FURRIES

F. LoBuono

The accusations are so bizarre that they defy credibility, especially since they were presented without ANY supporting evidence whatsoever. AND they were made by a sitting US Senator.

During a recent press conference, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R – Alabama) claimed that the US aviation industry was being infiltrated by so-called “Furries.” For the uninitiated, “Furry Society” is a subculture of individuals who find satisfaction in wearing costumes and mimicking the behavior of their favorite animals. Although often associated with sexual fetishes, it is much broader than that with practioners often meeting in costume to commune and share in comradery. Of course, it is considered strange by many but also harmless by most. Think of it as to each, their own – no matter how odd.

Photo: The American River Current

Well, Senator Tuberville decided to try and make a federal case out of these accusations – literally. Without presenting any substantial evidence besides a recording of 2 pilots making animals noises to one another (without context) and a cryptic link to an “Aviation Furry Hookup” at a convention, he stated, “an ALARMING number of these DERANGED individuals are working in the airline industry.” Tuberville went on to ask, “would you be comfortable with a MENTALLY ILL FURRY being your pilot?”

REALLY?

With the United States facing daily challenges created by an Administration that appears tone deaf to the needs of its people, a US Senator from the great State of Alabama choose to focus his attention on fixing something that ain’t broken! With an unpopular, ill-planned, poorly executed war causing gas prices to soar to nearly $5/gal. and the resulting fall-out, Senator Tuberville chooses to fight “Furries.” Inflation is resulting in families struggling to feed themselves. Healthcare is out of control. ICE agents are shooting innocent people in the streets. There is almost a daily assault on our 1^st and 5^th Amendment rights. Yet, the good Senator has decided to “die on a ‘Furry’ hill.”

But this is typical of our current Administration and the idiocy it lavishes in. From RFK, to Hegseth, Patel, Miller, and The Big Guy himself, President Donald J. Trump, our government is rife with unqualified grifters whose only true skills lie in bilking the American people.

Unlike Senator Tuberville’s unsubstantiated accusations, the entire Trump family and virtually every one of the sycophants that surround him can be shown to have enriched themselves at the expense of the American people.

Furries my ass.

The really deranged people are the ones who continue to support a regime that revels in fleecing them. Yes, Mr. Trump’s popularity numbers are plummeting. But we will not be done until they are ZERO. Then, we can be rid of him and his entire entourage, including Mr. Tuberville.

 

 

Making The Sacrifice

All words and photos by F LoBuono

With the approaching 25^th anniversary of the 911 attacks, there is no shortage of videos showing the heroic efforts that were made to find potential survivors and then to recover the victims lost on that awful day.

It is right and just to honor these men and women who worked tirelessly, day after day on that dreadful pile. And they did so, not knowing the terrible consequences doing so might have on their own health. In the years following 911, more have died from the illness associated with working at Ground Zero in the days that followed than on that dreadful day itself. Yet, I feel even knowing the risks, they still would have done their duty as they were called to do. It is one of the remarkable lessons we can take from such a tragic event.

With that in mind, I would ask you to honor one more group of people who risked everything to do THEIR jobs at Ground Zero. And they are the hundreds of journalists, photographers, producers, engineers, and technicians who spent 24 hours/day documenting everything that was happening in lower Manhattan. How do you think you saw the incredible video of the destruction at Ground Zero and the heroes working tirelessly on that toxic pile, making every effort to salvage anything they possibly could? It was through the efforts of a legion of news people who have also dedicated their lives to a higher cause, i.e. bringing people the truth, no matter what the cost.

So, when you see heroic footage (or hear/read a description) of soldiers and first responders running into harm’s way, realize that there is another human being risking everything to make sure the world knows the sacrifice being made at that time. It is often a thankless job. But we do it because we are compelled to do so.

Epilog: the author spent 8 days (9/12-20) at Ground Zero working as a photographer for CBS News