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Election rioting: Have we lost our self-control?

Written by archive on November 14, 2016. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

Another election season is over and, no matter which candidate you backed, I know there is one thing we can all agree upon, and that is this: Thank goodness all those political ads and phone calls are over! Finally, my telephone is silent.

I am saddened by some of the reactions in urban areas of our country, and so thankful that I live in Crestview. How does the destruction of property change the outcome of the election? It inconveniences the residents, who no longer have that store available in which to shop; it causes insurance rates to soar; and it hurts the finances of the store owner, but doesn't change the election.

My heart weeps at this violence, and I am sure that the Lord is saddened.

As far as I can recall, the past four presidential elections didn't see destruction and rioting. Even during the 2000 election, which was contested, I don't remember any rioting.

When John Kerry lost in 2004, John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012, there was no violence, so why now? Has our society become more violent or are we just more accepting of bad behavior?

It appears that we have lost our self-control.

What can we, as people of faith, do?

First, we can pray for our country and her leaders, both outgoing and incoming, that the Lord gives them wisdom and discernment; that there will be a serene transition of leadership.

Second, we can pray that peace and calm will come to our great nation, that we will come together as a country and work for the common good of all citizens.

Third, we can be kind to one another, and work toward reconciliation. To be reconciled, according to Webster's 1828 dictionary, means "to call back into union and friendship the affections which have been alienated."

Fourth, we need to pray that the Lord heals the hearts of those who are hurting and restores tranquility to our land. The Lord hears our prayers and He is gracious and answers them.

Certainly, these are worthwhile goals for our community and our country.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Election rioting: Have we lost our self-control?

College football picks, week 12

Written by archive on November 14, 2016. Posted in columns, Sports.

First, thank you to all the universities and colleges for participating in Veterans Day weekend. Your support, recognition and gratitude are appreciated greatly from all the veterans and football fans. I stand and salute you.

Now for the analysis: What an upset weekend — only two teams at 10-0. The playoff top 4 had a big shuffle; and the good news is 17 teams out of the ACC and SEC are eligible for “a” bowl, “the” bowl or in the top four playoffs.

Here are the picks:

Louisville Cardinals vs. Houston Cougars: This must-see game is played Nov. 17; the Cardinals, a bit off on Saturday, are still flying high — Louisville by 6.
The Citadel Bulldogs vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: The Bulldogs are 10-0 and playing with the big boys now. Someone from up above is looking after the Bulldogs and they just might upset the Tar Heels — Bulldogs by 3.
Clemson Tigers vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: If the Deacons could not keep pace with Louisville, the Tigers are for sure going to eat them up by 18.
Florida State Seminoles vs. Syracuse Orangemen (ACC Game of the Week): It is getting cold up in New York. The Seminoles need their long johns in this game. Florida State by 18.
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame: The Hokies gave away last Saturday’s game, and who knows what can happen in South Bend, Ind. Hokies by 7.
Miami Hurricanes vs. N.C. State Wolfpack: Miami should win this but stats show they are just full of hot air — Wolfpack by 3.
Florida Gators vs. LSU Tigers (SEC Game of the Week): The SEC has been waiting for this game. No Hurricanes in sight and now the game is in Baton Rouge, La., and not at the Swamp, as scheduled, before Matthew came calling — Tigers by 12.
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Miss State Bulldogs: It should be the Razorbacks by all counts, but the Bulldogs can herd them in for another loss. Mississippi State by 13.
Ole Miss Rebels vs. Vanderbilt Commodores: The Rebels have the Commodores walking the plank — Rebels by 3.
Missouri Tigers vs. Tennessee Vols.: Which Tennessee team is coming to this game? The Vols need to win the next two games and both are in Tennessee — Vols by 13.

TIE BREAKER: Oklahoma Sooner vs. West Virginia Mountaineers.

Bill Everett is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and lives in the Baker area.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: College football picks, week 12

Kent Bush: Some predictions are better than others

Written by archive on November 10, 2016. Posted in columns, Opinion.

You heard it here first.

I told you in the summer of 2015 that Donald Trump would be out of the race by Labor Day of that year. In August, I said he was going to fade, even if it was slower than I initially predicted.

Tuesday night, he was elected by a very white electorate and, for the final time, I underestimated Trump and overestimated Republican voters.

But I also wrote a column on July 31, 2015, where my prediction was more outlandish but it was actually correct.

“I just don’t know that she (Clinton) will be on the 2016 ticket. If she is, I don’t think she will win.”

