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Another Super Hero Let Down
t is a terrible thing when
you lose respect for some- one you once admired. The level of disappointment you feel after witnessing your hero engage in shady behavior is only matched by the amount of anger that comes over you after the realization sets in that you were tricked into believing in a persona that never actu- ally existed.
This is the kind of let down I experienced recently when I watched NFL legend Jim Brown disparage a Civil Rights icon, Representative John Lewis, during an inter- view in front of a nationally televised audience. Every ounce of adoration I had for Brown dissipated during the course of a few distasteful sound bites.
When Brown criticized Rep. Lewis for not acknowl- edging the legitimacy of Don- ald Trump's presidency, and suggested that he "stop cry- ing," it was hard for me to be- lieve what I was hearing. Here was one man, who I viewed as a constant champion of the struggle for the last 50+ years, basically lambasting another
who, literally, shed blood, sweat and tears for the sake of social reform. Needless to say, it was a visual that came off equal parts shocking and em- barrassing.
The saddest part is that Brown's condemnation of Rep. Lewis seemed to be mo- tivated by his new found sup- port for a person, in Trump, who's never done anything for the cause of the poor and dis- enfranchised in the United States during his 70 years on Earth. The irony in this, of course, can't be overstated.
This is not to say that two men on the same side can't disagree on a position. I just don't understand why Brown chose to air his grievances on such a large stage?
He could have easily met with Rep. Lewis privately, the same way he met with Trump, and discussed the issue out of the view of prying eyes from around the world. Instead, Brown chose to allow a super-conservative Fox News network to use him as a ventriloquist puppet. A token Black face that utters the controversial sentiments
that aren't politically correct enough for them to express.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by Mr. Brown's actions. After all, his question- able "I love Trump" com- ment following his first ever meeting with "The Donald" back in December should have been a huge red flag signaling that change in his political ide- ology was coming.
I just didn't want to believe that he could be manipulated, or worse, bought out so quickly. But now, in the wake of his rabid defense of the new Trump regime, the idea of him taking a cash filled brief- case and pledging allegiance to the 45th president doesn't seem so far-fetched.
You would think that after watching the gloss fade on the reputations of once revered in- dividuals like Jesse Jack- son, Al Sharpton, Tavis Smiley, Dr. Cornell West, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Bill Cosby, that it would be easier to accept when su- permen turn out to be mere mortals. But, unfortunately, like the break-up with your newest love interest, the heart- break each time isn't any less painful.
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The Fatal Falacy Of Fact
hoever said “Truth conquers all things” (Vincet
omnia veritas) had obviously not met Trump-sup- porter Kellyanne Conway or attended a quasi-news briefing with White House spokesman Sean Spicer. If so, he, she or they would have sadly understood Meriam-Webster’s blunt explanation, “a fact is a piece of information presented as having objective reality.”
Therefore, consider that “an alternative fact is an outside possibility to that item or concept which was once thought to have been an indisputable, absolute truth. In other words, alternative truth/or fact is based simply on the idea that any- thing can have an alternative, an alternative not based on what eyes have seen, but based on what the personalities can convince.
So, we greet Sean Spicer – new White House spokesman – who boldly, briskly explains to the world that it did not see a virtual no man’s land during the Trump inauguration when the Sahara Desert seemingly would have had more travelers than the Trump inauguration had visitors. “No! False,” cried Spicer.
Trump’s triumph had more people watching on site and at home than did any other presidential inauguration cere- mony in the history of America. Trump-parakeet Conway parroted Spicer’s edicts while chastising a Liberal media for doctoring photographs of Don’s day of reckoning. And some- how, this show of errors was swallowed by the public.
In quick succession there have been other examples of blatant lies being welcomed as alternative truths. But num- bers are not important. What’s compelling is the message such insanities send to our children who repeatedly are warned that lies are in league with the Anti-Christ. Come on now. Both things can’t be true.
