mosaic-moses-and-the-burning-bush

Shipping Resumed

We have resumed operations and are now shipping packages normally.

Please be decent to people in these hard times.

APOLOGY AND CONFESSION

My apologies to anyone who I have offended with my criticism of Donald Trump in my previous post Coronavirus Helmets, but you might want to give me a pass on that for several reasons:

My ex-wife is from NYC, and I was aware of all the deeply disturbing things that local people knew about Donald Trump BEFORE he entered politics, including assessments by very conservative bankers and tradesmen who hated Hillary Clinton with a passion. Most anyone who worked with Trump described him as a crook and cheat with too many ties to the wrong sort of Russians.

I have other insider information that makes me feel guilty for not speaking out sooner.

Mosaic Art Supply is just one of the many things I do. I have multiple engineering degrees and work on different types of intellectual property with people who have technical PhDs. I have access to first-hand information that most people living in middle America couldn’t imagine, including my much-loved kin folk in Mississippi.

Here’s just one specific example:

The Atlanta CDC is three miles from my house, and it isn’t possible to live in my neighborhood without knowing someone working in Infectious Disease there. One of my friends there was awarded a grant from the Gates Foundation and also managed a national lab in Africa and field operations during the previous Ebola virus outbreak.

But forget about him. By February, even the groundskeepers and custodial staff at CDC were aware we were about to be hit by an unprecedented disaster. Anyone who bothered to listen to international news was aware.

I should state that I have held a Department of Defense security clearance, and the University of Georgia patented my masters thesis, which involved microbiology.

Like any experienced manufacturing engineer, I had a complete safety plan in place for my employees to work solo shifts wearing N95 masks I purchased well in advance of the crisis, having dealt with outbreaks of flu and stomach virus in production lines before. My criticism of Donald Trump is as a professional.

Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor

Some things are more important than selling mosaic tile, but I would hope that any decent person wouldn’t hold it against me for saying what I knew to be true beyond any shadow of a doubt and not mere opinion.

Our Founding Fathers believed that the King of England had been ordained by God, but the Lord gave them the wisdom and courage to write, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

The Four Freedoms painting by Norman Rockwell
The Four Freedoms painting by Norman Rockwell

I feel a deep and profound guilt for not speaking out about Trump sooner.

It has been hard to hold my tongue for three years.

I had thought it was safe to speak out now because anyone could see that Trump spent the entire month of February telling the public there was no crisis when public health experts were alarmed in January.

Safety

We have been assured by contacts at USPS that their sorting centers have put safety measures in place where we can ship packages again without putting people at risk.

That was my main reason for closing in the first place, since we don’t allow walk-in retail customers and could have continued to operate safely.

In our own shop, we are wearing N95 masks and working solo shifts around the clock to ensure no direct personal contact.


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57 responses to “Shipping Resumed”

  1. Wilma Van Arragon Avatar
    Wilma Van Arragon

    Dear Joe: just read your blog, with your apology and confession 😊. One of the reasons I will continue to buy supplies from you, and now, no other company, is because of that piece you wrote. Thank you for your courage, your commitment to your employees, and your customers. You have earned new appreciation and higher loyalty from this customer

    1. Alice Craven Baker Avatar
      Alice Craven Baker

      Joe,
      Well, thanks for your comment. It is difficult to hold your tongue, especially when you have a small business and a family and a life to live, because of fear. I respect your need to voice and I respect that you voiced with tact.
      You have been one of my very few select suppliers and mostly, my favorite mosaic artist, ever since I studied your Mississippi River mosaics.
      Thanks again for being there for us!
      A Baker @ acbmosaics

    2. Teri Avatar
      Teri

      Could not have said it better myself! Thank you Wilma.

      And, thank you Joe.

  2. Melanie Avatar
    Melanie

    Nicely done. I work as a mail carrier and have seen him continue to dismantle and disparage the post office. His forte is blathering about things he has not researched or been in any way educated on, yet he continues to believe he knows best. Though I am in no way as educated and informed as you are, I can only cringe when he speaks at this point. Thank you for coming forward with these truths – maybe you can change some minds about him – what I’ve been trying to do too for the last 3 years. Kudos!

