Letters to the Editors

Service dog for epileptic is no nuisance

This letter is in response to the article concerning Dwayne Gillispie and his service dog, Dude (Must Dude, owner both go?).

As a dog lover who has some experience with epilepsy, I would like to point out that much research as been completed concerning dogs and epileptics.

Some epileptics have what is called an "aura," which is a sign that a seizure is imminent. Unfortunately, many others don't. Therefore their lives are severely restricted, as they must be aware that a seizure could happen any time. Having a service dog that can detect that a seizure is imminent allows these people to live a much more normal, full and independent life.

It is a fact that some dogs have a special trait that enables them to know when a seizure is about to occur. This comes from the dog's innate ability to sense the electric impulses that are released from the person just prior to a seizure. These dogs are able to alert their owners so that they (the humans) can sit or lay down to prevent serious injury or even death.

In closing, I would like to ask a couple of questions of the homeowners association that wants to get rid of the dog and its owner: If Mr. Gillispie were blind, deaf or in a wheelchair, would you be trying this ridiculous stunt? Is it really the dog, or is it your dislike for the person?

According to the article, the dog has not created a nuisance except that he is over the homeowners association weight limit. The owner has provided a certificate of qualifications. Since when does something have to be notarized to be legal?

This appears to be just another incident where people with a little power use it for the wrong reasons.

While I can't even believe that Mr. Gillispie is being required to appear in court, I sincerely hope that the court can see through this farce and find for Mr. Gillispie, and of course, Dude.
-- Nancy Dively, Tarpon Springs

The measure of a society

Re: Must Dude, owner both go?, Sept. 25.

Unlike Dwayne Gillispie, I have been fortunate in having supportive family and friends to get me through my epileptic seizures, which are controlled fairly well by medication. Still, it's no fun waking up on the floor of a store with a bunch of paramedics looking down at you and asking you who the president of the United States is. It's no fun not being able to drive a car because you've had a seizure within the last year. And it's no fun having people ask you, "What were you like before you started taking your medication?" when that was so long ago you can't remember. Hats off to Mr. Gillispie for refusing to give up rock climbing. Perhaps the measure of someone's evolution is how well he recognizes and deals with his handicaps. We all have them, even if they are just intolerance and fear of other people's dogs. And perhaps the measure of how successful we are as a society is how we respect each other's handicaps. It would never occur to me to drive a car if there were a chance I'd have a seizure behind the wheel and plow into another car, but I also don't expect someone to steal my wallet while I'm down on the ground waiting for the paramedics to be called.
-- Travis Ann Sherman, St. Petersburg

Be wary when reporting abuse

Re: Crossing the line from discipline to child abuse, Sept. 25.

This article was filled with the opinions of several people from our community, and little from officials. As a mental health provider for more than 14 years in two different states, and as an expert in domestic/child abuse, I feel compelled to state the following.

Yes, it is imperative that people should get involved when it is obvious abuse. The operative word being "obvious." The paragraph in this article pertaining to teachers is in direct conflict with state law. Teachers and doctors are bound by law to report suspected child abuse, and yet there are many reports made by overzealous professionals, let alone those made by the general public.

We have heard statements in the past, such as, "if she does that to that child in public, what is she doing to him in private?" I have seen many circumstances where the child acts up only while in public places, and therefore that is the only times when the child has needed to be "disciplined." The laws are not clearly defined regarding what is and what is not abuse to a child. Even the police officer stated that it was more of a subjective decision, made by each officer. This leads to confusion within the public as to what is and is not abuse and when to get involved.

Therefore, I thoroughly suggest that the public and professionals look at every instance individually and with discernment. To overzealously report "suspected" child abuse definitely causes untold levels of stress within a family, more times than not, unnecessarily.

Remember this: It is well within the law to discipline your child by spanking and even slapping him across the face. Right or wrong, no matter how uncomfortable it is to watch, it's within the law. And many children manipulate and lie about incidents out of anger toward the parent or caretaker, so take heed in reporting.
-- Michelle McLean Brooks, retired mental health professional, Clearwater

It doesn't take a whole village

Re: We all have to take care of the kids, letter, Sept. 24.

I must ask the indulgence of readers of the Times, for my memory is not what it once was. For instance, I cannot recall the historical period during which our government proclaimed, "Those with children are now entitled to repeatedly dig into the pockets of those without." Neither my nor my friends' parents held that mindset. I'm left to wonder: Who has indoctrinated so many of today's parents into believing they actually deserve even more of my money?

