A Little Information About Oil/Petroleum

I noticed a jar of Vaseline on the bathroom counter this morning and it got me thinking... before coffee.

Joe Biden and the left want to do away with the fossil fuel industry; do away with oil production altogether.

There are around 6,000 consumer products in the United States that are manufactured using petroleum products. Don't believe me? It's easily researched. Below is listed just a small portion of them. All of you use at least some of them every day. Are you willing to give them all up?

Solvents, Diesel fuel, Motor Oil, Bearing Grease, Ink, Floor Wax, Ballpoint Pens, Football Cleats, Upholstery, Sweaters, Boats, Insecticides, Bicycle Tires, Car tires,  Sports Car Bodies, Nail Polish, Fishing lures, Dresses, Tires, Golf Bags, Perfumes, Cassettes, Dishwasher parts, Tool Boxes, Shoe Polish, Motorcycle Helmet, Caulking, Petroleum Jelly, Transparent Tape, CD Player, Faucet Washers, Antiseptics, Clothesline, Curtains, Food Preservatives, Basketballs, Soap, Vitamin Capsules, Antihistamines, Purses, Shoes, Dashboards, Cortisone, Deodorant, Shoelace Aglets, Putty, Dyes, Panty Hose, Refrigerant, Percolators, Life Jackets, Rubbing Alcohol, Linings, Skis, TV Cabinets, Shag Rugs, Electrician’s Tape, Tool Racks, Car Battery Cases, Epoxy, Paint, Mops, Slacks, Insect Repellent, Oil Filters, Umbrellas, Yarn, Fertilizers, Hair Coloring, Roofing, Toilet Seats, Fishing Rods, Lipstick, Denture Adhesive, Linoleum, Ice Cube Trays, Synthetic Rubber, Speakers, Plastic Wood, Electric Blankets, Glycerin, Tennis Rackets, Rubber Cement, Fishing Boots, Dice, Nylon Rope, Candles, Trash Bags, House Paint, Water Pipes, Hand Lotion, Roller Skates, Surf Boards, Shampoo, Wheels, Paint Rollers, Shower Curtains, Guitar Strings, Luggage, Aspirin, Safety Glasses, Antifreeze, Football Helmets, Awnings, Eyeglasses, Clothes, Toothbrushes, Ice Chests, Footballs, Combs, CD’s & DVD’s, Paint Brushes, Detergents, Vaporizers, Balloons, Sun Glasses, Tents, Heart Valves, Crayons, Parachutes, Telephones, Enamel, Pillows, Dishes, Cameras, Anesthetics, Artificial Turf, Artificial limbs, Bandages, Dentures, Model Cars, Folding Doors, Hair Curlers, Cold cream, Movie film, Soft Contact lenses, Drinking Cups, Fan Belts, Car Enamel, Shaving Cream, Ammonia, Refrigerators, Golf Balls, Toothpaste, Gasoline.

This country and the world run on petroleum. Even electric cars have parts (plastic, tires, etc) that are made with petroleum. And what kind of fuel is used to power the machines that mine the elements for electric car batteries? You guessed it.

We can't do away with oil and petroleum products until we figure out how to power the world and manufacture products without it. And we're nowhere near that yet.

Kyle Rittenhouse a Hero?

I haven't written anything in a while but I'm compelled to write today. This is my opinion only - no one has to agree with me.

Some people are calling Kyle Rittenhouse a hero. I have to disagree with that. He defended himself, successfully, from violent offenders and that's a good thing. He had every right to do it and the jury agreed. And I support him 100%. But a hero? Why - because he killed two men and maimed another in self-defense? How does that make one a hero?

I am still of the mindset that a 17 year old kid shouldn't have been allowed to go to a riot situation. Which one of his parents thought that was a good idea? My 17 year old son would not have been there if I had anything to say about it. A minor does not have the right to do whatever he/she wishes. That's a simple fact. That's why they're called minors - they're not old enough, according to the law (or to reasonable, thinking parents), to make all of their own decisions.

Kyle Rittenhouse is a good kid, a helpful and conscientious kid, who had to shoot three grown men in order to survive. Two of them are dead. It moves my heart every time i see the video of his emotional breakdown as the verdict was read. He has to live with what happened for the rest of his life. I actually admire him for his poise and mature demeanor on the stand. He made the prosecutors look foolish more than once.

My opinion of his being there in the first place aside - he did what was necessary at the time when he was attacked. He was legally in possession of the gun that saved his life and probably would be dead, at the hands of violent protesters, if he hadn't had it. I'm glad he's alive, well, and free. But I won't call him a hero.

Again - this is my opinion only. No one has to agree. But I think there are only rare occasions where killing people makes one a hero. And this incident, in my opinion, is not one of them.

Visiting The 9/11 Memorial

Three years ago this month my wife and I traveled to New York for her work. We stayed in a 100 year old hotel in Tribeca, just five blocks from the World Trade Center Memorial. We could see the new Freedom Tower from our room.

We got there on September 17th and missed the 9/11 memorial service. But walking through that memorial was humbling and emotional. No one at our hotel was old enough to have been working there that day but I know the hotel would have been engulfed in smoke and dust when the towers fell.

The memorial is simple yet screams volumes. The number of names on those edges is staggering. There were roses scattered about on the walls, no doubt left by people in remembrance of family members and/or friends who perished. There was a large police presence - many armed with M-16s. And it was surprisingly quiet.

For $30 per person you could go up to an observation deck that overlooks the remainder of the Trade Center sight. We decided we didn't want to pay that much to see destruction, opting to just take in the newness built from the rubble. And three years later that's still good enough for me.

I never would have believed it but I loved visiting New York. There was far more to our visit than the memorial but this week I'm thinking of that. May God comfort everyone who lost someone that day, whether in New York, Washington DC, or Shanksville, PA.

 Many have forgotten. I'm not one of them.

Thoughts on 9/11

On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by a group of Islamic extremists. They took nearly 3,000 innocent lives. And yes, “Islamic extremists” is the correct description. The attacks were carried out in the name of Allah.

I was in a meeting at work when the first plane hit. When I got back to my office my secretary told me about it and I turned on the TV behind my desk. I sat in wonder watching the North Tower burn and wondering how it was possible that a commercial airliner went so out of control that it crashed into the World Trade Center. Then I watched in horror as the second plane hit the South Tower.

It was then that I knew we were under attack. Not long after came the report of a third plane crashing into the Pentagon and a fourth crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. The fourth one had been headed toward the White House but was brought down in the field when passengers revolted and attempted to take back control of the plane. We know this from narratives of phone calls made by passengers before the plane crashed.

We all watched in horror as the towers collapsed onto themselves, knowing that the chances of anyone surviving after that were slim. And we cried.

The events of that day were life-changing for many, myself included. That day most Americans sat around in shock wondering what our future might bring. Would there be more attacks? How many died? And how could this have possibly happened? Many of us had difficulty sleeping that night.

September 12^th dawned and America came together as a nation, united in sorrow, anger, and determination. As Allen Jackson said so eloquently in his song “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?” – they “stood in line and gave their own blood.” They volunteered to help first responders search for bodies, living or dead. They donated food and water to first responders. And they vowed to never forget and never allow it to happen again.

