Mike Hogan was "only joking" when he considered bombing an abortion clinic!

[Jaxson]

This election will be a test of how much clout the social conservatives have in this city.  If a certain dowtown church truly owns Jacksonville, they will have enough folks out there to throw their support behind Hogan.

Conservatives don't blow up other people.

This kind of joking doesnt appeal to conservatives, it appeals to radicals and fanatics.

I don't think that social conservatives want to blow up anybody, but I do think that they would be willing to overlook Hogan's joke for the sake of having a mayor whom they can control.

[JeffreyS]

Yes people will often rationalize their parties candidates actions as not as bad as they seem. It's human nature. 

Of course we have our own recent example in our Governor.  He was not given the death penalty therefor he has never done anything wrong in many voters minds.

[Jaxson]

If Mike Hogan were running for national office, his gaffe would have more dire consequences.  Because this is a local election in which more people are worried about what American Idol contestant is going to flub the Beatles' works, this will likely be a mere blip on his path to the mayor's office. 

I could be mistaken, however, as this Times-Union article hit the interwebs (LOL) this evening...
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-02-22/story/catholics-hogan-wrong-think-they%E2%80%99re-ok-clinic-bombing-humor

[stjr]

Last I checked, being Mayor of Jax has nothing to do with regulating the abortion issue, one way or the other.  The fact that candidates jump on the opportunity to expound on this issue instead of saying that such questions are irrelevant to the job for which they are contending says volumes about what is wrong with politics today. By answering these questions, they are pandering for votes from voters who will vote for them for reasons totally unrelated to the real qualifications for the job.  That's how we got Rick Scott.  I sure hope voters don't repeat that mistake in the mayoral election.

[BridgeTroll]

This election will be a test of how much clout the social conservatives have in this city.  If a certain dowtown church truly owns Jacksonville, they will have enough folks out there to throw their support behind Hogan.

Conservatives don't blow up other people.

This kind of joking doesnt appeal to conservatives, it appeals to radicals and fanatics.

I don't think that social conservatives want to blow up anybody, but I do think that they would be willing to overlook Hogan's joke for the sake of having a mayor whom they can control.

I believe it was an "off the cuff" remark and do not really believe he "thinks about bombing clinics".  I also think the issue has no place in local politics.  I have kept an open mind and have slowly been eliminating candidates... Mr Hogan has now eliminated himself from my consideration.

[Jaxson]

That is what is so mind-boggling about many of the good-ole-boy politicians.  They think that there is nothing wrong with a few politically incorrect remarks among friends.  This is probably why he expected the Catholics to get along and go along with his humor.

[Doctor_K]

One of his campaign commercials (the only one I've seen so far, albeit multiple times already) are nothing but the usual bullet points and bumper-sticker slogans.

--Faith and family
--Proven fiscal conservative
--Lowered/eliminated taxes
--Jeb Bush

It's appalling that this might be enough to sway a large percentage of the voting population to cast their vote for him.

Haven't we already seen what lowering taxes and being a 'proven fiscal conservative' (although I use the term sarcastically) can do? 

[dougskiles]

Last I checked, being Mayor of Jax has nothing to do with regulating the abortion issue, one way or the other.  The fact that candidates jump on the opportunity to expound on this issue instead of saying that such questions are irrelevant to the job for which they are contending says volumes about what is wrong with politics today. By answering these questions, they are pandering for votes from voters who will vote for them for reasons totally unrelated to the real qualifications for the job.  That's how we got Rick Scott.  I sure hope voters don't repeat that mistake in the mayoral election.

+1

I have a friend who tells me that he can't vote for a mayoral candidate who is pro-choice.  I asked about the reasoning, and he told me that he just can't do it from a sense of morality.  I then asked him if he chooses not to do business with people who are pro-choice (he is a financial planner).  I (sarcastically) would assume that means he would not take pro-choice clients or recommend mutual funds from people who are pro-choice.  He told me that is different.  The only difference I see is the money.  I've heard it stated recently that we vote with our feet - and I think that includes how we spend our money.  In fact, I would argue that there is no more telling way to determine what is important to a person.

[copperfiend]

I would distance myself as much as possible. I don't want to be seen as someone that is pallin' around with domestic terrorists.

[Jaxson]

I volunteered for Deborah Gianoulis in the last election.  I encountered at least three voters who said that they would not vote for Ms. Gianoulis because they believed her to be 'pro-abortion' simply because she was running as a Democrat.  Does it even matter that state senate is not very likely to overturn Roe v. Wade?  LOL

[Demosthenes]

He said a firm stand has to be taken against such extremism.

[/quote]

Hello? Irony? Anyone?

