Letters to the Editor, March 9
Sham unfolds
Dear Citizens of Marco Island; If you didn’t attend or watch the live broadcast of the March 5 Council meeting, you missed an unbelievable attempt to discredit our outstanding police chief and police department. In order to see this sham unfold, go to CityofMarcoIsland.com, click on agenda and minutes, click on 3/5/2018 video, and click on Agenda items 8 and12 B.
After being informed by our short-lived city manager that the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre would be a little later then planned, it is amazing and beyond belief that a councilor would continue on that city manager’s path to achieve this massacre. This witch-hunt was an insult to the intelligent citizens of this Island. How could someone like this hold public office in our paradise? Why is Councilor Honig privy to info/plans without the other Councilors knowledge? Why was the then city manager conferring with Councilor Honig instead of the council chairman?
Police Chief Schettino did an excellent job of responding to the loaded data. This professional officer as always, represented the very best of our police department. Furthermore, Councilor Batte and Brown did an excellent job of pulling out the rug supporting the failed ruse. As it is frequently said “You may fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.” Thank goodness for the Marco Island Police Department’s courage and devotion to our city standards.
Lastly, Chairman Grifoni was totally out of line with his attempt to correct the Chief. Did he not learn anything from his “workshop?” Perhaps, workshops with this group, need to be televised and ongoing.
Might this paradise be better off with a recall and a new councilor? Could that be a future option?
Suzanne Piro, Marco Island
Student deserved military burial
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in Parkland has elicited many forms of response. One such response was an effort to get 100,000 signatures before student and Junior ROTC recruit Peter Wang’s burial so that it could be one with full military honors.
Peter did what very few have the courage, the presence of mind and the willingness to do: He acted against his self-interest. Peter did not run away from the gunfire. Peter held the door open so that many of his fellow classmates could pass through to safety. In doing that selfless and heroic act, Peter was murdered were he stood.
Peter is a testament to his family’s love and taking care of each other. Peter is a testament to the training he received in Junior ROTC. Peter is a testament to what it means to be an amazing, loving human being.
Peter gave his all so that others could live.
Now, what have we given? It seems we couldn’t even find the time to go online and petition the White House to approve a full military honor burial for Peter. Imagine, we are so busy, so burdened in our daily rituals, so involved with incredibly important matters that there wasn’t time to use our cellphones to help honor this young man’s contribution to our lives.
How can we possibly wonder why these type of events happen? The question is, why don’t they happen more often given our level of effort to get involved?
Lee Kurasowicz, Marco Island
Rest easy, Russia
In response to Aaron Knott’s very fine letter, I think he’ll agree with my reaction to “Jack Pitney, a politics professor at Claremont College, reports that Russia’s biggest goal is to disrupt the American political process and sow distrust and discontent.” Hey, Russia! Stand down! I can’t imagine how you could possibly create more distrust and discontent than we already have. Rest easy, Russia.
Meegan McDonnell, Marco Island