By Kathleen Brady
I attended the Memorial Day services at Heroes Park in Palm Coast this morning, and I left both sad and very angry. I was sad because it was the most sparsely attended of any of the ceremonies I have seen. I am hopeful that it may have been because of Covid and not because people have lost sight of the meaning of the holiday.
A few young people were there, which I thought was meaningful. I am in my early 50s and most of the time when I look around at events such as these I am among the youngest people there. I am not a veteran. I am the daughter, granddaughter, niece and cousin of many veterans, some of whom I never met because they gave all in service to their country.
And when I said I was angry, in retrospect that wasn’t the appropriate term. I was absolutely livid. How dare U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz stand up there and address Gold Star families? How dare he speak of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, in a place consecrated not only to our service members, but to our police and fire heroes as well? I don’t care how many years he served or what rank he obtained in the service. In my opinion his service vanished the instant he did not speak out about the attempted coup/insurrection at our nation’s capital on January 6. He wanted to thank the Gold Star families–what about the family of Officer Brian Sicknick and all of the other officers who were physically and psychologically battered on that day? To Waltz and every other Republican coward out there who voted against a commission to examine the insurrection, your actions clearly state that their lives do not matter.
Even worse, Waltz voted against a bipartisan committee to investigate these treasonous actions. In my opinion, that makes him nothing but a traitor. Every service person who participated in the attempted overthrow of our lawful government that day, and who stood down and did nothing when their country needed them to stand up and do what’s right, should be stripped of their honorable discharge and military benefits. Every single one of them of them dishonors the memory of those who fought and died to establish and defend our democracy. To have to listen to them giving remarks in a place of honor on this day was absolutely nauseating.
Making matters more distasteful was the presence of multiple local officials who participated in this shameful stain on our nations history. Do they think our memories are that short, or don’t they have enough neurons synapsing to realize they are the antithesis for what America is supposed to represent?
During the services today, a young black female ROTC officer passed out. I knelt on the ground cradling her head while others attempted to loosen her uniform to allow her to breathe more freely. I thought of her a great deal today. Here stands a young lady ready to commit to defending our democracy, surrounded by cowards who haven’t done the right thing–haven’t done the right thing by the country as a whole, in regards to the insurrection.
The Republican leadership admitted that they were not behind this committee because it would make them look bad, and it might not bode well for them during the next election cycle. Half of the states in this country are passing laws to disenfranchise voters, disproportionately voters of color. Yet this young lady stands poised to fight for all the people in this country, even those who would choose to silence her.
Because of people like her, I continue to have some hope that this country will correct its course. Meanwhile, those in charge of the Republican Party right now are taking us down a very dark path indeed.
Kathleen Brady is a long-time resident of the Hammock.
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Steve Robinson says
So very true, and so very brave. Thank you, Ms. Brady, for putting into words what so many of us feel about these hypocrites who wave the flag with one hand and hammer away at democracy with the other. Shame on them and shame on their meaningless flag-waving pieties!
Mark Breidenstein says
Thank you Ms. Brady I could not have done a better job describing the Congressman’s behavior.
Don padro says
Plain and simple elevated ignorance. Brady another brainless fool brainwashed by the communist liberals.
djwhite077 says
Thank you, Kathleen, for “telling it like it is”. As a US Army retiree, with a spouse who is also a veteran, words well written.
MikeM says
Please spare us your outrage. You are politicizing Memorial Day. Approximately half the country believes the election was stolen. I personally don’t care who gives the speech to recognize our fallen heroes as long as recognition was given.. So please spare us your phony outrage. Go find your safe space.
Pamela Butler says
I’m sorry but half the country does not believe the election was stolen. Half the republicans do. That is a completely different number.
Pierre Tristam says
MikeM’s claim is inaccurate. As the most Reuters/Ipsos poll (May 21) on the subject states,”56% of Republicans believe
the election was rigged or the result of illegal voting, and 53% think Donald Trump is the actual President, not Joe Biden.” The latest Gallup numbers (May) show 29 percent of Americans identifying as Republicans (35 percent Independent, 33 percent Democratic). By that count, 16 to 17 percent of Americans believe the election was “stolen.” Giving polls, themselves dubious in matters of accuracy these days, a generous margin of error, you could say, if you insist, that up to a quarter of Americans believe the election lie–a significant enough number that makes diminishing or exaggerating the numbers pretty pointless.
TR says
I never believe polls at any time. The numbers are usually padded or not in favor of what agenda is at hand. JMO.
MikeL says
Half Americans or more know that there were shenanigans going on last election, please stop your liberal BS. You’re minority in Palm Coast.
Ray W. says
Sorry, MikeL, but unless you were present during the actual counting of ballots throughout the entire country, you simply don’t “know” anything, because you lack veracity about the subject matter, which means you cannot speak, know or understand the truth about that limited subject matter. You just weren’t there. The best you can hope for is to form a belief about a factual event based on information provided to you by someone else. That requires you to create credulity for the provider of your information, which is defined as the ability to believe that someone else possesses veracity about an event, thereby giving your source credibility. If you create credulity for someone who intends to mislead you, you can easily be deceived, and you will still not know anything about the election. To sum it up, not one person in the entire country possesses veracity about the national election, because it is impossible for anyone to be everywhere at once. All of us must learn about the 2020 election results from some source other than personal knowledge.
Our founding fathers understood this dilemma, which is why they wrote the Constitution in such a way as to make elections a constitutional event, complete with procedures to establish when an election is to become final. Finality is the critical issue in all elections. In explanation, I point out that a criminal jury verdict becomes final when a judge imposes a judgment, thereby finalizing the jury’s verdict. Yes, there can be an appeal, but a person cannot be sentenced until the verdict is declared final by the judge. Sentencing is a separate phase of a trial. This is why all defendants receive both a judgment and a sentence. This is why it was so important for Trump to seek a way, any way, to interrupt the Electoral College vote tally in Congress. Once the Electoral College tally was deemed complete by Congress, the Constitutional requirements set out by our founding fathers were met and the election became final, as a matter of law. All that remained was for Biden to take the oath of office.
