Monthly Archives: March 2022

The liberal, theatrical family of John Wilkes Booth were ‘every bit as interesting’ as the presidential assassin himself – ABC News

Posted: March 29, 2022 at 12:45 pm

You might know the basics when it comes to John Wilkes Booth, America's original three-named assassin.

His acting career. His pro-slavery stance. The gun at the theatre. "Sic semper tyrannis." The outpouring of grief for Abraham Lincoln.

But did you know that John Wilkes Booth came from one of the most prominent acting families in America?

That his dad's acting fame was only rivalled by his bigamy charges?

Or that Booth, one of history's most famous white supremacists, was raised in a home that was anti-slavery, atheist, and vegetarian?

The fascinating story of the Booth family, a wild bunch of actors, charmers, and drunks, is the focus of Booth, a novel by the American author Karen Joy Fowler.

But rather than shine a spotlight on John Wilkes Booth, Fowler focuses her attention on the people that surrounded him his famous dad, brother Edwin and sisters Rosalie and Asia all fascinating historical characters in their own right.

"I feel offended at the idea that a person who kills someone else is instantly an interesting person and more interesting than his brothers and sisters who didn't kill anybody," Fowler tells The Book Show on ABC RN.

"I think I wanted to make the argument that they were every bit as interesting as their notorious brother."

And interesting they were.

The children's father was Junius Brutus Booth, an English-born Shakespearean actor, who was a huge celebrity in 1820s and 1830s America.

The poet Walt Whitman was a fan, describing one of Junius's performances as "one of the grandest revelations of my life, a lesson of artistic expression".

Junius moved in exalted circles. He was friends with Edgar Allen Poe and the American general Sam Houston. He even had a brief friendship with the US president Andrew Jackson until in a twist that seems too strange to be true he sent the president a death threat.

In 1835, Junius wrote a letter to Jackson, demanding that the president pardon two pirates who had been sentenced to death. He wrote: "You damn'd old scoundrel I will cut your throat whilst you are sleeping."

Fowler says it's a strange coincidence, knowing that Junius's son John would go on to kill a president. But the letter wasn't given much attention at the time.

"[Junius] was not only famous as for his acting but also famous for his bouts of insanity, so I don't think anybody took his threats seriously and I'm not sure he intended them seriously," Fowler says.

Indeed, the legends about Junius Booth, and his strange behaviour, are numerous. He drank heavily, and his performances when he turned up could be wild and unpredictable.

There's a surprising story about a pigeon funeral he conducted near his home in Maryland. But the most shocking headline, with implications for his children in America, was his bigamy.

Junius Booth already had another wife and son back in England, Fowler explains.

"And then he fell in love with a pretty young woman named Mary Ann Holmes (John Wilkes Booth's mother) and he persuaded her to run away with him and ran all the way to America," she says.

"And whether Mary Ann knew there was (another) wife or not, is not at all clear."

Twenty-five years after her husband left England, Junius Booth's first wife, a woman called Adelaide, came looking for him. She stayed in Maryland for three years until she could be granted a divorce. Fowler says the scandal caused huge embarrassment for Booth's American children, including John.

"They were all strangely protective of the family name," Fowler says.

"They really wished to bring honour to it in some way, to do something that would make the family name an important one.

"They believed in their father's importance, and they tried their best to curate the stories about him so that his genius was the topic and not his strangeness.

"But I think whatever impulse they had towards trying to protect a family name was enormously heightened by learning that they were not actually his lawful children."

Junius Booth's politics were progressive for the time. He was opposed to slavery though he did hire slaves to work on the family farm. He also raised his children to be atheists, and vegetarians.

"I was surprised that anybody was a vegetarian during that period, and such a committed one as Julius Booth was," Fowler says, although she suspects the family didn't always stick to the diet while their father was travelling away from home.

So how did Junius's son, John Wilkes Booth, who was raised in such a progressive household, become the pro-slavery, confederate sympathiser who killed Abraham Lincoln?

"I think that [John's] politics came out of a period when he was at a boarding school," Fowler says.

"He was there with a lot of wealthy planters' sons, and I think that he wanted to be a part of that cohort.

"These people were wealthier than he was and higher placed than he was I think the family were all very hyper-sensitive on the issue of what it meant to be a Booth and whether they were respected."

Fowler says John was treated better than Edwin, his older brother, who often travelled with his father trying to keep him out of bars.

"His father was often very unkind," she says.

"And yet [Edwin] grew up much better adjusted a more careful, more charitable person then John, who was indulged at every moment."

Karen Joy Fowler's book is told from the perspective of three of John Wilkes Booth's five surviving siblings. (Four other Booth children didn't survive to adulthood.)

Before the assassination, Edwin Booth was by far the most famous.

After his difficult childhood, he went on to become an acclaimed actor in his own right, with some theatrical historians calling him the greatest actor of the 19th century.

