Your Turn

Letters to the Editors

Jab at pirates in poor taste

Re: Bucs and Pirates So Dissimilar, City Times, Jan. 31

Ouch! I'm not sure if this article was supposed to be humorous or just vicious.

However, I personally thought it was in very poor taste.

Although my husband is not a pirate, many of our friends and neighbors are. I found the part about the "trophy" wives particularly offensive. If your article, as I suspect, was meant to be vicious, why would you choose to insult the wives?

Many of my friends are indeed quite lovely. However, I wouldn't consider one of them a "trophy" wife. They are, in fact, educated, refined women, who, like myself, are a decade or more beyond the "trophy" wife age.

This tells me that, although these men/boys can be quite naughty a day or two a year, they have a little more character than you give them credit for.

Furthermore, I feel quite certain that, had he chosen to, my husband could have become a pirate. However, he chose to join the Knights of Sant' Yago. He is a Cuban immigrant and he enjoys the Spanish heritage and the sense of companionship that he associates with that particular krewe (although many of his best friends, in the krewe, happen not to be Hispanic).

I'm sure, at this time, there are hundreds of men that would love to become a pirate and cannot get in.

However, there are many other krewes to choose from, whether male, female, Hispanic, Caucasian, or African-American.

My husband is very active in his krewe and recently was the chairman of the Coronation Ball. We know firsthand how difficult it is to make accommodations for a very large function. Therefore, we understand completely why there has to be limitations on the number of members. In fact, we are amazed that they manage to accommodate the number that they do.

I'm sure that you noticed that the population of Tampa swelled this weekend. We live on Harbour Island, and I can assure you that we certainly were aware. There were quite a few inconveniences for us.

However, all one needs to do is to look around at the busy hotels, restaurants, etc., to realize what a boon it is to the economy. It is much more than that. It adds a sense of fun and novelty to the city and gives its residents a feeling of community.

For those that choose to join a krewe, it becomes even more. It is a way to get involved, meet people, make friends, socialize, increase business contacts, and much, much more.

So the next time you decide to be so darned cute, think about it. The Bucs are great and the pirates aren't so bad.
-- Teresa Armas, Harbour Island

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Letters: Your Turn: Jab at pirates in poor taste