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What about free speech, thinking?

Re: Man: I was hate crime victim, story Jan. 31.

I was totally aghast as I read this article. Since when does the FBI get involved in a name-calling incident? Doesn't our Constitution afford us the right of free speech and free thinking?

While I don't condone what happened and understand that Derar Ahmad is upset about the incident, to turn it into a such a full-blown media event is ridiculous. Even people who witnessed the incident stated that Mr. Ahmad became more dramatic and elaborate as he described what happened.

When did everyone in this country become so sensitive that they call the police because somebody called them a name or insulted their beliefs? I hope Mr. Ahmad pays taxes here so he can help fund any "investigation" by the FBI.

Kim Nelson, Dunedin

Re: Anonymous anti-Muslim flier raises ire, story Jan. 29.

Upset resident wanted attention

One gets the feeling that Joel Harper saw an opportunity to get his name in the news by being politically correct and raising a stink over the so-called anti-Mulsim fliers.

The fliers state a person's opinion on what the writer thinks some - I repeat, some - Muslims might be planning. This is the flier writer's opinion.

You would think that if a person really believes the United States is in danger, he would feel obligated to warn his neighbors.

Mr. Harper could have just tossed the flier. I get fliers every day. I don't try to use them to make myself look good in the media.

Pat Pearlman, Largo

Re: Tough crowd at bullying event, story Jan. 20.

Antibullying event significant

I would like to begin by thanking St. Petersburg Times staff writer Sheela Raman for writing a fair and unbiased account of our school's antibullying conference, "Unity Day."

We did play to a tough crowd, but that was the point. There would be very little value in holding workshops designed to diminish bullying in our school and only have students who are neither bullies nor bullied.

It was a long, hard day. Some activities worked and others did not. As one of the facilitators of the event, I learned a great deal about how to improve our next Unity Day event.

Although it was my hope that none of the participants would see the conference as a punishment, many did. It is true that we started with more than 70 students and ended with 50. Many were sent out for bad behavior; a few asked to go back to their classes. Each student that made it to the end signed an Anti-Bully Pledge. Those are the students that the next event will focus on.

The amazing thing that came out of this event is the enthusiasm of those who participated. Several students who I did not know before that day now pass my door between classes and say, "Hi." A few even hug me.

Many students who were asked to leave expressed their disappointment at not making it to the end of the day. Four of the participants of the day wrote and performed an antibully rap on the morning announcements the Monday after the event.

Even though the day was not as smooth and as easy as I had wished, it had great significance. The students who bully are not spoiled, pampered children who know better. Many of these students are only mirroring the behavior and attitudes that they see in the world around them. They truly do not know better.

The conference may not have changed the behavior of every student who participated, but it did present alternatives to bad behavior.

Regarding the letter by Jack Bray (A lecture? Bullies need punishment, Jan. 26), I do not believe that smacking a student's knuckles with a ruler will teach better behavior. I think all a wrap on the knuckles will teach is that a ruler can be used as a weapon.

Yes, I did feel that I was banging my head against a wall a good part of the day. The funny thing is I intend to continue to bang my head against that wall. The way I see it one of two things will happen. Either I will crack my skull open or I will eventually knock down that wall.

I'm counting on bringing the wall down.

Deborah Stieglitz, Dunedin Middle School language arts teacher

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[Last modified February 1, 2007, 06:55:36]