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Friday, June 26, 2020

Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002. Published on Big Pine Key’s garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays.

[Profiling] I don’t consider myself, although others might, an old white guy, but I’m closer to 100 than I am to 1. And I have experienced a form of racism called discrimination. In my case, reverse discrimination. Now I understand the fear of racism that African Americans have- at the hands of police, and am not equating my suffering to theirs, but this happened to me, two times. That I know of. One serous enough to change the path of my entire life, the other only mildly annoying. The first time I had just graduated college with a Bachelors degree in Forest Biology and was very interested in working for the State’s resource management agency DEC (game warden). I applied, was accepted, and told there were no positions at that time but I was first on the list when one came available. I waited. A year goes by. I have been in monthly contact with them the whole time where I was assured a position was opening soon. Then one day I was reading reading the paper and saw an article about how the DEC has just hired 7 black people project right out of high school as part of their diversification program to be sent to school, paid for with taxes, to become game wardens. I had never been contacted about an opening, let alone 7! So much for being first on the list. The color of my skin lost me that career.
The second time, I was driving home down my street in a blighted, crime ridden neighborhood (It was the only place I could afford to buy a house at the time), when I was pulled over by a black cop. I didn’t know why. I handed him my driver’s license. I asked him why I had been stopped and he told me to get out of the car so he could search me. Again, why? It turns out, I was white in a black neighborhood. I had to be there to buy drugs. I pointed out that he wasn’t very observant and told him to look at the address on my license. We were stopped right in front of my house! He looked deflated, let me go. I know this is nothing like getting the shit beat out of you or killed, but I was racially profiled.
All that said, I wish more people would listen to what Dr. King said about “judging people by the content of their hearts and not the color of their skin.”

 

[Rental Scam] We placed an apartment ad on Craigslist for $1800. Some foreign scammer stole the ad and changed the price to $1005 which was literally a steal. The crook asked the lady to send her $500, but she got suspicious and started asking questions. Here’s the ID he used.
We were waiting for the police to come to our house to file a report, but they just called and said there’s been no money exchanged so there’s no crime committed so they are going to let the criminal continue his crime spree on unsuspecting folks. Does anyone else see what’s wrong with this lack of protection?

[Discrimination] I’m an old white man and I agree with the poster who wrote that old white men have never experienced discrimination; so that is probably one of the reasons they don’t understand the fear Black people have of cops. When I was a young man in the late 1960s, I experienced discrimination because I was a hippy. That sure was an eye opener I never could have expected. I had white men try to start fights with me, continually insulted in public, refused admittance to a store, chased out of a bar once, and was very fearful of the police who would stop and hassle us whenever they saw one or more hippies on the street. I can’t express the anger I felt one time when I was forced to the ground without warning or reason and humiliated just so the asshole cop could demonstrate his power over me to his asshole friends (this was long before cellphone videos). I could have cut my hair and changed my wardrobe to end this prejudice, but Black people can’t and shouldn’t have to even if they could.

 

 

[Slavery] It shouldn’t be long now before the statue tumblers start howling about “Plantation” Key.

[Meth-gators] Tennessee police warn flushing drugs could create hyper-aggressive alligators. “Folks, please don’t flush your drugs.” the Loretto Police Department wrote in a Facebook post. Link
[“Civil War fought over slaves”] In reply to “Symbols of Hate” I feel compelled to correct a misrepresentation of US history. The writer correctly quotes the vice-president of the confederacy, Alexander Stephens, who stated in a post-succession speech the reason for the impending conflict was because the North was trying to eliminate the institution of slavery in the South. Stephens was factually incorrect, and so is the person who placed the subject post on BIGPINEKEY.com.
Like nearly all politicians, Stephens was exaggerating the facts in order to appease the audience that he was addressing. It is a historical fact that the over-whelming majority of Northerners opposed slavery. Sentiment against slavery was strong because it was considered to be a moral outrage. Christian teaching north of the Mason-Dixon line was not ambiguous. On a weekly basis, preacher’s and priests railed against this evil institution. While the entire country was agrarian, not very literate, and devoid of newspapers outside the big cities, many people did have access to novels for entertainment and diversion from the drudgery of manual farm labor. Harriet Beecher Stowe, by penning the novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, brought home to the masses, the ugly truth about slavery. Critics claimed that she had exaggerated the cruelties of slavery in her novel. Most people in the North didn’t buy that criticism. Notwithstanding clear anti-slavery sentiment, the Congress took no action against slavery, until after the civil war had ended. The military attack by the Confederacy upon Ft. Sumter was an Act of Treason, which prompted the war.
Lincoln did not issue the Emancipation Proclamation until Jan. 1, 1863, almost 2 years after the war had started. Link
Middle eastern woman have the biggest eyebrows.

