Terry Howard

Personal blog of Terry Howard, guy from Orlando, Florida that likes fishing, literature, technology and saying what's on his mind.

Terry Howard
Orlando, Florida

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Daisy Lynum is a Racist. There, I Said It

Posted by Terry Howard @ 6/29/2006

Several quotes of Lynum's jumped out at me from a recent Orlando Sentinel article by Mark Schlueb.

A few months later, Lynum clashed with Mayor Buddy Dyer when he tried to appoint another commissioner to her seat with the Florida League of Cities, an association of elected officials. She called the Mayor's Office and demanded to talk to the "racist [expletive]."

"I sure hope that he doesn't think that because I'm a black female, that I'm going to kiss his ass," she said at the time.
...
But to Lynum, most issues that affect her district are shaded by race. She says most of the white people she works with, including those at City Hall, are racist, even if they don't always act on it.

Taking these items along with her more recent comments that the OPD has a culture of racism that is specifically taught during training, it is very apparent to me that Lynum makes snap judgements about people's attitudes and mindsets, without specific evidence. That is what you call prejudice. The fact that she specifically mentions "most of the white people she works with" (the author's quote, not hers directly) would signify that she makes this decision of how this large swath of individuals think and believe based upon their skin color. THAT is racial prejudice, the pre-requisite quality of someone being a flat out racist. Which I firmly believe by evidence of actions and statements that Daisy Lynum is a racist.

You see, I would so much rather write an article about the nice things that happen here in Orlando, because there is so much to tell, but when I see a public leader so full of racism take important social issues and pervert them into self serving political gains or at best (or maybe worst) a way to get her son out of a $12 traffic ticket (that he rightly earned, black, white blue or whatever) I have to say something. I think if we are ever to move past color as a means of judging a person, then we need to move past color being a shield to calling a racist a racist, otherwise you are just condoning one form of racism over another. She is no different than a closet clansman, spreading her hate and lies so far that they touch others and corrupt them as well. Look at this recent Sentinel letter to the editor as evidence:

I am pleased that Orlando Commissioner Daisy Lynum has taken the police to task for racial profiling. I am a wife and mother and African-American, and I have been pulled over three times in the past few months by white police officers.

Each stop was over some minor incident, and I always had the feeling the officers were bothering me because I'm African-American. I sensed they wanted to intimidate me. When I see a police car in my neighborhood, I never think the officers are in the neighborhood to protect me. I think they are looking for a victim -- someone they can harass or intimidate. We all look like criminals to them.

I don't like white officers, and I don't trust them, so they all look like criminals to me, too. They treat African-Americans badly. They are arrogant and abusive, and they protect each other in their wrongdoing.

One of the officers who stopped me asked why I didn't pull over right away. There was no space to pull over safely. And my husband has told me that when a police officer wants to pull me over, I should stop in a safe public place where there are people and lights to protect myself.

Commissioner Lynum owes an apology to no one.

Rosa Bailey
Orlando

Yes Rosa, she certainly does, to you, and anyone who feels they shouldn't be pulled over for "minor incidents" that you yourself admit your guilt of because you are black. You see Rosa, we all get pulled over, even us "white boys". And when you start thinking in generalities and making calls of intention and moral direction of entire groups of people based only on their color or occupation, then you too Rosa have become a full blown racist yourself. You got pulled over because you broke the law, EVERYONE DOES!

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Metroblogging Orlando Has a New Author!

Posted by Terry Howard @ 6/13/2006

One of my favorite blogs ever and the best Orlando blog in my opinion, Metroblogging Orlando, recently opened up applications for new authors. I've been reading and participating in this blog via the comments for a little while now and I am excited to say that I received my acceptance email! This is really cool for me, so everyone go check them out and my first post about The Florida Alligator Rampage, as well as all the great posts by other citizens of The City Beautiful.

When Heroes Let You Down

Posted by Terry Howard @ 6/09/2006

For over a year now I have been volunteering on the executive board of the local Orlando chapter of a major charity. This was a grassroots type thing, started by a group of friends whom a certain serious illness has had an impact on, either directly or through family and friends (which could define nearly everyone.) We organized some great events that raised money for the national organization until we met the quota needed to become recognized as a full regional chapter. Some of the great events were poker tourneys, chili cook-offs (thanks Pit Row!), among other things.

I learned today that the organization as of January 30, 2006 was sold to a corporate non-profit controlling company. Hey, every charity has a mountain of logistics to deal with, and the bigger the organization grows, the more help they need in managing it all. I fully understand that, but what I don't understand is the manner in which the local chapters that worked so hard got treated. Our chapter president attended 6 meetings with the new corporate overlords to determine the small branch's fates and apparently they were none too cooperative. All operating chapters have been pulled, despite how much time and work on this worthy cause the volunteers have put in and despite how much money for the ________ was raised. That is just tactless. That money could still go to help people in their respective communities surviving this illness. Instead it goes into the corporate coffers. If you want to know more about the events we held, you can check out our local chapter website, oh no... wait... you can't, because I got a damned cease and desist letter from corporate to shut it down.

So I have to give a big hug and pat on the back to all the people who served on the executive board of the Orlando chapter of the ________, all the volunteers who helped make this thing work, all the vendors and sponsors who were so helpful, and all the supportive public who attended the events and gave so generously. To ________ and the ________ National people who sold their name and souls to a corporate group of jerk-offs... well, douche bag award of the year goes to you sirs.

Note, for the purposes of preventing further cease and desists, for the time being the name of the organization, the main figurehead that founded it and the disease it regards have all been ommitted from this post. At the time that it becomes legally safe to disclose, I will do so. In the meantime, please feel free to replace ________ with colorful expletives. Have fun with it! It's like Mad-Libs!

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Jfrogthepoliblog: Day 1

Posted by Terry Howard @ 6/05/2006

Go check out Justin's new blog. Justin is another of the minds and talents behind CFLFR.