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Today's Letters: How do we deal with 'happy homeless'?

The weather the other day was beautiful. I decided to eat lunch outside by Mirror Lake in St. Petersburg. Finding a vacant bench was difficult. Most were occupied by homeless residents of Mirror Lake. I enjoyed the weather and my lunch despite an odd feeling of being in someone's bedroom as so many were curled up sleeping under covers.

The homeless who want help and want to get on track deserve our help, but what does a free society do about the "happy homeless"? Many seem to enjoy the lifestyle and have no interest in changing it.

Do we continue to allow them to occupy public parks? Should we pass laws to prohibit loitering in parks? How do we as a society deal with the unsightliness and hindrances to tourism and business caused by these folks? Or do we just continue not to deal with them as the numbers increase?

Brett Taylor, Kenneth City

Official loses mud tiff, slings a little Nov. 11, story

In old days, mud never fun

I've never heard of recreational mud pits before, where apparently people drive trucks through them for fun.

I do remember back in the 1920s when my dad with my mother, my two brothers and I, plus a big dog, drove a Hupmobile from Minneapolis to St. Augustine. There were few paved roads in those days so most of the roads were gravel, and in some cases dirt. We often came to places in the roads where the rains had soaked the roads, and there were huge ruts where cars had tried to go through. Sometimes they made it. Often they didn't make it on the first try, so everybody had to get out and push. Then they would usually put a stick in the mud to indicate the area to be avoided.

I can't remember this as ever being a fun thing to do, so I am confused as to how this present-day mud pit is fun. Do they make a muddy mess and then try to drive through it? And that is fun? We sure never thought so.

Bob Cooper, Seminole

Slow down for the sake of all

G.A. Food Services is building a new warehouse in front of its existing structure off 32nd Court N. Driving by the new construction, I see raccoons are being driven out of their habitat. I witnessed two babies crossing the street, and no one would slow down. One of the babies was hit, and the other was so confused and upset, it was trying to help the wounded one.

At first I thought it was a cat; I wanted to get out and rescue it. Upon realizing it was a raccoon, I still wanted to help, but cars kept speeding down the street. My wife and I were visibly and emotionally shaken by this unfortunate event.

Why do drivers have to be so ignorant as to drive fast and endanger humans as well as animals? Please slow down. Have compassion for humans and animals alike.

Richard Harriman, Kenneth City

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[Last modified November 17, 2007, 21:25:15]