Editor's Note: This guest column is a response to the News Bulletin's story, "Overcoming the odds: Though hard of hearing, Crestview student remains in choir, cheer squad," published in the Aug. 16-18, 2017, edition.

The deaf are beautiful people who have — in the past, at least — often been misunderstood and categorized as "less than" or "handicapped."

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

From the first time I observed a high school choral classmate using sign language to interpreting a song, I became passionate to learn the language.

I had never met a deaf person. I did not know about their silent world. I did not realize how isolated they were from society. All I knew as a high school student was that sign language was beautiful and I wanted to perform with my choral group. As shallow as that seems today, it was the catalyst to change all my perceptions.

I enrolled in a sign language class for beginners and, upon completion, had a faint understanding of the importance of this whole new world into which I was entering on tiptoe and with a sense of awe.

After a subsequent advanced course, I was tapped as proficient and invited by the instructor to become a counselor at a summer camp for deaf children.

As a junior in high school I was both honored and excited to participate. Getting to rub elbows with these children, immersing myself in their special culture, and most of all, discovering how being deaf makes for a very lonely world, sent me on a deeper journey of discovery.

I began to just show up at the food court in a local mall where these teenagers hung out. We chatted and, since I never spoke but signed to them in their special language, at first they believed I was one of them. They accepted me into their group.

They were totally surprised I cared enough to come out and meet them when they found out I was not deaf. They were equally surprised that I had such an interest (and) passion to learn their language.

As time passed, I ended up taking a teen to a movie and interpreting for over two hours. Being able to partially lip read in the movie did not give one the full experience of the audio. It was the first time this teenager had ever been to a movie theater!

One day I had just left the doctor's office when a man frantically came up to me and was signing and trying to speak. I instantly recognized he was deaf and I began to use sign language to communicate. Tears came to his eyes. He had been unable to talk to his doctor or nurses and he desperately needed someone to interpret.

I jumped out of my car and we went back in, where I was able to help him. I called such instances "divine appointments."

As Oprah would say, that experience was an ah-ha moment for me. I saw how great the needs for interpretations were. The people who could be of service through sign language were few and far between.

In 1995, Hurricane Eloise was another area-wide wake up call where an entire deaf community was concerned. After the Class 2 strike, emergency personnel searched neighborhoods to assess damage. To their dismay, an entire mobile home park full of deaf residents had not received alerts that Hurricane Eloise had turned around at Mobile, Alabama and headed back to make landfall at Navarre Beach!

The fact that these Okaloosa residents were fairly isolated and protected in an inland wooded area saved their lives! We can now fully appreciate today's technology that alerts the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Technology is no substitute, however, for that personal touch — that interaction with people which sign language gives those who take the time to study and learn the skill.

It is not necessarily how much we know, or even how much understanding we have, unless we put those skills into practice and show the deaf community the language of love.

Elisa McCrite is a Destin resident.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: People can serve through sign language

Many of the registered voters of Crestview (myself included) have been apathetic in our participation of local elections. If you’re like me, you probably make time for the big ones like the presidential election, but the local ones usually slip through the cracks. The last election, for example, yielded a 3.8% voter turnout, which is pathetic — and we can do better.

We don’t have any elections on the immediate horizon, however in the meantime there are some actions we can take to participate in our city. One such action would be to demand accountability from our elected officials and their campaign promises.

Joe Blocker, Shannon Hayes and Bill Cox were all elected in 2013. Since they are all the longest-sitting council members, much of this op-ed will be directed toward them (also, because of those elected to the council, these three are the only ones I am able to cite quotes back to the Crestview News Bulletin — JB Whitten was elected in 2015, and I was unable to find a “Meet the Candidates” featuring him — possibly because he was uncontested, but I can’t confirm that. The other council member, Doug Faircloth, was appointed and did not run on any campaign promises.)

First we’ll start with their answers to the question, “What do you feel is the biggest challenge you face?” Mr. Blocker’s question was worded slightly different (and in a separate article).

