The Naples Daily News from Naples, Florida (2024)

March 20, 2006

Publication:

The Naples Daily Newsi

Location:

Naples, Florida

Issue Date:

Monday, March 20, 2006

Page:

31

Extracted Article Text (OCR)

-i BiilgNrau Monday March 20 2006 111 Commentary Letters to the Editor Today in History Today Monday March 2d the 79th day of 2006 There are 286 days left in tne year Spring arrives at 1 26 year Spring arrives at What love Did he threaten our way of life Not in the least Did he gas 5000 Kurds? Yes he did But what of the Hutus and Tutsis? Over 500000 died there and we did nothing There were bodies flowing down die river And you are still waiting for an apology So am I as are all of those families who no longer have a child brother sister or father from Bush If you chose not to learn then there is no one to blame but yourself For those of you who have obeyed the rules of a civil society please remember to register and vote Chuck Vitale Naples handout Editor Daily News: Much has been written about Vice President visit and its disruption of our traffic As I was parked in the middle of it for 40 minutes with my liberal wife and daughter I attempted to dunk of the perfect world where all senior officials flying into an airport for a fundraiser requir-ing heavy security to a city would be required to host die fundraiser at die airport hangar The results would be immediate The politicians who are traveling in and out of town would love the convenience Parking for 500 cars would not be a problem The hotel hosting the event could also cater it at the airport hangar The cost to the city to provide adequate security would decrease And the biggest benefit to everyone would be the elimination of traffic tie-ups! Hence no road rage! Only in a perfect world! lob ind Christie Farrier Naples Consider signing on Editor Daily News: The overwhelming evidence for the impeachment of George Bush and friends glares in the free of each and every citizen be you Democrat or Republican The congressmen who rallied for the impeachment of President Clinton are questionably silent for the far-greater crimes and misdemeanors of Bush blatant lies that led to an immoral preplanned invasion of Iraq the sanctioning of prisoner abuse the leaking of a covert CIA agent's identity election fraud the horror of Hurricane Katrina and the National Security Agency wiretap scandal that is invading the freedoms of every citizen The checks and balances created by our Founding Fathers for the preservation of our democracy are unraveling It is time to support Michigan Democrat Rep John Conyers' House Resolution 635 to support impeachment Please contact Conyers and sign for the preservation of our children our nation our planet and world peace Joanne Irwin MEd Naples Past works of courage Editor Daily News: After a recent trip to the East Coast Central Florida and the Panhandle we were astonished to return to Collier County and realize that we were the only county amongst all that we saw that did not have ugly billboards towering signs of all sizes shapes and colors ruining our vista We should all belatedly thank a prior county commissioner Jim Carter for putting up with so much abuse during his courageous fight to regulate signs I recall many years ago how many nasty letters were written attacking him for this effort Today Collier County standi virtually alone in not forcing people driving on US 41 to be assaulted with ugliness You need only drive through nearby Fort Myers and Sarasota to see what I am talking about We also are one of the few who no longer approve "big boxes" (see Sports Authority and Toys Us to see what we could look like if this had not been stopped) and this too has made our environment so much more appealing This was pushed by a another prior commissioner Tim Hanco*ck who took a lot of grief for his efforts hope that commissioners too will stand iqj for what is right for Collier and be willing to take criticism from a minority who care only about their own issues We need to continue to protect Collier County to ensure that we stand apart from the rush to ugliness Maureen McCarthy North Naples Unimportant? Editor Daily News: Letter-writer Mike Brower is so typical of many Republicans today Instead of demonstrating how Vice President Cheney should not be seen as detrimental to American values he hauls out the Clinton cliche That is to say see what Clinton did that is much worse Clinton has not been in office for six years and still he is blamed for the problems of this adminis-- tration He then states that President Clinton has not been held accountable fin his actions What does he consider impeachment a day in the office? see telling my wife I had an affair or lying to the American people about a getting us into a war that has taken over 2000 American children brothers sisters and fathers from their families The war was with Afghanistan not Iraq Was Saddam a murderer? Absolutely Note to readers Due to the heavy loid of letters to thceditor we are currently receiving some of these letters haw been edited for brevity pm Eastern time Today's Highlight On March 24 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte entered Para beginning his "100 Days' rule On th is Date In 1413 Kina Henry IV died he was succeeded By Henry theV In 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe's influential novel about slavery "Uncle Cabin" was first published Hi 1896 US Marines landed in Nicaragua to protect US citizens in the wake of a revolution In 1956 union workers ended a 1 56-day strike at Westing housa Electric Corp Hi 1976 kidnapped newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was convicted of armed robbery for anciscobank her part in a San Francisco! holdup In 1981 former school headmistress Jean Harris was sentenced in White Plains NY to 1 5 years to life in prison for slaying "Scarsdale Diet" author Dr Herman Tarnower (Harris ended up serving almost 12 years) In 1995 in Tokyo 12 people were killed more than 5500 others sickened when packages containing the poisonous gas sarin were leaked on five separate subway trains by Aum Shinrikyo cult members Ten years ago: A jury in Los Angeles convicted Erik and Lyle Menendez of first-degree murder in the shotgun slayings of their millionaire parents The British government said a rare brain disease that had killed 10 people was probably linked to so-called "mad cow disease" One year ago: A visibly frustrated Pope John Paul II made a brief but silent appearance at his Vatican apartment window after missing his first Palm Sunday Mass in 26 years as pontiff Thought for Today "Spring makes everything young again except Jean Paid Richter German author (1763-1825) Bible quote It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power -Acts 1:7 SOUND OFF Television WBBH-TVNBC2 3719 Central Ave Fort Myers FL 33901 (239)939-2020 e-mail: commentsOnbc-2com Web site: wwwnbc-2com UPN 8 301 Tower Road Naples FL 341 13 (239)793-9603 e-mail: al0upn-8com Web site: wwwupn-8com WFTX-TV FOX 4 621 SW Pine Island Road Cape Coral FL 33991 (239)574-3636 e-mail: newsOwftxcom WGCU-TV PBS 3 10501 FGCU Blvd Fort Myers FL 33965 (239) 590-2300 590-2310 e-mail: tcookeOfgcuedu Web site: wwwwgcuorg WINK-TV CBS 5 2824 Palm Beach Blvd Fort Myers FL 33916 (239)334-1111 e-mail: winknewsOwinktvcom Web site: wwwwinktvcom WTVK-TV WB6 3451 Bonita Bay Blvd Bonita Springs FL 34134 (239)498-4600 fax: (239J-498-0156 WZVN-TV ABC 7 3719 Central Ave Fort Myers FL 33901 (239)939-2020 e-mail: commentsOabc-7com Web site: wwwabc-7com CNN (Cable News Network) One CNN Center Atlanta GA 30303 (404)827-1500 e-mail: publidnformationOtumercom Web site: CNNcom Crisis hotlines Project HELP offers 24-hour crisis (suicide rape depression) hotline and referral services at 262-7227 call free from pay phoney 1-800-329-7227 Hearing impaired call 1-800955-8771 (TTY) Shelter for Abused Women 6 Children (Collier County) offers a 24-Hour Crisis Line at 775-1 101 Campus Crime Hotline The foOfree number for reporting crime or suspicious activity on school campuses is 1-877-7-BE-BRAVE (1-877-723-2728) BE BRAVE stands for Better Education By Reporting Afl Violence Early Televised Meetings Naplts HhIm MMriMMt BMtiiaS Ml mean OunmsI 11 Dim Id the nature of IVI WVWWQy IHli KMWVN MDJVCY 12 1 aapwgevxeai for schedule updatai Todsy 8 un: City Council Workshop (Replay from March 13) 2 pm: City Council (Apfay torn March 1 5) 8pjn: Airport Authority (ffqptay from Afarcfr 9 1 1 pm: East Naples Bay Taxing District (Aepby Iran March 17) 1 im: Airport Authority (teptyrwnMKfiS) Tuesday 9 am: Moorings Bay Taxing District (fw) 2 pm: 4 Comm (Replay mm March 4) 8 pm: Moorings Bay Taxing District Wepiiy from March 21) 1 ajn: 4 Comers Ifhpbf horn March 4) Wednesday 9 am: Design Review Board (iw) 3 pjn: Moorings Bay Taxing District Replay from March 21) 8 pm: Design Review Board (Replay from March 22) 1 am: City Council Workshop (Replay from March 13) Collier County Coler County Government Access TV meeting schedule Broadcasts can be teen on Comcast and Mane Hand cable Channel 11 and Time Warner cable Channel IB To watch he via the Internet go to wwwcolKergovnet Today 9 am: Flood Plain Management workshop (irw) A $75 million three-year study included inspections at a New Jersey cargo terminal by Homeland Security found that cargo containers can be opened secretly durrng shipment to add or remove items without alerting authorities A warehouse in Maine was graded less secure than any in Pakistan Turkey or Brazil Turkey was hopelessly inadequate Weapons of mass destruction could have come from many places Note however that some governments would not cooperate in the study and were not interested in tightening security because they view terrorism as an American problem! Goodbye to the last good friends in the Arab world Jack Humphrey Naples Getting worse Editor Daily News: I am a veteran of three tours of duty in Vietnam and I am deeply troubled by what our military has become Traditionally our military has been a bastion of defense and of awesome force when our country needed it Tragically under the neo-con government of President Bush it has morphed into a politically driven mercenary force that does the bidding of our very misguided self-proclaimed "war It was indeed sad and embarrassing to see the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff paraded out in front of journalists and the American public to