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Ire over Immigration: A reader in Iowa sends us this letter to the president (4/18/06)

Dear President Bush:

I'm about to plan a little trip with my family and extended family, and I would like to ask you to assist me. I'm going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico, and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help with this.

I plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration quotas and laws. I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here.

So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Vicente Fox, that I'm on my way over? Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:

2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.

6. I want my kids to see the American flag flying on the top of the flag pole at their school with the Mexican flag flying lower down.

8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.

9. I do not plan to have any car insurance, and I won't make any effort to learn local traffic laws.

10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from Pres. Fox to leave me alone, please be sure that all police officers speak English.

11. I plan to fly the U.S. flag from my house top, put flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.

12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, and don't enforce any labor laws or tax laws.

13. Please tell all the people in the country to be extremely nice and never say a critical word about me, or about the strain I might place on the economy.

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico. I am sure that Pres. Fox won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

However, if he gives you any trouble, just invite him to go quail hunting with your V.P.

I just wanted you to know that even seemingly 'conservative' suburban mom types appreciate all you are doing to make sure the voice of freedom is heard. I never thought I would say this, but "More power to you, Joe!". I don't care if you are gay or not... what matters is that you are not afraid to show hypocritical politicians their own asses. I would definitely vote for you, especially if it were against Ronda Storms. What an abomination that sanctimonious shrew is.

Joe Redner Trashed by ronda storms for helping abused children, readers support him.

I don't know if you will get this but I saw the report on the news tonight about the commissioners trashing what you are doing for abused children.

I just want to thank you for your courage. I wish someone would interview all the people that abuse children - I bet they will find that great majority the abusers are from the upstanding so called moral majority.

They don't even know what it takes to become a wonderful person. Thank you for doing what you are doing and hang in there.

thank you for standing up to this tyrant. Channel 13 did an interview
on her and I wrote the news channel and told them they were milktoast.
Glad you have the balls to deal with her.

There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right. *

For the past several months, members of the Hillsborough County (Florida) Commission - namely Brian Blair, Ken Hagan, Jim Norman, Thomas Scott, Mark Sharpe and Ronda Storms - have been playing fast and loose with some of the core values Americans hold dear. In the name of morality, they have been chipping away at some of the basic tenets that make America a great country, and meddling with the civil liberties and rights we cherish the most.

Beginning this summer, and continuing until this week, the Commissioners have, with the exception of one member **, assaulted and intimidated minorities. In between, they have tried to censor books and CDs from public libraries, meddled in others' business, held up funding for critical programs, attempted to squander the public's money on vanity projects, bullied those with whom they disagree and appointed a known homophobe and accused murderer to a county committee.

In June, they voted - during national Gay Pride Month - to officially deny any county recognition to the positive contributions of the region's gay men and women. It was an unnecessary, hateful act, designed to pander to far right extremists, and they have continued to refuse to defend themselves.

Emboldened, recently the Commission, led by Blair, has taken on the region's non-Christians. In response to a request from Hillsborough County's Islamic population to add a Muslim holiday to the public school calendar, Blair put on the cape of moral crusader and accused Muslims of trying to rob Americans of their traditions and heritage. He stated that because this is America, and they don't want to follow "the rules," then they should leave the country.

There's a frightening pattern here. The commissioners' message is clear: if you're not Christian, if you're not heterosexual - your kind is not welcome here.

This rhetoric and these actions are more than "ignorant" (The Tampa Tribune) and much worse than "entertaining" (St. Petersburg Times), even though the notion of setting up Brian "Killer Bee" Blair as the county's point person on education is inspired farce.

They're dangerous and they're unAmerican. While freedom of speech is precious, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and religious discrimination have no place in America and they have no place in Hillsborough County.

When I think of the core values that strengthen and enrich America, I think of the words included in the Declaration of Independence that affirm our equality. I think of the Statue of Liberty, reaching out her arms and welcoming immigrants from every country, ethnicity and faith tradition on earth. I think of the great, dynamic melting-pot cities of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. I think of the Pledge of Allegiance, which proclaims "liberty and justice for all."

I don't think of the narrow-minded fear mongering practiced by the Hillsborough County Commission.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. *

The commissioners have chosen to cast their lot with the peddlers of hate, prejudice and intolerance. History will judge them. One day they will be consigned to the dust heap of the Bigots Hall of Shame, and take their rightful place alongside their forebears and contemporaries: John Birch, David Duke, Louis Farrakhan, Lyndon LaRouche, Jr., Joe McCarthy, Pete Peters, Fred Phelps, Randall Terry, Don Wildmon.

I am a 51 year old Gay man living in South Tampa with my my better half for some 4 years now (originally from Philadelphia). I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you. Thank you for standing up to the H.C.C. and their ignorance and, worse, their arrogance (arrogance is ALWAYS the kiss of death) in regards to Gay matters. Reading the paper today and watching you on the local news tonight I can tell you that I have never been so proud to live in Tampa and, for that matter, in America. You said to them what so many of us feel and your law suit puts muscle behind our feelings.

Joe, having only been here 4 years, I don't know you from Adam. Oh sure I have listened to some of the guys at work talk about you and it has always been good but always about strip clubs as well. They always did, however, add a word or two about what a great guy you are. I found this curious and wondered who in the heck this guy must be. That was followed by newspaper articles that I read about this guy who was fighting back all the time in regards to his strip clubs and how HARD he fought. Well, today I found out in a big way who Joe Redner is. Please add me to whatever mailing or e-mail addresses you have and when you call for support or donations for this or that issue,/ /I/ w/ill be there. I will do what I can. Thats really all I can offer you for the good work you are doing but you have my word that I will make good on this promise. And I will continue to read your site. Good luck in all you do my friend. My contact info is below. And..........

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John B.
Tampa

Thank you for going after the Hillsborough County Commission and thier anti-gay bigotry. Thank goodness we have Kathy Caster the only one level headed Commissioner on that board.

Where is Equality Florida in this issue, why didn't they sue the county instead of you sueing on behalf of all the gay people in Tampa-Hillsborough. I wish I had your money I would have sue them.

Don't get me wrong I GREATLY appreciate your efforts but why doesn't EF step up to the plate and challenge this county. Their leadership on this issue has lacked direction. Througing parties and public events doesn't cut it with this group, we have to play just as dirty as this commission or we will never win.

Its ashamed that we have such bigoted leaders in our community. I'm ashamed of our County Commission, they should be ashamed of themselves.

The God of the Holy Bible creates all life. So He created both you and me. The Holy Bible makes it clear that only those who accept Jesus Christ as their saviour are God's children -- not every individual the He created. Therefore, He does not burn his children. And if those who are not His children make the decision to "go their own way," should God repeal their freedom? Have you decided to reject Jesus Christ because you find it difficult to give up the way of life you enjoy? If so, it's still not too late to change your mind. But don't wait too long. I'd hate to see you get burned.

call me crazy, Ed

PS: From one life-long learner to another, here is an interesting link --http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/grace_to_you/Archives.asp

I am writing to you AGAIN about the proposed City Stormwater "Fee" increase because apparently nobody is interested in publishing this simple fact about our City Leaders in our local media:

City Leaders who live in big houses pay less in Stormwater "Fees" than people who live in little and "medium"-sized homes throughout our City.

I hope you will pass this on to someone who cares and who will put it before the people.

The attached chart compares the current and pending STORMWATER "FEE" charged to Tampa homeowners according to a billing scheme devised by the City of Tampa's Stormwater Department.

The chart includes a small house in West Tampa with no driveway or sidewalk, another small house in West Tampa with two paved strips as a driveway, my "medium"-sized house in north Tampa (Forest Hills), and the Wallace mansion on Bayshore Boulevard - for comparison to the homes of members of our City Council, the Mayor and a few key members of her staff involved in Stormwater assessments.

As shown, a number of those "in charge" of Stormwater charges levied by City Hall upon homeowners have proposed and approved a billing schedule that benefits them in their large homes, while over-charging homeowners of small and medium-sized homes in the City. The "over-charges" occur in different ways, but the central issue is that the City's "estimate" billing generally doubles the stormwater bills of over 50,000 small and modest homes in the City.

In the column to the far right is the Stormwater "Fee" per square foot of residential space according to the County Property Appraiser's Office and the County Tax Collector. It reveals that if you live in a bigger house, you pay less in Stormwater fees even though your property contributes more stormwater run-off into City stormwater drains.

The chart also reveals at least 5 billing errors in determining a homeowner's stormwater assessment, all of them on the large home-residences of our City leaders. These errors are a product of the flawed billing methodology scheme devised by the City's Stormwater Department. For example, the billing unit "Equivalent Square Foot of Impervious Area" or ESFIA, is not an industry standard or established measurement, but a completely 'thought-up' billing unit of the City Stormwater Department. To this ESFIA billing unit is applied a range of 4 house sizes, based upon the home's foundation or "footprint." This footprint is used as a "proxy" equal to an ESFIA rate charge. Using these measurements, that were pre-determined to generate a certain amount of stormwater funding, the City estimates instead of "calculates" Stormwater charges for almost 100,000 residential properties in the City.

