Regier 'crisis' falters when facts known [Anti-Jeb writer matures; defends Jeb's new DCF chief!]

Thanks for the response, windchime. So far, you're the only person to get back to me on this.

I already saw the article commending Regier that you point to in your post. The stance of the SHT is, though, unless I can come up with "proof" of the Miami Tribune hoax, my lead is a dead one. Again, no such standard exists for them.

I'm hoping to hell someone can throw me a bone here, otherwise I will just respond to them with what I have and move on. A lesson learned, and proof once again that we are engaged in a war of words with those who buy ink by the barrelfull.

I have no material that can help you with the "proof" you are seeking. Our local TV station reported Regier's denial of association with the group and controversial article, but they stated he could not produce a letter of resignation he had submitted to the group in the late 80's. Note to self: keep copies of resignation letters ...forever!

Your frustration is understandable. The following is the address for the Media Research Center.

http://www.mediaresearch.org/Welcome.asp

You may already be familiar with the site. If you aren't, they expose media bias, primarily on the national level. I haven't seen anything on the Regier attacks, but seeing the bias in print might make you feel better. They even do a CyberAlert to keep you updated.

Hope someone has something you can use in your contact with SHT.

I do appreciate your help, windchime. Sure seems like a helluva lot of work just to get a letter to the editor printed, doesn't it?

Actually, Mike Thomas' original article here from the Orlando Sentinel is what mentions the "fact in question" that the SHT is using as a lame-ass excuse for not printing anything that goes contrary to their slander, so I emailed him asking him for his sources. If nothing else, I can email the SHT editors back (cc'ing him), asking them where they get off calling him a liar...

Summer, can you perhaps provide some background research on how the MH found this information on the Internet? I have not been able to find anything.

Joe, I believe windchime posted to me the info on Regier was found on a google search.

See my post #63.

These leftmedia scum are starting to really piss me off.

Very interesting -- let me know what Mike Thomas says, or if he replies at all. Also, I did not see windchime's post to you; sorry about that! :)

The Google address for the article that was first in question is:

The Christian World View of the Family
http://www.google.com/search?q=Jerry+Regier&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=170&sa=N

I'm unable to find an address for the original article in the no longer published "Pastoral Review". It's the most recent article being criticized and I can find only exerpts in media reports. I don't know where the MH found it.

Here is the email I just sent to the SH!T-people. I also cc'd Mike Thomas on it, although I received no reply to my first letter.

I sincerely doubt that this will endear me to the SH!T-people, or get my letter published, but I had to get it off my chest:

***

Wendy,

Yes, this all sounds very nice.

The statement I made in my letter, "this disinformation was simply found on the Internet somewhere and subsequently published as 'truth' without allowing any time for Mr. Regier to respond", was based directly on what columnist Mike Thomas wrote in his article in the 8/20/2002 issue of the Orlando Sentinel, titled "Regier 'crisis' falters when facts known" (URL: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-locmiket20082002aug20.column).

If you and your editorial board consider facts to be in such high esteem, perhaps a few minutes would have been spent by you, in your due concern, to check this source which I listed in my letter. Or perhaps you discount this source, considering Mr. Thomas to not possess any journalist integrity?

I must say you have certainly made getting a simple letter to the editor published more work that I would have ever imagined. Apparently, though, when negative statements are made regarding a member of Jeb Bush's administration, no such burden of proof appears to be necessary. In the case of the original letter to the editor which inspired mine, it appears that ad hominem attacks are equally given the wave-through.

I note that you have no comment to make regarding my statement about what your literary approach would be if Jeb had appointed a Muslim, rather than a Christian, to the DCF post. I had to laugh when I read Tom Lyon's op-ed in today's issue of the Herald Tribune, where he makes the obligatory mention of the extremism displayed by the Taliban when discussing his "tolerance" of Jerry Regier's religious beliefs, and then continues on to display his bias against anyone of Christian persuasion. Very predictable.

Sad to say, it would appear that the recent departure of Rosemary Armao on ethical grounds has done nothing to bring balance to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Joe Brower

Oh yes, that letter should "endear" you to them, Joe. :)

Just calling them on their bullsh!t. Nothing said there that they don't already know already.

Joe, here's a suggestion for you - ask your pal, Wendy, at SHT, if she will find space in her newspaper to run this NEW column by Mike Thomas, in the interest of that thing called FAIRNESS. (Hold onto your hat before you read this:)

SENTINEL COLUMNIST

Mike Thomas

Regier may be just the fanatic DCF requires

Published August 27, 2002

The other day my stay-at-home helpmate smote our child on the rear for running out in a parking lot.

