Florida congressman’s comment about Palestinians shows he’s unfit for office | Opinion
Hatred isn’t fine
U.S. Rep. Randy Fine of Florida recently made cruel and inflammatory comments about starving Palestinians in Gaza. While an entire population suffers under siege, Fine uses his platform to mock and dehumanize them. Such comments are completely unfit for someone in public office.
The media must speak out against this and hold elected officials accountable when they spread hate instead of compassion.
Scott Carrillo,
Chicago, IL
Canceling CBS
CBS TV network recently canceled “The Late Show starring Stephen Colbert;” this is one more link in the authoritarian chain that is quickly choking our democracy. CBS, using a politically motivated decision, simply caved to President Donald Trump, ignoring freedom of speech.
Comedy significantly helps the average American deal with the ugly state of national politics. It also provides reduced anxiety from the paralyzing impact of everyday corruption, racism and corporate greed that is tearing the fabric of our national soul apart.
Millions of Americans have taken to the streets weekly to protest the many illegal actions of the Trump administration. We have participated in several demonstrations and seen first-hand that it is not only the number of people who actively participate, but also the many who drive by lending their support. We have witnessed untold numbers of people raising fingers in a “V” shape, raised thumbs and horns honking loudly, signaling “We are with you, thank you for giving us a voice; we are sick and tired of what our country is becoming!”
The silent majority is through being silent. We will vote for change. Our household canceled Paramount+ streaming service immediately. However, we will continue to watch and support Colbert. That Paramount is too cowardly to support the truth is a travesty. When “The Late Show” ends, I will pull the plug on CBS and encourage my friends to do the same. From now on, we will support programming that lifts our spirits and presents the unvarnished facts, not their interpretation of “truthiness.”
By a large margin, “The Late Show with Steven Colbert” has been the frontrunner of late-night viewers, including the 18-49 demographic. We recognize that television programming has a responsibility to its shareholders, but Paramount/CBS has done extremely well with the show. CBS has an obligation to provide content that is meaningful and ethical; Colbert and his writers have done just that. For that alone, we are proud to count ourselves as die-hard fans.
We have decided upon this course of action with deep regret and fear for the trajectory of our democracy. We truly wish it wasn’t necessary.
Carleton R. Ayers, II,
Lt. commander,
U.S. Navy (retired),
Susan MacIver,
South Burlington, VT
Pioneering house
In the heart of Perrine stands the Bethel House Bahamian American Museum. Originally built in 1937 by Alfred Clark, an early Bahamian settler, the house was constructed for Jessie Bethel and her family.
As the last surviving pioneer-era house in the area, by 1995 it was slated for demolition; however, thanks to the efforts of Helen Gage, a resident of Bahamian-American heritage, it was saved and successfully moved from its original location at 18134 Homestead Court to a lot donated by Miami’s Habitat for Humanity at 18201 SW 102 Court in December 1998. A full restoration followed and by 2006, the home was transformed into a community museum and cultural hub.
Today, the museum offers programming on the original Afro-Bahamian settlers of Perrine and their enduring legacy. In 2022, the museum received a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of State’s African-American Cultural and Historical Grant to update it with a covered terrace and be more ADA-compliant. These upgrades were completed in 2024 and the museum reopened to strong community support.
As we embrace this exciting chapter, we remain committed to enhancing the visitor experience. We are seeking additional nearby parking and propose renaming the street to “Bahama Court,” paying homage to the cultural roots and contributions of Perrine’s earliest settlers.
Helen Gage,
Perrine
No crispy chip
As a former high school social studies teacher, I would have given Gov. Ron DeSantis a failing grade in American history and an A+ in making it up as he goes along. His “civics excellence” program for Florida teachers is full of flat out lies, delusions, distortions and derangements, which fit very well within the core curriculum of his intellectually disabled role model in the White House.
Reconstructing the past to fit a delirious present is a slippery slope and depends on the assumption that Floridians are as ignorant as their chief executive. If that is the case, Florida has much larger problems than its residents can possibly comprehend. A search and destroy mission against the truth will have major unintended consequences.
Undermining democracy requires the proper combination of fake news and fake history. Good luck with that recipe, Chef Ron.
Craig Corsini,
San Rafael, CA
Awkward stance
U.S. Congressman Carlos A. Giménez is “Standing Proudly with President Uribe.” So are his Republican friends Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart and Maria Elvira Salazar, Sen. Rick Scott and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They are not standing with the democratically elected President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, but with former President Alvaro Uribe, recently convicted in a Colombian court of law for criminal witness tampering and procedural fraud.
Predictably — with zero facts or evidence — our elected officials are calling the trial a “witch hunt,” just as President Trump, himself a convicted felon, is calling the conviction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro a “witch hunt.”
Perhaps our elected officials should be more concerned about the extrajudicial detention and incarceration of thousands of hardworking, taxpaying immigrants without criminal records and the perversion of our justice system for political retribution, than trying to interfere in other countries’ judicial systems.
Maxine Long,
Coral Gables
Government audits
The City of Miami and Miami-Dade County need thorough independent audits at all levels. A distinct distrust of both governments is well-earned, as examples of questionable activities and misdeeds exist. The latest is A-3 Foundation’s expenditure of county taxpayer funds. Although minor in the scheme of things, one questions whether it is happening elsewhere on a much larger scale.
A detailed explanation of both governments’ income and expenses for at least the past 10 years is needed, continuing annually thereafter. Miami and the county have had enormous growth. Both governments’ coffers must be full to bursting. However, infrastructure (roads, water and sewer) and other public services have not kept pace with growth and have deteriorated. Traffic enforcement is non-existent. Miami has become the “wild west” of entitled drivers.
Both governments can help restore public confidence by authorizing independent audits detailing how taxpayer funds are being expended and describing how taxpayers are benefiting. At this point, I do not see this happening.
Fleta Stamen,
Miami
Educational titan
I had the immense privilege of knowing G. Holmes Braddock for more than 30 years. He was an exemplary gentleman who was kind to everyone. His diverse interests in people and places knew no bounds and even as he approached his century birthday, he continued to strive to learn about and interact with his community.
He was a visionary leader in education in our county. His passing is a loss to all his family, friends and our community.
Seth Rosen,
Pinecrest
Successful service
Kudos to Miami-Dade County and the Village of Key Biscayne for providing in-person ability to renew Rickenbacker toll plaza transponders. The venue was the community center, the employees courteous and helpful. Furthermore, the center provided coffee and pastelitos, as if such incentive was needed to lure a largely senior group that might have had trouble navigating web site renewal.
In an era when disparagement of government and its benefits is more common than panegyrics, this service (on multiple days) was terrific. Well deserved thanks to both governments and their employees.
L. Gabriel Bach,
Key Biscayne