As a historical example, according to statements given to Congress in 2001, as Democrats had failed to seek a recount in Duval County, they did not discover until long after the fact that the Duval County canvassing board declared the existence of voting irregularities and ordered the sealing of over 20,000 ballots from mostly African-American precincts; they still have not been counted. By the time of the statements to Congress, the 2000 election had long been declared final. Who knows who would have won Florida if a hand recount of ballots from all 67 counties, including Duval County and its sealed ballots, had occurred, instead of only the three counties sought by the Democratics, and the fourth county, Volusia, which held a hand recount at the command of its canvassing board after one the the machines stopped working while a canvassing board member fed absentee ballots into it. After the Vogel-Beckstrom ballot fiasco of 1996, and the purchase of new machines in the intervening years, the 2000 Volusia canvassing board ordered the hand recount to reassure the public that the machines were reliable. Gore officially picked up 98 votes in that recount, which is not a statistically significant enough number to establish that any massive voter fraud had occurred. Virtually every hand recount yields a vote tally that differs from the machine count, usually due to overvotes or undervotes. For example, if a person rests the pen on the ballot while considering his or her vote and then fills in the ballot in the proper place, the two separate ink spots can be picked up by the scanner and the machine will read an overvote and not count the vote. A hand recount will easily determine the voter’s intent and the vote will be added to the tally. Of the roughly 500 overvotes and undervotes in the Bush-Gore Volusia County hand recount, it appears the Gore picked up some 300 votes to Bush’s 200, though there is much more to the explanation. An undervote occurs when the person leaves the egg-shaped vote blank empty. For example, if a ballot has an ink circle around the Gore vote, but no ink inside the egg-shaped circle, this could be declared an undervote. This actually happened and Gore picked up that vote when the canvassing board decided the voter’s intent was to vote for Gore. Since I was part of a legal team that worked the 2000 Volusia recount, I possess a measure of veracity about many facets of the recount, but unless MikeL forms credulity for me, I will not have any credibility with him and he cannot learn from me, i.e., he, intentionally or not, will allow himself to become uneducable.
As an aside, “shenanigans” sounds nice, though it is a meaningless term, because it is overbroad. In the broadest sense of the term, all elections have shenanigans. I suspect that everyone understands this. Thus far, the only people prosecuted in Pennsylvania on allegations of voter fraud are three Republican voters who acknowledged they either tried to vote twice or tried to vote for dead relatives. I repeat a previous post about my oldest daughter, who registered in Seminole County as a Democrat in order to vote in the Bush-Kerry presidential election. A few months after she affixed her signature to her registration card, she went to her precinct to vote. A precinct worker in a heavily Republican County told her she couldn’t vote, because the precinct worker had arbitrarily decided that the signatures did not match. The precinct worker did not offer my daughter a provisional ballot, which was required by law at that time, punishable as a misdemeanor if the worker failed to offer one. I strongly suspect the precinct worker was trained and knew that, but I can’t prove it. All provisional ballots were to be sent to the county canvassing board for review. If the canvassing board had decided that her signatures matched, her vote would have been counted. So, a young Democrat appeared before a precinct volunteer in a county dominated by Republicans and the volunteer arbitrarily decided my daughter could not vote? Does that meet your definition of shenanigan, MikeL? When my daughter called me that night, I asked her if she had received a provisional ballot to fill out; she had not. In retrospect, I realized it was my fault, because I knew that election shenanigans occurred in all elections and I had not taught my daughter to ask for a provisional ballot if such a shenanigan popped up. I knew what the law required before the election and I did not share that knowledge with her. I knew that Republicans, as well as Democrats, were partisans, which means, by definition, that they would be faithful to their party first and not necessarily to the country. This is why we have checks and balances. Many of our founding fathers read Gibbon’s first volume of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which was a sensation when published in 1776. Gibbon recounted an event in Constantinople in 532 A.D. in which two of the four major political parties, the Greens and the Blues, participated in the series of politically motivated riots. Emperor Justinian, who supported the Blues, persuaded many of the Blues contingent to leave a sporting event in a coliseum, after which he sent in troops to attack the remaining Greens. Gibbon reported that tens of thousands of Greens, and some assorted Blues who remained, were massacred. Our founding fathers feared mob rule above all else and they hoped that the structure provided by the Constitution would enable factions to balance each other’s interests. Were our founding father’s wrong in that expression of hope?
steve says
From a Republican whos ex former leader Politicized the Color of a State C19 masks et al… on and on a daily basis Hypocrites
Diane Cline says
Thank you for your words..
Robert says
This article and it’s author are ridiculous
Judy Cain says
Kathleen Brady
I could not help notice you did not speak of over a year of violent riots all praised by your democrat party.
No where did you dare speak of the burned cities, the police that have been attacked, the homes, stores and life’s work of many lost, the looting, the people killed.
You do not speak of your party screaming for my party to be attacked in dinners, stores, gas stations.
You do not speak of your party attacking the police, screaming to defund them.
Nor do you speak of the billions of dollars it will take to rebuild these destroyed DEMOCRAT run cities.
WHY is that?
People that live in glass house’s should be very careful of the stones they throw.
When looking to cast blame, next time look in the mirror.
America says
Truer words were never spoken. Democratic amnesia. I guess politicians lives are more valuable than the lives and properties than the average American. They only care when it affects their well being.
steve says
RePiglican amnesia Jan. 6. 45 only cared when it affected Him and his cronies. What as pile of garbage for 4 years running. Pissing match games back and forth of attack deny accuse project. Petty childish embarrassing
Wallingford says
Maybe Rep Waltz can join General Flynn espousing the overthrow of our Country.
Nancy N. says
Oh, so you are concerned about “police being attacked” – but only when it is being done by Democrats, and not on the Capitol steps by Trump supporters? Hypocrisy at its finest.
Steve says
Exactly FPC is again the epicenter of Political Hypocrisy continually trying to reframe reality from what we all witnessed live and in color. Now that’s ridiculous
Bill C says
Such absurdist “what-aboutism”… you mean you can’t tell the difference between people fighting for their civil rights which have been denied for over 250 years and the violence sparked by the casual murder of George Floyd, and the Trumpist insurrection which sought to overthrow our democracy?. You really believe they are equivalent? And you just made up the figure of billions of dollars and that it was only DEMOCRAT run cities. Just another example of a “low information voter”.
