THE NEWS CHASER
News and event photographers are a unique breed. You bear witness, you see the events that others see later. Well sometimes... You have to be objective and stand clear of the emotion, you have to be above it, you need the instincts of the hunter and the brazenness of a party crasher and good legs, you will be standing and walking and running a lot. Rarely do you pick the assignments, you are chosen, some fun, some great and some so against anything you believe in. When I was a tad younger I enjoyed the chase. Some call it the "Gottcha Syndrome".
SIZE MATTERS
It is believed the bigger the paper, the more interesting the jobs. It's called access and communication with sources.
Smaller papers in small neighborhoods seem to scale the excitement to the level of that area and some of the topics never seem to make the big screen unless something goes horribly wrong. There is no question, disaster sells papers, even in this modern age of the screen and the cell phone and the iPods. Many of the great shots are simply because you were there, you got there, or you were lucky enough to be "pre positioned by close association with a snitch".
PATIENCE OF JOB - From the Bible Book of Job where Job demonstrated faith and patience with God while suffering many severe trials.
Political chasing is work, tedious, waiting for the moment, not getting in the way of handlers and press boobies. Pictures tell you a lot. Especially if the question is not the one there is a prepared answer for or the answer is not a good one. Boom mikes miss little and careful answers are a must.
Thus, the word 'mis-quote and the word mis-spoke" are very commonly used. In journalism "retraction" is an absolute. Here is the Florida Governor Charlie Crist after the St. Petersburg Republican Debate - Rally - Protest - and Kumbaya Marathon surrounded trying to get to his car.
Usually the protection (see earpiece) runs blocking, but Charlie is not shy while getting the questions from one of our local town reporters whose specialty is a cross between investigative reporting and Tampa Bay public affairs. And he will get in your face. Gotta love it.
Reporter and friend, John Sipos does an excellent job of getting the truth out. Almost a lost art with the creative writing skills of some pseudo media outlets pretending to be news. With John the poignant question will get asked out loud and the mike will be ready for an answer. When it comes to news he has no reverse gear.
ONE FOR THE BIRDS
I remember covering the downtown one day with two noobie shooters (new photographers). It was, during a city celebration that pertained to all the ethnicities we had living in our town. It's called SPIFFS.
The St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society brings it on every year with the parades and dances, exhibitions, arts crafts and FOOD. Great FOOD and that always catches my attention. Incredible diversity, and tremendous exposure to other ethnicities and did I mention great food. So great it ends in a great eat-off containing live entertainment and every ethnic food available. It was worth attending just for the food alone. I liked that idea since I got to eat too, swapping shots for ribs, baklava, and jerk chicken. Love that jerk flavor and a cold one. It's also a great chance for me as I write a food blog and hack away in the kitchen as a hobby.
But, it was otherwise predictable since it occurs year after year. Nothing unusual, and I was looking for something. I was dreaming of being in Daytona at the 500, or at Lakeland for the Sun and Fun Fly-in. The things you do that make the job interesting. Since I love fast cars and faster airplanes I write a lot of what I like. Especially when I can turn a NASCAR shot into a painting in my house. ———>
Today was not going to be that day. Very hot for November and doldrums were getting to me. Since it was on the waterfront, I grabbed my two trainee sidekicks, swung over to and near the water ski exhibition.
Ok, the only real action shooting other than beer crashes in the parking lots. All was normal till the pull boat swung wide and slips thru a flock of Sea Gulls waiting for their turn on the smorgasbord. Some didn't make it and some were crippled floundering with obvious injuries.
Now I'm no fan of gulls since I live near the water and they are noisy and like our NAFTA agreement tend to dump on us whenever they want, especially after you washed your car.
BUT animals, any animals in pain, those rescues are another story and I challenged the boat driver to go back and bring in the injured birds. He told me where to go. I politely asked him again only this time two of the interns were cranking away. And so was my blood pressure, and my old Radio Shack tape player was going and the mike was on clipped to the front of my camera bag.