I talked about the glass ceiling women still operate under, the vast number of scandals regarding her husband’s sexual misconduct, her ties to Benghazi and of course, the email scandal as reasons that she wouldn’t ever win a General Election.

That was pretty good prognosticating for a guy who didn’t see Trump winning until about 8 p.m. Tuesday.

I had no idea that FBI Director James Comey would become a Trump campaign operative nine days before an election or that the GOP would welcome in Russian hackers to influence American political elections by leaking emails on a daily basis for months.

But I knew that Clinton had a tough road ahead simply because of who she is.

In the end those are factors in her loss but the bigger factor is the failure of American voters to show concern that more than a dozen women credibly claimed their candidate had sexually assaulted them, had been recorded admitting to sexual assault and had even had a story about an affair with a Playboy playmate covered up by the National Enquirer instead of broadcast in grocery stores everywhere. The Religious Right stood by their man and kept the evangelical cart hitched to that immoral horse — 81 percent of evangelical voters chose Trump.

Voters also never cared that Trump’s tax returns were never released. He also had to be grounded from Twitter by his campaign for days before the election.

But even that didn’t keep him from calling a former Republican president “sad,” calling a sitting Democratic senator “Pocahontas,” and calling a sitting Republican senator “very weak” the day before the election.

That’s one of the biggest problems in this election. Because of the tenor of his rhetoric against Mexicans, Muslims and others, Trump made some of the worst elements of society, like the KKK and white nationalist groups, part of the national conversation for the first time in decades.

Seeing David Duke cheering the election has a truly chilling effect.

On Wednesday morning, I was taking my son Dawit to school. He heard the news reports about Trump’s win and how the victory was secured by going after the white vote and how only eight percent of black people supported Trump.

They talked about some of Trump’s campaign promises regarding immigrants and Dawit got worried.

“Is he going to do bad things to me and (the other black boy in his class),” Dawit asked in a worried tone.

“Over my dead body, buddy,” I reassured him.

That’s where we are.

We’re left to hope for the first time in decades that a president was lying about all of the things he said he was going to do to civil rights, health care and immigration.

Trump won because he tapped into a vein of anger and bled it dry. Gone are the days of hope and change.

America has voted and Trump won. That’s the great thing about America, if more than half of you are wrong together, you’re right.

I’m still not sure if Trump was an anomaly or if the rules of politics have changed forever. Was Clinton’s loss about her as a candidate or has our culture has truly shifted?

These are questions that won’t be answered for at least four years. Tuesday’s snapshot of America is one for the history books. The story that accompanies the photo is waiting to be written.

It will tell who Americans are and what we truly believe. I’m not excited about the man we sent to the White House Tuesday. But I’m hopeful, because I still believe in America and our system of government.

I think we have buffers in place that keep either side from going too far. Social gravity always pulls the political pendulum toward the center.

I also believe what Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

That didn’t change Tuesday night. It never will.

— Kent Bush is publisher of Shawnee (Oklahoma) News-Star and can be reached at kent.bush@news-star.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Kent Bush: Some predictions are better than others

Readers weigh in on Trump's election

Written by archive on November 10, 2016. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

We asked Crestview News Bulletin readers how they feel about Donald Trump’s election as president of the United States. Here are some of their comments:

Optimism. We now have a president, House and Senate to get things accomplished and should move along quicker. At least for two years — so I hope they don't waste one day doing it!

Sue Ring

Indifferent. Had to deal with all the Hillary supporters’ hate for not supporting her and now I get to deal with the hate for her not winning. Different day, same — how does that saying go? "You made your bed, now lay in it?"

Brandi Fickling

Joy! It's time for a change. The people are tired of the way this country has been led for the past eight years! Also glad the election is over and we can move on!

Marianne Ponder Vicari

Disgusted. I understand that a change was wanted and needed. But Trump is not the person to do it. All Trump has been about is Trump. He is truly terrifying. I do not believe he can run this country intelligently or admirably.

Julie Wilczewski Jaworski

Disappointment. Disappointment that everything he has stood for all this time — the hate, bigotry, racism, sexism, heinous vulgarity, etc. — is agreed with by so much of America. It's not because he's a Republican. For one, because he's really not. But because of all the horrible things that he has stood for. And the rest of the world will judge us by that. They are sad for us. Sad we have no respectable person that will be taking over in January. Sad that we have tarnished the picture of what America has stood for. Just sad…

Melissa Willcut Woollums

Renewed hope for our great country! Just keep praying that we all come together to make America great again! God bless the USA and, God, please bless Trump!

