Ship of Fools

Reason has left the building 

You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can fool many of the people far too often. Not exactly what P.T. Barnum said but ever so pertinent today. Thomas Jefferson said, “A democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry.” Today many Americans are less informed than their counterparts of only a decade ago. It is staggering that so few people are aware of what once was common knowledge in an age where information is so readily available. Who is your Senator? Representative? Local officials? But ask about Tic Toc influencers or pop culture and they are all on it.

This nation is coerced by politicians that use hateful rhetoric, demonizing their political opponents to further their own selfish ambitions. The leftist media promotes contempt of accepted societal norms and refuses to report news that harms their chosen agenda. People preen their virtuosity as they advocate for the absurd, and these useful idiots continue to vote for politicians that promote an agenda that advocates against their own self-interests.

Woke teachers sexualize our children and cheer on drag queen story time, and far too many parents acquiesce to this insanity. Children, unable to understand the concept of gender fluidity and sexuality are encouraged to explore transgenderism and homosexuality, often without the knowledge or consent of their parents. States, like California, codify these insane ideologies into law. Tolerance and acceptance replace reason and common sense.

The leader of the free world is suffering from dementia and is barely self-aware, but at least the Bad Orange man is gone. Dr. Oz is declared a poor candidate, but democrats in Pennsylvania elect a Senator so cognitively challenged, that he can barely speak and a dead man, simply because there is a “D” after their names on the ballot. We are electing incompetent, anti-American, and corrupt leftists throughout our government and that government is appointing leftist and woke judges and bureaucrats. Biden was correct; Our Democracy is at risk, not by electing Republicans, but by acquiescing to this lunacy that is the left.

A standing army is necessary to maintain the sovereignty of the nations’ borders, to repel all enemies from said borders, and to protect the citizens of the United States from invasion. The military is to be trained to achieve these ends. This administration’s military leaders are more concerned with the woke politics of Critical Race Theory, affirming one’s chosen gender, mandating a “vaccine” that is neither safe, nor effective, and preferred pronouns. They search for a conspiracy of white supremacy in their ranks without any justification or evidence that it exists. Recruitment is falling short of the necessary numbers to properly populate our military, primarily because of these insane policies. Our military has become a laughingstock to our geopolitical enemies. Enemies that do not respect our military are more likely to become aggressive to us and around the world. That is the primary reason that Russia invaded Ukraine.

Best qualified for the job? Better be able to check the correct gender, race or preferred pronoun box or you will be passed over. Why are we standing by, doing nothing? What was once a nation of laws, built upon Judeo-Christian values is eroding away right before our eyes, with many Americans cheering it on. Love your neighbor as yourself has morphed into a burning hatred of opponents to leftist ideology, Christianity, and all things conservative. The tenets of Christianity, that charges all believers to love and support your fellow man, is derided by the left as hateful, homophobic, and exclusivity, when it is openly inclusive and welcoming to everyone. For certain, not all practicing Christians are good examples in living the way that Christ calls us to live, but the teachings of Christ are all about love, acceptance, and servitude to the world. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” “For if you forgive others who have sinned against you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you.” “Do not judge others and you will not be judged.”  “Beware of false prophets…you can identify them through their actions.” The false prophets in the media have brainwashed the masses so thoroughly that they have been overcome by evil. How else would one be offended by Jesus’ words?

An accounting of the direction that our country is heading is in order. We have become a ship without a rudder and no one cares. We must confront the evil that is blossoming in our nation or we will be overcome by it. Common sense Judeo-Christian values produced the greatest nation on earth to date. If we fail to re-embrace those values, stand by and do nothing, we may as well give the keys to our enemies. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Without Him, we are doomed to fail. We are a Christian nation. It’s time that our actions embrace His truth. It’s time that we look to that cross. It’s time that our nation rejects the evil that abounds and support good, Christian leaders that will fight to return this land to its’ rightful place as One Nation Under God.

Rest in Peace Democracy

 

Time to wake up

The President of the United States warned that electing Republicans would kill democracy. This was the battle cry of the Democrat party and their party spokespersons in the media. Republicans will end women’s access to reproductive health care and abolish all abortions. Republicans will end Social Security and Medicare. Republicans will pollute your water and kill the planet. Republicans will disenfranchise minorities by taking away their right to vote. The only people to accept these premises are those intellectually inept and those so ideologically driven that they will do whatever it takes for their side to win. Democrats have become proficient at bending and using the voting rules to their advantage. Republicans have dropped the ball and acquiesced to the Democrats abusing the system. The aligning of these stars will be the primary reason for the death of our Constitutional Republic.

Inept leadership by the Republican party has allowed the manipulation of voting laws, rules, and procedures to the advantage of the opposing political party. Why? The ruling class in Washington DC is all in on enriching themselves at the taxpayer’s expense. How do so many that go to DC as paupers leave office as millionaires? How is it that the families of those elected Representatives end up benefiting financially? Who holds the powerful accountable? It certainly is not the mainstream media. The Fourth Estate is content to be a cheerleader for the Democrat party and foe to all things conservative. Far too many Americans are glued to CNN and their ilk, allowing those pundits to form their opinions for them. We are our own worst enemies at times, or perhaps we are becoming too intellectually lazy to think for ourselves.

The “Big Lie” is shouted from the mountaintops any time 2020 voting irregularities are discussed. Mainstream media quickly pivots to conspiracy theories, such as, “Dominion” voting machines were manipulated by foreign powers, delegitimizing any valid occurrences. In 2020 voting deputies were not allowed to assist nursing home residents fill out ballots and to make certain that those residents had the cognitive ability to properly comprehend their actions. In Wisconsin alone, over 60,000 seniors reside in senior living communities, while almost 100% of those seniors filled out and returned ballots. Drop boxes, instituted throughout the battleground states due to COVID, collected hundreds of thousands of ballots. These are but two of the violations of election law that occurred in 2020. Each of those ballots were cast in violation of State law, perhaps turning the tide in the battle for the White House and Senate.

Ballot harvesting and ballot drop boxes are prohibited by State law in Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, all battleground states. TrueTheVote used geo-tracking of cell phones to identify “mules” that went from non-profits and Democrat offices to numerous ballot drop boxes, for numerous days during early voting, in all of the battleground states. This is the same technology that has been used to track and identify criminals that were in the area of a crime in order to place the suspect at the time and scene of a crime. But, according to the mainstream media, this technology is unreliable, although it is admissible in court as corroborating evidence.

Democrats are not interested in earning your vote. They aren’t interested in convincing the electorate that their policies are better for Americans. They aren’t interested in nominating the best and brightest candidates. Democrats are interested in collecting the most ballots with circles filled in for Democrat candidates. Votes are not what win elections, he who collects the most ballots for their side wins. Game the system efficiently and you won’t need to convince anyone that your candidates or policies are better.

Voting is not only a right; it is a great responsibility. Voting should not be easy. Vote totals should not be affected by overzealous partisans that pervert the law for their own gain. If you are not engaged, if you don’t think voting is important, if you don’t take your civic responsibility seriously, the voting process should not be made effortless for you. Laws are enacted for a reason. Without laws, we devolve into anarchy, with everyone for themselves. If one truly wants to end democracy, allow the Democrats to continue to turn our elections into a mockery. If we continue on this trajectory, our Constitutional Republic will be lost. Without free and fair elections, democracy will die.

