Dangerous Fare
Camera-shy: It is a terrible thing that cab drivers are victimized with the frequency that is reported in this story ("Death Cab," Michael E. Miller, October 21). The reality is that to the criminal element lurking on the streets, cab drivers are easy targets — rolling ATMs. Low risk, but at the same time low return. What is equally funny is cabbie Moeeq Nasir's smug comment that the county does little to protect them. On a number of occasions over the years, the city has explored the possibility of requiring cameras in taxicabs in order to deter criminals and protect the driver. After each attempt by the city, drivers stand up and in unison say, "Cameras? We don't need no stinking cameras."
Thad Throckmorton
Language barrier: Adding partitions in taxis to protect cabbies won't work. You cannot hear through the glass, and with all the language barriers in Miami, it will be a major fiasco.
Anonymous
Coaches' Worth
Pay raise: It is a shame that Florida does not pay high school football coaches a better salary ("Luke's Gospel," Luther Campbell, October 21). What would we do without them? They take so much time away from their own families; it is a shame they are not compensated. Florida coaches develop many athletes who are now in the NFL. If we need to pay a state tax to help the teachers' salaries along with those of high school football coaches, so be it. These men cannot afford to give their time and make such a menial salary.
Nikki D
Hell, no: Oh, please, the last thing we need is to increase football coaches' salaries! Get real!
Linda Drake
Dead end: How many students didn't make it to the NFL and are back in the same poor neighborhood they started out in? This isn't about the kids who make it to the NFL; it's about all the kids who don't.
Roger Moore
Game plan: Most of these boys have only a coach to help them become respectable young men. Teachers can do that, but at the end of the day, they do not garner the respect that a coach does. Many times, classroom teachers ask coaches to help guide kids on the right path. It's what we do! I understand that salaries are being cut — hell, curriculum is being cut all over the state — but football is one of the things that balances a school. Think about where else these kids might fall if there was no football to keep them off the streets.
Anonymous
White Lies
Presumptuous: Mr. Elfrink has his own agenda in the article arguing that Rep. William Snyder's immigration bill would give white folks a pass ("Canadian Bias," Tim Elfrink, October 21). Demonizing people who don't agree with his politics as "xenophobic right-wingers" is a rather ham-fisted yet effective strategy when stirring emotions over an already emotionally charged subject. The author missed the key component in the clause, which is "a passport from any visa waiver country." These persons can move freely through our borders as reciprocal treatment for our own citizens traveling through theirs. To draw the inference that these countries are predominantly composed of whites and ergo the reason for the clause is intellectual dishonesty on the author's part. As far as Latin Americans comfortably spending their summers in Miami, please do so. By all means, as long as their visas are in order. By the way, isn't it a bit presumptuous of the author to imply that Latin Americans spending their summers in Miami are probably here illegally?
Marc Cooper
Keep 'em all out: Anyone illegal in this country stealing social services that belong to American citizens needs to be deported immediately. We don't need freeloaders when the country is in a depression. We can no longer take care of our own citizens. We don't need the world's problems thrown at our doorstep. Stop all immigration till the country recovers. Jobs for Americans.
Nyse
Why Not Justice?
Open case: I've been following the death of Jonathan Corso (AKA Ynot) since it happened because of the close relationship my nephew and niece had with him, and I can't believe police still haven't been able to figure out what really happened ("Whodunit? Who Cares?" Gus Garcia-Roberts, October 21). It could have just as easily been my nephew whose life was so needlessly taken. I am a native Floridian and spent most of my life in the Davie/Fort Lauderdale area and always thought there was justice out there. Now I have considerable doubt. I say, Davie Police Department, step up the investigation!
Terri Blow
Step by step: Thank you for providing excellent coverage of this story. I read each follow-up article. It's kind of sad the way it all happened.
Nastassia Auguiste
