You Can Leave Your Anti-Religious Material in My Building Anytime

We were part of the over 1,000 folks at Temple Judea to hear Christopher Hitchens discuss and defend his book, God Is Not Great, with religious leaders from the various faiths attacking as best they could some of his basic premises [Discussion, “Hitchens Brings Atheism ‘Shtick’ to Temple”].

Let me say at the outset that the review in your May 24 issue by Evan Berkowitz was right on the mark both in accuracy and responses of the clergy and crowd in its descriptions of events as they happened.

As a Jew I had to agree with Hitchens in one area, but not completely, and that is in his view of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac to serve God as barbaric. Now although human sacrifice at this time was not uncommon and this Bible story tries to put an end to this practice, it could have been accomplished in another way. Having lost a son in an accident, in my story, when Abraham is asked by God to prove that he should be the seed of this new religion by sacrificing his son, and with God stopping him in the down stroke, my Abraham would have said, “God, as much as I love you, I love my son more and I cannot do what you ask of me,” for which God would have responded, “You will be the seed of my new hope for mankind.” Same results but with a far different interpretation.

By the way, I just recently came across your paper and think it’s head-and-shoulders better than the New Times. I wish you had greater circulation. The New Times leaves copies in our condo, maybe you could too?

Roger Shatanof

Coral Gables

 

Let Us Be Clear: Point East Is Being Screwed

To the Editor:

There were quite a few omissions and errors in the story about the repairs that have been made (and are currently being made) at Point East and elsewhere in Aventura [News Briefs, “The Coming Season,” published May 17]. There were also some misrepresentations due to a lack of clarity in the questionable notice sent to property owners by the city of Aventura.

Please note the following:

1. The four Point East Corporations that jointly administer the Point East property through a joint council each own and represent at least four buildings.

2. There are at least 21 separate buildings at Point East.

3. Each of the four corporations administers the multiple buildings on their individually owned properties.

4. Permits have been obtained or are pending to repair the remaining damage at Point East.

5. The jointly owned and/or common property at Point East is (for the most part) administered by the Point East Joint Council.

6. The bulk of the damage at Point East that was caused by Hurricane Wilma was to the seawall/embankment that separates the upland areas of Point East from the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve.

7. In accordance with Title XII, Chapter 177; LAND BOUNDARIES, PART II COASTAL MAPPING, §177.28 (1) and Title XVIII, Chapter 258, Part II, AQUATIC PRESERVES, §258.39, and §258.397 Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, the Point East seawall/embankment is both adjacent to and constitutes part of the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve of the state of Florida.

8. The seawall/embankment area at Point East is statutorily public property within the jurisdiction and the responsibility of the city of Aventura.

9. Title XVII, Part I, Chapter 252, 252.38 clearly and unequivocally states, “Safeguarding the life and property of the citizens is an innate responsibility of each political subdivision of the state.”

10. Florida Statute 252.38 (3)(a) clearly and specifically states that in carrying out the provisions of ss. 252.31-252.90, each political subdivision has the power and authority to assume responsibility for repairs to insure the safety of the public.

11. The details and the broad extent of the authority and liability of the city of Aventura pursuant to ss. 252.31-252.90 should be obvious to any reasonably competent elected, appointed or such other dedicated official or public servant who has taken the time and effort necessary to understand their statutory and ethical obligations to their constituents.

12. Point East has filed a second appeal to FEMA requesting the assistance they are legally obligated to provide by congressional mandate.

13. FEMA and the Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management have twice defaulted on providing a timely response to our timely filed (and still pending) appeals.

Kindly research and carefully confirm the numerous facts I’ve provided you with since there should be little doubt that several of your sources lack credibility and some local politicians (and others) will probably continue their attempts to provide you with unsubstantiated (and self-serving) claims in an attempt to further delude the credulous people of this area.

Always be skeptical of your sources. Be very skeptical.

Abraham Moses Genen

Vice President

Point East III Condominium Association, Inc.

