Once again, I posted an appropriate comment on Tampa Bay Online, tbo.com, and once again, the site staff removed it, after which they also inappropriately removed a comment posted by Josephine Cicchini of Leap For Patient Safety, www.leapforpatientsafety.org.

This is the second petition I have posted on this issue. I posted this one, as well:

http://www.change.org/actions/view/florida_media_only_want_freedom_of_speech_for_themselves

after the Sarasota Herald-Tribune refused to post my comment, as well, which Diane McFarlin completely ignored--typical!

There are those of us in this country who are still American and respect citizens' First Amendment rights to Freedom of Speech. "Big Media" has become nothing more than a political propaganda machine, denying a voice to American citizenry.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let's take back our country and speak out against these corporate thugs...and don't count on your so-called "elected representatives" to do it for you. They do NOTHING for their constituents and make deals based on political favors to satisfy only their own personal desires and ambitions!

Below is the comment tbo.com removed. As you can see, there is nothing inappropriate about my comment, nor was there anything inappropriate about Josephine Cicchini's comment either.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/19/highest-paid-public-workers-are-doctors-usf/#comments

First of all, patients need appropriate medical care provided by respectful and professional, as well as skillful, providers. Valets to park patient vehicles is not an incentive to sick patients, nor should it be. I doubt seriously if an ill patient ever chose a healthcare provider based on whether or not there are valets to park patient vehicles. If it's supposed to make us feel better while a healthcare corporation bilks billions of dollars from taxpayers, it doesn't...and many of us don't let valets drive our cars anyway. You can be sure, however, that those valets are not paid a livable wage, and be assured, as well, that under NO circumstances WHATSOEVER should any public employee receive such an obscene amount of money at taxpayer expense. There are better uses for taxpayer dollars than to line the pockets of public employees. Such  practice, however, goes along with the current trend among politicians these days, which is to perform political favors for the university at which the politician wishes to be handed an administrative position on a silver platter after he/she tires of pretending to be a public servant...and as far as USF Physicians Group goes, they're not all they're cracked up to be either...good for those of you who've had acceptable experiences there, but such is not the case with everyone. As is unfortunately the case with most large healthcare facilities these days, they have their fair share of rude, inappropriate, and downright nasty employees, as well as a particular female physician who misdiagnosed me and gave me incorrect medical information, and as well, a good friend of mine who used to work there, who is a very caring, compassionate human being, was treated horribly there by other female employees. Unfortunately, there are many people working in healthcare, who have no business being there, as they lack qualities such as kindness, sensitivity, and basic humanitarianism. "Making the big bucks" should NOT be an incentive to working in the medical profession. Healing the sick should be the only motivation. "Making the big bucks" should not be an incentive to become a public servant. Making society a better, more just place for all citizens should be the only motivation. Capitalism is for making widgets, for building a better mousetrap, not for healing the sick and making society a better place.

Carol Tucker, MA
Court Reform-NOW
http://www.change.org/actions/view/tell_pres_obama_gov_crist_cap_fl_higher_ed_administrator_salaries
http://www.change.org/actions/view/no_free_rides_for_politicians