- April 26, 2024
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Dear Editor:
It was disheartening to read the comments from the NAACP rep in the July 14 edition of the Palm Coast Observer.
Our community should expect a more professional presentation from a national representative organization. Before even one of the investigations of the shootings was complete, she issued her pronouncement: Police were guilty of killing black men because of intolerance and stereotyping.
When addressing the killing of five police officers, she failed to identify them as being white, and the killer black. Instead, she prefaced her statement by saying the protest was peaceful, and she ended by asking if the killing of white police might happen again.
She lamented the pain and suffering of the families associated with the videos; however, she directed no such lament to the families of the slain police officers. She concluded with a laundry list of what law enforcement must do. She had no other advice regarding her “theory that black males have an extraordinary high potential for victimization.”
Could a contributing factor be that over 70% of black males grow up without a father’s guidance, and that they in turn contribute to that statistic? Instead of the NAACP settling for “equal justice,” “anger,” or “pent-up frustration,” they should consider addressing the fatherless void in the lives of black boys and girls. Young mothers do not have innate parenting skills, especially not fathering skills. Children need to learn age-appropriate boundaries.
Instead of being a helicopter organization, swooping in for damage control after the fact, the NAACP could partner with organizations (including churches) equipped to address parenting and child development needs. As a resource, every parent should have a copy of “Boundaries,” authored by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.
Jack Hartsoch
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
I just had to take some time to thank the Observer for providing excellent articles about the arts in Flagler County and environs! Your coverage of these activities is sometimes the only way of finding out about the functions available to your readers.
However, I wish to give you a big "wow" for the stories featuring the accomplishments of our local youth! Thank you so much, especially for the article about the student photography winners in the July 14 issue. It is wonderful that students are given the recognition they so richly deserve.
I have personally experienced the art work of our students! It was an eye opener to me when I first attended plays at the Flagler Playhouse and City Repertory Theatre. The student performers were awesome!
I discovered that there is a lot of young talent in our area. And then I discovered that the talent did not stop there, as I attended art openings at a variety of art galleries. I discovered that Hollingsworth Gallery (now Salvo Art Project) and the Flagler County Art League offer art classes for students of all ages and abilities. And, as a follow through, they sponsor art openings featuring the works of their students.
Don't tell anyone, but I have sometimes noticed that some of the student art was more appealing to me than the artwork of adults!
Thank you for providing places for our students to explore their talents.
Nancy Remmers
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
I saw this sign outside Wadsworth Elementary School: “FREE MEALS FOR KIDS.”
Two things about this sign bother me: first, kids are young goats, and it was once considered an insult to refer to a human child as a kid, but now it appears to be sanctioned by the U.S. government, and the children being demeaned by this term haven't as yet formed an anti-discrimination group, but they will (doesn't everybody?).
Second, the signs says “FREE,” but there ain't no such thing as a free lunch, and the sooner these kids (oops — children) realize this, the better.
The school gets the funding for this program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who gets the money from me and my fellow taxpayers.
So, take “FREE MEALS” off the sign and replace it with “FOOD PROVIDED BY” and insert the name of a taxpayer and change the name daily.
Taxpayers can volunteer for this honor, and I'm sure many will. This may help educate the teachers, also. We can only hope.
Douglas Glover
Palm Coast
“Grand Landings Neighbor” posted the following in response to an editorial by Marjorie Vincent-Tripp, first published online on Jan. 5, 2016. In the editorial, Vincent-Tripp said her son was racially profiled:
“Hi, Marjorie. I am the person responsible for calling the police to Grand Landings. For what it is worth, I thought I would tell my side of the story.
“First, I am quite impressed by your resume, but that is irrelevant to what happened. I could list my advanced degrees or tell you about my mixed racial background, but who cares? That's all irrelevant.
“I called because I saw an unfamiliar person entering my community via the side of the road in the grass, close to the woods. My suspicions arose because in the 80-degree weather, this person was wearing a baggy sweatshirt, and, as I drove by, I went to wave like I do to all my neighbors, and he turned his head away toward the woods and put the hood over it.
“I was wearing short sleeves and blasting the AC in my car. There definitely was no book in his hand. Perhaps it was concealed in his baggy sweatshirt.
“Did I notice that he was black? Yes. Was that the reason I called the police? No. In fact, when I reported the suspicious person, I did not state his race — just that it was an unfamiliar person walking close to the woods who covered his face as I went by.
“I was further questioned by the police officer to describe him, so I told them he was wearing a gray sweatshirt. I was then asked specifically about his race, so I told them he was black. I did not care that he was black; I cared that I had never seen him before and he was entering my community, which I am quite active in and know the majority of the neighbors (I have met you and your husband).
“I love Grand Landings because we know our neighbors, and the neighborly thing to do is to look out for each other. Had your son not hid his face, I would have just smiled and waved at him.”
