Key West Lou / GOD’S IN HIS HEAVEN, BUT ALL IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE WORLD

God is in His Heaven. However, everything is not right in the world. All facets of life are troubled.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof in his column today wrote how screwed up religion itself is.

The article’s title: Progressive Christian America? Hallelujah!

He wrote concerning the values of two prominent religious leaders in America. Their thought processes diametrically opposed.

Pastor Rick Joyner is a prominent evangelical leader. Kristof described him as part of the Trumpian wing of evangelicalism. He quoted the Joyner statement “that Christians should acquire weapons to prepare for a civil war that is now inevitable.”

The Reverend William Barber is a leader of the Poor People’s Campaign. Kristof quoted a recent comment by Barber: “Some folks hijacked Christianity and decided that they were going to put up a lot of money to promote the idea that to be a person of faith was to be anti-choice, anti-gay, pro-gun, pro-tax cut.” Barber described such as “theological malpractice.”

Today is the day. Biden’s first press conference. A little late by the standards of some. He has only been President 2 months. Such is not of concern to some.

The news conference will take place today at 1:15 pm.

Some things are never supposed to occur. However, they do. The most recent example being the container ship which is stuck in the Suez Canal. Apparently high winds and a dust storm responsible.

Been there a couple of days. Expected an additional 2-5 days to get it able to move.

The ship a long one. Described as high/long as the Empire State Building. That’s big! There are photos of the vessel all over the internet. It looks long! I don’t know if its length equal to the height of the Empire State Building. Seems exaggerated to me. Never the less, it’s a biggie!

On this day in 1954, RCA announced it had begun its production of color TV sets. Up to this time, TV sets were black and white.

I did not get to view a color TV till 3 years later in 1957. Very few persons had till that time.

It was my graduation day from Manhattan College in New York City. A family celebration dinner was held afterwards at the Stella D’Oro Restaurant. Stella D’Oro being the famous cookie maker at the time. The cookie company built a huge restaurant to the front of its production facility.

In addition to my parents, the dinner was attended by my wife to be and the family’s New York City relatives. My mother had grown up in New York City and her side of the family still resided there.

At some point during the dinner, everyone in the restaurant began running into the bar. Something was going on. I followed. The TV set was in color. I doubt any of us in the bar had seen a color television set before. Many oohs and aahs.

Exciting!

Late in the 1970s and into the early 1980s, Key West and the lower Keys in general were a haven for drug smugglers. Marijuana and cocaine.

Key West descriptively was referred to as “Smuggler’s Island.” In a newspaper account written in the early 1980s, Key West was described as “a paradise corrupted by dope.”

The drug smuggling of those days has been replaced with the smuggling of humans today.

Not a bad business to be in. Profitable. As good as drug smuggling. Big dollars to be made.

The going price paid to smugglers is $10,000 per person. Generally 20 at a time taken from Cuba to Keys’ shores.

Some smugglers get caught. It happened sunday.

Four smugglers were captured in Tavernier. They were arraigned monday in Federal Court in Key West. The charge: Knowingly and willfully conspiring to encourage and induce aliens to enter the United States.

Political corruption was involved in dru smuggling. Officials advised no such corruption involved with human trafficking in the Keys.

We all know what March Madness is. The Key West Citizen editorial page has come up with another cartoon exemplifying the cartoonist’s talent at his chosen profession.

Today’s carton is labeled: Everyday Madness. Contains brackets similar to those of March Madness. In place of the teams however are activities reflecting political life today. Some brackets labeled: No Masks, Spring Break, Q-Anon, GOP, COVID-19, vaccines, Proud Boys, and Antifa.

A fitting comment in today’s Citizens’ Voice: “Key West, did you see how the mayor of Miami responded to Spring Breakers, while we allow them to roll? Your inactions harm our local community, repeatedly.”

Smathers Beach was dedicated and named this day in 1946. The man honored was Florida Senator George Smathers.

Enjoy your day!

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