Letters 7.10.13

+ Are turtles more important?
Dear Editor:
As I was walking the beach on Father’s Day on Longboat Key, I noticed two turtle nests surrounded by yellow tape and a sign that read: “DO NOT DISTURB SEA TURTLE NEST, VIOLATORS SUBJECT TO FINES AND IMPRISONMENT.” I agree we should protect these unborn sea turtles, but where is our sense of values, when it is legal and supported by our taxes to destroy unborn babies and, yet, we are subject to fines and imprisonment for disturbing an unborn turtle?
Richard Antonello
Longboat Key

+ Agreement unacceptable
Dear Editor:
The article, “Wildlife groups flock to SOS,” in the June 19 edition of the Longboat Observer states that Save Our Seabirds “CEO David Pilston said the board offered to meet with (Lee) Fox.” That suggests a completely wrong picture and misleads the reader.

The board and Lee Fox, founder of SOS, agreed to have me act as a mediator in an effort to resolve their differences. After talking and meeting with representatives of the board in early April, I presented the board’s views about their differences to Fox. She and I then discussed her views, which, according to usual procedure, I expected to present to the board. The board, however, steadfastly refused to meet with me. They said they were not interested to hear Fox’s views.

Instead, the board insisted that Fox accept first one and, then later, another agreement the board proposed. With little question, the terms of those agreements would be unfair to virtually any employee. For Fox, the founder and driving spirit of SOS, they not only were quite unacceptable, but a gross indignity as well.
Garo A. Partoyan
Osprey