Tim Sukits

Category: Politics

  • The Equal Civil Rights Rally was about more than same-sex marriage

    FILE0017-for-web Published Nov. 19, 2009
    About 130 LGBT-rights activists took to the streets of downtown Sarasota last Saturday afternoon to make their voices heard at the Equal Civil Rights Rally. The attendees met up at Five Points and marched to the bayfront with banners waving and rainbows flying. After a few speakers, some rally chants and plenty of honking cars, they continued their march through the downtown farmers’ market where they were greeted with an outpouring of support from local vendors and shoppers. “They all walked out of the booths clapping as we walked. It was such an amazing feeling,” says Shannon Fortner, head organizer for the event. “I felt Sarasota is that open minded that equal rights was a great reason to be marching for.” Fighting to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to allow same-sex couples the right to marry was a major push at the rally, but Fortner says it was about a broader range of civil rights issues, such as repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and ensuring adoption rights for all. “The focus of the Rally was really to do with UAFA (Uniting American Families Act) as well as Repeal DOMA, because nothing can happen until it is removed,” says Fortner. “But I am not fighting for same-sex marriage, I think until DOMA is repealed that is impossible. The separation of church and state is the real issue. No religion should keep American citizens from having the same set of laws.” Fortner and her fellow gay-rights advocates are involved in a letter campaign to get co-sponsors for UAFA, and they have also started an online petition in support of civil unions. She believes President Obama has been a strong voice for the rights of the LGBT community: “He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. He supports repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security, and also believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. Obama cannot step on his own toes.” The real goal of the Equal Civil Rights Rally was to fight for equality for all Americans, including equal access to health care, education, culture and all other basic rights, as well as protection from discrimination based on gender, religion, race or sexual orientation. “This needs to be known as a civil rights issue,” says Fortner. “I think people are trying to make it prettier than it really is, hence the huge push for the words ‘Civil Rights’ to be used. It is something everyone downplays.” Here is a collection of pictures from last Saturday’s Equal Civil Rights Rally courtesy of photographer Taylor Prather: Gay-Rally25-for-webFILE0005-for-webGay-Rally2-for-webGay-Rally30-for-webGay-Rally27-for-webGay-Rally5-for-webGay-Rally17-for-web

  • Q&A: Sen. Bob Graham

    Published Nov. 10, 2009

    Former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham is currently Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism and a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. He speaks in Sarasota next Wednesday.

    06newsviews_feature_forweb2-1Sen. Bob Graham
    7:30 p.m. Wed., Nov. 18, Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, 349-8350 or forumtruth.org, $20 for Forum Truth members, $25 for non-members.

    How do you feel the talks with Iran about its uranium enrichment have been going?

    Slow, but at least they’re going. During the Bush Administration we took the position that it was beneath us to talk to Iran. On the day Bush took office in 2001 Iran had no nuclear program, but by January 2009 there were over 500 centrifuges in Iran. So the policy of disengagement didn’t seem to be very effective.

    What do you think is our biggest direct threat in the Middle East?

    Pakistan. Pakistan is the blanket containing every thread that is necessary for any organization that wants one to get a weapon of mass destruction. They are the number seven nuclear state and the security of their weapons is suspect. Pakistan has a very unstable government and a shaky relationship between civilians, government and military. It has a 60-year hatred of India and that has been their reason for developing so many weapons. They have had a history of active proliferation of nuclear weapons. Part of the reason that the president is taking the time he is to decide what to do in Afghanistan is because people are urging him to see Pakistan as an annex for Afghanistan. In other words, what do we have to do in Afghanistan to contribute to what we are trying to achieve in Pakistan? Afghanistan is not nearly as important as Pakistan. Joe Biden raises the question that for every dollar we’re spending in Pakistan, either military or non-military, we’re spending $30 in Afghanistan. Is that the appropriate allocation of our resources?

    Do you think our intelligence on the relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaida is adequate after eight years in Afghanistan?

    It’s probably better than what it was in 2001, but it’s not adequate. We still have a serious shortage of people in our intelligence services that understand the language of the people in that region, and also who can get that information and process it for good analysis. We used an intelligence model based on what we had in the Cold War where you recruit Afghans who are willing to become our employees and gather information that we want. In the case of central Asia it’s difficult to recruit those kinds of people.

    Do you believe the Iraq War has diminished or heightened the risk of another attack on U.S. soil?

