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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 24, 2008

Good Guy Gets Away

Regarding "Official Demoted For Accepting Gift" (Metro, Jan. 17):

The city has again cut its nose off to spite its face. I work for a general contractor and I've dealt with Carlos Llerandi on two projects; both large city public works jobs. I don't have a personal relationship with him, I've never seen him away from a jobsite and I haven't had him inspect anything in over two years, but I know that he is one of the good guys.

He always enforced the codes, even when he was under tremendous political pressure because his decisions sometimes cost the city money to amend their construction drawings. Good contractors respected him because he was always fair and he always pointed out code infractions in ample time to get them corrected within our schedule. He took his job seriously and never compromised his position.

The city will take drug and alcohol abusers, send them to rehab, and put them back into their positions. Why can't they reprimand a good employee for an honest mistake and keep him where he's needed?

RON LOCKLEAR

Plant City

Faith Of Evolutionists
Regarding "The T-Rex With His Nose In The Tent" (Other Views, Jan. 15):
Community Columnist Buzz Kelly claims that evolution has been substantiated by countless pieces of evidence and implies that creationism ignores this evidence. These statements are not true.

There are two types of evolution: microevolution and macroevolution. Microevolution is change within species or change from one species to a new species of the same organism. This has been substantiated through scientific research, starting with Darwin's finches. Creationists have no problem with the fact that God made animals able to adapt and change over time, sometimes even becoming new species.

What we have a problem with is macroevolution - the idea that an organism can, over time, take on enough genetic information to become a completely new type of organism. Despite the lack of observable evidence for this process, evolutionists still accept it as pure fact.

That's called faith.

ANDY HAZELTON

Lakeland

Not Mutually Exclusive

By definition, evolution implies that there is something to evolve from. Darwin's theory is totally correct. However, nowhere in it does it refer to creation.

Buzz Kelly refers to the Constitution. How about the Declaration of Independence? "We are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Darwin's Theory and there being a Creator are totally consistent with each other.

BOB KORSCH

Sun City Center

A Designer Is Needed

Let's see, evolution vs. intelligent design. Can't teach both in schools? Yet Kelly says philosophy should be taught. Philosophy, by definition, includes the theory of the nature of the universe.

Intelligent Design is not just a Christian belief. Somewhere beyond our mental grasp is indeed an intelligent designer.

ROY LENTJES

Clearwater

Fails Science Test

It came as no surprise to see that Buzz Kelly is a former advertising executive after reading his piece of propaganda on evolution. Like much of advertising today, his article was full of glitz and glamour, deceiving only the gullible. While bashing Intelligent Design, the author forgets to mention that the theory of evolution fails the scientific method. We have never observed an animal transform into a more complex creature over time, which the theory necessitates, nor are we able to experiment with evolution for that would reek of Intelligent Design.

Some still claim the proof is in the fossil record, but unfortunately evolution is a process and there are no processes to observe in dead bones except decay.

DAVID MOSS

Tampa

Proof Needed For Both

"T-Rex With His Nose In The Tent" concludes that the Theory of Evolution is a scientific certainty and that Intelligent Design is just religion in disguise.

Unbelievably, the writer states that the theory of evolution has been confirmed by over 150 years of study. He explains that it can be tested by experiment and observation. I don't think evolution can be tested in a lab or elsewhere. The testers would not be able to hang around long enough.

The Theory of Evolution does seem reasonable and logical but remember that in another time, a flat Earth also seemed reasonable and logical.

At this point in time, evolution is as much religion as Intelligent Design.

GERRY STACK II

Lithia

Evolving For The Better

Evolution tries again to convince us that it is the only way to explain life. Buzz Kelly is accurate when he sees Intelligent Design as a matter of faith, but he fails to recognize that evolution is also a matter of faith; it borders on being a religion itself. Many good scientists today believe that Intelligent Design is the only way to explain life, and they give us plenty of scientific evidence, but they do have to admit that faith is a big part of their ideas.

If man continues to evolve, I wonder when he is going to become better and treat his fellow man like a brother and not an enemy.

ARTHUR OLSEN

Clearwater

Confused By Ballot

Regarding the upcoming property tax amendment:

Having received a sample ballot that contains the wording for the constitutional revision - "Property Tax Exemptions; Limitations on Property Tax Assessments" - it has left us very confused and bewildered.

Most of the revision to the constitution is not understandable except for the part that states that our property may be reassessed to the amount of 10 percent each and every year. There goes the 3 percent cap that we now enjoy.

We thought that this revision was to be rewritten so that someone other than a Philadelphia lawyer could understand it.

ROBBIE HEMPHILL

Tampa

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