make a purely political speech that was probably written for him by Karl Rove justifying the war and criticizing the media for not reporting all the good things that are happening in Iraq It was almost an all-time low for our military I have to agree with Rep John Murtha D-P4L in not recommending the US military as a career or interim Job for young people I can say this to those young people interested: If you value your future and want to work for somebody with integrity and who will look out for your interest no matter what happens choose the military If you think the militaiy takes care of its own ask yourself why there are so many veterans in dire need of assistance tragic that a group of "chicken who chose to never serve their country are well on their way to ruining our military Dan Jenkins Naples Serious about not caring less Editor Daily News: I really must disagree with Robbins Winslow's letter of March 5 I can see no justification for "updating laws" to allow convicted felons to vote The current system allows them to petition for their rights to be restored It is time-consuming and expensive and I could care less The main reason to keep this law can be summed up with one word deterrence If you want to lose your voting rights commit a felony If you respect the rest of society enough not to become a criminal then you should have to go through the expense and effort to regam your voting rights like to counter my position by saying it a deterrent then why would any sane person want to let them vote to limit control or have any say in what law-abiding citizens can or do? Remember the axiom "If you cant do the time do the crime" We are finally learning that many criminals dont change their habits an a recidivism is too high At one time many said we were too harsh on child molesters We have all now seen the error of that think- is a series of choices Learn from your mfatihea and the mistakes of others Editor Daily News Thank you Naples There not enough paper or ink to name and thank everyone who called wrote cards e-mailed visited the family and helped with all of the arrangements for the late Bruce Thalheimer and his family Bruce could always turn a negative into a positive I lost my best friend but now have gained a guardian angel not just to watch over me But all of you who have been so thoughtful over the past few days Thank you again Naples MIIDaHaan Naples MacGarbage Mouth Editor Daily News: Unfortunately no one asked me what John McEnroe said to me in front of AfiOO people on March 12 while 1 was umpiring a tennis match at the Champions Tour Naples He apparently like my call against him on the baseline After arguing and insulting the chair which resulted in a code violation for unsportsmanlike contact he turned his sophom*oric rage on me and called me an obscene name a loud and clear voice I immediately reported the incident to the chair and the director was called in After a conference on court he announced to McEnroe if he continued this conduct he would be defaulted from the tournament This incident was only one of many code violations in the prior three days The throwing of his racket smashing balls out of the court in a rage abusing other officials and some of the patrons with his "garbage-mouth" expletives all contributed to his unsportsmanlike conduct He displayed this outrageous conduct five years ajp here in Naples when be was here during the Novene Then as now his conduct is an insult to fire game of tennis Like Texas Naples should bar ban him from playing any further tournaments here RG Sweeney Naples USTA Tennis Official When are wt headed? Editor Daily News: Perhaps "reproductive health services" is an Orwellian term to Nicholas Healy president of Ave Maria University but to those of us who are active in Planned Parenthood it means just what it says help to women who have reproductive issues of concern to themselves personally which should not be of concern to Mr Heahr With respect to Ave Maria University (which has been overpublicized by the Daily News) if Ave Maria does not wish to provide contraceptives on campus that is its right However if Ave Maria interferes with the right of CVS or any other pharmacy to provide contraceptives in the town of Ave Maria that is infringing on the rights of file residents of the town Based on everything I have read thus far I have grave concerns that AMU will not respect the rights of the residents of file town of Ave Maria David Goldstein Naples KISS Editor Daily News: Keep it simple sweetie! I think there is a very simple way to solve file issue of what happens to the golf course at Riviera Golf Estates Gather all the Collier County commissioners at a table Give them a picture of the community of Riviera Golf Estates as shown in file Daily News Ask them this question: "If you owned a home in the pictured community would you want 1200 condos built in the green space of the golf course?" Their answer to this simple question should guide them when they come to re-zoning mis property Simple? You bet Achievable? Only if they follow the philosophy of "do no when they vote Amphlctt Naples The last good friends Editor Daily News: Senate Democrats along with Lou Dobbs demonstrate