The combination of political folly, extreme hubris and a dishonest media have put our country in an untenable position. While the chattering political class visibly squirms to save themselves, they ignore the potential consequences of their actions. As they feel power slipping away, they hope voters remain blissfully ignorant of their duplicitous strategies that brought us to this juncture. Fortunately for the country, eyes are opening. To keep them open and help us evaluate the sequel we all know is coming, let’s examine a handful of these schemes.
Before we dive in, it is important to note that anyone who was surprised by Biden’s performance in the presidential debate needs to face some hard truths. Much of the country knew before the 2020 election that Biden was in cognitive decline and that his rate of decline had notably increased in the last year. For those who were unaware of Biden’s condition, the first question they should ask is why. With an open mind, perhaps the chronology of compounding political cons that prioritized power over country, might shed some light on the answer.
Regardless of Trump’s questionable character, it is also true that he and the office of the presidency were maligned by the Democratic party with the years long Russian collusion narrative. It’s common knowledge that it was a strategic fabrication. The lies succeeded in undermining Trump’s presidency, divided the country horribly and damaged our faith in the political establishment. Politicians like Adam Schiff never faced consequences for shamelessly promoting the lie. Those in media who peddled the false narrative still have their jobs. No accountability anywhere for this documented 2020 election interference or the negative impacts to our country. Perhaps if the voters had demanded accountability, we would not be in our current position.
The Russian collusion narrative and related media commentary accomplished another critical goal, the voters donned Trump Colored Glasses. Between Trump’s own behavior, the false attack narratives and people’s acceptance of them, Trump is hated passionately by at least half of the country. Heightened emotions provide wonderful cover for strategic deceit. When it comes to Trump, even the greatest defenders of democracy will make a mockery of it to wound him.
Biden was chosen in 2020 as the best person to marshal the anti-Trump vote. Many were incredulous that a man in the early stages of cognitive decline was chosen and were equally puzzled that he was backed up by someone as unpopular as Harris.
What game were the Democrats playing? We assumed Biden would be a puppet who shielded the actual “president” and therefore dubbed him “Pinocchio Joe”. Biden’s tenuous relationship with the truth in combination with his reduced mental acuity made him an ideal puppet. If this is even remotely true, it is a stunning bit of deception. Please note the meme below is four years old not four days old.
It was generally accepted there would be a massive “red wave” in 2022. Nope. While the abortion issue was a key element, clever Democratic strategists also understood what a gift they had in Trump. To give their candidates a boost, all they needed to do was keep Trump front and center. Trump with great fanfare backed several primary Senate candidates over more electable choices. The Democrats then financed Trump’s picks and painted them as extremists. Trump’s base voted for his candidates in the primary without regard to electability. Democrats watched with glee as moderates and independents rejected Trump’s picks in the general. Republicans lost the Senate and barely won the House.
The midterm strategy was so successful, it appears Democratic leadership ramped it up to unprecedented levels for 2024. If they could just keep a beatable Trump in play, Democrat chances of remaining in power were greatly improved even with a candidate who regularly displayed symptoms of dementia. They elevated Trump to the nomination with a series of well timed, legally dubious indictments. Understandably half the country was incensed that Democratic leadership weaponized the justice system against a political opponent. Trump’s base reacted as predicted with a middle finger to the establishment and voted enthusiastically for Trump. The Democrats got what they wanted. Republicans were outmaneuvered once again.
In April 23 after Biden declared he was running again, I posted “Predictions”. With his obvious mental decline, it was inconceivable Biden could function even as a puppet for 4 more years. Therefore, it was highly likely another con job was underway. I posited that, for various reasons, Biden would pick a new vice president and then exit the race due to “health issues” sometime before November 5 if it appeared the Republican candidate would win.
The article concluded with this sentiment: “…running a puppet president is an insult to Americans and indicative of the contempt Democratic leadership holds for voters. While time will tell if the above predictions are true, it is certain a con is underway. Otherwise they would have run a capable candidate willing to honestly debate the issues. The deceptions are a colossal warning flag that their agenda is great for them and horrible for us.”
During and after the primaries, Biden’s condition continued to deteriorate and the cover up intensified. A hallmark of a good con is the effort to discredit any information to the contrary. Incredibly it was only a few weeks ago that the Democratic “cheap fakes’ talking point was deployed which essentially claimed that Biden’s decline was a right wing talking point backed up by doctored videos. We must remember two things can be true at once. Biden’s decline is a nonstop Republican talking point and Biden has a serious problem with his brain.
The comment that will go down in infamy, however, comes from Joe Scarborough: “Start your tape right now because I’m about to tell you the truth. And f*** you if you can’t handle the truth. This version of Biden, intellectually, analytically, is the best Biden ever. Not a close second. And I’ve known him for years. … If it weren’t the truth, I wouldn’t say it.”
Where are we now? The strategies and scams have exploded due to various miscalculations:
· Biden likely declined faster than he, the administration, media and his handlers anticipated.
· Biden promised to choose a woman of color as vice president. Sadly she is also a woman of great incompetence with a serious likability problem.
· If Biden is unfit to run, he is also unfit to serve the remainder of his term, yet the specter of a Harris presidency will ensure he does.
· After the debate, it is no longer possible to cover up Biden’s decline and all those who participated in the coverup have been exposed as either liars or dupes.
· The world is a tinderbox, and the Biden/Harris/Trump debacle presents an opportunity for our enemies especially those who have waltzed over our borders unvetted.
· Perhaps the biggest bomb is that Biden appears to have gone Frankenstein and broken free of his handlers. He is refusing to step down. For now.
· While the indictments helped nominate Trump, the overall strategy backfired. Trump is more popular than ever plus his supporters are highly motivated by the lawfare leveled against him. Nor will he be in court or jail during the final months of the campaign as hoped.
· 2020 and 2024 lawfare has undermined our faith in the judicial system and the political process.
· The voters do not know who is running the country. Many are very angry at this betrayal and will vote accordingly.
What a pathetic mess. The Democratic party has jeopardized our country with their conniving arrogance that prioritized their power over the good of our country. With other viable candidates ready to serve, the feckless Republican party nominated Trump who is despised by half the country. If Biden and Harris stay in, the actual choice is Trump vs Harris. Republicans’ best hope is that Trump selects a well-respected vice president capable of being president rather than a weak sycophant.
For now we are trapped in the game. Let’s be clear why we are in this position so we can evaluate the next salvo which is surely coming. Hopefully we exert our influence and avoid another date with a hungry predator.
For those who prefer to read on Substack, please visit My Two Cents on Substack.
Ugliness can be as thought provoking as beauty. Such was the case when I stumbled upon a vast area smothered in vines. It seemed a perfect metaphor for the suffocating impact of progressive ideology on our culture. I wondered if the strangled shrubs were aware of the danger or remained oblivious. As I stood transfixed and contemplated their potential death, the concepts of good and evil came to mind.
Progressive western governments increasingly use lies and deceit to enact totalitarian measures to solidify their power. These laws seek to choke free speech, eliminate dissent and subjugate our limitless human spirit. Absolute clarity is required to thwart these efforts, a difficult task considering we are bombarded daily with subtle and outrageous lies. We can clear the fog with the application of morality. This requires a practical definition of good and evil.
M. Scott Peck’s book “People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil” offers such a definition: “Evil, then, for the moment, is that force, residing inside or outside of human beings, that seeks to kill life or liveliness. And goodness is its opposite. Goodness is that which promotes life and liveliness.” Dr. Peck offers this simple yet profound summation: “evil is also that which kills spirit.”
Dr. Peck outlines how lies are the hallmark of an evil individual. “The evil attack others in order to avoid facing their own failures.” “While they seem to lack any motivation to be good, they intensely desire to appear good. Their goodness is all on a level of pretense. It is, in effect, a lie. This is why they are the people of the lie.”
“People of the Lie” focuses on individual and group human evil. Please note this article focuses on whether policies are good or evil as measured by their impact on the human spirit. It is not intended to comment on the spiritual state of those who propagate those policies.
Some might suggest an entrance into the metaphysical is a bit dramatic. I maintain that it is essential because the politicians have already introduced good and evil into the 2024 election. Without our serious consideration we are subject to unconscious emotional manipulation. Jill Biden recently said she “believes Americans are going to choose good over evil” and vote for President Biden. President Biden has also evoked similar sentiments: “We are in a battle for the soul of America. A battle that by the grace of God, the goodness and gracious, greatness of this nation we will win.” In more precise language, we are in a battle between good and evil.
With their statements the Biden’s have essentially labeled President Trump and conservatism evil. What about their policies? Let’s examine several interwoven progressive policies supported by the Biden administration.
Self-Reliance – Good or Evil?
“No one can be great, or good, or happy except through the inward efforts of themselves.” – Frederick W. Robertson
The above quote epitomizes self-reliance. It is formally defined as “reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities”. Self-reliance builds self-confidence, leads to personal growth, and success. A self-reliant individual learns to make decisions and assumes responsibility for their success or failure. Self-reliance is independence. The absence of it is dependence which in turn reduces individual power.
Over the years it appears this core American principle has lost favor. We have exchanged self-reliance for dependence on Big Government, Big Pharma, and Big Food.
It seems however that Big Government has had the greatest impact on the decline of self-reliance. In the 1960s President Johnson launched a massive expansion of social welfare programs entitled the “Great Society”. Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams and many others have studied the negative impact of these programs on black communities, family structure and individual responsibility. For example, many black men abandoned their responsibilities because they could. Thomas Sowell provides the data in “Black Rednecks and White Liberals”:
“Accordingly while two-thirds of black children were living with both parents in 1960, only one-third were by 1994. While only 22% of black children were born to unmarried women in 1960, 74% were in 1994.” There was a “widespread abandonment and casual abandonment of their children and the women who bore them by black fathers in the ghettos of the late 20thcentury…”
The data on the disintegration of the family and its impact on crime, violence and upward mobility has been actively ignored. Instead, public policy to foster government dependency has continued unabated. President Obama glorified the culture of dependence in his 2012 campaign ad “The Life of Julia”. To our credit there was such a backlash that Obama removed the video from his campaign site.
This excerpt from a David Harsanyi article titled “Who the hell is Julia and why the hell am I paying for her?” summed up the reaction of many: “What we are left with is a celebration of a how a woman can live her entire life by leaning on government intervention, dependency and other people’s money rather than her own initiative or hard work. It is, I’d say, implicitly un-American, in the sense that it celebrates a mindset we have – outwardly, at least – shunned.”
