properties will be more attractive if the mangroves are cut.”
A puzzled look from the child, then: “Didn’t you tell me that the mangroves were good for the air, water, shoreline and fish?”
“Yes, but not everyone thinks like us.”
A frown would appear on the child's face. “Don’t the mangroves have anyone to protect them?” he'd ask.
I would respond, “Yes, the state of Florida protects them.” With another frown, the child would ask, “Why didn’t it protect the mangroves from the company?”
I would have to respond, “That is a question you will have to ask the state.”
Actually, my friends have posed questions about permit violations, and after two months they have not received answers.
If you, like my young friend, would like the company held accountable, email Public.services@floridaDEP.gov.
Jim Eliason, Palmetto
‘Florida Man’ became ‘Riot Man’
Thank you, Herald-Tribune. A friend from Texas recently inquired as to whatever happened to the Florida icon known as “Florida Man.” This friend had not, for some time, seen any of the usual insanity that is often attributed to “Florida Man.”
On June 9, the Herald-Tribune reminded me why (“Floridians charged in riot”). Florida, it seems, has the highest number of rioters charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and also the highest number of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
What with assaulting the Capitol, trashing the Constitution and trying to overthrow our government, “Florida Man” has been too busy to provide the humor we so much enjoy.
More: Gator bites North Port man; he thought it was a dog
Don’t worry, dear Texas friend. It seems likely “Florida Man” will be out of prison soon enough and back at his usual pig and alligator wrestling. I am sure he will recapture your imagination and provide an endless source of amusement.
And by the way, your governor continues to do his best amusing other states with his brand of Texas insanity, so maybe “Florida Man” isn’t the icon he once was.
Lynn Johnston, Sarasota
Foundation, Charter Schools' long history
The column, “Charter schools are making a positive difference in Florida,” by Valora Cole, chair of the Florida Charter Educational Foundation, praises Charter Schools USA-managed schools.
The Florida Charter Educational Foundation was previously named the Homestead Charter Foundation and was licensed in Florida in October 2000 by Charter Schools USA.
At the time of its licensing in Florida, the board of directors of the foundation were Jonathan K. Hage, Joaquin Avino and Edward J. Pozzuoli. Hage is the founder of Charter Schools USA and Avino and Pozzuoli were executives.
The name was changed to the Florida Charter Educational Foundation in February 2011.
As recent as March 2021, filings with the Florida Department of Corporations show Charter Schools USA and the Florida Charter Educational Foundation shared the same “primary business” and “mailing address” in Fort Lauderdale.
In the interests of disclosure, the Opinion column should have noted the foundation’s long and intimate history with Charter Schools USA.
Virgil Pope, Parrish
Going solar, but not storm-ready
I admire the letter writer who is going vegan and getting solar panels to “protect” the environment, in light of the 2022 hurricane season. (“Go vegan for sake of environment,” June 9).
However, I had to laugh out loud. Solar panels were the first thing to go on our house during the hurricane season of 2004!
Amanda Simmons, Sarasota
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Stop shooters from obtaining military-style weapons, protect mangroves
