Thursday, October 1, 2009

Dick Chiroff's kindness to be long remembered

I was saddened recently to learn of the passing of Dr. Richard Chiroff. Dick and I were involved with AIDS Help Inc., during the high mortality years of the 1990s. Both Dick and his wife, Sally, were longtime volunteers active in delivering meals to homebound clients, supplementary caregiving, volunteer training and the "buddy" program of that time.

Later, Dick became an AIDS Help board member and was the vice president for some years before moving to Maryland in 2005. During his tenure on the board, Dick continued his volunteer activities, finding time also for he and Sally to become involved with the St. Mary's homeless feeding program, as well as being longtime parishioners at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, where again Dick served on that church's vestry board.

Dick truly believed that people have a duty to help the less fortunate and applied this belief to all aspects of his everyday life. He modestly went about his volunteer work humbly and quietly without any thought of recognition, mixing kindness with good old-fashioned common sense. He could always be counted upon to rise to the occasion at a moment's notice.

My thoughts and condolences go out to Sally, who has lost a loving and faithful spouse of many years. Key West is also most fortunate to have had the benefit of this modest and unassuming man who touched so many lives with his kindness and compassion.

Adrian G. Davies

Toronto, Canada

Where were the critics of Corps' regulations?

It appeared that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spared no expense at their annual dog and pony show held at the Hilton hotel in Dania on Sept. 24. The show's audience was primarily made up of government workers having a day off from the normal rigors of their coffee shop routines and a sprinkling of environmental consultants. One of the lead ... consultants at this function was none other than the renowned Sandra Walters of Key West. ... Mrs. Walter's praises of the Corps was so intense it was bordering on ad nauseam. There was no mention by Mrs. Walters, or anyone else, of the Corps foot-dragging on any wastewater projects, inflated mitigation fees or their abusive attitudes.

As usual, many of the people that have been whining to me about the abusive behavior of the Corps' Miami office were nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, when this occurs, it further empowers the abusers at the Corps' office in Miami to continue their abuse. I did my part, as usual, to note some of their abuses, but was clearly drowned out by the warm and fuzzy comments from the consultants who are tickled pink about how the Corps' regulations have created an ever-increasing nebulous web of paperwork that most property owners cannot navigate through and are finding too costly to proceed. C'est la vie.

Salvador Gutierrez Jr.

Key Largo

Patriotism police just rationalize stupid wars

Wow. I write a letter questioning the sense of getting upset over flag etiquette and get accused of everything from fine art to bad punditry. I'm so touched, I want to do it again.

When it comes to ceremonial displays that don't really matter, St. Paul said, "Let the strong bear with the scruples of the weak." This means flags should be at half-mast on 9/11.

Can we also half-mast it on Labor Day? Most of the freedoms we take for granted -- like minimum wage, eight-hour workdays and child labor laws -- were not earned by soldiers overseas. They were earned by workers fighting Wall Street. Our TVs don't tell us to honor these heroes, so we don't. We should change that.

I am bothered by those with 9/11 flag fetishes because I believe they hide their true intentions. When they say remember the 9/11 victims and fallen soldiers, what they really mean is support the next stupid war. They scream, 9/12! They mean forget all the disasters the 9/12 mentality caused. The national debt tripled. The economy collapsed. Hundreds of thousands died needlessly. All so we could install friendlier dictatorships in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will be much like the corrupt Saudi royalty we supported causing 9/11 to begin with. Bin Laden is a Saudi, and so were 15 out of 19 of the hijackers.

I cringe at the patriotism police. Asking us to remember only one day is to condemn us to learning nothing from over 50 years of mistakes. Going green is indeed a much more practical, appropriate and patriotic tribute to the victims of the past eight years than knee-jerk flag worship. It actually helps and takes some sacrifice.

That was exactly the point of my much-commented upon previous letter. Thanks to those who commented, giving me an excuse to say so again.

David Leto Jr.

Key West