tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-339575552024-03-19T03:59:13.038-07:00David's blogMy thoughts. What else?Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.comBlogger602125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-89699274644014798032023-05-23T16:21:00.001-07:002023-05-23T16:21:11.010-07:00New blog<p><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">I've been posting at Substack (https://davidheisenberg.substack.com) recently and will continue there. I will also occasionally post here. Mostly, my posts on Substack will be political, because that is mostly what I write about nowadays. It is really not what I like best to write about, but I feel like it is a duty, even if I can persuade one person a year or two to open their eyes and ears, and perhaps console some who are with me, but further along the path of despair. From now on, blogger will become a (at least mostly) non-political forum for me.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-57217277712584487042023-04-02T14:22:00.002-07:002023-04-02T14:22:42.136-07:00The End of American Justice<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I mean this to be an emotional response to the indictment of Donald Trump, not a legal analysis. As such, you will have to forgive me if I say some things I've said before, because they are best way I know to express my thoughts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">When Trump first stuck his head into the spotlight during the Obama era. I immediately thought he'd be the death of the Republican Party. Who but Trump could make Obama look a victim? When Trump ran I was amazed at his success, but was still not a supporter and though I did not vote in 2016, disgusted that it was the best I could do, I was overjoyed at his unexpected victory as a slap in the face to the pathetic remains of our poor excuses for journalists, now reduced to partisan witch hunters, no more dispassionate, realistic or fair than medieval spectators at a heretic burning.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As he took office, I watched like everyone, trying to be as
objective as possible, and could rarely find anything I disagreed with. Not
surprisingly, he turned out to be a moderate, but one who faced the greatest
resistance to his administration </span><span style="font-size: large;">of any president since Lincoln </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">not only from a disloyal opposition, but
also a rabid and frantic media, big tech and never-Trumpers in his own party. And there is no convincing them otherwise but for a few epiphanies. Trump and all his relations and associates, are</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> the "Jews" now, guilty as if by blood.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">From before he took office, the resistance tore into him
with ever growing ferocity. I often refer to one comment I read in the NYTs
(for a half century my favorite media source and now, politically, buffoons) which perhaps few people saw, but I think typifies the mental state
of those suffering with Trump Derangement Syndrome (“TDS”) – “No credit for
Trump ever.” It wasn't a policy prescription. It was a cry of despair by what at least seems to me like a Zombie.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">For a long time, just as their fervor helped him to win the
2016 election, I wrongly believed it would help him win again. I was unaware of what
power the nonstop drive to destroy or even kill him was when combined with the docility
and cravenness of so many in the R party who I often describe as cowards.
Perhaps that's being unfair and their political beliefs just differ from mine,
but Rs struck me then as naive beyond measure in believing that if they keep
turning the other cheek and showing their dedication to great restraint from attacking Ds, the D party
and there even further left compatriots, perhaps I should say in some cases
comrades, will stop punching them in the face, or, in believing that by losing
with dignity and affection for American values, their adversaries will stop lying,
exaggerating, falsifying, and acting in general like fascists.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">None of this is easy to say. Some people afflicted with TDS are
among my favorite people in the world. They are my family and friends and I
trust, like, love, respect all of them - except when they try and talk about Trump
and sound to me like zombies repeating the anti-Trump mantras while they at least symbolically put their head through brick walls and glass windows
seeking to devour him. To quote one friend of mine I have always thought of as
kind, intelligent and level-headed, “I don’t care what happens to me or America
so long as Trump is defeated.” I’m sure that many a German said something
similar in supporting Hitler. They were so frightened by communism, they
embraced one of, if not the worst dictators in modern history, and even looked at him with respect and awe. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Perhaps the virus has so far spread as to infect everyone,
so that even most of those who support him cannot truly like him. I know that
describes me. Virtually every R or conservative I know on Long Island almost
reflexively says before they praise him, something like “I don't really like
him, but. . . .“<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Often there are two valid arguments, sometimes more. That is so in many court decisions of which I have a difficult time coming to a conclusion. But, quite some time ago, in the 00s, I know I stopped feeling that way. As I have written endlessly here (I say it so you won't), the left is heading down a path the Nazis headed down before them and though it happens differently each time, it always ends up the same - with coercion, violence and many deaths. They do not care about logic, shame or decency. They are just determined to win.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">But, that doesn't mean I think there are just fascists (like Pelosi, Schumer, Antifa and many others) and good guys. Many Biden supporters are not fascists. My friends and family are not fascists. I believe (and they would vehemently disagree) that they are hypnotized by their media or unable to see past the left-wing rhetoric they were raised on (as I was for many years) and are not motivated to self-educate, which took me years. I've long been fascinated by why so many decent people went along with horrid ideologies like Nazism and Bolshevism. No doubt they thought they were the good guys too. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">There are many answers as to why that happened, and I am not getting that deep here, but I will say that it seems it is not hard to accomplish for groups that are energetic and relentless enough. A little read book these days is the 1955 book by American journalist Milton Mayer, who moved himself and his wife into post-war Germany to investigate why ordinary people became Nazis. Those he interviewed in the town he settled in knew he was an American journalist, but not that he was Jewish. To his surprise, at some point, he realized that the former Nazis had become his friends. No doubt, because they - like him, all of us - were just people.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I have no doubt that any of my friends or family considering that they are following fascists would be, if not outraged, amused at what they would take as my delusions and alarmist beliefs. They should read Yeonmi Park, the North Korean refugee who went to Columbia University and has written on what she saw there and how we are following the same pathways the North Koreans did. They should talk to people who were raised in Communist countries.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I am not advocating conservatism at all. I have no more use for stubborn resistance to change than I do for its leftist opposite. I love the G. K. Chesterton (who wrote many things, including the Father Brown stories) chestnut: "<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected." Frankly, if you believe you are a moderate, but you aren't against the people I think are fascist, I likely wouldn't consider you moderate (for which there is no penalty, and I'm sure they think the same of me). Moderate doesn't just mean in the middle. Not to me, anyway. I used to write long posts on these types of issues, but I haven't in a while. I've already expressed myself and it takes a long, sustained effort to convince anyone of anything, and that's only if they are open to being convinced that they could be wrong about something. They usually start out with negative emotions. I did.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Indeed, socially, times are difficult. Since his election we
have become fragmented to a far greater degree than we have been since the
Civil War. I lived through the sixties and though I was young then and not
politically motivated or knowledgeable, I did not miss the riots, political
assassinations and extremism. This is different. It has stifled conversation to
an unprecedented degree. Polls show how great it has become. Dinner table
conversation at holidays has changed, people do not feel free to speak their
minds out of fear of cancellation, rousing the anger of friends or family or
even losing their livelihoods. The mere mention of Trump can send people into rages, unable to have a conversation or see any argument as rational that doesn't have their chosen result, not able even to see civil conservation as anything but provocation and an attempt to deceive. Though this has always been true of people in large on any side, it has become a core emotional component of many anti-Trump warriors. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I make no mistake about it. NY's fascist AG and NYC's fascist DA take political prisoners. The State failed to figure out a crime against him, because there were none. The DOJ and even the FEC tried and stopped because it wasn't close. This isn't a case of . . . Well, let's hear the facts. We already know most of the allegations. It is simply about revenge, anger and trying to prevent him from running again. Like with Obi-wan Kenobi, I hope striking him down makes him stronger. He now has my full support, without few reservations, even though I feel DeSantis has a better chance against the Empire, even though I fear he has come off the wheels as a result of the relentless attacks.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I could go off here on a tangent as how the anti-Trump feelings are aligned with western culture destroying social justice/woke/cancel culture, but I decline. I'll just end with a few quotes I saw online that resonated:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><u>John Turley</u>, a widely respected attorney and professor, a decent man who is somehow, despite all he has written about modern Democrats, still one:</span></p><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background: white;">"This
indictment, if it is reportedly following the theory that we've been talking
about, is political. It's a raw political prosecution.</span><span style="background: white;">"</span></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">*</span></span></p>
<p class="continue-read-break" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"First of all, it's a federal
crime the Department of Justice chose not to prosecute. Bragg's own predecessor
declined to prosecute it, but he is attempting to bootstrap that federal crime
into a state case. And if that is the basis for the indictment, I think it's
rather outrageous. I think it's legally pathetic." </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="continue-read-break" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><u>Joe Tacopina</u>, one of Trump's attorneys.</span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“In my opinion—and I don’t say this with pride or
pleasure—in my 32 years as a lawyer, both as a prosecutor and a defense
attorney, I feel like the rule of law died yesterday in this country.”</span><span style="color: #2f2f2f;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><u>Tulsi Gabbard,</u> former D, who has run for the hills when she realized what her party had become.</span></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">"The politicized indictment of Trump is just the latest example of the Dem establishment putting their own person & partisan political interest ahead of the interests of the American people & our country. It's a despicable, extremely dangerous turning point for our country.</span></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><u>Alan Dershowitz,</u> another D (somehow) pointing out that the ostracism of any NY juror by NYers who felt he/she was in some way responsible for an acquittal would be worse than the ostracism he had faced on Martha's Vinyard:</span></span></p><p class="articleparagraph" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.15pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“Nobody
would ever speak to them again. There’s no possibility he could get
a fair trial in Manhattan.”</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Bill Barr, former AG (twice), who has made many unflattering and damaging remarks about Trump:</span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">"It’s
the archetypal abuse of the prosecutorial function to engage in a political hit
job, and it’s a disgrace. If it turns out to be what we
think it is politically, it’s going to be damaging to the Republican Party
simply because I think it’s a no-lose situation for the Democrats."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“From
what I understand, it’s a pathetically weak case."</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><u>Mike Pence</u>, who has no reason to be Trump's friend:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">“The
indictment of a former president of the United States on a campaign finance
issue [would send] a terrible message to the wider world about American
justice. There
are dictators and authoritarians around the world that will point to that to
justify their own abuse of their own so-called justice system.”</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><u>Nancy Pelosi</u>, once again trying to make her fascism even more obvious:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">"No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial</span> <span style="color: red;">to prove innocence."</span></span></p><p><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-57092335616801427542023-03-19T09:11:00.001-07:002023-03-19T09:26:30.355-07:00What is woke?<p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, I see that the interview of an anti-woke commentator went viral because she froze and couldn't define "woke." I saw the headline but didn't bother watching it, because - does it matter? If someone is anti-fascist, and yet can't define it (I'm sure many people would have difficulty), does that mean there is no such thing as fascism or being against it. Many people would disagree with one another on what and who are fascist. It's only used in a positive way by those who almost everyone deplores. E.g., to me, there are few groups more fascist in our country than Antifa, despite its name. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In any event, though it is very hard to define ideologies - I've even realized my own definition of fascism probably wasn't good enough - I'd like to jump in with a suggestion, the same way I make top ten sports lists, even though there are usually more than ten people who deserve to be on it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Lincoln wrote about different views on the same word: </span></p><h1 class="quoteText" style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-size: medium;">“The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name, liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names, liberty and tyranny. The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty, especially as the sheep was a black one. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty.”</span></h1><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, what is woke? It is actually similar to fascism, which I remind you is different every time it arises but ends up pretty much the same way. Now, a dictionary, the modern makers of which are often (it seems) left-wing, would define it differently than I do. For example, Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, whose editors are probably woke themselves, defines it as: <span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"<span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #303336; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; font-weight: 700; text-align: center;">1</span><span class="mw_t_bc" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: bolder; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">: </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That's nonsense, of course, because it describes everyone from followers of Martin Luther King, Jr. to Nazis. The two just would just have different versions of what social justice (which, in reality, is the opposite of justice). The woke are left-wing in our society, and they do not agree with Nazis or MLK, Jr., whose philosophy they treat with contempt, despite giving lip service to his celebration.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's my first attempt. I may refine it later on:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Woke is: <b>"A fascist religious and political movement in which proponents seek to replace positive achievements like success through merit and character with superficial characteristics such as race and gender, often rely on falsehoods to support their cause and use coercion, intimidation and violence to obtain their goals."</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, some will argue, but fascism is only an antiquated Italian movement (which, it was, but we still use the word today to mean other things that are similar to that movement. And, some will define it as right-wing and others as left, but it can be either. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are many other things I could say about being woke. It's anti-democratic, anti-capitalistic, anti-humanitarian, etc. There have been books on it. The above covers the definition nut and for once I will end my post quickly. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-91460313894781679462023-02-27T10:13:00.002-08:002023-02-27T10:13:50.765-08:00The Seven Pillars of Fascism IV<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">We covered the first factor on October 14, 2021 and are now up to IV. If you don't know what I mean, go read the first few paragraphs of that post and come back.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: georgia;">The fascist uses force or intimidation to coerce
people to accept their political will.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fascist claim that they are victims and that their
opponents are oppressors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fascist creates a false scapegoat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The fascist seeks to divide and often uses race,
ethnicity and and/or religion to do it.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fascist gains control of critical social
institutions, like the media, the police and the education system.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fascist is dishonest and often uses fake crises or
exaggerates them in order to more easily take or maintain power.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">The fascist takes complete control of the law and all
facets of society within his or her reach – not just the reins of government.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"> The divisions in our sick society have grown greatly. These have been implemented almost exclusively, in recent times, by left wing politicians, businesses, radicals, media figures or bureaucrats. The easiest to recognize is the efforts to divide by race. This isn't hard, especially in the most diverse country in the world and where some historic race or ethnic groups have been oppressed </span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">(if anything, though not educated as a result of left-wing policies, they are not oppressed now. If anything, they are privileged in terms of laws and even legal case outcomes in certain areas, like NYC and Washington, DC.) The major teacher's unions and many school districts controlled by the left have instituted Critical Race Theory programs aimed at the lie that blacks (although often governed by black mayors and police commissioners) are somehow oppressed and worse, that whites, including little children, are privileged (quite the opposite now) and even oppressors.</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Another way this is being actively promulgated now is by the Equity Diversity and Inclusion boondoggle which Biden is foisting upon federal employees and the military. But, it is not him alone. All of the Fortune 500 companies and many others have forced it on employees, one way or another, and some of them are heinous programs. When it becomes part of government, you lose the rule of law.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"> But, Biden is the leader in the cultural insurrection, and his remarks seeking to make racial division ubiquitous and unending are many. Some that come right to mind are frequent comments of claiming systemic racism (despite the two term Obama presidency), saying of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan (who are two of Democrats' favorite Republicans when they weren't running for office) "</span><span style="background-color: white;">They’re gonna put you all back in chains,” multiple attempts to make relief programs race-based (and, you got it, not including poor whites) which were blocked by courts, his claim that only whites can be racist, repeatedly calling Trump a racist (for things like stopping Chinese flights to America at the inception of Covid-19, which probably saved untold lives), and so on. I've gone on before about Biden lies, but this is the same guy who opposed busing (he now says only federally mandated busing, but, of course, lies), who was the force behind the 1994 crime bill so hated by the black communitycalled by Joe "the Biden crime bill," who called Obama "</span><span style="background-color: white;">the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." </span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Biden has also divided us with the Covid-19 mandate onslaught and even his hate speech against those who did not wish to vaccinate, and also against anyone who doesn't want his daughter sharing restrooms with biological males or wants them to have the chance to compete against other women and not men. He would brag about these attempts, and if you aren't aware of them, you don't want to be.</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;">I don't think I need to spend any time talking about how Hitler and his cronies used race and religion to divide Germany and demonize its citizens. </span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> As I've said more than once here - fascism happens differently every time. But it always ends up the same, with oppression and violence and a despotic government. We've already started down that path, and though not yet on the level of a Hitler or Mussolini, we are heading in that direction, and quickly.</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-89402360001302286232023-01-28T08:30:00.005-08:002023-01-29T06:10:40.462-08:00Mikaela Shiffrin is the greatest athlete in the world right now.<p>Part of me was thinking, why not wait another short while until she ties or breaks Ingemar Stenmark's record. But, really, why? Absent some catastrophic event, she will smash his record and keep going.</p><p>Do you even know who she is? Even the U.S. media mostly ignores her. I'm a World Cup ski racing fan for a while, but never so much as since she has been racing. To use an adjective for her like marvelous or incredible is just not enough. My title is that she's the greatest athlete in the world right now, probably has for some years, and sticking with it.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6ZWON4NVHGbCm-xRAT2IlExCBWhmHcisNDH-DTYm15kA5lr5S1ZNGe4v6m6Bv-zr4QOQEGAPMwFi54Ic4MmkXTa16QWrq26pX2fnsZY8NpC_8g6HTrQkOZNqR_uDLKdY0U6dUbQW4fc8U42GPBwFTDJCL337wr5RlyBWyw1CQs9a6KWMQXg/s588/World%20Cup%202019%20Killington.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="588" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6ZWON4NVHGbCm-xRAT2IlExCBWhmHcisNDH-DTYm15kA5lr5S1ZNGe4v6m6Bv-zr4QOQEGAPMwFi54Ic4MmkXTa16QWrq26pX2fnsZY8NpC_8g6HTrQkOZNqR_uDLKdY0U6dUbQW4fc8U42GPBwFTDJCL337wr5RlyBWyw1CQs9a6KWMQXg/s320/World%20Cup%202019%20Killington.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Leave aside that if she skis a few more years, she may put the record out of reach for generations. No one who is skiing these days is even remotely close to her. Laura Gut-Behrami has 36 golds lifetime. Petra Vhlova, Mikaela's other biggest competitor, has 27. 85-36-27. Mikaela had 11 golds in World Cup skiing this year, so far, with a couple of months to go. Petra Vhlova, an awesome skiier herself, is number two overall this year but behind by an insurmountable margin. She has one gold this year. Just one. The skier closest in golds this year to Mikaela has 4. 11 to 4. In the men's division, Mikaela's boyfriend, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and Marco Odermatt both have 7. But, that's normal for most top skiers of the year. Mikaela has a number of times gone over 10 wins. One year Mikaela had 17 victories, something no one else male or female has ever approached. She is next in line herself with 14 (tied with Vreni Schneider).</p><p>Mostly ski fans just pay attention to who has the most wins. But, consider this. Mikaela's win record is 35.42%. She wins more than one third of all the races she is in. In skiing, where even the best of them can ski off course in a fraction of a second and where she has awesome competition every race, including races that are not in her specialty (which is slalom), that is incredible. To compare, Lindsay Vonn, easily the second greatest women skier ever had a 20.8% win record. By analogy, it's like what Babe Ruth did when he started shattering home run records.<span face="HelveticaNeueW01-55Roma, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span face="HelveticaNeueW01-55Roma, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white;">I pulled these off of: </span></span><a href="https://www.teamusa.org/News/2023/January/28/The-ski-world-and-beyond-reacts-to-Mikaela-Shiffrins-recordbreaking-accomplishments">The ski world, and beyond, reacts to Mikaela Shiffrin’s record-breaking accomplishments (teamusa.org)</a>. </p><p><span style="background-color: white;">Mikaela is the only skier, male or female to have won all six </span>alpine disciplines: Slalom, parallel slalom (where you run multiple races against opponents), Giant Slalom, Super Giant Slalom, Downhill and Combined (Downhill and Slalom). </p><p>She has many other records (e.g., most ever in one discipline) and was the youngest to win any number of events and records, too many for me to want to track down. I'm just celebrating her.</p><p>Ironically, though she had a bad Olympics in 2022 and for some people, who don't watch World Cup racing, that is what is most important (it's not so much by the racers or fans), she is actually tied for the winningest American Olympic Skier of all time with 2 golds (and she has a silver) and is the youngest ever slalom Olympic champion amongst everyone. She has not had a great Olympic record only for her because expectations were insane - anyone else would be overjoyed. Lindsay Vonn had only one gold and one bronze. Marcel Hirsher of Austria, who retired a couple of years ago much younger than people expected but was also the best male skier of his generation, had the same three Olympic medals as Mikaela and Ingemar Stenmark, had slightly less, 2 golds and one bronze. Though there are skiers with better Olympic records, and they are great skiers themselves, no one puts them in the same class as the four just named. My point is, she did great in the Olympics, but it is not really what counts in the ski world any more than it is in many sports, like basketball or boxing.</p><p>There are other records to be broken and she may end up with many of them. But, skiing is a very difficult sport and she may injure herself or lose her drive, as some others have done. We will see. Right now, I'd say she is the greatest athlete living still competing (I would put Simone Biles in her class before she retired) and probably the greatest alpine skier, male or female, ever.</p><p>Okay, I'm done. Happy if you just know her name now.</p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-17855294058172427262023-01-07T06:10:00.001-08:002023-01-07T06:10:42.076-08:00Am I heartless for my take on the Damar Hamlin Situation?<p>First, because I am really not heartless, I am as happy as everyone else that Damar was immediately seen to, the game was paused (obviously), that he was rushed to a hospital and he has recovered so much.</p><p>What I don't agree with was that they didn't finish the game, or at the very least, continue the next day right where they left off. Football is a brutal game. I rarely watch anymore, but even before I stopped watching (because I hate the NFL, not because I stopped loving the game), I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the injuries. But, that is up to the players, not me.</p><p>Stopping a game and not replaying it in the NFL is fairly new. Has it ever happened before? I don't know. But if it did, it is rare. When Dennis Byrd was paralyzed, they finished the game. When Chuck Hughes had a heart attack on the field in 1971, they also finished. </p><p>Just because they used to do that, doesn't make it right (or wrong), of course. The questions for me are, does not finishing the game harm the stricken athlete and does it hurt anyone else?</p><p>My answers are it doesn't hurt the player at all - he's being taken care of. It does hurt the little people, the ones who are selling the jerseys, hats, food, etc. Yes, it's an economic reason, but not one for the NFL (they already get paid by the networks, which is the big money). For the average guy or gal whose livelihood is connected to that game. You may not care because you have enough money. I'm sure some of them cared because they don't. If the NFL pays them, I'll feel better about that. I wouldn't count on it. With that reason, I add a second. It hurts the integrity and competitiveness of the sport. Teams play 17 games now. But two, the Bengals and the Bills will play one less game. Because it is such a physical game, wear and tear in football is all too real. The Bills and Bengals players will have played, essentially, one game less (it was early in the first quarter when he got hurt). One less game for someone else to get hurt.</p><p>You may think my reasons are not good enough, but tell me how it would have hurt Damar for it to go on in comparison. .I bet if he wasn't afraid of the outcry, so would Damar. The NFL is delighted at the exchange between him and his doctor when he came to. Apparently, right away he wanted to know if his team won. He asked because he <i>presumed </i>they would have continue playing. Why wouldn't he? He cared who won, because it was that's a big part of the reason he sacrifices his body so much (though what happened to him seems like a rare accident). I realize I can't prove it, but I really don't need to do so. I think the circumstantial evidence is strong.</p><p>Once they decided not to continue that day or the next, there was no way they could fit the game in later before the Playoffs without making some players play twice within three days. So, they have aMaybe. </p><p>If I knew they couldn't fit the game in later, so did the NFL. As always, my belief is that they love to show their virtue, something Goodell and the league excel at, even if they are screwing people at the same time. As long as they have the media on their side, they do it. And, boy, do they have the media on their side. I would not be surprised that if some sportscasters without a lot of clout offered my opinion, they'd be fired.</p><p>What precedent does this set for the future? It will happen again, hopefully not so often, and I guess they have to always do it when a player is seriously hurt. What counts? Concussion? I seriously doubt it. Knocked unconscious? Maybe, maybe not if they can't bring him to on the field. Severely fractured arm or leg, possibly when bone is showing? I don't know. And if they don't and someone thinks they should have, doesn't that put the league in a bad light. Shouldn't the players revolt?</p><p>It probably won't happen so much it will make a difference. But, this was a bad precedent.</p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-88965958198951854812023-01-07T03:40:00.002-08:002023-01-07T03:40:41.020-08:00The Courts' policy-making problem. <p>Do I find the recent public statements of Sonia Sotomayor
disturbing? Oh, yes. She and some of her colleagues have a deep bias against
democracy and look at the court of as a policy-making branch of government.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She spoke very recently at an association of law schools,
being interviewed by the dean of the very, very, very left-wing Berkely
University Law School. She expressed “shell-shock,” was left “deeply sad” and
felt “despair” over the direction the country was going after the last term. A
lot of us do, but not for the same reasons she does. Why does she feel this way?
She was smart enough not to mention any particular case, but we all know why (tell
me I’m wrong, but tell me the other cases). Because the Supreme Court ruled
what even Ruth Ginsberg knew was logical, that Roe v. Wade was overturned and
the power to determine the laws about abortion were left to the states and strengthened
the 2<sup>nd</sup> Amendment. Maybe Dobbs was enough and that’s what I will
discuss.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Roe had been a compromise by the Court in 1973 to stop the
policy turmoil over abortion, possibly the most controversial and emotional
political subject there is. It succeeded to some degree to take the issue out
of presidential campaigns (not the court’s job), but it became the focus of
almost every Supreme Court confirmation hearing (and therefore, in presidential
campaigns, who will he/she appoint to the Court) and that power really was the
remaining impact on presidential races. At hearings, they were always asked,
especially by Democrats things like - Would the justice overturn Roe v. Wade?
Does the Justice consider Roe super-precedent, whatever that means?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Court only exists – at least in theory – to determine what
the law is on actual controversies that come before it and make a judgment
applying the law to the case. They are also supposed to be dispassionate and
not make policy. But, that is exactly what it seems Sotomayor wants to do (often
some of the conservative judges, but it’s almost always a turn left). It’s
wrong. It’s anti-constitutional, it’s anti-democratic. Elected legislators and executives
are supposed to make laws, and only if challenged, the courts to make sure they
are not unconstitutional. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dobbs did not outlaw abortion. Not even a little. It just
gave it back to the states. The left has routinely exaggerated its effect,
possibly because of media driven ignorance, probably more so for political
purposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Biden has said that officials
at the University of Idaho have been told they can get in trouble for even
talking about or counseling on abortion. <a href="https://cnsnews.com/commentary/bill-donohue/biden-exploits-dobbs-ruling-overturned-roe-v-wade">Biden
Exploits Dobbs Ruling That Overturned Roe v. Wade | CNSNews</a>. Like many
things he says, it was just a complete falsehood (the State of Idaho prohibits
the schools from using state money to promote abortion, the same thing our
federal government does – but do not prohibit talking or counseling about
it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NY Governor Hochul said that the
Supreme Court took away the right to abortion for millions of people. <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/statement-governor-hochul-supreme-courts-ruling-dobbs-v-jackson">Statement
from Governor Hochul on Supreme Court’s Ruling in Dobbs V. Jackson | Governor
Kathy Hochul (ny.gov)</a>. Governor Newsome said that the US was rolling back
rights and controlling women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://ktla.com/news/california/newsom-says-apparent-supreme-court-abortion-decision-is-about-controlling-women/">Newsom
on pending Supreme Court abortion decision: It’s about controlling women | KTLA</a>.
These statements aren’t true because the Supreme Court did not rule on whether
women could get an abortion, but that the States need to decide, and if you
follow the fallout, many states have increased the potential for more
abortions, even some red states. Some might argue that that’s what Hochul and
Newsome meant, but, if so, why didn’t they say it? Because it’s always about the
narrative and politics. Kamala has compared pro-lifers to slave owners. <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/kamala-harris-compares-end-of-roe-to-slavery/">Kamala
Harris Compares End of ‘Roe’ to Slavery | National Review</a> even though
killing a fetus at least 5 weeks old is literally taking a women’s life, half
of the time. AOC, Pelosi and Waters have all called one way or another for what
sure sounds like insurrection to me. <a href="https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/robert-spencer/2022/06/25/pelosi-calls-on-abortion-supporters-to-rise-up-make-republicans-regret-what-theyve-done-n1608029">Pelosi
Wants Dobbs Uprising: 'Normal Response Won’t Suffice’ – PJ Media</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sotomayor also said in her interview that she will continue
to tilt at windmills, and to “fight.” But, she’s not a litigator. She’s a
justice. She means fight against other justices, which sure sounds like there
are Obama judges and Trump judges, regardless of what Justice Roberts wants to
believe. She swore to uphold the Constitution, not the Democrat Party, not
liberal politics. Even in the Dobbs dissent by the three liberal justices,
appointed by Clinton and Obama (one Justice has been replaced by another
liberal Justice), there was no argument that a right to abortion is actually
found in the constitution, though they argue it is intertwined with “rights”
that have been found. Read the dissent. They mostly argued policy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t really want to go into abortion policy here. Raised
pro-choice, never hearing anyone I knew have a different position, I had to do
a lot of soul searching and acknowledge that what I had learned and adopted was
wrong for so long. For a long while I am <i>mostly</i> pro-life, at least
starting when there is a detectable heartbeat, and admit that I may be wrong in
not being against even earlier abortion. And I know many fiercely disagree.
