Luce and Hunter will not be forgotten…. The GOP, the San Diego Community and the nation lost two Republican icons this past week with the deaths of Gordon Luce on Monday and R.O. Hunter yesterday.
A civic powerhouse, bank executive Luce served as a cabinet member in Governor Ronald Reagan’s administration and as State Party Chairman in 1974. He headed Great American Bank for 21 years, instrumental in the growth and development of San Diego.
Mr. Hunter in recent years was known by many as Congressman Duncan Hunter’s father. Yet, it was the elder Hunter that once "retired" to give a year of his life free-of-charge to the national GOP, assisting in the development of precinct and outreach programs. A WWII Marine veteran, he was also regarded as the mastermind behind son Duncan’s 1980 upset defeat of Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin in what was regarded a safe Democratic seat.
My deep regrets are extended to the Luce and Hunter families.
Jimmy Valentine defends the cross, while calling himself a pig…. Friday’s SDUT story that the ACLU is joining the latest lawsuits over Mt. Soledad (now at the federal level), got a rise out of Roger Hedgecock’s producer Jimmy Valentine in his daily FlashFax.
OK, please, no one sue me over running his comments. And, let’s remember that Jimmy, not one to hide his feelings, is typically irreverent and tongue-in-cheek. But, he’s had to have kicked up some ire from a few on this one. Check out some excerpts:
Still it is of interest that the ACLU has come out from behind the curtain to join the atheists. Our question is where did they dig up the Jewish Vets? Our Cross has been under attack for two decades and many of those who stand with us are of other than Christian faith. In fact the leaders of our most recent Save Our Cross group, Phil Thalheimer and Myke Shelby are Jewish. Myke is a veteran of Vietnam.
The arguments against Our Cross same ole, same ole. But the plaintiffs (we guess that means the folks that are suing us) are an interesting lot, beyond the ACLU and the Jewish War Vets. This time they have trotted out a Muslim (one more reason for me not to like Muslims, aside from the fact that most of them want to kill me). Mina Sagheb has joined the suit. She’s probably one of the “peaceful,” Muslims and I’m a racist, nasty pig…but the times we live in are what they are..sorry.
Mina sez in the court filing that she makes weekly visits to her sister who lives near Our Cross and (God forbid) she can actually see this disgusting Cross from the windows and the backyard. Well, you can imagine the emotion that is stirred in the heart of a Muslim upon seeing Our Cross. (going back to India or Pakistan is out of the question?…opps, the pig part of me shows again).
Another nutcase is Richard A. Smith who is described in the lawsuit as a man who has lived in the same house since 1969…huh? So who cares how long he’s lived in his house? But he travels in such a fashion that he too periodically has to glimpse this disgusting Cross. Getting so he can’t sleep at night.
And then there is Judith M. Copeland. She pays her taxes sez the lawsuit. And danged if she don’t be offended while driving. Twice a week she travels the I-5 and is forced to see the Cross. (could she take a different road?) As a result she is under doctor’s care and must take depression medication.
All of these folks are forcing me to take medication…Jack (By Damned) Daniels.
After that, I can’t think of another thing to include on this lazy Sunday morning. Have a good one.