Opinion by Lisa Ruth
I love a story – especially one that makes me laugh. And because I am someone who enjoys The Funnies, I wish to direct you to a laughable moment courtesy of Dave Fitzsimmons, Mr. Funny Man himself, who writes fiction for The Arizona Daily Star.
Fitz’s latest knee-slapper is titled ‘Kelly Wins.’ In it, Fitz provides us with a glimpse into his distorted reality. His assessment on what it means (to him anyway) in seeing Jesse Kelly win in the April 17 primary is rife with paranoia, vitriol and the very anger he assigns to Mr. Kelly. The question a reader must ask has to be: Does Fitz really perceive Jesse Kelly and his supporters in the manner he describes? After all, he referred to Kelly as Gomer Pyle and supporters as ‘…the unwashed, the rural, the illiterate, the scared goobers willing to cheerfully vote against their own interests…’
Now, there’s civility for you!
Seriously though, there is nothing actually amusing in seeing another human publicly reveal their personal delusions. In all truth, I feel sorry for Fitz. His article was not thought-provoking nor did it provide any insight into the candidate’s vision for the district. What Fitz did accomplish was displaying his vast ignorance and hatred for all to see. I learned more about Fitz through ‘Kelly Wins’ than anything about Jesse Kelly or his supporters.
Fitz launches into a lengthy, vitriolic assault on Kelly’s faith, on church goers and anyone who finds socialism and communism undesirable. Forgive me for having a clue, but it is difficult to find humor in the human cost of socialism and communism. Fitz also describes the Tea Party as ‘fanatics’ even though it was not the Tea Party infiltrating a school board meeting chaining themselves to board member’s chairs and proceeding to disrupt TUSD meetings for two weeks in a row. Nor did the Tea Party engage as Occupiers did in committing violent crimes against fellow Americans or threaten to do so, but Fitz would like you to believe otherwise as anything beyond the narrative may be too challenging for the fragile state of Fitz. Perhaps the screed was Fitz simply emptying himself when he could no longer hold all that rage and misery in his frame.
Why such rage, Fitz? Why does the outcome of April 17 trouble you so if you truly believe Jesse Kelly is beneath the foot of Ron the Barber with no chance of winning? Where is your faith?
The truth: Fitz is fearful (a scared goober perhaps). It shakes his foundation to know a high school graduate, who became a Marine, served in war time and came home to work in the family business can relate to the voters of CD-8. Jesse Kelly’s story is like many across the district and frankly, across the nation – and that is why Fitz did not bring up Jesse’s service to this nation or the fact he has been working in the family business – voters may relate to Kelly more so than his Democrat counterpart. There is much to be said for someone who would forego college in order to receive a real-world education in The School of Life.
As a teacher holding two degrees, I am proud to support Jesse Kelly. Unlike Fitz, I know Kelly and his family. I have also helped plot and plan in the tea party movement, published writings and am an artist. Such a description does not fit the narrative Fitz created of Kelly or his supporters; therefore, it is understandable for him to unleash online, unearth his insecurities and anger in a caustic display.
I sincerely hope and pray that Fitz will find peace. Such a troubled mind on the loose is no laughing matter.