Considering the intensely negative reaction to “Life of Julia”, it is curious Biden released a similar cartoon on the life of Linda to support cradle to grave welfare policies: “But the Life of Linda is a telling tragedy, one where a woman is “liberated” from the love and support of family and community and instead comes to rely upon the leviathan of the state.” The saddest thing about this cartoon is there was barely any reaction from the public. How we have change in 9 years.
In his excellent article entitled “The Destructive Legacy of the Great Society”, Jason Riley explains how the “Democrats are now aiming to create new entitlements and expand the existing ones, not only for the poor but also for the professional class.” These policies seek to increase the number of citizens politically shackled to their benefactors.
The latest disturbing example of the attack on self-reliance and personal responsibility is the “cancellation” of student debt. It is not canceled. The student’s responsibility has been shifted to the taxpayer. It is an incredibly unfair vote buying scheme that teaches young people they don’t have to make good decisions. It is a grievous insult to taxpayers who sacrificed to pay for their or their children’s education or could not afford to go to college themselves. The lack of outrage from the citizenry speaks volumes.
Because self-reliance uplifts the human spirit and leads to personal growth, it is good. Conversely, that which reduces self-reliance smothering our spirit and personal growth falls into the evil column.
The Effort to Splinter Society and Cast Underperforming Groups as Victims – Good or Evil?
The decline in our core self-reliance created fertile ground for victim/oppressor ideology to take root.
These narratives attempt to splinter society into groups and then pit them against each other. One group is labeled “marginalized” and a corresponding group is labeled the “oppressor”. Members of the marginalized group are taught they are victims and their failures are due to the oppressors. Failure is always somebody else’s fault. Concepts like meritocracy, personal responsibility, group culture, lousy schools, home life and the content of one’s character are ignored. What could possibly go wrong?
Divisive victim/oppressor ideology has been widely deployed on the basis of skin color, gender, socioeconomic status and religion. Narratives pushing gender ideology, for example, have been especially divisive because the government has declared the ideology factual when it is only a collection of ideas. Worse the ideology has been tangled up with those who suffer from gender dysphoria. Consequently individuals who speak against the ideology and its impact on young people are then accused of “hate speech” and prejudice against people who have gender dysphoria.
The skin color chapter of victim/oppressor ideology is often called Critical Race Theory (CRT). It is also called neoracism because the ideology condones racism to fight racism. Coleman Hughes is a young black author who recently published the “The End of Race Politics”. Sadly he has been viciously labeled as a sell out and Uncle Tom for his efforts. Below is his summary of neoracist ideology:
“White people have always had power in society – power that they used to create systems like slavery and Jim Crow that oppress people of color. Even though those systems were destroyed, American society has made little or no progress redressing the wrongs that white people have inflicted on people of color in the past and continue to inflict on people of color in the present… All around us, policies and institutions give rise to racial disparities – differences in outcomes between white people and people of color…Wherever racial disparities exist, racism – past and present – is the cause….”.
In other words, black people are taught they are perpetual victims. The source of their failures can never be found in the mirror.
Mr. Hughes’s book addresses the falsehood of these assertions in detail. In summary, neoracist theory takes the ugly truth of slavery, Jim Crow and racism and wraps it in lies and half-truths to advance the concepts of systemic racism, white supremacy, and black victimhood. For example, it is obvious we have made significant progress neutralizing racism since the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Plus, it was white people who initiated the end of slavery, a global practice that had existed for millennia. It was black and brown people who resisted its elimination. Please read the chapter entitled “The Real History of Slavery” in Thomas Sowell’s “Black Rednecks and White Liberals”.
The evil reality of black victimhood during slavery and the ugly racism that followed has erroneously been projected to the present. We should ask why.
Even though only a modest amount of research is required to debunk the tenets of neoracism and its divisive impact on society, it is still advanced at the highest levels of our government. Consider President Biden’s commencement speech at Morehouse College:
“You started college just as George Floyd was murdered and there was a reckoning on race. It’s natural to wonder if democracy you hear about actually works for you.
“What is democracy if a trail of broken promises still leave black—black communities behind?
“What is democracy if you have to be 10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot?
Neoracism in general and these remarks in particular are heartbreaking. To lie to any young person about their potential for success, especially by the leader of the free world, could derail their efforts and future achievements. It is demeaning and abusive. We must ask if limiting success and therefore personal power is an intended or unintended consequence of all forms of victim/oppressor ideology.
Racists will always exist. They can be neutralized, however. The solution is quite simple. Shift the cultural paradigm to equal opportunity, meritocracy, and a collective focus on excellence not skin color, gender or any other single characteristic of an underperforming group. This will result in a more united culture striving for success, not one mired in resentment and “hate speech”.
Unfortunately, the implementation of such a shift will be exceedingly difficult. True progress will require individuals and underperforming groups examine their own limiting behaviors. It is also essential that we admit our significant policy failures that shackle the poor, discourage self-reliance and personal responsibility. Sadly this is something that politicians and hustlers are loathe to do. They just pile on more bad policy and taxpayer dollars to cover up their mistakes.
The Efforts to Quell Free Speech: Good or Evil?
Free speech is under attack in many western countries often under the guise of quelling disinformation and “hate speech”. It is notable that those who want to regulate free speech to stop “hate speech” are the same progressive governments who promote victim/oppressor narratives that encourage “hate speech”.
The most egregious attack on free speech can be found in Canada’s proposed Online Harms Act. State media suggests the bill is designed to stop the online exploitation of children. Justin Trudeau stated in a speech introducing this bill “…people will see that it is very specifically focused on protecting kids and not on censoring the internet as misinformation and as the right wing tends to try and characterize it as…”. Even though parts of the bill do attempt to protect children, it goes far beyond that. Trudeau seeks to stop lying by lying.
Matt Taibbi, Racket News, summarizes the bill in his article “Blame Canada? Justin Trudeau Creates Blueprint for Dystopia in Horrific Speech Bill”. Below are highlights of the proposed bill from his article:
· enlist Canada’s citizens in an ambitious social monitoring system, with rewards of up to $20,000 for anonymous “informants” of hateful behavior, with the guilty paying penalties up to $50,000, creating a self-funded national spying system;
· introduce extraordinary criminal penalties, including life in prison not just for existing crimes like “advocating genocide,” but for any “offence motivated by hatred,” in theory any non-criminal offense, as tiny as littering, committed with hateful intent;
· punish Minority Report pre-crime, where if an informant convinces a judge you “will commit” a hate offense, you can be jailed up to a year, put under house arrest, have firearms seized, or be forced into drug/alcohol testing, all for things you haven’t done;
· penalize past statements. The law gets around prohibitions against “retroactive” punishment by calling the offense “continuous communication” of hate, i.e. the crime is your failure to take down bad speech;
· force corporate Internet platforms to remove “harmful content” virtually on demand (within 24 hours in some cases), the hammer being fines of “up to 6% of… gross global revenue.”
If this bill passes, Canada will become the “thought police” and thereby limit individual growth and freedom. Fear, not a dedication to excellence, will dominate the culture as people become compliant surfs and snitches who must constantly self-censor. It will eliminate dissent and debate. It will crush people’s spirit. It is evil.
It is also the direction many western countries are headed. As a constitutional republic it would be difficult to enact and enforce Canada’s proposed bill in the United States. However, as we have seen with exposes such as the Twitter Files and the censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop, there are rampant efforts to censor and curtail free speech often under the pretense of stopping “hate speech”, disinformation and “saving democracy”. This is illogical. Free speech is a nonnegotiable component of a successful democracy. Without it, we will no longer have a democracy. The “saving democracy” façade, therefore, is a lie to gain our support for legislation that will limit our discourse, freedom and spirit. It goes into the evil column.
Lies and disinformation can be found everywhere – social media, traditional media and exiting the mouths of politicians. Legislation will never stop it. It will only give those in power free rein to lie with impunity. Our only hope is to neutralize lies with an honest media, critical thought, personal responsibility, dedication to reality, vigilance, continuous exposure to differing viewpoints and rational debate. Let’s work on these things.
Summary
Above we examined just three intertwined progressive policies and strategies that have the full support of the Biden administration. Individually and together, they restrict the human spirit, free and open expression, personal and cultural growth. It seems that President Biden and his wife have engaged in a classic case of projection in their remarks on good and evil. It will be interesting to observe if they ever offer detailed examples to back up their words.
There are many other policies that would benefit from the application of the good and evil filter such as lying to children and parents that puberty blockers are fully reversible, supporting late term abortions for convenience or weaponizing the justice department to attack a political opponent.
Ultimately change is dependent on us, the voters, and our clear view of the evil impact of these policies on our cultural and human spirit. Too many citizens have taken the victim bait, tolerated failure, the collapse of our cultural mores and unbelievably continue to elect politicians and systems that foster our decline. Let’s pull the suffocating vines out by the roots.
For those who prefer to read on Substack, please visit My Two Cents on Substack. Details section included below.
DETAILS
As always, I include a details section to support the opinions above and provide resources for the reader to continue their own research:
Let’s keep the definition of tolerationism handy as we observe global events: “Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed.”
The quote from Frederick W Roberston on self-reliance was sourced from this article.
“The polls say President Biden has lost support among black Americans, and the White House appears to have settled on a strategy to win them back: spread more racial division.” The quotes from Biden’s commencement speech to Morehouse College were from this editorial from the WSJ.
Jason Riley compares Obama’s and Biden’s speeches to Morehouse College in this WSJ editorial. “Mr. Biden’s speech revealed someone who doesn’t believe that black people can or should be held to the same standards as other groups.”
Manhattan Institute columnist Douglas Murray received the Alexander Hamilton Award for his “unwavering defense of Western values”. Consider watching or reading his inspiring acceptance speech.
Please note that “hate speech” is in quotes because this phrase is being used as a cudgel to limit free speech. Too often, opinions that disagree with the various victim/oppressor ideologies are deemed “hate speech”. It has therefore become a meaningless phrase in my opinion.
Thomas Sowell has done much to shine a light on myths and lies that promote victimhood. Note that “underperforming groups” is his language. In addition to his excellent books consider the youtube series, Black Wisdom Matters. Perhaps watch this video of young black men’s reaction to Thomas Sowell. It is unfortunate his research and conclusions are not taught in schools alongside the likes of Ibram X Kendi.
Walter Williams also offer a path forward. Perhaps begin research into his work with this article “Blacks of Yesteryear and Today”.
An opposing viewpoint can be found in the Culture Ally site’s definition of marginalized groups. It appears everyone is marginalized except for middle and upper class heterosexual white men. “Marginalized groups include women, people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, Indigenous peoples, people of a lower socio-economic status and so on. These groups have been historically disempowered and oppressed by influential and discriminatory groups.”
