Re: It is time to rethink the defense of Al-Arian, by Mary Jo Melone, Aug. 3.
Mary Jo Melone is not looking at the entire picture regarding Dr. Sami Al-Arian. Al-Arian and his co-defendant, Sameeh Hammoudeh, are not yet on trial and it is not up to the press to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. Why is she not concerned with the conditions under which they are being held rather than the release of evidence upon which these detainees have no opportunity to comment?
I wish that Melone had put aside her misgivings about what apparently were earlier sympathies for Al-Arian, and instead focused her concerns on the inhumane treatment of Al-Arian prior to his trial.
The Justice Department's inspector general recently gave a detailed account of deliberate, pervasive violations of the rights and liberties of hundreds imprisoned by Attorney General John Ashcroft in the wake of 9/11. Why is Melone not questioning the solitary confinement of Al-Arian and Hammoudeh? They are being held in a maximum security prison built to house dangerous, convicted criminals. They rarely see daylight and were continually strip-searched until a judge intervened. Legal mail from attorneys was opened, attorney visits were delayed and interrupted, telephone calls to family are denied and other visitors were not allowed.
Does it occur to Melone that our government is using its power in a very abusive way that is a violation of due process and humane treatment?
The judge has set a trial date of January 2005, a denial of the right to a speedy trial. Will these men be emotionally and physically able to defend or even attend their trial by then? And can they receive a fair trial when the government can introduce secret evidence that the defendants are not allowed to see?
National defense implies not only defense of our land, but of our values, and our most basic value is the rule of law. The president and attorney general are setting standards that have no basis in law or history. The Constitution does not distinguish between citizens or noncitizens when addressing fundamental liberties on American soil.
-- Dwight Lawton, St. Petersburg
Make demands on Israel
Re: Forgotten man: an audience with Yasser Arafat, by Robert Brooks, Aug. 3.
What are the reasons that Yasser Arafat still has an audience and following in the Middle East? Robert D. Brooks' article was very insightful and it made me realize that we really need to address this phenomenon of support. While we are being fed information that Arafat and the Palestinians are simply rogue detractors on the "road map" to Middle East peace, we are in total denial that we have been supporting Israel's expansionist policy and have been supplying weapons that kill and injure Palestinian nationals. For some reason, we are surprised when they retaliate. It is one thing to legitimately support the right of Israel to exist, yet it is totally different to support its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Why is there such little talk on this important issue?
How can we expect to be considered neutral when we supply the means to murder innocent Palestinians in their land? Is it really that surprising that many in the Arabic world see us as hypocrites when we invade an Arabic country and turn our heads to a "Western" invasion in the Holy Land?
Come on, America. Do whatever it takes to restore our credibility. It is time to make strong demands on Israel to end its occupation of land outside of its country. Only then will Yasser Arafat be able to retire, knowing that the true "road map" to peace has been implemented.
-- Rand Moorhead, St. Petersburg
An important election
Re: Is Dean a picture-perfect Democrat or a danger to his party?, Aug. 3.
Philip Gailey has given us some food for thought. Is Howard Dean a true Democrat, standing up for the rights of the people, for the people and by the people? Or is it John Kerry? Who has the backbone in the Democratic Party, which one needs in today's presidential market, to stand for the rights of the lower and middle class and to fight big business, the monied and organizations such as the National Rifle Association, etc.?
That's what we must think about from now until the 2004 election. It is a difficult task, to say the least, and it depends upon what you want of your government and its Constitution, which has fulfilled its tasks until now.
The election in 2004 will be an important one. It will be the difference between a country run for the benefit of big business and the wealthy or for the benefit of the people. Think about it!
-- Judith M. Stevens, Clearwater
Preserve Head Start
Re: Giving Head Start room to grow in state hands, by David Broder, Aug. 3.
Has David Broder seen recent GAO research that shows an average of 36 percent of federal funds that go to states is kept for "administrative" purposes? Does Broder know that in Pinellas County alone that this 36 percent would mean that 581 children would not receive Head Start services? And if the number of children served weren't cut, it might mean the elimination of family services and/or health services to the children served by our local program, which by the way, has been recognized nationally as a "Program of Excellence."
In my years of being affiliated with Head Start programs, I have known many parents who, because of the Head Start experience, are now self-sufficient taxpayers and many children who have received screenings that have uncovered problems which, if left untreated, would have caused later problems in the public school setting.
-- Needless to say, I am a firm believer in Head Start. I would encourage all of your readers to contact their congressional representatives and senators and tell them not to mess with a proven successful program.
I am certain that many of your readers could provide testimonials to the difference that Head Start has made in their lives. Head Start parents, past and present, let your voices be heard, tell your stories and tell your congressmen.
-- Robert C. Mielke, Spring Hill
Parks are good business
Re: Redesigning downtown Tampa, editorial, Aug. 3.
I'm pleased to see the St. Petersburg Times' encouragement of a city park for Tampa. To ignore the "drawing power" of a focal point for the city is simply bad financial planning.
Cities can learn by history and observation. A city that is "dead" on the weekend and "evacuated" with the 5 p.m. rush hour is losing money. You don't have to look at the books, but I did. When I worked for the Maryland Legislature in the late '60s, the fiscal problems of Baltimore were the state's problems as well.
Cities can learn what worked and did not work in other cities that traveled through renewal. Planning a city does not mean ad-hoc reinvention. Nor should a city ignore the joy of life. It is not antibusiness to create an attractive and livable city center. It is good business.
Run through Central Park on a Saturday morning and you view: a baseball game, dogs, picnics, boats sailing in the ponds and an opera singer who decided to entertain for fun. Why not in Tampa and St. Petersburg? We have such beautiful locations on the waterfront. The vision of what can be is here and now.
-- Geneva Forrester, St. Petersburg
Think of the costs
Re: Redesigning downtown Tampa.
Your opinion that Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio should demolish the Poe garage to clear three city blocks didn't include its costs. Is it your intention, via this editorial, that your readers not concern themselves with the issue of costs?
So far in this grand revamping scheme, Tampa's taxpayers are supposed to fund construction of a new art museum (ka-ching), demolition of the old museum (ka-ching), construction of a new riverfront park (ka-ching), demolition of the old garage (ka-ching), and construction of a new replacement garage (ka-ching).
Furthermore the Poe garage does not "clog" Tampa's waterfront, it is set back well off of it. Nothing about the Poe garage interferes with the open park design and in fact the arts campus needs this parking. Why would any city destroy a perfectly good parking garage of 900 spaces that is directly across the street from the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, our Main Library, Curtis Hixon Park and the riverfront?
One could hardly think of a less appropriate use for the Community Investment Tax which was sold to the voters to help our schools, police and firefighters, and - oh, yes, who could forget? - a football stadium. And now it will be used for the art museum, et al.
-- Ellis Curry, Tampa
[Last modified August 10, 2003, 04:12:16]
