Letters

Behind the bird

I have just read your article "Double Standard" online in the Weekly Planet, and I found it to be really excellent. There's much more detailed information about the law-enforcement and propaganda background to the Al-Arian case than I have seen anywhere else, and I just wanted to praise you for putting this into the public domain. I don't know how it will all play out, but it's important that someone is trying to keep the playing field on the level.

I really hope that John Sugg will continue his work on questions like the Al-Arian case and the Israeli "art-students," which seems to have dropped into the memory hole. Maybe there is less to the latter than meets the eye, but I, for one, would like to have more information.

—Frank Sullivan
Padua, Italy

Extraordinary journalism. You redeem your profession from propagandists like those folks at the Trib.

Thanks.

—Thom Foley
St. Petersburg

Thank you for the wonderful article with the cover headline, "The FBI is on my trail." I almost gave up the fight. You have given me faith again and have reenergized so many of those who started having some doubts about who is lying and who is not.

I guess the justice system in Florida has an agenda that is not rooted in protecting the nation, but to settle personal vendettas and to protect salaries. What a shame. To punish an innocent man because it's possible to do so, and because there are no repercussions, sends a terrible message.

Thank you for giving us all hope with your courage. I'm glad to have met you, even if it was brief.

P.S. I am now living in Jordan. I decided there was not much of a difference after 9-11. It's actually a bit better here.

—Hazim Bitar
Amman, Jordan

Interesting cover. Now we know why he's called John "F." Sugg!

—Dave DalCason
Largo

There once was a time when the common national sentiment was along the lines of, "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defend to death your right to say it." Now we're stuck with the prevailing national mood, which can be paraphrased as, "I can kiss my government's posterior and wave the flag more than the next guy, so that makes me more American."

The irony of this idea is this: That's precisely what motivated the Soviet communists and Nazi Germans to behave the way they did historically. Both groups worshipped the institutions of the state, and both believed the interests of the individual should always be subverted to those of the state. They talked incessantly about "sacrifice for the common good," "protecting the fatherland/homeland," and they demanded strict adherence and unconditional obedience to party doctrines. We all see where that led them.

If you read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution including the amendments to it, it is clear that ours is a tradition that balances the ever-growing tentacles of government power against the inalienable rights and freedoms that all citizens rightfully enjoy. If you advocate or condone a stronger government at the expense of individual liberties, you need to understand that abject slavery to the state is the natural result of your position.

Granted, John Sugg has a history of being an unrepentant blowhard, and many, including myself, have butted heads with him in the past. But I will defend to death his right to piss me off, as I expect any true lover of liberty would do. The alternative is not one I would countenance if I could ever claim to really love my country.

Thomas Paine, one of our Founding Fathers, said, "It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from his government." If we as a nation no longer believe this, then perhaps we need to rename our country the United Soviet States of America.

—Ali Sugerman
St. Petersburg

News and context

Thanks for your continued sensitivity to the historic and creative spirit of our Latino community. Your column on Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize-winning play balanced criticism with respect for creativity and offered the missing historical context. Most news people don't bother to read the community's whole history. It's clear that you've done your homework.

We are looking forward to seeing Cuban Bread — Denis Calandra's play about the same time period. I am sure he will not leave out the important details.

—Maura Barrios
Tampa

A satisfying meal

I'd like to commend Sara Kennedy on a job well done (not just rare or medium-well) and to wish her and the Martini Tester all the best. She may have dined anonymously, but her columns revealed nice writing skills, a lot of personality and some fine restaurants, for which we thank her.

—Jean Caldicott
Tampa

This made our day

We have been getting the Weekly Planet from Nature's Food Patch, Lenny's and other stores in Clearwater for over a year. We saw it long before that, but considered it to be just ads and articles of interest to women. Once we took it home and read it, though, it almost blew our minds. Your reporters have dared to take on the mighty St. Pete Times and Tampa Tribune. In reporting on stories such as Rep. Foley's claim that nudist camps corrupt youth and the anti-globalization demonstrations in Miami, your reporters ran rings around the "pros."

We have become such fans that if we have to we will make a special trip to obtain the latest edition. Please, keep up what you're doing. You fill a hole that needed filling to preserve our democratic republic.

Thomas Jefferson said that a democracy can work only if the people are correctly informed. He also considered the newpapers of his day to be so utterly biased that a person was better off not reading them. We feel that in the case of the Weekly Planet he would have made an exception.

—Wes and Patricia Vassar
Clearwater

Send letters to the Editor at 1310 E. Ninth Ave., Tampa 33605, or to letters@weeklyplanet.com. Either way, please include your address and phone number (for verification purposes only). We reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2004.