Mr. Blocker was uniquely asked, “What do you see as your biggest challenge and how will you address it?” His answer was “Restoring trust and confidence in our elected and appointed leaders.“

Mr. Hayes’ answer: “I don’t see any large issues at the time that the council cannot adequately address.”

Mr. Cox’s answer: “I will encourage greater citizen turnout at council meetings, including newer arrivals to Crestview who are concentrated in Precinct 2.”

It would appear Mr. Blocker answered half the question, but didn’t offer how he planned to overcome the challenge. My initial reaction to Mr. Hayes’ answer is that it wasn’t extremely well thought out — if you interact with the entire community, the odds of hearing that the only issues facing Crestview can be adequately addressed by a twice/month, part-time council, would be extremely slim. Mr. Cox’s answer sounds awesome — but he focuses his representation to Precinct 2 in the promise which, to me, says “I will only represent Precinct 2.”

At least its transparent?

Another quote of Mr. Blocker in the same “Meet the Candidates” article referenced above: “My goal — and reason for seeking this council seat position — is to restore trust and confidence in our elected and appointed leaders. As your city council representative, I will serve you by passionately advocating for your needs and ensure that our neighborhood is fully represented on the Crestview City Council.”

I am a firm believer that if you don’t vote, you give up your effectiveness in complaining, but that doesn’t mean that elected officials are not accountable to people who did not vote — it just means they’re more likely to hold themselves more accountable to the people who will reelect them, which is a smart move politically — and a terrible one for representing the entire public.

Let’s ask the questions: “What have you done in 4 years to restore trust in the elected & appointed offices?”, “Do you still feel Crestview has no large issues?”, “What are you doing to encourage greater citizen turnout to the meetings?”

If they haven’t made any strides in 4 years, how can we trust they’ll make any in the next 4 years? They don’t get paid a lot ($5,000~/year), but they DO get paid to do a job they ran for, and being accountable to the voting public, it’s not unreasonable to ask for a progress report: Here are the things you said you would do — how’s it coming along? If there’s no fruit to show for their labor, then we, the apathetic voting community, bear the responsibility to change it during future elections — or, continue the apathy & be silent while they get paid to make changes we keep quiet about.

Since it’s my idea to start asking about their accountability, I’ll get the ball rolling.

June 30, 2017, The Good Country’s Cal Zethmayr brought Joe Blocker on as a guest on “The Z Files.” At the 40 minute 37 second mark of this interview, Mr. Blocker asked people to come get involved. And at the 41:45 mark, he went so far as to use the word “beg” — and begged for the public to get involved.

Prior to this interview, I had emailed Mr. Blocker (and the other council members) at least three separate occasions, possibly more. One such email was an expression of support for a decision they were making about forming the charter review committee and sending my prayers. I have received responses from all council members with the exception of Joe Blocker.

As a voter, this is not the sort of representation I expect from someone making a bold stance on “passionately advocating for your needs and ensuring that our neighborhood is fully represented on the Crestview City Council.”

Now to be fair, I don’t live in Mr. Blocker’s precinct — does that mean my voice doesn’t matter to him? Why not make that distinction in his interview: 'Please, people of my district, come out and get involved' — instead, he opts for blanketing his invitation to the entire community.

For that, I expect more transparency out of him. And for someone using the term “advocate” as much as he does, I don’t feel advocated for. I’ve even had an op-ed published asking Mr. Blocker a direct question: What have you done to educate the voters?

I’m still waiting for my response.

I’m also curious as to what strides he has taken to rebuild confidence in the elected & appointed offices — after all, he said he would.

One positive thing has happened — my voter apathy has expired, and you can bet I’ll be at the polls from now on.

How about you?

Matt Gates, with the Facebook page Crestview Citizens for Change, is not to be confused with Matt Gaetz, the U.S. congressman. He lives in Crestview.

