Tuesday Morning: Coloring Books, Victor/Victoria

Check out our ongoing updates of the John Couey trial. If Couey's recent use of coloring books in court is a stunt, it's just as likely to backfire -- I've sat through plenty of murder trials where the defendant put on an oddball act but the jury stuck to the facts at hand. If anything, it seems macabre and unfeeling in a case involving the brutal abduction and murder of a child.

I want to like Judge Ric Howard, who doesn't put with much nonsense. Compare him to the put-me-on-TV judge in the Anna Nicole Smith case, or the all-time model for How Not To Do It, Judge Lance Ito. Still, a public trial is a public trial, and he needs to be careful about making decisions after private bench conferences. "We are not having secret court,'' the judge complained after a media objection to one such decision, but that's exactly what he was doing at that moment.

On another front: Should veteran Largo City Manager Steve Stanton be fired in the wake of his announcement that he is becoming a woman? I liked our editorial this morning -- it ought to be based strictly on his job performance, which has historically been judged excellent by his bosses. You could argue that Stanton's change of gender is itself too distracting, but shouldn't that decision be based on a little track record, instead of making a front-end call?

Comments

[John Gibson]

There is no other way to describe (Mr., Mrs, Ms., Miss, whatever...) Stanton's actions as anything less than perverse. It is the ultimate in a society that trains its members to put their own desires ahead of anything else, no matter the expense to anyone else.

However, having some libertarian leanings myself, I think Stanton should be able to do whatever he wants with his body. However, this tolerance does NOT mean society or anyone else must accept him.

There is a price to pay for our decisions and actions. No one is obligated to accept him, support him or even employ him, not even the public sector.

After ripping up his family and inflicting his decision on the public, he wants "acceptance". Sorry, not from here.

I wonder what people's opinions would be if Stanton's job was working with their children? Its easy to be enlightened when you don't pay the price.

[Matt]

When I first heard this story, I never even remotely thought the guy could get fired. The change itself has nothing to do with job performance. If Stanton is dismissed, expect Jeffery Figer to show up in town approximately four seconds later to make Largo the center of a media circus.

[Senor]

No, fire the weirdo.

[Howard]

Just can't resist, Howard. Here's what I wrote to the fine city of Largo(which, by the way, means "slow," I think. Or is it dumb ...?)

So often the concern is expressed, "what message are we sending?" Or, "what are we teaching our kids with this?" I wonder how the Largo commission would answer.

The Stanton firing demonstrates what happens when so many malcontented people are gathered in one leaderless community with no purpose other than to live and die on the cheap. There's no heart or soul - only blathering and meanness. Of course they should be ashamed of themselves. But there's no heart or soul - no place from which such a human emotion can spring.

Every single one of the commissioners is from somewhere else. None of them has any roots in this area where I have lived since before any of them were born. They should all go back to from whence they came. They are mean thinking, soulless people who are of absolutely no value to anyone.

[Howard]

And, unfortunately, I cannot resist a kind word for Mr Gibson who posted his little rant very early this morning. You are exactly right when you say, "There is a price to pay for our decisions and actions ..." If you don't watch that bile duct of yours, you are going to either rot your insides or have a heart attack. Or, maybe, God will get you for being so hateful. You ARE a god fearing man, aren't you?

As a resident of Largo I resent the large amount of money it's going to cost us taxpayers to pay City Manager Stanton either a huge severence package or the pack of lawyers who are lining up to help him sue the City of Largo for such discriminatory behavior. I wasn't at all surprised to see most of the commissioners bail as soon as the hate mail began to arrive. It's interesting that the only members who held the high ground were the mayor (a woman) and the sole (and first) black commissioner: I'm sure they know discrimination firsthand. Shame on this pack of cowards - I'll remember this at the next municipal election.

[Florida American Alien I have no Rights to ANY Assistance]

Justice for Me
A piece of paper that I filed that was never looked at and money being stolen from Me by the State after I have qualified for there assistance. Florida has no justice unless Your the state or have money. If The State takes U to court and You have no money
YOU HAVE NO JUSTICE AT ALL>
Those PROBONO Programs are a joke too They aren't showing UP..
And I am going to pay now to show YOU.
Justice for the Select..
Im an American Alien Justice does not apply here.

[Only select get Justice Sorry For You.]

I know what Unjustice means. it means victims not getting anything. We have no rights.
NONE
Soon I will have video to prove this.
My Children need the World to Hear this. For My Children They have no category for except Denial for food and med insurance. I would like to find out why. Word from DCF is that they have certain agencys helping Us and someone Tagged me and noone knows who except the parties involved to fraud Me BECAUSE They DID THIS.
My money is supporting crack in highpoint. dcf cares less. Order coming soon for payment . want a copy when i get it ?
Want to watch with cam while crackheads party
on housing, system
while stealing from me and my family.
Im ready..
Just waiting for Order and payment Received.

[R. C. Wood]

After 14 long years of excellent job reviews, raises in pay, close relationships with fellow workers, in one week sunddenly he's a pervert, a scab on the skin of the town he's served so diligently and effectively? How soon we forget. All these sanctinmonious council members need to take a long hard look at their actions. Thank God this is not a district representedby Rhonda Storm. He would have been run out of town on a rail.

[R. C. Wood]

After 14 long years of excellent job reviews, raises in pay, close relationships with fellow workers, in one week sunddenly he's a pervert, a scab on the skin of the town he's served so diligently and effectively? How soon we forget. All these sanctinmonious council members need to take a long hard look at their actions. Thank God this is not a district representedby Rhonda Storm. He would have been run out of town on a rail.

[R. C. Wood]

After 14 long years of excellent job reviews, raises in pay, close relationships with fellow workers, in one week sunddenly he's a pervert, a scab on the skin of the town he's served so diligently and effectively? How soon we forget. All these sanctinmonious council members need to take a long hard look at their actions. Thank God this is not a district representedby Rhonda Storm. He would have been run out of town on a rail.