I am writing in response to a letter by David L. Laurence you printed under the headline "DeFede Flunks Civics 101" (November 28).
Who is this David L. Laurence character and why does he feel he is an expert on journalism? Why do you identify him as "David L. Laurence, Miami" when he writes, "Many Broward residents such as myself (who grew up in Dade and work in Dade)..."?
As a resident of the City of Miami, I am outraged that you allow this commuter's views on what's good for my fair city to be disseminated in your paper.
Commuters like this Laurence fellow are raping Miami, destroying South Florida, and killing the Earth!
My only hope is that this guy Laurence never rises to a position of influence.
Paul Berry
Miami
The Antichrist of Broward, Part 2
In his letter "DeFede Flunks Civics 101," David Laurence brings up some valid points concerning intercounty rivalries in South Florida. Instead of preaching against Mr. DeFede, Mr. Laurence should also talk to his fellow Broward residents.
Try preaching South Florida unity to Broward County. How many disparaging remarks has Broward County Administrator Jack Osterholt made about Miami? Look at how they cynically tried to lure the Miami Heat away. Consider how Wayne (as in Huizenga) would steal everything from Miami and place it in Broward (his geopolitical population center of South Florida, please!) if he had the opportunity.
How many times I've heard people from Broward say, when something bad occurs in their area, "Oh, you'd think it was Miami," forgetting that the Bobby Kent murder, the murder of that young Vietnamese student Luyen Phan Nguyen, the Fort Lauderdale Beach massacre, and others have had Broward venues.
So, Mr. Laurence, pontificate your unity message to your fellow "Browardians" because they certainly don't believe it. And when I feel that I truly need to move farther away from everything, to me, Palm Beach County offers much greener pastures than Broward does today.
Paul E. Czekanski
Cutler Ridge
Jen Karetnick: The Broward Perspective
After reading the positive review of Walter's Cafe (richly deserved, by the way), I have concluded New Times is up to some sort of chicanery vis-à-vis your "Cafe" column ("Walter's Rings Those Bells," October 24).
I say that because it is impossible for your current restaurant dolt Jen Karetnick to write anything positive or accurate about a fine dining establishment such as Walter's Cafe.
Therefore, I have concluded that either Robert Tolf or Lucy Cooper, two well-respected food critics in South Florida, are using the pen name Jen Karetnick -- while Karetnick reviews restaurants like Burger King or KFC under the pen name of XS's food critic William Fox, another stinko food critic slithering around South Florida!
Harvey Slavin
Hollywood
He's Lucky He's Not From Broward
I would like to thank and congratulate Paula Park on the profile she did on my career ("The Old School of Power," September 19). I had many positive comments from people in Dade County, in the state, and nationally.
Some people said they were surprised that the article was so positive in the view of the past history of New Times, in which sometimes the profiles have been regarded as "hatchet jobs."
Obviously, I believe the article was very well balanced. Paula Park is an excellent writer and I appreciate her efforts.
Pat L. Tornillo, Jr.
Miami