Pam McCallum Pursley

Making sure I'm a positive role model for those that need positivity! No matter the outcome, I can trust in God.

Sarah Hawkins

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Readers weigh in on Trump's election

The good news — Americans re-engaged in politics

Written by archive on November 9, 2016. Posted in columns, Opinion.

The hard-fought presidential election is, mercifully, over. Now Americans can relax, stop despising each other for how they voted, and go back to disliking each other based on the football team they like.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump campaigned frantically on the last day before the election. Trump barnstormed across the Midwest to shore up supporters. And Hillary spoke to her base to get out the vote for her, giving speeches to a small, off-the-record campaign rally in the NBC newsroom. She also spoke at some cemeteries in Chicago, New Orleans and Indiana.

We had a choice between an outsider, an egomaniacal, populist billionaire and a historic female "first": the first woman to head a New York crime family. But this election upset by Donald Trump is less about him and more about Americans fed up with big government elites.

Hillary and Bill, the Bonnie and Clyde of American politics, had worn out their welcome with voters.

While he is likable, President Obama’s policies are awful. From Obamacare to his regulatory executive orders, his idealistic grad school theories just don’t work. He turned the Justice Department into a corrupt, racist, vigilante operation and the IRS into his own Mafia hitmen. We had enough.

Hillary was able to advance the narrative — with help from the DNC echo chamber we call "the media” — that she would protect women. Yet she never has.

There was an "October surprise" of embarrassing pay-to-play Clinton Foundation issues, including the foundation paying for some of Chelsea’s wedding. Many of us were counting on a different "October surprise" — that each party would replace its candidate with someone else.

This election was also a repudiation of big media. The only media watchdogs in our country were not even in our country: Julian Assange of WikiLeaks from the Ecuadorean Embassy, and hackers from the old Soviet Union. It was no surprise that CNN and other media operations were feeding Hillary debate questions. And that info was discovered in emails; there's no telling what was texted, messaged or discussed in private meetings.

Donald Trump maintained that the current American system is “rigged” and unfair. Only in America can a son of a rich developer inherit a real estate empire, wed three supermodels, become a TV star, and win the GOP presidential nomination on his first try while still maintaining that the U.S. system is unfair. The killer fact was that blue collar Americans agreed with him because they understand he was not bought and will work for them. There is something comforting about a person who does not need to make money in Washington — unlike the Clintons.

The GOP had some very real political debates, something the lemmings in the Democrat party never have. The DNC never wins on issues; they win by destroying their opponents. Trump stood up to them and America applauded.

Even Fox News' Megyn Kelly (who seemed to go to the other side) attacked Trump over accusations from women and his own name-calling. When she tried to turn Newt Gingrich from his talking points to Trump’s past, Newt lashed back and accused her of being "more interested in sex than discussing public policy issues."

To be fair, I think we all are more interested in talking about sex than talking about public policy, but you get the idea.

The good news is that Americans became re-engaged in politics with this race. They paid attention. Nothing short of the media finding the suspects who robbed Kim Kardashian in France would have distracted them from this epic contest.

Hillary misjudged Middle America’s anger. Her strategy down the stretch was just to ignore embarrassing scandals and run out the clock. It worked for her marriage, but not in this election.

Ron Hart is a syndicated op-ed humorist, award-winning author and TV/radio commentator. You can reach him at Ron@RonaldHart.com, Twitter @RonaldHart or visit RonaldHart.com

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: The good news — Americans re-engaged in politics

College football picks, week 11

Written by archive on November 7, 2016. Posted in columns, Sports.

Being picked for the top four playoffs can sometimes go to a team’s head. This week, we lost one and Washington is stepping up for the spot. They’ve been on the outside looking in and now are ready to take their place.

Oh yes, the SEC and ACC have six teams now eligible for bowl games.

