Monthly Archives: July 2020

Founding Fathers would demand: ‘Right the wrong’ – Thegardenisland.com

Posted: July 5, 2020 at 10:29 am

Independence Day: July 4th. Wave the flag. Set off fireworks. Celebrate.

For many people, patriotism is easy. All it takes is being born in a country, something everyone accomplishes. Then, wow, what a great country. Wave the flag. Set off fireworks. Celebrate. USA, Albania, France, Australia: it doesnt matter.

But Lincoln wisely said more than just a new nation on this continent was founded. He described it: Conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. This was unique at a time of monarchies, theocracies, castes, feudalism, aristocracies, censorship and the like.

The Declaration of Independence did not claim sanction by divine guidance, but, reflecting the rationalism of the Founding Fathers, instead purposefully explained its basis and reasoning because, as it states, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

July 4th is a day for Americans to recall not only the long fight for independence which succeeded the declaration, but the revolutionary thoughts, ideals and goals of our forefathers who broke from engrained tradition.

It truly was a revolution in thought. Soon after, the French had their revolution, much along the same philosophic lines, and abolished the aristocracy, the accepted calendar, state religion, etc. It was a tumultuous time, much more than simply separating from England.

So I think it patriotic to demand more from my country, to earn my patriotic zeal, than just the accident of being born here. I think it appropriate each year to reflect upon what remains to be done to achieve political liberty and equality for all. Rather than slaver unconditional praise, I choose to exercise my political liberties to advocate for further progress of my country toward those goals.

The Founding Fathers would, I believe, expect much more than My country, right or wrong.

They would demand: Right the wrong.

Jed Somit is a resident of Kapaa.

Follow this link:

Founding Fathers would demand: 'Right the wrong' - Thegardenisland.com

Posted in Rationalism | Comments Off on Founding Fathers would demand: ‘Right the wrong’ – Thegardenisland.com

Isn’t It Romantic? – The Dispatch

Posted: at 10:29 am

Dear Reader, (Including those of you who had a crush on Jennifer instead of Bailey from the WKRP crew, you traitors),

Thats some bad hat, Harry.

Thats a line from Chief Brody in Jaws. An old dudenamed Harryannoys Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) by making fun of the chiefs mild aquaphobia while he is trying to spot a shark that will likely eat another kid.

Brody responds, Thats some bad hat, Harry.

Now, Ive seen Jaws many, many times. And its not like I had actually forgotten the scene. But it wasnt until I saw it at drive-in last weekend that I connected the dots to Bad Hat Harry Productions, the production company founded by Bryan Singer, responsible for many of the X-Men movies, The Usual Suspects and the TV show House. They werent hard dots to connect. The companys original logo was literally a drawing of the Jaws scene.

So those are easy dots to connect, and I failed. If I were a member of a pop culture-obsessed offshoot of the Yakuza, I might have to remove the tip of my pinky as penance. Fortunately, thats not the case.

But Ive got other dots to connect (warning: Dot connection addiction is dangerousyou have to know where to draw the line). As I mentioned on the podcast the other day, watching Jaws during a pandemic was interesting. Obviously, the movie is not an intentional allegory about a virus that wouldnt hit until nearly five decades later. But its hard not to see some of it that way. In particular, nearly every scene with the mayor feels awfully familiar. Watch this:

Dreyfuss is basically an epidemiologist explaining that the shark doesnt care about the crucial summer months for Amitys economy. And theres the mayor playing, well, not quite Donald Trump, but certainly one of dozens of Republican politicians looking for excuses not to listen to the scientists. Dreyfuss says he found the tooth of the shark in the hull of a boat. And despite being informed that the owner of the boat, one Ben Gardner, wasto use a scientific termeatenby the shark, the mayor wont believe any of it because Dreyfuss cant produce the tooth. I mean, maybe Brody could have brought Ben Gardners head?

Anyway, what really gets the mayors goat (presumably so long as the goat doesnt go swimming) is the fake news contained in a vandalized billboard.

Remember, a bunch of people have already been eaten by the shark. But closing the beachesnot the bars, not the restaurants, just the beachesis too terrible a thing to contemplate, so the mayor and most of Amitys residents simply pretend theres no shark. It feels amazingly familiar.

The one scene where the mayor isnt analogous to our moment is when the moral enormity of his reluctance finally hits him and Mayor Vaughn comes to his senses.

We havent had that scenenot really. Some of the politicians and pundits who ridiculed those who took the pandemic seriously in March have changed their tunes. But none of them, as far as I know, have admitted to any serious failure, moral or intellectual. Most of the people who said its just the fluor something similar have either stuck to their guns or just gone silent. And, until about a month ago, this asininity was disproportionately a partisan affair. But you cant have asininity without an assand an ass, just like the old French General Assembly, is divided on a left-right spectrum (lets forgo the easy quips about what this says about the center).

Prior to the George Floyd protests, Jaws worked mostly as a parable for a big chunk of the Republican party, starting with Donald Trump. Shark repellent is for cucks and cowards! This is just a typical shark season, you stupid galeophobes! You just want to use this shark to defeat Mayor Vaughn in the next election!

