Life, Liberty, Local Politics, Part 1

Have you ever stopped to think about your actions and how they could ruin your life? Seemingly innocent actions that eveyone takes that you don't even think about at the time? This is a story about what is happening to my best friend. I've got to get it off my chest so this is as good a place as any. Who knows? Maybe you'll enjoy it. Maybe it will even help someone.

I don't know about you, but I live in a state where local politics are corrupt. It's all about who you know. If you know the right people, you're safe. If you don't know the right people or you do something to make the right people mad, you're not safe. Simple as that. This story is set in a county in my state where the corruption is rampant - so rampant it's on the news at night and well-known throughout the state.

What if you were facing 20 years in prison for a crime you didn't commit? What if you were facing this because someone was powerful in local politics and didn't like you? Wouldn't that drive you absolutely out of your mind? That is the state to which our political system on a local level has deteriorated.

My friend was, 10 years ago, in a romantic relationship with a powerful woman in this county. A landowner. A rich woman who had a child by a previous marriage. The relationship lasted a number of years, but did not work out. Why? My friend realized their values were different and he could not marry someone that different from him, so they split up. He thought they could remain friends. He did not realize how vindictive and obsessed she was, though he knew she was powerful in local politics.

The woman told him she was going to ruin his life if he left her. He should have believed her, though, of course he could not have stayed. He's facing rape charges. Rape of a child under 12 - her child. Of course, he did not rape this child but you can accuse anyone of anything and if you are powerful enough, you can get those charges to stick.

He was put in jail 3 years ago and not allowed a phone call, not read his MIranda rights - nothing. His bail was a quarter of a million dollars - his family was able to bail him out. For 3 years, the trial has been continued by the prosecution over and over. Why? They have no evidence because he is an innocent man. They have tried to get him to plea bargain - the prosecution, that is. To plea to a misdemeanor...even though he's charged with a Class A felony. This woman simply set out to ruin his life and after 10 years, she has pretty much succeeded.

End of first installment. As far as we know the trial is this week. We are working on collecting witnesses for the defense and having great success. Stay turned............

Oil, Politics, Sea Turtles, and our Humanity

When I woke up this morning and clicked on the TV to my favorite news channel, the first thing I saw was a dead endangered sea turtle that had washed up on the beaches of Mississippi. The news anchor talked about the fact that about 20 dead sea turtles had appeared on this stretch of beach.

The environmentalists aren't quite sure yet what has caused the death of these amazing creatures, but it's too coincidental not to think it is the oil spill in the Gulf. One of the sea turtles I saw had a totally black shell.

Earlier this year, my husband and were spending some time in Florida. We took a side trip to Charleston, SC; actually, we went to Mt. Pleasant and the Isle of Palms. We were hoping to catch the sea turtles as they came ashore to lay their eggs. It was still cold and too early for the sea turtles so we missed them.

But, we went to the wonderful aquarium in Charleston and we were able to see a sea turtle, one of the endangered ones, swimming in their huge ocean tank. In another big tank, there was a baby sea turtle. The aquarium in Charleston will fascinate you with all their species of fish, but if you know the history and behavior of sea turtles, you'll be especially fascinated to be privileged enough to have the opportunity to see one. 

Now, there is a huge oil spill in the Gulf that is still spilling - pumping out over 200,000 barrels of oil per day and they can't get it stopped any time soon. It's the time of the year when sea turtles come in to the beaches to lay their eggs.......and the oil spill is marching rapidly toward the beach. Imagine all the species of fish and birds impacted by this horrible environmental disaster. Further, imagine all the fishermen on the Gulf Coast who will not now be able to make a living - possibly for a long time. 

Those of you who know me know I wrote about politics for PNN for a long time. I didn't stray far from politics. Recently, I've written a couple of things for PNN and they weren't too political. I'm afraid, dear readers, that I'm back on the political tear with this post.

What do we think we're doing? All of these politicians have been talking about the issue of drilling for oil offshore and I fully understand why that is a tempting thing to do in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. But, is it really worth it? One explosion on one oil platform is going to wipe out portions of the wildlife on and around the Gulf Coast for years. What if two oil platforms went down? Or four?

I guess the thought that has come to me is, "What are we THiNKING!!"

We're so hungry for oil that we've lost our humanity. We've put the jobs of thousands of people along the coast at jeoprady. Is the oil we've gotten from that one oil platform really worth that? We're causing millions of fish and birds to die, messing up the ecology of the ocean. Except for small groups of people who spend their own time and money to go to the coast and wash the oil off the poor birds and turtles, only to have to put them right back into a polluted ocean, we don't even seem to care.