Public, Racket News and the Free Press are independent journalists who have done significant research and reporting on the subject of free speech. They publish on Substack. Should we wish to truly save democracy, we must educate ourselves. Perhaps begin with Michael Shellenberger’s Public, read the original and current Twitter Files, the Missouri v Biden case, details on Canada’s proposed Online Harms Act and add these publications to your reading list.
Matt Taibbi and Walter Kirn in their “America This Week” podcast discuss both the NYT’s editor who responded negatively to the Biden administration’s request that they do more to take down Trump and the proposed dystopian Canadian law. Here is the transcript .
To compare both sides of the rhetoric, here is a favorable presentation of Online Harms Act.
Michael Shellenberger interview “Global Elites Fear of Democracy Behind War on Free Speech”.
We live in nonsensical times. Good is bad, bad is good and much ugliness attempts to blot out the beauty. Through the duplicitous tactics of the power hungry our basic sense of right and wrong has been upended resulting in chaos, division, and moral decline. We can restore cultural sanity with the application of core truths and common sense as outlined in the examples below.
Abortion
To drive votes, politicians have created a holy war over abortion. Let’s simplify. How can it be morally responsible to have an abortion for convenience when an unborn baby can feel pain. We jail people for torturing dogs, why would we torture our offspring. Yet we see people demand the right to abortion for any reason up to the moment of birth.
Religious beliefs regarding the beginning of life vary greatly. Each faction fervently believes they are right. Politicians have converted the righteous into loyal combatants in their service.
A simple solution lies in the middle. In the early stages of pregnancy, agree to let judgement occur at the pearly gates. Only allow abortion for convenience up to the point a baby can feel pain. Reasonable exceptions should be allowed for the life of the mother, incest, and rape. Let’s shut down the political games.
Immigration
The subject of immigration has also been politicized. Until recent years, both parties believed a secure, well managed border was essential. Whether the goal was accomplished is another matter, but a secure border was viewed as a good thing by most. Not anymore. For their own ulterior motives, the progressive controlled Democratic leadership and some Republicans insist we overlook logic, national security, fiscal responsibility, quality of life, and support thousands of daily border crossings, legal or illegal. By doing so they also effectively condone human trafficking and flooding our country with fentanyl.
Core truths can guide us. It is wrong to let people into our home we know nothing about. We don’t know their intentions, whether law abiding or criminal, contributors or parasites, willing to assimilate or not, or plan to blow things up while chanting Allahu Akbar.
Compassion for those who suffer in other countries is worthy, but we must be realistic and agree it is wrong to prioritize those who seek US residency over Americans. The financial and societal burden has become extreme. It is unwise to spend $150.7 billion tax dollars annually to facilitate illegal immigration when many states are in a deficit position, our national deficit was $1.7 trillion in FY2023 and national debt is $34.5 trillion. Being rational is not racist.
Would any parent bring a great number of unvetted people into their home if they don’t have the room, budget or ability to care for them without hurting their own children? Not likely. Why then would we do this on the national level.
It is wrong to continue policies that encourage the humanitarian crisis at our southern border. Human trafficking has become a billion dollar business with disastrous results for some including torture, rape and death.
There is a simple solution. Close the border to all asylum seekers until comprehensive immigration legislation is passed that serves the needs of the Country rather than the politicians. If it takes Congress years to do it, so be it. Any bill should have the blessing of border states, streamline legal immigration, be based on meritocracy, the individual’s ability to contribute and assimilate in our society with an appropriate number of immigrants allowed for humanitarian reasons. A maximum number of immigrants should be established annually based on our ability to fund related programs and absorb additional residents. Incentives to break the law should be removed and penalties for doing so severe and immediate. Build the wall and implement other strategies to further deter illegal crossings. Ensure Mexico supports our efforts. Kneecap the cartels.
Voting Law
Attempts to manipulate voting law for political gain are a true threat to democracy. The potential for some politicians and voters to cheat is a core truth we cannot ignore. Until recent years both political parties understood this and agreed boundaries must be in place to deter cheating. Now those boundaries have been relaxed under the guise of making it easier to vote. Unfortunately, these same changes have also made it easier to cheat. The disastrous result has been a loss of confidence in our elections.
Why can’t we make it easier to vote and harder to cheat?
Let’s go back to basics. Encourage in person voting on election day and for a short early voting period with voter ID and proof of citizenship. In lieu of mass mailing of ballots, allow any voter to request an absentee ballot for any reason with voter ID and proof of citizenship. Aid voters who may have difficulty obtaining ID.
Use paper ballots or voting mechanisms that are 100% tamper proof. Absentee ballots should be mailed or dropped at a monitored polling location with verification of receipt. Prohibit ballot harvesting and partisan donations and/or staffing of election offices. Absentee ballots must arrive by election day or earlier stipulated date so they can be counted by election day. Late ballots or those with errors do not count. Public service messages should underscore that voters have a responsibility to follow election rules. If they don’t, their vote won’t count. Penalties for cheating should be swift and severe.
Sex Change
The push to teach children they can change their sex with a declaration, drugs and/or surgery does not stand up when core truths are applied:
Humans are binary mammals.
A minuscule number of children have a psychological condition in which they are unable to accept their sex. Most of these kids accept their bodies after puberty and many are gay. We do not need to redefine what it means to be male and female to care for these individuals.
It is difficult to imagine a scenario where it is preferable to knowingly commit a child with gender dysphoria to a lifetime of health destroying drugs and surgery rather than employ extensive psychotherapy especially since no one can predict which 80% of kids will come to accept their bodies.
If kids are taught they can change their sex, when other psychological stresses occur, they may choose to believe they are were “born in the wrong body” rather then grapple with the idea they are gay, autistic, have been sexually abused, influenced by their friends, etc. Social contagion is real. The current standard of care puts children with rapid onset gender dysphoria, most of whom have other psychological issues, on a path to medicalization instead of comprehensive psychotherapy. How can this possibly be good?
Minors and potentially young adults prior to maturation of the brain do not have the capacity to comprehend the long-term serious health ramifications of sex change drugs and surgery. Detransitioners underscore this simple truth. How can it be good to peddle drugs to young people?
There is a way forward. Parents should unite and require local governments and schools teach kids basic biology and expose “gender ideology” as a well-financed notion that is inconsistent with human biology. The standard of care for minors with gender dysphoria should be based on psychotherapy not drugs and surgery. As is done with other harmful drugs, clearly outline the dangers and irreversible nature of sex change drugs. Warn kids to avoid the manipulation of political and social media influencers who have essentially become drug pushers for Big Pharma. Teach them it’s not cool to destroy their health. Bans will not be as effective as education since kids suffering from social contagion will just wait until they are 18 to start sex change drugs. Encourage compassion for and acceptance of those who struggle with gender dysphoria.
Summary
The above is intended to show how general policy frameworks can be simply crafted when we ignore political machinations and focus on core truths. We can apply this same strategy to other issues undermining our culture.
Unfortunately we are being smothered from every side by corrupt politicians and their operatives. To achieve their own dreams of power and domination they lie and manipulate the citizens to believe bad is good and good is bad to gain support for their nefarious actions. We know better. Right and wrong are universal.
While it appears we are trapped, we can act. Let’s neutralize those who seek to confuse us by rediscovering our innate sense of right and wrong and demand policy that reflects these core truths. Perhaps when we do, we will select better representatives.
DETAILS
As always I include a details section to support positions above and provide additional information.
Should anyone wish to refresh their knowledge on the national deficit, this article may be a good starting point. “A budget deficit occurs when money going out (spending) exceeds money coming in (revenue) during a defined period. In FY 2023, the federal government spent $6.13 trillion and collected $4.44 trillion in revenue, resulting in a deficit. The amount by which spending exceeds revenue, $1.70 trillion in 2023, is referred to as deficit spending.”
A refresher on the national debt can be found in this article.
Human trafficking is a massive problem exasperated by a porous border essentially controlled by the cartels. Here is a general overview.
I encourage folks to read “Rigged” by Mollie Hemingway for an overview of voting law changes that occurred in 2020. Historical context is also included.
Please consider reading Michael Shellenberger’s recently released “WPATH Files”. An excerpt: “But now, newly released internal files from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) prove that the practice of transgender medicine is neither scientific nor medical. American Medical Association, The Endocrine Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and thousands of doctors worldwide rely on WPATH. It is considered the leading global authority on “gender medicine. And yet WPATH’s internal files, which include written discussions and a video, reveal that its members know they are creating victims and not getting “informed consent”.”
As the reader may have noted, I no longer use the term transgender. I firmly support adults over 25 with gender dysphoria who gain psychological relief by assuming the characteristics of the opposite sex. Sadly for them they cannot change their innate biology and at their core will still be their natal sex. Therefore actual transgender individuals do not exist and I will no longer use language such as this and “gender assigned at birth” designed to manipulate my beliefs. After much research on the subject, summarized in previous articles outlined below, my thoughts have simplified. I do not believe in gender ideology. It is abhorrent to teach children they can change their sex and then peddle them drugs and surgery to do so. The Transgender Campaign series:
There has been a chorus of articles recently suggesting that “gender affirming care” for minors as recommended by the federal government and major medical institutions will soon be written off as one of the greatest medical malpractice events in human history. This standard of care recommends minors who believe they have been “born in the wrong body” receive immediate social affirmation to the opposite sex, puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and surgery. However, even though the public has begun to recognize the barbarity of “gender affirming care”, this will not be enough to stop this movement. We must eliminate the source of the massive increase in kids who wish to change their sex.
Gender ideology and those who push it are the culprits. Until they are neutralized, those children who do not fall into traditional stereotypes such as our feminine sons and tomboy daughters plus those with mental illness will remain at risk. The drumbeat to find one’s “authentic self” via health destroying drugs and surgery will continue. Vulnerable kids who have been spoon-fed this ideology both in school and social media will simply wait until they are 18 to harm their bodies.
The Difference Between Gender Ideology and Gender Dsyphoria
To critically evaluate gender ideology, we must first decouple the ideology from gender dysphoria lest our compassion for those who suffer from this condition obstructs our view. The two have been inexorably linked, purposely it appears, so that anyone who questions the ideology, or the money-making scheme behind it, is labeled a “transphobe” who wants to block treatments for those who have gender dysphoria. Aside from being false, this approach has allowed a corrosive ideology to flourish that manipulates young people to believe that biologic reality can be overridden by desire.
Gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder as it was called before the ideology influenced the medical institutions, is a condition in which a child experiences a marked incongruence with their sex and exhibits an intense persistent identification with the opposite sex. The standard of care used to be “watchful waiting” and psychotherapy not immediate affirmation, drugs, and surgery. There is an excellent reason for this approach. After puberty most of these kids accept their sex and many are gay. While not the subject of this article, note that a very small percentage of adults, mostly male, also experience this condition.