A More Perfect Union

 The Left is Exposed

Not a red wave, but with Republicans regaining a majority in the House, perhaps a measure of sanity can return to our government. Democrat leadership will have the opportunity to reflect and could decide to reject their radical policies of division. Unfortunately, Democrats are unlikely to alter their strategy, believing staving off a predicted red wave validates their policies. Expect them to move further left and continue their assault on our Constitutional Republic. This nation is so polarized by political ideologies, unqualified candidates are elected solely based on the letter after their name on the ballot. Breaking through another glass ceiling, Pennsylvania elected the first vegetable to the US Senate. Socialism, here we come.

In the ‘50’s, Joe McCarthy falsely alleged that communists were everywhere, intent on destroying our democracy. History repeats itself as the Democrat party hurls dishonest accusations of “white supremacy” and “the radicalized right” as existential threats to democracy. President Biden echoes this sentiment, with a strategy that vilifies his political opponents and falsely accuses them as a threat to democracy. Just as McCarthy’s assertions were patently false, our “Divider in Chief’s” words also ring hollow. This tactic had limited success, as Democrats appear to have maintained a narrow majority in the Senate.

Our military is to “stand down” to investigate and root out any “right-wing” extremism within its’ ranks, emphasizing CRT and diversity, rather than building a competent fighting force. Though there is no valid intelligence that indicates its existence, the Left promises this danger to our democracy will be ferreted out and eliminated. Congressman Marjorie Taylor Greene utters comments deemed inappropriate, and Democrats vote to remove her from all committee assignments. Ilhan Omar, AOC, Rashida Talib, Ayanna Pressley and Maxine Watters incite violence, transfer campaign contributions to family members and you can cue the crickets. The mainstream media, in a concerted effort to hasten political upheaval, unabashedly support leftist aspirations while disparaging all things conservative. The effort to drive their chosen narrative rather than report factual news, goes against all journalistic standards. This double standard is apparent and appalling.

Disagree with the Left on immigration, and you are racist. Challenge their unhinged desire to rid the planet of fossil fuels, and you are a science denier killing the planet. Follow the science in the fight against COVID-19, and you’ll be censured by social media and labeled a heretic by the mainstream media. Point out that there are differences between the genders and you’re homophobic, transphobic or just plain too stupid to understand that biological sex is in the eye of the beholder and is as fluid as water. Question voting irregularities in the 2020 Presidential election, and you’ll be de-platformed or cancelled. Parents that challenge “woke” curriculum are accused of domestic terrorism. The mainstream media amplifies vitriol emanating from the Left, reporting with supportive nods, while disparaging any conservatives that uphold the rule of law.

The Overton Window is an accepted theory that political change is driven by what the public is willing to consider and accept at that time. Typically, change is incremental, but now the pendulum has swung so steep and sharply to the left that many believe it irrevocably broken. The unthinkable has evolved into policy far too easily and rapidly. Democrat leadership’s reckless embrace of all things “woke” has driven hyper-partisanship and vilified dissent. A compliant news media propagandizes that electing conservative leadership will end democracy. Truth is, the Left does seek to end democracy.

Leftist ideology has enslaved the democrat party. The Left’s unbridled ambition to acquire and maintain power damages the very pillars of law and order by using government agencies to attack their political opponents. Leftism is a metastasized cancer that is destroying the very fabric of our society and nation. Cancer must be excised completely for the body to heal or it will return and spread. Leftism must be defeated. Unless Democrat leadership moderates, they must be voted out. The Left aspires to eliminate faith in God, end the Constitutional right to protect yourself, murder unborn children with impunity, open borders, eradicate their political opponents, indoctrinate our children with perverse sexual education and divide them by race. The Left will continue their unrelenting ambition to fundamentally transform this nation. Supporters of this madness need to wake up and recognize that the Democrat party has rejected established societal values. It’s time we realize we are not Democrats or Republicans. We are Americans and we need to start acting as such.

“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” Jeremiah 5:31

 

Order, Please

Failure to plan is a plan to fail

The responsibility to maintain order and protect the citizenry is the most important duty of government. According to Constitutional law, the State Legislature and Governor have the authority to enact laws that law enforcement utilizes to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of their residents. Failure to provide the measures necessary to deliver a safe and secure environment leads to the erosion of the community. Washington County is the #1 County in the State of Wisconsin for the quality of life. That is, in no small measure, due to the efforts of our local law enforcement agencies. Problem is, that your Washington County Sheriff’s Department is woefully understaffed. Local Police Departments depend on the Sheriff’s Department to assist them with high-risk incidents, accident reconstruction, crime scene investigations and generally stand at the ready to support your local police in any way necessary when requested. Teamwork is paramount to maintaining order and protecting the community.

In November, Washington County voters will have the opportunity to decide to add staff to place your Sheriff’s Department in a better position to address the constantly evolving crime environment. There has been a general lack of accurate information reported by some of our local pundits as to the appropriateness of asking the residents to approve a referendum adding $3.6 million to the tax levy. Staffing for the Sheriff’s Department remains at the same level it was in 1982, 40 years ago. According to the US Census Bureau, the population of Washington County was just under 85,000 in 1980. Today the population is over 136,000. That is more than 1 ½ times the population 40 years ago. Due to sound management and dedicated staff, the Sheriff has provided for the public safety, but we are but a few major incidents away from lacking the ability to properly manage those events.

Due to the sound and conservative fiscal management of Washington County, even with absorbing the hit to the tax levy, your tax rate will again decrease, from $2.06 to $1.97 per $thousand of assessed value. That means your county taxes, based on the assessed value of your home, will go down, as they have each year since 2015. Utilizing priority-based budgeting in the County’s the budget process, allowed for funding to be redirected to the services most necessary to serve the community. The County Board also determined that the #1 priority was public safety. Public safety is the linchpin that makes all the other services that the county provides possible. Without adequate resources, the ability to properly protect our citizens wanes and all other services will not matter. Without the safety and security that our Sheriff’s Department provides, we would not have the quality of life that we all enjoy.

Years of judicious budgeting by the Sheriff has served our community well. But times are changing. Defunding police and a lack of respect for the rule of law has caused a marked increase in crime in urban areas that is spreading into our community. Drug and human trafficking are here in Washington County. Recently, a 4-hour targeted interdiction effort in the I-41 corridor produced several felony arrests, including a person wanted in Milwaukee for homicide. I-41 is a key access route that is utilized by criminals moving drugs between Milwaukee and the Paper Valley. At its’ current staffing, targeted enforcement such as this cannot be utilized enough to make a difference. Adding staff will; enable the Sheriff to increase minimum staffing beyond the current 5 Deputies per shift that cover Washington County’s 436 square miles, decrease response times, limit overtime pay for Deputies to cover for sick calls or vacation, add additional detectives that can dedicate more time to investigate crimes, and enable the creation of a critical incident team consisting of Deputies and social workers trained to respond to mental health crises that will evaluate and transport mentally ill persons, freeing up local police departments from that responsibility.

Public safety is paramount to a growing and vibrant community. It is vitally important to be prepared for all emergency situations. Seconds lost can often make the difference between life and death. Fiscal austerity is not a valid rationale to cut corners on public safety. Government fails if a safe and secure environment cannot be provided to its’ citizens. Bringing your Sheriff’s Department up to speed is a logical and necessary step that will serve our community well, now and into the future. 

Crazy Train

A nation divided cannot stand.

Never thought that of all people, Ozzie Osborne, could be a prophet, but after President Biden’s Labor Day speech, perhaps he is. From the song, Crazy Train – “Crazy, but that’s how it goes. Millions of people, living as foes. Maybe it’s not too late to learn how to love and forget how to hate. I’ve listened to preachers, I’ve listened to foes. I’ve watched all the dropouts that live by their own rules. One person conditioned to rule and control. The media sells it and you live the role. Heirs of a cold war, that’s what we’ve become. I’m going off the rails on a crazy train.” Christian, conservative, married, heterosexual, retired police officer, former County Board Chairman and Trump voter, I am exactly what the Left and their leader, Joe Biden, fear and despise. Respect for the rule of law becomes a threat to democracy. Support America first is tantamount to semi-fascism. Opposing open borders, indoctrination of our children and military, recognizing that all people matter and acknowledging the reality that there are only two genders is radical and divisive. We are going off the rails on a crazy train!

