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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2008

Veterans With ALS

Setting aside just one day a year to honor our veterans is not nearly enough. This nation should celebrate their service and sacrifices 24/7. It's the men and women in the armed forces who have kept - and are keeping - this country free.

A month ago, the Veterans Administration recognized that all U.S. veterans of wars as far back as the First World War share a greater risk of developing ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurological disease, with no treatment or cure, that slowly renders its victims completely paralyzed.

On average, patients die within two to five years of diagnosis. Let us honor these special men and women on Veterans Day and every day. Help spread awareness and find a cure for this deadly disease. ( www.alsa.org/policy)

I am a veteran who was diagnosed in November 2005 with ALS. Display the flag with pride and honor this Veterans Day.

GENE T. ROBARTS

Tampa

Be The Head Coach
Kudos to Jim Levit for all he has done for USF. However, his players and some of his coaches are letting him down.

We hear the same excuses over and over again by the players and coaches as to why they lose a football game: lack of discipline, too many penalties, poor defensive coverage against the run and passes, etc.

You can only play as a team if you think like a team. The special teams, offensive and defensive lines, as well as the coaches, often don't seem to be on the same page when it comes to playing football. When players yell at the coaches out of frustration and coaches yell at each other during and maybe after the game, then something is drastically wrong. This is where Coach Levit needs to step up and be the "head coach."

RONALD MORROW

Valrico

No Laughing Matter
Thank goodness we subscribe to both The Tampa Tribune and the St. Pete Times. We have been fighting for the front section of the paper ever since the big, more improved changeover. Ha! The one who loses the fight ends up with the funnies, which is no laughing matter.

MARJORIE HOWARD

Tampa

Obama No Reagan

I woke up this morning still feeling the pain of a crushing loss when I see on the news pundits and journalists comparing President-Elect Obama to Ronald Reagan.

Let me tell these pundits and journalists something. I grew up with Reagan. Reagan was a hero of mine. Reagan was the two-term governor of California with more experience and record of accomplishment than Obama.

Reagan was a true uniter of two parties who walked the walk and talked the talk. Reagan didn't play class warfare and bash people who didn't agree with him.

President-Elect Obama, you're no Ronald Reagan.

KELSO TANNER

Riverview

Sick Of Word

Change. Change. Change. I, for one, am getting tired of that word. Why do people believe that change is always going to be a positive thing? Take, for instance, the change The Tampa Tribune made in its format a few weeks ago. That was a disaster wasn't it?

Being a loyal American, I'm hoping this mysterious change will prove to be a good thing and will eventually benefit most, if not all, Americans, but that certainly is a lot to hope for. We will be waiting to see.

DOLORES DUDZIK

Sun City Center

Mirrors President Bush

I have a comment and an observation to make regarding Al "Mr. Ashamed" Rossi and John "Mr. Looking to 2010" Lallemand (Letters, Nov. 6):

Isn't it wonderful that we have a democracy that allows all citizens to express their views, no matter how twisted or illogical? These two gentlemen mirror the mood set by President Bush and all in his administration - one of fear and self-interest. Lets all unite and move on to make this a better America.

Yes we can!

VILMA TAMARGO

Tampa

Facetious Welcome

Al Rossi's letter welcomed us to the United Socialist States of America. His facetious welcome expresses a profound lack of understanding about political systems. However, Rossi's fear that America will become more socially aware and treat all its citizens with fairness is well-founded. We, who are neither wealthy nor ignorant, can only hope President-elect Obama moves America from its far right libertarian position toward fairness.

WESLEY M. JOHNSON

Tampa

Hyphenated Names

Now that we have elected our first black president, I feel it is time to strike the term "African-American" or any other hyphenated nationality reference from our language.

Each of our previous choices could trace their ancestry to another nation, but none ever referred to themselves as hyphenated citizens. In fact, it is high time that we eliminated hyphenization from all references to our citizens. The practice suggests a continued loyalty to another government.

One is either a United States of America citizen or one is not - period. No middle ground or dual citizenship. The media can go a long way in eliminating this practice from Inauguration Day forward.

WILLIAM A. COX

Tampa

Markets Tank

Thank you America and Florida for your choice in a new president. The euphoria, however, was not shared by investors when the stock market reacted by plunging 500 points, again devastating retirees pension funds.

Is the market telling us that the new president's planned tax increases will send the economy into a deep depression? I hope this is not the type of "change" that the majority of you voted for.

HERB STACKS

Sun City Center

Comrade Obama

The six sessions on Wall Street prior to Tuesday's election saw an 18 percent gain in the Dow. The day after America slept saw a five percent drop.

For all of you waiting for the wealth to be shared by the so-called rich, get ready. Soon they will be coming to you asking you to share yours. Wait, that's what we wanted, or at least most of you. Now we can all move to the communes together and wait for January when Comrade Obama will lead us to Utopia.

MIKE DEKKER

Brandon

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