PAGE ONE COMMENTARY: Whispered Allegations

WHISPERED ALLEGATIONS ARE
ALLEGATIONS THAT OPPOSING
CANDIDATES DO NOT WANT TO
SAY OUT LOUD— BECAUSE THEY
ARE PROBABLY NOT TRUE

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

All is fair in love and
war and politics— including
whispered allegations— those
allegations that, almost always,
are allegations that opposing
candidates don’t want to say
out loud at political forums
or in their ads— because, almost
always, those allegations
are simply not true. And the
candidates who are doing the
whispering know they are not
true.

But the candidates who
are doing the whispering are
perfectly happy when rumors
that damage the other candidate
take on a life of their own.

For example, a recent Pew poll
indicates that nearly one in five
Americans believe the rumor
that President Obama is a Muslim.

That is probably not true, of
course, but whether or not it’s
true doesn’t make much difference
if an increasing number of
voters think it’s true.

New Dog-Friendly Ordinance May Be Too Restrictive and Too Costly

COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT
DOG-FRIENDLY ESTABLISHMENTS
ARE PART OF THE “UNIQUE
CHARACTER OF KEY WEST”—
THEN REQUIRES $1 MILLION IN
LIABILITY INSURANCE

Special Report

Longtime Key West residents who own dogs know that,
for years, many if not most of the bars and restaurants here were
dog-friendly. Patrons could come in with their dogs. But that has
changed in recent years. One establishment after another has
started to ban dogs.

A few weeks ago, the city commission passed an ordinance
in an attempt to recognize that dog-friendly establishments are
part of the “unique character of Key West.” The ordinance sets
out the rules and regulations— and the cost— for owners who
want their establishments to be dog-friendly.

As is often the case when government gets involved in
attempting to regulate the lifestyle of citizens, the new city ordinance
is overly restrictive and cumbersome. And the cost may
be prohibitive for many bars and restaurants here.

The Improvables Ride Again

FOR THE NEXT THREE FRIDAYS in September (3rd, 10th and
17th) that hilarious Improv Comedy Troupe, better known as
The Improvables will appear at PTKW’s new theater venue
“Downstage” located at 3340 N. Roosevelt Blvd. next to Wendy’s.
Show starts at 8:00 p.m., cash bar available, $5 cover to benefit
The People’s Theater of Key West. Come see what everyone’s
been laughing about! Call (305) 94-6813 for more information.
PTKW is a non-profit 501(c)(3) theater company http://www.peoplestheaterofkeywest.
com.

BITCHIN’ PARADISE: Let’s Get Physical

by Kimberley Denney

What with Fantasy Fest on
the horizon and all, I decided it
was time to get a little exercise
in before costume season comes
a callin’. I don’t know about
you, but for the last 10 years
I’ve been trying on exercise
routines for size, and none of
them seem to fit.

Maybe it’s because I have
a thing with commitment. Like,
committing to plans. Or to a
relationship. Or to an exercise
routine. I swear I even spell
it wrong every single time I
write it (thank you spellcheck).
There’s just something about
the idea of committing to a time,
date, place or person that makes
me feel like a caged animal. And
in the immortal words of the
Monkees, I wanna be free.

But, I also wanna be thin.
And I don’t wanna give up good
food and wine. For the sake of
the mornings after the night
before, I’ve practically given
up every delicious cocktail at
Orchid Bar, and there are only
so many sacrifices a girl can
make in the name of vanity. Oh,
and health.

RHONDA: Free Mo!

(Relax, I’m kidding)

by Rhonda Linseman-Saunders

I’m writing this column about half an hour after
the Monique Acevedo sentencing. I don’t really know
what public reaction has been so far, or what it will be
over the next days and weeks. But inevitably, some
people will cry that her sentence is too light. People
have gotten themselves so whipped into a frenzy
over this case that I’m convinced there’s a segment of
the local population who’d have supported a death
sentence, had it been an option.

