Wednesday's letters: Fourth Estate must keep close watch on governor, wannabe autocrat

Don’t ‘let up’ on exposing DeSantis

This is a response to the letter writer who would like the Herald-Tribune to “let up” on our poor governor (April 10).

Why, on the local front the same day was a story detailing how the DeSantis administration fudged COVID-19 figures by not mentioning that the disease could affect the heart of younger men more than the vaccine.

More: New College program director quits; call DeSantis a 'fascist'

More: How to send a letter to the editor

There are countless other things that have been brought to light. Book banning, the takeover of New College by right-wing Christian nationalists, the Disney fiasco, the six-week abortion bill, permitless carry of a firearm, water quality deterioration, canceling AP classes in Black history, etc., etc.

So the Fourth Estate is a valuable tool to expose the plans of a wannabe autocrat.

Ron DeSantis wants to be president of the United States. The last king we had was George III and the evils of his dictatorship were exposed by a fledgling press.

Keep it up, Herald-Tribune.

Ike Koziol, Sarasota

Local LWV stands behind Sarasota Memorial

I’m responding to the April 5 Your Turn column, “Sarasota Memorial used good judgment and proper procedures in fighting COVID.”

This column provided clear facts, backed up by credible research supporting how the hospital responded to the COVID crisis.

It followed your March 1 editorial, “Facts show SMH did well during pandemic,” summarizing the report on SMH that found its mortality rate for COVID was 24% better than comparable hospitals nationally.

Editorial: SMH did remarkable work during COVID, report shows

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse political candidates, but does take positions on policies affecting voters, including “access to affordable, quality health care” and “supporting local decision makers in following CDC COVID-19 guidelines.”

In accordance with these national and state policies, the League of Women Voters of Sarasota County strongly supports SMH as a public hospital.

Because the Sarasota League has been troubled by the continuing negative attacks on the hospital, it has launched an Observer Corps. Members attend monthly SMH board meetings and report on board actions and public comments.  The League continues to work to inform and educate the voters of Sarasota.

Ruth A. Brandwein, Sarasota

Defining a drag queen? Ridiculous

What really is a drag queen?

If I dress like a man, am I a drag king?

If I wear over-the-top women’s clothes and makeup while singing Barbra Streisand, am I then a drag queen?

Is it just the performers? Are they drag queens if they aren’t performing?

If a man is dressed in traditional men’s clothes, but sporting amazing traditionally feminine hair and makeup, is he a drag queen?

What about a man with long hair? A woman with short hair?

How do you really define drag?

Is the next step to say women have to wear dresses and men have to wear pants? What about kilts?

Does wearing makeup make a man a drag queen? Does the lack of makeup make a woman a drag king?

Where’s the line? This is getting ridiculous.

And, no, you can’t legislate on “Well . . . I know it when I see it.”

Holly Hill, Sarasota

GOP would make children go hungry

While families in our area are struggling with the rising cost of food and trying to provide healthy meals for their children, extremist Republicans in Washington are proposing massive cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the key program helping millions put food on the table.Republicans have introduced legislation that, for the first time ever, would subject parents or grandparents with children 7 years or older to a harsh time limit of three months of SNAP (food stamps) if they cannot meet burdensome work requirements. (Right now, adults with any minor child are exempt.)

To put it clearly: These proposals would take food away from hungry children! If this legislation were to pass, 4 million children would see a massive reduction in their food assistance.SNAP is one of the strongest tools our nation has to combat hunger. Our elected leaders should be strengthening SNAP benefits and protecting them against attacks, not doing the opposite.

Our families are counting on our members of Congress to stand up against these attacks and protect SNAP.Stephen Winemiller, Nokomis

Ignore Greene and her nonsense

On April 4, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was in New York City (presumably on the taxpayers’ dollar?) for former President Donald Trump’s arraignment.

In a television interview, she compared Trump to Jesus and Nelson Mandela. “Jesus was arrested . . . Nelson Mandela was arrested,” she said.

Her comparisons are absurd and insulting to the memory of those two men. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if journalists stopped giving Greene the microphone? Let her spout her nonsense on the floor of her workplace, the U.S. House of Representatives.

Linda Billings, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Fourth Estate exposes governor's plans; drag queen hard to define