The letter writer states that she pays $700 per year in property taxes, and goes on to say that those who can afford bigger houses can afford to pay more for "our" kids. Well, perhaps had she considered her options more carefully, she would now be able to enjoy a larger home. Ditto for the Christian school she can't afford for her kid. Yet she now feels that the rest of society is responsible for her short-sightedness. What kind of logic is that? Last I heard, childbearing was a choice, not a mandate. All of the educational improvement schemes I've been reading about lately, from vouchers to amendments, essentially add up to the same thing: more government spending.

It seems unfair that those of us who are childless by choice we should be expected to share in the pain of rearing the kids of others when we've not been given the pleasure of creating them. The idea of "It takes a village" is ridiculous to the childless-by-choice couple. After all, it doesn't "take a village" to make a child, does it?

If anything, childless-by-choice couples should be getting a tax break. We use far fewer resources and are likely more productive in our jobs. And as the mere necessity of this letter indicates, there is no imminent danger of a "kid shortage." Instead, it appears that the "responsible parent" could be the next species eligible for placement on the endangered list.
Todd Maynard, St. Petersburg

Sick of double standards

Re: Housing advocate again fights eviction, Sept. 24.

I wonder if I'm the only person who is sick of the double standards that exist in this country. I refer to the woman who is being faced with eviction from publicly subsidized housing because her son was busted for cannabis (a relatively harmless drug), even though he hasn't lived with her for two years.

It galls me that the U.S. Supreme court okayed this inhumane policy. Meanwhile, the governor's daughter reportedly is caught with crack cocaine (a most dangerous and addictive drug) at a drug rehabilitation class. Gov. Jeb Bush loves to talk tough on crime. I am willing to bet the farm that his daughter will never see the inside of a cell. How many young black people are serving long prison terms for the same offense?

I have a great idea. As governor, Mr. Bush lives in the state governor's mansion, a taxpayer-subsidized home. Let's apply the law evenly and evict him for the drug use of his daughter.
-- Stephen W. Miller, St. Pete Beach

An unbelievable waste of resources

Re: Small-town America vs. the DEA, Sept. 24.

It is truly disturbing to see the democratic will of the people ignored again in this country (referencing the 2000 presidential election for those of you who didn't notice the first time).

The Florida Cannabis Action Network has protested the DEA's actions repeatedly here in Tampa. The corporate media have routinely ignored our presence outside of the DEA's office and at our recent candlelight vigil. I applaud the St. Petersburg Times for doing its job (finally) and printing stories about what is going on.

In a time when we are on "heightened alert" every other day, it is amazing that we have the resources for the DEA to run around arresting people dying of cancer and AIDS.

I would like to urge the people of our community to call your representatives and tell them to support H.R. 2592 (Barney Frank's bill to allow states the right to choose on medical marijuana). Tell them you are upset that the DEA is waging a war against the will of the people. Tell them you think that marijuana should be changed to schedule 2 (meaning that doctors can prescribe it) immediately by Congress.

Look up your representative online at this site: http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.php.

Call Bill Nelson at (407) 872-7161 and Bob Graham at (850) 907-1100 to tell them how you feel. We are tired of the government blatantly disregarding our decisions.
-- Anthony Lorenzo, Tampa

Sponsorship isn't enough

Re: Race For the Cure.

I am disappointed that there was not more coverage of the Race For the Cure, which was Sept. 21. This was a great opportunity for the Times to reach a lot of people and raise the awareness about breast cancer.

I appreciate the fact that the Times was a sponsor of the race, but you blew it with your minimal coverage. This is a slap in the face to all the women diagnosed with breast cancer who are fighting for their lives.
-- Jan Wilson, Indian Rocks Beach

Bush's Spanish is agreeable

Re: Bush's Spanish not good, but helpful, by Domenico Maceri, Sept. 21.

As a retired Spanish teacher, I was pleased that President Bush used correct noun and adjective agreement when he called Spanish "un idioma muy bonito" (a very beautiful language). The columnist, Domenico Maceri, uses this quotation after saying, in the same sentence, that Bush prefers to use English because he doesn't want to butcher Spanish. This juxtaposition would give most of his readers the impression that it's an example of a mistake, and that idioma must be feminine because it ends in "a." George Bush and my former students know that el idioma is masculine, like el programa and el problema.
-- Mozelle S. Bell, St. Petersburg

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