It's a lot like if TECO charged you for 60 kilowatts every month for every light bulb in your house as if you kept all you lights on 24 hours a day, whether you ever turned it on or not, and ignoring that some people used 100-watt bulbs while others used 40 watt bulbs.

The yellow highlighted errors of commission or omission in the chart indicate errors made in the automated billing scheme that attempts to extract data from the County Property Appraiser's database as to the size of a home's foundation. But, these errors exist in public tax records because the public servant/elected official-homeowner has not acted to correct the obvious error in their Stormwater assessment. Could it be that the billing schedule they proposed and approved into law, a billing system we assume they understand and comprehend, is not understood by them? In that case, they would have to plead ignorance? To do otherwise would be to admit they knew they paid too little, which would be fraudulent tax avoidance.

These City leaders and others like them who are living in large homes throughout our City, are paying less Stormwater "Fees" than the poorest homeowner living in much more modest residences.

This inequity will be made three-times worse if the City Council approves the proposed increase to the Stormwater assessment rate on Thursday.

I intend to present this chart and other objections to the new proposed fees on Thursday at City Council's Public Hearing on tripling the City's Stormwater charges.

I hope you will encourage all your friends and associates and every resident you know in the City of Tampa to call the City Stormwater Department today at 274-8314 or 274-7864 and request (demand) an actual calculation (measurement) of the impervious surface of their property in order to receive a "fair and reasonable" stormwater assessment.

Lawrence R. Schuler, Master Sergeant (Retired), U.S. Air Force
Disabled American Veteran, Vietnam Era
Forest Hills, Tampa, Florida

Tampa Board of County Commissioners, The Fine Line Between Fodder and Citizenship
Dear Voice of Freedom and Mr. Redner,

Likewise as to the following, I completely agree with your comments to the BOCC.

Your opinion of our Board of County Commissioners (The Fine Line Between Fodder And Citizenship, Jul 25, 2005) was right on target in more ways than I can count with my shoes on. Your review said exactly what I had been thinking all weekend after watching the re-hearing of the Hillsborough Inquisition.

The tested and tried commissioners - the Chairman-Sports Authority magnate, the Reverend of Rowlett Park, the Popess of Plant City - would not and were not expected to do little more than listen to the peasantry of Hillsborough. They sat stoic and quiet on their raised pedestal; unmoved by the pleadings, unhearing of those so moved to appear. Without discussion they cast their votes.

But the most saddening, maddening, and disappointing were those newest additions to the board, who each pledged to foster a more effective county government. What that must mean to them - in their minds - now becoming increasingly clearer.

Especially Mark Sharpe, the former Air Force Captain and American fighting man. If he is still in the military reserve or continues to hold a teacher's certificate or credentials, he is venturing into dangerous territory indeed. That Mr. Sharpe sits in a 'county-wide' chair belies his mis-spent public trust - without reference to the character of his posterior.

Likewise to Mr. Blair, whose previous suspect actions already include a derisive homeless health care tiff with the county administrator, who later in this same meeting got into a personal exchange with a fellow commissioner over his wish to re-evaluate the county's publishing costs with certain local newspapers that have coincidentally also published editorials that are not very flattering to Mr. Blair or the board. So much for his belief in "freedom of the press," not that the Tribune is likely to be so concerned.

Of notable absence was one of the Hillsborough Seven, with a worthy excuse no doubt. Wonder why Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Blair didn't take advantage of such a fortuitous action as well? They passed up a golden opportunity to claim their "no vote" in some future campaign, while the Inquisition's quorum cabal would have continued without notice.

I suspect the 'veterans' of the board have already established their domain over the success or failure of any actions proposed by these less-established commissioners, and over their political futures, should any of them consider an opposing position. The recurring lack of support from Ms. Castor's fellow commissioners provides ample evidence that this is so.

I must take this opportunity to remind us about the 2004 BOCC election results concerning the certain commissioner "from out in the County." Although over 76% of the 170,000 registered voters in her district went to the polls and cast their ballots (and over 59% of them voted for George W), only 17% of them bothered to vote for any of their County District 4 candidates - and only 10.5% (13,800) of them voted for her. That's almost the size of the congregations of some of the larger churches in our county.

The election results reveal she garnered barely 8% of her district's registered voters. As such, she represents just over 2% of all the voters registered in Hillsborough County.

These numbers do not lie. The simple fact that she couldn't motivate a simple majority of the voters in her district who went to the polls and voted should provide her with a modicum of civility and cautious respect. But then, egotists rarely agree that their behavior is egotistical.

It certainly makes an argument for the citizens' right to a ballot that contains a "Not Any of These" selection that forces a second election of a completely different set candidates. Or at least an ordinance that requires "a simple majority of votes" to hold an elected office.

To paraphrase a citizen's remark published in an article about the re-hearing in your newspaper by Gretchen Parker on July 21 - I am an American fighting man. I fought for the rights of all Americans (and for a free library), not just for the rights of heterosexual homophobes.

Lawrence R. Schuler, Master Sergeant (Retired), U.S. Air Force
Disabled American Veteran, Vietnam Era
Forest Hills, Tampa, Florida
cc: BOCC

After reading your piece over a few times, I have to wonder that such poorly written drivel passes off as something worth reading on the internet. But then, the internet was never known for consistent quality. I suggest that you take some courses in basic English - you know, composition and all that fun stuff - and then, perhaps, try writing. Your article is full of typos, bad grammar, and bad logic. You dance around from topic to topic with no logical flow of ideas and certainly nothing to connect the few ideas that are presented. You can't even get the name of the college right - it morphs from "PH Christian College" to "PH Bible College" in the first paragraph. In the fifth paragraph, you finally get the name right (Patrick Henry College). That is sloppy.

You may be afraid of PHC graduates making our country into some sort of "military industrial theocracy." As long as kids are as well educated as those at PHC are, I doubt that that will happen. However, if the general public is as poorly educated as your article suggests that you and your fellow writer may be, then they will be a sitting duck for any powerful leader or ideology that comes along.

11.11.04
Dear Sirs,

As a student of Patrick Henry College, I decided to write to you concerning your article...

At first I read your article on Patrick Henry "Madrasa" with much confusion, (and then) much enthusiasm. At first I wasn't exactly sure what college you were talking about? Surely you couldn't be saying that MY classmates were right-wing extremists that are going to turn this country into a military state! The last I checked, Jerry Falwell was not to be found on our list of directors.

But once I overlooked that, I realized that we are indeed doing what you are saying. That's right. I agree with your assessment of this college. The administration and faculty are here to increase the intelligence of these already brilliant students so that they may positively impact this country, and then the world. It's not much different than what Harvard and Yale are doing. We just do it better, and with a different worldview.

The Ivy League schools are in existence to increase the education of their already smart students. They are also there to indoctrinate them in the liberal mindset that calls conservatives right-wing "nutjobs" (thank you JibJab). Why should we be treated any differently than Harvard? Ivy League schools have professors that advocate the murder of INFANTS, not pre-born children. Infants. Here at this college, we are taught that ALL life is precious. I write this after exiting my theology exam on the section about mankind.

All humans are created in the image of God, and all humans were created perfect. The only problem is, is that we ALL screwed up. Homosexuals, femenists, liberals... and heterosexuals, pro-lifers and conservatives. We all messed up, but it doesn't matter. We're supposed to love everyone anyway, and to treat them equally. That doesn't mean we're to tolerate what they do. I have friends from back home that would be ridiculed by other liberals for their lifestyle, yet they're still my friends. I don't like what they do in the least, but here at Patrick Henry Madrasa, we are taught that they are still made in God's image

So that's why we're here. To learn how to positively impact this country by loving the people, just not what they do. We're not going to take over the government any less than Harvard or Yale. I mean honestly, can we be any worse than the Skull and Bones Society?

Thanks for a good read, and for confirming that we're accomplishing our purpose.

(Editors Note: No, Jerry Falwell is not on the board, however, John Ashcroft's wife is . Take a look at John's civil rights record, I sure hope she is not thinking like John is.

Tim writes "That doesn't mean we're to tolerate what they do." but my constitution says you do have to tolerate what they do, unless they are threatening your life, limb or property. Our "fear" is that right wing conservatives attempt to see to it that "everyone" thinks and worships their "god" and adheres to their morals and values. Life is too diverse, and freedom is too dear for that to rear its ugly head again... Do you forget why Americans are here in the first place...it was called freedom to worship as we please......Please see what intolerance and the various long, drawn out religious wars wrought us. (or just look into what heresy in certain religions brought about in our history

"All humans are created in the image of God, and all humans were created perfect. The only problem is, is that we ALL screwed up." Then we were not created "perfect" were we, as a perfect person cannot screw up.)

