The Readers: John Bryan, Australian Pines, Hometown Democracy, 9/11, Steve Spratt

Here's part of an e-mail that represents several more I got this week about the John Bryan case:

I'm not asking that you try to assassinate his character at all.  I'm just asking that you ALSO don't try to deify someone who was clearly abusing children, and who didn't kill himself because of his regret in his crimes - or to shelter his family from public disgrace, but killed himself because he FINALLY got busted and knew he would be ruined financially, and would go to prison where he would be the target of other inmates who hate child molesters .  He killed himself because he was the ultimate selfish coward - a master manipulator who laughed and bragged about his crimes to others, and thought he was above the law.  -- Christopher Still

Thanks for the comment. I talked about this some in yesterday's post. Yours was one the milder ones along these lines, with others basically saying that his name must be reviled forever, that we should never speak of his public deeds, etc. etc. -- reminded me a little of ancient times in Egypt or Rome where they would go back and eradicate a disgraced guy's name from all the monuments. The sexual abuse of minors is a despicable and awful thing, but in no way does discussing these other things, or even finding some good in his other deeds, condone such awfulness, seems to me.

Now, for something entirely different, this exchange of e-mails from the past week from a reader objecting to the removal of Australian pines from Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County:

Now I know these trees are non-native trees and are being chaainsawed all over the county but the main reason you might be interested is that these trees are the main shade trees on the North Beach.  Cut them all down and without shade trees in the summer, I'll guarantee it'll be many years before this
beach is voted #1 again. -- Don Eaton

I am sorry, but I can't agree with you here. The Australian pine is not just "non-native." It is a harmful, terrible, terrible invasive species that has been a curse ever since settlers brought it here. It drives out native habitat. It actually sterilizes the soil and blocks native plant species. It provides no food source for species and it displaces other plant food sources. It does nothing except provide shade -- and that, generally in places that ought not have shade, blocking the light for the natural habitat. Along with Brazilian pepper, it is the enemy of the natural mangrove ecosystem that is typical of our inshore areas. I hope that Joyce Kilmer will forgive me -- she wrote that only God can make a tree -- but the same must go for mangroves too, I think....

Are you aware of a group calling themselves "Save Our Constitution" which is sending "Urgent" letters to those who have signed a petition put forth by Hometown Democracy (to put a motion on the ballot to restrict the wholesale use of land by developers)  telling them things which are not true about the petition? -- J. Sanders

Yessir, yes m'aam as the case may be. The letter is outrageous. It is wicked. It is dishonest. It is over the top. It also pretty much insults voters by calling them stupid for signing the petition in the first place. I figure on writing my Sunday column about it.

Next, here's a reaction to my column that ran on Tuesday, Sept. 11:

I am concerned about your statement that we all have "inalienable rights.  They cannot be taken away by any government, etc"  Tell that to the people being held in Guantanamo without being charged or provided with attorneys.  Tell that to the USF professor.  Tell that  to the two USF students being held.  We have lost so many of our "rights" guaranteed by our Constitution that we no longer seem to care.  Making the excuse of "9/11" for everything, our government has used "national security" to keep from telling us who sat on the  Energy Commission headed up by Cheney, hide people in other countries and tortured them, abused prisoners in Iraq, the list is endless. Our country has never witnessed such abuses.  People are actually afraid to speak out against the government because of their threats 
"you're either with us or against us".  When have our leaders ever threatened us like this?
-- Margaret Hyde

Dear Ms. Hyde, I hope you do not mind if I agree and disagree point by point. Guantanamo: agreed. USF professor: disagreed. USF students: As I keep saying over and over, we don't know yet. Cheney's energy commission: It is ridiculous that the gov't claimed it should be secret. I believe it was more on the grounds of executive privilege than national security, for what that's worth. Re: "rendition" of people to other countries, agreed. Re: people afraid to speak out: Well, I haven't noticed any shortage of folks criticizing the war...

Finally, a couple more about the Jim Smith land scandal in Pinellas County (check out his interview today where he remains totally defiant -- apparently getting the county to rush through a deal to buy his land at 4x his office's last appraised value is just peachy keen by him).

What gives with Spratt's severance pay?  Rewarding a public official who committed malfeasance with a gift almost a quarter of a million dollars?  It's more money than I will make in 7.5 years!  This is obscene. At least with Jim Smith, the taxpayers got something for their money. -- Chris Petty

Hah! Good line. I haven't researched it but I bet that kind of severance deal is kind of standard going for top-gun government executives. And if you think, well, Spratt wasn't one of 'em who deserves such a thing -- you can take it up with the folks who said he was, the Pinellas County Commission.

Since it seems Mr. Smith is not going to resign, can any of you shed some light on how we may rid ourselves of this man prior to the next election.  Can he be impeached, or could a petition drive to our Gov. allow him (C. Crist) to fire him? Might as well add how to dispose of the council as well.
After paying the county atty. all her wages etc, and now paying Spratt severance, can't see paying Smith for another year, since he was/is the focal point of this whole mess, and it appears he will be escaping scratch free after all of his influence peddling for his personal gain. -- G. Troyan,
Clearwater

Only the governor, state Cabinet and judges are subject to impeachment in Florida. However, the the Florida Constitution gives the governor the power to remove any state or county officer for "malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony." The gov could come up with grounds if he were willing. If an official is suspended, the Florida Senate then investigates and decides whether to reinstate the officer or remove him/her permanently. -- Article IV, Sec. 7, Fla Const.

Thanks for the e-mails! I try to answer as many as I can, but there are too many -- I do read every one. My best wishes to all for a good weekend.

Comments

[tommyduncn]

Did you know that orange trees are a non-native species.

[Howard Troxler]

That's a cool observation. I started to say, I bet they aren't as invasive and damaging to the ecology, but if you think about all the fertilizer that's been dumped on them over the years...

[Karen]

That is a shame about the Austrailian Pines. I grew up with them on our property near Safety Harbor and loved them, but never considered the impact they could have. There are two varities, one that spreads from the roots and they are very aggresive(even coming up under our house and pushing concret out of the way). In thier defense, they do make a great wind breaker.

[Karen]

Niether are Roses, Hibiscus,and the list goes on....