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Well, here we go again. Big banks are “high-fiving” each other after they won big in Washington last week. We thought government regulators had learned an expensive lesson after the financial crash in 2008 that led to massive bailouts at taxpayers’ expense. Back then, the financial industry was allowed to carry on high stakes gambling with your money. And now, it’s déjà vu as the Biden administration has followed precedent set by the Trump regulators and reopened the casino doors.
Last week, the U.S. suffered the second and third largest bank failures in the nation’s history. This wasn’t supposed to happen. A slew of protections were put in place after the financial crisis 15 years ago to prevent a repeat of big banks collapsing. A law titled Dodd-Frank required banks not to engage in risky investments that were backed up by taxpayers. “Go ahead and gamble on high-risk investments if you want, but don’t expect a bailout,” so the logical reasoning went.
Former Louisiana Senator David Vitter also passed legislation in 2012 that raised the cushion against bad risk by requiring more reserves. This was an important step in saying that we’ve had enough of corporate bank welfare. This legislation reduced the risky financial behavior of “heads banks win, tails, the taxpayer loses” bank mentality. But the question is, why did federal regulators ignore their obligation to hold these big banks accountable?
Here’s the kicker. Bank deposits are only supposed to protect investor’s deposits up to $250,000. But the Biden regulators announced that all deposits would be protected. So billions of dollars will be paid out to big investors and corporations. The message is clear. Don’t worry about how and where you invest or how risky the investment. The government will bail you out and you will lose nothing.
And get this. The largest bank to go under, Silicon Valley Bank, paid out bonuses to employees just hours before regulators seized the failing bank. How brazen can you get?
In the movie Wall Street, Michael Douglas’s character Gordon Gecko summed up the attitude of major U.S. banks quite well: “Greed is good.” And this certainly appears to be true, at least for the big banks. Because after all, the federal government has made it clear that even after the 2008 financial debacle, where hundreds of billions of dollars were poured into the likes of these big guys, there always seems to be a way around the regulations that are supposed to protect the taxpayer.
The old axiom is true. The more the big banks take irresponsible risks and commit out-right fraud, the more things stay the same, as the regulatory system looks the other way. Bank regulators say there will enforce these new strict public protections. That is until big banks face major losses and cry for help. Then the federal dollars begin to flow, and bailout checks pour out of the federal treasury with the force of a flooding river.
Thomas Jefferson was perceptive in what is said 200 years ago: “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.” I wonder what he would have to say about the current bank defaults if he were here today.
So although America has had enough of Wall Street and big bank welfare, taxpayers are the losers again. And it also looks like we could be hearing the 1930s song, “Brother can you spare a dime.” But with different words this time.
Once I was a banker, it was such fun-sold risky investments by the million.
Once I was a banker, now it’s done. Brother, can you spare a billion?”

Peace and Justice,
Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

The eternal promise of spring, the first daffodil, the tiny buds forming on the elm tree; a faint but distinct musical note from the mockingbird, serves to remind us of the cycle of life. The passing of one season into the next reminds one of the continuity and the never changing change in God’s plan.

It reminds us that the dark days of winter are but a season in life; that the promise of spring is a reminder of eternity; that no one ever really grows old, we just skip from season-to-season on a journey that will inevitably lead to another season, in another place, where the seasons have become an eternal spring, and an eternal promise fulfilled.
With the first sign of spring we begin to search for the signs of new life. We see the rebirth of the creatures and the re-creation of the created. The poet has said it well, “to see the world in a grain of sand, and heaven on a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.” The darkest days always turn to light, the chill of winter fades away and the life giving quality of our sun returns to rejoice with us.
Sometimes we can hear spring before we can see it approaching; the late night call of the wild geese as they sing their way north, the cooing of the mourning dove seeking the company of a soon coming courtship. The cardinal visits the feeder less frequently and becomes more interested in the less colorful female, than in the sunflower seed provided.
In the spring time more than any other time, it becomes impossible for me to understand the people who never seem to notice the miracles all around us. The idea that these miracles could have occurred without a master plan, and can keep occurring eternally and right on time without a guiding hand is amazing.
Each spring is a blessing, the fulfillment of a promise, and the renewal of another one. Each of us are given a very limited number to enjoy before our inevitable invitation into that eternal spring that awaits us all. To allow just one to pass without notice or appreciation is like throwing away a treasured part of the meaning of life.
For spring is part of the meaning of life. When winter approaches the chilly winds turn the leaves to crimson, or brown, they hang on tenaciously but eventually fall to earth, from there to return from whence they came; the tree gently sleeps awaiting the eternal promise of regeneration and newness of life.
The passing of too many springtimes chill bones of the man. He too hangs on for a time. He wraps himself in another blanket to hide from the chill. But eventually he too must give up the struggle and return to the Mother Earth from whence he came. Like the tree, the old man sleeps, patiently awaiting the promise of another spring, in another place and in another time.
Enjoy the spring; watch the building of the nests and the mating of the birds, listen to the songs of life, the joy of love but prepare for the chill of the coming winter.

