Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 10

Tallahassee Democrat 10 AWednesday, November 17, 1993 Editorials Letters EDITORIAL BOARD CARROL bADlSMAN. PRESIDENTPUBLISHER LOU HELDMAN, Sr. VPEXECUTIVE EDITOR BILL MANSFIELD. EDITORIAL PACE EDITOR UNEDRA CARROLL. ASSOCIA TE EDITOR DAVE BRL'NS.

ASSOCIA TE EDITOR BILL EDMONDS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHARLES BILLINGS, PROFESSOR IN RESIDENCE Tallahassee Democrat ESTABLISHED 1905 A KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPER OTHER OFFICERS, DIRECTORS DORIS DUNLAP. Sr. VPADMINISTRATION BOB SHAW. MANAGING EDITOR TOM PRIVETT, VPMARKETING BILLIE S. SMITH.

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY MICHAEL SMERNOFF, VPOPERATIONS TOM BARTLETT, DIRECTOR OF CIRCULAVON SAMUEL NOTTAGE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE JEAN BUFORD, DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE AND CONTROLLER AND COMMUNITY RELA TIONS A MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS OUR OPINION NAFTA would be a wedge for freer trade worldwide The North American Free Trade Agreement vote will have ramifications far beyond the three nations invoked. Congress tshould pass it. loday's vote on the North American Free Trade Agreement looks like an other patented down-to-the-last-vote effort for President Clinton. The United States should not shrink from free trade anywhere in the world. The NAFTA agreement will, on balance, produce more jobs for the workers of this nation.

It will reduce Mexican tariffs that now impede our exports to that nation. That, in turn, will reduce the incentives for American companies to move production facilities south of the border. The backing of NAFTA is a bipartisan affair, begun by Republican President George Bush and now vigorously pushed by Democratic President Clinton. All living former presidents support the agreement. Failure of the United States to ratify the agreement would be a serious blow to a Mexican government struggling to make that country more democratic.

It would send a negative message to other developing Latin American nations. And it might do serious damage to the more critical efforts to lower trade barriers worldwide through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. NAFTA is the key to many good things. Congress should turn that key, not toss it aside. YOUR LETTERS their attention first by getting them off the streets.

Bob Shelton Some final thoughts on the NAFTA proposal That's why Rep. Pete Peterson, D-Mar-lianna, who represents this area, should rethink his earlier opposition and vote for the agreement with Mexico. Canada and the United States are already parties to the pact. If it's agricultural interests that Peterson is worried about, he should note that a series of side agreements negotiated by the administration offer extra protection for Florida citrus, sugar and winter vegetable crops. Those agreements have neutralized one formerly very vocal opponent, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford.

"Cer-i tainly, the administration bent over backward to solve the problems of Florida agriculture," Crawford said Monday. Today the country will proba Teach juvenile delinquents bly witness another "Clinton landslide victory" on the vote on the North American Free Trade agree ment. (Will Al Gore cast the tie-breaking vote?) It seems that the Clinton administration has the For Sale sign up at the White House, cutting deal upon deal with congressmen in order to gain votes. The White House is giving the ap what would have transpired if Tallahassee would have been subjected to gasp! nudity," and implying that Willie Meggs does not care about other problems plaguing our society. First of all, God does know what would happen that is why he gave us a code to live by.

Secondly, Mr. Meggs does care about and fight those other issues. Unfortunately, it is closed-minded and small-thinking liberals like Mr. DeCosta who can't see the big picture of what a proliferation of such establishments does to society; i.e. that the liberal attitude of the last 30 years of anything goes, no moral absolutes and do whatever you please is the cause of our decadent and decaying state of affairs.

More small-thinking people were seen at the Cafe Risque commission meeting where they defended their view of the First Amendment right for dancers to bare all and customers to watch, and expressed their value of free pearance of being in a state of panic by engaging in a deliberate strategy of wholesale congressional buy-out. A good, honest question deserves an honest answer in a prison atmosphere "The juvenile crime rate increasing." We see this problem more and more, not only in Florida but in other parts of the country as well. We read about so many needed reforms in the juvenile-justice system, which I also believe needs to be revamped as well as enforced through the courts. Establish accredited schools for seventh through 12th grades in a medium-security environment. House students in a prison-type environment to give them a taste of prison life.

When a juvenile is convicted of any crime he should be placed in this facility. Minimum sentence, complete high school, not a GED. Use his or her academic achievement as a basis for the special privileges and a lack of achievement to deny visitation. If a longer sen In their rabid attempts to pan der this agreement on the Sunday That's not the case, as State Attorney Wil morning shows such as "Face the Nation" and "Meet the Press," the Naftacrats espoused the usual claims that "it will create jobs, stimulate the economy and pro People seeking a better understanding of the anti-nudity ordinance got less than they deserved. lie Meggs told the Tallahassee Democrat when questioned after the county had passed the ordinance.