How quickly they forgot. It didn't take more than a year or so before calling Islamic extremists exactly that became politically incorrect. “All Muslims are not responsible for what happened,” they said. And they were correct. But every one of the terrorists who hijacked the planes was Muslim and the attacks were committed in the name of Islam. That's just fact.

The political correctness got worse. When President Trump banned travel to the United States from seven Islamic countries critics called it a “Muslim ban,” even though it was seven out of 50 countries that are Muslim controlled. Seven. Hardly a “Muslim ban.” But that's what we were told. And some still believe it.

Today, if you criticize Muslims it's considered hate speech. Even if what you say is true. It's just not acceptable in today's woke society. The Taliban recently showed us what Muslim extremists can and will do... but many Americans just don't want to pay attention.

We don't need another September 11^th. We do need another September 12^th. We need people to come together in love for our country and each other, particularly after the last couple of years. We need to remember how quickly lives can be taken and how quickly everything can change. September 11, 2001, taught us that very well. Except years of mostly non-events have eroded the memories of many. And that is sad.

My Body, My Choice...?

We've been hearing that for at least a decade. "My body, my choice." Women have marched in the streets and held rallies wearing vagina costumes to make their points.

It's all about abortion rights and abortion on demand. Pro choice people believe nothing should interfere with "women's health care." I can agree with that. The part with which I disagree is that ending a human life is simple health care. Once the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall it becomes a unique, new, human life. That's science.

The State of Texas has been in the news lately because of a new law preventing abortion of a fetus after a heartbeat is detected. The reasoning is that once a heartbeat is detected the fetus is a human life. Somewhat surprisingly, the Supreme Court upheld the law 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John Roberts (not surprisingly) siding with the liberal justices against it.

I heard yesterday that Attorney General Merrick Garland is going to file suit saying the Texas law "violates woman's Constitutional rights." That should be interesting since as far as I know there is nothing in the Constitution giving women the right to have an abortion. Roe vs Wade was a Supreme Court decision but that doesn't make it a Constitutional right. It makes it a rule of law that can be challenged and/or changed by another ruling, not that I believe that will happen.

The interesting thing about "my body, my choice" is that many of the same people who scream that phrase about abortion don't feel the same way about mandatory vaccinations and masks. They want to force both on people to "prevent loss of life." And it's absolute hypocrisy. Forcing people to get a foreign substance injected into their bodies on the chance other people may not get sick (we already know it's not fool proof) is nothing but hypocrisy. And for those who believe a viable fetus is not a human life - I feel sorry for you.

"My body, my choice" only if it concerns something you agree with? Sorry, wrong.

If "my body, my choice" is going to be your rule it needs to apply all the way around. Want to get vaccinated? Do it. Want to wear a mask? Go for it. But if you believe in "my body, my choice" for yourself then give others that same option without condemnation. Otherwise you're being completely unreasonable.

January 6th - The Worst Capitol Incident Since 1814?

Democrats and the left-wing media are fond of saying that the disturbance at the U.S. Capitol building on January 6^th was the “worst thing that has happened in the Capitol since it was burned by the British in 1814. But is that true?

The protesters on January 6^th broke windows and damaged doors. They entered both the House and Senate chambers and several offices, including that of Nancy Pelosi. They fought with police in various areas. One person was killed – an unarmed woman shot by a Capitol Police officer.

The incident was tragic but was it the worst since 1814?

On March 1, 1954, four members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party entered the House chamber with handguns. They unfurled a Puerto Rican flag and opened fire indiscriminately, wounding five members of Congress.

On November 7, 1983, a bomb tore through the second floor of the House North wing. It was planted by members of a group called the “Armed Resistance Unit,” who called the switchboard minutes before the blast to warn people. It did significant damage to the building.

On March 1, 1971, the Weather Underground planted a bomb in a men's room directly below the Senate chamber. The bomb destroyed the restroom and caused the doors of the Senate barbershop to disconnect from the frame and fly through a window into a courtyard.

On July 24, 1998, a visitor to the Capitol building set off a metal detector. He immediately pulled out a gun and killed the officer on duty at the metal detector, then wounded a second officer and a civilian. He then made his way to an office used by Congressman Tom Delay where he shot and killed a Capitol Police detective.

In my opinion, vandalism and trespassing are not quite as serious as the murders of two Capitol Police, nor the shooting of five House members in the chamber. The January protesters did not kill anyone. Some officers were injured during the melee but the only person killed was killed at the hands of police. (And that still has yet to be explained.)

The protest that day wasn't worse than bombs going off inside the building, in my opinion. Bombs do more damage than breaking windows and damaging doors.

People say “It was insurrection, an assault on our democracy.” But it wasn't. It was a “mostly peaceful” protest in which some people got carried away.

I read an article this morning in which a history professor said the reason the January incident was worse is because “it was done by a large group.” Personally, I'd rather have a large group vandalizing things than one or two people with guns killing and wounding people, or people blowing things up. But that's me.

January 6th Committee - Pelosi's Latest Fraud, Waste and Abuse

 

I listened to the Chairman of Nancy Pelosi's partisan, biased House Select Committee on January 6th lie to the world about what happened that day. He said because of what occurred that day we "did not have a peaceful transfer of power" and said "the goal of the insurrectionists was to overthrow the government." Benny Thompson doesn't believe either of those things because he knows they're untrue. Yet he stated them as fact. He set the tone for the farce that is this committee.

Next, Liz Cheney, a "Pelosi Republican," spent a few minutes trying to justify why she is serving Nancy Pelosi, calling herself a "conservative Republican." She's no more conservative than Mitt Romney.

This committee consists of Democrats and Trump haters, period. They want to prove to the world not that angry Americans acted out in a vile and disgusting manner out of frustration but that Donald Trump somehow ordered the attack and that all Trump supporters are the enemy.

Listening to the police officers testify reveals they were obviously hand selected by the committee. I support law enforcement 99.9% of the time but these four officers are using the same words and phrases... "insurrectionists, terrorists, assault on our democracy...." - the same words used by the committee chairman. Spontaneous witnesses do not echo the chairman (or a prosecutor) unless they've been coached. Funny thing is... of the just over 500 people arrested and charged for the incident none have been charged with insurrection, terrorism or treason.

At least two of them said the incident on January 6th was the worst thing they'd ever experienced. The first witness, introduced and praised for his service in Iraq, said the Capitol riot "was worse than anything I saw in Iraq." With all due respect to his service as a soldier and a police officer, if that's true he saw no real action in Iraq. Al Qaeda had guns, rockets, mortars and vehicles of war and their mission was to kill Americans. Comparing that to a riot is ridiculous, unless you have no combat experience. I know. I've been in the middle of a full blown riot. I never once considered it to be like a military combat zone.

The black officer said he and other black officers were attacked because of their skin color yet offered no evidence except that there were Confederate flags being waved by some protesters.

One said Trump caused the riot because of his ego. Another said there were white supremacists in the crowd and that "people who follow Donald Trump are more likely to belong to those groups." Another mentioned "the MAGA people" and said he compared the incident to someone hiring a hit man. He wants the perpetrators punished as well as "the person who hired them." No bias there, huh?

