Our readers share their opinions on a variety of topics

Vaccine mandates

Florida’s proposals to eliminate school vaccine mandates for children is driven by political forces that seek to frame public health protections as government overreach — despite public support and clear evidence that vaccination requirements save lives. The reality: School vaccine requirements already have built-in flexibility: both medical and religious exemptions are allowed. These efforts are part of a broader push by right-wing leaders to shrink government programs and shift benefits away from working families and the poor, funneling our tax dollars into cuts for the rich and corporations instead.

To illustrate the absurdity: Florida law requires rabies shots for pets to protect the community. If we demand this basic safeguard for dogs and cats, why not extend the same protection to children populating our schools?

Mandates aren’t just red tape — they protect Florida’s most vulnerable. Poorer families rely on school requirements as the critical trigger to get free vaccines, provided entirely through federal funding under the Vaccines for Children program. No Florida parent pays out of pocket for these shots, so removing mandates would primarily hurt those with fewer resources, widening health disparities and making children in lower-income communities far more susceptible to preventable outbreaks and school absences.

When politicians try to erase what works for ordinary families in favor of tax breaks for those at the top, we all pay the price — with sicker kids, overwhelmed hospitals, and the return of deadly diseases. Let’s not let ideology dismantle a crucial, federally funded health protection that costs families nothing and saves all Floridians billions.

Paul Howard, Naples

Why is he our president?

When is Congress going to get smart and stop catering to Trump's idiocy. Get that nut job out of the White House! He is so deranged, claiming to stop 7 wars. He hasn't stopped anything except progress in our beloved United States. I am so sick of all his lies which happen every time he opens that ignorant mouth of his. Instead of uniting our country, he is doing the opposite. He is an evil, spoiled baby. He can't stand when anyone disagrees with him so he sues them or insults them and cries like a little baby that he is being mistreated. Oh poor me! Why in the world is this delusional fool our president? He is the poorest excuse for a human being, let alone a president of the United States. He is making us a laughing stock everywhere.

Freedom of speech is for every human being, not just for Trump and his lackeys. I am so sick of everyone catering to his every whim. He grew up spoiled and was never punished for anything and he is still not being punished. We need to stop his insane recklessness before we no longer have a country. Congress, you need to stop the tariffs, negate every stupid policy Trump has changed, and make our country the democracy it has always been until this tyrant darkened our doors. Put him in prison once and for all.

Cheryl Marsh, Lehigh Acres

Suppressing opposing views

Historically, I believed we elected a president of the United States to command the armed forces, veto legislation, appoint federal judges and Cabinet members, and negotiate treaties. As I understand it, “these powers, derived from Article II of the Constitution, allow the president to enforce laws, shape national policy through executive orders, and act as the nation's chief diplomat. However, these powers are not absolute and are limited by the Constitution, the laws passed by Congress, and the requirement of Senate approval for certain appointments and treaties.” Being a good role model would be a bonus. But it appears that our president is spending much of his time trying to intimidate and suppress those with different points of view, suing universities, suing legitimate news outlets, pressuring executives to fire comedians that poke fun at him and generally trying to control what we hear, read and choose for entertainment. According to CNN on Friday, our current executive and chief is suggesting that the federal government could revoke the licenses of broadcast networks if they air negative coverage of him. I don't know about you, but I’d like to have the choice of more than one point of view and decide for myself.

Susan Kaercher Meyers, Naples

'Violent speech'

Florida’s AG wants reports of “violent speech” to be sent to his new portal. If yelling “fight like hell” and sending a mob to a government building in session doesn’t qualify… what does?

Tom Grier, Cape Coral

Israel and Gaza

If it walks like genocide and quacks like genocide, it's genocide.

Up front let me say I have nothing but respect for the Jewish people. As of 2023 214 individuals of Jewish ancestry have been awarded the Nobel Prize representing 22% of all recipients. Jewish people constitute 0.2% of the global population.

According to The Guardian 8/21/25, The Israeli military's own data indicates a civilian death rate of 83% in the Gaza war. Israel’s efforts to suppress and target journalists has failed. Journalists have made it clear to the world that Israel is responsible for an extremely high civilian death toll and is now using famine as a weapon. Israel is now progressing with a land grab. Sadly, Israel’s poorly prosecuted war against the terrorists is spawning the next generation of terrorists. According to the Council on Foreign relations 78% of the arms Israel imports come from the U.S. Between 1946 and 2024 Israel was the largest recipient of military aid from the U.S. The U.S. has repeatedly used its veto power in the UN Security Council to block resolutions that condemn or sanction Israel’s war crimes. I don’t believe what is going on in Gaza is representative of the Jewish people. Netanyahu is using his position as prime minister as a sanctuary to protect himself from criminal prosecution by the state of Israel… war serves Bibi. Uncle Sam is standing alone on the wrong side of history here and I don't want him to do it with my tax dollars. I don’t want Gaza blood on my hands.