The ban applies to everyone, and if someone complains, an investigation mote democracy." Mickey Cantor went so far as to call NAFTA a 'hen citizens ask questions, they "tax cut for the American people." They hold a debate with Ross ought to get honest answers. Re garding Leon County's new anti-nudity ordinance, people asked Perot and turn it into a character assassination instead of informative forum. Why don't they address the concerns of such people as members of Congress like Dick Gephardt? How about well-known will follow, regardless. Strictly speaking, that makes sense the language in the ordinance would suggest as much, which is why people were worried about it in the first place. The question is, why didn't Meggs or others set people straight at the press conference? Had the state attorney stepped forward and made his "it's the law" argument, then at least people would have known where they stood.

the right question: Would the ban on certain kinds of bathing suits apply to the general tence is required, give the inmate the opportunity to enlist in the military or a public-service organization; if not, then the balance of his sentence should be served in a correction facility. An affiliation of this type of facility with an accredited high school with a diploma and graduation should go a long conservatives such as Oliver North, who at a conference Friday in Orlando, said he "held his nose while dom of choice above just about anything else. It is these such individuals and their selfish wish for gratification at all costs, combined with lack of common sense and responsibility and a dogged misinterpretation of First Amendment rights, who are infringing on everyone else's right to live in a society free from a total lack of respect for authority and life, moral breakdown, sexual depravity, violence toward women, and on and on. I truly wish these people would open their minds up to see the big picture of cause and effect perhaps they lack the intellectual ca giving his support on it, but it has serious flaws in the areas of in way toward turning a boy or girl with a tendency toward criminal behavior into a better citizen. Was it the obligation of those who questioned the ordinance to interrogate every one of the public officials individually? PeoDle creasing illegal immigration, drug trafficking, violates national sovereignty and creates yet another level of bureaucracy." W.F.

Dwanee had faith that if their elected officials held a Flag-stealers should know different understanding of the ordinance, then their officials would say so, and that's NAFTA is a sham and a rip-off how it should be. of the American people. Don't buy hat the Vietnam War is over Nov. 11 was the 75th anniversa the government's bellicose rhetoric pacity to do so and can only focus on things like the gyrating buttocks of nude dancers. ry of the 11th hour of the 11th day call your congressman and tell public as well as to dancers? The answer they got was less than complete.

The people who were about the "thong" part of the ordinance were given repeated assurances that, no, the intent was not to arrest you if you wore a thong bathing suit around the pool or out at the lake. The restriction on bathing suits, they were told, was just to keep nudie bars from finding a loophole in the law. They were told, in short, don't worry about it. It turns out they were right to worry. While no one (we hope) will be out on thong patrol, if someone does file a complaint, there will be an investigation.

If you are, indeed, wearing a thong in a public place, you will be arrested. That was not the impression given at a Nov. 2 news conference staged by Leon County and Tallahassee authorities to rally support for the ordinance. Someone raised the question of the bathing-suit ban, and County Commission Chairman Manny Joanos responded that the ordinance was not aimed at the general public. Remarks by him and others gave the impression that unless you dance on tables for money, your choice of bathing suits is your own business.

of the 11th month, the end of World him to reject NAFTA! Kathryn Martin Chris DIetzel War I. Twenty-five years ago the U.S. Army turned over its base at Joanos, to his credit, told the Democrat that if thong prosecutions become a problem, he'll consider rewriting the ordinance. That's good to hear, but would it not have been far better to have done it right the first time? (Meggs further views on the prosecution question were not available; his office said You take care of your values Long Bihn to the South Vietnamese and I mil take care of mine Army. This symbolized the end of Many of the people who have U.S.

involvement in the Vietnam War. written letters against Cafe Risque Tuesday that he was no longer taking calls have cited ideals like community Unfortunately, someone hasn't from anyone at the Democrat). told some modern-day protesters in Citizens of Leon Countv asked a eood. Tallahassee. They must not have standards and family values.

What we need to realize is that it is impossible to come up with one set of standards for the approximately reasonable, intelligent question, and they de read the papers or listened to the radio, or better yet must live under a rock and are the products of outcome-based education. So I'll tell 120,000 people who live in and served a run, complete and frank response. Instead, they were given misleading reassur around Tallahassee. ances a less than honest answer and I doubt that all of the people them: "The war is over!" that not right. For the fourth time this year, some vermin have cut down our who spoke out against Cafe Risque would be willing to live with the community standards of the supporters of Cafe Risque, so why should the reverse be acceptable? You take care of yourself and your flags at Vietnam Veterans Chapter 96 and stolen them.

