Today's Letters: Attack had more than one victim

Attack had more than one victim

To all the coaches of New Port Richey who think Julian Ford is entitled to play football at Gulf High, the one who suffers the most is the 15-year-old girl who was sleeping at the time of the attack.

The suspect took her college money. It had been saved for her but went to pay for medical expenses instead.

One man's mistake can mess up a lot of innocent lives.

Robert Amato, New Port Richey

Political club's leader ousted Sept. 18, story

Louise Hinkley deserved better

As charter members of the Democratic Women's Club of Pasco County, we are disappointed that your reporter did not do a little more investigating. If she had, she would have discovered that Louise Hinkley is a dedicated, honest, hardworking, loyal Democrat.

She has given unstinting of her time, energy and money to further the growth of this club. Through Louise's efforts consumer groups, battered women and other community organizations have been aided in getting their message to the public. Any mistakes that were made were honest ones and should not have resulted in her ouster.

Cynthia Folit, Gladys Lerman and Faye Stoller, New Port Richey

Republicans should back Rudy Sept. 18, letter

On backing Rudy: Not so fast

When it comes to gun rights radicals, the letter writer is a bit of a radical himself. His viewpoints are one-sided and he is having trouble keeping things in perspective.

Mr. Giuliani's campaign Web site calls him a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. The Web site contains a video of Mr. Giuliani discussing the issue. "My position is that whatever my personal view is, the Constitution of the United States decides this," he said in the video. "The Constitution of the United States says that you have a personal right to carry arms, to have arms."

Additionally, Mr. Giuliani may still face difficulty in overcoming the doubts of some Republican voters troubled by aspects of his personal life, including his strained relationship with his children and the fact that he has been married three times. Two-thirds of Republican primary voters said candidates should be judged not only on their political records, but also on their personal lives.

Does the Second Amendment apply to modern guns the same way it applied to flintlocks? Isn't the Second Amendment dated and obsolete? Just as the First Amendment applies to the modern printing press and the Internet, the Second Amendment applies to modern firearms. The most important aspect of the Second Amendment is the philosophy on which it is founded: that all free people have the right to defend themselves, their families, communities and nation. In 1789 it applied to the freedom to keep and bear arms just as it does today. The technological advances of the past two centuries do not make that principle obsolete, any more than computerized printing cancels the First Amendment.

Do the research and give all candidates an equal chance before you consider your vote.

Nicholas Di Guiseppi, New Port Richey

Republicans should back Rudy Sept. 18, letter

We'll decide on our own, thanks

How kind of the letter writer, a staunch liberal, to help Republicans decide who can represent us best in the 2008 election. Very noble of him.

However, Republicans like Bill Bunting, myself and many others prefer to have the individuals represent themselves on the issues that are important to us and then we make an informed decision.

How bad can it be when we support an individual who believes like we do it not only in the Second Amendment, but in the entire Bill of Rights. Law and order to ensure criminals are punished, less government so we can continue to keep our money away from those in Washington who squander it. At last, but by far not least, a man who is a patriot and is not embarrassed to wave the flag.

The letter writer turns to Bunting bashing, while leaving out the facts. While crime did go down in New York while Mr. Giuliani was mayor, it also did here in Florida under Gov. Jeb Bush. The NRA or Brady Bill is not what stops crime. Tough laws, conservative-minded people to punish offenders, and great leadership is.

Matthew Berg, New Port Richey

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[Last modified September 20, 2007, 21:32:48]