Gina says
Bill C: You called the person above a “low information voter” as you make up your own absurd phrase “what -aboutism” to fit inside your little world of your take on this article. The point is that people can be livid over many things which occurred, just like the writer of this article is livid, only she is allowed to be livid for her beliefs? Also it’s the way in which one fights for their freedoms, Martin Luther King would have never condoned such violence he believed in “peaceful protest”, not innocent lives being taken in the midst of these very violent protest , and yes in Washington too, the person is right about billions of dollars in damage and it was in dem run cities, where were you as these violent protest unfolded? Seems to me that you are the “low level information voter”. No one said George Floyd’s murder was casual, you said it! We are all livid over this! You say things to just fit into your narrative and people are wise to it.
Bill C says
Like I said, “low information voter”. In case you’re interested, here’s the definition of “whataboutism”, around since at least 2017:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/whataboutism
And guess what? You’re engaging in “whataboutism” right now in your response. I will correct one statement I made- estimates of damages nationally were 1-3 billion in insured losses depending on which source you believe. Simply stating “billions” could be 1 or 100 billion. Protests occurred in at least 450 cities nationwide. No one had to say George Floyd’s murder was casual, all you had to do was see the videos. Yes, I agree, it made people around the world livid at the injustice.
Bill C says
And PS- you never addressed the central question… do you believe the protest over civil rights and the Trump attempted insurrection against our Constitution were equivalent?
Gina Weiss says
Don’t forget Hillary calling half of Americans “DEPLORABLES” while her wealthy donors laughed at their lavish dinner, how about being livid over that.
tulip says
To Gina Weiss Hillary calling people Deplorables was certainly a lot better that Trump saying that military soldiers are Losers and Suckers!!!!! Plus many many other insults he said to people who didn’t deserve it.
Gina Weiss says
tulip: What is your interpretation of “a lot better”, certainly included in those DEPLORABLES are soldiers who fought, many also died fighting for our freedoms. HELLO!
tulip says
Hillary called supporters of Trump “Deplorables” which was kind of funny actually. Trump called soldiers suckers and losers. BIG difference.
Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers …https://www.theatlantic.com › archive › 2020/09 › trum…
Sep 3, 2020 — Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’ … President Trump visiting U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan on Thanksgiving Day. … The White House did not return earlier calls for comment, but Alyssa Farah, …
Gina Weiss says
tulip: So looks like you did not connect the dots about my comment which is that those deplorables which Hillary was degrading are also soldiers, police, firemen and just good hardworking Americans and you find humor in that which is sad on your part, also I did not see the article in which you were referring to in the link you provided, but I shall research that myself.
Gina Weiss says
tulip: By the way my uncle who was a fireman who was a vet and died in the line of duty while saving life’s is a deplorable as well as I a RN who saved many life’s and served my community and many other communities all while you laugh and think Hillary’s careless remark is funny.
Gina Weiss says
tulip: By the way my uncle who was a NYC firefighter and a vet died in the line of duty while saving life’s is a deplorable and I am a RN who saved many life’s and served my community as well is a deplorable and wear my badge with honor while people like you think Hillary’s careless remark is funny!
Steve says
Or We are human scum my favorite
Rick G says
I could not agree more with Ms. Brady’s piece…. How could anyone who has served honorably in the US Military not be embarrassed and insulted by the events of January 6th.
Merrill Shapiro says
Kathleen Brady! Please open your window! Perhaps you can hear the standing ovation you’re getting here in the “W Section ” of Palm Coast! Please write more!
Sue Hecht says
I agree w the writer 100%!! I called and asked Waltz to vote for Impeachment, and for this Commission among other things. As a vet , he should be supporting these and So many other laws helping our country. He is disgraceful. Thank you for speaking out!
Dennis says
Betraying His Country, Is a pretty tough statement when he’s not a democrat! Please explain in detail or issue your apology. Your democratic agenda is sickening.
steve says
And WE VOMITED on the 4 years of a disgusting soup brought on by your hero. At least a Party has an Agenda instead of NO.
fightforjustice2 says
The republican party is now the party of misery, corruption, lies and death.
Bill says
All the Republicans that Trump pardoned will soon be back in jail. When Gaetz falls there will be others put in jail, maybe some locals. Republicans run like a pack of dogs……sex,drugs and money.. The FBI just follows the Russian money give to Trump
Charlie Ericksen Jr says
WOW… Must be a Democrat, who been sniffing too much of the special air in the Hammock.
Apparently she went there. only for this purpose. And did not listen to just what , the speaker said as to his past.. Just putting on a uniform is a start, putting on a Green Beret uniform , is much, much more,,, Seeing members of your unit dying every day to protect us,
I think you should have interviewed , other Gold Star mothers, in attendance,, I have , and have done so in the past years,, Her 18 years old son, was killed in action, , and she corrected a big problem, in the Government Insurance program..
And, just where are we , trying to silence the young ROTC cadet .???
What happened to her is common.. Standing at attention, and tightening ones legs , can cause you to pass-out.. It has happened to me, but once, , as we all learned the hard way,
Whathehck? says
MR. Ericksen please re-read Ms. Brady’s comment about silencing the young ROTC, t has nothing to do with the young woman’s fainting.
And yes, Ms. Brady shame is alive and well. Thank you for your article and your courage to expose yourself to the ignorami in this area.
tulip says
To Charlie Any politician can stand behind a podium on Memorial Day or any other somber occasion and say “all the right words” to the audience. A politician who won’t even vote for an investigation into the horrific insurrection of our capitol building and bow down to an ex-president who could care less that his own VP could.ve been killed and has sold, or given away his or her sole, to The Right wing doesn’t deserve any respect whatsoever, I hope all the politicians who have been brainwashed by stolen election theories, trying to re write history, suppress voting for certain people, etc will lose in the midterms and the rest of them lose in 2024.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Waltz, was elected by the people…They could have voted for someone else, but Mr Waltz record, and his reputation won out. This hit job on him this morning, on Flagler live is in poor taste! Just because your political views, dont agree with him.He was elected. Maybe Ms Brady should run against him, if she thinks shes right!
fightforjustice2 says
Waltz, who never responds to any constituent’s phone calls or questions, runs with the rabid frothing madly insane dogpack that is the republican party leadership today. He is NOT a real representative of the people. When your elected officials refuse to respond to you when you have a question or issue you know it’s time for them to leave office. From my own experience over many decades, it is the democrats who respond to the people, trying to assist them with their issues, and it is the republicans who ignore the people, except for the richest. Democrats and independents are the better choice any day by far to lead and do better for the people who elect them.