He was most acclaimed for his portrayal of Hamlet with his quiet, naturalistic style standing in stark contrast to grand, bombastic performances that made his father a star.

Edwin's politics were vastly different to those of his brother. However, his association with John Wilkes Booth saw his career take a hit in the months after Abraham Lincoln was killed.

He is said to have disowned his brother after the assassination, forbidding the name John Wilkes Booth to be spoken in his house.

Far more forgiving was his sister, Asia Booth, who eventually became a writer of books and poetry. Amongst her works was a book called John Wilkes Booth: A Sister's Memoir.

Fowler says the book reveals Asia's unwavering love for her brother, even after his terrible crime.

"Even as she tries, at the end, to agree that what he did was terrible she can't help but defend him," Fowler says. "You can see her forgiving him."

The third sibling featured in Fowler's book is the eldest Booth daughter, Rosalie. Unlike her famous siblings, Rosalie was a mystery to Fowler.

"Very little about her remains," Fowler says.

"Her brothers and sisters always refer to her as an invalid and as 'Poor Rose'. I can't even find what was actually wrong with her if anything was actually wrong with her."

In Fowler's retelling, Rosalie is a gentle woman who gradually descends into a quiet alcoholism.

"There was just this sort of hushed polite discussion of Rosalie's infirmities, and one source that I read suggested that that that she drank quite a bit.

"Their grandfather was a terrible drunk, their father was a terrible drunk, the brothers were terrible drunks, so it would not surprise me if she had a tipple now and then."

While Booth is a novel, Karen Joy Fowler says she tried at every moment to stick to proven facts. In parts, though, the truth is still hard to pin down.

"The problem is that there is a lot of mythology around the family as well," she says.

"So if you're trying to write a book, and you are trying, as I was trying, not to be inaccurate, it's a struggle to sift what appears to have been truth from stories that people told about them later."

Go here to see the original:

The liberal, theatrical family of John Wilkes Booth were 'every bit as interesting' as the presidential assassin himself - ABC News

Posted in Liberal | Comments Off on The liberal, theatrical family of John Wilkes Booth were ‘every bit as interesting’ as the presidential assassin himself – ABC News

Golf clubs and sports cars: Whos ruining your neighbourhood? Its the Liberals – The Age

Posted: at 12:45 pm

There is no point putting a very low income, probably welfare-dependent, family in the best street in Brighton where the children cannot mix with others or go to school with other children or where they do not have the same ability to have the latest sneakers and iPhones, said Victorian Liberal MP Wendy Lovell last week during a parliamentary debate on homelessness and public housing.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy conceded the comments were clumsy but made with the best intention.

Lovell was right about one thing, we need to talk frankly about whats happening in the best streets of our neighbourhoods.

This is a delicate and painful conversation, but its time to break the taboo around the subject. Because theres no point in people living where they dont actually fit in. Alas, this is precisely whats going on: in so many neighbourhoods we find people who stand out like a sore thumb.

These people might describe themselves as tree-changers, sea-changers, empty-nesters, aspirationals, or, most commonly, established residents. They each have a story about how they wound up where they are, wearing white sneakers, flashing the latest iPhones, which they have no idea how to use. But theres no sanitising reality: theyre Liberals.

They are not to be confused with Greens, with which they share certain characteristics, both breeds being members of the same Affluent family. But look closely, and youll discern some unique features. They are often observed swinging golf clubs, and berthing yachts unfortunately these are boats we cannot stop. Theyre tennis-elbowing to the front of the queue of grocery stores stocking multi-coloured watermelon and artisanal fig crusted heritage sourdough for $30 a loaf. Their Ferraris, Bentleys and Mercs clog local roads like plaque clogs arteries.

Victorian Liberal MP and party housing spokeswoman Wendy Lovell.

Over and over we see the same sad trajectory. The neighbourhood is a fragile ecosystem; it doesnt take many Liberals to tip the balance. Too many Liberals and the shopping strip is reduced to a dreary succession of antique sellers and exclusive knitwear.

In the winters, the older generation migrates north; in the summers, they swan off to Aspen. During these seasons the Liberals offspring and descendants are left to house sit. At such times the tragic and deepening cycle of intergenerational dysfunction and substance abuse is thrown into sharp relief.

We might forgive the older generation of Liberal for occasionally crashing their Jaguar into a family home after consuming just a few wines at a friends dinner, and is later found to have a blood-alcohol reading of more than twice the legal limit.* We can muster compassion for the Liberal accused of inadvertently chair sniffing while at a fundraiser for the Peter Reith Foundation for Industrial Democracy.

