By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
The author, C. Josh Givens, in a 2008 Halloween costume. No person can truly dress as a Kentucky punk without a "Gatewood for Governor" t-shirt. As a community newspaper journalist in Kentucky since the mid-90s, I came to understand Gatewood was someone most media types would expect walking into the lobby each campaign cycle. Whether a race was on for governor, Congress, or even the local city council, Gatewood was expected, whether he was running or not.
Some called him a “perennial” candidate, but I have never liked that tag. It always sounded a tad bit back-handed to me, like the big papers and television talkers were saying, with some snarky inside wink-and-nod, “Here comes Gatewood … again and again and again.”
With Gatewood, somehow folks tried to make the very word — “perennial” — some type of curse word.
Perhaps those that used it the most were part of the “petrochemical-pharmaceutical-military-industrial-transnational-corporate-fascist-elite SOBs” crowd, which Gatewood convinced many of us were a threat to our Constitutional freedoms.
Then again, perhaps those who used it the most were part of what is mainstream, conservative Kentucky.
Gatewood always answered questions, which can be a novel ideal when considering Kentucky campaigns and the often too-comfortable relationship between hometown media and candidates.
Genuinely good guy Gatewood, you were comfortable with him, yes, but there always seemed to be an unspoken — “I am here to get my message out. If you don’t ask the right questions, I will still give you the answers. It’s an important message.”
Gatewood made you smile, whether you knew who in the Hell he was or not.
In what would be his final campaign, Gatewood and his running mate Dea Riley, fought a huge uphill battle in the Kentucky Governor race. But despite this uphill battle, Gatewood and Dea were keen to come to smallish Butler County — a heavily Republican county — and talk with me. We ran his story on the front, we ran his picture, we published a 30-minute video interview.
It lit a small fire of sorts. My phone rang, my email inbox filled — “Who is this Gatewood? I like the way he thinks.”
Now, memorializing with a tear in my eye, I enthusiastically agree with them. I sure did like the way that genuinely good guy Gatewood thought … which was for himself.
Rest in peace, Gatewood. You have shown us all, coming back year-after-year creates lasting marks. Your Commonwealth will long remember your impact.
You have made the path smoother for those will continue to come back and back and back.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 9:30 AM ET I’m mourning the loss, at age 64, of my friend, author and frequent Kentucky political candidate Gatewood Galbraith.
Anyone who wants to be a best-selling author needed to spend time around Gatewood. He had knack for understanding his audience that few others had.
My first book fair event ever was the 2006 Kentucky Book Fair. When I walked into the arena, I found they had me sharing a table with Gatewood, who was promoting his excellent autobiography, The Last Free Man in America.
I was horrified that I was perched next to a perennial gubernatorial candidate who advocated the legalization of marijuana and was known to take a toke or two on his own.
Read the rest of…
Don McNay: Book Marketing Lessons from “The Last Free Man in America”
By RP Nation, on Tue Jan 3, 2012 at 12:30 PM ET For decades the 1% has managed to focus our attention on those beneath us financially.
For example, President Clinton’s Welfare-to-Work initiative in 1999 kept us from looking critically at the 1%.
In only a couple of months OWS (Occupy Wall Street) has turned our attention completely around, from looking down on the poor to looking down on the super rich.
Those supporting the 1 % are attempting to denigrate the OWS in many ways, including calling out law enforcement to support them and disperse those who are calling out for justice: economic, social and political.
Our Constitution sides with the 99%, saying that “Congress shall make no law prohibiting the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (No, it doesn’t mention tents.)
Had the OWS not existed when the Bank of America added a $5.00 fee to credit card holders, the public would have grumbled but would have succumbed. And the same with Verizon’s “Convenience Fee” and November’s “Bank Transfer Day.” But the 99% has encouraged the public to revolt.
Remember, our “Civil Rights” were not successfully achieved in two months.
By RP Staff, on Wed Dec 7, 2011 at 12:30 PM ET  As we remember today those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor 60 years ago — as well as all of those who perished battling the greatest force of evil in world history — we have a special recognition at The RP.
