Letters to the Editors

Mall should control behavior, not appearance

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 27, 2000

Re: Tyrone Square Mall's appearance rules.

It is, as Barney Fife would say, time to nip it in the bud. I'm not laughing, no, not even cracking a smile. Who gave a security guard, or a police officer, or a corporation the right to dictate appearance? This isn't Mayberry R.F.D., and I don't want to go back to the '50s.

A cap, worn at any angle, is just a cap. What's next, bumper stickers? If the mall doesn't like my bumper sticker, or how I put it on my car, would security then escort me from the parking lot?

To those people at St. Petersburg's Tyrone Square Mall who make and enforce appearance rules, I ask: What kind of neighbor are you? A profile is a dangerous tool, very similar to the tool of discrimination. I resent your assumptions. Further, I resent your tactics. Police the behavior, not the appearance.

If a neighbor posted such a rule on his door, I would not enter, no, not even to escape the summer heat and enjoy the air-conditioning. Now I ask you, and I ask each and every one of the stores that has signed a lease with you, why should I or other neighbors not let our dollars express themselves elsewhere, where a neighbor is neighborly?
-- Edward Schottail, Gulfport

White teens are hassled, too

Re: Tyrone Square Mall incident.

I don't believe that the Rev. Manuel Sykes' son was a victim of racism. My white teenage son has been hassled by mall security on a number of occasions, as were his friends. This happened so much that my son imposed his own boycott. My son is not a gang member. His choice of clothing color happens to be black with a few "punk" accessories. He has no piercings or tattoos. Mall security asked him to remove a bracelet and also requested his friend to remove a jacket. The boys respectfully complied.

On other occasions, mall security has followed my son and his friends. My son also reported to me that once when he stopped to talk to friends he happened to see there, mall security told him to "keep moving."

I was outraged! There's no doubt the rights of these teenagers are being violated. Where else do teenagers hang out and go to shop? Where did mall security people hang out when they were teenagers? I think it's time all of us boycott Tyrone Square Mall until this obvious pattern of Gestapo-type "security" ends.

My son happens to be a recent graduate of the Center for Advanced Technologies at Lakewood High School and is currently enrolled at the University of Florida on an academic scholarship. Maybe mall security should learn something: "Don't judge a book by its cover."
Tricia Previtera, Seminole

It's a matter of perceptions

All the hubbub over the most recent expulsion from Tyrone Square Mall is ridiculous. If you are determined to dress in a manner associated with gangs and the violence that follows, then you are setting yourself up to be perceived as a "gang banger." It is not the job of security personnel to determine if you are or are not a "gang banger." Their job is the protection of all mall patrons and to remove those who present a real or perceived danger.

If I were to walk into the mall dressed in a white sheet and hood and carrying a Confederate flag, or wearing a Nazi uniform and carrying a Nazi flag, then I would be perceived as a Klan member or a Neo Nazi. These perceptions would be cause to consider me a real or perceived danger, and I would be asked to leave. This would not be a race issue. You would not see the white community up in arms ready to boycott the mall. You would just see one less white person wearing offensive clothes. The security at Tyrone Mall did the same thing last year with all the "Goths" who frequented the mall. These kids were absolutely no danger to anyone, but they presented themselves in a manner that caused a perceived threat. If you are going to wear inappropriate clothing, then understand you will be perceived as inappropriate.

It would seem to me that the "black community" and the father of this boy have much deeper and more important issues to deal with. To the boy, I say learn to follow the rules. To the father, I say teach your son respect for authority and stop trying to make a name for yourself through such a non-issue.
-- Robert Bryant, St. Petersburg

Preventive measures can avert violence

Re: Mall ejects teen over cap, July 18.

This article brought back memories of an incident that occurred several years ago to son, then in college, and a few of his buddies. They were dining at a local Denny's when a group of men started harassing my son, inferring that he was from a rival gang. They began flashing gang signals and became agitated when he did not respond. When they grabbed him and tried to shove him out the door, several patrons came to his aid.

The police were called, and, I'm happy to say, no one was hurt. The reason for the altercation was the way in which my son's hat was slanted to one side.