On the other hand, gender ideology is a belief structure. It posits that sex and gender are distinct and may or may not match. For example, a person can be born a boy but feel like a girl. Those feelings are described as one’s “gender identity”. This individual may choose drugs and surgery to make their bodies more closely resemble their “gender identity”. With or without medicalization the ideology dictates that a person’s “gender identity” defines their true sex and they should participate in society as such. “Gender identities” and therefore sex is fluid and can change at will. Defying gametes and chromosomes, gender ideology also teaches that humans are not binary mammals. Instead, there are multiple sexes any of which a person can choose and implement via desire, drugs and/or surgery.
It’s Not About Compassion…
It is critical to grasp that gender ideologues declared that gender dysphoria was no longer a rare psychiatric disorder that required treatment but instead a normal human experience. Any human could and should embark on a “gender journey” to find their “authentic” self. In other words, gender ideology used the plight of children with gender dysphoria to saturate our culture with a novel theory of human biology and sexuality.
The launch of gender ideology into society would have been a miserable failure without attaching itself like a malignant tumor to gender dysphoria. This was necessary to both garner compassion from the public and conceal the true nature of the ideology. Otherwise folks would have likely recognized that “gender identities” were actually our personalities and preferences, human biology is reality and that the strict stereotypes pushed by the ideology were regressive.
Gender ideology was the impetus for the “gender affirming care” model that encourages self-affirmation and on-demand drugs and surgery regardless of the presence of other mental health conditions. Prescribing testosterone upon request to a young woman who decided last month she is male is not compassion.
Marketing Gender Ideology
After gender ideology was declared a fact of life by the major medical institutions, the marketing began in earnest. In the name of inclusion, language was changed to include phrases such as “gender assigned at birth”. Youngsters were taught about “gender journeys” at school and that they could be a boy, a girl, both or neither. Preferred pronouns were added to one’s signature. To the delight of Big Pharma, gender clinics mushroomed over the country pushing sex change drugs without psychological treatment. The surgeons willing to cut breasts off and castrate healthy minors and young adults jumped on the bandwagon. Social media influencers also raked in the dollars. Holidays were established. The President declared those on gender journeys “brave”. Tampons were installed in boys’ bathrooms.
The marketing worked. Many of our youth and their parents became true believers.
The General Public’s Reaction
Sadly, as gender ideology and its proponents caught society in their web, the public remained largely ignorant of its teachings, its presence in many schools and social media, and the exponential growth of the on-demand sex change industry. Society’s blind eye allowed a growing number of vulnerable minors and young adults influenced by the movement to be drugged and mutilated. Media’s complicity is evident in its praise of “gender affirming care” coupled with silence on the considerable physical and psychological health consequences. Public figures who questioned “gender affirming care” or how the ideology impacted our culture were viciously labeled, canceled, and/or silenced.
The WPATH Files Expose the Underbelly
Anyone who doubts the impact of gender ideology on the treatment protocols, should read the WPATH Files published by Environmental Progress. It is a report that includes a compilation of leaked internal correspondence and videos from the World Professional Association of Transgender Health. WPATH establishes the standard of care for gender dysphoria and our major medical institutions, federal government, many state governments and associated government schools have followed their lead on “gender affirming care”: immediate affirmation, drugs, and surgery in lieu of psychotherapy and “watchful waiting”.
To say that the WPATH Files are intensely disturbing is a gross understatement. It is abundantly clear that the recommended standards of care that lead a girl with rapid onset gender dysphoria to self-harm and testosterone are based purely on the unproven everchanging landscape of gender theory without regard to evidence based science, ethics, or the long-term physical or psychological health of the patient. They are making it up as they go along.
It is difficult to choose the most troubling excerpt from the WPATH files. A top contender, however, is that WPATH members understand that it is impossible to gain informed consent from their patients. Yet they still proceed with treatments that, among other things, could sterilize them, block their ability to ever orgasm, impact sexual function, and result in a lifetime of drugs and surgery with serious physical and mental health side effects. “Metzger reminded those assembled that gender doctors are “often explaining these sorts of things to people who haven’t even had biology in high school yet,” adding that even adult patients often have very little medical understanding of the effects of these interventions.”
It is incomprehensible. But even more so is that any medical institution listened to these misguided ideologues whose judgement seems horribly twisted by their own psychological issues. This is a testament to the power of marketing. With the revelations and analysis included in the WPATH Files, some organizations will wake up and agree that WPATH members and associates are no different than the quacks who performed lobotomies and removed women’s ovaries to combat mental illness. But others appear to be standing firm in support of gender ideology and its spawn, “gender affirming care”.
Solutions
Even though folks are beginning to understand the threat, the sex change industry will not collapse until its market is eliminated. The market will only dry up when gender ideology, which teaches kids to believe they might be “born in the wrong body”, is exposed and discarded as junk theory.
To aid this effort, a comprehensive nationwide marketing campaign should be initiated to educate parents and children on the dangers of sex change drugs and surgeries. Gender theory should be removed from schools and parents given tools to inoculate their children from sex change predators on social media. We should vote out politicians who support the drugging and mutilation of minors in the name of gender ideology and “Budlight” corporations who do the same. Equally important, for the safety, health, and healing of those with gender dysphoria, the condition should once again be recognized as a psychiatric disorder and treated as such.
It is time to act. It is our duty to protect both those with gender dysphoria and those who have fallen victim to the mass marketing of gender ideology and its barbaric, unethical treatments. Let’s do what needs to be done.
DETAILS
As always, I include a details section to support positions above and provide avenues for additional research.
· The WPATH Files is essential reading for those who want to educate themselves and help protect minors and young adults from self-harm. It was released by Michael Shellenberger’s Environmental Progress and authored by Mia Hughes. I would recommend reading the raw files and watching the videos first and then read the report which provides a helpful history, commentary of the files and compares “gender affirming care” to other horrific medical procedures such as lobotomies and ovariotomies. Note I have included several excerpts of the raw files in this article.
· For those who do not have time to read but can listen, I recommend this Jordan Peterson podcast in which he discusses the WPATH files with Michael Shellenberger.
· Not long after the WPATH Files came out, England’s National Health Service banned the use of puberty blockers. SEGM, The Society for Evidenced Based Gender Medicine discusses the action in this article. The SEGM website is a wealth of information for those who would like to understand this subject in more depth. “Our aim is to promote safe, compassionate, ethical and evidence-based healthcare for children, adolescents, and young adults with gender dysphoria.”
· Colin Wright’s Reality’s Last Stand is an excellent publication for those who wish to examine the scientific aspects of gender ideology’s claims regarding sex and biology. Here is a sample that discusses the sex binary.
· A google search of “gender dysphoria” will reveal one source after another laden with the language of gender ideology. This Psychology Today article is an example. It establishes that there are more than two genders and that kids are assigned a “gender at birth”.
· Consider reading the definition of gender identity disorder/gender dysphoria in DSM 4 and DSM 5. It is a major shift based on the influence of gender ideologues.
· As the American Psychological Association states: “The presence of gender variance is not the pathology but dysphoria is from the distress caused by the body and mind not aligning and/or societal marginalization of gender-variant people.” This step to declare that gender dysphoria was no longer a psychological condition normalized the theory that gender identity was distinct from sex, provided a pathway for insurance to cover medicalization, and cast society at large as the oppressor.
· What is missing from the article above is a discussion of why gender ideology was plucked out of academia and thrust on society by the likes of Obama, Big Pharma, the Pritzkers and other big money bags. Power and money are usually the goals. I am not 100% clear on the twisted motives of this strategy but am perfectly clear that they have sacrificed children to achieve them.
· After much research on gender ideology and its impact on society, summarized in previous articles below, my thoughts have crystallized. I do not believe in gender ideology. I believe it is abhorrent to teach children they can change their sex and then encourage them to do so.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Fool most of the country repeatedly, and we wallow in shame. Our gullibility is a national hazard. We repeatedly accept nonsensical narratives and then blindly perform as intended with no regard to the consequences. We must connect the dots between the ring leaders, their motive, our own trip around the ring and the resultant havoc. How did free thinkers become circus animals?
A few things seem clear. Humans are habitual pack animals by nature. Allowing others to dictate our thoughts and actions becomes a habit which causes our ability and desire for critical thought to atrophy. This seems especially true with undeveloped young minds. With repeated failure to question the questionable, a negative spiral develops as critical thought continues to decline and the circus animal habit is reinforced. This allows the ring leaders to float increasingly dubious theories that increase their power and reduce ours. The beliefs and behavior spread through the pack.
This strategy to manipulate and control would fail without media compliance and censorship of competing views. Yet we give the media approval to distort the truth with our patronage. We continue to vote for politicians who deploy false narratives and support censorship to suppress views that challenge them. The secret sauce to a successful campaign, however, is our unquestioning gullibility. We are accomplices in our own bondage.
A good example of this decades long strategy is unfolding before our eyes. Social justice theory is based on the idea that racism is the sole reason some groups are less successful than others. A part of this theory focuses on decolonization or freeing the oppressed who have been colonized by racist oppressors. Do protestors steeped in social justice theories who chant “from the river to the sea” realize their words support the rape, torture, and killing of Jewish children and adults? It’s doubtful they have connected the dots between the faulty logic of the narrative, the motives of those who push it, their own behavior and the beheading of babies.
Simple logic dispels the “decolonization” theory. Every single human is a descendent of “colonists” and somewhere in their lineage experienced “colonization” peaceful or otherwise. Do we all require liberation or elimination? Humans have done horrible things in their wars. We cannot change the past, we can only impact the future. One of the best humorous take downs of this theory comes from Bill Mahar.
Let’s examine another example that is not as obvious but has had compounding destructive consequences for society. We were told George Floyd’s death was a racially motivated murder.
While it is true that instances of excessive police force and racism have occurred, is it true that George Floyd’s death in police custody was the result of racism? The body cam footage demolishes the racist cop narrative. Four officers, two white, one black and one Asian, who work for a black police chief, participated in the arrest of a 6’4” 223 lb man, repeat criminal, who was whacked on a lethal dose of fentanyl combined with methamphetamine and resisted arrest. Critically important, Floyd lied about his fentanyl intake and repeatedly said he “couldn’t breathe” before Chauvin arrived on scene. He also used the same language during a 2019 arrest. It is quite straightforward. Perhaps this is why the politicians refused to release the body cam footage initially. It tells a far different story than the politicians would have us believe.