Are we still human? I'm beginning to wonder. Empathy is an emotion that separates us from animals. Can't the politicians see that the current oil policy cannot survive as the years pass or we will have no world? It is astounding how short-term their thinking is. Instead of spending our money building oil platforms, which even the Obama administration wants to do, let's spend our money developing alternative energy sources. Our current energy plan is not sustainable in the long run.

When President Obama was elected, I was hopeful that he would not approve any more offshore drilling and I was disappointed when he did. However, he has suspended that decision for the time being. I hope he sees the destruction of this one explosion and reverses his decision. Of course, if a Republican administration takes his place, then there is no hope. There will certainly be more oil rigs in the Gulf and more explosions and oil spills.

I want to get back to the basics like what's good for the people of America. It hurts our mental health when we see animals that have to have oil washed off of them. Our children will grow up thinking that is a normal situation. As the generations pass, I fear that the humanity and souls of the American people are changing and not in a good way.

I've had a front row seat to this phenomenon. For 27 years, I was a college professor of business. In 27 years, you teach perhaps 3 generations of students. I can't tell you the differences, and how vast they are, between the students in 1982 when I started my career and in 2010, when I've ended it. Except for the fact that our students can now deal with technology, the changes haven't been good. It has been a sea change.

Good, old-fashioned American values is what we need. That doesn't include acting like it's no big deal that oil is pumping out from a well 5,000 feet below the sea and killing off our seafood, birds, and wonderful sea turtles who live to be 100 years old. What it does include is the American people jumping in and with our superior education and intellect, finding a solution to the energy problem rather than just being complacent and doing what's easy.

Paradise, PNN, and Politics

Funny the twists and turns life takes. I never saw myself as a camper. An RV'er. I was the serious one. Too serious. Too prissy. Too correct. I couldn't "let loose" enough to camp. Then, my husband bought an RV. A big RV - a 33 foot bus with all the amenities...well, some of the amenities. A shower, a queen-sized bed, a nice-enough kitchen. Hardly camping. Luxury camping, I guess. Could I actually go along with the plan, travel, and go camping, he asked?

After many hours of panic, I decided that it was really a house on wheels. That we could take our puppies and kitties. That, after all, it DID have a shower and proper bed. That it gave us a way to travel. So, OK, we'd do it. It was winter in Kentucky and I'd do almost anything to escape it. So, off we headed.

And we found paradise on a small island off the coast of southern Florida. A campground on a relatively undiscovered island. My Paradise Island. A wonderful campground. Great weather. Good people. And relaxation for me - a rare treat. A funny thing happened on the way to paradise. I became an RV'er.

What does all this have to do with PNN and politics as the title suggests? Alot, actually. There is much discussion now about the lack of civility in our society here in the US. I have friends on both sides of the aisle - Democrats and Republicans. The country is so split that they don't even speak to each other. My mother used to say not to talk about politics or religion in social settings. I've come to the conclusion she was right. There is so much political discussion that we can't be friends or even civil anymore if we suspect the other person has views different than us.

What I found at the campground on my island paradise was a community of people who want to escape the cares of the world (along with winter). RV'er's are an independent sort. They take care of themselves and their own. At this particular campground, there are permanent residents, seasonal residents who stay 3-6 months, and weekend campers. The permanent and seasonal folks have formed a community. Everyone knows each other (and each other's dogs!). You can leave your RV unlocked. You can walk and bike the streets with no fear. If something happens, the RV'er next door will help you. Everyone has dinners and parties. We ate Easter dinner with 100 people!

My husband and I now have a whole new set of wonderful friends, some of whom we'll keep in touch with over the summer and all of whom we are looking forward to seeing again next winter on the magic island. Does anyone talk politics? Nah. It doesn't seem important when you're biking, walking the dogs, and indulging in the simple pleasures of the sunshine and beach. Has everyone forgotten that?

I think I'd forgotten that. The problems of the U.S. seem so big. Who can take time to be polite? Be civil? Who can take the time to enjoy simple pleasures now? If we all did, the world would be a better place and we would be more relaxed people better able to cope with challenges that come our way.

Now, we're home for the summer and fall, but next winter, it's back to the magic island, this time for a long winter's stay, to regroup and recoup. It was so good for me.

I am a full-time professional freelance writer with a great daytime gig and continued to work while in Florida. I also have some side gigs. I used to write for PNN a long while back as you can see from my archives. I wrote strictly about politics, but now I find myself wanting to branch out - politics, life, business, whatever. It's a great outlet to write here. Maybe I'll write here some again. Maybe I'll enjoy it. Maybe you will too.