  3. Patricia Stevens Avatar
    Patricia Stevens

    Well said; respect your qualifications to make educated/informed comments. First Amendment, right? Why be petty. Thank you.

  4. Lynn McLeod Avatar
    Lynn McLeod

    Thank you for this, Joe. I live in California and was dismayed when Trump decided to build a golf course in our city because I knew enough about him from the news and he allows made me angry and disgusted. I don’t like to spend my time that way, but when he sued our school district over a property dispute (which he lost, thank goodness and no surprise), it only increased my negative feelings. I regret that you felt you had to apologize for such a principled position. I on’t think he’s going to die from the pandemic but I do think it’s going to take him down, and that’s a major silver lining.

  5. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    Please leave political thoughts out of your mosaic community.

    1. Joe Moorman Avatar
      Joe Moorman

      Hi Sharon,
      Politics entered this mosaic community when we were charged over $60K in tariffs last year when all my peers in manufacturing told me it was only inflating their costs and not deterring China in the least. Now he puts my mother’s life at risk, and you expect me to be silent?

      1. Stephanie L Cinquanta Avatar

        I completely support your explanations, I only regret your apologies. I agree and truly worry about those who don’t get/see it. Keep on keeping on.

    2. Chris Harrison Avatar
      Chris Harrison

      Sharon
      Unfortunately, these days political thoughts belong in EVERY community, mosaic or otherwise. More people need to hear about the fact that our “leader”, and I cringe using that term, is an immoral, self-serving incompetent who behaves like a dictator and is utterly ignorant of how our Constitution works. Every day I struggle to understand why anyone continues to support him and his policies. Thank you Joe for speaking out.
      Chris Harrison

  6. Andrea Peck Avatar
    Andrea Peck

    This is so sad. You may have your degrees, and you very proudly brag about your inside information sources, but somehow in the middle of all this proud “intelligentsia” you fail to acknowledge that BOTH sides of the political spectrum have their faults. However, over and above any discussion of what ails our country, at a time when so much hatred and dissension is pulling us apart, you chose to contribute to that hatred and dissension, as opposed to providing a haven for the arts. Very sad.

    1. Joe Moorman Avatar
      Joe Moorman

      There has always been two sides, but there has never before been this level of incompetence. I stand with all the living US Presidents (Democrat and Republican) who told you not to elect this guy.

    2. stella Avatar
      stella

      Andrea,
      The BOTH sides argument has been bandied about to excuse the catastrophic, unprecedented behavior and actions by our president. And, indeed, every person or official has flaws, a measure of imperfect past, and will make mistakes. But that applies to normally decent people, which is not the case with this leader. Trump insults people of other races and ethnicity, the disabled, and us, women. So, as a woman, I don’t understand how another woman can accept and support a president who publicly insults us and even confesses of assault by saying “You just grab them by the….”
      And if you look at Canada’s successful handling of the Corona virus, it’s clear that our thousands of lives lost to the pandemic rest on our president’s lap.

    3. Karen Avatar
      Karen

      The arts have always reflected the “politics” of the time. It does not exist in a vacuum.

  7. Terri Avatar
    Terri

    I have read extensively on Trumps response to the crisis, and if you read the responses from the leaders of hundreds of other countries, those leaders also downplayed this virus at the beginning because that’s how it was protrayed to them. These are uncharted waters and no president or country had enough experience or forethought to have realized what this was going to turn into. I want to continue to order from your company but don’t need to read this BS on your site. Tell your opinion to family, friends and neighbors but not here.

    1. Julia Avatar
      Julia

      New Zealand has done a far better job. Also South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Also Germany, Denmark and Finland. Lots of leaders have listened to scientists and made hard decisions.
      Blowhard autocrats, like the leaders of Turkey and Brazil and Russia (and the United States) have not done as well. A pandemic is difficult, because there’s no one to blame, no one to scapegoat. It’s a virus.

