Rant & Rave – July 29, 2011

Published 12:25 pm Friday, July 29, 2011

I have talked to several people who have expressed concern about the Crapps’ property. The main concern seems to be that the cost to maintain the property would be a negative. I would suggest that those that have any drought about the purchase get involved with the FRIENDS OF THE PARK. Help make a negative into a positive. There are several things that would raise money for the project at very little cost. Rent the stable to some one who wants to do horse trail rides. Create walking trails through the property using free chips from the city. Make tent camping spots with fire pits that could be rented. The pasture could be a golf driving range. I am sure that if WE ALL put our heads together there are a lot of bright minds in Live Oak with great ideas. Lets stop dwelling on yesterday and the reasons that we should not buy the property. Lets move on to tomorrow and what we can do to make this a positive for Live Oak.

I am so tired of people with no clue commenting about the failures of public education. The results a student achieves are in direct correlation to the effort he or she puts in. The true responsibility belongs with the parents and the students, not the school system. Today the school system feeds “your” children breakfast and lunch,drives them to school, takes them home, and disciplines them because many parents won’t. Quit blaming others for your failure as a parent!

Instead of complaining, why don’t you cook your child a nice breakfast and then sit down and read a book to them while they eat it.

Perhaps you could find one about personal responsibility.

My goodness, what is going on in our community today? Ordained harbingers of doom quoting scriptures in an attempt to persuade Suwannee County citizens that the sale, I repeat, “THE SALE” of alcoholic beverages is a sin. I am a born again Christian, a student of God’s Word and no where, I repeat again, “NO WHERE” in His word have I been able to become convinced that the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages is a sin. Granted, excessive consumption is repeatedly indicated as sin in His Word. As I sift through various scriptures concerning this matter I am drawn to one in particular: Eze 13:3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! It would, therefore seem to me that Our Heavenly Father is using His words to chastise the nay sayers.

If local churches are going to get so involved with the wet dry issue and perhaps hurt the counties growth and tax revenues they should pony up and start paying taxes most of the larger churches are run like businesses anyway.

I have lived in this county since 1997. I would like to know how handicapped people are supposed to enjoy the springs and the river that this county is so famous for. You cannot get a wheelchair down to the river you cannot get a wheelchair down to the springs. Fences are put up across grassy areas where wheelchairs can get through and all you are left with are stairs. Every place else has to be handicapped assessable so why are not any of county parks not? Dogs are allowed to run free and crap where ever they like. People drink beer, get drunk then swing off the swings from the trees. They get to enjoy the park, so why can’t the handicapped of Suwannee County? Frankly I would like to get in the water instead of sitting up at a table for 3-4 hours waiting for everyone else to get done swimming, but I can’t because its not nowhere in this county is it safe to take a wheelchair down and if you say a boat ramp your nuts. I’m not losing control and breaking my neck going down a 90 degree incline.

Editor’s note: We’ve been told there are viewing areas but it is hard to get constant access to area springs. When Little River Spring was renovated it became handicap accessible.  Part of the problem is river levels.

If its not the government telling us what we can and can not do, its the Christians!

If possession of hard liquor is legal, and purchasing it is legal, why do some people want to make it harder to get?  The government tried to do this in the 1920’s.  Now, it’s the Christians trying to continue the policy!

A contract is a contract.  If you were to finance something and times got tough for you, the company isn’t going to lower your payments or rate.  In contrast, the company can’t tell you they’re having financial difficulties and will be raising your rate or payment.  State employees began their employment and financial planning based on the agreement of retirement benefits at that time.  3% later in retirement isn’t the same as that loss NOW, when people were planning on that as a part of their income and especially with today’s economic times.  Both spouses working for the state= 6% gone TWICE a month. Teachers in many surrounding counties haven’t received a raise in over 7 years.  Unlike many professions with similar pay, teachers have multiple degrees and student loans, work hours after school and on weekends grading papers and doing lesson plans, and much of our summers attending workshops and taking classes for re-certification, and much of our own money on classroom supplies.   I love “touching lives,” but also have to “pay my bills.” For those giving negative comments, probably come from Obama and Scott lovers or are already set in their retirement.

After many weeks of reading the “Rant & Rave” articles in the Suwannee Democrat, I have come to the unavoidable conclusion that: If you have lived in Suwannee County for a long time:  and you have disagreed with our elected and our appointed officials many times but in general have found them to be willing to discuss and explain their decisions and their opinions frankly: If you have found Suwannee County to be a beautiful place and a great place to live: If some of the finest people you have ever met live here: If with all its bumps and warts, there’s no other place in which you would consider living: If you appreciate the tireless and thankless efforts of our churches to hold all of us to higher moral standards, as I have and as I do: Then face it,  you ain’t worth spit!!

