Save the gopher tortoises
During the terms of Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, I served as public representative on the FWC Gopher Tortoise Technical Advisory Group when the agency uplisted the animals to Threatened status and wrote a new management plan.
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It stunned us on this committee, opposing the cruel FWC-permitted practice of burying tortoises alive in their burrows on land marked for development, that we must fight the very body meant to protect wildlife. Why did lay citizens and nonprofit biologists have to do FWC’s job? (“International group says gopher tortoises critically endangered, losing Florida habitat,” July 22)
Why were listed species so expendable when FWC commented on land-use change applications by developers? Because, though county commissioners relied heavily on FWC’s “expert” input to transmit or deny a project, this official (biological) opinion must suit FWC commissioners — among them developers, hunters and ranchers with no background in wildlife conservation. Field scientists could be reversed if they are caught too boldly trying to save biota or habitat in the developers’ crosshairs.
It seems FWC’s true allegiance is to the development industry and hunters. Ignoring majority distress at bear hunts and secretly monitoring its critics are scarlet flags.
Yet another Republican won’t touch this. A Democratic governor will.
— Rebecca Eagan, Winter Park
Standard time means too-early darkness
The editorial boards of the Sentinel and Sun Sentinel, stubbornly determined to be wrong about pretty much everything, have waded into the daylight saving time debate (Editorial: “See the light. Stop permanent daylight time,” July 31). While agitating for year-round standard time, it is telling that you didn’t inform your readers everything about what it might mean for them. Where I live, it would mean sunrise at 5:26 a.m. and sunset at 7:22 p.m. on the longest day of the year. It would mean outdoor sports being played in darkness, even in the summer. It would mean parents no longer being able to play outside with their kids after work and dinner. And for what? So we can have sunrise before 5:30 in the morning? Who wants that?
It would be even worse for the Panhandle. Panama City would have sunrise at 4:42 a.m. on June 21. Their sunset would be at 6:47 p.m. on the longest day of the year. They’d literally never have sunlight at 7 p.m. again. Not a great tradeoff for sunrises before 5 a.m. While I acknowledge that year-round daylight saving time would be more difficult in the north, here in Florida, it’s a no-brainer. Year-round standard time would be a nightmare for most of us.
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— John Cary, Indialantic
Daylight debate isn’t about Trump
Your argument against permanent DST (daylight saving time) stumbles on your TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome). Your first (and therefore presumably your most important) argument is that the “idiocy” of the bill is all because of President Trump’s “glaring conflict of interest” in that he owns golf courses. Maybe permanent standard time is in the best interest of public health, but you lost me at “it’s all Trump’s fault.”
— Paul Sexton, Orlando
Democrats must show contrast with socialists
In response to the July 30 letter to the editor, “Why we must fight socialism,” I believe a blue wave in the midterm elections is the Democrats’ to lose. Instead, Democrats should be working to make it clear that the Democratic Party is not the same as the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Throughout American history, ideological candidates and movements, from Ralph Nader on the left to Barry Goldwater on the right, have influenced turnout and energized their respective parties. However, their most ideological positions have rarely been enacted wholesale by Congress. More often than not, compromise prevails after elections.
With Democrats leading in many polls, Donald Trump and Republicans are attempting to portray Democratic Socialists as indistinguishable from communists and Cold War-era socialists. They want voters to believe there is no difference, but there is. With the world’s largest gross domestic product, about $31 trillion, the United States can afford to invest in its people and its planet if we choose to make those investments a priority. Democrats should reject efforts to label the party as socialist. The midterm elections are the Democrats’ to win. That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it.
— William Higgins, New Smyrna Beach
You can submit a letter to the editor by sending it by email to [email protected] or by filling out the form below. Letters are limited to less than 250 words and must be signed (no pseudonyms nor initials).You must include your email address, address with city and daytime phone number for verification. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length.
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