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Post by shortcircuit on Jun 4, 2008 22:14:30 GMT -4
www.policelink.com/news/26729-obama-uses-police-memorial-for-porta-pottiesPoliceLink May 30, 2008 PORTLAND, OR – Police officers in Portland, Oregon, are still waiting for an apology from Barack Obama after campaign staffers of his recent rally in Portland, Oregon, setup porta potties directly on top of the Portland Police Memorial, which honors the agency’s 25 fallen police officers. The Obama rally drew a crowd of over 75,000 people. Officer Thomas Brennan, who was working overtime at the rally, took a picture of the offending toilets, with the American flag still at half mast because of Police Officers Memorial Day, directly behind them. The local law enforcement memorial service had been held at the site only five days earlier. Despite a large amount of open areas in the vicinity, the campaign staffers claimed the toilets were placed on the memorial for safety reasons to accommodate wheelchair access. The Obama campaign has not responded to requests for an apology.
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Post by betsy on Jun 4, 2008 22:29:07 GMT -4
Goodness!!!!!!! What a disrespectful idiot....
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Post by summerose on Jun 5, 2008 9:34:22 GMT -4
Goodness!!!!!!! What a disrespectful idiot.... I agree Betsy!  |
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Post by taylor on Jun 5, 2008 9:58:20 GMT -4
I looked at both links - the second link to the picture, really ticks me off. Good Grief, the American Flag is flying at half-mast - RIGHT BEHIND AND BETWEEN THE PORTA POTTIES!! And you mean to tell me that any idiot couldn't see that?!
Even if this had not been a Memorial, just the placement of the porta-potties that near our flag is a disgrace! Now, add that in fact, it was a memorial even makes it worse.
What comes to mind is "ignorance of the law is no excuse". If you have an employee who does something stupid, you, the business owner, are held accountable and can you be sued or jailed. It doesn't matter that you yourself didn't do it. You are still responsible for your employees. Obama should be held accountable for his "employees" as well and quit passing the buck off as an excuse "it wasn't me! it was campaign staffers!" Heck, next thing ya know it will be the one armed man! (anybody remember that one?)
I try to stay out of politics, but I don't like this man. I haven't from the start.
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Post by southpaw on Jun 5, 2008 11:05:46 GMT -4
Do something with that sword Talor. Git em.
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Post by taylor on Jun 5, 2008 11:52:51 GMT -4
Southpaw
If I thought I could make a difference, and if I knew where to start, I'd do everything I could.
One problem is that so many people are so completely blinded by their hatred for Bush (and in turn, the entire Republican party) that they'd vote for anybody that wasn't connected to them. Even if that person is a poor excuse for an American, much less as our future President.
I do believe I'd walk right up and slap him (Obama) if I had the chance. Then I'd calmly look at him and ask "How dare you!" In my opinion, after this little incident, this jerk isn't worth the salt in his bread. He doesn't deserve the right to call himself an American.
As for his excuse "it wasn't me! It was the staff!" That's pure Bull Sh*t!
Ok, so the "staffers" screwed up. Then tell me why, as soon as Obama arrived and saw this, (and you know he had to have seen it), why did he not IMMEDIATELY take care of it? Why didn't he demand that the porta-potties be moved right then and begin a lengthy apology, to the families of the fallen policemen, to every police department, the city of Portland, the state of Oregon, and to every decent citizen of the US for stupidity of his staffers? No, he was too busy politicking to do the right thing.
And to think, he may just be the next President.
What have we done?
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Post by taylor on Jun 5, 2008 16:41:58 GMT -4
Do something with that sword Taylor. Git em. Southpaw, I took your advice - I decided to write an article even though I had no idea as to where I would submit it at the time. I have spoken with the Republican Party Of Georgia in Atlanta, I'm awaiting call backs from the Glynn County Sheriff's department, Glynn County Police Department and Brunswick City Police Department to get their views. I'm also awaiting a call back form the PR officer of the Portland Police Department. I have also spoken with the leader/chairman of the Glynn County Republican Party. He is a high end Realtor, part of a family that has been here for generations and everyone knows his name. I told him about this and told him I was in the process of writing an article. He gave me the name of a person to give it to at the Brunswick News and said I should tell them that he sent me, and that he and the GCRP would stand behind it and me, along with putting that in the article. If they accept it, and he says he sees no reason why they (The Brunswick News), wouldn't, it will be the first time for me in the News. Oddly enough, that's not what is important to me at this point. What is important is letting as many people as I can know about this total disrespect that Obama has shown. |
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Post by coosa on Jun 5, 2008 17:30:25 GMT -4
Good for you Taylor!!
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Post by nataliewood on Jun 5, 2008 19:27:30 GMT -4
Thanks Taylor. I'm so proud of you for getting involved. I'm going to tell my Daddy about this and try to keep his blood pressure down at the same time.
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Post by taylor on Jun 6, 2008 13:16:11 GMT -4
Ok, Ya'll, as usual, ya'll get the first "printing". I'm still not sure where, or even if, I will get this actually printed, but at least it's written. As usual, as I re-read it, I may change some wording to help the 'flow' if I feel it needs it. I do know a few places I will be sending copies to -
Let me know what you think.