Was it 2nd degree murder? Read the medical examiner’s autopsy, watch “The Fall of Minneapolis”, read “They’re Lying” by Liz Collin, compare to the official narrative and come to your own conclusions. Those who conduct this essential research will learn that many factors contributed to Floyd’s death not the least of which were his own choices.
It was not Floyd’s tragic death per se that caused the riots. It was how his death was characterized. The Democrat leadership, their operatives and the media presented Floyd’s death as murder by a racist white cop. As revealed in the above reference material, this packaging was a well-executed nationwide disinformation campaign.
The speed and scale of the George Floyd campaign was breathtaking. We must consider the possibility that it was ready to launch as soon as an appropriate opportunity presented itself. Plus the uniformity of the immediate reactions indicated organization at the highest levels and across multiple industries. Democratic politicians, including Biden, Harris, the Minneapolis mayor, Minnesota DA and Governor declared it a racially motivated murder immediately, well before the facts were known. Media relentlessly promoted this message. The mob harassed, threatened and canceled anyone who questioned the narrative.
The roll out of the Floyd campaign alone should have pushed our BS meters into high alarm. Instead, the pack did what packs do and followed along. It was not long before corporations poured millions into BLM and white suburbanites papered their yards with Black Lives Matter signs. People who proclaimed All Lives Matter were attacked as racists. Trips to the Panderverse were fully booked.
Floyd’s death was not a racial issue so why did Democratic operatives and their partners launch a racial narrative which was guaranteed to cause riots and harm the very people they claim to support?
“Dozens of people were killed or injured in the violent unrest, and thousands of businesses and properties, many minority-owned, were looted, torched, or otherwise vandalized.” As this FEE article explains the estimated damage of between $1B and $2B only reflects insurance claims and does not come close to estimating the long term negative impact to the communities where rioting occurred. “We must also remember that riots leave a lasting shadow on a city that haunts its economy for decades. The afflicted areas face higher insurance rates, lower property values, higher prices, reduced tax revenue, and decreased economic opportunity.”
The George Floyd campaign was likely deployed for the same reason political operatives do anything – to get votes. The 2020 election was upon us. Black voter turnout had declined in 2016 as compared to 2008 and 2012. Democratic operatives were concerned that Biden’s popularity among blacks was in line with Clinton’s in 2016 and notably lower than Obama’s. Popularity impacts enthusiasm and therefore turnout plus there was some concern that Trump was gaining with black voters. This spelled trouble in the swing states.
Progressive social justice theory had already taken root in our society. It was the basis for the battle cry that systemic racism murdered George Floyd. Meanwhile Biden and Harris positioned themselves as champions for victims of racism. The media had already tarred and feathered Trump as a racist. Voila, voter enthusiasm delivered in favor of the Democrats combined with increased Trump hate.
The numbers suggest that the Floyd campaign worked. Black voter turnout did not match 2012 at 67% but did increase from 60% to 63% from 2016 to 2020 even with Biden as the candidate.
Did Democratic politicians and operatives sacrifice lives, homes, businesses and communities with a lie to drive the vote and regain power? It certainly appears so and we let them do it. We can only wonder what will happen in 2024 considering Biden and Harris’s historically low favorability ratings. Will we aid and abet the ring leaders once again?
Donations were another likely goal. From Politico on July 1, 2020: “Online donors poured a record $392 million into campaigns and causes via ActBlue in June, a sign of surging activism and political enthusiasm on the left that smashed the previous monthly high, from just before the 2018 election, by a whopping 50 percent.” White supremacists are quite generous.
It is not clear what BLM did with the $90 million they received in donations but their website in 2020 clearly stated they were a political organization dedicated to driving people to vote in the 2020 presidential election. Somehow, someway we can assume some amount of the money found its way towards that goal. Like any good scam, we may never know what happened to the rest.
The George Floyd campaign had other results. We should carefully consider whether they were intended or unintended consequences.
· Many cities defunded their police departments during the Floyd campaign. This in combination with public policies that remove consequences to crime have resulted in notable spikes in crime and chaos in these cities. It would be a worthwhile effort to determine how many additional black lives were lost to murder as a result of the George Floyd and defund the police campaigns.
· It undermined the concept of “innocent till proven guilty”, a foundational principal of our democracy. It’s interesting how those who declared Chauvin guilty before seeing the facts are the same people who say democracy is under attack from the right.
· How many people voted for Biden because they were worried their communities would be destroyed by rioters if Trump won?
· The Floyd campaign pushed the systemic racism, oppressor/oppressed message mainstream garnering solid support especially among young people who had already been steeped in social justice theory in school and social media. This allowed Biden’s handlers to cement it into government policy soon after the election.
· Floyd’s death was tragic but he is not a hero our children should emulate. He was a drug addicted criminal given to violent behavior. As Thomas Sowell has pointed out, when a group tolerates (or worse, promotes) the bad behavior of its members, it brings the whole group down. We should ponder why the Democrats take actions that suppress poor black communities.
· One of the most damaging long-term consequence of the relentless social justice campaign is the increase in racial tension in our country. Divide and conquer is an axiom for a reason.
The aftereffects of the George Floyd campaign were disastrous for our county in general and poor minority communities in particular. We must face the fact that it is partially our own fault. We swallowed the narrative hook, line and sinker, ignored the motive, performed as desired and failed to connect our own actions to the results. People died, communities were irrevocably harmed and lives destroyed.
Unfortunately we humans have a history of ignoring our BS meters with great consequence. Remember eugenics? Thomas Sowell explains in his book “Social Justice Fallacies”: “In the early decades of the twentieth century, when Progressivism was a major new force among American intellectuals and in politics, one of Progressivism’s central tenets was genetic determinism— the belief that less successful races were genetically inferior.”
Eugenics theory was a basis for genocide. More from Sowell: “A widely read book of that era, The Passing of the Great Race by Madison Grant, declared that “race lies at the base of all the manifestation of modern society”96 and deplored “a sentimental belief in the sanctity of human life,” when that is used “to prevent both the elimination of defective infants and the sterilization of such adults as are themselves of no value to the community.”97 This book was translated into other languages, including German, and Hitler called it his “Bible.”98”
Unbelievably genetic determinism was quite fashionable. “There were hundreds of courses on eugenics in colleges and universities across the United States,90 just as there are similarly ideological courses on college and university campuses across the country today, promoting very different ideologies as regards race, but with a very similar sense of mission, and a very similar intolerance toward those who do not share their ideology or their mission.”
Genetic determinism and eugenics faded due to inescapable facts. The Progressives then shifted as Sowell explains: “In the later decades of the twentieth century, and on into the twenty-first century, latter-day Progressives substituted racial discrimination for genes as the automatic explanation of group differences in economic and social outcomes.”
The Democrats have absorbed Progressive theory and forced their racism based social justice vision into schools, corporations and government. Yet, just as with eugenics, this theory is fatally flawed. Why do we give it any credence when common sense suggests that many factors impact the economic and social outcomes of groups such as geography, culture, education, wars, personal choices, % of single parent homes, etc. just as many factors contributed to Floyd’s death. Racism has certainly impacted the success of various groups but so have any number of other factors.
Social justice theory will eventually collapse. The question is how much damage will be done in the meantime.
It is important to note the Floyd campaign is one of many manipulative narratives pummeling our country. We can inoculate ourselves and therefore the country via knowledge, exposure to different viewpoints, context and unparsed data which unfortunately is rarely found in traditional or social media on either side. Censorship and intolerance make this task difficult, but we must dig for truth and act on it.
We will pay a heavy price if we don’t connect the dots between the power hungry, their motives, our gullible compliance, and the resultant consequences. Let’s quit the circus and start thinking again.
DETAILS
As always, I include a details section with source material that supports the opinions above and a jumping off point for readers to do their own research. We are at a critical juncture in history. Our active participation is an absolute requirement to avoid further devastating consequences. I highly recommend starting with Thomas Sowell’s book quoted liberally above, “Social Justice Fallacies”, then watch “The Fall of Minneapolis” and read “They’re Lying” by Liz Collins.
· Consider watching “Black Wisdom Matters”, a series of videos curated by Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Carol Swain and other critical thinkers.
· To follow up, read Thomas Sowell’s “Discrimination and Disparities” and “Black Rednecks and White Liberals”. Note I recommend Sowell because he is a brilliant economist, black, grew up in Harlem and is 93 years old. He is eminently qualified to discuss racism and social justice theory.
· To gain a better grasp of the full impacts of the Floyd induced riots, please consider this FEE article.
· This Seattle Times article is an important read to understand the disastrous consequences of circus folly. Curiously the language attempts to justify their shameful actions: “The shooting, which occurred early on June 29, marked the second fatal shooting during the three-week Capitol Hill Organized Protest, which sprang up in the wake of national outrage over the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. The police-free zone was set up after the Seattle Police Department abandoned its East Precinct during the protests.” Emphasis mine. No. It sprang up because of a false narrative about race that was perpetrated and promoted by the ring leaders who remained unchecked by the people.
· This article outlines the historic black voter turnout in Georgia, a swing state. There are many reasons for this. It is logical to assume the enthusiasm created by the Floyd campaign is one of them.
· This Gallup opinion piece includes polling information and voter turnout statistics. It concludes with this sentiment: “The challenge for the Biden campaign lies in pushing Black voters’ enthusiasm (and, hence, turnout) closer to the historical records achieved by Obama in 2008 and 2012 than the lower levels seen in 2016.”
· There are many articles that state black support for Biden has fallen since 2020. Here is one. If Democratic operatives employ similar tactics, 2024 will be hell on wheels. Their strategic and well-coordinated campaign to get Trump nominated may not be enough to ensure a Democrat victory.
· Consider this article by Nate Hochman on the history of the defund the police movement. An excerpt: “The push for police dismantlement can be traced back to this view: Abolitionists maintain that crime is the result of social conditioning rather than a permanently flawed human nature, in contrast to the more traditionally conservative notion of violence as an inescapable aspect of an intrinsically broken human condition.” It is interesting to note the abolitionist view came into fashion about the same time as eugenics.
· The WSJ editorial details the aftermath of the defund the police movement in Seattle. There is a scramble to hire more police officers to combat increased crime.
· Survey results indicate that young people have been influenced by social justice narratives. Two-thirds of Americans aged 18 to 24 said they think Jews are “oppressors’, 75% said white people are “oppressors”, 60% said Hamas actions were justified and 51% believe Israel should be eliminated and given to Hamas or the Palestinians.
· The Censorship Industrial Complex (as Michael Shellenberger, Public calls it) is a serious component of narrative deployments and a frightening development in our country. Not surprisingly the politicians who support the implementation of social justice policy also support government censorship or act like it isn’t happening. Michael Shellenberger and Matt Taibbi have done much work on this subject. This Public article by Alex Gutentag is a good starting point.
