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Officer wore his heart on his sleeve

 
Published June 22, 1993|Updated Oct. 9, 2005

Editor: At 3:30 a.m. Thursday, I was driving on Little Road on my way to work. As I headed up over a knoll near the Pasco Government Center, I saw blue lights flashing. My first thought was, "Somebody's been speeding and got caught."

Not!

A police officer stood in the middle of the road next to his vehicle, looking downward, holding a flashlight in his hand. Lying at his feet and gazing up at him with an expression of terror was a wounded raccoon. I slowly went around them and continued on my way to work, the picture of compassion etched in my mind. I tried to get busy with my duties, but the memory continued to haunt me. Now I know I had to share with your readers the reminder that there are kind people in the world.

Some police officers do get involved in wrongdoing. Most of them are not respected (and the media doesn't help). One cop wore his heart on his sleeve on a lonely morning outside the government building. I want him, his superiors and anyone else who reads this to know that his gesture of compassion did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Rhoda J. Newman

New Port Richey

Voters must clean house in 1994

Editor: I watched with great interest when the House of Representatives voted on the Clinton tax plan. I then read, some days later, how perplexed U.S. Rep. Karen Thurman was when she voted in favor one of the biggest tax increases in the history of the country. The vote was 219 in favor and 213 against. This in itself is quite interesting because there are only 176 Republican members of Congress.

I wish all the senior citizens Rep. Thurman represents could have seen the aftermath of the vote because the 219 Democrats cheered, jumped and clapped their hands. This display of hypocrisy has made me more aware of the system. I only hope we all remember this in 1994 and we "clean house." Now, President Clinton has backed away on his BTU tax and I would just like to say to Rep. Thurman, "Don't ever trust a draft dodger."

C. Rosalia

Port Richey

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