Letter: Nothing scary about anti-Tanner T-shirts

Letter: Nothing scary about anti-Tanner T-shirts



Jay Humphreys
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 07/08/08

Editor: "Offensive and disrespectful" were the words used by Flagler County Republican Club President Alan Walton to describe the anti-John Tanner T-shirts won by off-duty law enforcement officers at a recent candidate forum as reported in The Record on July 3. Walton further stated that several members of the club felt the T-shirt wearers were "threatening." As a result, the candidate forum was closed to anyone who couldn't produce documents proving they were Republicans. The scary T-shirt wearers departed.

I'm not a political activist -- I always vote, but I've never even had a bumper sticker on my car. I am, however, a keen observer of politics and politicians. Their pomposity and ineptness is a constant source of both amusement and amazement for me.

This story is a classic. First, how did Walton know that members of the Republican Club of Flagler County were "threatened" by someone expressing their lack of support for the incumbent? Were they wringing their hands? Cowering in a corner?

And why would he publicly admit that some of his club members are such nervous Nellies? I don't think I'd want to belong to a club whose members might stampede and run wild-eyed off the nearest cliff at the mere utterance of a discouraging word.

What were the terrifying words on these T-shirts? "John Tanner: Man of Secrecy." Anyone who has read the accounts of how Tanner has wasted his office's resources in a personal vendetta and spent hundreds of thousands of my and your money to keep us from finding out the truth about this sad case would undoubtedly agree there was nothing offensive about the T-shirts. Their message simply stated the obvious.

Jay Humphreys

St. Augustine

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