Here are my picks:

Boston College Eagles vs. Florida State Seminoles: The Seminoles think they can be one of the top four after this big win by 21-plus points.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Clemson Tigers: The Tigers have been on cruise control for a bit, and it could be a mistake; they could get eaten by the Panthers, but not this year — Clemson by 6.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies: Out of nowhere came the Hokies, who think they should be in it all the way but started a few games late. Still, they win this one by 10.
Miami Hurricanes vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Another Hurricane is coming to Scott Stadium with minimum damage — Miami by 6.
Wake Forest Demon Deacon vs. Louisville Cardinals (ACC game of the week): It has happened before but not this time. No upset here — Louisville by 20-plus points, or is it Lamar Jackson by 20-plus points?
LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: After the last game Saturday, I, for one, would not have picked the Razorbacks to win this one, but folks, the game is in Fayetteville, Ark., and LSU was run over by a train — Arkansas by 13.
South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Florida Gators: Still looking into the top four from the swamp, and the Gators love to eat roosters for lunch — Florida by 17.
Auburn War Eagles vs. Georgia Dawgs (SEC Game of the week): This is a tune-up for the War Eagles for Nov. 26, but be careful; the Dawgs are also looking in from afar — Auburn by 3.
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Tennessee Volunteers: Both teams are still looking in and the hopeful Wildcats are just a few steps back. The Vols need to take a giant leap to get closer — Tennessee by 10.
Ole Miss Rebels vs. Texas A&M Aggies: But I could not get my helmet on over by big head. Sorry, coach, but we still have a chance — not so fast, A&M. Ole Miss by 6.
TIE BREAKER: Troy Trojans, Alabama vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers, North Carolina.

Bill Everett is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and lives in the Baker area.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: College football picks, week 11

7 tips to safeguard personal and financial information

Written by archive on November 6, 2016. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

I was busy writing my weekly column and let the phone go to voicemail knowing I could return the call. After completing my article, I listened to our voicemail. Lo and behold, it was the credit card company letting me know that they suspected fraudulent activity on my credit card. Someone was having a great time charging on my card!

Lo and behold, it was the credit card company letting me know that they suspected fraudulent activity on my credit card. Someone was having a great time charging on my card!

I was thankful that the credit card company found the fraud, but I felt so violated. We still don't have all of the charges reversed, one more thing I need to work on. I have no idea how thieves got my account number, as the card was in my wallet and it was a "chip" card.

I called our accountant to discuss this with her and learned that she and her husband recently experienced fraud. She found unauthorized charges on her statement; someone purchased entertainment items. Her credit card company first accused her of making the purchases, but finally refunded the unauthorized charges.

This can happen to anyone, even those of us who are vigilant.

Please be careful with your information. Credit card and identity theft are on the rise at this time of year.

Here are some tips to stay safe:

•Carry a minimum of credit and debit cards with you when you shop and never carry your Social Security card.

•Always keep your eye on your credit card. This is sometimes difficult in a restaurant, so be aware of how long the person that has your card is gone and make sure you check your statement or bank promptly.

•Check your bank and credit card statement on a regular basis. I monitor our checking account online several times a week.

•Save all of your receipts so that you can verify the charges against your statements.

•If you find a discrepancy, call your bank or credit card company immediately.

•Be "stingy" giving out your Social Security number. Ask exactly why it is needed, as most times it isn't truly required.

•Be as careful with your medical insurance card as you are with a credit card. Medical fraud is becoming big business.

Stay vigilant and don't leave yourself vulnerable. Christmas is on the horizon and thieves are looking for easy money.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 7 tips to safeguard personal and financial information

Let Crestview High’s band play — and let them pray

Written by archive on November 4, 2016. Posted in columns, guest, Opinion.

In reference to the Big Red Machine playing “Amazing Grace” at the end of Crestview High football games, I’d like to quote the “Bad News Bears” by saying, “Let them play!”

Ah, prayer in school: the hot-button topic that has set a legal precedent in favor of the separation of church and state. Only, in this case, we’re not talking about prayer. We’re talking about a song; one that is played at military and first responder funerals as well as memorials throughout the country.

I know one BRM parent who has said that people come for the game and stay for the band. Most stadiums empty at the end of a high school football game; but not Jack Foster Stadium.

To me, this is where I draw the line for political correctness. I know I’ve fanned the flames of the last few religious topics, but on this issue, I must put my foot down and say enough is enough!

No one is forcing these kids — I’ll say again: kids — to play this song. Every member of the Big Red Machine is a willful participant and is proud to play in a nationally recognized band. I’m sure if the time came where a student was uncomfortable playing “Amazing Grace” that they would have the option to stand aside while the rest of his or her band mates respected their decision and continued to play.

When I went to school, we had “see you at the flag pole” days that continue to this day. Some of my classmates would sport a T-shirt saying, “I broke a rule, I prayed in school.” I always thought that the saying was out of place because, as far as I knew, willful prayer in school has never been forbidden. What was forbidden was a public school requiring prayer — respecting one religion while keeping out others.