WRONG ANSWER DUDE
He used a few explicative's and "no one stops his show" and so forth. Something about three guys with cameras and a loud mouthed idiot draws a crowd. I asked one more time, and explained I had his comments, I had the pictures, and I had the crowd chanting "save the birds". I also knew I had the story though negative on this one if I pressed it. Instead he had a change of heart and agreed the show could wait a minute or two and that he really was an animal lover. (B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T)
I handed my gear to the new guys and two of us got in the boat, I grabbed the dead bird, put him/her in a box and then the fun began. Grabbing a wounded sea gull is work for handlers like myself who do this for the now defunct Seabird Sanctuary. But no one told the birds I was there to help them. We got the two survivors after much nipping and biting, of me ...
I did not have my long leather shield raptor gloves, not exactly the greeting I had expected from gulls, and when back on shore, the crowd applauded the effort and I made the jerk look like a hero instead of the jerk he was.
Wrapping the day and needing to get aid for the birds, we took the birds to the Seabird Sanctuary on the beach and thinking we would just drop them off, I figured I would head back to my hacienda.
Nope, Dr. Heath, noted animal surgeon, aka the Godfather of Bird Medicine and Treatment performed a wing removal and I photo'd the whole operation on the first one; the other really was too far gone and died.
Though the gull will be an amputee, it will live at the Sanctuary and procreate and be fed, otherwise having a normal Sea Gull life. I named him Jonathan... I think they named him Jonathan 21,326, oh, that was before the web... I had the story… and a tetanus shot later that day to play safe upon the advise of the good Dr. Heath. I also learned that Seabirds, almost all birds don’t get a pain killer as we know it, heart and pumping system can’t handle it. They get a hallucinogen and a pretty wild trip.
ENDLESS COMMUNITY ACTIVITY
Then there's the public relations stuff, the endless stories of what's going on about town. I get that too..... from the boring community parades that showcase the girls twirling team; the latest mix-up at the tax collectors office; to the constant barrage of politicians getting in hot water; the clergy misadventures in abuse; and affairs between teachers and students. Sooner or later we get a biggie but much of the chasing is routine and certainly will not put you in contention for the next Pulitzer Prize.
In the old days we had scanners conveniently tuned into the police frequencies and the supplier of these crystals was no other than Radio Shack. They also used to publish a book that had all the police and municipal frequencies for the United States. When portable phones came about, we had these ten pound boxes in our cars hooked to a dispatcher. One Blackberry or iPhone does it all now.
PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR TOMMY FRANKS
(The Times Forum) Tampa Florida - These are photos of the private pre-ceremony party which took place before the Change of the CENTCOM Command was changed over. Retiring General Tommy Franks who led the war to liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban and Iraq from Saddam Hussein turned over the Regimental Colors to General John Abizaid.
Tommy Franks then retired after receiving the award from Donald Rumsfeld.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who was the ranking official at the ceremony spoke of the importance of these two warriors in the battle against terrorism. Who knew at this time there were three years of door to door fighting and 4000 American Troops Killed in Action awaiting us.
Poor after planning and a lack of good intelligence left us in an unfavorable position in the world, economically, strategically, politically and with ramifications and debt our children will have to absorb.
In attendance were friends of the General, from left to right Mr. Neal McCoy, Mrs. Franks, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Newton and various local dignitaries.
Country Singer Neal McCoy and Crooner Wayne Newton donate many unselfish hours to the USO and entertaining our troops overseas along with many of the stars that appeared at the Freedom Concert.
PHOTOGRAPHERS NOTES: -COLOR SHIFTS: &^%$#(*&@# St. Murphy Lawes provided the lighting streaming in through the windows at sundown but once again enough yellow to make a lot of tough shooting even with a balance as the glass (enormous plate glass windows) were slightly tinted also. Hail Mary shooting. Actually this is the restaurant at the Forum in Tampa, home of the Tampa bay Lightning and not usually used for this kind of venue. So once again you don't know what you got till you get there and then you work it out. Look in the glass at the back near the flag and there is still yellow after we made two delete yellow pulls. Went beyond the algorithms of the white balance. And we spent time whitening teeth and borrowing eyes. Bless Photoshop.
