Letters: Pelican Island Audubon Society Allegedly Supports Convicted Criminals

Letters to the Editor for June 22, 2021.

Pelican Island Audubon Society

Just a thought…

Why would a local non-profit such as the Pelican Island Audubon Society support a convicted criminal? The non-profit needs the financial support from our community. What if every supporter of the Sebastian Recall, who supports the Society, ceased contributing to the non-profit’s cause? 

The Pelican Island Audubon Society is publicly announcing its support of Pamela Parris, who has been found guilty of a crime. They are requesting a slap on the wrist for Parris and her intentional criminal deeds. If I were a supporter of the Society, I would not be supporting it in the future. 

Look, I’m over it with hearing her and others state just how great she is because some of her friends persuaded her to run for city council. We know that her decision to run for city council had nothing to do with protecting anything but the interests of the Sebastian Property Owners Association (SPOA). Running for City Council was only part of the plan to boost Damien Gilliams.  

Parris’ criminal actions have cost every citizen of Sebastian tax dollars. In essence, her actions damn well cost the Pelican Island Audubon Society as well. People will not be filling out donation checks to support a non-profit that not only supports criminals but requests a presiding judge to be lenient in regards to her sentencing. 

She committed a crime that injured thousands of citizens. And since when can any criminal defendant cite “I did not know the law, I’m new” work in a court of law? Perhaps she thought that the catch-all phrase for SPOA, “All the cool kids are doing it” made her feel like a kid and could get away with her intentional criminal acts. 

Sebastian got sued because of her actions. Sebastian citizens held a recall election and made history like no other place in the USA had established a recall committee; citizens volunteered to right a wrong. 

No judge can right her wrong by being lenient. It sends the wrong message. We are a country that utilizes a punishment system as a form of deterrent. A slap on the wrist will send a clear and concise message, do the crime and NOT serve the time. 

The charges should reflect one count of each violation of the law to be asserted for each and every citizen in our city. Her crime harmed every citizen of Sebastian. So let’s see how the court will value the interests of every Sebastian citizen by adding one count to each crime to reflect the number of the victims that her criminal behavior affected. That equates to some 26,000 victims. 

A criminal court system that is based upon facts and consequences is the only deterrent we have to decrease the number of victims harmed within our community. If you commit a crime, you will serve the time. There is no room for leniency. 

Julie Sharkey-Villars 
Sebastian

Parris/Pelican Island Audubon Society

I am horrified that The Pelican Island Audubon Society has the opinion that interest in the environment is an excuse for breaking the law.

I want clean water, so is it acceptable for me to steal a few jugs of purified water from the grocery store?

I’m concerned about beach erosion, so may I steal a few bags of sand from Home Depot and spread it at the beach?

I don’t condone widespread use of pesticides, so perhaps I should visit local stores’ gardening departments and stick a knife into every bottle of pesticides?

Many members of The Pelican Island Audubon Society don’t even live or vote in Sebastian, have never attended a City Council meeting to watch Parris snooze through the agenda, and believe the Gilliams/Parris lies over the truth. 

Pelican Island Audubon Society president Richard Baker is sadly misinformed and should not speak for his group.

Cindy Geesey
Sebastian