Treatment of Florida’s vulnerable seniors is a stain on billionaire-friendly state | Opinion
Senior living?
The Miami Herald’s April 5 front page investigative exposé, “The Gray Market,” about the gulags into which older people are funneled, without any rights of protest, generated a series of words in my mind: horrible, shameful, disgusting and inhuman.
How can this treatment of vulnerable elderly be tolerated?
Our government allows it because these seniors are voiceless, invisible, powerless; they are old and mostly (though incredibly not all) poor. The abandonment of these elderly to some unscrupulous assisted living facility owners via the whim of an understaffed bureaucracy is a stain on a county and state where the gossipy headlines are often of billionaires flocking to Florida seeking friendly tax havens.
The paper shined a light on this grim scenario with its story about the saintly work of Lighthouse for the Blind, which brings free eye exams and glasses to surprisingly many underserved schools.
Admittedly, helping abandoned elderly is a more complex problem, but let us reflect: there but for the grace.
L. Gabriel Bach,
Key Biscayne
Unfit punishment
The April 10 Herald article about Key West man Jorge Tyler Perez receiving only three years in state prison for possessing child pornography instead of 70 years for sexually abusing dogs made me sick to my stomach. People who sexually abuse animals often go on to abuse children. Sexual abuse of animals is abominable. In three years, he probably will return to his despicable torture of dogs and who knows what other types of torture he might engage in.
Had he received the 70 years, our communities would have been better protected. According to Monroe County Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield, Perez will be “removed from the community for a significant period of time.” The courts gave Perez a slap on the wrist for his abominable, deviant actions. Ellen D. Coulton,
South Miami
Fool coverage
In the headline of his April 5 column, Andres Oppenheimer asks, “Why is the president’s name everywhere?”
As my grandmother used to say, “Fools’ names and fools’ faces are often seen in public places.” That’s an old saying we should hear more often today.
Grace Humbertson,
Miami
Fitting tribute
Nancy Metayer Bowen’s leadership and compassion left a lasting imprint in our community. Her work exemplified the best of civic engagement, grounded in empathy, driven by purpose and committed to uplifting every voice.
Bowen devoted herself to building bridges where others saw divisions. Through her tireless advocacy, she championed initiatives that expanded opportunity, strengthened neighborhoods and fostered meaningful dialogue across diverse communities. Whether working on local policy, supporting grassroots efforts, or mentoring emerging leaders, she brought integrity, vision and a deep sense of responsibility to all she did.
She was recognized by COSMOS (Coalition of South Florida Muslim Organizations) and received the “Community Bridge Building” award on Jan. 31. This honor reflected not only her achievements, but also the spirit in which she served, bringing people together, cultivating understanding and creating pathways for collaboration and progress.
Beyond her public accomplishments, she will be remembered for her kindness, humility and unwavering belief in the power of community. She inspired those around her to lead with compassion and work toward a more inclusive and connected society.
As we reflect on her legacy, may we carry forward her commitment to service and her dedication to building bridges that unite us. Her contributions will continue to guide and inspire for years to come.
Khalid Mirza,
Southwest Ranches
Preserve this park
On April 4, I spent the day at Arch Creek Park celebrating 100 years of early settlers who arrived by canoe to meet at the natural arch bridge. It was a wonderful day, with displays and vendors and a great talk by Robert Burr, whose grandfather was an early settler.
The park — in a prime site on Biscayne Boulevard — is a treasure due to its tree canopy, wildlife, historical stories and the archaeological treasures found there. Long ago, a few activists fought for years to preserve it when Chrysler Motors sought to purchase the land, level and pave it for a car lot.
As a native Miamian, I am appalled at what is happening to this city: billionaire bunkers, million-dollar luxury apartments. In the past week or so, four landmarks in my Northeast Dade neighborhood have been demolished, notably the Gwen Margolis Community Center, Ness Konditori Bakery, a Methodist Church and a Lutheran church.
The park’s lease agreements with the state expire soon. Rumors abound about “Big Money” ready to be spent in North Miami.
The Arch Creek Trust exists to protect our park. Walk through it some morning, visit the small museum, watch the birds, butterflies, maybe a squirrel. You will agree it must be kept safe for our children and grandchildren, who will be living in the future of AI.
Sonja Davis,
Miami
War over welfare
In a recent statement, President Donald Trump suggested that the federal government’s primary focus should be military protection (while seeking greater funding for it) and that programs like Medicare, Medicaid and childcare should be left to the states.
Framing war and military spending as the nation’s central priority is deeply concerning. This is not what the Founding Fathers envisioned for this country. While national defense is undeniably essential, reducing the role of our government to this single objective overlooks what truly sustains a strong and stable nation.
Delia de Varona Garcia,
Miami
Unhealthy nation
As an 81-year-old who recently had to navigate the confusing health insurance landscape, I was particularly sympathetic to the focus of three articles in the April 8 Miami Herald.
A 60-year-old man fighting pancreatic cancer had his treatment denied by his insurance company in Florida; an eight-year-old foster child’s brain cancer treatment is hung up in the bureaucracy of North Carolina; and in Ohio, there have been major cuts to the number of navigators who help people find insurance under the ACA (Obamacare) plan.
Whether the causes of these problems are bureaucracy, greed or both, it is a disgrace that in “the richest country in the world,” we are spending billions on an unjustified war and on a vanity project (aka the White House ballroom), but do not have the will to ensure that Americans of all ages and medical conditions have their healthcare needs met.
In November and in all future elections, I urge that we vote for candidates whose priority is our health and well-being!
Jane L. Dolkart,
Pinecrest
Capital punishment
A headline in the April 10 Miami Herald stated, “’Never-ending’ need. No-kill pet rescue marks 30 years in Fort Lauderdale.”
Meanwhile, a headline in the April 8 Herald stated, “Hoping to spare his life, fellow inmates testify for killer of La Carreta waitress.”
Welcome to Florida, where we save our pets and execute our citizens.
Elaine Eachus,
Plantation
Can’t block this
I’d like to remind everyone that wind, solar and geothermal power don’t have to pass through the Strait of Hormuz!
Doug Mayer,
Coral Gables
Beam me out
I deeply sympathize with FEMA employee Gregg Phillips, who said “it was no fun” being “teleported” to a Waffle House in Georgia. Anyone would hate to come out of that experience with one’s hair and clothes smelling of fried butter.
Next time, he should demand the aliens teleport him to a five-star restaurant.
Eugenio M. Rothe,
Key Biscayne
Keep in mind
Valeria Mastelli’s March 29 letter, “Another boat lift?” was quite offensive. She pleaded for President Trump to allow oil tankers to enter Cuba to avoid another “boat lift.”
If Mastelli also is an immigrant, she is forgetting her roots and the ultimate struggles that caused her (or her family) to leave their former country to come to the United States.
Alina Turk,
Coral Gables