CENTCOM MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER
September 1, 2003 Hyatt Hotel, Gen. Tommy and Mrs. Franks are bordered by Dolly and Alan Jacobson.
Tampa, Florida- Guest Speaker Gen. Tommy Franks (USA Ret.) - A guest appearance and speech by the architect of the "March to Baghdad", the fast assault on the regime of Saddam Hussein and his gang of thugs.
This was followed months later by the "Mission Accomplished " statement by the President which officially started the Grand Ten Year War of Insurgency which continues on today.
General Franks returned to his home state after retirement serving his country above and beyond the call of duty. Today he makes frequent appearances on the speaking circuit. Well the times have changed and he was lucky he got out at the right time.
GENERAL PETRAEUS
Things move quick, 24 or so hours after this shot of Gen Petraeus and myself was taken he was redirected to Afganistan. Less than a year later he's back to run the CIA. We both had the steak with Brazilian Chimmichurra dressing.
Many of the Generals who retired in the past five years have served the Central Command (CENTCOM) with the latest field commander being General Petraeus appearing about every five months in front of Congress.
I truly believe he like many great warriors would rather be on the lines in Afganistan rather than in the Congressional do nothing war zone. at least in Afganistan you can shoot back….
St. Petersburg Times Forum
(The Times Forum - TAMPA -June 11th, 2003)
Photograper: Al Jacobson
An incredible evening, a musical “Thank You” to our servicemen and their families at the St. Pete Times Forum. The concert was attended by over 13,000 service members, retires and their families. Among those Country music’s best were:
• Charlie Daniels
• Lee Greenwood
• Jo Dee Messina
• Darryl Worley
• Chris Cagle
• Rebecca Lynn Howard
• Ashley Gearing • And a surprise solo by General Tommy Franks who brought the house down. But he wasn’t offered any contracts or future events.
The real stars were in the audience...The concert, which was free to all attendees, drew over 13,000 people, and was attended by Gen. Tommy Franks. Gov. Jeb Bush and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio who served as the Honorary Chairs of the event.
Left: Gen. Tommy Franks and Mrs. Franks.
The concerts goal was to recognize all members of the military and was being held in Tampa, because it's the home of the U.S. Central Command, Special Operations Command and MacDill Air Force Base.
The concert is part of the Department of Defense’s “Operation Tribute to Freedom,” a sustained and widespread program of activities in appreciation of our men and women in uniform and the families that support them.
*********
THE COALITION DINNER
13 JUL2003 Al La Carte Pavilion, TAMPA Florida
Sponsored by Pepin Distributing, Outback Steakhouse, Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay with Over 40 countries participating.
The food was incredible. Provided by OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE Catering. Pepin Distributing handled the libation and the entertainment was provided by Busch Gardens. To preserve the fun of the evening and let all attending have a great time, we were told and they limited the amount of photography.
The Outback Steakhouse Corporation was honored by the Army for their participation in "Operation OUTBACK", One, Two and Three. Over 12,000 meals delivered to our troops in Afghanistan to give our soldiers a taste of home. Thats General Abizaid on the left.
A truly remarkable, unselfish gift by an outstanding American Corporation. In addition other companies such as Anheuser-Busch and Pepin Distributors deserve merit for what they do for our troops. Coalition dinners and other events hosted by these great friends of the Military go unnoticed in the press, it's not about recognition... it's about giving.
And the Tampa Bay Community knows how to give. It goes without saying that Tampa Bay loves the Military and that the Military loves Tampa Bay. Mentioned and toasted at the reception, Tampa Bay truly deserves the recognition it deserves for it's support of the troops, their families and allied personnel.Companies such as The Outback Steakhouse and others have led the way.