But then the tables turned. The Richard Dreyfusses, righteously dismissive of the bourgeois and commercial concerns of the gentry, suddenly insisted it was fine to get in the water. Hell, while youre at it, defund the lifeguards and tear down the lifeguard towers!

Not only did they say it was fine to get in the water, they said it was fine to stay in the water indefinitely. Was there a single prominent public health expert who initially supported the protests but, after say, the second week, said, Okay you made your point?

If there was, I missed it.

Covid, Chapter 2.

I never thought Donald Trump deserved much blame for the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in the U.S., or even for our faltering early responses. America rarely gets anything right on the first try. As Winston Churchill reportedly said, You can always count on Americans to do the right thingafter they've tried everything else.

President Trump often says that he saved millions of lives by closing down travel from China. He didnt really close down travel as much as he claims, but what he did was better than nothingand given that he was condemned for it by Biden and many other Democrats he has every right to brag about it. But the move surely didnt save millions of lives. The EU didnt ban air travel from China (or anywhere at all) until mid-March. Theyre doing much better than the U.S. Oh, and Italy closed down travel from China before the U.S. did, how much good did it do them?

The only point to closing borders during a pandemic is to buy yourself some time. We wasted whatever time Trump bought us. When he says he saved millions of lives, it is only to make it sound that were lucky to have lost only 131,544 Americans (as of this writing). Thats a quarter of the global reported COVID-19 deaths. America, the richest country in world, with 4.25 percent of the world population, is punching way above its weight

This chart alone tells the tale:

The romantic pandemic.

In Suicide of the West I argued that perhaps our biggest problem is romanticism. Romanticism is a complicated term because, for even the fairly educated layman, it conjures everything from painting and poetry to Lifetime Movies of the Week. Even Isaiah Berlin, who literally wrote the book on Romanticism, considered offering a clear definition of the term to be a trap.

For our purposes, Romanticism as a philosophical movement was all about the primacy of emotions and feelings, a rebellion against reason and rationalism. Romanticism, Joseph Schumpeter observed, arose almost immediately as a part of the general reaction against the rationalism of the eighteenth century that set in after the revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Hegel described it as absolute inwardness. When Blake wrote, A Robin Red breast in a Cage / Puts all Heaven in a Rage, the cage he had in mind were the coldly scientific rules and codes of the Enlightenment. The hero of Franz Sternbalds romantic novel Wanderings declared: Not these trees, not these mountains do I wish to copy, but my soul, my mood, which governs me just at this moment.

Donald Trump is an amazing example of one form of the romantic spirit. He often says his instincts are more important than expertise and experience. He even recently told Sean Hannity that he always believed talent is more important than experience. He famously explained in a deposition that the best metric for measuring his net worth was how he feels about himself any given morning. (Im not even going to get into the Romantic roots of modern nationalism, including Trumps version of it). His response to the pandemic has been a textbook case of romanticism trumping (no pun intended) reason. The virus will just disappear because he feels that it will. He scorns masks because he feels that wearing one is a sign of weakness.

But our problems are so much greater than Donald Trump. One of Jonathan Haidts Great Untruths is Always Trust Your Feelings.

A word about feelings.

Let me interrupt my extemporaneous diatribe for a moment.

Im okay with telling people Always listen to your feelings because I think your feelings and instincts tell you important things. A lesson I learned too late in life is that fear alone is never a good reason not to do anything. You need to ask yourself why you fear something. Sometimes your fear is well-placed, other times its not. You need to use your intellect to figure out the difference.

Which is to say, theres a difference between trusting and listening, because when you listen you still have the option to say No. Think of all the things youve learned to do or succeeded in doing because you didnt listen to your feelings. Would you have learned to swim? To dive into water? Ride a horse? Pet a dog? Gotten or stayed married? And then theres the problem of bad feelings. Suffice it to say, that if everybody did whatever their feelings told them to do in a particular moment, groin punching would be our national sport (Tonight on ESPN, The Ocho!).

Woe, woe, feelings.

Okay so where was I? Oh right, Haidts Great Untruth. I think so many of our problems these days stem from the fact that Americans, regardless of ideology, trust their feelings too much. If you find yourself throwing punches or having what looks like a nervous breakdown, because a private business asked you to wear a mask during a pandemic, youre listening to your feelings too much. If you think its outrageous to open churches in a pandemic but awesome to occupy City Hallbecause that will end racism or somethingyou should stop trusting your feelings.

More broadly, so many of the policy disputes we have these days seem to have less to do with things like math or experience and more to do with feelings. It just feels like disparities in male-female pay across a wide variety of occupations can be explained solely by sexism. It just feels like we should be able to afford a Green New Deal. It just feels like abolishing the police should work.