Quick note to thank you for all that you do in voicing your opinion and bringing out the dirt. I was watching you on the tube last night / half awake in bed......... and had to sit up listening to you talk about the multitudes of homes coming in and no schools for those home are in place.

I have lived in Keystone my entire life and have followed your fights to be allowed to do what is legal and on the books. I have seen how you have repeatedly been dogged and that Morality became a issue in zoning issues - suddenly land use planners and commissioners were applying their moral views to your land use regulations and.. well it burns me up.

I do not frequent your clubs - but would not be offended to. I LIKE very much that with your clubs being a legally on the books type of place to go - that it is there if I WANT TO GO........ Why not....... and if I don't.. I don't.

I can tell from the cars outside your establishments - my absence is not going to hurt anything.... laugh.

Enough hub nubbin . I just wanted to say that I have really enjoyed hearing your views on our local governments - I have fought to keep a commercial business off of lands dedicated for agricultural uses. I grew up out here in the sticks and actually enjoy having the neighbors of farms but when a company moved in and it was more dump trucks and front end loaders for clearing land for housing developments - I had a hard time buying into this being an agricultural use ( they get exemptions to not do tree surveys - and to be allowed to clear cut land if they simply state that they are going to do something agricultural)

This group next to me ( Hughes tree farm / nursery - No relation to Ralph that I know of ) was running a commercial operation for a year before I could even get a county worker to make note that they were not growing anything, yet they were allowed to bulldoze acres of trees to build parking lots for heavy equipment - they did bring in some trees and put them in a holding area - but were not growing anything - just keeping it alive.

My fight began - I researched the codes, comp plans, etc. Found that this was illegal per our LDC and kept battling with these guys who the county seemed reluctant to push very hard ( too bad they did not have some topless women over there - I would have had all the help I could have wanted I am sure. )

To jump to the chase - The county went from telling me how wrong this activity was - so ... following their own rules I knew I was good and in the right with my thoughts so I pursued getting these guys to do what they said they would do - put in a tree farm.. grow some trees.......... What I did not know was.....

That landscaping industry people ( Ralph Hughes son - Shea Hughes.......... and Commissioner Ronda Storms ) were also talking to staff about this problem of having these commercial businesses on agricultural lands - They both own landscaping services that were operating off lands just like the business next to my home. SO suddenly we have a shift - things got very difficult and the next thing I Know we are changing the land development code to allow these businesses on the agricultural lands. Ronda Storms own business Storms Landscaping was and is an active business. It was running illegally off lands where it was not zoned for years. She ended up dominating the public hearings on this issue and continued to cloud the issue with her standard false statements that generalize everything into her view.

Now we have a new land use designation ( thanks to Storms, Norman, Scott, and Hagan - our little voting block.) that has made her business legal.

So aint it a hoot. It was illegal till Storms and Ralph Hughes had an interest in it. Once it started getting enough heat from me about how this was being handled - they stepped in, and changed the laws so it would fit her business.

I find it amazing that she sat up there handing out her judgments to everyone about doing the right thing - following the laws as they are written - and all the time she was operating an illegal business........ breaking her own set of laws.. till the time came when she could group together with other violators and change the laws till they fit her need.

We ( myself and other citizens effected by these operations and just citizens against commissioners writing laws that correct their out of compliance operations ) filed ethics violations against Storms and an investigation is ongoing.

WE went to the BOCC and asked them once this was initiated to hold off on enacting the code so that if STORMS' swing vote that made this legal was found to be unethical - we would not have a law on the books that was created by her unethical vote. ( there is a size of class analysis that was done by the county attorneys office to determine her interest and possible gain or loss by the changes) In this analysis they changed the language from other case law of ( those who WOULD BE effected) to..... Those who COULD BE effected - this allowed them to create a exaggerated class size that they did not document - yet told us the businesses effected were found in the phone book and on the web and they found more than enough - but conveniently did not document any of it.

Repeatedly we were told of 300 businesses that would be effected - when outright asked - Zoning administrator Paula Harvey said - they were 3.
not 300....... but 3.

This is the first time in this county that we have allowed service related commercial type operations to use lands set aside for farming. The regulations and exemptions allow these companies who are doing everything from building brick paver drives and patio to outdoor kitchens to use exemptions intended for farmers to be able to continue to do agriculture in this county. These farmers now have to compete with operations that serve the builders of this community with dump trucks, front end loaders, and other land altering equipment - They can even run irrigation installation companies and lawn care companies off these lands and use the exemptions to clear cut acre after acre of trees..... and not pay the same fees other commercial companies must.

I am rambling here but wanted you to be sure you were aware of this somewhat normal activity for our current commission - to only serve those who pay their campaign funds.. The landscape industry loaded up the four commissioners who voted for this and we all know that the memos from Ralph Hughes hold more weight than any group of citizens that will be effected when it comes to those four.

Again I want to thank you for the time and energy you are putting into bringing out the facts that these guys are not working for the people that live here - but only the people who build here. That our children are not getting schools because we want to be sure to keep the developers profits high enough they can afford to fund their commissioners campaigns....... That the developments do not match the infrastructure and that the true cost of development is the only way we could fund doing some smart growth. I live in the country - but enjoy the city and agree with your views - if I were to live in town, I would want to have more clustered growth and I would want to see redevelopment. If I live in town - I don't want to drive miles and miles.. put it all together, save a buck , do some infrastructure.............. but stop just paving the watershed areas over in the rural country side because........" they want to live there"..... They only want to live out here in the countryside until it is just covered with pavement and homes........ Then traffic is so bad they want all the stores, and other amenities of town out here - next they are screaming for sidewalks, we need more firestations, all the things you typically get in town.. we the citizens have to pay to have put out in the rural area because "they want to live in the country".

There are so many issues with our water / habitats for animals, etc....all just being stomped on for the pocket books of developers who support commissioners.... You are doing an excellent job of bringing those issues to light in a way that regular people can understand. I applaud your efforts and encourage you to continue voicing out against the system. I am happy that I share the same county with you. It is such a hard battle to fight and then to have the moral majority on your back too.... I just want you to know that there are many of us who support you, your views, and appreciate greatly the service you are doing for all of us.

Thanks Joe. Know you are making a difference, making people listen and pay attention and cutting through the bull.
Rich Dugger, Keystone Florida.

If you have not already registered to vote, do so immediately, (the last day for registration in some states is October 8th. The deadline for Florida was Oct. 4th) because time is running out -- or may have already! National Election Day is Tuesday, 2 November -- just 4 weeks away!

I urge you to vote for Kerry/Edwards, because I think 4 more years of the same will weaken our country further and put a near-death stranglehold on our democratic principles and freedoms, contrary to what the incumbents say.

Instead of choosing the current officeholders who call dissenters "terrorists" and tell other questioning politicians to "go f*ck" themselves, choose Kerry/Edwards to preserve our freedoms of speech and assembly, and our right to due process...as well as our reasonable expectation of intelligent, mature dialogue!

Instead of choosing the candidate who thinks he's offering a viable alternative but is instead just playing into the hands of the party in power, choose Kerry/Edwards for realizable alternatives and pragmatic, yet principled policies!

This election matters more to me than any other that I've been involved in since I began voting in 1983!

Please get involved and vote and get your other friends to vote too! Never think that one vote can't make a difference or that the opinion polls, whether up or down, at anytime make your vote meaningless. The only thing that matters in the end is each American's actual vote, including yours!

Please vote on Tuesday, November 2, and consider selecting Kerry/Edwards and other candidates labeled "un-American" by the truly un-American incumbents!

Thanks for your time and indulgence! I hope I've inspired you, especially those of you on the fence about the candidates, ambivalent about elections, or inclined to vote your party's ticket reflexively (which I never do, believe it or not).

I have for four years worked against having more commercial service related industries moving into the rural / agricultural area of our County.

This attempt to stop landscapers who use a status of agricultural to get tax breaks intended for true farming hit a wall and it took a while to find out why.

The answer - Ronda Storms = County Commissioner - owns a operation with her husband and family that is the same as what I was being told by staff was illegally operating next to my home.

Seems that Growers = actually growing plants - vegetables, etc.. have lots of exemptions to the rules..this is to encourage farmers to be able to afford to do any farming. Problem is = Landscapers and lawn mower companies have slipped in under the radar and ran service related commercial enterprises off of these lands with no one noticing.

The problem - Farms and Farm Lands are allowed uses next to residential - commercial typically is not. The landscape and lawn maintenance companies of Hillsborough have always been "since the inception of the codes" placed in industrial or commercial zonings areas. Mainly due to the high volume of labor and the intensity of the uses on the land coupled with a need for a great deal of equipment and fleets of trucks.

