Caddo Commissioner Steven Jackson wants to be the next mayor of Shreveport.
He also wants to remove a confederate monument at the Caddo Parish Courthouse.
That is not a reason to distribute fliers of a PHOTO of Jackson with a noose around his neck and a warning to “LEAVE OUR STATUE & PROPERTY ALONE & GET OUT OF THE RACE N—–.”
There is, quite simply, never a reason for such backwoods, redneck reaction. Ever.
If you disagree with him, then yes, disagree. That’s your right just as it is his right to want the monuments to a dark period in our history removed—monuments to the idea that one man has the right to own another man. The very idea is abhorrent.
I can see the idea of monument removal morphing into demands down the road to change the names of the towns Leesville, Leeville, Jackson, Zachary and the parishes of Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jackson, Beauregard, Caldwell, Claiborne, Madison, and Washington.
For that matter, the Alt Right or Unite the Right groups may well demand that the names of Lincoln, Union, and Grant parishes be changed.
For that reason, I remain somewhat ambivalent about the whole issue. But then, my ancestors were never bought and sold like livestock, so who am I to even pretend to understand?
So, whoever placed that flier at the home of a Jackson family member should slither back under that rock from whence he came.
And so also should U.S. Sen. John Kennedy who each passing day is acting more like:
- A doddering old fool at the relatively young age of 66;
- A sputtering demagogue who doesn’t know when to shut up;
- An aspiring Donald Trump impersonator with diarrhea of the mouth;
- All of the above.
Kennedy, who dearly loves to dole out his down-home wit and wisdom in sound bites before the TV cameras for the benefit of the folks back home, is at it again.
This time, though, in his unabashed effort to curry favor with Donald Trump, he has stepped in it. He called former CIA Director John Brennan a “BUTTHEAD” but was careful to do so only after Trump stripped Brennan of his security clearance. YOUTUBE
In tossing out his latest banal platitude, Kennedy said (apparently without realizing the irony in what he was saying), “I think most Americans look at our national intelligence experts as being above politics. Mr. Brennan has demonstrated that that’s not the case. He’s been totally political. I think I called him a ‘butthead’ and I meant it. I think he’s given the national intelligence community a bad name.”
So much for senatorial decorum and dignity.
Now, Senator, before I slip up and call you a d**khead or an a**hole (of course, I’d never do that), let’s reflect on what you’ve just said now that you’ve been inside the Beltway what, a whole 19 months?
- You’re going to take it upon yourself to follow the lead of a man who is the very personification of crudeness, rudeness, brashness, impulsiveness, crassness, untruthfulness, embellishment, self-aggrandizement, egoism, narcissism, thoughtlessness and unprofessionalism?
- You are going to stick your neck out to contradict the entire intelligence community that says there was Russian interference in the 2016 election, and take instead, the word of a man who has demonstrated his sheer inability to utter the truth, to favor a lie when honesty would serve him better? You’re going to take the word of a misogynistic swindler who has tried for years to negotiate with Putin for the construction of a Trump Tower in Moscow over career intelligence personnel who could slip into a coma and, with their knowledge of espionage and counter-espionage, still run circles around you and your “aw, shucks” witticisms that you obviously think make you appear as Will Rogers incarnate?
- And speaking of the Russians and Putin, I can’t recall that you ever gave a viable explanation as to why you were among the delegation that made its own trip to Russia. Was that one of those classic congressional “fact-finding” missions? If so, what “facts” did you find while there? And just how much did that trip cost taxpayers?
- You’re going to latch onto the coattails of a man who claimed bone spurs in his feet to keep him out of the military but who now wants to throw a gigantic military parade in his own honor?
- You’re going to blindly follow a despot who calls the press “the enemy of the people,” and who summarily fires anyone who has the temerity to disagree with him (or, if not fire them, revoke their security clearance—while, I might add, leaving the security clearances of family members in place, family members, by the way, who held meetings with Russians to gather dirt and with Chinese officials to sell visas and to obtain trademarks for their own businesses)?