At the risk of being yet another armchair theologian, the American evangelical movement has long had a self serving political agenda based on select passages & prophecies put together by the Rev. Darby in the mid 1800’s. This is not an attempt to quote scripture word for word, interpret,condone or condemn. It is a self apparent question: Does not the 2nd beast of Revelation represent the union of religion and state? Failing gov’ts historically conscript religion to prop themselves up, always with bad results. Whether on legal or moral grounds this is a dubious path to choose.

Hopefully this is a civil & reasonable view on the liquor issue. A yes vote is a vote against big gov’t. as well as for determining your own economic future by putting us own equal footing with the rest of the state. Our local gov’t. has long ignored the intent to to prevent any one religious faith or sect being sanctioned over another. Not all faiths are so adamant on the subject. If your faith forbids alcohol, follow your beliefs, it’s that simple. This is a personal choice &  no particular religious belief, regardless, can be permitted to influence the law in this manner. Most scripture warns of excess, not prohibition. Please do the right thing and allow folks the chance to do better for themselves here by voting yes.

I am so glad and fortunate to be born in the United States of America, with all the freedoms we have, one being freedom of speech. Let me borrow a line from the Suwannee Wet side of this campaign “Let Freedom Count.” I thoroughly agree, but answer me one question how can freedom of speech be heard or shared when the road signs that are being put up by the Suwannee Dry campaign are torn down and destroyed and you turn around and find the opposing side campaign sign put in it’s place.

Many county citizens have donated their hard earned money to purchase those signs to be used in a race where each side has the right to be heard. If you are dissatisfied with the way our federal government in

going…just look around, Suwannee County is just a few steps behind. Corruption and civil disobedience starts small like the guilty ones who are vandalizing property that doesn’t even belong to them. Pretty soon it will be a two headed monster that cannot be controlled. Do you want this for your children and grandchildren? Wake UP, Suwannee County, Make your vote count…Vote No!

I believe the Statement in last weeks Paper was,”Maybe we can drag them in off the interstate for a nice meal and a drink and sell them a paper.”  that may be a little paraphrased.   What an idea!  Let us drag them in, ply them with alcohol and send them driving on their way!  Maybe rather than texting they will read the paper and drive!  What a comedy.

It’s shameful some churches got no problem breaking the law by placing signs at polling stations & other public property. Worse, elected officials are turning a blind eye. With our track record of losing lawsuits this is a dangerous road and it will cost us, not them. They either don’t pay taxes or collect big paychecks funded by taxes. Your elected & paid to run a gov’t. (poorly), not people lives. A church is for spiritual guidance & comfort. If we stick to the job description we’ll be better off.

Where did the drunk driver purchase his alcohol? Whether here or Lake City, or Jasper, there is still gonna be drunk drivers.

I think it is totally ridiculous that the local Chamber of Commerce needs to poll its members t see if they should support an initiative that will stimulate the economy. What a joke. This basically tells me that the Chamber and its Directors have no clue whatsoever what is going on in this community. Just think what would happen if every politician did this every time they had to decide whether to support an issue. I encourage all local businesses and (current) Chamber members to pay close attention to this. Needless to say, I am severely disappointed in our Chamber.

On this wet and dry issue. I don’t understand why Mr. Bailey and Mr. Musgrove waited so long to say something. If they are so against alcohol being sold in this county that bad, then why didn’t they start their own campaign a long time ago to stop the sale of all alcohol? Why say you are tired of sitting on the sidelines, no one kept you there. Why did you wait till now and how can we be a dry county when you can already buy alcoholic beverages? So I guess that must mean we are just damp.

I sure hope this one gets in there, it doesn’t matter if every precinct was in a church facility, not church, people are going to vote the way they want too. And I agree with the person  talking about the tattoos and some of the ways our young people dress, the entire subject is based on morals and you are being awfully lead, if you think it will help our economy by going wet. Our country was founded on freedom to worship God. And I am sure not a rich ole dude trying to keep our country stagnant but I believe in doing what is right and if the rich, ole white dudes and the rednecks can keep it dry then more power to them. Shame on the Development Authority, and if the Chamber of Commerce goes for it then they will have one less member. My signs are on  my property, and by the way, some of the yes signs are on county property, so look in to that. Thank you.

Yes I would really like the Suwannee Democrat to put more news as far as national and local and statewide. Because the paper really sucks. It would be a lot more helpful. I would rather go and pay $2 for a Florida Times Union than to pay the little 50¢ for a Suwannee Democrat. Thank you, have a nice day.

Okay I was just calling about the yes or no vote about wet or dry. I wonder who is paying for the signs that say no, it is probably the liquor stores surrounding Suwannee county who is paying for those. And the ones that are paying for the vote yes, are the businesses that want liquor to come in. A friend of mine, we call ourselves the “bootleggers” because every so often we take people’s requests to purchase liquor or them. On one trip to a neighboring county, we spent over $500 for their purchases. That was $500 for one trip. That could have all stayed in Suwannee County. We make probably three or four trips a year, so that is over $2,000 if we spend that much every trip. Thank you and everyone vote for your choice. I am in favor of wet. Thank you.