Tag Archives: Jim Barnett

A Reminder

Featured

Posted on by
Reply

So today, I was reminded of why it is important to not make concessions based on trying to be politically correct. For the last almost 9 years, I have made my life’s mission to help someone who was wrongfully convicted. I don’t make any money and I damn sure don’t make any friends. But it is important and I have no disillusions about the person I am focused on helping. He’s got baggage but the one thing I can say, without hesitation, is his trial was a mockery. If advocating for him is politically incorrect, so be it, but it is the right thing.

Most of all, I want to make one thing absolutely clear, I help the people I help because they have gotten a raw deal. Most of the time, they are marginalized people. I vet the cases and I stand behind all of them. I do that because it is the right thing to do. It is literally that simple. I don’t befriend people because they can advance me or my causes, and I don’t ostracize people for their own peculiarities or because they are politically toxic. That’s not me. I am very much the person who follows my own moral compass, rather than the popular views of others. I call few my friends and I rarely have been proven wrong because I have an instinct for people. If I call you a friend, I will go through hell and high water for you. If I don’t call you a friend, don’t expect that to change.

Having said all that, I recently went against my better judgment and welcomed someone I called a friend back into my life. This person walked away because of my views on national politics. I was floored because it never crossed my mind to isolate or cut a friend loose over something so ridiculous. This person felt it was perfectly ok and my intuition told me that letting them walk was in my best interest. After the absurdity of the national election, this person wanted to reconnect. Against my own inner voice, I decided maybe it was a good thing to let bygones be bygones. But today, because Trump was acquitted, I was told that an agreement among friends might not be honored.

If national politics determines whether you help a friend or support a cause that is right, then you have no place in my life. I knew, inevitably, this situation would crop up again, because this person clearly only sees me as a one dimensional person who is the sum total of my national political view; I’m not a friend; I’m not a confidant. I’m not someone they value, warts and all. I can’t accept that. I give more than that and if that kind of mutual respect isn’t a reciprocated, The relationship is done. Being my friend can be difficult because I have strong beliefs that aren’t always shared, I realize there is a huge majority of people who have no backbone to stand for what’s right for that simple purpose it is right and nothing else. I get that. But when a friend, or a supposed friend, decides that national politics trumps a friendship, then it’s time to cut the loss and move on.

"I never had to hang my head in shame
For puttin' a price tag on my name
Never turned my back on what I believe
Or let my heart be ruled by greed
'Cause buddy if I didn't earn it, I don't want it
That way I can always say, I got it honest

Now you ain't looking at some dude
That was born with a Silver spoon in his mouth
And I might seem like some kind of low-life
To that high-falutin' crowd
But I'm plain spoken, straight talkin'
And damn proud of what I have accomplished
Some folks appreciate that and some don't
But, I got it honest"

Commentary on the Escambia County Sheriff’s Forum May 23, 2016

Posted on by
Reply

I don’t know what to say. Should I start with the biased reporting of Kevin Robinson by claiming John Johnson “attacked” Sir David? Mr. Robinson does not understand the meaning of the word “attack” if he thinks that is what Johnson did.  Johnson merely unveiled the current conditions to the people. Morgan likes to whitewash the community erosion by saying it does not exist.  Escambia County isn’t Never Never Land. It evokes the tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes.  Sir David would have the citizens believe his rhetoric over the statistics, experiences of people around him. Let’s not forget the community vulnerability that cannot be explained away. Citizens are targets in their own sanctuary of Escambia County.  Where there is smoke, someone should be looking for fire.

Finally, to end this rant of bias by PNJ, Mr. Robinson, being a journalist, you should have a better grasp of vocabulary. Could you have used more legitimate wording?  Certainly! Challenged, confronted, impeached are all better descriptions of the dynamics of the forum. Unless Robinson’s vitriol was part of the propaganda machine of Team Morgan, there is no reasonable explanation of Robinson’s choice of words.  Ignorance or Venom—you decide.

P.S.

Mr. Robinson, do you or the PNJ get LET money to provide endorsements of political candidates?

Issues in the Forum

One of the most conspicuous things I noticed was roughly 19 minutes into the video. The moderator noted the long-standing corruption problem and asked what the candidates would do to increase public trust in the ethical (snicker) behavior of public officials. Sir David either misunderstood the question or he chose not to address “ethical behavior”. Funny how there is no reference to the “Good Ole Boy crew” he claims to have removed with McNesby. He’s put that song and dance to bed. Apparently, his hypocrisy has some limitations.

But He does jump into the fact he doesn’t have a “hate-filled Facebook page”.  What does that have to do with corruption or even unethical behavior? It is social media and campaign ads are simply not unethical.  What is unethical is putting a senior officer on admin leave for something that is purely a civil action between his mother and another officer. What is unethical is the targeting of personnel that do not agree with you and forcing another senior officer into early retirement for liking a anti-Morgan Facebook post. How about targeting women and minorities to make their employment environment a living hell of discrimination and condescension? These are unethical.

Perhaps Mr. Robinson and Sir David should take the same vocabulary lessons.

I could continue with the 10+ blatant prevarications & misdirections throughout the forum but I want to discuss something more offensive.  Sir David repeatedly started bombastic, defensive proclamations with “If Escambia County is so bad”.  This is a tragic effort to validate his re-election campaign by trying to bring the virtues of the county to light. He tried to take credit for everything Escambia County great.

So why do I care? There seems to be a perception that I am an outside agitator. That is far from the truth.  I spent the majority of my life in Escambia County.  I came to live with my Dad in 1986. He was a fisherman and a supervisor for BE&K (worked at International Paper).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

His name was Jim Barnett (that’s why I’m Jimmie). My Dad was an exceptional man in a very un-exceptional world. He was a straight-shooter that people tended to love. His friends will attest to that, I was the pride and joy of his life. As his only child, he spoiled me rotten but in that, he did teach me the difference in right & wrong.

He passed away May 23, 1997. He was a veteran and was buried in Barrancas. There will always be a part of me in Pensacola.

I told that story to talk about the greatness of Escambia County, despite Sir David’s damage. Escambia County is not “so bad” as he would make it sound but he has been detrimental to entire county. He had no hand in making Escambia great, therefore he doesn’t have the power to take away that greatness.

The things that make Escambia great are the people, the values and the ability to live in a community for decades and NOT HAVE TO LOCK THE DOORS. By systematically fleecing the taxpayers, disrespecting the deputies and insulting the citizens, Sir David attempts to blame the community, but I submit to you that he cannot take away anything the constituency doesn’t allow him to take.

As for the disease of corruption, Sir David is patient zero. He is currently the biggest albatross Escambia County has. It is not the Sheriff Dept—it is him. He is either psychopathically delusional or sociopathically indifferent to the crime problem in the county. Sir David is the nexus of racism and discrimination in ECSO as well.  A double digit number of employees have filed lawsuits for discrimination, civil rights violations and hostile work environment.  DOUBLE DIGIT.  This is the largest number in recent history. Ronnie Mc did not have this sort of litigiousness.  When there are this many people seeking judicial relief because of animus at work, maybe it is time to consider the Sheriff is the problem.

In any other job, if you fail so completely by maliciously endangering the community, you get fired or arrested. If you misappropriate money, you go to jail. Why is Sir David allowed to sit in his office? Only the people of Escambia County can unseat this albatross.

Make Pensacola great again, VOTE MORGAN OUT-2016.