Justsayin says
Kathleen could have also titled this story, ” I hate Trump Supports”. You have no proof that Rep Waltz had anything to do with the Jan 6 riots. Voting against Russia gate 2.0 does not make you less loyal to your country. Are you a big supporter of the capital police because of that day? Please show some of your writings about your concern of the local, state and Federal officers injured during the BLM riot’s. Over 2000 were injured. Brian Sicknick died of a stroke the day after the riot’s.
Nancy N. says
Ms Brady was not alleging that Rep Waltz had anything to do with the riots. She very clearly said what she was upset about was his recent vote against having a commission investigate the riots.
edward walsh says
rep. waltz is a veteran an a patriot. the commission is a scam, controlled by Pelosi and her communist backers/dems.
steve says
Your Party and its orange cheetoh leader are a total scam and you continue to get Conned .If trumpy isnt in bed with Vlad still to this day I will kiss my own backside.
THE GAY RANCHER says
HEY STEVIE, CAN I HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT!
Gina Weiss says
BOOTYLICIOUS: CLEAN UP IN AISLE 5!
Steve says
Sure why not
fightforjustice2 says
Oh, didn’t you know? Trump is bestie friends with his communist buddies Putin and Kim Jong Un of North Korea! In fact, a party that encourages and welcomes white supremists and facists into it’s ranks like the republican party does today spits on the memory of all soldiers who have fallen to protect our land from such rank evil.
Lnzch says
Everyone is mad the way democrat hired thugs tore up the capital Jan 6.
Maybe you democrats are happy about the leaders in the government are doing to this country.
Pamela Butler says
You are sadly deluded. Why would democrats attack their own? I’m sorry you are a victim of the lies and propaganda of the past four years. The insurrection was fueled by the former CIC. You’re blind if you won’t see that. And it doesn’t help you post these false ideas here.
Steve says
The Big Lie believers pathetic grown men. Any Legislator who attempted to block Electoral College Votes is a traitor period
Lilax says
That’s not what Rep. Kevin McCarthy said, he told the truth & told tRump that he knew they weren’t ANTiFA! They were tRump’s people..As did Moscow Mitch when he spoke about tRump being responsible for the January 6th riot!!
capt says
Sometimes its not about the events that took place in DC, its about the men and women who gave their life so you and I could be here its about the Vets of ALL WARS that gave the ultimate sacrifice. We have men and women in uniform that serve as law enforcement personnel that died. You want to honor those men and women of Law Enforcement, then please be sure to do it on Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15.
Cynthia says
Amazing how the negative comments are so full of hate. They still embrace a bully who lied, cheated and stole from the American people. I don’t understand how so many are sadly misguided thinking every Democrat is a socialist and far left. They must they listen and read media that fuels such ideas. I can only hope that the people from both parties that are in the middle unite.
Thank you, Ms. Brady, for being brave enough to share your thoughts.
fightforjustice2 says
They started calling democrats ‘socialists’ because Bernie Sanders stood such a great chance of becoming President back in 2016 and again in 2020 and they had to make these lies up to inflame their ‘base’. The republican party has indeed been gingrichized starting in 1994 and brought lower by trump and his companions like Bannon, Gorka, Miller, etc.
Gina Weiss says
Cynthia: Bottom line it’s every person’s right to believe in whatever they want, this is not a forum for insults, or to mock people who disagree with one’s beliefs, you get back what you put out, if you insult expect an insult back. Your take is not everyone’s take and did you ever think that people are not coming together because they just cannot downright respect other people’s views. I do like the way in which you word your comment.
beachcomberT says
Memorial Day belongs to everyone, not just the “winners” or one particular political party. If you have evidence that the congressman took part in the “insurrection,” take your information to the FBI or a US attorney so prosecutors can decide whether to file charges. We have something like 440 people already awaiting due process. Activating a fact-finding commission at this particular time will jeopardize the defendants’ right to fair trials.
Diane Petku says
Ms. Brady did not say Rep. Waltz took part in the Jan. 6th riots in Washington. You have extrapolated words that were not written. Her writing was articulate and made no accusations about Rep. Waltz participating in the events. Please read her words more carefully. Perhaps you should read actual reports from accredited news sources and the government itself about that day so you can participate in a knowledgeable discussion.
palmcoaster says
Perfect description of the shameless stealing of a memorial that is supposed to be for all the fallen including the ones in Capitol 6th which were totally dishonored by that speaker!
A Concerned Observer says
Ms. Brady. It is YOU who should be ashamed! How dare you use this hallowed date to air your own political beliefs! I AM LIVID! I was also there yesterday, as well as in previous years. I do not care one iota for your political opinion, but more importantly, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the day of remembrance or this event. I am a 20-year military veteran, signing up shortly after graduating from high school and just after the Tet Offensive. With your tone, I suspect you are not old enough to have lived through these times and that you have absolutely no respect for those who serve this great country. Have you any experience beyond reading extreme left wing ideals of what life in other countries is really like? I doubt it. What have you done for this great country but run your figurative mouth about your personal beliefs? Yes, I said YOUR POLITICAL BELIEFS.
Yes, I did notice that there were fewer attendees this year but I am thankful for those who did attend. Most were of my age group and older. Unfortunately many of our younger generation do not respect, the sacrifice and sense of duty of those who signed a blank check to our country as well as those of other lands for their own lives to protect them and our way of life. That protection even extends to you Ms. Brady. After 911, our military did receive an outpouring of public gratitude they so rightly deserved as they walked through an airport in uniform, but even that seems to be waning over the years. It was not like that in 1971. I sure would have appreciated just a little of it. While I do not defend the events to which you allude in your article I would, under other circumstances, defend your opinion to expound upon them. THIS WAS NOT THE TIME OR PLACE. You owe the readers of this venue and me an apology.