I think intellectual honesty requires admitting that people have been saying Go with your gut for a very long time. Even Obi Wan Kenobi said trust your feelings a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (personally given how far away the nearest galaxy is, I always thought the second far was gratuitous). And, I suspect that feelings always played a bigger role in policymaking than we might like to think. I mean, FDR set the price of gold based on what numbers he thought were lucky.

The difference now is that were not just telling people to trust their own feelings. Were creating a worldview that other peoples feelings are sovereign. The intentions of the offender do not matter, only the feelings of the offended. Even when the offenses happened doesnt matter. Five minutes ago or five years, its all the same. An official at Boeing was just forced out of his job for being wrong about something 33 years ago.

Instead of clear rules, rationally conceived and universally applied, the new rules are opaque, emotionally conceived and subjectively applied. If we lived under some fickle absolutist king, who arbitrarily decided what was offensive, outrageous, or even criminal, wed all recognize the illiberalism of it. But when a mob arbitrarily rules the same way, we call it social justice. Its really just the tyranny of feelings.

Various & Sundry

Goldberg update, four-legged and two: I finished writing this from the front passenger seat of the family funwagon barreling toward NYC. Were spending the Fourth with Grandma and Fafoon (Id watch that cop show). The quadrupeds are in good hands with Kirsten and she will be sending proof of life both this weekend and next week when we go to Alaska. Pippa continues to roll sporadically in stygian foulness. Zo continues to make outsized threats to critters. Ralph is warming to me, Gracie remains demanding. And I gotta go.

ICYMI

Last weeks G-File

Last weekends Ruminant

Pull out your Remnant bingo cards, everyone; its time for The Parties Are Weak!

Politics infects everything: NBA Edition

The weeks first Remnant, with return favorite Kevin Williamson

The members-only Midweek Epistle, in which the culture suddenly comes over to my side on the legacy of Woodrow Wilson

My appearance on Dan Crenshaws podcast, Hold These Truths

The weeks second Remnant, with the mellifluous Niall Ferguson

What if we voted like Belgians for a day?

The rest is here:

Isn't It Romantic? - The Dispatch

Posted in Rationalism | Comments Off on Isn’t It Romantic? – The Dispatch

Pokmon: The Perfect Party For An INTJ | TheGamer – TheGamer

Posted: at 10:29 am

Those who took the 16 Personalities quiz and come up with the Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging personality traitsareamong the rarest personality types around, making up just 2% of the population.

RELATED:Pokmon: Which Eeveelution Should You Pick For Your Zodiac?

The Myers-Briggs INTJ personality type is associated with some of the most capable people, acting as an enigma to all who think they know them. People with this personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, curious but focused. They love applying creativity and rationality to everything they do, working to the beat of their own private, complex inner minds. Heres an INTJs perfect Pokmon team, based on their personality type.

This Pokmons brain constantly grows, multiplying an infinite number of brain cells. This means Alakazam is one of the smartest Pokmon in the world, with an IQ that is said to be around 5,000.

INTJs approach life like a chessboard, always planning every move with precise consideration for the consequences. This personality type frequently outsmarts their opponents and peers, achieving any analytical goal they put their minds to. INTJs are also quick and imaginative, utilizing their strategic mind to improve their knowledge and plan for unforeseen abilities. They are the human equivalent of the move Future Sight, which makes Alakazam a perfect fit for this Trainer.

Alakazam is also said to remember and foresee everything that ever happens in history, as confirmed by the Pokmon Mystery Dungeon series. This ability will play to an INTJs highly curious nature, allowing them to see things from many different angles.

INTJs are often called the Architechs of society, referring to their hard-working and determined nature. They get stuff done, and they get it done well. If something takes their interest, they will see it through to the end, often putting in long hours and intense effort. The burly Machoke might seem like a contrast to the psychic strength of Alakazam, but this juxtaposition perfectly encapsulates the two sides of an INTJ.

INTJs are goal-oriented and if tasks lead to something clear and relevant, they strive to accomplish those tasks. If players pick up a copy of Pokmon Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald, they will be able to see a team of Machoke helping the player move into the Littleroot, which sums this personality type up perfectly.

Mewtwo is a Psychic-type Pokmon created by science. If players read the records found in Cinnabar Island's Pokmon Mansion, they can learn some details about the origins of Mewtwo, which somewhat explain its arrogant, vicious, and judgemental nature.

Born from a pregnant Mew, Mewtwo was restrained and analyzed in the Mansion, where evil scientists conducted gene-splicing experiments that eventually led to thePokmon destroying the Mansion and escaping. The experiments made Mewtwo extremely vicious, with a powerful disdain towards humanity.

RELATED:Pokmon: The 5 Best Legendary Groups (& 3 The Worst)

Its common to see an INTJ taking their confidence too far, believing that intelligence is what determines another persons worth. They sometimes believe that their analytical abilities set them apart from everyone else, which can come across as arrogant. This superiority complex is similar to Mewtwos, who believes they are the strongest Pokmon in existence.

