Letters to the Editor: Excuses for people who break the law in Sebastian

Letters to the Editor for Thursday, June 9, 2022.

Thank You

I just wanted to say thank you for your article about people blaming everybody but the people that are doing the things they want without consideration for others.

Again, thank you for the great article. I love my Sebastian Daily. 

Frederick Simberlund
Sebastian

Thank You For This Article!

I completely agree with your sentiments. My husband and I are relatively new to the area, and we have only walked to Riverside Park once after eating at Portside Pub around an hour before dusk. 

We walked into Riverview Park and observed a homeless man setting up a tent near the restrooms. We then walked towards the splash pad, which was full of kids and their families, plus another homeless man showering in the splash pad while kids were playing. It was the creepiest thing ever! 

Needless to say, we haven’t been back to that park since. 

Jodi Lemaster
Micco

People Should Report Issues

People should report quality of life issues to the Police, and they can investigate to see if any laws were broken. Conduct like the aforementioned reflects the standards that our legislators have placed into law. 

Children are observing what takes place around them, and I’m sure that the majority of people wouldn’t want their children or grandchildren to witness this type of public behavior. 

Keep Sebastian from becoming the places that are seeing crime becoming out of control because of the lack of support for our police officers and deputies. 

Indian River County and Sebastian have the lowest crime rates in the state. Let’s keep it that way. 

Lieutenant NYPD retired, and I am proud to be a Sebastian resident full time for 20 years. 

Jeffrey Kracht
Sebastian

Lighten Up People

I am the “resident who complained about people calling the police” you referenced in your article.

And yes, I remain in my position that people should really mind their own business sometimes. Violent crime? By all means, call 911. Robbery, property crimes? By all means, call 911. 

For one… the “crimes” mentioned happen every day in regular society and have changed in severity over the years.

Weed used to get you 20 years. Now it is legal. Drug addiction? A crime? Worthy of calling the Police about? Seriously? I do not see the same people calling the Police over their neighbors that are drunk over the Memorial day weekend or regularly popping opioids and pills in the comfort of their own homes. When the Police arrive, someone is going to jail, or worse, getting a beating, shot, or tased.

One commenter said they did not care about drug use in the comfort of one’s home. Well, some drug users do not have homes, which begs the question: are they concerned about the actual “crime” of drug use? Or are they just irritated that it happened in front of them, when they would never consider calling the Police on their neighbor? \

Same crime no? Same degradation of “community standards” no? Would they call the Police over the homeless guy sleeping off his booze in the park? Probably not. They would step around him and go about their day. 

Still a crime… but a crime that no one cares about.

Another commenter said, “that guy could go nuts and start shooting,” which is ridiculous. For one, the homeless guy does not have a gun. The vast majority of assault rifles in the USA are owned by white men. And again, is that ANY different than your pill-popping neighbor loading up on Oxycodone and then getting in their car to go shopping? Who is the greater risk to society?

Sex on the pier? “What if my kid saw that?”

If your kid is under two years old, they have already seen naked woman’s breasts and will grow up unaffected. 

If they are 6-10 years old, they have no idea what is going on anyway and thus cannot be offended or damaged. They will grow up unaffected.

If your kid is 13-15 years old, they are already watching porn online – which by the way, is legal and arguably doing damage to them, but I am sure “your child” is not doing that, right?

Is it really traumatic for a child to see a sexual act, whereas it is totally uneventful or normal for a child to have to practice active shooter drills in elementary school? Are you so incapable as a parent that you cannot deal with’ sex’ as an issue when you and your child are confronted with it?

“Crime” is a subjective bar that regularly moves as society grows. Leave well enough alone. Too many police events have ended in the murder and death, the ruination of lives and the cycle of injustice that comes with our prison/justice system. Your “crimes” are hardly anything to be concerned about, certainly not to the level of calling law enforcement.

Do you call 911 when the car passes you on US1, going 15 MPH over the limit? No, you do not, but it is a CRIME. Pot, meet kettle, and yes, I am absolutely pointing out the hypocrisy and the paradox.

Lighten up, people. Life is too short to be a bunch of whiners. You are destroying people’s lives when you could in fact, just say to that guy, “Hey – knock it off!” and go about your day. Then, your kid would get the same message and the same life lesson.

J David Hayes (TK)
Sebastian