Excerpt from:

Golf clubs and sports cars: Whos ruining your neighbourhood? Its the Liberals - The Age

Posted in Liberal | Comments Off on Golf clubs and sports cars: Whos ruining your neighbourhood? Its the Liberals – The Age

Federal NDP, unions happy with Liberals including strikes in anti-scab law – The Globe and Mail

Posted: at 12:45 pm

Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Labour and MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl speaks at the Confederation Building in St. John's on Feb. 14.Paul Daly/The Canadian Press

Including striking workers in a proposed anti-scab bill was a major component of negotiations while hashing out a confidence and supply agreement with the Liberal government, according to the NDP.

The deal promises to introduce a new law by the end of next year that would ban the use of replacement workers also known as scabs if unionized workers in federally regulated sectors are locked out or on strike.

Its a huge win, said Matthew Green, the NDPs deputy labour critic.

The use of importing replacement workers completely undermines the democratic principles of having unions and collective bargaining.

The Liberals committed to limit the use of replacement workers in their 2021 election platform, and that is repeated in the mandate letter for Labour Minister Seamus ORegan.

But theres a key difference: the mandate letter specifies the rules would apply when workers are locked out by their employer. The deal with the NDP also includes workers who are on strike.

A spokesperson for ORegans office said the change is reflective of ongoing conversations and feedback from stakeholders, but Green said the NDP is taking credit for using our power to put it on the table.

The Canadian Labour Congress said that difference is important because almost 85 per cent of federal work stoppages are strikes, not lockouts.

Unions have been lobbying for the change for decades, and both the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP have introduced anti-scab bills in the past. Theyve all been defeated by Liberal and Conservative votes.

In 2007 then-Bloc MP Richard Nadeau told the House of Commons he wanted to amend the Canada Labour Code to prohibit strikebreakers and end the disparity between the labour codes of Canada and Quebec.

Quebecs law was adopted by the Rene Levesque government in 1977 after a number of bitter labour conflicts. British Columbia is the only other Canadian jurisdiction with a similar law, which has been on the books since 1993.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada, whose 240,000 members include the federal public service, said it welcomes the pledge. But national president Chris Aylward said the government must move quickly to enact it.

That cautious optimism was echoed by Mark Hancock, the national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Ill really believe it when I see it, but were really happy about it, he said.

Hancock said bringing in replacement workers shifts the power dynamic in a labour dispute.

Its like dropping a grand piano on a scale, he said.

When we go on strike and were giving up that paycheque, its a strong incentive for us to stay at the bargaining table and work out a deal. Employers who can utilize scab labour dont have that same incentive to negotiate in good faith.

Toronto labour lawyer Chantel Goldsmith said anti-replacement worker laws, on the other hand, give unions a ton of leverage during collective bargaining and could be hugely detrimental to employers.

If the employer knows that they cant have a replacement worker, then their hands are almost tied in that they have to kind of agree with the unions demands, she said.

A 2009 study in the journal Canadian Public Policy found that anti-scab laws lead to more strikes but shorter ones.

In addition to the federal public service, the proposed rules would apply to many federal Crown corporations as well as broadcasting and telecommunications companies, grain elevators, feed and seed mills, and transportation infrastructure including airlines, airports, ports, marine shipping, railways and road transportation services.

Given those important transportation links, there could be wider implications on supply chains and other businesses if strikes become more frequent.

After two years of pandemic where small businesses have been hurt by the pandemic, many of them had to contract a huge level of debt, said Jasmin Guenette, the vice-president of national affairs with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

The impact of work stoppage for those large companies has a direct impact on many small businesses because they rely on (that) infrastructure to get access to the products that they need, or products they need to ship.

The hope for the NDP is that provincial governments will follow the federal governments lead, once the changes become law.

We have to hold them accountable to the commitments theyve made in the agreement, Green said.

The federal labour minister said the Liberals will draft the bill carefully.

It is important that we get this right and well be consulting with stakeholders and conducting policy research and analysis before legislation is brought forward, ORegan said in a statement.

Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the days most important headlines. Sign up today.

Read more:

Federal NDP, unions happy with Liberals including strikes in anti-scab law - The Globe and Mail

Posted in Liberal | Comments Off on Federal NDP, unions happy with Liberals including strikes in anti-scab law – The Globe and Mail

Liberal constitutional scholar smacks down Dems for demanding that Clarence Thomas be impeached: ‘Raging impeachment addiction’ – TheBlaze

Posted: at 12:45 pm

Jonathan Turley a constitutional scholar, professor at George Washington University Law School, and self-described "liberal" rebuffed Democrats on Sunday for demanding that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas be impeached.

Leftists and Democrats called for Justice Thomas to resign or be impeached last week over text messages that his wife, Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, sent then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows after the 2020 election.

The messages urged Trump's staff to fight against certification of election results. None of the messages referred to Justice Thomas or the Supreme Court. Most of the messages were sent in November 2020, while one message was sent the day after Jan. 6.