INTJs also have complete confidence in their thought processes, which often leads to them rejecting other peoples opinions. Rational arguments are almost by definition correct, Mewtwo really probably is the strongest Pokmon in existence. However, emotional considerations led to Ash and Pikachu defeating Mewtwo in the anime. In a heartbreaking scene that scarred an entire generation, Ash sacrifices himself to stop Mew and Mewtwos battle. Illogical, yes, but it worked.

Ashs Charizard in the anime is renowned for originally loathing highly structured environments, breaking the rules, and ignoring Ashs commands whenever he could. This obstreperous nature is indicative of INTJs, who hate blindly followinganythingwithout first fully understanding why.

This dislike for authority is not nearly as strong as their dislike for authority figures who go around forcing others to obey laws and rules if they dont understand the purpose of the standard themselves. Power-hungry individuals should stay well clear of an INTJ, for their sake.

Charizards independence epitomizes an INTJs creativity, logic, and confidence. Ashs Charizard isnt afraid to stand on their own and take responsibility for their actions if he believes Ashs commands are wrong or irrational.

This Pokmon is the epitome of high self-confidence its glare can halt its opponent's movement in their tracks. INTJs trust their rationalism more than anything else so when they decide on something theres very little reason to doubt it. They will hold their ground and refuse to hold back.

RELATED:Pokmon: Which Grass-Type Are You, Based On Your D&D Alignment?

This honest, direct style of communication plays into their overly analytical personality. Serperiors noble stance channels the same vibe as an INTJs critical tone and their high level of picky thoroughness when dealing with others. Its a shame Serperior cant learn Mean Look to stop everyone except for extremely loyal and understanding friends, from fleeing.

This powerful Psychic/Fairy-type Pokmon is the embodiment of an INTJs open-mindedness, as long as the points are argued well. Gardevoir is also a Jacks-of-all-Trades, much like an INTJ, boasting impressive base stats and a powerful bond with its trainer, whom it will protect with its life.

If this Pokmon focuses its training on maximizing Special Attack and Speed to invest in its offensive capabilities, it can protect Alakazam from troublesome Dark-types with access to Moonbeam and healing moves like Healing Wish. Because of an INTJs open-mindedness, willpower, independence, confidence, and planning abilities, this Psychic-type Pokmon is a must for any INTJ team line-up.

NEXT: Which Pokmon Starter Suits You Best Based On Your Zodiac Type?

Next Pokmon: The 5 Ugliest Grass-Type Pokmon (& The 5 Cutest)

Sara Heritage is a freelance journalist for The Gamer. She is a First Class Honours graduate in Television and Radio from the University of Salford. You can find her searching for Raymond in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and looking forward to the day where she can get an irl cat of her very own.

More here:

Pokmon: The Perfect Party For An INTJ | TheGamer - TheGamer

Posted in Rationalism | Comments Off on Pokmon: The Perfect Party For An INTJ | TheGamer – TheGamer

Boom times for the Second Amendment, apparently – The Boston Globe

Posted: at 10:28 am

I dont accept the suggestion that self-preservation is the most important act we can carry out while alive. Think of the civil rights protesters in the 1960s who knew they were taking their lives into their own hands when they marched through racist strongholds like Alabama.

Being willing to die for a cause is a far more powerful force for change than the urge to protect your own life and family and property and to heck with everyone else, which seems to be the mentality of the predominantly white gun-owning populace in this country.

It is critical to practice pacifism and not engage in the techniques of the enemy, whether it is Donald Trump supporters who, armed, storm state capitols in protest over pandemic regulations or cops who pepper spray demonstrators.

Martin Luther King Jr. said that if you havent found something you are willing to die for, you arent fit to live.

Remy Trahant

Cambridge

Bullet points, so to speak

Re Black and white Americans are embracing the Second Amendment, the following should be noted:

Peter Sexton

Cohasset

Maybe we should start embracing gun associations

Once again, Jeff Jacoby has hit the nail on the head: (Black and white Americans are embracing the Second Amendment). Here in 2020, the best way to create equity and harmony among various demographic groups in America is not through education, legislation, or even the police, but by making sure that all groups are equally armed.

I had not heard of the National African American Gun Association, which Jacoby cites, but he has given me a great idea. I need to found a Boston chapter of the National Anti-gun Progressives Gun Association, because when the bullets start flying, even the gun-averse dont want to be caught with their holsters down.

Ill leave it up to others to start their own gun association chapters, for farmers, LGBTQ Americans, Asian-Americans, etc. Why shouldnt a solution for keeping the peace that worked in 1820 also work in 2020?

Some may view this as a dystopian future for America, but according to Jeff Jacoby, this is what the Second Amendment is for.

Nathan Aronow

Newton

Go here to read the rest:
Boom times for the Second Amendment, apparently - The Boston Globe

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Boom times for the Second Amendment, apparently – The Boston Globe

Has Anyone Told Kelly Loeffler The Second Amendment Applies To Everyone? – Above the Law

Posted: at 10:28 am

In 2015, a group called the National African American Gun Association formed with the intention to promote self-protection. Since the 2016 election, this organization has seen its membership soar, in some measure due to the concern (I would argue the fact) that the president of the United Sates is a racist who is emboldening racism in our society. The more black Americans embrace or utilize their Second Amendment rights in public, however, the more you see alarm being expressed by people who are traditionally pro-gun.

