Letters to the Editor: Dec. 3, 2021

Forward thinking: Let voters decide whether to keep Daylight Saving Time

With regard to whether to keep changing our clocks forward and back, my suggestion is to return to Standard Time on a permanent basis, because in Florida the difference is very minimal, but it is fair that Floridians decide on three possible options. They are (1) leave things as they are; 2) change permanently to Standard Time; or (3) change permanently to Daylight Saving Time.

The Latin saying: "Vox Populi, Vox Dei,” translated as "The voice of the people is the voice of God,” is how elections are held. Hopefully, the people in the local governments decide to include these options in a state election during the next election cycle. The final result will determine which of the three options is decided in the state.

Tommy Steyer, Vero Beach

Our well-crafted comp plan makes Martin County look, feel different

I thank the Martin County Board of Commissioners for not voting to change Chapter 2 of the Comp Plan. We all love Martin County for its natural beauty, its small county feel where a smile is easy to come by, and our connection to the land and waterways.

No offense to our neighbors, but we don't want to be a Palm Beach or St. Lucie county. We can all thank the Comp Plan and particularly Chapter 2, which summarizes the important elements of the Comp Plan, for why Martin County is different. As the saying goes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”

Kat Kehoe, Stuart

Grateful for hope, healing and the new Children’s Advocacy Center

This month, we celebrate gratitude. And our community has even more to be grateful for as we welcome the new Children’s Advocacy Center to the Treasure Coast. The new center in Port St. Lucie, operated by our partners at Guardians for New Futures, is a long-awaited blessing that will bring shining moments of hope to children and families facing their darkest days.

Here’s the heartbreaking truth: One in four children in Florida will experience abuse or neglect in their lifetime. When a child endures violence, abuse or neglect, the resulting trauma can have devastating and lifelong effects that impact not only that child, but also the family and their entire community.

At Children’s Home Society of Florida our Child Protection Team, mental health counselors and case managers are on the frontlines, fighting to prevent child abuse and neglect along with our partners — in law enforcement, at Hibiscus Children’s Center, the Department of Children and Families and Communities Connected for Kids. And with Guardians for New Futures, we are thankful to welcome the very first CAC to open in our community — ushering in a new era of healing.

Last year alone, CHS’ Child Protection Team helped 1,122 children and their family members through the difficult journey of learning to cope with and overcome the physical and emotional pain of their traumatic experiences. Imagine our reassurance to know suffering kids will have even more life-changing resources at their disposal – our teams of experts working together to help them find the shining light of hope.

At CHS, we say “We do good, because, together, good can be done.” Please join us in celebrating our friends at Guardians for New Futures and thank them for their good work to create a stronger Treasure Coast community and future for our children.

Sabrina Sampson is regional executive director of Children’s Home Society of Florida in Vero Beach, serving more than 11,000 children and family members each year along the Treasure Coast.

QAnon shaman must have regrets now

Jacob Chansley, the horn-wearing “public face” of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison. Chansley, the so-called “QAnon Shaman,” must regret he didn’t just do something more peaceful, like burning down a car dealership in Kenosha. Kamala Harris would have bailed him out and a Democratic prosecutor would have dropped the charges. What a dummy.

Thomas McDonough, Vero Beach

Judge was right to let Rittenhouse jurors take their instructions home

I read an online article on Yahoo.com that was critical of the judge in the Rittenhouse trial for allowing the jury members to take home the instructions to the jury. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of comments that agreed with the opinion of the writer.

I practiced trial law for 50 years and thought it was brilliant of the judge. As a lawyer you spend three years in law school and in most states several years as an associate attempting to learn the law. In most jurisdiction a judge will spend hours giving the jury instruction on the law and expect them to understand them for deliberation. Impossible and stupid.

In the Rittenhouse case the question posed for the jury was not whether a "reasonable" person would go to the town with an AR-15. The problem given to the jury was what would a "reasonable" person do under circumstances similar to those at that specific time.

Obviously the jurors all agreed they would have fired at the attackers. So if you are opposed to the finding, disregard your political views and just ask yourself what you would do in similar circumstances.

Edward Marasi, Port St. Lucie

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Letters to the Editor: Dec. 3, 2021