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Deputies should be held accountable in Taser attack

Re: Stories differ on Taser use on 75-year-old, Feb. 3.

I was deeply disturbed by this article. Charles Faybik appears to have been at home minding his own business when Pinellas deputies - without a warrant or evidence of a crime in progress - forced their way into his home without invitation. (Even the deputies' account - with spin - seems to bear this out.)

Why the deputies felt that Faybik was required to show them his hands, let them in, or obey any of their orders seems to be the core question here. If, as I believe, they had no right to have forcibly invaded Faybik's home, they first commited home invasion, then committed assault and battery by firing Tasers into him.

This matter was handled as if were a poorly organized drug raid by an inept SWAT team. Unfortunately, this "raid" was conducted without a legal warrant issued by a judge. Under the U.S. Constitution, one of our most fundamental rights is to the security and privacy of our own homes. Sadly, the Pinellas Sheriff's Office seems not to have instructed its officers in this most basic of American rights.

The Taser attack, while egregious and life-threatening, could not have occurred if the deputies had not forced their way into Faybik's home. I strongly recommend criminal prosecution of the officers involved.

A plan to avoid media criticism

Re: Taser-happy deputies, editorial, Feb. 4.

I wish to compliment the editorial board for bringing to our attention the proper use of the Taser on individuals who do not wish to comply with commands of the police officers.

The board suggests that the officers should ask the individual how old he is and if he has any medical problems prior to using the Taser to force him to comply. The board also suggests that other less dangerous options should have been used by the officers, but did not suggest any options.

The officers could have used better judgment, once they determined that the man did not have a gun in his hand. They should have left the scene and called for crisis intervention teams to handle the possible attempted suicide. That would have been the proper way to handle the situation and avoid being criticized by the press.

An egregious violation of civil liberties

Re: Stories differ on Taser use on 75-year-old.

The Taser shooting of Charles Faybik with no criminal charges against him, using the Baker Act, is the most egregious violation of civil liberties one can imagine. Florida's Baker Act allows police to take someone into custody on the possibility that he might harm himself in the future. Anyone enforcing the Baker Act is immune from redress, so we are all in danger of police violence against us with no criminal activity, violence or weapons.

We must remove the Baker Act. Of all people in the United States today taken into civil custody by police, 22 percent were here in Florida. Tasers have killed many, as have rubber bullets and restraints. Let's restore our freedom.

Royalty allegations were flawed

Re: The royalty shaft, editorial, Jan. 24.

You repeated fatally flawed allegations by the New York Times that natural gas companies underpaid royalties to the government. A closer look at the situation would have revealed that the New York Times made invalid assumptions and comparisons, misstated the government's royalty data, omitted critical, easily obtainable information and relied heavily on unsubstantiated, inflammatory charges of industry critics. For example, the New York Times gathered government price data from one period of time and used it improperly to draw conclusions about royalties collected over a different period. Furthermore, that paper compared two very different types of data sets that are used for two very different purposes.

Oil and gas companies have a legal obligation to pay royalties in full. But royalties are a complicated subject, and no one should imply wrongdoing without a full understanding of the facts.

Get moving on alternative energy

Re: Alternative fuels.

If the federal government really intends for the United States to become energy independent, it must pursue that effort as was done in the early 1960s with the Apollo space program. The political commitment must be made and the government funding must drive the effort. We were able to send men into space and return them safely in less than a decade. I see no reason why we cannot achieve this with alternative fuels for automobiles as well as energy for homes and businesses using renewable sources such as solar, wind and other means yet to be developed.

The oil company executives are certainly the last people on this planet who will support any efforts to help develop alternative fuels. The people of the United States must tell their leaders in Washington that we must get moving on development of alternative sources of energy.

A diversionary tactic in Hillsborough

Re: Hillsborough crafts rules for strip clubs, Feb. 9.

Question: What do you do if you are a governmental entity and have no ability nor inclination to solve societal problems such as educational deficiencies of our children or deficient care of our elderly, poor and sick?

Answer: Divert attention from real problems that affect each of us every day and focus on a law to ban nudity.

Hillsborough County's decision to rewrite the laws on topless dancing is yet another, in an endless stream of cynical manipulation by politicians to turn our attention away from what really matters. Doesn't anyone else see this?

Two courageous women

Re: Friedan remembered as a pioneer, mother; and Mourners line up for King, Feb. 7.

Our nation mourns the passing of two influential women, one white, the other black: Betty Friedan, who will be remembered as a feminist pioneer and revolutionist, and Coretta Scott King, the widow of the slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who will be remembered as the "first lady of the civil rights movement."

Both of these courageous women have made their claim in history. I thought it was fitting that these stories honoring each of them were on the same page of the St. Petersburg Times.

My thought is that both Friedan and King would have approved of the recognition and the story placement, as each story complemented the other.

[Last modified February 13, 2006, 00:45:19]