Meeting on book bans, The Purple Group, good Samaritans | Letters
Meeting on book bans in Lee
We've all read the headlines, thousands of books removed from shelves, Florida leads the nation in book bans but how much do we really know about the restrictions on students' access to educational materials in our Lee County School District? How do these restrictions take place? Since students are restricted from accessing books and other educational materials can we call it what it is − a book ban?
While some call book bans "a hoax" others point out that the laws passed by the Florida Legislature from 2021-24 take hundreds of thousands of books off the shelves in teachers' classrooms while other laws restrict student access to educational materials in the library media centers of Lee schools. Then there are the book challenges mounted by some parents and community members. These challenges can restrict all students from accessing a book just because one parent doesn't think the book is right for their child.
Learn what is happening on the ground. Join The Purple Group, nonpartisan advocates for public schools, students, parents, educators, on March 6, Downtown Library, 6 p.m., Room C for a community meeting, "Who is Standing up for Reading in Lee County?" Learn about what is going on and hear from classroom teachers about how these laws affect teaching and learning in Lee schools.
Dr. Suzanne D. Cook, for The Purple Group, Fort Myers
Rights not taken away
A recent letter to the editor from a retired public school principal bemoans the removal of certain books from school libraries. The writer believes that doing so “undermines the right of every other parent in this school district to make a choice about what's right for their child.” Logical? Not really, since said parents can drive down to their public library and borrow the books that the school district has determined are too graphic/pornographic/inappropriate for the children to be exposed to at this stage of their lives. Order the book on Amazon and give it to your child, if you think that he/she/they MUST read it. But, don't complain publicly that your rights have been taken away, because they haven't.
Same with “educating” your kindergartener on the joys of homosexuality and/or trans-sexuality. If you think it's important that they know such things, do some research online and teach them YOURSELF! Personally, I think such information can wait until the little dears are at least old enough to spell their own name (in cursive). Let them be kids − at age 5, "gay" should mean only "happy" to them.
Dave Bridgeman, Alva
Act of kindness
A couple of weeks ago, while out doing errands, I had a little mishap and was fortunate to be rescued by two good Samaritans. I had safely driven out of a parking lot onto 41 north and prepared to go to the far left turn lane to make a U-turn so I could head south. Miraculously, there was very little traffic so I was first in line in that lane. When I got the green arrow I turned too soon and the bottom of my car became grounded on the concrete island. I got out, got down on all fours to get a better understanding of my predicament, and as I stood up, Superman was standing in front of the car. He looked underneath it and told me he thought he could lift it enough for me to back off! As he was telling me that, another young man approached and they formulated a plan. I was incredulous, but desperate to try anything. They positioned themselves in front and the left fender as I got behind the wheel and put the car in reverse. On the count of three, they lifted and I accelerated! Voila! I had been freed! In a flash they waved, got into their respective trucks behind me, and went on their way as the green arrow reappeared. It all happened so fast that I don’t know who they were; just that they both were in white trucks. I think one was a white panel truck, the other a white pickup truck. My car is a two-ton sedan and these two men not only didn’t know me, they didn’t know each other and in a matter of minutes, they mobilized and performed what I thought would be an impossible feat. I hope they, or someone they know, will see this and recognize the story. They are true heroes! Thank you! I hope one day I will be able to pay it forward.Jeanne Savage, Naples
Reject anti-WOKE dumbing down
I recently attended a lecture by Dr. Stephanie Edgerly at Sanibel’s Big Arts on “The End of News,” how news is increasingly controlled, distorted and censored, reducing he factual information available to the public. An audience member at the event, concerned about the people's ability to make informed decisions on matters of public interest, especially in a political year, asked how we can make people aware of the world around them. The question is critical because keeping the public UNaware of the world around them is a key practice of those in authoritarian counties and in democracies where some political leaders seek authoritarian control. Control of information is power, as we have seen in fascist countries such as Germany’s Hitler-led Third Reich. Banning books, controlling classroom curricula, curtaining academic freedom and marginalizing information and learning about designated racial religious, gender and other minority groups are partnered with media control as key elements in fascist states. The question itself, how do we make people aware of the world around them, is critical to the preservation of democracy and has been of concern internationally, including in the United States. It has been described for generations by the word WOKE, which was initially used to mean, as noted in the Oxford dictionary, being well-informed and up-to-date. The word WOKE was used by discriminated groups, such as Blacks and homosexuals, to urge people to be informed and aware. Authoritarians, who imitate, if not consciously support policies and practices of fascist countries, have tried to denigrate with falsehoods the word WOKE and its applications in order to maintain or create thought control over their supporters. Sadly, many people have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by the authoritarians. For the sake of American democracy let’s hope they will take an objective look at WOKE and reject the authoritarians' politically motivated anti-WOKE dumbing down of America. We all deserve the right and opportunity, and have the responsibility, to make ourselves objectively aware of the world around us.
