All Saints

Re: "The Man Who Wrote Too Much" by Emma Trelles (July 5-11)

I read your article with trepidation because it reminded me of similar articles published in the Sturmer, the Nazi's official newspaper in Germany before and during World War II. Drawing a picture of a Jew as a person of undesirable character was a weapon to stimulate anti-Semitism. Is that the aim of the Weekly Planet? Shame on you!

Dr. Francis Dukes-Dobos, Vice President
Greater Tampa Bay B'nai B'rith

Clearwater

More on Swingers

Re: "Swing Shift" by John F. Sugg (July 5-11)

The one week I take a respite from the Weekly Planet and John Sugg composes a piece that was as well thought out as a paper cup with a hole in the bottom of it.

While local police were heavy handed in their tactics against Tampa Taboo, you missed a valuable point in your lackadaisical assessment of the adult business being the lesser of ills that plague Nebraska Avenue. Allowing any business like Tampa Taboo to operate in a residential neighborhood that is desperately fighting to turn the corner on its image is setting itself for the most destructive of Pandora's Box opening. Either Seminole Heights is going to be the type of family-oriented and hip place that young homeowners like myself are working to make it, or it will fall back into a throughway in which criminals run roughshod both out in the open and behind "entrance fee doors."

Hopefully your words and the "not a big deal," attitude of some of those quoted in your commentary did not do more damage to an area filled with residents who arguably have had to develop extremely thick skins. Probably some of the thickest in Tampa.

A. Evonti Anderson
Tampa

Zero Tolerance

Re: "Hypocrisy 101" by Francis X. Gilpin (June 28-July 4)

In reading your column I have noticed that you seem to have "overlooked" some pertinent facts:

1. By the act of not imposing upon those who skipped question 35, the Clintonites violated a law passed by congress, something the President raised his hand and swore he would not do (during both of his inaugurations).

2. The stories/rumors about George W. Bush's use/abuse of alcohol/drugs (with the exception of the one DWI conviction) are just that: unverified stories and rumors.

3. The students who purposely left off answering question 35 because of a conviction for possessing/selling illegal drugs, along with those who honestly checked "yes," are not case studies of unverified stories/rumors; they are court-imposed convictions — the real thing.

Those who chose to violate the law and were convicted should not expect the taxpayers to subsidize any loans, grants, or work-study.

I am a high school teacher who daily sees the damage done by those who choose the easy way to make money. I am going to write my congressman and senator, asking and demanding that this clampdown on giving money to former drug peddlers is tightened!

Alan Kent
Via e-mail

Drink More Salt Water

Re: "What Drought?" by David Jasper (June 28-July4)

Perhaps David Jasper's neighbor is ignoring the governmental water controls because he glanced at a map and noticed that two-thirds of the Earth's surface is water! Remember the little boy who said the emperor had no clothes when everyone else was afraid to admit it?

If there is a water crisis then why do all the storm drains empty into the bay instead of a reclamation system? And why does water cost only about $2 per 1,000 gallons? When water costs 10 times as much we'll know there is a crisis, but it never will because desalination only costs five times as much and that cost is bound to come down.

It is a classic governmental ploy to declare a crisis in order to increase its power over every aspect of our lives. The real crisis is oppression by, and a lack of competency in our government.

While his neighbor is merely following Gandhi's example of civil disobedience against an unfair government edict, Jasper is suggesting perpetrating violence against the man's property and reporting him to the authorities. What this world doesn't need is little Gestapo agents like Jasper helping the government oppress us.

Mark Warda
Via e-mail

This article appears in Jul 19-25, 2001.