There was a lovely Veterans Day tribute presented by Coquina Crossing residents on November 8, 2009, commencing from 3-6 PM at Flagler College. The focus was on Korean War. (Last year was World War II and next year will be Vietnam).
St. Augustine and St. Johns County veterans, residents and public officials attended, including our 2008 Democratic Congressional candidate Faye Armitage.
Our Seventh District Congressman JOHN LUIGI MICA (R-Winter Park) was a no-show, with his remarks read by an aide, WILEY DECK.
Veterans and guests were informed by WILEY DECK that JOHN MICA was "on the House floor last night" implying that MICA was just too tuckered to come to St. Augustine.
Well, hold on to your seats. It turns out that MICA was in Altamonte Springs later that day, inveighing against health insurance reform at a $150 a plate Republican fundraiser, which is named after Lincoln and Reagan. It was Lincoln who said, "we must disenthrall ourselves."
There was a VIP reception at 6 PM in Altamonte Springs, where people paid $250 to hobnob with JOHN LUIGI MICA and U.S. Rep. JOHN BOEHNER (R-Ohio). MICA chose to go to the GOP fundraiser and stiffed the St. Johns County veterans, who were told only five days before that MICA would be attending and speaking about the importance of veterans.
Again, here's the Seminole Sentinel story that shows U.S. Rep. JOHN LUIGI MICA's staff prevaricated about MICA's putative unavailability:
National officials rally conservatives
By Abraham Aboraya
November 11, 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS - On Saturday, Representative John Boehner and Representative John Mica voted in the capital against President Barack Obama's signature health care legislation.
On Sunday, they were more than 830 miles south, speaking at the Seminole County Republican Party's Lincoln Reagan Day Dinner at the Altamonte Springs Hilton.
Mica, whose district includes parts of Altamonte Springs and Casselberry, and Boehner, the highest ranking Republican in the House, were the featured speakers.
Both used the opportunity to take shots at the Democrats' bill, saying that the 2010 election would bring a check to the Democrats.
"This is the beginning of the end of the other side for what they did to the American people last night," Mica said.
Boehner's statements a few minutes later echoed Mica's.
"The only thing we can do over the next year is make sure we elect Republicans to congressional districts around the country, and if we do, we will win," Boehner said. "We'll put a check on this administration's ability to socialize our economy."
Boehner represents Ohio's Eighth Congressional District, and comes from a catholic family with 11 brothers and sisters. Boehner told the full Crystal Ballroom that he was raised as a Democrat but began changing his mind when his business paid more in taxes in 1978 than it earned gross in 1976.
Boehner said that, in 1970, the top income tax rate bracket was 70 percent.
"I went to Washington because I was convinced government was choking the goose that was laying golden eggs," Boehner said. "I went there to get government's hand off the goose so the goose could keep laying golden eggs. Needless to say, I haven't succeeded yet."
Out of all the speakers, Boehner seemed to draw the biggest laughs and the biggest applause. His speech style seems to blend tongue-in-cheek and serious rhetoric.
He said that the American people have been rejecting the change the new administration is bringing.
"I went to Washington because I believe in our cause," Boehner said. "You're here tonight because you believe in our cause. One only has to look at what's happened this year to realize that our cause is the right cause. ... Every change that [Obama]'s offered, the American people soundly rejected."
The speakers weren't just federal, either. Florida Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum spoke at the dinner.
He said that, historically, Florida has depended on agriculture and tourism as its two main industries. And while he said he would work to keep those industries booming, Florida has to branch out.
"We cannot any longer depend on just those two industries for the future of Florida," he said. "We have to grow our state. I happen to believe in growing wealth, not redistributing it. I think that's extraordinarily important."
The dinner included a plethora of elected officials and notables in Seminole County. Former Oviedo congressman Tom Feeney was at the event, as was Florida representative Sandy Adams.
County Commissioners Bob Dallari and Mike McLean were at the event - a fundraiser for local Republicans - as well as Oviedo's recently re-elected Mayor Mary Lou Andrews. Deputy Mayor Dominic Persampiere was also in attendance.