    It dramatically increased the likely odds of another attack. It took our attention away from the people who attacked us on 9/11 at the very time when we were in the position to annihilate al-Qaida. It has also given al-Qaida the ability to prosper. In 2001 al-Qaida was more like a hierarchy with Bin Laden running operations from one state. Now it is more like a franchise that exists with many operations in 60 countries. I explain it as al-Qaida used to be General Motors and now it’s McDonalds. And of course we lost thousands of our best fighting men and women and our ability to get some of our best allies to join us. And the whole business of going to war over WMDs and finding that there were none creates a great deal of cynicism over what the U.S. says. During the Cold War all we had to do was claim proof of a country posing harm and other countries would line up behind us. We’re now well beyond the time where countries are willing to say that if the U.S. makes a declaration of proof they will accept it. One of the other problems was it demonstrated that our leadership didn’t know or wasn’t interested in the history and cultural development of the country. They thought democracy would flourish, but that is not the type of place we’re dealing with.

    Do you support a health care public option?

    I think it’s a very minor issue. It would only affect 2 percent of the population but it’s become the centerpiece of the debate. If I were in the Congress I would vote for a public option. The veterans program is a great example of a public option. One out of three Americans are already covered by one, so it’s surprising that it’s so incendiary. It’s actually like that joke that’s not a joke when people say, “Keep the government out of Medicare,” and they don’t understand that Medicare is a government program.

    Do you think members of the Democratic caucus who support a Republican filibuster on an up-or-down health care vote should be stripped of their leadership positions?

    No. Frankly the Democrats can’t afford to drive Democrats out of the caucus for any issue because they will need them on other issues. There are so many more issues in the health care debate that really are more important to most Americans than the fact that 2 percent might have a public option in addition to the 30 to 35 percent who already do.

    As a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission what have you found to be the most disturbing factor that helped to bring about the financial crisis?

    We’ve only had two meetings, so we’re probably not far enough along to answer that question. But most people would put in the list that we relied too heavily on the market to be self-regulating. The fact is things like greed trumped regulation. We need to figure out exactly what caused the problem and then figure out how to fix it. Our job with this commission is to diagnose the problem.

    Will this interview be recorded in your logbook?

    Yes, it will be. It will be in the book 11/09A, a book that was started in November and will go for probably the next week. By my watch we started at 11:05 and we’ve talked for about 45 minutes, so that’s where you’ll be entered. This book will eventually make its way to the University of Florida library. So your grandchildren will be able to go there and look it up and say, “This was my grandpa’s greatest moment.”

    Full disclosure: Creative Loafing Editor Cooper Levey-Baker sits on the Forum Truth board.

     

  • The Python Hunter gets wrapped in controversy

    Justin Matthews

    Published Sept. 29, 2009

    (Photo courtesy naplesnews.com)

    Justin Matthews’ staged capture of a 14-foot python landed him in hot water with local media and the authorities, but he’s not apologizing

    For three years Justin Matthews has given daily educational wildlife presentations at Mixon Fruit Farms; the 47-year-old owner of Matthews Wildlife Rescue uses the enclosures at Mixon to house some of his rescued animals that would have difficulty returning to the wild. But the bond goes much deeper.

    Matthews slept in the pen with Bucky the deer for two weeks: “Me and this deer didn’t get along like this until we slept together.” He also plays Bucky action flicks to get him used to loud noises: “Right now he’s watching Bruce Willis’ Die Hard.” Bandit the raccoon isn’t quite as affectionate: “He’s bit me 12 times since I had him.” But Fancy the opossum is a snuggle bug: “She’s the only opossum I’ve ever seen that actually cuddles. My brother tried and he got six stitches in his neck. But I think he had fear, and fear has a scent. Animals pick up on it.”

    Fear of animals is not something that Matthews possesses. Whether it’s Cosmo the great horned owl, Tank the tortoise or Wally the eight-foot alligator, Matthews treats them all like puppies and kittens.

    One thing Matthews is afraid of, however, is Burmese Pythons. But he’s not afraid for his personal safety; he’s scared for the residents of Florida.

    “These pythons are a big problem,” the Bradenton native says. “The reason these guys can thrive in the state of Florida is, once a female breeds with a male, they store sperm, and she can lay eggs every year. They lay up to 120 eggs and they grow about seven feet a year if they’re fed really good.”

    Burmese Pythons have become a growing concern due to the havoc they wreak on Florida’s natural ecosystem. They are native to Southeast Asia, but some estimate 150,000 roam free in Florida, mostly because pet owners abandon them or let them escape. Matthews has rescued or removed hundreds of snakes, but the Burmese are always the most disturbing. How many has he caught? “Four total,” he says, “plus I staged the capture of one.”

