Letters to the Editor: June 22, 2006

Daily dose of comment and insight from our readers.

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.

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Stand up to insurers

Editor, Daily News:

Quote from the Washington Post: “Weary insurers retreat from coasts.”

Pshaw! It is just plain ludicrous to think that the homeowners insurance industry should cry foul when they have disasters occurring and have to pay out. What does the word insurance mean?

The insurance industry is walking a fine line of graft and almost downright theft. Insurance companies take our funds, because they are allowed to, but will not pay up when the time has come. It is a slap in the face when they are saying, “We insure under sunny skies only.”

This industry needs to be knocked down a peg or two, possibly 10. It is the homeowner who should be outraged and stand up to this industry and elicit Congress to act and investigate.

If they cannot insure in the event of the disaster, then they should stay out of the business. This industry makes soft money off the sweat of the backs of others. There should be a coalition against this, so great that it topples the largest carrier. People should be fed up with the doublespeak and the industry’s spin.

These companies enjoy the requirement that you have to pay for insurance on your home and bask in the sun when they can just opt out at their own discretion, and yet rely on the federal government to pick up the tab, when the industry cries, “Woe is us.”

Who has allowed this legal theft? What are your senators saying? Do you live in an area that is prone? If so, speak out, because while you sleep and events are on the horizon, there is an industry stealing you blind.

Kevin Braniff/Naples

Selective memory

Editor, Daily News:

Never mind the facts. Robert Strohaver has demonstrated once again the adage that history is a projective psychological test — one tends to see in it what one wants to see.

He blames Bill Clinton for gutting defense and intelligence budgets and in the process totally ignores the fact that the cuts began in the last years of the Reagan administration and were pursued with a vengeance under the first President Bush and his secretary of defense, Dick Cheney. Cuts did continue under Clinton, but during six of his eight years Congress was controlled by Republicans who went along, perhaps perceiving that the military had indeed become bloated.

Strohaver then goes on to argue that the lack of immediate retaliation for the attack on the USS Cole and the Clinton actions in Iraq emboldened terrorists and led to 9/11.

The inconvenient fact that neither the military nor the intelligence agencies knew immediately against whom to retaliate for the USS Cole and the Kenya and Tanzania embassy bombings does not seem to matter to Strohaver, nor does the fact that once the perpetrators were identified the United States did go after them and has killed a number of them.

Finally, given the evidence that the Iraq invasion under the second President Bush has proved a great boost for terrorist recruitment, it would seem that had Clinton been more forceful, about all we might have gained would have been an earlier surge in terrorist numbers.

Alan Keller/Naples

Bargain hunting

Editor, Daily News:

The citizens from all corners of Collier County are expressing and bemoaning their concerns regarding the high cost of living here in paradise.

Well, hang on my fellow citizens. Let me call your attention to our friendly supermarkets. They are tossing benefits at us on an almost daily basis — items at special prices, buy one get one free — encouraging us to shop until we drop.

Do they or don’t they seem to be the only ones looking out for our pocketbooks?

Milla Price/Naples

Enough is enough

Editor, Daily News:

There is nothing I can do about Chinese products flooding into our country.

Remember when Wal-Mart’s slogan was “Buy American“? I do. Nowadays, walk into a Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc., and I defy you to find a product that has a label that reads, “Made in America.”

But I tell you folks, I have really had it. The other day I walked into a Publix supermarket to purchase a head of garlic. I bought a little mesh bag with three heads of garlic in it and strode happily home. When I got home I started to prepare my favorite traditional feast of pasta fagioli. A little white label popped out of the little white mesh bag and it said, “Grown in China.” I nearly had an attack. I fell back onto the counter and gasped for air. Dear Lord Almighty, they have now cornered our garlic market?

I reached for the telephone and called my Uncle Nucci in Newark, N.J. — you know, the guy with the crooked nose and the big, fat Cuban cigar, and the bulge under his coat. I was gasping for air, but I finally told him of my near attack. After a moment he spoke in a very low growl and said, “Forget about it, Ollie. We will take care of it.”

A couple of days later, I walked into Publix and there were no little white mesh bags of garlic. I went home and said a novena.

Oliver J. Marcelli/Naples

Magical, mystical tour

Editor, Daily News:

It was a somewhat mystical experience and soulful delight to see the Our World article by Michel Fortier in the Neapolitan section of the Daily News on June 19.