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Editor's Note: Matt Gates clarified his statements via the News Bulletin Facebook page on Aug. 15 about Councilman Cox, saying "Councilman Cox did NOT win the 2013 election for which I'm quoting his campaign promises in this op-ed. In 2013 he ran against Hayes for Precinct 2, however lost to Hayes. Subsequently, he ran again in 2015 for an at-large position, which he now holds. In the 2015 election, he ran unopposed (like JB, as mentioned in the op-ed — running unopposed, he wasn't on record for any promises or commitments). What this means is, from an accountability perspective, Mr. Cox's statements in 2013 for Precinct 2 don't matter — what matters is how he serves the city now from an at-large position. I trust he holds the same goal (but for the whole city) — to get involvement to increase.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Holding Crestview leaders' feet to fire

Buried in all micro-drama distractions of the Trump administration are many of the good things it has done. One of the many under-reported accomplishments occurred in June, when Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions said the Department of Justice would reverse one of the sleazy practices of the Obama administration: allowing prosecutors to cut deals with corporate targets to direct payment of settlements to their pet political causes.

These “slush funds,” created from DOJ prosecutions of American corporations, allowed the hyper-political Obama administration to direct settlement money to politically favored causes. Settlements were sent to the likes of the National Council of La Raza, a Democrat activist group, and other “community redevelopment” and nonprofit “legal aid" organizations. You know, the folks who showed up at all those work-week, midday Obama rallies who happened to be in matching T-shirts.

When a company like Volkswagen slips up and runs afoul of myriad regulations and laws (never mind that no one noticed for years), the DOJ swoops in and shakes the company down for money — some of it sent to pet Democrat causes.

As expected, the CEO of Volkswagen capitulates. He says this is the most humiliating moment in his company’s history. Keep in mind, Volkswagen was founded by Hitler. Hitler was too early with VW.  Had he waited and teamed up with Samsung, he’d have been able to blow up Americans.

Then VW reaches a $15 billion settlement. Democrat friends in the plaintiff  lawyers' bar rake in billions, and the DOJ sends stacks of money to liberal allies and various like-minded activist groups. And VW owners, the supposed "victims" of increased horsepower and performance all those years? Well, they get a $25 gift card they can use on their next purchase of a VW.

Companies see this and, instead of opening another plant in Shakedownville, USA, they build a plant in Mexico. There they only have to bribe local cops. Jobs and revenues go overseas. Trump points this out and becomes president.

Government can do this because it creates all the myriad laws no one understands. In 2010 alone, 81,405 laws and regulations were created. I  suggest you try to read them. If it gets boring, stick with it; it gets real interesting after page 79,205. And if you do not want to read all this, you can watch the movie: Atlas Shrugged.

Washington knows we will not read all their rules or even notice. Most Americans care about and understand the infield fly rule better.

Per the National Review, “Under Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch, the Justice Department regularly designed legal settlements in which well-heeled defendants were encouraged (read: forced) to donate money to third parties with no legal connection to the case being adjudicated.”  So why did this work? The Government Accountability Office said that the practice was legal because the money was provided “voluntarily.” Yeah, much like you “volunteer” your wallet and watch to a robber who has a gun on you.

This dubious practice under Obama needs to be examined. Loretta Lynch would not investigate Eric Holder or any Democrat. For eight years the only animal allowed in the White House was the Attorney General’s guide dog. Yes, companies have constitutional rights to fight this practice but, according to the Obama doctrine, nothing says it has to be a fair fight. They know they are trying companies in the judicial system and the court of public opinion, and they settle.

Not even examined yet is how the practice was used to go after opponents (Rush Limbaugh’s largest sponsor, LifeLock, was shaken town big time), or how many police departments DOJ determined were "racist" and shook down.

The BP settlement was so big. Any time you put more oil on birds than Colonel Sanders ever did, you’re vulnerable. I really would like to see who all got anything beyond lawyers, bureaucrats and environmental groups.

Other cases involved Uber settling on various charges, seemingly weekly. There have been so many settlements, Uber just delivers the money each time — as you would expect — in a white Kia, five minutes later than they say they’d be there. Ticketmaster settled a suit for $9 million, but only paid $3 mil after their “servicing fee.”

LinkedIn paid $7 million in settlements to employees. But the company knew it would never have to pay, because it sent notifications to "victims" on how to get paid in emails from LinkedIn, and then kept deleting them.

Ron Hart is a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @RonaldHart on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Trump Administration ends government shakedown practices