Banning gay marriage doesn't seem like a Christian thing
Letters to the EditorPublished February 17, 2005
Re: Group seeks to ban gay marriage, Feb. 12.
As a Christian I'm saddened to read that a so-called Christian group is seeking to place a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the ballot in Florida.
Why do we continue to focus on this issue while we ignore the true call of all Christians? Jesus spent his time on earth uniting his people, feeding the hungry, giving hope to those who had none. Jesus was too busy saving people; he never even mentioned homosexuality.
Why don't we Christians follow Jesus and call for constitutional amendments requiring all children have access to health care or requiring the homeless be sheltered and fed? Why are we so organized to fight gays but not hunger or poverty?
When I'm asked to sign the petition I will refuse, and I'll ask, "What did Jesus do?"
-- Al Giraud, Tampa
message of hate
Re: Group seeks to ban gay marriage.
The conservative Christians in this country seem to believe that everyone should share the same beliefs that they do. When will they learn that religion and government should not mix, no matter the subject. If a group does not like gay marriage, fine, don't allow it in your church. But banning it from our society is akin to discrimination based on sexual orientation.
I ask the voters of Florida to not sign this petition. It will send a message of hate - that the gay community is not welcome here. You cannot change a person who does not want to change, and that is what this amendment is trying to do. Simply because the majority of people say it's right, doesn't mean it is.
-- Joe Spain, St. Petersburg
Missing morality
A petition to add an amendment to the state Constitution that would ban gay marriage, or any other legal gay unions, will not stop gays from forming relationships. All it will do is make it more difficult for them to support their families. Where is the morality in that?
-- Tim Garren, Tampa
Juvenile Justice has been responsive
Re: Lawmakers slam no-bid contract, Feb. 8.
The program mentioned in your article is the most innovative ever undertaken by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in its 10-year history. We believe it will improve our already outstanding recidivism rates that are currently at all-time lows.
Since the department is committed to an honest, open and transparent procurement process, we took seriously the concerns of our legislative leaders and responded. We pulled parts of the contract and gave the provider 90-days' notice.
It is important to note that the Legislature specifically identified the comprehensive therapies it wanted used in this pilot program. Evidence Based Associates is the licensing agency for these programs. The department feels that this company is the premiere choice to ensure that proper standards are established during this very complex pilot program. Our plan is to expand the pilot program via competitive bids once it is proven effective.
-- Anthony Schembri, secretary, Department of Juvenile Justice, Tallahassee
A chance for personal responsibility
Re: President Bush aims his spear at welfare state, by Paul Krugman, Feb. 9.
What President Bush is aiming his "spear" at are welfare abuses and complacency. Like many of us, he realizes abuses exist in welfare and that Social Security is about to implode.
Paul Krugman is accusing the president of fraud without giving us examples of the "Krugman way" to improve both systems. What Krugman does do is throw out undefined words and events such as "clawback" and "underbelly."
The president's proposal for Social Security is forward-looking and not designed to destroy the program. The president is offering us the opportunity to add one more choice on how we will prepare for our future style of living. For me, at age 68, and all those over 55, we will not be affected. Those under 55 are being given the choice to stay in the system as is or opt to create a "personal" savings account with a chosen portion of the Social Security funds they are now required to pay in each year.
Sounds like a sound opportunity for personal responsibility to me.
-- Attilio Corbo, Palm Harbor
Aiming to do some damage
Paul Krugman's Feb. 9 column, President Bush aims his spear at welfare state , is one of the better commentaries on the Bush administration's domestic agenda.
Stephen Moore of the Club for Growth and the Cato Institute is quoted as saying, "Social Security is the soft underbelly of the welfare state" and "If you can jab your spear through that you can undermine the whole welfare state," by which Moore means Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
The tragedy of this administration's domestic agenda is those who have their hands on this "spear" and use their force to jab it into the "soft underbelly of the welfare state" will be long gone when upcoming generations will have to deal with the damage done by these irresponsible representatives of the government.
-- Russell Lee Johnson, St. Petersburg
Not feeling so well off
Re: Social Security shouldn't be a retirement subsidy, Feb. 10.
Robert Samuelson seems to think that senior citizens depend on their Social Security to take cruises and gamble. Who is he talking about? Not me and not my neighbors who are still working to make ends meet.
Samuelson hasn't been talking to many senior citizens to find out how many of them use their Social Security checks to pay for a cruise. It may be wise for him to do this so he can see the Social Security problem in a different light. Since he says he will likely be in the richest fifth of retirees, he can send his Social Security check back to President Bush and let us decide what to do with ours, since the majority of us are not in his class.
-- Judith M. Stevens, Clearwater
Cell phones not the only distraction
Re: No phone call is more important than a life, Feb. 10.
Some people are totally incapable of making a phone call and driving at the same time. Some people are totally incapable of chewing gum and walking at the same time. Many, many other people are perfectly capable of multitasking.
Of course, cell phones are far from the only distraction on the road: Lots of distractions are provided by our own public works people. One of my least favorites is the woman with her face stuck in the rearview mirror applying mascara with her right hand while holding the steering wheel in her left hand and presumably watching the road with her sixth sense.
In any case, I find it easy to spot distracted drivers on the road, and have used my car horn to wake them up. It works, involves no new legislation, but has been known to smear makeup.
-- Edward P. Garnier, Largo