Fair, Balanced and Informative: What More Can an ACLU Prez Ask For?

Hi Omar,

Accurate, balanced, complete, well-written [“No Show,” published February 2]. We appreciate your coverage of the event and even more appreciate your coverage of the reasons the Greater Miami Chapter of ACLU believes such events are needed.

Virginia L. Rosen
President, Greater Miami Chapter of ACLU

***

Getting the Message Out Through Free Weekly Papers and Sloppy Joes

Thank you for exposing some of the “other” side of City Hall [Editorial, “To Be a Great City, Miami Needs More Than Just Stability” and Wakefield, “The Miami Circle of Life,” published February 2]. It is high time people learn of those things which have a negative long-term impact on our city that get drowned out by the city’s PR machine. Now if we could just get the people of Miami to read what is printed. Is there a pill for this deficiency??

Would it be possible for someone coming from the SunPost to the protest today [February 2] to bring some extra copies of this week’s issue to pass out? I will be passing out free Sloppy Joes when people sign up for the Bad Boys Buster Club, a project of C.A.E.B.

Steve Hagen
Member of Citizens Against Everything Bad
Miami
 

***

What Is That Developer’s Name on the Window?

To the Editor:

I’ll be happy to support public funding for the Jewish Museum [“Money Mitzvah,” published January 26] — just as soon as they give [German developer] Thomas Kramer back his donation and take his name off the window that was dedicated to him.
Until then, I will continue to not only oppose public funding for the museum, but to avoid setting foot in it.

Richard Rosichan
Miami Beach

***

Street Artists vs. Ignorant Journalists: Checking Out the Perfect SunPost Box to Bomb

It saddens me to see local journalists writing half-ass stories about graffiti and street art, especially in a town where local artists are held in the dark [“Vandals on the Beach,” published February 2]. After meeting several journalists from local newspapers, I think it is safe to say that cocaine impairs one’s ability to do proper research. In today’s time of corporate and governmental scandals, the one thing you can depend on for inspiration and truth is the writings on the walls. Graffiti is as ancient as hieroglyphics. The picture that the SunPost featured was of a statement: “Chase Dreams Not Money.” Is this yet another mindless tag of someone’s name that is climbing the ladder of fame? Or is it a tool to try to inspire questions of one’s goals in life? Street art isn’t going anywhere. You can’t stop it. The more fucked up today’s times are becoming, the more graffiti you’ll see. Of all the misguided graffiti everywhere, you chose to incorporate two of the most free-thinking local street artists of Miami. You didn’t show EP’s (evil people) tag over the local churches in Little Haiti. You didn’t show CX’s tag all over the Jewish temple on third and Washington. You showed a get-up on a newly refurbished South Beach condo that is raising rents and kicking out local artists. There’s a certain guide to writers and where they should bomb. Some obey it, some don’t. I feel that in this day and age the rules should be forgotten because corruption is everywhere. I guess the general population should be sad for the tax-exempted high-rises that get bombed and have to pay hefty fines. This system doesn’t work anymore. Not only did your mindless, one-sided article piss me off, it inspired me to go bomb every overpriced empty condo and SunPost newspaper box there is. Remember three things:

1- We haven’t even begun to paint.

2- Blank walls = blank minds.

3- Cocaine impairs research.

See you in the streets.

Name Withheld By Request
Miami

***

Graffiti vs. Property Owners: There Is a Better Way. Now About the Boardwalk …

Hi Omar:

I live permanently in Boston, part-time in Miami Beach. In Boston, we have a city-sponsored graffiti busters program. You call City Hall if your private property has been painted with graffiti, and City Hall sends out and pays for the clean up with its Graffiti Busters Division. That is neat.

Now, when will you write about all the litter, cans, clothes and baby strollers piling up alongside and underneath the boardwalk? In the last few months, there has been a multitude of trash piling up on the sides and underneath the boardwalk.

Thanks for the good writing.

Tony Giacalone
Miami Beach

***

Stop the Noise: It Won’t Happen If Profit-Hungry Interests Have Their Way

Dear SunPost Editor:

On March 8, the Miami Beach City Commission will take another look at agenda item R5D, the revised text of the noise regulations. Since complaints about excessive noise are the number one reason for calling the police department, it is a matter of serious concern to residents who live near noisy businesses.

Here’s the situation:

1. The commission is not amending Dade 21-28, the county noise law which the city adopted. (Only the Dade County Commission could do that.) It is revising administrative regulations which instruct Code Compliance and police officers how to enforce Dade 21-28.

2. These administrative regulations dictate the number of “courtesy” warnings a violator is entitled to, the fines violators are subject to, and the authority of a special master and the city manager to suspend or revoke a habitual violator’s business license to operate or to use certain portions of his property. (Of course, the proposed text legally defines “habitual violator.”)

