Monday, May 29, 2023

Sarasota Florida Fails to Help Family of Deceased Veteran on Memorial Day

 Parades and grilling foods?  Is that the best Sarasota Florida can do in memory of those who served in our Armed Forces?  Apparently, that is the extent of how much government offices care in Sarasota.  At his moment, the son of a deceased Vietnam veteran is facing the prospect of being made homeless due to the decisions and actions of their landlord.  The landlord has served an eviction notice on the family of 6, which includes two sets of twins 13, and 2 respectively.  The family has lived in housing conditions, to include mold, that the landlord has allowed to fester for the past 3 years.  Other code violations exist in the duplex. The landlord has supposedly decided to make repairs to the duplex unit after June 30th which is the eviction date handed the son of the Vietnam veteran.

We all know that there is an affordable housing crisis in Florida as well as across the United States.  There is no avenue in Sarasota, or so far in the state of Florida, that is providing assistance and relief to this son of a Vietnam Veteran and his Florida family of 5.  While politicians in Florida are focused on national elections and political fame, the citizens of Florida such as this family of 6 suffer.

In Florida, is Memorial Day just a time for parades and grilling as the only way to honor those who gave their lives for this country?  Or is it about taking action to even come to the aid of the families of deceased veterans who are suffering in the most basic ways?

Let's find out.  Florida can you respond?  If so contact Action 7 News 941-923-6397 and the Suncoast News 941-361-4600 in Sarasota.  Also contact the Sarasota City Manager at 941-263-6402 to express your concerns with action on Memorial Day to support the descendants of deceased veterans.  Lasty contact the Governor of Florida 850-488-7146.

Lastly, sorry to interrupt your grilling and day of relaxation. 

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Florida - The Haves and Havenots in Florida

 Sometime today, the Governor of Florida is supposed to announce his candidacy for the office of President of the United States.  The power and privilege of the office will be the result of being elected.  Meanwhile in Sarasota, Florida, there is a family of 6, 2 adults and 4 children, who are being evicted come June 30th from their home.  A home that has numerous health code violations.  A home where the landlord has refused to repair the unsanitary conditions. The other side of Florida, poverty and hopelessness.  Whereas the Governor represents wealth and privilege; the family of 6 represents despair, hopelessness, and the struggle to just find clean, decent, affordable housing in Florida.

The governor of Florida seems focused on fighting back against social forces in this country.  Rather than initiating a discussion with those parties, it's a war of divisive words.  Some aspects of his concerns may be valid. But, why not have a discussion instead of fighting a war of words with people and businesses in Florida?

Why isn't the governor also concerned about the quality of life for all Floridians?  I have seen no state program that attempts to help people find affordable housing in Florida.  Is that a decision the governor has made that only those with a substantial income are welcomed in Florida?  Why must a family of 6 tolerate unsanitary conditions in Florida?  Why must landlords be given the authority to rule over tenants and then force tenants out?  This family of 6 will be struggling to find an affordable home in Sarasota.  The choices of where to go are choices no fans of the governor would ever accept.

So, as you get excited over the announcement the governor is making, should you not also feel disturbed that the governor is showing no compassion for those seeking affordable housing?  He is not going after landlords who mistreat people.  I contacted local media outlets about the story of the family of 6.  So far the story has not been given any attention.  This is the way of life in Florida.  The weather forecast is more important than the living conditions of some people.   What can you do?  Get your education and obtain a job that gives you economic power where the lack of compassion by elected officials does not matter.  Your own economic power will be your way of keeping you and your family in decent living conditions.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

NAACP Issues Travel Warning??

About a month ago, I heard that the NAACP, the former giant of civil rights activity, was going to issue a travel ban to warn people about social conditions in Florida.  I thought to myself, why would you keep people from coming to Florida to invest in black businesses there?  Also, why would you promote black people not coming to Florida to enjoy the natural resources of the state?  Lastly, who do you think you are hurting?  Does the NAACP really think that black dollars supports the economy of Florida?  Last time I looked around, I am the only black person living in my housing division?  The homes that do go up for sale are out of the price range of most black people.

The intent of the NAACP may have been good, but the strategy does not fit conditions in 2023.  What happened to the days when the NAACP would file suit in court to challenge legal decisions?  Why isn't the NAACP doing so in Florida?

Rescind the warning.  Urge black people to flood the state with our dollars and only shop at businesses friendly to black people.  Urge black people to purchase homes and properties in Florida.  Become citizens of Florida and then exercise your right to vote people and policies out of office and off the books.  Now is not the time to be heard and not seen.  NAACP, time to regroup on your strategy.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Latest Stupid Human Tricks

 The past 2 weeks have featured a variety of dramatic stories.  In the United States, in Allen, Texas another deranged human being committed a mass shooting.  It has now become reality that in your family someone needs to have practiced defensive/offensive techniques with a gun to defend you when a mass shooter appears on the scene.  Any mall, or public place where people gather needs to have someone trained in the techniques to take down a mass shooter.  No talking to the shooter.  No attempt to diffuse the situation.  No hostage negotiation.  Just the technique to end the mass shooter's life as quickly as possible.

We know businesses are not going to invest money in protecting their customers and employees' lives.  So, it is up to each of us to defend ourselves and our loved ones.  Our weaponry may not consist of AR 15s but we can legally purchase self defense weaponry to end the madness of a mass shooter.  This is what we have come to in this world.  We allow people with mental illness or who are just plain evil to obtain weapons to systematically kill people for no reason.  We do not owe the mass shooter any counseling or any mental health care.  If they want help they can get it before they begin the activity of killing innocent people.

Immigration.  I have heard reports that s  many as 10,000 immigrants are awaiting the opportunity to cross over into the United States.  My thoughts were, why isn't the United States and other countries imposing sanctions against the countries immigrants are fleeing from?  Isn't it the leaders of those countries responsibility to fix the conditions in their countries that is causing people to flee to the United States?  Why are they immune from the chaos they are imposing on the United States?  So instead of shipping immigrants on buses and planes to communities across the United States, why isn't the government of the United States putting pressure on the governments of the countries where the immigrants came from to fix the mess in their country?

The debt ceiling.  Who cares if the United States debt continues to grow?  We saw during Covid that nothing gets in the way of the United States government spending money.  So please stop all the political grandstanding and just take the action that raises the debt limit.  Then move on to the day to day issues that make a difference in people's lives.  Feeding the poor.  Creating affordable housing.