On Oct. 1st, 2004 a new land use went into effect - one that now allows these operations IF - half the property is dedicated to growing plants. There is a whole set of rules that are unenforceable - and one even that states that essentially all the rules are out the window if it rains ???

So your wondering how did we get this. Well Jim Norman was supporting our gal pal Ronda Storms whose husband owns STORMS LANDSCAPING - Ronda Herself has admitted that they do irrigation installation and landscaping services - None of which are legal on the land zoning that they operate from.

I say she is a owner - she is listed on the states site for corporations as an officer. She is listed on the property that this business is registered to as an owner.

Now if you couple that with the fact that Ralph Hughes Son Shea Hughes owns one of these businesses - then .. well, the things get thicker.

Then - if you look at who contributed to those who voted for this ordinance - Storms, Norman, Scott, Hagan - you see lots and lots of landscaper names and Hughes associations.

When Storms was asked not to vote on this issue - she said - I got a interpretation from the county attorney and she said it was Okay by them.... so I am voting.

Seems upon review that the county attorney did not create a true " size of class " when she used a determining calculation used by the ethics board of Florida - seems she thumbed through the phone book and internet and decided - well - there are more than 200 businesses - therefore your okay. no documentation was made - no one was made aware of how this was done - request to see a list of businesses were only answered with a statement to look in the phone book and internet.

The commission was asked last week to hold off on enacting this code until there could be a determination by the Florida Code of Ethics who are investigating Commissioner Storms and the issues surrounding this Oddly created new land use ( by the way - if you read the code - it specifically fits to STORMS LANDSCAPING like a glove )

So we now have a new land use that goes against everything that has been in the codes for years.

It was created by the commission for the commission.......voted in by the businesses, the ordinances wrote by the businesses......

To Gov. Bush

The Real Interstate Driver Equity Act Of 2002 (RIDE) prohibits States from imposing economic regulatory measures upon passenger transport providers (read the bill here) engaged in point to point interstate transfers.

Chapter 341 Florida Statutes prohibit local government entities from unduly restricting imposing economic regulation upon providers solely engaged in intercounty transportation of passengers.

At the present time, to facilitate transportation for the citizens of Hernando County to and from the major transportation hubs, a transport provider located in Hernando County must obtain in addition to the local occupational license:
(2) Other County Business Licenses
(6) Other County permits per vehicle
(3) Other County operators permits per driver
(4) Other County vehicle inspections per vehicle

All of this despite the provisions of chapter 341. Lawfully engaged Drivers are routinely arrested and vehicles seized in Hillsborough County. Due to the high cost of permitting in Orlando, no round trip transfers are made available to the citizens of Hernando County. Individuals requiring such transportation must make other arrangements.

The Sunday after Hurricane Charley tore up the State a Orlando Van Service arrived at TIA to transfer passengers diverted because of Charley. The driver was told to depart or face arrest!

A State Licensed and Bonded Travel Agent was arrested at TIA while performing a prearranged transfer. A suit is pending in Federal Court.

A Driver operating a DOT registered vehicle arrested at a prom for refusing to roll window down for an HCPTC inspector until uniformed law arrived on scene. The prom kids detained for questioning. All of this caught on video!

A Constitutional Challenge to the local law creating the HCPTC is pending in the State Courts.

The OPPAGA Report of the HCPTC fails to mention the regulation and fees collected from businesses located in counties other than Hillborough even though these fees equate to a substantial portion of the HCPTC's revenue.

Minutes of the HCPTC meetings contains statements from Hillsborough Commissioners indicating that travelers from other Counties should be forced to utilize Hillsborough companies.

What the RIDE Act prohibits States from doing the Counties of Florida are!

Florida Statutes are tossed aside in the interest of local regulations designed to generate revenue.

Citizens of Counties forced to utilize transportation hubs in other counties are limited to transportation choices or none are available.

The President of the United States is running on the platform of limited regulation of small businesses. The legal actions initiated by small businesses does not reflect the position of The President! There is no reason why a small business owner should bring suit to force a local regulatory agency to abide by the Laws of this State!

It is requested that the Attorney General and the State Transportation Committee be instructed to investigate the actions of the Hillsborough Public Transportation Commission as well as other counties and municipalities regulating in violation of State Law.

R/S
Walter Kozak
Spring Hill, Fl

Patrick Henry Christian College ...the Christian version of an Islamic extremist Madrasa?

Rod Martens rod@gfmediacorp.com

Subject: Patrick Henry Christian College ...the Christian version of an Islamic extremist Madrasa?
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 16:24:08 -0400

I was not aware that students of PHCC were cutting off heads, crashing plane into buildings, strapping bombs to themselves and putting jews in concentration camps. Your article is shear lunacy.

Have a good one
Rod Martens

From NHoward45@aol.com
The next time I see Christian homeschoolers beheading a Muslim (or whomever) with long, dull knives, I will start worrying about a "military industrial theocracy," of the sort the authors say the German Nationalist Party established in Germany in 1935 (which theocracy presumably existed in the parallel universe the authors must inhabit). In this segment of the space-time continuum, the neo-pagan National Socialists (Nazis) had a secular dictatorship at that time and place.

Out and Fighting
“I promise to fight for the right to walk down the aisle”
A letter by Nick Rufca
3.10.04

After Bush's "Defense of Marriage Act” speech, my email box was hit with quite a few forwards from angry friends - forwards which detailed how Bush's plan violates human rights, furthers discrimination, and links to petition against it.

Rather then continue the forwards in an impersonal mass email, I thought maybe I'd gather up my thoughts and write out what I was feeling. So I write to you, my family of closest friends - those of you who I have had the honor of being close with during my life and though we may not get the chance to talk a lot anymore, remain in my thoughts and will always be a part of me.

Roughly four or so years ago I came out to you as a gay man and it was, of course, an experience and journey that I will never, ever forget. I took the time to take you out for a drink - tequila shots anyone? - Or a meal, or make a long distance call, or to sit down with you - and I trusted you to accept me for who I am and always was. I needed your acceptance because you mean something to me, and I valued the friendship we had. I was nervous as hell but I was never tremendously scared, because I knew that good people with big hearts surrounded me and I had faith that your love was unwavering. At the time of my coming out I assured those around me that I was "me, just gay" - that I was still the Nick you had always known, and that I fully planned to live a "normal life" pursuing the same dream we mostly all have - successful career, to fall in love, to get married, to have a family of my own.

I still believe that, but, since fully becoming an official minority in society, I have realized that I was somewhat naïve to the world I live in. Today I listened to MY president of MY country announce to the world that he is going to fight to make sure that I can't pursue those very dreams I've always had.

Every year I like to believe that I grow somewhat wiser and aware to the bullsh*t that happens in the world but I seldom pass along my politics in emails or impose what I believe on anyone unless they ask. Since most of you are long distance friends now, I certainly don't know all of your outlooks on today's landscape but I do hope you have formed one. At this moment I don't care if you are Republican or Democrat or independent. I'm trying my best to not give a campaign speech or piss anyone off because I do respect that many feel their political decisions are part of their privacy.

But I write because I just want you to know- really know- as a gay friend in your life, how our president’s push for this amendment make me feel. How his words truly cut into me with prejudice and hate. My stomach caves in - that deep rot of fear and anger that we all have felt at one time or another. I literally get flushed - I'm angry and I'm so saddened at once that I have an impulse to cry. To hear someone whose job is to lead us into a better tomorrow say words so filled with blatant disregard for an entire portion of our population, for him to have such hatred for me, for my gay friends, it crushes me to the core.

It makes me feel sooooo second class, so lower then dirt, that anything I write now can't possibly convey the awful feeling of being denied a life, and a dream, and laws to protect me, because of the way I was made by God to be. And if you have ever felt pushed down or discriminated against because you are Jewish, Asian, black, overweight, foreign, a woman, - you can imagine what it feels like for me at this moment to be denied a right because of something I cannot change.

I've been to a few of my close friends weddings this past year - Maria's, Adam's, Mike’s. I plan on going to many more (Brad and Nicole... can't wait). There have been a few I haven’t been able to attend due to the distance between us. But the joy and the love I

>>Have witnessed at those wonderful events – the celebration amongst friends and family as you and your husband/wife vow your deep, deep love in front of everyone for eternity - it's the most beautiful thing I've witnessed on a personal level. Why, why is this beauty, this loving and life defining event - why this is being denied to millions of people, and me, is beyond me.

I have yet to understand how if a love between you and your husband/wife is so strong, and so special, and so sacred - how the bond of that love is somehow devalued if I celebrate the same love with a man I feel as strong for? How does a joyful thing in MY life take away from yours?

Why is the president so concerned with the activists who are literally fighting battles because marriage is so IMPORTANT to them - but he is not at all worried about the barrage of TV reality shows like "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancée", "The Bachelor" and "how to Marry a Millionaire" which, in my opinion, literally prostitute the idea of marriage in the name of money, fame and TV ratings. Isn't this sh*t an insult to the institution?