Gen. Abizaid- Paul Avery President Outback
PHOTOGRAPHERS NOTES - Darkest room I ever shot in with streaming red and blue searchlights. You get there and then you work it out. I made half the shots Black and White, the paper didn't care and the food and facility was top notch. Nice part was all casual attire. Due to the nature of the participants roles we were limited on the shooting and the Photos were restricted.
JEB BUSH'S READING PROGRAM
Governor Jeb Bush Launches Reading Program:
(TAMPA - 14 Sept 2006) Governor Jeb Bush today launched Read Together, Florida, the annual one state-one book reading promotion initiative. This year's program features The Zero Game by Florida-based author Brad Meltzer. Floridians are encouraged to read the book during the month of October which will include community events at libraries, bookstores and Starbucks locations, an online crossword puzzle game, an essay contest for high school students and a grand prize, drawing for a trip to Washington, DC, with the author.
The promotion is part of the Governor's Family Literacy Initiative, managed by the nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation. "Reading transforms lives. It is the key to opening up the doors of opportunity and achieving success," said Governor Bush. "Since 1999, we have strived to make reading a family value through our family literacy initiative. Read Together, Florida is an expansion of that great idea, and I encourage all families to participate in this year's event by reading The Zero Game.'"
He should start with his brother, The President, Zero is close to GWB's popularity. Nice title for his memoirs. I'm not a Bush fan. Today's announcement took place at the West Tampa Library in Tampa, a historic library where cigar factory lectors once chose the day's reading selection to be read aloud to workers.
Read Together, Florida is the state's annual promotion to enhance the love of reading by encouraging entire communities to read together.
PHOTOGRAPHERS NOTES: This one was a gas. Indoor-outdoor in a difficult venue because when you stuff sixty to eighty people into an area that normally holds twenty things get tight. like an Australian Football Scrum. And that didn't include the bodyguards and three different police departments.
The not so funny part was with all the protection for the Governor and brother of the President the new library is in a "difficult area”. A noted bad part of town, and while we were going around the block three times looking for a parking spot, we were approached by some dubious but charming dealers. "You want some stuff?” I flashed my Neighborhood Watch Badge and witnessed the applicants for the next Olympic fastest 100 yard dash in history.
With ten video guys and reporters in front of us and a tangle of booms, mikes and cable, finally I drove right into the front of the building, left the badge on the visor barely aimed down and the officer for some reason let me park there. I gave him a can of soda.
I went vertical on a low back wall, grabbed the longer glass and stayed out of the foray of mikes and booms and questions., caught an opening between two shoulder units and grabbed the shot(s). His brother was President at that time
Ground Breaking Dedication of The New Facility
The vision for the next five years and beyond is to create a non-profit learning center for students of all ages to learn from hands-on environmental activities that motivate them to continue to support the renewal and restoration of our coastal ecosystems for future generations.
The marine center and educational facility on Tampa Bay will serve as program headquarters and provide opportunities for students to "dig in" and "get dirty" as they apply classroom principles in real life scientific projects that carry out the bay renewal and habitat restoration work of Tampa Bay Watch.
Tampa Bay Watch has set the goal for our capital campaign at $4.5 million. We have secured our program headquarters location at Cunningham Key near Ft. De Soto Park in St. Petersburg and begun construction on an office facility. This fantastic location will give students and Tampa Bay residents the opportunity to experience the bay first-hand and to encourage them to protect it for future generations.
To date we have raised, $1.2 million, but in order achieve our goals we need to raise additional funds to accomplish our mission. Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit stewardship program dedicated exclusively to the charitable and scientific purpose of protecting and restoring the marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary, the largest open water estuary in the State of Florida. By expanding community involvement in hands-on restoration and protection projects around the bay, we strive to counteract the huge loss of wetland habitat over the past 100 years. Tampa Bay Watch trains and organizes citizen volunteers, students, at-risk youth, and civic organizations to participate in environmental projects while heightening community awareness of the fragile nature and importance of the environment.
