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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 12, 2008

Try To Be Balanced

Regarding "Palin's Speech Excites Some, Leaves Others Unimpressed" (Letters, Sept. 6):

I have a bit of knowledge of how one might slant stories one way or the other to promote a point of view. For instance, you can selectively print letters to the editor. Letters with opinions with which you agree are printed first and in greater numbers to imply that is the opinion of the majority and most intelligent. Letters with the more compelling arguments are printed when you agree.

When you truly, deeply possess a particular opinion it is hard - actually, impossible - to hide it in your daily work, but a newspaper can abuse its trust with the community. Freedom of the press is protected for a reason.

People are already leaving newspapers in droves and turning to alternate media that is dangerously biased and uncontrollable in a free society. They could really use a source that is not slanted. Too bad.

The idea of a free press is wonderful, but it requires so much discipline - maybe impossible discipline. If we move to a controlled press, it will not be solely the fault of the oppressors. Responsibility and real fairness can stave that.

Perhaps I overreact.

L. HURSTON ANDERSON

Tampa

Sizes Reveal Bias

Regarding "Iraq War Becomes Personal For Biden, Palin" (Nation/World, Sept. 6):

Please explain to me why the picture sizes in this article were so different.

The picture of Joe Biden's son, Beau, was two to three times larger than the Jimmy McCain and Track Palin pictures. All of these young men are serving or have served in Iraq.

It appears to be partisan!

I have a daughter who served 15 months in Iraq, and if this had happened to me, I would be very upset.

RUTH WARNICK

Lakeland

A Real Double Standard

A lot of attention has been given by the media to the pregnancy of Bristol Palin. However, the one story that would arguably be of most interest to voters like me has, to my bewilderment, gotten virtually no attention.

Palin's spouse, Todd, belonged from 1995 to 2002 to the Alaska Independence Party which, on its Web site, akip.org, advocates "a return to complete independence and nationhood status for Alaska." We now know Palin herself attended an AIP conference, spoke to the group as candidate for governor in 2006, and again as governor in 2008 via a recorded message that said, in part, "Keep up the good work and God bless you" to a party that advocates seceding from the Union.

Is this the kind of "country first" patriotism the Palin family subscribes to? I cannot even imagine the kind of deafening uproar from the right if Barack Obama's spouse, Michelle, belonged to a group that advocated seceding from the Union. If there is any double standard when it comes to the coverage of Sarah Palin by the press, it's that the press has not been tough enough.

TAL ZLOTNITSKY

Trinity

Let's Keep It Civil

My husband took the time to write a letter to the editor last week, and you found it credible enough to print. The afternoon it was published, I received a threatening phone call about the views expressed. When I understood the tenor of the call, I hung up, but the caller had achieved his goal. I felt deeply disturbed, and a bit frightened.

In the best light, this harassment is a clear example of abuse of freedom of speech. In the worst analysis, it was a cowardly, mean-spirited act.

I request that readers who feel deeply about a subject, even if it is strong disagreement with a previous letter, use the appropriate forum: write a letter to the editor.

JANICE NEPON-SIXT

Tampa

Vouchers Struck Down

Regarding "High Court Strikes 3 Amendments From Ballot" (front page, Sept. 4):

I was happy to read that the Florida Supreme Court struck Amendments 7 and 9 from November's ballot. These two amendments attempt to expand school voucher programs in this state.

Vouchers allow parents to siphon off public school tax dollars to send their children to private/religious schools. Florida has had poorly performing schools for years, and they will only get worse if the taxpayers allow money to be siphoned off by people who elect to send their kids to expensive private schools.

The argument that vouchers allow students from poor school districts to go to better schools is not the true motive of proponents of this amendment. Poor families cannot afford the added expense of a private school. The truth is that vouchers are desired by those wanting to enroll their kids in religious schools, and they want the taxpayers to help pay for it.

GEORGE PETRICK

Riverview

An Affront To Floridians

The people of Florida lost a big one at the hands of the state Supreme Court and should be screaming at Tallahassee.

Regardless of the content of Amendment 5, it was the product of the constitutionally authorized Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. This commission can offer amendments to voters only once every 20 years. The concept that the Supreme Court can throw out their work is an outrageous affront to the citizens of Florida.

Only the voters should pass judgment on the commission's work.

JOHN COLMAN

Tampa

Correction

Due to misinformation from a Tribune wire service, a member of the U.S. Air Force was incorrectly identified in a photo in some editions of Thursday's Other Views.

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