If the president is so concerned over the importance over this institution as a pillar of our good society, why is Bush and Co not forming picket lines around Vegas, where one can marry a stranger within fifteen minutes – often intoxicated - and have it be recognized legally everywhere… yet some couples who have been in love for years, decades, cannot be recognized the same way?

And can someone tell me how in one sentence the president claims to be protecting America's FREE SOCIETY and the LIMITS OF GOVERNMENT IN OUR LIVES and then go on to push for government CONTROL OVER OUR LOVE LIVES, and then go even further by saying he wants this DENIAL of my rights cemented into our national constitution??? How dare he say such things that push myself and my gay friends back down into a gutter by denying us a right to love and the legality that comes with it and then proceed - in the next sentence no less, to ask that we should not feel "bitterness or anger"??

The most cowardly thing about his speech is it is all about gay people, yet nowhere in his speech can he bring himself to say the word gay - essentially taking away MY dreams without acknowledging ME as a person or who I am.

For those who argue that legal rights should be granted to gay couples but NOT the right to marry, I say that I grew up wanting to one day say to you all that “I proposed today” “I’m engaged” “This is my fiancée” “You’re invited to me wedding” “We’ve been MARRIED for five years now”. These seemingly simple thing will make me a criminal in the eyes of Bush.

For those who point out that the Democratic frontrunner, John Kerry, opposes gay marriage as well, I say, disappointedly, true, but at least he vocally supports my rights, as Bush does not, and he is fully AGAINST amending the constitution as Bush argues we should. At least on his website he acknowledges my community, and me where nowhere on Bush's official site does he.

Despite my tone, I'm not asking you to vote one way or another in the future... I just hope, if anything, I've conveyed how much Bush's words have hurt me -deeply hurt me - today and many of the friends I know. I hope maybe over the course of this political year you at least will think of me, of my face - as a friend you care about - and the pain our president's stance causes me - when this issue is raised time and time again. I hope that regardless of the countless other issues that help you decide on a president - that at the very least in your heart you will support me on this one. Much like you did years ago when you assured me it was okay with you that I was gay.

And as for the president - if anything positive is to come out of his speech... thanks Mr. Bush for waking me up to the fact that we are all far from being equal even in this country which supposedly sits on ideals based on just that.

As of today, I promise to fight for the right to walk down the aisle with a husband I love in front of the friends and family that matter to me.

Today was my first visit to your website and I wanted to peruse the content to see what more there was on discussion of the Patriot Act, an unquestionable abomination in my never humble opinion.

I visited the Point Blank page and saw a discussion on Bush and the economy (BUSH AND THE ECONOMY 11.18.03) and could not help but respond to the comments I saw being made by Jennifer Loven of the AP. Her statement that the economic downturn did not begin until March 2001 is flatly false. It actually began in February of 2000 and gained momentum throughout 2000. The March 2001 point is when the effects were becoming obvious on the market and on public sentiment.

Yes, I understand that Ms. Loven's point was to bash Bush and truth had no place in her diatribe, but, at least she could get her facts straight before shooting her mouth off on a subject for which she is NO expert.The .com bust, Greenspan's constant raising of the interest rate, followed up with 9/11 - all of these factors were the causes of the economic downturn from which we have not yet recovered. Is Bush to blame in there anywhere?

Yes. His failure to address the issue of job creation effectively has contributed to the long-lasting duration of the downturn. His failure to spank Corporate America, the REAL TERRORIST, for sending jobs by the tens of thousands overseas while paying their CEOs multi-million-dollar bonuses and cutting domestic jobs because they supposedly can't afford to pay American workers a living wage - that is a Bush, even a Republican, failure. But this Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc crap being put on Bush's head is the result of an ignorant press siding with a vindictive opposing party wanting to retaliate for the Supreme Court ruling in the election. The President, no matter what party or what President, has only a minor effect on the economy.

Unfortunately, none of the Democratic candidates have a clue on how to fix
the jobs creation problem, either.

Perhaps they can take a closer look at the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. To expand that act to go beyond our own borders would kick Corp. America in its sorry butt if there were some teeth in the amended act.
In the end, however, the chairman of the Federal Reserve sets economic policy for this country and no one else.Rein in elected officials, not ballot initiatives

Letters to the Editor
Published December 17, 2003
St. Petersburg Times
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your editorial did an excellent job articulating the problem, but you failed to include the solution.

There's no question that "there are now more than a few people in Tallahassee who act with the same insufferable arrogance that distinguished the Pork Chop legislatures" of old. Just look at the phone rate hikes, the Terri Schiavo Law, the corporate tax loopholes and the governor and his Legislature thumbing their noses at the class size amendment. Most voters would agree that the number of ballot initiatives has increased over the years because more and more people feel as though their elected officials don't represent their interests.

The solution to this problem is not to limit the ballot initiatives, but to rein in the elected officials. Clean elections reform is a nationwide movement to institute publicly funded elections. This reform has been instituted successfully in Arizona, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota and other states. We need to bring this movement to Florida, and put the leash on our Legislature, instead of letting the lawmakers tie one around our necks! For more info on clean elections, check out www.publicampaign.org

And for those of you who wince at the idea of public funding of anything, consider these points:

1. Clean elections reform won't get in the way of free enterprise, because elections aren't a moneymaking proposition, right?

3. If they're not spending all their time listening to the people who can give them money, they'll spend more time listening to the people who can give them votes.

4. If you are worried about paying for clean elections, think about how much you pay for dirty ones. Maybe we can elect a Legislature that will get rid of the tax loopholes that make us pay all the taxes while the corporations just fill up the campaign coffers.

The sportslike bleacher pleasing news is about to make me sick. I watch channel 5 to catch the BBC news because they don't power and prime the newscasters for a Sporting Event.

A very good friend of mine has already lost his 18 year old boy in Kuwaitt one week after the boys were told to fill their guns with live ammo. You might have heard of the sucide in a brief snipet a couple weeks ago. Well he was killed in the crapper. The military notified my friend that his boy was killed by accident. The press got the news that it was a sucide. Can you imagine all the mothers who have boys, cluxy 18 years olds, carrying loaded guns with
them 24/7.

Also, a past mistress of Sadam's was called to identify the man on the famous Hussin tape. She said it wasn't him. (BBC)

Plus, several Iraq men who left Bagdad are returning to the city to fight-for their country. (BBC)

Now, the most sickening news, certainly not though out by the press is the recent anilating of men with hand guns with a tank. Surely to make the citizens of the US to feel proud. If that wasn't enough, the newscasters added, the troups killed the remaining men that were still alive. (regular coverage) We will kill the men who return to fight as I listed above.

I'm so sick and disgusted and ashamed of our government that I'm half blind. And, it is all in OUR NAME no matter how we protest.

PS. You can put this in one of the commentaries if you wish. Maybe someone will see it who cares other than all of the anti war people. Somehow the three monkeys are sitting on top of Bush's head. Hear no evil, Speak no evil, See no evil and they all have the Defense departments faces as we, the anit-war movement, have become the evil in the governments eyes.

Every step forward creates two steps back. The recent decision on the Gay rights was astounding and long awaited; however, one must always watch ones back when dealing with the Republicans. While matters of importance appear to be resolved, the Republicans are filling all the top positions among the lobbyist. In the past there has always been a Republican and Democrat in the lead of the lobbyist. Now, with the Republican House and Resident in the White House, the committees are making the drastic move to have Republican cronies take over all the top jobs in the Lobbyist on K Street. That means that, they can say what they want to appease the public while doing what they want in REAL policy.
Thanks, Carol Rae

I have read several of your articles with great interest. Keep up the good work. Anyway, an article today caught my attention. It was about Monster.com (TMP.Worldwide) and the fact that they had deleted certain words such as "Sudan", Iran", etc out of individual's resumes maintained in their database. It seems as though "Big Brother" has finally taken control of our lives. What could be more frightening than having unknow entities (and the government) using the personal information contained in your resume. Of course, TMPW says they did it because the Department of Treasury regulations require it. Amazing!
Sincerely
Dean Arnold

I would like to address the proposed amendment on public nudity presented by David Caton of the AFA.

In the first paragraph it states that the "mere" appearance of persons in the nude in public places.... generally increases incidents of...and here I paraphrase with the word "crime". Mr. Caton has attached studies to his proposal supposedly to support this theory, crime statistics from the year 2001 and later. (If we go by Caton's theory, then the mere appearance of persons in the nude in public places in Tampa caused violent crime to go down by 4.9% and non-violent crime to go up by 3.0%. see my attachment from the Tampa Police Department.)