Please see their website: http://www.tampabaywatch.org/
PHOTOGRAPHER'S NOTES: Al Jacobson gets captured by no other than Tom Bailey his photographer buddy of 30 years while conversing with the late Congressman Bill Young (R).
Al made it clear by saying "he has known Congressman Young for almost 30 years or as long as he has been in Congress. "Congressman Young has done a great job for the State and especially the Tampa Bay region”.
Maybe Al should be running for office. His reply was right on. The established Congressman has represented Tampa bay well. He will be sorely missed.
A MORE PERFECT UNION - DON’T THINK SO
So what’s it like covering these political events. Now I’m retired they can go stick it. A large part of this forthcoming election and as with current and previous elections was the media. Depending on the cable station they seemed to travel along party and TV lines. Now most of you understand "PARTY LINES". No, no, no, not the white powder so fashionable in Hollywood, "high" society and ghettos and occasionally in political circles. I’m not blind...
These party lines are invisible and have blind loyalty to either Republican Propaganda or Democratic Propaganda. Whether you like smaller government and less services or obviously more government with more services provided you say nothing other than the current party line. This is blind loyalty at its best.
Sort like in the roller coaster business, you pay to get in. Now you are strapped safely in your seat and you are ready for the ride of your life. Now after the initial excitement of being chosen, you have told all your friends, relatives, hair stylist and co-workers all about what you heard and believed.
All the aspirations and perspirations of what truly will make this country whole again and you are part of the team. You are on track just like you hope the coaster is. You are part of the group. You paid 80 plus dollars a day for this big chance.
Did you ever wonder after the big exciting trip up the hill, when you see the next step if this didn't require a little more thinking? Because you are committed, no turning back now, just a bunch of ups and downs, a few cuban eights and barrel rolls and you think its over, till the kids say, "Lets do it again daddy". "You kids go by yourself" as you surmise if that Taco breakfast Burrito with extra hot sauce you had for breakfast was a really good choice.
It says you support your candidate whether he or she is a moron, a thief, or totally inept at the job and this electoral season had a dose of just about everything except clap. We did not have any cases of clap. Well, no reported cases of clap, lots of Doctors in Congress helping a fellow out if needed. Doctors yes, protecting the health care system fighting every change. Other than clap, just about everything else. It was apparent on both sides. Morons galore, thieves at every corner, pandering, sleeping with staff, and lots of LIES and ineptness beyond belief.
Whether you support the Republican or Democrat party either side has great and noble ideals and ideas. Skillfully presented to us in speeches ad nauseam. After the speeches, both sides in reality return to and are producers of mediocre performance, bi-partisan bickering, lying, cheating, stealing, and other bureaucratic opportunistic tendencies. We call it POLITICS. But they each have their individual styles and it depends on what coaster you pick. Some could make you throw up, well most could if ingested enough.
POLITICAL FOOTBALL
The Democrats have a problem articulating themselves. Republicans can play the blame game better while the Democrats haven’t figured the rule book out. Democrats will lose much of what they gained by not knowing the rules and not fighting back. The Republicans just don't follow them anyway so maybe it really doesn't matter.
The Republicans, who know more about shooting oneself in the foot or face (Cheney proved that with lawyer friend) should shut up and just let the other guys shoot themselves. Right now the biggest problem for the Republicans is that they have nobody who is competent, since they shot each other.
THE TV LINES
Most of the TV version of the Republican agenda is led by the likes of Limbaugh, Cavuto, Susteren, Hannity, and Beck, the critically wise men and women of FOX news. Oh, please don't forget Mr. Personality, Charles Krauthammer, It's not that hard to become a critic, you just bitch and complain all the time. They all have strong followings, lots who like bitching and moaning. as surveys have shown from those who are probably the least informed voters because they don't listen to anything other than party propaganda.
You don’t need answers, nor solutions, you just complain and lie and snipe, and amend, and have more fluff than a drag convention. This is the gang that plays the TV lines. You vote for the celebrity TV “Mouth of the month”. We have ditto heads, pinheads, great Americans, worse people and a host of other professional entertainment phrases who slant just about everything but the room they are in. These are for the ratings party. Follow the money.