Critics of Justice Thomas claimed the messages are proof that Justice Thomas is ethically compromised and therefore necessitate his resignation or impeachment despite zero evidence that Justice Thomas has committed any wrongdoing.

According to Turley, the reaction from Democrats is par for the course, because when you're a hammer, everything is a nail.

Turley explained in an essay that impeachment demands against Justice Thomas are "entirely disconnected from any constitutional or logical foundation" and demonstrate how Democrats have a "raging impeachment addiction."

The constitutional scholar explained his rationale in three points:

What is most ironic about the impeachment demands, Turley noted, is that Democrats have previously praised efforts questioning the electoral legitimacy of former President George W. Bush.

But the demands also pose a significant problem, one the Founding Fathers sought to avoid.

"The calls for the impeachment of Justice Thomas are ludicrous but there is nothing laughable about the impeachment addiction fueling this frenzy," Turley wrote. "People of good faith can disagree on the need of Thomas to recuse himself from certain Commission-related cases.

"However, impeaching Thomas based on these grounds would expose all justices to the threat of politically motivated impeachments as majorities shift in Congress," he explained. "That is precisely what the Framers sought to avoid under our Constitution."

Read more:

Liberal constitutional scholar smacks down Dems for demanding that Clarence Thomas be impeached: 'Raging impeachment addiction' - TheBlaze

Posted in Liberal | Comments Off on Liberal constitutional scholar smacks down Dems for demanding that Clarence Thomas be impeached: ‘Raging impeachment addiction’ – TheBlaze

The NT’s Country Liberal Party to introduce bill stipulating automatic prison time for assaults on police, frontline workers – ABC News

Posted: at 12:45 pm

A bid by the Northern TerritoryOpposition to impose automatic prison terms on those who assault police officers and other frontline workers has been branded as a "headline grab" by the Labor government.

The Country Liberal Party said it planned to introduce the Sentencing Amendment Bill 2022 to the Northern Territory parliament this week, a legal reform which, inthe unlikely event it passes parliament, would mean mandatory prison for anyone who assaults a frontline worker.

Already, the Territory has mandatory sentencing for those who cause physical harm to a police officer, however,the CLP's new laws would go a step further.

"We know that police and frontline workers are being assaulted at hideous ratesand, as crime continues to increase across the Territory, unfortunately, what we're going to see is more people on the frontline assaulted while doing their job," Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said yesterday.

"It's really important to us that we send a serious message to would-be offenders that, if they assault a police or frontline worker, they are going to have an actual term of imprisonment."

Ms Finocchiaro denied the CLP's policy would put a strain on the Territory's already-crowded jails.

A lack of support from the Gunner government which criticised the bill and holds the majority of votes on the floor of parliament means the bill is likely to be voted down.

When asked yesterdayif the government would support mandatory sentencing for those who assault emergency workers, the Northern Territory'sleader of government business, Natasha Fyles, said it was "a very complex situation".

"Mandatory sentencing is a headline grab by the opposition," Ms Fyles said.

Police Minister Nicole Manison said the Territory"already has some of the toughest penalties in the country for those who assault police".

However, she said, a review was underway to "identify any gaps" where laws protecting police and frontline workers might "be strengthened".

While the government has been backing its recent record on crime, ongoing attacks are still taking place in broad daylight, and ongoing and regular assaults on frontline workers.

The NT Police Association said a "mandatory term of imprisonment would go some way toward community expectations as punishment for the physical and mental impact of an assault".

Continued here:

The NT's Country Liberal Party to introduce bill stipulating automatic prison time for assaults on police, frontline workers - ABC News

Posted in Liberal | Comments Off on The NT’s Country Liberal Party to introduce bill stipulating automatic prison time for assaults on police, frontline workers – ABC News

Academic freedom is under assault we have a sacred duty to protect it | TheHill – The Hill

Posted: at 12:44 pm

We are living in a period in which belief and assertion seem to have the same currency as knowledge and fact, with a widespread aversion to critical thinking and science and evidence-based fact. It is an age in which civil discourse and the respectful exchange of diverse ideas has given way to toxic,fact-freead hominemattacks.

The health of our American participatory democracy depends on an informed citizenry making knowledge-driven choices, thinking critically, analyzing information and determining what is true and relevant in our world.

But we see today in the political arena and in public discourse that health is tenuous at best as higher education comes under assault in many states. At least 16 states are considering or have already signed into law bills that punish teachers for discussing critical race theory (CRT) or similar topics.

For centuries, Americas colleges and universities have played a central role in preparing citizens for participation in civil society, helping students become independent thinkers, analyze problems and identify creative solutions, and to understand that American democracy was built on the importance of a plurality of political philosophies and ideologies.

