Letter from the Chair - May 17, 2022
Thanks to all the motivated people who showed up for a large, enthusiastic rally to protest the overthrow of the will of the people (seems to be a common thing these days) at Bayview Park in Key West on Saturday morning. We cannot allow a small minority of people impose their religious beliefs on us.
The Middle Keys Dems also put together a protest and had a great turn-out. Check out the Fla Keys Democrats Facebook page for pictures.
The best sign I saw Saturday was one word – “SHARIALITO.” Think about it! Ironic, right?
Speaking of religion, in my readings this past week I have learned about some of Putin’s motivations in the Ukraine invasion – The Russian Orthodox Church! Seems he is thinking Holy War. (Because he is such a devout Christian?) Apparently, they are not forgiving the Branch of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
In the USA right now, we have a majority of Catholics on the Supreme Court who seem inclined to bend us to their belief system. Maureen Dowd in the NY Times yesterday talks about the influence of religion on members of the court and quotes Mario Cuomo from 1984: “The Catholic who holds political office in a pluralistic democracy — who is elected to serve Jews and Muslims, atheists and Protestants, as well as Catholics — bears special responsibility,” Cuomo said. “He or she undertakes to help create conditions under which all can live with a maximum of dignity and with a reasonable degree of freedom; where everyone who chooses may hold beliefs different from specifically Catholic ones — sometimes contradictory to them; where the laws protect people’s right to divorce, to use birth control and even to choose abortion.”
She goes on: "The explosive nature of Alito’s draft opinion on Roe has brought to the fore how radical the majority on the court is, willing to make women fit with their zealous worldview — a view most Americans reject. It has also shown how radical Republicans are; although after pushing for this result for decades, because it made a good political weapon, they are now pretending its no big deal. We will all have to live with the catastrophic results of their zealotry."
As I said yesterday at our rally – votes have consequences. Those consequences are judge appointments. And now we know just how much they will LIE (since that is the new trend) to get approved.
All elections and races are important, up and down the ballot, ALL!
Let’s make sure we all vote in August and November. Drag your friends and relatives to the polls. Help them sign up to Vote by Mail. Let’s get this thing turned around!
Government Meetings This Week
Wednesday, May 18 – The Key West City Commission will meet at 5pm in City Hall, 1300 White St., Key West, Fl. The Agenda is available here. There are items I am not crazy about on the consent agenda. Item#20 to be specific. Please read this agenda and go and speak up. I will be out of town and cannot attend!
Coming Events
Wednesday, May 18 - The Upper Keys Dems will meet in the community room at the Key Largo Public Library, Tradewinds Plaza, at 5:30pm. This will be in-person only, no ZOOM. Our Guest Speaker will be Danial Horton-Diaz, Candidate for Fl. House Dist. #120 seat.
Thursday, May 19 - Monroe County School Board Candidate Sue Woltanski is holding a Meet and Greet at the Barracuda Grill, 4290 Overseas Hwy, in Marathon from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Stop in to meet Sue and then come to the DEMS meeting!
Thursday, May 19 - The Middle Keys Dems will meet in the Community Room at the Marathon Public Library at 5:30pm. Our Guest Speaker will be Kevin Macauley – candidate for Marathon City Council. This will be a hybrid in-person/ZOOM meeting.
We are looking for some volunteers for our next texting campaign – email Phil at vice-chair@keysdems.com
Pride Fest is coming up! We need some volunteers to man the Voter Registration Booth at the Street Fair on June 4 and walk with us in the Parade on June 5. I need some help with putting together our mobile entry in my truck! Email me – chair@keysdems.com
This is always a fun event and we get into lots of great conversations!!!
That’s it for now, See you this week!
Bert Sise/Chair
KeysDems
PS - I feel like I should say something about the domestic terror that continues to plague our country, egged on by the likes of Carlson/Hannity and Fox "News", but I am unable to understand how our elected officials continue to allow the NRA free reign (with Russian money). The death toll is staggering and senseless! There are no words.
“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and their politicians as a joke!” - Will Rogers