I keep hearing the officers and politicians talking about "defending our democracy." That's not what happened. They quelled a riot. Anyone who believes that 800 to 1000 citizens armed with sticks, bats, bear spray, etc., could somehow overthrow our government is a fool.

Chairman Thompson asked one witness about heroic actions he saw that day. That's all well and good but what has it to do with finding the cause of the incident?

There are several things this committee will not reveal during this hearing. They will not talk about or show the video of the Capitol Police moving barricades and opening doors, inviting the protesters in. They will not allow questions about the FBI informing senior Capitol Police officials three weeks in advance that there was a very real possibility the Capitol would be attacked that day and why they did not prepare for it. (One officer said they didn't know there was going to be a riot. That doesn't mean his bosses didn't know.)

They will not allow questions to be asked about what Nancy Pelosi knew about the pending incident. These are the reasons Pelosi refused to allow Republicans Jim Jordon and Jim Banks to serve on the committee. She knew those questions would be asked. And if the two "Republicans" were interested in truth they would ask those questions anyway.

And they will not reveal a valid reason for the killing of Ashli Babbitt.

Next I watched the other Pelosi Republican first getting all teary eyed then trying to say there were probably guns being carried by the rioters even though there is absolutely no evidence to support his claim.

I won't even talk about Adam "Russia Collusion" Schiff. He's not worth my time... although watching him choke up (real or not) was amusing.

So far the committee, through testimonies and videos, have established there was a violent incident in the Capitol that day. Gee... we needed this committee to establish that?

I'm not going to watch anymore of the Trump hating committee hearings. The committee's findings will be whatever Speaker Pelosi dictates. The entire thing is just one more stunt by Trump haters, just like the impeachment trials. And once again the Democrats are wasting taxpayer money on a witch hunt.

Observations of Democrats on a Tuesday Morning

 

Dallas Justice NOW, a group associated with Black Lives Matter, recently sent letters to Democrats who have supported BLM in Highland Park, Texas, one of the wealthiest communities in the state. The letter asks them to sign a pledge that they will not send their privileged white children to ivy league schools, or any of the 50 top ranked schools, because to do so would take away school availability from people of color. They actually asked people to go online and publicly sign a pledge that they would do this. No, really.

DJN told these wealthy white citizens that they may not know it but they made their money by oppressing people of color and it's time to right the wrongs of inequity. They also told them if they don't have pre-college age kids they should pressure their friends and neighbors to keep their kids out of top-ranked schools. It's bold - I give them that.

Apparently Dallas Justice NOW believes people of color cannot get into these schools on their own merit if they are competing against white kids. That is racism. Believing one group of people is inferior to another because of skin color and/or ethnicity is the very definition of racism.


The Dallas Democrat Party is soliciting donations of supplies and/or money to send to the Texas Democrats who fled the state so they wouldn't have to do their jobs. These deserters are asking for "Dr. Pepper, salsa, hard candy, hairspray, travel toiletries, hand sanitizers, sewing kits, and first aid kits" and the Dallas Democrats are asking these things be donated or that people donate cash  to pay shipping.

I've been to Washington D.C. at least six times and I can say with certainty that every one of the things on the list can be purchased in grocery stores, CVS and Walgreens. And these rogue "freedom fighters" (pronounced "cowards") are still collecting their paychecks and $221 a day in per diem while they're on their little vacation. Seems to me that $1000 a week should be enough to buy Dr. Pepper and salsa. Oh, maybe not. I guess it depends in which hotel they chose to stay. And of course, the cost of the charter flight.

What is little known is that Texas representatives make only $600 a month in salary plus their per diem and only while they are in session. That's because being a state representative is a part time job. Unless a special session is called representatives work only 140 days during their two year terms. Most, if not all have full time jobs from which they take leaves of absence to attend to state business.

If there are Texas Democrats in D.C. who are truly running out of money perhaps they didn't think things through well enough.


And finally - how long will Jill Biden and the Democrats allow President Biden to humiliate himself on national television? The man has cognitive issues - anyone observing objectively can see that. CNN and the like still try to blame it on a stutter but I'm pretty sure a stutter doesn't make one forget who they're talking about nor make one ramble incoherently. It's getting to be sad and embarrassing. Is Dr. Biden in denial or does she want to be First Lady so badly she just can't let go? Only she knows.

It Wasn't That Long Ago

 

Remember last year when Joe Biden basically said if a vaccine was developed and ready under the Trump administration he wouldn't take it? Remember when Kamala Harris said if a vaccine is ready before the election she wouldn't get it? (Because vaccines apparently know who is President and are very discerning...)

Both Biden and Harris criticized the vaccines and questioned their safety. Remember how Facebook, Twitter and the media did not challenge or censor them for saying those things?

Remember when Doctor Fauci said masks were not necessary, before he said masks are necessary, before he said two masks might be necessary? Remember how Dr. Fauci told us all to follow the science then last week told us all kids ages three and up should be made to wear masks - even though the science says it's not necessary?

Remember when Dr. Fauci got a magazine cover and a sweet book deal for his role in the fight against the pandemic?

Remember when big tech didn't censor ideas and opinions but provided an open platform of exchange? Remember when the government didn't conspire with big tech to censor ideas and opinions with which they disagree? Remember when the government wasn't actively working to restrict First Amendment rights?

Remember when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris both got the vaccines developed under the Trump administration?

It wasn't that long ago...

Leftists Like Labels

The left likes labels. They like them a lot. Say or do something that irritates a liberal/progressive/Democrat and you will quickly be labeled. "Racist, homophobe, transophobe, xenophobe, xenoglossophobe, misogynist," etc. These and other terms (labels) are thrown out daily by the left simply because you may have a different opinion or belief than they do.

Do you believe all lives matter? You're a racist. Do you believe people should provide identification to vote? That's racist too. Joe Biden said so. Are you opposed to being forced to embrace all things LGBTQ or do you believe there are only two genders? Do you support and embrace traditional marriage? You're a bigot, a homophobe or a transophobe... or maybe all three.

Do you believe people should follow our immigration laws and enter the country legally? You're a xenophobe. Do you believe all Americans should speak English and/or that English should be our official language? Well then... you're a xenoglossophobe. Yes - it's a real word.

Do you believe abortion on demand is wrong? You're obviously a misogynist.

Leftists love to label. It's one of their specialties.

There are some labels that apply to leftists as well. In my lifetime I have watched them go from fairly reasonable to progressive socialists. Some are even communists. And they're fanatics... climate change fanatics, abortion fanatics, anti-gun fanatics, race fanatics... the list is long.

There is actually a word for their gun hatred. Hoptlophobia - a morbid fear of guns. Many leftists can be labeled hoptophobes. They have a completely irrational hatred of guns, based solely on the appearance of the gun, without knowing anything about them. They call certain guns "assault weapons" and "weapons of war" because they think they look scary.

Democrat politicians think accessories like a front hand grip, a barrel shroud or the size of a magazine make a gun more dangerous. That's absurd. But they actually put those things in a gun control bill. Thankfully the bill went nowhere.

There is no label for people who label others. The best label I can come up with is liberal progressive. Take a real close look at those people who are throwing around derogatory labels. I guarantee ninety percent of them will be leftists.