Robert Hilliard, Sanibel
Soot problem near airport
I’d like to add to the discussion a subject not mentioned about aircraft, especially jets. While the general conversation is about noise no one has mentioned the problem of soot created by unburned, partially burned fuel creates light layers of black soot. It settled on every surface and is detrimental to plant life and anything that breathes. I live about less than two miles from airport and in one of takeoff and landing areas. Daily we clean the soot off lanai and boat. The soot is traced to certain surfaces like fiberglass so it’s not uncommon to see and feel the soot film.
John Moschella, Naples
Urgency of immunity trial
Here we go again! To quote Jake Tapper, "If you are wealthy enough you can delay as long as possible."
Now the Supreme Court has said they will hear arguments on April 22 regarding immunity for the ex-president. Then they will render an opinion sometime later − May ? June? and in the meantime we the people wait for a trial. Doesn't the Supreme Court understand the urgency of the question?
If it was you or me we'd be in jail by this time because we wouldn't be able to afford the lawyers!
Franklin Warner, Fort Myers
Biden keeps doing the job
Republicans are losing at the local, state, and federal levels in recent elections. I know that makes the GOP faithful want to scream and lie and blame.However, while the GOP base does that, Joe Biden and his hard-working administration is rebuilding the infrastructure — that’s bridges, airports, train routes, marinas — protecting health care, managing inflation, and creating a booming economy. He is calling out the greed of the industries that have raised prices astronomically as others were fighting inflation. He is leading us on combating climate change, engaging the fierce resistance to move us forward.Young people know that when he fights for reproductive choice, climate intervention, loan fairness, DACA youth, he is fighting for them and our future.He is leading the world through the validation of existing alliances, where jealous rivals have sown fear and threat:“US alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific (Japan, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia + 7 more) are just about the deepest and most robust they have been in all their history. Not only has it returned these important relationships to their normal status quo following four years of disruption under Trump, but it has also bolstered them to enhance deterrence against China and North Korea, the two main threats in the region.” (The Rand Blog, 12/8/23)President Biden is probably the only leader clear enough to not be distracted by all the nonsense spewed by the other candidate for the 2024 presidency. Joe Biden just keeps doing the job he knows how to do at the highest level.
Shari Perkins, Bokeelia
Climate science far from settled
I do not deny that climate change is occurring. Shoot, anyone who follows the weather statistically can see that the planet is gradually warming ever so slightly over the last few hundred years. I mean, we all agree that the Earth has been through many ice ages, right? Well, what happened in between? The Earth warmed.
But I do deny that the change is anthropogenic. That’s a fancy way of saying that humans caused it. If you remember anything about Earth science from school, you remember the violence that the Earth went through in its formation. The enormous volcanic eruptions all over the planet. The tectonic plate shifts and earthquakes that shaped the Earth. But you know what? Our little blue orb made it through just fine without any help from progressive environmentalists.
The enemy, we are told, is carbon dioxide. Funny, we and all other lifeforms breathe carbon dioxide one way or another every day and it doesn’t seem to do any damage. In fact, plants require carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, and a byproduct of that is oxygen. Carbon dioxide represents just 0.04% of our atmosphere. Of that minuscule amount, humans are responsible for about 3%. Does anyone of sound mind really believe that our reliance on fossil fuels is slowly incinerating the planet? For 3% of 0.04%? No way. Our little blue orb is much tougher than that, as she has shown.
Folks, climate science is far from settled. All you have to do is use your favorite search engine and ask that very question. Scroll down for the replies. Don’t rely on the first one that pops up as it’s undoubtedly liberal/progressive, as they largely control the media. Contrary, and more accurate, information is available if you just look for it, but the liberals would rather you slide in easily with the herd.