There are actual crime statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement that show the year 2002 by counties and a decrease in crime. Decreases in the crimes that Caton blithely states increase in certain counties. Also,there is a chart of Ten Year Trends of crime, by county and by the entire state, which show a decrease in crime overall. You will note that the charts of counties that have no nude businesses have markedly increased crime rates overall. (Who knows though, there may be some crazy outbreak of persons appearing in the nude in public in all those counties, heh.) A stark contrast to what Mr. Catons theory and decidedly slanted statistics of 2001 and beyond show.

Nowhere in crime statistics does it tell you that a viewing of nudity in public places caused any crime whatsoever. How ludicrous. His news reports did say, however, that burglaries and car theft go up in summer because of kids being out of school, the report did not say that the kids had viewed any nudity in public places which caused them to burglarize or steal a car.

We are all well aware of scientific studies that show rape crimes are committed by people who crave power over individuals not by people who simply "merely" viewed nudity in a public place. His reports did say Bernice Bowen was beat constantly as a child...she was a victim of child abuse and then domestic violence and abuse long before living in Tampa. He uses her as proof of his theory because she danced in Tampa for a living. If this type of reasoning is accepted, then we must quickly pass ordinances banning every Catholic church in the nation as they tend to have a larger than average population of pedaphiles preying on children of both sexes, and they tend to draw those types of people to them. (Again, just ludicrous.)

Caton's voluminous statistics and news articles are only a theory where you can SAY that crime was caused by viewing a person appearing nude in public. (Snicker.) But the truth is, as you well know, statistics can say anything you want them to if you know how to say it.

Furthermore, I have not, nor ever have been, assaulted visually by a bevy of nude people in "public places". Nor have I ever committed a crime after seeing someone in the nude. Even more than this, at this time of heightened security, our police force can not stand the strain of enforcing one more frivolous attempt by the extremist, David Caton of the AFA, to force their moral legislation upon us. The police have been stretched thin enough as it is. Do we really want to pass another law that will be costly for us to enforce and especially when the state is cutting funding for our court systems? Homeland Security is more important... It is our tax money. I do not want it spent frivolously I want it spent on issues of importance. How dare Caton and the AFA take up time in this way when so many important decisions concerning our city wait in the background.

I was going to address this proposed amendment step by step but have decided not to, it is just too ridiculous. Dental Floss?? Oh my! Motels, gee. T-backs, thongs...well good bye bathing suits. Will the police be forced to patrol motel rooms? Checking for Dental Floss?

David Caton's and the AFA's attempts to force their religious standards and morals on the public is well known. Please recall their attempts to legislate homosexuality. I have included a report on Paul Cameron which Caton is reported to have used Cameron’s studies in his homophobic diatribe to stop gay rights protection. Cameron wanted to tattoo homosexuals with HIV for gods sake!

In closing, this city; this county, is a melting pot of different beliefs and people. As representatives of the people of this city, please do not vote to put this ridiculous and costly amendment on the ballot.

Imagine a world that has been infiltrated by a psychotic group of militants, who suppress any opposition using unconventional and overly sadistic warfare. The overpowering affects of the infiltration cause a collapse of the economy so severe that starvation, disease and anarchy run amuck. Imagine the face of hopelessness and despair as a mother watches her two month old take his last breath, and then realizes the immanence of her own demise from the same galling plight of disease and starvation. Listen how the violent cries of torture crowed the streets from the shadows and feel the uncontrollable urge to commit suicide as you await your turn. Oh, the terror that accompanies the opposing forces or the mistakenly perceived opposition as they are forced to watch their children repeatedly raped and beaten, or their spouses murdered in cold blood so slowly and repulsively. Smell the penetrating stench of death as it permeates the musty air, and feel the shrieking whales of starving and bewildered children penetrating your soul. Try to comprehend what it would be like to watch as the only shred of pride, culture and history you have left are being destroyed by bombs, looting, fire...more

"Your not a soldier, you're an errand boy, sent to collect the bill from grocery store clerks." -- Marlon Brando-Apocalypse Now

This Bush guy is a real gem. He's in office without the approval of the majority of voters, he wants to start a war without the approval of the UN, Congress, and even a growing number of conservative voters and groups like the KATO Institute; a conservative think tank that is against the war in Iraq (not to mention without the approval of France). But whereas President Bush seems less driven by domestic and international concerns, it was hoped things would be different with the Secretary of State, former General Colin Powell. If critics from Nelson Mandela to out-going Ambassador John Brady Kiesling dont make him smell the coffee, then no one or nothing will...more

I just read the St. Pete Times by Jay Cridlin on 01/08/03 titled "Proprietor loses to city's propriety" Want hear about a double standard, visit the new 16 million dollar Hartline Transit terminal at Marion and Kay streets known as the "Marion Transit Center" It is a state of the art bus transit plaza, with a huge building and plaza with curb cuts for the buses to park.

These curb cuts are in the Transit industry known as "SPOTS" they are identified alphabetic "A" thru "N". A master schedule connects the bus route number to the correct bus parking spot. So, when a bus patron wishes to catch the Route 19 to Port Tampa via Britton Plaza, the Hartline Marketing Representative would tell the patron to "wait for the Route 19" at the "G SPOT"

The Union Contract between the Amalgamated Transit Union and Hartline, Article 74 spells out that "causing the Transit Authority embarrassment is cause for termination. So in the event that I may be a Hartline employee, I must remain anonymous

Sirs, Hitlers henchmen could not have been worse than those that are now in the white house running out government. The wrath of God should be directed against them. They may well end civilization as we have known it. If it were only them, I would be glad.

First of all...we actually were not there to as you put it to "Free" Afghan women or even Afghan for that matter. We were there because "terrorist" (which were being harbored by Afghan) murdered over 3, 000 Americans. Afghan's religious leaders allowed them to hide there, and by default Afghan's people allowed it by allowing the religious leaders to be in charge of thier country. Afghan had the chance to give up the terrorist and chose not to. Regardless of the media's slant on what is shown over the airwaves Americans do not mistake the media's "rhetoric" with the "real reasons" for the fight there.

OH yeah, and American tried to HELP Afghan in the 90's....hello....What was done with that help was up to Afghan. You also talk about how we (the US) are trying to train a national army of Afghans...don't Afghans trust a national army? Guess not..they cant even get together to make thier own country better...

I am sure Afghan women have a terrible fight on thier hands and I feel sympathy for them, but America did not cause thier plight. And regardless of what you think, this is not a discussion about the burqa as you so blithley state in your last paragraph. The West, you say, is imposing freedom, I say bullcrap! Afghan's predicament has been an ongoing state of affairs, you yourself say that it has been going on for 23 years. ( in another area you say decades) My question to you is "Why are Afghan women "simply" enduring American Freedom? and what where they "simpy" enduring before? " You make it sound as if they are just sitting there saying..."Oh my...here we go again!".

Foreign countries sure are asking a lot of the big bad America. They spout off about how much they hate America, then take our finacial aid.. About how horrible Americans are, then take our military aid. How arrogant Americans are, then take our food aid. Ya get the picture? . Well let me tell ya folks, Americans are getting plenty tired of sending food, money, aid, healthcare etc. to countries that only spout hate for America. We Americans make mistakes in policy's just as maybe say...Afghans...do. But we pick ourselves up and go on with life and try to learn from our mistakes. Maybe Afghan should take a look at themselves and see what they are doing to cause their own problems instead of trying to BLAME BIG BAD USA.

What sigh of relieve? Once again this was not what the "war" was about. Sorry it was not about Afghan women or children. It was the Terrorists..remember..The New York Trade Center...It was back in 9/11...over 3,000 dead...now you remember? As for why stories not reported here(USA)...well we are in America not Afghan..why isn't Afghan doing something about the problem? Why do you want America to do something about all Afghans problems. I notice that it is a group of Afghan MEN (whether you call them Taleban, gunmen, or WHATEVER still afghan men) closing/attacking the schools..hmm...once again...not America doing it. Of course you neglect to state this in your article .

And if ya really want to make this about the "burqa" maybe Afghan women should start working on Afghan Men to change thier attitudes since Afghan Men are the ones that seem to think the women belong where they have put them for hundreds of decades.

AND FINALLY...MS. KOLHATKAR... George Bush did not organize a crusade to save Afghan women...please get it through your head...it was terrorists that caused the war in Afghan...not Afghan women in burqas. You are the ones trying to make this into a "simple" discussion of the burqa. And YOUR rhetoric is decidedly "one-sided".