Patrick Frawley, Naples

Tables have turned

How the worm has turned. The Democrats and their allies had the megaphone pretty much to themselves. When free speech from a conservative meant being cancelled, it meant lost jobs, lost programming, lost business, lost families, and lost voices. It was not necessary to push through the courts, defamation suits or other legal acrobatics, they just set out the guard dogs of the NYT, WAPO, LA Times, USA Today and other national newspapers, and when these did not reach the required response, they enlisted the likes of Whoopi and Joy, Colbert, Kimmel, Fallon, SNL, and flooded the air and internet with pressure upon advertisers, education, and a feeble White House. The Democrats were Cinderella at the ball.

Today, the Democrats cry foul. 

I have heard over and over that Democrats must stand up for their rights. They must have the freedom to say and do whatever they think. And it is the mean old MAGA people who are stifling our right to say whatever stupid things they want, to be able to label any Republican, claim racism and white privilege whenever they see fit.  Free speech rang the bell again when on election night, the clock struck midnight, the guard dogs became toothless, the media clings to tainted messages, and the fiercest leader the Republicans have had in years roars. 

Hey Cinderella, how does that shoe fit now?

Jack Holt, Cape Coral

Vision of the founders

When the Declaration of Independence was penned in 1776, the colonists voiced their grievances against King George III, a monarch who ruled with arrogance, disregarded the will of the people, and wielded power for his own gain. The words of Jefferson and the signers still ring true: unchecked authority leads not to liberty, but to tyranny.

Today, many of us see unsettling parallels in the leadership of former President Donald Trump. Like King George, he often placed personal ambition above the common good, dismissed institutions meant to hold leaders accountable, and fostered division rather than unity. The colonists knew that democracy could not flourish under such a ruler, and neither can ours.

The Declaration reminds us that government derives its power from the consent of the governed — not from one man’s ego or desire for control. The true patriot is not the one who demands loyalty to himself, but the one who calls us to protect freedom, justice, and the rule of law for all.

If we are to remain faithful to the vision of the founders, we must remember their warning: no leader, however popular or powerful, stands above the people or the principles of democracy.

Amos Franklin, Naples

Essence of Charlie Kirk

It is a shame that many journalists now prefer to be known as “provocateurs.” Most people associate provocateurs with manipulative or morally questionable behavior, implying bad intentions in a social sense. As a person of very advanced age, I still enjoy journalism that was and remains crafted from the edicts of Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. The September 22, 2025 News-Press article “Kirk was a top conservative provocateur” is using a headline to insinuate that Charlie Kirk was of questionable behavior.

The News-Press would have displayed its journalism chops if the headline was something along the line of “Kirk was an evangelist for Freedom of Speech, our Bill of Rights, The Constitution” and The Right to Life.” That headline would have captured the essence of who Charlie Kirk was and what TPUSA was and still is.

Ron Dudley, Fort Myers

A good American

The next great ideological conflict that will arise, I predict, in the United States will be the conflict among the Christian Right and the mainstream, so-to-speak, conservative who intentionally and respectfully keeps his faith from becoming just another bandwagon of yesterday’s holy-roller mentality.

Whether we realize it or not, our painting national and international events in terms of the Judeo-Christian conflict of good and evil, God and the Devil, Jesus and the salvation of mankind… well, that particular ideological interpretation of the reality of life here on earth to some extent lies in conflict with, ironically, the greater, universal good it has created, and in fact, a far more encompassing truth the Christian movement has brought to the world.

Jesus, I believe, at best was the best example of a man facing the complex realities of every man’s life – its turmoil and frustration, its hopes and dreams, its redemption and rebirth, its infusion with the spirit of creation and love – and its offering a solution, if not in the actions, words, and inevitable spoiling caused by two thousand years of evolving doctrine supported by sinners and their biases, often warped into intractable dogma… but in the simple message: “Be your brother’s keeper and find the kingdom of heaven is within you.”

Whether you believe in heaven or not, want to wear a little cross around your neck and speak so confidently of someone no one alive today ever met, that’s up to you; but I can assure you that you don’t have to be a card-carrying Christian to be a good American.