That’s not the question. The question is of the function of the Courts and the
future of democracy (which, I also have pointed out here, the left, whatever
they pretend, have striven to undermine - court action is one way).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One Justice, hated by the left, Clarence Thomas, had the
courage to say that some other cases where rights were found similarly also
wrongly decided them on policy grounds and should be reversed, the decisions
left to the states. Though I don’t agree on all of them, his point was that we
are a democracy and if our state has laws we cannot tolerate, we have a
political process that can theoretically change it, or, we can leave the state
(obviously, everyone can’t just leave). Part of the political process includes
review of the law by courts, if a case is brought, to see if the constitution
prohibits it, not to see if the judges like the policies. Personally, I hate some
of the policies and especially some of the politicians in New York State. I
still have to abide by the laws, like them or not.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Judicial activism and partisanship, like Roe, is not a new
problem. It has always existed. But, it got worse after Roe and it’s very much
open political warfare now. As I said, it is not always the left, as
conservative Justices sometimes veer left too for whatever reasons they have,
but it is more so a problem on the left wing. Rarely it is Justice Alito, who
wrote Dobbs, or Justice Thomas, although I can't say never. Dobbs though was an easy decision. There's no question the Court usurped the power of the States.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course, Sotomayor is likely on the Court for life and she
will continue to fight for left wing policies. It’s not her job, but there is nothing
we can do about it. Because we have a Constitution. And that is a small part of
what is left of it.<o:p></o:p></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-53177620419223734282022-12-31T13:54:00.001-08:002023-01-02T15:44:02.126-08:00The Last Holiday Spectacular?<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">As I contemplate ending my blog next year, I have to wonder whether there will be a Holiday Spectacular next year. I don't know. My reasons for ending this blog, if I do, will await that fatal day. But I started this in 2006 without any expectation it would last more than a few weeks or months, so despite the general low readership (one year it drew several thousands of page hits a month for a while, but usually much lower), I can't say it was a failed experiment and I enjoyed it.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;">You could certainly make an argument that the Holiday Spectacular is really not a spectacular but just a messy conglomeration of what I am thinking about in terms of the holidays and top ten lists, and you would be pretty accurate, but this blog has always been foremost about what I am thinking - its sub-heading - and if I say "Spectacular" - then that's it:</span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #1d1d1d; font-size: medium;"><b>“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said
in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean — neither
more nor less.”<br />
“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many
different things.”<br />
“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – – that’s all.”</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><i><span style="background-color: #01ffff; border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: medium; padding: 0in;"><b>Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass</b></span></i></span></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ten Best New Books I read this year</b>:</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;">10<i>. The Son </i>by Phillip Meyers - A gift. I had not heard of it. I was pleasantly surprised by this picaresque saga of the McCullough family, starting with Eli, kidnapped by Indians in the mid-1800s and ending in modern times with the rich family matron's elderly years. It has a lot of messages, some realistic characterizations, including of Indians, the oil industry, heartbreak, family dysfunction, mental illness, genocide, coming-of-age, and so forth.</span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">9.<i> Cinderella Man</i> by Jeremy Schaap. About the unlikely world heavyweight champion James J. Braddock. You can figure out what it's about by the title. Great story. Inspiring.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">8. <i>Woke Racism</i> by John McWhorter. He's one of my favorite writers, period. Professionally a linguist, and one of my two favorite writers on that subject too, he's also my favorite writer on race issues. This one is about the new woke religion and how to defeat it. He figures, he says, that being black, he can get away with writing this common sense without being canceled.</span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">7. <i>Bretherton </i>by W. F. Morris. This is a wonderful WWI novel by a veteran that is hard to even describe, but a war story and a mystery story wrapped in one. One of a kind.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;"><a name="_Hlk120292956"><span>6<i>. </i></span></a><i>American Dirt by Jeanne Cummins</i><span> - Given to me by a very pro-immigrant family member, I expected it to be righteous, dishonest and annoying, but it wasn't at all. What it was, was a great story of a mother and son running from a cartel's leader who had murdered her husband and wanted to kill her and their child (because, you know, he loved her). It was dramatic, fun and inspiring.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a name="_Hlk120292956"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">5<i>. Metropolis </i>by Phillip Kerr - This is just one of the Phillip Kerr historical novels I read this year about Bernie Gunther, who raised in Germany, became a detective co-opted by the Nazis, who he hated, but couldn't get away from. There are a lot of great WWII novels, and he writes some of the best.</span></a></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;"><span>4. </span><i>Nancy Wake</i><span> by Peter Fitzimmons. This is a biography of a female partisan in France during WWII (she was Australian) who was unbelievably tough and effective. So much so, it makes other books I've read on women spies during the war seem tame. You read about people like this and wonder what happened to us. And it also leads us to another book on the list a couple of spots below.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><span>3<i>. </i></span><i>A Means to Freedom: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard 1933-1936</i><span>. Oh My God, could these two guys write. They were educated, interesting and racist by today's standards. They were also very different and would, through voluminous and often brilliantly written letters, and fight over their views, furiously, but politely. This is the second volume. It ends with a letter to Lovecraft, Robert Howard (who wrote the Conan stories, among others, if you didn't know) from Howard's father, explaining that faced with his mother's impending death, his son blew his own brain's out. I already knew what happened, but still shocking.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: medium;"><span>2</span><i>. Anne of Green Gables</i><span> - by Lucy M. Montgomery. D</span><span>on't mock me. Wherever Nancy Wake (see two spots above) went she carried two of the books in this series - the first and third. So, I gave these books </span><span>a chance</span><span> knowing they were kind of young adult stories about a red-headed orphan who positively affects almost everyone around her written well over a century ago. And, like most everyone in the book, I fell in love with her. It was a better world in many ways. </span></span></p></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">1<i>. The Collapse of the Third Republic</i> by William L. Shirer - Most famous for his works on Germany in the 1930s-1940s like Berlin Diary and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. But this volume is on France's disastrous 20th century and particularly its embarrassingly incompetent fight and surrender to the Nazis. Learned a lot and in a sad way, enjoyed every word of it. Fascinating.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Did you know this Christmas stuff:</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;">Charles Dickens got the idea for <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, easily the pinnacle of all Xmas stories, taking a walk after a charity event. He wrote the novella over about six weeks in October and November, 1843, and it came out less than a week before Christmas, almost immediately selling out. It was an immediate sensation. Dickens became, as far as we know, the first famous writer to publicly read his own work.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;">*</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">Richard Wagner, that bastard, but also one of my favorite composers, was married to Minna, and actress. One of his best friends was Hans von Bulow, a famous conductor and champion of Wagner's music. His wife, Cosima, was the daughter of Franz Liszt. Despite the huge age difference and her marriage, Cosima gave birth to three children by Wagner, after which von Bulow finally divorced her, allowing her to marry Wagner (Minna had already died) in 1870. Cosima's birthday was Christmas Eve. When she awoke at Villa Tribschen in (now) Lucerne, Switzerland that Christmas Day, she was serenaded by members of a local orchestra set up on the Villa stairs. The music eventually became known as <i>Siegfried's Idyll</i>, named after their third child, a boy, and later, adapted, became part of Wagner's famous Ring Cycle.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;">*</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;">George Washington took his men on a secret mission, having them cross the Delaware River on Christmas Day night, during a raging storm, attacking Hessian unprepared and drunken troops the next morning in Trenton, gaining an overwhelming victory, before re-crossing with their prisoners. </span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;">*</span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">“It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us-the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage-may-eventually be gathered together in heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss-except the inventor of the telephone.”</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">Just before Xmas, Mark Twain wrote that letter to the editor of the New York World. Why did he except Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. Maybe to be funny. But, also, some years earlier, Twain, had been offered lots of initial stock in Bell's company, and turned it down, instead lending money to a friend who almost immediately went bankrupt. When he wrote that letter, Twain was financially reeling. Had he bought the stock, things would have perhaps been different. Who knows? And who knows if that is why he sent Alexander Graham Bell to hell?</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">*</p></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: medium;">Laurel and Hardy's <i>March of the Wooden Soldiers</i> (or <i>Babes in Toyland</i>) is still one of my all-time favorite movies. But, the boys also made a Hal Roach short film called <i>Big Business </i>which was deemed culturally significant enough to be preserved in the National Film Registry. The boys are door-to-door Christmas Tree salesman and end up in a row with a potential customer who destroys their car while they destroy his house. According to Hal Roach, he bought a vacant home to be destroyed. But, a mistake was made and the house next store was destroyed while the owners were away. True? I don't know. Stan Laurel said it wasn't. Roach says it is. It's still a good story.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ten best all-time comedy acts</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">I may have actually covered this before, but my views are always changing a little. I answered a question about it on twitter recently (I finally went on this year to support Elon Musk, but it is fun - I really don't participate very much, but love the animal videos).</span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">The hard part is putting it in order, but I am sure my rankings will change with every swift wind:</span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Bill Cosby (I know he's a rapist, but, still a great comic)
2. George Carlin (he got a little raw for me towards the end, but more than anything, his wordplay was genius)
</span><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Don Rickles (The king of insults)</span></span></div><div><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Robin Williams (There is no competition for improv)
5. Richard Pryor (I have cried laughing listening to him)
6. Eddie Murphy (Ditto)
7. Burns & Allen (I love listening to the short little bits they did to close their show, usually ending with "Say Goodnight, Gracie." "Goodnight, Gracie."
8. Rodney Dangerfield (A genius of one liners)
9. Henny Youngman (The original genius of one liners)
10. Bob Hope (Thanks for the memories, Bob)</span></div><div><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Runners-up: David Steinberg, Dennis Miller</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Christmas Song List</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Every year for quite a while I present a best of Christmas song list in the Holiday Spectacular. It doesn't change much year to year, but it does a little. This is the new one:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="color: #38761d;">1. <i>Fairytale of New York</i>. </span><span style="color: red;">I learned recently that my favorite Xmas tune has been the most popular Xmas tune in Britain </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">so far </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: inherit;">this century. It's about a guy in a drunk tank who is thinking about his past love who he met in New York some years ago. I guess in his mind, they both join in singing about their romance, first joyously, then insultingly. But, in the end, it's his optimism, with no reason we can see, that makes the song a tearjerker. I'd listen to it with the lyrics in hand if you have not tried it before as Shane MacGowan, the lead male singer, was probably drunk and with a tough raspy accent. Kirsty MacColl, on the other hand, sings clear as a bell. She died young in a tragic accident, but love her stuff, which I have listened to more and more. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="color: #38761d;">2. </span></span></span></span><i style="color: red;">New York City Christmas </i><span style="color: red;">by Rob Thomas. </span><span style="color: #38761d;">Still my number 2, it's almost perfect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span><i>3. </i></span></span></span><span><i>Baby, it's c</i></span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">old ou</span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">t</span><span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">side. </span><span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">At one point it was no. 1. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I still love it and it might get to be no. 1 again. The great Frank Loesser wrote it for his wife, Lynn, to sing at Christmas parties. She was furious when he sold it to the movies. The Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer version is my favorite and Leon Redbone and Zooey </span>Deschanel's<span style="font-family: inherit;"> version next. But there are many.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">4. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Cool Yule</i>. A </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">Steve Allen song sung by </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">Louis Armstrong. Climbed up a notch this year.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></span><span><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #38761d;">5. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><i>Game of Bells</i>. A combination of the theme from <i>Game of Thrones </i>and <i>Silver Bells</i> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">by LJE, three French women, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: inherit;">is just great.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: red;">6. </span></span><span><span><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: red;">All I want for </span><span style="color: #38761d;">Xm</span><span style="color: red;">as is you</span></span></i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: red;">. I love this </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: red;">Vince Vaughn and the Vandals one-hit wonder. It was recorded before th</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #38761d;">e Mariah Carey hit of the same name.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">7.</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Joy to the World</span></i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span>. I still think Whitney's may be the greatest female voice I've ever heard. </span><span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span>8. </span></span></span></span><span><span><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Let i</span><span style="color: red;">t Sn</span><span style="color: #38761d;">ow!</span></span></i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #38761d;"><i> Let it Snow! Let it Snow! </i>Like many of these songs there are many versions, but Dean Martin's is the best. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">9. </span></span><i style="color: red;">Linus and Lucy</i><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">(from a <i>Charlie Brown Christmas</i> – I think</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: red;"> </span><span class="il" style="color: red;">of</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">it as a </span><span style="color: #38761d;">Christmas song). I never get tired of Vince Guaraldi's classic piano piece.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;">10.<i> </i></span></span><i style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">The Perfect Christmas. </i><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">I find Daniela Andr</span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">ade's voice hypnotic. Maybe my favorite living singer. I love a lot of her songs, including her Christmas takes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;">11. <i>Oiche Chiuin</i> (I left off the Gaelic accent marks) or <i>Silent Night</i> by Enya is also one o</span><span style="color: #38761d;">f my favorites. She grows on me every year. </span><span><span style="color: red;">My favorite Gaelic musician, ethereal sounding Aine Mino</span><span style="color: #38761d;">gue, who rarely performs outside the Boston area in</span><span style="color: red;"> small venues, has a wonderful instrumental version too.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">12. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><i>Christmas Time is Here.</i><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">Version by the above-mentioned angel-voiced Daniela Andrade. What a talent, but she does mostly unique covers of others works and may never be as famous, no matter how enchanted I am.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">13. </span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: red;">God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen</i><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">. An oldy, but I like the Barenaked Ladies version (with Sarah McLachlan) best. I only realized recently I like a lot of their music. You have to just keep trying things, new and old. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: red;">14. </span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">Ave Maria. </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;"> Christina Perri's version is her best Christmas song. Another beautiful voice not famous enough for me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #38761d;">15. </span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: red;">Adeste Fideles</i><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"> (</span><i style="background-color: white; color: red;">Oh, Come All You Faithful</i><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">), also by Enya. New to the list.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: red;"><span>16. </span></span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: red;">Noel Nouvelle </i><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Aine Minogue is a good example of her Celtic artistry. I can listen to her all day, and though her Christmas pieces are not my absolute favorites of hers, this one still makes the list. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span><span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #38761d;">17.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">Christmas</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;"> by Maria Carey. For the time being I like this one better than her </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;">All I want for Christmas is You.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;">18. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Sometimes I have as many as three</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: red;"> Trans-Siberian Orchestra pieces. </span><span style="color: red;"> This year just one - <i>A Mad Russian's Christmas. </i>They are all a little similar, but still love them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #38761d;"><span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span>19.</span></span></span><span> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><i>From a D</i></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-style: italic;">istance. </span><span style="color: #38761d;">I've said it before, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">I can't stan</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: inherit;">d Bette Midler personally, but she's a great singer and hers is the best version. </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i style="color: red;"><br /></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #38761d;">20</span><span><span style="color: red;">. </span></span></span><span style="background: white; color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><i>Frosty<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="il">the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Snow Man</i> (Ji</span><span style="background: white; color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">m</span><span style="background: white; color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">my Durante version ONLY).</span></div><div><span style="background: white; color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>New Music of 2022</b></span></div><div><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red;">I know a number of people like me who just enjoy music regardless of the genre, although we all have our likes and dislikes. Personally, I like a melody. Too many people I know are stuck in their genres and never even consider listening to something that's not in it. I find it a little sad, but that's me and they can do whatever they want. These below are some songs or pieces that I discovered this year that I just love. Usually I knew the composer but never really listened attentively before. I have to leave foreign accent marks out because it would be too much trouble to put them in.</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Ma Vlast</i> by Bedrich Smetana</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Dance of the Comedian</i>s by the same guy</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>A Midsummer's Night Dream</i> by Felix Mendelssohn</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Mazurek </i>by Antonin Dvorak, whose work I increasingly admire</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>The Pines of Rome</i> by Ottorino Respighi</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra</i> by Max Bruch</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Adela </i>by Joaquin Rodrigo</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Cristo Redentor </i>by Donald Byrd for the movie A Bronx Tale</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Forest Tale </i>by Vesislava</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>Legende </i>by George Enescu, a Romanian, the Romanian composer I was not familiar with</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>While my Guitar Gently Weeps</i>, obviously by George Harrison, but absolutely loved a better version by The Jeff Healy Band, who I never heard of until this September</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>California Sun </i>by the Riverias, surf music</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>The Spirit of Radio</i> by Rush, not a group I was big on, but who I've listened to a bit now (not a cover band, but inspired by Yes)</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><i>God rest ye Merry Gentleman</i> by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan. The song's a classic but never heard the version before and it made my Christmas play list.</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red;">That's enough.</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><b>My own Christmas Miracle</b></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;">So, anyone who knows me well knows that I don't really believe in metaphysical stuff, ghosts, ESP, faith healing, etc., though I have had some weird experiences. But, this Christmas I had a strange "coincidence" happen.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;">There I was, shopping a few days before Christmas. I was in a mall and spotted a jewelry store advertising crystals, which can be pretty. So, I went in. There was a young woman behind the cabinets and no one else in the store. She asked if I wanted help and I said that I was just looking. She started to show me some crystal necklaces that were pretty, maybe 20-30 in a cabinet. She started telling me about the special powers of the crystals.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I asked her if she really believed that stuff. She said absolutely and gave me her spiel. Then she asked me if I believed in things like ESP.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;">So, I said, no, but I'll tell you what, if you can tell me among these crystals, which one is my birthstone, I'll buy something.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;">She said, immediately - amethyst.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Cost me $90 bucks. Damn.</span></div><div><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red;">That's the spectacular. Be back next year, for a while at least.</span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div></div></span></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-51292990850029641902022-11-27T09:23:00.001-08:002022-11-27T09:30:50.530-08:00You know what I think is sick?<p>Biden: “<span style="background: whitesmoke;">The
idea that we still allow the purchase of semi-automatic weapons in this country
today is sick. It is just sick. It has no, no social redeeming value. Zero.
None.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">This is what I think is sick:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That so many
on the left think it is okay for someone to die because they didn’t want them
to have a weapon to protect themselves against predators. “Someone” means
anyone, but that includes, the handicapped, women, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That when
Michael Byrd, a cop supposedly trained in use of force, blew Ashli Babbitt
away, his name was kept secret (wasn’t he at least a suspect?), no decision was
made months later (if there ever really was one) and he was not prosecuted for
killing an unarmed trespasser who wasn't attacking anyone with armed cops all around.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That Officer
Kim Potter got jail time for accidentally shooting a resisting suspect. With
her, intent didn’t matter. With Hillary Clinton, somehow, despite not really
mattering in a breach of trust, it mattered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That so many
people, including school unions, politicians and medical personnel think it’s
okay to literally genitally disfigure and neuter children – with or without a parent’s
permission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That so many
people have died, mostly minorities, as a result of the lawlessness engendered
by anti-cop policies and laws.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That
governments used Covid as an excuse to severally hamper the lives of millions
of children (NYC might be the worst). It was either on purpose or “sickening”
incompetence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That your
opening of our border has spiraled up the danger and deaths because of
fentanyl.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That your opening
of the border has been responsible for the deaths of probably thousands of
migrants.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That your
opening of the border has almost certainly let in terrorists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That your
administration went after the mounted border police despite knowing they never
whipped any migrants from Day 1.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That your
anti-fossil fuel program has hurt us economically and weakened our security,
while you encourage other countries to pump more. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That your
fascist AG can’t recognize Antifa, a terrorist group, as such, that they don’t
recognize Ruth Sent Us as a terrorist group, that they ignore the spite of
violence against pro-life advocates, and pretend there is a right-wing
extremist violence problem, but he can go after parents of kids who are victims
of your child transgender policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That you
were a proximate cause of killing 13 Americans armed forces troops in
Afghanistan, thousands of Afghanis and stranding so many Americans there –
still!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That you lie
about where your son died, your business transactions with Hunter, gas prices,
inflation and almost all the media covers for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That you refuse to question China's likely causation of Covid-19 and whatever involvement people like Fauci had in it, while your DOJ investigates Trump.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That you and
your administration lied to the American people about the vaccines, you
demonized people who did not want to experiment with their bodies and you forced
so many to do so by putting them at risk of their jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">That you
have weaponized the FBI/DOJ against your political opponents.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">That you make racist statements, like only white people can be racist, like it is a good thing whites are no longer a majority in the country and press a racist messaging on our military and federal agencies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: whitesmoke; color: black;">This list
was without thinking hard. Your administration is sick. Our country is sick.
When our people will largely realize it, I can’t say. I hope as soon as
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-34339051348605436952022-11-18T08:52:00.013-08:002022-11-18T09:05:53.842-08:00Impeach, impeach, impeach! Articles of Impeachment to help the Republicans.<p><span style="font-size: medium;">By twice impeaching President Trump twice, there was a stain on America, as Nancy Pelosi said. But the stain was on the Democrat controlled House of Representatives. However, it changed the game. If the Democrats are going to make false and fraudulent claims against a president, do everything in their power to disrupt his or her administration, then the Republicans, at least going by the same standards, have to do the same. But, they should not and do not have to lie or commit fraud to do so or undermine our rule of law. Because these charges against Biden are all legitimate. Indeed, just the evidence that Tony Bobulinski shall testify too, if given the opportunity, alone, should be sufficient. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Republicans worry me. There is ample evidence to impeach Biden. The Democrat hearings were a joke. The Republican hearings should be just as short and Democrats should be faced with the same limitations the Republicans had during the hearings. Will the Republicans live up to their duties and turn around our country, expose years of corruption by the Democrats. I don't know. I doubt their perseverance and integrity, at least many of them. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In case the R leadership needs help, I've already drafted Articles of Impeachment for them, based on what is publicly reported. Impeachments of Garland, Mayorkas and Wray should come next.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">___________________________________________________________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 3pt 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">RESOLUTION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; margin: 6pt 0in 6pt 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RESOLVED</span></b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, That Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, is
impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of
impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; margin: 6pt 0in 6pt 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT EXHIBITED BY THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE NAME OF ITSELF AND OF
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AGAINST JOSEPH R. BIDEN, PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT OF ITS IMPEACHMENT
AGAINST HIM FOR HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANOURS.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ARTICLE 1: DERILICTION
OF DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Constitution provides that the House
of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the
President “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of,
Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. In his conduct of the
office of President of the United States—and in violation of his constitutional
oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to
the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the
United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that
the laws be faithfully executed—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has been in dereliction of
his duties of the Presidency, in that:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A. <b>Afghanistan</b>:
Using the powers of his high office as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces,
President Biden demanded and oversaw the evacuation and retreat of our Armed
Forces from Afghanistan in an extremely and predictably dangerous manner,
having been forewarned by the Chiefs of Staff and Intelligence Services of the
dangers of progressing in the manner chosen by him, regardless of the risks to
our own Armed Forces stationed therein, to our allies, including the Afghan
people, regardless of the expected damage to the reputation and therefore
effectiveness of our Armed Forces and the view of the world as to The United
States of America’s determination in military conflicts and dedication to its
allies. In so doing, he ignored and injured the integrity of The United States
and our Armed Forces. President Biden, acting both directly and through
his agents engaged in this dereliction of duty by, among other things:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">1. While
claiming to follow the path of the Agreement with the Taliban entered into
during the Trump Administration, failed to use the prudence inherent in and
expected of the Executive in ignoring the conditions upon the Taliban and
benchmarks for evacuation to take place.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Insisting
on a firm deadline for evacuation to be concluded regardless of the obvious
impossibility of doing so without risk of harm and death to our Armed Forces,
Americans in Afghanistan, our allies and the people of Afghanistan.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Ignoring
the advice of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces and our intelligence
agencies not to proceed in the manner he directed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Ignoring
the obvious effect of a premature evacuation in declaring that the rapid
takeover by the Taliban was not inevitable despite admitting he could not trust
the Taliban.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Recklessly
causing the death to at least 13 members of the American Armed Forces, and
countless thousands of Afghanis, many of whom had voluntarily worked towards
the goals of The United States and its allies.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">6. Recklessly
abandoning hundreds of Americans in Afghanistan and the Afghanis who had
voluntarily served with and aided our Armed Forces and those of our allies,
some of whom, United States citizens and others who are still there in
Afghanistan, unable to get out, to the dangerous and even homicidal tendencies
of the Taliban.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">7. Lying to
the American people in first stating that </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“the likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning
everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely” and that “</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">t</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">here's going to be no circumstance where people would be
lifted off the US Embassy roof”<b> </b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">later claiming after the complete victory of the Taliban and
evacuation made from the roof of The United States Embassy that it was
impossible to evacuate without “chaos ensuing.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">8. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While taking credit and admitting
responsibility for ending the war he also blamed the previous administration
despite ignoring the conditions and benchmarks in their agreement with the
Taliban, even insisting that he had no choice but to act as he did, despite the
fact that he could have simply declared a previous president’s agreement no
longer in effect, and, in fact, beginning on his first day in office,
completely reversing many of the effects and acts of the last administration,
including making The United States energy independent and securing the border.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">B. <b>The Border</b>:
Using the powers of his high office as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces,
President Biden demanded and oversaw the weakening of our southern border with
Mexico, allowing in millions of illegal aliens, including scores of those on
the terrorist watch list, all for the purposes of trying to increase the
numbers of people he believes will, if gaining citizenship someday, will likely
vote for the Democrat Party. President Biden, acting both directly and through
his agents engaged in this dereliction of duty by, among other things and in
some cases immediately upon becoming president:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Ending
the previous administration’s stay in Mexico policy.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Ending
the previous administration’s border wall project.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Ending
the previous administration’s hold on immigration from certain countries.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Rescinding
the previous administration’s order calling for removal of illegal aliens.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Refunding
Sanctuary Cities, thereby rewarding those cities frustrating federal law and
federal agents</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">6. Trying to
pause deportation enforcement for a hundred days.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">7. Terminating
the emergency proclamation (and then created a new emergency).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">8. Ordering
the Department of Census to count illegal aliens, thereby increasing the power
of those states they would naturally flock to, like Chicago, New York and
California.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">9. Ending
immigration status checks for sponsors of unaccompanied minors, quadrupled the
number of refugee admissions. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">10. With foreknowledge that a
claim that mounted border control troops had whipped migrants was false,
indeed, that the photographer whose photograph was the basis of the claim had
said that not only was there no whipping shown in his photograph, but he had
never seen any whipping, President Biden used it as an excuse to suspend the
effective use of mounted troops at the border.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Biden's actions led to historically low
deportations, record border crossings, a huge influx of fentanyl, according to
Texas’ Governor Abbot, almost a 900% increase since 2019, created a massive surge
at the border by giving good reason for immigrants to believe it would be
easier to get into the United States and causing chaos at the border and
allowing the easy entrance into America of illegal drugs, including fentanyl,
criminals, terrorists and those infected with Covid and the deaths of countless
migrants including accompanied and unaccompanied minors, danger to Federal
Agents at the border and the overwhelming of the agency charged with protecting
the border. So reckless and indifferent to suffering as a result of his
policies, he caused what has been described by congresspersons, senators and
experts in his own party to describe it as “catastrophic,” “a crisis,” “a
national emergency,” and “<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">an alarming
uptrend in the apprehension of convicted sex offenders.”</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">So secretive was the
administrative, including in not giving journalists access to the border, that
a Democrat<i> </i>congressman has stated that he gets more information
from Mexico than he does from the Biden administration and leaked photos about
the horrid condition the children are being kept in.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">WHEREFORE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, President Biden, by
such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national
security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in
a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law caused
uncountable deaths, privation, dissention within the United States between
border states and non-border states, allowed the tremendous growth of the
illicit drug trade and its sequelae of death and destruction, particularly to
young people and their families and participated in unethical and corrupt
business practices which he kept secret from the American people. He cannot
continue to be the Executive and Commander of our Armed Forces. President Biden
thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification
to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United
States.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ARTICLE II. ABUSE OF
POWERS</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Constitution provides that the House
of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the
President “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of,
Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. In his conduct of the
office of President of the United States—and in violation of his constitutional
oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to
the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the
United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that
the laws be faithfully executed—Joseph R. Biden has abused the powers of the
Presidency, in that:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A. In the Office of the
Presidency</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">1. He has used his office to seek
to destroy or permanently impair the petroleum industry which is
necessary to the safety, happiness and the security of the people of the United
States from his first day in office, including stopping development of a key
pipeline, withholding valuable leases he was required to auction to oil
companies, denigrating and the industry and blaming them for alarming prices
for which he was responsible by decreasing drilling and exploration. He sought
to avoid responsibility for the negative effects of these actions by lying as
to the price at the gasoline pump when he took office, roughly doubling it, by
severely decreasing The United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve supplies, and
by approaching those countries he has previously castigated for fuel production
and begging for increased production, including the de facto president of
Venezuela whom The United States does not recognize. Regardless of the danger
to the country, Biden refuses to acknowledge that his economy and specifically
his energy policies have failed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As a result of his actions, the war in
Ukraine has undoubtedly been extended, Russia, the aggressor there, has been
empowered and enriched, already dangerous inflation has worsened, a diesel fuel
crises has already incurred threatening all industry and even home heating oil,
and, the security of The United States of American has been threatened.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2. By a series of illegal and
unconstitutional mandates in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and by public
statements that belied the known science as to the vaccines produced by several
companies and despite the knowledge that the vaccines do not prevent the
spread of Covid-19, he caused the loss of tens of thousands of
jobs, including in private industry and the military and incited
hatred and misunderstanding between the citizens of this country by
denigrating those who chose not to be vaccinated with an untested serum.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">3. While knowing that he had not the
power to do so, he ordered the cancellation of debt, and in a grossly
unequal application, to millions of educational debtors. In order to avoid
responsibility for his actions, he lied to the American people, claiming that
it had passed both houses of congress by a small number of votes. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">B. In the Office of Vice President</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">While serving under President Obama then
Vice President Biden engaged in international business activities with his son,
Hunter Biden and his brother, James Biden, using his office of Vice President
as a draw.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">While Vice President under President
Obama, President Biden, among other things:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Allowed
Hunter Biden use of transportation available to him as Vice President.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Met with
various actors in the business transactions as requested by Hunter Biden.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Participated
in business meetings with Hunter Biden and others.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Spoke
with Hunter Biden and offered advice to him concerning his businesses and
fallout from its exposure.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Reaped
ten percent of certain business deals conducted by Hunter Biden, earning
millions of dollars which were held by Hunter Biden for him.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">6. Engaged
in what is commonly called “pay for play.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">7. Violated
the tax laws of this country by not reporting income.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">8. Kept his
activities secret from the American people while he ran for president, being
spoken of among the business circle as “The Big Guy.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">9. Frequently
lied to the American people by denying his knowledge and participation with
Hunter Biden and others in their business dealings.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">10. Coerced and then publicly
bragged of coercing Ukraine’s then president with one billion dollars in loan
guarantees into firing its own Prosecutor </span><span style="color: #0d0d0d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">General Viktor Shokin</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> who was investigating Burisma
Holdings, on whose board Hunter Biden sat. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">These acts, taken individually, or in
unison, have placed The United States and our allies in the most vulnerable
position since the early days of this nation by placing his presidency subject
to pressure from other countries, including The People’s Republic of China, our
largest global competitor, caused the further fracturing of our national unity
to a greater extent than in prior years dating back to the days of
Reconstruction, unlawfully harmed and destroyed the lives of thousands of
citizens with unlawful and unconstitutional decrees and generally abused the
powers of the presidency. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">WHEREFORE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, President Biden, by
such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national
security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in
a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law, caused
the country enormous economic damage, tremendous individual hardships and
participated in unethical and corrupt business practices which he kept secret
from the American people. He cannot continue to be the Executive and Commander
of our Armed Forces. President Biden thus warrants impeachment and trial,
removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of
honor, trust, or profit under the United States.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Kevin McCarthy</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Speaker of the House of Representatives.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 3pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #A2A9B1 .75pt; mso-outline-level: 2; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Attest:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-bottom: solid #A2A9B1 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #A2A9B1 .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin: 6pt 0in;"><br /></p></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-64635043808387790422022-11-14T10:34:00.003-08:002022-11-14T10:34:43.918-08:00So, Trump, I've been wanting to talk to you.<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Very often I am addressing moderate friends on this
blog, people who might lean left, but who often agree (even if it galls them)
conservatives. Today I address my Republican and conservative friends, who are
licking their wounds. As I write this, post-Election Day, there is a chance they
can still win the majority in the House of Representatives, but I have reasons
to be pessimistic. Since Day, when they had a huge lead, Democrats have won
most of the late counted contests and almost all of them left are in New York
or California. They certainly did not get the “red wave” they felt they were
sailing on.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, my R-con friends. I’m afraid I’m going to do an
“I told you so.” Feel free to tune out. But, as when I upset my D-lib friends,
it is too important to be honest with you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Three topics. First, explaining why you were so wrong
about the election (which isn’t even decided yet, but certainly no “red wave”).
Then thanking Trump and saying good-bye to Trump.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Elections<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When it comes to elections, at least since say 2004 or
so, when the Ds really began turning hard left (Kerry then Obama were known
among Ds to be amongst the most liberal in their party), R-cons have been
delusional about elections. I even count 2016, when most of them I knew were
shocked Trump won. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first thing you must learn is to <b>stop saying
that the polls are all wrong</b>. Yes, you can’t rely completely on them, but
the more established ones are more often somewhat close (they can only take a
small sample) than farther off. Sure, sometimes one or more is way off, but
that is not the norm and outliers are normal. And, yes, sometimes there may be
a left-wing bias, but these companies have reputations they want to uphold.
Even when I would tell my R-con friends that a poll is by a right leaning
organization, they often stick to their belief it is tainted if it doesn’t
tally with their own beliefs. Maybe it is just wishful thinking because they
have been getting their heads handed to them so often. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The second thing what R-cons must learn is to <b>stop
thinking rationality matters</b> <b>with Democrats</b>. Everyone thinks their
own thoughts are rational and common sense. This is an old argument, but I
stick with David Hume that reason is the slave of the passions. People vote for
those they think are on the same side as them or the based on party for the
same reason. Some of the smartest, nicest people I know have what seems to me
unrealistic views, completely irrational, and they cannot confront or
acknowledge that it is the case – again, even when they cannot articulate
reasons. But my point is, stop thinking you can beat the D-libs by explaining
yourselves better or getting them to acknowledge certain things make no sense.
It would be nice and I’m not saying you can’t appeal to some of them that way. But,
you can point out everything that is wrong with their leadership and they will
say – <i>Trump</i>! or <i>They are trying to take away democracy/our rights</i>,
and so forth. Sure, you can say –See how irrational they are -- the Dobbs case
didn’t take away rights, it restored the decision to the States for the people
therein to determine. They don’t care. They will repeat <i>Trump</i>! or <i>They
are trying to take away democracy/our rights</i>. It may be annoying, but it
also works. A single word that excites people is more powerful than the best
written political tract.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The fact that Kathy Hochul could say in a debate (which
she only consented to because Zeldin was gaining on her) that she didn’t know
why Zeldin was so concerned with crime when crime is her constituents’ biggest
concern, and, the fact that Fetterman (Pa. D-Senate), a man who is still
recovering (if he ever does) from a severe stroke and cannot possibly perform
his tasks in the Senate – could handily win, means that people are not voting
with their heads, but with their feelings. They literally would not care if
they were guilty of rape or molestation or grossly incompetent, impaired, what
have you. They care they are on their side. And you should vote that way too.
After all, Biden can be seen on video putting his hands all over women, even
girls, can be legitimately accused of sexually accosting a staffer, can lie so
much that at least once he has admitted it, can have oodles of evidence against
him that he sold his vice presidential office in accord with his son Hunter,
and still be voted president.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The third thing that R-cons must do is <b>stop
thinking just because there are some women or Hispanics or blacks who have seen
the light, that they are coming over in droves to their side</b>. They aren’t.
I hope they are making strides among those groups, and they should keep telling
them the truth, but it is still few of them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The fourth thing the R-cons must learn is that <b>they
are not helping themselves enough</b>. I get it. They like their lives and don’t
want to give them up. They are financially succeeding. But they have succeeded
too well and it has sapped their willingness to sacrifice and scrape for their
own freedom. A few quotes that might inspire (though I’m not optimistic):<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: aqua; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">“[I]t is the preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else,
that prevents us from living freely and nobly.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #181818; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: aqua;"><br />
<span style="mso-shading: white;">― </span></span><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">Bertrand Russell</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: aqua; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">“When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing
under the sun that he will not do to acquire that freedom. Whenever you hear a
man saying he wants freedom, but in the next breath he is going to tell you
what he won’t do to get it, or what he doesn’t believe in doing in order to get
it, he doesn’t believe in freedom.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: aqua; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: aqua; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">Malcolm X</span><span style="background: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m not advocating violence or for you to give up your
stuff because we haven’t lost all our freedoms yet. What you could do is
boycott though. I urge it more and more to my friends, even though I know it is
self-righteous, annoying and I am not perfect in it. I know you can’t boycott
everything. I know it doesn’t make you a Nazi if you go to the best bakery in
town and it’s owned by a Nazi. I know we can have relationships with companies
that make it difficult to part with as they have a hold on us (as me with
Google, which owns this blog platform and my phone and has 15 or so years of my
emails, etc. – I wish I knew how to fix that – feel free to give advice). I
know there are some industries where all the companies are woke and it would
cripple you in some way not to do business with them. I know some of the
evilest companies simply make the best products. I know your kids and grandkids
watch Disney. You don’t have to boycott everything. Pick ten companies and do that.
