Today, after five years of lively community conversations, the It’s Your Times site will be retired, but the passion, conviction and conversation continues. The new commenting tools available on tampabay.com make it easier than ever to share your views

What was all the fuss about? I saw a woman talking about a difficult pregnancy and her pride in her son.

Maybe the message was: Don't believe everything you hear from those feminists who want to censor this side of the debate.

Marguerite Harter, Seminole

So State Farm and other companies want another hike in their rates.

If I recall, military retirees and Social Security recipients did not get a raise this year, and probably won't get one next year. If we have to do with less, then the insurance companies, which can easily afford it, can muddle along with the rest of us.

About 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln described our government as one "of the people, by the people for the people." He added that it would not perish from the Earth.

Last week five activist judges on the Supreme Court — including the two George W. Bush appointees — decided that corporations should now be able to spend their operating funds directly in political campaigns. In a bizarre move, these five justices actually requested that the case be sent to them in such as way as to apply as broadly as possible.

Whenever we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday I wonder if the people celebrate remember that “Liberty and Justice for All” includes the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.  If one of us is not free none of us are truely free.

 

Reverend Robb Sanborn, South Pasadena

Why in world in 2010 is anyone sleeping on the ground? How hard can it be to come up with enough shelters so the homeless can come in at night and sleep without freezing or having acid thrown at them?

Bill  McClelland, Indian Rocks Beach

As the recent foiled act of terrorism suggests, America is unquestionably in the midst of a “real” war against religious fundamentalists who seek matyrdom through such acts.

We have red light cameras in Canada. They are designed to catch drivers blasting through intersections with disregard for the safety of others. I’ve never heard of cameras being used to catch people making rolling right turns on red lights. This is pure revenue generation for Florida cities that are short on revenue. Someone who runs a red light may cause death or serious injury.

Is water you drink out of the tap of your house safe or unsafe?

It may be killing you.

I can assure you that people that wander into the Clearwater BP store are dirtier than the dog; not to mention the natural bugs that thrive in Florida!  Why not agree to keep the dog off the counter! 

If there’s anyone out there who’s worried about Tiger Woods, don’t bother. When this current situation passes, his populararity rating will go through the roof, or in the least, remain where it was before.

I saw the story of Cody the Dog who was a professional greeter at the BP Station near Nursery Road in Clearwater.  The Department of Agriculture has told the store owner and Cody’s steward that he can no longer allow Cody to greet customers because it is a violation of the code.

You are correct in stating that this death should not be written off as a unfortunte accident - the mobile home park and any one responsible for inspection of safety issues there are partly at fault,  but you are missing one point. 

As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing to believe or disbelieve regarding Tiger Woods’ “transgressions” or any sports figure, for that matter. All human beings have weaknesses, also know as “foibles.”

The following was an interview conducted earlier today by syndicated radio and television journalist and investigative reporter, Amy Goodman, on her syndicated radio and television program, Democracy Now!  Forty years ago today, December 4, 2009, Chicago police murdered charismatic Chicago Black Panther Party leader, Fred Hampton, executing him at point blank range with 2 bullets in his head as he slept in his bed in Chicago. 

Michael Bloomberg and Thomas Kean would have us believe that if
the FBI had access to gun records it "could have been critical" in the
case of Maj. Nidal Hasan. The FBI was well aware of the multiple
communications with the radical cleric Anwar-al-Aulaqi and they
concluded that this was "for professional reasons." The only profession

First they tell us ERT (Estrogen Replacement Therapy) is a good thing -- good for our heart and our bones.  Then they say no, ERT could cause breast cancer if used for more than 5 years! 

I don't understand why they gripe about the homeless living various places and then turn around and let people camp outside stores for sometimes more than a week just to be first in line for
the Black Friday sales. This is not right.

I was coming back from Georgia and entering Florida and reading all the signs as I came into Florida. One that caught my attention was that “Florida enforces its traffic laws.” As I drove South on 75 at approx 70-75 mph I was passed by most vehicles, including trucks like I was standing still. I never saw anyone get pulled over. It is obvious that trucks for sure have a free pass.

I just don’t get it.  The recent avalanche of coverage for Palin’s book tour boggles my mind. The expression of “getting what you pay for” may be appropriate here as her book is selling for $5.00.  Not what I would call a literary sensation.  Beyond the hype, what has she really offered us?

When I was a young man in the '60s, I was incensed that women wanted the right to decide the fate of an unwanted fetus/pregnancy regardless of the father’s consent.

I don’t understand why you would call free lunches, free?

I  received my “Town hall by mail” questionnaire sent out by Congressman Bill Young. It came several days after he voted no on the health reform bill. I wondered why he had sent it, since it was too late to influence him. I also noticed that the return address was Washington D.C.

More and more Scientologists are recognizing and acknowledging that the leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige, has destroyed Scientology. In Scientology terms, David Miscavige is a textbook “Suppressive Person”.

Time to legalize casino gambling throughout the state lottery and generate billions of dollars and thousands of jobs for Florida. The Indian Casino in Tampa is a disgrace, and they continuie to rip off Floridians. 

I have criticized the St. Petersburg Times for what I believe to be bias in reporting or, in one recent case, missing the entire point of a story. Having said that I must now applaud the Times for a job well done on this three-part series on Scientology.

It's pretty simple...educate for lasting knowledge