School Board Employees Play Scrooge With Cartoonist's Civil and Constitutional Rights

You've got to hand it to PHIL McDANIEL, TOMMY BLEDSOE, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT JOSPEH JOYNER and the St. AUGUSTINE RECORD -- when it comes to playing Scrooge, they've got it covered. Because they were "tired of listening" to criticism, even of other school districts, these mindless lugubrious goobers got cartoonist Ed Hall fired, after years of distinguished service with the Record.

They expect reporters and cartoonists to be servile units.

They expect cartoonists to "research" according to their tastes.

Do these boorish Philistines with chips on their shoulders have any taste?

Have they ever published anything in a peer-reviwed journal?

Have they ever created any art that was in a juried competition?

What arts publications to they read?

Do they know anything about political cartooning -- an art form, not reportage?

Do they know the history of powerful figures like Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, whom the cartoonist Herbert Block (Herblock) brought down for his abuse of citizens' rights?

Do they read any publication other than the St. Augustine Record?

Do they read the NY Times?

Do they see a resemblance between themselves and Sarah Palin, who sought to censor books in Wakilla, Alaska?

Do they not sound like a bunch of cronies, inbred, self-referential, self-absorbed, discussing the merits of "Diane" from the Board of County Commissioners, daring to insult her behind her back because there is democracy there?

They remind me of Henry II, saying "who will rid me of this meddlesome priest? Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Beckett was murdered as a result.

In the words of the great American lawyer, Joseph Welch, at the Army-McCarthy hearings, "at long last, have [they] no sense of decency?"

What do you reckon? Is the School Board, School Supt JOSEPH JOYNER, PHIL THE SHILL McDANIEL, et al. too big for their britches? What do they have to hide that they are willing to get a cartoonist fired at Christmastime?