  8. Bonnie Eisner Avatar
    Bonnie Eisner

    God for you. This President is amoral and dangerous. And thank you for speaking the truth and facts If we don’t take great care we will absolutely lose our right to free speech and democracy. I applaud you.

  9. Lyn Richards Avatar

    You go, Joe. I’m a loyal customer, now even more so. I’m so sick of “my opinion is as valid as your knowledge” mentality! Thanks for writing facts.

  10. al ciletti Avatar
    al ciletti

    Thank you Joe, for that wonderful piece you wrote – and more importantly – and for this follow up post. I have lived in NY all my life and Donald Trump was ALWAYS known as a crook, con-man and self promoter. He personally bankrupted 350 – that’s THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY small family businesses when he built his casino in Atlantic City. He promised these small tradesmen payment after their work was completed. He reneged on all of them, citing improper work or excessive charges. None of it was true, as public inspectors signed off on all the work!
    I was completely stunned when he became our president, but I felt that many unsuspecting voters only knew the side that HE showed them: rich, successful billionaire whose keen mind would “make America great again”. So OK, all those folks get a pass….BUT if these same people vote for him again after all he’s done and the kind of incompetent, nasty, science bashing moron he’s shown himself to be, then I fear the United States of America will soon be no more. Putin and Xi are laughing at us, seeing more destruction wrought by one man than they could have ever accomplished in a lifetime of armies and weapons….YOU, Joe Moorman, are a true patriot and we need more men and women like you!

  11. Dee Avatar

    Thank you for having integrity and the wisdom to speak out and not turn a blind eye! You are important to our mosaic community and our global business integrity!!!

  12. JB Humphrey Avatar
    JB Humphrey

    Dear Joe,
    Thank you for expressing yourself clearly and with compassion. I would not have written but for some of the ignorance I’ve just read. Those who ask for politics to be left out of [sports-work-leisure] are really saying “stop criticizing my (objectively) bad choices.” For those of us who do not have the luxury of ignoring the politics in our nation, and for whom the 2016 election has endangered the lives of those I serve and love, I appreciate your care and candor. Seeing your words is like a beacon of sanity. So, for every intolerant customer you may lose, please know you have cemented the loyalty of many more, whatever their political stripe. We can be better than this.

  13. Carol Shubin Avatar
    Carol Shubin

    Dear Joe,
    Thank you for having the courage to speak out. I stand with you my brother. I will continue to support your business. We are in this together. I pray Trump will not be reelected and people will see how dangerous he is. May God help us all.

  14. Siona Avatar
    Siona

    Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence- Leonardo Da Vinci

  15. Cia Avatar
    Cia

    Thank you Joe! I’m a raving fan…. of your conscience and your company. Long live mosaic tile.

  16. Sally Stephenson Avatar
    Sally Stephenson

    I too appreciated your “helmet” insight and your thoughts above. As a retired RN with over 40 years in the medical field, I too cringe and fear even more then these past few years of idiocy, incompetence, arrogance, immorality and destruction that one person can wreak on our country, our standards, our environment, our democracy!! I’m beyond belief that we’ve allowed all this to happen !! Your forum may not be appreciated by some, but being well educated and a business person, there are many folks here that appreciate your insight and real concern AND your RIGHT to voice them.
    Thank you, Joe for these and I love ALL your educational capabilities 👏👏

  17. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    You have my support Joe. Sometimes we suffer for speaking the truth, but talking about all kinds of inconvenient truths is vital for our future.

  18. Sheri Avatar
    Sheri

    I respect you for posting this despite knowing you will suffer backlash. It’s important not to “leave this out of mosaics.” So many people don’t understand that it is all connected. Thank you for being safe, for taking care of your employees and your customers. It’s all up to individuals these days and I am grateful for your dedication. I really look forward to stocking up on glass tile now!

  19. Judy Masterson Avatar
    Judy Masterson

    Thank you for being so candid with your comments about Donald Trump.

    I was always told to believe 1/2 of what you see and none of what you hear. That being said..
    1. Have you ever met Donald Trump?
    2. Have you ever had business dealings with Donald Trump?
    3. Have you ever had any personal or business relationships with any other president of the United States?

