open letter to Sheriff Mike Scott,

After months of daily reading at TPM, I post my first blog....an open letter to Sheriff Mike Scott, of Lee County, Florida who introduced Sarah Palin today at a rally in Estero/Ft Myers.  But before doing so, rallied the troops by yelling, "On Nov. 4, let's leave Barack Hussein Obama wondering what happened."   Yes, I have heard Sen. Obama's middle name evoked many times as some sort of racial slur or prejudiced obscenity but never so hatefully, by an elected officer of my home state.  

And so I share my letter to Sheriff Scott, which I e-mailed to him this evening and I encourage you to also drop the Sheriff a line at sheriff@sheriffleefl.org


To: sheriff@sheriffleefl.org
Date: Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 1:37 AM
Subject: Feedback on your public appearance

Sheriff Scott-
 
As a Florida resident for nearly 40 years, I was ashamed to watch your hateful comments replayed on the national news networks today.  You are an elected official, representing all of Lee County, not just the most prejudiced factions of the Republican party.  
 
Hearing you scream into the microphone, "On Nov. 4, let's leave Barack Hussein Obama wondering what happened," was sickening and an embarrassment to our state.   If as an elected law enforcement officer, sworn to protect all Lee County residents, you must wax partisan this election season...can you not do it with even a smidgen of decency?  What happened to words like "honor" and "duty" and "respect" in your oath of office?  They were nowhere to be found in your 10 seconds of fame.
 
It is an embarrassment to the Ft Myers area to see you, uniform and all, spitting into the microphone hateful, divisive words.  Truly a low stoop for such a high office that you are privileged, up until now, to hold.   You want to step into the spotlight to introduce Sarah Palin?  Have at it--enjoy yourself--but do it with some dignity, knowing you are an elected representative of a very diverse county and state.   A state that will most likely vote for Obama in less than 30 days.
 
Your image was so offensive to me that I googled your name, found your site and looked up your e-mail address.   I have now spent 20 minutes of my evening expressing my Floridian voice to let you know you made a BIG splash today.  Wow.  Replay the tape...something to really be proud of, while our nation teeters on financial collapse and John McCain promises a respectful campaign, out come you in your neatly pressed uniform to show America how bigoted and ignorant the white South is in 2008.  What's that old saying your beloved Gov. Palin is fond of using to describe folks like you, oh yeah, "The good old boys network."  Well, you showed 'em, Mike....the legend lives on in Lee County.
 
My only consolation is that I live in Escambia County and didn't take a job in Ft Myers last year when offered by the VP of my company.  Oh, and that Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States.  Yeah, that will help me sleep soundly tonight.
 
Good luck in your next election.  Judging by the 10 seconds I saw tonight, you'll need it.
 
A Registered Voter
Escambia County, FL