Ed McCoy, Bokeelia

Grateful for Charlie Kirk’s voice

While I grieve the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk, I wish to express my most sincere gratitude for his courage, kindness, and relentless pursuit to inspire the hearts and minds of my generation. Charlie spoke of how he wished to be remembered for his courage for his faith. In his honor, I know I will always remember him like the happy warrior he truly was for God. I pray for him, his family, and for this country, because we so desperately need to have faith that the future can be better, and that we have the power in ourselves to make America better. There were many, like myself, who lost hope, who lost faith in this country. Charlie helped bring our hope back in a way that can hardly be explained in one letter. He changed the future of our nation, all for the better, and his legacy will continue on with the next generation of faithful patriots enlightened by him.

There will never be another Charlie Kirk, but there will be millions of us who take his words with us wherever we go in this life. I thank God for Charlie’s voice; the one that made us think, the one who sought truth, and the one who worked to spread the good word. May his mark on history never be forgotten, and may we all work even harder to make our nation great, and faithful, again.

Nick Damarodis, Naples

Solution to Trump problem

I have advocated a solution to the Trump problem that, ultimately, results in his incarceration. As I don’t share his lust for vengeance, I would much prefer a less severe solution to the problem, outlined below.  It would certainly be better for our country. 

First and foremost, we must demand that his enabling party officials grow a pair, stop cowering in the corner and rein in this desperado! They should demand that he discontinue his divisive rhetoric, hate speech, trade wars, inhumanity, vengefulness, extortion of private law firms and universities, and unconstitutional executive orders. Additionally, they should demand that he show some respect for his office, the American people, the Constitution for which he swore to protect and uphold and the other countries that share our planet. 

Furthermore, he must stop the juvenile petty name-calling, profane speech, nastiness, and obnoxious self-promotion - he’s embarrassing himself and every American! Then, insist he stops with the, me, me, me, me, me! He was elected for us, us, us, us, us, us! Not for him, him, him, him, him!  Also, insist that he jettison the totally unqualified enablers he has appointed to his Cabinet and replace them with smart qualified individuals (from both parties) who can help him traverse the many momentous issues that he is totally unqualified to address.  Finally, insist that he be an advocate for and embrace bipartisanship.   

Of course, he would still be in a position to advance his platform however, in a less chaotic and more presidential-like manner.  He would certainly gain respect from the opposing party that would be more willing to confer and cooperate and less likely to obstruct.  In fact, our country would surely regain the lost respect of the entire world.  It’s also probable that the existing political gridlock would moderate to the benefit of all Americans.  And, a marvelous residual benefit would be the end of the TDS pandemic and the probability that lost friendships and family members would reconnect!

Unfortunately, this is unlikely to materialize because even if his enabling party members were to comply, the modus operandi of an aspiring dictator is to divide and conquer!  Well, I can dream, can’t I?!

Jay Custa, Estero

Left vs. Right

It is now obvious that the Left's attack on the Trump administration, blaming them for the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, was just another hoax. It is now obvious that the decision was made by Disney/ABC to suspend him, just like it was their decision to reinstate him. The fact that the Sinclair affiliates will still not broadcast Kimmel also proves the point. The Left was desperate to try to change the narrative from Kirk to Kimmel and the only way they could do it was by promoting another hoax. It actually worked a little bit, but they now have egg on their face, which is not surprising. It is also a classic example of when the Left accuses the Right of doing something, it is because they have actually done it. Google just testified that is exactly what the Biden administration did in pushing Google to censure speech that was not what the Biden administration accepted.

Ron Wobbeking, Naples

Trump's idiotic policies

People are wising up. Everyone can now see what is happening to our economy. Jobs are not available, wages are meager, and the cost of goods and services is up. We can see here the marked increase in the cost of dining out and food at the supermarket. These are all due to Trump's idiotic trade and deportation policies.

All those who watched Trump's speech read from a notepad at the Windsor dinner realize his mental state is deteriorating. He makes impulsive very poor decisions with his expanding gut rather than in consultation with experienced advisors. Unfortunately the hard line MAGAs are still in la la land and could still ruin this country. The way to get back to sanity is to elect Democrats to all levels of government. Trumpers out!

Benjamin Glick, Naples

Trump haters

 So many uninformed TDS victims all hopped up on hate! It’s sad really, to read how much misinformation and unjustified hostility they hold in their hearts for our president of the United States. Donald Trump is a historically effective and consequential president yet receives NO respect from poorly informed Democrats. His agenda helps all citizens!

The leftists have some kind of hideous obsession with the absolutely inane and equally childish insult of calling our president “Hitler.” Any vapid hater who would stoop to that level is totally ignorant of the unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust and should be ashamed of themselves!

Hand-wringing and hyperventilating Democrats also like to conjure up all kinds of conspiracy theories about the so-called Epstein files. Trump is hiding them! Right? Anyone who spouts that lie is short on facts. Joe Biden’s clown car administration had full possession of all those files for four years! If there was anything in there to tie Donald Trump to pedophilia, boastful Biden would have cut his nap short to stammer it aloud himself to a fawning press corps on his inauguration day!

