Alice In Wonderland
Moorhead calls Delegate's defense of Diago deal "self-serving"; her characterization of Virgin Islanders "demeaning."
Guest Editorial by Jeffrey B. C. Moorhead, Esq.
Jeffrey B.C. Moorhead, Esq.
I read Delegate Christensen’s recent contribution to a local publication and, on first reading, thought it to simply be another lame effort to present herself as the national guardian of our territorial interests. But as I read, again, her defense of the “Diageo debacle” I found it self-serving and demeaning to those in our community that live, work and die in our community without ever having the opportunity to see “the big picture” that Delegate Christensen believes we must all appreciate.
I found Delegate Christensen’s comments offensive and demeaning to the people of our islands and felt compelled to publicly respond on their behalf. As Delegate Christensen well knows – and yet seems to forget- it is these same people she so easily degrades who are the ones she has been elected to serve, hi that regard, she is not alone but she symbolizes much of what is wrong with our political system in the Virgin Islands.
In recent years it has become too easy for the people’s elected servants to sacrifice the “interest of the many” for the “interest of the few”., and then try to make them believe it was a righteous decision. We need not go very far to find the truth in that statement. Just look at what our delegate has to say about the “Diageo debacle”. The biggest beneficiaries of that deal certainly are not the hardworking, struggling members of our community..instead the pirates and foreign executives, the beltway lobbyist and the local politicians and attorneys that supported this deal are toasting their success. But the hardworking people of this territory aren’t left out of the deal..we are “on the hook” for the 60 years of concessions that have been made to Diageo if things don’t go just as Delegate Christensen and her fellow travelers have envisioned.
For those of us fortunate enough to see things without the benefit of rose-colored glasses we know full well that our Delegate Christensen has no clue what the people of the Virgin Islands think, what we feel or what we know. In her many years as “our” representative in Washington, Delegate Christensen has found little time to actually promote the interests of our community..our peoples..or our values. Delegate Christensen has become so enamored of the “Ways of Washington” that she has forgotten that she is supposed to be ONE OF US and not one of them.
As I read Delegate Christensen’s article I was reminded of the story Alice in Wonderland. In the story, Alice takes tea with the Mad Hatter. After finding it difficult to converse with Alice the Hatter advises her to “just say what you mean.” I would say the same for Delegate Christensen. Her opinion of Virgin Islanders that happen to disagree with her may seem veiled to some but not to me. As one of those that will not share her “vision” I must be one of those she so carefully suggest are ignorant, parochial and pettty. So why not just come out and say it.you think we schupid.
Well, never have I known someone who is so removed from the world that shapes our community man our esteemed Delegate. We don’t live in the ratified world of Washington where it’s only other people’s money that is spent, like a drunk sailor….and spent like there is no tomorrow—but so tittle of it spent here, for us.
For the record, anyone who cares to look at the facts that surround the Diageo deal cannot help but find fault enough for everyone whose fingers touched the paper..including Delegate Christensen and to suggest that someone who is skeptical of it makes one a disloyal son of the Virgin Islands-then call me one – worse yet call me “a tea partyer.” I find something much more important than Delegate Christensen’s endorsement to be important to me. .my conscience. A wealth of information has been shared that strongly suggests that the Diageo agreement lacked the honesty, integrity and transparency it demanded and the peoples of our communities deserved. Finding favor with the arrangement – and its adherent – cannot, as Delegate Christensen suggests, be viewed as a test of fellowship that marks a Virgin Islander.
I am shocked and outraged by Delegate Christensen’s insinuation that the voices of Virgin Islanders who seek a different vision than hers, and her ambitious friends, are divisive, foreign and evil. Her effort to purposely divide our community into “us” and “them” only serves her and her political backers by blinding us to the fact that it is change that is essential if we are to move forward. It is time for a new voice in Washington, a new face, a new dream..and that time starts now. In poker there comes a time when every opponent faces the need to meet the other’s players call, raise the stakes or fold their cards. In this instance, I think it is time for Delegate Christensen to “fold her cards” for it’s clear she is holding a poor hand..and a poor hand poorly played is a lost cause.
In closing let me just say I drink bush tea in the morning,.but I am not sure what our Delegate is consuming for it certainly is affecting her perception and judgment..and mindful of the Mad Hatter’s wisdom I would suggest that Delegate Christensen learn to “say what you mean”.. and even more importantly, “mean what you say.”
Jeffrey B. C. Moorhead, Esq.
Loading ...
@ Aministrator:
I am noticing you have a comment @ 12.12pm made by someone using my moniker as ‘awaiting moderation’.
Please be assured that this ‘Soldier Crab’ is not the author of said post and you should have no difficulty verifying the veracity of my claim.
I suspect it is the same idiot who thinks yours truly is Kenneth Mapp.
