Page 5 - Florida Sentinel 9-12-17

Editorials/Columns
FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN
(USPS 202-140)
2207 21st Avenue, Tampa Florida 33605 • (813) 248-1921 Published Every Tuesday and Friday By
FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHING Co., Member of National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)
S. KAY ANDREWS, PUBLISHER
C. BLYTHE ANDREWS III, PRESIDENT/CONTROLLER ALLISON WELLS-CLEBERT, CFO
GWEN HAYES, EDITOR
IRIS HOLTON, CITY EDITOR
BETTY DAWKINS, ADVERTISING DIRECTOR HAROLD ADAMS, CIRCULATION MANAGER TOYNETTA COBB, PRODUCTION MANAGER LAVORA EDWARDS, CLASSIFIED MANAGER
Subscriptions-$44.00-6 Months Both Editions: $87.00-Per Year Both Editions.
Opinions expressed on editorial pages of this newspaper by Columnists or Guest Writers, do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of The Florida Sentinel Bulletin or the Publisher.
Before The Feds Come And Get You
think it's safe to say that the feds aren't going to let this tax thing go. When it comes to hunting down indi- viduals who fraudulently re- ceived tax refunds over the years, it appears as though the IRS is on a mission to prose-
cute as many people possible. From the way it looks now, it doesn't matter how small or large the return or how much time has passed since the bogus transaction took place. The Feds seem hell bent on jailing anyone who had the balls to pick Uncle Sam's
pockets.
The message they're send-
ing? AIN'T NOBODY GET- TING AWAY.
For anyone who dipped their hands into the federal cookie jar this means there's a strong possibility that their name is already in a file some- where waiting to be added to a fresh indictment. At this point it really isn't a question of "if" the guys wearing the blue windbreakers are coming, the only question mark is whose name is next on the top of the stack?
Of course, all of this trans- lates to one unfortunate real- ity.... A lot more people are going to prison.
And, with that being the case, I think there are a few things these soon-to-be-incar- cerated folks need to know be- fore they're hauled off in handcuffs.
1.) Have your fun now:
Contrary to popular belief, there are no conjugal visits in
the feds. And getting your rocks off in the visitation room isn't as easy as you may have heard. My advice is to spend as much time in the bedroom as possible because there will be lonely nights a plenty after you're locked up. Unless, of course, you're LGBTQ, then you won't miss a beat.
2.) Leave The TVs Alone- More skulls have been cracked behind flat screens than just about anything else in prison. As a white collar criminal you're probably not going to get that much time. It doesn't make sense to go home disfigured because you were adamant about watching a re- run of Love & Hip-Hop.
3.) Get Your Mouth Fixed- The first word out of a prison dentist's mouth is EX- TRACTION. It's easier for them to pull your teeth than repair any damage. Take care of your dental work before you come in and don't let one of these hacks turn you into a gummy bear.
4.) Watch Out For The Showers- Every prison has communal showers and/or toilets. Make sure to keep a bottle of disinfectant handy because you're going to run across body fluids you never knew existed.
5.) Be Careful Of What You Say On The Phone- Remind your loved ones that everything on the phone is recorded. Any conversations about guns, narcotics, violence or any other types of crimes can potentially get you both in
trouble. Always remember: Loose lips sink more than ships.
6.) Prepare To Live With The Mentally Chal- lenged- That man or woman who you wouldn't think about giving a ride to while driving home at midnight, that's going to be your new cellmate. Crazy isn't the word to describe some of the people you're going to be forced to mingle with on a daily basis. But understanding what and who you're dealing with should make the transi- tion easier.
7.) Hygiene! Hygiene! Hygiene! -Don't neglect yourself. Before you purchase anything off commissary make sure you have the bare essen- tials. Multiple bars of soap, tubes of toothpaste and de- odorants are mandatory. But things like hydrocortisone cream, anti-fungal cream and triple antibiotic cream can't be overlooked either when you're trying to fight off the heebie- jeebies.
8.) Leave your rela- tionships at the door- Try- ing to hold on to a committed relationship from behind a fence is insane. And it only forces your mate to lie in order to protect your feelings. You have a bid to do now. Don't punish them in the process. Turn your girlfriend or boyfriend into a best friend and I guarantee the bond you two develop will become stronger than ever.
Hopefully, no one reading this will need these tips. But it probably wouldn't hurt to keep them around because you just never know when someone in your circle will do something stupid.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Company. You can write to Mr. Barr at: Clarence Barr 43110- 018, Oakdale F. C. I., P. O. BOX 5000, Oakdale, LA 71463.
POSTMASTER: Send Address Change To: Florida Sentinel Bulletin,
P.O. Box 3363 Tampa, FL 33601 Periodical Postage Paid At Tampa, FL
C. Blythe Andrews 1901-1977 (1945)
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. 1930-2010 (1977)
Terminating DACA Is A Vengeful Act
magine living in America for most of your life, then
being told that you have six months before you are being sent back to a country you know little, if anything about.
One word is “lunacy.” The other word is “suicide.”
Rather than grandfathering 800,000 American res- idents who were brought to America illegally by their parents, the Trump gang is telling them they will have to leave America unless Congress comes to life and en- acts legislation stating they, (“Dreamers,”) can stay in the United States (their home).
The legislation which shielded them from deporta- tion, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA), was enacted by President Barack Obama five years ago, and also allowed Dreamers the right to work legally in America. (Of course, anything started by former Pres- ident Obama must end, or so it would seem).
Claiming that those persons in the country illegally hurt native-born Americans by taking their jobs and keeping wages down (crime committed by illegal immi- grants was also mentioned) was given as a reason why DACA needs to be terminated.
Even though Democrats, some Republicans, busi- ness leaders, college and university presidents, and may social activists opposed terminating DACA, Presi- dent Trump gave Congress six months to act on the issue.
Called “cold-hearted,” “short-sighted,” “cruel,” and other negative names, DACA supporters categorize the move to end DACA if Congress does not act as punitive and callous. Trump, himself, called upon Congress to legalize DACA.
We agree that law-abiding and contributing children who came to America seeking a better life should have the right to stay in America.
Congress it’s time you do what you were voted to office to do —- enact DACA legislation now.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5
I
I