    My observations are that all we really know about any of our presidents is what the news media wants us to hear as well as idle gossip by individuals. That goes for any subject not just politics. It is their personal opinion. Those of us who perpetuate something that we have no clue to be true or have any validity are encouraging this negative behavior. So if we all keep thinking positive and look for the good and not the negative, our world would be a much more peaceful place to live in as God intended.

    1. Joe Moorman Avatar
      Joe Moorman

      Hi Judy,

      As far as business dealings, he took over $60K from my small business last year in the form of tariffs, and then he went on television multiple times and lied to the American public and said that China would pay them. Worse than that, all my peers from my days as a manufacturing engineering assure me that it has only increased their costs and caused a lot of uncertainty that has complicated their ability to launch new products.

      From my experience in several technical fields, I regularly catch Donald Trump and Sean Hannity telling bald-face lies. If someone repeatedly lies to me via video and print, I don’t feel like I need to meet them to know their character or lack thereof.

      No I have not met any US Presidents, but when every living President (Democratic and Republican) tells me not to vote for someone, I trust that unprecedented level of consensus, and I think any reasonable person should too.

      As far as hearsay and opinion, when it came from multiple right-wing wealthy people before Trump entered politics, I can’t see why they would all make stuff up or know to say the same type of stuff when describing their business dealings with him. As far as doubting any of it now, I’ve had ample opportunity to see him in action.

      1. Judy Masterson Avatar

        And yet he was elected! Go figure!

        1. Chris harrison Avatar
          Chris harrison

          “And yet he was elected.”

          Not elected by a majority of the voters.

    2. Charla G Avatar
      Charla G

      Judy,

      It is unrealistic to think that only direct and personal contact with someone is required to form an opinion. That is setting an impossible standard. We obviously cannot all of us have personal or business interactions with everyone in our elected government. That is why we have a free press to cover and report to us, citizens and voters.

      Our news and journalistic professionals are not perfect (TV and cable news in particular) but real reporters are priceless in a democracy that is based on facts and transparency. There is a huge difference between FOX “News” and the Wall Street Journal. Both take a conservative perspective, but Fox News is generally far more biased and slanted, if not misleading and false, than the Wall Street Journal news and analysis reporting. Fox News coordinates their messaging with the President and the Republican Party, which makes it a vehicle of political propaganda rather than traditional journalism.

      Our Founding Fathers enshrined freedom of the press in the First Amendment. It’s right up there with freedom of speech and freedom of religion. We can all complain about “the media” all we want, but that doesn’t mean our democratic republic can function without the news media. If our only source of information is what Donald Trump and FOX News says, then we have entered into an authoritarian regime.

  20. claire brees Avatar

    i loved your previous blog post and in fact, shared it with a few friends. i haven’t done mosaic for a while but it made me want to resume it and support your company! i loved learning about your childhood and early life; it was so engaging and well-written.
    today’s blog about holding your tongue for 3 years seals the deal!
    i’ll be looking over the catalog, my needs, and my budget – and will be submitting an order in the coming days.
    keep fighting the good fight!
    claire

  21. claire brees Avatar
    claire brees

    i loved reading your previous post so much that i forwarded it to friends, including a couple who don’t even make mosaics.
    i also enjoyed very much reading about your childhood and early life – it was so well written and very engaging!
    i haven’t done much mosaic in the last year or two but today’s post sealed the deal. i’ll be looking at your offerings, my needs, and my budget and will be putting in an order in the coming days.
    keep fighting the good fight!
    claire

  22. Ferdinand Quiñones Avatar
    Ferdinand Quiñones

    Joe, my respects to you for calling the truth on Trump. As Obama mentioned, these are the darkest days of the Republic since its creation, reminiscent of what happened in Germany before the war.

  23. Priscilla Perkins Avatar

    Joe, I have learned more about mosaic arts from your website and blog than from any books or videos on the subject. To me, you are *the* authority on making mosaics. I also value the expertise you have gathered about DJT through your professional & scientific experiences. Like the majority of Americans, I made my judgment about DJT by watching what he does (and doesn’t do), and comparing those actions with my own understanding of right and wrong. Just like you, I am very worried about both the physical and economic health of Americans because of DJT’s ignorance, impulsiveness, and poor judgment. Thank you for speaking out.

