Western Star Apology and Water!!!

In The Western Star this week another apology ran. This one is more suitable:

Apology

The Western star did not follow company policy on running letters to the editor when a letter ran in the June 4, 2008 edition signed by the Bessemer Neighborhood Association. Association secretary, Joe Openshaw, informed The Western star the letter was not written by the BNA. The newspaper apologizes to the Bessemer Neighborhood Association and to those mentioned in the letter for any inconvenience or problems that its publication may have caused.

Thanks Dale, for setting the record straight. The association accepts the apology.

But the individual wonders about the sincerity. I say that because this apology was read to me and OK'ed by me by Mitch Tribble on June 19 over the phone, and he seemed sincere and concerned that the letter was even published.

Quite different from the email I received from Dale the other day. However, being a peacemaker...I will let it slide, and just be thankful the readers of The Western Star know the truth now.

I might as well admit I also read with interest Representative Priscilla Dunn's column titled The First Steps Toward a Statewide Water Plan. Rep. Dunn (who by the way is always complimentary to me regarding my columns) is absolutely right on the importance of developing a statewide water management team. I have written about water both in The Western Tribune and on this blog enough that everyone should know my concerns.

One such concern is bottled water. To make the bottles used for America's and our water, over 17 million barrels of crude oil are used annually. this is enough to power a million vehicles for a year (Update). That doesn't account for the diesel or gas used to transport the bottles to the retail outlets, or across the sea for those waters that come from Fiji or Europe.

While our household has not cut down 100%, we have greatly reduced our bottled water use by getting a refillable big bottle and cooler for our drinking water. We get refills at Lowes. We still buy an occasional case of Dasani for use in special situations.

Most tap water is fine, and a lot of people I hear are returning to tap water, either with or without a filter. Many refrigerators have a filter and the water that is dispensed is fine.
Enjoy this Water Sculpture.


Plus think of the money you will save by not buying water that is costing as much or more per gallon than gasoline. Conservation. Fiscal. Good.

They're wascally, they are

Those wascally wepublicans

What rock do these people crawl out from under?

This from Doc's Political Parlor. Start with Harri Anne Smith, in a runoff with Jay Love for the Republican nomination for AL-02 to run against Democrat Bobby Bright in November. She accuses Love of voting “for higher income taxes,” trying “to raise taxes one billion,” and voting “for Alabama’s largest tax increase" and the bill referenced in the ad is one, that if you do your research, you find that she voted for as well. Find all of this on the link above.

And from Daily Dixie this is just bizarre. Matt Chancey (you remember,The guy who doesn't know fish) is running for Public Service Commission president. Just go here and see what his wife wrote. What century? Let me give you a hint:

"Was the 19th amendment misguided? Should all women (or all people, for that matter) have a vote?
We have to walk carefully here. Let it be understood that there are good, thoughtful people on both sides of the suffrage issue." Really? Today?

All I know is that I am for all republican households casting only one vote. For that I give her credit.

And Karl Rove says Obama reminds him of “the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by." Isn't that a laugh, an old white guy from the republican party calling a black guy "country club," when most country clubs full of GOP (Gas, Oil Petroleum) party members won't even let black people in? at least historically.

And I won't write a thing about McCain, he provides his own brand of ineptness on a daily basis without me pointing it out. At least not today. 5:30 Thursday morning comes early.

Oh, and if anyone wants to read my take on Paul's letter to the Romans, read yesterdays comments. He wasn't criticising gays or lesbians in loving committed relationships.

Another challenge

From Blethers a link to Frying an Egg where a new challenge has been presented.

"There's a lot to said for cold meat." 100 words or less.


Stop now and compose your own before reading my twisted story, and submit it here and there. I am inserting a picture here so you don't see my subject before writing. This steer was helping in the Foreign Animal Disease exercise last week. Cold meat? No, not this guy.

A bruised jaw and a black eye was not what mom expected. And a raw filet was not what I expected to be slapped on my face, after the backside of her hand slapped my bottom. “There’s a lot to be said for cold meat,” she said, adding “the rest of the family will have theirs on the table tonight, “Warm, grilled.”

I felt like cold meat while my father was pounding me in the stairway. He called me a faggot. “Filthy faggot.”

That was 6 years ago. I am a faggot. A good faggot. Father is dead. Cold meat.

****************************************************

While "faggot" is an offensive word I am using here in literature and in reality, this is how homophobes often refer to gay people, including fathers who beat their kids.

About marriage

I am involved all day for the next few day taking some Incident Command courses from Homeland Security this week. Going well so far. this is ICS 300 and 400...great training.



The Conservative (most were appointed by Republican governors, including conservative hero Ronald Reagan)California Supreme Court that allowed equality in marriage to begin has been asked to keep the initiative to ban the marriages off the November ballot. Story



If these guys married, why shouldn't gays of today. These are 4th century Christian martyrs Saint Sergius and Saint Bacchus who were united in the rite of Adelphoesis, or brother-making, considered an early form of religious same-sex marriage, according to John Boswell, noted historian. In this picture, Jesus is the "best man" overlooking the two. This 7th century painting is in the public domain. The links are wiki.




Here is a celebration of marriages from California. this will warm your heart.





