Barnett and DeRuve Highlight Abacoa Meeting

The January meeting of the Jupiter chapter featured Colonel Arthur DeRuve and PBCGOP Chairman Michael Barnett.

Colonel DeRuve, a regular participant at tea party events and other civic groups in the county, gave us an appreciation for veterans and the large role they have played in our history. From those who sacrificed at Valley Forge during the revolution, the early sailors and marines under President Jefferson who triumphed over the Barbary Pirates (“to the shores of Tripoli” – our first encounter with radical Islam), through the War of 1812 against the British, the Civil War, the Spanish American war, through two world wars, the cold war and now the fight against today’s Radical Islam, it is the veteran who deserves the thanks for keeping us strong and free.

The Colonel’s historical narrative also put our battles in an ideological context, defending the cause of liberty against the oppressive “isms” of the past – Fascism, Nazism, Imperialism, Communism, and now Islamism, pointing out that all of today’s opponents with different names – Al Queda, ISIS, Boko Haram …, share a common goal of world domination and the oppression of freedoms everywhere.

Mel Grossman, Birthday Boy

The new chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach, Michael Barnett, no stranger to the tea party, gave an optimistic assessment of a future where grass roots preparedness will be a key goal. Pointing out the tea party roots of the new county GOP board (including Pam Wohlshlegel and Calvin Turnquest), and the new RPOF Chairman Blaise Ingoglia, Michael made it clear that the party belongs to the rank and file, and the elected officials (including the Governor in the case of the RPOF election) don’t always get their way.

Also at the meeting were possible future congressional candidate Carla Spaulding, and the Martin County GOP Chair Don Pickard.

The day of the meeting also coincided with two special occasions – Ground Hog Day, in which we learn that the rest of the country will suffer through another 6 weeks of ice and cold, and the birthday of President Mel Grossman, who didn’t want a cake but got one anyway.