Higher educations ability to fulfill this critical role is entirely dependent on two defining factors. The first is the independence and autonomy of colleges and universities to set their own course, to determine their own mission and the ways in which that mission is fulfilled, and to determine what is taught in the context of that mission.This independence has been a critical and respected component of higher education since the 1819 Supreme Court Ruling in Dartmouth College vs. Woodward.

The second defining factor is academic freedom. The 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, by the American Association of University Professors, identifies the basic tenets of academic freedom:

Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole.

Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher and of the student to freedom in learning.

Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject.

In addition, a 2010 article inInside Higher Ednoted, Academic Freedom means that the political, religious, or philosophical beliefs of politicians, administrators, and members of the publiccannot be imposed on students or faculty.

Given these principles, it is alarming to see the rising number of attempts, increasingly successful, by governors and state legislatures to interfere in the historical autonomy of higher education, and to erode academic freedom by dictating to faculty what can and cannot be taught:

In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi NoemKristi Lynn NoemUtah GOP governor vetoes transgender sports ban Noem signs bill that rejects 'divisive' race trainings at South Dakota universities National Park Service denies Noem's request for July 4th fireworks at Mount Rushmore MORE recently signed legislation banning state public universities from offering materials and training that she says could cause racially based discomfort.

Trustees of colleges and universities see their responsibility to protect their institutions from outside interference as a sacred duty. But it is becoming increasingly difficult, and in a few cases they themselves have become the problem, as in the Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure case at the University of North Carolina.

This kind of political interference constitutes an assault on the core attributes of higher education in America autonomy and academic freedom that make ours the best higher education system in the world. Politicians have far more important things to do than question the expertise and motives of tens of thousands of committed faculty and their institutions.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the health of our political system is, in great part, contingent upon the independence and autonomy of Americas colleges and universities, enabling them to graduate students with the intellectual skills, abilities and knowledge to be effective participants in American democracy.

David Maxwell is president emeritus of Drake University and a senior fellow/senior consultant for the Association of Governing Boards. Tara D. Sonenshine is professor of practice at The Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and former under-secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs.

See the rest here:

Academic freedom is under assault we have a sacred duty to protect it | TheHill - The Hill

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on Academic freedom is under assault we have a sacred duty to protect it | TheHill – The Hill

80-year-old war veteran takes on the Idaho Freedom Foundation – Idaho EdNews

Posted: at 12:44 pm

Jim Jones was an Idaho farm boy who went from the trenches of Vietnam to a prominent state attorney before leading Idahos highest court.

On the verge of his 80th birthday, the former judge is retired, but hes not slowing down.

For months, Jones has been battling the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a bold conservative lobbying group under scrutiny for its tactics and influence.

Hes also a leading voice of a new group bent on challenging lawmakers who do the Freedom Foundations bidding at the Statehouse.

Its a fight Jones refuses to sit out because, for him, its about preserving education and democracy. And as he sees it, retiring has opened the way for saying things he kept bottled up for years as a judge.

Im damn tired of it sick and tired of it, he told EdNews of the Freedom Foundations tactics and influence at the Idaho Capitol.

Growing up on a farm in Eden in the 1950s, Jones reflected on his future at a young age. By middle school, he knew what he wanted or thought he did.

Hearing his Uncle Randy, an engineer and an ideal figure for Jones, tell of his time building bridges in Afghanistan, Jones decided to follow suit.It felt exotic and it felt right, he recalled. Plus, he was good at math, so engineering made sense.

After high school, he enrolled in an engineering program at Idaho State College in Pocatello. Then he heard John F. Kennedys inauguration speech, which changed everything. Jones recalled the date, Jan. 20, 1961, and the Presidents famous appeal for Americans to ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

It was like a bolt of lightning, Jones recalled.

Kennedys request put Jones on a different path. Instead of building bridges in Afghanistan, his pursuits would take him to Vietnam and a career in public service in Idaho.

But he had other plans first.

Reflecting on Kennedys life, Jones noticed themes. The president was a lawyer and a prior U.S. senator. His election opponent, Richard Nixon, had followed a similar career path.

Jones didnt want to be president, so he set his sights on the U.S. Senate.

There was another theme in Kennedys life: military service.

While at Idaho State, Jones applied for theReserve Officers Training Corps, which was then a requirement for young men.But a car crash in high school had left both of his legs broken and one inches shorter than the other. The injury barred him from joining.

Disheartened but undeterred, he again changed course, dropping engineering for the University of Oregons political science program a better fit for law school, he thought, and, maybe, a second swing at ROTC membership.

He walked into the Eugene, Ore.-based campuss ROTC office and signed up, this time keeping the accident and his injury under wraps.

That Senate seat felt one step closer.

Jones earned his political science degree in 1964 and enrolled in law school at Northwestern University.

He had changed. Time on both campuses was politically eye opening, he said, recallingan embarrassing moment when a University of Oregon professor criticized a speech he gave on disgraced former Army general Edwin Walker.