Your life will actually benefit from giving it up. I’m not giving you a list
but you know who they are and can if you want to. I don’t use Amazon for gifts
or books, I don’t watch tv or movies on my own (harder in groups if you don’t
want to run out of rooms), I don’t drink Coke anymore, I am not going to DisneyWorld
with my family and stopped shopping at many stores. I do support that guy with
the pillow (I can’t remember his name), a local pizzeria that stupid up to
anti-Trump cancellation and Goya Beans, and so on. And most important, you can
stop watching tv and going to movies as these companies are among the worst.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because if we don’t do something about the efforts of
the left to bully and control us and they gain more power, the fight will be
brought to us – or some form of slavery. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The fifth thing will be hardest to sell to many
supporters across America – <b>we have to give up Trump</b>. First, let me
praise him for what he’s done and what he has suffered for us, and then ask him
to leave, with, of course, a proper explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank you, President Trump.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
You were fearless in calling out a corrupt and morally bankrupt media, you
unleashed our forces to defeat ISIS*, you economically competed with China and
you kept Russia, China and Noko at bay**. Thanks for pointing out the dangers
of tik tok (which even a few Ds are waking up to). Thank you for your efforts to
decriminalize homosexuality worldwide, for not pretending that Iran would
comply with its no-nukes agreement, for being not only a friend to probably our
best ally, Israel, not only by keeping America’s promise to make Jerusalem its
capital, and also for the Abraham Accord normalization agreements, for which
you deserved the Nobel Prize in a sane world. Thank you for standing up to our
NATO allies and demanding they pay their fair share, for standing up to our EU
allies and pointing out that they were buying gas from the country we protect
them from – Russia (we see the results of that weakness by the EU and Biden). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank you for what you did for the economy before
Covid-19 did everything we know about and for telling us it was time to go back
to work before Biden took over with his unconstitutional mandates and vicious
rhetoric. Thank you for deregulation effort, for making college fairer for
young men and not having decisions made about these kids’ lives based on gender
(Biden has, of course, reversed due process again), for cancelling Obama’s
sellout of the Cuban people, leading the world diplomacy against Maduro (to
whom Biden has gone begging to) and recognizing Juan Guaido. Thanks for
dropping out of the Paris Agreement which does nothing to help the environment
(as other countries have a free hand, even if anthropocentric global warming is
real, and we reduce carbon emissions anyway) and was economically appalling
(once again, which Biden brought us back into). Thank you for trying to build a
wall (I wasn’t a big fan, but given what Biden has done to the border and has
now is continuing to build after destroying our border with his policies – you should
be thanked). Thanks for rebuilding our military, getting rid of the hateful CRT
culture there (both brought about by Obama and undone by Biden), reducing
deaths in Afghanistan to close to nil, establishing a space force, pushing
cyber-security, supporting law enforcement against the anarchy-like and
anti-democracy efforts of the left to destroy policing in America (which
they’ve accomplished in some blue cities). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Perhaps most of all, thanks for showing the way to those
in the second generation that is not afraid to call out the media and fight the
radical party, like DeSantis, Abbott, Kari Lake, Kristy Noem (I think) and others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And so much more – this is not an attempt to be
comprehensive, but, just to show how much you did. And not that I agreed with
every single policy. I didn’t. I didn’t even support you when you first ran.
But I can recognize what a great job you did against the fiercest resistance
(their word) by the left than we’ve ever seen in this country, the worst
opposition any president has faced since Lincoln. In fact, even now, it is so
difficult for their opposition to give you credit for anything.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua;">*Yes, knuckleheads,
I know they still exist in a small way. So do Nazis. But ISIS has no land or
pseudo-state anymore and is greatly, almost entirely diminished.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua;">**<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua;">Bad things happened
soon after Biden got elected. China started doing intimidating flights over Taiwanese
airspace almost immediately, and shortly thereafter Putin started the build up
on the Ukraine border.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="background: aqua; mso-highlight: aqua;">More Noko missiles have been tested just this year than in Trump’s 4
years.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My other point is, So Now please go. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If that doesn’t make sense to you, let’s remember that
you are your own worst enemy. You have a biiiiig mouth and a poison tweeting
finger. When things are going smoothly we can count on you to make it worse by
saying something at least annoying, incredibly stupid or offensive. Yes, they
exaggerate your mistakes, are hypocrites and play games. But, you play right
into it. It doesn’t negate what you accomplished, but it makes it harder to be
re-elected. You didn’t do any favors for yourself with 1/6 either, though the
committee is a joke and you did not send marauders to invade the capitol.
Pretty clear you were an obstinate, bitter jerk though while cops were busy fighting.
I know you offered the National Guard to the city but the left and D.C. are far
worse than you are.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Plus, though maybe all presidents, but at least a lot,
are self-absorbed, narcissistic or ambitious, most people, even your supporters
believe you are at or near the pinnacle. And it has led to political problems
with your own party. Who would want to be your VP now? Certainly not Mike
Pence. I can’t imagine anyone with presidential aspirations signing up. I guess
Mike Pompeo (who would be a good candidate himself though) might, but maybe
not. Or maybe Marjorie Taylor Green would, but she’d be a liability. I guess
you can always find an unknown or wannabe who has enough ambition. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Worse than that, you haven’t changed since the 2016
campaign. You’ve already attacked DeSantis, who is the choice of most
conservatives I personally know. Perhaps he is just who he is, but I think he
learned from you many things. Still, he is much better suited for a political office
than you and seems to be just as tough and dedicated to helping people and
prevent harm as you were. It’s like trading in a great looking spouse for
another great looking spouse with a better personality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why do you attack DeSantis? Well, it’s your way, for
one thing. And, you are also rightfully scared of what an increasingly fascist
opposition wants to do to you – put you in jail. I think you’d be better off
making up with DeSantis and hoping he helps you out, certainly on the federal
level. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I understand, it’s not fair. Though I don’t think you
got more votes than Biden, the opposition did cheat, violating the laws in many
states to increase voting, the FBI apparently using social media to cut you off
from the public, Wisconsin refusing to hear your claims and not the Green
Party’s either (if they ran, you would have won Wisconsin). All the lies and
the impeachments, all the while they treat Biden with kid gloves, refuse to
investigate the Hunter Biden matter, and so on. Yes, the media is beyond awful –
they are despicable, and I will back you 100% against virtually any Democrat in
the country if you are the nominee. But, I’m sorry, by attacking DeSantis, you
lost my and many other people’s sympathy, even if you tepidly endorsed him on the
last day. Most conservatives I know do not want you to run. That may or may not
be the case throughout the country, the I think it will be if he declares.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And, let’s face it. You are not up to it. You couldn’t
beat Biden, someone who almost comically lies, says bizarre things and was
already cognitively declining. Why? One reason. The people who hate you, really
hate you. Come on. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I do not want you to go away mad. I want you to say
you are not running, but will support a great candidate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, you really need to go now.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do it because you really do want to Make America be Great Again.</span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-53118890173184703852022-11-14T09:51:00.004-08:002023-01-17T01:36:57.335-08:00Who's the authoritarian?<p> <span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="background: white; color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">America's now divided based on what news you consume.
People I love and respect who are well educated who watch, I'm just going to
say it. . . who read the New York Times and watch CNN and MSNBC are being lied
to every single day about every aspect of this pandemic and these vaccines and
the policies around them. . . ."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*</span><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background: white; color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I
confess that I believed the Russian hoax story too until it was conclusively
debunked, not very long ago. I believed things that friends of mine of the
Right think I’m crazy for having believed. If you watch CNN and read the New
York Times, you’re getting a worldview—I don’t know how to say this, we’ve
entered this time and the Smith-Mundt Act is part of this—where it is now legal
to propagandize Americans”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Naomi Wolf, former liberal writer</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know just how she feels. People
who I know who watch or listen to CNN, The Times or MSNBC simply have no idea
what has been going on and even doubt things that have absolutely happened.
They think it is just conspiracy theories or fake news. It is nigh impossible
to persuade anyone of anything when they are primed in the other direction and they
are lied to every day from sources they believe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, still, I will try. We have to
keep trying, even if we just tell our spouses and children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Last month in my post I mentioned a young English professional
traveler I listened to on a podcast, who was in Russia at the beginning of the
war with Ukraine. He was able to travel for a while, occasionally pulled over on
his bicycle a few time by the police and fined (after the cops took selfies
with him), and finally arrested and held for three months before his release.
Apparently, he is not so good a catch as Griner. In any event, I mention him
again because he said that the saddest part of his trip before he was arrested was
learning that the people, even non-Russians who he thought would be more
cynical, believed all the propaganda coming out of their government. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And all I could think was, <i>well, that sounds
familiar</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I know lots of people who agree with me, but it seems to
me that the majority of people in America have been swayed or completely
convinced by the onslaught of anti-Trump rhetoric by the mainstream or legacy
media and big tech’s censorship, that somehow - even if Biden is an idiot, or
cognitively deficient or just grossly incompetent, he’s better than that “authoritarian”
Trump. Or put another way, that Donald Trump is an authoritarian and, equally
amazing to me, that Biden is not. And the Ds are doing everything they can to
play this up. Biden made a speech on November 4<sup>th</sup> where he almost
entirely focused on the threat of “MAGA.” Apparently, he doesn’t think this
raises the threat of violence, although this has been happening since before
Trump was elected. This is part of mainstream Democrat rhetoric now and there
is no push back from their party. Pam Keith, a D running for congress, in 2020
openly called for “open season” on Trump and his administration. Was she
arrested? No. Even investigated? I don’t know, but I do not believe so from
what I can see. In North Dakota, Calyer Ellingson, only 18, was run down and
killed by Shannon Brandt, age 41, because Ellingson was a conservative. Perhaps
Brandt is crazy – but remember the national outcry and attack on Trump when it
happened in Charlottesville. Then, even idiot Rs jumped on the bandwagon of
saying it can only be the fault of the right. We all know Nancy Pelosi’s
husband was just attacked. I wrote about this a few weeks ago – and it looks
also like a crazy person who believed conspiracy theories on both sides – not
that you will read or hear that in the mainstream media. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read the Naomi Wolf quote again. Until you
open yourself up to that, you will not believe what I am about to tell you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I have my two routines when a friend tells me that
Trump is authoritarian or the like, which I usually cut short these days, but
they make the point which I have little hope will make a small impact on the
listener - such is the power of partisanship it can only be small. One is going
through what Trump accomplished and asking them as to each one, if that’s what
they didn’t like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, “Is it that
you don’t like the peace treaties he brokered between Israel and neighbors?”
(which used to be good for a Nobel until Trump’s name was submitted)? Is it
taking the handcuffs off our military so they could destroy ISIS in Iraq and
Syria as he said he would do that bothers you? Was it low unemployment for
minorities, promoting decriminalizing homosexuality throughout the world, and
so on. They, of course, answer no, no, no to all of them. It’s just, you know,
he’s an authoritarian. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The second routine is asking them to tell me what he
did that they did not like or thought was authoritarian without using <i>adjectives</i>
(egotistic, arrogant, lying and my favorite, authoritarian – because they
aren’t facts). Other than one woman who became incensed, and stormed away, most
people I talk to about it can come up with nothing. In fact, they almost
immediately resort to more adjectives – sometimes the same adjectives. Another,
one of the smartest fellows I know said he was “allowed” to just have
adjectives and he didn’t need to have facts to back it up, which was contrary
to him previously saying to me that he liked data. When they say “authoritarian”
or “power-hungry” and I ask them for examples, excluding 1/6 (because they
thought he was authoritarian since even before he was in office and Jan. 6 was
days before he was out of office, they literally can’t). None. Not one of them can
and I guess I’ve asked perhaps a dozen people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So, at risk of offending those who can’t bear to hear
anything positive about <b>Trump</b> (“I don’t want to talk about it” after
they’ve excoriated him) and negative about Biden, let’s review the evidence on whether
Trump is authoritarian. I can’t <i>prove</i> to you a negative, that Trump was <i>not</i>
authoritarian, because there are very few negatives you can prove, particularly
if they end with an opinion. So, I’ll just ask you - what did he do that was
authoritarian? Leave aside that you think he summoned a mob to take over the
government (because, surely, a bunch of unarmed bikers would accomplish that)
because you were always told and thought he was for four years and that
happened with two weeks left to his term. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will deal with 1/6 separately another day as
it will make this post too long, but his role is ridiculously overstated. But I
can tell you this before I show you how authoritarian Biden actually is: You
tell me what part of this you factually disagree with:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Trump and his administration</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> made
no presidential decree or push for any law which favored some Americans over
other because of superficial characteristics like race, religion, sex; didn’t
try to force his particular cultural values on anyone; obeyed judicial decrees
even when they were ridiculous; didn’t try to destroy any American industries;
didn’t try to proselytize new cultural norms; didn’t try to divide the country
(you cannot blame the “resistance” on him); didn’t nominate or hire based on
superficial characteristics; he didn’t use violence to put down resistance
(even in Portland, he sent federal troops to protect federal property and
workers, but didn’t attack the rioters and in Seattle had troops only on
standby); didn’t try to make non-law enforcement federal agencies, like the
IRS, into gun-wielding enforcers; didn’t pretend PTA moms and dads were
terrorists because they disagreed with him; didn’t try to stack the rules
against male college students but made harassment charges fair for everyone;
didn’t try to harm women competing in sports by forcing them to compete with
men; didn’t try to stifle free speech or religion; didn’t try to force little
girls to share bathrooms with boys; he didn’t try to pack the courts or
otherwise turn us into a one-party country; didn’t set forth an anti-American
or anti-white race agenda; didn’t free up vandals to destroy federal monuments;
didn’t do what he could to allow for the dissolving of the border; didn’t
harass journalists, and so on. And didn’t create federal mandates destroying
people’s lives because they didn’t want to put a fairly untested “vaccine” into
their arms. These are all things the left, and even Joe Biden’s administration
did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If you think any of the above isn’t true, please give
me facts, not adjectives. The only aggressive thing he did, and it was clearly
reluctantly, was direct GE, which can certainly fend for itself, to make
ventilators, because at the time, that’s what the so-called science of the CDC
and FDA told us was the answer to serious COVID cases (as so often – wrong
again).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now,
let’s look at Biden. And if you don’t know any of the below or will not believe
something is true, read the Naomi Wolf quote again). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Here we go. Biden and/or his
administration have. . .<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Oil and gas. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Starting
his second day in office Biden attempted to damage America’s oil and gas
industry based on the supposed science of anthropogenic global warming (“AGW”),
something of course no one can prove (I’m still agnostic about it) which the
left nevertheless declares proven (just like the vaccine). Certainty, a
non-starter in actual science, is also a left-wing specialty these days. Around
2018, during Trump’s term, we became energy independent, the first time in
about 70 years, exporting more than we imported. Now, in the Biden era, we’ve quickly
become energy dependent again. Let’s start with the Keystone Pipeline extension coming
from Canada. Obama rejected it. Trump, fast-tracked it. Biden shut it down on
his second day in office by presidential decree. Recently Biden said there
would be no more drilling while he’s president. I’m going to assume that he either
meant on federal land, which he has some say over, or just doesn’t understand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">During his campaign Biden repeatedly said he opposed
fracking, then in a debate with Trump, claimed he never said it. It was just
one more lie for Biden who has made a career out of them. With a fully obeisant
left-wing media, which would not even report on Hunter’s infamous laptop,
pretending it was Russian disinformation, few called him on it. In his first
two weeks in office, he issued to orders pausing new gas and oil leases on
federal lands, including, of course, fracking. Not congress and the president,
just Biden. It was initially stayed by a district court judge, but unfortunately
an appeals court reinstated the presidential order for the time being.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I say unfortunately, because you know the state we are
in because of it - gas prices have sky-rocketed ahead of inflation and our
emergency reserves depleted by our same hero. Even though we are in a proxy-war
with Russia, we are beholden to buy its oil. We had to go begging to our enemy,
Venezuela, to pump more. And Biden, who was heavy-handed with our difficult but
usual ally, Saudi Arabia, and in begging mode with our enemy, Iran, had to go
hat-in-hand to the Saudis to ask for more production, and now is threatening
them because OPEC, for its own purposes, is cutting production. Please explain
that to me, my left-wing or leaning friends, how this makes any sense? Let’s
just say that anthropogenic global warming is real. Then why are we asking
other countries to pump more when we can do it? Of course, none of it makes
sense. It’s just Biden pushing the narrative, not by law, where congress legislates
and the president passes them, but by using his presidential powers (and those
at least are powers he has) to harm us to push the left-wing narrative. If you
don’t believe it is harming us, go fill up your car.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And, unless you watch or read the legacy media you
probably fear – you don’t even know that there is a great diesel oil shortage
coming – that heats your home, runs trucks, machinery, etc. We should all be
scared. What’s the White House plan? Nothing the WH spokesperson recently said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Gender</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">"Those
who deny the biological differences between a man and a woman are not only
erasing women as a category of people, they’re denying the existence of
objective reality, and the ‘truth’ becomes whatever those in power want it to
be.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">*<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">“There
is no space for freedom of speech, there is no space for independent thought.
It is conform or be canceled.” </span><span style="color: #4472c4;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Tulsi
Gabbard, former Democrat</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Biden’s and the left’s war on boys and girls is hard
to believe. Most people, maybe everyone I know, has empathy for men or women
who think they were born in the wrong body. What they do not have sympathy for
is the assault on boys and girls, including erasing that term in many public
schools, even teaching secondary and college kids that there are multiple
genders, the nouveau craziness of having people say their preferred pronouns,
the insistence that men can have babies and other inanities. But most of all,
it’s allowing men in girls bathrooms because they say they are woman. Worse, of
course, is the secretive “transforming,” drugging kids with puberty blockers or
even performing surgery, without parental permission. I don’t even know how it
can possibly be <i>legal</i> to do that to a child <i>with</i> a parent’s
permission. For goodness sake, a women recently had her son removed from her
home because she got him a tattoo at age 10. Sex change on children is
Mengelian. There was a time when the thought of transforming a child into
another sex would be a plot in a horror movie.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What has this to do with Biden? It should be nothing,
but even far worse than Obama, he wants to use the presidency, like so many, he
says he would be the president for everyone, to radicalize our country. His
decree sets a policy that includes things that sound nice in the abstract, but
are ominous, because we all know or should know – if we pay any attention and
read media outside of those protecting the left and original documents, to the
best they are available. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The policies which U.S. agencies have been ordered to
enforce include: <span style="color: #5b9bd5; mso-themecolor: accent5;">“<span style="background: white;">Children should be able to learn without worrying
about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or
school sports. Adults should be able to earn a living and pursue a
vocation knowing that they will not be fired, demoted, or mistreated because of
whom they go home to or because how they dress does not conform to sex-based
stereotypes.” </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">And sure enough, as predicted by many, the USDA, a few months
later declared it would enforce the decree. That means, of course, threatening
school lunches, though they did not say it directly. And that’s exactly what
happened – is still happening. After a lawsuit by religious schools, the USDA
has only backed down against them, in August this year. But, all other schools
are still targeted – meaning, they have to let boys and even men (who work in
school) in girls’ bathrooms, make girls share locker rooms with boys. Any who
do not comply are deemed to have harassed the transgender child (I recently in
Vermont, an entire girls’ team has been thrown out of their own locker room and
only the transgender child may use it (</span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/girls-volleyball-team-banned-from-their-own-locker-room-over-complaint-about-transgender-student"><span style="color: blue;">Girls Volleyball Team Banned From Their Own Locker Room Over
Complaint About Transgender Student | The Daily Wire</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> – hard if not
impossible to find on liberal media). </span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Of
course, as I have pointed out many times, despite the pretense, the left could
care less about the plight of the poor – even minorities. Because who are they
targeting with student lunches? The meals of rich or middle-class kids? No,
poor kids who need the assistance are the one’s who get free lunches. You don’t
think this will start happening again soon, now that some red-states have
outlawed this monstrous behavior? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Are
you not shocked that the many red-state attorney generals have found it
necessary to write Merritt Garland, probably the most leftist federal AG we’ve
ever had to ask him not to act on the request of the American Medical
Association and other groups to literally – not kidding, please look it up
–investigate and prosecute those who question what they are doing to children
in the name of “gender affirming care?” Why would they even think this
necessary? What Attorney General in America – our America – would ever consider
that as a possibility, given the first amendment. Why? Because they’ve already
have seen it almost happen with parents of little girls forced to share
bathrooms with boys and men, including one father whose daughter was raped who
was dragged from a PTA meeting. Not that I’m John the Baptist, but I’ve been
screaming into the wilderness here for years that fascism is already here. Merrick
Garland is our Himmler. Take a look at the memo. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://republicans-judiciary.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021-11-16-JDJ-to-Garland-re-completeness-of-testimony.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">2021-11-16-JDJ-to-Garland-re-completeness-of-testimony.pdf
(house.gov)</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Abortion</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> – In June this
year, the Supreme Court, after almost 50 years, did what made sense, ended one
of the worst decisions by the Court, <i>Roe v. Wade</i>, retuning the power to
the states to make up their own laws about a domestic issue, the legality of
abortion up to the states. Remember, even Ruth Ginsberg said it was badly
decided. Personally, I think the Supreme Court could have said that fetuses
(aka “unborn babies”) had a constitutional right to live, which they have just
this week turned down from hearing in another case. But, they said nothing like
that. Despite the lies of politicians about the decision, claiming it ended
abortion – obviously, the Dobbs decision did not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What was Biden’s initial go to when he was confronted
with the Dobbs decision? He said he didn’t have a lot of legal authority
to declare a public health emergency (ironically, whatever he did for the <i>health</i>
emergency would result in many babies deaths) and then said he was considering
it. If the Ds control both houses, it is a pretty sure thing they will try.
They’ve already tried for legislation, that didn’t succeed initially, to make
abortion legal everywhere. They will try again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Debt <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Biden has no right to simply declare which debt will
be paid and which will not. There was an emergency rule under COVID to allow
debt relief, but it is the height of hypocrisy for the government to declare
his relief plan of up to $20,000 for some college debt is because of COVID. It
was to garner votes. Fortunately, for the moment, a lower federal court judge
has halted it. It is quite possible that a Supreme Court could overturn the
stay (the Appeals Court has affirmed it). Of course, judges don’t usually say whether they think something is
authoritarian – but, it sure doesn’t seem like the rule of law applied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Local zoning laws<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The left has long been desirous of ending state rights
that keep the federal government out of our lives. Of course, state rights have
been disintegrating for centuries and there is little left of it. But, zoning
laws, things like how big your property can be and where you can do business,
have always been left to the states. As far as I’m aware, there are no federal
zoning laws.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But, Biden doesn’t want that. He, who lives in 6,850
sq. ft house on 4 lakefront acres in Delaware (he also has a beach house) wants
to make a federal law, likely unconstitutional, which will limit you and your
children to far less. A WH fact sheet advised that he wanted to do away with
local zoning – yes, the federal government will take control, and things like
minimum sized plots (in other words, good-bye to beautiful neighborhoods). How
much do you want to bet their will be a cut-out for those in congress and other
wealthy folk?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You don’t think ending state and local “exclusionary”
zoning and making the feds in charge is authoritarian? This is exactly the kind
of thing the constitution was created to prevent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It has come to nothing, but the authoritarian has
wanted to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Vaccine mandates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">During the pandemic, we were subject to all kinds of
Biden mandates. He made a national speech calling it a pandemic of the
unvaccinated and told the country it was alright to be angry at the
unvaccinated. Thankfully, the courts finally got rid of most of them (they
continue to coerce the medical profession). Though there was some red state
bullying too, particularly at the beginning, that’s at the state level, and it
was the blue states where it was worst.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Again, why do I call these mandates authoritarian? Two
reasons. First, there have never been federal vaccine requirements. Everyone
made a big deal about a Massachusetts case from 1903 which upheld required
vaccines. Arguably, at a local level, it is legal and reasonable, if the
consequences are great enough. The authoritarian government orders people to
inject themselves with foreign substances which have been barely tested and
which more and more evidence is showing has more risks than health benefits.
Some judges have ruled against them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>E.g., <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/10/25/judge-tosses-nyc-vaccine-mandate-orders-workers-backpay/"><span style="color: blue;">Judge tosses NYC vaccine mandate, orders workers' backpay
(nypost.com)</span></a>. The only shame is that the Supreme Court, ending an
aggressive Biden mandate on businesses, let it stand for physicians and other
health care workers. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/13/politics/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-covid-19/index.html#:~:text=CNN%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Supreme%20Court%20on%20Thursday%20blocked,the%20federal%20government%20to%20fight%20the%20Covid-19%20pandemic."><span style="color: blue;">Supreme Court blocks nationwide vaccine and testing mandate
for large businesses | CNN Politics</span></a> because of the precedent of letting
Medicare regulating health care.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Pushing the woke agenda<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After Trump learned of Obama era rules pushing
critical race theory and other woke ideology on federal employees, including
the military, he ended it. No surprise, Biden started it again. While China
cleans our clock developing its military capabilities, we are teaching our
soldiers a new religion (See, John McWhorter’s wonderful book, <i>Woke Racism</i>). Biden also reversed Trump's reversal of Obama's rules on judging harassment at schools, basically starving male students of due process rights. You can't expect anything else once you ignore the nonsense about Trump and realize that Biden is determined to take away basic rights.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Another example of this agenda was the attack on the federal
officers defending our border, accusing them of
whipping refugees on horseback, something that not only didn’t happen – the
photographer who shot the picture said no one was whipped – but was well known
to the Alejandro Mayorkas on the first day to be false. Didn't stop from pretending it was true, saying it was horrific and that our history had not yet turned that page. It ended only recently, only after a year just the way it started, with the acknowledgement that the photographer had said no one was whipped and he had never seen that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Big Lie<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Big Lie was not that Trump won the election, it is
that it is the Rs who are a threat to democracy. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you don’t believe that, explain to me why the Ds are the party that wants to end the filibuster in the Senate (so that they can win every vote), end the electoral college (so they can win every presidential election based on California’s population), pack the Supreme Court with liberal judges so that they can win every case, do away completely with voter ID and have weeks long voting with unsecured write-in voting predominating. I don’t think you can convincingly. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I recently wrote on all the
lies, and there have been so many more since then. Just for example, we’ve
learned that despite the suspension of the horse-back division of our Border Protection,
they suspended and castigated those men for supposedly whipping refugees, they
knew from day 1 it wasn’t so. Didn’t matter, the narrative was too good to pass
up. We’ve had in the past, some in the last few weeks, Biden saying things like
that his son, who died of cancer (not Hunter) died in Iraq in the armed
services, that his wife escaped when their house burned down (it was a small
kitchen fire – nothing burned down), that he desegrated churches and was raised
in a black church, that the driver who killed his wife and children was drunk, that
when he took over gas was $5 a gallon, that he boosted social security by a
record amount. Even media onboard with the anti-Trump, progressive narrative
like the NYTimes has called him out on some of these. They seem never ending.
Keep telling yourself Trump lied. Sure he did. One, most politicians do. Two,
Trumps couldn’t hold a candle to Biden, who never stops.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Intimidation tactics</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Of course there are examples of right-wing violence, but it is eschewed by the mainstream right-wing. Democrats either back the violent left-wing extremists like antifa or they ignore them. It has been a left-wing staple for a long-time now, but increasingly, while right wing violence decreases. Just since Trump ran for president in 2016 we have seen assaults and attempts to shut down his rallies during his campaign, the harassment of and even attacks on Republican leaders in public, the murders of police officers, the legal assaults on officers doing their jobs, the leaking of the Dobbs draft opinion, the attempt to murder Justice Kavanaugh and planned murder of other conservative justices, the Biden administrations refusals to stop the harassment of the justices in their homes - even though it is a crime to do so. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The FBI and DOJ</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So sad what the FBI has become under Biden (and even before, in joining the resistance) that it will be a full post coming up. A
police state is already here. I know, you haven’t heard about this, right. Sigh. But, it’s
terrifying and you really should be scared. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Big show biz finish<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I literally can’t keep up myself with this
administration’s lies and malfeasance. But, I can’t go on forever here (please don't say - it already has), with thanks to anyone who has even gotten this far. It’s hard to read this stuff without wanting to believe otherwise, and
that’s without going over the strong-arm tactics of the so-called Department of
Justice, the January 6th murder of Ashlee Babbitt and the kangaroo court known as the January 6th committee, that wouldn't even let Republicans put their chosen members on it - unheard of in congress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me finish then with a few more words from Tulsi
Gabbard. I’m actually haven’t been<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a big
Gabbard supporter. Although there have been things I’ve admired about her, I
have always been a hawk, believing we need the biggest most powerful military
in the world by far and to support countries like Ukraine, and she is almost
the opposite. That’s important to me too. But otherwise, Gabbard was shunned by the left and has finally left the Democrat Party because of what they have
become, not unlike James Webb before her, after he was so severely criticized because he had the temerity to say All Lives Matter during a presidential primary debate. Unlike, me, Gabbard doesn't use the word fascist. At least not yet. That’s
fine. But she understands the leaders in that party are anti-freedom, what I
would call fascist. She recently said:<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #4472c4; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">“And
because they don't believe in freedom, and because they are, you know, the
party is led by fanatical ideologues, they are actively trying to undermine
those God-given rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. They're actively
seeking to undermine our freedom of speech. They want to control what we say
and what we think. They are attacking our religious liberty. They cannot handle
it, when people dare to speak out. Or even question, question the things
they're trying to employees on us as a society, and the way they foment fear.
You see this cancel woke culture. They try to silence anyone who dares to
disagree, or anyone who dares to expose the insecurity -- their insecurity, and
the weakness in their arguments and narratives. And for a whole host of
reasons, and you can go and read my statement on Substack, or listen to -- you
know, I spoke about this in detail. On the Tulsi Gabbard Show. But it really
all comes down to freedom. And I can no longer be associated with today's
Democratic Party, that is so actively anti-freedom.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Biden
said he was here to “restore the soul of the nation.” Instead he is a fraud,
leading an authoritarian party. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-9196490270764903652022-10-31T08:15:00.001-07:002022-10-31T11:18:43.004-07:00Someone is going to die????? Welcome to our world.<p> I had to laugh when I read a Democrat congresswoman say
about the Paul Pelosi “attack” that “Someone is going to die.” That was
Michigan congresswoman (D) Debbie Dingell, who hired security after Tucker
Carlson did a segment on her.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Somebody is going to die? Really? Congresswoman, somebodies
have been dying. Many people have died. You just haven’t cared at all. Now,
that a leading Democrat’s husband is attacked, you care.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am pretty sure you are a CNN, MSNBC, NYTimesy kind of
person, so I’m going to help you with one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you remember, not so long ago – <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The George Floyd riots (unbelievably called protests) led to
two dead in Minneapolis/St. Paul (leaving aside all the arsons, vandalism and
the like) and then, ongoing to thousands, tens of thousands? of young people,
mostly minorities, being killed in cities, at increasing rates, caused by left-wing
rioting, left-wing anti-police narrative, less policing, radical left wing Das and
mayors (all pretending or maybe even believing they are helping the groups they
care about). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you remember David Dorn, a retired officer trying to
protect a friend’s store who was shot dead during the riots?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you remember Officer Shay Mikalonis, also shot during the
riots, a young man who was on life support and now will spend the rest of his
life paralyzed?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you remember the dozens of cops across the country who
have been murdered or severely injured in the name of Floyd or BLM or Antifa
and the fake systematic racism narrative?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All those children, down to babies, who I’m sure you would
say you are all about – but you are not.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Do you remember CHOP in Seattle, which some left-wing
politicians glorified as democracy and love, which ended in the death of two
young men?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Someone is going to die? Where have you been?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why weren’t you so worried when someone was going to kill
Kavanaugh and other Supreme Court judges and why aren’t you demanding
protection for them? When Steve Scalise was shot? You don't think someone could die then? Why didn’t you worry out loud when left-wingers were stopping
free speech when conservatives would have a platform (go TheFire.org and just
look back the last five years at how many more of these are left-wing attacks).
