Reader speaks out against marijuana legalization in Letters to the Editor, May 26, 2024
More pay for first responders
I read with fascination and rage Eric Rogers' May 10 article, "Political Currency: Some Brevard politicians have seen big wealth gains while in office." And my question is, why are we still paying our first responders the same amount as a starting worker at a fast-food establishment?
And don’t get me started on teacher salaries, but that’s a letter for another time.
It is frustrating that the very people who can save your life in a car accident, house fire or medical emergency are paid less than a starting wage at Buc-ee's. Our first responders are willing to put their life on the line for each and every citizen in this county and we allow our elected officials to rake us over the coals, giving themselves ridiculously large increases.
I would challenge any one of them to respond to this letter and explain why what they do is worth so much more money than someone who risks their life every single day.
Jody Hatcher, Cocoa
Walk a mile in their shoes
Much has been written about the migrants attempting to enter the United States, especially through the southern border. Most of these people travel weeks or months from their homelands enduring all sorts of dangers including robbery, violence and rape. Many are also fleeing these same conditions, or worse, in their homelands. Others may just want a chance to live and raise a family in a safe, secure environment, just like the vast majority of our ancestors, with the exception of native Americans and African Americans, did 125 to 200-plus years ago. These immigrants happily take the worst jobs available: picking vegetables and fruit, tending landscape and replacing roofs in the intense heat. How many of you are willing to do that? They pay taxes and are contributing members to our society.
Of course, there needs to be a massive investment in border security to vet these people and screen out the ones bent on doing us harm. The latest border security bill in the House, crafted and sponsored by Republicans, would have gone a long way toward providing the resources to begin to address the problem, but it was defeated by these very same Republicans at the behest of one man, Trump, merely to not give President Biden a winning talking point in November.
If your vote is based upon border policy, please imagine walking a mile in the shoes of the typical migrant.
Ed Dean, Merritt island
Don't place blame only on car drivers
I was very disappointed and frustrated reading the opinion column by Georganna Gillette, executive director of the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (TPO).
As always seems to be the case the entire blame and burden for safety issues on our roads was placed on automobile drivers. There is no question that drivers do carry an extra responsibility due simply to the size and weight difference of cars. And most of our roads were engineered for the flow of auto traffic as a priority. Roadways do need to be modified and engineered better for more pedestrian safety.
But in my city of Cocoa Beach in the last two years alone there has been an explosion of e-bikes, golf carts, and soon to be peditaxis on our roadways. Two years ago, it was school kids riding bicycles with no hands on the handlebars, coffee in one hand, phone in the other. Scary enough. Now those same young people are doing wheelies on e-bikes at 20-plus mph all the way the length of Minutemen Causeway.
Near the congested downtown area there are pedestrians walking around poorly lit streets at night. Our sidewalks are a free-for-all of speeding e-bikes, bicycles and pedestrians.
As a first very small step all electrified vehicles on any public way should be required to register and attach a visible tag. No exceptions. In order to get that tag they would have to be fully equipped with safety lighting and devices. Bicycles at night need to have bright lighting — front, rear and sides — and pedestrians need to wear bright reflective clothing at night.
Villianizing drivers and automobiles has become the tired go-to position of too many people unwilling to take responsibility for the chaos that has been allowed to develop on our roads and sidewalks due to the resistance to apply some commonsense rules and laws. Maybe as a taxpayer-funded organization, the TPO should have the courage and political will to speak the truth and advocate for reasonable laws and regulations that would promote a comprehensive solution to the problem of road safety.
Richard Anderson, Cocoa Beach
On legalization of marijuana
A recent letter, "Florida: Just vote 'no' on Amendment 3," opposes the legalization of marijuana.
I had tended to favor doing so until I saw NIH data showing that growers had increased the potency of THC from 3.96% in 1995 to 15.34% in 2021, nearly a factor of four increase. The growers are increasing its potency and will probably continue to do so. This increases the danger of use considerably, so I have reassessed my support.
The Biden administration is working to reclassify marijuana as a schedule III drug as described in the article "Biden hails step toward declassifying marijuana." It states "Biden is looking to shore up support from key Democratic constituencies ... including young voters ..." Just like his push for government to pay off billions in student loan debt this looks like an attempt to buy votes to win the election this fall.
There have been a number of TV adds supporting the amendment, apparently paid for by growers who provided most of the financial support to get it on the ballot. One claim made is that schools would receive support from taxes charged on sales. We heard the same thing about schools benefiting from approval of gambling, but they benefited little from it.
Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, once worked as a lobbyist for the medical marijuana industry. One can assume she and the party will support the amendment.
James Beasom, Melbourne Village
Circling back to Viera roundabout
The problem with the Viera roundabout lies not in its basic design, but in its current signage, which misdirects drivers and all but guarantees accidents.
Regrettably, the “safety tips” offered in the article by Abby Hemenway, Space Coast TPO Public Information and Outreach Manager, are no better.
Ms. Hemenway's words in bold are ill-advised:
“If you are turning right, enter the right lane. If you are turning left, enter the left lane. If you are going straight, you can enter either lane.”
“If you start from the outside lane, you must exit at the first or second exit.”
Instead, when approaching the Viera roundabout: Drivers who enter the roundabout in the right (or outside) lane must exit the roundabout at the first exit which presents itself. Otherwise, one risks crossing the path of cars on the inside lane. So, for drivers who plan to go straight or turn left, the right lane is noy an option. For drivers who plan to turn right, the right lane is the best — but not only — option.
Drivers who enter the roundabout in the left (or inside) lane are free to exit the roundabout wherever they like. They can turn right, go straight, turn left, or go back in the direction they came from. In fact, drivers could conceivably go around the circle several times before choosing to exit.
New directional signs should be posted at each approach to the roundabout.
Tim Dyer, Melbourne
Remembering a time when it was OK to talk politics
In the May 19 Letters to the Editor, I read Mr. Gregory W. Hewitt's letter regarding Trump’s behavior on several occasions and couldn’t agree more.
As I watched in horror the Jan. 6 destruction of our Capitol by Trump supporters, I could not believe this was happening in my country, the USA. What was wrong with these people? We had a justified election, something so many countries don’t have, and now we had one man encouraging the destruction of our Capitol and observing bodily harm to anyone trying to stop it.
I was 10 years old when my father took my hand one evening and said, "Come on, baby, I’m going to show you how to become involved in politics.” Daddy had known Fuller Warren almost his entire life and the future Florida governor had asked Daddy to head up his Dade County campaign. That night would be the beginning of my many years of being involved in politics. Being involved when it was safe to express who you were supporting. Safe not to be afraid to place a bumper sticker on your car or place a political sign in your window or yard. A time when it was safe to have a political opinion. Today you’re better off keeping your mouth shut.
To question the outcome of an election with false accusations? This is so sad. Freedom of speech is not so free anymore without fear, is it? Electing an individual can come with consequences, can’t it? I believe it takes courage to run for any office today.
Carol Ellis, Melbourne
Google worse than 'Wheel of Justice'
A recent column by John Torres discussed false accusations made by Sheriff Ivey on his "Wheel of Fugitive" podcast. I was happy to see FLORIDA TODAY defend members of our community who are falsely accused.
Unfortunately, there is an even more powerful voice making accusations based on outdated information. The Google search engine relentlessly scours the FLORIDA TODAY archives for inflammatory images and phrases that will get the most "clicks," using arrest reports from as long as a decade ago to create links to your website that appear in search results whenever a person's name is entered.
If you were once accused, even years ago, your life is a nightmare that never ends. Any potential employer, customer or friend will eventually enter your name in the ubiquitous Google search index. A lurid headline from years ago appears instantly across the top of the page, declaring you a monster.
How long can you struggle to find work, to support your family, asking only for a chance to redeem yourself, only to be kicked to the ground every single day? Surely we have enough poverty, unemployment and hopelessness in our community; why continue to condemn ordinary people who for years have been obeying the law and trying to do the right thing?
That's why several major newspapers, led by the Boston Globe, now allow those accused in old arrest reports to petition to have their names removed as search terms for these articles. This would not change your record of the past, only a few Google ads being issued in the present. Read Mr. Torres' column. End this wheel of injustice.
Dan Woodard, Merritt Island
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Traffic, immigration, marijuana: Letters to the Editor, May 26, 2024