The most recent example came from Sen. Kelly Loeffler. Loeffler recently described Americans who were lawfully, and peacefully, carrying weapons as totally unacceptable and an example of mob rule. As Scott Shackford points out in his piece in Reason, it is not against the law to carry guns openly in public in Georgia, where Loeffler serves as a senator. In fact, Loeffler never accuses the armed individuals of breaking any laws, and in the very recent past, she has been an outspoken proponent of gun rights and expressed the need to protect and defend the Second Amendment. So, asks Shackford, [w]hat could possibly make a pro-gun-rights senator suddenly take such a dim view of citizens rights to bear arms? The only logical, and rather obvious answer is that in Georgia, the people legally carrying guns in public happened to be black.

It is simply stunning how the narrative around the right to bear arms can still change today, on national television no less, depending on the race of the gun owner. For example, when it was white armed Americans in Michigan who were protesting in their state capitol building, the president offered praise and a message of support. Yet, when the group is Black Lives Matter, even unarmed protests are described by this same president as hate coming down the street. Again, the inference for why there is such a difference in reaction between the two protests is absurdly obvious.

One of the most common narratives coming from pro-gun rights groups is that the only way to stop a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun. Although I happen to agree, it must also be acknowledged that this narrative can backfire when its a good black man with a gun stopping a bad guy trying to harm others. However, as activist Michael Render (otherwise known as Killer Mike) recently argued, such instances of injustice should not dissuade black people from owning guns. In fact, according to Render, it should encourage legal ownership in order to normalize it and to defend what you care about. Moreover, gun ownership is a right and, to Render, it is imperative that black Americans embrace all of their rights to use like tools in a toolbox.

Of course, gun ownership being viewed wildly different depending on the race of the owner is nothing new. Irrational and downright bigoted fears of black Americans possessing arms to defend themselves was the primary cause of this countrys first gun control laws. Laws, it should be said, that are not applied evenly to this day. Which is why I have argued that gun laws are, as a general matter, destructive, ineffective, and unnecessary.

The good news is that American views on race are increasingly improving, and hopefully, normalization of black gun ownership can inevitably increase. But as Loeffler and the president often demonstrate, there is still a lot of work to be done in regard to viewing black gun ownership in a positive light, or even just a neutral light.

Tyler Brokers work has been published in the Gonzaga Law Review, the Albany Law Review, and is forthcoming in the University of Memphis Law Review. Feel free to email himor follow him onTwitterto discuss his column.

Read more:
Has Anyone Told Kelly Loeffler The Second Amendment Applies To Everyone? - Above the Law

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Has Anyone Told Kelly Loeffler The Second Amendment Applies To Everyone? – Above the Law

Your Second Amendment Rights are in Jeopardy! Take a Stand #GUNVOTE – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Posted: at 10:28 am

#GUNVOTE

USA -(AmmoLand.com)- As the 2020 presidential election quickly approaches, many of the candidates platforms include proposals that severely threaten your Second Amendment rights.

From proposed bans on popular modern sporting rifles and ammunition to mandates for federal licensing and registration, these ill-informed proposals would strip away the rights of law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to protect public safety. It is time you make a choice and take a stand.

Visit http://www.gunvote.org then click on the 2020 presidential candidates to view their positions and quotes on Second Amendment issues.

Even between elections, target shooters, hunters, and gun owners would do well to stay informed about the issues that affect us. Becoming educated about the views, votes, and decisions of officeholders and those positioning themselves to run for office should be an ongoing concern. #GUNVOTE is here to help you to protect Americas firearms freedoms. Dont wait until election time. Become educated and keep yourself informed before its time to #GUNVOTE.

Protecting your rights has never been more important than it is today. Our national crisis has exposed the politicians who want to strip away our constitutional freedoms. Send them a message! Be a voter in the 2020 elections to protect your rights!

Help Drive Voter Registration NSSF is urging all industry businesses and activist-minded individuals to download and display NSSFs #GUNVOTE icon on their company websites and incorporate #GUNVOTE messages in their social media campaigns. Download everything you need here, and then link to gunvote.org, where visitors can find voter-registration information for their states and other helpful resources

About the National Shooting Sports Foundation

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations, and publishers. http://www.nssf.org

More here:
Your Second Amendment Rights are in Jeopardy! Take a Stand #GUNVOTE - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Your Second Amendment Rights are in Jeopardy! Take a Stand #GUNVOTE – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Opinion: Counterprotesters among cowards of the worst kind – The Cincinnati Enquirer

Posted: at 10:28 am

Counterprotesters watch a Black Lives Matter march as curfew approaches June 15 in Bethel, Ohio. Protesters took to the streets after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer kneeled on his neck, ignoring Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe.(Photo: Albert Cesare / The Enquirer)

Thirty-three years ago, I departed small-town America to become a cadet at West Point. Both places have been in the news lately, West Point for its unique, but not unprecedented, graduation on the plain and my hometown for all the wrong reasons.