Why is it you only woke up to the violence right now?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We could go on and on, and why bother even mentioning abortion?
You wouldn’t understand or condemn it as violence.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Don’t say, someone is going to die now that you feel in
danger, unless that you are willing to own up to the fact that your side’s
systematic racism narrative, penchant for violence disguised as protested,
phony stories about Trump (women abuser, Russian agent, scourge of Ukraine and
designer of 1/6, for a few). Don’t try to take over government by eliminating
the electoral college, adding Democrat states, packing the Supreme Court, ending
the filibuster, encouraging unsecured mail-in voting, and the like, and maybe
people would not think you are a threat. Don’t bully Americans into taking untested
“vaccines” that doesn’t prevent the spread of a virus and destroy their lives
when they don’t comply. Don’t sit quietly when people like that uber-fascist
Maxine Waters calls for more rioting, or when Republicans are beaten or harassed
in public by thugs. Don’t just pretend things have gotten violent when a
Democrat is injured.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I should say “IF” he was injured. Because, after all the
lies about Kavanaugh, Trump, after Jesse Smollett and many others found to have
faked riot-wing violence, after the almost daily lies by Biden or his spokespeople
(just recently, that congress voted on debt relief and it won, that gas was $5
a gallon when he took office), after all those Democrats and media figures
saying they had proof Trump was a Russian agent and the like, after the Obama
lies (too many to mention here, but including about what Obamacare would be,
and the Iran Nuclear deal), after the lies about George Zimmerman, Darren
Wilson and Kyle Rittenhouse, and so many other lies. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>DON’T EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE NEWS REPORTS THAT A DEMOCRAT WAS
HURT BECAUSE OF RIGHT-WING HATE WITHOUT A LOT OF PROOF.</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe he was attacked and injured, and I don’t wish or feel
good about violence directed to anyone, even the heinous group that now runs
our country. But I will have to see very convincing proof that he was attacked,
injured, operated on and that it wasn’t by a friend or lover. Another shoe
might drop, as it often does, though I’m sure, because of our feckless media,
after the election. But why would I believe it when you lie about everything? Take
a look at my recent post on August 25<sup>th</sup>, <i>When the lies just fall
like rain.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m perfectly aware that there are some on the right-wing who
can be violent, some who are psychotic, some who I vehemently disagree with.
But, as I have been writing about for the last few years, the violence has not
only been predominantly left-wing, but they have been adopted into the
mainstream left, including BLM and Antifa.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like you, Congresswoman, I hope for a better, calmer, more
peaceful, less violent country. I fear it will only become so after a more
violent spasm. Unlike you, I count all those children, all those cops, all those people and politicians who are attacked. And, I blame it primarily on you and your friends.<o:p></o:p></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-29854106228698042912022-10-03T15:01:00.005-07:002022-10-03T16:59:14.164-07:00Helping David Brooks<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the beginning of this year David Brooks, a longtime
columnist at the New York Times, published a column there titled </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">America is
falling apart at the seams</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In it he
discussed such problems as reckless driving, disruptive students, hate crimes targeting
(for example he said) black people, increased gun purchases (that’s a bad thing
to him, obviously – but I wonder if he owns one or if he thinks it is wrong for
people fearful for their and their kids’ lives every day to have one in cities),
drugs, declining charity – and abstract things like “polarization, hatred,
anger and fear.” And that seems to be the worst part, what he describes as “a
long-term loss of solidarity.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, I used to read David back when he was the NYT’s
pet R, a very moderate voice, barely Republican. I liked moderates and felt he
was one. It wasn’t long after his debut in 2003, when he admits to meeting with
a ferocious anger from Times’ readers, that he stopped acting or being an R,
but he kept up the pretense for a while. He no longer pretends to be an R,
claiming to be a moderate Democrat. Well, I guess that made it easier to get
along with co-workers. I can’t read the Times anymore, not since its political
pages, most of the first part of the paper, was no longer the standard bearer
of journalism, but one more anti-Trump, sometimes pro-China rag (it was the
latter that actually made me stop reading my lifetime favorite paper) who
ignores anything bad on the left unless practically forced to or they feel it’s
safe for their side (like admitting – with nothing having changed – that the
Hunter laptop story was not Russian disinformation). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In any event, I am here to help you, my friend. But, to
do that I have to call you out – You are l y i n g! I say you are lying,
because I know you are a smart man. You know. You must know the answer. Yes,
you give some reasons you think might be responsible for our social dysfunction,
sociological, cultural – that’s your forte. And you end the column with – “As a
columnist, I’m supposed to have answers. But I just don’t. I just know the
situation is dire.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Okay, that’s fine – IF IT WERE TRUE, DAVID. But it’s
not, is it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You did hint in your Times article by saying that Trump’s
election might seem like permission for bad behavior to some (Why it would do
that? You don’t say – but you don’t need to spell it out for your readers –
it’s like saying someone is a Jew to a Nazi – the word “Trump” explains all to
true-believers, and justifies them breaking Jews' or Trump supporters’ windows).
But you still don’t know? Uhh huh. Sure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Turns out that at the same time you wrote that column for the
Times, you were writing or had already sent in an article for the Jan.-Feb.
2022 issue of <i>The Atlantic</i>, “<i>What happened to American Conservatism?”</i>
where you wrote, much more clearly:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Trumpism is pre-Enlightenment. Trumpian
authoritarianism doesn’t renounce holy war; it embraces holy war, assumes it is
permanent, in fact seeks to make it so. In the Trumpian world, disputes are
settled by raw power and intimidation. The Trumpian epistemology is to be
anti-epistemology, to call into question the whole idea of truth, to utter
whatever lie will help you get attention and power. Trumpism looks at the
tender sentiments of sympathy as weakness. Might makes right.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So, were you lying in your Times’ column, saying you
don’t have answers, when obviously, in another outlet you obviously felt you knew the
problem, in fact explain their all the bad things that happened to your former conservative
friends? Trump. How Biden-like of you. His administration has been living off this
premise shamelessly – just recently blaming the crime in the cities on him. Not
the mayors, governors and legislatures in the Democratically held cities, some for decades, but Trump.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now I could spend a lot of time defending Trump
against all those absurdities, show how he had actually been the opposite of
authoritarian (now Biden – he’s authoritarian), not racist, not power hungry.
But, I’m sure you read my blog (that’s a joke, folks) and I do that constantly.
Yes, Trump is a difficult, hard to like man and he did behave somewhat badly on
January 6<sup>th</sup> (hardly criminally or as bad as the all-Democrat or
Trump-hating R committee) after the rioting started, I presume because of all
that was done against him right up to election day and he didn’t see it as his
fault. Actually, I do think he lost the election, but it was, of course,
rigged in some ways. No one needs to speak anymore with one another directly to rig
something. Judges toss his cases, social media blocks him from speaking, the
mainstream media lies every day about him, the Ds doing everything in their
power to attack him with the Russia Hoax, the phony Ukraine impeachment (they
couldn’t even come up with a crime, David, not for lack of trying – did you
notice?), blocking his appointments, the Clintons and the FBI worked together
to sabotage his campaign, entrap his people, and so forth. I could go on, but
you know all this. You are educated and I know heavily invested in politics.
Either you are blinded like so many people I know by Trump’s being the new
“Jews” or you are not very bright – and you are bright.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And I’m also not going to bother to go into Trump today
because it doesn’t matter what I write about him – like so many of my friends
and family, you can’t come up with bad acts or authoritarian policies for him,
just adjectives, until January 6, 2021 – but you’ve all been saying it for four
years. Did you notice in your anti-Trump supporter rant in The Atlantic you too
don’t say why his followers are bad; you just resorted to adjectives like
everyone else. You might as well of said his followers had “cooties.” I could
use many labels to describe your and many others’ immediate reaction to his
name. Some admit to “TDS,” Trump Derangement Syndrome (though they feel it is
justified). That’s probably the easiest way to say it. Not that I personally
like him, not that he isn’t full of character flaws – but that describes Biden
to me as well – and you just ignore those. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But I said I was here to help you and I will. I’m
going to explain to you why America is falling apart – and it’s <b>you</b>!
That’s right, you. Not alone of course, but all those like you including among
them many people dearest to me, generally moderates, some liberals but nice
people, a few crazed liberals themselves. But, the liberals among them either
really don’t know better or are trapped by their own people – afraid for their
jobs or fighting with their family. Many are Republicans but watch CNN or MSNBC
or read the Times as their sole source of news aside from their work or peer
environment. I’ll take a pause to give one of my favorite recent quotes from
long-time liberal Democrat writer, Naomi Wolf, who unlike you, figured out what
the problem was and said in an interview about America’s breach of civil rights
in its anti-Covid strategy: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<span style="background: white;">America's
now divided based on what news you consume. People I love and respect who are
well educated who watch, I'm just going to say it. . . who read the New York
Times and watch CNN and MSNBC are being lied to every single day about every
aspect of this pandemic and these vaccines and the policies around them. . .
."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">A
little later:</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #00b0f0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“I confess that I
believed the Russian hoax story too until it was conclusively debunked, not
very long ago. I believed things that friends of mine of the Right think I’m
crazy for having believed. If you watch CNN and read the New York Times, you’re
getting a worldview—I don’t know how to say this, we’ve entered this time and
the Smith-Mundt Act is part of this—where it is now legal to propagandize
Americans”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Not
surprisingly, some of your cohorts describe her as “mad” or the like now, and
severely criticized her with all the passion they put into avoiding saying how
crazy Stacie Abrams is for claiming that fetal heart-beat monitors are designed
by men to fool people into thinking fetuses (that is, babies in the womb) have
hearts. Now, for them, probably you, David, it is not a heart-beat anymore, but
a cardiac event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><b>So,
here’s my help, David</b>. Open your eyes and recognize that you have given up your
street cred as a fair columnist long ago (it was why I used to like you before
you had to fit in with the company you kept). We’ve seen what has happened to
Joe Scarborough over at MSNBC, once a borderline ridiculous red meat
conservative who moderated himself for years on his Morning Joe (and with whose
politics I probably agreed most), and then went from mocking his pink-tinged
co-host, Mika, to romancing her and gave up all his scruples and politics,
especially after Trump mocked her (and yes, he was disgusting, but that doesn’t
justify Scarborough losing his mind). You are pretty much in his territory too,
quite subservient to the woke publishing policies of your employer, if not as
angry as he is (after all, Trump didn’t insult your wife). </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I
haven’t read all your columns the last few years once you became a tower of
left-leaning rhetoric under the “moderate” guise, just a few. Maybe you have
touched on some of what I’m about to suggest to you. I doubt with any actual vigor
though. That vigor is saved for Trump and his “deplorables.” Of course, if you
want to keep your sweet job, David, you have to blame Trump, and make remarks
suggesting that his followers are Neanderthals. But, I don’t think you have to
believe, or forswear criticizing every crazy idea the left has. You could be
much more principled (as I’m sure you feel you are), more courageous. If you
were really brave, you would have followed Bari Weiss out the door once you
read her famous open letter and be doing fantastic work on Common Sense with
her. Or writing real books, like Naomi Wolf, who finally saw that the emperor
had no clothes. Or even just be like Alan Dershowitz or Jonathan Turley, both
clinging to their D label despite seeing clearly and writing about all of the unfair,
unconstitutional whatnot on the left and calling it out. I wish they’d just
call it what it is – incipient fascism, but for some reason they still call
themselves Ds and say they vote for them.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Of
course, some of the Times’ readership are drooling left-wing zombies, and they would
have demanded your being fired, wouldn’t they, if you were even a little honest
like Dershowitz and Turley? People on the left can threaten lives or say
horrible things, and that’s fine with journalists, but just try disagreeing
with BLM or even acting like their “facts” were up for discussion. Even those
who read you religiously or work with would have had your head. Can you admit
that to yourself at least? They would destroy you, ignore or insult you, worse
than they did when you signed on as a R before you crumpled, as they do with
Dershowitz, for example. And if you can admit that - how do you justify staying
a D, being left-wing? You know who they are.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Just
do it. Free yourself. Say what you really know to be true (and I will give a
push start below), because you do know almost everything they say is a lie or
pretense or crazy, don’t you? Tell the Times to take their job and shove it if
they try to push back or come up with some mysterious reason you must move on </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Be
bold, David. Tell your readers these things -that yes, the NYTimes and other
left-wing media outlets and D politicians have been lying to them every day, as
Wolf said. Tell them, and you will feel better, like someone who finally says –
“I’m sorry, I don’t love you anymore” or comes out of the closet. The truth is
cathartic. Some people will still hire you and welcome you back to sanity, just
like they do Naomi Wolf.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">And
if you didn’t know the truth, which is almost impossible for you except by
willful refusal, you can just research it now. Because everything I state below
is verified, true and undeniable except by liars. Even with the silence of the
mainstream media of anything that doesn’t support their narrative, you can
verify it online. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Listen
closely, David <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– Yes, America is falling
apart – BECAUSE YOUR SIDE HAS GONE CRAZY, DAVID – AND NOT JUST ABOUT TRUMP.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Short, non-comprehensive, un-ordered list</span></b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> <b>to help you
understand</b> <b>how your side is destroying America, to help David Brooks
understand why America is going to hell in the proverbial handbasket:</b></span><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Yes,
fetuses are babies. As a friend of mine who is so smart he religiously reads my
blog, states: “Fetuses never end up born a bowling ball or a kangaroo, only a
baby.” As Rush Limbaugh joked, it’s not a magic vagina that turns it into a
baby when it comes out. It is no different than slavery. It will go on while
people can comfortably say they are not babies. If we could hear their cries,
it would be different. I know that is incredibly painful to hear for people who
have had abortions, or their family or friends have, but it is true.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">No,
the Dobbs case did not make abortion illegal – the left-wing pols and media are
simply lying. All it did was give the power to make abortion laws to the states
where it was before Roe v. Wade, which even Ruth Ginsberg had admitted was a
badly decided case. No, the Florida law protecting infants from being sexualized
by their radical teachers was not an anti-gay law. I must repeat, the left-wing
pols and media are simply lying to you. They literally lie about almost
everything political.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">It
is <b><i>ridiculously </i></b>unfair for biological men to compete with women in most
sports (I can’t know for sure, but I would bet that you have at least privately
said as much to friends). Maybe not all sports (like auto racing, women’s
gymnastics), but definitely where running, jumping, throwing, physical contact
and the like come into play. RIDICULOUSLY unfair, as I explained a few months ago here. Don’t D’s believe that they
are the party of women? It seems most voting women do. Why are you doing this
to young women? Why do have empathy for “transgender” but not for women who
know their own sex? Even Kaitlyn Jenner knows this is crazy. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">No,
hormone therapy and surgery cannot change men into women or vice versa, at
least not yet or the foreseeable future. No, there are not many genders, just
two. And it is a disgusting horror that so many on your side think it’s okay to
mutilate children and also not to tell their children. We won’t let them smoke,
but destroying their genitals and giving them drugs is okay?</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Our
education system has fallen to pieces. It is not just the crazy mask mandates
that caused so much harm, it is the crazy ideas that schools should be
re-writing our country’s history, teaching things like social justice math and
science and preventing teachers from disciplining trouble-makers and punishing
teachers who want tell kids the truth. If anthropogenic climate change is even
true – I don’t know – this degradation of our children is a far, far, far
bigger danger. Look at the lowered scores and the depression they’ve helped cause.
Look at the absentee rate. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Biden’s
and governors’ on the left insane response to Covid-19, has hurt people deeply.
Now it is admitted that the vaccine never worked (do people even know that?) You
are a numbers guy. How many good people lost their jobs due to mandates for
refusing to take a drug in their own bodies? How many families have suffered
because of that? As many have pointed out - what happened to “My body, my
choice?” Does it only apply to killing babies? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What
the left has done to blacks in recent years is as big a crime as Jim Crow. You
hysterically write in the Atlantic “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To be
conservative on racial matters is a moral crime</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 16.5pt; line-height: 107%;">.” </span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">You, not just blacks,
but white liberals too, have led many blacks and whites into believing the crazy
idea that cops are hunting blacks, that whites don’t value their lives, that
whites get success because of their skin color and blacks punished for it, that
blacks can only get justice (where virtually every single federal and state law
is long made in their favor) by protesting or worse.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I
know I repeat myself (I’m pretending you read my blog), but these George Floyd
riots, this defund the police movement, these disgusting prosecutions like with
poor Kim Potter or Kyle Rittenhouse, these phony investigations and trials, as
into, have resulted in more young blacks dying from under-policing at a faster
rate than the Ku Klux Klan could have ever dreamed - for their whole history!
David, black on black crime is the cause of black death. How can it be fixed if
it is not recognized and the pretense that it is whites who are violent is not
addressed? Blacks are also, inarguably the cause of most murders in this
country, regardless of the victim’s color. Why can’t you say that? It’s not
prejudice. We all know poverty is a big reason for it, but so is culture and so
is being raised without a father. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
numbers are overwhelming. Cops almost never kill unarmed cooperative blacks and avoid trying to kill them even if they don't cooperate.
And cops actually kill more whites without a good reason than blacks. Every year. Far more cops
are killed than unarmed cooperative blacks. Every year. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Why
are you afraid to tell the truth? I know, you have job. You have a family, a
reputation to protect. So do many of us who do tell the truth.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">David,
most blacks apparently don’t believe the left’s race-craziness. They want more
police, more protection. Polling shows that. You should scream out about what your side is doing to
them. They are dying. They want their children educated. They are not going to
be now except to be told the lie that they are victims and that they must
protest or perhaps riot to get ahead. It’s not a moral crime to be a
conservative on race, David. Martin Luther King, Jr., unless radicalized, would
probably be deemed an “Uncle Tom” conservative on race today. It is as he has
been assassinated all over again, but this time his thoughts and work, with
judging someone on the content of their character rather than the color of
their skin being buried from Joe Biden down to the marchers – only race matters
to them, so long as it gets them power and feeds their narrative. And you and
the left can continue to ignore great black writers and thinkers like John
McWhorter, Thomas Sowell, Jason L. Riley, Walter E. Williams, Shelby Steele
(read him, David, on how white guilt <i>hurts</i>, not helps, blacks), Larry Elder,
Robert Woodson (whose foundation actually tries to help blacks and lambastes
BLM as a parasite destroying our country) and so on. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What
Biden has done at the border is insane, so much worse than when I wrote how bad
it was (</span><a href="https://deisenberg.blogspot.com/2021/06/but-trump.html">David's blog: But Trump . . . . (deisenberg.blogspot.com)</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in June 2021, only 5 months into his term. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, 4.9 million illegal aliens had crossed the border, 900,000 "gotaways," since Biden took office. There are almost 750 deaths this year (nothing compared to Afghanistan and fentanyl, right - besides, who cares if it doesn't convince those not paying attention that the narrative is a lie?), worse than the roughly 550 last year. Why do you think the WH doesn't brag about that number the way they do about inflation? And it’s not just the influx of illegal aliens, but the
potential for terrorism and the drugs, the drugs the drugs! Take Fentanyl, a
phenomenal danger to our country, especially our youth. It has been going crazy
since the Obama years and even increasing through the Trump years. And thanks
to the open border, we aren’t getting a handle on it – it’s getting far worse.
It is now the leading cause of death, by far, of Americans 18-45 and if you
follow the news, it is soaring.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Of
course, everything about Biden is either insane or deliberately destructive for
the country. Not only do we have a president who is obviously cognitively
declining at a rapid rate, but he is responsible directly for 13 military
deaths in Afghanistan, not to mention the deaths of who knows how many allied
Afghanis - tens of thousands, hundreds? We don’t know. Does that not matter to
you at all? Do you write about the American citizens abandoned and still trapped in Afghanistan? Maybe. I doubt it. The WH sure doesn't talk about it much. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">His
abhorrent racism – (yes, he hires and nominates based on race, he rejoices when
the population of whites relatively declines, he says only whites can be
racists – this is what he says, not what I think. Even Kamala just said that help in Florida after the hurricane should be racially based (see used the word "equity" but we know what it means). Not just the continuous racism, but the insane spending; the
frequent lies (he literally said in debate he will not stop fracking – don’t
listen to Trump; then he stopped it day one); his assault on our absolutely
necessary carbon based energy production (then begging our enemies, like
Venezuela to sell it to us, not to mention of his depleting and then not
refilling our emergency supply); his craven pleading with Iran to enter an
agreement at who knows what cost to us, and his relying on Russia – Russia(!!!)
to guarantee their compliance (he learned this begging technique from John
Kerry); his repeated violation of the constitution (federal vaccine mandates,
empowering agencies to do what they have no power to do, his canceling debt
owed to banks for certain people, his threats to shut down student lunch
programs [punishing who? Poor kids] if they didn’t go along with the gender
dysphoria narrative, his changing education policy to punish young women who
want to play sports and young men who are accused of harassment, whether they
are innocent or not, his working with big tech to stifle speech); his nasty and
divisive rhetoric calling Trump’s followers semi-fascist (Why, because the
proudly display the flag?) and telling the country is was okay to be angry at
people who wouldn’t get vaccinated even though Fauci and Birx and obviously he
knew the vaccine didn’t work to stop transmission from the beginning (which, at
least, Fauci and Birx have both admitted). Tens of thousands, maybe hundreds in
the military and elsewhere, which he can control, have lost their jobs thanks
to him due to their refusal to inject themselves with a vaccine which obviously
can be (if rarely) deadly and is probably riskier than the virus. I was
vaccinated three times on trust – would have been first, but done with it for
now until there is a believable, well-tested vaccine.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I
have to take a breath. I’m going to skip the fact that there is more actual
evidence that he used his VP position for his and his family’s gain than there
ever was that Trump was involved with Russia or that he had a quid pro quo with
Ukraine if it didn’t help him. Your paper sure doesn't care. The WH sure isn't going to talk about it. You could probably make them if you applied pressure. Hah! I'm pretty sure that won't happen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
cancel culture, part of wokeness, is a sickness. John McWhorter calls it a new
and very irrational religion we must defeat. I loved his book, <i>Woke Racism</i>,
but I think the cancel culture is also a form of fascism and he doesn’t take it
that far. Fascism infects the entire culture, not just the government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have too many negative things to say about
cancel culture to even start here, but if you are afraid to speak your mind
online, at school or your job, if you can’t flirt with someone at work, or say
out loud that George Washington was still a great man (and I fault all the
founders for slavery, because they knew it was abhorrent) and all the things
you know you used to be able to say or do before free speech was chilled by
this cultural phenomena that business and education rolled over for, you are no
longer free. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Are
you writing about the young man in North Dakota who was run down, his assailant
(now free on only $50,000 bail) claiming he was a right-wing extremist (the
evidence is that he simply ran him down and not that he was any kind of
extremist – <b>as if that would excuse it</b>!!!!)? The kid is dead and he’s
out, like they let Darrell Brooks out on $1000 after he abused his domestic
abuse and he ran down people in a Christmas parade, killing 5, injuring dozens.
$1000. Meanwhile, how much bail was Kyle Rittenhouse given after saving his own
life from a child rapist and gun wielding thug? One million, reduced to
$100,000. Not $1000, not $50,000. The narrative is so powerful that even judges
are affected by it.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Wake
up, Dr. Jones, wake up!” The left seems to hate families and they hate
capitalism, two things you are deeply invested in – probably like most everyone
at the Times while they publicly give lip service to the mandate. How rich are
you, David (probably even richer than millionaire socialists in congress)? How
close to your family are you? But, if you read BLM’s major websites, those two,
capitalism and family, are on the hit list. Why does no one in the mainstream
talk about that (let alone about how the biggest and best funded gang in
America pulled off a heist for its leaders – do you write about that?) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
cities are disgusting, dangerous, murderous places filled with homeless (the
poor people who probably trust your side), feces and the smell of pot, with others
fleeing or desperate to do so if they only could. Do you ever go through
Manhattan on foot or by subway, or does a car take you right to the safety of
the Times building? Why are cities like this, David? Here’s a clue. They are
almost all D run for a long time now. Even in red states. Do I even have to go
into the bail reform laws and the violence and death they’ve engendered – yet,
still defended as if they make us all safer? All you need to do is look
objectively.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
FBI has been so deluged under leftist activists that it is no longer a credible
organization. We now have a whistleblower, Stephen Friend, calling them out and
the FBI is trying to silence him. Retired agents, safer, are applauding it (30,
according to the NYPost, David – don’t expect it to be a story in the Times).
Ever since the Clinton-FBI Russia hoax (Do you still deny that or just ignoring
it?) I can’t trust the FBI for anything. It is probably the biggest scandal
we’ve ever had politically, but you wouldn’t know it by reading your paper
which received Pulitzers for adding to the lies – what are proven lies. </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">And
Attorney General Garland, once a decent man who got his feelings trampled on
when the Rs would not let him on the Supreme Court (I disagreed with their
method – but it was not illegal, which is why Obama did not push it – and after
seeing what he has become, I’m grateful) has become the poster child for
American fascism, trying to make parents who do not want their little girls to
have to be in locker rooms with males into <i>domestic</i> <i>terrorists</i>.
His pursuit of anyone who was even at the Capitol on J6 like the furies, but
not prosecuting the murderer of Ashli Babbit who broke every rule of police use
of force; his pursuit, like NY’s AG, of Donald Trump, whereas he can look at
armored men with masks trying to blowtorch their way into a federal building
and say he doesn’t know if they were terrorists because it was nighttime and
maybe no one was in the courthouse. Is he kidding? No, he’s dead serious and
fixed on the left-wing narrative. Are you kidding, or haven’t you noticed?</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">And I'm sure even at the NYTimes you did not miss that Mark Zuckerberg told Joe Rogan and his audience that the FBI told them to watch out for Russian disinformation, so they buried the Hunter story on facebook with their algorithms. Go ahead, David, pretend to yourself the FBI didn't do likewise with Twitter and all those other anti-Trump censors too.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">We
have a two-tiered justice system where participation in the J6 riot is now
deemed, along with Charlottesville (where left-wing mobs attacked marchers with
permits) the only violence in American history, and only by the right. The left
can riot for a year after George Floyd, ignore the thousands of deaths that
have been suffered because of them (almost all minorities), watched their cities
be destroyed – all for the life of one man. Yes, he was killed, and it was a
crime, horrible to watch. How does he, a lifetime criminal, and a violent one
at that, get statues, while they vandalize those of Colombus, Gandhi,
Washington? There is only one reason. BLM and others on the left could not be
happier than when Floyd died because they finally had on tape one of the rare
times the police killed a black criminal that could have been easily avoided.
It would get no traction but for media cooperation with the narrative that cops
are killing blacks. We know, because whites have been killed the same way and
nothing has happened.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">On
J6 at the capitol, only one person was murdered, Babbit, a Trump supporter and
it has been exposed as an outright lie that Brian Sicknick, a cop, was killed
by rioters. No protester or rioter pulled a gun or a knife on a cop. The media
and the left still pretend that J6 and Charlottesville where leftists attacked
marchers (who had a permit) and one woman died, are the only violence in our
history, ignoring the 550 violent “protests” after Floyd in 2020, Seattle,
Portland, and the many attacks on pro-life proponents or just plain
Republicans, for no other reason, in America. Just recently an 80-year old pro-life
advocate was murdered, a man ran down a young man claiming he was part of a
dangerous right-wing extreme group (the evidence doesn’t show anything like
that) and pro-life clinics and organizations are regularly bombed or vandalized
after Dobbs. That is happening now, not decades ago. I’m not going to provide
links for you, David, as you are a professional, but if others reading this
want to just look at one list and then check them out - </span><a href="https://metrovoicenews.com/23-and-counting-pro-life-organizations-firebombed-damaged-ahead-of-court-ruling/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">23 and counting: pro-life organizations firebombed, damaged ahead
of court ruling - Metro Voice News</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. And that was over 3
months ago.<span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Frankly,
David, if you want to know what is going on, all you need to do is read the New
York Post (or The Epoch Times, “EP”), and then verify it. It’s not hard. I do
it all the time. Unlike the NYTimes and 51 Intelligence chiefs, the Post and EP
didn’t pretend that Hunter’s laptop was Russian disinformation. For crying out
loud, we now know for sure Joe Biden lied about not being involved in Hunter’s
foreign business (we have two witnesses he is the “big guy” and the message he
left for Hunter found on the laptop). What else do you need to wake up? They
will only investigate him if whoever is actually running things decides Biden
can’t run again.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">One
of the most perplexing things to my conservative Jewish friends is how so many
Jews in America, it seems most, are progressives? Do they not realize how
anti-Semitic the left is? Do you? Take a look at Newsweek’s article on
anti-Semitic clubs at Berkeley Law School and the new anti-Semitism you mostly
ignore. If you are not blind or dumb, why are you using an example of hate
crimes being against blacks, when the statistics show that a black is the most
likely attacker and Jews the most likely victims? Every year.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">As
always, I can’t just keep listing things forever as my posts are way too long
to begin with. (so I’m repeatedly told). But, if like my friends and family,
you doubt that any of these things are true, just ask me and I will be happy to
document it for you.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I
know how difficult it is to recognize you’ve been wrong politically about so
many things because of how you were raised or the overwhelming crush and
prohibition of information based on where you live or work. I had to go through
it and it was painful and embarrassing. It can be done, but you have to want to
know the truth and you have to accept you can be wrong – and, actually care
about what happens to our country and yes, even the minorities your party is
destroying.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Soon, David, I will be posting on how the media
convinced regular people that Trump is authoritarian (though they couldn’t
actually name a fact) and Biden somehow isn’t (though literally trying to rule
by presidential decree). Stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Let’s pretend that I expected David Brooks would read
this. Not likely, in reality. It’s just a device to speak once again to my moderate or R
friends or casual readers turned leftward, even slightly, who might not realize they are lied
to every day. Every day. Have to win people back to reality, one at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-51358913862115895592022-08-25T07:34:00.003-07:002022-09-03T10:30:04.208-07:00When the lies just fall like rain.<p>How do we know when something is true or not? Until they shut it down in ignominious defeat, the first clue could have been to listen to what the Biden Disinformation Governance Board had to say on a topic - then believe the opposite until proven otherwise. Now that it is gone you pretty much just have to listen to anything the administration says at all.</p><p>I saw a great t-shirt today, worn by an acquaintance at the bagel store. "I don't need sex. The government f**** me every day." They do. All do. But, never like this before. I thought Obama was the worst president in my lifetime. But he would be a godsend compared to this one. The lies are unending and without shame.</p><p>As I often do, I most sincerely address my moderate and independent friends, those of you who are not Republicans or conservatives (as I am not) and believe you just seek what is best for America, not a political party. You, all of us, have been lied to at an unprecedented rate for years, and even when it comes out, you don't seem to care. </p><p>I have wondered why this is and I've come to the conclusion that there is what some are calling "mass formation psychosis" going on in more than one way. For some of you, it is believing what the government is telling you is true about masks, lock downs, vaccinations, etc. For most of you, it is like the brainwashing in the Manchurian Candidate with respect to one word. You hear the word "Trump," and you immediately feel something is is evil or wrong. You say you like facts or data, but you have virtually none, only negative adjectives to describe him. You cleave to theories, rumors, conspiracies about him, though they are proven wrong so often. Yet you are willing to believe the next one. How often do you have to be shown that they are lying to you to realize it? I'm not sure it is possible anymore. Once an emotion is connected to a political thought it is very hard to break the bind. </p><p>Now with Trump, </p><p>The media and the pols told you told you he couldn't win the primary. He won easily, but, you still trusted them.</p><p>You were told by them he couldn't win the general election, but he did and yet you still trusted them.</p><p>You were told that he was brutal to woman (NYTs article during the campaign<span style="background-color: #01ffff;">*</span>), until the woman who was the focus of it said the very next day to say that she was lied to by the Times, who told her it wasn't a hit job and it wasn't what I told them. She said, in fact, he had been good to her. I admit it took me a while before I realized you could not trust The Times politically <u>at all anymore</u>, but it had been for a half century my favorite news source and I was very biased in its favor. But, still you trusted them, The Times, CNN, MSNBC, the networks, etc. Why?</p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">*Her name was <span style="color: #101010; font-family: "Publico Text", serif;">Rowanne Brewer Lane, if you want to look her up.</span></span></p><p>You were told his campaign illegally conspired with Russia, which turned out to be not only a complete lie, but a Clinton campaign tactic that our country wasted two years on. We have learned there was a deep state that acted against him and that we can't even trust the FBI. It was actually much worse than Watergate and we aren't even at the very bottom of it yet. It was a disgusting attempt to take down a presidency by political opponents, some his electoral opposition and some in government. The lying has been exposed. But, that somehow doesn't bother you. You don't hate Hillary Clinton the way you do Trump. Why? Many of you still believe that there was something to the Russia story though it was completely disproven AND that the FBI knew it almost from the start.</p><p>You were told that Trump saying to the Ukrainian president . . . can you do us a favor (investigate corruption, which would not bode well for his opponent - Biden) was a crime, then a <i>quid pro quo</i>, then. . . uh . . . well we can just impeach him because we want to. Despite the obvious partisanship of it, and a second attempt to take down an American president, and more lying by the left, you still don't care. Why?</p><p>You were told that his rule to try to prevent terrorism, temporarily preventing citizens of a few countries from coming here, and which rule did not permit religious discrimination, was somehow a "Muslim Ban." In actuality, only a small fraction of Muslims in the world would be temporarily kept out because of where they came from and not their religion? When it was pointed out in court that Obama had a very similar order, the attorneys for those attacking the rule actually argued it was okay for Obama but not Trump. But you are okay with that. I have to wonder why you don't realize they lie to you about almost everything or don't care?</p><p>When he actually solved a border crisis by working with Mexico and other countries, they told you he was keeping children in cages, which turned out to be Obama era cages. But, that doesn't bother you (despite what Biden has done to the border since day 1 of his administration). Why don't you care about it?</p><p>They tried to blame the riot on January 6, 2021 at the Capital on him, despite that he only asked that them to march "peacefully" (actually, "peacefully and patriotically"). https://youtu.be/n4Bq6ADEaBk. But they repeatedly lie to you about it, tell you a cop was killed there, that their was a gallows (it was a mock gallows). They tried to impeach him for it <i>even after he was out of office</i>, because it really had nothing to do with the normal purposes of actual impeachment, simply revenge and to try and keep him from running next time. It failed again. But you don't care. I really don't understand the sufferance of the exposed lies being told you unless the mass formation psychosis is that strong, that you not only don't care, but don't even notice.</p><p>These aren't small lies, they are big ones. Some of them are major events, or caused major events. For four years they tried to take down the government and almost did several times.</p><p>They tell you Trump lies all the time, and no doubt, he does lie sometime. But, he seems to lie about small things that inflate his ego, like how many people were at an inauguration. Differences of opinion are not lies.</p><p>One could go on for pages about the lies told you every day and yet you cleave to the belief that the left is better or at least, the <i>Trump </i>right is so bad. </p><p>That most everything is bad is Trump's fault, including:</p><p>Inflation.</p><p>The debacle in Afghanistan.</p><p>The border crisis (which he had actually resolved).</p><p><b>They also lie to you about</b> -</p><p>There not being such a thing as men and women but the thinking you are one or the other.</p><p>That there are multiple genders.</p><p>That mothers are "birthing people," not women.</p><p>That men who cut off their penises and take hormones are now women.</p><p>That the Florida law forbidding teachers talking to children about sex is about saying the word "gay."</p><p>That the biggest problem in America is white supremacy, which certainly exists, but concerns a tiny portion of people in the country and is responsible for an infinitesimal number of deaths by murder compared to blacks (most of which I suspect is connected to economics and the support of what author John McWhorter calls the Elect (woke folks).</p><p>That whites are devils and automatically racist.</p><p>That cops are trying to murder blacks.</p><p>That you are racist if you don't agree with the (racist) "anti-racists."</p><p>That antifa are not terrorists despite trying to burn cops alive and taking over territory, but parents who argue against their children being sexualized in grade school are.</p><p>That the top 1% of earners, who pay roughly 40% of income tax - do not pay their fair share.</p><p>That socialism works.</p><p>That capitalism is racism.</p><p>That CRT is not spreading in schools and it is only taught in law schools.</p><p>That many schools all over the country are not involved in trying to change the sex of children without even their parents' permission or knowledge.</p><p>That parents who opposed biological men using girls' bathrooms are domestic terrorists.</p><p>That the border is under control.</p><p>That homicide is a red state problem (it's an urban problem almost exclusively in Democrat run cities).</p><p>That Justice Kavanaugh is a rapist or molester.</p><p>All the lies about the Iranian nuclear deal.</p><p>That Hunter's laptop was a Russian hoax.</p><p>That Biden didn't know about Hunter's business dealings. Really, the lies and omissions over Joe and Hunter Biden - its own topic and not for today.</p><p>That Biden was a moderate about the border.</p><p>That Biden wasn't going to end fracking (which he did Day 1).</p><p>That the military and intelligence advised Biden to handle Afghanistan in the way we did.</p><p>That Trump was responsible for 400,000 American deaths from Covid (more died during Biden's first year and he had a vaccine).</p><p>That the vaccines prevented the spread of Covid.</p><p>That the 550 violent BLM/Antifa/Floyd riots of 2020 were mostly peaceful</p><p>That the Florida law stopping teachers from sexualizing 1-3 graders was the "Don't Say 'Gay'" law, though it does no such thing.</p><p>That what was known as CHOP in Seattle was about Democracy, not an insurrection (until 2 kids were murdered, then suddenly they had to go).</p><p>That Portland wasn't under siege (until they showed up at the mayor's house).</p><p>______________________</p><p>What's really important is that -</p><p>You believe these lies.</p><p>You are hypnotized into believing that Trump and everything associated with him is evil and that is the appropriate response to almost every question.</p><p>You don't realize that the media lies to you every day.</p><p>You don't realize that the media won't cover things they don't want you to know - whether about Antifa, or how many minority children have died because of the defund the police mission, how dangerous the cities have become, Democrat corruption by candidates (Bloomberg officially took the position of not reporting on it, but it was true of most of the other left wing media too), the whole Hunter Biden scandal and his father's knowledge and/or participation in it, the FBI and Justice Department's favoring the left (the Clintons and Bidens more than anyone) Joe Biden's long history of lies and unwanted and inappropriate touching . . . . </p><p>I've run out of steam. It's overwhelming. Hitting Post. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-10539674553772469332022-08-24T12:11:00.009-07:002022-11-15T05:32:55.492-08:00Why women can't compete in sports with men.<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Consider Kevin Mayer’s,
the world’s no. 1 men’s decathlete, who does not specialize in any individual event.