Irwin M. Fletcher says
Our founding fathers would surely be sickened by the current exploits of our political parties. So many party lemmings spewing rhetoric from both sides of the fence. Our party system evolved with the hope of creating political equilibrium. Differences of opinions and lively discussion is relevant to true growth and change. In challenging times it is the responsibility of each party to practice bipartisanship for the benefit of our nation. The shear HATE across the aisle is absolutely shameful.
Cyn says
You are right on point. Thank you for posting something that made perfect sense.
Mark says
Thank you for this clearly non political story. Not everything is left and right and Jan 6th attack on our government and democracy is one one of them.
We all agree 100% we need to investigate the capitol insurrection.
Justsayin says
Did congress not investigate the Jan 6 roits? Did Trump get impeached by congress with no facts? Sounds familiar
Ray W. says
The process of impeachment involves a specific allegation, just like a criminal Information or Indictment or a civil complaint. A prosecutor cannot allege robbery and introduce evidence pertaining to possession of cocaine; he or she is limited to introducing evidence pertaining to the specific allegation, which is evidence of a taking of property by force. In other words, evidence extraneous to the specific allegation against Trump was not admissible during the impeachment proceeding. A bi-partisan commission can engage in the investigation of a far broader range of events and include a far greater range of evidence.
Pogo says
@Kathleen Brady
Bullseye in the x-ring – thank you. Hope we hear more from you in the future.
Brer waltz is a heel who has cashed in on the Pentagon revolving door, ultra right wing sugar daddies, and know nothing adult diaper mobs, a.k.a., duh tea party, Q, etc., at every opportunity. rubio, scott, desantis – waltz is just one more name for the floriduh hall of shame. Before he’s done he’ll probably be selling boner pills on oan, newslax, and the rest of the walk in tub circuit.
@Duh dopes having their pockets picked by elected Republican pricks and the rest of their flea circus
waltz has the best government health care in the world. What do you have?
Have Social Security? Not a single Republican voted for it when it was created. Medicare? Likewise.
“Choose your leaders
with wisdom and forethought.
To be led by a coward
is to be controlled
by all that the coward fears.
To be led by a fool
is to be led
by the opportunists
who control the fool.
To be led by a thief
is to offer up
your most precious treasures
to be stolen.
To be led by a liar
is to ask
to be told lies.
To be led by a tyrant
is to sell yourself
and those you love
into slavery.”
― Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Talents
Mythoughts says
Kathleen Brady hats off to you for writing such and honest and truthful article regarding the hypocrites we now witness in the Cult Republican Party because they are all cowards to stand up to the truth about the character on Donald Trump who corrupted our government for the last four years.
And Michael Waltz is one of those cowards that is not standing up for our democracy or his oath of the constitution.
And Judy Cain the Black Lives Matter marches and burning down stores is no comparison to assaulting the Capital Police and murdering them, and destroying our Capital and trying to halt our free election votes right on national television and taking orders from the then President of the USA because he didn’t accept the election results.
He is continuously day in and day out trying to destroy our democracy and our country, wake up and smell the coffee and stop ignoring what is really going on in our country now.
David Schaefer says
Kathleen Brady well said. Next election we need to vote all of those Trumper Humpers out of office. Republicans just suck period….
Downtown says
“The problem with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant, it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so” Ronald Reagan
Many of you that have commented have proven that President Reagan was a very wise man
steve says
Good thing FPC is the place of residence for you. They should paint the whole place orange so the World will know its the Florida epicenter of denial. As far as facts lies and disinformation retrumplicans practice this as an Agenda.
Gina says
HEY BABY GIRL, WHO IS THEY? Look at how you put people into groups, there’s a word for that starts with B. Your bright idea of PAINTING THE WHOLE PLACE ORANGE is just as bad as telling people to ” go back to where they came from”, both extremist. You ICONOCLASTIC CANTANKEROUS CURMUDGEON.
FlaglerLive says
Gina and Steve, we appreciate your torrid romance but it’s time to move on.
Gina Weiss says
Agreed, anywhere he is we don’t want to be.
Mike Cocchiola says
Well said, Kathleen. Waltz is a disgrace to his service and to his country. He stands there and tries to cover himself with the flag. Yet, when that flag and what it represents was imperiled on January 6th he was silent. When three Capitol Hill police died – one by stroke and two by suicide – as a result of the trauma, he did nothing. To him, the police officers were the enemy and not worthy of mention.
Waltz is a hollow dishonorable man concerned only with worshiping the destructive former guy who fomented insurrection and promoting his Big Lie. Waltz cares nothing for non-believers.
Concerned Citizen says
As a retired service member and retired public safety professional.
Thank you all for politicizing this most hallowed of days. If I could insert a massive eye roll in here I would but FL doesn’t allow it.
I’ve lost family and friends over seas. Memorial Day shouldn’t be about sales and BBQ. Memorial Day shouldn’t be about politicizing your agenda. Memorial Day should be remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Is it too much just for one day of rememberance?
Somewhere along the line we’ve lost sight of that. It’s turned into just another holiday.
And look at all the division this one commentary has caused in our community. Can we no longer discuss politics in a civilized manner. I have noticed we now live in a country that no longer tolerates opposing view points. Now you are ridiculed and insulted. And the sad part is the bulk of you commentators are probably “adults” over the age of 40.
Wow says
True and well spoken. Every time I see a Trumper with “I support the police” sticker I want to write in “Except jan 6”. Such hypocrisy. Supposed Patriots who want to restrict voting, descendants if immigrants who want to stop immigration, daily users of roads and bridges who don’t want to maintain infrastructure and professed religious people who won’t “care for widows and orphans” nor “welcome the stranger”. Blind hypocrisy.
Pogo says
@On a solemn occasion like Memorial Day
let’s all remember what it’s for – and, there’s less than 7 months left to shop for what’s-his-name’s birthday.
Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.
— Adlai Stevenson II
tulip says
To Pogo That parable is exactly right and I have felt that way for a long time, just not as nicely done as the author did it. People are so riled up and involved with the right wing they cannot step aside and let their really true thoughts of what they are doing come to the forefront. They don’t see that we are being slowly deprived of our rights. If things don’t change for the better, at some point our children and grandchildren will be sayin to those of us who are still alive “Thanks Mom and Dad, Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for allowing our country to be taken over by liars and dictators and we now have to live under awful and unfair rules.