Haters say DJT causes “chaos and destruction” but never say how or where. Recently a hater desperately tried to sully President Trump by blaming the Afghanistan debacle on him because it was he who negotiated the terms of the withdrawal! Huh? He was gone by then! Only someone so ideologically irrational as to actually support Joe Biden could conceive of such an illogical lie. Disrespected and marginalized by “too cool for school” Barry for eight years, in a failed attempt to appear competent, for once, it was the spiteful and weak-minded career politician “Bad Day” Biden who ignored the advice of Pentagon generals and ordered a rushed and poorly planned evacuation on 08/26/21, well before the date scheduled by former president Trump. Biden’s selfishness caused at least 182 tragic deaths, including those of 13 young U.S. military personnel needlessly sacrificed at the altar of Biden’s vanity! As desperate Afghan allies horrifically fell off the outside of the departing jet, also left behind were large numbers of allies, journalists, and billions of dollars of munitions and military equipment later to be used against our own troops! How incompetent is that? Now, there’s some actual chaos and destruction. And deaths as well! 

 But it gets worse! Three days later at the Dignified Transfer of the fallen soldiers, where he was later criticized for repeatedly checking his watch, B.S. Biden actually lied to Cheryl Rex, grieving mother of 20 year old Lance Corporal Dylan Merola when he whispered to her, “My son was sent home in a flag draped coffin too.” This, while she full well knew Beau had died of a brain tumor in 2015 at Walter Reed Hospital. (K.Fung Newsweek 08/07/23).

Tom Perkins, Fort Myers

Spam calls

The other day I got a spam risk call that started out with a gentleman with an East Indian accent saying something which I couldn't understand. I replied "I'm sorry" when the call was immediately transferred to a recording with an American accent. The new gentleman then told me he wanted me to donate money because so many police officers were being shot in the line of duty. He asked me if I was willing to give $50 for this worthwhile cause. I didn't hear him identify himself or any organization, so I said "no." He then said "what about $35 or even $25." 

Now I realize that ligitimate police organizations ask for donations over the phone which is up to the public to decide on their response or donations.  This one was different and came across my phone as spam risk so I said "no" immediately. He also said this was a non-tax deductible donation. I ask everyone to be wary of all calls asking money over the phone. Be very, very careful. 

John Mark Simon, Cape Coral

Tone down rhetoric

Charlie Kirk is a warning to politicians, pundits and influencers who are chasing highs: the highs of views, the highs of likes, the highs of followers and the highs of $$$. How many more attacks do they need before they realize that they are the ones raising the temperature? 

Video games and social media have created a new menace which encourages participants to hype their accomplishments. Mass shooters once thought that school shootings provided notoriety, but with the Kirk publicity, politicians and influencers are now the targets of shooters.  If Tyler Robinson turns out to be a shooter radicalised through online gaming, he is not alone. Shootings at Christchurch, Halle, Bærum , and the U.S. cities of Buffalo, El Paso and Poway were all carried out by radicalised young men who embraced online conspiracies and violent video games.  In each of these cases, the shooter sought to live stream the happenings, imitating a first-person shooter game.  

If they really want to bring the temperature down and end this age of political violence, then politicians, pundits and influencers need to tone down their rhetoric. If society wants to bring down the temperature, it needs to tone down social media.  

Joe Haack, Naples

Democrats' hypocrisy

The hypocrisy displayed by the leftist Democrats is demonstrably absurd. During the Biden administration, many news outlets, both print and online, were commanded to go after Trump, cancel his Twitter account and told Meta what to say and what not to allow. If that isn’t controlling free speech I don’t know what is.

Yet the uproar over the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel is aimed at Trump. Kimmel was suspended because his ratings were poor. Less than 1.5 million viewers out a population of more than 250 million people over the age of 18. The left says he is limited free speech and violating the 1st Amendment. Popycock. The Leftist Democrats would condemn Trump if he saved a baby from a house fire, or jumped into the ocean to save someone drowning.

The left lost the 2024 election because they offered a do nothing and accomplished nothing candidate, VP Kamala Harris. Teamed with a self-proclaimed knucklehead, Tim Walz, the Dems had no chance. The American people spoke and yet the likes of Schumer, Jeffries, Warren etc would never think of compromise to make our country stronger. The trillions of business that Trump has brought to the U.S. is never mentioned by them. The good he has done is by these leftists never a positive. As long as the Democrats refuse to negotiate with him and as long as they call him Hitler, fascist etc, they will remain a second rate political party. Trump is certainly a man with few filters but he never encourages the hatred that the Dems do.

Michael Zubrow, Naples