He could not begin to compete in any individual track and field event like the
100 meter dash or the shot put as a male with any success against those who
train just for 1 event like the high jump, or a few similar events, like a
sprinter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, if he Daley
identified as a women and could compete against the best women in the world <i>in the
individual events</i> as opposed to female decathletes, who have general ability but are not the best at any of them individually, he would be 1/100<sup>th</sup>
of a second off the 100 m. world record for the 100 m, tied for the world high
jump record and hold the world record in the long jump. I can’t compare the
shot put, javelin and discus, because women use lighter weights, but, it is probable
he would hold the world record in them, certainly if he used the lighter
weights. In fact, in the javelin, he would have the world women’s record
despite using a heavier weight. But, if he competed in the 2020 Olympic games
against women, again, record holders in their individual events, he would have
gotten gold medals in the 100 meters, the 400 meters, the high jump and the
long jump. Using women’s weights in the throwing events, we have to reasonably
presume he’d also be the winner in the javelin (definitely), shot put, and discus.
Certainly, he’d be very competitive. And remember, this is against the best
women in the world in those events, not female decathletes, against whom he’d
likely win every single event.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The following chart
compares Mayer’s best in the decathlon against the women’s world record in the
individual events, the women in the 2020 Olympic events and the men’s world
records. I do not include the shot put, javelin and discus because women use
much smaller weights and they run the 100, not the 110 hurdles. [Note, in the
track events, the lower number is superior (ran faster); in field events, the
higher number is superior (threw or jumped further)].</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Present<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Women’s<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Event</span></u></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Kevin
Mayer’s best</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Women’s WR</u><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>2020
Olympics</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><u><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Men’s</span></u></b><b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> WR </span></u></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_meters" title="100 meters"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">100 meters</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10.50 seconds<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>10.49<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10.61<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>9.58<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/400_meters" title="400 meters"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">400 meters</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>48.26 <span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>47.60<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>48.36<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>43.03</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_meters"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1500 meters</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> –<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>4:18.04 minutes/seconds<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>3:50.07<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3.53.11<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3.26.00</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_jump" title="High jump"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">High jump</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2.09 meters<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>2.09 <span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2.04<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2.45</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_vault" title="Pole vault"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pole vault</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4.80 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>5.06<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4.90<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>6.20</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_jump" title="Long jump"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Long jump</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7.80 <span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>7.52 <span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7.00<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>8.95</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Consider even Bruce,
now Caitlyn, Jenner, who was the Olympic decathlon champion in 1976, 44 years
before the 2020 Olympics! Despite the huge changes in technology of the tracks,
shoes and other equipment, training and nutrition, if he were allowed to
compete against women in the 2020 Olympics and did only as well now as he did
then, he would have gotten the gold in the 400 meters, the pole vault
and the long jump and a silver medal in the high jump. If he had </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">the same advances in technology and training, he’d probably win every event, or almost every one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of course, even now, he
would easily, easily, had won the Olympic decathlon, probably if you let a team
of women, the best each in their event (that is, not the decathletes, but the world record holders), compete against him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Event</span></u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Bruce
Jenner’s best</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Present
women’s WR</u><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Women’s 2022 Olympic</u></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_meters" title="100 meters"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">100 meters</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10.94 s<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>10.49<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>10.61</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/400_meters" title="400 meters"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">400 meters</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>47.51 s<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>47.60<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>48.36</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_meters"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1500 meters</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> –<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>4:12.61 m/s<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>3:50.07<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>3.53.11</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_jump" title="High jump"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">High jump</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2.03 m<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2.09 <span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>2.04</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_vault" title="Pole vault"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pole vault</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>5.45 m<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>5.06<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>4.90</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_jump" title="Long jump"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Long jump</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>7.22 m <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>7.52 <span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span>7.00</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Please do not tell me that Bobby Riggs, who was
defeated by Billie Jean King, generally women’s best tennis player, when she
was 31 and he was 55 (a former champion) out-of-shape and without training, and
who played the first three games in a warm-up suit jacket, means anything (and,
actually, earlier, he beat Margaret Court, who was actually ranked no. 1 in
women’s tennis that year). In 1998, after bragging that she could beat any male
tennis player ranked <i>lower than 200</i>, Serena Williams, probably the
all-time greatest women’s player, played one set against Karsten Braasch, who
was ranked 203 in men’s tennis and lost 6-1. Her sister, almost as good, played
a set with him and lost 6-2. In 2013, Serena acknowledged that then champion
Andy Murray would beat her in 5 minutes 6-0, 6-0. When Jimmy Connors was over
40, he played women’s champion Martina Navratilova. No one, certainly not
Martina, thought she had a chance and she was given the advantage of hitting
into a larger court and Connor was handicapped by getting only one serve. He
still won.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I could go on, but allowing men in women’s sports is obvious - beyond crazy and deeply unfair to women athletes. Why are the woke, supposedly
on the side of women, so much against them and why in the world does anyone
listen to this idiocy? I cannot believe so many go along with it. But, I've said before, we are a sick country and it looks like getting sicker.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I was overjoyed to learn that this year the International
Swimming Federation finally determined not to allow biological males who experienced puberty
to compete with women. It’s time for all states to follow suite. I literally
cannot comprehend how it has not been found to have violated Title 9’s benefits
for women’s sports. While I understand the challenges that “transgender” people
may have and have empathy for them, it’s a misnomer, and I really don’t see how
it is different than a 18 year old high school athlete wanting to play jr. high
sports because he <i>feels</i> younger. It’s just an unfair advantage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Supreme Court’s decision in <i>Bostock v. Clayton
County</i> (2020), which I cannot understand legally (I thought Justice Alito’s
dissent excoriated Gorsuch’s majority decision), applies the federal discrimination law to LGBT, despite the fact that they are not covered, and both sides (plaintiffs and defendants) admitted that it was not intended that it be the law when made. Though the decision was limited to saying a business cannot fire someone for being
transgender, it might be taken someday to mean you cannot prevent a transgender
athlete from competing against his/her chosen or imagined (rather than
biological) gender group in sports (male or female). I would argue that since a
transgender athlete does not actually change genders, whatever the surgery or
hormones one takes may be, it is not the same as not firing them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It would make it easier if congress would simply
re-write the statute essentially barring transgender males who experienced
puberty (because it is reported that it tremendously affects performance) from competing against women or girls, unless the women voluntarily agree (e.g., their could be a co-ed league).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I must admit, I am completely baffled by this new
movement to multiply genders. I was talking to a college student recently who
was certain that there were more than two genders and that it was up to the
decision of the individual, the same as deciding if you will be a doctor,
lawyer or candlestick maker – except there’s no process or work involved. You
just decide, and can undecide (some people say their gender changes often).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When I asked him to tell me what those other genders
were he couldn’t say or how the change happened. I asked if “cake” was a gender (he hadn’t heard of that
one, but it does exist in some people’s minds – not that they think they are a
cake, but they say they <i>feel</i> like one). He fixed me a dark look and said
something to the effect that I could not possibly understand and that we
shouldn’t talk about it anymore. He was polite but very serious. That's among the more pleasant ways they are trained to react when their arguments are shown to be illogical.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My position is hardly unique, though I wanted to use decathletes
to highlight the disparity in male and female athletes and did not know if it
had done before. But many people have been outspoken against it. But many are
afraid to as the current political/media situation allows for destroying people’s
lives over their opinion. Riley Gaines,<span style="background: aqua; mso-highlight: aqua;">*</span> who competed in college against Thomas in one of the events he
didn’t blow everyone away, tied with him – but officials let him hold the
trophy when the photograph was taken. She speaks out </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">(her school backs her up)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, but explains why others
are frightened:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">“Once I found out that Lia Thomas was formerly a male
because I thought oh, because it makes sense, you know, it ‘makes sense how
these times that are so incredible are being swam. And I thought there’s no way
the NCAA will let this happen to where females are competing against this
person who is 6’ 4” and has male advantages. But I was clearly proven wrong. .
. I saw Thomas win a national title that first day which is just heart breaking
watching that happen, the tears of the 9<sup>th</sup> and 17<sup>th</sup> place
finishers who missed out on being named an All-American, the extreme discomfort
in the locker room. You know there’s just grumbles of anger and frustration but
no one really . . . we just weren’t sure how to take action and I feel like
that’s something a lot of female athletes are facing. . . But I am sitting here
explaining how this is so harmful to women. It’s something that jeopardizes
what title 9 was intended to protect. . . I can’t even believe I have to sit
here, like you said, and explain why this is wrong.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">[Concerning locker rooms] “As females we should at least
have a say in, you know, getting completely naked in front of a male and having
to see male parts. You know, these are things a couple of years ago would be
sexual harassment. . . And how in the world have we gotten to a point where we
are not even letting women know there will be a naked male in the locker room.
. . To be in that position it’s absolutely insane. Like this is something you
would think we wouldn’t allow.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">[The new Biden proposed Title 9] “But now, rather than that
being sexual harassment, this new Title 9, Biden Administration’s Title 9, it’s
sexual harassment to refer to refer to a transgender as their own pronouns.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">BTW, likely to be discussed in
the future, the proposed Title 9 by the Biden Administration is insane. I’m not
concentrating on it here. It is one of many, many, many reasons to defeat the
Democrats in the next election. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">*P.S., for Trump haters who think Gaines avoided a kiss from
him on stage recently, she said: “In no way, shape, or form did I ‘dodge a
kiss’ from Trump nor was I uncomfortable on that stage with him at any point in
time,” Gaines wrote on an </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg-wOhPOuKL/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=027523f1-ff3b-4e11-95cd-d97968f47415" target="_blank"><span style="background: aqua; color: #0000ee; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;"> post Monday that included a
photo of her and Trump. “I slightly turned my head so I could hear what he was
saying to me. Proof that not everything you read is factual. But keep clutching
at straws, it’s almost comical.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As Gaines said, I can't believe it either that I have to explain this. It's like having to explain that dirt is not a vegetable and you can't eat it just because you decide it is one.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Like the culture wars in the ‘60-80s, you never know
where this will come out. It seems as predictable as what video will go viral.
But, I do know which way leads to trouble and I feel like we are headed that
way. Really, in so many ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-82146351232714406622022-08-20T13:19:00.001-07:002022-08-20T13:19:28.222-07:00Tilting at the "that's an anecdote" windmill.<p>From time to time I write here about the way people argue,
which fascinates me. I have been doing this for about sixteen years now so you’ll
have to forgive me if I can’t remember everyone, but just last month I wrote about accusations of whataboutism and sometime in the past I recall writing about the "you can’t
prove that” argument and also analogies.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They are similar in a few ways. They are based on technically
fair arguments. Whataboutism is based on relevance. “You can’t prove that” is
based on the fact that you can’t prove anything scientific or many other things
unless it is logically excluded. Disagreeing with someone else’s analogy is
always allowed, but, as I have said at least once in this bulging sack of blog-opinions,
though I know at least once I did well on a standardized test on analogy, somehow
no one has ever agreed that an analogy I used when disagreeing with them was
close enough to the facts of the subject to be useful. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All these arguments are technically valid. But often it is
overkill. But, both are used by adversaries in an argument to get you not to be
able to speak – which is, sadly, what a great deal of argument turns into if
people are determined to win and cannot be convinced. Whataboutism is overused
to refuse you to allow you to give any context to the discussion that would not
support your adversary’s view, or demonstrate hypocrisy or at least err by them,
by making it a thing – as if you may only refute or agree with the exact set of
facts your adversary says. It is as if they can cross-examine you and insist
you answer “yes” or “no.” The difference is, in an argument, it’s not a trial
and you or your lawyer doesn’t get a chance. That’s just the end of the
argument for them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here's something you might notice about those who accuse you
about whataboutism or that you can’t scientifically “prove” your point (you can’t,
of course, if you know anything about science, absolutely prove anything). You
will probably never hear them say it to you when you are agreeing with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But, this post is about <i>anecdote</i> as in, that’s just
an anecdote and therefore isn’t persuasive - so I will not go on about the
other arguments people raise. I was debating with someone this past week about politics,
and I made what was absolutely an anecdote to which he said – that’s just an
anecdote. Okay, fair enough but only as far as it goes. I hadn’t actually made
the argument that – “Here is my anecdote, and, therefore, I win!” Nor had I
said, here is one time something happened. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anecdote can actually be very persuasive sometimes, and actually
can prove something (again, it’s hard to absolutely prove anything, but
sometimes you can). When someone gives you an absolute, such as, “There were no
chocolates in that bowl EVER!” and you respond with, “There’s a chocolate right
there,” or, “I just ate a chocolate from the bowl,” as long as you are being
truthful, demolishes their point. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can think of two better, less abstract examples. Some
years ago (I believe in 2004, when Bush was facing off against John Kerry in the
presidential election) at someone else’s family dinner to which I was invited, someone
said, “No president who was a war leader was re-elected,” which was of course
an absolute. I started to think and said, “Well, Madison, War of 1812,” to
which she agreed as an exception. Then I said, “Lincoln, McKinley, FDR, Truman,
LBJ, Nixon – who am I forgetting?” Frankly, I felt a little bad as I could see
she was embarrassed, and it wasn’t my intention. Nevertheless, I gave anecdotal
evidence. But, if I had only given one name, it proved her argument false. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In my second example, my opponent deserved a little
embarrassment. For the second time in my life someone said to me “I don’t do
absolutes,” with not a little bit of an air of superiority. The first time I thought
of a comeback too late to use, later that day, but this time I was ready with –
“You do know that’s an absolute, don’t you?” The point here is that, again, it was
an anecdote – one personal example. But, enough to disprove their point, because
it was an absolute. My anecdote just happened to be on that same exact topic.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">BUT, for those of you who want to use anecdotes in discussions
- FEEL FREE. Even if you are not pointing out that an absolute is not so by
your story and your story just furthers your point, there is nothing wrong with
it. Here’s the reason. An anecdote can be given for many reasons. Sometimes you
just feel like telling a story. But, even if you are using an anecdote to try
to be persuasive, it’s okay. Very few things in life are subject to enormous amounts
of data or scientific experimentation. Trust me on this, your “I call anecdotal”
opponent has and will continue to use them too. But, just because you use an
anecdote (or can’t prove something with scientific precision) <i>doesn’t mean
it isn’t true</i>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am not saying, prove your arguments by using anecdotes all
the time, as obviously it is true that an anecdote that doesn’t exclude the
truth of what you are arguing against (as with disproving someone’s absolute
with an example) can only do so much. I’m saying that people <i>accuse </i>others<i>
</i>of a fallacy when they say - that is an anecdote and doesn’t prove anything,
but it is they who are really making the fallacy when they assume that you are
trying to do so, and what you say might actually be true as a point.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Very often with anecdotes, it is the factors surrounding
them that make them more or less useful. For example, suppose you are in a
group discussion about the dangers of Chernobyl to tourists and someone says, “My
Uncle Hubert went to Chernobyl when he was 40 years old and in perfect health
and died of radiation poisoning a few weeks later” I will find that goddamn
persuasive and not go to Chernobyl. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And of course the more anecdotal evidence you have the more
persuasive it is to us. Where anecdotal evidence turns into data or a good
sample size I don’t know. But, I know I was persuaded that Bill Cosby was a
rapist by the sheer number of women who were prepared to give evidence who had
no benefit from doing so (they got no political advantage, they could no longer
sue him for money, they were coming out to the world that they were raped – and
women, many of them no spring chickens tend to feel shame about it). Each had
an anecdote, but together it was extremely powerful.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As with the other arguments I discussed above, you will
probably find that no one ever says “That’s just an anecdote when you are
agreeing with them.” Then they will very likely find it very persuasive in that
case. At least, that has been my long experience.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Arguments usually means something is unsettled. What
interests me is the way they are used, or overused, and how they usually lead
to some form of an opponent dictating to you – you can’t say that. I’m sure my
critics (the only <i>critics</i> I actually have are close friends, relatives
and my evalovin’ gf) would say I am guilty of all the above. Fine. Maybe so.
Maybe I’m the worst ever at it. But, doesn’t make it not so. I don’t think I
discovered anything in writing about this topic. But, it is something I think
about a bit and I don’t think most people do. Perhaps wanting to help people argue better makes is Quixotic. Okay. Then I am tilting at windmills (again). Hope not too much.<o:p></o:p></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-7639386470454749232022-07-12T10:55:00.003-07:002022-07-20T12:11:55.921-07:00Whatabout "Whataboutism"<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the past few weeks, three people, all in discussions
about politics with me, have raised the issue of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">whataboutism – </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">twice that
I and once that “people” have raised subjects that are irrelevant.</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since
one of my favorite topics is how people are taught to argue, I thought I’d take
a shot at it, because often, though it can be a valid criticism, crying
whataboutism has become a tool that people use so the other side cannot speak.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I want to start off by saying that I have heard people
on both the right and left use this accusation, often depending on which party
is in power. Of the three people I mentioned above, one is a convinced liberal
since the 1960s, who I know since I was a teenager; one claims to be and I
believe is a moderate, but who hates Trump and the third one I had a discussion
with in a bagel store, but don’t even know his name. But based on our
conversation I know he hates Trump and I’m 99% percent sure is a liberal (he
self-described as pro-choice, anti-gun, anti-border enforcement, etc.). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But that is just the last week. I have heard the term
thrown around, not especially in reference to me, but to make the point that they
did not think the response to their question or statement was to the point, and
had drifted into another area. Not surprisingly, in the past few years the
accusations I have heard have almost all have been made by either liberals or Trump-haters
when you respond to something they say about Trump. But back in the 1990s I have
often heard Republicans use it when criticizing Clinton – they wanted you to
answer only yes and no to questions as if you were being cross-examined, or if
it was an open question, they did not want you to mention anyone else other
than Clinton. I don’t remember people calling it <i>whataboutism</i> back in
the Clinton years – but they might have. I can’t really remember. It doesn’t
matter. The accusation has been around for – ev – a.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And it is often nonsense. Yes, you heard me –
nonsense. Apologies to all who use it. Please note that I said “often.”
Sometimes I think it is fair and I have used it too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me start with the technical definition which I
found in an online dictionary: “[T]<span style="background: white; color: #111111;">the
technique or practice of responding to an accusation or difficult question by
making a counteraccusation or raising a different issue. Also called </span></span><a href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=f989ba9a339b6449JmltdHM9MTY1NzQ3NzY2NiZpZ3VpZD05MzEwODY1NS04Y2Q0LTQ2MWItYmZhZS0zODUzNTRjNzQ5MGQmaW5zaWQ9NTQyMQ&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=fed3df14-007d-11ed-ba9c-d1c3a3e04ccf&u=a1L3NlYXJjaD9xPWRlZmluZSt3aGF0YWJvdXRlcnk&ntb=1" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">whataboutery</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">:”</span><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Now,
as far as that goes, it is not a bad definition, and it can be true. For
example, if you say to me – “Moriarity masterminded the theft of a royal jewel,”
then for me to say, “Well, Holmes often breaks the law in his cases,” sounds
like a logical fallacy. The habits or unlawfulness of anyone else has nothing
to do with whether Moriarity masterminded a theft.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">But,
I have given you only two sentences. What if the discussion was broader? You
were arguing that Moriarity has a criminal record and therefore you believe
that he masterminded a well-known jewel theft. Some might call it whataboutism,
but it would be perfectly legitimate in that context to say that Holmes has
often broken the law, the implication being that it doesn’t mean he committed
the robbery.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Here’s
several circumstances when making a counter-accusation or raising a different issue is often legitimate respond to an accusation with
a counteraccusation:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>1. </b></span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>To show that the other
person is engaging in a logical fallacy or at least that what he says might be
logical, but untrue:</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">A: “I saw you at the scene of the crime yesterday. So, you
are guilty.”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">B: “But, I saw you there too. It doesn’t mean anything.”</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">*</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0px;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">To show hypocrisy:</span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">A. "Rodney was saying how he
made honor roll. What a braggart.”</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">B.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">“Weren’t you just
telling me that you scored a 1500 on your SATs?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">*</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <b> 3. To show outrage is feigned:</b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 45pt;"> A. "I was outraged
when Lincoln had the audacity to say that the election was fixed."</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>B: "You loved it when Buchanan said it 4
years ago. You were excited when Taylor said it 8 years ago. You know you just
don’t like Lincoln."</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> *</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <b>4. To
point out that something or someone lacks credibility:</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A: "Everyone thinks Bodinski is
cheating on his wife."</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">B: "Please, the rumor was for years
that he was always drunk and it turns out he doesn’t drink at all. Then they
said he was stealing from the company and it turned out it was Smythe. You can
only cry wolf so many times."</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">_____________________</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of the reasons
people disagree about the responses given is that whenever anyone says
anything, there is context, and implications, and suggestions,
that go along with it. If I say, for example. . . .</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I love
(Biden/Trump) because I saw a picture of him with a big smile. . .</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then all of the following
is legitimate -</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I agree.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Do you know how
many times he has lost his temper in other situations.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Everybody smiles.
So what?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“He should have
answered the question instead.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“He almost never
answers important or hard questions.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Why shouldn’t he
smile. He fooled everyone and got to be president.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Sure, he can
smile, but he is responsible for so many deaths.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just because the
responder doesn’t stick to the first person’s statement about the photograph
doesn’t mean that he is raising a new issue because there is context involved, which may be absolutely
unspoken – For example, if he says he thinks Biden or Trump is a nice guy. You know from other
discussions he likes Dems or Reps and hates the other. You know he is a sucker
for a smile. He frequently makes up any reason to think well of those people with
whom his political positions agree.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You might disagree
with me. But, then what if I said “I love Hitler because I saw a picture of him
with a big smile.” Would you accept the idea that in responding you can only
say that it is or isn’t a big smile? Because context matters. And raising
Hitler or Trump or Biden or any politician or controversial subject, even with specificity,
also raises a host of other matters that are related and we can respond to
them. We are not robots.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, I can guess
what you (generic) are thinking, if you are even a casual declarer of
whataboutism – that I’ve just given examples of when there is a good reason to
bring up a counter-accusation or change the issue. My answer to that is –
Exactly. There are many times it is appropriate to deviate from exactly the
last point or question raised by someone, just as there are times it is not.
And we (generic) will always disagree about which is which. It is the nature of
argument.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But, what happens
is that very often people listening are impressed more with the person who has
made a good point and not impressed when they think he/she is too far off the
mark. That again, is human nature. And it is part of discussion, debate, argument.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will add, I have
no special insight that led me to understand this – we all understand it and,
whether the foes of whataboutism think so or not, they do the same thing in
their lives and all the time. In fact, I will add, we all know how to do it
from when we are infants.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">That’s because, (often)
all we are doing when we counter-accuse or raise a new issue, is making an
analogy or argument similar to one put to us. Sometimes I find in a discussion that my
best response is something that happened to me - a personal story, or a quotation from someone else, which I think is analogous. Now, here’s something I noticed
about myself and analogies. I did pretty well on at least one standardized test
on analogies, if I recall correctly. People who agree with me have often told
me they like an analogy I made. Yet, somehow, virtually no one who disagrees
with my overall point ever thinks my analogy is close enough factually to have
value. Probably never. But, they usually do not point out why it isn’t close enough. They
just dismiss it. It’s how people argue.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why, because when
we are arguing, we are not subject to the rules of the person who makes the
first question. He might think it telling you don’t answer the question, and it
might be so if it was a direct and fair question. I for one have, until this
past weekend, never had anyone answer my question whether if they were with
their spouse or loved one and someone broke in with a gun to kill them, they
would rather have a gun so that they didn't least have a chance, or whether
they would in their or their spouse’s last moments think- I feel so good about
not owning a gun?<span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent1;">*</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #4472c4; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;">*One friend recently did answer, after a few minutes of
pressing that he hadn’t answered the question, which is a mind experiment. He
acknowledged he’d rather have the gun in that case, but argued we can’t presume
he’d be successful – and that’s true. All I was pointing out is that he’d have
had a chance, and would want that chance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Few people, in a
debate, ever argue in a geometrical manner, and when they try, they usually
fail, even famous philosophers. But people very much do want to control the
discussion, because if you write the rules, so to speak, you usually win.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have one friend
who, years ago at least, used to ask a question and then demand you answer only
the specific way he requested. He’d literally say – “you’re not allowed to say that” if
he didn’t like your response. Even in a casual conversation if he said, “You
coming over to bbq tomorrow?” he could not read between the lines if you
answered “That should be really nice.” You had to say – for him to be satisfied
only “Yes” or “No.” Once I recall him being fearful that I wouldn’t do something for him and I responded something like, “An asteroid would have to hit for me not to do
it,” thinking it was reassuring. He took that as a "no," and became upset. Literally.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">He was extreme
with this style, and I think he would acknowledge now that OCD and stress had a
lot to do with it, but people try to dominate arguments in many ways, by
getting more time to talk, by priming others ahead of time, etc, or by
rejecting the other persons’ response as unacceptable. In my time as an
attorney I’ve noticed that a good deal of battle in court was had over
attorneys trying to keep the other side from talking. And, judges being human
and often biased, it can work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now, my friend just discussed above was a lawyer, and what he was trying to do is to cross-examine (which I had actually taught him how to do) rather than discuss. The point of cross-examination, which is necessary in law, is to allow the lawyer to dominate the conversation with the witness - because otherwise many adverse witnesses would make it impossible to get anywhere. The difference between that and a real discussion between friends or even conversation, is that in a lawsuit, there is a judge, both sides have lawyers, get to directly question their own witnesses, cross-examine their opponents witnesses and speak freely to the jury during arguments in summation. Someone might try to cross-examine during a discussion, but that is because they are trying to control the conversation. I'm not saying there is necessarily ill-will involved, because that person may legitimately think that only their path is the correct way, but what they are also doing is avoiding anyone bringing up things they do not want to consider.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But, it’s not just
in law, it’s in all kinds of arguments. Personal, political, etc. I’ll give you
one example. Lately it seems like a theme for some women is that men can’t have an
opinion about abortion because they don't have babies. Some men agree, of course.
I said to one woman who was adamant about it, that I hoped she didn’t have any
opinions about rape, seeing as she couldn’t rape anyone or get prosecuted for
it. She stared at me blankly, because there is no real response.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Discussions,
debates, arguments, are usually free flowing, unlike say, a game or test, and
though people do try and control them, it can be difficult because there is
always at least another person involved.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sometimes saying “that’s
whataboutism” (or "that has nothing to do with it") is legitimate; it’s just overused. It just means it is not relevant - and calling it something "whataboutism," as if it is never allowed to bring up anything analogous or that is a developed argument starting anywhere but where the other arguer wants, is what is nonsense. Sometimes people’s
responses have nothing to do with someone’s point or question. I remember making
some point or another to a secretary many years ago, who was, let’s say a
little rough around the edges, and who responded with “I hope your daughter dies of
cancer.” Her answer seemed typical to me of people who were raised in her
neighborhood. And, I have noticed that any discussion with
my evalovin’ gf of almost 32 years (more than half my life now) usually
involves me repeating - what does that have to do with anything we are
discussing? It seems how messy she feels my desk is, is the answer to almost
any question. Maybe one day she will persuade me that it really is the
key to life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is true that
there is no way to draw a black line or make an algorithm to determine when a
response is close enough to be valid, or just a distraction. We all have our
own judgments. And when we see others argue over it, we tend to agree more with
those who we feel more generally agree with our viewpoint. Not always, but it
is human nature.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have a very low
success rate in debate or discussion in terms of persuading the other person.
Everyone does. If the other person is emotionally attached to their own
opinions, it is not impossible to change their mind, but close to it. People
are often fixed in their views and would not change their minds regardless of
evidence. But, not everyone. I am happy if once in a while I can persuade
someone, and I know it does happen, usually over the course of time. And, I
have had to change my mind over the course of years too, sometimes because of
arguments I’ve heard against my own views. It actually hurts a bit to come to grips
with the fact that you were wrong about something you felt deeply, and I know
this from experience.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">People naturally will want to
convince each other that what they say is correct and some people they don’t like to be challenged or
disagreed with at all. I have a few friends (I hate to say it - all women) who literally become angry if you disagree with them on the smallest thing - like the weather. But, it is hard to persuade anyone of something of which they have a strong or long held belief. I have persuaded people in
conversations on occasion, and some have told me so, but really what happens is that, if they are logical and open,
they are open to changing their minds. I feel I do better if I can argue in
writing as I can develop my ideas and I am less likely to forget something - and sometimes I can go back and add it in if I do. It’s often hard in a discussion where everyone wants to talk, especially if
some people, get crotchety. That’s one reason I prefer one on one discussions
without spectators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Or just me arguing alone with only commenting permitted, which is why I blog.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-77674372352437028762022-07-09T11:13:00.007-07:002022-07-24T05:16:32.213-07:00The January 6th Committe and the Hutchinson testimony<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I frequently consider, and I believe I have stated
here, that my big fear for our country is not the radical left, but the
opinions of the smart, nice, moderate people, who have been, as all of us have,
submerged with a media blackout of relevant news coupled with lies and misinformation
about what is going on in the country and world. Often, of course, it is about
Trump, who has been subject to the greatest opposition of any president in my
lifetime (and that includes Nixon, who they were actually going to impeach for
a good reason) and any other president since Lincoln, who was beset both by
Democrats, who of course hated him, but also the radical Republicans who wanted
to destroy the South. The anti-Trump drumbeat has resulted in a large
percentage of people having the most adverse reaction to Trump possible,
without being able to state anything he did that they don’t like until Jan. 6</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
2021 (where they simply take the typical media view – even some Republicans and
conservatives).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I know, if you are one of these moderate, smart, nice
people, you say – poppycock, Trump is [fill in the blank with adjectives or
substitutes for adjectives] and don’t believe you have not been given false
information or misled, or that your sources are biased. I have spent the last
few years blogging about this. Admittedly, my page hits every month are usually
in the few hundred range. It once went up to 10,000 briefly when one ordinary
person put me on her facebook page as being a reasonable voice. She faced such
hatred from liberal friends and family (her best friend stopped talking to her)
she took it off her page – but that is how the left works. But, my policy is to
try to convince one person at a time, and I do so today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Of course, I can’t answer every question in one blog.
That’s the work of a lifetime it seems, and I will never get to even a fraction
of the things I’d like to talk about, as I do not do this daily, but only
occasionally. Sometimes I use this platform to respond to friends, usually
moderates, because they are hardly the only ones to hold certain opinions. Today,
I just want to respond to one friend who has debated these issues with me in a
fairly brief conversation and in a text. He raised a few points and I will
address those.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m going to answer the following questions today, and
hopefully soon thereafter answer some others:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Why I have not watched
the January 6<sup>th</sup> hearings. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Was Cassidy Hutchinson
just testifying to what she says she heard (hearsay)?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Do Cassidy Hutchinson’s own
texts discredit her testimony?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">__ _______________________________________________</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Why I have not watched the January 6<sup>th</sup>
hearings. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My first thought is – why would anyone? Don’t
proponents of the hearings have to say why we should watch it, rather than I
defend why I didn’t? But, I will be more specific and answer the question
anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Because first, the media and Democrats and even the
NeverTrump Republicans have not only treated the 1/6 riot as an insurrection
(if there was any, it was a handful of idiots – the FBI finally admitted that
the supposed armed insurrectionists weren’t armed), as if, after a year and a
half of radical riots in the country stemming from Floyd’s death <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– somehow January 6<sup>th</sup> was still the
only riot that has ever occurred or at least is worthy of notice. Here are some
reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">First, they lied about Brian Sicknick, pretending he
was killed by the “maurauders” and quickly giving him a State funeral. I
actually said to friends at the time I did not believe he was killed by
protesters or they would have shown us video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It turned out, of course, Brian’s own family said his death, which occurred
after he had left the scene of the riot, was not related to the festivities. He
was not assaulted with a fire extinguisher as the leftist media and others
claimed. Per the medical examiner, he suffered strokes that were naturally
occurring, not brought on by chemical irritants or trauma. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/capitol-police-officer-brian-sicknick-died-natural-causes-after-riot-n1264562">Capitol
Police Officer Brian Sicknick died of natural causes after riot, medical
examiner says (nbcnews.com)</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Why would they do this? To pound their narrative about
Trump. A party that has a large number of members that seek to destroy the
police (so, I believe, no one can fight their gangs), and has been virtually
silent in the fact that their rhetoric has resulted in numerous cops being killed
and wounded, suddenly found a cop it cared about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will notice, the lies about him and
attempt to use his death for the narrative was not and will not be a subject of
the 1/6 hearing (which I could fairly call a star chamber or kangaroo court). Why?
Because it was a lie. And they do not want to go there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Second, they totally ignored initially, the outright
murder of a young veteran at the riot, Ashli Babbitt who was trespassing that
day. To me, it is the most important thing about the day. It is impossible to
guess her thinking as it appears (the videos are hard to piece together) that
she punched someone in the face who broke a window, but then climbed through it
herself and got shot. Behind them were cops holding powerful weapons. An
officer, Michael Byrd, on the other side of the door took careful aim and shot
her, and she died soon afterwards. Basically, for trespassing. She was not
carrying a weapon or assaulting any officers. We will never hear Ashli’s side,
of course. I’m not applauding what she or any of them were doing there. I
certainly would not have done that. I am not talking about her politics, which
sound very extreme right wing to me. Her murder and its non-prosecution is one
of many reasons I say with conviction, we have already entered fascist times. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You will notice, Ashli will not be a subject of the
hearing. The hearing is only to “get” Trump, like with the impeachments, anyway
they can, and focusing on her murder at the very hearing they are discussing
will detract from that drumbeat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard
Biden say something to the effect of – imagine if the rioters were black. Yes,
I can imagine. Officer Byrd would be in jail like Derek Chauvin if he had shot
a black man, even one with a long violent history, rather than a white 12-year Air
Force veteran. It has been reported that Byrd was upset after he shot Babbitt.
So was Officer Kim Potter when she accidentally shot a young man refusing to
cooperate and struggling with her and two other officers. The difference, Byrd’s
act was deliberate. You can see him in videos slowly take aim at her and kill
her though there were plenty of armed officers present and no armed rioters.
Potter is in jail, her life and career and her family’s cohesion and life,
destroyed in the mania to convict cops, though the video evidence is
overwhelming that she made a mistake. Byrd was not even charged. Even before
the announcement, anyone who has been watching politics the last few years knew
he would likely not be.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">National security counsel chat log “1:06 about to use
non-lethal force at the capital.” Non-lethal. The Capitol Police time-line also
indicates that they turned down the Department of Defenses inquiry into whether
they would request National Guard troops and that officers were not allowed to
independently use force unless there were exigent circumstances. You can find
both online. I do not understand how a rather small, unarmed woman trespassing put
him or anyone else in imminent threat of death. That he was scared, as he later
said, is not an excuse. Of course he was scared. That’s why we have trained
police and they are expected to refrain from killing people. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If you could simply shoot them, you could do it at
every riot by BLM or Antifa at government buildings – but it never has been
done. In fact, a Portland SWAT officer was suspended over hitting a protestor
with a baton (or the like) after about a year of riots including attempts to
burn police to death and burn their way into a federal courthouse, leading the
whole team to quit. If the Democrats and other Trump-haters want it to be okay,
then let every police department know in Seattle, Portland, NYC, Chicago, etc.,
it is open season if you are scared. But, they all know they would not get the
same standard, unless they were also killing a Trump supporter, even an unarmed
woman. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For goodness sakes, two days ago, the crime-loving DA
of New York found a crime he could prosecute – when a 61-year old bodega clerk with
no criminal history defended himself from an assault from a much younger man
with a history of violence by stabbing him to death was charged with premeditated
murder. If you think the fact that the deceased was black didn’t figure into
the DA’s decision – okay, you can believe that. But, if you think that if the
assailant was a white man with a MAGA Alba would be in jail, you are willfully
ignorant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Third. This is not a hearing where they are deciding
anything. Just like when the NYTimes claimed they had a story about a woman who
Trump supposedly was aggressive with (she immediately called out their lie); just
like the Russia Hoax that we now know was perpetrated by the Clinton campaign
and FBI agents who hate Trump; just like the phony impeachment hearings - the “Committee”
has already decided what happened and found Trump guilty. It was known before
the hearing that they considered him guilty of a crime though many admit he had
nothing to do with the riot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just listen
to any of them talk. It is like the Doonesbury comic panel where the radical
radio host screams (about Nixon’s attorney general) “Guilty! Guilty, Guilty,
Guilty!!!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Fourth, I ask people who are arguing that Trump
behavior was deplorable on 1/6 whether it would have made a difference if Trump
had said in his short speech – to march “peacefully.” They invariably answer,
probably or maybe or yes. No one says “no.” That’s because they were never told
he did. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I say he did, they have
trouble believing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Committee isn’t
going to play the part where he says “peacefully.” Cheney left it out. She also
read from a Trump 1/6 tweet and left out the end – “</span><span style="background: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Georgia",serif;">"Go
home with love & in peace."</span> She’s not a fact-finder. The
Committee is not about that.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">How is it possible that this is on Youtube since probably
January 7th and so many people don’t know what he actually said? I’ll tell you why.
The media has kept it from them. The Committee won’t go near it. Go look up the
speech on Youtube and ask yourself, why didn’t the committee tell us? I’ll tell
you why? It is the last thing they want you to know. Because like the
impeachments, it has nothing to do with truth, fairness or anything but – get Trump.
If I was on a jury, and something like that was kept from us, I would petition
the court to have my vote back if I convicted. Ask yourself, why don’t you care
you didn’t know? I’ll tell you why? You have surrendered fact finding to the
media and a committee which could care about presenting all the facts. Everyone
should have known that from the first day they said no to Jim Jordan and Representative
Banks. Which I’ll get to now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Fifth: What kind of hearing is this where everyone is
on one side? The Republicans put up Jim Jordan to be on the committee, an
extremely accomplished Republican congressman at cutting through the outright
lies of the Democrats seeking to overthrow a presidency (which they started
doing even before he was even in office). Not that the Democrats running the
committee cared (Adam Schiff – also on this committee), but Jordan repeatedly
showed with his questions how all but one of the Democrat’s witnesses were
testifying by hearsay/rumors as to what Trump said, that there was no quid pro
quo or threat (Ukraine did not even know there was a hold up), that Trump
actually did far more for Ukraine than Obama and that <i>the only witness who
actually talked to Trump said that he told him he didn’t want anything from
Ukraine</i>. Pelosi refused to allow Jordan or other pro-Trump Republicans on
the committee. She put Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger on it, both Trump haters. They
are – just listen to their statements over time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After their choices were rejected, the Republicans
refused to participate and withdrew all 5 of their selections. Of course. Why
would they go along? And though Trump now says he thinks they should have, I
disagree. You can’t give credence to a kangaroo court. Democrats or Trump
haters should ask themselves, what would they think if a committee
investigating Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi was only made up of Republicans
and Democrats who hated her? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Nancy Pelosi has admitted it was “unprecedented.” That
sure sounds wrong. She said that it was because January 6<sup>th</sup> was unprecedented,
which is another lie. I’m sure the longest serving speaker knows the history. She
knows the history. In 1954, 5 members of congress were actually SHOT in the House
by Puerto Rican terrorists. In 1915, a former Harvard Professor actually set
off dynamite in the Senate Building. In 1932, 15,000 veterans, some starving,
set up camp near the Capitol and were attacked violently by the police, but also
by the army, including with tanks. It is not unprecedent at all. I’m not even
going into the 19<sup>th</sup> century but congress had several riots among its
members and even one Democrat representative nearly caning another to death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Sixth, although really a continuation of the last
point, why should a hearing with only one side, where witnesses are not
challenged or cross-examined, where rank hearsay is taken seriously, as if it
is proof (again, like the Ukraine hearing, where Democrats actually made
speeches on the floor saying that hearsay was fine and even admissible, because
they had nothing but rumors). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Seventh, after two years of nationwide riots by BLM
and peers, to all the fires, all the murdered cops and young black children (thanks
to Democrats Defund the Police movement), despite the violent protests and attacks
on Trump’s campaign in 2016, the repeated organized attacks on Republicans in
public (not to mention, now the Supreme Court), the DOJ looking to treat
dissenting parents of school kids as terrorists and so many other important
things, this is what they have a hearing on. There is only one reason – they fear
Trump will run again and need to defeat it in advance. And, likely they will. Almost
every conservative I personally know would prefer the younger and smarter
DeSantis, but Trump would crush him in the primaries and he knows it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I do intend to watch the hearing someday. But, no media
outlet, almost all vehemently anti-Trump, has shown that there was any testimony
about Trump that indicates any criminal behavior at all. I will deal with Ms.
Hutchinson below. She did not either. I watch a lot of stuff, hearings, trials,
read cases, etc. It is a lot of work. This is not very deserving of effort.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s why I didn’t watch. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Was Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony about
Trump hearsay?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My friend asked me if I could point to him how Cassidy
Hutchinson’s testimony was hearsay, as I had said to him. She has been called
by the media - the star witness, that her testimony was “stunning” and “shocking”
or “a smoking gun.” I listened to her testimony. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTKdGIaZmQM">(3) Jan. 6 hearing with
testimony from ex-White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson on June 28, 2022 (Part 1)
- YouTube</a>. You get to hear Liz Cheney cut off a recording of his speech
just before he says to march “peacefully.” What everyone is focusing on is Hutchinson’s
testimony about Trump being in a limo, demanding to go to the capitol and
attacking the driver. You can listen to her testimony yourself. (starting 50:53-53:27).
She was <b>not</b> in the limo. She relays what supposedly happened as told to
her by <span style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b;">Secret Service Assistant
Director Anthony Ornato (he wasn’t there either) in front and former Secret
Service Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel</span>. </span>She never says that
she was there – the opposite. She describes the president lunging for the steering
will (which sounds almost impossible in a limo) and then lunging for Engel’s
throat when he restrained his arm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I get to the evidence below that she was not
telling the truth, even if she just misremembers, my question is, why didn’t my
friend know it was hearsay? He’s hardly alone. Unlike most Trump-haters, at
least he likes to discuss things and actually asks for information, so you have
a chance. But, why doesn’t the general public know it? I will tell you the
answer. It’s the same answer as before. When the mainstream or legacy media,
the networks, the NYTs, WAPO, CNN, MSNBC, etc. say things over and over, people
believe them. I have pre-judged issues myself on occasion because of the media
onslaught and had to find out it wasn’t so (e.g., Duke rape case/Zimmerman-Martin).
I have written on this issue before so I won’t go into great detail here, but
they are not journalists anymore. They are partisans. Seriously, they lie and
mislead you every day. Stories are around for sometimes a year before they will
come out. Remember, the Hunter Biden laptop story reported in the post before
the election was denied by almost the entire left media and the so-call 51
intelligence agents who said it was Russian propaganda. Only recently, the New
York Times and WAPO admitted it was genuine. Have the “51” apologized. No, they
say nothing. Has the rest of the media mea culpa’d? Of course not. It is a
blessing when media on the left admits something, because people can’t say – it’s
Fox, it’s the Post, etc., and disregard it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is usually buried.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hearsay can be correct? Was her testimony,
albeit testimony, correct? Maybe not. Probably not.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Almost immediately after she testified, the truth of her
hearsay story about the limo was apparently contradicted. Yes, to my shock,
even some in the mainstream media reported it. CNN reported: “<span style="background: rgb(254, 254, 254); color: #262626;">After the hearing, a Secret Service
official familiar with the matter told CNN that Ornato denies telling
Hutchinson that the former President grabbed the steering wheel or an agent on
his detail.</span>” </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/29/politics/cassidy-hutchinson-statement/index.html">Cassidy
Hutchinson stands by her testimony amid pushback - CNNPolitics</a>. Peter
Alexander, NBC’s White House correspondent tweeted: “<span style="background: white; color: #0f1419;">A source close to the Secret Service tells me both Bobby
Engel, the lead agent, and the presidential limousine/SUV driver are prepared
to testify under oath that neither man was assaulted and that Mr. Trump never
lunged for the steering wheel.</span>”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Hill, which is an
independent and possibly the most respected political journal wrote: “</span><span style="background: white; color: #2b2c30; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Both Ornato and Engel, who remain active Secret
Service agents, have said they are willing to testify under oath to dispute
Hutchinson’s narrative, even as they have refused to speak publicly about it.
The unnamed driver, the agency has signaled, is also denying her account.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3548186-secret-service-denial-of-hutchinson-story-fuels-attacks-from-both-sides/">Secret
Service denial of Hutchinson story fuels attacks from both sides | The Hill</a><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You should not be
surprised that Engel, who supposedly had the limo altercation with Trump,
actually testified before Hutchinson, and though the Committee already knew
from Hutchinson what she would say (they took her deposition), somehow no one
asked him about it. Hmmm. Remember, it is a one-sided horse and pony show, more
like a grand jury than an actual trial or a normal congressional hearing. Maybe
Engel will testify again and maybe Ornato will. I can’t say. And it is possible
they will back her up. But, as best as we can tell right now, it sure sounds
like they are contesting her testimony (they certainly haven’t come out and
said it’s true).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And, she may have
testified falsely about something else to, or merely forgotten. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I know, she seems nice – that never matters).
She claims that she penned a note dictated to her by Trump’s Chief of Staff,
Mark Meadows. Cheney asked if it was her handwriting and she said it was. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter">
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0">
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1">
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1">
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth">
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0">
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight">
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0">
</v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas>
<v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f">
<o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit">
</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="Capitol Riot Investigation" id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 263.4pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 468.6pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Capitol Riot Investigation" src="file:///C:/Users/Owner/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/07/20d53-16566319459127-1920.jpg</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But, soon after her
testimony, a spokesperson for Eric Herschmann, a Trump advisor, who also
testified at the hearing, and not favorably to Trump, advised ABC that it was
not true, that he wrote the note, and had so testified. Shouldn’t they both know
their own handwriting. Of course, you can say, who cares who wrote it? That was
the Committee’s response. But, what is the point of having a hearing if you don’t
care if witnesses are lying or confused? Well, for the committee, it really
doesn’t matter to them, so long as it assails Trump and they can prevent him
from running or winning again. And that, other than revenge for some for hurt
feelings or the like, is the whole point.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">By the way, when you
listen to Cheney question Hutchinson, ask yourself – why can’t Trump get
furious when he feels the election was stolen? Why can’t he want to go to the
capitol and be upset that the agents are dictating to him where he has to go,
if that is what happened?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In any event, why isn’t
this news all over the media? Why didn’t my friend hear about it? No one has to
believe anything they don’t want to, and most Trump-haters I know won’t believe
anything is true if it might exonerate Trump from the relentless attacks – but shouldn’t
they get to hear the other side. I have admitted many times, I was raised a
liberal and until I was a grown man in law school I barely realized there was another
side and studied a lot to learn other perspectives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Part of the reason is
that this is not often reported or if at all, usually in the right-wing press
or tv so many will not access, or if in the mainstream media, almost always
buried, or quickly forgotten. If you want to know the truth, You have to look
on sites like RealClearPolitics.com, Allsides.com, both of which cover both
sides, The Epoch Times, a conservative paper published by Chinese-Americans
that I find almost always has the story the mainstream media is ignoring, and but
for once, every fact-check I made supported their story. It is the only media I
pay for. But, I might start paying for Common Sense (published on Substack) by
Bari Weiss, she who had to flee the NYTimes and did so with a fantastic open
letter. I spend ridiculous amounts of time fact checking the media and
politicians including those I think are in the right. You can’t read and watch
everything, but it is the only way to hope to find out what is happening.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What texts by Hutchinson have discredited
her own testimony? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I mentioned in passing to my friend that her own texts
discredit her. He is cynical about that and asked me to provide information.
So, here’s the information <i>which she has not denied happened</i>. This story
broke in the Daily Caller (</span><a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/07/03/obtained-text-message-cassidy-hutchinson-called-january-6-committee-bs-before-testifying/">EXCLUSIVE:
Text Messages Show Cassidy Hutchinson Referring To January 6 Committee As ‘BS’
| The Daily Caller</a>)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. Matt Schlapp is a conservative activist
with connections to Trump, who apparently advised the Daily Caller about these
texts. Hutchinson (who despite the love fest with Cheney, has conservative
connections too) wrote to someone she knew at CPAC and asked if they could help
her when she had been served. Here are some of the texts:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">She wrote to an unnamed person at
CPAC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey (redacted)! This is Cassidy
Hutchinson. Kind of a random question, but do you still work for the Schlapp’s
at the ACU?”</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">The recipient responded: “Hi, Yes!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">She responded “Do you happen to know a
First Amendment fund POC I could reach out to? I was subpoenaed in early Nov.,
but the committee waited to serve me until last week (after Ben’s deposition).”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">She went on: “I had to accept service
because the U.S. Marshalls came to my apartment last Wednesday, but I haven’t
made contact with the Committee. I’m just on a tight timeline and just trying
to figure out what my options are to deal with this bs.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%;">BS?
Did she say January 6<sup>th</sup> was BS? Apparently, unless these texts are false
and she hasn’t said so. The Committee hasn’t denied it (they probably had them
if she complied with the subpoenas). They simply says they stand by her
testimony. This does not seem like the same person, demure, wanting to help the
anti-Trump Committee. This is a person who did not want to participate because
she believed it was BS. What changed so that she gave such helpful and
Trump-blackening testimony, even if hearsay, such that she got a hug from Liz
Cheney after she testified (which, if that doesn’t give you pause – there is
probably nothing that can happen that will, so long as Trump is assailed).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%;">As
I’ve pointed out before, this is what happens when no one, like a Jim Jordan,
can cross-examine. It’s why it is very hard to take it seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.4pt; line-height: 107%;">Liz
Cheney says they will make a criminal referral, probably including Trump. That
should be interesting. According to their star witness, via hearsay that is contradicted,
Trump did not know about an uprising (everyone knew it could be a violent day since
December and Trump’s acting Defense Sec’y said Trump wanted the National Guard
there to protect protesters – I don’t blame him one bit).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> My friend also asked me questions about my views on whataboutism (he is critical of it; I am not) and also the Biden family issues. I'd be crazy to try to write those today, but they are interesting to me and I will get to them shortly (I hope).</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p>Feel free to comment (you can do so anonymously, I believe).</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><b>POST-SCRIPT 7/24/22</b></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I decided to add a couple of things. First, my friend, who I refer to above, has fervently called me out for misrepresenting him and even being dishonest. It's a little insulting, but my evalovin' gf insults me every day. Perhaps I'm too used to it. In any event, he denies saying that he did not know that Hutch's testimony was hearsay. As I explained to him (doesn't seem like successfully) perhaps I did misunderstand him but that is what I heard him say or read (I honestly no longer remember). In the end, I don't think it matters. Let's say - <i>people </i>don't know - because many don't. Especially as time elapses people will forget even more. Probably not in here, but I think in other conversations he seems to think I misrepresented him that he said her testimony was irrelevant, but he was only referring to what happened in the limo. Same comment. My point is not what we said, but that her testimony has apparently been challenged. Will the Committee call the other witnesses. I doubt if they are going to contradict her. They are putting on a show, not trying to do history.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Typical discussion, people immediately have different opinions on what was said. But, I felt like I should put it in words here. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-8519444979168729062022-06-29T07:33:00.003-07:002022-06-29T07:33:39.204-07:00The Seven Pillars of Fascism - III<p>We covered the first factor on October 14, 2021. If you don't know what I mean, go read the first few paragraphs of that post and come back. Now we are up to the second in line:</p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">The fascist uses force or intimidation to coerce people to accept their political will.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><b>2.</b><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>The fascist claim that they are victims and that their opponents are oppressors.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b><!--[endif]--></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span><b>The fascist creates a false scapegoat.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>The fascist seeks to divide and often uses race, ethnicity and/or religion to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>The fascist gains control of critical social institutions, like the media, the police and the education system.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>The fascist is dishonest, and often uses fake crises or exaggerates them in order to more easily take or maintain power.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span>The fascist takes complete control of the law and all facets of society within his or her reach – not just the reins of government.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You are no doubt familiar
with Jews being the traditional fascist scapegoat. They were for the Nazis, of
course, the Italian fascists (the namesakes for the rest), the Vichy French,
the Soviets, and others. It was fairly traditional in Europe and few countries
escaped that trap at one time or another.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Right now, for some, the
Jews are, remarkably, one of the scapegoats for the left in our country. I
understand that if you are left-leaning or at least sympathetic, you just made
a raspberry sound with your tongue, but, it is true. Explain to me how,
otherwise, in Sept. 2020, when there was a vote to include anti-Semitism among
the impermissible discriminations that a private action could be brought for a
certain type of discrimination case – 70% of Democrats, 162 Democrats in all (1
Republican) voted against it. Why not include the Jews? Hmmm. I know the Jewish
members in congress voted for it and were shocked – not that they should be. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.cnsnews.com/article/washington/patrick-goodenough/70-percent-house-democrats-vote-against-anti-semitism-measure">70
Percent of House Democrats Vote Against Anti-Semitism Measure | CNSNews</a>. <span style="background: white;">Good luck finding a mainstream media site
that wrote about it. Explain to me, if the Jews aren’t a scapegoat for Ds, why
a Democrat congressman from NY, Ritchie Torres, who overtly supports Israel, announced
he would not be joining the “Squad,” precisely because of their Israel
positions and wrote: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: aqua; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“</span><span style="background: aqua; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; line-height: 107%; mso-highlight: aqua; mso-shading: white;">The moment I sent out a
statement denouncing the terrorism of Hamas, I was swiftly demonized by
extremists as a white supremacist, as a supporter of apartheid, ethnic
cleansing, genocide. Although these comments cause great pain to my loved
ones, I remain as determined as ever to speak out. And if I can speak out,
then anyone can. And everyone must.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://nypost.com/2021/05/14/rep-ritchie-torres-why-i-support-israel-despite-twitter-mob/">Rep.
