Letters to the Editors

Terrorists use our freedom against us

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 7, 2001

Re: Privacy hit in Senate's war on terrorism, by Robyn Blumner, Sept. 23.

Robyn Blumner and others are worried that our freedom and civil liberties will be compromised by expanding the FBI's wiretap authority. She notes that some proposals "will allow summary deportations, intrusions into the privacy of innocent people and other forms of potential abuse."

She's probably right, but in times of war we are all asked to limit certain freedoms that are usually taken for granted. (Desperate times call for desperate measures; put a two-year review cap on them if that suits.)

Certainly the greatest loss of freedom affects those who are called to duty to serve in the armed forces. They give up more than temporary freedom; some give their lives. Sure, they are serving to ensure our open way of life, but they also need our support to do what needs to be done on the home front, for the duration.

As has been stated repeatedly, the war on terrorism is a different kind of war -- instead of an enemy with foreign borders, this war is fueled by infiltration. The terrorists use our freedom against us within our own borders. If we refuse to use our communication technology to thwart their activities simply because this might touch on our individual privacy, then we are succumbing to their game plan. If civil rights freedom is worth fighting for, it is also worth sacrificing for the term of the war.

And should we deport one or several "innocent" visitors to our country in the process of our war on terrorists, we can always rectify that at a later date. Better to err on the side of caution than allow another 6,000 to pay a price we can never rectify.
-- Elizabeth Noone, St. Petersburg

Black "duality' misguided

Re: When crisis hits, blacks asked to be patriots, by Bill Maxwell,
-- Sept. 30.
Now is the time to color everything in red, white and blue. Not surprisingly, Bill Maxwell, as usual, is coloring only in black and white. To question whether blacks should defend our country against terrorism because our country does not afford them equality is obscenely inappropriate and blatantly unpatriotic.
This is not the time to discuss racial bigotry. But, even now, in America's unbearably painful moment, Maxwell cannot stop talking about the discrimination against blacks. He quotes black historian W.E.B. Dubois, who spoke of African-Americans' dual identity in the United States, calling it "two warring souls in one black body . . . permanent outsiders and American citizens at the same time." That's terrible language to use when we need to be the United States. And I'm not convinced that blacks are "permanent outsiders." That's an irresponsible generalization. (See Colin Powell, et al.) When did Maxwell become a spokesman for all African-Americans?
There is no question that bigotry exists in America. It will be easier to find the cure for cancer than the reason for racism. But to moan about racism now and wonder whether African-
Americans should defend a country that allows racism is spiteful and childish. This "duality" that Maxwell suggests blacks are now experiencing is misguided. It ignores the savage killings that took place on Sept. 11, the reason for our renewed patriotism. It is an enormous offense to the memory of those burned and crushed souls to hesitate and, worse, to whine about defending our country against terrorism. This time in our history is not about blacks. It is about all Americans.
Maxwell asks whether, even during times of crisis, it is a realistic expectation for groups, denied full access into American life to be as patriotic as everyone else. How could he even think such a question?
Ask the families and friends of all those who perished on that September morn.
Jack Bray, Dunedin

Race not an issue here

Re: When crisis hits, blacks asked to be patriots, by Bill Maxwell.

Congratulations, it took only days for columnist Bill Maxwell to put the usual Times black-versus-white spin on the most deadly terrorist acts against the United States ever. Somewhere along the line the DNA of a good newspaper became recombined with that of divisiveness and political agenda.

It shouldn't take a crisis for an elected legislator or citizen to be a patriot. Witness the many acts of patriotism and citizenship we have heard and seen committed nonstop by people of all colors and backgrounds during and after the tragedy. The very thought of Americans coming together in unity must chill your editorial souls.

Does writing about these acts of fellowship threaten the Times' agenda? If not, write about them until your pens run dry or at least until this crisis is resolved. Stop being so self-absorbed with the usual predictable agenda of divisiveness.

It is always necessary for all Americans to be patriots, however, when crisis hits nobody should have to ask nor should race ever be an issue.
-- Charles Platania, St. Petersburg

Strong leadership needed

Your Sept. 29 editorial, An authoritarian agenda, criticized my speech to the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, which called for a coordinated intelligence and information-sharing effort to combat terrorism and prevent another violent attack on the American people. You compared these proposals to "big brother," but you failed to mention that I also expressed concern about preserving our civil liberties and constitutional rights.

The point of my speech was that now, more than ever, we need strong, experienced leadership to deal with these threats of violence and help us preserve our personal freedoms. Strong experienced leadership, along with skill and knowledge of the law, will be especially important for the job of attorney general, which will play a critical role in dealing with these difficult issues in the years ahead. As Florida's solicitor general, it is my job to protect and defend the Constitution, laws, and the rights of all Florida's citizens.

In addition to experienced leadership and guidance, we need our leaders to tell us the truth. Here's the truth: You can build all the concrete barriers and X-ray machines you want, but the only way to prevent another World Trade Center disaster (or truck bomb, or chemical, biological, or even nuclear attack) is to identify and locate these people; discover their plans; and take steps to eliminate them before they attack. This is not a crime problem. We are fighting a war against foreign nationals who have declared war on America, our way of life, and our Constitution. They have killed thousands of innocent people, and they will try to do it again.

In order to stop these terrorists and prevent another tragic attack, we need to use our best sources of information and intelligence: our state and local law enforcement people on the street; local building officials; agricultural inspectors; driver's license bureaus; etc. Federal authorities such as the FBI do not have these resources.

Before Sept. 11, nobody thought it was important that certain persons were trying to buy a crop-dusting plane in Florida or that illegal aliens were getting flight simulator training for jumbo jets. Now, we know different. In order to assist the federal authorities in this war and protect Florida's residents and visitors, we need a way to collect and analyze important information like this, share it with those who need it and take coordinated action against credible threats. Right now, we don't have that capability.

None of this has anything to do with "big brother." If you see someone breaking into your neighbor's house, you call the police (and maybe join your neighborhood "Crime Watch" program). If you see your neighbor mixing fertilizer and gasoline in the backyard, I hope you will call the police. I don't know what seemingly insignificant piece of information might tip us off to the next terrorist attack, but I hope we get that information, understand its importance and act upon it in time to prevent the loss of 6,000 more innocent lives.

Will there be false leads and false alarms? Yes. Is there potential for abuse? Yes. Can we afford to do nothing? No. The point is that these are difficult questions and there are no easy answers. The best solution is to make sure we have an attorney general who is a strong experienced leader, with skill and knowledge of the law, and a commitment to our Constitution.
-- Tom Warner, solicitor general of Florida and candidate for state attorney general, Tallahassee

A column worth keeping

A country worth keeping, by Dave Barry, which appeared in the Sept. 21 Times, is most definitely "an article worth keeping!" I have always enjoyed his articles no matter what the subject, but this one is a real treasure.
-- Margaret Nelson, New Port Richey

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright