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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 28, 2008

Christmas Is No Threat

The letter you printed Dec. 25, "Christmas Defended," by Emily Harper was a satirical letter whose purpose was to make the "conservative Christians" feel bad about wanting to keep the tradition of saying "Merry Christmas" alive in this world.

In the spirit of the Christmas holiday, I would enlighten Harper as to our true feelings. "Happy Holidays" is not the "most offensive phrase in human history." But I trust that she will remember that the reason we celebrate Christmas at all is because of the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. We don't expect clerks to know our religion the first time they meet us, but during the Christmas season, we do like to acknowledge the fact that the holiday does have something to do with Christ.

I have no problem saying "Happy Hanukah" or any other greeting to a Jew, Buddhist, Wiccan, atheist, Muslim or any other non-Christian I meet on their special holiday - whatever phrase they would like to hear. When it is New Year's Day, we wish everyone "Happy New Year", including all of those above.

I don't understand what Harper and others like her find so threatening in wishing to keep the memory of the birth of a man who was a non-violent healer and whose followers want only the love and peace of the holiday to be acknowledged.

I trust that Harper one day might find that love and peace in her own heart and not feel threatened by the mere phrase "Merry Christmas"!

SONDRA JACKSON

Brandon

Who's In Charge?

I am getting a bit confused about who is in charge down here and just how things are done. After all I am a snowbird from up North where we know the people in charge and how much their budget is.

Recently Hillsborough County's supervisor of elections has been in the news regarding a $2.3 million dollar cost to pay his employees for extra time spent during the last election, among other expenses. Apparently this was not anticipated and not included in his budget. So now the questions are how do these people get paid and is it money really owed?

Almost at the same time, the Lowry Park zoo and its No. 1 man were in the news. When the board governing the zoo was meeting the session was closed to the public and the news media. Even the Tampa mayor said she was not allowed into the session. That was really a shock to me, since I was under the impression that the zoo was a city-owned facility. I can understand the news media being excluded, but not the mayor.

I guess I was always under the impression that we were living in a democracy and not a totalitarian dictatorship. Apparently I have been wrong all along.

CHARLES KNAPP

Brandon

Storms Wasting Time

What can one say about Ronda Storms that hasn't been said before? Not much!

We were so fortunate to have her leave local politics for the larger arena in Tallahassee. We felt she would be one of many there and her off-the-wall antics would be moderated by more level-headed politicos that are closer to the center rather than left of crazy.

Ronda "Call Me Senator" Storms is wasting taxpayer time and money on library content and the Dewey Decimal System but has yet to weigh in on the pressing deteriorating financial condition of the state. I can understand how she didn't retain the instructions of how to use the library cataloging system from her youth. A short refresher course can be provided by any librarian. As to content, leave that to the professionals who have a better understanding of the citizens and their desires.

Can somebody in the state Legislature please find something constructive for Ronda to do so she doesn't meddle in inconsequential issues?

ROBERT WEISMAN

Tampa

Storms Is Right

On Dec. 19 your reporter Catherine Dolinski wrote an editorial column disguised as a news article attacking Sen. Ronda Storms. Dolinski complained that Storms "railed" against the outmoded Dewey Decimal library system, yet she didn't fix state revenue, which is in "freefall."

The editorial disguised as a news article really went after Storms for talking about library problems at a state budget committee hearing on library spending. What was she supposed to talk about at such a hearing?

Storms was right. The continued use of the Dewey Decimal System really is foolish. And spending limited funds to put more TV programs and DVDs on the library shelves really is a misuse of scarce resources.

I marvel at how out of touch your newspaper is. I pledge to help Ronda Storms in her campaign if she ever runs for U.S. Senate or the U.S. House.

TIMOTHY CONDON

Tampa

Bad Comedy, Not A Crisis

An alert nurse practitioner from Detroit, Caroline Trapp, has written (Dec. 21) that instead of the pork-laden, anti-productivity contracts with labor unions, the Big Three's problems may stem from the fact that their workers have always eaten too many chili-cheese dogs and bacon burgers. Why, sure. That sounds plausible.

Just like the government would like us to believe that the real culprits in our energy problems are a few scruffy foreign dictators and Big Oil rather than the fact that Congress will not allow us to tap into more of the vast energy reserves we have right here in America. Just like Nancy Pelosi is fully capable of telling the automakers what kinds of cars they need to produce. And just like we need to believe that the Congress folk who have supposedly had oversight on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for the past few decades are the ones who will now make sure they are solving their problems.

If you thought things could not get any worse, consider Bernard Madoff, the man who is accused of bilking $50 billion from people. The man was running his financial enterprise much the same as the government runs Social Security. But there was one important difference: He only took money from the ultra-rich rather than from every working stiff who earns a paycheck in this country. The man was spreading the wealth. Why is he being prosecuted? He needs to be appointed to a high position in the new administration.

Every day it looks more and more like we are not in an economic crisis - we are, instead, in a bad situation comedy.

DAVE CHERRYHOLMES

Pinellas Park

Avoiding Scams

Paul Krugman's column, "The Madoff Economy," raised some good points, but his larger question, "How could everyone important miss the warning signs" went unanswered and said more about Krugman and how such Madoff moments occur than he may have realized.

Those on Wall Street are not the only people who "believe their own hype." Greed, arrogance, corruption, and nepotism permeate Wall Street, Washington DC, our state capitals, the media, and Main Street. I am not sure who you think the important people are, but until each person takes full responsibility for every aspect of their lives they will continue to be duped by greedy Wall Street types and, dare I say, the important people like Krugman.

Freedom is not a passive endeavor, nor is it easy. My freedom is just that, my responsibility! We will continue to have Madoff moments in the finance world, political world and all of our worlds until individuals stand up for themselves.

DON MARSHALL

Plant City

Beware This Landfill

A new Pasco landfill is about to be approved by the misnamed Florida environmental protection agency. There is no protection afforded to the people of this county. Our water is threatened, and so is the air quality from the noxious fumes of the garbage and the exhaust of over 200 trucks a day on our two-lane roads.

Angelo's Aggregate is not in this as a public service to the county. The initial proposal was that they would take some of Pasco's garbage at a reduced rate, while they made their big money on the garbage they imported. The site does sit on a railroad line, after all.

Angelo's spokesperson natters on about "recycling" and "creating compost" out of the imported garbage. But please understand; this would be household garbage. That's millions of dirty diapers, buckets of used kitty litter and just about anything else you can imagine. What's to recycle or compost? Do you want to spread this on your garden? Ninety-nine percent of the residents of the area oppose this landfill. Do we live in a democracy?

If this garbage dump is approved, it shows me that we live, not in a democracy, but in a dictatorship controlled by big business and their money.

FERN WILLIAMS

Zephyrhills

Questioning The Bailouts

A sure sign of doom is when average Americans realize government bailouts don't solve problems but our elected officials do it anyway. My fellow citizens, please demand answers from your congressman for the following questions:

1. Where are the bailouts, rescue packages and loans going?

2. When and how will the money be paid back?

3. Did the first stimulus package help the economy?

4. If the large deficit four years ago hurt the economy, how will increasing it help?

The members of Congress gave themselves a $4,700 per year pay raise effective January. Do you think they deserve it?

KEVIN SCHWEIKHART

Tampa

Ybor Parking Outrage

I'm through with Ybor City. It was great going there as a kid, taking courses at HCC, eating Cubans, taking out-of-towners to soak up the ambience. But several years ago I swore off Ybor because of the parking. Recently I relented to attend a Christmas luncheon with the teachers and staff of D.W. Waters Career Center, where I have volunteered for years.

I was afraid to trust the two-hour free parking lest a ticket monster arrive one second past and grant me a $25 gift, so I decided it would be better to pay $3 to a lot for all-day parking. I parked in space No. 12 and put three ones in the slot that appeared to be for that number. You get no receipt.

Well, I came back to find my car gone. I was frantic it was stolen but soon found it had been towed. Space No. 22 was directly under No. 12, and undoubtedly my $3 went into that slot in error. There were very few cars parked there.

I'm out the $3 plus $136 to the towing company that advised me I had to be there by 5 p.m. (it was almost 4) or pay storage. Upon arrival, the place was closed up tight, and there was no answer at the door. This is a seedy industrial area no one would feel comfortable being parked in especially nearing 5 p.m. We had to call them to come from somewhere else. What would you do without a cell phone?

I am kissing off Ybor City. You can have it.

WYNELLE GILBERT

Tampa

Consider Saving Bridge

Why should I care? I am an 82-year-old woman who has never walked or biked the Friendship Trail that is evidently going to be torn down.

Well, back in 2005 I bought a brick to be placed there in memory of my dear departed World War II pilot. I though it was a great idea and feel sure there are many other bricks there for similar reasons.

Certainly I understand that it has now been declared unsafe and needs to be closed. But why the rush to destroy it?

One of the ideas being talked about to help put people to work is to repair many of our bridges and roads. Surely this bridge could at least be considered.

H.J. REYNOLDS

Brandon

JOIN DISCUSSION

The Tribune welcomes letters and e-mails from readers. The text should be original and no longer than 150 words. By making a submission, you agree the Tribune may edit the letter for length and clarity, and publish it in any medium.

Please include your name, address and daytime phone number. Mail to: P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-0191. Or e-mail without attachments: tribletters@tampatrib.com.

Also, read and participate in the Tribune editorial board's blog, "Thinking Out Loud," at www.tboblogs.com/index.php/thinkoutloud/categories....

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