Letters to the editor for Saturday, November 27, 2021

Freedom without limits?

Ben Albritton's column ("Freedom Matters") is a powerful reminder of so much that is wrong in today's Florida. He and his colleagues continue to worship a bizarre form of individual freedom without limit or qualification, and one surely unrecognizable to the nation’s founders, regardless of the potential harm to the community in which we all they live. The framers would be appalled -- not to say disbelieving -- that anyone would cite "personal freedom" or “parental rights” as the basis for sending their unvaccinated, unmasked, and possibly infectious child into a public school, or for themselves sitting unmasked and unvaccinated among friends and neighbors in a public gathering.

Those who share Sen. Albritton's view on "individual medical decisions" need to help the rest of us understand how we are supposed to protect ourselves and our children from their exercise of "parental rights" when they chose to send their unprotected or even infected children into our classrooms. Is a vulnerable teacher’s only option now to stay home, not because she’s unvaccinated but because a parent wants to make the “medical choice” to send his child into her classroom unvaccinated and unmasked? Are the other students supposed to leave?

James Madison included among the Constitution’s purposes “promote the general welfare.” A little more of that, please.

Murray Newton, Iona

Many mandates accepted for common good

Many Republicans these days see government mandates as a threat to personal freedom. Yet for years most Americans have accepted many mandates as necessary for the common good. We accept the rules of the road with regard to stop signs, speed limits, parking, etc. and pay the fines if we are caught. We wear seat belts, we no longer smoke in restaurants or movie theaters because we know that to do so would be harmful to others. For years we accepted the requirement for our children to be vaccinated before they began the school year. It is concern for the common good that makes a society safe and functioning.

Currently we have a pandemic of the unvaccinated. The vast majority of those who occupy hospital beds never received the vaccine. What should be a health issue has become a political issue. It is true some of the science in the early stages of the pandemic was wrong because the virus was new and different. But the evolving scientific knowledge is certainly more trustworthy than outright falsehoods spread on Facebook or news organizations that are currently being sued for spreading lies.

Joseph Gormley, Fort Myers

Biden an abject failure

Joe Biden is an inefficient, out of touch bumbling man. Everything has been an abject failure, with the exception of some of his COVID policies. The disgraceful exit from Afghanistan which cost American lives, shutting down the pipeline, the horrible crisis at the border, rampant inflation, the questionable vaccine and mask mandates. Biden has yet to exhibit the qualities of a man in the position of president of the United States.

He has cowered to Russian and China. His words of warning to these two countries are as powerful as a water balloon in a battle of warheads. The free world is laughing at him and at the United States. Our country’s stature has been greatly diminished and respect has evaporated.

The truth be told and it is more evident every passing day, is that Biden is merely a figurehead. He is controlled by Obama. Obama is manipulative and smart and knows what to say and how to get Joe to follow suit.

His Cabinet is full of cronies, one more inept than the next. Let’s not forget the totally absent VP, Harris. America is in trouble and the elitists in charge couldn’t care less.

Michael Zubrow, Naples

Low wages, poor social support in Florida

Florida’s needy families and food banks are both struggling against rising prices and supply chain shortages that make it harder to put food on the table. We can add to that Florida’s long history of low wages and poor social support programs. The state depends heavily on agencies like Salvation Army, United Way and charity to take care of social programs.

Local food banks and pantries are working overtime to meet the needs. Clients are working families working 40 hours a week (both members) at about $15 or less per hour, working in areas like long-term care and the service industry.

They are also struggling to maintain shelter.

These problems are not new, indicating inability, lack of concern of the people in power. Yet they are repeatedly re-elected.

Lewis Robinson, Fort Myers

CORRECTION: The infrastructure bill provides Florida with $13.1 billion to repair and improve highways rated in poor condition. The number in a letter in Friday's paper was incorrect.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Letters to the editor for Saturday, November 27, 2021