If Their Lips Are Moving...

Joe Biden and the Democrats are lying to the American people about pretty much everything and, along with the left-wing media, are trying to cause panic and division across the nation. Their continuous and contemptible comparison of voter integrity laws to the Civil War is not only ridiculous, it's evil. It's designed to incite the left and pit them against those who want fair elections. Joe Biden made it clear the other day that if you want people to prove who they are in order for them to vote you're a racist. The funny thing - the Georgia voting reform law being vilified by Biden and others is nearly a carbon copy of the voting laws in his home state of Delaware. You don't hear him calling his own state racist, do you?

Biden and the DHS Secretary are lying about border security. Since Biden was inaugurated nearly one million people have crossed the Southern border illegally. They are being flown and bussed to cities all over the country and released into communities without the knowledge of the general public. Barack Obama did the same thing. It was discovered recently that Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, is being used by the DHS and Border Patrol to fly illegals across the country.

In Texas the Senate, having enough members for a quorum despite cowardly Democrats fleeing the state, passed the voter integrity bill. If enough House Democrats flee the state the bill will die after the 30 day special session is over. Democrats believe that will be a victory however, the governor will call another special session and Senate Republicans will pass the bill again. Governor Abbott has reiterated that the fleeing Democrats will be arrested upon their return to Texas. I wonder just how long Democrats are willing to stay away from their homes and families to delay the inevitable?

"Clueless Kamala" Harris is calling the Texas Democrats civil rights heroes and comparing them to Frederick Douglass. Other Democrats and the media are calling them freedom fighters. Hey Kamala, and all you other misguided Democrats (including the Democrat wing of the media...) - last I checked, civil rights heroes, freedom fighters and Frederick Douglass didn't run away from the fight and hide. They took the fight to the opposition. But you do what you have to do to push a lie on the American people, I suppose.

I still have a difficult time understanding how intelligent people can watch the things the Biden administration is doing and think it's a good thing. I doubt I will ever understand.

LULAC President Should Do Some Research

Domingo Garcia, President of the League of United Latin American Citizens, recently wrote to President Biden concerning governors sending National Guard troops to the Southern border.

"President Biden, as the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and the militia of the several states, you have authority to prevent this usurping of federal powers by a few recalcitrant and rebellious states," Garcia wrote. "If you cannot stop this additional insurrection, we request that you deploy federal troops to defend the rights and lives of Hispanic Americans on the border."

Garcia demonstrates his ignorance plainly... and in writing.

First - protecting the border is not insurrection. It's obvious Garcia has no idea what the word means. Second - Garcia should have done some research before writing the letter. Governors have complete authority to mobilize their National Guard troops as they deem necessary. And third - as for "this usurping of federal powers," the National Guard is federally funded but under complete command and control of each state governor. Under Title 32 the President can only activate or control them "with the consent and approval of the state governor(s)."

The most worrisome (but still ignorant) thing is Garcia's request that the President send federal troops to the border, apparently wanting to pit them against Guard troops. Garcia's suggestion that Hispanic Americans are in danger from National Guard troops is simply ridiculous. American citizens have no need to fear the Guard. If he's calling illegal aliens Americans because they come from North America (Mexico) and Central America then again he's showing his ignorance, or his willful disregard for the laws of the United States.

What a great idea, huh? Let's get Americans to fight other Americans over border security. Brilliant. And Biden has nukes.

Racism, Equality and Equity

This article got a bit longer than I expected it to but there is a lot of information in it. I would apologize but the information is important. I hope everyone will read it with an open mind.

                                  .......................................................

Ibram Kendi is a black man, a professor, and the director of the Center for Anti-racist Research at Boston University. Kendi describes himself as an anti-racist activist and a historian of race and discriminatory policy in America. He has written books about racism and anti-racism.

Kendi's professed definition of the term “racism” is interesting. According to Kendi, the definition of racism is:

“A collection of racist policies that lead to racial inequity that are substantiated by racist ideas”

Now, I'm no college professor. I don't even have a college degree. But I'm fairly intelligent, well read, fairly well traveled and I have lived in cultures different from my own in my lifetime. When I read Kendi's definition of racism all I can say is... “Huh?” Kendi's simplistic definition of the word is a lot of words strung together that really say:

“Racism is racist stuff.”

The guy is a college professor who makes his living studying and teaching about racism and that's the best he can do?

Merriam-Webster defines racism as: a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.”

Interestingly, after all of the racial issues in the news last year and after receiving an email from a young, black college student, Merriam-Webster updated their definition of the word to include: the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another - specifically white supremacy.”

I don't know if Webster is specifically referring to the United States when talking about systemic oppression and white supremacy but it would seem so. President Biden says it's the most dangerous threat to our country today. I personally don't think Biden actually believes that but instead is merely pandering to his base.

Systemic racism is defined as: a collection of racist policies that lead to racial inequity that are substantiated by racist ideas.”

Has anyone noticed that no one who preaches about systemic racism ever really defines those “racist policies?” What are they? And exactly how is white supremacy oppressing any racial group? Unless, of course, one believes that simply being white oppresses people of color.

Professor Kendi defines anti-racism as: supporting and instituting policies and ideas that level racial disparities of socio-economic outcome.

That's all well and good except what he really means is instituting policies that insure racial equity. Many people, if not most, don't understand what equity means. Many believe equity and equality are the same thing. They are not.

Webster's definition of equality, “the quality or state of being equal,” doesn't go far enough. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.

That describes fairly accurately what we have in this country today with the exception of status. Everyone has the same rights and opportunities but status is determined by what one does with the opportunities afforded to them. Of course many will say status is most often a product of white privilege but that is simply another talking point.

Equity as it is used in today's society has no good definition in the popular dictionaries. The Urban Dictionary defines it pretty well. Equity: providing various levels of support and assistance depending on specific needs or abilities.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), a philanthropic organization in Baltimore, defines equity and equality this way: Equity involves trying to understand and give people what they need to enjoy full, healthy lives. Equality, in contrast, aims to ensure that everyone gets the same things in order to enjoy full, healthy lives.

Equality means equal opportunity. Equity means equal outcome, which is one of the main goals of socialism, communism and Marxism. After all, the motto of Marxism is “From each according to his means, to each according to his need.”

Democrat politicians and social justice warriors are taking advantage of people's lack of knowledge about equality vs equity. They understand if they pretend equity is the same thing as equality many Americans will be in favor of the push for equity. But equity favors some people over others, in this case by race, in an attempt to make everyone equal in society. And it's often illegal.

The Biden administration has recently tried to introduce policies that promote equity, giving out government loans to people based on skin color. The Small Business Administration was successfully sued over their recent practice of giving Covid relief loans to businesses owned by people of color and women who are non-white, excluding white men, and by a disabled white farmer who was denied a relief loan because the money was directed to go to people of color. Federal judges have issued injunctions against the Biden administration for these practices saying they are discriminatory and illegal.

This was a push by Biden for equity, trying to give certain people an advantage over others based on skin color and/or ethnicity – the very definition of racial discrimination.