Persampiere said he liked the event. He almost won one of the silent auctions for a framed picture of Lincoln, complete with complete strands of his hair and a piece of the flag from his funeral procession.
"It was a well put-on event, and, as always, well attended," Persampiere said. "The Republican Party certainly isn't dead. They just talked about balancing the views on what's going on. It wasn't completely partisan, it wasn't over the top, it was 'Hey, let's have a conversation.' The speakers were excellent."
Boehner touched on how difficult it's been to be a Republican as of late.
"Over the last couple election cycles, it hasn't been easy to be a Republican," he said. "We made our share of mistakes; the American people gave up on us. My job as Republican leader of the House ... is to help give the American people reasons to believe."
All the speakers were introduced by Patsy Gilbert, a professional Sarah Palin impersonator. She gave the keynote speakers boxes of Mooseburger Helper - buckshot free and "locked and loaded for flavor."
"I've been doing it (the Palin impressions) since the morning after her nomination acceptance speech," Gilbert said. "I go all over the country doing it. ... I've been almost everywhere in the lower 48 doing it, but I'm based out of Orlando."
Now, MICA's been known to play fast and loose with the truth before. This hard-hearted hanna is no veteran. His staff lied to veterans and their friends -- some 800 of them in Flagler College Auditorium.
Here's the St. Augustine REcord article stating only five days before that MICA was planning to speak at the veterans tribute:
Variety show at Flagler to honor Korean War veterans
PETER GUINTA
peter.guinta@staugustine.com
Published Tuesday, November 03, 2009
During the bloody Korean War, American and United Nations forces battled below-freezing temperatures, impassable mountain terrain, icy swollen rivers and hundreds of thousands of Communist Chinese and North Korean troops launching fanatic human wave attacks.
A 1953 armistice ended the fighting, but America mourned its 36,516 dead, 92,134 wounded, 8,176 missing in action and 7,245 prisoners of war, and a weary nation soon dropped Korea from its national consciousness.
Now, however, St. Augustine producer Michael Rothfeld and the St. Johns County Veterans Council want Americans to "unforget" Korea and to honor those who fought there.
Rothfeld, a retired high school history teacher, said, "I was in college during the (Vietnam) war, married with a child. (But) I've always had an interest in what our veterans did for this country. I wanted to preserve their memory."
He and the council will present a patriotic variety show at 3 p.m. Sunday at Flagler College Auditorium.
It is titled "Korea: Forgotten War, Remembered Heroes" and will feature the personal stories of five local Korean War veterans, and entertain with patriotic music, skits by the Coquina Players, a service salute, comedy, dancing by the Coquina Dancers, and singing by Tim Rippey.
The show is free and open to the public.
U.S. Rep. John Mica, R, Winter Park, will remark on "The Importance of Veterans Day," and retired master sergeant and Veterans Council chair Ray Quinn (U.S. Army, Ret.), will serve as master of ceremonies.
At the end of the show, a short film directed by Dr. Nadia Ramoutar called "Korea: Forgotten War, Remembered Heroes," the same as the show, will be screened.
Ramoutar is media arts and documentary director for Art Institute of Jacksonville and she worked with Professor Steve Voguit of Flagler College, a documentary historian, on the film.
In the documentary, as well as at the show, five local veterans, soldiers Richard Bassett, Jack Wentz and George Gaspard, and U.S. Marines Bob Bey and James Vanairsdale, relate their experiences and remembrances of Korea.
Dr. Henry Moreland, a University of North Florida professor, commander of the Korean War Veterans Association, Jacksonville, will present Ms. Susie Birdsong, who was a child in Korea during the Korean War.
Rothfeld said that in 2007 he filled Flagler Auditorium with a similar show he produced.
"The purpose of this (show) is to remind people that the average person on the street could be someone who served our country in Korea and that we should remember that service," Rothfeld said. "That was what motivated me."
If You Go
Show and film: "Korea: Forgotten War, Remembered Heroes"
Cost: Free
Time: 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
Place: Flagler Auditorium
Parking: A free shuttle to and from the downtown parking garage will be provided by Old Town Trolley Tours.
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