Second snake shows up at beach display

The Enterprise Journal ^ | August 26, 2002 | The Associated Press

[stainlessbanner]

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) — Protesters at the Eight Flags Display in Harrison County believe it’s more than a coincidence that a second snake in as many weeks has turned up at the site.

The protesters, who have vowed to maintain a presence at the site until the Confederate battle flag is removed from the display, believe they are being targeted.

“You’ve got 26 miles of beach here and all of the sudden you get snakes in this one area?” said Tommy Whitfield, the father of Alcorn State University student Jason Whitfield, who is camped at the site. “I just find that ironic.”

Police investigations of both incidents indicate the snakes’ arrival on the beach was due to natural causes, said Harrison County Sheriff George Payne Jr.

The display sits along U.S. 90 at the border of Biloxi and Gulfport. It was originally intended to honor the eight countries whose banners have flown over coast since 1699.

The snake that showed up around 1 a.m. Sunday morning appeared to have slithered out from under the boardwalk on the east side of the flag display, Payne said.

An animal control officer identified the snake as a hognose, a nonpoisonous breed.

Authorities said the snake found Aug. 17 was a water moccasin.

Protesters complain that during their six-week stay at the beach, they've been subject to a steady stream of verbal taunts and racial epithets from passing motorists. But in recent weeks, the climate has grown more belligerent, Tommy Whitfield said.

"The rhetoric has been very hostile, and it's only increased," the elder Whitfield said Sunday. "We remain on alert, and no one is left alone down here."

[stainlessbanner]

[tet68]

I thought there was a snake camping there already.
An asp.

[stainlessbanner]

Slithery Bump!

If you want on/off the list, FReepmail me.

[Rollee]

I didn't know Dasshole and Gyphart could swim, and yet here they are on the beach. Who'da thunk it?

[hillyes]

Hmm,so Jason is going to stay there til the flag comes down.
He will probably be promoted anyway thanks to AA,without
having to go to class.

[tet68]

Gee, a hognose and a water moc, don't have many of those in the Gulf states.

[hillyes]

Hmm,so Jason is going to stay there til the flag comes down.
He will probably be promoted anyway thanks to AA,without
having to go to class.

[sweetliberty]

The image of patriotic maturity, this bunch, huh?

[dix]

I know it's bad form, and probably cruel, but I think it's funny as s--t. I bet the brothers were setting all kind of records in the sprint. And they could have cared less about that flag, when they say those snakes.

[sweetliberty]

"I didn't know Dasshole and Gyphart could swim, and yet here they are on the beach."

ROTFL! Watch for Carville to show up as the next big ASS-p on the beach.

[billbears]

“You’ve got 26 miles of beach here and all of the sudden you get snakes in this one area?” said Tommy Whitfield, the father of Alcorn State University student Jason Whitfield, who is camped at the site. “I just find that ironic.”

No Tommy I find it quite ignorant that you would make a statement like that. You think that because there is 26 miles of beach, the snakes should be evenly distributed up and down the beach?!? You know I've walked up and down all parts of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. And the ONLY place I've ever seen coral snakes is within a semi-populated 1 mile area in the northern part of the Banks. Do you think the coral snakes knew I was coming and planned to get me? Maybe some evil anti-Southern person planted them there!! Yeah that's it!! God forbid, the area was a habitat for those particular types of snakes. That could have neeeevvvveeer happened < /sarcasm>

Maybe the snake just doesn't like people. Wait!! He's a specieist!!! Quick, get the NAALCP on it. We've got to wipe out all water mocassins!!

[jonascord]

You don't suppose there might be some people who think that being able to go camping on the beach all summer, with some lame excuse about "racism" and "protest" without having to worry about eating, and working, is selfish and stupid?

Do you imagine that the snakes were Republican plants? I'd bombard the place with a few ripe water-melons. Two days of constant flies will drive them nutty and back to mommy and daddy...

[stainlessbanner]

I'd bombard the place with a few ripe water-melons.

My arsenal would include a water cannon and one of these bad boys:

[cinFLA]

The article says non-poisonous. Check this:

http://www.herpnet.net/bite/

[vetvetdoug]

Gee, even Mother Nature is being accused of a "hate Crime." I used to live several blocks from that site at Keesler AFB and we had both kinds of those snakes show up all of the time. Maybe they should go up the Tchutabuffa River and see some of the BIG snakes that inhabit that little area.

[yooper]

In "Huckleberry Finn", Mark Twain told the tale of the slave Jim being bitten by a snake after they had killed one earlier in the day. Jim later tells Huck that snakes pair. Anyone care to confirm?

And for what it's worth, I don't believe different snake species travel together....

[Lord Basil]

Don't forget the huge pipes along the beach. Heaven knows what's coming out of those things at any given time.

[agrandis]

“You’ve got 26 miles of beach here and all of the sudden you get snakes in this one area?” said Tommy Whitfield, the father of Alcorn State University student Jason Whitfield, who is camped at the site. “I just find that ironic.”

Dang! I thought *I* was a conspiracy theorist! Maybe God Himself is trying to tell them something. Brainy people, these heritage-phobes!

[agrandis]

For the record, I just coined the term "heritage-phobes" at 11:06 PM CDT. Automatic copyright, don't you know?

[Marauder]

You think that because there is 26 miles of beach, the snakes should be evenly distributed up and down the beach?

These are the people that believe in quotas.