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Pasco Letters to the Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 27, 2008

Misapplied Skills

Regarding "Weapons Automatic For The People, But Not Government," June 21:

Absolutely no sympathy for Bill Akins and his Akins Accelerator. Akins knew he was trying to circumvent federal law that prohibits the manufacture and sale of fully automatic weapons, i.e. machine guns.

He claims he wanted to revolutionize target shooting. Maybe he did, but he makes no mention of the fact that the inexpensive Akins Accelerator, under current gun control laws, could easily migrate into the hands of those with criminal intent.

I guess he wanted to make the "everyman's machine gun" affordable to everyone just like the cheap SKS, called the "everyman's assault rifle," for $160. The "everyman" quickly migrated into the hands of criminals and has accounted for the deaths of more police officers that any other assault rifles sold to date - Pasco sheriff's Deputy Bo Harrison being one victim.

Just imagine what the Akins Accelerator could do.

Is this just another case of the ordinary citizen fighting the big, bad federal government to make and sell a weapon designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, one that could easily outshoot the Tec-9 assault pistol that killed so many at Columbine High School?

And like the maker of the Tec-9, who claimed it was not his fault the gun was used for criminal purposes, would Akins also claim he would not be responsible for the mayhem this weapon might create?

I suggest Akins use his considerable mechanical skills to create a first-class rifle to kill game instead of people.

ARTHUR C. HAYHOE

Wesley Chapel

The Spoils Of War
To drill or not to drill - that is not a question. It is a smokescreen, just another diversion from the truth and another dose of fear.

As the American people struggle to make ends meet, Exxon Mobile, BP and Shell sit poised to get no-bid contracts to work Iraq's oil fields. It was over 30 years ago that Saddam Hussein nationalized Iraq's oil, and now, amid a falling economy and failed international policies, the major oil companies of America have a chance to reclaim their hold in the Middle East - a hold that was denied them by Saddam.

Over 4,000 American soldiers have died, and thousands more have been wounded. American infrastructure is crumbling. A presidential campaign is under way, and the political media feed the hungry American population an "all-you-can-eat" buffet of petty personal attacks complete with sound bites of preachers.

Meanwhile, GOP officials want signed statements that all will walk in lockstep behind the party rules and condemn any who would vote for the better candidate over the party's nominee, while the Dems fret over someone wearing a head cover.

The average American is one of those spoils of war. The Constitution of the United States of America has served us well and, in justice, Americans have served the Constitution well. There are no angels, only the shadows, the monsters and us.

PENO HARDESTY

New Port Richey

Speak Up For City

Dade City commissioners made a decision regarding annexing 56 acres and authorizing nearly 300 units on the part of the land that is not wetlands. The city's planning board deadlocked on this matter, so the final decision rested with city commissioners, who approved it by a 3-2 vote.

Property owners adjacent to this land are in the county and live on one- to 10-acre parcels. Many of these people have been neighbors for 20 or more years.

The city manager has stated that these people, who are not residents of the city, have no say in this matter. His attitude is far from a "good neighbor" one. One planning board member was sympathetic to my concerns and informed me that they will be retiring soon and moving out of state.

The options are for Dade City to continue to be a small town of single-family homes on larger lots or a town of high density with "town house apartments."

Or is Dade City to be like another Pasco community - Wesley Chapel - that used very little planning until recently and now is inundated with a hodgepodge of numerous housing developments, shopping centers, overwhelmed roadways and little infrastructure to support it.

Have a voice in what the city becomes.

PAT LAWHEAD

Dade City

Talk Is Cheap

Regarding "Democrats Question Candidate's Eligibility," Tuesday:

Well, the Republicans are at it again. They are putting up a write-in candidate for the east Pasco County commissioner's seat. By so doing, they will close the election to anyone not registered as a Republican, as there is no Democrat running for the seat. They did the same thing in the last superintendent of schools' election.

The Republicans talk about democracy, but they sure don't practice it. They will manipulate the rules in order to win any way they can. This is just another example of the lengths they will go to seat the candidate of their choice - the one who will follow their will, not the will of the people.

And maybe the will of the party is to have a landfill in east Pasco. Remember, just follow the money. When are the citizens going to say, "Enough"?

FERN WILLIAMS

Zephyrhills

Calling Shakespeare

Regarding the Pasco write-in "candidate":

If Shakespeare thought something smelled fishy in Denmark, he should take a sniff at the Republican Party antics in Pasco for county commission Dist. 1! It stinks to the ozone of manipulation.

LIZ STALVEY

Dade City

The writer is director of the Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

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