Re: Parents' prank lands girls in cuffs, story, Nov. 21.
The Largo police did this and then the Largo police did that.
STOP! Jake and Lisa Moran, you were the ones who decided to play pranks as a tradition. You were the ones who cut the power to your house and scared those girls into running outside, in their pajamas, after midnight. The police arrived in your neighborhood around the same time, by coincidence, to investigate a stressful and potentially dangerous call: shots fired.
But of course what happened to the girls is the fault of overreacting Largo police officers, because 14-year-olds don't carry guns these days. Right?
You should be thankful it was the police who got hold of the girls and not some child molester or rapist roaming the area at night. What if one of those scared girls had run out in front of a car and gotten hit?
Here's a novel idea: Take responsibility for your foolish "tradition" and for putting those girls in a dangerous situation that night, instead of crying "poor me" to the newspaper. Kids are the ones who play stupid and dangerous pranks, not adults.
-- Robert Wierzba, Palm Harbor
Police acted commendably night shots were reported
Re: Parents' prank lands girls in cuffs, story, Nov. 21.
I hope that the Largo Police Department does not accept responsibility for the questionable judgment of these parents. What kind of parents have a tradition of terrorizing their children in the middle of the night, sending them running into the streets in their pajamas?
Please, let us not condemn the police for responding to a citizen's complaint, encountering a surreal situation and handling it in a manner to assure the safety of the public and themselves.
If these people didn't know it before, they need to know it now: When a cop says stop, you stop. You don't protest innocence by persistently yelling it in his face. You quietly wait, and when he is ready to listen (and he will be when he knows there is no longer a threat), you explain your outrageous behavior. When he realizes that you are not a danger to yourself or others, he will send you on your way.
To Sgt. Melanie Holley and the other officers, I say, good job!
-- Bill Reichold, Largo
Civil rights movement is tearing the country apart
The continuing drive to rename a street in every city, town and burgh to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is becoming boring and tiresome. Where will it end? Do we need to also rename a city? How does changing Selma, Ala., to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. City sound? How about renaming the country to the DISunited States of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., because that's what the civil rights movement has done to this country - disunited us. We are now aware of far more ethnic divisions that we did not know existed.
Here's another idea: For each Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. street we have, let's also have a President George Washington, President Abraham Lincoln, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and President Dwight David Eisenhower street. I believe these men, to name just a few, were important men in our history.
-- Cecil Ruckart, Oldsmar
Clearwater comes of age - it's time for second cinema
I am someone who truly enjoys knowing the history of the place I call home, therefore I appreciate your section of the Sunday Times titled Pinellas History. I am often amused about how so many things have changed and yet so many have also stayed the same.
I noticed that on Nov. 6, 1928, there was an article announcing the opening of Clearwater's first and only movie theater.
My, how little has changed.
I believe our little town has grown over the past 75 years to the point that we can now support a second movie theater. As much as I enjoy the drive to Oldsmar or Largo, I would much rather spend my time and my money in my town.
I have heard Clearwater Commissioners Frank Hibbard and Hoyt Hamilton and Mayor Brian Aungst voice support for the idea and I am hoping that this letter will be printed and responses received from your readers. Perhaps if there is a ground swell of support, a kindly developer will see the profit potential, and Clearwater can rejoice in the opening of its second movie theater. Who knows, by 2078 we may even get a third one!
-- Daniel Dennehy, Clearwater
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