Here are letters to the editor from Daily News editions of Nov. 10, 2009:

Help Robert achieve his goals, ex-POWs ask

Editor, Daily News:

I am the present commander of the Collier Chapter of the American Ex-Prisoners of War.

One of our chapter members, past commander Gilbert Broughton, a 100 percent disabled veteran, has a son, Robert (in photo at left), whom our members feel is worthy of support and profile in our daily newspaper.

Robert has been present at our meetings and functions over several years, and we have seen him develop into a fine example of what we older folks consider American manhood. He was very active in high school Junior ROTC (cadet up through the ranks to lieutenant), and for four years has been developing his martial arts master of tae kwon do with local teachers at Eagle Martial Arts studios on Pine Ridge Road in North Naples.

He practices tae kwon do moves and exercises five hours each day. He has been successful in statewide competition and is pointing toward a future Olympic team berth.

A high-school graduate in June, Robert is presently taking schooling toward massage and body rehabilitation programs at Lorenzo Walker Technical Institute as a career move.

Robert is devoted to his father, slowly recovering from a severe stroke, and to his mother, also at home and now recovering from surgery. This is a struggle for this young man, just 19 last June.

Help from sponsors is needed to finance his training and competitions. Our chapter has recently donated $1,000 to help Robert achieve his goals.

We ex-POWs hope that exposure in the Daily News would provide further help.

Readers can e-mail me at uncledt@aol.com or write to me at my home address, 99 Oceans Blvd., Naples, 34104.

Thanks for your assistance to this excellent young man.

— Don Tallon, Naples / Collier Chapter Commander, American Ex-POWs

* * *

Letter of the Day: Forgetting someone?

Editor, Daily News:

Wednesday is Veterans Day.

Parades and ceremonies will be observed in every community to pay tribute to our nation’s veterans.

I find it ironic, maybe even hypocritical, that we bestow such honors while a backlog of Department of Veteran Affairs compensation claims keep over 1 million disabled veterans waiting for years.

How is it our Congress can bail out AIG, General Motors and the banking industry with billions of dollars, in just a few weeks, yet disabled veterans must wait years for a little monthly chump change?

Congress recently passed a bill to update the VA computers, as if this will help. I don’t recall them updating AIG’s computers; they simply cut a big check.

Maybe we should have an AIG Parade or General Motors Day, since our Congress seems to show them more respect than our nation’s veterans.

— Bob Blair

Fort Myers

You are there

Editor, Daily News:

Just recently the personal collection of Mary Watkins’ and Emily Cozine’s father was discovered after being hidden away for 90 years.

1st Lt. Earl A. Carr served in the 323rd Field Artillery at the World War II battleline front in France. His letters sent back home to his future wife provide a first-hand account of the horrific events of battle.

Our own Peter Thomas will read and bring these letters to life as part of our Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday at Naples’ Cambier Park.

Patriotic music starts at 10:15 a.m., with the ceremony starting at 10:40 a.m.

Last, there will be a silence, as proclaimed by former President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, in respect for those who have served and defended our country’s Constitution.

Your attendance at this ceremony will move your spirits.

— Capt. James H. Elson

U.S. Army (Ret.)

President, Collier County Veterans Council

Voice of experience

Editor, Daily News:

As a Walter Reed-trained psychotherapist, I am appalled by the excuse made by U.S. Rep Tim Murphy as it pertains to the actions taken by Dr. Nidal Hasan.

Murphy, a psychologist in the Naval Reserve, is quoted as saying: “It can be very real when you are dealing with people’s difficulties every day.”

Of course it’s difficult, and we who work in this arena are aware of these issues. However, if Hasan could not keep an internal boundary in order to provide what is best for his patients and keep his own issues outside of the therapeutic arena, he should really have considered a career change, or at the very least, sought clinical supervision for his own issues.

— Barbara S. Kenedy, MA, LMFT

Bonita Springs

Take shots?