Ritchie Torres: Why I support Israel — despite Twitter mob (nypost.com)</a><span style="background: white; color: #2a2a2a; letter-spacing: -.1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Explain to me, if they aren’t a scapegoat for the
left, why Jews have actually been rejected by BLM, which they were trying to
support (<a href="https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/black-lives-matters-jewish-problem-in-their-own-words/">Black
Lives Matter's Jewish Problem - In Their Own Words | Joshua Washington | The
Blogs (timesofisrael.com)</a>; <a href="https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/black-lives-matters-jewish-problem">Black
Lives Matter’s Jewish Problem Is Also a Black Problem - Tablet Magazine</a>; <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/05/21/blms-aggressive-tactics-and-rhetoric-have-led-to-attacks-on-jews/">BLM's
aggressive tactics and rhetoric have led to attacks on Jews (nypost.com)</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But, all this is available for you to easily research
on the web if you disbelieve me. (Yes, after one Democrat, Ilhan Omar made a
statement even many Ds saw as anti-Semitic the Ds had a vote to condemn racism –
but they were careful not to single her out and thus some Rs rejected it). I
understand that those who know it is true will not bother, but neither will
those who doubt it, because they do not want to know. The Jews are not the
number 1 scapegoat for the left. Neither is the almost legendary “white
supremacist,” who, in reality, barely exist. Unless you include those who the
left simply term “white supremacists” and then it goes up by millions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But actually, their biggest scapegoat now, is Donald
Trump, and has been since he won the election (actually even before, but few
thought he would win). Perhaps no one so epitomizes the Trump scapegoat bandwagon
as the increasingly fascist President, who blames everything that is his fault
on Trump, including the Afghanistan debacle (created by his own idiocy), rocketing
inflation (created partly by his own idiocy, and starting way before the
Russian attack on Ukraine) and the border (created by his own idiocy, after
Trump fixed it). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But, part of what makes a scapegoat is more than just
having political enemies. It is the degree to which we, the <i>hoi polio </i>have
accepted it the immediate reaction. And so many have, even some Republicans,
who after the NY Times hit piece claiming he abused women, after the Russia
hoax, now known to lie at the feet of the Clinton campaign and likely she
herself, the Justice Department and FBIs intrigues against him and his underlings,
The Steele Dossier, the phony Ukraine impeachment, the phony impeachment of him
and trial <i>after</i> he was out of office, the growing mountain of evidence
that there was perhaps unprecedented fraud by Democrats during the 2020
election, the fact that Trump authorized 20,000 National Guard troops for 1/6
(not used) and that he told those at his speech to march peacefully, despite
the fact that the majority Democrat leader in the House would not let any
Republican on the January 6<sup>th</sup> committee other than outright Trump
haters - still believe he fomented an insurrection that never actually
happened.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because when the media and government pound something
in enough, they wear people out, the persuade people. I understand that most
people do not have time to research issues, that they are fixed or almost fixed
in their opinions, that the media lies, lies, lies, lies, every day to them,
that government lies, lies, lies, lies, every day to them. I understand that
those who support the left have learned to ostracize, feign outrage and be
outright violent with those who disagree with them (as they do right now after
the abortion case). But, the degree to which it has taken over the mindset of
so many people I like or love or respect, whereas they sometimes can’t even answer
a question about Trump without literally freaking out, or perhaps making their
arguments based upon pure adjectives or sometimes, pure lies they have heard,
even if they have been disproven.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">The bottom line is that Trump has become what the Jews
were to the Nazis. Their scapegoat. And, as with the Nazis, it worked. At least
for now.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">II</span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-39250601811911354212022-06-26T14:08:00.005-07:002022-08-30T12:23:44.450-07:00Nostalgia for bin Laden - those were the days.<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Happy Sunday. This is just a rant:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">This morning I was listening to a podcast, which is generally about the CIA and spying. The subject matter was Tracy Walders, who was recruited out of college to work at the CIA. From her statements it seems like she had absolutely no special qualities, but obviously they saw something in her. I've seen a picture and she's very pretty (nicknamed at one time at least "Malibu Barbie") but one hopes that's not why they make their decisions - although, we are all used to disappointment. She was still relatively new to the job, and it her first day in what is known as the Vault, doing counter terrorism, when 9/11 happened. She worked on bin Laden et all and the team was often visited by not only Tenet, the CIA head, but by Pres. Bush and VP. Cheney. She was there for Bora Bora, from where bin Laden barely escaped. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Eventually, she went to work for the FBI in counter-terrorism. Eventually, she had enough and became a school-teacher like she planned before she dropped her resume off with the CIA, who now writes about her life in spying. She said almost everything she did was classified so she can only give very general information about much of it and am given to understand her book is heavily redacted. And she does not really talk about anything special <i>she </i>did except in very veiled terms - just writes about what was happening then in that world and so much as she can about herself, which is dramatic enough.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">But while I was listening to it, I got this great sense of nostalgic unease about how simple things were then - though it did not seem so at the time. We were at least a reasonably united country and we had an enemy - al-Qaeda. We invaded Afghanistan and Iraq and some people were very against, some for. We probably all agree whether it was justified or not, it was a disaster the way they did it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">But we were all <i>one country </i>when we were attacked<i>. </i>And though we may have been divided politically - it has always been so, and sometimes much, much more so - I really do think at that time we still had more in common than when we had in differences, even if it did not seem so at the time. Not anymore.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">And then I just sat there thinking about Victor Davis Hanson's book, <i>The Dying Citizen</i>, which I'm reading, and <i>Woke Racism</i> by John McWhorter, which I recently finished, and all the constant writing I do myself on the left-wing fascist attacks on the country, day after day, and it started to feel overwhelming. My attitude has always been you have to be happy even when everything is wrong. But, don't have to tell anyone reading this</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">, the last 2 years it has been much harder to do that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Two conversations this past week disturb me a little. One was via email with a friend who's very liberal, about, in his view, pretty much how the "evil" Republicans are ruining the country (I guess, by saving unborn babies and allowing people to protect themselves in public) and how he predicted it when Trump's judges were confirmed. He's just livid about it and for all I know is no longer talking to me. We'll see. It has happened before. Never with anyone to the right of me, only to the left.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The other conversation was on the phone with my brother, and though it was very pleasant, as it almost always is, he is convinced, as is my friend, that Republicans are evil and they know how to fight so much dirtier than Democrats do. I laugh and say I feel completely the opposite and I can name dozens and dozens of examples. I know they cannot name any except if they make it up or just go with some conspiracy theory like Trump tried to have a coup, but I am sure they would disagree. I asked both if they could answer a question - actually, I said they could not and would ignore it - if a loved one was in peril of death, would you wish you had a gun and would use it or would you be happy you didn't have one and watch your loved one die or be raped and be proud you didn't have a gun. Neither answered (actually each got slightly different versions - but same result).</span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">So, I'm sitting today in the bagel store and a guy, little younger than me, tells me how his wife of seven years who he swears he never had a single argument with, was stabbed to death by her own son, who was a pothead and was furious that she took his pot and phone away. The guy himself was at work (when I went home I went on the internet and confirmed all of this). He mourned for a while and then he met someone out of the country and moved on. He didn't want to date anyone local who would have a million questions and who would wonder how he was going to move on from such a tragedy. So, he went out of the country and is married to a South American woman who grew up during the Pablo years and for whom tragedy was pretty normal. They live in both countries. He's happy, but now worried about both homelands, as Colombia recently elected a socialist leader. I guess the country wants to be like Venezuela.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">So, in the few minutes span between the podcast and the murder story, I started remembering how lucky I was that my daughter was so easy to raise and how little trauma I've had in my whole life, how easy our lives are and how great a country we can still be. From the early '80s through about 2008 (hmmm, who was elected then?) it was amazing.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" />And then there's a friend who let me know how he reached out to a daughter with affection, asking her to keep safe at a pro-choice rally. She reacted with rage, chiding him for being a Republican, essentially mocking him. He reacted with more affection and I'm afraid lied to her about his political beliefs. Didn't go over well. She got more abusive, though I think she believes she is a freedom fighter. He's hurt and angry.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Every day I want to do something to help the world and I know there's very little I can do. B</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">oycotting many woke companies (a few I can't without crippling myself and it galls me) and writing here are pretty much it. And now I'm thinking of the Mel Gibson/Linda Hunt movie, <i>The Year of Living Dangerously</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">, and the idea that you "[d]on't think about the major issues. You do what you can about the misery in front of you. You add your light to the sum of all light." I feel I used to try to do that, but since the troubles, I don't think that I do that very much anymore. More doom and gloom from me and "did you hear about . . .?" </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My blog used to be about history, art and science. Now, it is about modern fascism and . . . more fascism. But what do you do? Bury your head in the sand and think it will pass you by? Almost everyone I know wants to and I don't blame them. They are afraid and have needs - they still want a normal life and think it's a better chance to keep their heads down. But, it will not help them or their kids. When people ask me why I am bothering to boycott I say I am fighting fascism one day at a time. It's just a slogan, but I pretty much mean it. I wish everyone would join me. Boycott and express yourself. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">And, I'll keep writing because I do it to express myself and in the hopes that maybe I can change the mind of a few people. A few is great really, because it is very hard to change even one person's mind. Sometimes it takes years.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">No moral here. It's a confusing world. I'll leave off with my favorite line from one of my favorite musicals. I'm sure I've quoted it her before:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">God would like us to be joyful</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Even though our hearts lie panting on the floor;</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">How much more can we be joyful,</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">When there's really something</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">To be joyful for.</span></span></i></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I know, weird choice for an atheist, but it's the thought that counts.</span></span></div></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-73783280266805439242022-06-18T11:53:00.002-07:002022-06-18T11:53:31.625-07:00McWhorter's "Woke Racism"<p>I try not to do book reports, although David's Blog (I think that is the title - I really should know that) has historically been more <i>about </i>books than anything until the last few years, but I think John McWhorter's <i>Woke Racism </i>deserves something. This actually isn't a book <i>report, </i>so to speak, as I'm quoting directly.</p><p>Who is John McWhorter? He teaches at Columbia University, linguistics, music history and American studies and has authored over 20 books (I'm taking this off the book jacket). I came to know him as a linguist, <i>Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue </i>being one of my favorite books on the English language. But, I have also read his <i>Losing the Race </i>and now his <i>Woke Racism</i>, two phenomenal books on race issues (I own, but realize I never yet read <i>Losing the Race</i> - you can't read everything). In very short summary, <i>Winning the Race </i>explains unfortunate focus on self-victimization, anti-education and separatism in the black community and now, <i>Woke Racism </i>absolutely excoriates woke racism as a religion that we all must put behind us, not least because of the damage it does to blacks. I consider him the best writer on the issue of race in America, though I doubt anyone who calls himself an anti-racist in the common vernacular would agree (if they've heard of him).</p><p>I do not agree with everything he writes, but I do most of it. I often take notes when I read non-fiction, usually copying the words directly on my computer (I did it before there were computers too, but, not surprisingly, little has survived). Unfortunately, that took me 39 pages. Of course, I am not going to subject you to that - I AM SUGGESTING YOU BUY AND READ THIS SHORT, VERY READABLE BOOK! I wish every person, particularly CEO, teachers, school administrators and parents, would do so. I will just select what I thought were the best parts. It's not a long book (about 180 pages) but much more in depth than I can show.</p><p>But, I will give you a taste, some quotes, I hope not too many (I could easily have doubled it). I do have to edit, that is, usually by removing material from paragraphs and adding ellipses. Otherwise, you will stop reading. I've done my best, and I think successfully, to do it without changing his meaning. If anyone feels I did not succeed, please give me an actual example - don't just tell me I did. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> "My
main aims will be:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> To
argue that this new ideology is actually a religion in all but name, and that
this why something so destructive and
incoherent is so attractive to so many good people.</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To explain why so many black people are
attracted to a religion that treats us as <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">simpletons.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To show that this religion is actively
harmful to black people despite being intended as unprecedentedly “anti-racist.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To show that a pragmatic, effective,
liberal, and even Democratic-friendly agenda for rescuing black America need
not be found on the tenets of this new religion.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To suggest ways to lessen the grip of this
new religion on our public culture."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>"</b>I
am not arguing against the left. I'm arguing against a particular strain of the
left that has come to exert a grievous amount of influence over American
institutions, to the point that we are beginning to accept as normal the kinds
of languages, policies, and actions that Orwell wrote of as fiction."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"I write
this viscerally driven by the fact that the ideology in question is one under
which white people calling themselves our saviors make black people look like
the dumbest, weakest, most self-indulgent human beings in the history of our
species, and teach black people who revel in that status and cherish it as
making us special. I am especially dismayed at the idea of this indoctrination
infecting my daughters’ sense of self. I can't always be with them, and this
anti-<i>humanist</i> ideology may seep into their school curriculum. I shudder
at the thought: teachers with eye shining at the prospect of showing their anti-racism
by filling my daughters’ heads with performance art instructing them that they
are poster children rather than individuals. Ta-Nehisi Coates, <i>In Between
the World and Me</i>, wanted to teach his son that America is set against him;
I want to teach my kids the reality of their lives in the twenty-first, rather
than the early to mid-twentieth, century. Lord forbid my daughters internalize
a pathetic--yes, absolutely pathetic in all of the resonances of that word--sense
that what makes them interesting is what other people think of them, or don't." </span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"A version of this book written by a white writer would
be blithely dismissed as racist. I will be dismissed instead as self-hating by
a certain crowd. But frankly, they won't really mean it, and anyone who gets
through this book will see that whatever traits I harbor, hating myself or
being ashamed of being black is not one of them."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"AS I WRITE THIS in the
summer of 2020, Alison Roman, a food writer for </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The New York Times, </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">is
on suspension. . . In an interview, she passingly criticized two people for
commercialism . . . Chrissy Teigen and lifestyale coach Marie Kondo. Roman was
Twitter-mobbed for having the nerve, as a white woman, to criticize two women
of color. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teigen is half white and
half Thai. Ondo is a Japanese citizen. . . In 2020, the mere fact of a white
person criticizing not just one but two (apparently the plurality tipped the
scales) non-white persons justified being shamed on social media and disallowed
from doing her work. Roman, as a white person, was supposedly punching
down—i.e., “down” at two people very wealthy, very successful, and [2] vastly
better known than her."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">THAT SAME YEAR, Leslie
Neal-Boylan lasted only a few months as dean of nursing at the University of
Massachusetts Lowell. The problem was that in the wake of statements nationwide
after the murder by police officers. . . of George Floyd, Dean Neal-Boylan had
the audacity to pen this blinkered, bigoted screed to her colleagues and staff:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">'EVERYONE’S LIFE
MATTER . No one should have to live in fear that they will be targeted for how
they look or what they believe.'"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Third
Wave Antiracism, becoming mainstream in the 2010's, teaches that because racism
is baked into the structure of society, whites’ “complicity” in living within
it constitutes racism itself, while for black people, grappling with the racism
surrounding them is the totality of experience and must contingent exquisite
sensitivity towards them, including suspension of standards of achievement and
conduct.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">Under
this paradigm, all deemed insufficiently aware of this sense of<i> existing
while white </i>As eternal culpability require bitter condemnation and
ostracization, to an obsessive, abstract degree that leaves most observers
working to make real sense of it, makes people left of center wanted to just
when and why they started being classified as backward, and leaves millions of
innocent people scared to pieces of winding up in the sights of a zealous brand
of inquisition that seems to hover over almost any statement, ambition, or
achievement in modern society."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"It is
losing innocent people that jobs. It is coloring academic inquiry, devouring
it, and sometimes strangling like Kudzu. It forces us to render a great deal of
our public discussion [6] of urgent issues in double-talk any 10-year-old can
see through. It forces us to start teaching our actual 10-year-olds, in order
to hold them off from spoiling the show in that way, to believe in sophistry in
the name of enlightenment. On that note, Third Wave Antiracism guru Ibram X. Kendi has written a book on how to raise
anti racist children called <i>Antiracist Baby</i>. . . This and so much else
is a sign that third wave antiracism forces us to pretend that performance art
is politics. It forces us to spend endless amounts of time listening to
nonsense presented as wisdom, and pretend to like it."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"People in positions of influence are regularly being chased away from their
posts because of claims and petitions that they're insufficiently anti racist.
School boards across the country of washing teachers and administrators to
waste time on “antiracist” infusions into their curricula and make no more
sense anything proposed on the Chinese cultural revolution. Did you know that
objectivity, being on time, and the written word are “white” things? Did you
know that if that seems off to you, then you are one with George Wallace, Bull
Connor, and David Duke?"</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Third Wave Antiracism also outright harms black people in the name of its
guiding impulses. Third Wave Antiracism insists that it is “racist” for black
boys to be overrepresented among those suspended or expelled from schools for
violence, which, when it's translated into policy, is documented as having led
to violence persisting in the school and lowered students’ grades. Third Wave
Antiracism insists that it is “racist” that black kids are underrepresented in
New York City schools requiring high performance on a standardized test for
admittance, and demands that we eliminate the test rather than direct black
students to resources (many of them free) for practicing the test and reinstate
gifted programs that shunted good numbers of black students into those very
schools just a generation [8] ago. That the result will be a lower quality of
education in the schools, and black students who are less prepared for
exercising the mind muscle required by the test taking they will encounter
later, is considered beside the point. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Third
Wave Antiracism, in its laser focus on an oversimplified sense of what racism
is and what one does about it, is content to harm black people in the name of
what we can only term dogma."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"For
example, the Third Wave Antiracist is deeply moved by a collection of tents
that, stated clearly and placed in simple oppositions, translate into nothing
whatsoever:<o:p></o:p></span></p><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When black people say you have insulted them,
apologize with profound sincerity and guilt<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t put black
people in a position where you expect them to forgive you. They have dealt
with too much to be expected to . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don't assume that all, or even most, black people
like hip-hop, or good dancers, and so on. Black people are a conglomeration
of disparate individuals. ”Black culture” is code for “pathological,
primitive ghetto people.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t expect
black people to assimilate to “white” social norms, because black people have
a culture of their own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Silence about racism is violence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elevate the
voices of the oppressed over your own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You must strive eternally to understand the
experiences of black people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You can never
understand what it is to be black, and if you think you do you’re a racist.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Show interest in multiculturism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do not
culturally appropriate. What is not your culture is not for you, and you many
not try it or do it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Support black people in creating their own spaces
and stay out of them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Seek to have
black friends. I you don’t have any, you’re a racist. And if you claim any,
they’d better be <i>good </i>friends—albeit occupying their private spaces
that you aren’t allowed in.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When whites move away from black neighborhoods, it’s
white flight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When whites move
into black neighborhoods, it’s gentrification, even when they pay black
residents generously for their houses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’re white and date only white people, you’re a
racist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’re white
and date a black person, you are, if only deep down, exotifying an “other.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> . </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Black people cannot be held accountable for everything
every black person does.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">All whites must
acknowledge their personal complicitness in the perfidy of “whiteness”
throughout history.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Black students must be admitted to schools via
adjusted grade and test-score standard to ensure a representative number of
them and foster a diversity of views in classrooms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 233.75pt;" valign="top" width="312">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is racist to
assume a black student was admitted to a school via racial preferences, and
racist to expect them to represent the “diverse” view in classroom
discussions<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There simply is no logical “medium” to be found between these alternates. One
could not preform any pair of them simultaneously."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"[T]he problem is that today,
this reductive, prosecutorial, and ultimately joyless kind of thinking actually
is taking over not just university culture but American culture at large."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"[A]ntiracism is everything--<i>regardless of logic</i>."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Ironically,
the weapon is so lethal because of the genuine and invaluable change that has
occurred in our sociopolitical fabric over the past decades. That changes that
to the modern American, being called a racist is all pretty equivalent to being
called a pedophile. . . A key part of their toolkit is that they call those who
disagree with them racist, one more potent term of art of our moment, “white
supremacist.” That kind of charge has a way of sticking. To deny it is to
confirm it, we are taught; Once the charges hurled, it's like your court in a
giant squids tentacles. At least you can wash a cream pie off."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The question is: will we knuckle under to this and
pay-to-play? Or will we assert that these people are gruesomely close to
Hitler's racial notions in their conception of an alien, blood- deep malevolent
“whiteness,” in their simplistic conception of what it means to be “black,” in
their crude us-versus-them conception of how society works, as if we were all
still rival bands of australopithecines?"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Author
and essayist Joseph Bottum has found the proper term, and I will adopt it here:
We will term these people the Elect. They do think of themselves as bearers of
a wisdom, granted them for any number of reasons—empathic meaning, life
experience, maybe even intelligence. But they see themselves as having been
chosen, as it were, by one or some of these factors, as understanding something
most do not. “The Elect” Is also good in implying a certain smugness, which,
sadly, is an accurate depiction."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The
problem is the degree to which the more hostile adherents have come to
influence, robustly, so very many less argumentative but equally devout others,
whose increasing numbers and intimidating buzzwords have the effect of
silencing those who see Elect philosophy as flawed but aren't up for being
mauled. The Elect are, in all of their diversity, sucking all of the air out of
the room. It must stop."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Do not
heed those who say that this religion isn't important. Make no mistake: These people are coming after your kids." </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"I do not mean that these people’s ideology is 'like' a religion. . . . I mean
that it actually is a religion."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Robin DiAngelo’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">White Fragility </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> seeks to convert whites to a profound
reconception of themselves as inherently complicit in a profoundly racist
system of operation and thought. Within this system, if whites venture any statement on the topic other than that harbor white privilege, it only proves
that they are racists, too “fragile” to admit it. The circularity
here—"Your’re a racist, and if you say you aren’t, it just proves that you
are”—is the logic of the sandbox."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"At one meeting at Northwestern University’s law school in 2020, professors
actually stood up and ritually denounced themselves as not only harboring
privilege but as being outright racists. All were required to do this
regardless of individual nature or political commitments, leading an observer
to say of one professor, 'He is a wonderful man universally loved by students.
It makes me sad that he is forced to say otherwise.'”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“'Why don’t they allow
people to have different opinions?'</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You’re missing he point.
The Elect can seem truly baffling—until we see that they are a religion.
Specifically, an evangelical one."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"[I]n 1951, Eric Hoffer’s <i>The True Believer</i> noted that
movements such as Fascism, Communism, and nineteenth century segregationists
have attracted and retained their followers by appealing to an idealized past,
a fantastical future, and an indelibly polluted present. Under the Elect, black
people’s noble past is Africa; the glorious future is about those <i>terms </i>that
we <i>come to</i>; while the present, if the religion is to make any kind of
sense, must always be a cesspool."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The
general idea that America is in some kind of denial about race--or racism,
which is what people really mean when they say this--is perfectly absurd.
America is nothing less than obsessed with discussing and acknowledging racism,
and those who insist year that America wants to hear nothing of it or dealing
in pure fantasy."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"The Associated Press has decided to capitalize the word <i>Black</i>.
Merriam-Webster is revising its definition of <i>racism</i> to include modern
definitions focusing on disparities rather than attitudes. The term <i>master
bedroom</i>, tech designations like <i>master drive </i>and <i>slave drive</i>,
and even golf’s Masters Tournament are being reconsidered. Suddenly the entire
nation is aware of, and helping black America to celebrate, the Holiday
June-teenth, with many cities giving black people the day off as a paid
holiday. In many of the protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, so many
of the faces are white that you’d think the movement was sponsored by
Greenpeace."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The
1619 Project in <i>The New York Times</i>, despite the conclusive determination
that it is founded on a mistaken interpretation of the historical record, has
been awarded a Pulitzer Prize, out of the tacit Elect assumption that when it
comes to race, indignation outranks accuracy. Black Lives Matter protests in
solidarity with the ones here are taking place in countries where many of the
protesters don’t speak much English and have never known a black American.
Congress—the deadlocked travesty that is our Congress in the twenty-first
century—has passed a bill encouraging serious police reform. Minneapolis, where
Floyd was killed, vowed to dismantle its entire police force, while nationwide
a debate rages over whether the police should be defunded to a radical degree.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Nationwide,
prominent whites are examining, themselves for abusive 'whiteness,' such that
Tina Fey has pulled four episodes of her beloved sitcom <i>30 Rock </i>from
streaming because it had quick blackface gags. Comic actress Jenny Slate has
withdrawn from providing the voice of a biracial character on the series <i>Big
Mouth. </i>Disneyland has retooled its Splash Mountain ride to highlight <i>The
Princess and the Frog</i>, with its black princess Tiana, instead of the
controversial <i>Song of the South. </i>New York City has painted BLACK LIVES
MATTER in big letters right down the street in front of Trump Tower.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">White
attitudes on race and the prevalence of racism were dramatically different in
2020 than they had been just a few years before. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: white;">And
yet notice that, to the Elect, none of this has mattered a whit."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"To
these people, actual progress on race is not something to celebrate but to talk
around. This is because, with progress, the Elect lose their sense of purpose." </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"If by
chance the new mood leads to an actual reparations program, a worthy guess is
that the new memes will be things like 'Reparations is just a start' and 'They better not think they can treat us like animals for four hundred years
and just pay us off.” You don’t have to take my word for it. Coates is useful
again, giving it away long ago in his famed article on reparations, where he
ventured that 'we may find that the country can never fully repay African
Americans.'</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"The Elect consider it imperative to not only critique
those who disagree with their creed, but to seek their punishment and
elimination to whatever degree real-life conditions can accommodate. There
is an overriding sense that unbelievers must be not just spoken out against,
but called out, isolated, and banned."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The Elect do not ban people our of temper; they do
it calmly, between sips of coffee as they surf Twitter, because they consider
it a higher wisdom to burn witches."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"As Andrew Sullivan noted about
his having to leave his post at <i>New York </i> magazine in 2020, I had gotten to the point
that the Elect staffers found his very presence unbearable:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">They seem to believe, and
tis is increasingly the orthodoxy in mainstream media, that any writer not
actively committed to critical theory in questions of race, gender, sexual
orientation, and gender identity is actively, physically harming co-workers
merely by existing in the same virtual space."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The truth is that this is not real fragility, but a pose. The Elect do not feel frightened, much less physically injured, by columns, tweets, syllabi, symbols, and verbal expressions. They are posing as injured in order to demonstrate the “violence” of the views with which they disagree and thus prove that those views are evil."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Caricature!
Overstatement! Okay, but behold this faculty letter, from a body of PhDs--<i>PhDs</i>—at
Princeton, one passage from a suite of demands submitted to the university
president (who was in warm agreement with ideas of this kind):<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Constitute a committee
composed entirely of faculty that would oversee the investigation and
discipline of racist behaviors, incidents, research, and publication on the
part of faculty, following a protocol for grievance and appeal to be spelled
out in Rules and Procedures of the Faculty. Guidelines on what counts as racist
behavior, incidents, research, and publication will be authored by a faculty
committee for incorporation into the same set of rules and procedures.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> If
this isn’t a star chamber, I don’t know what is."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">"New
York City mayor Bill de Blasio genuflected to the Elect in sanctioning ongoing
protest despite the quarantine order. Legions of protesters were taking to the
streets for weeks on end . . . De Blasio had broken up a Hasidic wedding . . .
but weeks later he was fine with people breaking the same rules in much larger
numbers and for much longer when the issue was battling racism. . . .</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">And
de Blasio wasn’t alone. In one of the most medieval moments in modern American
history, medical professionals refrained from condemning this behavior, often
even openly venturing that battling racism was more important than </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">avoiding
the trans</i><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">mission of a grievously destructive virus. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Few of
these medical professionals were likely Elect themselves, but they were cowered
enough under its power to act like they were. . . ."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">"</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -0.25in;">A
friend wrote on Facebook that they agree with Black Lives Matter, only to be
roasted by an anonymous person:</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto;"><i><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Wait
a minute! You 'agree' with them? That implies you get to disagree with them?
That’s like saying you 'agree' with the laws of gravity! You as a white person
don’t get to 'agree' OR 'disagree' when black people assert something! Saying
you “agree” with them is EVERY bit as arrogant as disputing them! This isn’t an
intellectual exercise! This is THEIR lives on the line."</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The
difference between good old-fashioned left and modern Elect began to emerge
when, for example, legal scholar Richard Delgado began teaching non-whites to
base their complaints about injustice not on something so 'rigid' as objective
truth, but upon the 'broad story of dashed hopes and centuries-long
mistreatment that afflicts an entire people and forms the historical and
cultural background of your complaint'.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"Critical race theory tells you that
everything is about hierarchy, power, their abuses—and that if you are not
Caucasian in America, then you are akin to the captive oarsman slave straining
belowdecks in chains."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"We must not be taken in by the fact that this is called “critical,” that it’s
about race, and that it’s titled a 'theory.' It is a fragile, performative
ideology, one that goes beyond the passages above to explicitly reject linear
reasoning, traditional legal theorizing, and even Enlightenment rationalism. We
are to favor an idea that an oppressed race’s 'story' constitutes truth, in an
overarching sense, apart from mere matters of empirical or individual detail."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"Robin DiAngelo’s <i>White Fragility</i> . . . reads in the present tense like a
bizarre exercise in mind control created by someone bent on manipulation and
getting paid."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> "Amid nationwide anti-cop protests,
National Public Radio interviewed the author of <i>In Defense of Looting </i>(no,
not an <i>Onion</i> parody!)."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"[T]o forge a society in which whites are un-supreme . . . </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">is it necessary</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
that the president and board chairman of the Poetry Foundation be forced to
resign because the group’s statement in allegiance with Black Lives Matter
after the Floyd murder </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">was not long enough?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I<i>s it necessary</i>, that when, in 2018, a woman attended a party thrown
by a Washington Post employee and wore blackface in ridicule of a recent
comment by Megyn Kelly, she was not just called aside but cast into unemployment as
a revolting heretic unworthy of civilized engagement? . . . Only in the late
2010s could this clumsy goof-up qualify as grounds for unemployment, with her
callers-out claiming that she had made the party’s space “unsafe,” . . . A few
people at the party not only hounded her out but dedicated themselves to
getting her fired from the newspaper for her transgression of etiquette. They
succeeded, after even going as far as strong-arming the host of the party into
revealing her name to them so that they could pursue her persecution.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">[I]s<i>
it necessary </i>that when the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was
criticized for being insufficiently committed to non-white artists, and the
museum’s long-serving curator Gary Garrels <i>concurred</i> but added that the
museum would not stop collecting white artists entirely, because this would
constitute “reverse discrimination,” he was fired? His use of that term was
pivotal in his losing his job, for implying that non-whites, as people deprived
of power, can be racist."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Racism, in all of its facets, is real, but since the late 1960s a
contingent of black thinkers had tended to insist that things were as bad as
they were in 1940, leaving even many black people who actually experienced Jim
Crow a tad perplexed and even put off."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"The Pathway is short, then, between critical race
theory’s celebration of communal “narrative” over empirical truth and this
modern black frame of mind in which exaggeration is allowed to pass as a kind
of alternate form of honesty."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"What distinguishes our era is the number of white people who have taken up the
politics of black radicalism since about 2013, and especially since 2020. To
wit: The essence of the Elect’s new moment is a critical mass of white people
coming to think like a charismatic hard-left contingent of black people have
been thinking for decades."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Some
black people’s responses will be that America listens to the truth only when
white people take it up. But that’s just it: What’s being taken up is <i>not</i> 'truth.'</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> . . . For all of the fascination it exerts, black America’s gains
since the 1960s have happened in spite of, not because of, black radicalism."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>"</b>[A]
Pew Research Center survey identified something readily apparent on the ground:
that college often teaches black students a view of whites as oppressors. Nine
percent of black high-school students report experiencing racism regularly; the
number doubles among black college graduates, to 17.5 percent."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Even
the polling data suggest that the issue is more what one has been taught to say
than what one actually feels. Half of black people with college degrees say
that racism has made them fear for their safety; just a third of younger black
students do."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"While purportedly “dismantling racist structures,” the Elect religion is
actually harming the people living in those structures. It is a terrifyingly
damaging business. Here is how Elect ideology does not genuinely care about the
welfare of black people.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You
are to turn a blind eye to black kids getting jumped by other ones in school.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You are
to turn a blind eye to black undergraduates cast into schools wereh they are in
over their heads, and into law schools incapable of adjusting to their level of
preparation in a way that will allow them to pass the bar exam.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You are
to turn a blind eye to the willful dimness of condemning dead people for moral
lapses normal in their times, as if they were still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You
are to turn a blind eye to the folly in the idea of black “identity” as all
about what whites think rather than about what black people themselves think.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You
are to turn a blind eye to innocent children taught to think in these ways
practically before they can hold a pencil."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Black boys get suspended and expelled from schools
more than other kids. According to Elect ideology, this must be because they are
discriminated against.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. . .
[T]he simple fact is this: Black boys do commit more violent offenses in public
schools than other kids. Period. The Elect earnestly decry that most black kids
go to school with only other black kids, because it fits into their agenda to
point out “segregation.” But that “segregation” also entails that the black
boys they should be allowed to beat up other kids in school are handing out the
beatings to other black kids. This means if we follow these prophets’ advice
and go easier on black boys, we hinder the education of other black students.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For
example, <i>The Philadelphia Inquirer </i>fanned out across the city’s public
schools in 2012 and found that there had been thirty thousand violent incidents
in public schools between 2007 and then, which included robberies, rapes, and a
pregnant teacher punched in the stomach. (She was one four thousand teachers
assaulted by students between 2005 and 2010.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">[O]ne
might imagine that a lot of these assaults may have been committed by white
kids. But the numbers don’t square with it: In Philadephia’s public schools,
more than two in three students (70%) are black or Latino.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Or
one might imagine that, just maybe, those white kids who make up one-third of
the students are committing a disproportionate amount of the assaults? But
other studies reveal that black boys are responsible for a disproportionate
amount of school violence. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A
Fordham Institute study showed the same thing in 2019. . . .</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In fact,
the teachers in this study often reported that in the wake of calls like the
ones above to treat disciplining black boys as bigotry, underreporting of
serious incidents was “rampant,” and also that higher tolerance for misbehavior
was in part responsible for the recent decline in student suspensions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Reports
from a New York City initiative have even more explicitly located and especial
problem with school violence among black boys. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The
Elect will see only “racism” here, but only because their religious commitment
numbs them to the harm their view does to real children living their lives in
the real world. Obviously, poverty can make kids more likely to be violent—there
is no reason to see these boys as pathological beings. But to insist that
bigotry is the only possible reason for suspending more black boys than white
boys is to espouse harming black students."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"It’s often thought that affirmative action at
universities involves, simply, considering racial diversity only after
assembling a pool of students with the same caliber of grades and test scores.
The vision is that all candidates have the same scores, and then you fill out a
certain pie chart. Few reasonable people would have a problem with that kind of
system. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But
the question is whether black and Latino students should be admitted with <i>significantly
</i>lower grades and test scores than those that would admit a white or Asian
student. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Many
insist that despite the initial mismatch, the students excel nevertheless and
the mismatch has no actual effect. But this would mean that the admissions
standards applied to other students are meaningless, and actual studies have
shown, not surprisingly, that this is not the case. At Duke University,
economist Peter Arcidiacono, with Esteban Aucejo and Joseph Hotz, has shown
that the “mismatch” lowers the number of black scientists. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In 2004,
UCLA law professor Richard Sander revealed an especially tragic tendency in
this vein, showing that “mismatched” law students are much more likely students
are much more likely to cluster in the bottom of their classes and, especially,
to fail the bar exam. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. . . But here’s what happens on the ground. At the
University of California, San Diego, the year before racial preferences were banned
in the late 1990s, exactly one black student out of 3,268 freshmen made honors.
A few years later, after students who once would have been “mismatched” to
Berkeley or UCLA were being admitted to schools like UC San Diego, one if five
black freshmen at the latter school were making honors, the same proportion as
white ones."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"In <i>Between the World and Me</i>, required reading
for millions of undergraduates nationwide for years now, Ta-Nehisi Coates
states that he had no sympathy for the white cops and firemen who died at the
World Trade center on 9/11. They were just “menaces of nature; they were the
fire, the comet, the storm, which could—with no justification—shatter my body.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> . . .
It was unexamined and irresponsible for someone billed as a public
intellectual.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">Yet
the white punditocracy at most tsk-tsked him for it. In our society, where a
person can be roasted as a moral pervert and fired for wearing blackface makeup
as a joke. . . or for criticizing one and half Asian celebrities while white .
. . Coates was allowed to say that those white public servants deserved to die
but continued to be celebrated as America’s lead prophet on race.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">The only
reason Coates was given this pass was condescension: brute denigration (word
chosen deliberately) of a black human being. To not hold Coates responsible for
the horror of a judgment like that . . . and to even assign the book containing
it to impressionable young people nationwide is to treat him as someone not
responsible for his actions. It is to treat Coates as a child. . . ."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Black
journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones insists that the Revolutionary War was fought to
preserve slavery. She got a Pulitzer for it. The 1619 Project included more,
indeed, but the claim about the Revolutionary War and the resulting redating of
America’s birth to 1619, when slavery can be argued to have begun, was the main
thing that attracted so much attention to it. Hannah-Jones would have won no
prize for a series without that central claim. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> . . .