I was spewing out a lot of right-wing crap, said Jones, adding that he still left Eugene a Republican, despite more moderate views and a pledge to consider issues more broadly.

His grasp on the U.S. Senate and the divisiveness of American politics was also emerging. The summer before law school, he interned for U.S. Sen. Len B. Jordan and helped with Jordans hot-and-heavy political campaign.

I knew he wasnt telling the truth, Jones said of campaign rhetoric from then-congressmen Ralph Harding, a Democrat challenging Jordans Senate seat by attacking his campaign finances.

Jones ran an op-ed in the Twin Falls Times-News defending Jordan and garnered an unexpected response. A full-spread ad in the paper soon after painted Jones as a paid political lackey lying for Jordan. Jones flashed a photo of the ad, which he keeps in a file at home and on his cell phone.

Jordan regained his Senate seat, but Jones would have to wait years for his own run. He finished law school in1967, went on active duty in the Army and volunteered for combat duty in Vietnams Ty Nihn Province, where he worked as an admin officer in aerial artillery, mostly pushing papers.

He had a law degree, but his military focus was on big guns. He recalled the hydraulic lift needed to load the 200-lb. bullets that ripped through the jungle.Ive had hearing problems ever since, he said, pointing to his ear.

Two things drove his path toward artillery, despite having a law degree: he was good at math and the military program for lawyers, Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), required four years of service, rather than the two needed for artillery.

I wanted to get military experience, not make a life out of it, said Jones.

Still, Vietnam changed his life. He went on to publish a book, Vietnam, Cant Get You Out of My Head, which recounted his 407-day tour flying over the province, calling in artillery on suspected Viet Cong operations, living and working with South Vietnamese forces and helping at a church-run orphanage that communists shuttered after the war.

There were high points. Jones recalled a Christmas party for orphans, where he handed out umbrellas for local women. He reunited with one woman who remembered him as the guy with the umbrellas, in 2018.

His work at the orphanage earned him an Army Commendation Medal. He was honorably discharged as a captain in August of 1969.

The war would also play a part in his eventual departure from the Republican party.

After another stint in Washington, D.C., assisting Sen. Jordan, Jones moved back to Idaho in 1973 to practice law in Jerome and prep for his long-awaited Senate run.

It came in 1990, but he lost to then-U.S. Rep. Larry Craig.

Congressional election failures had by then plagued Jones, who lost two prior runs for the U.S. House in 1978 and 1980.

He ran for Idaho Attorney General in 1982, and won.He was AG for eight years.It wasnt Congress, but issues of the time were potent, and marked some of his most notable work, including arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court shortly after his election and leading a landmark settlement with Idaho Power that shaped use of the states water resources for decades to come.

The water battle brought Jones back to his prior political work for Sen. Jordan. Teaming up with Idaho Falls native Bruce Newcomb, who would later become Idahos House Speaker, he led an effort to unseat lawmakers who supported Idaho Power.

Our message was if you support the power company, were coming after you, Jones said, casting the approach as a precursor to his latest efforts with Newcomb to rid the GOP of the Idaho Freedom Foundations Statehouse acolytes.

After two terms as AG, Jones returned to his private practice in Boise for 15 years before gaining a seat on the Idaho Supreme Court in 2005. He ran unopposed in 2010 and became chief justice in August 2015 by a vote of his peer justices. He retired in 2016.

I figured 12 years was enough, he said of his time on the bench.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two weeks later.

Five years later, Jones says hes cancer free and ready to take on the Idaho Freedom Foundation, and its assault on education.

Along with Newcomb, Jones and other former Republican office holders recently formed Take Back Idaho, which aims to redirect Idahos GOP from thesad state of affairs of a once-admired party.

Jones spearheaded the effort last year by organizing a Zoom meeting with several leaders who share a distaste for the Freedom Foundations influence.

(Jones) is like the Energizer Bunny, said Jennifer Ellis, a Republican, Blackfoot rancher and the groups newly named president.

Other notable names have since joined the ranks:

Public education is a main focus for the group and for Jones, who described his efforts as saving the schools from the Freedom Foundation, whichhas ramped up its criticism of public education in recent years, decrying public educators as peddlers of social justice indoctrination and critical race theory.

In 2019, Freedom Foundation president Wayne Hoffmanargued that government shouldnt be in the education business.Last year, Republican lawmakers who often echo the Freedom Foundations talking points at the Statehouse led the way in tanking a$6 million federal early childhood education grant that would have helped cover preschool costs in communities across the state and given childcare relief to working parents.

Jones last month jumped headfirst into the debate, publishing a column introducing Take Back Idaho and blasting the Freedom Foundation for the sorry state of Idaho politics.

By coddling receptive legislators and punishing those who dont heed its orders, IFF has established a firm grip over the votes of too many GOP legislators, he wrote.

