Stay The Course; Stand Your Ground; Save Your Tears!
Commentary By CIF President Michael J. Springer, Jr.
deJongh Campaign Strategy: Attack The Children
Outraged? Yes. Disgusted? Oh, yes.
Surprised? No.
And no one else should be either.
The latest ammunition in the arsenal of campaign misconduct fired by the deJongh Administration has been the creation of several websites designed to malign those who pose a threat to them and the good life they’re living on the backs of everyday Virgin Islanders.
Until last week, their targets have been adults – people who have put themselves in the public arena through their activism and who are openly in opposition to this dogmatic regime – and since propaganda only grows legs when people acknowledge it, we’ve pretty much ignored it.
But last week, when the 16-year-old son of a radio talk show host became the front page news on one of these sites, our disgust, and the shock and horror of the community, made a response necessary.
Norma Pickard-Samuel
CIF President Michael J. Springer, Jr.
No one who heard to the agonized voice of Norma Pickard-Samuel on Saturday can fail to understand the gut-wrenching pain caused by this latest sucker-punch from the Administration. And yes, this is the work of the Administration although in this endeavor, like so many others, their websites are cloaked in “anonymity” since they don’t have the guts to be up front in their internet-based attacks.
So don’t expect an apology from this Governor for this despicable display.
This Governor whose ads denounce “negative campaigning;” this Governor who claims to have the interest of our youth “especially our young men” at the top of his mind; this Governor who manipulates the judiciary through his puppet of an Attorney General to level questionable charges against his opponents and delay resolution of same; this Governor who only acknowledged the crime epidemic after a tourist was killed at Coki Point; this Governor who flatly refuses to return $490,000 of our money to the Treasury that he used to renovate Estate Mafolie; this Governor who mortgaged our future through the Diageo deal and reckless borrowing after creating the illusion of Government calamity if his demand was not met; need we go on?
And let us not leave out the most recent insult to our collective intelligence, the deluded, scripted rhetoric of one Laurie Milliner, braying on about This Governor and actually expecting us to believe she paid for the time.
We have no doubt that the cabal on Government Hill got a good laugh out of the pain they caused this week. We’re sure they enjoyed it, and probably believe they’ve struck a crippling blow to those who would dare speak and act against them.
And, trust us; the urge to respond in kind is strong – because God knows that if they want to open this Pandora’s Box, we’ve got a key. However, we recognize that at its core, this is merely one more attempt to distract us from the mission at hand.
And arrogance makes weak strategy; so now we shall see the results.
You don’t kill the message by attacking the messenger. You can’t stop a revolution by assassinating the revolutionaries. Do they know nothing of history?
And while this was a disturbing episode in an election season that promises to plumb new depths, it’s time to move on.
The primary election is in less than three weeks. John deJongh and all of those who support him must be removed. This is not governance; it is tyranny. This is not leadership; it’s coercion.
So Norma, save your tears. They are wasted on such as these.
But know that the blow intended to weaken and silence you has strengthened and made more steadfast those who will not see this reign continue and added more heat to the bonfire of change.
The primary election is in less than three weeks.
Let the final blow be struck at the polls.
He gives a big kiss in public and then he cuffs her in the face at home……………..those two are the worst the VI has to offer. Cecile is a money hungry pathetic excuse for a 1st Lady.