Today's Letters: America needs another Ernie Pyle

This article explains how Ernie Pyle, a journalist, traveled with the U.S. soldiers in Europe and Asia in World War II and reported on their daily lives and battles. Pyle made the war come alive for Americans back home.

It is ironic that the Times can publish an item about the importance of Pyle's journalistic achievements at the same time that its own coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is so minimal. The same day the Times published this editorial, its only news coverage of the Iraq war was two paragraphs on Page 6A and no coverage of the war in Afghanistan.

It is my strong belief that if American soldiers are fighting in a shooting war that information about those wars should be on Page 1 daily. There is so much information being denied the American people about the conditions of our soldiers and the people of the countries where they are fighting. Not only how many U.S. soldiers are being injured and killed, but also how many Iraqis and Afghans are being injured and killed, losing their homes, being made refugees, doing without medical treatment and supplies, and so much other vital information. In addition, we need a full account of the financial costs of these wars.

Politicians are always saying we cannot provide programs to solve the problems of U.S. citizens because we do not have enough money. However, President Bush has an open checkbook to prosecute these wars. Why? Americans need to know the costs of the wars on our soldiers, our country, and the people of the countries where we are perpetuating these wars.

Ruth Whitney, St. Petersburg  

New stadium proponents prefer a positive approach

As a downtown business owner, a 25-year St. Petersburg resident and a grand supporter of all downtown development, I would like to express my interest in the waterfront stadium proposal.

I have joined Fans for Waterfront Stadium in supporting the efforts and in promoting awareness of what I feel would be fabulous addition to our city. Our new and flourishing group of fans has unanimously agreed that our mission is to express positive attributes for both the stadium and redevelopment of the Tropicana grounds, instead of negatively debating against the opposition.

Being originally from Pittsburgh, I've seen how that city's new stadium has had a positive influence on both fan attendance and on local businesses, and I for one would like for this to happen in our beautiful city.

Nancy Frainetti, St. Petersburg

Rays willing to put $150M up front Feb. 20

Let Rays pay it all

So the Rays are willing to chip in their paltry contribution up front? Big deal! That still leaves at least $300-million for taxpayers to contribute to this scheme - that is, if the initial cost estimate is right, which it almost never is in these cases.

The Rays have been saying in their fliers that the stadium will be built "without any additional cost to taxpayers." This is entirely disingenuous. The public will be providing plenty of financing, and contributing public land - precious waterfront property - to boot.

If spending almost half a billion dollars to build a stadium on the waterfront makes so much economic sense, let the Rays pay the whole tab, and let them find and purchase the property for the site. People who think this deal is "good for the city" need to evaluate it objectively and consider whether they want their tax bills to go up to help pay for it.

Jan Allyn, Largo

Waterfront stadium

Give the Rays' plan a look

I urge all of our citizens to keep an open mind and to thoroughly investigate the proposal for a beautiful open-air baseball stadium on our waterfront.

Tropicana Field was built too soon. Our team got off to a difficult start, on and off the field. The Trop is no longer adequate as a major league stadium. Fortunately the property would be very valuable if developed, which most likely will make financing of the new stadium project very doable, and will provide far greater annual revenues in real estate taxes and sales taxes than current revenues in rent receipts from the Rays.

Current Rays ownership and management have demonstrated a commitment to our city and a willingness to be a community asset. They should be given the opportunity to address all concerns regarding the project.

Downtown stadiums have been built recently in many U.S. cities with strikingly successful results. Some of these cities are Baltimore, San Diego, Phoenix, Cleveland and San Francisco.

It simply is not fair to oppose this project without a thorough examination and discussion of objections and concerns and the benefits of the project.

Dick Ruzicka, St. Petersburg

No tax giveaways

I would like to see the Rays be successful. But win or lose, succeed or fail, the Rays should not be entitled to our tax dollars, even for a waterfront stadium. Ever! To those who believe the Rays offer the community as much in jobs and tourism draw as the community offers the Rays in tax subsidies, I'd love to change your mind.

Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You With the Bill), by David Cay Johnston states, "Three decades of published research all points to one conclusion: Subsidies for commercial sports teams never produce a net gain for society. They are just a government-sponsored transfer of wealth from the many to the few." (The book was reviewed in the Times' Latitudes section on Feb. 17 under the headline A game with the same old winners and losers.)

Right now the Rays are paying big bucks to their lobbyist, Brian Ballard, to pull levers and flip switches in Tallahassee to make it legal to use our tax dollars to further enrich his client. What I want us to realize is that we, the taxpayers, have important projects too (roof repair, fixing A/C units, termite treatments, car maintenance, putting kids through school, vacations, etc.), and that as a rule of thumb, when a company with more than 15 millionaires is pursuing government financial aid, something's fishy.

Consumers are running out of purchasing power. The U.S. economy is sluggish. To deny the Rays tax subsidies is one opportunity to keep more money in the hands of the people who earned it.

Ron Pennington, St. Petersburg

Don't be suckers

Why the idea of a new baseball stadium is ridiculous:

- The Rays are the worst team in major league baseball.

