by Barry Hastings

Claiming a woman from, “the Jordan camp,” had threatened his family,” at a meet-the-candidate affair a week or so ago, controversial Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf now says such a debate is, “Off the table – completely off the table.”

Many people over here are laughing up their sleeves at the claim, saying the alleged threat was nothing other than unwelcome charges and questions Julie DeBoer was making at the crowded public meeting. Sources I’ve spoken with claim DeBoer is not the kind of person to make threats against anyone. Many in Barry County believe the sheriff is afraid to debate the intelligent, well-educated, well-spoken, much-experienced, U.S. Army and law enforcement veteran Robert Jordan.

Last week I spoke to a long-time Barry County Commissioner and long-time Leaf supporter. We spoke about half-a-dozen blemishes on the sheriff’s record, including his false claim a deputy was working under cover when killed on his motorcycle near Woodland several years back. Pretty dumb, since just about every citizen in the county (except the officer’s wife) knew exactly what was going on. The sheriff actually had the gall to file an insurance claim in which he said the officer was on duty under cover (he was actually, “under the covers”).

Among other issues, militarization of the department has antagonized citizens. He’s got his officers wearing “tac” gear, and looking like a bunch of Mussolini’s 1930 era Blackshirts, or Hitler’s Gestapo.

One thing that irritates me is his scrambled-egg covered hat-brim — he looks like wannabee General of the Michigan Militia, and it’s an insult to ‘brass hat’ military men of all five services. (It’s comical when you see cops wearing stars, oak leaves, and other military rank devices. Most of them don’t deserve them.) Our police forces, across the country, are proving much more dangerous to good citizens, than to the criminal element. Our sheriff has also been trying to hire a thrice convicted felon to the department’s civilian staff

Sadly enough, Leaf likes to hang out with those Militia folks, as well. He’s also built a group of ‘auxiliaries^ in addition to our familiar sheriff’s posse, members of which he refuses to name. My guess is they’re gun nuts who fear an uprising by the county’s 19 or 20 Muslims. Leaf reminds me of the movie, “The Mouse that Roared. ” A comedy — and it figures — he’s made our county a laughing stock.

His office was raided by the FBI in 2014. They won’t tell anyone why the raid was carried out. The possibilities are endlessly discussed in Hastings coffee shops, and on the letters’ page of the local newspaper. I have a feeling he’s very close to the end of his reign as sheriff. But you never know, we have our share of dumb-asses over here, just as you do there.

Jordan’s signs and posters are widespread and numerous across the County. I believe Leaf is afraid to debate Jordan for reasons you’ll understand after a minute or two of conversation with Mr. Jordan. Better start the job search, sheriff, and I’d recommend the deep south, where you’ll fit right in with the other right-wing freaks.

Why not a Coast Guard Admiral at Joint Chiefs of Staff?

Indeed, why not? The USCG is the nation’s oldest continuous seagoing service, and has seen its share of battle, in addition to doing duty protecting life and property on the high seas, and the nation’s inland lakes, waterways. Efficient, courageous, much of the time operating cast-off equipment from the other services, they make do, can do, and do. I believe a CG officer as member of the Joint Chiefs would bring a new perspective there — a homeland security perspective, and from a service point of view, lacking in many departments of the Homeland Security Department. The Coast Guard is the only part of HSD not shot through with scandal, misfeasance, malfeasance and failure.

A brief political commentary on Crisco:

I’ve lived and worked in a lot of places, including New Joisey, where Chris Crisco is the (fading) governor, and his new master has run and ruined many businesses. These days, hoping to be named Nasty Man’s running-mate in the 2016 presidential contest, Crisco is often seen hanging out well behind Nasty, as Nasty speaks to large crowds crowds of his Nasty supporters. At night, I’m sure, he sleeps on a futon mattress at the foot of Trump’s bed, in case the Donald needs a glass of water in the night, or needs someone to run an errand.

What we’re not seeing, is what we’ve come to expect from Mr. Crisco, a big, loud voice. Remember, “Sit down, and shut-up?” Watch Trump drop Crisco like the piece of moldy pork he appears to be. And I expect him to be dropped in a very public and humiliating way. Trump never forgets or forgives those who say things about him he doesn’t like. What Crisco doesn’t get is, his silent lapdog role right now is part of Trump’s daily infliction of public humiliation. Well deserved as it is, lick-spital Crisco laps it up; following his dreams, like a sleep walker.

A brief military commentary:

Many people, scholars, soldiers, social historians in particular, of the period 1914-20, credit British PM David Lloyd George for victory over Germany and Austria in World War I. Well, I’d guess many millions of tough, long-suffering soldiers, French, British, ANZAC’s, Indian, and American would cry out, “Wait a minute!” In my opinion, and my favorite candidate, is U.S. Army General John ‘Black Jack’ Pershing.

Through a long ‘building-up’ of American soldiers in France from the time we entered the war, Pershing refused to assign his troops as parts of foreign armies, while preparing them for combat under U.S. Army command for the big push against the Kaiser’s forces. As Teddy Roosevelt had spotted a young ‘comer’ in the Navy, William Sims, seen to his promotion and advancement so he’d seen the same kind of strength and determination in Captain John Pershing. Basing his determination to improve and modernize our military on brilliant young officers, Theodore Roosevelt snatched Pershing from the Captains’ list, and promoted him to Brigadier General in a leap across four senior ranks. He cited Pershing’s large role in suppressing the Moro rebellion in the Philippines, then gave him the leadership role of the “punitive expedition” against Mexico 1916-17.

Pershing was recalled to the nation’s Capitol, and placed in charge of, organized, and commanded, U.S. Forces (American Expeditionary Force (AEF) of over two million soldiers sent to France. When he sent them into combat, the kaiser had no choice but to eat the words he’d spoken about our ‘Doughboys,’ whom he referred to as “Noodles.” He had plenty of time to think about his words later, when he was stripped of his crown, and exiled in Holland ’til he died.

Pershing went on to serve as Chief of Staff, U.S. Army (1921-24). His troops, U.S. Marines and U.S. Army gave the Kaiser’s soldiers all they could take and more than they wanted, chased them all the way back to Germany, where they quit. Teddy Roosevelt’s work improving navy and army, re­writing promotion rules in both, were a big part of those forces being solidly grounded, if not totally prepared, for World War II. Some reading on Pershing, Admiral Sims, and Teddy Roosevelt is critical to studies of the whole 20th Century military scene.

Check Elting E. Morrison, Admiral Sims & the Modern American Navy. And there are a ton of books about the AEF and Pershing at just about any library in America. My favorite Pershing quote is thus, “When the last bugle is sounded, I want to stand up with my soldiers.”