Letters to the editor for Monday, March 11, 2014

I couldn’t believe the indignation and humiliation suffered by a 78-year-old lady, described in a Feb. 5 letter to the editor, regarding her problems renewing the driver’s license that she’s had for years. She is native-born, owns property in Florida, paid taxes for years. Yet what should have been a five-minute transaction turned into a nightmare. They asked to see her marriage license, which she had to send away for. Because of a slight discrepancy between the name on the marriage license and the name she’s used all her life, she was told she’d have to undergo an FBI background check. Eventually, she changed her name at a cost of more than $500. She was told the reason for this was 9/11 and homeland security. Did they think she was going to steal a plane at the local airport and crash it into the Taj Mahal (or the Department of Motor Vehicles office)? Maybe that would wake them up to reality.

I had a similar experience a few years ago when I learned that veterans can get a “V” on their license that makes them eligible for discounts at stores and restaurants. I brought my World War II discharge papers and was told they were not acceptable. I needed a form DD-214. I didn’t have a clue what that was.

As I sat in the floor in the middle of the lobby sobbing uncontrollably, a nice lady stopped and asked me why I was sobbing. I told her, between sobs, and she took me to the veteran’s affairs office. He couldn’t believe that the people who put that program together didn’t realize that the DD-214 wasn’t initiated until after WWII. He said he’d check with Tallahassee and get back to me, which he did. I returned to the DMV, only to be told that I needed my birth certificate — which I never needed before. I obtained it and returned to get my license.

The point of this is that we have those people at all levels of government who, instead of trying to make things easier for Florida residents, find ways to harass us.

GIL SURETTE

Beverly Beach

After reading the March 4 article (“Halifax, feds agree to settle,”) I found myself asking the same questions:

First, while not admitting to “any wrongdoing,” Halifax Health is indeed admitting to wrongdoing about 80-90 million times in my opinion.

Second, with another lawsuit in the mix, how in the world can we (the taxpayers) continue to employ the same individuals? Why has no one been fired?

Third, with the nation having had Medicaid for years, and now the implementation of “Obamacare,” is it still necessary to have a hospital funded with local tax dollars?

Finally, Halifax has an estimated $420 million in surplus. With that much in the hospital’s coffers, I ask you, the citizens and taxpayers: Do they really need our hard-earned money?

I answered my own questions. Now, hopefully, I have answered yours as well and we can demand some answers and some action! We should no longer be required to financially support Halifax when it’s obvious that the health system doesn’t need it.

ANGELA BARTON

Ormond Beach

I’m responding to your article, “Israeli demand sparks ‘Jewish state’ debate,” of Feb. 23.

The United States is a nation created by people who fled the Old World to escape religious persecution. For this reason, it is a nation where church and state are separate. The founders understood that a constitution is a contract between citizens, created exclusive of God, while religion is a relationship between God and people. Therefore, the basis of law in America is reason and justice to the exclusion of religious dogma. Jesus endorsed these governing principles when He said, “render onto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and render onto God that which is God’s.” He said this not just to avoid being charged with treason by the Romans, but also because He wanted people to come to Him without coercion.

The hallmark of a religious state is tyranny, because government officials rule with God’s blessing instead of the consent of those they govern. The adage, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is operative here. What is more absolute than rulers who rule on behalf of God? To see the truth in this, we only have to look to the Spanish Inquisition, where people were tortured and put to death because they offended those in position of authority.

Therefore, Americans should be wary of religious states. Furthermore, we should be opposed to new ones being established, especially when it involves usurping the territory of a weaker and unwilling group of people. Unfortunately, Israel falls into this latter category. Granted, the Holocaust and the end of World War II created a situation where Jews deserved special considerations, but how do we justify forcing the Palestinians to pay this price? Indeed, how just is it to force them to continue to pay this price?

ALAN ROBERT ADASCHIK

Ormond Beach

In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt first made his famous statement, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Now we have a president who is apparently saying, “Speak loudly and carry a small stick … if any.” With President Obama’s foreign disasters in dealing with Syria, Iran, Ukraine and many other countries under turmoil, we are no longer the leader of the free world. In fact, we aren’t even leading from behind. We are being left far behind.

About the only thing we can look forward to is the time when the president finishes his term and is no longer in the Oval Office. Hopefully we won’t experience much more turmoil before he finally leaves.

DANIEL BOWMAN

Palm Coast

In response to the March 7 letter, “Winning dishonorable contest,” let’s get on with the contest: For starters, this Congress is at its lowest approval rate in history. The GOP has turned most Americans against the party. In a January poll, only 25 percent of Americans admit they are Republicans. The GOP is divided, and has lost any form of compassion for those less fortunate in our country, minority groups, gays, our children, women — and let’s not forget how they have voted against our veterans. They are so consumed with negativity, their credibility has been lost.

Members of the GOP have made many slanderous statements, with their most recent statements being their worst —their approval of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a leader and flinging insults about our president.

I have never seen such disrespect toward an American president. It is disgraceful as well as embarrassing. What the rest of the world must think about their behavior!

So keep in mind the words of one of our great presidents, Abraham Lincoln: “If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time or die by suicide.” Or — as it is often paraphrased — “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

Patricia Page

Ponce Inlet