Bombs sear Belgium | March 23
Muslims as allies against terror
U.S. citizens should treat Muslim Americans with an egalitarian spirit, recognizing that the cornerstone of any worthwhile government is the rule of law: All people have equal rights in the view of the government. There have been numerous planned terrorist attacks on U.S. soil that have been thwarted by warnings by Muslims who, like the vast majority of their co-religionists, view ISIS as a malevolent cult that has nothing to do with Islam.
Local and federal authorities need to continue to expand their one-on-one working relationships with Muslims. The asset of having ordinary citizens reporting suspicious activities is an invaluable tool against terrorism. Last year, a humble hot dog vendor prevented a truck bombing in New York City simply by reporting his suspicions to authorities.
There have been many formal proclamations condemning ISIS by Sunni Muslim religious leaders, and these condemnations must be amplified throughout the Sunni Muslim world. One such formal condemnation states that any Muslim who supports ISIS will not go to heaven. Aim for a goal of giving all Sunni Muslims throughout the world the opportunity to read, hear or view these formal condemnations by the most well-known and respected Sunni clerics.
John I. Campo, Tampa
Campaign 2016
Salesman in chief
Donald Trump is more a brand than a person. We all know that he plasters his name on everything from merchandise to casinos. What he is doing as a political candidate is selling the Trump brand. His association with the Republican Party and conservatism is merely a means to an end. Trump is, first and foremost, a salesman. He is marketing himself, not a political party or ideology.
The primary strategy of marketing is manipulating the emotions of prospective buyers or clients. A super salesman, Trump cares little about facts or policy. His appeals are motivational, not rational. He taps into the hopes, dreams and fears of those who comprise his market. The crucial question is: Is a salesman what we need in the White House?
Ernest W. Bartow, St. Petersburg
Keep stadium talk public | March 26, editorial
Make the process objective
The process of deliberating and evaluating whether to use public funds to subsidize a new baseball stadium has begun. As the process moves forward, proponents and opponents will spin their positions to suit their desired outcomes, which is how a healthy democracy works. If the end justifies the means for the public officials with authority over this decision, however, this may pose the risk that the stadium deal will not be evaluated with the integrity that our community deserves.
Despite the potential public benefit of a new baseball stadium, efforts to invest public funds that directly benefit a for-profit enterprise should receive appropriate community scrutiny. Funding a baseball stadium necessarily means those public funds will not be available for other public projects or programs. Therefore, the public should demand that our public officials evaluate the stadium deal according to the highest standards of transparency and objectivity.
Successful investment decisions are process-driven to ensure discipline, integrity and objective dispassion. To this end, the process of evaluating the stadium deal should be completely transparent to the public, and an independent third-party analysis (not one with perceived preconceived notions) should be undertaken. This would promote a fair hearing for all and the best outcome for our community.
Martin L. Garcia, Tampa
Pier budget forces cuts | March 25
Do it right or forget it
The amenities that made the Pier Park design acceptable are now missing. The architect and the city blew it.
Some may say the design has "evolved," just as the Lens design did. The difference is the Lens evolved on the basis of 50 neighborhood association and civic group meetings that engaged 2,000-plus citizens, and meetings with the St. Petersburg Ocean Team. This design devolved with no public or Ocean Team engagement.
So, thanks to "hometown democracy," instead of having an iconic pier we could have watched fireworks from last July 4, we will be lucky to have a boring, substandard pier in 2018.
Don't build the wrong pier just because there is a budget. This structure will represent St. Petersburg for the next 40-plus years. If you can't do it right, don't do it, or increase the budget to do it right. It makes no sense to spend $46 million on something that will be in our most visible location and make us look ordinary at best.
Hal Freedman, St. Petersburg
Governor axes millions for bay area proposals | March 16
Official indifference
Last summer, at the height of the flooding in the New Port Richey/Port Richey area, Gov. Rick Scott visited displaced people taking refuge in First Presbyterian Church of Port Richey, where I serve as an elder. He saw and heard from those who had been displaced by the flooding and were given shelter by our church and a place to eat, sleep and wash by the American Red Cross.
After reading of his veto of funds to help alleviate future flooding in the area, I can only conclude that this was a mere photo-op and that he really wasn't at all moved by the plight of these people.
God may forgive you, governor. But the voters of New Port Richey and Port Richey won't.
Allan A. Love, New Port Richey