Mandela Barnes is the anointed Democrat candidate for the United States Senate, with all challengers dropping out of the race and endorsing him.  Barnes, whose given name is Jesse, uses his middle name to his advantage. He is nothing like Nelson Mandela. Barnes life’s legacy has been supporting progressive, left-wing organizations. He supports ending cash bail, defunding the police, the Green New Deal, unlimited abortion, Medicare for all and legalizing marijuana. He chaired the Governor’s task force on climate change, yet could not cite a single policy he helped implement when asked about it at a climate change event at UW-River Falls in March of 2022. Perhaps, he could not recall because he was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from the Wisconsin State Patrol vehicle, used as his personal escort service, that he ordered to run continuously when at the Capitol, so that the interior climate was appropriately comfortable for him. This “service” cost taxpayers over $600,000 during his 4-year term as Lieutenant Governor. Also known as ManDead-Beat Barnes for being delinquent on his property taxes and failing to pay parking tickets, leading to his Wisconsin Driver’s license being suspended. He also falsely claimed to be a college graduate for years. Barnes is a founding member of the Working Families Party of Wisconsin, an offshoot of ACORN, that supports defunding the police. Minnesota became a laughingstock by electing a professional wrestler as Governor and a Saturday Night Live comedian as their US Senator. Barnes, who thinks he is running against Scott Walker, (just a slip of the tongue according to his spokesperson) to represent Wisconsin in the Senate. We are going off the rails on a crazy train!

The incumbent Senator, Ron Johnson has been a proven leader, unafraid to challenge the status quo. The Joseph Project works with faith-based organizations to help inner city residents become gainfully employed. The Right to Try Act allows those suffering from incurable illness access to drugs not yet approved by the FDA. He will continue to fight against the reckless spending and exposing the use of the federal justice system to target political enemies. Being transparent and honest makes him a target for the left and the entrenched Deep State. We need more elected representatives that do the right thing, not some lifelong bureaucrat to perpetuate the disfunction in Washington DC.

Governor Tony Evers is the quintessential bureaucrat that lacks any experience outside of the government. Like far too many politicians, his life experience ill prepared him for a role as Governor. His crowning achievements consist of vetoing more bills and pardoning more criminals that any other Governor in our history. Plagiarism is one of his more popular methods for taking credit for other’s accomplishments. He even took credit for the Republican crafted budget that reduced taxes $2 Billion when the budget presented by Evers raised taxes by $1 Billion. He did sign it though. Evers’ legacy will be that of Illegal lockdowns, closed schools, mask mandates, anti-police rhetoric, the failure to lead during the Kenosha riots and walking lock-step with the failed policies of the Biden administration.

Tim Michels, Evers’ opponent, is a businessman that created thousands of jobs and runs a successful company. Michels, like all successful entrepreneurs, has a detailed plan to solve what ails us. He has a blueprint with solutions to our bloated and ineffective government on his website. Fancy that, an actual plan, on paper for all to read, rather than slogans and platitudes. The contrast could not be clearer. Democrats are running this nation off the rails on a crazy train of wokeness, lawlessness and anti-Constitutionalism. We need leaders that want to solve problems, not perpetuate them while creating more problems that will require more of the taxpayer’s money thrown at them. It’s your choice.

Truth, or Dare?

 

Time to get real

What once was a kid’s game has evolved into something it was never intended to be. No longer is this a game played among giggling young people, it has become a twisted reality as the Biden administration continues to blur the boundaries of governing and rank partisanship. This great nation, built upon the rule of law and the trustworthiness of a fair and impartial government, is failing its’ citizenry by abandoning the independence necessary to maintain a Constitutional Republic. Democrats that seized the majority in the House, Senate and the Presidency have determined that half of the country is a threat to their idea of democracy. With that determination, the full power and authority of federal law enforcement has been unleashed against those in which they disagree. What once was a government of, by and for the people, has turned the rule of law upside down, using it as a cudgel to strike at their political opponents. A willing and compliant media parrots Democrat talking points in unison, failing to uphold its’ responsibility to hold the powerful accountable, unless the powerful just happen to be Republican.

Our divider in chief, President Joseph R. Biden rails against half of the US population and declares them semi-fascists. Those that respect the law, support accepted societal norms, challenge the insane “wokeism” that is infiltrating education, the military and society in general stand accused by our President and Democrat leaders as malevolent and immoral, while they offer tacit support for violent Marxists like Antifa and Black Lives Matter. Riots, looting and burning throughout the summer of 2020 were viewed as mostly peaceful, seldom prosecuted and our current Vice-President Kamala Harris championed funding to bail out jailed rioters. While many of the January 6^th protesters should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, many have been languishing in prison for over a year, with their due process rights violated. No matter the crime, everyone must be afforded the Constitutional right to a speedy trial, access to appropriate legal representation and incarceration that is reasonable and humane.

Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, was reckless with real-time, classified and top-secret information, kept on an unsecure, non-government server. Congressional subpoenaed documents were deleted and destroyed. She was never prosecuted nor served with a search warrant. The Director of the FBI, James Comey, closed the investigation when he declared that no reasonable prosecutor would issue charges. Presidential records, kept under lock and key, guarded by Secret Service agents, necessitated the execution of an unprecedented search warrant at the home of former President Trump to retrieve documents held there since January 2021.

Hunter Biden left his lap-top computer at a Delaware computer repair shop. It contained evidence of potential criminal activity by the Biden family. The FBI seized the lap-top in 2019, but did no further investigation. The FBI not only ignored evidence; it sent agents to warn social media companies of a potential dump of Russian mis-information. When the New York Post obtained a copy of the hard-drive and reported on the troubling information, they were de-platformed from social media. Mainstream media refuted the validity of the report and 51 former national security officials denounced it as Russian propaganda. This quickly became the narrative of the mainstream media. 18 months later, the lap-top is verified as Hunter Biden’s, but again the media quickly buries the story.

There is building evidence of a troubling pattern of behavior by our government. Our nation’s judicial system cannot properly serve the citizens if it is biased. The rule of law guides the actions, determines whether a crime has been committed and adjudicates the process fairly and without prejudice. The government is again, picking winners and losers, but this time based solely upon political affiliation. Ignore a Democrat’s transgressions, throw the hammer at any Republican that offends their sensibilities. And, at all costs, keep Donald Trump from ever holding office again.

Truth is that the Democrat leaders are driving this nation off a cliff, not only economically, but by tearing apart the social fabric of our society. They will dismantle this nation in order to achieve their goal of a new liberal world order. Democrats are daring the public to stop this insanity. They believe that you cannot. You do have the power to begin to take back this nation when you cast your vote this November. Or will you stand by and allow the Democrats to fundamentally transform this nation?

Business as Usual

 Too many Politicians serve their own interests, not the public.

When this Constitutional Republic was born, elected public service was never intended to be a long-term proposition. A sense of civic duty would compel those skilled in leadership and governance to serve their fellow citizens for a time and then return to their private lives. Professional politicians that made their livelihood on the public dole was never the founding father’s intent. Greed and power drives too many of these elected elites, not the selflessness necessary to be a servant leader. Those who have little or no personal experience outside of government do not possess the skills necessary to make the decisions crucial to better the lives of those they serve. Those who consider themselves better than those they are charged to serve do not possess the ability to put others above their own self-interest. Those looking to enrich themselves fail to respect the people who elected them.

