Letters to the Editors

Lawyers using wrong methods to buff image

Respect no joke for this lawyer (July 4) further demonstrates the self-serving nature of our legal colleagues. Rather than spend $750,000 for public relations buffing, why don't they put their efforts into passing responsible legislation and act for the good of society, instead of crippling it?

It's just amazing to me how the attorneys in this state perform their duties in such an exemplary fashion, yet physicians, nursing homes and other businesses have such an abhorrent record that the public needs to be frequently reminded of their horrors by barrages of radio, television, billboard and print ads throughout the day. Perhaps all productive members of society should go to law school first so that they too can have such a perfect track record. We can all then have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight and deliberate for hours before making any decisions and then perhaps appeal the decision until we find "experts" who agree with our side and bill for each minute of this process before anything productive is accomplished.

You don't need to look past your own back yard to see what the legal profession is doing to medicine in Pinellas County and the entire state. We have already lost local, dedicated, competent neurosurgeons and obstetricians due to exponentially escalating malpractice premiums and simultaneous decreasing reimbursement. All medical specialties are being affected by this recent round of premium hikes, and inability to find coverage.

There will be a continued exodus of physicians out of Florida, as in Nevada, until some remedy in the state or federal legislature is enacted. California halted their exodus of physicians by capping damages.

If Tod Aronovitz wants respect for the legal profession, he should use his resources to expedite initiatives for tort reform in this state and show with action, not words, or publicity campaigns that lawyers are the "backbone of democracy." Until then, I will continue to agree with Shakespeare.
-- Jonathan Radin, M.D., Seminole

Here's the real joke

It was so cold one day that Tod Aronovitz had his hands in his own pockets.

The real lawyer joke is his spending three quarters of a million dollars to improve the public perception of lawyers and judges. That's funny!
-- Coleman Gravlee, Tampa

Follow moral law before written law

Re: Respect no joke for this lawyer, July 4.

The new president of the Florida Bar says, "Don't say any lawyer jokes in front of me. I'm a proud person, and I find them insulting." And his main goal is to spend $750,000 to improve the image of lawyers. That's a joke.

I find it revolting and nothing to be proud about, to defend a guilty party, get a not guilty verdict, and make the victim out to be the criminal. You cannot be a person of high moral standards to defend the guilty.

The problem in today's world is, like lawyers, the people are going by the written law and disregarding the moral law.

There's a guy buying up property for a pittance and offering it for sale at a huge profit, and lawyers are clambering to defend him. And to top this off, a lawyer -- the top of all Florida lawyers -- is willing to spend $750,000 to try to improve the public's image of lawyers. I guess lawyers will just about stoop to anything. (Yes, we know -- there are many good, honest lawyers.)

If the Florida Bar wants to improve its image, give the $750,000 to the Salvation Army and ask their members to put the moral law first, then the written law.
-- Donald F. Kelly, St. Petersburg

Integrity would improve image

Giving lawyers a makeover can be only marginally more difficult than giving one to Al Gore.

The job of lawyers is to safeguard the legal rights of their clients as they journey through the court system. It is not to create plausible deniability by inventing fanciful scenarios sympathetic jurors can seize upon to rationalize an acquittal. It is not to reap profit beyond that which is necessary to rectify damage done by human error. And it is certainly not to redefine common, everyday words such as "sexual relations" and "is."

Until lawyers can give up their won-lost and monetary settlement records as indicators of their effectiveness and begin to practice with integrity in the pursuit of justice, no amount of money spent on advertising will have any effect at all on their negative image.
-- Dave Highlands, St. Petersburg

Two sides, especially in this story

Re: The view from Bader Sharabati's hill, by Elijah Gosier, July 2.

I believe Gosier's column makes a very valid point. I was able to read it and see that there are two sides to every story.

One is the Israeli's contention that it is up to the Palestinians to halt their suicide missions before any discussion will take place.

As Mr. Sharabati's story shows us, the Palestinians have a much more painful history of occupation to draw from. It is long past time for the Israeli people to show their good intentions. They need to bring their people back to their own country and return the land they occupy and hold with American tanks, planes and armament.

