While law enforcement officials and even many in his own party in Washington and elsewhere were calling the Orlando shootings an act of terrorism, loopy Florida 8th Congressional District Congressman Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, immediately jumped in front of TV cameras and called the attack a “hate crime” because the shooting happened at a gay club.Grayson made the statement with no evidence to back it up and before authorities had a chance to investigate.
“It’s no coincidence the attack took place where it did and when it did,” he said. This is another reason why Floridians should not embarrass themselves and cast a vote for this out-of-touch and dangerous nutcase, who is running for Senator Marco Rubio’s U.S. Senate seat.
This loon and Jacksonville’s 4th Congressional District’s Corrine Brown (D-FL) are the Laurel & Hardy of Florida politics shinning a national spotlight of shame and embarrassment on the state and are perfect examples of the elected officials that Donald Trump is talking about when he says: “They don’t have a clue.”
And as for those delusional politicians that think stricter gun laws would help prevent Islamic terrorist slaughters of this nature in the future, then why did France suffer 130 casualties since that country has some of the strictest gun laws in the world and the Muslim savages there used fully automatic weapons rather than semi-automatics. In the tragedy of 9/11 that resulted in more than 3,000 deaths as well as the Boston Marathon bombing not a single gun was involved. These are not gun rights issues. They are acts of war.
It’s time to clean out of the current den of worthless do-nothing, corrupt, politically correct and incompetent politicians of both parties in Washington, declare war on Islamic terrorism and destroy those Muslim terrorists before they kill any more of us, no matter what the current inept occupant of the White House and his lackeys say or think.
Obama won’t even acknowledge the enemy, even refusing to call the radical Islamic savages by their name. In order to defeat an enemy you have to identify them. Franklin Roosevelt and his fellow Democrats didn’t refer to the Germans and Japanese as “violent extremists” as Obama calls the Muslim murderers. He called them Japanese and Germans. Obama is angry alright but at the wrong people spouting off at Donald Trump and American gun owners or any others that disagree with his twisted thinking.
As New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin said “As The iconic redeemer who promised hope and change never seemed so small and hopeless. America saw Barack Obama at low tide yesterday (6-14-2016), revealed as brimming with fury and bankrupt of ideas and even sympathy for the dead. The man who had an answer for everything and a solution to nothing is now also out of excuses.”
“And,” asks Goodwin, “why are the moderate American Muslims Obama is always defending almost all silent in the face of unspeakable horrors committed in the name of their religion. Obama’s only passion is reserved for criticism of Americans who don’t see things his way.”
Not only did this oblivious President use the Orlando tragedy to emphasize gun control but he even suggested that Americans should be more tolerant of the LGBT community, when it is the Muslim religion and its Sharia Law that dictates these folks should be put to death. And Hillary just nods her empty bobble-head in agreement. Their weakness, inane comments and inaction only encourage more terrorist attacks against all Americans. We should be very afraid.
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Speaking of Lousy Politicians: So far people officially filing to run for Ocean Highway and Port Authority District 1, are former Fernandina Beach City Commissioner Pat Gass; former candidate for Fernandina Beach City Commission Ed Coop; Bob Sturgess; and fired Fernandina Beach Marina Manager and former far left News-Leader ranter Coleman (The Goldfish) Langshaw, a chronic whiner who used his News-Leader space to cry sour grapes over his dismissal as marina manager and criticize those who successfully succeeded him. District 2 candidates are: Danny Fullwood (incumbent) and Jimmy Dubberly, both Republicans. Despite the fact that having the loopy Langshaw as an elected official would provide great blog copy, it would create such havoc and chaos for the Port Authority District that a vote for this loser would be like poking your neighbors in the eye with a sharp stick. And Pat Gass? Didn’t we have enough of her and the imaginary friends that reside in her head when she served one very bizarre term on the Fernandina Beach City Commission? For me it’s either Coop or Sturgess. I’m not sure about District 2 yet. More on this as the election nears.
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Sideline Bimbo Alert: While watching the NCAA Super Regional baseball tournament between Florida State and Florida this week I was annoyed that the games were constantly interrupted by a mindless woman who was provided an ESPN microphone and popped up every three or four innings to interview some poor unsuspecting spectator or coach and pepper them with asinine questions, most unrelated to the game. This giggling, grinning Erin Andrews wannabe babbled on and on while the game was still in progress and at one point managed to trap FSU Head Football Coach Jimbo Fisher in the stands and ask him such earth shaking game interrupting questions as “What kind of advice do you give FSU Baseball Coach Mike Martin and does he offer you advice for your team?” My already high admiration for Fisher increased even further as he not only tolerated this twaddle but did it with a smile. Just what exactly does the network think it is accomplishing with this kind of senseless nonsense besides annoying its viewers? If I’m missing something here please tell me what.