In case it isn’t obvious enough, I’m just some
regular chick who lives around here (as opposed to a
law scholar, I guess),but I think eight years in prison,
twenty-two years probation, and full restitution is
completely appropriate. You know what? I’d even
like to see her get out of prison when she’s eligible for
parole a couple years before her scheduled release.
Before you string ME up by my toes from that
bigass kapok tree in front of the courthouse, let me
tell you how I’ve thought about this case in terms of
keeping it in perspective.

Within the last few years, at least two other
Monroe County School District (MCSD) employees
have beaten students on campus. In one case, no
criminal charges were even filed. In another case,
criminal charges were brought then dropped. Both
of those MCSD employees were back to work— in
contact with children every day— within a few weeks.
I know there are other considerations and that citizens
deserve public corruption of Acevedic proportions to
be combatted. But comparatively, public outrage about
violence against students is nonexistent compared to
public outrage about money stolen from students. I
can’t help but be really bothered by that.

BOETTGER: Cor-po-rats d. De-mo-crats

by Rick Boettger

There’s a new Sheriff in town, boys, and he’s
here to stay.

The American political scene is, as we speak, in
the midst of a sea-change—or, in the language of the
new order, a “fundamental restructuring”—greater
than any since the Civil War. We have morphed from
a Democratic Republic into a Corporate Democracy. In
essence, this means that instead of the people controlling
their government through their representatives,
it’s the corporations controlling both the people and
their representatives through their money.

This change has been most perfectly realized in
the recent Supreme Court ruling giving corporations
the same right as American citizens to spend unlimited
amounts of money supporting their political causes.
They don’t have to waste time being sneaky about it
any more.

LETTERS: Reader Responds to O’Boyle

Dear Editor:

This letter is a response
to Hal O’Boyle’s August 27th
column, “Filling the Gap.” Mr.
O’Boyle begins by taking issue
with a Costa Rican newspaper
headline that would be true
if printed anywhere in the
world, “Gap Grows Between
Rich, Poor.” He then proceeds
to denounce the economic pessimism
that leads a democracy
toward socialism. This process
allegedly kills the goose laying
the golden eggs.

Mr. O’Boyle writes,
“Socialism has a powerful
philosophical appeal and an
attractive, if larcenous, logic.”

The source of this powerful
appeal is a certain little thing
called “morality.” Jesus didn’t
say “it’s impossible for the
rich to go to heaven” (camels
don’t fit through needle eyes)
because he was an envious
loser. He said it because there
is an obvious moral blindness
involved when a person spends
money on unnecessary luxuries
while others starve. This obviousness
unfortunately decreases
as net worth increases. As for
“larcenous logic,” that depends
on which foot the shoe is on. An
investor profiting from Nike’s
use of third world slave labor
is fully legitimate. Taxing that
investor by democratic means is
theft. Do I need to point out how
self-serving this is?

Key West’s CRB Continues to Be a Model for the Nation

The City of Key West’s Citizen Review Board (CRB), although
only eight years old, continues to be a model for other
civilian boards around the country that oversee law enforcement
agencies. For the second year in a row, Attorney Stephen Muffler,
the executive director of the Key West CRB, has been invited to
make a presentation at the annual conference of NACOLE— the
National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement.
This year’s conference is in Seattle in mid-September.

Free Tows Offered If You Drink Too Much

As the three-day holiday weekend approaches, the Key
West Police Department wants to remind the community to drive
safely. Most importantly, don’t drink and drive.

This weekend, as in holidays past, AAA is offering its Tow
2 Go program. If you find you’ve overdone it, AAA and Alex’s
Auto Wrecking and Towing are offering free and confidential rides
home for you and your car. Simply call 1-800-AAA-HELP. Or you
can call Alex’s directly at (305) 296-4910 or (305) 872-4910.

Concerned About Dengue? Town Hall Meeting Set for September 15

TOWN HALL MEETING ON DENGUE

Wednesday, September 15 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Harvey
Government Center, Truman Avenue at White. This will be an
opportunity for residents to get an education, and voice their
questions and concerns. This meeting is being sponsored by
the Monroe County Mosquito Control District and the Monroe
County Health Department. Info: (305) 292-7190.