Jolly can impress by debating Donalds
Impressed with news articles about David Jolly last year, I arranged for him to speak at our Democratic club meeting last September. Hearing him speak and seeing his face in real time revealed a knowledgeable man with a platform appealing to voters regardless of party affiliation.
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That is why I am greatly disappointed that he is not willing to debate his rival for Florida governor (Editorial: “Candidates shouldn’t avoid face-to-face debates,” Sept. 23). Please reconsider! Even if the format is not to your liking, you still would have an opportunity to show voters what we saw at our club meeting: A candidate with a message that resonates with everyone.
He spoke about reaching across the aisle — the fact that he was a former Republican might help in that respect. If we can’t see his face and hear his voice, we are left with fearful ads about his “hurricane tax” every 10 minutes. A debate, regardless of ground rules, would allow him to reverse those negative headwinds and provide a fresh breeze to replace the 30-year-old stale air in Tallahassee.
— Roger Popp, Kissimmee
Detained immigrants are our neighbors
Reports of overcrowding, shackling, and abuse in Orlando-area immigration detention demand our attention. The people held there are our neighbors, with families and communities who care about them. Their dignity does not depend on where they were born or what documents they carry. What happens behind detention center doors concerns all of us.
As bishop of the Diocese of Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, I condemn the routine detention of immigrants. Confinement should never be the default response to a person’s immigration status. The allegations reported locally warrant an independent investigation, with findings made public. Everyone in custody must have medical care, legal counsel, and contact with their families. People who can safely await their proceedings in the community should be allowed to do so.
Jesus said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). Here in Central Florida, those words call us to stand beside people who cannot simply leave the conditions in which they are held. We must insist on humane treatment and accountability. Our neighbors’ dignity deserves protection whether they are free or confined.
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— William R. Cavins, Orlando
The Most Rev. William R. Cavins is Bishop, Diocese of Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs in the Reformed Catholic Church.
Criticism too little, too late
John Curtis of Utah has decided that having a Russian oligarch fund the president’s son’s post-wedding bash is a step too far. Did he or any of his Republican brethren think the enrichment of the president, his family and friends was a problem? Did they speak up about the gutting of U.S. science and medical research? How about the destruction of the U.S. as a global leader of democracy? Not to forget the outrageous attack on the free press, academia and anyone or organization who did the work of evaluating and criticizing the president?
I am certain we will see more insignificant negative comments about Donald Trump like John Curtis’ the closer we get to 2028. We the electorate need to not forget how they abandoned the tenets of democracy and decency. Vote them out!
— Barbara Styne, Orlando
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