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Things I Don’t Understand: Flipping through a local magazine the other day I decided to read the ads to see how persuasive they were in convincing readers like me to take an interest in the services and products being offered.
First of all to get my interest I obviously need to be able to actually read the ad, and if I can’t the company has wasted its money as the worst ads, in my opinion, were those that place small white typeface over a light blue background because no matter how much I squinted it was impossible to decipher. One ad like that featured a photo of a woman and a horse on the beach and the name of the company and its other locations, but I have no idea what they are selling as I couldn’t read the list of products or services.
Another ad I found confusing was by a firm that apparently loans money because it said it was a lender, but it doesn’t appear to be a bank or a credit union and there was nobody listed named Guido. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but I suppose I could call one of the 10 people whose tiny mug shots, titles, email addresses and phone numbers were featured to find out. But who do I select? The prettiest gal, the guy with the beard, the older looking fellow or the guy with the tie? No interest rates, terms, conditions, or amounts were mentioned.
The copy for a full-page, four-color ad for a home builder could just as well have been for beer, used cars, aluminum siding or corned beef hash since the copy was nothing more than a litany of meaningless blah, blah that included the following: “With a set of Core Values that includes respect, integrity, quality, heart, and a personal commitment to set customer satisfaction above all else. They are rethinking the status quo and setting high goals with their team to go above and beyond….” There is nothing there that would make me rush out and have them build me a house. As a cure for insomnia it might work, but otherwise the copy, which also contained an astounding 18 typos, was totally meaningless blather, and if the home builder got one call, it was probably from someone at the magazine trying to sell them another ad next month after promising to fix the typos.
The ads for restaurants tried to get too clever and flowery leaving out the most important element: what’s on the menu. However, the ads that jumped out at me and explained without wasting words what they do, were the ones for boat and jet ski rentals and local cruises.
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The Greatest? The late Muhammad Ali (aka Cassius Clay) proclaimed himself “The Greatest” so often the name stuck with sports writers and others, but in my book he is far from being “great” at anything but boxing and even in that he wasn’t number one. Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson hold that distinction.
I had just ended my military duty as the Vietnam War was quickly escalating and Ali, who was drafted, decided that he didn’t “have a quarrel with those Viet Cong” and refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army. He became a draft dodger and in my book the greatest draft dodger and obnoxious loud mouth in America.
The title “The Greatest” belongs to athletes like Ted Williams, the best hitter ever in baseball, who flew combat missions in both World War II and Korea; Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, the best left handed pitcher ever, who fought in World War II’s Battle of the Bulge and received a Purple Heart for his wounds; Yogi Berra, who served as a U.S. Navy gunner’s mate during the World War II Normandy invasion; the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Rocky Bleier who, following his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1968, was drafted and wounded by a sniper and grenade shrapnel in Vietnam but recovered and played in two Super Bowls; Bob Kalso, who was an eighth round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills from the University of Oklahoma, and started every game of his rookie season. He was killed in Vietnam in 1970 when his unit came under heavy mortar fire; Legendary Dallas Cowboy Coach Tom Landry who served in the Army Air Forces during World War II and co-piloted B-17 Flying Fortress Bombers on more than 30 combat missions – and even walked away from a crash landing after his plane ran out of fuel; Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, who In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, gave up a career that was netting him millions of dollars to join the Army Rangers and was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan; Joe Louis, who was the greatest boxer who ever lived, donated the purses from two fights — nearly $100,000 — to the Army and Navy relief societies in 1942 and the joined the Army later that year. He would embark upon a schedule of staging 96 boxing exhibitions during nearly four years of service but if they had handed him a machine gun he would have gladly performed that duty too said his son Joe Louis Barrow Jr. If he had been inducted Ali would not have been sent into combat, but more than likely been assigned to a special services organization like Louis.
Louis and the other athletes mentioned above were the greatest and members of the Greatest Generation, not loud mouth draft dodgers.
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Drinking, Dining & Dancing: The new downtown North 3rd St. Sabbia Mediterranean Food is conducting a “soft opening” and the sign in the window says it will eventually be open every day but Mondays. The most expensive item on the extensive “street food” menu was $12 for Shrimp Santorini, butterfly shrimp baked in white wine sauce and served over couscous. Patrons have a wide choice of pita and dips ranging from $4 to $4.50 as well as souvlaki and gyros, a variety of salads, sandwiches and specialties including olives and feta, shrimp and crab fritters, Sicilian sausages and much more. Draft and bottled beers and wine are also available. Linda picked me up another trio of Muffuletta sliders from Sandy Bottoms Sunday and I’m hoping they’ll keep them on the menu permanently as they are really, really good and a bargain at 10 bucks that includes a side.