Career bureaucrats not only want to maintain the status quo, they want to build upon it. There is little restraint when the belief is that, we the people, can endure unlimited taxation. Budgets will expand due to rising expenses, but overlook many government template systems that have not been updated for decades. New programs often overlap existing programs and end up being redundant, providing the same or similar services. Governments that fail to constantly assess and reassess programs that serve their citizens are doomed to continue to increase the size and cost of their government. And that is just fine for many government organizations. That also is a recipe for disaster, since taxpayers are not an unlimited financial resource. Milwaukee and other democrat run cities overtax for their incompetent, ineffective, and inefficient government, forcing businesses and residents to leave for the suburbs.

Those that bring a business acumen to government are often met with resistance, even though their solutions benefit the citizenry. Upsetting the apple cart, slowing, or ending the gravy train are hard pills to swallow for the entrenched bureaucratic “Deep State.” Well, friends, if government behaved more like the private sector, they just may become proficient in providing necessary services that are not only cost-effective, but also delivered efficiently and timely. There is no valid reason to not constantly and consistently evaluate better ways of doing business. Our friends on the democrat side of the aisle believe that big government knows better. why fix what they do not believe is broken? It is apparently better to continue with failed policies that inflate the bureaucracy. Unwarranted and reckless spending policies have driven inflation exponentially. Now comes the “Inflation Reduction Act” that will be like pouring gasoline on a fire. The drive to enact the ultimate solution to what ails us is enacting a new form of “Democratic Socialism,” though wherever socialism has been instituted, it has failed. Unfortunately, not all “new” ideas are beneficial.

Replacing a free market system with a government-controlled economy is foolhardy and dangerous. Capitalism works because it incentivizes ingenuity. Capitalism works because anyone can succeed with the right mix of ideas and diligence. Capitalism works because everyone has the same opportunity to be successful, no matter where they come from. Socialism fails because the State removes any financial incentive to think outside the box. Socialism fails because there is no reward since all are equally compensated, no matter what they contribute or how hard they work. Socialism fails because all end up equally miserable, except for those in government leadership positions. The free market works. Government needs to get out of the way and let the free market innovate and create solutions. When government intervenes and picks winners and losers, we all lose as the best and brightest ideas are too often ignored.

Government does serve a purpose. Most importantly, it is there to provide for the public safety. It is there to provide a safety net to help those who cannot help themselves. It is there to provide safe and effective roadways to facilitate the free flow of trade. It is there to enact legislation to positively serve the citizenry. Government has become bloated and self-serving. It is filled with people that have little or no respect for the office or the citizens they serve. It’s time that good people with real-life experience dedicate a few years of their lives to help make this country a better place. It’s time for career bureaucrats to leave the duties of public office to those who know how to lead a successful business. It’s definitely time to demand that candidates earn our votes by properly representing the values of the communities that they serve. And it’s time that we all become a better-informed and engaged electorate.

A Blaze of Glory

 

Shooters should wallow in a sea of anonymity

According to a 2021 study of mass shooters compiled by the Violence Project, the majority of perpetrators failed to complete high school, had mental health issues with almost half suffering from anger issues, used assault-type weapons in 24% of the acts, in over 80% of school shootings weapons used were stolen from family members and almost half communicated their desire to commit the crime prior to the assault. Mainstream and digital media continue to emphasize their reporting on the criminal and his actions, motives, their family, neighbors and friends while devoting little coverage to the victims. While fame seeking was identified in only 11% of the incidents, almost half of the perpetrators died during the attack, either by suicide, police gunfire or citizen intervention. Unless the perpetrator posted on social media or communicated to friends or family, the true number of those seeking attention for their actions is unknown. The Arlington Park, Illinois shooter told a friend, “You’ll know who I am. You’ll know what I did. You’ll remember my name,”

The phenomena of fans rushing onto the field during sporting events basically came to an end when the television networks decided to ignore the interlopers and refused to broadcast their interruption of the event. No fame, no glory, fewer disruptions. Without publicity, it’s just not worth it! Always looking for internet notoriety with as many “likes” and clicks one can engender. All of us love the camera. Consider those attending sporting events and how they act when their likeness appears on the big screen. It is simply human nature to call attention to oneself. Perhaps, if we concentrated on the victims and their families, ignoring the shooter, but for a description of an evil, disturbed, sick individual, future potential shooters may just decide that it is no longer worth the effort if they are not only left fameless, but reviled anonymously.

Those of you that blame the weapon and not the shooter must come to realize that law-abiding citizens do not commit criminal acts with their guns. Criminals and mentally deranged individuals commit crimes with guns. Taking the guns away from those who obey the law, while criminals remain armed is ludicrous on its’ face. Unless you can get all of the “genies” back in the bottle, criminals will always find a way to obtain the weapons of their choice. Unfortunately, that type of “logic” actually puts law abiding citizens at more risk to be victimized. Red Flag laws may have some merit, but also have the potential to trample on the Constitutional rights of those targeted, so we need to tread lightly here. Afterall, simply removing guns from the possession of those who are potential threats, does nothing to address the individual, nor the mental illness or hypothetical criminality of that individual.

Also lost in the noise are the clues left by the shooter, particularly on social media posts. If vaccine or election misinformation can be tracked and censored, why can’t algorithms identify potentially threatening posts? Why can’t these individuals be reported to police? It would be appropriate for police to make a house call to these types of individuals. Social media posts threatening violence should be properly investigated and are not a violation of the 1^st Amendment rights of those individuals. It should be the responsibility of social media companies to monitor and report any potential threatening posts. As a retired police officer, I always encouraged citizens to contact police about any suspicious behavior they may observe. That type of information may be critical in preventing criminal acts.

“But we need to do something!” This type of haphazard thinking and action leads one to think with their heart and not with their brain. We need to understand the root cause of these random acts of violence and take the necessary action to address those causes and develop real solutions, rather than heartfelt slogans that do nothing to solve the underlying problem. We need to address untreated mental illness. We need to bring engaged fathers back into the family unit. Parents need to be involved in their child’s life, school and social media. We need to understand the dangers in inflating self-esteem and self-worth. God needs to come back to His rightful place in the family to cultivate and instill a solid moral compass in our children. These are all good starting points in an effort to address these and society’s ills.

Truth is....

Truth is the body of real things, events and facts, conformity with fact or reality, a verified or undisputable fact, proposition, principle or the like. Truth is not what you want or hope it to be. Truth is real. Truth is factual. Truth is tangible, genuine and unaffected by one’s perception of it. Truth has been twisted to fit the agenda of those who would destroy us. This is our reality: Our society is at a tipping point. Right is wrong, up is down and evil is good. There are those that would have you believe and accept lies as truth. Virtue signaling and wokeness is overtaking common sense. The following are the inconvenient truths that refute the direction of the woke left.

Truth is that an unborn child is a human life from the time of conception. Every child has distinct DNA that will guide their development in the womb becoming a unique human being. Choosing to end that life with a procedure known as an abortion, dismissing the unborn child as some sort of non-viable tissue, in order to make a woman feel less angst and guilt, does not lessen the criminal act of homicide. Our constitution states that we are endowed with certain inalienable rights by our Creator. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Actions that end a life, are expressly prohibited by each and every State and punishable by up to life in prison. How then does an abortion, a premeditated decision to take an action that ends a human life, any different? How is this an individual right granted by the Constitution? It is not! When the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, has the temerity to scale the steps of the Supreme Court, pound on the door and intimidate seated justices by name, in support of an abortion “rights” protest, perhaps leading an unhinged left winger to attempt to assassinate Justice Kavanaugh, something is terribly wrong.