So, the time has come for us to face our babies. Either the ideas of truth, justice, and fact are real, or everything is de- fined by the word “maybe.” Within the next few weeks, our nation must choose which master it shall serve.
Democrats Walk Out Over ‘Racist’ House Presenter
BY MICHAEL AUSLEN Times/Herald
lorida House Democrats
walked out of a Thursday morning hearing on refugees in protest of a presenter they described as "evil," a "racist" and the leader of a "hate group."
The man at issue is Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, brought in via Skype to give information about se- curity concerns related to refugees. His center has been flagged by the Southern Poverty Law Center for spreading "anti-immigrant" ideas.
"Mr. Krikorian’s invita- tion to speak today is an insult to myself and all of my col- leagues and the millions of Floridians who we represent," said state Rep. Bobby Du- Bose, D-Fort Lauderdale. "To be blunt, (he) is a racist, and the organization he's repre- senting is a hate group."
When Krikorian’s re- marks began about halfway through a two-hour Children, Families and Seniors subcom- mittee meeting on refugees, five Democrats stood up and walked out, joining Demo-
cratic leaders in the hallway. After he was finished present- ing, they returned to the room.
It's a rare sign of protest in a Legislature where members tend to defer to one another and act extraordinarily polite in public settings.
"I was disappointed," sub- committee chair Gayle Har- rell, R-Stuart, said. "I would have hoped that they would like to hear and listen to a di- vergence of opinion and ask those tough questions. Chal- lenge the speaker, ask the questions. That's how you learn."
Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa said members of the minority party had no choice but to stage a walk-out. She sent a letter to House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, late Wednes- day demanding Krikorian’s invitation to speak be revoked.
The presentation was not cancelled, and Harrell began the hearing by asking all of its members to listen to diverse ideas and consider them as part of the policy making process.
"The House does not en- dorse the views of any speaker here, but we are simply allow- ing a free exchange of ideas,"
she said. But Cruz said listening to
Krikorian’s ideas was not a productive part of a policy de- bate. And, she said, Kriko- rian’s presentation was different from just listening to diverse viewpoints of people who choose to give testimony at a public meeting because he was invited by Harrell to present his views.
"The problem we have is with the individual who wishes to influence the policy process," she said. "We want to be part of a policy discus- sion, and we will, but we will not sit in the face of darkness."
While Democrats spoke out against him in the hallway, Krikorian’s presentation went on inside. He expressed a need for a "strict vetting process" for refugees.
"How stringent can the vetting really be if almost everyone who's vetted is ac- cepted?" he asked lawmakers.
Krikorian’s Center for Immigration Studies, which describes itself as "low-immi- gration, pro-immigrant" on its website, was founded to pro- duce studies and reports back- ing the anti-immigration Federation for American Im- migration Reform.
Public Right To Know!
e certainly hope American citizens will become
more committed to investigating and increasing their awareness of all actions taken by Congress and Pres- ident Trump. Moreover, we urge all of our Florida Con- gressional representatives to be more open and transparent by informing Florida voters about each piece of proposed controversial legislation (with regular up- dates) being considered; each executive order being con- sidered or issued, and “riders” and other actions being taken during the course of deliberations in congressional committees and Congress.
In fact, we recommend that Congressional representa- tives provide information or links on their websites that would enable citizens to see everything being considered by congressional committees, the status of all actions being taken and their supportive or opposing comments.
We were appalled that Republicans held up funding for fighting the Zika virus by tacking a” rider” to the bill that would allow the Confederate flag to be flown on federal property. The public should be informed of such “riders” because they delay passage of legislation or can be used to prevent bills from being passed.
This is a new era that Republicans immediately began
with attempts to hide unethical behavior; with repealing Obama premium rate cuts that could save homebuyers money on their mortgage payments; with increasing the possibility that oil pipeline extensions could contaminate the drinking water of millions of Midwest- erners, and threatening the health care coverage of nearly 20 million Americans. The alarms are sounding. Listen and ACT!
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