I'd like to commend Tyrone Square Mall officials for taking preventive measures. Their security policy indicates to me that the mall is in tune with today's world. I want to thank them for considering the safety of all shoppers at the mall. I would hate to think of what might have occurred if young Ephraim Sykes had been challenged by a gang in a crowded mall. Too many innocent people are dying because of gang warfare. Let's all learn a lesson here!
-- Jeanette Makowsky, Palm Harbor

Support the mall

I would urge all decent citizens who support the Tyrone Square Mall dress-code policy to please shop at that mall in the coming weeks to show their support and counter the small effort planned by a group of activists to boycott the mall.

This group loves to blame race for all that does not go its way, and it's time we take countermeasures to stop this nonsense.

So please go out of your way to buy at Tyrone Square Mall. I am.
-- Robert Van Istendal, Spring Hill

Making the Front Porch program better

Regarding your editorial on the Front Porch Florida program (A poor entrance, July 25), it has become apparent that the recent round of grants was rushed and that a more formal grant and purchasing review process is needed. Our administration will establish such a process designed to prevent hurried descisiomaking from taking place in the future.

Second, while we are committed to obtaining background checks for potential recipients of the grants, grant decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis after review of the information contained in the background check.

Third, we also agree that an improved review and oversight process in St. Petersburg and all other Front Porch communities is needed to ensure that state dollars are being spent effectively. To help achieve this goal, the Department of Community Affairs has already dedicated an additional staff person for each of the six Front Porch communities.

Fourth, we believe it is appropriate to involve all groups and organizations that can have a real impact in the community, including faith-based organizations. These organizations are part of every neighborhood and often have non-religious community programs already in place. Fostering these partnerships is part of the Front Porch philosophy.

Front Porch Florida empowers communities to find innovative, non-bureaucratic solutions for their social and economic shortfalls. This bottom-up approach to community development is a new concept. We agree there is room to improve our efforts. We are fully confident that our current efforts, coupled with these changes, will help communities advance their quality of life and empower citizens to shape their neighborhoods.
-- Jeb Bush, governor, Tallahassee

Reason for enacting reform

Re: Election races are all about the green, by Lucy Morgan, July 22.

Boy, do we need reform badly! The politician raising the most money is also the one owing the most "favors" to the large corporations.

And in some cases, this means the most green raised, the less green you will see in our environment.
-- Paul J. Bridges, Clearwater

Another suffering animal

A couple of weeks ago, you shocked many readers, including myself, by printing on the front page the gory picture of a 17-year-old matador butchering a bull. Several readers commented on the inappropriateness of both the picture and the accompanying story (Bullfighting's boy wonder, July 9). Obviously, you chose to ignore the objections of those readers.

On July 21 in the Floridian section, you again offended many readers, including myself, by glorifying the three young Wright children for "perfecting the three-bone cross," which consists of repeatedly torturing a calf, roping its legs and neck, and throwing it on the ground. Your article (Perfecting the three-bone cross) labels them "champions." Anyone doubting that the calf was tortured had only to observe the look of terror in its eyes. What kind of message are you sending to your young readers?

Ironically, on the reverse side of the same page, you ran Abigail Van Buren's syndicated column. In it, two writers comment on the well-established fact that torturing animals is a sickness. Abby responds that "a child who abuses animals... desperately needs intervention and professional help." She also reminds us of the principle that "all that is needed for evil to thrive is for people of good will to look the other way."

I, for one, will not look the other way, and I protest this kind of journalism in the strongest possible way.
-- Dalma Hunyadi Brunauer, St. Petersburg

A practice we should lose

Re: Florida Found, July 21.

The article regarding the proud, victorious children calf roping would best be a part of Florida Lost. While reading this article I couldn't help think of the unfortunate calf: scared, fleeing from the rope that would ultimately trap it while another person braces the calf with his foot on the calf's throat.

The worst part perhaps, though, is that the calf is repeatedly subjected to this so-called contest as the participants practice their abusive skill.

So what does this alleged contest and the article that glorified it teach your readers, especially young ones whom you encourage to read through your various programs? It teaches that use of animals for entertainment, contest or sport is fine, even glorious, despite the terror and abuse inflicted upon the animal.
-- Colleen Kasperek, Spring Hill

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