Ellis told EdNews that Take Back Idaho is still gauging candidates to support and oppose with a historic May primary capable of reshaping the states political landscape approaching.

There are tons of candidates, so were still assessing, she said, emphasizing the groups eye on defeating those in line with the Freedom Foundation.

Jones keyed in on one lawmaker. In a recent interview with EdNews, he pointed to Rep. Ron Nate, a Rexburg Republican who this session tried to cut more than $1.3 million from the states higher education budget, citing nearly dollar-for-dollar breakdowns and language compiled by the Freedom Foundation. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted Nate down.

Meanwhile,Freedom Foundation leaders have hit back at Jones and his group. The day after Jones February column ran, Hoffmanaccused him of lying.

Isnt it interesting how leftists will straight up lie to you about issues you care about in order to win popular support? Hoffman wrote.

The Freedom Foundation does not respond to media inquiries, but other attacks on Jones have surfaced. Freedom Foundation board member and Bonneville County Republican Committeeman Doyle Beck lumped Jones into a list of Take Back Idaho Rinos Republicans in Name Only.

Jones doesnt hide his disassociation with the Republican party. He remembers the year, month and reason for breaking ranks. It was August of 2002,following false claims from Republican leaders of weapons of mass destruction as a justification for the Iraq war. His time in Vietnam, and justifications for war there, contributed to his decision to leave the party, he said.

Jones, who now calls himself an Independent, dismissed Hoffmans column, but found amusement in it.

If you provoke Wayne, youre liable to get some really wonderful Gems, he said with a smile.

EdNews assistant editor and reporter Devin Bodkin is a former high school English teacher who specializes in stories about charter schools and educating students who live in poverty. He lives and works in East Idaho. Follow Devin on Twitter @dsbodkin. He can be reached by email at [emailprotected].

The rest is here:

80-year-old war veteran takes on the Idaho Freedom Foundation - Idaho EdNews

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on 80-year-old war veteran takes on the Idaho Freedom Foundation – Idaho EdNews

People in Your Neighborhood: La Jolla artist Edna Pines honors freedom, father and nature in new exhibit – La Jolla Light

Posted: at 12:44 pm

Painting her way through her thoughts on family, freedom and facets, La Jolla artist Edna Pines will display several of her images in a solo show at BFree Studio in The Village.

The exhibit, called The Many Shades of Us, will run from Thursday, March 31, through Sunday, April 17, at 7857 Girard Ave.

The show, which contains seascapes, birds, florals and other paintings inspired by nature, is so titled because starting with myself, I have many shades, Pines said. We all have different personalities; we wear different masks for different occasions and different people.

Thus, her paintings are done in a variety of materials and methods. Pines has so much creativity in my head that I cannot stick to one style. Im multifaceted, she said.

Hidden Treasure is one of Edna Pines seascapes.

(Courtesy of Edna Pines)

One element that is consistent throughout is her use of color. I want to make people happy when they look at my paintings, she said. I want the excitement of the color, the vibrancy of bringing color from nature into their soul and ignite some happy memories that they have.

Pines and her family immigrated to San Diego from Iran after her uncle was executed during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 for being Jewish and having power under the shahs former regime. They ended up in La Jolla.

As a young teenager, Pines struggled with English once arriving in California and experienced a huge adjustment [learning] about the culture, the people, the food, the language diversity in this beautiful country, she said.

Newsletter

Get the La Jolla Light weekly in your inbox

News, features and sports about La Jolla, every Thursday for free

Enter email address

Sign Me Up

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the La Jolla Light.

Pines said shes been an artist since she was able to hold a pen in her hand, forming images in her mind from clouds and cracks in the pavement the small things in life.

But she stopped creating due to the shock of having to leave her home country.

We didnt plan on coming here permanently, she said. My dad had to stay behind [in Iran] for nine years.

Eventually, Pines began babysitting and using the money to buy art supplies.

I started doing what I was always passionate about, she said. I love making things out of nothing. I was very creative that way. Doing that helped me become happy again. And it was like finding my new best friend.

Painting helped me a great deal to learn and to stand on my own feet and believe in myself and be stronger. Being inspired by nature pulled me out of the pit and gave me a voice, she added.

When youre in the ocean or you look at it, you feel a sense of the way it pulls you in and welcomes you, and then at the same time pushes you out, throws you out to deal and learn to survive.

With The Many Shades of Us collection, Pines endeavored to honor the freedom I felt coming to this country, the emotional pull and the push that I had experienced, and I still experience, because Im still growing, she said.

Being inspired by nature pulled me out of the pit and gave me a voice.

Edna Pines

The exhibit also pays homage to her fathers happiness at seeing her art now.

My dad has Alzheimers. When he sees my paintings he knows who I am, Pines said, pausing to collect herself. He may not remember that I am his daughter, but he remembers that I am an artist and theres light in his eyes again.