Jack Howell says
As a young Marine Corps officer I went to war in Vietnam. It was my duty! I was 24 years old at the time. I quickly matured and aged in experience when the first enemy round came my way. I was wounded in action during the TET Offensive in 1968 in a place called Khe Sahn. I was lucky the wound did not kill me. That was a time when our country was significantly divided over the politics of the Vietnam War. It was also a time of racial unrest and the murders of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy.
In 1970 I was a Captain. I was honored and fortunate to be selected as Aide-de-Camp for Major General Marion Carl, Commanding General, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. General Carl was the Marine Corps first Fighter Ace in WW II while fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. For his valor and gallantry, he was awarded two Navy Crosses. I also served as Aide-de-Camp to Lieutenant General George Axtell, Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic. He was another Marine Corps Fighter Ace in the Pacific and was the youngest fighter squadron commanding officers at that time. He also was awarded a Navy Cross. I also worked closely with Major General Paul Fontana, Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC. as his Provost Marshal. General Fontana was a Fighter Ace, and awarded the Navy Cross. He also became a mentor to me as well. I was in awe to be accepted by these Marine Legends because I too showed valor on the field of battle. Later in my Marine Corps career I would work directly for another Marine Corps legend Michael P. Ryan. He also was awarded a Navy Cross and British Distinguished Cross for his gallantry in the Battle of Tarawa. He mentored me as if I his own son!
So, what is the purpose of this commentary? I was extremely fortunate to walk amongst these WWII legends and Giants. They would become dear friends and mentors. I had insight as to how they thought about a variety of issues. Some conversations were personal which I have to myself. I would say that what has happen in the governance of our country today is appalling. They would not condone the attack on the Capitol on 6 Jan 2021! It would sadden them as it is apparent there is a great divide in the nation. This is contrary to their belief in American values. What the hell is happening? Are we moving towards a Civil War? There is a lot of ignorance on both sides of the isle. I think the word bipartisan will be a thing of the past. Is Russia going to become the manipulator in destroying our democracy? Did these general die in vain? I don’t believe any of today’s politicians have the fortitude, courage, and backbone to stand up and tell the truth. None of them could walk in the foot prints or shadows of the Marines I just spoke about. Think about it!
Jane Gentile-Youd says
As I have filed for the 2022 Flagler County Commission race I should keep my mouth shut on war style controversies over Waltz giving an address in Palm Coast – He then spoke at the County Memorial which was packed with dedicated Americans. No, I am not a big fan of his representation; my husband can’t stand him but guess what?
Yesterday, Memorial Day has always been a day dedicated specifically and only to honor those who risked their lives from day 1 – with their eyes wide open – knowing that death would be staring them in their young lives every minute of every day: They didn’t have homes to go to at night; they certainly did not have cell phones in any of our major wars. They didn’t have the ACLU to complain how they were treated; our black soldiers ( just look up the 5,5,5 – one of the best paratroopers in WWII came home from war and weren’t allowed to ride on a bus on the very streets they signed up to fight to save.
Maybe I have just ruined any change I might have to ever get elected to the county commission but I cannot hold it in anymore. January 6, 2021 had no business sticking itself into an attempt, an attempt to try to respect everyone, even those ho hate him. Un huh.. You don’t like Mike Waltz – well I can’t say I am a fan of his but interjecting any issue of any kind whatsoever into a day which we have reserved for a special group of Americans who got on planes and went O V E RSEAS into war-torn countries ; they didn’t have restaurants or night clubs or shopping centers –
But I am revolted how my paisanos..amigos..friends aimees of both parties are behaving over an elected official
they do or don’t like, whose party they do or don’t like is the most disrespectful display of Anti-Americanism I have ever been witness to – in my own chosen place to live my precious God given life.
I am officially going to change my party registration tomorrow, June 2, to NPA because I do not want to be involved in an American tug of war. God Bless all our veterans and please know that we will all try to get along better than we are now and that your sacrifices mean a lot more to us than our current political party wars. I’m going off the open with arms as an Non Party Affiliation independent where I can think as Jane and not as a Democrat or as a Republican.
The ceremonies for Memorial Day need respect for what they are intended ; that did not happen it sadly appears.
Mike Cocchiola says
Jack… you are a throwback to a better day when military leaders swore allegiance to the Constitution, not to the president. Now we have senior military officers willing to support sedition (Flynn and others) and to defend the indefensible – that the Jan. 6th insurrection was merely a gathering of “patriots” (one wonders how the GQP rationalizes accusing Antifa and BLM of starting the riot yet defends the violent mob of Trumpers as relatively peaceful).
Anyway, how come the city/county has Waltz as the speaker every time? Why don’t they invite you?
Vincent A. Liguori says
My reply to your article consists of only one word. A word made famous by United States Army general Anthony McAuliffe during the siege of Bastogne—“NUTS”
Ray W. says
Am I wrong in interpreting Ms. Brady’s opinion piece as follows? On a day when citizens gathered to remember those who gave all to preserve our constitutional form of government, Mrs. Brady became livid during a speech by a U. S. House member who is on record as voting against establishing a bi-partisan commission of inquiry into actions instigated and committed by persons intent on overthrowing our constitutional form of government. If this is an accurate interpretation of Ms. Brady’s opinion piece, can anyone criticize Ms. Brady without exposing his or her own failure to understand the jarring juxtaposition of Representative Waltz’ appearance at the event?
oldtimer says
When is the commission to investigate 100 plus days of “insurrection” in Portland going to be formed?
Justsayin says
11 blocks in Seattle were taken over during the summer. ( Chop or Caze)Two young black men lost there lives during that takeover. Being they were not killed by cops, they are just a statistic of black on black crime.
Sherry says
Maybe, just maybe there are some “FACTS” the majority of us can agree on:
1. Many, many audits and recounts and court challenges, often by Republican officials and judges, have determined that there was NO widespread fraud in the last election that would have changed the election results.