Most of what society deems to be racism today is not. Disliking someone or some group based on their skin color is not racism, it's bigotry. Disagreeing with a person or group whose skin color is not the same as yours is not racism. Police enforcing the law and/or using force on a person of color is not racism. The word racism has become a catch-all term for anything negative involving people of color and whites or people of color and police, regardless of the skin color or ethnicity of the officer in question.

The main stream media loves to make things about race even when they are not. Racism, or the suggestion of racism, brings in viewers which in turn brings in advertising dollars. Democrat politicians like to scream racism in attempts to shut down opposition. I listened to Chuck Schumer yesterday tell his Republican colleagues they are all racists because they opposed the Democrats' attempt to take complete control of all elections with the absolutely horrid HR-1 voting reform bill.

Democrats use the word a lot. Making people of color believe Republicans are racists helps keep them voting for Democrats, even as Democrats are the ones who are oppressing them by working to keep large numbers of the them on social programs and telling them society is against them. Lyndon Johnson was one of the few Democrats who was honest about it saying (very colorfully) after signing the Civil Rights Act that it would keep black people “voting Democrat for the next 200 years.” So far it has worked.

This country had come a long way in racial relations until Barack Obama became President. Obama's open hostility toward police, particularly white police, began a chain in which people of color and leftists began seeing racism in nearly everything. Despite what people like Kendi and Obama might think, the average American doesn't see skin color in every person.

The average American believes in and abides by Martin Luther King, Junior's infamous words “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." It's who we are as a nation and a people. If that wasn't true there would be far more violence by whites against people of color. That's just a simple fact.

Americans Are Tiring of Progressive Policies

Lori Lightfoot is clueless. 99.9% of the gun crimes in Chicago are committed with handguns. She blames poor gun control and mentions the easy availability of assault weapons, which are not even being used. Last year she blamed President Trump. She blames everything but her poor leadership.

Shootings in her city have risen by 50% so far this year. Although Lightfoot now says she doesn't want to defund the police, in October she proposed an $80 million budget cut for the CPD. She won't allow police to pursue suspects on foot for "minor offenses." Wait... what? So if an officer witnesses a minor assault and the suspect runs that's it? He gets away? Brilliant. Chicago's next mayoral election will be interesting.

President Biden is set to announce his new policy on policing in America tomorrow. That should prove interesting.

Meanwhile around the country citizens are fighting back against liberal policies pushed by their school boards. Many parents and teachers, black and white, have spoken out in board meetings against forcing very controversial  critical race theory on school children. Some school boards have tried to silence those objections  but the objections have gained national attention.

The Randolph, New Jersey, school board did away with school holiday names completely because of backlash over their decision to rename Columbus Day "Indigenous Peoples'Day." They decided it would be better to simply call them "days off" instead. Parents objected saying holiday names such as Veterans' Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas are important and that the board overstepped their boundaries, putting politics ahead of the children. They gathered over 2500 signatures on a petition demanding the entire school board resign.

In Loudoun, Virginia, parents recently objected to lewd and sexually explicit reading material required for children as young as ninth grade. In other cities across the country parents are objecting to sexual curriculum, including sexual preferences and lifestyles, in elementary schools.

And finally, in Silverton, Colorado, the mayor recently removed the Pledge of Allegiance from the city council's public meeting agenda in a unilateral decision. He cited "threats and inappropriate comnents" as his reason but provided no details or specifics. The council had previously voted 4 to 3 to keep the pledge. Later in the meeting, during the question and answer period, citizens in attendance objected and recited the pledge anyway in objection to the mayor's edict. Two board members also stood and recited it, one questioning the mayor's authority to unilaterally override the board's decision. The mayor threatened to have the citizens removed for violating his order.

Many Americans are getting tired of left-wing and progressive policies that are "fundamentally changing" America as we know it. Public outcry is gaining momentum as people stand up and say "No more!"

Cancelling The First Amendment

The New York Times said recently "It would be immoral to publish anything written by a member of the Trump administration."

In other words "We as a media outlet will not expose our readers to any ideas, thoughts or opinions that do not coincide with ours. We cannot allow you to read different ideas and think for yourself."

Hard to believe? Winston Smith didn't want to believe it either.

When I read George Orwell's "1984" in the early 70s I never dreamed I would actually witness such censorship and control happening in the United States. Yet we have major media outlets and big tech censoring anything they don't want you to see, read and hear, and a President telling Americans to report their friends, neighbors and family members who voice dissent against the government.

Publishing magnate Simon and Schuster cancelled a book contract with Republican Senator Josh Hawley following the Capitol riot on January 6th because Senator Hawley refused to agree with their narrative about the election and the disturbance. They refused to allow an American Senator to voice his ideas and opinions because his ideas did not coincide with theirs.

Facebook and Twitter have done the same thing, cancelling accounts of people who share ideas and beliefs with which they disagree. One was a sitting President. They also suspended and/or cancelled accounts of people who didn't wholeheartedly buy into the coronavirus hype. And you still can't suggest that the vaccine might not be 100% safe even though there are documented cases of people who have become ill and even died after receiving the vaccine.

The left does not want people to think for themselves. Instead they try hard to control the narrative and only allow consumers and/or consituents to have access to left-wing ideas. Those who disagree will be cancelled. It's the new norm in the United States.

Biden: "Trump Voters Are White Supremacists"

 

It seems apparent that Joe Biden is going to spend the next four years maligning and generally disrespecting white people who didn't vote for him. I've only been called a racist twice in my lifetime and that was when I worked for the Bureau of Prisons and made a couple of different black inmates mad. They thought calling me a racist would get them out of trouble. (It didn't work.)

Biden would have you believe I'm a white supremacist because I voted for Donald Trump. Biden has nothing else to run with. His policies so far are failing. He can't put three sentences together unless he's reading or has someone whispering in his ear and even then he has trouble.

Obama created a large divide in this country with his rhetoric and failed policies. Trump tried to fix it by insuring minorities benefited from his policies. And it was working. Minorities had the lowest unemployment rates in decades under Trump's leadership - some the lowest ever. And the left, and Trump haters in general, hated it. They would rather have sacrificed the country than support a man they hated - even though that man had America moving and growing. They showed the same disconcern for the country in last year's election, choosing to elect an incompetent and possibly senile old man just to get rid of the President they hated.

I actually had some Biden voters tell me that. They didn't care what Biden would or would not do as long as Trump was no longer President. They're getting what they wanted.

I spent 30 years serving my country, both in the military and in federal law enforcement. I love my country and would do it all over again in a minute. Funny thing is... I'm a proud Trump voter even though I risked my life side by side every day with people of every color and ethnicity. Joe Biden never did that. Joe Biden spent his government career making off color and downright bigoted remarks about people of color. So who's the white supremacist, Joe?

Memorial Day

Every few years I write about Memorial Day and its meaning. Many people really don't understand what it means.

Memorial Day is not about living veterans. That day is Veterans' Day. Memorial Day is not about recognizing all Americans currently serving in the military. That day is Armed Forces Day. Memorial Day is about those service members who never made it home.

Memorial Day is a day set aside to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and her people. It's about remembering those who gave their lives in service to us all. It's a day we veterans honor because it's about our brothers and sisters who never returned from the battle. We honor their service and the price they paid.