So… The people vote for their respective representatives and the representatives largely ignore the people who elected them. Then – the people vote (with their dollars) by joining the NRA and the NRA represents their wishes. Notwithstanding certain stilted surveys, THAT’S why the representatives listen to the NRA.
And stop equating AK-47s with semi-automatic weapons. AKs and similar machine guns have been outlawed for decades. You’re muddying the debate with nonsense.
Hey Dave,
Did my last submission not make the cut or did you not receive it ?
-Coleman
Dave,
Thanks for letting folks know that I am running for the Ocean, Highway & Port Authority (OHPA), District 1 seat.
I have a great deal of concern in the direction the OHPA is going, and hope that some new faces (Democrat or Republican) will have the strength and experience to make some necessary changes.
As you know, I am very outspoken, and have never shied away from speaking up and challenging what may be familiar or comfortable, such as the status quo.
Our OHPA has allowed our port to fall into financial peril. The employees of the port, along with the rest of our community deserve better. It is imperative that the OHPA look for viable and sustainable solutions, but not just simply on the back of the rest of the community (vis-à-vis let the contract operator bring in just about anything just to make money). Our tourism industry, merchants and residents (in particular those adjacent to the port) should not be forsaken and all of the community’s economic needs should be considered.
Presently, the OHPA has turned a blind eye to the moral obligation of “home rule”, just because they can. No local community or its residents should be ignored in the decision-making for the port, by a heavy-handed state agency. I will fight “tooth and nail” for our community’s voice to be heard and respected.
But there are also other issues of importance.
The gridlock of traffic coming onto the island is reaching critical mass. I realize that those who have moved here from places like Atlanta say “this is nothing, you should drive in a big city”, well, my response is “no thanks” and I don’t want our community to become like a suburb of Atlanta or Los Angeles!
The OHPA should be looking to work with the private sector and other public entities to address this problem NOW. To start, the volume of truck traffic is part of the issue. The time has come to work towards the creation of an off-island transfer site from truck to rail, for loads like logs and containers.
In the short run, it might cost more, but the reality is that the future gridlock will cost truckers, the mills, merchants and residents money. The upside for truckers will be a quicker turn around time, less fuel and less wear and tear. For the rest of us, it will mean being able to come and go with greater ease and safety, and for the tourists- an easier trip to visit us.
Another issue is the lack of vision or interest by the OHPA in continuing to promote the Tradeplex or possibly other sites in the middle or west side of the county. We have brand new roads west of I-95, but essentially no big commerce utilizing these improvements. The OHPA should be refocusing our vision into better, more sustainable opportunities, which can happen in an environmentally safe manner.
New technology is waiting for new locations to develop, and we could and should be a prime location to attract such businesses.
So that is what I am hoping for as a candidate for OHPA, District 1.
Again, I appreciate you letting people know about my candidacy, and I hope you will continue to allow me and other candidates to share our views in your blog.
Thanks,
Coleman Carnegie “Goldfish” Langshaw
Russell, He was a Good man and a model conservative. Funny how hypocritical so many are not to follow the man they are constantly looking up to as there leader. Thank you NRA and Congress
Hey guess what a liberal left winger has said:
“I do not believe in taking away the right of the citizen for sporting, for hunting and so forth, or for home defense,” he said. “But I do believe that an AK-47, a machine gun, is not a sporting weapon or needed for defense of a home.”
Oh, pardon me, that was President Ronald Reagan!