2. The violent attack on our nation’s Capitol was conducted by right winged trump supporters.
3. Police officers were beaten and sprayed with toxic chemicals by those attackers.
4. Great damage was done to the Capitol building and items were stolen, as the building was held under siege for hours.
5. Reinforcements to the Capitol Police were held back. The facts about why this happened have not been thoroughly investigated.
6. The attack against our sacred Capitol, personal attacks against the police, and violent threats to our Congressional law makers was an effort to stop them from certifying an election that was correct and legal.
7. There are many questions that remain unanswered, especially regarding how the attack was motivated, why vital reinforcements were so slow in being deployed, and what needs to be done to keep this from ever happening again.
8. An “independent” commission would be the best way to investigate in detail the entire context of what played out on that tragic day.
9. Representative Waltz voted AGAINST that commission to the delight of the Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell. . . who has vowed to continue to “obstruct” anything put forth by the Democratic party.
10. Representative Waltz is NOT representing ALL of his constituents, and is not protecting our Democratic election processes or upholding our constitution.
This is a great example of why the vast majority of those polled have such a negative opinion of Congress, and why we are upset enough to write excellent articles such as this. Our government officials are failing us and dividing us against one another at every level. . . all in an effort to personally enrich themselves with with power and money.
Our media outlets are also failing us as they publish Russian/Chinese propaganda and extremist conspiracy theories and lies instead of credentialed facts.
The investigated and vetted TRUTH is what will set us free, but it is being kept from us! OR. . . is it that we choose not to see it?
NPA Voter says
STANDING OVATION. I could not have said it better. I am disgusted with ALL of them!!!
Lilax says
Well said Sherry they are Facts, not alternative facts
Another fact is that independent commission was to contain an equal amount of Democrats and Republicans.
Also there would have to be both Democrat and Republican politician to issue any subpoenas..
no one party (Democrat or Republican) could issue any subpoena without agreement by a member of the other party
Mark says
We will be sure to teach our children of Rep. Waltz and how he was a traitor to his country. The generations to come will knw of how he turned his back on his country.
NPA Voter says
RIDDLE ME THIS: If the 45 supporters think that the January 6 protesters were “hired” by the Dems, wouldn’t you think they would welcome a thorough investigation by an independent commission? It would offer them the opportunity to validate their claims, would it not? Why are they so vehemently opposed to a commission investigation if they believe it would prove the Dems as guilty of inciting the January 6 insurrection? Huh? Just curious if anyone has a legitimate (factually backed) answer to that.
I am disgusted with 99% of the political figures in this country and adamantly remain registered as NPA. I choose at the polls based on integrity, qualifications, reputation, honesty (if any are anymore), and which is the lesser of the evils on the ballot who might actually do some things I could support instead of lining their pockets and running for re-election 365 days a year.
My family military ties run deep. My uncle is buried near Patton, having been killed at the Battle of the Bulge. We lost a cousin in Vietnam. We lost a magnificent family friend who was like another son to me in an IED blast, Afghanistan. My father fought with the USMC at the 38th Parallel with amphib tanks. My husband did 25+ years in two of the services. The point being that Memorial Day is a profoundly important day of the year for our family. I agree with the original author of this piece that Waltz was a poor choice to speak on this hallowed occasion. His opposition to the January 6 commission – in my patriotic eyes – makes him no more than a self-serving suit who has no desire to get to the bottom of the truth.
How about we keep ALL politicians away from Memorial Day observances? Allow the VFW, the Marine Corps League, or similar organization to conduct the ceremonies. The fancy suits are just there for the personal publicity. Not many of them truly give a damn about what the holiday really means, in my observations. They just dust off a few key phrases and smile for the cameras.
Sherry says
Excellent post and really great points NPA!
Those who mindlessly plaster FOX talking points about any kind of equivalency between the Black Lives Matter protests and the Capitol attack on our Democracy simply do not understand the difference in fighting for “EQUALITY” versus fighting to over turn a legal and just election and destroy our Democratic processes. Yes, of course, ALL criminal activity is absolutely unacceptable and ALL perpetrators should be held accountable. But, not ALL criminal activity is traitorous sedition and insurrection. Portland is NOT the Capitol of our nation.
Pierre Tristam says
Ah, those soldiers who “died fighting for our freedoms,” as one commenter above has it. Let’s see. The war on terror: broadest retreat on domestic freedoms, biggest surge of domestic policing and surveillance since the 1950s, most sustained trashing on constitutional protections at home and international law abroad. (Yeah yeah, the terrorists didn’t respect international law either. But they’re not the standard by which we measure ourselves. That’s why we’d like to think we’re not terrorists and have principles to fight for. We’d like to think.) Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both lost, re-enabling Iran in Iraq to solidify its regional power, re-enabling the Taliban by transforming it into a nationalist force that’ll take Afghanistan back a couple of hundred years, spending $6 trillion (at least, so far) for nothing gained. Service men and women, through no fault of their own, have been sent to fight and die in wars that have weakened our freedoms, our world standing, our financial standing, our now-ridiculed standing in the Middle East. For two decades in these follies of making them fodder to futility they have strengthened nothing, protected nothing, and died in vain. Memorializing the fallen is one thing, and it has nothing to do with why or where they fell. There’s certainly no hierarchy between the fallen of 1918 or 1944 or 1968 or 2007. But let’s not fabricate bullshit stories either about the last few wars protecting freedoms–let alone our way of life, which has become a civil war in all but weaponry–when the very opposite is demonstrably the case. On the other hand, this particular ceremony, with that particular keynote speaker, was an O Danny Boy to the kind of mendacity that turned these wars into heroics and insurrectionists into patriots. So it fits.
Pogo says
@A little over a hundred years ago:
“So gorgeous was the spectacle on the May morning of 1910 when nine kings rode in the funeral of Edward VII of England that the crowd, waiting in hushed and black-clad awe, could not keep back gasps of admiration. In scarlet and blue and green and purple, three by three the sovereigns rode through the palace gates, with plumed helmets, gold braid, crimson sashes, and jeweled orders flashing in the sun. After them came five heirs apparent, forty more imperial or royal highnesses, seven queens – four dowager and three regnant – and a scattering of special ambassadors from uncrowned countries. Together they represented seventy nations in the greatest assemblage of royalty and rank ever gathered in one place and, of its kind, the last. The muffled tongue of Big Ben tolled nine by the clock as the cortege left the palace, but on history’s clock it was sunset, and the sun of the old world was setting in a dying blaze of splendor never to be seen again.”