- The taxpayers will assume the biggest risk and get the least return.

- Who pays off the present Tropicana Field debt of $100-million-plus?

- The voters must approve the projects before we begin. Who is paying now for all this preliminary work?

- The $450-million initial estimate is most likely low. The cost of our present stadium started out at $85-million and by the time we played baseball it cost at least $250-million.

- City officials and special-interest groups have kept information from the public regarding zoning. Most of us have lost confidence in our leadership and their integrity regarding this project.

- A certain circus magnate once said, "There is a sucker born every minute." With all the pitfalls already listed in various articles in the Times, will we be the suckers?

C.O. Wells, Clearwater

Evolution joins curriculum Feb. 20, story

Broaden our studies

Now that the Florida Board of Education has decided that "evolution" is a "scientific theory," maybe we can get back to the business of educating our young people so they can live in the 21st century.

I once asked a Methodist pastor about the supposed conflict between science and religion. "I don't see any," he said. "Science answers the 'how' questions, religion answers the 'why' questions."

Young people really do need to know about the religious beliefs of the world's population so they can function in the global society, but religious beliefs are not science.

How about this? Teach evolution as a "scientific theory" in the science classes and Judeo-Christian creationism and "intelligent design" in elective philosophy or comparative religion classes without advocating belief in any of them.

Come to think of it, maybe we adults could benefit from seeing this distinction and do a little broader studying ourselves!

G.B. Leatherwood, Spring Hill

Evolution joins curriculum Feb. 20, story

Grateful for creation

Now that the fundamental fact underlying all of biology is settled ...

When I see the beauty of a hummingbird flapping its wings 70 beats a second; when I observe the majestic albatross soaring in the breeze not flapping its wings for days; when I try to think how a flying mammal like the bat ever got off the ground; I will ponder and say: "Thank you, God, you made them all."

I wonder, whom does the evolutionist thank?

Steve Curtiss, Seminole

Science, students get narrow victory Feb. 20, editorial

Evolving after origins

Yes, evolution is a scientific theory as is gravity and electricity. These are observable phenomena so it's really no big deal to call it as such.

However, when you say, "This was done for one purpose only: to allow the confusion over the term 'theory' to cloud the legitimacy of evolution as the only accepted scientific explanation for life's origins," you promote what is probably the greatest and most common misconception in regard to evolution.

The fact is, the theory of evolution does not address the origin of life (abiogenesis); evolutionary theory addresses how life changes after origin. That's it.

Andrew J. Stier, Palm Harbor

Growth: For Floridians, enough may finally be enough, story, and Sharp growing pains, editorial Feb. 10

For the environment

I would like to set the record straight. There seems to be a misunderstanding regarding my position on growth management. In fact, I would be extremely wary of any efforts to weaken our state's growth-management laws. A quote of mine used by the St.Petersburg Times was grossly taken out of context. The fact is, at the end of a committee meeting, I was asked about priorities this year. I responded with, "Our focus right now should be on stimulating the economy, creating jobs and minimizing expenses." As an appropriations chairman, I intended this quote to illustrate the importance of the Legislature's first and main concern of the upcoming session: balancing the budget and sparking the economy.

Please know that since childhood, I have worked alongside environmental activists and community leaders, including my father, to help protect and preserve Pinellas County's wildlife habitats, pristine beaches and small-town, low-density coastal communities. During my Legislature tenure, I have continued the fight, sponsoring pro-environment legislation that has included tying growth to the availability of natural resources and acquiring needed funding for important programs like wastewater disposal and surface water improvement management. I have served on and supported the Tampa Bay agency on bay management that has been instrumental in revitalizing Tampa Bay's estuaries. For the last 28 years, as a recognized local civic leader, I have been working diligently with others to help focus policies and resources on urban revitalization in lieu of out-of-control sprawl.

Again, at no time did I ever indicate in any way that I would be in favor of weakening growth-management laws. Indicating otherwise would be inaccurate and a misrepresentation of my position.

Sen. Victor D. Crist, Florida Senate, District 12, Tampa

Writing of war's reality

I must express my appreciation to Carolyn Curiel of the New York Times for her poignant remembrance of war journalist Ernie Pyle, and I think it appropriate to do this by paraphrasing one of her statements:

Growing up in Michigan, I had the advantage of looking directly at World War II through the eyes of a neighboring state's "native son" as it (World War II) was unfolding. And, yes, Ms. Curiel, Ernie Pyle was "one of the greatest of war writers." My parents, sister and I (I was 11 years old when Pearl Harbor brought us into World War II) were literally engrossed in the many-times brutal reality of war as we read every one of Ernie Pyle's daily columns in our newspaper (the Battle Creek Enquirer and Evening News, which I was delivering door-to-door by bicycle when Pyle died).

Yes, he wrote many times of the touching and inspiring humility and humanity of individual men as they came to terms with the sudden death of friends and comrades. Ernie Pyle made World War II a reality for each of his devoted readers.

I again thank Carolyn Curiel and both the New York Times and St. Petersburg Times for this very thoughtful column.

R.J. Radford,Clearwater

[Last modified February 22, 2008, 22:28:50]