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Letters to the Editor

County, love earth like Chief Seattle did

Re: On ecology, Pinellas needs to listen, editorial, June 12.

Pinellas County is headed down the wrong path if it does not do everything possible to protect our environment. We get only one opportunity to protect our environment.

The new Environmental Science Forum will not be of any use if it does not have the power to enforce the laws protecting our environment. Listen to the wise words of Chief Seattle: "How can you buy or sell the sky? The land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?" and "We are part of the earth, and the earth is part of us." How can an American Indian chief, who lived more than 100 years ago, know so much more than our county commissioners?

There is an expression: "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Well, I think we need to add the expression: "If it's too stupid to be true, it probably is." As Forrest Gump says, "Stupid is as stupid does." Well, our county commissioners are surely doing some pretty stupid things.

We can only hope that County Administrator Steve Spratt isn't giving them this kind of advice. If he is, then we may need a new county administrator.

Margaret Hyde, Clearwater

A contract with sheriff might eliminate small-town politics

Re: Tarpon would be wise to contract with sheriff, letter, May 22.

This is not the first time that I have seen this proposal, and I agree. Even if it weren't better, it certainly couldn't be any worse.

Here is an example of small-town politics:

Sunset Hills Addition is within Gulf Road on the south, Poinsettia Avenue on the north, Florida Avenue on the west and Glades Avenue on the east. There are three east-west streets in this addition (Tallahassee, Oleander and Garden) that are barricaded on both ends at Florida and Glades. They have been barricaded for at least 18 years.

The police chief, the city manager and the mayor refuse to remove them and open these streets for use by residents other than those of Sunset Hills. This places an extreme amount of traffic on Poinsettia. I petitioned three times during a 10-year period to remove these barricades and open these streets, to no avail.

Garden Avenue parallels Poinsettia Avenue and could be improved at little expense because the roadbed and sidewalks are in place. It is a straight line between Florida and Riverside, and there is no valid reason to keep it closed. It is sorely needed to handle the traffic, which has increased and continues to increase as development takes place on the west side of town.

Kenneth Hornaday, Tarpon Springs

Man's death can be blamed only on himself, not police

Re: Police must exercise more caution when using Tasers, letter, June 2.

The letter writer chooses to ignore half of the facts stated for public records.

Here was a man who rented a limo so he and his friends could go drinking. The limo left at its appointed time because he was still drinking. He chose to drink too much. He also reportedly ingested cocaine and marijuana. He chose to wander to a motel, where he began destroying property.

Police officers used restraint in trying to handle this "responsible" person. How long should you allow a 270-pound person to continue to throw things at you? What amount of time is sufficient? Is everyone allowed to fight back at the police after several warnings or only the nice, "professional, responsible" man? What about the injuries that most certainly were received by the officers in trying to subdue this man?

The writer says, "... this is a death that never should have happened ..." This man made many choices that day that led to the veteran police officers having to do their jobs and now having to live with the consequences of his actions.

The Taser did not kill this man. Nowhere does it say that. This man died because he continued to physically fight the police. A terrible accident, yes, but all because of every choice this man made that day, up until the moment he died.

Judith Moroff, Palm Harbor, and Mary TenBieg, Clearwater

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[Last modified June 20, 2006, 07:04:42]