I shall treasure it.

The photo elicits the same awe and wonder of God’s beauty all over the world if only we keep an interior silence, since God speaks to us in silence. We find it in others who witness the majesty of God’s creation in a sublime sunset, the beauty of flowers, even a flowering weed among the cement pavements, as I often did on my way to work in Philadelphia.

I have seen 10 of the new stamp sheets, “Wonders of the World.” I’ve seen the Milky Way and zillions of stars while living in the Mojave Desert. I cried when I saw my Waianae Mountains before I had to move from Hawaii. I’ve driven across our great country several times years ago. Even the human accomplishment of the Hoover Dam is mind-boggling, that the Creator endowed man to do such great work. I’ve seen the Rocky Mountains from the air and used to walk amid the Rainbow Canyon on the Mojave Desert between Barstow and Needles, Calif.

We only need to be very still within, since God talks to us in silence.

I saw on TV the beauty of Victoria Falls, and when the filmmaker asked the guide what others do when they see this magnificent beauty, she replied that they fall on their knees and cry.

Perhaps my letter may inspire even one soul to wonder and find serenity and peace and divine love.

Barbara Johnson/Naples

Program benefits Realtors

Editor, Daily News:

The multimillion-dollar septic-tank replacement program on Marco Island was sold to us under false premises.

We were told the septic tanks were polluting our waterways. This had no basis in fact. When citizens have been steamrolled by multimillion-dollar programs such as this, it’s only natural that people will investigate and try to find out if there are hidden reasons behind them.

It’s undeniable that Realtors (many of whom are also builders) will be making huge profits when larger homes are built, bought and sold.

It appears to many of us that the people involved in real estate here have a monetary interest in this program succeeding, along with the hotels, condos and businesses.

To many of us, it seems this program was conceived and then custom-designed to protect their interests. Many of us wonder why this program has continued to be pushed by four of our councilmen.

Something that would go a long way toward reducing our distrust would be if they would all individually go on record and publicly state that neither they nor their clients have any financial stake in the outcome of this.

Some of us also question the objectivity of your reporter, Billy Bruce, whose articles seem slanted in favor of city officials and others promoting this program.

Karen S. Glaub/Marco Island

Getting down to business

Editor, Daily News:

Several people have asked me why am I supporting Tom Gallagher for governor. I thought your readers might be interested in my common-sense reply.

While both Republicans are good men, one candidate is a lawyer, and Tom Gallagher is a businessman. I remember well my deceased husband, Paul O’Neill, who served his country diligently, always said that there are too many lawyers in government. He said that they are trained to have glib tongues and take any issue they are for and argue accordingly, while government is “big business,” and businessmen are trained how to meet a payroll and balance budgets, etc.

Too many elected officials from Congress and the Senate on down are lawyers. Therefore, whenever I have the opportunity to vote for a businessman versus a lawyer in government, I go for it.

I hope this bit of information may be helpful to those who are not committed. Please support Tom Gallagher, the businessman, for governor.

God bless America.

Alyse O’Neill/President, Eagle Forum, Naples Chapter

Emotionally disturbed need help

Editor, Daily News:

The guest commentary in Sunday’s Daily News by Nancy Schultz and Kathryn Leib Hunter on mental illness reminded me of a tragedy in New Jersey several years ago.

An elderly couple was brutally murdered by three young men, one of whom had been in a class for the emotionally disturbed prior to graduating or dropping out. This couple may have happily lived out their lives if the young man had not been merely labeled and placed in a special class. Disturbed students do not drop off the planet upon graduating or dropping out. They will become neighbors, colleagues and, most importantly, parents!

It is imperative that such students receive psychological help.

Sam Campsey/Naples

FCAT is no measure of success

Editor, Daily News:

In response to the Daily News’ assertion that the recently released Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores should cause us to smile (Friday editorial, “FCAT grades a glimpse of where schools stand”), I believe we are missing the entire point of learning if we consider a test score an accurate assessment of education.

Albert Einstein said of education that “The aim must be the training of independently acting and thinking individuals.”

FCAT scores cannot and will not ever be able to truly gauge how good an education our children are getting. True and accurate measures of our children’s intelligence and their ability to think for themselves can only come from those who are close to, and personally know, the child.

An impersonal piece of paper is no measure of such a thing as unique and individual as each young person’s intelligence.

