The recent spate of hate crimes against Jewish interests in Florida is of vital importance to the entire community. Ascribing the desecration and burning of temples and Torah scrolls to kids' vandalism or pranks flies in the face of Holocaust history and the six million innocents murdered by the Nazis.
Every hate crime must be taken seriously, the offenders caught and punished and the community's wounds healed. The FBI and U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Robert Wexler and Ron Klein are involved, as they should be. The Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish War Veterans USA are two anti-Semitism watchdog groups that also are involved. The entire community must become involved, too. Hate is a terrible scourge that affects us all.
ROBERT E. PICKARD, action chair, Jewish War Veterans, Post 243, South Miami
'Poor' Jose Canseco?
Re the May 3 story Canseco loses L.A. house to foreclosure: My heart goes out to Jose Canseco for his recent financial woes, struggling to raise a family on just $17 million a year because the government kept a whopping 41 percent of his income in taxes. It's no wonder he had to foreclose on his home.
Thankfully, if we keep the Republicans in office, we can avoid atrocities such as Canseco's situation and lower the tax rate for the wealthy -- at the expense of much-needed social programs, of course.
Unless your financial situation is better than that of Canseco, vote for a change in November.
MARY OWENS, Miami
Fighting gay rights
Re the May 3 story Gay-rights foes vow to act: Here's a question for Anthony Verdugo and his colleagues at the Christian Family Coalition: What will you say when your children ask what you did with your life? Will you answer: ``I did everything I could to make sure certain people couldn't buy health insurance or visit the people they love in the hospital''?
It's an odd choice of efforts for a Christian coalition. Can you envision Jesus spending his time campaigning to deny help or comfort to the sick?
DENNIS EDWARDS, Miami
Right UDB decision
The Miami-Dade County Commission's decision to move the Urban Development Boundary was the right one to help communities in west Miami-Dade. Most of the opponents of the developments don't live in the area and seem to think that it was moved straight into the Everglades. That is not the case. The line is staggered. The site for the proposed Lowe's is at Southwest 137th Avenue and Eighth Street. The lot is hardly the Everglades. It resembles a junk yard more than it does any national park.
Commissioners heard the cries of the neighbors in that area and not those who live along the eastern coast. These approvals will improve the quality of life for those of us who already are here. I applaud the commission for listening to constituents, especially those most affected, and making the right decision for this area and the entire county.
THERESA RODRIGUEZ, Miami
Religion in politics
The writer of the May 4 letter Obama not tainted thinks that everyone has the freedom to pick his religion and pastor. But when you run for president you are scrutinized relentlessly.
Since Barack Obama credits Jeremiah Wright for bringing him to Christianity, it begs the question: What was Obama before he became a Christian? I think voters are entitled to know.
JANET VERNELL, North Miami Beach
Civil-rights history
In February I attended a book reading by Charles E. Cobb Jr. at Books & Books in Coral Gables. He read excerpts of his On the Road to Freedom. I bought the book and had it autographed.
As I read the book, it occurred to me that I, who thought I was well versed in the American civil-rights movement of the 1960s, was ignorant of this watershed period in our history.
Reading this book causes me to wonder if today's youth are being exposed to this all-important portion of our nation's history. On the Road to Freedom should be required reading for any history class taught at the junior high or high school level. In an election year when race is, like it or not, being made an issue, all voters owe it to themselves to read this book and remember past injustices and courage shown in the American civil-rights movement to fight them. I thank Cobb for re-opening my eyes.
WILLIAM BEITZ, Coral Gables
Animals in sports
My heart does not go out to the owners, trainer or jockey of Eight Belles. It goes out to Eight Belles herself, an animal who was euthanized because of injuries sustained in the Kentucky Derby.
It's time to remove animals from sporting events, horses and greyhounds, for starters. People enter sports because they want to. Animals get no say in the matter. We need to stand up for stricter laws to protect animals in sporting events.
NEIL SARTORI, Wilton Manors
Financial crisis
Re the May 5 story Financial worst may not be over: The story quotes Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson saying, ''We are closer to the end of this problem than we are to the beginning.'' This reminds me of a war-time quote from that master of English prose, Winston Churchill. When asked if a certain turn of events meant the end of the war, he said ``Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.''
Let's hope that Paulson is not too overly optimistic.
RICHARD SCHUERGER, Ramrod Key