 

The Power of Peebles: A Thing of Beauty to Behold

The Peebles story is a wonderful in-depth story of how political powers manipulate and use the rules and laws made by them solely for their own purposes [“Ruthless Peebles,” published May 10]. Mr. Peebles made my day, that day at the commission meeting, when he, a non-official, rubbed their noses in it. Power to the Peebles.

Howard G. Kaufman

Miami Beach

 

On the Outside: Fair and Balanced at Last

Editor:

I know this is a late response to your May 10 article, “Life on the Outside,” but I wanted to thank SunPost and writer Bonnie Schindler for giving balanced coverage to the irrational way we deal with convicted sex offenders who have served their prison time.

Although I am thanking SunPost now, let me remind you that exactly two years ago through your hack columnist A.C. Weinstein (a pitchman for Mayor Dermer’s ill-conceived, feel-good sex offender plan) you seemed to be the sensationalizing media that fed the legislative frenzy. Well, last we heard A.C. actually got hired to pitch for Dermer and apparently the SunPost has returned to responsible journalism.

Thank you,

Rob Boyte

Miami Beach

 

The Ethical Questions Surrounding Development: Pretty Much Ignored by Most Magic City Politicians

To All Concerned:

I believe that the commissioners who voted to approve the zoning change at Mercy Hospital on behalf of the developer showed an astonishing degree of ethical and intellectual bankruptcy [Wakefield, “All That Glitters Is Green,” published May 3].

Why do we have to pay for Mercy Hospital’s mismanagement with what is so obviously and obscenely an example of spot-zoning? There is no R4 zoning in Coconut Grove, and the commissioner of the district was against the precedent being set. The application was denied by the Planning Advisory Board and Zoning Board as well, giving this issue a very ugly impression of favoritism by the mayor on behalf of the developer.
 

The developer is not entitled to this change in zoning, and only the mayor’s personal support could explain the consenting commissioners’ convoluted attempts to justify their votes in the face of what should have been overwhelming arguments against the zoning change. They ignored their own advisory boards, their constituents, the Governor’s Ordinance regarding GI properties, and the comprehensive master plan. They must have felt much pressure to do the wrong thing by Miami. Even state and county officials weighed in against the zoning change, only to be ignored.
Mercy Hospital can raise the money they need in other ways, as they themselves have published, which should be another reason for denial of the zoning change. This change to our comp plan sets a bad precedent — a change that will benefit the developer more than the hospital, with no apparent benefit whatsoever to Miami at large. Miami’s pressing needs do not include three more exclusive towers expressly targeted as third and fourth homes for foreigners. In fact, the last thing Miami needs is three more luxury towers. But our mayor apparently wants the Related Group to build this project. Maybe he can explain to us why it is so important to him, and us.
 

Mayor Diaz has three commissioners who vote like robots, voting to destroy this city one project at a time while he and his developer friends chuckle away. No neighborhood is safe from their civic madness.
 

Thank goodness Manny Diaz and his reign of civic terror are over in 20 months, although there is much harm he can continue to perpetrate in that time.
 

Shame on Miami’s self-serving leaders. And how lucky we are to have two commissioners who consistently vote their own minds and are tuned to the will of their constituents, not developer interests.

Paul Mann
Miami

 

The Reading Comprehension Abilities of Hizzoner: Getting More Than a Bit Worried

Now I am more concerned. I knew that Mayor Manny Diaz had said that he didn’t know anything about the no-bid contracts that his business partner Joe Arriola gave to the clients of a lobbyist friend of Diaz. I knew that the mayor said he didn’t know anything about the $7 million deal with the lucky seven from the fire fee settlement because he arrived late to the private meeting when the deal was crafted. But now I am more concerned because the mayor does not read the memos from his manager [Murmurs, “Poor People’s Money,” published March 29]. In regards to the proposed downtown stadium, Pete Hernandez told us that a $15 million allocation from CRA funds was part of the city’s funding plan and Pete also said this to the County Commission on record. The mayor has apparently not been briefed on the funding for the streetcar either because Mary Conway (who is in charge of the city’s transportation plan) has also mentioned that CRA funds are a part of their funding plans. I guess the mayor does not read his administration’s memos.

Tomas Regalado

Miami City Commissioner