Disgraceful, disgusting: Zieglers' sexcapades story is 50 shades of lurid sleaze

School Board member, spouse amoral

To use a well-worn phrase, I “came of age” during the 1960s, when we broke more than a few barriers: language, attitudes, dress codes, educational opportunities for women, to name a few.

I read in the Herald-Tribune May 17, again, about Christian and Bridget Ziegler and their sordid actions as they worked together as predators (“‘On the prowl’: Christian, Bridget Ziegler texts show couple's search for sexual partners”).

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Women my age know all the words but the publication of their exchanges turned my stomach. That this woman is a member of the School Board is a disgrace to Sarasota County. To me, they are both amoral and disgusting and should be relegated to the unknown.

Roberta Maxfield, Nokomis

Why publish details of sexcapades?

Good grief! What’s going on at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune? Are you trying to compete with the National Enquirer? You can’t seem to get enough of Bridget and Christian Zieglers’ sex lives.

The man was never even charged with a crime, but the Sarasota Police Department couldn’t help itself and released all the salacious details of the couple’s sexual encounters with a woman who claimed she was raped by Christian.

More: Bridget Ziegler is still pretending to be a tough culture warrior. How pathetic is that?

And the Herald-Tribune continues with its never-ending pursuit of the details of the Zieglers’ sexcapades.

Recently, the Herald-Tribune announced its intent to do some investigative journalism. Isn’t that your job?

If delving into the Zieglers’ sex lives is an example of investigative journalism, the paper will be out of business soon. Unless Sarasotans really are the audience of the “Jerry Springer Show.”

Richard Lieb, Sarasota

Alternative to demolishing McAlpin House

It has been said that one reason for the Sarasota City Commission’s approval to demolish the McAlpin House was that there is no city-owned property available on which to locate it.

As the city is giving all of the taxpayer-owned Cross Street area to the developers, why not keep a tenth of this land and have them move the house there as a stipulation for vacating the remaining half-acre of the street?

Moving costs should be roughly the same as the $125,000 estimated in 2022 to move the house to the former Nancy’s BBQ site.

If there are previous agreements made by our commissioners and planners with the developers that preclude considering this scheme, it would be at least in the public interest for them to provide comments on this modest proposal.

Andrew Blanda, Sarasota

Spread the rainbow across Florida

Contrary to what our homophobic governor thinks, lighting the Ringling Bridge with the LGBTQ pride colors in June is not a “politicized” act. Narrow-minded people have wrongfully tried to make a human issue a political issue.

LGBTQ people are our friends, children, relatives, neighbors, legislators and co-workers!

Light up that bridge with the beautiful rainbow colors to honor our beautiful LGBTQ Americans!

Donna Cubit-Swoyer, Sarasota

Governor takes away another freedom

You know how the colorful lighting under the Ringling Bridge gets changed to represent various groups?

Apparently, Gov. Ron DeSantis – “Freedom Ron” – has decreed that this summer it must be strictly red, white and blue, and that there should be no Pride Month colors.

Once again, Freedom Ron worries about giving Florida cities and citizens too much freedom. This brings a whole other meaning to "Freedom Summer."

Linda Kitch, Sarasota

Fly flags at half-staff for migrants

Last week, the governor ordered flags flown at half-staff in memory of a Florida lawmaker who had made significant contributions.

The same week, eight migrant workers were killed and dozens injured in Central Florida when a pickup hit their bus on the way to a work site. The driver was charged with DUI manslaughter.

These migrants also make significant contributions to our lives. They work so hard for meager pay and housing.

I would fly flags at half-staff for them. Their lives matter, too.

Shirley Loebel, Bradenton

Debates may matter or land with a thud

Presidential debates have an odd history of having no meaningful impact on an election outcome, with only a few having a serious impact. In every previous debate in our history, while sometimes there were questions about the quality of individual candidates, they were all qualified to run.

Two debates have been scheduled between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Unless Trump admits that he lost the 2020 election, Biden should not debate him or grant him the status of a legitimate presidential candidate.

The 2020 presidential race marked the first time in American history that a losing candidate claimed he won an election that he lost, and also insisted that the entire election process was rigged.

The United States has stood out in history for 248 years as one of the few democracies that has always had a smooth transition of power. The world is watching us aghast at the turmoil and our democracy is threatened in a way that has never happened before.

F. Lowell Curtis, Longboat Key

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Zieglers' sex scandal story is disgraceful, outrageous