The Wrong Place
I have never been a very political person. I have always tried to stay away from most political conversations and keep my personal choices and opinions to myself. Over the years, I have kept many friends this way and avoided many arguments.
Keeping things to myself has suddenly went completely out the window. Something was brought to my attention concerning a political rally for Barack Obama that was held recently in Portland, Oregon.
For the May 18th rally, it seems Obama’s campaign staffers had placed porta-potty toilets directly on top of the Portland Police Memorial. The Portland Police Memorial was dedicated in 1994 and currently honors 26 Portland Officers that have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1867. National Peace Officers Memorial Day is May 15. The date was designated on October 1, 1962 by then President John F. Kennedy. A Memorial service had just been held at the site just days prior to Obama’s rally.
According to the campaign staffers, their reason for the placement of the toilets on top of the memorial were “safety reasons” for wheelchair access, but the Portland Police Museum website states the Memorial is handicap accessible.
Can anyone explain these different opinions? Officer Thomas Brennan, a seven year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau, has stated "There was plenty of room elsewhere so space wasn't an issue. So someone used some really poor decision making, whoever elected to put them there. I mean, it's somewhat hallowed ground, I guess you could call it."
Yet, Obama rally organizer Terri Sorensen stated "There was no disrespect intended whatsoever. Due to the limitations of our space that was the only level area where we could ensure safety for those people with disabilities that needed accessibility to those port-a-potties." Sorenson also said at the time that the local Obama offices had closed until a nominee is named so it would be tough for local organizers to make a formal apology to police. How convenient.
As if all this were not enough, there is a flag pole within the Memorial. The flag was flying at half-mast. While looking at the photos taken by Officer Brannan, the flag pole looks to be within reaching distance of the offending toilets. An estimated 75,000 people attended the rally. Think about this - if only 1% of the attendees chose to use these toilets, 750 different people could have relived themselves in very close proximity of our flag and on top of a Memorial for fallen peace officers. How disgusting. How disrespectful. How very, very sad.
I was raised by a military father, so perhaps I have a different, more patriotic point of view than some. When I saw the photographs, I was furious. To disrespect my flag in such a way is unforgivable. I also have two Uncles that were police officers for several years. Both have passed away now, but I’ll always remember their sense honor and duty during the time they were officers. Thankfully, neither of them died in the line of duty, but they had friends that did. Even though this happened in Portland Oregon, it disrespects every officer that has ever served his community.
How can Obama manage to weasel his way out of this one? Whether the general and/or political media has been completely correct in all of its reporting’s or not, I’m sure we have all heard the flack concerning Obama’s not Pledging Allegiance to our flag, of his not wearing a Flag lapel pin and of his connections with a church Pastor said to be un-American and racist. Some of this may be nothing more than the usual political spin and mud slinging, but this incident on the other hand, actually happened.
If Obama attempts to distance himself from this by claiming he didn’t do it, his “staffers” did, it still won’t wash in my book. It brings to mind “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” If a business owner has an employee that really messes up, the employer can be held responsible for the actions of the employee. They can be sued, jailed, or simply put out of business. Why should Obama be any different?
Even if the staffers were the responsible parties, then when Obama arrived and saw this, as he surely must have, why did he not stop and immediately demand the removal of the toilets? Why did he not immediately offer his greatest apologies for this happening? What kind of people are on his public relations staff? Did they simply ignore this by choice, by ignorance, or by simple nonchalance?
I have spoken with Sgt. Brian Schmautz who is the Public Information Officer for the Portland Police Bureau. He told me that the offending toilets were “placed directly in front of the wall, blocking the honored officer’s names.” He also told me that an apologetic letter from Rob Hill, State of Oregon Director for Obama For America and Nate Tarnarin, also part of Obama For America, had been received by a few members of different offices within the Portland Bureau. Ok, so an apology was given by staffers, but what about an apology from Obama himself? At this point, it simply hasn’t come.
Now that Obama has nailed the Democratic nomination, perhaps he’s just too busy. The question at this point is do we, as Americans, want a person running our country who was directly, or even indirectly, responsible for such a disrespectful incident? Someone who apparently didn’t even notice portable toilets planted on top of a Police Memorial and within such a close distance of our American flag? I think not.
(C) Dorothy Taylor 2008
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Post by sometimeman on Jun 6, 2008 20:29:23 GMT -4
You Just don't know the half of it Taylor!
Obama is reported to have engaged in drug use and sex with men. The choir director in Wright's church was murdered. There is a guy named Sinclair filing sworn affidavits with the Chicago Police department stating this.
Now if John McCain and the GOP don't pick this up and run with it then, they are sorrier than Obama!
Just Google it and read the affidavits for yourself.
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Post by taylor on Jun 6, 2008 21:40:39 GMT -4
I already have, sometimer, already have. I didn't include any of that in the article because they were separate events.
Bubba, thanks
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Post by nataliewood on Jun 7, 2008 0:01:54 GMT -4
I believe your letter expresses the viewpoint of nearly everyone I know. Thank you Taylor. Yup Scooter and thanks again. Love your writing. |
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