Grace Mullaney/Naples

End Cuban embargo

Editor, Daily News:

I would like to scuba dive on the Caribbean in Trinidad, Cuba, with a tour group.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro is no threat, never has been.

Please lift this embargo soon. Politicians beware, the Miami exile community can’t keep the state hostage for much longer. Why do we keep this up? Too many relatives would like to visit.

C.M. Nichols/Naples

Enforce immigration laws

Editor, Daily News:

Sunday’s lead story regarding the school district’s efforts to install “safeguards” to prevent over-age young men or women from enrolling in our public schools mentioned that it actually is a third-degree felony to do this, with penalties including prison time and a $5,000 fine.

If the county does not enforce this law, then why should other over-age young men and women not try to enroll in our schools?

False documentation is not difficult to get or make on today’s computers, and if there is no punishment for the crime, why not try? Life is good in the United States.

You break the law and there are no consequences. Unless, of course, you are born here.

Vito Bianco/Naples

You want traffic?

Editor, Daily News:

A while back I found myself complaining all the time about the traffic, taking forever to get anyplace, people running red lights and stop signs, and speeding.

When this happens I take a trip back to the Detroit area and when I return I’m happy to be back in the Naples traffic which is nothing compared to the traffic in the area I visit.

I am now good for at least six or seven months before I start complaining again and then will have to return to Michigan to realize how bad traffic can be.

Bob Killebrew/Naples

Goodlette’s departure lamented

Editor, Daily News:

The news of Dudley Goodlette’s possible withdrawal from the state’s political scene is sad news indeed for Collier County and Florida.

At a time when the majority of politicians have earned the right to be classified as self-serving incompetents who will say and do anything to retain office, we see a much-needed superstar about to drop out.

Incumbent replacement may well be a much-needed battle cry, but Florida needs people like Goodlette in office, productively serving, rather than those who cater to a few, as we see all too often.

The failure of Burt Saunders to generate enough support from his special-interest groups to pursue his political agenda may well cost Florida the genuine services of Dudley Goodlette.

I have followed Goodlette and find it a cruel twist of fate that has him positioned to be following Burt Saunders. It should be the other way around.

My observations of Goodlette indicate that he is honest, conscientious, responsive and available to his constituents. A rare bird indeed in today’s political arena.

Don’t let this guy get away! I wish we had him here in Georgia.

Frank Simons/Cherrylog, Ga.

Critic gets zero stars

Editor, Daily News:

I read the Showcase on a regular basis and have to say over the past few months after reading the food critic’s restaurant reviews I feel they are very off on their ratings.

Many of the restaurants that have been critiqued I have dined at myself, both before and after the critic’s reviews. I feel the reviews are inaccurate on their judgments and rate some very deserving restaurants lower than they should be, as well as others that should be much lower.

For example this week, Joe’s Crab Shack, three stars? Compared to what? A chain and fine dining both having three stars is not a good comparison. Encore was rated higher than I feel it deserved, and I have a sister who is a server there who even felt the rating was too high. These reviews are confusing and leave readers baffled. I think the reviewer should concentrate more on privately run restaurants and focus on good food, not fried, fast, cheap deals that are way off.

I eat out frequently and have friends who do as well and feel this critic doesn’t have a true feel for many of the restaurants he rates and is misleading the public, resulting in a waste of money and time.

Julia Vaux/Naples

No puppy love

Editor, Daily News:

In reference to Darlene Barry’s letter about locking her puppy in the car.

Your letter to the editor is laughable to say the least. Complaining that the cops did not help you get your dog out of the car is ridiculous.

Why in the world would a cop unlock your door for you? That is what locksmiths are around for. I would not call a plumber to fix my screens, the cable guy to clean my carpets, fireman to tow my truck. (Are you seeing a pattern here?)

I agree with the cop who did not help you in that matter. They have more important things like, oh, bank robbers, medical emergencies, you know, things like that. You claim you had the air-conditioning on when the puppy was locked in the car, so I would hardly call that an immediate emergency as the puppy had cool air and was not going to die of heat stroke.

As for the cop not calling a locksmith for you, I would assume that deputies could not do that and show favor to one company over the other. Besides, if you’re angry enough at them to write a letter complaining that they wouldn’t unlock your door, you might be angry enough to sue if they scratched your car if they did try to open it.

Pity you try and get other people in trouble for your own mistakes.

Tara Heaslip/Naples