― Barbara W. Tuchman, The Guns of August
History DOES repeat itself. And sooner and sooner.
To all the Marie Antoinette impersonators, cardboard wise guys, William Wallace wannabees, and the rest of your ilk: Your time for celebrating yourselves is about over – good riddance and buh bye.
Ray W. says
Thank you, Pogo.
Barbara Tuchman wrote several extraordinary books about various eras. One is The Proud Tower, covering events in Europe and America from roughly 1890 to 1915. In one segment of the book, Tuchman describes a wave of hatred directed to the political and wealthy classes, leading to assassinations committed by anarchists, socialists, communists and other disaffected rebels directed at judges, prosecutors, police officers and other government officials, royal family members, newspaper reporters and owners. Post offices, police offices, newspaper publishing facilities, and homes were blown up.
When I take some time in the quiet of the night to contemplate the level of political hatred welling up in this country, I wonder at the possibilities posed by a disaffected Flagler County politician who rants about beheading Democrats, which seems like nothing more than a new version of the anarchist who stabbed an Italian royal daughter to death as she walked along a promenade by a pristine lake on a beautiful morning in Switzerland. He threw down the knife and proclaimed: Let the revolution begin! On January 6th, “Hang Mike Pence”, some chanted. Park a bullet in Pelosi’s brain, others repeated. Are we in the early phases of a significant period of random political violence about to engulf our nation? Maybe I was mistaken when I laughed at the antics of the early Tea Party movement in St. Augustine, when it was reported in the St. Augustine Record that the organization split because members could not agree on whether they should wear tri-corner hats when protesting on street corners. Well, we sure have come a long way from disputing the symbolism of tri-corner hats.
Gina Weiss says
Great comment Ray W. Reminds me on June 3rd a woman dining outside a restaurant in Greenwich Village, NY was hit with flying glass from a window shattered by protesters marching through the neighborhood. All while businesses through out the city are still trying to recover from the horrific summer violence, this same evening violence sweep across many other cities too. Earlier in the week 2 Anti-Semitic attacks occurred in a heavily Jewish neighborhood of LA. Let us not forget Kate Steinle on July 1, of 2015 who was shot and killed while walking with her father along a pier in San Francisco, hit in the back with a bullet following a dinner with her dad by a man who was deported at least 5 times! Wasn’t much news about Kate back then other than a certain news commentator vowing to report it every night on his watch.
Ray W. says
Gina Weiss is right and wrong at the same time.
She should be credited for being right in pointing out that random violence by the disaffected should be condemned from all sides of this debate, as the actors are not all good people.
She is wrong in trying to point out that not enough news is directed to those persons whom she listed as victims of random violence, given the fact that news outlets, each and every one of them, only have so much space or time to devote to articles or segments. For example, Mr. Tristam titles his news outlet “FlaglerLive.” He has decided to limit his news coverage to events that directly or indirectly impact Flagler citizens. There is so much more happening in this great nation, but Mr. Tristam could not possibly maintain a site covering all of the nation’s news. In a nation of 330 million people, give or take 10 or 20 million uncounted occupants, we simply cannot keep up with all stories about all people.
The premise of the article that prompted this outpouring of commentary by so many posters was the alleged failing of a locally elected politician to vote for an inquiry into what was determined by Congress via impeachment to have been an insurrection, i.e., Trump was convicted but not sentenced. I intentionally listed two instances of widely disseminated recordings of chants or comments occurring during that insurrection. Gina Weiss struggles with the point she tries to make by implying that I should have listed more victims, when she herself failed to list all of the victim’s of random violent acts, including a recently prominent one: George Floyd. If she intends to list persons belonging to only one category of alleged victim, while leaving out other categories, she greatly weakens her argument. But I applaud her for trying to point out the widespread nature of victim created when political violence is fomented by politicians for personal financial gain.
Gina Weiss says
Thank you Ray W. I appreciate your point but I chose who I chose because they are the unknowns as well as many others, baby’s toddlers, grand mothers, youths, who are not high profile cases who did fall victim because of our failing political system and tone deaf media outlets. Your statement, “Are we in the early phases of a significant period of random political violence about to engulf our nation,” is what I took a long hard look at and it started my wheels turning so to speak. In no way was I implying that you should have listed more people. Thank you once again for your applause and I do appreciate intelligent debates like yours which enlighten and educate as opposed to those who choose to mock and belittle people.
Pogo says
@Ray W.
Thank you too.
Regarding “The Proud Tower” it would indeed be edifying to hear what Barbara Tuchman would make of an America owned by its current plutocratic overlords — and the way they (elected Republicans) have deliberately and systematically created the current crisis with propagandists like Frank Luntz (inventor of the phrase “the death tax”) and their (elected Republicans) continuous perfection of gerrymandering, purging of voter rolls, etc.. Not to mention (but then – I am) the internet and the way people have been conditioned (thank you B.F. Skinner) like chickens taught to play tic tac toe, to bomb the planet with nonsense using social media.
You and I grew up together and never met. I too spent too much money in those long ago motorcycle shops on Ballough Rd. and N. Beach St.. See, I read every word others write.
I truly admire the briefs you’ve been filing here. I hope you continue. My own declining dexterity, cataracts, etc., increasingly limit my poor offerings. I hope we aspire to more than mere repartee; the urgency of your remarks is clear to me. I wonder if others appreciate it. Many, I’m sure, do – and simply disregard it as they also disregard gravity, thermodynamics, biology, etc.
Returning to Tuchman’s brilliant eloquence, and the rest of this thread, I lament that, IMO, there was never a time when kooks brandishing torches (the Tea Party, Q, et. al.) may be taken lightly. Their defense is always that they’re joking. They’re not. They never were.
May God, and ourselves, save us.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way–in short, the period was so far like the present period that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
— Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
And so it goes.
CAPTAIN JOHN FRANCIS MEEHAN II says
I wont be voting for him again. As a retired Army Captain and Veteran of both OIF and OEF I can’t understand his actions.