I'm not going to write a long narrative about it. I'll end with this. While you're celebrating the holiday – taking the day off, going to the beach, barbecuing in the backyard, taking the kids someplace special, etc., think about the reason you have the freedoms you have. Many military members have died in your lifetime protecting those freedoms. So while you're celebrating on Monday, say a prayer of thanks and comfort for their families. We owe them all.

Censored by Facebook... Again

 

I belong to several different Facebook groups, some general – like a law enforcement groups, and some political discussion groups. Some are a combination of both.

One of the general pages to which I belong that also discusses political issues has been warned numerous times, particularly since the virus hit last year, about posting false information. Anyone who does not fall in line with the CDC's and Dr. Fauci's proclomations about the Covid virus and who post their own beliefs about the virus and the vaccine are warned that their opinion(s) are false information, period. Facebook does not allow people to voice their opinion about the virus if that opinion contradicts what Facebook says is true. Some of their posts are removed by Facebook for being “false information.” It's the same for people who believe that the 2020 election was stolen by the Democrats. One cannot state publicly on Facebook that the election was stolen because Facebook does not allow it.

The free exchange of ideas on Facebook is only permitted if Facebook agrees with those ideas. If they do not they pronounce it false information and attach a disclaimer warning the reader that it's false (according to their “fact checkers”) or remove it completely with no explanation.

It is Facebook's right to do this since it is a privately owned company. But I agree with the Republicans that Facebook should lose their Section 230 protection if they are going censor the free exchange of ideas on their platform. Their biased actions tell members “You are not allowed to use our platform to post your own ideas if those ideas are ones with which we disagree.” And it's pretty pathetic that such a huge corporation that makes its money by allowing people to post their thoughts and ideas is afraid of ideas with which they disagree. Are they afraid someone might change their mind by reading dissenting opinions on controversial topics?

People have suggested that I close my Facbook account and go to MeWe or Parlor. I have tried both and I really wasn't impressed with either, although one is allowed to post any ideas on both without censorship. I may have to revisit them both.

Facebook may suspend my account for posting this. We'll see. If you're on my Friends list and don't see me for a while that's what happened. And if they do it they will tell me it's because I violated their community standards. Of course, I won't be told what those standards are... probably one that prohibits telling the truth about them.

Why Racial Division Is Promoted In America

 

Do you think the main stream media really wants people to know the truth about racial incidents in this country? Think again.

Following the shooting of Makiya Bryant in Ohio this week, NBC altered the officer's body cam video and audio to make it appear that the officer shot and killed another unarmed black person. Why would any reputable news agency do that?

The reason is simple... to further promote racial division. But why would they want to do that? Easy... Racial conflict makes for good headlines and good headlines bring in advertising dollars. They don't care about truth. They care about revenue. They're not the only ones.

Ben Crump, an attorney noted for representing the families of police shooting victims in lawsuits against police departments, didn't waste time on Wednesday. Minutes after the shooting he tweeted that police had shot and killed another unarmed black person. I don't know whether or not he actually knew the details but Crump really doesn't care about truth. Like others who make their livings from racial divide, Crump lies, to others and to himself. To this day he insists that Michael Brown was just an innocent victim of systemic police racism. And despite his efforts, even Eric Holder couldn't prove that. Because all evidence proved otherwise.

Democrats don't want racial harmony in this country. They want the division. They want the minority vote. They talk big about "social justice," pretending it means equality for all. What it really means is that America is a racist country and people of color, particularly black Americans, are victims and need the government to come in and fix it, mostly by handouts that keep minorities voting for them. They tell minorities that the right is oppressing them and wants to disinfranchise them. It's simply untrue. The Georgia voting bill is a prime example.

Anyone who actually reads and comprehends the Georgia voting bill understands that it actually improves voting rights for minorities. But Democrats can't have that. It might take votes away from them. So they get celebrity tools and corporations who donate to them to launch campaigns telling Americans the law is racist. The campaigns are disingenuous and full of deceipt, although the celebrity tools often don't seem smart enough to understand that.

The Biden Administration is contributing to the division as well.

Biden recently recommended Kirsten Clarke to serve as the Assistant Attorney General to lead the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

Clarke had a history of pushing racist and black supremacist ideas. While studying at Harvard, Clarke wrote a letter in 1994 to the school’s undergraduate newspaper urging it to adopt her views on genetic differences between blacks and whites.

In the letter Clarke claimed that blacks have “superior physical and mental abilities,” adding that melanin had endowed blacks with superior traits than whites and Asians. That is the very definition of racism.

Like Ben Crump, Clarke also still believes that Michael Brown was a victim of police systemic racism and was shot simply because he was black, a belief that goes completely against the evidence.

So Biden is putting racists in his cabinet. Yet  under his leadership Americans are supposed to "unite."

Americans need to wake up to the mass deception of the left, particularly the media. It's not about freedom and equality. It's not about ensuring all Americans get along and live in harmony. It's about division and control. And it's working.

Compliance is Key

 

Just a thought...

If police pull you over, even if you know or believe you've done nothing wrong, no matter where you're from, what color you are, or what language you speak, simply comply. You may get irritated by their actions. Comply. You may feel self-righteous because you know you're right and he's wrong. Comply. You may be in a hurry and not have time for it. Comply. You may have kids in the car. Comply. The list may be long of reasons you might not think you should cooperate. Comply.

The bottom line is at the end of the day you'll likely drive away unharmed. The officer's name and badge number will be on any paperwork he gives you and if not you can get it from his station.

Here's the deal. Police are human. And while the large majority are good, honest people - there are idiots out there who get a sense of power from a badge. Some are simply looking to harass people and yes, some prey on people of color. Cooperation and compliance are one's best friends when dealing with them.

I'm 63 years old and white. And while I'm a safe and responsible driver I have been pulled over at times for mistakes. When that occurs, day or night, whether I believe I did anything wrong or not, I roll down my window and sit quietly in my vehicle with both of my hands on the steering wheel in plain sight. I do nothing until the officer approaches the vehicle because I know he can't really see me or what I'm doing.

When he/she approaches I speak courteously and wait for him to tell me what to do. I don't demand to know why I was pulled over. I'll learn that in time. I don't complain about it. I simply let the officer dictate the situation. I've had no trouble and, in fact, have been let go with a warning numerous times, even if I actually did something wrong,

There are those who will say "Well, you're not black and it's different for black people." And in some cases that is true. But it's not true in all cases and anyone who says differently is lying. Countless black people have been pulled over by police without being harassed, assaulted, arrested or killed. That's just a fact. But yes, it does happen. My advice is the same. Comply. Compliance, in 99.9% of cases, will assure you're on your way without incident. And if you encounter one of those idiots, swallow your pride and be the bigger person. You'll likely still drive away. Non-compliance will surely lead to conflict and even though you will probably win the war, as the Army Lieutenant eventually will, you'll likely lose the battle as he did.

Here's the bottom line. Better to stay quiet and do what you're told than to suffer at the hands of police to prove your machismo. This applies to criminal stops as well. Many of the now infamous black suspects who died at the hands of police would likely still be alive today if they had simply complied with the officers. George Floyd probably would, although his use of substances may have made that impossible to do. Eric Garner probably would be. Daunte Wright probably would be. They all chose resistance. And for whatever the eventual cause of death was they paid the ultimate price.