Editor, Daily News:

This is a letter of amazement that editors would use such a headline as “(Newt) Gingrich takes shots at (President Barack) Obama, other Dems in Naples speech” at this time in our history.

I ask you, who are the editors? Don’t you have more words at your disposal than “take shots” — words that have double meanings?

Don’t you have more sensitivity than that?

Did you really think about what you wrote?

— Julie Auer

Naples

What now?

Editor, Daily News:

Every time I read about the four football players who allegedly had sex with the underage girl who “agreed to have sex,” I can’t help think how the whole experience has damaged each of them.

From a punitive standpoint, the football players have spent 21 days in jail, missed school and have/are being reassigned to a different school with no sports. For them, there will be no more football and no opportunity to earn a scholarship to a college/university.

No question, they were not thinking when they engaged in their alleged ill-advised activity with an underage girl.

Now what about the little girl? What penalty, what punitive action does she get for supposedly agreeing to have sex with these ill-advised young men? So far you haven’t reported anything.

An underage girl who initially contemplates the idea having sex with one or more football players next to a portable classroom, while a game is being played, must need some correction — and probably, punitive action, too.

The football players will pay for their dumb actions the rest of their lives. From your reporting, I’m not sure this little girl will get much more than a spanking.

— Bob Singer

Bonita Springs

Then and now

Editor, Daily News:

As one of the previous owners of the Olde Naples Surf Shop, I’d like to clear up any misconceptions with regard to the situation with the current owners.

Although we share the same last name, we are in no way related, nor have we any business connections with them.

Our family owned the Surf Shop from 1991 until 2005. During that time we were well-known as a safe place for kids to spend time and have fun. We had an extremely close-knit core of staff and locals.

How terribly sad that a once great store could now be viewed with suspicion. How sad it is for all the prior employees who helped make it such a great place.

My hope is that the Olde Naples Surf Shop will ride this rough wave!

— Marilyn Robinson

Naples

Not even close

Editor, Daily News:

I was very disappointed that U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV voted against the health-care bill. He does not represent my feelings on this issue.

I received a letter from him in response to a prior e-mail asking him to vote for this. It says the United States has the best health care in the world.

Maybe for the wealthy dealing with their concierge doctors. Everything I read says that we lag well behind other developed nations in both quality and access to medical care.

He also says that the government should not be in the business of making or dictating our choices. How is this different from what the insurance companies do? Think pre-existing conditions, higher premiums and cancellations.

As I said, Mack does not represent my point of view nor that of the American Medical Association, AARP and many, many Americans.

I thank those who voted for this bill and respectfully ask that the others take advantage of their last opportunity to vote for it. Please stop supporting the insurance industry and give us a good health-care bill, including a public option.

— Maria Zywica

Naples

Generous judge

Editor, Daily News:

I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Circuit Judge Edward J. Volz Jr. for taking time away from his extremely busy docket to come to deliver a guest lecture to my criminal justice class.

Volz’ willingness to lend himself and share his many years of experience as a law practitioner with my students is an outstanding demonstration of his commitment to civic engagement with Florida Gulf Coast University. My students were extremely appreciative, as am I.

— Jeffrie F. Jinian

Instructor, Division of Justice Studies

Florida Gulf Coast University

All kinds of fees

Editor, Daily News:

Jeff Lytle’s interview with Collier County Commissioner Jim Coletta and in particular the portions that dealt with impact fees and booting was very interesting.

As far as impact fees, the very group (developers and construction) that argues that impact fees are unfair is the same group that was holding raffles for homes just a couple of years ago when prices were rising as fast as the space shuttle.

From a purchaser standpoint, the impact fees just become part of the price of the product, much like a sales tax. The purchaser just accepts the tax. That is one reason why sales taxes, though very regressive, are easier to raise than income taxes, as the actual total income tax amount is seen with the tax return as sales taxes are spread over the time frame.

