After FSU shooting, Florida doesn’t need more ‘thoughts and prayers’ from officials | Opinion

Is this normal?

As a Florida State University alumna, I am heartbroken by another campus shooting. Time has only proved that once unacceptable gun violence has become accepted. The cost is hopelessness, trauma and grief, which will mar our communities for a lifetime. Resignation comes from the endless empty offerings of thoughts and prayers and our elected officials continually failing us.

President Trump said, “...this has been going on for a long time,” adding, “I have an obligation to protect the Second Amendment.” To be clear, Trump accepts shootings will continue and feels it’s more important to make more guns available than to keep communities safe. As a result, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is working to roll back gun regulations. The Florida Legislature is attempting to reduce gun ownership age, allow open carry and repeal red flag laws.

My Facebook feed is usually filled with pictures of my family and former classmates with their children, who are now FSU students, taking part in all the traditions we loved. On Thursday, however, the posts were safety updates, accounts about running from gun fire and the trauma of lockdown. I will not accept gun violence. You shouldn’t either.

Kristin Battista-Frazee,

Big Pine Key

Money transfer

The apparent corruption in the DeSantis governorship is unbelievable and must stop. The $10 million paid by Centene for over-billing its Medicaid contract to the state ends up in DeSantis’ Hope Florida Foundation, run by his wife Casey who is considering a run for governor of Florida. This is taxpayer money, not DeSantis’ money.

There were no meeting minutes, no tax returns were filed, few questions asked, a grant was never made public and then the money lands in a “dark money organization.” That money that should have benefited Floridians, not DeSantis. Nothing about this seems legal.

Floridians must end this apparent criminal behavior and say no to Casey DeSantis. Gov. Ron DeSantis must be investigated for his corruption.

Jackie Centofanti,

Dania Beach

Too bad

The response from the Florida Legislature to the deaths and injuries at Florida State University on Holy Thursday was, essentially: what a shame, huh?

Kate Callahan,

Miami

Elect Mike!

I don’t know Mike Fernandez, the Miami healthcare CEO who wrote an open letter to Miami-Dade’s congressional delegation about defending immigrants, but I do know he’s successful and a former Republican. I also know he wrote a letter about “Cuban Exceptionalism” a few years ago praising his Cuban compatriots, who had excelled in everything and dominated politics.

Later, Fernandez, as a wealthy influencer, wrote against Donald Trump and the Republican Party. This week, he expanded his opinion and rightfully condemned the immoral attitude of the same exceptional Cubans who betray their roots and history in supporting Trump, who is a tyrant. And he is damn right.

Few people show honor and courage over tribalism. Perhaps we should elect Fernandez to high office, as he is one of the few who has publicly shown his ethical principles over reprehensible tribal behavior.

Enrique Dávila,

Miami

Real dangers

Here in Florida, as long as our kids are safe from DEI, dangerous books and rainbow flags, guns are not a real problem.

John Cochrane,

Miami

Eat plants

This Earth Day South Florida is facing a climate crisis that poses a significant threat to the region’s economy and vulnerable populations. From sea level rise to coastal flooding, more intense hurricanes and extreme heat, Miami-Dade County officials have acknowledged the area is “ground zero” for climate change and initiated a Climate Action Strategy to reduce countywide emissions.

Following these strong and proactive measures, the county should now take an even more powerful stance on climate change by endorsing the Plant Based Treaty. Launched in 2021, this Treaty highlights the role that food systems, especially those based on animal agriculture, play in greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock farming, particularly beef farming, is a major source of carbon and methane emissions while also driving massive deforestation, water pollution, soil degradation and biodiversity loss across the planet.

The Treaty has been endorsed by 40 cities, including Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Dublin. Miami-Dade should endorse the Treaty and implement a plan to promote healthy and sustainable plant-based food.

Janay Laing,

North Miami

Argentine economy

I love Miami Herald opinion writer Andres Oppenheimer’s articles, although he can go from the sublime to the ridiculous. In a recent article commemorating his many interviews with Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas LLosa, who died recently, he is sublime.

In his April 11 article, “Trump could learn from Latin America’s tariff blunders,” he states that the reason Argentina went from an advanced economy and first world status to a disastrous economy and third world status was due to tariffs. That is ridiculous.

The installation of Peronist governments, with its paternalistic mentality and huge government giveaway programs, as evidenced in the past 15 years of the Kirchener-Fernandez governments, are the overwhelming causes of Argentina’s economic disaster.

Guillermo A. Martinez,

Coral Gables

Limit powers

The U.S. Supreme Court unleashed a monster when it ruled that a U.S. president is immune from prosecution when exercising the “core powers” of the presidency. Now, Donald Trump is flaunting the Constitution and will continue to do so until it is proven that he is doing something illegal.

Congress continues to remain silent in fear of Trump’s retaliation. The presidential cabinet, made up of mostly unqualified candidates, continues making judgmental errors without any acknowledgment or accountability.

The Court must rescind its edict regarding the ultimate power with which they have empowered the president and must do it now. This president is bad enough, who knows what the next president will bring.

Allan R. Tavss,

Kendall

What happened?

This is, perhaps, a rhetorical question but, when we the people elect a president of the United States, isn’t that elected official supposed to represent all the people, regardless of race, political persuasion and country of origin?

H. Allen Benowitz,

Miami

Need to read

During the Middle Ages, peasants couldn’t read, depending instead upon the church, the monarchy and feudal lords to interpret existing documents. In the 20th century, U.S. public schools proliferated, giving children opportunities to read for themselves the Bible, the Constitution and the written laws. Books penned by creative authors with diverse viewpoints were available in schools, libraries and book mobiles. People in cities and farms became educated and enlightened.

Now, after a millennium of science and technology, comes an authoritarian administration seeking to ban books, libraries and museums from our lives, to keep us unfamiliar with the past, with varied opinions and with art in written form.

Is illiteracy and ignorance the Golden Age of which Donald Trump spoke?

Are we to return to the Middle Ages, when the rich and powerful controlled minds and behavior by keeping the peasants on bent knees? Will we become obedient slaves to the despotic who withhold truth and history?

Tell your elected officials to keep their hands off our books and libraries. Parents and school boards can make decisions about appropriate reading because they can read.

Johnnie McDonald,

Coconut Grove

Day of woke

If Gov. Ron DeSantis rejects “woke” information, then he should definitely eliminate Good Friday as part of Christian observances.

This is definitely a day that makes “people feel uncomfortable and bad.” Those are his words, not mine.

Peg Evans,

Biscayne Park