On the issue of the Revolutionary War, Hannah-Jones’s claim is quite simply
false, but our current cultural etiquette requires pretending that isn’t
true—because she is black. Someone has received a Pulitzer Prize for a mistaken
interpretation of historical documents about which legions of actual scholars
are expert. Meanwhile, the claim is being broadcast, unquestioned, in
educational materials being distributed across the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> . . . </span>White people patting her on the head for being “brave” or “getting her views
out there,” rather than regretting that she slipped up and wishing her better
luck next time, are bigots of a kind. They are condescending to a black woman
who deserves better, even if the zeitgeist she has been minted in prevents her
from knowing it herself."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"Racist,
too, are those who actually hear out black scientists claiming that the reason
there are so few black physicists is “racism.” Unless these people point out
black scientists doing the same work of the same caliber as their white
colleagues and being refused PhDs or postdoctoral fellowships or jobs, they are
out of court."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> "And as for the proposal that, say, physics needs to change what is considered
real work so that a 'black' perspective is allowed, to even allow this at the
table is more condescension. Presumably the 'alternate' perspective would
eschew the tough, uncompromising higher mathematics that the serious physicist
is supposed to command. Surely the idea isn’t that black physicists will
command the math but do it 'blacky' or 'diversely.'"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"If
I sound rhetorical, consult an interesting paper by black physicist Chanda
Prescod-Weinstein, in which she condemns 'white empiricism' as keeping black
women out of physics. You will work to glean what she considers a viable
alternative, but it is clear that she thinks reasoning from A to B to C is just
one way of being a scientist."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The KIPP
academies, a charter school network devoted to giving poor brown kids a solid
education and getting them into college, have decided that they’ve been too
hard on the children. Their sin: the slogan 'Work hard. Be nice.'<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">KIPP
has announced that to expose their charges to that mantra “diminishes the
significant effort to dismantle systemic racism, places value on being
compliant and submissive, supports the illusion of meritocracy, and does not
align with our vision of students being free to create the future they want.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Translation:
Schools committed to helping kids make the best of a bad hand now feel
uncomfortable teaching their students that following rules and putting forth
effort will have beneficial results. Rather, there are apparently other, woker
pathways to creating a successful future, as in the 'future they want.' Apparently
this is a future you can have without following rules, while distrusting effort
as playing the white man’s game. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The
KIPP people are suspending common sense as well as true compassion, in a
fashion that their teachers would never consider for their own children at
home. This is the Elect at work, espousing a charismatic but senseless dogma as
a public posture of moral goodness. Their religion supplants earlier ones in
which, rather often, “Work hard. Be nice” would have qualified as wisdom. The
Elect’s mantra instead is <i>Battle racism, be indignant</i>—even at the
expense of the well-being of black American people, including black children."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>"</b>Electism
calls for everyone who isn't white to found their primary sense of self on </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">not
being white and knowing whites don't quite “get” me. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Electism forbids us
non-whites from being individual selves, out of an idea that white racism is so
onerous that ourself definition must before, Despite that this vastly
exaggerates the role of racism in most black lives. . . Your Elect friend may
claim that I am distorting what they believe. Ask them to specify just how it
does so—and the word-salad answer they craft while looking over your shoulder
will show you that I am not."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> "Here
is where wokeness takes us back to the balkanized and artificial racial
categorizations we all thought we wanted to get past. Yet ask why we are no
longer supposed to get past them and the Elect—wait for it—suspect you of white
supremacy. All of the Enlightenment’s focus on individualism, all of
modernism’s permission for people to be themselves rather than live bound to
preset classifications, falls to pieces before this idea that to be anything
but white requires obsession with the fact that you are <i>not</i> white, and
diminished by their <i>possibly</i> not seeing you in your totality."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">[T]he Elect
analysis must see racism, and thus comes Ibram Kendies 'idea' that our whole
metric for evaluating scholarly success must be overturned in favor of
pretending that black kids should be measured as smart on the basis of 'desire
to know.'”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> "To be
Elect is to insist that unequal outcomes mean unequal opportunity, which is
false. The misimpression misdirects our efforts at change, but inculcating in
us a blindness to how a society actually operates. The insistence on this
mantra makes us dumb."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"The Elect think that if a historical figure had slaves
(Washington) or was ensconced in the slave trade (John Locke), or even was not
hotly interested in dismantling slavery when they could have played a part in
it—Alexander Hamilton has come under fire for that—then this must be the main
thing we remember them for. They should be recalled only with condemnation.
They are useful to us only as object lessons in how not to be. Their
achievements otherwise should be treated as footnotes, largely of interest only
to the historian. Their backwardness on race must cling to them in our minds
the way a gendered definite article must cleave in our minds to a French noun. <i>La
plume</i>; George Washington, <i>le</i> slave owner."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Thus,
we are not to celebrate that America got past accepting slavery, but to reach
backward in time and slap at the people who had yet to, in order to show how
goodly we are now. The Elect require that we pretend that figures of the past
are walking around with us, as if time does not pass."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"To be
Elect is to insist that figures in the past might well be living now, and that
they must merit the judgments we level upon present-day people, who inhabit a
context unknown to those who lived before."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The
Elect’s harm to black people is multifarious and rampant that anyone committed
to this religion and calling antiracist walks in certain shame."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"On racism,
Elect philosophy teaches black people that cries of weakness are a form of
strength. It teaches us that in the richness of this thing called life, the
most interesting thing about you is that the ruling class doesn’t like you
enough. It teaches us that to insist that black people can achieve under less
than perfect conditions is ignorant slander. It teaches us that we are the
first people in the history of the species for whom it is a form of heroism to
embrace the slogan “Yes, we can’t!” Elect philosophy is, in all innocence, a
form of racism in itself. Black America has met nothing so
disempowering—including the cops—since Jim Crow.</span>"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"The Elect, in terms of the combined effects of their warriors and their
supporters, are today a mob, pure and simple."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"The
Elect must be othered. We must stop treating them as normal. Already, the term
“woke” is used in derision, but using that term with a snicker is about as
oppositional as many dare to be against this mob. It isn’t enough."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Anyone
with any familiarity with the the Collegetown scene knows that the Elect are by
no means only kids. Many of them are nearing retirement age and today enjoying
a new sense of dominance. . . This is not about kids."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Elect
ideology is being presented as fundamental to child pedagogy in public and
private schools nationwide? New York City’s former schools chancellor Richard
Carranza presented his teachers and staff with the idea that the written word,
objectivity, being on time, and individuality are 'white things.'"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"All this is being done . . . sincerely under the impression that the
national reckoning about race requires enshrining this Orwellian poppycock. . .
If the Elect are reaching our children, then this is real."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Meanwhile,
no one can deny that Elect ideology has a stranglehold on institutions that
barely knew it just a few years ago. The Elect are changing America or at least
what much of America is comfortable presenting itself as when threatened with
slander. The Capitol mob are changing nothing."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"But—get ready, this must be said,
and, frankly, it’s better said by someone black:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As often as not today,
what the person “feels” is based on what they have been taught to 'feel' by a
paradigm that teaches them to exaggerate and even fabricate the 'feeling.' In
other words, much too often, the person who tells you to accept and go from how
they 'feel' has been, coached."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">"I
make no apologies for not being a character from <i>The Wire. </i>I am
committed to greeting getting help to black people who need it, and my
positions in this book stand or fall on the basis of their applicability to
that mission."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"What we must do about the Elect is stand up to them.
They rule by inflicting terror, either through invective or quietly trailing
off with the likes of 'Well, I guess if you think racism is okay, then. . .' They think that to require them to engage in actual reason is heretically 'white.' There is nowhere to go with them from there."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Our
response to this cannot be simply fold, because this means giving up the
post-Enlightenment society we hold dear. We must stop being afraid of these
people, and once we do, there is something we need to steel ourselves against
and get used to.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> People
often ask, 'How can I talk to people like this without being called a racist?'<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"> The
answer is: </span><i><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">You cannot."</span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Yes, it
will be easier for some to stand up to the Elect than others. Temperamentally,
some are more comfortable with conflict than others. Some people’s jobs require
them to toe an Elect line more than others. Some people’s incomes allow them to
leave positions more easily than others. The decision must be individual."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"If you need perspective, talk to anyone you know from
a formerly Communist country. A great many of our immigrants from Russia and
China are mystified at how readily so many smart Americans are rolling over the
face of the rhetoric these immigrants recognize as what they escaped or what
their own parents and relatives had their lives ruined by." </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #04ff00; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">*****************************</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #04ff00;">I again recommend his book as I obviously had to leave most of it out. It is short, persuasive and easy to read. I do disagree with some of his points - (Trump, Obama, drugs, etc.). But, the important part is to understand what this woke insanity is doing to our country, including blacks and our youth, and to end it.</span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-19075639549654923872022-05-31T12:52:00.007-07:002022-05-31T12:56:23.602-07:00We should not forget Afghanistan.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, thank God, Biden got us out of Afghanistan with no loss of life and no one left behind. Hah!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">At least that one is not a lie, although it would be if they claimed it. Instead, as the media and the D party are now tied together (as Psaki gets ready to go over to MSNBC), most media simply ignores it. Fox doesn't. At least Sean Hannity. The Wall Street Journal doesn't. I'm sure some other right-wing media. But, the mainstream, that is leftist media does want you to know, as it is with all of the failures and march towards fascism, so they ignore it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was in the WSJ May 10, 2022.</span></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Though it gets little Western coverage these days,
Afghanistan continues to regress. On Saturday the ruling Taliban ordered all
women to fully cover themselves in public. This is a tragedy for the women and
men of Afghanistan, and it’s a reminder of the nightmare for the Americans
still trapped there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; vertical-align: baseline; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Secretary
of State Antony Blinken recently testified on Capitol Hill that 126 Americans
remain in Afghanistan. He added that 37 seek to leave and are being assisted by
the State Department. A congressional source told us that the figure may
underestimate the number of U.S. citizens who want to get out, as some want to
leave but need to get their affairs in order first.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #333333;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; overflow-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mr. Blinken noted that the U.S. had
helped more than 600 American citizens leave the country since the end of
August, but hundreds have come forward since the panicked withdrawal ended. The
process has been uneven: Some freedom-of-movement issues are resolved, then
others spring up. Leaving the country remains difficult.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #333333;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in; overflow-wrap: break-word; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">The Administration vows to assist any
Americans who want to leave. But that is the least it can do after the rushed
retreat and the casual approach to evacuations that preceded it."</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It doesn't say, and of course the world doesn't need reminding - they know - it was the worst military debacle in American history and if there was any media, and the Ds were not in power, Biden would have been impeached just for that alone. 13 Americans needlessly died that we know about when the imprisoned ISIS members, released when the Taliban swept the country, murdered them at the last airbase with a bomb. But, tens of thousands of Afghanis died, including those who helped us, and as many or more were stranded there with Taliban animals.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bush (in later years), Obama, Trump and Biden all wanted out. Even Obama understood you just couldn't leave and in fact ramped up our troops when necessary. Biden, however, is literally an idiot in terms of decisions and policy, plus, could care less about our troops lives and certainly Afghani ones. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trump's endeavors, if you look at the military deaths inside Afghanistan over the years, partially pacified (the Taliban still controlled much of the country). He early on announced his desire to leave, but to show the Taliban we did not care about timelines, increased our forces in 2017 and then slowly and carefully reduced troops to about 2500 and basically maintained the peace. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;">American Military Killed in Action by hostile forces per president by year (through January of next year following election):</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;">Bush: 2001- 1/2008: 424 dead/8 years = 53 average</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;">Obama: 2/2009-1/2017: 2873/8 years =359</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;">Trump: 44/4 years = 11 </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Indeed, so effective was the deterrence of the Taliban that in the last 10 months of 2020 (so, under Trump) there were 0 deaths (and 2/4 earlier that year were in training exercises) and that continued through the next year until the Biden debacle where 13 were killed and tens of thousands of Afghanis, some in such fear that they literally died falling off planes that they were hanging onto to try and escape. <a href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+afghanis+falling+off+planes&view=detail&mid=DDC7E4FC3AE9549C4FB4DDC7E4FC3AE9549C4FB4&FORM=VIRE&msclkid=997a9879d12c11eca752be3c7074fa65">Taliban in Afghanistan: Terrifying Video Shows People Falling Off Plane Mid-Air In Kabul - Bing video</a>. Remember Biden saying there would be no Saigon-like evacuation? It was far worse. It is painful to watch these videos. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fantasy that it could not have been avoided is frankly, not fantasy, but lies. The military knew this would happen. Our intelligence was aware it would happen. This has all been admitted despite Biden's continuous lies. Only Biden, demanding our flight by a deadline, having our troops leave before our citizens and the Afghanis who helped us, is responsible. Leaving at all when the Taliban violated the agreement by immediately seizing territory while the Afghani army, really not a military force at all, collapsed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>This is from NBC News (August 17, 2021). NBC! Basically a spokesman for the Democrat Party (</span><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/cia-warned-rapid-afghanistan-collapse-so-why-did-u-s-n1277026">CIA warned of rapid Afghanistan collapse. So why did U.S. get it so wrong? (nbcnews.com)</a>).</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;">"As the Taliban began seizing provinces across Afghanistan in recent weeks, the CIA’s intelligence assessments began to warn in increasingly stark terms about the potential for a rapid, total collapse of the Afghan military and government, current and former U.S. officials told NBC News."</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">. . .</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2a2a; margin: 1.5rem 0px;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the surface, it’s a stark contrast from what the president had said just a month ago. Speaking in the same room July 8, the president was asked directly about reports that he was presented intelligence predicting a rapid collapse of the Afghan government without a continued U.S. presence. At first, Biden challenged the premise.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2a2a; margin: 1.5rem 0px;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“That is not true. They did not reach that conclusion,” he said then.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trump's agreement for us to leave required the Taliban to behave itself and was the premise of our phased withdrawal, not frantic flight.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #01ffff; color: #424240; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">"The peace deal contains classified and unclassified portions and the central themes of the agreement are: (1) the prevention of future threats against the United States and its allies from terror groups operating from Afghanistan soil; (2) the withdrawal of all American and coalition forces from Afghanistan; and (3) a commitment from the Taliban towards an intra-Afghan negotiation that would include a permanent ceasefire."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">Arguably, there is no way we could ever know what the Taliban's behavior would be after we left, but we did not have to leave before we got out all Americans and allies out. The military should have come last. As it was, they were put in a far worse situation than Saigon and everyone but Biden knew it would happen. The deaths caused by ISIS were prefaced by warnings that it was going to happen. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">All we managed to do was blow up a family and claim it was ISIS.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">Moreover, General Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (who I have little respect for) admitted that the war in Ukraine is quite possibly as a result of Putin's having watched us in Afghanistan.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">I know the media won't remind you, so I will, Britain's parliament literally condemned us for our idiocy (really, Biden's idiocy) in the way we handled matters.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">The idiocy continues. In December, the administration claimed that it had repatriated 500 Americans after the frantic pull-out and that there were less than a dozen left. Now, they admit there are over 100 still - almost a half year later - and that it is trying to get out 37 and others remain. Their nightmare isn't the administration's concern, apparently. They almost never speak of it and always deflect. Indeed, Biden said that he rejected the military's reports that it had warned this would happen. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">How does he still have around 40 % approval? Afghanistan is only one of the reasons he needs to be - should be - impeached, while Trump was impeached on the phony Ukraine myth because of a one sentence request on an open line to investigate corruption (whereas Biden has bragged about his actual coercion of Ukraine when Vice President), yet the deaths of these Americans in Afghanistan and so many Afghanis goes uncared for, unnoticed by the media and frankly, roughly half the country.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">Our media could care less. His supporters could care less (as long, I guess, as he pushes for the death of fully grown babies in the womb and that the military be woke, if unprepared). Our allies and potential allies won't forget. Our enemies won't. Even General Milley has admitted it may be one reason Putin decided to invade Ukraine. Milley and another general on the Joint Chiefs of Staff have also admitted that Biden was warned to keep troops there - 2500 of them, that is - Trump levels. </span></span><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-brass-faces-the-afghan-music-joe-biden-general-mike-milley-kenneth-mckenzie-senate-hearing-afghanistan-11632867833" style="text-align: left;">The Generals Contradict Biden on Afghanistan - WSJ</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;">You just don't get it (Democrat friends). Biden did not care about our troops. He didn't care about the embarrassment to our country and all those dead or abandoned Afghanis. He doesn't care about Americans left there and he certainly doesn't care about you.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #424240;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face=""Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #424240; font-size: 18.3331px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-70358562825582112262022-05-08T07:54:00.006-07:002022-06-01T07:57:58.277-07:00The End of the Republic<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I write that title it suddenly reminds me of the title to a Pat Buchanan book <i>The End of the West. </i>But the inspiration for this post is actually William L. Shirer's <i>The Collapse of the Third Republic</i>. Shirer, an American journalist, is actually much more famous for his <i>The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich </i>and <i>Berlin Diaries. </i>I always knew of this book, which concerns what happened to France, among the victorious allies in WWI and considered to both be the strongest military force on the European continent and a bastion of freedom, that it would fold so quickly when war came.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The short answer to the question is a very politically divided society, trust in useless and often cowardly leaders, both political and military. I'm not here to capture the essence of the book, but to go to two short bits that stood out for me, one at the beginning, one at the end.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first, in the Forward, where he summed up his thesis:</span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">"I lived
and worked in France for a good many years, beginning in 1925 when the country
was not only the greatest power on the continent of Europe but, to me at least,
the most civilized and enlightened. In the ensuing years I watched with
increasing apprehension the Third Republic go downhill, it’s strength gradually
sapped by dissension and division, by an incomprehensible blindness in foreign,
domestic, and military policy, by the ineptness of its leaders, the corruption
of its press, and by a feeling of growing confusion, helplessness, and cynicism
(<i>Je m’en foutisme</i>) in its people. And though at the beginning of the
1930s I left for assignments elsewhere, I returned frequently to Paris
throughout the decade and thus was able to keep in touch with the deterioration
one could see—or at least feel—all around."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Towards the end, he shows us the character of the leaders of the Republic self-destructing out of self-gratification and fear. It is impossible to miss the sickness and sadness<u>:</u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">" </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">.
. . As for the unhappy President of the Republic, who knew he was on the way
out, Baudouin recorded in his journal: 'the president of the Republic says not
a word. His silence, his passivity, stupefies me.' the brash young foreign
minister does not seem to have been stupefied by his own--or the other
ministers' --silence and passivity. If not stupified, LeBrun was at
least depressed. But, like everyone else, resigned.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="background-color: #01ffff;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: #01ffff;">Laval
explains the resolution for revision to be submitted tomorrow to the two
chambers [LeBrun records]. Everyone feels at a debate with the
useless. All know from the events of the past few days that the game is over.
We are submerged in a heavy and mythic atmosphere which annihilates you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"> '<span style="line-height: 107%;">In
this atmosphere of threats and fears and defeatism and baseness and dupery and
confusion, all but a handful of the politicians, who only 10 months before had
enthusiastically and unanimously voted the credits for war, who all their
political life had thought, almost all of them, that the Third Republic was the
best possible form of government for France and its democracy and freedoms a
cherished blessing, were now intent, with whoops of enthusiasm, to destroy it
and substitute a copy of the barbarian totalitarianism of the Nazi German
conqueror, cutting suddenly loose, as Ambassador Bullitt had reported in his
dispatch of July 1, after talking with the leaders, from all that France had
been and meant and stood for so long.'<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">How
was it possible? </span><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #202122; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #202122; line-height: 107%;">Léon</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Blum later tried to
account for it, but he succeeded only in describing it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> '</span><span style="line-height: 107%;">The
men whom I had seen the day before and with whom I had talked and shaken hands,
were no longer the same men. They seemed plunged in some horrible mixture, in a
corrupting bath of such power that those who touched it for a moment emerged
poisoned. . . . Within a few hours their thoughts, their words, their faces
even, became practically unreasonable. . . . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poison and one now held be held was fear,
quite simply the panic of fear.'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Fear,
he said that if they didn’t follow Laval, the Germans or General Weygand, as
Laval warned, would take over.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> '</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;">The
nature of fear permits no reasoning. If the pitiful victims of Laval had been
capable of a reflection, of a critical examination, this whole structure of
artifice would immediately have crumbled into dust. . . .To escape from the
whirlwind there was only needed a moment in <i>sang-froid</i>, an effort for
reflection. But no one reflected. One let himself be carried away, like a crowd
in panic, by the collective currents of dread and cowardice.'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
ease with which men can be corrupted counted too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> '</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;">Laval
did not so much convince them as infect them. . . . He offered them jobs, as
formerly he promised portfolios. Every revolution produces a scramble for
spoils. Laval offered embassies, prefectures. . . .'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What
hurt Blum most was the baseness with which the French politicians endeavored to
ape Hitler and his totalitarian regime, thinking they could thereby curry his
favor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> '</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;">To
be vanquished does not mean that you have to become a vassal. To imagine that
by being obliging to Hitler one could appease his scorn or moderate his hate
was a senseless chimera. . . . well I suppose that if there existed a means of
softening or seducing Hitler, it can only be by baseness?'<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span> </span> </span>. . . .
Paul Boulet, A professor of history and a deputy who supported Badie’s motion,
later described the scene to the Parliamentary Investigating Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: #01ffff; font-family: inherit;">'Every time someone wanted
to speak, his voice was drowned out by 400 voices against 20 or 30! You have to
imagine what it was like in this assembly where there were 400 members who did
not want anyone to speak.'"</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We can
imagine it easily. Every time a conservative speaker is shut down by threats or
actual violence in America, which happens not infrequently, we see it. We are
seeing it even in law schools, where kids being trained to be lawyers - that
is, to debate - think it is okay to shut down conservative speakers. Why
shouldn't they. The school allowed it. No one was suspended or sent home.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">How far away are we from
this? Go back to the third paragraph in the second selection above and read it
again. Ten months in France. Our leaders, often Republicans, are capable of
great fecklessness in order to preserve their own skins. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We saw it after
Charlottesville, when a group of protesters, at least some white supremacists
and as vile as they come, but others who thought there was a value in
maintaining their Southern subculture by preserving confederate statuary, all
with a permit to march, being savaged by a left wing mob - no other word for it
(one attacker had a flame-thrower). One right-winger, described as a neo-Nazi,
apparently angered by the attacks, perhaps to help someone in trouble, perhaps
to flee (I can find no information online on what actually happened, which
makes me very cynical), ran his care into the mob and killed a woman.
Instantly, not only did the left scream white-supremacy and murder loud as they
could, but the Republicans did too, or at least most. Amazingly, Trump
initially did not, saying their were fine people on both sides. So hot was the
heat that he had to walk it back. I was shocked to see political bodies insist
that it the violence was one-sided, to her Republicans say the same. The videos
were there for all to see. The media reaction was certainly one-sided. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div><span>We saw the same phenomena in Seattle when a group of left-wing morons in Seattle take over a few city blocks and declare themselves independent (if you remember CHOP). The mayor, also, apparently a moron, declares that this is what democracy looks like (it's actually the opposite of what democracy looks like). a few weeks and two dead CHOP residents murdered, she changed her mind. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>In Portland, the problem has been ongoing for 2 years now, as the police have pretty much been neutered.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>In Chicago and other urban (left-wing dominated) states cops have been so beat down that they are not even allowed to chase suspects without permission (usually meaning they can't as the suspects don't exactly wait around). In San Francisco, the police are rapidly leaving. There and in many other cities (NY, where the D.A. immediately showed his true colors upon entering office and in L.A., where they won't even prosecute misdemeanors (meaning miscreants can commit most any crime they want without fear so long as they aren't felonies), Portland, where the police have acted so bravely, and the first time one strikes a so-called protester, is arrested for it, causing the entire SWAT team to quit, and so on. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>We have a star-chamber for a January 6th committee, really a political organization against Trump, as Pelosi refused to let Republicans pick their own members and allows only Trump haters among them. January 6th is probably the biggest sign of the fascist state taking over other than the joint censorship with the government and big tech (thank you, Elon Musk, I think). A cop died soon after the trespassing (by morons) and the left pretended he was killed and he was given a state funeral for political purposes. His family revealed it had nothing to do with the riot. A young woman, a veteran was murdered in cold blood by a cop while she had her hands to her side and was surrounded by other cops with big guns. Somehow, that was okay and he was not only not prosecuted, they wouldn't release his name (he self-revealed). Yet, ordinary liberals will say it was justified, but somehow Kyle Rittenhouse, set upon by a mob, was not justified in saving his own life and they think he should have been convicted. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are thousands of examples of our continued collapse - the deliberate weakening, almost abolition of our southern border, the deliberate weakening of our armed forces, our kowtowing to our enemies, including Iran, China and Russia, the continued destruction of our education system, the attempt to proselytize amongst our children including sexualizing infants or confusing them about gender. The false narratives (like pretending Florida's law prohibits the saying someone is gay, or pretending the overturning of <i>Roe v. Wade</i> means they will overturn <i>Brown v. Board of Education</i>), the ruination of our criminal justice system in woke cities and states, the demonization of police, particularly the false narrative that they hunt down and shoot blacks, the ruination of the minority communities with the victimization narrative, the denunciation of merit in our education system, the racialization and racialism against whites, Asians and Jews while blacks are given a privileged status, as if that is the fair way to handle past racism. The attacks on right-wing speakers which has been going on for years, the abandonment of our schools by feckless administrators who give in to violent and stupid children who think they should be running things, the dumbing down of almost everything. The politicization of our health agencies. The censorship of government in conjunction with big tech. The bonfire of the vanities like rigidity and demoralization of our businesses and institutions such that people are afraid to be normal (no, I don't mean abusive) or to speak their mind. The threats to our democracy by those who threaten Justices they don't agree with (the Goebbel's like Chuck Schumer, for example), or demand to pack the court, end the electoral college or the right to defend our border. Corruption of the DOJ and FBI which helped attack Trump and threatens concerned parents with anti-terrorism laws while not recognizing actual terrorists like Antifa as such. </div><div><br /></div><div>I could go on for pages and have in the past here. But, I decided not to make this post one of these extensive lists or statements. But, if you care to know, you can go down through my archives or just start reading on the web. No, not the NYTimes or the Washington Post, not CNN or MSNBC. But, it's out there. You can't take any organization at its word. You have to research it yourself, read cases and statutes and listen to what people actually said. It's often (not always) out there. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is more a warning that powerful and great republics can fail and fail remarkably quickly. If people do not continue to wake up (the last few weeks have been better), we will continue this slide into fascism and in one way or another, the fate of the Third Republic will become ours. It never happens the same way twice. But, it always ends up with sickening coercion, violence and elitism. </div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-75157657638057574252022-05-03T03:06:00.002-07:002022-05-03T13:54:50.000-07:00No more Roe?<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last night a friend wrote to me of a supposed leaked draft of a Justice Alito decision overturning <i>Roe </i>and <i>Casey. </i>The news reports were acting as if it was real.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm going to go out on a limb and say it is a fake. I'm not happy to say that. I hope I'm wrong. I suspect if it is fake, Justice Roberts will be all over it and we will have a denial from the court today. I don't remember there being a leaked draft opinion before, not in the 20th century anyway. I can't say I've researched it, but my memory of what I've read on the Court, including gossipy accounts, does not ring a bell. There have definitely been indications of leaked results before, but I believe more to members of congress than to the press. We will see.</span></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But, my most compelling reasons are in the "draft" itself. I'm not an expert on the way Justice Alito writes by any stretch. But numerous phrases in the draft seem to be very un-Alitoish to me.</span></span><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first one that significantly struck me "<i>Roe </i>was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak and the decision has had damaging consequences." </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, there was his emphasis that there was no support in the law before the late 20th century regarding the right to abortion - "Zero. None" the draft states. It struck me more as a statement in a bar or a text than a legal one like this. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, after reviewing the historical evidence showing that an abortion right is not deeply rooted in our history, the draft states: "Respondents and their <i>amici</i> have no persuasive answer to this historical evidence." It is nothing more than my ear that is telling me this was not written by Alito. It could be I am wrong and Justice Alito was just "fired up, ready to go," as the Obama-campaign liked to quote of a passionate supporter. But, then two paragraphs below it, the draft contains the same phrase again, except this time, the word "amici" is not italicized. Why not? It is still a foreign word. Justice Alito is a fine writer. Would he not come up with a different phrase? </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I could go on with the textual criticism, but those were my most "egregious" examples and each one may be 100% incorrect. Why compound my error if in fact wrong? Besides, I hope I'm wrong.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then there are these points in which I am just playing junior detective. If it is in fact a real first draft, would it say the words "first draft" on it? I don't know as they don't normally pass out the Court's actual first drafts. But, it strikes me that he would have written - "draft," not "first draft" on it. Also, why does it already have the "United States Reports" heading on it saying that it might be corrected? Do the Justices put that on their drafts? Wouldn't the publisher put that on? I really don't know, but asking.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If it was real and leaked, it is of course a scandal, most likely because of a clerk rather than a Justice. I hope it does not allow for pressure to be brought upon the Justices who would otherwise join it. And I would be delighted. It would also make the case on the Texas statute moot, as that statute by its own terms expressly makes itself of no effect if Roe and Casey are overturned. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I admit I have also predicted that Justices Roberts, Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, even Barrett, would not sign onto overturning Roe. I will still be surprised if they do. We know Kagan, Breyer and Sotomayor, would not. I do think Alito would, and Thomas, but that's it. 7-2. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We will see. Probably in a few hours.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">________________________________________________</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>POSTSCRIPT </b>(later the same day):</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto">Well, just forget most of that above, because it was a real leak. Justice Roberts spoke out, called it a betrayal and said he has asked the Marshall's office to investigate. So, my Sherlockian analysis is kaput. But, one, for once I'm glad, temporarily at least, that I don't have millions of readers and two, I am very happy, presuming that in the face of the vicious offense I expect will come by people who differ and believe social disruption, threats and/or violence is the way to win (e.g., Chuck Schumer, at least significant parts of BLM, Antifa, some abortion proponents, etc.), whichever Justices have tentatively signed on will stick to their guns. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Of course, I hope that they catch the miscreant, or miscreants, responsible. I don't know how hard they will try. It doesn't matter that much, but, what it means to me is that there is one more example of what the left is up to this past decade or so, much more regularly than the left (despite what the FBI and the media will tell you). They will win anyway they can. They have no shame, don't care how they win, and will simply claim it is the right doing what they are doing. And the media will back them for the most part. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Ironically, many of my friends on the right are very concerned about whether this will hurt their team in the coming elections, which they felt so good about just a day ago (way too early). They feel it is not such a big deal about abortion and it is not worth it. I can't help but feel the opposite. It is one of the most controversial and deeply felt issues in our country's history. When should they win that issue (if, in fact, that is actually what happens - see below)? Because after the mid-term elections in November, we immediately leap into the presidential election cycle, and there will be congressional votes too. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">In fact, in case the Republicans. and/or conservatives think that if they just get passed the abortion issue and people will be on their side, remember, that they are going to attack you on it anyway, claim that you hate women, want them to bleed and die (as my sister said of me once) and want little babies to starve. They are still going to claim that guns are responsible for gun deaths, de, spite the fact that this seems to be overwhelming a problem in Democrat Party governed areas, particularly urban ones; they are going to claim that the biggest threats to this country are right wing violence based upon one incident on one day by a handful of idiots who were, we now know, instigated by federal undercover agents, when there was in the past few years, literally hundreds of riots across the country perpetrated by the left, that most crime is committed by people who almost certainly vote for the left, that most murders, including gun murders are. They are going to attack whoever is the Republican candidate, if not Trump, just like they did Trump (hopefully, with less success). </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Abortion is just one issue. Republicans/conservatives are worried that there are significant numbers of independents, even some Republicans, who would have voted for them but will not now do so because of the abortion issue. I am not suggesting that there is probably some truth in that. I just ask, at what point do you put off victories so important to your base, for some votes. What is the point? Just political control? Because you are so sure that someday your party will have complete political control and be able to do anything you want if you just give up your important victories?</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Does it make a difference that the draft was released now and not the actual decision in two months? Did you want to lose this issue forever? Okay, but don't pretend you actually care about abortion or any issue.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">So ends the harangue. But, a few points I want to talk about that I am understanding many people don't know about because they are either asking me or telling me differently.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">First, the opinion. It's a draft. It says "first draft." It is not the actual decision. Because it says it is the opinion of the court we will assume that he tentatively has four other judges joining him, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Thomas and Barrett. I don't see that on the opinion, though it will eventually state who is joining, but everyone thinks it is the case. Rumor has it - maybe true - that Roberts doesn't want to overrule Roe/Casey but would agree to find the Mississippi law constitutional under them. That sounds like Roberts-like prevarication because he is often more concerned about the "reputation" of the Court. But, he may join the Democrats. I suspect he will do the latter, based on issues of stare decisis aka precedent.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The way it works in the Supreme Court (and probably other appellate courts - but I base this on books I have read about the Supreme Court) is that a justice writing the Court's opinion circulates it to the other Justices. They then can make suggestions, explain how they might agree if certain changes are made, and they pass it back. He can then make changes based on those thoughts (or his/her own). It can go back and forth several times. Sometimes for months, as they have other cases. And a Justice, or all of them, can change their mind. We don't know what the ultimate decision will be yet. As with the predicted Republican sweep of the midterms, it remains to be seen.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Another issue I have heard discussed today is what it means. Most people are not going to read the decision. But, it clearly states that it means only that the power to decide will go back to the states.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">And that's a wrap.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.com0