  24. Earl Avatar
    Earl

    Thank you for standing up and speaking your truth, very much appreciated and you really actually speak for many.
    Keep up the great work,
    Earl.

  25. Kay Avatar
    Kay

    I admire your courage, honesty, and transparency. Everyone has a right to express their opinion and this is your blog, your business and you’ve every right to share how you think and feel. If some customers are unhappy about that, then perhaps they should start their own blog and business.

    I’ve been a loyal customer for years and will continue to be one. Thanks again….may you and your employees stay safe.

  26. Susan Cravey Avatar
    Susan Cravey

    Judy, you asked for specifics…I’ll just name a few… total disregard or understanding of the separation of powers; total disregard or understanding of a free press; no regard for the separation of church and state; no real understanding of economics. I’ll stop now.

    1. Chris Harrison Avatar
      Chris Harrison

      And I’ll add just a few more specifics.
      Obstinate refusal to believe the Russians meddled in the 2016 election, despite overwhelming evidence provided by American investigative agencies, then publicly stating to the world on television that he believes Putin’s denial over American intelligence.
      Sharing classified secret information with his Russian pals in the Oval Office.
      Constantly firing (or threatening to fire) government employees because they don’t pick up and run with his personal political wishes (Sessions, Comey, military advisors, and more).
      Refusing to read or discuss the crucial information in the Daily Presidential Briefings, including the Covid warnings which began in January.
      Telling hundreds of lies to Americans as proven by fact checkers.
      These offenses are not subject to media interpretation. And one does not have to “know” him or “have had business dealings with him” to make a judgment on his actions.

  27. Susan Cravey Avatar
    Susan Cravey

    No discussion on my points. I believe in choice and having control of your own body. I’m 75 years old and my generation fought for these rights and I will keep on doing it until the day I die! If you don’t like abortion, don’t have one! Do you honestly think they will end if the Supreme Court denies this right? If so, you are very naive…no, it will just push them back in the back alleys and a lot of women will die. Wake up!

  28. Lisa Ramirez Avatar

    I really appreciate your speaking the truth to this horrible despicable creep who has been set up by powerful people on the fringe right to over turn US policies and enact laws that favor their corrupt behavior. Can’r wait till November!

  29. Alice Sperling Avatar
    Alice Sperling

    Thanks, Joe. Keep up the fight. I am absolutely on your side!

  30. Pam Anders Avatar
    Pam Anders

    Truth is freedom of speech. We only need to watch & listen to know that we have no leadership in the White House. If people don’t pay attention all the sacrifices our forefathers and our military will be for nought. Forget “party politics “ we need LEADERSHIP ! Not a real estate mogul or golf pro. Well said Joe. We ALL need to stand up for what’s right for EVERYONE in this Country. Time to bury the good ol’ boy favoritisms
    M

  31. Donna Howell Avatar
    Donna Howell

    Rarely do I respond, review or provide feedback …..but, Thank You Joe!!!!! I had to let you know that I laughed out loud on the helmet and wholeheartedly support your views and your business. Not a day goes by that I am not shocked and disappointed by the President of the United States. Really? in America? This cannot be real; Trump, Covid-19, Oil and Gas, no toilet paper…. when will we wake from this nightmare?

  32. Kathy DiGrazia Avatar
    Kathy DiGrazia

    If only other business owners would speak up. Good for you Joe! I’ve always felt this was not a Dem vs Rep issue, it is this particular person we have in office. He is dangerous, and is destroying our once great nation. The world laughs at us now and pities us. November cannot come soon enough. I am so very tired of him.

    Thank you for having the courage to speak out.

    I am just a small time hobbiest, but you’ve got my business.

    Thank you for keeping your employees safe. Especially when so many other businesses are not.

    1. Christine Lombardi Avatar
      Christine Lombardi

      Thanks Joe. And thank you for your patriotism.