Truth is that, even though I am not a biologist, there are only two genders, male and female. Gender dysphoria affects .005 to .014% of biological males and .002 to .003% of biological females. Those that are gender confused are suffering from a mental disorder similar to a person suffering from anorexia, according to Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist in chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Persons that believe that they assigned the wrong gender at birth and undergo sex reassignment surgery have a 20 times higher rate of suicide than the general public. Leftist talking points that blame non-acceptance of those who believe they are transgender causes a higher rate of suicide is patently false. 70-80% of children that experience gender confusion spontaneously lose those feelings and return to normal. Teaching kindergartners about sex, transgenderism and homosexuality is ludicrous. They do not possess the mental capacity to understand any of those concepts and should not be taught to accept alternate lifestyles as normative, especially at an age where they can be easily manipulated and confused.

Truth is that guns do not commit murder. Law abiding citizens do not commit murder. Criminals commit murder. Mentally ill people commit murder and the constitutional rights that protect them from unreasonable search and seizure is used to keep those who need mental health treatment from receiving it. Unless it can be proven that the mentally ill are a danger to themselves or others, they will continue to freely roam our society until they actually take action to harm themselves or others. The left decries those that want to protect their 2^nd Amendment rights as facilitators of murder and accuse Republicans of failing to provide appropriate funding for mental illness treatment. The Federal Government allocated over $238 billion in Federal funds to augment each State’s spending on mental health programs in 2020. Just as the “war on poverty” has proven, throwing money at a problem is never a viable solution without attempting to solve the root causes. The mentally ill deserve the chance to have the appropriate treatment for their disease just as much as the public must be protected by those that often cannot determine right from wrong. Far too often it is too late when society diagnoses those with mental illness.

Truth is that parents that are concerned about the content and quality of their children’s education are not domestic terrorists. Anti-fa and Black Lives Matter are domestic terrorist organizations. Why would the Department of Justice target parents, yet ignore the violence, vandalism and anarchy promoted and perpetrated by organizations that actually advertise their desire to tear down our Constitutional Republic and replace it with socialism, in turn, leading to communism?

Truth is one political party is in bed with everything antithetical to the will of God. This drive to fundamentally transform our society is of the world. “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”  Romans 12:2 We are called to follow the teaching of Christ, not embrace things that are of the world. Foolhardy energy policies are driving up the price of gas to its’ highest level ever, causing undue hardship on those in the bottom rungs of our society. Unwarranted Federal spending is driving inflation to its’ highest level since Jimmy Carter, 40 years ago. All goods and services are increasing in cost. This administration advances immigration policies that disregard the law and open our borders to crime, drugs and the facilitation of human trafficking. The pandemic was used to ignore election laws and opened the door to voting fraud by allowing unlimited mail in and drop box balloting in all the battleground states. That likely turned the tide against Donald Trump and helped “elect” Joe Biden. Some blue cities are even allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections. Our military leaders emphasize inclusivity and wokeness instead of producing soldiers that would be able to protect our homeland. Our educators indoctrinate our children with CRT, SEL and the like, taking time away from teaching science, technology, engineering and math, leading to abysmal scores in the STEM areas of study. We are no better than many third world countries in the quality of our education, producing a generation of illiterates. This is not the direction our Savior would have us travel.

Truth is the dark path this nation is traveling is pushing us into the abyss. There seems to be no way to slow this rocket sled towards hell. We can feel lost, with the sense that we are unable to stop this runaway train. We cannot, of our own volition, make a real difference. “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 In this broken, sinful and dark world, how do we, as Christians shine the light of Jesus into the darkness? The only way we can overcome this great evil is through Him. There have always been differing opinions, but most shared common goals, no matter the politics. That has changed. Without any common ground, we cannot reconcile with one another. Without any common ground, we make enemies of our neighbors. Without common ground, we are doomed to failure and the fall of our nation. There is one common ground that we all share. We are all children of God, and that makes us all brothers and sisters. We have one Savior, who gave His life for us even though we are all sinful human beings, who love ourselves more than our Creator.

Truth is that we must be able to open a door to dialogue with those in which we disagree. As Christians we are called to “make disciples of all nations”, especially those in opposition to Christianity. After all, Jesus told the rabbis in Mark 2:17, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” So, it is incumbent upon us to reach out to the lost and open a door so that they can recognize their true Savior, and we cannot accomplish this if we build walls and harbor animosity toward those in which we disagree. Those who are lost are not going to find their way to Jesus if we fail to engage with understanding and love. God loves all of His children unconditionally and wants all to come to Him. Listen to opposing viewpoints. Find common ground. Plant the seeds that the Spirit can nurture and grow. Take the first step toward healing our division. “On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:20-21 It is difficult to hate someone who is gracious and respectful. We are not to pass judgement. We are called to gently correct. God is reaching down His hand to set things right, and that hand is tapping you on the shoulder to be His hands and feet. Will you listen and act?

 

Deflection

 

Bait and switch. Sleight of hand. Misrepresentation. Lying. All tools of those who would use their authority to usurp your freedoms, while enriching themselves. Those in the “Swamp” of Washington D.C. have engaged in influence peddling from the time this nation was founded. The ruling class is ingrained within an entitlement culture. From the first leader of the caveman clan to the Kings and Queens of the world, with title comes privilege. Only the best for our betters. Afterall, they are the “Chosen Ones”, elected or elevated to power. Power ultimately corrupts and far too many of the “leaders” of our nation are rotten, through and through.

Joe Biden’s son, Hunter and his brother Jim, have engaged in an elaborate scheme to enrich themselves and the “Big Guy”. Trading on the family name, they have bilked $Millions from nations eager to leverage a relationship with Joe Biden, first as a US Senator, then Vice President and now President. Unfortunately, like all illegal schemes, the truth has emerged.  Even with the power of the mainstream and digital media running interference, the illicit dealings of the Biden Family crime syndicate are slowly finding the light of day. President Obama said in a moment of candor, “Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f--k things up.” In another stoke of brilliance, Joe Biden chose his drug addled, porn addicted and sex craved son, Hunter, to be the primary peddler of his sphere of influence marketing. What could ever go wrong with that?

Mainstream media, at the behest of the ever-left leaning democrat party, buried any news stories and social media censored and banned accounts that dared to report on a laptop computer, owned and abandoned by Hunter Biden. Russian disinformation, hacked information and debunked conspiracy theories were the rallying cry from those that would peddle lies in order to achieve their goal of removing Donald Trump from the White House. Now that an indictment looms for the President’s son, the media scrambles to “verify” portions of the treasure trove of emails that detail the illicit dealings of the President’s wayward son. But they cannot verify that the “Big Guy” got a cut of the profits. Where there is smoke, there is fire and these emails are way too hot to touch.

The Left continues to attack the very core of our societal norms while the accuse their opponents of the same atrocities that they commit. They continue to attack the nuclear family, promoting alternate lifestyles and transgenderism. And they are teaching our children to embrace this new way of thinking as soon as they are old enough to attend school. Is there any sane individual that believes a 5 year old child can properly process the concept of “gender fluidity” and that teaching them about sexual practices is appropriate? Destroy the family and you create an open path for the government to seize that authority. And we sit back and allow this to happen without even a whimper.

Saul Alinsky was a malcontent sociopath who died in 1972. He spent the better part of his life attempting to circumvent personal responsibility and foment dissent. He concocted what he called the 8 levels of control that must be met to create a socialist state in his book, “Rules for Radicals”. The text therein contains many of the guiding principles of the democrat party. -NOTE- this information has been deemed as false. Alinsky did not compose the following "rules". Notwithstanding, these tactics are currently being used by the democrat party.

