Florida has an alternative to the ‘patriotism' pushed by book banners
Florida patriots
Dr. Marvin Dunn sat beneath what he called the Black History Learning Tree next to FIU's Green Library on the 45th anniversary of the McDuffie Riots and swayed to Ray Charles' rendition of 'America the Beautiful.' Dunn wanted the program on the history of the riots to begin with that song 'because of the lie that professors like me are telling students to hate their country. Teaching that our country is the worst place in the world. I was out here [teaching at FIU] 36 years; I never heard a professor say 'hate your country.''
Flanked by Shanreka Perry, who was 10 when she lost her leg in the riot, and Bea Hines, the legendary Pulitzer-nominated reporter for the Miami Herald, and surrounded by scores of American flags, Dunn wanted everyone to know that 'I'm an American that spent six years in the Navy defending our country. This is our country too.'
I thought about why Dunn needed to start his presentation defending his patriotism while reading Mary Anna Mancuso's May 23 op-ed, 'Florida ranks low on patriotism? I don't believe it.' She wrote, 'I have found Republicans to be more openly patriotic than Democrats.'
I do not know if Dunn or Hines are Democrats, but I do know that 43 years ago this Memorial Day, Hines was chastised as being unpatriotic for opining in the Herald that she preferred 'America the Beautiful' over 'The Star Spangled Banner.'
Dunn feels the Black History Learning Tree series (the next is Juneteenth) is needed because 'patriotic' Floridians now in control of the state have been banning books they don't like, deporting students at schools — including FIU — who may say something they don't agree with and forcing courses to be rewritten so they downplay Florida's violent racial history.
Is that patriotic?
Philip Cardella,
Miami
Parks leader
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's decision to replace County Parks Director Maria Nardi with a staffer from the elections department is a ridiculous proposition that will undoubtedly harm our county's award-winning parks. During her tenure, Nardi has done a fantastic job.
Miami-Dade County Parks are among the highest rated in the state and nation. It makes no sense to replace a successful leader with someone who has absolutely no experience in the field. This is apparently a short-sighted decision by Levine Cava, who has a desire to help a political ally rather than prioritize the county's parks.
Political affiliation should not result in a job. Replacing Nardi with an elections official will not keep Miami-Dade Parks growing.
Howard J. Tendrich,
Palmetto Bay
College heads
Gov. Ron DeSantis' apparent goal is to affix ultra-right conservative presidents at the helms of all of Florida's universities and colleges. This education take-over is shameful and goes against everything that America represents.
His latest ploy is to install or have the University of West Florida Board of Trustees to 'decide' the appointment of Manny Diaz, Jr., Florida's education commissioner, as the the next leader of UWF. Some of the newly appointed DeSantis trustees are connected to ultra-right think tanks, including one who is a fellow of the Heritage Foundation.
The Foundation is the mastermind behind the cruel, inhumane and anti-American Project 2025, which eliminates all diverse, inclusive and equitable programs and classes in our universities. DEI is who we are as Americans. We are all immigrants with diverse and rich nationalities, cultures, languages and religions.
A university president must embrace all students, professors and majors. On-campus organizations must include all political, social and educational beliefs. Installing Diaz as the next UWF president is a recipe for disaster on all levels. A university president who will only represent an ultra-right wing agenda is anti-American.
Mayade Ersoff,
Palmetto Bay
Safety hazard
A waste transfer station is being proposed near Venezia Lakes, Three Lakes and surrounding West Kendall communities within the Miami Executive Airport's critical approach zone.
The proposed site would create serious aircraft safety hazards due to birds attracted by waste; expose 18 schools within a five-mile radius to harmful pollutants; risk contaminating the Three Lakes and endangering local wildlife; cause severe property value declines in well-established neighborhoods and increase the risk of fires (recent fires occurred near the proposed dump location).
Most concerning, this proposal was suddenly introduced without proper notification to residents who have lived in the area for more than 20 years.
Our communities are urgently mobilizing to oppose this inappropriate development. We would appreciate coverage in the Miami Herald of this important local issue affecting so many Miami-Dade families.
Sebastian Espinosa,
West Kendall
Cat people
Even people who cringe at the thought of stray cats agree: fewer are better. County residents created Miami-Dade's stray cat problem by not spaying or neutering their pet cats and letting them roam outside to reproduce. Cats didn't choose to be born outside. I thank the Herald for highlighting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the only accepted strategy to reduce their population.
Feeding bans fail because they disrupt managed colonies where caregivers feed, monitor and trap for TNR; vaccinated stray cats prevent rabies transmission to pets, but hungry, thirsty and potentially sick strays will roam, spreading disease; dispersed cats are extremely difficult to trap and sterilize; feeders crucial to Miami-Dade's TNR programs are deterred, yet retailers profit from pet products and ignore stray cat abandonment. However, PetSmart Charities and Petco Love fund TNR.
Bans also discourage caregivers, spurring more unaltered cat abandonment and don't stop reproduction.
Stray cats are a reality we can't erase. The choice is simple: manage them humanely or let them suffer unmanaged.
Danna Stillman,
Animal Welfare Committee,
Miami Beach
Limp responses
The response from our elected officials regarding the Trump administration's revocation of Temporary Protected Status for our immigrant neighbors is a disgrace.
Rep. Maria Salazar said she was 'deeply disappointed.' Rep. Carlos Gimenez has 'concerns' about the revocation. Sen. Rick Scott said that, 'President Trump has full authority to take action.' That is pathetic.
Where is the outrage? Where is the fight?
Shame on them for their tepid responses while the lives of their constituents are in peril.
Arnie Gellman,
Miami
Unhealthy
It is ironic and hypocritical that Publix is recalling a brand of baby food from all stores because it might be contaminated with elevated levels of lead. Yet, at any grocery store, pharmacy, or convenience store, one can purchase a product that, according to the World Health Organization, causes 480,000 deaths in the United States annually and kills more than 7 million people globally each year: tobacco.
If eating cantaloupe killed 480,000 people a year in the United States, the FDA would ban it immediately, yet Big Tobacco in the U.S. seems untouchable.
Roger Hammer,
Homestead
Hold the water
Recent research reveals bottled water contains far more plastic particles than previously believed — up to 240,000 per liter, mostly as tiny nanoplastics from the bottles and bottling process. While the long-term health impacts remain uncertain, microplastics are linked to inflammation, immune disruption and exposure to harmful chemicals.
Contrary to popular belief, bottled water isn't necessarily safer or purer than tap water. In the U.S., tap water is regulated more strictly and tested more frequently for contaminants. Opting for tap water not only protects your health but also reduces plastic waste and saves money.
If you're concerned about taste or local water quality, affordable home filtration systems can provide added peace of mind. By making informed choices and supporting stronger regulations, we can protect our health and the environment. Let's move past the myth of 'pure' bottled water and confidently turn to the tap.
Paul Howard,
Naples
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