Letters to the Editor: Nov. 3, 2003

The Naples Daily News welcomes letters of up to 250 words. We reserve the right to reject letters or edit for clarity, brevity, good taste and accuracy, and to prevent libel. No poetry, attacks on private individuals, or letter-writing campaigns, please. Writers should limit submissions to one letter every two weeks. Include a phone number and make certain you have signed your letter.

Letter of the Day: Roles and the limit

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Upon reading Jay Ambrose's column (Daily News, Oct. 28) advocating upgrading the training and status of teachers as essential to improving the education of our children, I recalled an incident in my own life which touched upon the role of teachers in our materialistic society.

Many years ago, at age 32 and the newly designated professor and chairman of orthopedic surgery of New York State University's medical school in Syracuse, I was stopped by a state trooper although driving at exactly the speed limit.

He was apparently concerned by an old junker with snow tires in August and bearing an M.D. license plate.

Upon examining my driver's license he stated, "You must be an intern."

I responded in the negative.

"A GP?" he persisted.

Again, negative.

"You're a specialist?" he asked incredulously.

I nodded yes.

The trooper walked away muttering, "All doctors drive Cadillacs out here."

Had I but told him I was a teacher, I would not have ruined his day.

Accomplished at what?

Editor, Naples Daily News:

At his Oct. 28 news conference President Bush said the "Mission Accomplished" sign was the responsibility of "crewmen from the Abraham Lincoln" and not from the White House staff. Later in the day the White House announced the "Mission Accomplished" sign was ordered and placed there at the instruction of the White House.

It may have been just this type of "miscommunication" which propelled the United States into this terrible Iraq situation.

As of today, 217 American service personnel have died and over 1,000 have been wounded since President Bush declared "Major hostilities in Iraq have ended" -- on the same day (May 1) when the infamous "Mission Accomplished" sign was placed by Mr. Bush's White House staff.

Enough said.

Gee -- why not?

Editor, Naples Daily News:

I too am a Republican and agree with much of what Jane Varner writes. This will not surprise most who read my letters, as GeeW is not one of my favorite presidents.

I have noticed that most letters decrying the actions of GeeW and his administration do so through the use of facts, statistics and truth, while those who defend him use other tactics.

This leads to a question and a conclusion. Cannot defenders of this administration use facts, statistics and truths to explain what is happening? If not, I must conclude it can't be done.

This war, the deficits, job losses, pension funds disappearing and on and on: Is America better off than it was three years ago, is the world better off than it was three years ago? I want to see facts, statistics and truths from those who may wish to answer.

Among other conundrums

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Re: letters of Jim Reith and Dr. Giselher Grosskopf.

After following the opinions of Jim Reith, I find it impossible to count him and his ilk as something other than part of the problem.

If you or they feel that this is a misrepresentation, let's send Jim's letters to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and to the tattered remains of the Iraqi Baath Socialists Party along with the Taliban. No doubt he's a fan of the "Whine-Blame Show" where they specialize in being left of the truth.

Dr. Grosskopf's letter requested proof of an Iraqi child as being worth less than his American grandchild, among other conundrums.

He addressed the body of humanity. Let's use an analogy of the human body and query the value of one cell over another. Are virulent or cancerous and healthy cells equal? On what authority do we kill some cells because they're slightly different? Is it right to kill healthy proximate cells (innocent civilians) while dispatching infection?

Islamo-fascism has for decades infected humanity as a virulent ideology. Is this less a danger to the body of humanity than is a virulent infection to the human body?

The solution to this query must lie in the priority one assesses to "life." If one equates life to all organisms separate from its potential end, then the virus must by its nature be superior, because it lives purely for its own sake, eventually consuming its host, including healthy grand cells.

Money and Messersomething

Editor, Naples Daily News:

At first I was going to let Jerry Seiff's letter about the Red Sox and Yankees go unanswered.

But could you ever in your wildest dreams conceive of the New York Yankees trading Babe Ruth when he became a liability? Well, the Red Sox did just that. Whatever became of loyalty?

Until Curt Flood and that pitcher -- I think it was Messersomething -- challenged that Holy Clause an unhappy ballplayer could do only one thing: he could quit!

This is what Joe DiMaggio set out to do in order to get what he thought he was worth -- $100,000 dollars -- and he got it. Then when he could no longer reach the seats with his fly balls, he quit.

I do believe that if the Iron Horse had not died the Yankees would have tried to get something for him too.

It was always the same: get what you can get for that old piece of meat.

If a ballplayer asked for more money it was like taking the bread out of the owners' children's mouths. Either you did it their way or it was the highway.

Then too you must remember it was the Great Depression. People were afraid to speak up.

Now that the athletes are looking out for themselves we scream there's no loyalty. In every walk of life it's show me the money, honey.

