Voice of the people: August 20 2023
Biden investigation cannot be whitewashed
It is not possible to whitewash the Biden investigation with a special counsel report that says Biden didn't know anything, wasn't involved - totally innocent in a case of bribery so obvious and with so much evidence that is impossible to ignore.
We can all see the machinations of the justice department and the coverage by all of the various media sources and the facts of the case uncovered by the new Republican congress.
It would be suicide for the ruse to continue for any of them. This was the dumbest move justice could have pulled. All of the chips will now slowly and inevitably begin to fall. Think Titanic. Think rats.
Gary Eickmeier, Lakeland
DOE did not do its job
Paul Nutcher’s article in the August. 11th Ledger reveals what the Florida Department of Education thinks is important. DOE did not spend the summer reviewing the certifications files for new teacher applicants, as one would expect.
Could it be that instead DOE was focused on the governor’s obsession with ferreting out any mentions of gender or the history of racism in any of the Florida curricula? Why else would they not have vetted new hires in time for the start of school?
One would think that Florida has a glut of teacher applicants! Or is this just another event in the race to the bottom for Florida’s public education?
Nancy Simmons, Winter Haven
Teacher's t-shirt sends wrong message to students
Why are we employing self-proclaimed “weird” persons to teach in our public schools?
Last week, while visiting a Lakeland Elementary School, a teacher was wearing a T-shirt proclaiming the message to “Stay Weird.” Students were not on campus that day, but I wonder if she wears this shirt or others with dark messages on school days to influence our children. With all the mental health disorders of youth today resulting in drugs, shootings and other crime, suicide, school misconduct, and other destructive acts, should “weird” persons be teaching and influencing our children?
According to Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of weird is “skilled in witchcraft.” The word has evolved to mean very strange or unusual. There is nothing positive about being weird.
How many self-proclaimed “weird” school employees are there? Are they overtly and covertly encouraging our children to be “weird”?
Karen Pansler Lam, Lakeland
Christian perspective on abortion contradicts teachings
Many who oppose abortion do so from a Christian perspective. Yet that opposition seems to be in contrast to many important Christian teachings.
As Christians, people are to love their neighbor as themself. Love means allowing neighbors to be themselves and then to share with them the outcomes, good or ill. Banning abortion seems to deny neighbors that love.
Christians believe in the God-given gift of free will, allowing them to choose their path in life. People choose different paths, but their god still loves them, still supports them. Banning abortion seems to deny the potential use of free will.
Moreover, judgement is not permitted by Christians, as it is reserved only for God. Therefore, if one is allowing their neighbor both love and free will, it would seem there would not be room for a Christian to decide for that neighbor any individual life choice, nor judge them for it.
The relationship Christians make with their god is a personal one. No two people share the same relationship with God, because no two people have shared the same experiential path of life. It is the relationship you create with God that matters. Banning abortion seems to deny the possibility that my relationship with God can be different from yours.
Jennifer Cordova, Lakeland
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Voice of the people: August 20 2023
