“Fink.” An informer. A betrayer. A rat. Someone acting as a decoy for a group of louses.
For years, Tom Oosterhoudt has got attention because of his 1) need to have his picture in print (with) 2) that same creepy smile of his (as if he has been practicing and practicing that one single forced expression in front of the mirror). But whatever. That’s just what it is. In fact, for his “managing” to get pictures of himself along with handsome young men all the time, I have to give him credit. Whatever works for you. Get it where you can, and all.
So, when photo-centrific Conch Color showed up this past year featuring lots of pictures of Oos and his Insane Clown Posse smile, I thought what the heck?
I mean how perfect is that? The well-heeled guy who lives to get his picture in print finally figured out the best way to do it was to print his own paper. Plus, you have to admire how socially ambitious Oos is, showing up at every birthday, bar mitzvah, anniversary, opening, closing, launch, ribbon-cutting, and bris that the island has to offer. What a butterfly! And all the best moments were getting documented. For additional fun, every week you can count the number of times publisher Oos appears in his own magazine. How fun! Happy happy joy joy for everybody.
THEN! Oos couldn’t leave well enough alone. Apparently, rubbing conchy shoulders with the overly-wealthy and the politically manipulative went to his head and he couldn’t leave well-enough alone.
Oos sold-out the best part of Conch Color – its purpose – to rag it out for political agendas. In other words, he showed his real colors. And for the record, whatever those colors are, they ain’t eco-green. More like the green that stinks…of greenbacks.
In the issue dated “vol. 2, no. 27,” Tom Oosterhoudt pimps Conch Color in support of annexation of Wisteria Island aka Christmas Tree Island by doing an “exposé” [lol] on how Wisteria Island “is no protected Wildlife Habitat see for yourself!” In the interest of “expos[ing] the truth,” Oos then dedicates four entire pages to pictures of rubbish – two two-page spreads! – pictures of beer cans, beer bottles, bagged garbage, paint cans, a tarp, an old tent, empty paint cans, etc.
So drastic was this “news,” that Oos had to reprint the same images twice: Out of twelve images, two were reprinted (at different enlargements). Whatmore, he claimed it was the first installment of a three-part series! Woo-woo!
Included with this shocking exposé is Oos’ take on reality. Allow me to quote…
This is no wildlife habitat or sanctuary and obviously has not been for years. Being county property, its too far to be monitored by them, and its clearly not in the Key West Police Department’s jurisdiction. It has been used as a drug transfer station for decades, as midnight imports are smuggled in. [My italics.]
Wow. I mean, wow. First of all, what is up with the “drug transfer station/ midnight imports” thing? I mean, talk about being removed from reality. Is he serious? Or is he a just a little paranoid. I mean, speaking of drugs, after reading that line, my first thought was who’s using what here? In a word, LOL. “Earth to Oos. Earth to Oos.”
But aside from this obvious break from reality/brown-nosed lobbying for the pro-annexation crowd/over-the-top gaff, since when did Tom Oosterhoudt become an environmental specialist? Aside from his knowledge of the behavior and patterns of the common gadfly [ouch], does Oos know actually know anything about what does and does not constitute a wildlife sanctuary and habitat?
(I’ll overlook the gaff about Wisteria Island being “county property.” It is not, although it is under county juridiction.)
Oosterhoudt’s glamorizing of our everyday Key West life – for us and by us – gave Conch Color class. Oosterhoudt’s picadillos notwithstanding, we all enjoy looking over Conch Color to catch pictures of our friends, family, and neighbors.
But selling Conch Color as one thing to advertisers but then going out and shilling for private and political interests is not only bad for business, it’s unethical. It’s called bait-and-switch.
If anyone thinks I have given “poor” Tom Oosterhoudt a hard time here, I ask you to consider the white-crowned pigeons, oprey, herons, egrets, geckos, anoles, terns, kestrels, bald eagles, octopus, brittle stars, and all the other creatures inhabiting Wisteria Island WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES but who a spoiled socialite with some means has inadvertantly but as a matter of fact made it his mission to imperil for the sake of personal and political favor.
Those creatures I listed are just a sample of all the creatures I have seen regularly living on Wisteria Island – and I report this as a career eco-professional. It is for their interest – and ours – I write this piece in response to Oosterhoudt’s irresponsible forey into “journalism” (sic). I could not stand by in good conscience while lackeys like Oosterhoudt do work for billionaire interests in order to affect changes to our local environment that could and would adversely affect our community, the region as a whole, and inevitably the entire world.
Even amidst the accumulated flotsam and jetsam, much of which remains after having washed up on shore after Wilma in ‘05, the habitat of the island not only survives and perseveres but thrives! So prevalent is it, in fact, that for Oosterhoudt to report otherwise – or to miss it altogther – is to me the most telling aspect of this tawdry piece of “editorial.”
For the sake of all concerned, I want Oos comes to grips with reality – that he is neither an eco-scientist or a newspaperman but rather the publisher of a general interest photo weekly. Otherwise, by alienating advertisers who 1) understand politics, and 2) have an ecological background, and 3) are anti-development in Key West, it may be that Oosterhoudt’s Conch Color will be the next thing that he discovers washed up in the trash heap.
And if you are genuinely concerned about Wisteria Island, Tom Oosterhoudt, next time you visit there leave your camera at home and bring some trash bags to do some clean-up.
Because after spending three years around cormorants, watching them nest, mate, live, hunt, eat, shit and love, I have found that the bird has a piece of my heart.