their ignorance of the good friend we have had in die United Arab Emirates Recall who helped us in the desert wars provided anchorage and dockage for our Navy and supply ships and was therefore at meat risk from Arabs We didnT seem to wony about security then We talk about profiling anyone who looks like an Arab is a security risk? There are many Arabs in the world who have no part in terrorism and do not deserve to be classified as security risks Our beloved Department of Homeland Security (which should be retired along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency) has die responsibility to check out the facilities and personnel No matter whether die British or the Arabs manage the ports the thousands of people involved in the dayto-day operations will not The people and the security risks will be the same whether the port British-or Arab-managed James Athaeas Golden Gate Questions Editor Daily News: When it comes to ethical questions we all have opinions and points of view even where we do not have expertise in areas i Ethical solutions may vary from moral intuition to strict religious dogma Of all the cell types embryonic stem cells being pleuripotent or "master have the potential for relief of human suf-So it boils down to does the end the means? Is the destined-to-be- to a human being? There's no objective test for this ana honest decent people vary in their opinion Some say "Human embryonic stem-cell research represents a barbaric assault on the dignity of To others not using this approach to potential prevention and treatment of innumerable dreadful diseases is clearly immoruL Many people of various religions as well as a great many medical scientists feel there's a moral defense for the humanitarian use of frozen embryos destined to never enter a womb They do not accept that a cell duster without nerve gut or muscle cells or differentiated cells of any kind for that matter is equivalent to a living breathing person They would hope those opposed would not prevent the use of this treatment at least until it has been given a chance Christopher Reeve asked "Is it more unethical for a woman to donate unused embryos that will never become human beings or to let them be tossed away as so much garbage when they could hern save indsoflh thousands of Allen Melnik MD Uonita Springs Charter please Editor Daily News: Collier County government is becoming far too intrusive into our daily lives It seems that Big Brother is not satisfied with interfering in our lives 40 hours a week now there are weekend code-enforcement leaving notes at our doors while we are away These people are not checking on the 10 people living in the two-bedroom house down the street Oh no they have bigger fish to fry They are complaining about the car battery left sitting on the driveway while the owner is at the store buying a new one I am appalled at the gross waste of taxpayer money this constitutes Calls and e-mails to my county commissioner Frank Halas have gone unanswered That is no surprise because unless you live in Pelican Bay he will not answer your calls or e-mails A while back there was an outcry for charter government in this county Please do not let this idea go away Our county officials have become bureaucratic bullies because they know there is no accountability for their actions It is past time for a change Tom Hoffman Naples Just the facts Editor Daily News: Lest your readers accept as Gospel truth Treacy Gibbons' recent characterization of the Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) as a dissident group of Catholics they should know that an independent study of the VOTF membership conducted by doctors William Antonio and Anthony Pogoieic of the Life Cycle Institute of Catholic University of America under a grant from the Lily Corp VOTF members are among firmed file most committed people in their parishes actively practice the Catholic frith and have a rich personal history of Catholic The study findings were presented at a symposium sponsored by Boston College "Church in the 21st Specifically 60 percent of members reported being on parish committees and 45 percent eucha-ristic ministers Fifty-two percent reported tearhing in religious education and 25 percent reported teaching in Catholic sdioob Eighty-seven percent have college de-rees6bpercen 1 grees 60 percent graduate or professional degrees At the national level VOTF members exceed the national average in terms of Catholic schooling 57 percent attend Catholic colleges and universities Eighty-five percent are registered in a parish compared to 68 percent of Catholics nationally The study convincingly shows that we are who we claim to be Catholic men and women who share a deep commitment to their church We do not seek to divest the pope of his power we seek to shape the structural change within the institutional church primarily in terms of clerical and hierarchical accountability so file shameful clerical sexual abuse of children and its cover up by the hierarchy an unconscionable abuse of authority is not allowed to continue Peg Clerk Naples President Voice of the Faithful of Southwest Flonda i 5 4 4 4 i 4.

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