The connection is MONEY. Ratings are how certain shows and printed media survive. And the media this election really did take sides to literally make news about nothing as long as it made ratings. It really did show its colors. It's been a long twenty months since my interests changed from following sports events on the local and national scale and I slowly became interested or is it addicted to “POLITICS”, but once tempted, I learned it really is a dirty business.
We worry about steroids in sports, and pay no attention to crooks we elect. ROME is alive and well and in the declining stages. Meanwhile Huckabee plays on, he's not bad on Bass, but I can't stand Evangelicals in Politics. I'll change my tune when I see Jesus or Moses on the ballot. Keep religion out of politics, remember the Church and State.
Sports and Politics share some similarities. Both usually involve two teams, sometimes exchanging mortal and highly defamatory comments. Don’t think for a second those NFL lineman share cake-baking recipes before the ball is snapped. They share tender thoughts about each other Moms.
COVERING MEDIA
I covered the GOP side during 2010 and was privileged to attend, but tired quickly from trekking to the rally sites from the distanced parking just to hear the same BS, I heard at the last stop. Sometimes three in a day. Same tired jokes and acting 101 with fake emotion and tailspin. These “stump pumps” were like cheerleader competition events, more like and similar to the choreographed ones Chairman Mao so eloquently put together.
But the chairman, the Chairman Mao had a different approach. He had larger turnouts…he simply had more Chinese made AK47's from Watsawok Factory Seven. So why cover all three? The crowd, the unexpected is the news. And something tragic or out of the ordinary is news and happens. Look at Congresswoman Giffords.
Many of these folks went for whatever was offered hook, line and the anchor from the Titanic. I grew tired of Palin, she reminded me of someone I once dated. “Bitch, bitch, bitch”. That romance didn't last too long. She had pre-planned rhetoric, “gospelized’ niche phrases and was lying or stretching at the same time. Boy, was she enamored with herself. There were mistruths and assignations, lots of spin and snips. Unfortunately for McCain, he didn’t get annulled in time. And you never saw her backstage when something wasn't perfect.
This wasn't preaching to the choir, this was bringing the choir with you. The bits of excitement like the bit with Joe the Plumber, whether it was fully planned or seeded (yes) became the battle cry of those so far to the right, they never make left turns in their cars. Back to the septic tanks Joe. You had your moment just like she'll have hers. And the first family of Alaska proved to be as exciting as that crew from Beverly Hills Hillbillies. It came back to haunt McCain and his chances for election when the little slips came out. We slowly learned so much spins about her we had to create her own section.
SEARCH FOR TRUTH
Its progressive, the electoral process. I admit, it really got to me. I became a political/media/constitutional junkie. I found the game addicting. I studied the candidate's rhetoric and wondered on occasion how some of them got there. But, the one good thing I learned was objectivity. For every statement, I heard I researched it. I went to the actual source and found much of what was said was distorted and twisted. I guess it changed me in the sense that the quest for the truth became almost an obsession. And it had its cost. I might have lost friends because I grew tired of hearing them repeat the party lines and lies. Party loyalty, status quo, prejudice, fear, mostly fear, and failure all contributed to the decision. I had my run.
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS
I say enough political partisanship with all the fake Congressional hearings to get to the bottom of nothing. Im talking about Benghazi. Enough we have heard through several investigations few changes from what really happened. We, and the ill-fated four were attacked. Simple, thats what happened. We didn’t expect it and got blindsided. The legion of critics
who have made the charge and looking to hang someone for the loss are playing politics as only the Republican machine can to twist the truth and stall the government.
Lets go back in time, and look at the previous administration. If Benghazi created interest, the officials of the George W. Bush administration namely Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld should have been treated as war criminals, for launching an "illegal" war in Iraq and for approving the torture of terrorism suspects.