·         Healthcare. Control healthcare and you control the people.

·         Poverty. Increase the poverty level as high as possible. Poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.

·         Debt. Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes and this will produce more poverty.

·         Gun control. Remove the ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.

·         Welfare. Take control of every aspect of their lives. (Food, housing and income)

·         Education. Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children learn in school.

·         Religion. Remove the belief in God from the government and schools.

·         Class warfare. Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier take from the wealthy with the support of the poor.

Under democrat rule, these methods are being used to control the masses. Obamacare and Medicare/Medicaid control our public health system. The welfare state keeps almost half of our population in abject poverty. The national debt is now over $30 Trillion and our government has outstanding obligations of over $100 Trillion. Democrats continue to beat the drum for gun control. Our kids are being indoctrinated, not taught. Our once admired education system has our kids ranked 25^th in math, 7^th in science. China is now outpacing the US in STEM graduates. Religion is relegated to the back of the bus. Why were casinos open during the pandemic while churches were closed? Democrats have always disparaged the wealthy, but their insistence on promoting racial warfare has risen to the top of their strategy to divide and conquer.

Once democrats used an incremental approach to slowly reshape our society. Now there is no constraint whatsoever. They and their accomplices in the media actually blame Republicans for the chaos their policies have created. It is damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead in the fundamental transformation of this nation. What will it take for good people to wake up and take the necessary action to stop this insanity?

Useful

 

Virtue signaling the end of freedom

As parents, we learn that if we reward our child’s bad behavior, that bad behavior will accelerate until it gets completely out of control. Rules must be set and boundaries must be drawn and adhered to, by both the parent and child. Acquiescing to a child’s disobedient actions will not teach them self-control and they will not learn respect for themselves or others. Without guidance our children will struggle to become productive members of society as adults. Black Lives Matter and their ilk have meltdowns throughout the country, burning, rioting and looting. Some of our elected leaders and mainstream media legitimize the actions by declaring them as mostly peaceful. What happens when virtue signaling replaces reason? The Biden administration, disregarding the rule of law, decides to placate them, comply to their inane demands, create methods to incorporate their “values” into society and create a monster likely to destroy everything that makes this nation great.

Becoming “Woke” is far more important than properly training our military to be a cohesive fighting force. Diversity, inclusion and equity take the front seats in order to properly instill the message that all are no longer equals. Some of us need to be ashamed about events that they never participated, wrongs that they never committed and perceived privilege that never benefited them. If one’s skin is the wrong color, you are to be ashamed of yourself and not to be trusted. We are not becoming a colorless society. We are falling back into the trap of discrimination based upon the color of one’s skin. No matter who is targeted, discrimination for any reason and bias based upon the color of one’s skin is immoral and inappropriate. I thought our first black President was going to end racial bias. Not so much.

White privilege, the rallying cry from the left undercuts the very tenets of our Constitution and the rights conferred by it. Blaming others for one’s shortcomings is despicable and wrong-headed. Discriminating against a person, solely by the basis of skin color does nothing to unite us. We are all homo sapiens, members of the human race. Why are we falling for the same lies that led to discrimination of persons of color? Why would we want to repeat the same mistakes that divided our country by race in the mid 1900’s. Why would anyone feel better if others were punished for the sins of their fathers? Revenge, retribution or reprisal do not exact justice. They are merely hateful enterprises that leaves one feeling even more empty and angry. These negative emotions do nothing to help to heal those wounds. They only allow hate to fester and grow.

The freedom to pursue your dreams and happiness is the basis of the American way of life. Opportunity abounds for all those who endeavor to seek those opportunities. Anyone. Yes, anyone can be the next best thing if one applies oneself. At one time our education system was the envy of the world, but we have faltered, lagging behind in most of the STEM disciplines. Why is that? We have incorporated leftist ideologies into curriculum, neglecting those subjects. Critical race theory is more important than history as it occurred. Much of our teaching in public schools decries Capitalism and elevates socialism, with any negative aspects of socialism omitted. We have incorporated transgenderism into curriculum, encouraging experimentation with choosing preferred gender and pronouns. Alternate lifestyles are promoted to young impressionable children. The lens of race eclipses reason and is used as a cudgel to accuse and defame, based solely upon skin color. Work ethic is panned as racist. Grades are panned as racist. The nuclear family is panned as racist.

Leftist ideology does not seek to co-exist with our current societal norms. Leftist ideology seeks to fundamentally transform this nation into a socialist nightmare. Think this could not happen in this bastion of freedom. Think again. It is happening in plain sight. We have been too complacent to realize it. The leaders of the democrat party are in bed with those who seek to destroy us in order to maintain their power. The media parrots their talking points and omits “misinformation” or anything conservative. What they fail to realize, is that they are never going to be accepted by those who are currently succeeding in dragging this nation into the abyss. They will be cast aside like willing pawns unaware of the trap they are falling into. If we continue in our slumber, it will happen. Some of us are finally awakening and challenging this impending evil that is choking our freedom, but not enough. The time to stand back and let others get involved is over. If we fail to take back our country from this leftist storm, we simply don’t deserve it. Will you allow your freedoms to end and our nation to be left on the scrap heap of history? It’s your choice. Rise up and stem the tide or sit back and say goodbye to America.

A Matter of Trust

 A government that depends upon lies will ultimately fail

Propaganda, misrepresentation, fabrication, dishonesty, deception and omission are synonyms of a lie. The CDC has, from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, used their office to deceive and mislead a willing and compliant population. After all, shouldn’t we be able to trust our governmental leaders? Shouldn’t we believe that our government will properly inform us in order to “keep us safe”? Shouldn’t we have faith that our governmental organizations follow the science and are not unduly affected by politics? The strategies used to fight this invisible enemy we instituted early on during the outbreak of the pandemic have not adjusted to the ever-changing battlefield. The reliance upon the strategy of emergency authorized vaccinations as the primary defense, while ignoring and even preventing the use of existing therapeutics was reckless and has caused needless death and suffering for, not only our population, but the rest of the global community.

The bureaucrats that dictated our Public Health policies in the CDC, NIH and NIAID lied to our nation. They withheld information integral to shaping informed public opinion in the treatment of this Novel Coronavirus. They attempted to deflect any information that would cast suspicion on the Wuhan lab that they funneled your tax dollars to experiment and create gain of function viruses. They called therapeutics that have been proven safe for decades, even one that garnered a Nobel Prize for its’ creator, as dangerous and ineffective. They conspired with the public health system to punish doctors that had the audacity to prescribe hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin and with pharmacies to refuse to fill those prescriptions. If you are dying in a hospital bed, any medication should be considered, after all, if you are going to die anyway, what does it matter?

If you get vaccinated, you will no longer get or transmit the virus. Another lie. This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Another lie. The CDC has withheld valuable information from the public. Think you may want to know about serious side effects from the vaccine? Think you may want to know the number of those hospitalized by age, race or vaccination status? Think you may want to know about the effectiveness of the booster shots? Well, according to the public health professionals, you are not intelligent enough to have that information shared publicly because you may misunderstand or misinterpret the data. In order to grow mushrooms, you need to keep them in the dark and feed them crap, but that will not work for the public that funds our government with our hard-earned dollars. The government’s response to this pandemic has been a disaster from the start. One of President Trump’s biggest mistakes was to turn over managing the pandemic to rank amateurs that parade around as public health officials.

