LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Memorial Day About

Honoring War Dead

Someone needs to tell Sen. Barack Obama that Memorial Day is not about honoring the veterans. Saying it's about the veterans is pandering to veterans.

We veterans have our own day on Nov. 11. It's called Veterans Day. Memorial Day is about honoring our war dead.

Veterans know the difference; that's why we go out in numbers on Memorial Day to honor those who lost far more than us, many our friends.

It's too bad others don't appreciate this great sacrifice as well and properly recognize those for whom this day was meant to honor.

John T. Boyle

Hernando Beach

TV And Politics

There used to be a time when you could watch a weekly television series and be entertained without someone's political view being shoved down your throat. Not any more.

Television directors and network CEOs now use these programs to showcase their political views. And the current theme is to tell the viewers what's wrong with America. Case in point: The ABC series "Boston Legal" used to be a delightful show providing the viewer with interesting characters and legal cases. Now the program's theme is telling the viewer that America is wrought with all kinds of human rights violations, mistreatment of terrorists, the evils of our leaders, etc.

I can read the news, and I know what's going on in the world, and I am capable of making my own assessment of what is right and what is wrong and who are the good guys and the bad guys. To those network executives who think I am not able to think for myself, I have a message, "get off my back!" Let me get back to watching television for my own enjoyment, not your slanted view of what's wrong with my country.

And just in case you don't realize it, I am no longer watching your programs. If everyone who is sick of the politics in these programs would contact the sponsors, maybe a dent in their pockets might get the message across.

Ron Dakin

Spring Hill

Special Education Key

To Success For Disabled

Re: Special education forum.

I would like to thank Hernando County School Board Member Pat Fagan and the staff of the ESE department for holding this forum to help some of us understand some things that may have been misunderstood.

Why was this meeting important? My son, who is now 19 and in college, is a young man with disabilities. He is an amazing paradox of gifted, learning disabled and high-functioning autistic. He worked hard to earn a full academic scholarship for college. It was the journey to that point that was extremely difficult, especially at the high school level. There are wonderful teachers in our county, and we are blessed that the majority of his teachers fell into this category. Unfortunately, we also had a few teachers who lacked the desire to understand my son's struggles, as well as the laws that are in place to protect his educational rights.

The most unfortunate part is that after all these years there are other children and their families who are experiencing these same struggles. The same things that happened to my son happens every day. They must fight for the rights that the law already deems theirs. It is a hard, stressful fight that affects everyone and everything in their lives. Many parents do not even realize they have rights, and some of the ones who do are afraid of retaliation. Our school system will continue to be faced with a very alarming increase of children with special needs. Most of these children's futures depend on early intervention.

The ESE forum was important because it affords an opportunity to see where there may be areas for improvement in educating our children with special needs. I would like to reiterate that my son would not be the success story he is today without those "wonderful" teachers he had. I am truly grateful and indebted to those teachers for their expertise, devotion and just plain kindness that helped me get my child where he is today.

My hope is that our school system will find a way to have every IEP implemented, every accommodation followed and all schools and staff in compliance with IDEA 2004 so that all these very special children will have the opportunities that they deserve!

Evelyn Garza

Spring Hill