Entrance to Ringling Estate an eyesore
For years I have cringed when I pass by the Ringling Estate entrance on Tamiami Trail.
This is what I see:
Is this how Sarasota introduces our signature arts museum – and the famous, historic Ringling mansion – to the world?
The main entrance was moved to a small road across the street from the parking lot. There are no signs on the Trail showing the beauty of the mansion.
Here’s some history taken from the booklet “Spend a Summer This Winter in Sarasota”:
In 1946, Karl Bickel, one of Sarasota’s founding fathers, who persuaded John Ringling to leave the museum to the state, was responsible for creating the mall in front.
Statuary and royal palms were supposed to line the plaza.
At the museum’s opening, Bickel noted, “There we will have a John Ringling Plaza, a 25-foot boulevard leading from the Trail right to the entrance to the museum.”
Land – where the Car Museum sat – was to be purchased and planted as a garden, so that it would not be an eyesore to the entrance.
Now it seems that the “Entrance” is the eyesore.
Carole Nikla, Sarasota
Democrats suffer from distorted thinking
Secure borders are a slam dunk yet Democrats interfere with the roundup of illegal immigrants and law enforcement officials carrying out their duties.
Rioting and destruction of government property are, in Democrats’ words, “peaceful protests.”
What’s in their Kool-Aid?
They have similar distorted thinking for men competing in women’s sports.
The vast majority of all voters are opposed to this idiotic idea – yet the Democrat governors of Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois and Maine not only support it but concurrently crack down on students and athletes protesting and fighting this progressive nonsense.
Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois went so far as to recommend that men across America walk into girls’ bathrooms as a supportive gesture!
Let’s not forget the abuse of our justice system by judges who think petty crimes should be dismissed. In their minds, a slap on the wrist is sufficient though many criminals do the same thing, again and again.
Americans can thank Democratic progressive George Soros for a large part of this distorted justice through his financial support of liberal public defenders who support a reprimand for thefts below $100.
Thomas G. Moore, Bradenton
Trump distracts attention by bombing Iran
Despite numerous assurances during the presidential campaign that he would not start any new wars, President Donald Trump has done just that.
We can only guess as to the real reason Trump started a war with Iran, but the evidence certainly gives us some clues. Given his history of telling outrageous lies, we should not be surprised.
Trump and his MAGA party advisers tell us he bombed Iran because he knew, despite information to the contrary from within his own administration, that Iran was building a nuclear device.
Do you think he might just be trying to divert our attention from his long list of failures as president?
The timing is interesting since the bombing of Iran comes during a time when:
Is he trying to hide that more than 5 million Americans peacefully took to the streets in more than 2,000 locations coast to coast during the “No Kings” rallies June 14 to protest Trump’s ineffectiveness as president?
William Tucker, Punta Gorda
Everything from White House suspect
President Donald Trump has consistently punished those who disagree with him. As a result, all statements coming out of the White House are suspect.
With regard to the damage report in the Iran bombing we will likely never know the truth as who can trust what comes out of an administration that prides itself on making everyone say what they are told to say.
Sorry, Mr. President, but you can’t demand such extreme loyalty and have people believe you.
Kristi Kanellos, Sarasota
Conservative columnist talks like liberal
In a column June 25, Nicole Russell stated that conservatism emphasizes personal responsibility (to look after and make decisions about my own body), limited government (not one that restricts what books my library can carry) and human dignity (to be accepted as human even if I happen to be bisexual or transgender).
Sounds a lot more like liberal thinking than conservative to me!
Joan Hastings, Sarasota
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ringling Estate entrance makes bad impression | Letters
Reporting by Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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