Florida never learns. Leave sociology alone | Letters to the editor
One of the best courses I had in college was sociology, and one of the required class readings was historian Richard Hofstadter’s “Anti-Intellectualism in American Life,” (which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1963).
Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., Gov. Ron DeSantis and segments of the Republican Party stand out as exemplars of anti-intellectualism. It is characterized by misinformation, paranoia and a general lack of appreciation for education and philosophy.
Edmund Kulakowski, Pompano Beach
Support for beach project
Sun Sentinel letter writer Richard Berg did not have all of his facts correct (Mammoth project on A1A is bad for the beach, March 15).
I would like to confirm that, yes, I actually do live on the beach, and I stand firmly behind my statement that “the beach needs this high-end project.”
May I offer further clarification?
Of course, the final design of this high-end development is subject to planning and design approval, from not only the city commissioners who work diligently to improve our city, but also at public hearings every step of the way where residents will be given the opportunity to speak.
I am not sure if Mr. Berg has attended any of Commissioner Steve Glassman’s district meetings or seen him at neighborhood meetings of the Central Beach Alliance, in the neighborhood where this project is proposed.
I have always found our hard-working commissioner to be very supportive of the neighborhoods he represents and always diligent in seeking out feedback from residents of his district.
Ruchel Coetzee, Fort Lauderdale
Reverse the beach’s decline
Dare we embrace an upscale project such as Las Olas Ocean on Fort Lauderdale beach, or will we continue to witness its decline?
After living in this area for more than seven years, I rarely walk by there any more. It’s so loud, dirty and rundown, and much of the trouble we have along the beach is on this block.
Understandably, the Elbo Room is a Fort Lauderdale landmark, but a bathroom remodeling is long overdue. I cannot understand why residents are so reluctant to change, and blame everything on our mayor and city commissioners. I only wish we had a total rehab facility down the strip, near the World Famous Parrot.
Richie Baptista, Fort Lauderdale
Praise for Yvette Drucker
The Sun-Sentinel’s coverage of local elections suggests that the Banquo’s Ghost at this electoral feast is climate change.
Here in Boca Raton, only one candidate, City Council member Yvette Drucker, reportedly touched upon the subject, expressing pride in her vote for inspections of aging condos after the Surfside collapse.
To my knowledge, no other candidate has raised concerns about the challenge of the decade, how to mitigate sea level rise and salt water intrusion while preserving access to fresh, clean water.
No matter what the climate deniers say, “water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink” is a legitimate worry for South Florida. It’s not too late for candidates to tell us how they would mitigate the local consequences of a warming world.
Frank McNeil, Boca Raton
Going lower and lower
When Michelle Obama said “When they go low, we go high,” it was a mistake, because she did not realize just how low the former President was capable of going.
Donald Trump is an amoral individual who longs to be like dictators Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin. The Orange Menace represents a threat to democracy as we know it. I fear that Trump will overpower President Joe Biden in a debate as he is unprincipled and unethical.
While Joe Biden is a churchgoing man, Donald Trump merely uses the Bible as a prop. A large segment of the American public has failed to see this.
Dr. Howard Olarsch, Boynton Beach