Thanks.
@ Soldier,
You indeed have picked up a “shadow” blogger.
Have no fears concerning your legitimate posts. We have taken the appropriate action to monitor the fradulent posts.
Thank you.
@ ‘Jhaman’:
Jah,Jah,Jah,Jah…..let us not confuse,by juxtaposing,the Tea Partiers’ legitimate concerns regarding the president’s points of view in his governing and direction in which he is taking the country,and that of those who,for no other reason,just out and out hate the president because of his being a black man.
Two different issues in my book and my earlier post was in regards to the former.
Take care,m’man!
First the Crab was placed on a ‘hit list’…..now I’m being ‘shadowed’.
Wow,for security reasons I will now have to call upon my fellow warriors who,I know,’have my back’.
Thank you,Administrator.
@ Soldier
Alright peace with that, but my contention is there is a large faction of that new political wave who watched their parents and grandparents hose black people down in the south….
It is all good. I know the problems in the states do not really reflect in the VI as the demographics back home are totally different
….actually,Jahman,some of ‘the problems in the states’ do,unfortunately,reflect themselves in the territory…be they economic or otherwise.But that’s another story for another day.
I applaud you and others for taking interest in what’s going on in your homeland and of wanting to do something about it.
Attend Saturaday’s outing and be sure to take a friend or two with you.
Team Mapp / Williams 2010 reaffirms its endorsement of her greatness Delegate Donna Christensen. We strongly urge that all supporters vote for Delegate Christensen and team victory because “We Can Do Better” and we do have a plan for your future off springs.
…….yup,everybody doing their bidding for their candidates.Democracy at work.It’s all about choices.
What is this march about? Is this for deJongh/Francis?That is the winning team.
ahhhhh,the games that are being played.Thank goodness the folks at CIF are monitoring and moderating the bogus posts of the pranksters.
Keep it up guys,for pretty soon you and your cohorts will be denied access to this website.And just know that the harder you try to impersonate The Crab,it’s the harder the Crab will stick it to you and your candidate.
You wanna play games? Then I say,let the bloody games begin!
See you on Saturday.
@ soldier,
funny how they pretend to despise you but then they want to assume your identity – obviously want to snag some of your credibility here in the CIF community.
We can only trust that the CIF Administrators are ever vigilant!
‘Clock’,
The bloody vermins are all over the place–but the administrator is on to them.
Soldier Crab:
You, of all people, WOULD know what the CIF Administrators are up to!!!
Regarding your 9:49 pm post, do you really want to say “let the BLOODY games begin”, given the current level of crime in this community that you profess to love?
Beware that those who “sow the wind” ALWAYS “reap the whirlwind”!
@ ‘Phantom’:
I really appreciate your bringing my careless use of the word ‘bloody’ to my attention given,as you state,’the current level of crime’in Virgin Islands community.
Trust me,by using that word,it wasn’t my intention to convey anger or to incite anyone into a mind-set of violence.NOT AT ALL.
Being born and bred in the ways of the British I was simply reverting (subconciously) to their constant use of the word ‘bloody’ in responding to a situation I find to be rather frustrating….to wit,anonymous bloggers fraudulently trying to post comments under my assumed name.
But you are absolutlely correct in ‘pulling me up’ on that and I applaud you for so doing.
Will try to be more mindful of what I say and of how I say things in trying to get my points of view across.
Thanks,big guy!!
Soldier Crab:
It takes a big crab to admit when he is wrong. I’m impressed – in more ways than one!
P.S. I remain convinced that your name, “Soldier Crab”, isn’t the only thing that you have assumed for purposes of this website. We will get you out of your shell yet!
Team Mapp / Williams 2010 would like to extend a wonderful good morning to her greatness Delegate Donna Christensen. We bid you a very successful day in Washington today as you get on with great accomplishments on be half of the people of the Virgin Islands.
Team Mapp also remind its supporters to wear your T-Shirts on Saturday to the unity March in St. Thomas because we must do everything in our power to distract the grass roots from receiving the message that corruption must end.
It is not in the interest of Mapp / Williams 2010 to see corruption end in the Virgin Islands as “We Can Do It Better”. The more campaign T-Shirts on Saturday the better. Our goal is to turn the unity march into a team Mapp rally.
“We Can Do It”
@ ‘PHANTOM’:
I find your P.S. about YOUR assumption of my having assumed other things beside the name ‘Soldier Crab’ somewhat interesting,if only because others,yourself included,of the blogging community are doing the same thing.
To an extent we are,after all,dabbling in the world of make belief.Not so?
So,in your quest to to get me out of my ‘protective shell’ you may just find that you,are not nearly as ‘Phantom-like’ as you may think.
There are ‘spooks’ all over the place.