Topic: Never Upset your Small Town Newspaper Editor
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Fri 09/12/14 09:47 PM
It was 2003 the day the Shuttle exploded over Texas.... was asleep in the ministry motorhome in the parking lot, at the Holiday Inn Farmers Branch, Texas... Had Loaded in and worked with Pastor McCloud Wings of Love Ministry the night before... A USO team with Blind Dave and another country guitar player from Lewisville were assisting.

Was sleeping soundly in the back of the coach when I heard a Loud Echoing Boom that startled me, thought at first it was a blown truck tire on 635 but I turned on the TV, when I used to watch TV. I felt disturbed. Sure enough about 20 minutes the news said that the shuttle had blown up over Texas...

The afternoon before when I was loading in, I noticed new faces they were Saudi, and I have seen this place flip before... I ignored the signs trying to get my work done noticing oddly there were young middle easterners walking around the hotel looking under bushes... I did not pay much attention since most of the staff was still there... the regular bartender was working...

After hearing the news I decided to go into the hotel where I knew the cook would fix me up something to eat... noticing an Excitement around the front desk where the new owners had gathered I became suspicious and watched... never seeing this type of behavior before.

This was back when the Holy Land Foundation was under investigation and CAIR was located in an office about 100 yards from where I was parked...

Got my Breakfast went back to the coach and went back to bed knowing I had a long night ahead...got ready and went in about 6 AM to have them unlock the room to do a sound check... when the remaining staff told me that we were not to be allowed back after that eve.

The previous evening ,we were worshiping, playing lilting, tear jerking gospel music....Praising God, I was slowly throwing in lyrics asking God to Bless America and may God's Hand Forever be on Israel and a whole bunch more...

So Ok having being kicked out of venues before I just sucked up and went on ahead with the event telling the Pastor that we were going to have to inform the congregation that we had 5 days to find another location...

WE went on and one of our congregation being a small local owner/ news editor seemed perturbed.. I was also church security then and could read faces. Later after telling the Saints we were going to have to move he told me that when he entered the hotel, He did not feel comfortable and the new Saudi owners were rude...and I told him I has seen this before around town...

Fast Forward a few months... He was aware and started piecing things together, working with the Dallas Morning News. It came out about the Holy Land Foundation...and the money laundering! The Saudis had treated everyone so bad that they had to sell the hotel and about 7 months later. we were back.

But because of the Stink this Local Small Town Investigative Journalist/ Editor had Raised... every July 4th Fireworks Show, after that was put on Right Behind the office of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR)Office... They have moved the show somewhat but Still Remains in the same general location...