0.8 Seconds. What Would You do?

Last month in Chicago police responded to a "shots fired" call at about 2:30am. They encountered 13 year old Adam Toledo, who was out on the street with a 21 year old man on a school night. Both of them were armed with handguns. The older suspect was tackled and apprehended. Toledo ran down an alley, gun in hand, pursued by another officer.

Toledo stopped by a fence, still armed, as the officer repeatedly shouted for him to drop the weapon. As the officer, with gun ready, continued to yell for the boy to drop the gun, Toledo apparently put his hand through an opening in the fence and dropped the gun even as the officer was preparing to shoot. The gun was found on the other side of the fence. The officer fired as the boy was turning back around. Body camera video shows it was 8/10s of a second between the last warning and the fatal shot. Eight tenths of a second. The video also shows the boy was hit as he turned with empty hands. 

It was a tragic occurrence. The officer, in less than a second, had to decide if the boy was still armed after chasing him while he was brandishing the gun. Forensics showed the boy had gunshot residue on his hand and the other suspect on his gloves. They had both fired a gun prior to police arrival. The officer had to decide in a split second if his life was in immediate danger. He fired and tragically, a then unarmed boy lost his life.

The question is - was the officer wrong? Less than one tenth of a second to decide whether or not you're still facing a deadly threat. What would you do? I see comments after articles that say the officer is garbage and should be charged with murder. I would bet none of those comments came from anyone who has ever faced that choice. As he was pulling the trigger the boy dropped the gun and turned. Sadly, he caught the round in the chest. If he turned toward the officer with the gun still in his hand the officer could be the one dead. I'm sure, as he thinks about what he did, there is a part of him that wishes that was the case.

The other question that begs to be asked is where were this boys' parents and why was he out at 2:30am with a gun?

Every one likes to second guess a police shooting after the fact, particularly if the suspect wasn't actively shooting. I have no doubt every cop wishes he/she had more time to make a potentially deadly decision. Contrary to what some believe, the average police officer does not wake up every day wanting to kill someone. They want to protect and serve their communities.

In 2020 there were nearly 700,000 police officers in the country, counting federal, state, county and city. Due to "defund police" programs, poor leadership in our major cities, and political assault on policing, that number has likely dropped. 264 of those officers were killed in the line of duty.

There are 328 million people in the United States last year.  Approximately 5.4 million were white. Approximately 22 million were black.

457 whites were killed by police in 2020, actual details not available at this writing. That's. 00008%.

241 blacks were killed by police in 2020, actual details not available. That's. 000001%.

If my math is correct, (and it certainly could be wrong) less than 1% of whites and blacks were killed by police in 2020.

It seems to me that with nearly 700,000 police in this country, if they were out to kill people, particularly minorities, there would be a whole lot more bodies on the streets. But thats me.

Are Cities and Police Falling to Mob Rule?

As retired law enforcement I support law enforcement 100% and always give the officer(s) the benefit of the doubt. But here is a question I have. A white police officer in Minnesota, in the heat of the moment, drew her firearm instead of her taser and accidentally killed a black suspect. The city council fired her immediately and fired the City Manager because he dared to call for due process. The officer admitted she made a mistake and resigned and has now been arrested and charged with manslaughter. OK. Fair enough. Due process after the fact

A Capitol Police officer shot and killed an unarmed white woman during the riot on January 6th. Video and photos show the woman was standing inside the building doing nothing aggressive when a police officer shot her through the window of a secured and barricaded door. The officer has not been identified and to my knowledge no charges were filed. That officer has disappeared from radar.

What are the differences? Minneapolis - black suspect, white officer. Continued rioting, looting, burning in the streets. 

Washington DC - white victim, officer's race and ethnicity unknown. No rioting in the streets.

Are law enforcement officers today facing punitive actions based on comminity outrage or the ethnicity of not only the victims and police officers but Mayors and City Council members as well?

Remember in Baltimore a few years ago when a black suspect died inside a police van and there was violence in the streets? County Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged five white officers with manslaughter. Things quieted down in the city until all five of those officers were acquitted. Then Baltimore was on fire again.

Minneapolis is going to burn again if the verdict in the Chauvin trial, whatever it may be, is not good enough for the demonstrators. One cannot help but wonder if that reality is high in the minds of the prosecutors, jury members and the judge. Can a person be found guilty in a court case because jurors are afraid of what will happen in their community if it doesn't happen? It's one of the reasons Chauvin's trial should have been moved.

I personally don't believe he will receive a fair, honest verdict because people are scared. And rightly so. Unchecked violence in the streets, allowed by mayors, city councils and police chiefs, create fear within communities.

Seattle's Police Chief resigned last year because the Seattle city council would not let her department respond properly to rioting. Portland has been on fire for well over a year due to leadershop failure. Remember the Baltimore mayor a few years ago saying "We have to give them room to destroy?" Big mistake.

Journalism and The Justice Department - Both Dead?

What American politics is showing us very blatantly these days is that we no longer have an honest and effective Justice Department. It began with (or even before) President Obama and has only gotten worse. From the obvious corruption of the Clintons throughout her campaign, and even before, mostly ignored and whitwashed by disgraced FBI Director Comey, to the blatant corruption and lies of James Clapper and John Brennan while under oath, to the complete waste of time and money by the appointments of AG Bill Barr and his appointment of John Durham as a special prosecutor, to Christopher Wray's appointment as useless FBI Director, the performance at the top level of the Justice Department has become a joke. The list is long. The crimes are obvious, even to some left-wing media outlets, yet they are ignored and left alone.

Honestly, one of the major problems I had and still have with the Trump administration and his Justice Department was their lack of action on the above named topics, along with several of his seemingly usless appointments. None of the people in charge did anything - at least that's how it seems. One of Trump's biggest promises was to proseute Hillary. It didn't happen. Then the scandals, allegations, and even obvious crimes simply went away with time, as will any illegalities committed by the Biden family.

The latest examples are the Biden money scandals and Biden's obvious mental health defficiencies. In the early 70s reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein would have been all over Hunter Biden's alleged dealings with Ukraine, Russia, underage girls, illegal drugs, and alleged payment of cash to his father. They would have questioned Biden's seeming lack of mental awareness and made it front page news. With the exceptions of Fox, Newsmax, Breitbart, and a handful of others, these stories will now just go away. And even those outlets won't stay on them long if the Justice Department simply let's them disappear.

Real journalism in this country is rare these days. There are a few left but their investigative reports rarely make it to a majority of Americans and are frequently squashed by the left. And now attempts are made to 'cancel' honest journalists. It's all about control of the masses. And as long as the stories don't affect our daily lives most Americans are content to ignore them. We are becoming victims of our own indifference.

A Quick English Lesson

"Assault Rifle/Assault Weapon" - a term or phrase invented by the political left to describe a semi-automatic, small caliber rifle containing cosmetic accessories that look scary to them. It's a phrase used to intimidate people with limited knowledge of the firearms.

These weapons are functionally no different than other semi-automatic rifles, shotguns  or handguns except they are gas operated rather than concussion operated. In other words gas from the bullet discharge recharges the weapon rather than the cocussion from the bullet discharge. This doesn't make the weapon more dangerous, merely more efficient. As with any other semi-automatic rifle or handgun, it fires one round per trigger pull.

The weapons are usually black but today can be purchased in any color including pink. Rather than a solid stock they normally have a collapsible stock, which merely makes it shorter and easier to handle and store when collapsed. They have a barrel shroud, normally the same color, that protects the barrel as well as protecting the shooter's hand from heat, just as a wooden barrel cover does. It makes the weapon no more dangerous. They have replaceable front and rear sights as well as mounting for a scope, regular or electronic, and often a mount for a front hand grip that helps the shooter hold the weapon steady. None of the accessories make the weapon more dangerous. As I said, they just intimidate those with no real knowledge of firearms.

Joe Biden and the Democrats want to eliminate these weapons because they are deliberately ignorant of the facts. Calling an AR-15 an assault weapon is like calling your RAV4 a military assault vehicle. I'm really not going to take the time to explain the differences because people will believe what they're told in these situations. What we need are politicians who are actually familiar with a subject before they begin writing legislation and Executive Orders.

Fredo Is At It Again

 

Last night on his show Chris Cuomo said that some Democrat law makers, along with the ACLU, are suing Donald Trump for instigating "an insurrection on January 6th in which five people were killed." He went on to basically say that those who are trying to distort those facts need to be shut down. There are so many things wrong with that I don't know where to start.

First, Fredo - it was not an insurrection. Do you even know what the word means? And if, on the odd chance you do - do you really believe 400 or 500 people (the estimated number who participated in the violence) actually went to the Capitol that day intending to overthrow the United States government? Seriosly?

Second - the medical examiner concluded that of the five people who died that day, only officer Sicknick's death is still in question. One died of an amphetamine overdose, two died of natural causes (acute heart disease,) and one was shot. Could the excitement of the incident have triggered heart attacks? Certainly. But to say they were "killed in the insurrection" is false and grossly misleading. And it's a terribly irresponsible for a guy who has a national audience to say. I mean - you're flat out lying about what happened, Fredo.

The constant and continuing efforts by the left, including the ACLU, to some how hurt or damage Donald Trump is a perfect example of Trump Derangement Syndrome gone amok. Trump is gone. It wasn't an "insurrection." Get over it.

The ACLU should be filing a lawsuit against the Capitol Police and the as yet unknown shooter over the death of Ashli Babbitt instead of the former President. Her shooter has disappeared.  Trump didn't cause that death. The shooter did. He fired at her, an unarmed woman, through a secured door window that she was not touching or in any way attempting to breach. She was just standing there. Where is the justice for Ashli Babbitt??

The disturbance at the Capitol on January 6th was unfortunate. But for a national TV host to publicly lie about it to his followers (all 100 of them) on his nightly show is pathetic. And if there were any integrity in left-wing journalism anymore someone would call him out on it.

Some History of "Good Friday"

 Today is called "Good Friday" by the Christian community. It's not because it was a good day for anyone, except perhaps for the bloodthirsty Roman soldiers and the mobs who observed the crucifixion in ignorance, but because it's the day that our Lord sacrificed His life for each and every one of us to reconcile our sins before God. His ugly, painful death brought each of us new and eternal life. Our only cost? We must accept Him and believe.

After being betrayed by Judas, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemeny where He and His disciples had gone to pray. He was bound and likely taken up this stone stairway to Mount Zion and eventually to the house of Caiaphus, which stood on this very sight.

Jesus first faced Annas, the former high priest and Caiaphus' father-law. Annas questioned Him about His teachings and His disciples but made no public determination. 

Caiaphus was woken in the night and presented with Jesus for a determination of His fate. Caiaphus asked Jesus if He was the Son of God, the Messiah. Jesus answered "I am." Caiaphus called for Jesus' death for blasphemy. 

Jesus faced several "trials" that night, all of which were illegal by Jewish and Roman law. Jesus was taken before Pilate who found no fault with Him. Jesus was taken before Herod, who happened to be in Jerusalem at the time. Herod found no reason to execute Jesus and returned Him to Pilate. Pilate, wanting no part in the death of Jesus, ordered Him scourged and released. He returned Jesus to the soldiers.

The soldiers stripped Jesus of His garments and tied Him to the Column of Flagellation, a stone or wooden column in a public place where the victim was in a kneeling position, unable to stand or sit, and beaten severely. Unlike whipping, the cords of flagellation were leather straps infused with pieces of lead and bone that cut through the victim's skin, fascia and muscle all the way to the bone or bowel. They pulled chunks of muscle and bone from the body when they were pulled away. Flagellation was usually fatal on it's own yet Jesus survived to take Himself most of the way to the place of execution, carrying the cross bar of His own cross.

After the scourge Jesus was returned to Pilate, who still saw no reason to crucify Him. By that time, however, Pilate knew someone was going to be put to death that day by the mob and even though he found no reason for it, he offered the growing mob the choice, as was customary, of releasing Jesus or Barabbas. The mob chose to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus.

Pilate washed his hands to symbolize that he had no part in Jesus fate. Jesus was released to the Roman soldiers once again. The cross bar of his own cross was laid upon His shoulders and He was forced to carry it to the site of Hs crucifixion, a hill outside the city called Golgotha - the place of the skull. 

Golgotha still exists to this day although centuries of weather and erosion have mostly destroyed the original image that resembled a skull. Standing close to it one can still imagine its former appearance and understand how it got the name.

Jesus was tired, weak from devastating injuries, blood loss and lack of sleep, and carrying such a heavy load. He stumbled and fell more than once. Eventually, about halfway there, He fell for the last time and was unable to stand under the weight. The soldiers, knowing Jesus might not survive His trip to His own execution, forced a bystander, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross for Jesus. Simon was a foreigner from what is now known as Libya. We don't know the specific reason he was chosen but he carried the cross and followed behind Jesus. Was that symbolic? The other Gospels simply say Simon carried the cross but in Luke it specifically says Simon carried it behind Jesus. Was this in reference to Luke 9:23 where Jesus said "If anyone would come after me let him deny himself an take up his cross daily and follow me?"

Upon arrival to Golgotha, Jesus was placed supine on the ground, Accounts of the actual process vary but I believe large spikes were driven with hammers through His wrists (not his hands as has been portrayed) into the crosspiece of heavy wood. The crosspiece was then picked up from the ground, not gently, with Jesus hanging by His wrists, and raised to the slot on the top of the upright, where it would be dropped into place, causing agony to Jesus' back and shoulders. Splinters and the rough wood would have been extremely painful on his open and raw back. Using those same spikes, Jesus' feet were nailed to the upright in a position that did not allow Him to kneel or stand straight.

As was customary in a crucifixion, Jesus would have to force Himself to stand to take a deep breath. Suffocation was the most common cause of death during crucifixion as the body was unable to take in appropriate amounts of oxygen. But standing, forcing Himself up to breathe, would have been excruciating. He suffered most of the day, calling out to His father, forgiving his executioners, inviting His fellow prisoner into paradise with Him, before announcing "It is finished" and literally willing Himself to die.

At that moment the skies darkened, the ground shook and the Temple veil was torn in half. But in reality, "It is finished" turned out to be only the beginning for those who believe.