Opinion
Those of us who have access to the online local newspaper are equally aware of the recent report of the Shannon Edmonds and Lori Tyler suicide attempts in August, 2007. In that report Lori Tyler alleged that Shannon Edmonds forced her to take pills, along with him, to end their lives.
We believe that the timing of the suicide attempts coincide with the impending Hughes trial set to begin on Nov. 6. At a motion hearing in Lakeport Oct. 11, the prosecutor and an assistant attorney general defended their position against having the prosecutor and his department recused from further prosecution of Mr. Hughes. They saw no relevance in the Edmonds/Tyler suicide attempts and Mr. Hughes' ability to receive a fair trial.
However, we pose the below questions for consideration:
(1) Has Edmonds once again escaped prosecutorial wrath, in light of the recent allegations against him by his common law wife, Lori Tyler, that he forced her to take pills to end her life, and that he physically abuses her from time to time, because her allegations were not specific enough to cause Edmonds' arrest?
(2) Does Edmonds' recent suicide attempts cast doubt on his recitation of the events that lead up to the shooting deaths of Foster and Williams on December 7, 2005?
(3) Does Edmonds' recent suicide attempts cast doubt on his credibility as a witness for the prosecution in the Hughes matter?
(4) When did the law change to make it okay to shoot two fleeing alleged robbers in the back, multiple times, and kill them?
(5) If Edmonds is called as a witness for the prosecution, does he intend to plead the Fifth Amendment against self incrimination? According to the decision by Judge McKinstry, on Oct. 11, Edmonds will not be allowed to take the Fifth.
(6) Will the truth about the actual amount of marijuana taken from the Edmonds residence be brought to light during the Hughes trial?
(7) Was the shooting deaths of Foster and Williams, on Edmonds' part, truly an act of self defense?
(8) Does Lori Tyler's allegations that Shannon Edmonds forced her to take pills in an effort to commit suicide, and allegations of physical abuse show that Edmonds has a propensity towards violence? and,
(9) Has the prosecutor offered Edmonds immunity from prosecution in the Hughes matter?
We, the Lake County Branch, NAACP expect the fair dispensation of justice in the Hughes matter, by the judicial system. We believe that Shannon Edmonds should have been charged and arrested based on the recent allegations of Lori Tyler, and that Edmonds should also have been charged in connection with the Hughes matter.
Aqeela El-Amin Bakheit is president of the Lake County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
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- Written by: Aqeela El-Amin Bakheit
Political observers say the “conversion” isn’t a conversion. If they’re sincere, it really must be called a revival, say those who know the history of the Democratic Party. God was in the party from its very beginning (1792, when Thomas Jefferson and James Madison opposed the Federalists). They quoted the Bible in their speeches. God’s name often appeared in their letters, and sometimes even in laws. Party loyalists religiously demonstrated their faith, until fairly recently. It was only in the 1970s when faith in the Democrat Party began to fade. Until this year, it had all but disappeared.
In the 1970s Democrats began to openly support abortion clinics and homosexual marriages. That was also the time they made a strong move towards secularism and shifted a good deal further left on economic issues. Believing Democrats realized their party’s radical new politics had serious conflicts with God and the Bible. They were forced to choose between God and the party. They kept God and became Independents or switched to the Republican Party. Political scientists joke about huge traffic jams in the Bible-Belt-South caused by Democrats lined up at registrars’ offices trying to get out of the Democratic Party. Seculars were left in control. Geographically, the party moved north and west.
Secular Democrats believed God was dead or never existed and led the way to make Darwin’s theory a “scientific fact” throughout the entire country. There was a stampede to get prayer out of public schools and the Ten Commandments out of public buildings. Public school teachers were fired for suggesting intelligent design. Corporal punishment is a Bible remedy for unruly kids so Democrats campaigned, successfully in some states, to ban it. Until now, Democrats are embarrassed to mention God in their campaigns. Times are a changing, or are they?
Believing Republicans are happy to welcome Democrats back into the world of faith but will wait to see if they’re pretending. They know about such things as “fruits of repentance.” They recall former head Democrat, Bill Clinton, had trouble with the meaning of the word “is.” Conservative Christians suspect Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama may be having trouble with the meaning of the words, “God” and “Bible.” They know “God” doesn’t mean adultery, immoral homosexual marriages and the atrocities committed at sadistic abortion clinics. They also know “Bible” doesn’t mean evilution and unruly kids.
What’s more, they’ll ask recovering Democrats if God wants prayer out of public schools and the Ten Commandments out of public eyesight. God doesn’t mean Godless and church doesn’t mean secular. Bible readers will wait to see the “fruits of repentance” before they attend any election-year Democrat revival meetings with Clinton, Obama or Pelosi.
Believing Republicans are not only suspicious of election year Democrat devotion but, sorry to say, they’re beginning to be wary of their own party leaders. Somewhat comforted when President Bush kept God in his politics, they’re extremely disturbed to see Rudy Giuliani and John McCain go lukewarm on abortion and homosexual sins. They’re repulsed when they see GOP candidates promoting the same depraved ideas that caused them to leave the Democratic Party. Early Republican debates show purposeless, empty and soulless candidates, halfway converted to the secularism movement. They’re afraid this election year may show an entire country has fallen off its foundation of faith. Former Bible-Belt southern Democrats, who are now Bush Republicans, won’t know where to go next if there isn‘t a revival somewhere. A number, of course, will keep God and the Bible and may stay home on election day.
Bush Republicans know, houses that don’t have good foundations get washed away in the rain. Voting believers have already shown they won’t stay in political parties built on secular sand. They’ll wait to see if any Republican is serious about traditional American faith. They’re not totally against returning to the Democratic Party if it’s serious about renewal. They know they can’t pack up their Bibles and look for another Mayflower. There’s no place for the Mayflower to go. They may be left, like Christians in the Roman Empire; without a party, sighing, crying and vexing their souls, over the great evil men do.
One good thing about believing is believers have hope one day a Faithful Governor will come to power; one who keeps political promises. They hope that day will be soon. God is in His politics. His political party might be called the “Creationist Party” and will certainly be built on a good foundation of faith.
Darrell Watkins lives in Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
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