War news
Re: "Propaganda is a Tool of War" by John Sugg (March 26-April 1)
I am so unbelievably angry right now. I don't support Bush's war on Iraq. I do not think that violence is ever justified. I have many reasons to oppose this war. Now I have one more.
This morning I heard that one of my friends was killed in Iraq. He was in the Marines. The Marines were fired upon as they approached a group of Iraqi soldiers who indicated that they wanted to surrender. My entire hometown, Cedar Key, is in mourning.
Brian Buesing and I graduated from Cedar Key High School in the year 2000. Cedar Key is a small town. Our graduating class was 26. Now we number 25.
I do not want to make this into a sappy "he was such a great guy" statement about Brian's life. That's not what is important now. Brian was real. He was just a kid. I don't understand.
I was not very active in the antiwar protests. I wrote Bush a few times, I joined the protest here at Eckerd College. Yet, the feeling that I got from this is the same feeling that I got after the 2000 presidential election. My voice doesn't matter.
—Jamaica Lee Fredericks, Eckerd College
This was the first time I had the opportunity to read anything written by you and quite frankly the first time I read any of the Weekly Planet. After reading your article and then glancing at the rest of the periodical I now know why. I guess I don't frequent hemp shacks, tattoo parlors, body piercing studios, or other business of the like enough to be exposed to this periodical.
I found the premise of your article interesting, and I can certainly understand the skepticism that accompanies your belief in our current administration. After all, they stand for all the things that you seem to loathe. I would never claim to have a monopoly on patriotism and honestly don't believe that you and other anti-war protesters are unpatriotic on the whole. I just believe that you are naively uninformed. Have you conveniently chosen to ignore the stories from Iraqi refugees who tell of the torture, rapes, and killings that Mr. Hussein inflicts upon his own people? You compare our mission in Iraq to that of the SS staging of atrocities in Poland. Is it possible that you have misread which side in this war may actually be committing such acts? Just a thought.
I do applaud you for serving our country in a past conflict and believe wholeheartedly that you have the right to express your opinion. You may be able to influence a readership that has degrees in MTV, but will have to present more logical facts to sway people like myself (although I do understand that business-owning, capitalist, fundamental Christian, tax-paying contributors to society like myself are not your target market)
The next time I see your article someplace, maybe when I am delivering an eviction notice to one of my minimum wage (which I believe should go down, not up) tenants who have no money to pay my rent but have money for a new piercing or tattoo every month, I will be sure to pick it up and read it. It is always good to know how the other side "thinks."
—Bob McDugald, via e-mail
Bravo! At last a voice of reason among the soylent green populace.
I'm a Vietnam vet. I listened to the government's lies about the Gulf of Tonkin. I saw firsthand how our mission was ridiculous and I remember well how the government tried to bully the antiwar sentiments.
But the protesters were right then and they're right now. The real silent majority opposes this action and unless we speak out loud, Bush will continue to usurp our freedoms until there are none left.
Those that recognize the hoax and speak out — they're the real heroes.
—Larry Halstead, St. Petersburg
Convicting Sami
Re: "Deconstructing Sami: A Weekly Planet Forum" (March 19-25)
Yes, Sami should be considered innocent before guilty. His case dragged on for eight years and during that period he got tried in the media first. It happens. Maybe the media will learn (doubt it).
Yes, Muslims are being discriminated against. Could it be because every time there is a suicide bomber on the news or someone saying Death to America they are male Arabs? And when it happens, the majority of the Arabs do not condemn it. Every group has had its share of discrimination. And most of them did not go around killing innocents in the name of freedom.
In the article, it seemed that no one wanted to admit that just maybe the indictment is right and Sami deserves a long jail term. They pointed out all the wrongdoing by the government, the media, and USF. Hey! How about the wrongdoing of Sami and his brother-in-law? Two in a row that end up helping the Islamic Jihad.
Yes, Ashcroft is on a scary witch-hunt trampling over some civil liberties. We are living in some crazy times. We'll set it right soon enough. And yes, most people are apathetic. That's America — fat, dumb and happy, watching Reality TV.
—Peter Radizeski, Tampa
Ybor Requiem
Re: "This Party's Dying" by Eric Snider (March 12-18)
Your report of the current struggling bar scene in Ybor City is just what I and many more concerned business and property owners tried to avoid for a number of years. We went many times to advocate for fewer wet zones and mitigation of the negative impacts on the Historic District. While the City Council continued to hand out wet zones like candy, neglecting the wear and tear on our community and without regard for the price we would eventually pay, we lost many eccentric businesses: Baby Doll Art, Ovo Cafe, Decades a Go Go, Rik Melby Glassworks, Dean James Studio, Rik Traweek Studios, African Art Shop and, yes, Romeos Furniture and Art Gallery.
Many who spent tens of thousands to open a unique business lost everything to the "big developer" mentality of the city administration. For the sake of big business we drove the bus over the cliff. Now, our outgoing mayor wants to build an "arts district" in downtown Tampa at a cost of millions of dollars to the local taxpayers. But in Ybor, we had an arts district with more than 35 working-artist studios and galleries within walking distance, all in the backdrop of a beautiful and historic village. And not a dime from the taxpayers!
The bars did not build Ybor. The eclectic mom and pop shops, artist studios, galleries, restaurants, and a few interesting clubs attracted thousands to Ybor City on a regular basis. Many of those people the district attracted invested money in renovation of the crumbling buildings, mostly bars. Now we need the balance and diversity that always made Ybor so unique. Until we can attract more than 65 bars to this 10-block area, Ybor will continue to struggle. Hopefully, we will learn from our mistakes, and Ybor will once again spring to life as has happened before. I hope the history and heritage many of us have struggled to preserve and promote will triumph over the hasty decisions made for a quick fix.
—Sara Romeo, Ybor City property owner, Tampa
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2003.