Dave, really enjoyed your rant, you should be a speech writer for Trump. Speaking of Trump, you did forget to mention his little dealing with the Draft Board and the Viet Nam War. He as many did went to college and was exempt. He was a star athlete in football, baseball, and soccer. When he finished school and was than eligible for active duty, he miraculously developed bone spurs on his heels which kept him from doing any military service. When recently asked about it he couldn’t remember what foot. How lucky can you be to be a star athlete with a bone spurs appearing miraculously just at the right time and having a rich daddy to get you started off in life. The difference between him and Ali is simple, Ali was stripped of his title, lost his right to fight, and took the heat of the press and the public for something he believed in. Oh, his dad was a painter by the way. Ever wonder if Ali was right? History has proven, after loosing about 50,000 lives to prevent the spread of communist aggression, we can now buy clothes from that communist country today in Walmart. For all those, myself included, who got to visit that exotic land I still ask myself WHY?— With respect to your understanding , or lack of it, about Orlando. This is a very complicated issue and I understand why it can get confusing. It was without a doubt an act of terrorism. It was also a hate crime. The shooter was a radical. He was Islamic. He was an extremist. He was also closeted gay. These are all interesting threads to try to weave. His views and actions are not the mainstream thoughts of the Islamic faith. He was an American who, for whatever reason, turned radical in his beliefs. He was also a bi sexual. He was married and was also involved at some level with other men. Keep in mind his strong religious beliefs were in direct conflict with this part of his life. No one will ever get into the thinking on why he choose a gay club to target, but when you connect the dots it is not hard to see he targeted the biggest enemy within himself, the gay community. There are many documented cases of hate crimes where gays have targeted their own in killings and were tried and convicted under the law as a hate crime. Moving on to your views on gun control. You are right, stricter gun control laws will not prevent more mass killings. Might in the future they help it make it harder to obtain military style weapons? Yes, I believe that. That isn’t really the point of better gun controls. The subject everyone is failing to address is the everyday killing that is too commonplace. Each year about 13,000 deaths are related to guns. Mass shootings are national stories. We all send Prayers and light candles and show it 24/7 in the media. The real horror is that they only represent about 2 % of gun related deaths. Most don’t know, or care to know, about the 2 kids a day who are killed by guns. Sad as it is that 50 were killed in Orlando, in about 25 days more kids will have died due to guns. This is the real fuel for better control. It is fact that the majority of Americans, including the majority of NRA members, are in favor of stricter gun control. This has absolutely nothing to-do with anyone trying to change the 2nd Amendment. Despite the hallucinogenic lying of Trump stating Clinton wants to take your guns. They said that about Obama. All that did was increase sales. If nothing else, I find it unconscionable that when the majority of us want a change that will make life safer and help to prevent children from dying , we can’t get it done. I would hope if you are still reading this, you will follow the logic of ” why ” we can’t get this passed in Congress. It is simple, follow the $$$$$ The gun manufactures pay big bucks into the NRA. The NRA pays big bucks into Congress , ( guess which side gets most ). Trump said something very telling. He made some statement about how was going t talk to the NRA about gun control. Am I missing something about how our government works? Does the NRA make the laws or does Congress? Here lies the problem
In light of the horrific events that took place this weekend in Orlando I anticipate that the gay community is behind itself and in search for an answer and/or a need to do something, even if just to cope with the events.
As a firearm instructor I would like to show my support for the gay community by providing free Concealed Carry Permit training to any member of the gay community. I will do so until the end of July, so I can help as many people as possible.
If people can organize themselves in small groups—2 to 10 people—I will either bring the training to these groups at their home or private place of choice or host them in my classroom on the south end of the island.
The training will consist of 2 to 4 hours of firearm education, that will include a small shooting portion (with safe, non-lethal training guns) that will provide individuals with a realistic and basic knowledge, skills and attitude of firearms and shooting, and, the certificate they require in order to obtain a Florida Concealed Cary permit.
If just one person in that horrific event had carried a gun on their person, they could have drastically reduced the fatality, and in the least be able to protect themselves.
Even if people may not want to carry a gun, this would be a way for many to feel that they are doing something or creating the opportunity for themselves to do so.
There will be no charge, no cost whatsoever.
You can contacts me through the site http://www.MyFernandina.com
We spent more time celebrating death of a draft dodger than a hero! Love u Tillman and Kyle!
Dave:
First thing I read Friday mornings and I always struggle for the rest of the day to understand your real meaning – not. Loved it!
Pat
I agree with your views of Muhammad Ali not being the “greatest.” He was one of the best boxers ever. But, when you challenge that assertion, you’re called a racist. Juan Williams, or Obama lap poodle, called Cassius the greatest man of the 20th century. That tells you something about his agenda and judgment. But, he didn’t call him Cassius, I did. Personally, I side with the views of many boxing analysts who say hands down that the “greatest” was Rocky Marciano — who never lost a fight.
The government banning alcohol during prohibition really worked, didn’t it. Many in the “underworld” became rich and famous booze runners. Some bootleggers even became famous politicians, too! Hmmm… What would eventually happen if the USA adopted a policy like France regarding gun control? Who in the modern day “underworld” would benefit? History has this unusual way of repeating itself.
Dave – You are not in good company.
http://www.stripes.com/news/gun-control-group-enlists-petraeus-and-other-vets-to-help-curb-violence-1.414754?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Defense+EBB+6-16-16&utm_term=Editorial+-+Early+Bird+Brief
Thank you Dave. My sentiments exactly on the blabber mouth. trash talker Ali. Seven wives and untold children. A true muslim.
Dave!
Langshaw is in the race as a Democrat. (so District 1 will go to the Nov. elections)
District 2 is likely to be decided at the Primary in August.
We had a Port Authority candidate forum yesterday at the HFBA general meeting.
The new candidates are understanding the problems that OHPA have been causing for the county.
You aren’t the first to let me know I screwed that up. Thanks Chuck.
An excellent piece on “Ali”. Brings memories of Sgt. Elvis Presley serving his obligation in a tank unit in Germany, even after becoming a superstar.