- In other words, Senator, you’re going to choose loyalty to your titular party leader over your sworn obligation to serve abd protect this nation?
- And, just to make sure I’m clear, you’re most probably planning to run for governor next year, which would be your third office to run for in…four years?
Perhaps you have bone spurs in your head.
Louisiana Voice 
Well, I can’t think of a thing to add to your “notes to Kennedy” article. He seems to be a camera hog and I never did get a factual answer as to why he went to Russia on our tax dollar. Surely, this trip resulted in great things for Louisiana…well, perhaps not or he would be “down home bragging about it.”. And, I also agree with you about the horrible cowardly note left for Caddo Commissioner Jackson. However, I don’t think removing the statues will remove the hate in some hearts. Life is hard!
Pulling the security clearance of people like Brennan is idiotic! If someone in the NSA or CIA has a unique situation and happens to remember that Brennan faced the same dilemma years ago, they can no longer call for his counsel.
I just read that the Navy commander who handled the Bin Laden capture mission publicly challenged trump to pull his clearance. He did not mince words. He knows that the government needs him on call much more than he needs trump, et al.
If that was Admiral Mike Rogers, who retired in May as NSA Director, we certainly do need his insights and guidance.
It wasn’t Rogers:
https://hillreporter.com/commander-who-oversaw-bin-laden-raid-demands-trump-remove-his-own-security-clearance-5929
I saw that about the Navy officer also. His actions and words were spot on.
I have written Senator Kennedy letters about this and have received canned responses from his computer and/or staff twice. He and every other member of our congressional delegation (except Cedric Richmond) are all bowing to the will of the President no matter what he does or says while pretending to represent all of us here in Louisiana. I have to guess they all look at how Louisianans voted and the extent to which polls show they still support President Trump and simply represent that segment of our population – and that would be the best case scenario. In the worst case scenario they would simply be putting the power of their party ahead of absolutely everything else and hoping to ride it to greater personal power.
Yesterday I decided to change to a different subject in my weekly letter to Senator Kennedy, questioning him on what possible good he believes he is doing our citizens by undermining efforts at reform by our sitting governor. I used the most recent nationally publicized effort on his part to diminish any influence Gov. Edwards might have had in his (along with other officials) recent meeting with President Trump on the subject of criminal justice reform – In case you missed it, Senator Kennedy felt it necessary to trivialize and attack Gov. Edwards efforts in a letter to the president. His computer or staff seized on my example and sent me canned language about criminal justice reform and Senator Kennedy’s deep concern about it. Totally ignored was my main point – his politically motivated attacks on the governor.
Soooo… I sent another letter to Senator Kennedy pointing this out today. It will be interesting to see what his computer/staff comes up with next – if anything. They no longer respond to my letters about the president – I guess you get one or two answers per subject or something, but I will wait and see if anything related to the disservice he is doing to our state by constantly attacking our governor might be forthcoming. As I told him in my original letter, I am disappointed in Gov. Edwards’ performance, or lack thereof, myself – but I am not a U. S. Senator with influence on what happens in our state from both the national and state perspectives.
Now, you might say, “Why do you waste your time if you are getting nothing in return.” That is what many, if not most, of our politicians want us to do – simply give up and let them do whatever they want – followed, of course, by voting for them at re-election time when they again make empty promises. An uninformed and disengaged population will be our undoing.
P. S. Stephanie Grace just put out a column on this in The Advocate.
“From whence” is Bad grammar, for “whence,” as it is, means “from where. Perhaps the liberals are not smarter than the deplorables.
Whoa! You’re correct! But why did you capitalize the “B” in “Bad grammar?”
Per Trump, random capitalization is all the rage.
My hope is that if Kennedy decides to run for Governor, JBE will defeat him handily as he beat Vitter, then other prospective canditates will smell blood in the water & come for his Senate seat. Then finally, the career politician who has sucked salaries & benefits from our state’s taxpayers for decades, but who “hates the big government” that feeds him, will get his just desserts. That is my fantasy re: Kennedy. He is truly deplorable.