Mr. Robert Walters died on Saturday, August 13, 2005. He was a native of Mississippi and a resident of Archibald, Louisiana. Mr. Walters wrote this column over 31 years ago and it is a wonderful reminder of the cycle of life and death. We thought it would be fitting to reprint it at this time.

Let me tell you about a great American war hero. His name is Hugh Thompson and he comes from Lafayette, Louisiana. When you make a list of Louisiana’s best, special and brightness, Hugh Thompson will certainly be in that number. It all goes back to Viet Nam some five decades ago.
In fact, it was fifty-five years ago this week, when the focus of the Vietnam War dramatically changed. Many Americans were skeptical of why the war was necessary. There were scattered reports of American soldiers killing innocent civilians. But some would argue bad things can happen during wartime, and that’s the price a nation must pay. Then came My Lai.
If you are too young to remember the My Lai genocide, it is certainly a low point in U.S. military gallantry. An Army combat unit of American soldiers charged into an un-defended settlement called My Lai, and over a four-hour period, systematically wiped out the village of some 500 unarmed old men, women, babies and children. The attack was supposedly to weed out Viet Cong solders, but none were there and no weapons were found. It was a cold-blooded slaughter.
As the killings continued, an Army helicopter pilot named Hugh Thompson flew over and observed the massacre taking place below. I had the opportunity of questioning Col. Thompson several times on my syndicated radio program. His words are as disturbing today as they were when I interviewed him years ago.
“We started noticing these large numbers of bodies everywhere,” he said, “people on the road dead, wounded. And we’re just sitting there saying, ‘God, how did this happen? What’s going on?’ And we started thinking what might have happened, but you didn’t want to accept the thought–because if you accepted it, that means your own fellow Americans, people you were there to protect, we’re doing something very evil.”
Hugh Thompson had a gunner and a crew chief on board with him, and he decided to put down his helicopter to investigate just what was happening. “I just figured it was time to do something, to not let these people get killed.” He landed, got out of his aircraft, and confronted the American troops.
Then, he did something unique in wartime. He demanded that the U.S. soldiers back off and stop the killing. He bluntly told them that if they continued the slaughter, he and his crew would open fire directly on them. That cooled the confrontation down, and the killings stopped.
Hugh Thompson filed a full report and complaint, but he came under attack from some in the military who felt he should have said nothing. The Army initially covered up the genocide. But an investigative journalist named Seymour Hersh pieced together the horror that took place, and Hugh Thompson’s heroics became worldwide news. Many historians feel that My Lai was a turning point in the war as support continued to dwindle.
After thirty years of being ignored and scorned, the Army finally acknowledged that Hugh Thompson was, in fact, a hero. He was given the Soldier’s Medal for heroism. My Lai is located in the center of Vietnam on the eastern coast. If you travel there today, a museum can be found in honor of Warrant Officer Hugh Thomson.
In his book, War Without Fronts: The USA in Vietnam, historian Bernd Greiner concludes that My Lai was “the most shocking episode of the Vietnam War.” Fifty years ago, a few American soldiers dishonored their country by committing unfathomable crimes. But a young American helicopter pilot from Lafayette, Louisiana had the courage to step and demand that the carnage come to an end.
All Louisianans should be proud of Hugh Thompson. He died at 62, but remains one of the Bayou State’s very best. For America, Col. Thompson represents what more heroes in our country should be. He joins many other special leaders who stand for all that’s right for our nation. God bless all such special Americans. Especially Col. Hugh Thompson.

Peace and Justice
Jim Brown

For the last 17 years, the Vermilion Parish School Board has facilitated a Talented Visual Art program for students identified as talented in the Visual Arts in Vermilion Parish. According to the Louisiana Department of Education, students with extraordinary visual arts talent may be eligible for additional educational support to pursue their art.
This school year began with a record 61 students representing 15 schools in grades 1st through 12th.
Long-time Talented Visual Art Teacher, Charlotte Gallet Broussard, was the only teacher employed by Vermilion Parish until the numbers grew in recent years and a second teacher, Jennifer Doxey Gayneaux, was hired.
The teachers collaborated to plan out projects for students to complete during the school year that allowed them to address each student’s talents and interests as young artists. Their results this year are pretty impressive.
The exhibit of all completed work will be on display for public viewing at the Abbeville Cultural Center in Downtown Abbeville during the months of March and April. Current museum hours are: Monday-Friday 9 AM-4 PM and Saturdays 9 AM-1 PM.
For the 2022-2023 school year, students focused on 3 main projects, some of which are still in progress for some students.
When asked why people should go to the museum to view the art from Talented Art students in the parish, one student summed up what all were thinking:
“People should view the art of talented students in the museum not only to support the young artists in the Talented Art program but to experience the growth that these young artists have gone through with their art. The art in the museum is a way to learn about young artists and how their work communicates their talent. It is an all-around wonderful experience to see how different artists take a prompt and bring it to life. No two pieces are the same, even when we all have the same prompt. Showing up to the art exhibit also shows young artists that their hard work and self-expression are appreciated and loved by those not in the program. Being a young artist comes with many challenges - feeling accepted and seen as one of our biggest challenges, having people view our art truly brings us joy and motivation to continue our craft.”