MADE WITH LOVE
Thank you so much for the nice piece on the coffee trail in downtown St. Pete (Food Feature, "The Perfect Day," by Brian Ries, April 12-18), and of course mucho big thanks for what you wrote about the Globe. It was thrilling in an appropriate way to read someone who gets the Globe for what it really is, and I was touched that you got the home cooking part. I always want people to feel like they are eating something that was made just for them, and made with love. I know that we are just a big dorkfest of a coffee shop, but when someone out there spontaneously understands what we're all about, it matters.
JoEllen Schilke
The Globe Coffee Lounge
MOORE OR LESS
I am writing to take issue with John Sugg's choice of words in "Judgment Day" (Cover Story, April 5-11). Sugg stated, "Moore's platform is what you might call religious libertarianism — opposition to gay marriage, term limits for legislators and vigorous anti-taxation policies." While his platform may be religious, it is not libertarianism and to label it such is misrepresentation. At its heart, libertarianism is a philosophy which espouses the inherent existence of free will in mankind and limits government's role to protecting the populace's exercise of that free will. There are many religious libertarians who believe that mankind was endowed this free will by God and man should not, through government, attempt to usurp this divine gift of freedom. Judge Moore is not one of them. Two of the three issues cited in the article, opposition to gay marriage and support of term limits, both interfere with Alabama citizens' freedom to associate with whom they choose and freedom to elect a government of their choosing. On the third issue, taxes, Judge Moore's position is only superficially equivalent.
I must also chastise John Sugg and Weekly Planet for its continued ignorance of third-party candidates. While this is expected of the mainstream media, shouldn't an alternative press be reporting on say … the alternatives? While the article mentions the other major party candidates who each seem to lack any substantially compelling reason to vote for them, he fails to include the candidacy of Loretta Nall, who just received the Libertarian Party of Alabama's blessing. The American public is screaming for an alternative in its leaders, but as long as the media and public continue to ignore the alternatives that are available, we will continue to be stuck with corruption, ineptitude and partisan quarreling in our government.
Jason Cronk
Chair, Libertarian Party of Hillsborough County
COLOR ME IMPRESSED
Thank you for the wonderful article, "In Living Color" (Life Sentences, by Scott Harrell, March 29-April 4). As I was reading it I nodded my head so many times in agreement it made my neck hurt. I too have deuteranopia, and it seems my experiences are an exact image of yours. You discovered yours freshman year in your science book. I discovered mine freshman year in science class. The teacher went around the room and asked people to read the number in the circle; I could not. At this point all the kids in the class looked at me like I was retarded and they snickered. Pretty damn embarrassing. Needless to say I got over it, but the topic still pops up once in a while throughout life.
Josh Zastrow
Madison, Wis.
I have to tell you how much I enjoyed your colorblind article. I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. As I myself am colorblind, the conversations you described were right on. I usually tell people, "What do you mean my wife is not black?" (she is white); that gets them, too. In any case, outstanding article.
Brian Larson
Via e-mail
THE BIKE DEBATE, CONT'D
I'd be a lot more sympathetic to the bicycle riders if so many of them weren't just as rude, obnoxious and selfish toward pedestrians and joggers as they accuse car drivers of being ("Letters," March 29-April 4, re "Get Out of My Way," by Anne Arsenault, March 22-28). As someone who regularly exercises on walking/biking paths in our local parks, I've long lost count of the cyclists who zoom up silently behind me, passing within inches of my elbow as if trying to see how much they can startle me. This also happens often on college campuses, where riders zip in and out between other students as if they were on a racetrack.
I'm all for more courtesy on our roads, so don't lump me in with the "get out of my way" crowd, but the cyclists can drop their holier-than-thou attitude until they police their own ranks a bit better.
Brent Yaciw
Tampa
Having lived in Seminole for six years and been an active bike rider on the weekends, I have observed on most Saturdays and Sundays large groups of bike riders riding on Old Oakhurst road. This is a two-lane no-passing road.
These riders ride three abreast and do not stop for any stop signs. Three-way, four-way, it doesn't matter. I guess it's a God-given right for them, which is not bestowed upon the drivers of any other vehicles. They do not move over and let cars legally pass. And they have the audacity to feel put upon by the drivers of cars! Please. The drivers that I have observed showed great restraint. Perhaps if they too obeyed the law everyone would get along better.
Robert Charles
Seminole
This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2006.