"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Inspired by John Locke and many Continental philosophers, Thomas Jefferson created this glorious phrase to introduce a host of "self-evident truths." Rather than grievances against the King, or even the current mayor, I have decided to shape my run for mayor as a well city that is fit, fun, free and functional into a call for making Tampa a national and international model of municipal democracy. By this, I mean genuine in reality as well as noble but vague in name. Just as Daniel Hudson Burnham advised city planners to “make no little plans; they have no magic to stir mens' blood," so I have decided to make no little campaign promises; they have no magic to unsettle voter apathy. My new goal is “a well city devoted to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Friends say, “Now you will lose for sure!” Well, when you are not a professional politician and you enjoy your current day job, you can afford to say what you think. When seeking office under such conditions, you can also act as you please to promote ideas that matter to you or, in this case, talk freely and frankly about the kind of city in which you would want to live. Therefore, from now until March 4, 2003, the good folks of Tampa will be hearing a lot about how a well city that is fit, fun, free and functional can also become a model of liberty and an ideal base for the pursuit of happiness.

It’s not going to happen with the election of John Doe or Joe Blow or anyone from the usual cadres of “able enough” but ordinary professional politicians. There is an excellent chance it will happen if the voters elect me the next mayor of Tampa.

Here is a recap of the four principal elements of a well city. Comments welcomed. If you really, REALLY like these ideas and want to indulge in genuine liberty while pursuing happiness, consider moving to Tampa—soon.

The fittest cities today are San Diego, Minneapolis, Seattle, Washington and San Francisco. These are the choices of Men’s Magazine and other institutions that sponsor such competitions and set forth criteria for ranking one city over another. (In case you’re curious, the least fit or “fattest” cities are Philadelphia, Kansas City, Houston, Indianapolis and New Orleans.) This feasible but ambitious goal is vastly more consequential than whether the local NFL franchise, which has tens of thousands of diehard (and mostly overweight) supporters, ever wins a Super Bowl or if Tampa ever hosts an Olympic Games (last year, civic boosters engaged in an ill-conceived, fruitless but expensive bid to obtain the 2012 Summer Games. At least they did not go after the Winter Games!). Oddly, a fit city focus would not discourage either of these over-reaching desires from coming about. While a fit city would not help the Bucs, visiting Olympic site visitors might be mighty impressed if the people of bid city Tampa were notably fit, health conscious, proud of their community and, not incidentally, focused on liberty and the pursuit of happiness for others as well as themselves. How, exactly, would this goal of a fit city be pursued if I’m elected? Here are five ways—there will be many more in time.

The mayor leads the way in promoting an understanding of the importance of exercise and fitness in the context of a wellness lifestyle. The mayor serves as mentor, educator, coach and cheerleader; he also models on a daily basis the positive payoffs of personal excellence.

The mayor visits a different neighborhood every day. He talks and exercises with community leaders and the people who live in the area. Representatives from city departments participate in order to hear firsthand community concerns. Follow up actions are scheduled on problems noted.

The mayor oversees wellness festivals and seminars, conferences and course offerings. These forums are facilitated by the mayor and encouraged within schools, institutions and throughout the business and public sectors.

Sidewalks are laid in every neighborhood as a first priority (many poorer neighborhoods now have no sidewalks), followed by bold initiatives at constructing bike lanes, jogging and walking trails, mini-parks and new and expanded recreational facilities. The major initial focus in these actions must be for underserved neighborhoods.

Appoint and empower a Mayor’s Council of Physical Fitness and Wellness Promotion. The Council’s first task will be to develop current health and fitness status indicators for the people of Tampa and set specific improvement targets for one and four year periods.
A FUN CITY:

GOAL: To make Tampa a magnet for attracting (and retaining) the talents of the “creative class” and the attendant jobs associated with high tech companies, research based organizations and other beneficial consequences that obtain for with appeal to this sector.

Set as an objective for all departments the promotion of policies and programs that enable the richest imaginable quality of life. Look for public and private ways to create attractive social and physical environments, for such settings will be the best drivers for securing Tampa’s economic future for ALL classes of citizens.

Close the waterfront side of Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa’s grand balustraded promenade, at least one Sunday morning each month. Nourish this event so that it becomes a desirable community focus that can be implemented elsewhere in neighborhoods throughout the city.

Educate citizens on the nature and dynamics of fun, humor and play. Fun is not a luxury or a sin—it is a key element in the pursuit of happiness. Consider the words of Socrates: “The government should serve to promote the physical, the arts and the circus!” As mayor, my fun-oriented initiatives will focus on more opportunities for joy, laughter and happiness for seniors and children--our young majority (35 years of age) will, if we (government) stay out of their way find their own outlets for fun well enough without our help.

Promote an understanding of studies and research that demonstrates connections between high performance and humor/play in terms of productivity, healing and the good life.
FREE CITY:

GOAL: Make Tampa a city deservedly known nationwide as a tolerant community where all lifestyles are welcomed, a place where the common decencies are celebrated and the morality of the people flows from the character of the citizenry, not the imposed piety of or coercion from elected officials. Freedom is the ability to live your life the way you want to live it. If elected, this mayor will do everything in his power to respect the rights of all residents to do just that – to live free.

Demonstrate via proclamation AND actions the City of Tampa’s commitment to tolerance and diversity. For starters, a Human Rights Ordinance second to none will be developed and put to the voters. It will include proscriptions against all forms of discrimination and a human rights ordinance guaranteeing, among other freedoms, full benefits for domestic partners.

Respect and protect the right to freedom of speech. Eliminate the Orwellian “free speech zones” in Ybor City. The St. Pete Times editorials on this issue are on target but understated. This act by the City Council allegedly designed to prevent littering is an affront to the intentions of the founders and a barrier to genuinely free speech.

Respect and protect the right to privacy. The surveillance cameras at public events and along the main thoroughfare (7th Avenue) in Ybor City will come down on my first day in office, if I am elected.

Respect and protect the right of consenting adults to do as they like in their personal affairs. It is not necessary to approve of everything other people believe, say, watch or do in order to honor their rights as Americans to be left alone to believe, say, watch or do it (assuming they are not frightening horses or otherwise infringing upon the rights of others.) We safeguard our own freedoms by protecting the personal liberties of those whose harmless pleasures might be different from our own. If elected mayor, government meddling in personal morality will end. There will be no six-foot rule between the people and the Bill Of Rights, or patrons and lap dancers.

Respect and safeguard the wall of separation between church and state. Tampa is religiously diverse -- the mayor must respect that and I will, if elected.
A FUNCTIONAL CITY

GOAL: Lead Tampa to become a deservedly recognized high quality of life-focused community. Position Tampa as a planned, “green-oriented” and environmentally sound city that is efficient and effective in terms of the infrastructure.

Always think and act on public policies with the entire region’s best interests in view.

Relate the desires of the development interests to the needs of the public interest.

Utilize all change opportunities to improve the foundation systems of Tampa. Think of the infrastructure as the physical equivalent of the “safety and security” factor in Maslow’s famous “hierarchy of needs” construct. The infrastructure systems include but are not limited to public safety (fire and police), housing, transportation, water resources (including conservation focus on potable water), flood and stormwater control), environmental protection and all the rest.

Expand environmental management programs. Distribute 90-gallon recycling bins to all residences, set CO2 and other greenhouse gas emission reduction standards and innovate to conserve resources and use resources wisely.

That’s about it. That is my quality of life vision for Tampa. This is a summary of how I would, as mayor, seek to bring about the reality, over time, of a well city whose people are devoted to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Let me know if you think I’m on the right track.

They can't make me like him and I will never be a Republican.
November 5, 2002
First, I would like to thank you for exercising your First Amendment right of "free" speech. This is a right that is fading away every day but it doesn't make news like the Beltway Sniper. We can't hear enough about the ten people who lost their lives because of these men with their Second Amendment protected guns, but we don't hear about those that died for our right to speak, even if that opinion is unpopular.

As a former USF student, with a major in political science, I would like to reply to the freedom haters at Saturday's Bushit Rally at USF. During my two year experience at USF, on school grounds, I was subjected to insane right-wing religious fanatics, sexist fraternity propaganda, and Palestinian terrorist sympathizers. All of these people had a right to speak, their words were patently offensive to most of the students, but no one was asked to leave or arrested for their views.

I find it interesting that in an atmosphere of education and enlightenment, you were told to "Get a job! Get an education!". Well, I have a job, and three degrees, and I say "Open your eyes!" Stop being tools for the government! Get over the blow job and look at the state of our Union! This country was doing so well, we took our eyes off the road. Now we have an economy that is in the crapper, we can't get any help in our crusade against Iraq, and we have a governor with a charming wife that said, " I am just Jeb Bush's wife. That is all I am and all I ever wanted to be." Spoken like a total sellout to all free women everywhere. No wonder your daughter smokes rock!

Second, I would like to thank everyone who voted YES on Amendment 6. Adam, you were right to point out that this was a labor issue more than a social issue. For years I was subjected to customers blowing smoke in my face as I did my job. From waitresses and bartenders all over the state, thank you! KEEP YOUR CANCER TO YOURSELF!!! And finally, keep your heads up! We may have lost the election, but we stand strong. We made our voices heard and we will not go away. They can't make me like him and I will never, ever, ever, be a Republican.