· Eugenics and genetic determinism, the pet theory of early Progressives, had a profound impact on society. Consider this article from the Ethics and Public Policy Center. “The eugenics movement of the early 20th century was full of elite thinkers who advocated contraception and sterilization as a means of minimizing the reproduction of unwanted minorities: non-white Americans, the poor, and those deemed mentally disabled or otherwise unfit.”
““Elimination of the unfit,” Sanger argued, could not be fully achieved without widespread access to birth control.” Margaret Sanger started Planned Parenthood.
· My new favorite word is “Panderverse”. Thank you South Park.
· Thank you to the friends who helped craft the above message.
“Stupid people can create problems, but it often takes brilliant people to create a real catastrophe. They have already done that enough times— and in enough different ways— for us to reconsider, before joining their latest stampedes, led by self-congratulatory elites, deaf to argument and immune to evidence.” Thomas Sowell
In Everglades National Park I noticed a narrow dirt track and wondered what treasures it might hold. The trees crowded in and not surprisingly I reached a point where branches completely blocked the path. My choices were clear, back a long way out or pull out the clippers and get to work.
As I cleared the road, I spotted an interesting, snail type creature hanging from a branch and paused hacking branches to snap a photo. Subsequent research revealed that these tree snails are a mollusc of the genus liguss, or Ligs for short. Curiously, Ligs were quite the coveted item back in the day and their interesting patterns attracted the attention of serious collectors.
Dr. G. Thomas Watters is Curator of Molluscs at the Museum of Biological Diversity at Ohio State University and wrote a wonderful article on the subject. “In Florida the Ligs occurred in three general areas: the Keys, the Gold Coast, and the Everglades. Collecting them, particularly in the Everglades, could be an adventure. And those adventurers called themselves Liggers. On foot, on horseback, in Model As, some of America’s most famous malacologists ventured into the chigger-infested, cotton-mouth crawling, gater guarded, sawgrass cutting landscape in the early 1900s. Long before GPS or even decent maps, these intrepid collectors produced hand-drawn maps and named and numbered hundreds of hammocks and cataloged the Ligs they found there. Archie Jones, perhaps the most experienced of the Liggers, once remarked that a Ligger needed two qualities: high stamina and low IQ.”
Great. I am all in.
A few weeks ago, I was back in Everglades National Park in a special spot where spectacular sunsets are the norm. As luck would have it, there was another photographer who asked if I had seen the tree snails. Excitedly I asked if he was talking about Ligs? Yes indeed and he showed me where this batch were hiding. Imagine that, another modern day Ligger.
Each Lig had a unique pattern and, as snails go, were quite beautiful. I particularly liked the subtle gray marbling on the white Lig. For those curious about the snail itself, I focused directly on the snail’s body in the shell with horizontal stripes.
The moral of the story – nature is endlessly fascinating, clear your own path forward and enjoy the discoveries that await.
Bears have been calling me. “Come visit. Photograph us. We are better than alligators and birds. We do things, interesting things.” When efforts to find the few bears in my beloved everglades failed, I visited Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina and for the first time saw bears in the wild. As exciting as that was, it was only a warm up. I struck pure gold on a workshop led by Jared Lloyd and Annalise Kaylor in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. Here we could hang with bears.
Mama Black Bear at Pocosin Lakes
The workshop included a day of instruction in Anchorage and then five nights at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge on Cook Inlet in Lake Clark National Park. The lodge is an ideal base, downhome comfortable with great people and food. Bears are everywhere.
During our classroom day, Jared and Annalise reviewed the shooting techniques that would yield the best results in the field. The short summary – keep it simple and keep it low. In most cases we would be wide open, a shutter speed of 1000 or 2000 depending on the activity of the bears and adjust ISO accordingly for a histogram to the right without blow outs. Shoot close to the ground to render otherwise boring foregrounds beautiful and depict the bears with the stature they deserve.
Tuned up for our adventure, the next morning we headed to a most enjoyable airport. They first piled our luggage and then all of us on a scale, loaded the baggage into a de Havilland Beaver and we were off for Lake Clark. Getting high always provides an interesting perspective and this area in Alaska is no exception. Looking out the window was a study in abstract art.
Baggage Loading Alaska Style
Alaska’s Abstract Art
Our plane landed on the beach. This alone propelled Lake Clark to the top of my “Places I Want to Be” list. We tumbled out into cool, misty weather. Moments later we were like kids running up the hill looking for bears. “Look, look!!” Off in the distance was a bear. Little did we know that was just a tiny promise of things to come.
The “Runway”
After getting settled, we headed to the sedge marshes. We learned several things. Bears eat a lot and they are also cows. This was the first inkling that bears are the mystical shape shifters of the animal world. Jared and Annalise called this manifestation “Cow Bears”.
Cow Bear
Another Cow Bear
We were also delighted to see cubs. Krimp and Old Sow, two mama bears who live near the lodge, both had “cubs of the year”, meaning they were born in January during hibernation, nursed through the winter and came out of hibernation with mom in May. While all of us are intrigued by bears, the cubs stole our hearts. They played with abandon, nursed, slept, climbed everything possible and spread happiness as babies do.
We also learned that the adult bears in the vicinity of Silver Salmon Creek Lodge were females (sows). Turns out the male bears (boars) don’t like humans and avoid the place. The sows don’t like the boars killing their cubs so they hang around the humans. Smart.
For the uninitiated like me there was another moment of realization. That hump on the bear’s back is disturbingly familiar. Why are we so close to what appear to be grizzly bears? Turns out coastal brown bears are the same species as grizzlies but just as environment impacts human behavior, the same is true for bears. There is enough food on the coast for all the creatures who live there and as a result the bears are more tolerant. Plentiful sedges, grasses, berries, clams and salmon make our new friends fat and happy.
Even though Silver Salmon Creek is remote, the sows see humans daily. Since the people at the lodge pose no threat and have predictable patterns, the sows tolerate them unless they do something stupid, come too close or interfere with their cubs. This makes for excellent and safe bear photography as long as no one thinks they are in a petting zoo. Regardless the guides always carry bear spray.
Perhaps lean and mean describes inland brown bears aka grizzlies. A National Park Service article on bears in Lake Clark National Park explains: “Because competition for resources is higher inland, brown bears here revert to their solitary nature and do not gather in high numbers. They will interact with fewer individuals in their lifetime than a coastal bear and are less tolerant of the presence of those they do encounter. They are also more likely to react to people from a greater distance so please use extreme caution when exploring the interior of the park.”
When we were not in the sedge marshes, we were on the beach. We hoped for bears fishing for salmon. Instead we were treated with endless opportunities to photograph cubs playing. The touching interactions with mom remind us we are all undeniably linked.
One of my favorite moments was when the cubs were trying to wake up Old Sow. When I was a young kid, Mildred used to babysit. She would take an afternoon nap and often I would park myself next to the couch and ask. “Are you sleeping? No, I am just resting my eyes. Are you sleeping now?” On it went until Mildred relented or actually slept. This scene brought that good memory back with a chuckle. Note the milk on the cub’s snout after they got their way and woke mom up.
We are hungry! Let me be, I am sleeping!
LunchHold on! Not finished!After Lunch Nap
One morning the photography gods were truly with us. The clouds broke for sunrise and the tide was very low. This is when the bears go clamming. Yogi Bear also made an appearance.
Downward Dog Bear
This effect was achieved by shooting at ground level. Pools of water in the sand reflected the light from the rising sun. It was spectacular.
Clamming Bear
Note the shoulder hump is actually “a mass of muscle, which enables brown bears to dig and use their paws as a striking force”. That comes in handy when digging for clams.
A bit later we moved further out where Krimp was having her way with some fish carcasses. We were kneeling waste deep with cameras just above the water. The sun was behind us and the light was amazing. Please meet Human Bear.
Human Bear
After tolerating us for awhile Krimp walked our way. We stood up and walked in the other direction. Being last, I turned around and noticed she was following us, closely. “You do know Krimp is right behind me? Yes just keep walking”. She moved us out of the way, returned to her previous position and resumed her morning snack.
Swimming Bear
After this I mentioned to Jared that I wished there was a photo of us and our tripods in the water. He laughed and said there were probably tons of those photos. We were the only group of photographers with full chest waders and boots. This allowed us to comfortably lay in the sand and water to get the sparkle shots. We could also sit in water and stay warm and dry when Krimp turned into a human. Everybody else was stuck ¼ mile away and will spend much time in photoshop cropping and removing us from their photos. Thank you, Jared and Annalise, for recommending my new favorite article of clothing.
Big Bear
We went salmon fishing, another first. I joked beginner’s luck would win the day. It did. After my tussle with the fragrant salmon, we were shooting a collared bear who walked quite close. At that moment Jared reminded us of bears’ incredible sense of smell and dubbed me “Salmon Hands Sue”. Later we saw this bear again. When she turned and looked at me, she asked “Is that you Salmon Hands”?
Is That You Salmon Hands?
We rarely saw the sun on this trip but another morning it did peek out at sunrise for some beautiful light. What is going through your mind Old Sow?
Nothing is quite like bears on the move. Aside from the wild motion of their feet, they exude power. This is Bear Bear. Compare Krimp’s photos below to Cow Bear above. Yup, they shift. I included several photos below to show her foot and leg motion.
Bear Bear
Let’s not forget the puffins who live on a nearby island. They are curious looking birds that fly about a million miles per hour. Perhaps that is an exaggeration, only 50 mph. Let’s just say I had an extremely low hit rate. Shooting the sea otter who floated by was much easier.
This was a first-rate photography workshop where I learned much in a spectacular setting. Jared and Annalise are excellent and patient teachers. Unlike every other photography group they also ensured we were properly outfitted to get the best possible shots. Dave, our guide from the lodge, put us in the right place at the right time. While I won the “hot mess” award on numerous occasions, I was still able to capture some wall worthy photos. We all did. I will go again. I love hanging with bears.
DETAILS
Silver Salmon Creek Lodge is fantastic. It is not surprising they are booked 6 years out. Don’t expect fancy but do expect solidly great with exceptional owners, guides, cooks and staff.
Feel free to visit Jared’s website PhotoWild and PhotoWild facebook page. PhotoWild magazine is one of my favorite learning tools as are his and Annalises’s podcasts. This is my second workshop with Jared and Annalise and while photography is normally a solo endeavor for me, I will likely do them all. I learn heaps about photography, wildlife and nature while having a blast.
As our country rushes headlong towards the cliff, it is frightening to observe how Trump colored glasses have blinded voters. Many are oblivious to the danger as they blow by the exit ramps. The rest of us watch with fear, helplessness, ignorance or apathy.