Jerry Wurmser, a loyal member of the RP Nation, an occasional contributor to this web site, and a personal hero of the RP, was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government for his brave service during World War II.
Reports theLexington Herald-Leader:
Jerome “Jerry” Wurmser risked his life flying fighter planes over France in World War II, helping drive out German forces that had occupied the country for four years.
In November, France thanked Wurmser by awarding him the Legion of Honor, a medal that recognizes people who have served the French nation in various ways. The decoration was established by Napoleon Bonaparte about 1801.
“I feel very honored, but there are thousands of other people out there who are a heck of a lot more deserving than me,” Wurmser said with the modesty typical of WWII veterans.
Wurmser, 88, of Lexington, flew 66 combat missions in a P-47 as a member of the Army Air Force’s 324th Fighter Group in 1944-45. The unit’s primary assignment was strafing and bombing German airfields, truck convoys, supply trains and essentially anything else that might support the Nazi war machine. Other times they supported U.S. troops on the ground, dropping bombs right ahead of them.
Click here to read the full story of Jerry’s heroism and his deserving honor.
By RP Nation, on Wed Nov 30, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET The RP’s Huffington Post column about Israel this week has sparked considerable interest at this site and over the rest of the Internet tubes as well. (Already more than 650 comments have been made over at HuffPo).
For another perspective on one of the central issues at stake — LGBT rights in the Middle East, we turn to the RP Nation’s Scott Piro who submitted the following piece. We would love your feedback, as always.
In 2007, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated a nation-branding campaign informally known as ‘Beyond the Conflict.’ The goal was to change people’s perception of Israel from a war zone populated by the ultra-religious into a more normal place – rich with culture, dominated by high-tech and scientific achievement and grounded in identifiable, Western values.
American nonprofit organizations joined the effort by making sure non-conflict stories saw the light of day – everything from Israeli companies being listed on the NASDAQ and Israeli-made computer chips powering everyday products, to stories about Tel Aviv’s nightlife and Israeli model Bar Rafaeli gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.
Nation-branding is practiced by many states, from established democracies like the U.S., Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, South Africa and New Zealand to developing countries like Tanzania, Colombia and Guatemala. It’s not unique to Israel.
In addition to the cultural and technology stories, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs sought ways to emphasize Israeli values. Israel’s record on LGBT rights was smartly identified as a way to highlight its societal tolerance and diversity, and draw contrast with more repressive regimes in the region and around the world. In reality, Israel is the only Middle Eastern country where people are not persecuted because of their sexual or gender identity. Here are the facts for LGBTs in Israel:
- Anti-discrimination laws protecting LGBTs
- Recognition of same-sex marriages performed abroad
- Legalized LGBT adoption rights
- LGBT soldiers serve openly in all military branches, including special units; discrimination is prohibited
- Same-sex couples have the same inheritance rights as heterosexual, married couples
LGBTs enjoy these rights nowhere else in the Middle East. In fact, every other Middle Eastern country makes homosexuality a crime punishable by death (Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) or jail time (Gaza, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Morocco, Algeria), or LGBTs face risks of violence, torture and “honor killings” by militias or their own families (the West Bank, Iraq, Turkey) or harassment and crackdowns from the government and non-state actors (Bahrain, Jordan). In fact, when compared to states outside the region – including most Western democracies – Israel has one of the strongest records for LGBT rights in the world.
Read the rest of…
Scott Piro: “Pinkwashing” Deconstructed
By RP Nation, on Thu Nov 3, 2011 at 2:00 PM ET
A few of our very thoughtful readers have shared their insights on the David Williams/Hindu comments controversy covered here at The Recovering Politician. Please read below.
And if you have anything to add, we are always happy to consider unsolicited posts at staff@TheRecoveringPolitician.com. – RP Staff
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From Jack Burch, in his personal — not professional — capacity, submitted to the Lexington Herald-Leader:
What part of the word “respect” does Senate President and gubernatorial
candidate David Williams not understand? His attack on the participation by the Governor and Elizabethtown Mayor in the dedication of a new manufacturing plant by an Indian company was mean-spirited, disrespectful of the faith of a company and people creating jobs for Kentuckians, and, a blatant disregard for one of the most fundamental principles our nation’s founders adopted when creating a secular government.
