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Largo might catch up in 20 years

Like Largo City Commissioner Gigi Arntzen, I too questioned City Manager Steve Stanton's decisions when city employees were terminated for improper conduct.

In fact, my response was that of anger when Stanton fired 30-year Largo public works employee James Gesicki for not reporting to work on Aug. 13, 2004, when Hurricane Charley was predicted to hit Pinellas County, and instead looked after his 81-year-old mother.

But two wrongs do not make a right. And taking an old grudge against Stanton and using it as a reason to dismiss him because of plans for a sex-change operation is not only unprofessional, it's unethical.

In a nutshell, the city of Largo is behind the times. Maybe in 20 years or so it will catch up with the rest of the world. While yesterday's society fought desegregation, today's panic is homophobia.

Despite the hurt over his own expectations, Stanton should take pride that he is a trailblazer, possibly making it easier for the next individual who dares to step out of the mold. Maybe he'll even write a book. There is an old saying: "When one door closes, another opens." With all of the publicity this situation has generated, plus 14 years of city management under his belt, Stanton may get a better offer somewhere else. Most likely, in a place where little minds won't tear him in two.

By the way, I heard Stanton's interview with Michele Norris on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. Just for the record, he sounded great and quite confident. As Stanton knows, not everyone gets to be on NPR. More power to him.

JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater

Police violated woman's rights

While I was disappointed that Largo city commissioners allowed bigotry to overtake good judgment and fire a very capable city manager, I was more appalled that their police officers would assault our First Amendment rights and manhandle a young woman peacefully exercising those rights in a public place. That's unlawful, and their pretext for doing so still doesn't make it legal.

If they can't legally arrest someone for exercising their constitutional right to free speech, then she can't be found guilty of resisting arrest, since the arrest was unlawful, and if there was any violence, then the officers should be arrested for assaulting this woman. At the very least they should stand trial for violating her civil rights.

For the protection of all of us, I hope the Justice Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement will do their job and pursue this fully.

Bill Hammond, Clearwater

Now ashamed to live in Largo

We live in Largo's city limits and we are so ashamed to be in Largo. We were proud to call Largo our home until Tuesday night.

I have lived in this area for 56 years. When I first moved here and was enrolled at Clearwater High School, Largo was the hillbilly haven. I was so proud then to say I lived in Clearwater!

We have lived in Largo for the past 41 years. My children all went to Largo High School. We have watched Largo become a city that we were very proud of, but no more.

Tuesday night, we felt like we were watching a Salem group raising up against what they thought were witches. We were close to tears. We never could imagine that in today's world, such things could happen.

Largo City Manager Steve Stanton should have been allowed to keep his position. He might have moved on at some later date, but it would have been on his terms, not because of a bunch of misinformed people. These are the type of people who probably would throw my Jesus out on his ear because of the way he would take bread with sinners and tax collectors.

My Jesus is a loving Jesus, not a vindictive Jesus.

Dottie and Karl Strinka, Largo

[Last modified March 2, 2007, 06:43:26]