Overdevelopment, both in commercial and residential real estate, is the problem and until the excess inventory is cleared, construction will remain slow except in public works projects. If the developers really want to demonstrate their good standing, why not list the price of the property for construction with the impact fees shown separately to arrive at the total cost? Much like the freight on the sticker on a new car purchase.

As far as booting, my homeowners’ association was going to boot, but limitations in our documents and state law precluded it, though we still tow. The association was offered a rebate on each booted vehicle from the towing company as part of the contract. However, we specifically rejected the rebate as we did not see the booting as a revenue raising measure; rather, booting was a way to enforce of our rules and regulations.

— Tom Ruple

Naples

Diet time?

Editor, Daily News:

For most of this decade, Collier County has feasted on outsized annual increases in revenue, driven by the real estate boom.

Now the party is over — really over. Property values have fallen dramatically and revenues have fallen with them. The county commissioners could adopt a budget in line with their income, just like we all have to do in our private lives. But no, they want to let the good times roll and raise our taxes.

If this bothers you, don’t despair. Help is on the way. There’s an election next year.

In District 2 (north of Pine Ridge Road, west of Interstate 75), candidate Georgia Hiller wants to put the county on a diet. Her battle cry of “less government, less taxes” couldn’t be more appropriate. Check out her background, experience and governing philosophy at www.georgiahiller.com .

She’ll help you get Collier County’s fiscal picture in line with reality.

— Richard A. Somerby

Naples

The next change starts soon

Editor, Daily News:

Our president is an embarrassment to our country and to the people who have preceded him in office. He is clueless as a leader; he only knows how to give speeches and apologize for our country.

His ideology is leading us to a place where none of us want to be.

And please, don’t give me this worn out mantra that he has our country’s best interests at heart.

He has an excuse for everything and constantly resorts to either lecturing us or delivering “motivational” speeches to anyone gullible enough or unfortunate enough to have to listen to him.

We deserve better than this.

This is indeed a sad time for our great country.

It will change, and the elections in 2010 will start the process.

— Gary Tincu

Naples

Vacancy

Editor, Daily News:

Have you had enough change, America?

Our country is dying!

There is no commander-in-chief!

— Larry Brennan

Naples

Trust me

Editor, Daily News:

Response to Ed Hummelstein’s letter of Nov. 4.

Like most issues, complexity is created when people interpret issues through their individual circumstances. For the believer in God’s word, we choose scripture as our guide.

Do we always live and make perfect decisions?

Absolutely not.

But the Bible gives guidance, while emotion seeks escape and personal benefit (Proverbs).

Biblical references to the unborn: “Your eyes saw my unformed body’’ (Psalms); “Before I was born’’ (Isaiah); “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you’’ (Jeremiah).

Even People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and those of like mind would not allow an animal to be treated as we make provisions for our young girls and women to abort, terminate a pregnancy, kill a baby without encouragement of ultrasound, counseling regarding the present circumstances and future repercussions, financial and moral support.

Trust me, men controlling their women is not the problem. It’s who do we allow to control our lives. I will continue to stand up for what I believe to be right. I believe I have the legal right to do so.

The Latin definition for fetus is not a blob of unwanted tissue; it’s an unborn child.

— Lorita Pardue

Naples

So stupid

Editor, Daily News:

In the end, it wasn’t close. The Phillies tried everything and the Yankees just won with power and grace.

But there was one contest that was so close who knows who won: the spitting contest. I really don’t know how all the players accumulate so much saliva.

Time was not too many years back when players all had a wad of tobacco in the cheek — to prove their manhood, I suppose — and of course they had to spit then to get rid of the nasty stuff.

But now they chew bubble gum (would you believe, grown men?) but they are all so well worked out who could question their manhood, in contrast to their scrawny and tubby-chewing tobacco forbears. (The great Babe Ruth had a belly a city block around.)

The amount of water consumed in the dugouts must be oceanic.

— Frederick F. Johnson

Naples

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