An island of homelessness

Miami homeless may be moved to an island | July 28

City of Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo wants to address homelessness in the city by moving homeless people to what used to be called a “desert island” in Biscayne Bay. A barrier island. With a sewage treatment plant on it. To an “encampment” there. (Blink, blink). That stunned silence you may hear is ... stunned silence. It’s a barbaric idea, but you have to hand it to the commissioner — his idea is a perfect reflection of the state and nation’s general attitude toward the homeless, the mentally ill and those beset by misfortune, bad circumstances and an explosion in average rents. Sure, just put the extra humanity on a barren, stinking spit of sand in the middle of Hurricane Alley. What could go wrong? And who would care?

Steve Douglas, St. Petersburg

Donations down and up

‘Tampa nonprofit is running low on food’ and ‘Record fundraising for USF surpasses $150M’ | Local & State headlines, July 17

The irony of the juxtaposition of these two headlines is intriguing. One says Tampa nonprofit is running low on food — donations are down. Right below it reads, “Record fundraising for USF surpasses $150 million.” Something is out of order, but it’s not the juxtaposition.

John J. Tischner III, Dunedin

What are you for?

The political season

When politicians are campaigning, they should please refrain from telling us how terrible their opponent is. We already know. Here is what we do want to know: What are the candidate’s plans to improve our nation, as well as the lives of our citizens? If they answer that, I won’t wear out my mute button silencing them.

Lynda Wittkopp, Port Richey

Not that kind of parenting

DeSantis targets Miami bar where drag show is attended by kids | July 28

So let me get this straight. A Miami Bar is now in trouble with Gov. Ron DeSantis for exposing minors to “sexually explicit drag shows.” How in the world did the children end up there? Oh, wait! The parents must have made the choice to take them. So if the governor disagrees with children being there then why doesn’t he target the parents taking them, even though they are making decisions they feel are best suited for their child? And for all those parents in the “free State of Florida” making decisions you disagree with, might I suggest you publish a brochure titled “Parenting Correctly the DeSantis Way”?

Valerie Hughes, Dunedin