Read the rest of…
More on the Williams Controversy from the RP Nation
By RP Nation, on Thu Nov 3, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET The RP strongly supports efforts to protect all of our children from bullying. Accordingly, he is highlighting his anti-bullying efforts this month at The Recovering Politician through the ad banner to the right and a series of articles. Our first piece below comes from the leader of the RP’s hometown fairness organization. Links to local and national anti-bullying campaigns are posted below.
If you’d like to share your thoughts and/or personal stories for publication this month, please send them (500-1500 words) to staff@therecoveringpolitician.com- RP Staff
With hard decisions to be made in each of our lives, the ability to provide support to others becomes difficult. Our nonprofit organizations are suffering due to reductions in philanthropic giving. However, the need of those who depend on their services continues to increase. There are few nonprofits basking in the glow of unlimited donations; my organization, Lexington Fairness, is no different.
Our outreach involves a commitment to preventing bullying in our schools. It has become clear youth bullying is directly affecting not only the ability to learn, but the emotional and physical well being of our students. Although this problem is not new, recent media coverage exposes the impact school bullying has on children. Too many students, especially lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, live in fear of taunt, harassment, and physical harm while attending school.
According to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) 2009 National Climate Survey, the prevalence of bullying is clear.
- 85% of students were verbally harassed at school because of their sexual orientation
- 89% of students heard “gay” used in a negative way frequently or often at school
- 72% of students heard homophobic remarks frequently or often at school
- 61% of students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation
When bullying becomes too much to handle, tragic results can occur. According to a 2002 US Secret Service Report, harassment and bullying were linked to 75 percent of school shooting incidents. When bullying becomes too much, some students feel they must end their lives. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, LGBT students are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide. It is not acceptable to have students turning to suicide as the escape from pain of harassment and abuse by peers.
Read the rest of…
Craig Cammack: Support Project Speak Out
By RP Nation, on Fri Oct 28, 2011 at 9:57 AM ET Cisco expects anyone holding a Cisco Certified Network Associate Wireless (CCNA Wireless) to have associate level expertise and skills relating to wireless LANs. A CCNA Wireless must be able to handle configuration, implementation, and support of these LANs. While the focus of a technician’s skills should be on Cisco equipment and networks, they should be skilled in operating other types of wireless networks as well.
Additionally, those holding a Cisco CCNA Wireless certification must be able to provide support for a basic wireless network, and must feel comfortable operating, configuring, and monitoring Cisco WLAN, SMB, and Enterprise networks. Cisco recently revised their CCNA Wireless exams and courses in order to reflect the most up to date information on wireless technology and wireless products. Any technician wishing to become a CCNA Wireless must have equally up to date knowledge about wireless networking.
The Cisco IUWNE exam is required to gain CCNA Wireless certification. Prior to taking the exam, Cisco requires that the technician already possess a current CCNA certification or a current CCIE certification. Many candidates take the Cisco authorized training course, “Implementing Cisco Unified Wireless Networking Essentials (IUWNE)” to increase their probability of passing the exam. Other students opt to use exam preparation materials offered through TestsLive. For students who wish to truly have an advantage over other test takers, using both types of exam preparation is recommended.
By RP Nation, on Fri Oct 7, 2011 at 2:00 PM ET I pray that our representatives act like intelligent adults.
By RP Nation, on Thu Oct 6, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET My resolution is to take 10 to 30 minutes every night to reflect on all of the interactions I had that day with all other humans. I will reflect to see if I could have handled the conversation better than I did. I believe that words are the most powerful thing we have and they can build up or tear down people in a very few minutes. I want to be true to myself and my opinions but not in a way that destroys other people.
Having a strong personality can be a gift or a curse. I want it to be a gift.
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