 

[Masks] Um, Kemosabe, I do not think that is the right type of mask. You will never get into Winn Dixie!

[Police vs Blacks] Over the past five years in Minneapolis, the police have used force against black people at seven times the rate it has been used against white people.
[Chickenshit] Hitler never visited any of his death camps.

 

[Orchid Sale] This Wednesday- Saturday 6/24-6/27 on Big Pine Key  10-2. Over 350 orchids for sale. Huge variety mostly purchased at the 2 shows in the Redlands. There are a lot of rare plants. Many of them have won awards at KWOS shows. Due to Covid-19 we appreciate a scheduled appointment. Call or text  Sharon Douglas to schedule a time at 410-320-0662. Sharon is helping to liquidate the collection of a terminally ill friend.

The piano is the only instrument two can play at the same time. Maybe a xylophone?

[Book Burning] Read Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World whilst contemplating your comment on statues and books. First the statues, then the books, or is the book part already coming true? The books you refer to are already disappearing. Ask a young person, a student, about history and you’ll realize the books are thinning. This is happening all over the world. Ask a Japanese student about World War Two, the Japanese roll in it, and you will probably see ignorance on the subject. I witnessed a twenty something Japanese college student unable to identify a swastika. This was a black swastika in a white circle on a red background. Nope. He guessed  it was the logo of a metal band. The cancel culture is actually erasing history. Even your books. Project Gutenberg

[Black Lives Matter] The “old white man” who wrote “all lives matter” confirmed the previous post that emphasized how old white men still don’t get it.

 

 

 

[Cooking Contest] BEST KEYS EATS contest for the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter. BEST KEYS EATS_06.23.20

[Autonomous Zones] Here’s how I would handle the situation in Seattle. Set up a perimeter around their so-called border, complete with concertina wire, armed border patrol agents, and checkpoints. At these checkpoints, post huge signs saying, “You are now entering the United States of America. Please have passports and travel papers ready”.  Deny them entry into the U.S.
Cut off their electricity, water, and sewer systems. Since they are autonomous, they must supply their own infrastructure. If they wish to use American infrastructure, they must pay for it — at international rates.
Place tariffs on any goods or foodstuffs they wish to import into their autonomous zone, same as you would with any other country.
Cut off their access to wi-fi and cell service. Since they are autonomous, they must establish their own corporations to provide these services. If they wish to use American internet and phone services, they must pay — at international rates.
If they wish to return to the United States, they must apply for immigration, just like any other foreigner would. If they sneak into the country, put them into detention centers, then deport them back to CHAZ.
Sit back and laugh when they start realizing the real world isn’t like playing Sims in Mommy’s basement.
[Health vs Politics] Deer Ed, I am not on social media and don’t know where else to post my thoughts, so I hope you’ll post this. I believe all I write is true and only deals with our health and leadership concerning our health. How the President made a pandemic political is beyond anyone’s ken.
COVID-19 is raging in America. The CDC says there are 10 times more cases than have been reported. Thursday, Florida had over 5,000 new cases. Wednesday, Florida had over 5,000 new cases. 32 states report more new cases. 10 states report more cases than any other states. Unemployment in Florida is 14.5%, or about the same as the rest of the country.
The President encourages his followers not to wear masks while all his staff from his last rally are in quarantine—every one. The Supreme Court is examining the legality of President Trump trying to deny health care to 20,000,000 people by repealing Obamacare—in the midst of a pandemic! Isn’t it time we start questioning the President’s fragile mental state? (Ed: We don’t allow post about national politics, because they are usually filled with lies and insults, but we allow this one because it is about our health not politics.)
Don’t forget to call Pingston Electric, LLC 305-946-1500 Business Directory > Electricians

 

 

I wish we could crossbreed the mosquitoes and the lighting bugs so we could, at least, see them coming

Hey, July.  Just come in, be calm,  sit down, don’t touch anything and shut the hell up.

