How could a mostly decent, caring, tolerant people elect someone so unlike ourselves — twice?
The answer is that we’re a Jekyll-and-Hyde population. We chose a pious Carter and a vulgar Nixon. We chose an intelligent, wide-seeing Obama and an equally ignorant, narrow-visioned Trump. We elect those who reflect who we are at the time.
We are, at the moment, more of a self-centered and transactional people, and we chose a leader of similar disposition.
“What’s in it for me?” We’re angry that our lives are not better. So it takes a Herculean effort to base our vote on seemingly theoretical considerations like survival of democracy rather than personal frustrations. We’re way past “country over party” — it’s now country over me. A very tough sell indeed.
May we soon rise above ourselves once again to elect, at all levels, those who mirror the best in us.
Trump had one thing right on Jan. 6: “If you don’t fight like hell, you won’t have a country anymore.”
Sometimes, we even have to fight ourselves.
Jeff Kleiman, Boynton Beach
A cultural milestone
The introduction of an autistic Barbie doll has sparked a national conversation about representation, inclusion and how society understands autism (I am autistic).
Such cultural moments matter, because they influence how children see themselves and how the public perceives differences, often long before policy or education catches up.
Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach
Shutting down A1A
This happens once or twice a year. It may not seem that important, but I think it is.
State Road A1A is closed for about a mile in Fort Lauderdale, from south of Oakland Park Boulevard toward Commercial. (It was for the Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon, Half-Marathon and 6K on Sunday, Feb. 15.)
Traffic is shut down, so drivers can’t function. What beomes dangerous is the frustration of those trying to get out of there, to no avail. Police try to keep traffic moving, which is impossible. You can see the frustration on their faces.
One of those stuck in gridlock, driving an SUV-type truck, floored his vehicle and flew out of his place in line and made a left turn. I could easily imagine him losing control and ending very badly. I ask the mayor and city commissioners to consider ending this craziness for the sake of some joggers having fun on a Sunday morning.
Richard Schuster, Fort Lauderdale
Snakes alive, Sun Sentinel!
Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologists capture three 17-foot,140-pound female pythons during the 2024-2025 breeding season. From left to right, Ian Easterling, Ian Bartoszek, Jason Edelkind. (Courtesy Conservancy of Southwest Florida)
The Sssssun Ssssentinel must stop terrorizing the good people of Florida!
I know the paper receives complaints of political bias, but I’m here to address a far more troubling pattern: Your snake bias.
Nearly every week it seems, the paper features a photo of someone proudly holding, wrangling, wrestling or draping themselves in a python. I know invasive pythons are a real issue here, and the paper just carried a perfectly lovely story about Ron Magill retiring from Zoo Miami. But did we really need the giant snake glamour shot?
My wife is absolutely terrified of snakes, and she’s in good company: More than 50% of Americans have a fear of snakes and some have a debilitating phobia.
My mornings have now turned into a covert tactical operation. I sprint to retrieve the paper before she sees it, scissors in hand, ready to perform emergency reptile removal. I have become Florida’s least glamorous snake hunter, clipping photos instead of capturing pythons.
So while others debate political slants, I humbly request a different kind of balance, to consider those with snake phobias. Think of the ophidiophobes!
I. Scott Singerman, Delray Beach
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/02/21/lets-rise-above-ourselves-for-once-letters-to-the-editor/