It is inexplicable that so many appear unconcerned that Democrat leadership has politicized federal and local justice departments to attack a political rival and his attorneys. This is astounding. How could anyone believe this is good for our country and ignore the future consequences? Blame it on the Trump colored glasses. Wearers have been conditioned to believe Trump must be banished even if it requires undermining the foundations of our Republic.
These same folks were also silent when it became clear the “Russia collusion” narrative was a scam, when evidence of Biden family corruption was censored before the 2020 election, when 51 retired intelligence officers misrepresented the Hunter Biden laptop as Russian disinformation, when conservative and/or antiestablishment people were censored and/or demonetized, when it was clear Hamilton 68 was a total hoax, to name just a few con jobs people have tolerated. In years past one of these scandals would have rocked the nation. Not now. People accept increasingly undemocratic strategies to “save” democracy from Trump. Trump colored glasses are very effective.
How many people with Trump colored glasses will be surprised to discover the goal of the Trump indictments is not to eliminate the “greatest threat to democracy”, but to manipulate Republicans to nominate him? This is a natural extension of the successful Democrat strategy in 2022: keep Trump front and center, elevate his candidates, and watch with glee as the independents vote against anyone with the Trump stench. Trump allowed himself to be played and coupled with his poor candidate choices in purple states, Democrats won the Senate. The perceived corruption of justice will ensure Trump himself is on the 2024 ticket with the hope of similar results, up and down the ballot.
How many people believe if they support one more duplicitous act to banish Trump that the country will unite and the creep of totalitarianism will be reversed? Will the current crop of Democrat leaders retire fictional multiyear cons, embrace free speech, ban censorship, prohibit platform demonetization, stop lawfare election interference, and restore equal justice under the law? Not a chance. What is happening now will look like child’s play if those who have perpetrated these scams solidify their power.
Once Trump is gone and the Trump colored glasses come off, folks might then realize the well-executed Democrat con jobs were never about getting rid of the orange man. The goal was to crush and disperse organized opposition with the citizens’ unwitting approval.
To compound matters significantly, there are many Trump supporters who have also donned a different version of Trump colored glasses. These glasses only allow the wearers to see the weaponization of justice and unequal application of the law against Trump and their fellow Americans. Folks are outraged this is happening in America and feel the most effective way to protest is to nominate Trump.
They are blind to the trap. Democrat leadership want Trump to be nominated because he is beatable. To hedge their bets, the Democrats will replace Biden and/or Harris and time Trump’s trials so he spends significant time in court rather than on the campaign trail.
Trump colored glasses also blind voters to the fact that Trump has participated in his own destruction with unethical behavior and limited strategic planning. Trump and the Republicans were outmaneuvered with covid policy and pre-election lawfare in 2020. Trump personally undermined the post-election court challenges and contributed to the loss of the Senate in 2020 by focusing on himself rather than driving the vote in the Georgia runoff. As described above, his ego and poor judgement helped hand the Senate to Democrats in 2022. Those wearing pro Trump colored glasses do not see his established record of losing or that he is a surface skimmer who senses the truth but responds with ill-conceived knee jerk reactions that are often used against him. They only see that they were better off under a Trump administration and believe Trump can deliver the same results again.
Trump supporters also fail to see Trump utilizes the same strategies that have been used so successfully against him. He lies relentlessly and people believe him. He deploys false narratives such as reducing his significant failings to a few mean tweets. A very successful narrative suggests that anyone who challenges him is a RINO, never trumper or swamp dweller. Trump colored glasses hide the fact that Trump has sunk to his opponent’s level. Should he manage to win, will he also copy their totalitarian strategies and weaponize the justice department? Perhaps engage in rampant censorship? Encourage platforms to demonetize his opponents?
Trump’s choice to run again is the clearest indication that his immense ego is in control, the country be damned. A better man capable of intellectual honesty would realize he had been bested. Even if he could win, his chances of building the A team have been severely limited by the successful Democrat attacks on anyone in his orbit. A man who put his country first would have thrown his support behind a candidate who has a better chance of winning and could serve 8 years.
What is to be done? Some believe we have no option but to sit by and watch our country tumble over the totalitarian cliff. Untrue. We have been conditioned to think otherwise but We the People still have power. People of all parties should forcefully unite against the establishment and select candidates outside the current Democrat and Trump machines. If we don’t, our rights as outlined in the constitution will be diminished and ultimately extinguished. We the People will become a quaint phrase that means absolutely nothing. Let’s get serious and spread the word.
DETAILS
The information below is intended to bolster my opinions above and offer a starting point for folks to do their own research. We should clearly understand what has happened to predict what will happen if we allow the death dance between Trump and current Democrat leadership to continue.
· I highly recommend reading “Rigged” by Mollie Hemingway. Both versions of Trump colored glasses will slip off as machine generated narratives are exposed. As a companion piece, consider reading this Times article in which Democrat operatives, big tech and the media brag about their successful efforts to influence the 2020 election. Then dive into the Twitter files referenced below. An ugly picture of the combatants will emerge.
· This article from the Atlantic Journal-Constitution details who turned out for the 2020 Senate runoff in Georgia. Many Republicans stayed home and more Democrats turned out. Trump’s messaging (and how it was used by Democrats) impacted Republican turnout. There is a contingent of people who believe all of Trump’s actions are part of a grand plan to save the country. This appears to be narrative building at its best to explain away his failures. From the Republican point of view, the consequences of losing the Senate were massive. It is inconceivable that Trump caused this to happen on purpose.
· After the first indictment of Trump I published this article with the message that we should ignore the Trump/Biden clown show. With the events that have transpired since April 6, 2023 ignoring the clown show is the wrong suggestion. This is not a clown show anymore but a race to the edge and it requires our full attention and action. Corporate media is useless. Consider following the independent investigative journalists who have left corporate media to pursue the truth.
· When it was announced Biden would be the Democrat candidate, their strategy began to crystallize. I outlined my opinion in Predictions. Once the indictments began in earnest, at least one of the required “distractions” referenced in the article was revealed. It is unclear at this point if both Biden and Harris will be replaced with another candidate team or just Harris. In my humble opinion, anyone who believes both Biden/Harris will be the 2024 ticket has fallen for yet another Democrat con job.
· Trump/DeSantis polls pre and post indictment tell the story of how the indictments have impacted the primaries. Folks flocked to Trump ignoring that he will likely get crushed legally in the general. It is a brilliant deceptive strategy by Democrat leadership. Aside from undermining our election process to elevate Trump, it simultaneously depresses DeSantis, who is a threat to a Democrat win in 2024. It gives the media a reason to endlessly pontificate on why DeSantis has dropped in the polls and blame it on all manner of unpleasant things except the most obvious – the Trump indictments and the people’s reaction.
· There are others who also believe that the Democrats are setting a trap. Here is Daniel Henninger’s view.
· The WSJ editorial board details the politicized timing of the court cases and its impact in this editorial.
· There is much legal discussion over the Trump indictments that is easily researched. Many from both sides consider the indictments a notable legal stretch except for the documents case which has stronger legal merit. This is a short video with Andy McCarthy that demonstrates the double standard and unequal application of the laws surrounding classified documents. https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6329115115112
· I highly recommend a deep dive into the Twitter Files to understand the scope of the censorship and the government’s involvement. Matt Taibbi, Michael Shellenberger and Bari Weiss were instrumental in this reporting. Ignore the attempts to discredit them as right wing nut jobs (they are not) and jump into the details. They are an eye-opening example of the efforts to curtail our first amendment rights and manipulate the public. Other than vilifying the reporters, the Twitter Files caused barely a ripple in the media. I wonder how many folks realize this has gone far beyond Trump already.
· For those unaware that Russiagate was a made up scam, I highly recommend reading Jeff Gerth’s article published in the Columbia Journalism Review “The Press vs the President”. Racket News did a helpful summary. People who cannot understand why folks still support Trump should immerse themselves in this subject. The long term impacts of this con job on our country and the Presidency are immense. It was all a lie designed to bring Trump down. Is it any surprise people don’t believe anything about the current indictments and are blind to any Trump culpability?
· Everyone now knows the Hunter Biden laptop is real, the laptop includes much “smoke” about Biden corruption, it was censored by most media before the election and that 51 retired intelligence officers mispresented it as “Russian disinformation” at the bidding of the Biden campaign. Biden and the media used this letter to deflect attention during the 2020 campaign. As a result many voters were unaware of the facts on election day.
A search through most news sources will reveal the truth of these statements. Here is good summary by the WSJ editorial board. Regardless of how one feels about Trump, the collusion between the Democrat machine, the media, big tech and the administrative state to interfere with the election should be chilling to all. I have wondered if this group coined the term “election denier” to deflect attention from their own duplicitous actions in 2020.
· Matt Taibbi and Racket News have done a deep dive into the Hamilton 68 scam. A search on Racket News site will reveal several follow up articles. An organization designed to track disinformation created it. This is our world already.
An excerpt: “This was not faulty science. It was a scam. Instead of tracking how “Russia” influenced American attitudes, Hamilton 68 simply collected a handful of mostly real, mostly American accounts, and described their organic conversations as Russian scheming. As Roth put it, “Virtually any conclusion drawn from [the dashboard] will take conversations in conservative circles on Twitter and accuse them of being Russian.”
· I pulled the phrase “creeping totalitarianism” from a Matt Taibbi and Walter Kirn podcast on the subject of censorship and the demonetization of Grayzone. Grayzone is a group of left leaning, antiwar journalists who dared to challenge the establishment’s stand on Ukraine. GoFundMe froze their account. They also discuss the EU’s recently passed Digital Services Act. The US is on track for similar Orwellian legislation if we do not change course.
Smith Island is a wonderful bit of quirk on the Chesapeake Bay. The last inhabited island chain in Maryland is home to delightful personalities, abundant wildlife and Smith Island Cake. A place where stark beauty competes with decay, isolation is tempered by community and a long history does not guarantee a successful future. A visit is a special gift.
We learned just how special when we joined renowned local photographer Jay Fleming for his Smith Island photography workshop in June 2022 and again in June 2023. As his home away from home, Jay ensures folks experience the unique culture while offering delicious Smith Island food and ample photographic opportunities.
Jay Headed to the Boat
Smith Island life revolves around the Chesapeake Bay as did ours. While a 3:45 AM alarm is harsh, lack of sleep is a small price to pay to photograph the crabbers at dawn. Jay captained his boat for optimal compositions as we clicked away, hoping for a wall worthy photo that captures the essence of waterman culture. A special treat is the humorous banter between the crabbers over the radio. The Smith Island dialect reminds us that while only 12 miles from the mainland by boat, this three-by-five mile island chain is a world away. In 2022 we had a beautiful sunrise. In 2023 we experienced storm skies and a short window of incredible light.