At the end of four years at West Point, the Class of 1991 swore to defend the Constitution and President George H.W. Bush handed each of us our commissions. The Cold War was over. We watched Desert Storm on CNN, but were rewarded with assignments in Mogadishu, Srebrenicaand Port-au-Prince. For those who served beyond our five-year service obligation, Iraq and Afghanistan have consumed the balance of nearly 20 years.

More: 'We need to start talking about social awareness.' Clermont County activist organizes dialogue in Bethel

More: 2nd day of protests in Bethel results in 3 arrests, police say. 'Independent investigation' to follow

I have done nothing remotely heroic, but it has been my honor to serve in the company of brave men and women. Not the kind of folks who write tell-all books, rather professionals who quietly go about their business leading other Americans and our partners in pursuit of shared national interests.

The officer in Afghanistan sporting nothing but a conservative headscarf and a 9mm tucked neatly into her fashionable clutch while she engaged with local women.

My classmate who scooped a wounded child out of harms way as if she were one of his own.

The special forces officers who bear no resemblance to what Hollywood might have you believe and nothing like the posers seen in state capitols enjoying their rights under the Second Amendment.

The heroes I know wouldnt need a gun to make their point in small-town America, nor would they feel threatened by someone holding a sign. America isnt "battlespace"any more than it is Fallujah, Ramadi, Kandaharor Kabul.

Two weeks ago, my daughter sent me text messages with articles about an incident in Bethel, Ohio, associated with a small Black Lives Matter demonstration and the larger counter-protest it incited. Im not proud of my initial "glad I dont live there anymore" reaction. My mother, no longer a resident, heard gossip that one of my teachers children had been involved in the Black Lives Matter demonstration that led to the, at times, violent counter-protest.

Why trade in gossip? I called my second-grade teacher.

Yes, her daughter had been there. Yes, the Black Lives Matter demonstrators had sought and gained permission from the local authorities to hold their signs, socially distanced in front of the Grant Memorial Building a building named for Ulysses S. Grant and fellow West Point graduate, who would look on in horror with me, were he alive, at the ubiquity of stars and bars that have, in recent years, appeared in the Land of Grant. And yes, the woman who taught me in the second grade that being an American citizen was a privilege had attended the demonstration.

Black Lives Matter protesters and a counter protesters talk, Monday, June 15, 2020, along East Plane Street in Bethel, Ohio. Protesters took to the streets following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died on Monday, May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis after a white police officer kneeled on his neck, ignoring Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe.(Photo: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)

Sadly, the counter-protestors, some of whom were armed, tore her sign from her hands. Before long, she and her daughter left the demonstration fearing that physical harm might come to them if they stayed. But she didnt slink off; no, she communicated to local institutions of civil society, the most important fabric of our nation she stood before the Bethel Historical Society to explain her perspective, emailed the Catholic parish council in the same veinand spoke with media outlets whose very existence the First Amendment enshrines.

I probably know a few of the counter-protestors, though Im told many of them were from out of town. I would like to ask them this:"What about my retired, second-grade teacher holding a sign is so scary that it compels you to bring a gun to a peaceful demonstration? What about my second-grade teachers sign threatened you so much that you trampled her First Amendment rights while celebrating yours under the Second Amendment?" I dont have the luxury of picking and choosing which parts of the Constitution are worthy of defending.

More: Opinion: The Bethel I know has been mislabeled as racist

Since leaving Bethel for West Point, I have had the privilege of serving in and leading diverse organizations around the world. My leaders, peers, and subordinates have come in every color, been gay and straight, spoken a variety of languages other than English, and worshiped in ways never imagined back in Bethel. There are bad people in this world and with my teammates, I have done some small part in trying to defend our way of life from them. But to be clear, my second-grade teacher isnt an enemy.

The bullies with guns and baseball bats that showed up in Bethel probably arent either, but they can no longer be good people in my mind. They are cowards of the worst kind, people afraid of ideas who resort to the law of the jungle, not the rule of law, to make their inarticulate points. There can be no "good people on both sides"when one side is trampling on the Constitution.

Counter protesters scream at Black Lives Matter protesters, Monday, June 15, 2020, along East Plane Street in Bethel, Ohio. Protesters took to the streets following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died on Monday, May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis after a white police officer kneeled on his neck, ignoring Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe.(Photo: Albert Cesare / The Enquirer)

In 2006, I was blessed to watch a group of service members take the oath of U.S. citizenship in Baghdad while fighting under a flag that was not formally theirs until that day. They were already putting their lives on the line for the ongoing experiment that is our democracy. I cannot know, but strongly suspect, that they were clear on the responsibilities that come with the privilege of being a citizen, not just the rights it conveys. The violent counter-protestors need not travel as far as Iraq to learn the same lesson because I know a hero in a small town whose classroom is always open for those seeking knowledge and understanding. You wont find her lurking on social media or trolling the internet because she is too busy serving her community. She is as brave as the men and women I have met under trying circumstances abroad.