    Hold on. What was that last part?

    That’s right. Matthews is the guy who made international news when he planted “Sweetie” — the 14-foot wicked-mean python he plays with in his backyard — in a two-foot-wide, 60-foot-long tunnel, and then called the news trucks over to watch him push it out the other end.

    Matthews says he pulled the stunt in order to bring attention to Florida’s python problem and expose an alternative for people who are thinking of releasing their unwanted snakes into the wild. “You hear about all these laws that are changing with Burmese Pythons and I think it scares some people into letting them go illegally,” he says. “I wanted to bring awareness and let people know that, ‘Hey, you can give Justin a call and he’ll come by and pick up your pythons, no questions asked.’ We can work something out so they’re not going to be cited, they’re not going to be fined.”

    The staging succeeded in capturing headlines, but it also landed Matthews in some hot water. A number of charges may be filed against Matthews for the incident, including a misdemeanor for the misuse of 911 emergency services and another for not having a microchip implanted in the snake, which has been required under Florida law since last year. A full list of charges is expected to be released by the state attorney’s office in coming weeks. We’ll post that info at CLSarasota.com as soon as it becomes available.

    Matthews defends his actions. The python was originally captured in North Port by trapper Vernon Yates after one of Yates’ friends let it loose. Yates then sold it to Southeast Reptile Exchange in Tampa, where Matthews purchased the snake. “The person that owned the snake and let it get away or released it — have they ever been charged? I’ve never seen anything in the newspaper about, ‘Why didn’t Vernon Yates get this thing microchipped?’ Why was Southeast Reptiles allowed to sell it to me without a microchip in it?”

    And while Matthews intended to gain media attention with his stunt, he says some of the criticism the Sarasota Herald-Tribune leveled at him was unfair. “Tom Lyons, he was the worst. He threw me under the bus so bad and stated things that weren’t true. It was a cussing match between me and him on the phone for about 15 minutes,” he says, laughing. “A lot of people out there think, ‘He just wants to be in the newspaper.’ If you’re educating the public on wildlife, you definitely want to use the newspaper. It’s ridiculous to say, ‘He’s just drawing attention to himself.’ Of course I am. I’m in wildlife rescue.”

    The python fiasco also brought attention from national TV producers. Pilgrim Productions wanted him to stage another python capture, kill the python, skin it and then show it being served in a five-star restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. “I said, ‘I don’t think so.’ I’m already involved in something controversial.”

    Zoo Productions, who Matthews is still in talks with, is interested in him playing an animal expert who regulates arguments between neighbors with animal disputes. “I said, ‘Have you heard the story about my hybrid wolves at home and how my neighbors hate me?’ He said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Do you want like a redneck-looking guy or something?’ He said, ‘I’m glad you said it so I didn’t have to. They think you look very interesting and they think you’re a good actor. That staging was excellent.’”

    Matthews was flattered by the offers, but was hoping for a different pitch. He would love to host a Croc Hunter-style wildlife show based in Florida. “Everybody compares me: ‘He’s a wannabe; he’s a this; he’s a that.’ I’m Justin. I’m a Florida cracker. I was born and raised right in this town. The reason I got into wildlife was because my dad was a poacher. I’ve seen a lot of killing. I’ve seen so much killing I couldn’t stand it. I guess that’s a good thing that people compare you to someone like him, the Crocodile Hunter, but I’m no wannabe.”

     

  • Light a candle for Vern’s hard heart

    Published Sept. 1, 2009

    The Sarasota County Democratic Party will be holding a health care reform candlelight vigil to commemorate all the Americans who have suffered or are suffering under our nation’s broken health care system. The event will come to light outside the offices of Rep. Vern Buchanan at 235 N. Orange Avenue from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2. The “We Can’t Afford to Wait Vigil,”sponsored by MoveOn.org and hosted by Terry Glaser-Needell, will begin with a recording of the late Senator Ted Kennedy talking about his long-time battle for health care reform. Here’s what Glaser-Needell has to say about the gathering:

    “We must make our voices heard. The right has taken over the mic and the spotlight. The public option will be a game changer and will lead to real improvement for real Americans. This is our moment and our time. What we worked for all last year. We will hear stories from average people about this change we all need. Please come out and bring a story, a friend, and a candle so our Representatives know we are ONE and united for change.”

    I’m sure Buchanan will be more than happy to change his mind on the health care reform debate after seeing so many concerned and compassionate people standing up for choice and competition in the health care industry. Then he’ll remember how much freakin’ money he’s received from health and insurance interests and how much more he likes his protesters raging with misinformation. That should make him straighten up and fly right.