Why didn't German Jews fight back?
     They were told to follow the laws
     They were told to form committees
     They were arrested without cause
     They were imprisoned without right to trial
     They were deported
     They were detained for months in a "special" prison
     They were told that these things were done to them to "protect" them

Why didn't the disabled fight back?
They were denied healthcare and assistance
They were forced into hospital for "their own good"

Why didn't the Jehovah's Witnesses fight back?
They were deported
They were secretly arrested

Why didn't the Homosexuals fight back?
     They were secretly arrested
     They were denied the right to an attorney
     They were forced to "change"

Do Not Forget...
It was Prescott Bush's Union Banking Corporation who funded the Nazi war machine in the 1930's
It was George Herbert Walker's Silesian-American Corporation that was seized by the US Government in 1942 for trading with the "Nazi Enemies"

Do Not Forget...
Every time you fill up your SUV with gasoline much of that money is going to the Middle East
It was Richard Nixon who said "we will not be held hostage by oil" yet 30 years later we are still hostages to oil

Do Not Forget...
     It was Ronald Reagan who supplied Iraq with lethal weapons to fight Iran
     It was George Bush Sr. who did not finish the job in the Gulf War
     It was Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. who armed the Afghanistan's to fight off the "evil empire" the Soviet Union
     On August 26, 2002 George W. Bush, Jr. declared the East Turkestan People's Liberation Movement of Western China as enemies, even though those people have been fighting for independence since the Communist take over of China. Why are they enemies? Xinjiang - Turkestan, the westernmost province of China, lies in a vast desert area containing the country's most valuable resources of oil, lead, zinc, and gold. Living amongst this natural wealth are the Uighurs, an ethnic minority in China but the majority in the province. The approximately 8 million Uighurs are a unique Muslim society with a Turkish dialect and are physically and culturally distinct from the ethnic Chinese.
     Even though these people have been recognized as legitimate freedom fighters by the UN, EU and the United States for over 50 years, now because of the interest in oil, the Bush administration calls them enemies and will look the other way as China continues it's onslaught of human rights violations, forced abortions, and religious and political repression.

Do Not Forget...
The struggle of East versus West has been ongoing for thousands of years and both call one another barbarians, crusaders, savages, liberators and yes, peacemakers.

Do Not Forget...
     Had we not abandoned…
     Castro in his overthrow of the US backed dictator Batista then he would not have seek helped from the Soviet Union
     Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua in the overthrow of the US backed dictator Somoza he would not have seek helped from the Soviet Union
     Chile in the US lead murder of their President Allende, then Pinochet would not have been a military dictator for more than 20 years

Do Not Forget...
A war against terror is redundant, whether a bomb falls from the sky or is made-up of sticks of dynamite innocent people will die, each side facing terror.

Do Not Forget...
     The enemy has a name, Oil
     The enemy has a name, Greed
     The enemy has a name, Hate
     The enemy has a name, Fear
     The enemy has a name, Nationalism
     The enemy has a name, Right-Wing Religious Extremist
     The enemy has a name, Bigotry

Do Not Forget...
"The uniqueness of the American system of the right to dissent," Justice Gingsburg, October 2001

Do Not Forget...
"The essential principles of our Government... form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages and blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment. They should be the creed of our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty and safety." --1st Inaugural Address, 1801, Thomas Jefferson

Do Not Forget...
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

Do Not Forget...
The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. Federalist, no. 47 - James Madison

Do Not Forget...
     As the cool and deliberate sense of the community ought, in all governments, and actually will, in all free governments, ultimately prevail      over the views of its rulers; so there are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or      some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will      afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate      and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career, and to suspend the blow meditated by the people against      themselves, until reason, justice, and truth can regain their authority over the public mind? Federalist, no. 63 - James Madison

I will never forget

     September 15, 1963 racially motivated bombing of Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church

     May 4, 1970, National Guard Killing of America's Children at Kent State, Ohio - J. Edgar Hoover wrote in a
memo to his top assistants six days later that the students "got what they deserved."

     May 13, 1985, the City of Philadelphia dropped a bomb on a city block killing eleven people, including five children, and destroying sixty-one houses.

     February 28, 1993 raid on the Branch Davidian religious group near Waco, Texas

April 19, 1995, the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City

September 11, 2001, the Bombing of the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC

Until we free ourselves from the chains of greed, bigotry, religious extremism, tyranny, political and religious oppression, covert wars, proliferation of weapons and the reliance of oil and other natural resources, we will have many more "I will never forget"

"I am a professional that has been caught in the web of our health care system. At the time of my wife's diagnosis, she was uninsured because her employer did not offer health insurance. My wife is very sick. She has spent five weeks in the hospital from January through July, including four days in intensive care. I spend $600 to $800 in health care cost monthly for her. She is disabled, but Medicare is not available to her until May 2003. Her disability began on October 2000. I have incurred over $100,000 in health care costs, but Medicaid says that I have access to $7,000 in my 401k plan; therefore I am not eligible. I do not understand the math.

I have received a hearing where I have offered to liquidate my contributions to the 401k plan to pay for hospital and doctor bills. Under a strict interpretation of the law, they do not have to accept my proposal. I am therefore heading for bankruptcy and possibly divorce. I cannot declare bankruptcy until Medicare begins on May 2003. If I am forced into bankruptcy before May 2003, my wife and I will have to get a divorce. She can incur $30,000 in medical without much effort. In the beginning, I thought that I had simply made a serious of mistakes. Then I found out how the system really works. Most people cannot believe it. I have found that people are generally dissatisfied with insurance companies and health care in general."

Terrorism Legislation, it's nothing new, erosion of Rights began in 1995
Clinton Terrorism Legislation Threatens Constitutional Rights
James X. Dempsey

Deputy-Director, Center for National Security Studies

On February 10, 1995, a counterterrorism bill drafted by the Clinton Administration was introduced in the Senate as S. 390 and in the House of Representatives as H.R. 896.

The Clinton bill is a mixture of: provisions eroding constitutional and statutory due process protections, selective federalization -- on political grounds -- of state crimes (minus state due process rules), discredited ideas from the Reagan and Bush Administrations, and the extension of some of the worst elements of crime bills of the recent past...more.

In the past 10 years Tampa has faced an array of problems. Following are examples of the gross mismanagement of these administrations:

" Mayor Greco takes a weekend trip to Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro, without the approval of the City Council or the Governor.

" Ron Rotella is the only advisor in the Mayor's office that has a city paid office with staff and who has been under scrutiny for possible conflict of interests with the City of Tampa and his personal business associations yet, the position remains.

" Steve LaBrake a city contractor whose nepotism, use of public funds for personal gain and sweetheart land deals under the guise of the non-profit THAP were known and supported by Mayor Greco until the press revealed the damming issue that eventually cost him his job.

" The nuisance abatement board of the City of Tampa has not heard a single case in the past several months of 2002

" The Code Enforcement department is lacking in support and funding allowing abandoned buildings to be left unsecured, however. Mayor Greco has selectively enforced code to evict families from apartments without assistance to relocate those affected.

" Taxpayer's monies have been diverted from neighborhood improvement projects, instead going to pet projects costing millions of dollars like Ybor Trolley Car system that has gone over its budget of 22 million

" The firehouse Police program that was intended to keep officers in neighborhoods is depleted on weekends, when it is needed most. The police are used in Ybor City during the weekends leaving many neighborhoods without adequate protection and causing many delays when 911 calls are placed.

" Police Chief Holder and Mayor Greco knew about the Drop Program for early retirement of many officers several years ago and failed to plan for their replacement, now causing a severe shortfall

" Tampa Police officer Terry Green admits paying for prostitutes and avoids jail.

" Police Chief Jane Siling mismanaged the Sulphur Spring's police program known as Weed and Seed, for years. Yet she continued to work for Holder

" Tampa Police Chief Tina Wright did not know of an investigation of a family member being a subject in a murder case of Felecia Himes. Yet, officer Wright is the deputy chief of investigations and it is her job to know

" Chief Holder will not transfer the Felecia Himes murder case to an outside agency to avoid a conflict on interest.

These are but a few examples of Mayor Greco's and Chief Holder's lack of regard for the rule of law. Because of this they have cast shadows of suspicion and distrust over the city government and because the City Council is a rubber stamp for the actions of the administration those candidates like City Councilman Bob Buckhorn and Charlie Miranda, who are vying to be Tampa's next Mayor, will serve the people little to lift the cloud of distrust that hovers over City Hall.

"Over the years, decades and centuries, our Federal government has grown dysfunctional - compounding the problems and adding to, if not ultimately creating, dysfunctional socio-economics. Government even calls itself a democracy, though it is a republic within which representatives themselves are not required unanimous voting criteria, which, in turn, suppresses minorities and opens doors for corruption to get the swing vote, not the minority’s agreement, to work out lasting peace."