 Republicans Attack Those With Honor By FRAN EARL Call to Patriots Published: Apr 24, 2008 I had a totally different column in mind, in fact, had it already composed and ready to go. That is, until I read the column by Doug Patton in the April 17 edition of Hernando Today.
Has this guy been out in the sun too long or is his problem stemming from the fact that he brings a ladder and sits atop it at every peace rally? This person, who claims to be pro-life only applies this doctrine to babies for, once the babies have grown, he sees fit to send them off to fight for the theft of oil from a nation that did not attack us! Can you be pro-life and pro-war? I leave that up to you.
He claims at the end of each column that he has “served as a political speechwriter and public policy advisor.” Assuming this is true, the next time you go to the gas pump and it has hit $4, please write to him at dougpatton@cox.net and thank him. If your loved one comes home in a casket from Iraq, or perhaps with his/her legs gone, write Doug Patton again. If you're in danger of losing your home or cannot afford medical care you sorely need — well, you know the drill!
He spent his entire column with insult after insult about President Jimmy Carter. A hugely arrogant enterprise by someone whose claim to fame is helping Dubya and others of that ilk to put us where we are now. Well, perhaps he is correct in labeling Carter as “naïve.” The best of us struggle to remain idealists and perhaps Carter assumed that applied to Washington insiders.
I can tell you this, that when Carter was president my Uncle Sherm was a powerful liaison who walked in and out of the White House like he owned it (sadly, he was a Republican), and he detailed to me more than once the harassment that Carter was subjected to on a daily basis. Dear Sherm was not one bit ashamed of this! For all of the everyday people like me out there, please make a comparison with me now. Carter, at the end of his presidency, did not travel around and make $800,000 promoting yet another trade agreement (Columbia), which will cost us more jobs for our people. (P.S. Hillary has supported/applauded Bill's efforts with all that money pouring in — who is the “elitist”?)
No, Carter climbed up on roofs and hammered in the shingles for a Habitat for Humanity home for a poor American. Carter has helped build Habitat for Humanity homes for many and continues to do so. Carter, like Barack Obama, believes in negotiation and peace, not war and death and insurmountable debt destroying all our lives one by one. But, true to form, Republicans attack those with honor and a soul, perhaps because they seem to lack both and are afraid their evil, destructive policies are coming to an end.
We, in Florida have a Republican governor, Charlie Crist, who has publicly fought to have our votes counted (for Hillary). Since Charlie is hopeful of being the vice president on McCain's ticket, is he trying to pick his competitor? Why is it Hillary? Don't think you purposely choose the guy/gal you assume will beat you, do you? And why would Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman constantly refer to Charlie as the “Democrat Governor?” Somebody besides me smell a rat?
Yes, I am a progressive Democrat, although I don't know that “progressive” is really the correct way to define me. Progressive seems to mean going forward, but what I want is to get back to the values/morals/ethics/caring for Mr. Everyman that my party has always stood for — values the Centrist Dems do not espouse any more than do the Republicans. Although we certainly need to move forward from the dark abyss the Republicans have brought our lives to so, in that sense, progressive does apply.
Mitt Romney, when asked why, since he supports the war, not one of his five strapping sons was an enlisted man, responded that they were serving their country by helping him get elected president. Well, he didn't get the nomination, the campaign for that is over. So. have any of his kids gone off to fight the war. Oh, guess it's only our kids that are fated to do that, right?
Perhaps Mr. Patton should get rid of that ladder? He might be getting too much of that ozone exposure problem the Republicans keep denying exists?
Frances Earl, a Hernando County resident since 1991, is a former vice chairwoman of the Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee. She can be contacted at 206.fran@gmail.com. |