So why is the Green New Deal such a big thing and a big part of the Democrat agenda? Would it surprise you if I said it’s all about money, power and control and is just one part of the transformation of America that the Left envisions? If they are woke, then the rest of us must be hyper vigilant.
Gary Marsh, Estero
What a traitor looks like
This is what a traitor looks like: The former president directly invited Putin on national TV to enter the 2020 election, and a U.S. intelligence assessment sent to more than 100 countries found that Moscow was working to erode public faith in the integrity of democratic elections worldwide. It is now known that the former president was a willing participant in this effort. (Reuters, 10/20/23). On February 10 of this year, the former president let Russia and Putin know that they could do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that don’t meet spending guidelines in defense (CNN, 02/18/24). It is clear that the former president has high regard for Putin and little regard for the foundations of democracy and peaceful global alliances. Supporting Putin makes the former president a traitor, not simply a felon out on bail.
Mary Lewis Sheehan, Saint James City
Measles and COVID
The NDN does a disservice to the community when it adds political spin to a newsworthy event. Measles and COVID are significantly different diseases. It is still being debated whether children should have been kept home during the COVID epidemic making thousands lose a year of school. COVID was a mild disease in children unless they had a significant concomitant problem. Almost half the children tested had COVID and were symptom free. COVID was a killer for the elderly. Under these conditions there was a very good reason not to require vaccinating children but requiring it of adults. As reported in the measles article “This is a vaccine-preventable disease,” Dr. Thresia Gambon, president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told USA Today. “There are very strict guidelines as to what to do in an outbreak in order to contain it quickly.” As such more emphasis must be put on vaccinating children, limiting isolation to the few who aren’t vaccinated.
Ted Raia, M.D., Naples
History won't be kind
My grandson heard this joke somewhere and decided to adapt it to make fun of me: “Grumpy, you’re so old, when you were at school history wasn’t even a subject.” Yes, I’m not Grandpa; I’m Grumpy, and I’m here to assert that today history is very much a subject and is watching our country very closely: will we abandon our experiment with democracy and install as president a man who has no regard for our Constitution and believes himself above the law?
Will a majority of our electorate vote for a man who attempted to overturn a legitimate election in order to illegally remain in power, a man who has been adjudicated liable for sexually assaulting a woman and then defaming her by saying she made the whole thing up, a man who has been convicted of business fraud in New York and ordered to pay a fine of $450 million, plus interest, man who still faces trials for hush money payments to a porn star, for mishandling government documents and for plotting to overthrow the 2020 presidential election?
History is not going to be kind to this man; I have a difficult time imagining how people could explain to their grandchildren why they voted for him. “Well, honey, Biden was too old, and our southern border was a mess.” “But Granddad, you voted for a fraudster, a narcissist, a wannabe dictator whose only interest was in stroking his ego and punishing his critics. How could you have been taken in by that disgusting man?”
Ray Clasen, North Fort Myers
Free speech and disinformation
I saw an interview this morning with former CIA Director, John Brennan.He hit the nail on the head that because our free speech rights also protect the rights of mass information purveyors and public servants to spread nefarious lies with impunity, foreign bad actors like Putin are taking full advantage of this right-to-lie by launching its most deadly weapon against our democracy: Propaganda from within!The First Amendment exists to give citizens the unencumbered right to Speak Truth to Power not propagandistic Lies to Power.This right to lie by mass information purveyors and public servants makes as much sense as the Second Amendment giving gun owners the right to shoot anybody, any time and anywhere they want with impunity.I’m not saying that we should take away the right of an individual citizen to climb up on their roof and shout that Jewish Space Lasers started the California fires or to post the same on their social media page.It’s our mass-information purveyors like Fox and our public servants who should be required to swear an oath, like courtroom witnesses, to only dispense verifiably factual information to their viewers or constituents or face mass-broadcasting suspension or removal from office if it is proven beyond a doubt that they purposely lied.I’d take that oath in a heartbeat as would most Americans who know that factual truth is the mortar that keeps the halls of our democracy standing strong.Right now the Liar-in-Chief, Donald Trump, is demanding that his puppet information purveyors and sycophants in Congress parrot his, and Vlad’s, mortar-dissolving lies, or else.
J. Cant, Naples
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Meeting on book bans, The Purple Group, good Samaritans | Letters