Well that shouldn't surprise the readers Scrap the U.S. policy that treats Haitians and Cubans differently much. Vietnam Vets have had to put up with lots of Bravo Sierra values, and I will take care of my self and my values. since we came home. We did not America faces the same problem that Great Britain faced a decade ago de-industrialization.

When a country stops making things, its economic growth slows, and fewer jobs are created. The president needs to encourage American companies to reinvest in factories in America. No industry, such as computer software and airplane manufacturing, is a permanent sanctuary for high-wage jobs. Steel production, shipbuilding, radio and television manufacturing they all used to provide high-wage jobs. Since Japan has many of these manufacturing industries, there is no reason why America cannot compete for them.

Congress would best serve Americans by addressing the problem of de-industrialization in America before entering into NAFTA, an agreement that would foster de-industrialization. William Yhy did city commissioners vote against boot camp? I hope many Tallahassee residents read the article in the Nov. 11 Tallahassee Democrat in which three city commissioners voted against funding that would help start the boot camp in Leon County. The three were Penny Herman, ask for the war, but did our best when we were called. Cuba remains Communist, but its ability It seems very odd that these 10 narm our country is minimal.

individuals did not attack Ameri arly Monday morning, a disaffected Cuban loaded his family and friends into a Russian-built crop-duster and flew them into Opa-Locka airport. The continuation of tyranny in Cuba poses can Legion Post 13 on these occasions. The post is right next door to ours and their flags are bigger. Finally, the doctrine that this country was founded upon is choice and democracy. Some people believe that an overwhelming majority of the population does not want Cafe Risque to be open.

In a democracy, the choices of a minority will be respected. I have not been to Cafe Risque, and I doubt that I will, but I will forever stand up for my right to go there if I so choose. Patrick Burress nnie greater mreai 10 u.s. security than the continuation or tyranny in Haiti. What about the VFW Post on West Tennessee Street? The VFW is in back and off the highway and out of the view of traffic.

It's an easy Yet we retain the unfair policy that treats one set of refugees as heroes and another set as criminals. i The most telling evidence of this unfair ness comes from the mouths of Cuban refu gees themselves. target How about the government buildings? Hey, it's target-rich environment! Obviously these must not be enough of a challenge. So they sought out our flagpole. Why? I'll make my point.

Whoever or whomever you are, don't come back to the Hootch! If you must, Asked why he sought asylum in the Unit ed States, pilot Alvaro Macial Hernandez Do- minguez cited professional frustrations, a lack of freedom and concern for his family's The group was praised for their daring escape from a government that suppresses democracy, and granted political asylum in the United States. Early Tuesday morning, 40 Haitians swam from a smuggler's boat to a Miami beach, fleeing another government that suppresses democracy. The Border Patrol arrested them. This policy is unfair, and it cannot be defended except by offending logic and honesty. President Clinton should correct this injustice if not by granting political asylum to Haitians, then by asking Congress to treat Haitian and Cuban refugees with equal strictness.

There were reasons for establishing the Cold War policy that guarantees Cuban refugees political asylum in the United States. The government of Cuba, after all, was and is a Communist dictatorship, and dedicated to overthrowing our way of life. just bring the flags, and there will Debbie Lightsey and Dorothy In-man-Crews. I would hope many residents want to know why these commissioners decided against a be no questions asked. The war is over! NIbI W.

Chrlstensen WRITE US Letters should be: No mora than 200 words. Longer letters will be returned to the writer. Any exceptions will be at the discretion of the editors. Signed. Please include an address and daytime phone number so we can reach you if we have questions.

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"In Cuba, it is not possible to live like a human being," he said. It is not possible to live like a human being in Haiti, either. Let's end the legal fiction that says Haitians seek to come to America solely for better jobs and Cubans come solely to escape tyranny. Instead, let's establish a fair policy that recognizes Cold War reasoning for what it is out of date. four-month program.

I realize they wanted an eight-month camp with four months of after-care. Is this a good enough reason to deprive Leon County of an opportunity that I think most people want? Half a loaf is better than none. We can't attempt to rehabilitate juvenile offenders if we don't get Public Affairs Director Big Bend Chapter 95 Vietnam Veterans of America Ciosed-mind liberals miss the risk in Cafe Risque I must take issue with Chris De-Costa, who recently wrote a letter to the editor saying, "God knows.