Three cheers for Fr. Barnett | Letters
I commend Fr. Bruce Barnett for having the courage to share his belief with the parishioners at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Bluffton
It’s a sad day in America when a group of people who have an agenda that is opposed to the priest’s belief can put the pressure him to apologize for including “misinformation” in his homily. I’ve read your article twice, searching for “misinformation,” but all I find is information that we’re being given daily that may or may not be accurate.
How can we trust the numbers when words such as “probable cases” are being used, not to mention that the so-called medical professionals who’re suppose to be advising President Donald Trump have regularly changed the “dos and don’ts” of their guidelines?
I agree that we should re-open our shops, churches, schools, cut out the burning, looting, and get back to normal, and I’d bet “the multitudes” would agree.
The media promotes fear to keep our economy shut down. We need more faith and we need to question why this virus was hyped so much from the time China sent it over to us.
My favorite statement by Fr. Barnett, as quoted in your paper, is “I trust in God, but everyone else bring data.” I would make one change to that so it would read “bring undoctored data.”
Edie Rodgers
Beaufort
Don’t fall for ‘ecotourism’
Supporters of the Bay Point project expressing approval stand to profit from its development – the foreign financiers, the landscape architect and their attorney to name just three.
The overwhelming number of opponents are residents. Bay Point begs the question: has the time come when protecting the Lowcountry environment serves a higher purpose than continued for-profit development?
I believe in capitalism, so forgive my skepticism, but developers and managers cannot control the behavior of revenue-generating visitors critical to a profitable return on their investment.
Weekly vacationers load their carts with “throwaway” furniture and toys at local discount stores, then abandon it on the beach when they leave.
As for ecotourism, the tons of refuse and trash left on mountains around the world, the documented negative impact of “ecotourism” on tropical jungles and savannas, and our abused national parks, lay bare the developer’s canard.
If tax revenue or tax abatement is going to support a project, let it be for protecting our threatened tourism assets, like beaches and water quality. How many freshwater aquifers will be closed this year due to saltwater infiltration?
Our political leaders must make the hard choice of looking to the future and defending that which makes the Lowcountry so special. This profit-driven development scheme lacks the long-term vision of those who created what we today value so greatly.
The measure of our elected leaders’ courage will be the number of profiteers who appear on their campaign finance reports next election. We are watching.
Anthony R. DePaolo
Hilton Head Island
Reinstate native islander
I ask the Hilton Head Island Town Council to reinstate Palmer Simmons to the Hilton Head Island Planning Commission.
Given Mr. Simmons’ historic family connections, he is among the most qualified citizens to serve on this commission. He is a leader in the native island community, knows the land and its residents and speaks articulately and forthrightly to all of our community.
We hurt all of Hilton Head Island without having him serve on the Planning Commission, and his removal suggests racial inequality in Town Council decision-making. Reinstate Mr. Simmons.
Lynn E. Geiger
Hilton Head Island
Native culture deserves respect
I am a white nurse and have worked with a wonderful native islander lady and was able to meet her family and I felt honored to be included. I watched as they built huge homes next to the family’s little enclave of homes that have been on this island forever.
She told me many stories and I valued my time with her.
She has since passed and it would break her heart to read this story about Palmer Simmons. This is another example of people moving here and wanting to change a culture.
It’s bad enough to extend the airport near the African American church.
For those coming here who are unhappy about things on the island, please don’t come. Those of us who have been here 20 years-plus liked our sleepy, beautiful paradise the way it was many years ago.
We did not come to change anything or anyone. We came loving this peaceful island and with a respect for its native islanders. Please do the same. Thank you.
Sandra Ploszaj
Hilton Head Island
Why all the Trump hatred?
Many letter writers daily proclaim their hatred of President Donald Trump.
OK, it’s still a free country. But, like me, nobody knows President Trump. Yes, he is a self-promoting blowhard, but he and Sen. Tim Scott passed prison reform. Is that the reason for hatred?
Opportunity zones were established in the inner cities and charter schools were championed by the Education Department. Taxes were lowered for all. If some New Yorkers wound up paying more, then blame your state. We got a federal tax cut.
Jobs became plentiful and real wages finally rose from the moribund levels of the last 20 years.
Give President Barack Obama all the credit you want, but this happened with Trump as president. It’s a good thing!
The 401 (k) retirement accounts for almost everybody except government workers (who generally hate Trump) got a good bump because of the faster growing economy.
Gas is cheaper. Our allies must pay more for their own defense. Trade imbalances are being addressed. That means more American jobs might be created.
So which one of the above caused this hatred of the president?
Fascism? What fascist dictator ever allowed such open disdain by the press?
Peter Zych
Hilton Head Island
Trump’s world is upside down
There are two contrasting words about people in the news as they relate to President Donald Trump – “in” and “out.”
Alexander Vindman, a combat veteran and patriot who served his country honorably is “out” of a job instead of “in” a well-deserved promoted position.
Roger Stone, a friend of the president, a grifter who, despite being convicted of seven felonies, is “out” instead of “in” serving his prison sentence.
Something is so very wrong here. Our world is upside down.
Ronnie Stanislavsky
Bluffton
Please help medical system
It is difficult to fight against an adversary that you cannot see. It is difficult to fight against an adversary when you do not know anyone who has been morbidly infected or killed by the COVID-19 virus. It is hard to believe it is a threat to you. You only have our scientific experts through the media to tell you it is for real.
It is real. It is challenging our routine lives. But greater than anything, in so many instances, it is challenging our hospitals’ capacity to provide medical care. Routine and elective procedures are being put on hold for fear of the virus.
And far greater, the epidemic is placing great stress, physical and mental, on our medical workers. In many hospitals, they are overworked trying to meet the demand of care. In many cases they have been infected treating patients. The mental stress of seeing so many die is deplorably challenging. The mental stress of going to a job where you are putting yourself in harms way is huge.
Please do what you can do to beat back the number of cases. The challenges the epidemic is putting on our medical system is greatly concerning. You should be concerned not only of family and close friends but our medical system and workers. Physical-distance. Wear a mask.
William Fuller
Bluffton
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 9:33 AM.