    For more information contact: 330-9400 or sarasotadems.org.

     

  • Why are so many separate groups competing to promote downtown Sarasota?

    Published Aug. 28, 2009

    Sarasota loves it some groups.

    The Downtown Partnership of Sarasota formed 30 years ago as a merchant association whose mission was to “be the voice of downtown.” It must not have been loud enough, because the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce decided that it needed to create The Coalition of Business Associations (CBA), The Economic Development Corporation (EDC), The City Alliance of Sarasota and the Sarasota Tomorrow Action Council in 2008. The city felt the need for a Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board (CRAAB) and a Downtown Improvement District (DID), created last November. Then, of course, there’s the Downtown Sarasota Merchants Alliance, which consists of the Burns Square Merchants Association, the Palm Avenue Merchants Association and theDowntown Merchants Association.

    If you’re confused about which does what and who works where, you’re not alone. “We have so many groups downtown we can’t see straight,” says Andrea Rankin, owner of Jake’s Downtown and former president of the Downtown Merchants Association.

    All of these organizations are focused on roughly the same goal: bringing customers to downtown. The scarcity of business has recently caused a string of downtown shops to fall. So, a handful of concerned citizens have stepped up to save downtown by forming, in true Sarasota fashion, two separate support groups.

    The I Believe in Downtown (ibelieveindowntown.com) campaign is a project that SRQ Media Group has been working on since June; the I Love Downtown Sarasota campaign (ilovedowntownsrq.com), devised by This Week in Sarasota andThe Hub, was more spur-of-the-moment. Both went live the same day in an effort to coincide with the hastily planned Save Our Shops rally at the Aug. 22 Downtown Farmer’s Market, itself a reaction to the closing of Sarasota News & Books.

    “It was a fluke,” says Wendy Getchell, pictured at top, and both the owner of Lotus and the current president of the Downtown Merchants Association. “Everybody was looking at the bookstore and just wanted to do something. It’s one of those places that you never thought it could happen to them.” Matt Orr, founder of This Week in Sarasota and the “I Love” campaign, agrees: “We didn’t know when we built the site and designed the flyers what was going on. I think that we might even have two different missions. I don’t know what they’re doing.”

    Each of the campaigns has its own ideas for spreading awareness to shoppers about buying local. The “I Believe” campaign encourages residents to take part in the nationwide 3/50 Project, in which people name the three stores they couldn’t live without and pledge to spend $50 per month at each of them.

    Orr’s approach with the “I Love” campaign involves tangible activities such as a photo contest with captions where citizens write why they love downtown. “Our plan is to engage the city,” he says, “open it up for as many people that can participate – media, merchants, shoppers, to let us know what they love about downtown.”

    “All those campaigns are going to help bring awareness and really that’s the first step,” says Getchell. “We need to make people think about where they’re spending their money. Everybody’s heart is in the right place.” But Rankin believes unity is important: “I think that if they can get together for a solid message and get each merchant involved with their own customers [they can] educate people that a higher percentage of what you spend locally stays in the community… but if they had more cohesiveness it would be better.”

    Fortunately, at least some downtown groups may see some harmony in the near future. “We are actually working towards forming a new organization right now along with several of the other organizations in town,” says Getchell. The soon-to-be-formed Downtown Association of Sarasota will merge the Downtown Merchants Association, Palm Merchants Association, Downtown Partnership and other community groups to get everyone on the same page. “This would be saying, ‘Let’s throw all those out and let’s start over fresh with something that’s more synergistic.’ It’ll be a stronger organization, have more clout with the city, look after more of a diverse sector of the community. It will just help everyone more.”

    As for the two campaigns trying to save downtown, they’re happy to coexist and even collaborate, but have no plans to join in unity. Given Sarasota’s penchant for forming organizations, that’s not much of a surprise.

     

  • An interesting comment on our Buchanan town hall videos

    Published Aug. 27, 2009

    Not long after I posted the videos I took at Rep. Vern Buchanan’s Aug. 20 town hall meeting on YouTube, someone wrote a comment on one of them that I thought was a bit disturbing.

    This comes from user starfruitproductions:

    “I went to this town hall meeting. When my family and I arrived, we sat in the front row. We were then asked to move and told the seats were reserved. We obliged. Right before the meeting began, there was announcement that thjere were two empty seats in the front row…. exactly where we had been sitting. Two people with I love my Grandma signs were ushered into the seats. Seemed a little stagey to me.”

    Just a reminder to not believe everything you see.