[Garden guy]

I volunteered for Deborah Gianoulis in the last election.  I encountered at least three voters who said that they would not vote for Ms. Gianoulis because they believed her to be 'pro-abortion' simply because she was running as a Democrat.  Does it even matter that state senate is not very likely to overturn Roe v. Wade?  LOL

With people like thrasher and his band of merry thieves i would'nt put it out of reach for the republicans of this state to ban them...they have proven themselves to not support womens rights or anyones rights really. Defunding schools all the while giving huge tax breaks for companies and the wealthy who dont need the help. Mike Hogan was not joking...people does say stuff they dont mean..if it came from his lips...please believe he ment it.

[north miami]

Bring on the full force of the citizen's military,sorties out of NAS and Mayport targeting all manner of assumed "activist","extremist","environmentalist"..................

[urbaknight]

 Imagine Mike Hogan as mayor. It would be like Payton taking a crap in his chair before leaving his office for the last time. Imagine the piece of crap coming to life and resuming the office of mayor. That's what it would be  like. He would be a continuation of the same stinky mess that we've had for the past eight years.

No transit improvements,

no increased walkability,

you can forget about the maritime museum and the Laura st trio,

no riverfront development either,

hell, no cleanup for the river,

More sprawl,

more urban demolition,

driver's vindication and faultlessness,

more pedestrian deaths swept under the rug,

Mike Hogan will keep the city on its course to Hell! Let's learn from our mistakes before we make too many to reverse!

This is just my opinion but I'm very outspoken against things that just shouldn't be, nor even have to be! It's just so easy to correct this debacle known as Jacksonville.

[Fallen Buckeye]

Catholics: Mike Hogan wrong to think they’re OK with clinic bombing humor

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-02-22/story/catholics-mike-hogan-wrong-think-they%E2%80%99re-ok-clinic-bombing-humor#ixzz1EpKn3uDs

Jacksonville mayoral candidate Mike Hogan's statement that jokes about abortion clinic bombings are OK if delivered in front of Catholic audiences isn't sitting well with Catholics, including those heavily engaged in the movement to ban abortion.

And a fellow Baptist who leads a Jacksonville anti-abortion group said the joke, its subsequent defense and the resulting media coverage could actually impede efforts to ban or limit abortions.

Hogan, a Republican and member of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, made the statement Monday after attending a candidates forum at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mandarin.

He was asked by the audience how his views on the sanctity of life would affect his leadership of Jacksonville. Hogan said he looks forward to the day when Roe v. Wade is overturned, and that the only thing he wouldn't do is bomb an abortion clinic.

He then added with a laugh: "but it may cross my mind."

Hogan told a reporter afterward the joke was appropriate because "this is a Catholic church. I guarantee you they are 110 percent pro-life."

But Pete Kelley, president of the parish's men's club and the forum moderator, didn't find the joke funny or its explanation acceptable. Overall, he said, Hogan missed the point that being "pro-life" means being against violence against abortion providers as well as the unborn.

"The core principle is that life in all forms is to be held sacred, from birth until death," Kelley said. "It's not ours to judge those who don't place that same level of respect on life."

The audience applauded for Hogan when he finished speaking, but Kelley said he didn't think that signaled their approval of the joke.

"It caught a lot of people off guard that anyone would make that comment," he said.

Others were less ruffled.

Parishioner Brian Shields, founder of a Catholic media company in Jacksonville, agreed the joke was a blunder but cautioned against overreaction.

"There's no reason to get so serious about the whole thing," Shields said. "Honestly, sometimes we say things that maybe we could have said better."

Jacksonville City Council President Jack Webb, who arrived at the forum after Hogan's talk, said he immediately sensed the buzz around the candidate's remark.

Webb said he isn't personally offended by Hogan's jest as a member of St. Joseph, but as a Catholic wanted to stress "that being pro-life" means believing that life runs "from conception to natural death."

"I do not support radical elements that advocate violence as a means of societal reform," Webb added, "nor do I find any attempted humor in that regard appropriate."

Brad Straley, president of Jacksonville For Life, also wasn't amused.

The joke and the reaction may serve to confuse those who are unaware of the damaging effects of abortion on individuals, family and society, said Straley, who, like Hogan, attends First Baptist Church.

It was a mistake "just for the fact that the left is going to run with this and people who are undecided [on abortion] are going to cringe," Straley said.

Catholic anti-abortion activist Tom Masters wasn't at the forum but said it's never acceptable to joke about killing.

"It's not a matter of amusement," Masters said.

Staci Fox of Planned Parenthood of North Florida said she was glad to hear that anti-abortion activists and others in the city were critical of Hogan's comments.

"The community is responding appropriately," said Fox, who's also Baptist. "Violence is never funny."

jeff.brumley@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4310



Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-02-22/story/catholics-mike-hogan-wrong-think-they%E2%80%99re-ok-clinic-bombing-humor#ixzz1EpKKvNC2