  33. PATTY LOCKARD Avatar
    PATTY LOCKARD

    Joe~

    I read your article to my husband and he said if I ever bought mosaic supplies from anyone other than Mosaic Art Supply he would divorce me. 😉

    Patty

    1. Joe Moorman Avatar
      Joe Moorman

      Patty,

      I sure appreciate it. I noticed that the number of hacking attempts of our website went up significantly after the posting. I also noticed that many of the negative comments that attempted to post to our blog used the rhetorical techniques of professional trolls and click-bait writers. I noticed that only 3 or 4 customers wrote negative comments, which were different in character and wording from the blocked comments written by the professional trolls, none of which had ever placed an order.

      My reason for mentioning all international hack attempts and troll posts is that they are a good indication of how much money and organization the Russian-sponsored information war has on its side. You would think that any reasonable person could figure out Trump isn’t good for the country merely from how much visible support he has from Putin and has given Putin (such as withdrawing from Syria without notice to the Pentagon and abandoning the Kurds to the Russians).

      For me, it was enough that every living US President both Democrat and Republican told me not to vote for the guy.

  34. Kristine Buckley Avatar
    Kristine Buckley

    Holy Moly! What a comment feed! I had emailed you in March thanking you for your wonderful products: for allowing non-artists like me to be creative, and what a wonderful community service you provide! But now I’m reading your opinion about the most despicable, corrupt, dangerous president this country has ever had! Yesterday in Tulsa, he ADMITTED that he slowed public Covid testing to keep the numbers low! What kind of a human being does that??? Is he even human? Thank you Joe for speaking the truth, for being brave and sticking to your principles. I’m only ordering my tiles from your company, and in fact, shared your website with a friend just a moment ago. Here’s to the Justice Revolution that has FINALLY arrived!

  35. Bev Avatar
    Bev

    I am a beginner getting ready to start my first mosaic tile project. I stumbled upon your site and comments by accident, doing some research on how to get started. Let me just say, that I will be a new customer maybe replacing one you might have lost, because of your speaking the truth in this crazy time. I am glad to have the opportunity to support businesses that have the guts to speak the truth, and take a stand, which I believe all of us have a responsibility to do when it is necessary. Right now it is necessary and I applaud you for your courage. Once I figure out what I am doing I will be sure to place an order!

  36. Bob Sokolowski Avatar
    Bob Sokolowski

    Thank you for your patriotism. I will continue to use your service and recommend you to my friends and fellow artists. I wish more companies would express this sentiment.

  37. Sassy Galaxy Avatar
    Sassy Galaxy

    It is patriotic to speak out against the corruption of the current President and administration, and doing so in the context of a small business is quite brave as well. Thank you!

  38. debra gilchrist Avatar
    debra gilchrist

    I am buying my first mosaic tile, and have been looking at different sites. I am choosing your site because of you spoke out and are committed to real democracy and a president who cares for Americans not himself.

  39. Patricia Meko Avatar

    Hi Joe,
    As a former New Yorker, residing in NJ- I agree with you 100% about Trump. All of us in the Tri State area were aware of his dirty business for 30 plus years. how anyone could think he was capable of being President is beyond me. Thank you for speaking out. We all need to speak out.

    I will be ordering from you soon.

    Thank you and stay safe,

    Patricia

  40. carole Avatar
    carole

    I am an architect, not a microbiologist, and I could clearly see 20 years ago that Trump is a crook. I could not stand to listen to him then and I can’t stand to now. I still don’t understand how a thug/bully like him is president. I’ve always said his mentality is like a kindergarten bully in a sandbox. Although, his vocabulary is not quite as good as a kindergartener’s.
    Your site is my favorite supply for mosaics.

  41. Dianne Stucki Avatar

    I’m a brand new glass worker, and just considering getting into mosaics. I found this page while searching for beginner information.
    Pretty sure I just found my new supplier. You’re saying the same things my NY friends said five years ago, who were horrified at the idea of giving that man power.

    Of course, it doesn’t hurt that your prices are reasonable and the tiles look beautiful. 😀

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