America needs to demonstrate to the world that all people have equal rights and needs.
-- Richard Simon, Pinellas Park

Don't glorify suicide bombers

Re: The view from Bader Sharabati's hill, July 2.

The article by Elijah Gosier certainly made some thought-provoking points, which we all should consider. One thing I have a problem with, however: Mr. Sharabati points out that Palestinians are human beings, too, with families, lives, aspirations, dreams.

What I have a problem with is the glorifying and making martyrs of suicide bombers. Any people who teach their children that sacrificing their lives in order to kill others just cannot have the same regard for life and family as we in America have.

And to say they do so in the name of their religion is just too sick for me.
-- Jack Mangold, Largo

Look at the real picture

Re: As tempest roars, she fights for her family, by Mary Jo Melone (June 30) and The view from Bader Sharabati's hill, by Elijah Gosier, July 2.

Both of these columns appeared to be written to elicit support for the Palestinian people. It seems to me that the writers for the St. Petersburg Times might just as well be writing for Al-Jazeera broadcasting network.

The Arab countries lost all the wars they started. The Arabs who stayed in the part of the land that became Israel became citizens. The Arabs who left their land are still living in refugee camps. None of the Arab countries have taken them into their country to give them homes. Many, many Jews used to live in the other Arab lands, but fled because of discrimination. Israel has accepted all these Jews from other countries and given them a home and citizenship. None of the Arab countries have accepted those refugees into their countries even though Jordan -- where Mr. Sharabati's family lives -- is made up of Palestinian people just like the refugees. Why don't these Palestinians look to make a home in these other Arab countries where the people are similar to them in custom and belief?

I am so tired of hearing and reading about how Israel "took" the land away from the Palestinians. That land was lost in wars instigated by the Arabs and Palestinians. Now the Palestinians are sending suicide bombers into Israel killing innocent men, women and children. Israel was willing to exchange land for peace. Now they are waiting for the bombers to stop before they can talk peace.

The writers for the St. Petersburg Times need to look at the real picture instead of churning out human interest pieces based on biased information.
-- Anita Saphier, Tampa

Watching out for the little guys

Re: State Farm halts policies, June 29.

Hurray for Tom Gallagher and his staff. Once again, the Department of Insurance is watching out for us little guys.

The recent rate increase requested by State Farm was grossly excessive, and Mr. Gallagher's office was right in rejecting it. State Farm's decision to stop issuing homeowner and condo policies in Florida because they did not get what they wanted was wrong, but that was their business decision as is their right, no matter how shortsighted it is.

Because of the childish action of State Farm, the Department of Insurance should treat them like the children they are -- take away all their "toys" until they can behave. The state's position should be that if a company wants to limit the kind of coverage they issue because of potential losses, they should not be allowed to issue any policy in the state of Florida. They should not be able to pick and choose only the profitable policies and leave the unprofitable policies for the state to cover losses.

After Hurricane Andrew, most insurers threatened to pull out if they did not get the rate increases they wanted. It's time for the state of Florida to stand up and say "enough is enough!" I strongly urge all of you to contact Gallagher at the Department of Insurance and ask him to take a hard stand with State Farm and all other insurers that want to act like children.
-- Patrick McNeil, Riverview

Outback goes beyond call of duty

Re: Heaven in time of war: 6,700 Ribeyes, July 2.

As the parents of a son serving in Kandahar, we want to personally thank the Outback Steakhouse group for taking the time and risks to feed our soldiers. Your generosity and caring goes far beyond the call of duty.

We heard from our son a few days after the dinner. He couldn't believe that they had actually done such a wonderful thing. He told us how wonderful the people had been and most important how great the dinner was. We are sure it will remain as one of the fondest memories those men and women will bring home with them.

Thank you again for reassuring our soldiers of how much they mean to us, how thankful we are that they are defending our freedoms, and most importantl that they have not been forgotten back here in the states.
-- Bonnie and Ronald Simpson, St. Petersburg

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