Anthony “often wrong” Fauci and his merry band of miscreants in the CDC, NIH and NAIAD were enabled to misuse their undue influence by recommending the shutdowns, mandatory masking and the strategy of relying upon a vaccine produced without the standard safeguards and testing. All these strategies have done nothing to lessen the impact of the disease. Three quarters of all those who have perished with or from this disease were over the age of 70 with 4 or more comorbidities. The mandatory masking has particularly caused undue suffering for our children that have had their socialization negatively impacted, mental health adversely affected and set their learning back years. Those children may never recover from these inane mandates.

The vaccinated are experiencing serious side-effects and many healthy people have died or become invalids. This must end. The United Kingdom finally came to their senses and eliminated all restrictions. Many more countries will follow suit. Yet, our President Joe Biden, has extended the health emergency because he believes COVID-19 still presents a danger, even as infection numbers crash, hospitalizations are falling and the death toll is waning. Apparently, faulty foreign policy decisions are not his only shortcomings.

We need to learn a lesson as we see what is happening to our neighbors to our north. The Canadian government has enacted an emergency act, giving the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, the right to order law enforcement to arrest, without warrant or bail, anyone deemed to acting in opposition to the government, even by simply speaking out against a tyrannical government or walking in a “restricted zone” in Ottawa. The truckers protesting the vaccine mandates in Ottawa have been arrested, their property and finances seized, their children placed in protective custody and their pets confiscated with the intent to euthanize them. Think that can’t happen here? Guess again. Even after the truckers were arrested and the streets cleared the Canadian parliament voted to continue to keep in place the Emergency Act, just in case anyone else decides to oppose their draconian edicts. Canada’s form of government is almost a mirror image of ours. Our government has done a great job of pitting us all against one another. Just ask yourself how people that are not aligned with the leftism that permeates our Federal Government are treated compare with those who promote the leftist ideology. Time to wake up America. It’s not too late, but it’s getting closer to bedtime for this nation.

Forgiveness

 

We need to heal wounds, not emphasize past wrongs

If one holds a grudge, emphasis is on a negative emotion. When one looks past a personal slight and can offer forgiveness to the person who did you wrong, it will often lead to a positive outcome for both parties. Dwelling on past insults or offences can lead one on a path of distrust, suspicion and cynicism. These emotions will do nothing but fester within the person that perceives the wrongdoing. Our society is evolving and not in a good way. Diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives are heading our nation in the wrong direction. These “values” emphasize our differences rather that work to unite us within our similarities. Subjugating us by the color of our skin is simply a return the days of segregation and furthers the goals of racism.

We are all children of God. We share a common Father. Does that not make us all brothers and sisters? Are we not simply the human race regardless of how we look? Pull away the skin and we are all the same. This movement, rooted in Marxist ideology looks to divide us in order to create an upheaval meant to lead to a reinventing of our society. In other words, a fundamental transformation of this nation. This embrace of diversity, inclusion and equity pit those perceived to be oppressed against those perceived to be the oppressors. In other words, pitting us against each other. This divisive ideology rejects forgiveness and reinforces the ideas of retribution, retaliation and revenge. How this can be a positive for society eludes me. Whether or not you are Christian, as a society, we should be able to agree that in order to live in harmony with one another we need to learn to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Diversity is defined as, a set of conscious practices that involve: Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures and the natural environment. Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences different than our own. Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being, but also ways of knowing. Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination. Excerpted from Queensborough Community College/CUNY. Sounds like this is a good path to unite, until you read the sentence that I omitted. Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others. This is what the purveyors of this divisiveness concentrate on. You are privileged because of your skin color and if you are a person of a certain color, you should be personally affronted by the fact that you are being held down by the “Man”.

We all have experienced different cultures. We have often not practiced mutual respect for the qualities of those differences. We need to build alliances to eliminate racism and inequality. We need to understand those differences and treat each other with respect and dignity. That is how a civil society thrives. How a civil society dies is when we hold grudges and vilify others for past grievances, real or perceived. As we continue to acquiesce to this divisive ideology and incorporate it into acceptable society, we are witnessing, firsthand, the death throes of our society and nation. And most of us sit back and say nothing. When you are old, you can tell your grandchildren how this nation was once free.

Inclusion is referred to how diversity is leveraged to create a fair, equitable, healthy and high performing organization or community where all individuals are respected, feel engaged and motivated and their contributions toward meeting organizational or societal goals are valued. Excerpted from Austin Community College research guide. Sounds great. Again, everyone contributes, everyone is respected, and everyone’s contributions are valued. But, that word equity instead of equality stands out. Why has equity replaced equality? Why is equity of outcome more valued than equality of opportunity? These words seem so similar, yet their meanings are far different.

Equity refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality: Whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances. The process is ongoing, requiring us to identify and overcome intentional and unintentional barriers arising from bias or systemic structures. Excerpted from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. President Barack Obama said in 2014, at the College opportunity Summit, “The premise that we’re all created equal is the opening line in our American story. And we don’t promise equal outcomes; we’ve strived to deliver equal opportunity – the idea that success does not depend on being born into wealth or privilege, it depends on effort and merit. You can be born into nothing and work your way into something extraordinary. There was not much common ground with our former President and I, but this speech was extraordinary and right on point.

If we fail to recognize the evil that exists is this wonderfully sounding ideology and continue to mainstream these ideas, our nation will definitely be fundamentally transformed into something few of us would want. The opportunity to push back and defend your liberties and freedom and prevent this divisive ideology from infecting all aspects of our lives is waning. Want to reminisce about the good old days when freedom reigned in American in your old age, or do you wish to maintain this shining light of freedom on the hill? What are you going to do about it, remain silent or push back? The choice is yours. Make a difference or stand by idly as we fall.

Blind Justice

 

It only takes one broken link.

Statues of Lady Justice, the embodied likeness of the Roman goddess Justita, adorn many courthouses throughout the United States. Blindfolded, with a sword in one hand and a scale balanced in the other, she represents a fair and impartial judicial system. Justice is meted out impartially, without regard to the station of either defendant or plaintiff. The law and the facts presented should determine the outcome of any trial, independent of the race, gender, age or wealth of the accused. In our Constitutional Republic, the rule of law is the glue that holds civilized society together. All are guaranteed a fair trial by a jury of their peers, have the right to not self-incriminate and everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty. These are the linchpins of our judicial system. These rights are enumerated in our Constitution, Bill of Rights and court decision precedent. Without them, our judicial system fails.

Unfortunately, our system of justice is being perverted by District Attorneys that use their position to reject the law and set their own standards of justice. Progressive District Attorneys in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and other blue cities decide that precedent and written laws are irrelevant when holding accountable those accused of committing criminal acts. They lead an effort to create a more equitable outcome by reducing or eliminating bail and ignoring criminal behavior in an effort to decrease the number of persons of color incarcerated. The lawlessness witnessed in the cities that have District Attorneys that embrace these ideals is unprecedented. Criminals who understand that there will be no consequences for illegal behavior will be emboldened to escalate their criminal actions.

District Attorneys fail their citizens and abdicate their responsibility to hold criminals accountable when those committing crimes are arbitrarily released without appropriate bail. Bail is meant to keep dangerous offenders off the streets. Those released instead of remaining jailed, are free to go out and commit more criminal acts. Darrell Brooks, the perpetrator of the Christmas parade massacre in Waukesha, Wisconsin was released on a $1000 bail, for felony offences in Milwaukee County, including being charged with running over his girlfriend with his car. DA John Chisholm bragged about his policy of leniency in 2007, “Is there going to be an individual that I divert, or put in a treatment program going to go out and kill somebody? You bet. Guaranteed. It’s guaranteed to happen. It does not invalidate the overall approach.” His prophesy was fulfilled. Far too many have paid the price for his recklessness. This cannot continue.