Having reflected on my initial "sure glad I dont live there anymore"reaction to the news from Bethel, I now offer a refined position: I am proud to say Bethel is my hometown because heroes like Lois Dennis, not pretend patriots, have had my back for the last four decades.

Matthew Darlington Morton lived in Bethel, Ohio, for 18 years. He is currently stationed at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, home of the United States Army War College, where he is a colonel and member of the faculty. These are his views and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Defense, United States Army, or the United States Army War College.

Matt Morton(Photo: Provided)

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2020/07/05/opinion-counterprotesters-among-cowards-worst-kind/5354708002/

See the rest here:
Opinion: Counterprotesters among cowards of the worst kind - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Opinion: Counterprotesters among cowards of the worst kind – The Cincinnati Enquirer

Donald Trump endorses Tony Gonzales to replace U.S. Rep. Will Hurd – The Texas Tribune

Posted: at 10:28 am

President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Tony Gonzales in the Republican primary runoff to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, three days after U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz shook up the race by backing Gonzales' opponent, Raul Reyes.

"[Gonzales] will be a GREAT Congressman for Texas!" Trump tweeted. "A Navy veteran, he is Strong on the Economy, Life and the Second Amendment. We need him to defeat the Radical Left in November. Tony has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

Gonzales welcomed Trump's endorsement, thanking him on Twitter. "Let's win in November!" Gonzales said.

Trump's backing is a dramatic intervention. Cruz endorsed Reyes on Tuesday and launched a TV ad buy for him through his leadership PAC.

Reyes and Gonzales, a former Navy cryptologist, are competing to take on Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic nominee for the seat, in one of the top pickup opportunities for Democrats nationwide. Jones is running again after nearly unseating Hurd in 2018.

Gonzales has the backing of Hurd as well as national GOP leaders. He has been endorsed by the top two Republicans in the House, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and Tom Emmer, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, has publicly promoted Gonzales.

But until Friday, Gonzales did not have the most powerful GOP endorsement of all: the president's. Gonzales had expressed hope for Trump's support in the primary, and on Monday, he teased that he would have "HUGE news to share later this week."

A day later, Cruz stepped in, saying the 23rd District "deserves strong conservative representation." His leadership PAC, the Jobs, Freedom, and Security PAC, launched a six-figure cable buy for Reyes at the same time, airing a 30-second spot with Cruz speaking to the camera.

"President Trump needs more congressmen like Col. Reyes, leaders who wont surrender our border, our sovereignty, our way of life," Cruz says in the ad.

Reyes has been campaigning as the purest Trump supporter in the runoff, pointing out that Gonzales is supported by Hurd, who has had occasional disagreements with the president. Last week, though, a Trump campaign adviser criticized Reyes for a mailer featuring the president's image superimposed alongside Reyes, calling it misleading and noting Trump had not endorsed in the runoff at that point.

While the Trump endorsement gives Gonzales a big boost in the primary runoff, it is likely less helpful for the general election. Trump lost the perennial battleground district by 4 percentage points in 2016, while Hurd carried it by 1.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee responded to the endorsement by noting that Trump could be a liability in the general election.

"This last-minute endorsement arrives too late to prevent the Republican contests turn into a bitter, vindictive and expensive mess, but just in time for Gonzales to own President Trumps losing record of raising health care costs in the general election," DCCC spokesman Avery Jaffe said in a statement. "With this toxic endorsement in a pro-Clinton and pro-Biden district, Tony Gonzales is now the overwhelming favorite to win on July 14 and lose on November 3. Congratulations, Tony!"

Continue reading here:
Donald Trump endorses Tony Gonzales to replace U.S. Rep. Will Hurd - The Texas Tribune

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Donald Trump endorses Tony Gonzales to replace U.S. Rep. Will Hurd – The Texas Tribune

Shreveport protests pause 4th of July weekend, will continue in future – Shreveport Times

Posted: at 10:28 am

To subscribe to The Times go to https://help.shreveporttimes.com/subscription-services Shreveport Times

After receiving mounting threats, local activistshit pause on Shreveport protests for the Fourth of July weekend, but vow to resume protests soon.

Representatives from 45 Days of Action-Shreveport, All Streets All People, Speak Up Shreveport, We The People and XPress Yourself Louisiana Artists and Creative Voices for Change were in attendance at a press conference on Saturday to discuss the cancellation and the goals of their movement.

"We felt it was more secure for us and our community to cancelthat protesttoday,'' PJ Brown-Coleman of 45 Days of Action-Shreveport. "That was a hard decision to come to. The organizers had several meetings throughout the week on what kind of contingency plans could we have. Could we beef up security? Do we have have enough manpower for what could arise? We unanimously decided that the protection and our security was more important than putting them in harm's way today.''