Phil EvansPhil Evans
Ducking the Clouds
Black Eye Gull Gets Breakfast
In search of baby birds, we visited several rookeries located on nearby uninhabited islands. We found pelican, gull and cormorant babies but must admit we were equally intrigued by the curious and, at times, disturbing behavior at the rookeries.
Pelican Rookery
Herring Gull Baby
Pelican Babies with Mom
I wish I could talk “bird” to ask a few questions. To the gulls – why do you relentlessly dive bomb the pelicans? The loud definitive snap of a pelican beak leaves no doubt that it could break your leg. Why are your nests at the water’s edge where a high tide can sweep away the eggs? Does it hurt when you swallow a whole baby cormorant and then regurgitate it for your baby? I guess it is the natural way of things for you to steal cormorant eggs, but is there really nothing else to eat?
Pelicans Defending the Nest Gull Nest at the Water’s Edge Gull Regurgitates Baby CormorantGull Running Away With Cormorant Egg
To the pelicans – why did you yell at the gull baby and then grab its beak? A lecture perhaps? Don’t grow up annoying like your parents? It is curious that when you have a chance to do some gull damage, you hold back. Are you and the gull fighting or playing? Are the unguarded gull eggs at the water’s edge too nasty to eat? I would especially like to share how enjoyable it was to watch the youngsters play. We could all benefit from a bit more unbridled play.
Pelican Mama Schools Gull Baby
Mama Gets Serious
Gull Tags Pelican
Pelicans at Play
Last year we visited a nesting area for egrets. Here are a couple adorable gangly teenagers.
Ospreys are synonymous with the Chesapeake Bay and Smith Island is no exception. We also saw a juvenile little blue heron, a good number of oyster catchers and yellow crowned night herons.
Osprey Returning to the Nest
Juvenile Little Blue Heron
Yellow Crowned Night HeronOyster Catcher
After early morning shoots, we were treated to an incredible Smith Island breakfast at Mary Ada Marshall’s home. Mary Ada is as unique as Smith Island and like so many on the island, she is an excellent cook. Jay and Mary Ada are rumored to be working on a cookbook. The world will be a happier place when that happens.
We learned how to bake a Smith Island Cake with Donna and Phil Evans one rainy afternoon. What a wonderful laughter filled interlude. Below is a photo of Donna before the final icing was added.
Donna Evans
The origin of the 8-to-10-layer Smith Island Cake is a mystery but the women on the island will tell you they learned from their grandmothers who learned from theirs. Smith Island Cake has evolved into a cultural icon so much so that it was designated Maryland’s State Dessert in 2008. Mary Ada Marshall, a native Smith Islander, was instrumental in this process. I highly recommend listening to her 2009 interview.
While other companies claim to sell authentic Smith Island Cake, the real deal is made on the island with a dash of Smith Island magic. Kathey and Darren Jones the owners of Smith Island Bakery will ship cakes anywhere in the US as will The Cake Lady, Mary Ada Marshall. For the bakers who would like to give it a go, Mary Ada provides instructions in this video.
Mark Kitching, a local waterman, stepped us through the life of a crab. Below are a number of photos of Mark doing his thing.
Mark Kitching on the Rebekah Rose Mark Kitching Operating the ScraperBaby Crabs Go Free
Mark on the Life of a Crab
Packaged Soft Shells
We were reminded of the challenges of island life when we came across this crew fixing storm damaged electric lines.
Repairing Power LinesRepairing Power Lines
Boating and walking around the islands reveal how vulnerable Smith Island is to the vagaries of nature. The high tides are higher causing yards and streets to flood. Property maintenance is spotty and money is tight. In some areas, nature is reclaiming its own as a result. The population is declining as the watermen’s way of life is threatened by regulation, reduced crab populations and high costs. The recent closure of the elementary school is concerning. One can only wonder what will become of this treasure.
Makeshift High Water Driveway
Front Yard of Island Time B&B at Sunrise
There are glimmers of hope, however. Covid resulted in a surge of home sales bringing new residents and investment. Smith Island United is an organization formed in 2013 dedicated to the preservation of the island and its Chesapeake Bay traditions. Their efforts have resulted in significant funding to bolster Smith Island against high water, harsh weather and government buyouts. Jay Fleming’s efforts and exceptional photography bring folks to the island and raise awareness of Smith Island, its people and traditions. We can all do a little something to support Smith Islanders’ way of life. It is worth it.
While it is fortunate that funding has found its way to Smith Island, it’s people just living their lives that keep a place real. May Smith Island always be real.
Details
To gain a deeper understanding of Smith Island, consider visiting the Smith Island United’s website which includes the Smith Island Vision Plan. An excerpt: “In many ways, Smith Island is a profound cultural success story. The legacy of the watermen’s way of life is still alive today and is the backbone of the community’s identity. The residents are part of a tightly knit community that cares for one another and maintains a high quality of life on an island where there is no law enforcement and few social services.”
The Snapshot of Smith Island above is from the Smith Island United website which I updated with 2020 census data. It is interesting to compare the data above to the original graphic on page 1 of the Vision Plan which included 2010 census data. The population decreased from 276 to 238 in ten years and the median age increased from 58 to 70. Hopefully the next ten years will show a reversal in these trends.
Many thanks to Jay Fleming for a wonderful introduction to Smith Island. For more information on his workshops and outstanding work, please visit Jay’s website.
Dear Readers, I am slowly switching over to Substack. Please use this link should you prefer to read this article in Substack. Thanks, Sue Seboda
It is inconceivable that Biden will seek a second term, yet here we are. Even if one agrees with his policies, he is a questionable candidate. His age, reduced capabilities and projection of weakness are notable liabilities. Biden’s chances of winning are likely boosted if Trump is the Republican nominee but is that enough to overcome the specter of a Kamala Presidency? Doubtful. Will abortion serve as a red cape and conceal Biden’s many negatives? Possibly but not guaranteed. It seems risky. We must examine why Democrat leadership decided to run an elderly vulnerable puppet instead of backing a more suitable leader.
What do we know? Our politics have devolved into ugly influence campaigns where the ends, power, justify the means, deception. Anything goes regardless of how harmful it is to our country, culture, family, faith, economy or national security. This election will be no different.
We know an honest debate on the issues cannot exist in the presence of influence campaigns. Debate could result in critical thought, kryptonite to those who seek to manipulate millions for their own gain. Therefore Biden will stay in the basement.
We know that corporate media and much of social media has been transformed into an instrument of social control. As they did in 2020, the media will engage in election interference rather than honestly reporting the facts.
We know a coalition of Democrats, corporations, media and institutions have joined forces to saturate our country in progressive ideologies for their own gain. This effort has ramped up significantly in the last two years and it is likely Democrat leadership is desperate to win so they can solidify and expand upon that progress. Centralized power and money are the goal, Biden is the prop.
We can safely assume that an unattainable level of lawfare, shenanigans and/or fraud would be required for Harris to win. While a malleable puppet, she is a liability that limits the Democrats’ options.
Therefore, one prediction suggests that Harris will be replaced. In order for Biden to win, a skilled running mate is necessary, preferably one dedicated progressive ideologies. Such a person provides the ability to dump Biden after he serves his purpose. Depending on circumstances and the Republican nominee, several scenarios come to mind.
Biden’s entrance into the race could lull Republican voters into foolishly nominating Trump. The Democrats want Trump. A well-orchestrated media frenzy over the “historic” rematch will provide a wonderful distraction from the issues. A Trump/Biden contest cancels out the age question. Plus nobody can complain that Biden lies with abandon because Trump does too. Character is also off the table because neither candidate has any.
The country will be disgusted. Their potential disinterest could allow Biden to cruise through the primaries in his basement. Both Trump and Biden have signaled they will give Americans the middle finger and refuse to debate.
If Trump is winning, Biden will withdraw before the general. His running mate, a younger, smarter candidate who can successfully string 10 words together will face a far older Trump. Coupled with the fact that many women and Independents will never vote for Trump, this could give the Democrat candidate the edge. The shiny object will be the silver tongue of the new candidate whose pretty words hide the party’s true objective: globalism, centralized government, control of large segments of our economy, and nationalization of extreme progressive ideologies to name a few.
If it appears Biden will beat Trump, his handlers will allow him to proceed to the general and be inaugurated if he wins. Then Biden will step down willingly or via the 25th amendment. Biden would essentially be the trojan horse for the real presidential candidate.
Regardless of when Biden withdraws, this deception is required to reduce the focus on the alternate candidate. Democrat leadership cannot count on Independents being as dense as the voters in Chicago. Many are likely to connect the dots between progressive ideals and the crime and chaos in progressive American cities. Therefore candidates like Gavin Newsom cannot spend much time under the spotlight. They must be installed through trickery.
While these scenarios will be less effective if Republicans wisely nominate a competent electable leader, leadership can yank Biden off the stage at any point if it suits them. That is the great thing about running an old guy in decline, maneuverability and a cover story for their deceit. For any of this to work however, massive distractions will be necessary.
A bait and switch will be accompanied by a well-orchestrated media meltdown. This 24-7 distraction will obscure the issues, the candidates and their platforms. Whether he is in the race or not, Trump will steal headlines for some real or made-up infraction. Chances are BLM, antifa, climate and/or trans activists will find a reason to riot and politicians will find a reason to support them. In case people refuse to be distracted, 2024 censorship and election lawfare will make 2020 look like a warmup. The uninformed voter doesn’t stand a chance.
At a minimum, running a puppet president is an insult to Americans and indicative of the contempt Democrat leadership holds for voters. While time will tell if the above predictions are true, it is certain a con is underway. Otherwise they would have run a capable candidate willing to honestly debate the issues. The deceptions are a colossal warning flag that their agenda is great for them and horrible for us.
Details
Ballotpedia.com offers good summaries of election law and the processes that would be necessary if Biden withdrawals or dies.
This article written in 2020, also details how laws would be applied in the event of death or withdrawal of a candidate.
Some might be tempted to suggest Republican leadership has shown the same deception by running Trump. This theory doesn’t hold water since Trump is “running” himself. Trump has many serious faults but being a puppet is not one of them.
Update August 8, 2023. As stated above “massive distractions” will be required to implement whatever con job is underway. We now know that one component of that strategy is Trump’s future trials which will derail the election process. Trump will never put the good of the country over himself, realize he has been once again outmaneuvered, make a deal and support another candidate. Trump is Dem leadership’s greatest weapon. Note I also made minor linguistic edits above.
