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Pasco Letters to the Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 13, 2008

'A Cautionary Tale'

Regarding "A Life Shattered" by Geoff Fox, June 29:

How many times have you guys been with a female companion, and a strange male made some remark about her? Usually it's a guy with a group of guys.

And, no, ladies, the guy isn't being flattering toward you. He is communicating a challenge to the guy you're with. But he's hoping that he will get a "back down," because he and his buddies have your male companion outnumbered.

Most people are instinctively wary when they see a group of young guys together. Also, most people don't feel threatened when they see a man with a woman. He isn't looking for trouble.

Most young guys are stupid. Not only do teenagers think that people in their 30s are old, but even 20-somethings think that people in their 30s are old. What some of them don't realize is that even if a guy is over the hill, he may still be on a higher level than most of the younger guys. Why do you think that younger women often prefer older men?

As Fox reported, with two blows Edward Sanders knocked front teeth out of a young, 6-foot-tall Mark Stokes and gave him a concussion. And Stokes and his teenage buddies thought they were going to teach Sanders a lesson?

Anybody with sense would have left Sanders alone. Also, some states justifiably give citizens the legal right to shoot when being attacked by two or more people.

Stokes is typical of people who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions by denying that he said anything and at the same time claiming he wasn't loud or profane when he said it. Wonder where he gets that? Typically, his mother refuses to acknowledge that her son may have had a part in bringing this upon himself.

Years ago, if people didn't have any manners, other people would sometimes teach them some. If that was still the case, maybe we would have a more polite and civil society today.

Stokes' story should be a cautionary tale for all young troublemakers.

Yes, I am sorry that Stokes will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. No, I would not have felt sorry for him if he had merely gotten his rear end beaten.

But I mostly feel sorry for Sanders, who apparently is a decent person. How many people would have met with Stokes years after the incident or put up with his verbal abuse again in a public place and still apologize to him?

Sanders also paid a heavy price in fines and jail time. And I believe that Sanders carries a heavy psychological burden to this day for his unintentional permanent injury of Stokes.

J.D. WRIGHT

Land O' Lakes

Proud Supporters

My sons and I own and operate Morgan Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Our independent business has been in the same location providing services to many west Pasco families for more than 30 years.

Through my work with the Community Service Council, I want to say thank you to the council and its outreach committee for all the work it does with Operation Shoebox, which helps our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through this wonderful program, care boxes are filled with personal care items and food, along with notes of thanks and praise for their service to their country.

We are pleased that our facility here on Trouble Creek is one of the drop-off points for Operation Shoebox items. I also want to thank the Lady Lakers of Beacon Lakes Condos for their generous financial contribution toward the council's effort.

SUSAN MORGAN KING

New Port Richey

No Sweat Deal?

Regarding the state's deal to buy out U.S. Sugar and purchase the company's land in South Florida:

I thought our local and state governments had a severe shortage of money and had to make tons of cuts to meet their budgets. Where, exactly, do we come up with $1.75 billion extra dollars to spend? That money could be used to meet all sorts of needs within the state.

Off hand, I can think of our super-high number of foreclosures, the continual loss of jobs in many industries and increased costs for fuel, food and insurance, and high taxes. And we can make this purchase with "no sweat?"

I don't get it.

LORRAINE CHRISENBERRY

Land O' Lakes

Plant Lauded

I hope all the Pasco commissioners are noting the high marks for the Covanta disposal plant in Pasco. The issue of opposition to a proposed Dade City landfill should be settled.

The waste disposal plant produces less than the guidelines for pollution, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and saves oil because the facility produces energy.

If we really want to help the energy crisis in our country, let's support more plants and fewer landfills. There is certainly more risk from pollution from a landfill than from a waste disposal plant commended by the EPA.

JOHN P. CLARK

Dade City

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