Sounding off on Scott Maxwell

Our readers air a cornucopia of complaints about texting and driving, lawmakers’ apathy, grammar and Scott Maxwell’s &@#! column. (Oh, and there’s a little bit of praise, too.)

Dear Fake News perpetrator, you are obviously part of the problem. So your article should be discarded and used as toilet paper. Scott L.

Scott, if you’re using my column as toilet paper, I hope you’re not a digital subscriber.

Thanks for your insightful column about Florida’s lack of legislation to reduce texting while driving. I do not understand why it is not already in place. Your column motivated me to contact my legislator. Thomas

Thomas, you are not alone in your bewilderment. Reader response to this issue probably ran 20-1 in favor of Florida joining the other 42 states that already ban texting as a primary driving offense. Thanks for caring enough to speak up. Now we’ll see if legislators listen to anything other than PAC contributions.

The Legislature won’t act until a legislator or one of their children is killed by a driver who is texting. Charlie

Charlie, we have unfortunately seen that before — lawmakers championing an issue only when they are personally affected. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that here. Scott, I loved your article in today’s Sentinel [“With medical marijuana, legislators ignore

voters’ will … again”]. I would love to see you run for office in our legislature — hopefully in my

district. Dana, ZIP code 32803 Well, Dana, I share your ZIP code — but not your interest in my candidacy. I believe the Fourth Estate needs a few folks to stick around and keep on shining lights. Plus, I loathe the Legislature … which, I think, means I’d have to loathe myself. Your rag sucks donkey **** . L.S. Hey, L.S. loathes me already! Read your column today [“Crying wolf? With cuts, Visit Florida predicts tourism apocalypse”] and it made me laugh. To think the Florida Tourism needs that much welfare. Still makes me wonder why Tally went after it. Ed

Because tourism execs asked, Ed. And they flanked their request with lots of campaign donations.

When you take a break, I always get withdrawal symptoms from missing your column. Bunny Aw, Bunny, that warms my heart. I hope you get fired, you ridiculous slob. Holly

And suddenly it chills again.

Thanks Scott, for the helpful idea you gave some time ago about checking out new homeowners insurance policies when you see your premiums going up and up. I did just that and saved big time. Great advice. Kathy

You bet, Kathy. And it’s worth stressing again. With any insurance policy, check your options every year or two. Blindly paying rate increases without shopping around is ceding your power as a consumer. Something weird must be happening to me, because I have

found myself agreeing with you twice in the last week or so. Time to call a shrink? Yvonne No, time to re-subscribe!

Scott, I saw your column on the new law to allow challenging and banning of books in schools and agree 100 percent. As a former school principal for 23 years, we had a system in place to respond to requests to have books removed from the shelves. I had a grand total of ONE request in all of that time, and the parent was satisfied with our response. This bill just allows outside groups to get their foot in the door with agendas they already have ready to roll out. Steve

Steve, I believe this was one of the most nefarious and under-covered bills this session. It encourages outside groups to try to

ban books at schools where they don’t even have kids — but exempts publicly funded charter and voucher schools. It’s a hypocritical bill that simply wants to stir up trouble. And it probably will.

Thanks for raising the alarm about the way this state treats teachers [“With teachers fleeing, Florida

must start listening”]. My wife lasted three years in the Florida school system … with its continuous vilification of teachers. Now she is flourishing in her teaching role in Nova Scotia and is far more fulfilled in her career. Derek

Sounds like Florida’s loss was Nova Scotia’s gain.

As longtime readers of your columns, and as experts in language, my wife and I see no reason for you to have any concern about nitpickers who comment on your style. [“Sorry, my grammar ain’t always quite write”] I write as the

author of a textbook on grammar. Gerald Thanks, Gerald. Me feels vindicated.

I cringe when I hear Trump slaughter the English language … and you’re worried? Dan Bigly, Dan.

I share the same fear. I’m 24 and have a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. But I had always wanted to be a journalist. I love writing; I even took a journalism course in college. But I never pursued it. And it was all out of fear of grammarians. Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn, I got a lot of notes today — but I think yours made me the saddest. Writing is such a crucial part of society. And it can be incredibly fulfilling. Scott Maxwell is a piece of **** . Shane OK, so some days it’s more fulfilling than others.