Voice from within

Editor, Naples Daily News:

I am in my mommy's tummy and can't wait to be born to bring love and receive love from those who conceived me.

I have heard of cases across the country where pregnant mothers in their last trimester were killed and the murderer was charged with a double homicide. I have heard of cases where pregnant mothers in their last trimester who took drugs and their babies were stillborn at birth were charged with endangerment to a child.

How in God's Earth can any woman or man argue for partial-birth abortions? I have heard that in 3,000 partial-birth abortions done in America last year, the majority of the babies were found to be healthy before infanticide was performed upon them.

I am against all abortions, but hope that at least a law is passed to protect each and every one of my brothers and sisters in the last trimester of our lives inside our mommies.

After all, those of you who are reading this letter were allowed to be born by your mommies!

Doing what was neglected

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Letter writer John Lukosky says "Clinton lied and nobody died." How clever, but you seem to ignore the fact that there is a substantially-supported hypothesis that the 3,000-plus casualties on 9-11 came as a direct result of the do-nothing policies of the previous administration.

American assets were repeatedly attacked overseas. Osama bin Laden was offered to American custody. Saddam Hussein tossed the inspectors out of Iraq. The list goes on and on. Nothing was done so as not to make waves and look what happened.

It is easy for a politician not to get criticized when he does nothing.

To the well-meaning but naive demonstrators for peace, I submit that only a lunatic wants war. All of us would prefer peace, but you can't have peace when only one side seeks it. It is basic schoolyard psychology that some will push and push in increasing amounts until one stands up and says, "No more."

As for the President Bush/America/Israel-bashing contributors to this column, I bet a significant amount of you sat and watched the president speak the day after 9-11 and gave him an "atta boy" when he said we would go after nations who support terrorism.

Of course, once emotions calmed and partisan politics returned, he was reviled for doing exactly that.

Abu Musab al Zarqawi was harbored in Iraq immediately after the Afghan conflict where he has been reaping mischief ever since.

President Clinton, Vice President Gore, the United Nations, etc., repeatedly stressed the dangers of weapons of mass destruction there. A situation needing action, not politics? Hmm.

This president acted and he is taking the heat. Good for him.

Let's unite

Editor, Naples Daily News:

You have quite a few letter writers in Collier County who believe the Bush administration is a treacherous one for our country and, in extension, for the world, and who ardently believe it should be replaced.

These writers include Republicans, among the strongest critics, and independents, this writer included.

Some of us have gathered together and call ourselves Republicans and Independents for a Democratic Ticket. We wonder how many others are out there would like to join -- with a little organization maybe we could become an effective force.

To let us know, call 353-2251.

Bunch of dummies?

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Your Oct. 23 article about the Bonita Springs charter amendments was very good, except it didn't mention that the Bonita City Council members, which ran on "I don't want to be paid and we have term limits," has now changed their minds.

Wayne Edsel, city councilman, is not very professional in his attacks on the Taxpayers Action Group (TAG) people, whereas TAG leader Ron Pure seems to have been a lot more articulate in his discussion of his charter proposals. The city manager is acting more as if he were an elected official rather than a paid employee. Between the council people and the city manager, I can't tell, at times, who is Edgar Bergen and who is Charlie McCarthy.

I realize that the council members are not experienced politicians, but that's the price we pay for having amateurs. Maybe they could learn from other municipalities and take a crash course in government.

Also, they haven't proved that Mr. Pure's plan won't work. All the city manager and the council are doing is acting like a bunch of spoiled kids who are scared their fiefdom will be taken away from them, which on the other hand may not be a bad idea.

Traffic problem solved

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Two weekends ago there was an art fair on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. The downtown entrance from U.S. 41 was blocked with a sign at Ninth Street, which read "Left turn only." Normally, this left turn is not permitted.

Presently the only left turn south from the U.S. 41 is at 10th Street, which is usually backed up with traffic at the lights.

In the interest of banning construction trucks on Fifth Avenue South, which most everyone would like to see happen, why not open a second left turn at Ninth (U.S. 41) for traffic wanting to reach southern locations, i.e. construction trucks?

The only difficult part of this plan involves making a lane for this left turn traffic similar to the one at 10th Street. This would probably involve the removal of some curbing, island bushes and trees on the U.S. 41 just before downtown Naples.

The problem will be solved.

In the interest of all those concerned with noise, fumes, dust and congestion, I sincerely hope that the Naples City Council and city manager will give some serious thought to my suggestion.

Particularly tragic

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Last Tuesday was "the bloodiest day in Baghdad since the start of the U.S. occupation" (Daily News, Oct. 28), but while the extent of the resistance is surprising, the cause should not be. People do not like being bombed by foreigners, then invaded, then occupied, then ruled by a puppet government.

