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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 22, 2008

Racism On Both Sides

A lot of the letters to the editor you ran on Sept. 17 had to do with the fact that one of the major presidential candidates is a white man, the other is a black man, and some commentary about who will vote for whom.

When you shake out all of the tap-dancing around the subject, one comes to the conclusion that if a white voter chooses to not vote for the black candidate because he is black, then that voter is a racist. But on the other hand, it appears to be okay for a non-white voter to vote for the black candidate solely because he is black.

Now here's my problem: What's the difference? Since both groups will base their vote based solely on the color of the candidates skin, doesn't that make them both racist?

LESTER E. SCATES

Plant City

Proud Of Service

Regarding Sept. 16 letters to the editor concerning the role of paid community organizers:

I found those letters to be offensive and degrading. As a Peace Corps volunteer, who was paid $100 a month, I am proud that I was a community organizer concerned with community development who worked with the poor and unfortunate. I helped people to organize themselves to better standard of living-through the construction of schools, roads, health centers and co-operatives. I also helped teach persons who were illiterate to read and write in their language. These letters were obnoxious and demeaning, laced with vindictive "vitriolicness." I together with thousands of other paid community organizers are proud of the work we did and continue to do among the poor and dispossessed.

Finally I would like to suggest that the letter writers become more informed about information prior to writing a letter to the editor.

JAMES N. HOLMES

Tampa

Obama's Sacrifice

Setting the record straight for those who don't know, Sen. Barack Obama has said in various speeches regarding his background that he was paid $12,000 a year, plus car expenses, for the three years he worked with the poor - far less than he could have made if he had gotten a job on Wall Street or in a law firm.

We are fortunate that we do not need the services of a community organizer because our lives have not been disrupted by factory closures and a failing economy yet.

HELEN GILBART

Tampa

It's Just Her

In reply to Debra DeFranco's Sep. 17 letter consisting of the question, "Is it just me or does the Obama-Biden ticket look a lot like the name Osama bin Laden?"

It's just you.

TERESA P. BRANDT

Temple Terrace

A Piece Of Trash

Regarding "Ticket Has A Ring" (Letters, Sept. 17):

I'm appalled that you should publish a letter. Since when has the Tampa Tribune promoted the out and out acceptance of racism? For that surely was the tone of that letter. The overtly racist writer compares a Harvard Law Review Editor and stellar intellect to a Muslim terrorist who lives in a cave. And you compound the cutesy racist taunt by printing it.

Shame on you, and shame on the writer. Such a display of ignorance is given validation by a newspaper. I wonder what thoughtful letters you rejected to print that piece of trash?

PHILIP RYAN

Land O' Lakes

Shame On Us

I would expect to see this very nasty, snide remark on an Internet blog, but not in a responsible city newspaper. Since when does the Tampa Tribune go in for fear-mongering and intentional misinformation? It makes one wonder who on your editorial staff is taking kickbacks from the McCain campaign for having planted such a letter. Shame on you.

PATRICIA CALIGUIRE

Valrico

Get Out More Often

Regarding "Ticket Has A Ring" in which the writer asked if she was the only one to notice that the Obama-Biden ticket looks a lot like Osama bin Laden:

Yes Debra, you are the only one. Maybe you should stop watching so much FOX News and get out more often.

JANICE PRATT

Tampa

Educating Letter

Did you publish this letter regarding the Obama-Biden ticket to illustrate the incredible amount of prejudice that exists in our area? It was certainly illuminating. Thanks for the education.

FERN WILLIAMS

Zephyrhills

Women Show Courage

Regarding "Some Shed Rape Stigma By Speaking" (front page, Sept. 12):

In reading the article about rape stigma, I was struck by the courage shown by these women. They have a real concern for others, and I applaud their efforts to change our society's fear in dealing with these tragic experiences.

I have two teen-aged daughters who are very caught up in today's sex-oriented TV shows, music and other media. Despite our best efforts at shielding them from all that, sex sells at their age also, and they want to be like the grown-ups they see in magazines, on TV, etc.

This obsession with sex by our youth today concerns me so much that I have looked into rape crisis centers offering any prevention programs where victims could share with our teens any thoughts on how we might all help each other to avoid, as best we can, getting into situations of date rape or random acts of violence against women. I have found nothing like this. Both centers I called said that victims' identities are protected, and it ended there.

These women need to know that not only do they support other victims by coming forward, but they also may prevent some rapes from happening in the future if we are all more aware of the dangers that exist out there for our young (and older) women.

JENNY STEFFES

Lutz

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