Cheney's policy is one of a paranoid lunatic. I think Rumsfeld was an awful secretary of Defense, worst standup comic in the history of the White House who did an atrocious job. That mean that leading members of the Bush administration are war criminals in the precise legal sense that they violated the imposing body of rules and regulations that have grown out of the post–World War II Nuremberg Trials and Geneva Conventions. These rules are known as "international law”, strictly speaking, are really bilateral and multilateral treaties between and among governments.
But until that day, which is nowhere in sight, "international law" will remain a fiction — one concocted by politically unaccountable lawyers and bureaucrats, and enforced (or more accurately, imposed) arbitrarily and capriciously by ragtag coalitions of governments, egged on by equally unaccountable activists, and motivated mainly (as governments almost always are) by national self-interest.
But these are moral and political judgments, not legal ones. Violations of law belong in a separate category. They call for punishment, and the laws must be legitimate and binding in order for that punishment to be considered just. The world is nowhere close to having such a body of international law, and so no one is entitled to describe Condi Rice and her colleagues as war criminals but they have to be spoken about as what they really were…hacks, incompetent, mis-informed, belligerent, corrupt, stupid and a disgrace to the country.
BUYING ELECTIONS - ROBERT'S RULES OF DISORDER
Now we have, courtesy of the SUPREMES, the courthouse full of great jurists with no common sense what amounts to legal donations from corporations in political battle. I call it treasonable. The rich are trying to buy their way in to politics with corporate and personal money. We had at the mid terms, Rick Scott for Governor and he won. Thank goodness for the 2nd amendment, and those chilling words by Charlton Heston.
By his encouragement, I cleaned my flintlock yesterday, first time in two hundred years. Now I got to find some gunpowder and marbles I suppose. Our supreme court is broke. Simple, Justice Roberts was Bush appointee. You deregulate financial electoral support and sell the country. Disgraceful! And Scalia and Thomas really need to be looked at too. Somethings amiss there, they are way too friendly with the right.
NUTS FROM THE WOODWORK
The Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is a small virulently homophobic, anti-Semitic hate group that regularly stages protests around the country, often several times a week. The group pickets institutions and individuals they think support homosexuality or otherwise subvert what they believe is God’s law.
When the "Primitive Baptist Wackadoo Clan" aka "the Phelps family - Westboro Baptist Church" denigrates a fallen heros funeral, they have stepped over the line. They go to the funeral, A Soldiers Funeral, with signs unfit for any occasion. How this is tolerated, this country is falling apart, I do not know. I think sometimes, I would like nothing better than to polish up my Ted Williams Louisville Slugger that has been stored forty years in my closet, next to my 200 year old flintlock which Charlton Heston told me to hang on to and I recently cleaned. Special thanks to friends, vets, fellow patriots in motorcycle organizations across the country who show up at these funerals to ward off the disrespect these animals show to our fallen heroes.
Recently the patriarch of the family, the head denigrator of this very sick clan died. I sent flowers, a beautiful bouquet of Ragweed, Belladonna, Some Poison Ivy and Oak, and Scotch Broom liberally dusted with cayenne powder and with a garland of Scotch Bonnets.
BOTTOM LINE
We are a positive nation, and hope, faith, and a positive atttitude have always propelled us ahead of our situations and we have risen to the occasion. We are winners and we will take to task those who would oppose us. The American spirit, is based on liberty, with justice and freedom for all and should work for everyone – not just the privileged few. We are paying a price for the decade of decadence. I was blessed to meet these folks and to see them unclose and at times uncomfortable. It’s hard to hide your disdain for some because you have seen right through them
AUTHOR and PHOTOGRAPHER:
Al Jacobson, photographs and writes in the Tampa Bay area on a myriad of subjects. He is from NY and occasionally speaks English, preferring Brooklyn based meta-phonetic syllabication (aka Street English). His high school English teacher, once commented to his parents, "He should try learning a foreign language like English... in a foreign country". He retorted with his best Shakespearian voice "Shakespeare doth not a genius make, for he spake in terms reminiscent of a flake". She threw him out of the class, twice.