 

 

[Free Money] Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb? Speaking of grants … grant applications for the Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation. Link

How do you age meat without it rotting? Restaurants advertise aged meat, but when I try it it turns green and smells to high heaven.

 

 

You’ll never get pregnant if you never take a pregnancy test.

I like the Coconut Telegraph because those on social media are so mean. Everyone’s mad at everything.

 

 

 

My humans are jerks“, saith Dog.

Nike says, “Don’t pretend there’s not a problem in America. Don’t turn your back on racism. Don’t accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don’t make any more excuses. Don’t think this doesn’t affect you. Don’t sit back and be silent. Don’t think you can’t be part of the change. Let’s all be part of the change.”
[Overseas Railroad] The initially favored route extended the railroad from Homestead southwest through the Everglades to Cape Sable, where it would then cross 25 miles of open water to Big Pine Key and then continue to Key West. However, it was quickly determined that it was more feasible to run the railroad south to Key Largo and follow the islands of the Florida Keys. William Krome then surveyed routes to Key Largo, including one over Card Point (which would become the first roadway to the Keys) and Jewfish Creek, which was the selected route. At one time during the seven-year construction, four thousand men were employed. Despite the hardships and 3 hurricanes, the final link of the Florida East Coast Railway to Trumbo Point in Key West was completed in 1912. A proud Henry Flagler rode the first train into Key West aboard his private railroad car.
[Really Good Car Thieves] On June 1 in the early morning, 19 classic and collectible cars were stolen from Orlando Classic Cars, a client of Speed Digital. The oldest car was a 1956 Oldsmobile Super 88, while the most valuable was a fuel-injected 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, which was listed for $85,000. Thankfully, the Corvette was recovered in under 24 hours. The chance they’ve been chopped up or shipped out of the country is sadly well within the realm of possibility. Link
Are you better off now than you were four years ago? How is America greater? It’s much worse than four years ago. Are they still blaming Obama?

 

 

What if 2020 is just the movie trailer and 2021 is the movie?

[Stop Testing] Can any of Trump’s apologists please explain how by reducing testing the virus infections will be reduced? Am I dreaming this nightmare?

 

One Blood Drive at Beall’s Outlet Big Pine Key  on Monday, June 29 from 11-4. One Blood is now doing antibody test as authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Results available within approximately 48–96 hours*. The antibody test will indicate if your immune system has produced antibodies to the virus, regardless of whether you ever showed symptoms. This is not a COVID-19 diagnostic test. Positive test results do not confirm infection or immunity. As a thank you for saving lives, all blood donors will receive a FREE T-Shirt!* Plus, all donors will receive a free wellness checkup, including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, iron count and cholesterol screening. Link

[Masks Work] Data published by the Philadelphia Inquirer Wednesday better shows how Utah and other states without mask mandates stack up with the rest of the nation over the first three weeks of June. They found states that didn’t have any mask requirements experienced an 84% increase in cases, and places where only employees of certain businesses were required to wear masks experienced a 70% uptick. On the other hand, states that required both employees and patrons of certain businesses to wear masks saw a 12% decrease during that span, and states with mask requirements in all public areas experienced a 25% decrease. Please don’t make wearing a mask a political.  Wearing one stops you from infecting others. Only crazy people want to catch the flu to make their political statement. That political statement is that there is no pandemic even though almost a half million people are dead from it.

 

[NASCAR] Today they acknowledged there was “only” one noose found in Black driver Bubba Wallace’s garage. Previously they refused to call the noose a noose. They said it was a rope with a knot in it. They got rid of the Rebel flags, but I guess nooses are still ok. Link

[Bailout] The aviation industry is asking for another bailout, this time they want $32 billion. I know someone who is still waiting for her bailout.

 

 

 

 

Another use for a left-handed adjustable metric hammer.