More moms like mine

Florida’s new parental rights law tests limits, and patience, in Pasco | The Gradebook, Feb. 8

I am 100 percent left-handed. In the mid-1950s when I was in grade school, the teachers all tried to make me switch from being left-handed to being right-handed. Apparently, this was the norm for the day. But not for my mom. My fearsome mother, bless her soul, marched on down to the grade school and told the teachers to knock it off; let him be left-handed. And they did. If that happened today, would my mom be accused of interfering with the woke education of students? Our country needs more moms like mine.

Kit Werremeyer, Valrico

Selective thinking

Let’s all learn how to think critically | Letters, Feb. 9

The letter writer correctly identifies that the voting public demonstrates little use of critical thinking skill. As a retired educator, I have followed this distressing situation for years. I have reached this conclusion: Americans do not lack education on how to think critically. Instead, they may selectively choose not to embrace it. My observation is they use it when it serves their purpose (and so often you don’t even notice) and they ignore it when it doesn’t. They may not be as ignorant as they appear — but they may be more evil. Curriculum revision won’t help. It will not supplant the pursuit of self-interest.

Alan Balfour, Temple Terrace

On the horns of a RINO

The RNC’s idea of ‘legitimate political discourse’ shows how far gone it is | Column, Feb. 9

I have been a registered Republican for 50 years. Like many others, I have taken the good with the bad and have always been willing to face the music when the party needed to correct or recover from unforced errors in times like Watergate and the Iraq War. Now the Republican National Committee (RNC) has managed to accomplish what previous setbacks were never able to do. By censuring Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, while characterizing the Jan. 6 insurrection as “ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse,” the RNC has made me a RINO — a Republican In Need of an Organization.

Tom Lange, Clearwater

Don’t need ’em

Why does anyone care what Ben & Jerry’s, Whoopi Goldberg and Joe Rogan think? | Column, Feb. 9

Ii have an answer for columnist Max Boot. For those of us who have half a brain and think for ourselves: We don’t!

Wayne H. Smith, St. Petersburg