While my paragraph might not have done justice to the magnitude of the issue, it is more than "not a word from the Sentinel." It is, in fact, 96 words more than that.
Brittany Wallman
via the Internet
Editor's note: Wallman is a Sun-Sentinel staff writer.
Voters, belly up to the keyboard: It is nice to see the media actually talk to a nonparty affiliate for once ("Enter the Xuna Xone," Bob Norman, October 3). Bravo. Juan Xuna deserves equal billing. The times, they are a changin'.
I created a Website, www.bobhoffman.com/bobreport.html, because it was so frustrating every year trying to find out what was going on. It is my own "Political Gateway" tailored to Broward and Miami-Dade counties. I hope that by 2004, I will be covering all 67 counties of Florida and their cities too.
I list all candidates statewide as well as Websites, phones, e-mails, other online references, Websites against the candidates, TV ads and other video and audio, video of the Bush/McBride debate, and so much more..., and the local papers have not even mentioned it.
Bob Hoffman
via the Internet
Is printing your missive fair enough for you, Gene baby? Robert Bowman's October 3 letter about Bob Norman's column, "Hawking for Israel" (September 26), is one of the most vicious anti-Semitic letters you have ever printed. He uses every bit of bigotry that has ever been printed. Your publishing of this trash makes me wonder about your paper's fairness.
Eugene S. Fish
via the Internet
He's probably still drunk: After reading Bob Norman's September 26 column, I had to pop a bottle of champagne. It was absolutely fantastic. It's so refreshing to see that New Times had the backbone and the guts to tell the truth. And the big truth is oil.
I've never seen so many people run with the flag as they have since September 11, and I don't think many of them knew what it looked like beforehand. I'm old enough that I've seen several wars, and this one is frightening. You just can't crap on the world. The brainwashing that surrounds this war bothers me, and it is alienating us from NATO and the European Union.
You really put all the pieces together in a wonderful article that had to be written. Thanks.
Ed Trabulsi
Pompano Beach
The rabbi performs a mitzvah: I carefully read Bob Norman's September 26 article with the absolutely "vile" illustration on its cover.
I would be interested in learning more about Bob. I would like to learn about his background and study regarding the history of the Middle East. I would like to know where he acquired such "deep insights" regarding the geopolitics of the Middle East. Yes, I am a rabbi and have been the rabbi of Temple Solel for 32 years. We are a congregation consisting of approximately 2500 people. Many of us would like to learn more about where and how Norman acquired his "expertise" on the Middle East situation. Many people including myself found his article to be another example of media ignorance and bias.
Rabbi Robert P. Frazin, D.D.
Hollywood
Hawking on New Times: I was made aware of the "Hawking for Israel" story when I overheard a restaurant conversation at the next table: "It looks like those Israelis are dragging us into a war. Look at the front of the New Times." Calmly, I inquired as to what the speaker was referring to. He pointed to the cover page with a picture of a hawk emblazoned with the Star of David next to the face of Saddam Hussein and an exploding mushroom cloud. I told him I thought the cover was overtly anti-Semitic. He agreed and threw the New Times on the floor.
New Times has paraphrased the Nazi propaganda claim that the Jews dragged Germany into World War I. In my opinion, New Times has forfeited its professional responsibility to fairness in reporting and has now embraced blatant, biased sensationalism and bigotry.
Fred P. Sherman, M.D.
Hollywood
Bob Norman is a patriot, buddy! This is probably a waste of time on my part, because you probably will not wish to have any negative response to your baseless column and are probably even less inclined to print a response such as mine.
I am a World War II veteran who participated in four out of the total of five campaigns that comprised the European War. I am Jewish, and I believe in America first and foremost; however, I recognize that Israel is the only ally America has in the Middle East. Furthermore, Arafat and all of his followers came out in support of Iraq during the Gulf War. In fact, Arafat and his followers supported most anti-U.S. propaganda. I can go on page after page of documented facts.
What has Bob Norman done in support of the United States besides write slanted statements?
Danny Kravitz
Pompano Beach
How many do you have on your wall, dude? In Wyatt Olson's September 19 article, "Uh-Oh," he refers to the Herald as "South Florida's Pulitzer Prize-winning paper" (as opposed to the Sun-Sentinel, maybe)." Not maybe. The Herald has 17 Pulitzer Prizes. The Sun-Sentinel, none. Not one. Zero. Zippadeedoodah.
Richard Pachter
Boca Raton
Give me liberty or give me black gold: I read with interest Wyatt Olson's article on compensation to the Collier family for oil in the Big Cypress ("Big Cypress Buyout," Wyatt Olson, September 12). Did you know that the federal government has no intention of paying any of the minority holders for their mineral rights in the area? Is that fair in your mind? Did you know that with all the money they are paying the Colliers that the Colliers will continue to pump all the existing wells?
What this boils down to is confiscation without compensation. It is unethical and immoral for my government to do this. Has it not dawned on somebody that the Colliers will reward the Bushes with campaign contributions for this sweet deal?
Please do not let this subject drop. Keep after them. I am for the restoration of the Everglades, but I do think it should be done justly and fairly.
Fred Schor
Burleson, Texas