3. The hotels and clubs want a large number of courtesy warnings, warnings which have no real significance. The residents want to keep the number down to three and to strictly control the number of such warnings during major special events, e.g., Memorial Day. The residents want to zero-out the violations counter after 24-36 months; their opponents want to wipe the slate clean after only 12 months.

4. Most residents think that the fines which will be imposed are just too small to have real deterrent effects. Business interests think small fines work well enough because they have educational effects.

5. Business interests want to immunize clubs and hotels against prosecution that front on Lummus Park or the ocean because their noise, no matter how loud, goes straight east and is not heard by anyone. Residents think that bends the laws of physics, would set up strange categories of compliance, and would weaken enforcement of Dade 21-28.

Summary: These convoluted administrative regulations are the outcome of a clash between the profit motive and the right to enjoy one’s residence in peace. In their present form, the proposed regulations can only be understood by lawyers well-armed with powerful computers. The short violations-counting period and the minimal fines gut the deterrent power of Dade 21-28. Finally, the proposed regulations unlawfully amend the county ordinance by introducing an excessive number of courtesy warnings and immunizing so-called eastbound noise.

The proposed regulations will not ensure tranquility and social harmony.

Morris Sunshine, Ph.D.
Miami Beach

***

Hey, Leroy, Don’t Like Beach Rules? Stop Crying Like a Baby and Journey Across the Bay

Dear Editor:

To see Leroy Griffith standing on the sidewalk in front of his Club Madonna in diapers filled with a load of stinking crap, a broken rattle in one hand, empty milk bottle in the other, wailing like a banshee babe, and throwing a temper tantrum because he can’t get a liquor license to mingle with full nudity is not only hysterical but an inadvertently accurate analogy as well [“Boobs & Booze,” published January 5]. For an allegedly “shrewd” businessman, Mr. Griffith seems to wholeheartedly embrace and implement nothing less than outright stupidity.

First, that Club Madonna is the ONLY strip club on Miami Beach might indicate that Miami Beach is more interested on wholesome family venues than tawdry toothless trailer trash whores and their mostly amoral fan club. He completely misses that the cacophony of registers cha-chinging with tourist cash does not consider the source of it, and it’s the same tune. The allure of European-style topless sunbathing is as risqué as they want it. The city of Miami Beach may lose more than it gains with a full-nudity-full-liquor venue. Secondly, there is the “$6 million offer” for that sliver of a site that he bought for pennies. That’s not even funny — that’s retirement money. In addition the far shores of Miami are much more lucrative. The denizens of darker perversions are free to roam the darkened bowels of downtown Miami without fear of residential interference or adolescent observations.

Finally, we arrive at the pièce de résistance — suing the wife of the commissioner that has been against the combination of nudity and liquor for all time. How stupid is that? Mr. Griffith can pound sand, beat his baby breasts all day long, stomp all over Washington Avenue and City Hall, but he ain’t never, ever gonna get a liquor license. He can stick it in his kiddy cocktail. “Man, THAT’S great ginger ale.” What a moron.

Dean Corso
Miami

***

Hey, Jeb! Got a Public Official Right Here Just Beggin’ to Be Removed From Office!

In response to a Letter to the Editor dated January 19, titled “Refuting the Accusations of My Former Political Opponent and Her Boyfriend,” submitted by North Miami Beach Councilman John Patrick Julien: In it, Julien made reference a couple of times to Robie’s lies and the dissemination of it. Must we remind Julien that it was he who was formerly charged for falsifying his credentials, which branded him with two first-degree misdemeanor criminal charges by the State Attorney’s Office?

At a council meeting on January 3, Julien read aloud a court-ordered apology confirming that he possessed neither an MBA in finance from NYU nor CPA credentials. The very next council meeting, held on January 17, again he addressed these credentials. He proceeded to argue that he took CPA exams in 1984 and is definitely hoping he will have transcripts from NYU. The State Attorney’s Office charged Julien for falsification of both titles. Julien had 10 months to prove his claims that he was a CPA and had an MBA and he did not. He has lost the people’s trust by showing a lack of credibility and integrity. No one should be above the law and clearly Councilman Julien did break the law.

Upon being elected to office last May, opportunities became abundant to Mr. Julien. Example: 1) He won a seat on the Florida League of Cities Criminal Justice Legislative Policy Committee. In his capacity as a committee member, he can shape, study, analyze and recommend positions on state legislative issues pertaining to criminal justice and law, not only North Miami Beach but in all of Florida. 2) As a council member he sits on the NMB General Employees Retirement Board.

Should a lawbreaker be allowed to sit on the Criminal Justice Legislative Policy Committee? Would you want a lawbreaker sitting on your pension board? Do you want a lawbreaker representing you as your councilman? 

If you agree that politicians are not above the law and Julien should be removed from office, write to Gov. Jeb Bush voicing your opinion.

Allison Robie
North Miami Beach

[Editor’s Note: Allison Robie ran against John Patrick Julien in a recent North Miami Beach City Council election. Robie complained to the SAO that Julien had false credentials in his campaign materials.]