Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are those of our readers and not the Pensacola News Journal. In order for letters to be considered for publication, they must be 250 words or less and include name, a full address and phone number. Only your name and city of residence will be published. Email submissions to opinion@pnj.com.
DeSantis turning state into wild west
Yee-haw, y’all! The wild, wild, west is coming to a town near you! With Gov. DeSantis signing HB-543 Constitutional Carry into law, come July 1, 2023 (just in time for the Fourth of July), Florida will have successfully ripped the “panty liner of a gun safety course” out of our drawers.
Hear me out – the safety course serves as just enough protection needed to educate/deter folks before they take on a serious new risk and responsibility.
My personal experience in taking the concealed carry course made me reconsider wanting to carry unless I was going to commit to consistent range practice, invest in supplies and safety equipment, and stay vigilant in taking care of my mental health.
In the end, I chose to reject an intimate relationship with a firearm when the certificate of completion for the concealed carry class was signed and issued to me before the final shooting test.
The shouting, NRA-certified instructor heavily guiding my form as I fired off shots, a class full of horrified faces lining the wall behind me, and my cheerful “am I done?” was enough for me to take my new gun muffs, pink T-shirt and check it off as another experience.
“Come back on ladies night” echoed behind me as I exited the gun range.
Florida voters – soon a panty liner won’t be sufficient enough to stop the bleeding. Good thing I signed up for a stop the bleed class at Ascension Sacred Heart. Discounted rounds on ladies’ night won’t help me now.
— Carollyn Taylor, Pensacola
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Beach tragedies avoidable
Over the years, I have pulled myself out of dozens of undertows and just kept on enjoying another day at the beach. When I have visitors going to the beach, I confirm they know how to recover from a riptide.
All the recent deaths/injuries involving undertow/riptide seem to indicate tourists need to learn undertow response. Every lifeguard stand, public venue, lodging establishment and both ends of beach access walkways, should post signs that teach how to get out of an undertow. BeachTV should run public service announcements.
Signs should include a link to a short, downloadable video demonstrating the simple, single motion it takes to get out of a riptide; how easy it is to just swim parallel to the shore – regardless of how far out they are. (I sometimes think people think they need to get near the shoreline, before they start swimming parallel to it).
And maybe an acronym could help? JGS: Just Go Sideways, FTPSR: Feel the Pull, Swim Right, DFSR: Don’t Fight, Swim Right, SSFS: Swim sideways from shore.
That moment of realizing you’re caught up in an undertow is scary. But it doesn’t ever have to be deadly or injurious.
— Lisa Jernigan, Pensacola
Biden’s border cause for concern
It’s happening again. As Trump’s Title 2 border protections expire, 1,500 hundred more undocumented immigrants are posed to swarm Biden’s under-protected border.
Meanwhile, the border states are overwhelmed with undocumented immigrants committing crimes including murder and our country is being flooded with fentanyl. True to his record, Biden counters with a weak reactive response. He sends our military to help with the processing of these undocumented immigrants.
Our military are trained to protect our country, not be administrative pencil pushers. Let them protect us!
— Dave Burson, Pensacola
Trump-DeSantis ticket a win
In 2008, my extended family switched from Democrat to Republican! Why? Not able to support their evolving agenda. Now our country is in the worst shape since its founding. We, all political parties, are to blame for its downfall.
I sincerely believe the Republican Party, with the assistance of Democrats and Independents, can return us to our deserved place as leaders of the free world! The way is simple!
Trump, stop schoolboy rhetoric! Meet with DeSantis! Both of you should join forces. Announce a joint campaign, Trump-DeSantis for 2024 to 2028! Never been done before. No surprise for a VP! Then DeSantis from 2028 to 2036!
Our misguided policies, foolish spending, failure to enforce our laws equally, and, opening our country to the world’s masses at the expense of our citizens has burdened our children with years of debt! For 96 years I have watched this debacle developing.
Our world is experiencing mass immorality from mankind toward his fellows! Greed and power seeking? Killing for what reason? Insanity? Trying to change nature’s creation of the sexes? Regardless of your religious beliefs, Mother Earth and Nature are letting you know their dissatisfaction with your behavior.
I am soon gone. This is your future. Live it for better or worse, as you wish.
— Charles King, Pensacola
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Legislators manipulating voters
Is corruption too ingrained in the American legislative system for it to function on behalf of the American public? I submit that it is. In order to correct this situation, you would have to make major changes in the Supreme Court. After all, it was the Supreme Court that helped foster this situation.
How so? By removing the cap on corporate contributions. Thereby, essentially, creating the best government that money can buy. We have a situation where the majority of legislators no longer, if ever, represent the best interests of their constituents but rather find it much more profitable to govern in a manner that better benefits the interest of big business.
They have forgotten or simply choose to ignore the fact that they were elected to represent their constituents and districts. We have situations where these legislators have refused to vote to raise the minimum wage while simultaneously voting to raise their own wages. How long will John Q. Public continue to allow this?
Our entire political system is in dire need of a complete overhaul. Our government is no longer “For The People”. If middle class and poor whites, middle class and poor Blacks and other people of color could unite, we could form a voting bloc that could change the direction of this country.
Alas, it will never happen because poor whites have been duped into thinking that they are better than Blacks simply because of color. You are being used.
— Carlton J. Charles, Pensacola
DeSantis voters have no regrets
I must respond to the piece submitted by John King in the May 7 edition. I quote him, “Merriam-Webster’s definition of Fascism: A way of organizing society with an emphasis of autocratic government, dictatorial leadership, and the suppression of opposition.”
My dear Mr. King, you just described perfectly what the current administration, along with their lap dogs in the mainstream corporate media do every day. Government colludes with big tech, corporate media, and social media platforms.
They suppress and attack speech or opinions that disagree with any narratives they push. The shadow banning and content blocking that occurred at Twitter prior to the election are prime examples. Biden’s failure to pivot on any policy he pushes is as autocratic as you can get. Your piece targets the ones fighting back against this sort of tyranny and suppression.
Rest assured, no one who voted for DeSantis is sorry for what they did and are sitting back in their easy chairs saying “tsk, tsk, tsk.” They are proud patriots and will vote time after time to fight for the freedoms he has provided.
— Richard Nein, Pensacola
Horton involvement a mistake
I’ve lived in Beulah over 30 years. On three-plus acres and in Pensacola my whole life. I raised my kids out here. It’s changed so much already. I now have 30 D.R. Horton backyards up against three sides of my property. Some built on wetlands.
I think allowing Horton Homes to be anyway involved in OLF-8 would spell a huge mistake. I can’t express this loud enough and I assure you this is not what Beulah wanted. I think the company the county hired that came up with a plan people voted on and agreed to should be held up and the county should do the right thing and not have it be about money.
I think we’d all love a Central Park type area. Everyone at some time or another could go enjoy! Whether going to outdoor movie, school event, concert, strolling through a sweet, quiet park with a beautiful sunset, etc. The sunset view is breathtaking across that land.
Please commissioners do the right thing, take another vote if you need to!
— Diane Enfinger, Pensacola
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