And here is Bernard and Nicks wedding from 2006 in London. Nice.

I've had Enough

Everytime I allow open commenting eventually fanatics from the righteous right begin posting hateful comments and use name calling and slander to try to get their point across, so once again, I will be moderating comments. That means some may not show up as quickly.

They think this is a forum for discussion. They criticize the site as not being "democratic." It is not, it is a blog. If you want to spew out hatred and show your lack of concern about ethics and integrity then go somewhere else.

I am tired of having to respond to people who think it is OK to lie, plagiarize and ignore ethical standards in order to promote one's position. Lesson: the end does not justify the means.

How many times do I have to respond to the same questions with the same answers and have them ignore my responses and questions? Since you can't argue with the facts I present, you attack me. Republican tactic.

They say their extremist views are the conservative majority in Bessemer. While I am sure that they are extremists, I doubt they are in the majority. When I respond that McCain represents the conservative viewpoint and Obama the progressive viewpoint, and that I am sure that Obama will carry Bessemer, which will prove my point that progressives outnumber conservatives they just ignore it and shift the discussion to "gay this" and "liberal that".

It is as if a bunch of little Karl Roves are running through Bessemer, trying to ignite hatred with lies and innuendo, just like Rove did in Bush's campaigns, while ignoring the real issues. Well, you are not going to do it on Bessemer Opinions.

It all boils down to: they can't stand the truth.

A More Enjoyable Day (and Post)

Yesterday's post resulted in a busy day with emails and phone calls relating to the "letter" beginning almost immediately after it was posted and lasting the rest of the day. I should write a book. The most interesting call came from Mitch Tribble of Trib publications. We had a...conversation, let's say. And another apology is forthcoming.

Alabama Stonewall Democrats had a great meeting last night, with almost a full house. We welcomed guests from the local Obama campaign as we endorsed Barack Obama for president. Following that we heard from three transgender folks about their concerns and how current and proposed policy and attitudes affect them. We really appreciate Roxanne, Ox and Jay for coming to our meeting and sharing their stories. There is much educating to be done, and I have tried to do so with this post about "The T" and this one about Thomas Beatie. Thomas's baby is due in just a few weeks and I will be following that story as well.

After a day like yesterday let's just relax and watch videos today. I saw this video by Oded Gross on my cousin Wayne's blog. Hope you don't mind me lifting it, Wayne.




And while in the gay vein, this guy explains why he personally is against gay marriage. Thanks Tyler.




And you might have seen this, but Jim and Danny both sent it. Thanks guys.
"I'm voting Republican"



Have a good day and a safe weekend.

Our Patience Has Run Out

Two weeks ago, on June 4, 2008 The Western Star ran a letter under Readers Opinions with the title "Illegal activities on Owen Avenue." The letter was signed "Bessemer Neighborhood Association."

The letter, which I will not reproduce here in its entirety, began with "The Bessemer Neighborhood Association would like to inform you of the activity of the tenants of *** Owen Avenue, Bessemer."

It continued, making accusations of illegal drug activity and sales, truancy, vandalism, and animal cruelty. The letter named 4 people, and described two vehicles and gave their tag numbers and addresses where the people live.

From the paper, "People believed to be involved in illegal drug sales and theft: 'person 1', 'person 2', 'person 3' and 'person 4'.
Tag numbers of cars involved: 'AL tag # 1' and 'AL tag # 2'. "

The letter also said copies were being sent to community leaders, and ended with "We strongly encourage you to take action."

Where do I begin. First and foremost, the Bessemer Neighborhood Association did not write, authorize, or suggest that this letter be written. Furthermore, the officers of the association are not aware of the activities mentioned in the letter.

The Bessemer Neighborhood Association's mission is to improve the quality of life in Bessemer, but trying to do this with slanderous accusations is not in our methods list and we feel that the printing of this letter will be counterproductive to our efforts.

We were promised an apology yet the attempt that was printed in yesterday's paper falls short. Here is the apology as it appeared in the June 18, 2008 Western Star:

Apology

The Western Star did not follow the company policy on running letters to the editor when a letter ran in the June 4, 2008 edition from the The Bessemer Neighborhood Association. The newspaper apologizes to those mentioned in the letter for any inconvenience or problems that the letter may have caused them.

Dale Jones, the editor, knows that the Bessemer Neighborhood Association did not send the letter. He knows that we feel a letter of this type will be counterproductive and will undercut our efforts to improve things in Bessemer. Yet his "apology" states that the letter was from our association. The apology says that "he" did not follow company policy when running "our" letter, indicating that the problems with the letter were ours. They were not, because the letter was not ours.

Those are the facts. This is the opinion. Dale Jones should not be running a newspaper. Already, we have documented plagarism by Jones, and now a breach of ethics and professionalism. Any newspaper editor who would:

• print a letter that defames individuals with no basis
• would print such a letter without verifying its authenticity
• would print a letter from an organization without an individual letter writer's name
• would print such a letter without even getting the name of the person who sent it (so he claims)
• would print a letter that endangers individuals,

...should not be editing a newspaper. He should be relieved of his duties.

This newspaper is owned by Bob Tribble of Trib Publications, PO Box 648, Manchester GA, 31816. 706-846-4336.