This brings me back to a conversation I had with the Crestview Bulldogs’ “unofficial” chaplain on the sidelines at the Kickoff Classic. The school could not fund having a chaplain for a team to any official capacity, which to me was understandable, considering taxpayer dollars were involved.

My solution to that was having the boosters cover the cost. As far as I know, the boosters for the Bulldogs are private citizens who can make suggestions on how money is earmarked. It’s not tax money and it’s coming from a private fund, and the team can continue to have their tradition of faith without getting any courts involved.

Another example is when I cover the Baker football games (as a freelance writer for the News Bulletin). At the end of the game, the players, cheerleaders and coaches all say the Lord’s Prayer. They are all willing participants, and I’m one of them.

At the end of the day, those in opposition of these traditions — BRM playing “Amazing Grace” going for 25 years — are lumping them in with religious imposition, and it’s not.

No one is twisting the arms of these kids to participate. Let them play and let them pray.

Johnny C. Alexander is a Crestview resident and freelance writer, photographer and videographer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Let Crestview High’s band play — and let them pray

Crestview City Council should change prayer policy

Written by archive on November 2, 2016. Posted in columns, guest, Opinion.

Looks like I’m grabbing a Snickers, because it doesn’t look like we’re going away from the topic of religion for a while.

Now to the new topic of the week: invocations at city council meetings. So long as the city is willing to be open to other faiths outside Christianity, I don't see anything wrong with opening with an invocation. It doesn't take up that much time in city council meetings and I can imagine the vetting process doesn't pull that many resources as Freedom From Religion claims.

That being said, the city only allows faith-based institutions within a 5-mile radius of the city to conduct invocations. The Crestview area — not necessarily in the city limits — lists over 50 Christian churches, 16 of which are Baptist. No mosques or synagogues exist north of Eglin Reservation.

As you will probably remember, Pensacola — a city housing many different non-Christian faiths — did, in fact, allow someone from a satanic establishment to lead an invocation. As expected, the invocation evoked deplorable behavior from those present in the building — not from Satanists, but from Christians who continually disrupted proceedings.

Here’s a much better example of acceptance of other faiths.

As a member of three chambers of commerce, I participate in every invocation — I’m not atheist or agnostic; I do have faith in Christ — and in one of those chambers, I stand next to a good friend who is Jewish.

More times than not, the prayer ends with the leader saying, “In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen,” in which my friend and I both repeat, “Amen.”

My friend doesn’t protest or get offended; after all, as private institutions, chambers of commerce are allowed to have invocations exclusive to any faith they choose. My friend, instead, joins his fellow business owners in fellowship in praying for the prosperity of their livelihoods.

So, to put out the fire of controversy set by Freedom From Religion, I challenge the Crestview City Council to forego the convenient policy of having only those institutions within a 5-mile radius of the city be represented.

Invite the rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach to lead in a Jewish prayer for an upcoming invocation.

Baby steps.

Johnny C. Alexander is a Crestview resident and freelance writer, photographer and videographer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview City Council should change prayer policy

Make the most of today

Written by archive on October 30, 2016. Posted in columns, more-voices, Opinion.

It is heartbreaking to any family to lose a loved one of any age. It is more heart wrenching when the loved one is an infant, child or young adult.

We don't know why the Lord allows some to live and others to go home to heaven. We may never understand His purpose here on this earth, but we have the assurance that He loves us. Our comfort is that those who knew Christ as their Savior will be united with Christ in heaven and that we will see them again one day.

Neighbors who lived in Crestview for several years lost their beloved 21-year-old daughter last week. No one expects a healthy 21-year-old wife, mother and daughter to die. That is not the way we would ordain it.

Who can understand or fathom God's purpose in all of this? We will probably never know the "why" until we are in heaven, but if we are true believers in Christ Jesus, then we trust Him.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Many of us prayed mightily on behalf of this young lady, and the Lord chose to say no. While we are brokenhearted, our faith is what sees us through during these difficult times. Our faith clings to John 11:25, which states, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."

The lesson is that none of us knows what tomorrow may bring. Tell your loved ones how much you love them, spend time with your relatives and friends. Make time to visit that person you haven't seen in months or years.

We never know when the Lord may choose to call them, or us, home. Don't be full of regrets; pick up the phone or a pen today and follow though, don't put it off.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Make the most of today

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