Well, at least you’re wise enough to properly classify your scenario is “fantasy.” Kennedy is going to ride the wave of “Louisiana deplorables” straight into the Governor’s Mansion. Estimated countdown to his first night spent there as Governor: 515.
We will both have to wait & see, but who thought JBE could beat Vitter? Public school teachers & their supporters, state employees, retirees, minority voters, people dependent on Medicaid, some veterans (the smart ones) & lots of others recognize the progress that Louisiana has achieved since we got out from under Jindal. These folks will have no trouble voting for a conservative Democrat like JBE & they know they have to show up at the polls to escape disaster with a Landry or Kennedy at the helm.
Oops, & I forgot to mention…college students, their parents, & college faculty & staff who don’t want TOPS & higher education to be eviscerated again. It could happen here. Who thought Louisiana would elect a Democrat for Governor or that Alabama would elect a Democrat to Congress? Demographics are changing.
From your post, it would appear your “nightmare” would be for Kennedy to be elected Governor and appoint Jeff Landry to complete his remaining term in the Senate. You may very well have some awfully restless nights ahead!
I never thought Kennedy could be elected to anything looking and talking like Randy Quaid. I never imagined a President like trump. I never thought my friends, enemies, and family would vote for trump. I never believed and cannot conceive that a President/vp or any Republican would lie to our soldiers. I did believe that “religious” people would promote hate rather than love. I am grateful/thankful my education at home, church, public schools, and the military, allows me to recognize those who are complicit in selling the soul of American for excessive profits. Thus, the assholes have confirmed my thinking and I will not relent (re John Brennan) in correcting this ignorant, deplorable, and despicable trumpites/jindalites,. ron thompson
“…looking and talking like Randy Quaid.” Oh, that’s hilarious! Wish I’d thought of it.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/12/a-brief-history-of-the-cias-unpunished-spying-on-the-senate/384003/?utm_source=fbb
This sums up Brennan.
If this name changing follows the monument removals as Tom says as possible, do you think candidate JACKSON will lead the effort ?
Mr. Brennen is a insult to the U.S. and very possibly involved in criminal activity for his own profit at the expense of the U.S.’s welfare . Having said PLEASE take me off your emailing .You are too, too bias for me .
Well, Ed, I really don’t have that power. You will have to be the one to cancel by clicking on “unsubscribe.”
I guess the 60 or so other respected members of our national security agencies are also an insult to the U.S. The biggest insult to the U.S, and the rest of the free world, is the occupant of the White House, DJT! He proves it every time he opens his mouth, His words don’t need an interpreter.
Good cartoon on op-ed page of Advocate this a.m.
Kennedy is a very intelligent man and sure doesn’t need to slip into Will Rogers mode to get his point across. If he runs for governor, he will win. Bel Edwards is a one term blip. He only won because the state republican party is a joke and Mr’s Angelle & Dardenne shoved the knife in Vitter’s back. Brennan is a political hack and deserves what comes his way.
My weekly letter to Senator Kennedy sent this morningL
Subject: Your Support of State Bond Commission Action Last Week
As you know, barring banks that refuse to finance the manufacture of assault weapons for civilian use is just plain stupid. It will likely result in increased costs associated with the bonds involved and will probably also result in lawsuits against which the state will have little defense. And for what? To make an ideological point? Your attempt to place yourself at the far right, politically, is doing harm to your own state.
Stephen Winham, St. Francisville
I am making these briefer since nobody actually reads them anyhow. Hopefully, the computer will pick up key words.
zoe1970, I suggest the “sum” on Brennan is 71 to 2 (you and Trump) I am #71 since I had a top secret clearance commanding an Army Security Agency unit. this was about the time the Koch bros pushed hard on the John Birch Society. Lots of links to todays politics, Sure you have read Jane Mayers “Dark Money”, a 2016 jewel. Trust you smart guys/ladies keep writing to keep us safe from our enemies, the unions, government, and health care. ron thompson