When: Thursday, March 31, through Sunday, April 17. An artist reception with Edna Pines will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 2. She will give an artist talk at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 7, and paint live at 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the exhibition.

Where: BFree Studio, 7857 Girard Ave., La Jolla

Cost: Free

Information: bfreestudio.net

People in Your Neighborhood shines a spotlight on notable locals we all wish we knew more about. If you know someone youd like us to profile, send an email to robert.vardon@lajollalight.com.

Originally posted here:

People in Your Neighborhood: La Jolla artist Edna Pines honors freedom, father and nature in new exhibit - La Jolla Light

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on People in Your Neighborhood: La Jolla artist Edna Pines honors freedom, father and nature in new exhibit – La Jolla Light

Freedom Federal Credit Union earns multiple consumer and industry awards for service and community outreach – Baltimore Sun

Posted: at 12:44 pm

After Forbes.com recognized Freedom Federal Credit Union as one of the best credit unions in the state of Maryland, the credit was named Harford Magazines 2021Best of Harford in the category of Banks and Credit Unions, Harford County Livings Favorite Local Financial Institution for 2021 and Best of the Best for outstanding member service by MemberXP which is a leader in customer service solutions.

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our membership. Your recognition is the single biggest compliment we could have received, Mike MacPherson, Freedoms President and CEO, said. Although we are not in this business for the recognition, its something we can take pride in when it does come. Mostly, we are proud to be a credit union made up of employees, board directors, committee volunteers, and members, who are all working to better the communities we serve in meaningful ways.

Additionally,, Freedom was named a Trailblazer by the MD|DC Credit Union Association for their original social impact challenge, the #FreedomToHelpChallenge. The viral challenge drew national attention from the Marketing Association of Credit Unions, where the campaign won Best in Show for its ingenuity and community impact.

Freedom Federal Credit Union is a community-chartered federal credit union offering consumer financial services to those who live, work, volunteer, worship, attend school or have family in Harford and Baltimore County. Freedom offers a full-line of banking services for all businesses, associations and other organizations that are based in Harford or Baltimore County. Also, members can use the online and mobile banking, 24/7 customer support and a network of over 80,000 ATMS with no fees.

Freedom has been in business since 1953 and has six locations throughout Harford and Baltimore County. Freedom annually supports more than 80 local causes that are important to its members, staff and the communities at large, according to a news release.

The credit union encourages employees to volunteer their time and skills to better serve their community, including serving on local nonprofit boards. Organizations including the Harford Community College Foundation and Harford Family House honored Freedom for their commitments last year. To learn more, visit freedomfcu.org.

Original post:

Freedom Federal Credit Union earns multiple consumer and industry awards for service and community outreach - Baltimore Sun

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on Freedom Federal Credit Union earns multiple consumer and industry awards for service and community outreach – Baltimore Sun

‘Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom’ to be displayed in White Plains until June – The Journal News

Posted: at 12:44 pm

Archaeologists discover historic home of Harriet Tubman's father

Chief archaeologist Julie Schablitsky discusses the work at the site and the impact of sea-level rise.

USA TODAY NETWORK

"Harriet Tubman The Journey to Freedom" is making its way to White Plains.

The bronze sculpturedepicts Tubmanas she leads a young enslaved girl to freedom. The sculpture was created by sculptor Wesley Wofford, stands 9 feet tall and weighs 2,400 pounds.

"Harriet Tubman The Journey to Freedom" will be on display inRenaissance Plaza from April 1 until June 30.

Life:America's first woman undertaker smuggled enslaved people in coffins

For subscribers:Ukrainian woman arrives from Kyiv to Rockland

Bucket list: 23 things to do in the Hudson Valley in spring 2022

On Saturdayat 3 p.m., the city will hold ata ribbon-cutting ceremony with Tubman's great nephew Abdul Tubman as guest speaker, along withperformances from Vicinity Gospel Choir, African Drumming and Dancing, and the Ministers Fellowship of White Plains. A rain date has been scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.

The sculpture last made its way to the lower Hudson Valley about a year ago when it was displayed in Haverstraw's African American Park during its tour around the United States. It had previously been displayed in Peekskill and Newburgh.

According to Wofford's website, the statue will continue to be displayed in New York for the remainder of 2022, making stops in Auburn and Rochester while ending the year in Kingston from November through December.

Go:Renaissance Plaza, 200-202 Main St., White Plains;wpbid.com/events/harriet-tubman-journey-to-freedom.

Heather Clark covers business openings and closings throughout Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. Keep up on the latest comings and goings by joining our Facebook group at What's going there Westchester, Rockland, Putnam. Contact Clark via email, hclark@lohud.com.

Go here to see the original:

'Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom' to be displayed in White Plains until June - The Journal News

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off on ‘Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom’ to be displayed in White Plains until June – The Journal News