Adolf Hitler failed to learn that lesson in France and the lowlands in 1940, the Soviets ignored the lesson in 1968, and the United States certainly should have learned the lesson in Vietnam.

This time the story is particularly tragic, because many experts inside and outside the government repeatedly expressed caution about the difficulty of the postwar situation following an invasion of Iraq, but this administration doesn't listen very well.

Tortured indeed

Editor, Naples Daily News:

As I watched the torture of Iraqis on Fox News I could not help but feel pain for the victims on the tape. Then the question I couldn't believe I heard was put to the studio audience, "Now do you think the war was worth it?"

No, it wasn't worth it!

Do you really think we're that dense? How did the reason we went to war (the weapons of mass destruction) morph into liberating the Iraqi people? These atrocities have been going on since 1963 and we had no problem in turning a blind eye to them when we needed their help against Iran; now all of a sudden we seem to have compassion for the Iraqi people? Give us a break!

This shows our government's lousy foreign policy does catch up to us in the long run. Unfortunately it's our children who have to die for the mistakes.

Fox News also conveniently omits the facts of other brutal regimes such as Saudi Arabia's infamous "chop chop square" where people are beheaded in front of the townspeople. When are we going into Saudi Arabia and liberating those oppressed people? Or Cuba, which has missiles only 90 miles from our shores and truly has the ability to attack us if it wanted to?

This shows how simple-minded the American public is. We can be made to believe anything -- anything but the truth.

God help us; we need it.

They're very busy

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Letter writer Joy A. Jirik should not be so surprised that Collier County School Board members Pat Carroll, Kathleen Curatolo and Dick Bruce seemed "confused" over some of the details of the district's contract negotiations with its support personnel union.

After all, board attorney Jon Fishbane had consistently denied the right of district employees to explain their problems to the School Board prior to the Oct. 17 "judiciary hearing" conducted specifically to resolve several sticking points in the contract being negotiated, so they were completely dependent on the administrative staff to prepare them for the hearing!

In addition, of the five board members it seems that only Linda Abbott and Steve Donovan have found the time in the past year to actually visit with support staff to see what they do, how they do it and to listen to their work-related concerns.

Sure, board members are paid an annual salary twice that of their average support staff, but in studying school construction contracts, workshopping issues such as whether to "in-house" or "out-house" their legal counsel and debating how much money they need to spend to "buy out" the previous superintendent's contract, when would they have the time?

Now, where can I apply for that newly created "construction director" job?

Think of the benefits

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Whatever "forces" there are on Wall Street that are bearing down on the corporations involved in the strikes by Los Angeles' transportation and grocery-market workers, as has been reported, should be turned to influencing the national government to provide a system of universal health care.

The problem is growing and will become a major political issue. With universal health care, the subject of health benefits would be eliminated from all employment matters.

Just a preview

Editor, Naples Daily News:

I must agree with the letter from Linda and Bob Erbstein, who observe that the Terri Schiavo case is a "shameful example of the use of political power to override the rights of the courts and families to deal with personal issues."

The most amazing thing about this case is, in fact, the arrogance of those who presume that they are qualified and authorized to interfere in the life decisions of others -- that they have the right to meddle, and to impose their religious beliefs on anyone who is so ill-informed as to think otherwise, despite the authority of the courts and the inalienability of human conscience -- both, apparently, not accepted by these marvels of morality.

Surely they must be perfect, and have their own lives in perfect working order, to be free to run the lives of others. And, of course, to adorn their arrogance and meddling with impressive titles such as "right to life" or "compassionate conservatism."

Soon they will be micromanaging every small aspect of our lives. God help us.

Art program is strong

Editor, Naples Daily News:

As dean of academics at Royal Palm Academy, I am writing in response to the letter by Becky Armstead (Oct. 9) as a means of clarification regarding our art program.

First of all, we share Ms. Armstead's love of and dedication to the arts and consider their study and promotion essential to our curriculum, and therefore we would never cut them out.

Second, we study and promote the arts on a weekly basis in our curriculum. The many art projects, weekly lessons in music and the various shows and presentations that the children perform almost always incorporate song and dance; there is a conscious incorporation of art history and appreciation throughout our curriculum.

We in fact will have a dedicated art department in our new campus across the street from our present temporary location.

In the meantime, we have just been given the initial funds to make a dedicated art room on our current campus a reality.

Our partnership with the Art League of Bonita Springs is in addition to the art program already in place in our curriculum, and provides our students with exposure to dedicated art educators with the best facilities, media and methods.

In conclusion, I can assure you that the arts are alive and well at Royal Palm Academy and our collaboration with the Bonita Art League greatly enhances what we already offer at our present site.