Letters to the Editor: Feb. 29, 2004

Letter of the Day — How soon we forget

Editor, Naples Daily News:

As you all remember, 9-11 made a great impact on our lives and the behavior of our citizens. They became caring, polite, patriotic, patient and respectful of others.

Well, how soon they forget! I have noticed over the past few months people are back to being rude, impatient and disrespectful to a greater extent than ever before.

If you drive our roads you see drivers cutting one another off, waving to one another in a less than acceptable manner, screaming obscenities out the windows and worse.

I experienced a prime example of this.

Returning to the office after lunch with a co-worker, an elderly gentlemen — and I use that description loosely — came speeding through our parking lot and within inches of where we walked. He put his window down and berated us for walking too slowly. He then sped off through the adjoining parking lots to get ahead of the traffic on U.S. 41.

What could be so important?

Anyone who visits Naples this time of year knows that the traffic is horrible and lines in our stores and restaurants are long.

Take a minute to appreciate how lucky we are to be alive and be in such a beautiful place, then act appropriately.

Start of something big?

Editor, Naples Daily News:

This is not a subject that the tourism industry would like brought up, but Collier County has one of the lowest bed taxes — 3 percent on short-term lodging — for a tourist destination in Florida.

If we need to build roads for our seasonal visitors and the growth that Collier has experienced it only seems right that they help pay for the cost of expansion of the roads and infrastructure that their presence demands.

The off-season road problem is bad, but it is exacerbated by the seasonal traffic.

It is an example of our county government's tendency to shy away from anything that might upset the tourism or development industries' interests.

I do not belong to the charter government group. But I am thinking it may be the solution to some of the problems of Collier County government. We need to consider an increase in the bed tax earmarked just for road expansion in the county, and take the onus off of the residents who do not receive any benefit from seasonal visitors.

Sanctity of marriage

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Marriage has traditionally been recognized as ordained from above. Those who subscribe to this view necessarily see it an institution which man receives as opposed to defines. Therefore, simply modifying the definition can jeopardize its status as sacrosanct. It has been said, to destroy a people, destroy their language. Denying marriage its power to denote union between a man and woman is to undermine the word's value as a tool of communication and its ability to designate a specific type of relationship.

The ritual of marriage would no longer maintain its role in retelling the mythic tale of spiritual unity's victory over biological opposition. It would lose its capacity to celebrate this particular kind of diversity. Marriage does have specific value as an institution unique to the path taken by heterosexual couples.

Those who would enter the debate over gay marriage need to acknowledge this fact.

The suggestion that the legalization of such would not in the least effect other couples is irresponsible and points to a lack of accountability. That isn't simply a case of differing opinion, but a denial of the existential possibility of a contrary view. This refusal (or inability) to consider the disposition and circumstances of another group is, by definition and default, prejudice. It jeopardizes any chance of giving the issue proper consideration. Without that, thoughtful discussion regarding alleged discrimination is considerably less plausible.

Reading is hard work

Editor, Naples Daily News:

Ten-year-old Cynthia Torres shouldn't feel "blindsided" by the FCAT test. Let's not kill the messenger here. She, and her parents, should feel blindsided by the school system — and themselves — for allowing her to get to the third grade all the while receiving As and Bs and still not being able to read at that level.

After having taught reading for many years and holding a degree as a reading specialist, my opinion is that any child who speaks English and has an average IQ should be able to pass the FCAT test. Maybe her parents should have cut out the ballet and hired the tutor sooner. Or maybe they should have spent more time at the library helping her to experience the pleasure of reading.

The test isn't at fault so let's look for the real problem and fix it.