'Green' Party? No thanks

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

House Speaker Mike Johnson walks into a bar with two green members of Congress. The bartender takes their order and asks, "Really? Both parties have to have a green nut in the House of Representatives?"

Johnson replies, "Yeah, but only one shakes a cane at the president as he's giving a speech that will be watched by the world."

The U.S. House on March 6 voted to censure Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for repeatedly disrupting President Donald Trump near the beginning of Trump's address this week to a joint session of Congress. 

Surprisingly, 10 Democrats joined all Republicans in voting in favor of the censure resolution.

Green stood up and began shouting at the president during Tuesday's address only to be drowned out by Republican chants of “USA.” After warnings from House Speaker Johnson, and refusing to sit down so President Trump could continue, the sergeant at arms escorted the Texas Democrat from the chamber. Green was widely criticized for his actions, including – again, surprisingly – by some Democrats.

According to a CNN poll, 80 percent of viewers said congressional Democrats interrupting Trump’s speech was inappropriate.

Johnson later told Fox News that Green’s behavior brought shame on the House and he expected a censure motion to be filed “to discipline him. We have to do that inside the House. We have to maintain decorum.”

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, said this week, “Al Green is a DISGRACE and EMBARRASSMENT to the Great State of Texas! This idiot has proven again and again he will do absolutely anything for attention. Al Green is all about HIMSELF! His INAPPROPRIATE behavior has NO PLACE in Congress!”

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said that he and fellow Republicans stood and clapped when Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden walked into the chamber. Cruz said he did so “even when I couldn't stand their policies, even when I was horrified at what they were doing, I respect the office of the president of the United States and I respect the American people.”

“Democrats’ contempt” included not standing for angel moms, including one from Houston, whose daughters were killed by illegal foreign nationals, a “13-year-old kid who survived brain cancer,” and “a young man whose father was a slain police officer who Trump admitted to West Point,” Cruz said. The only thing Democrats applauded for was the U.S. sending hundreds of billions of dollars to Ukraine. 

“They all stood and cheered that we sent money to Ukraine, but they will not applaud for America. I found it horrifying,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, also said of Democrats, “They won’t work with us. They won’t listen to the American people, and they won’t even sit respectfully during this address. Democrats have made it clear, politics over country, every time."

This outrageous nonsense cannot – and should not – continue for the next four years. The theatrics of two of the three greens in Congress aren't necessary. (And with all apologies to U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green of Tennessee, who is one of my favorite members of Congress.)

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Many thanks, Fr. Mike, for five years – and counting

It's hard to believe that Fr. Mike Paraniuk's sermons from St. Mary Catholic Church in Hillsboro have been published weekly in The Highland County Press for the last five years.

It seems like only a week or two ago that I asked Fr. Mike for some uplifting words during COVID-19 that I thought our readers needed.

Fr. Mike Paraniuk's columns began during Easter week in 2020 – in the midst of COVID-19. I contacted Fr. Mike that week and told him that we needed his inspiration for Easter 2020. 

Fr. Mike offered his Easter sermon from St. Mary Catholic Church. We published it. And we've been publishing his wonderful sermons for the last five years. 

On a personal note, Fr. Mike also did this old sinner a huge favor on Sept. 3, 2024 at St. Benignus Catholic Church in Greenfield. Thank you, Fr. Mike. (Granted, there was a countywide water shortage shortly thereafter.)

As I told you this week, please keep your sermons coming. We appreciate them.

* * *

Go Reds

Lastly, I must thank Jeff Ryan for sending me a 2025 Cincinnati Reds schedule (and an online subscription), which he usually does. The Reds' schedule is in our front window on South High Street. 

I think we are both ready for a fantastic Reds season with new manager Terry Francona.

Jeff and I are both baseball fans. We do not think that we are related, but I would be honored if we were. Thanks, Jeff.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press, Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper.