We is dum
Your article about dumb Orlando `“Our dumb state,” May 29` was exceptional! Thank you! I couldn’t agree more with your insightful points.
What bothers me these days is the inanity of our elected political leaders on both the local and state levels. This especially includes Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the rest of his circle of robots. Look at the downtown Orlando initiatives, especially condo construction. Occupancy rates are very low. What “yuppie” could actually afford to buy one of these suckers?
Look at the city’s view of the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida in Parramore and the move to stymie its expansion and to relocate it. How absurd!
All of this and more is really a rather pathetic commentary on the political incompetence of elected city officials. We really need to elect individuals to political office who do not have such a “kiss ass” mentality. The chances of doing this, however, are very slim!
Hopefully, your “right-to-the-point” article will inspire us as residents of Orlando to work a lot harder to replace those who hold office now with others who demonstrate intellectual depth and courage! What I am suggesting here is long overdue!
John Scolaro, via the Internet
Reel dum
It’s rare that I would be moved so much by an article that I would feel the need to contact the journalist, but I simply had to write you and say congratulations on a great piece `“Our dumb state,” May 29`.
I read it this evening before my show and was very enthused to see that someone else realizes how cracked up this state is! This is the first time I’ve seen this series. I really regret missing the first two. Keep up the great work!
Chris Orion, via the Internet
Church and state
Three Baptist, Catholic, Buddhist and Islamic missionaries are allowed access to a tax-funded state school `to` proselytize `for` their faith. Agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter! Jeffrey Billman wrote in a Sept. 1, 2005, piece `“Darwin was right! Or was he?”`, “They’ve all but given up teaching that in public schools because it’s religion and the Supreme Court put a stop to that a long time ago.”
Therefore, when missionaries of any political philosophy are teaching their personal religion in public schools there should be concern, because the Supreme Court put a stop to that a long time ago.
After the Academy for Learning Islam missionaries were allowed access to Lake Brantley High School `Happytown™, May 29`, the United American Committee was contacted by two upset parents who asked us to get involved. We contacted the ACLU, which has filed several lawsuits on this subject, mainly against Christianity being taught in public schools, to no avail. On the news, Hasnain Kassamali, religious director of the Academy for Learning Islam, implied they were not teaching religion. Kassamali refused to be on The Bud Hedinger Show when this topic was discussed, on air, for over one hour.
The bottom line is the Seminole County School Board thought differently than Kassamali. In less than 14 days, the Academy for Learning Islam was permanently expelled from Seminole County Schools. For any arm of the government to move this quickly on anything is a testament to the seriousness of this case.
The Orlando Weekly gang missed the point by trying to focus their Happytown™ piece on their misinformed negative views of the United American Committee. Any curious journalist would have been focusing on the real story of how and why superintendent Bill Vogel and the Seminole County School Board acted at light speed in giving a permanent expulsion to the Academy for Learning Islam. There is no conspiracy here, just facts. The UAC, concerned parents and many other people worked with the school board to make this happen.
Why? Because the Supreme Court put a stop to that a long time ago.
Alan Kornman, via the Internet
[email protected]