“Defund the Police” casts aspersions upon the very people charged to uphold the law and protect the citizenry from bad actors. Police are vilified and use of force incidents are criticized in an effort to divert the criminality from the offender to the police officer. Mistakes made by police in the heat of the moment are used to attack policing as a whole. Dishonest claims that “systemic racism” permeates law enforcement is repeated over and over by the mainstream media. The number of actual unlawful arrests, police “targeting” persons of color and reports of police “brutality” are so rare that each incident is amplified by the media for weeks and months to make it appear that it as common place as issuing a speeding ticket.

Without the “Thin Blue Line” our society devolves into lawlessness and anarchy. “Woke” DA’s that devalue the work of law enforcement by releasing accused criminals on low bail or fail to even charge them with a crime is extremely discouraging to officers trying their best to protect the citizenry. When these DA’s continually disparage law enforcement, morale and any enthusiasm to enforce the law wanes. When police face more scrutiny than criminals, the resolve to place themselves at risk fades. The assault upon and the lack of respect for law enforcement has begun to take a toll. Fewer and fewer people are willing to apply for positions in law enforcement. In the recent past, there were many more applicants than positions available. This has fallen precipitously. Without qualified candidates to fulfil the role to actually “keep you and your community safe”, our society becomes more and more vulnerable to lawlessness. Police need our support, not unwarranted vilification. Prosecutorial misconduct by “Woke” DA’s is increasing. Don’t stand by and allow another link in the chain of justice to break.

Time to Move On

 

COVID-19

Since pivoting from the strategy of “slowing the spread” to attempting to stop all infections, the Federal public health “one size fits all” approach from the CDC to the NIAID has been an abject failure. Guidance and mitigation efforts have been haphazard and have concentrated far too much on vaccinations to control the pandemic. The use of therapeutics has been largely dismissed as an effective treatment option by Federal public health officials. Current vaccinations are proving ineffective in slowing the infection rate and transmission of the new Omicron variant and the infection numbers have skyrocketed. Thankfully, the hospitalization and death rates are not following suit and continue to decrease in relation to the infection rate.

Federal public health policy has, unfortunately put all their eggs into one basket, and our nation has suffered great losses to our economic system, adversely affected our children’s learning and emotional development, led to an increase in mental health disorders, drug overdoses, suicides and criminality. Far too many of our fellow citizens have suffered and died as the result of what should be considered medical malfeasance by our Federal public health officials.

The dominant variant of COVID-19 is the Omicron, causing more than 90% of all infections worldwide. A recent study from South Africa indicates that this variant is extremely contagious, but the vast majority of those infected suffer mild or no symptoms with a low rate of hospitalizations. This variant follows the normal trajectory of viruses as they mutate. Higher rate of transmission with a lower rate of severe symptoms and lethality.

Pfizer will not have an effective vaccine to combat the Omicron variant until March. If the course of the disease mirrors what has occurred in South Africa, the need for that vaccine will likely have passed.

It is time that we strongly consider the fact that the pandemic phase of this disease is ending and that public health, at the local and State level, pivot to acknowledging the reality that we are entering the endemic phase of this disease. We need to concentrate on manufacturing and distributing effective therapeutics to manage symptomatic individuals and to continue to develop vaccines that are effective in mitigating symptoms of any new variants. Dr. Fauci stated on Wednesday, that we will never eradicate COVID-19. We also need to acknowledge that reality.

The published study of Omicron in South Africa; The wave increased at a faster rate than previous waves, completely displacing the Delta variant within weeks and began its decline in both cases and hospital admissions in the fifth week following its commencement.

There are clear signs that case and admission rates in South-Africa may decline further over the next few weeks. If this pattern continues and is repeated globally, we are likely to see a complete decoupling of case and death rates suggesting that Omicron may be a harbinger of the end of the epidemic phase of the Covid pandemic ushering in its endemic phase.

CDC Director Walensky testified before Congress, when compared to delta, infections with omicron were associated with a 53% reduction in adjusted risk of symptomatic hospitalization, displayed in the first panel; a 74% reduction in adjusted risk of ICU admission, displayed in the middle panel; and a 91% reduction in adjusted risk of mortality, displayed on the third panel.

No patients with omicron required mechanical ventilation. Additionally, this study found that those infected with omicron who were hospitalized had a shorter duration of hospital stay compared to those with delta. The duration of hospital stays was approximately 70% shorter, with the median of stays being 1.5 days for omicron compared to about 5 days for delta.

Looking at all hospital admissions for omicron, 90% of patients were expected to be discharged from the hospital in three days or less.

Sorry about all of you that are totally immersed in relying upon the government to keep you safe. The…...Pandemic…….is……..over!!!!!

 

 

Dialogue

 If we fail to engage….

Debate, discourse, discussion, conversation, banter, talk, describe the diverse ways civil society communicates. In spite of the proliferation of digital communication, we seem to be losing the ability to communicate on a personal level. With information, entertainment and communication at our fingertips, our ability to reach out and connect with each other should improve. Unfortunately, texting, Twitter, Snapchatting, and the like has caused our dialogue to devolve into short snipes that often are inappropriate and vulgar. We use social media to debase people we don’t even know. Not having to face one another, enables one to say things that would never be said in person.

It has become so easy to simply fire off invectives at those in which you disagree when one can simply communicate through the ethernet. Why take the time to actually converse with someone when you can simply send a text message. Sit down and properly discuss issues and understand opposing viewpoints, not so much? Case in point; Seems that some of my Op-eds have generated considerable consternation from those who disagree. Anonymous voice mails describing me as a “f-bombing” hypocrite, derogatory comments in letters to the Editor and op-eds disparaging me as a partisan hack. Name calling is the last refuge of those who cannot logically disprove an opposing point of view. This type of discourse is exactly why our society has been so wracked with hatred toward those that fail to share a common opinion.

In a scene from Cool Hand Luke, starring Paul Newman, the captain of the guard, played by Strother Martin decries, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” Newman is a convict on a chain gang that continually fails to obey the orders of the prison staff, prompting this response as he receives punishment for his disobedience. Our society has developed an even greater breakdown in our ability to communicate. Back in the day, politicians of both parties could disagree during debate in the halls of government, yet still be friends. That is becoming a thing of the past as one’s political leanings are all important, overtaking the responsibility to properly serve one’s constituency. In other words, fealty to Party before service to the people they represent.

As our public discourse devolves into bytes of criticism and attacks, we run the risk of losing our civil society altogether. We become tribal, believing those in which we disagree are our enemies. A nation that squabbles among themselves opens opportunities for our world competitors and adversaries to take advantage. When we fail to openly debate and respect each other’s opinion, we further devolve into self-centered, everyone for themselves people, and all suffer equally. When we spend so much capital vilifying those with which we disagree, we tear apart the fabric that weaves civil society together. We need to recapture the ability to listen and fight the urge to shut down debate. Institutions of higher education need to return to being the centers of open inquiry and vibrant debate. We need to return to treating others as you would want and expect them to treat you.

Social media and the numerous news media outlets continue to preach division and distrust of your fellow citizens. Hollywood uses their bully pulpit to promote their values and morals that the majority of this nation rejects. A society thrives upon mutual respect, not blind allegiance to any political ideology. A society thrives with a vigorous exchange of ideas and viewpoints. A society thrives when we learn to embrace our faults, our differences and work together to enhance the quality of life for everyone. A society that cannot engage in reasonable dialogue is doomed to failure. We had better learn to live with each other before this nation ceases to exist. If you can’t convince yourself to love your neighbors, at least try to tolerate them. “On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, it will be as if you are placing burning coals upon his head.” Follow this example and it just may be easier to have that cordial conversation with someone from the other side of the aisle.