So I guess that disqualifies me to direct the Department of Children & Families. Thank God!

Oops. I meant that as a colloquialism, not a belief in a Christian deity. Given the public stoning of Jerry Regier, I find it safer being an agnostic.

Regier is the sucker whom Jeb Bush has hired to run Florida's child-welfare agency. He is the one accused of Christian fanaticism. This is the man who would have us dads beat our kids in a manly, Biblical manner.

But from what I've read, the only people he smites are inefficient or crooked government officials.

Regier was named the 2001 Administrator of the Year by the Oklahoma chapter of the American Society for Public Administration. He cleaned up a social-service agency that apparently had been run by the Sopranos.

There were bribes. Nursing homes were tipped off to upcoming inspections. Officials threw wild parties at state resorts. "Ghost employees" on the payroll, including three former legislators, were collecting checks for doing nothing.

Regier entered, heads rolled, indictments were issued, nursing homes got hit with unannounced inspections, and fines skyrocketed.

The nursing-home industry squealed, and Regier did not back down. And in what has to be a first for a conservative, he was accused of being in cahoots with trial lawyers who sued the homes for negligent care.

Regier's response: "I also believe that when residents are abused or not cared for properly, the resident has the right to do something about it."

Now let's look at some of his extreme beliefs about dads. He believes they should be involved in their kids' lives. He says better dads would mean less juvenile crime.

"The role of the father in the life of a child is critical and almost irreplaceable," he wrote in 1997. "America's youth ... need dads who will become real men and pay their emotional, moral and disciplinary child-support payments. Being a male is a matter of birth, but being a real man is a matter of choosing to be responsible and accountable."

His other remedies for juvenile crime include teaching kids consequences, giving them a moral compass, providing a good education, stressing literacy and providing job training. This fanatic even has endorsed higher teacher pay.

Regier worked on Gov. Frank Keating's controversial initiative, which hasn't proven successful yet, to strengthen marriages in Oklahoma. He says the lack of stable families is costing society billions in welfare, a problem particularly acute in Oklahoma where there are 76 divorces for every 100 marriages.

Regier was quoted as "sternly" testifying before Congress: "If you want to keep the government out of your life, then stay married."

That sounds scary, doesn't it? But Regier was quoting a judge who said divorce invited the government into couples' private lives by having it involved in personal matters such as custody and visitation.

I disagree with many of Regier's religious views. But I don't care if he worships tree frogs as long as he can clean up our child-welfare mess.

The only values I've seen him introduce into government are hard work, leadership, compassion and a moral obligation to do the right thing.

Mike Thomas can be reached at 407-420-5525 or mthomas@orlandosentinel.com.

--------------

Now, I am convinced Mike Thomas reads FreeRepublic. From what I read, no one else in FL mentioned that award Regier received - except this forum. If you ever write to Mike Thomas again, ask him if he wants to come on the forum, and if he does, he can freepmail me if he wants me to set it up for him. Or, you can do it. Whatever. :)

Check out my post #71 if you have a chance.

Thanks so much for the ping, summer!

I had not seen this latest Mike Thomas column, and it is a real winner. It is amazing to me that he has chosen to see beyond all the spin and realize that Regier is just the right kind of man to clean up DCF.

Thank you, Summer!

Verrrry interesting, summer. I will do as you bid. Can you please provide a URL for this article? I could not readily locate it on the Orlando Sentinel's website.

My letter from post #68 garnered no response from the SH!T-people. No surprise there.

Thanks!

Will do - coming up.

Joe, For the URL, click HERE.

Thanks for the ping, Summer- great post. At least there is ONE journalist with a regard for truth.
Oklahoma appears to have just LOVED Regier- even the media lamented his leaving the Governor's race this Spring. The people served by his Health department, the taxpayers who had been ripped off for so long by the widespread corruption, even the workers within the agency admired his leadership and integrity. He had become a hero- they called him the firefighter- and he made a tremendous difference up there.
Then he comes to Florida- and the media attack him relentlessly- why would he stay? He doesn't deserve it- and the anti christian bias is so pervasive- how can he be effective?
The same media that destroyed Judge Kearney- and demanded strong, new leadership for DCF- reject the strongest leader possible with venomous attacks.
Could it be they want a Democrat Governor more than they want the poor, helpless children in DCF to recieve the treatment and protection they deserve? Seems that way to me.

All we have seen is vague sniping from liberal critics.

As we have learned from Bernard Goldberg's Bias and Ann Coulter's Slander.

The excellent Jeb Bush is to be re-elected--and liberals will be doing the Allen Myerson en masse.