Don’t look down on truck event
So, The News-Journal makes an assertion that the public didn’t know about the trucks at the race track. Come on, News-Journal. That’s local news that you should have been all over.
(READ: Public didn’t know Daytona Truck Meet was coming, but police, tourism officials did)
There’s also nothing but negative stories and criticisms published in The News-Journal. Off with their heads.
How about some presentation of what these truck enthusiasts are all about? Surely, they aren’t all evil ogres. They have a lot of time and money invested in their hobby and they’re proud to show their efforts to us. And, we’re a heavily populated center of bike, car and truck enthusiasts. We enjoy the car and bike events. We certainly can enjoy a truck event. Ticketing to discourage them being here is just wrong.
Why not have the city and county officials earn their keep and meet face-to-face with the truck organization leaders that sponsor this event? The event doesn’t just happen spontaneously. There are leaders of their organization. Talk to them about local concerns so that they can spread the word to their members.
“Off with their heads” isn’t the approach we need. Let’s make this work for us and for the truckers.
Nancy Coriale, Daytona Beach Shores
Invitation extended
I’m sure the writer of “Those who served” took himself very seriously on his opinions. I don’t begrudge him his right to put pen to paper. I could go into detail how he continues to have the right to express his opinions but I doubt he gets the whole picture.
I’d love to invite him as a guest speaker to both my VFW and American Legion posts. Surely he would enlighten all of us Vietnam and Korean War vets on his theory of how the card burners and those who slithered out of our country are to be held in such high esteem. I would offer a word of caution if he were to come to our posts, and would not want him to be upset if he happens to use our men’s restroom. You see, we have a portrait of that great American, Jane Fonda, in a place of prominence.
I’m proud to have served my adopted country.
Karl Steiner, Daytona Beach
Florida’s hazy future
Some of the Florida politicians are promoting the legalization of marijuana, not just for medical use. I guess they are trying to catch up with the West Coast. My, what a happy group of people we will have — just washing their worries away on a joint or a fresh-baked cookie. We have taken religion out of schools, removed statues, given everyone a ribbon in a race.
And next, Florida will become a “sanctuary state” where only crooks have firearms, and politicians and the general public will decide what laws they want to follow.
Ken Eaton, Palm Coast
The shape of talks
There is optimism arising from the “on again” talks with North Korea, and they do sound promising. However, I remember what happened in 1951, the first time we negotiated with North Korea, when I was in college. My father, who by then had over 10 years experience dealing with communist-dominated union negotiators, immediately reacted to the news by predicting that North Korea wouldn’t even agree to the shape of the table! He was right.
Not until 1953 did it come to terms on a cease fire — an armistice, but not a settlement. It wasn’t the actual issues that bogged things down in ‘51; rather it was the communist intransigence in negotiating, and there is a strong chance Kim Jong Un will follow the dilatory tactics of his ancestors. President Trump has a strong team on his side of the table, as well as realistic proposals, but the communists will doom a settlement unless “Little Rocket Man” has decided to abandon his country’s nuclear ambitions in favor of its starving populace, an unlikely prospect given his past performances.
I pray my fears are wrong, and President Trump succeeds in Singapore.
Chris Hoey, Palm Coast