How Ron Magill, the voice of Zoo Miami, made such an impact in our community | Opinion

Magill’s kindness

The Feb. 16 story, “Ron Magill, the face and voice of Zoo Miami, announces his retirement,” brought back a happy memory. In the early 2000s, one of my students had a serious health issue, and his greatest wish was to see King George, the beautiful king cheetah that had made our zoo his home since 1999.

When told of the situation — and much to my surprise — Magill brought King George to our school, Coconut Grove Elementary. We had an unforgettable assembly and I will never forget how he put a smile on the face of a sick child.

We are so fortunate to have had a man of great knowledge, experience and especially compassion at the helm of our world-class zoo. Thank you, Ron Magill.

Patricia Singleton,

Coral Gables

Cuba in crisis

The Feb. 17 Miami Herald online story, “Cardboard coffins, rotting garbage, end of surgeries: Images of Cuba’s humanitarian crisis,” was quite offensive. Herald reporter Nora Games Torres completely misunderstands President Trump’s strategy.

Cuba has been a communist nation since Fidel Castro’s revolution. He is long gone, and lesser people are in leadership. Now is the perfect time for the Cuban people to overthrow their oppressive government and choose for themselves what kind of government they wish. They already live in one of the poorest nations on Earth, yet the reporter seemingly tries to blame Trump for their suffering, suggesting a humanitarian crisis is at hand.

What happened to American colonists before we became a nation?

They suffered at the hands of their British overlords long and hard until they said, “No more!” That is what the people of Cuba must do now. Stand up to their communist oppressors and fight for their freedom.

The liberal press should stop attacking President Trump and find something better to write about.

John Salvatore,

Bradenton

Miami memories

The Herald’s Feb. 15 articles on historic buildings, “Leaving history behind,” took me down memory lane. I remember watching an Orange Bowl parade from the steps of the Dade County Courthouse and viewing a Jimmy Buffett concert at Miami Marine Stadium.

Here’s hoping both structures are properly preserved to help create new memories for future generations.

Bob Ross,

Pinecrest

Spirit of Ramadan

Ramadan began on Feb. 19, under the shadow of profound global and local crises: conflicts, economic hardship, displacement and deep social divisions. In such times, Ramadan is not merely a ritual of fasting from dawn to dusk; it is a powerful reminder of our shared humanity, moral responsibility and collective resilience.

By experiencing hunger and thirst, millions are reminded daily of those who live with uncertainty, poverty and injustice. This spiritual discipline calls on us to transform reflection into action — to feed the hungry, shelter the vulnerable, care for the sick and stand for dignity and justice for all people, regardless of faith or background. Fasting is never meant to be hunger management; rather, to protect the believer from ego, impulse and heedlessness.

This year, the pain of deportation and the heartbreak of family separation weigh heavily on many communities. Parents and children living in fear, families torn apart by borders and policies and neighbors facing uncertainty remind us that compassion must extend beyond words. Ramadan urges us to stand with those who suffer in silence, defend the sanctity of family and uphold the dignity of every human being.

In today’s climate of polarization and fear, Ramadan also offers a message of unity. Families and communities gather not only to break bread but to rebuild bonds of kindness, generosity and mutual respect. The essence of Ramadan — charity, forgiveness, humility and service — provides a timeless framework for healing fractured societies. During the month, many mosques and Islamic centers will host open houses to inform non-Muslims about our culture, Islam, tolerance and coexistence among members of all faiths.

At a time when the world faces humanitarian suffering and moral uncertainty, the spirit of Ramadan urges us to rise above indifference. Individuals, communities and leaders alike are called to uphold compassion over conflict, service over self-interest and hope over despair.

May this Ramadan inspire renewed commitment to peace, justice and the well-being of all humanity.

Shabbir Motorwala,

Coalition of South Florida Muslim Organizations,

West Kendall

Fooling ourselves

When I was a child, pretend doctors on television, clad in white coats with stethoscopes dangling from their necks, would shill cigarettes, and the tobacco industry denied that smoking was a cause of cancer.

Today, Donald Trump and pretend scientists praise fossil fuels, and the oil and gas industries deny that greenhouse gases emitted from combustion are a cause of global warming.

Science doesn’t care what you believe, and denying it avails nothing.

R. Thomas Farrar,

Miami

Political posturing

Other than trying to win votes from older Cuban American voters who will likely vote for them anyway, what are South Florida’s congressional representatives trying to accomplish by dredging up the 30-year-old shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue planes?

Are we going to enter Cuba and extract 94-year-old Raul Castro?

No.

Are we going to persuade the Cuban government to hand him over to us?

No.

This is just another cheap political stunt to avoid discussing issues that matter, like affordability, immigration and the Epstein files.

Sol Yanowitz,

Miami

Bitter pill

I recently filled a prescription through an overseas pharmacy. The cost of the medication was less than half the price of my U.S. options. Still, on my invoice, in black-and-white, was a 15% tariff charge.

No doubt about who pays for the tariffs — we, the consumers, do. Sorry President Trump, you are incorrect every time you say that a foreign country is paying. The U.S. consumer is paying the price. Get it right and stop lying to the American people.

Marsha Broad,

Miami

Try a little kindness

I plead with all local, state, national and world leaders to strive to show kindness, compassion and genuine respect for others, regardless of viewpoints. Remove derogatory labels from all communication and choose not to take offense.

Rather, take pride in an ability to calmly, rationally discuss ideas, concepts and differences of opinions without personal attacks, and increase valuable listening skills to understand other viewpoints. This allows for meaningful conversations and constructive debates with more possibility of progress and true peace.

An excellent example of this is Miami Herald columnist Bea Hines, who writes with integrity and honesty. Whether one agrees or disagrees with her opinions, she is able to relate them without belittling others. Her columns are refreshing, encouraging and hope-filled even when the subject is challenging, uncomfortable or dire.

Try to lift each other up, recognize and celebrate differences while trying to understand by truly hearing each other. As Hines often recommends, let us sincerely pray for each other, regardless of anything.

Pamela F. Poulos,

Miami

Duty to preserve

Recently, President Trump once again denounced scientifically verified climate change realities. It is infuriating. However, reading Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s Feb. 15 op-ed, “Preserving paradise means hard choices,” was a blessing.

Recognizing what is at stake is not a hard choice. As Levine Cava put it, she will always “stand firm when it comes to safeguarding our critical environmental protections.”

We and our future generations will all be poorer without clean water, protected wetlands and land conservation. We cannot fold to our misguided president’s claim that climate change is a hoax.

So glad we have a county mayor who serves the public good by preserving and protecting our precious environment.

Susan R. Jay,

Miami