TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Letters To The Editor

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 28, 2007

Acknowledging Donors

Regarding 'Generous Gift To Kids' Museum Shows Bighearted Side Of Glazers' (Our Opinion, Oct. 21):

It is always good to enlighten the people of Tampa as to what the Glazers are doing for the betterment of humanity and the city of Tampa. The citizens of Hillsborough County do pay taxes, which in turn helps to keep the Tampa Sports Authority and stadium functioning for the Bucs' home games.

Seems that the public is seldom enlightened as to what the Glazers do, like we are of other private citizens and owners of sports teams (i.e., George Steinbrenner and others), especially for our city, education and youth.

We realize that some people like to remain anonymous, but it is always good to know when good things are done, to promote goodwill and benefit so many people, in our city, county and country.

People of Tampa are still waiting to see an American flag flying at Bucs headquarters along with the Bucs flags on Martin Luther King Boulevard. It would be great to see an American flag, the same size, flying beside the big Bucs flag. If the car dealers can do it, so can the Bucs and their owners.

Thank you again, for your article. I hope the Glazers will see the need and continue to give for many more worthy causes.

R. MESSER

Brandon

Ulterior Motives
I can't believe that the mayor and the Glazers believe that a $5 million investment in a 'building' bearing the Glazer name is more important than the actual children who are living in hunger and poverty now!

Sure, they have made smaller donations, but this one spoke to them. It whispered 'vanity and ego.'

DEBRA McCORMACK

Tampa

Still Unimpressed

Spare me from the kudos for the Glazers having donated money to the children's museum. How about the patriarch's promise to repay one-half the cost of the stadium that was built to further line their pockets?

And they are now profiting from the good run the USF Bulls are having - and from every event held at the stadium, which they evidently don't realize they do not own. What could the county do with that money if it had been repaid as promised?

I do not think their 'generosity' should be so highly praised.

GINNY MILLER

Tampa

Bad Way To Celebrate

Regarding 'The Mezuzah And The Mensch' (Our Opinion, Oct. 20):

Your editorial expressed displeasure with the American Civil Liberties Union for objecting to Gov. Crist hanging a mezuzah on the frame of his office door. He had received it as a gift. It closes, and rightly so, by saying that the governor's only intent was to be respectful and grateful.

Which gets me to Halloween, or All Hallows Eve. I wonder, would it be possible to squeeze in somewhere that Halloween is the evening of Oct. 31, the day before the Feast of All Saints, a day upon which the Catholic Church asks us to honor all of our saints?

It might help us Catholics to focus on men and women of extraordinary virtue, not on ghosts, goblins or whatever junk commercial interests have been associating with it.

I don't think that I'll ever have the courage of some of those saints if the ACLU comes after me for writing this letter. So, I might as well be bold as well as reckless.

You might add that the day after All Saints Day is All Souls Day, a day on which we pray for all who have died, Catholic, Christians, people of all faiths or none - even deceased Libertarians.

PAT O'SULLIVAN

Tampa

Timely History Lesson

I want to thank Leonard Pitts for his column 'A History Of Rope, And Shame' (Other Views, Oct. 20). Many people, especially the young, have never witnessed true evil such as he described about the history of the rope and, therefore, they are very insensitive toward the meaning of it.

This article should be clipped out, read and discussed in every high school history class. We must never forget those horrific crimes that innocent people in our free country endured. Information and education empower people to make better choices.

MARIAN BAIRD

Tampa

An American First

The comments made by Adri Colina at the Oct. 18 Hispanic Heritage Event are incorrect if she is describing Hispanics in Tampa from decades ago.

She stated that many of them downplayed their cultural heritage to fit into American society.

Review the remarkable history of the Centro Asturiano, Centro Espanol and Circulo Cubano if you have any doubts. They were no different than those from other countries who came with their hopes of becoming part of the American dream. They did not try to replace America's culture and language with theirs.

I am very proud of my ancestors from Spain and honor them for what they accomplished. I am not Hispanic. I am an American, free of any labels because that is what my ancestors struggled for.

LOU GUTIERREZ

Lake Wales

Unnecessary Protections

Regarding 'The Public, Not Just Press, Needs Congress to Pass Shield Law' (Our Opinion, Oct. 22):

Editors, publishers and their advocates in Congress are trying to pump up support for a new federal law that essentially sets a single group of citizens apart on the basis of their employment status. Somehow, over 200 years of American history have passed under the bridge without such protections being deemed necessary or desirable.

By extending these new rights to journalists, Congress would create a secular editorial priesthood above the law. By no evident means did America's founders ever mean to create such a privileged class.

JIM PARKER

Lakeland

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT