I was appalled at this front-page story. Especially shocking was the quote, " "Shoot him, Daddy!' the little girl shouted. "Shoot him!' "
Is this the legacy we are leaving our children - killing and violence instead of kindness and compassion? I had hoped the younger generation would be teaching their children to preserve and appreciate the wildlife, which is rapidly disappearing. I see no difference in a child shooting a wild animal or getting the same kick out of killing a domestic animal.
The papers have been full of young people killing and torturing animals. And now your paper encourages it. Shame on you, St. Petersburg Times!
-- Helen F. Costa-Schultz, New Port Richey
This terrible sport
Re: Scavenging for more hunters.
I was appalled, disgusted and just plain mad after reading this story.
Am I the only one who sees something wrong with teaching and encouraging small children that it is okay to shoot and kill innocent creatures? There are fewer and fewer hunting licenses being issued, so we now have to draft little kids into this terrible "sport"? This is a perfect example of why we live in such a hateful, violent world. It is apparently taught from an early age that killing is "fun." Sick.
-- Tiffany Newgent, Clearwater
Left should try truth
Re: LEFT BEHIND: Can liberal networks make a go of it? Dec. 21.
Trying to rationalize if liberals can make it on talk radio, comic Al Franken says, "I have to see if this is something we can pull off . . . there's so many things stacked against it."
Yeah! Like the truth. Facts, truth and reality just seem to be missing from the steady flow of liberal news programs, editorials and daily letters to the editor.
For example, the Dec. 21 letter A rational loathing says it all. I could give this emotional ranting maybe 3 minutes, if I just happened to tune in on a new talk show.
I traded in the Volkswagen bus and pony tail long ago. So if you want me to listen to your talk show, I need facts, not how you "feel" the world should be, but the ugly truth of how the world has to be.
-- Rick Burdick, Indian Rocks Beach
An entertainment void
Re: LEFT BEHIND: Can liberal networks make a go of it?
Todd Schnitt is correct. Liberals would have to be entertaining to be successful, and I can't name one liberal who has a sense of humor, much less entertainment potential.
Think about it: A liberal radio network would be Puritan Cotton Mather, Hell & Brimstone Sermons, trashing America 24/7, delivered with all the excitement of a wrinkled, old school marm like Madeline Albright. Oh boy!
-- James B. Johnson, Port Richey
Blaming America
Re: LEFT BEHIND: Can liberal networks make a go of it?
Eric Deggans chose a quote that pretty much encapsulates what's wrong with liberals: "Liberals say this is still a racist country, still a sexist country and still oppresses the poor."
I'm not a racist or a sexist, and I don't know anybody who is, either. I don't oppress anybody. Are there racists in America? Sure. But is the nation racist? No. Sounds like "blame America first" to me.
-- Ernest Lane, Trinity
Little for liberals
Re: LEFT BEHIND: Can liberal networks make a go of it?
I like to listen to talk radio but my only choices, locally, are pretty much a sea of extreme right wing blather. I would love an alternative to the conservative punditry that's currently offered in the Tampa Bay area. I get two or three hours of WMNF-FM 88.5 at lunch time and that's it. I had to laugh when you put NPR and PBS in the liberal category of programming - hardly a liberal voice in opposition to what is being offered as conservative talk radio. They really are for the 85 and over set who don't like confrontation and who want to listen to soft interest stories.
Eric Deggans' story stated women and liberals don't seem to fare well on talk radio. Ever heard of Randi Rhodes? She is a fiery liberal voice in South Florida on 1290 WJNO. She is on at one of the prime times, 3 to 7 p.m., drive time, because she is great at what she does. She finds plenty to talk about (with the extreme right controlling Washington, there is plenty to talk about) and she is very entertaining and intelligent.
Let's face it, we liberals have very few listening choices in the Tampa Bay area compared to the rest of the country, and according to the article the rest of the country is complaining, too.
-- Nancy Whitman, St. Petersburg
We are all flawed
Re: Infidelity reveals a person's character, letter, Dec. 21.
The letter writer is right to say that character cannot be turned on or off either at home or work. Each of us brings our character strengths and flaws everywhere we go. Like everyone else, the letter writer has made mistakes and has brought his flaws everywhere he has gone as well. If moral perfection is the standard by which we all need to be judged in order to progress in our careers or maintain any progression, I'm afraid we would all be relegated to the first rung on the ladder.
There is a good reason why the major religions emphasize and provide for absolution, atonement and similar concepts. Human beings are not able to live a morally perfect existence.
-- Steven Leser, St. Petersburg
If Dean had been president
Re: A dangerous candidate, letter, Dec. 21.
The letter writer wondered what the state of America would be if Howard Dean had been president instead of George Bush. I agree with part of what he said. Saddam Hussein might still be in power today, but the United Nations would have inspectors on the job there and it would have been proven beyond a doubt, as I think it now has been, that there were no WMDs. We would not have gone to war with Iraq and all our dead soldiers would be alive and home for Christmas with their families. All our brave men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, etc., would still possess those things.
We would have spent our time, troops and energy in pursuing Osama bin Laden, since he and not Saddam Hussein is responsible for the attack at the twin towers and the deaths of 3,000 or more innocent Americans. And under Dean, we would have found him.
Instead we have a pompous president, dressing up in soldiers' jackets and flight suits. We have a free bin Laden, organizing new atrocities and building up his army of terrorists, no doubt laughing at us all the while. America has lost the respect and friendship of most of our traditional allies and our people are out of work in record numbers. And so many of our children have no health insurance and not even enough food on the table at night.
Yes, I agree, this would certainly have been a different America now if Howard Dean had been the president for the last four years.
-- Frances Earl, Spring Hill
Where is the outrage?
Re: No telling if voter rolls are ready in 2004, Dec. 21.
"Despite three years of reform. inconsistencies and obstacles remain." Thousands were denied the constitutional right to vote in 2000. More could be denied in the upcoming election. Voting is one of the fundamental democratic principles. Where is the outrage?
-- Jim Loveland, Gulfport
Ease way for felons
Re: No telling if voter rolls are ready in 2004.
We wish to thank the Times for writing an informative and comprehensive story on Florida's disenfranchised citizens. Emphasis must be placed on the fact that these ex-felons are not only excluded from voting, but they are also banned from getting the licenses required to become contractors, medical professionals, (including auxiliary personnel) and other tradesmen and professionals. We believe this to be unfair and counterproductive to those who have paid their dues to society.
All ex-felons should be allowed to vote and be gainfully employed without the need to go through the tedious and arbitrary application process which almost all other states don't require. Let's change this archaic law and remove the voter/civil rights issue from political influence.
-- Glenn and Kay Paul, Indian Rocks Beach
Revisiting water rates
Re: Water disincentives, letter, Dec. 21.
The letter writer is absolutely correct about water billing. The minimum bill was set up to help pay for basic costs required to maintain each account. However, it does discourage conservation. We have just completed a rate study to change the way we bill for our services. Elimination of the minimum consumption is one of the changes we will recommend to the Pinellas County Commission by February, 2004.
-- Pick Talley, director of utilities, Pinellas County
[Last modified December 28, 2003, 01:01:07]