Others are reading: Louisiana U.S. Bill Cassidy may have misused campaign funds to join New York club

Independent activist William James said he called for the cancellation of the protest.

James' concern came following a tense situation last weekend between protesters at the Confederate Monument in Shreveport and counterprotesters.

"I live in downtown Shreveport. I work in downtown Shreveport,'' James said. "When I see grandma and grandpa walking with their grandchild toplay Pokemon Go throughout the streets of downtown Shreveport, how am I going to feel having called for a protest and being aware of all of the threats that were made?

"If you have one nervous Nellie thatdrops his pistol and doesn't put it on safety, and one round goes off and hits grandma, grandpa, (and) grandchildis just playing Pokemon Go and had nothing to do with the protests, how could I sleep at night?''

Omari Ho-Sang of All Streets All People/45 Days of Action speaks at a news conference on Saturday.(Photo: Scott Ferrell)

While organizers said they have received death threats, they also plan to resume the protests.

The Fourth of July weekend brought the additional concern of a long weekend and the possibility of out-of-town counterprotesters.

"We will continue to protest,'' Brown-Coleman said. "One of the reasons this particular protest was canceled was the Fourth of July is such an antsy holiday right now. It was imperative for us to cancel today.

Keep reading: Analysis: Masks may have prevented virus spread in protests

"We had a leadership meeting earlier in the week and someone made the statement that if a firework had popped last weekend, there would have been bloodshed... It was just the right call to make.''

When the protests resume, they will continue to press for the transformation of Shreveport.

"What does it mean to transform Shreveport?'' Omari Ho-Sang of All Streets All People/45 Days of Action asked. "One, hold those accountable for hurting our people. Thismeans law enforcement -- from the Civil Service Board down to the uniformed street police officer and to the district judges and department directors and decision makers.... Two, we will protect and provide for the needs of our communities. Way too many children are growing up in the confines of food deserts. .... Adequate education with the proper additional support to make sure that even in this pandemic that the majority of our population is not being served less than the best...

"Over 40 percent of the population in Shreveport is either working poor or straight up in poverty. That means they are one $400 emergency awayfrom complete destitution. In 2020 America, that's a product of the violence of silence. It's time to raise our voices. You want to protect your communities, it will take muchmore than the protection of your Second Amendment rights.''

More: A union under tension

Meanwhile, James will continue to push for the removal of the Confederate Monument.

He recalled growing up in Ledbetter Heights and walking with his mother down Texas Street opposite the courthouse and seeing men wearing hoods walking around the building.

He suggested the monument could be moved to the Louisiana State Museum or Oakland Cemetery.

"How can anybody who didn't fall under the approval of the Confederacy or fall in their good zone, how can we expect equal justice walking into that courthouse?'' James asked. "Whether we are the plaintiff or the defendant. How can we feel we are represented properly? The 14th amendment,at the end, it guarantees equal justice for all. For 39 years of my life, I've seen nothing but inequality. How can we expect justice for anybody going into that courtroom when you have a symbol of discrimination, a symbol of hate?''

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2020/07/05/shreveport-protests-pause-4th-july-weekend-resume-soon/5378045002/

Go here to see the original:
Shreveport protests pause 4th of July weekend, will continue in future - Shreveport Times

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on Shreveport protests pause 4th of July weekend, will continue in future – Shreveport Times

‘Until we are all free, no one is free,’ Richmond man says on Fourth of July – wtvr.com

Posted: at 10:28 am

RICHMOND, Va. -- Dozens of people flocked to the statue to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Richmond's iconic Monument Avenue Saturday to simply hang out, take pictures next to the monument or grill and pass out free food.

"Nothing but peace and unity," Brent Holmes explained. "We're out here just enjoying each other's company. You got people over there registering people to vote -- the most important thing on the planet."

Holmes was one of many who came to Monument Avenue on Independence Day. He's been peacefully protesting daily at the monument and around the city. While many across the country celebrated the nation's 244th birthday, Holmes said it was just another day for him.

"People can enjoy what they want to enjoy but you can't tell me to enjoy a holiday that wasn't meant for black people, period," Holmes said.

Others had similar views.

"The effect of colonialism and the effect of the racism that has permeated our culture," Gregory Cater said. "It's important for us to know that we have to make a change and that change is now."

John Mock agreed.

"Until we're all free, no one is free. That's equality for everyone," Mock said.

The holiday comes as the nation continues to have a discussion about racial justice.

"I'm emotional mainly because many of my friends have succumb to the racism and the police brutality that has taken place," Carter said.

Although he sees progress locally because of the Black Lives Matter movement, Holmes believes more work still needs to be done.

"If we can get together for a common goal, such as the Second Amendment, such as a 'no-knock' warrant, such as police brutality, then why can't we dig deeper and get together as a people," Holmes pondered. "We don't want anything more than you do. All we want to do is be equal."

Follow this link:
'Until we are all free, no one is free,' Richmond man says on Fourth of July - wtvr.com

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off on ‘Until we are all free, no one is free,’ Richmond man says on Fourth of July – wtvr.com