Category: America on Shaky Ground

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Core Truths To Guide Us

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. 

It is wrong that over 100,000 Americans die annually from fentanyl that is trafficked over our porous southern border.  

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. 

  • A good source of information on the ramifications of illegal immigration can be found at FAIR, Federation for American Immigration Reform.
  • Please considering reading, “The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers, 2023 Cost Study.” 
  • 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:

Part 1 “Through the Looking Glass”

Part 2 “Snowballs”

Part 3 “The Marketeers

Part 4 “Comment on Biden Administration’s Proposed Changes to Title IX

Part 5 “Beliefs, Biases and Bad Ideas”

Part 6 “A Matter for Debate not Decree”

Part 7 “Exposing the Underbelly of Gender Ideology”

For those who prefer to read in Substack, feel free to follow My Two Cents. Thanks, Sue

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Let’s Ignore the Clown Show

America on Shaky Ground, Part 9

Dear Readers, I am slowly switching over to Substack for political articles. Please use this link should you wish to read this article in Substack. Thanks, Sue Seboda

Does anyone believe Alvin Bragg is a “rogue” prosecutor?  Highly unlikely. The Democrat machine is running this circus and what a circus it is.  All the clowns have assumed their roles.  Politicians wring their hands over democracy and declare no one is above the law.  Media personalities fake sadness to hide their glee over ratings.  Clueless protestors take to the streets for their TV debut.  Republicans perform their tired reactionary dance.  Biden dons a dazed smile and remains silent. Trump gives a campaign speech to his newly energized base.  Meanwhile our country continues to unravel with serious internal and external problems.  It’s sickening.    

What is going on?  Bragg indicted Trump on weak charges that others declined to prosecute, charges that are unlikely to result in a conviction.  Why?  Politicians have taught us that motive is best determined if we ignore their verbal misdirections and examine patterns, actions and consequences.  One pattern is obvious.  Keep Trump front and center in the media with real or made-up scandals and his loyal base will fanatically support him or his candidates while independents run screaming for the hills.  Trump gives the Democrats an assist when he takes the bait, spews ill-conceived remarks and endorses beatable people.  As we have witnessed in the last 3 elections, it is a winning Democrat strategy. 

This theory is borne out by the schedule.  Trump’s next court appearance is December 4, 2023 and prosecutors have requested a trial in January 2024.  What else is happening then?  Primaries.  Democrats have ensured Trump will be the orange amorphous cloud hanging over the primaries detracting attention from the other Republican candidates, obscuring their message, tilting the emotion towards Trump.  The Democrats will be ecstatic if Trump wins the nomination.  He is beatable.  They could run an over ripe banana and win.  Oh wait…

Isn’t this election interference on a grand scale and a serious assault on “we the people”, our country and democracy?  The clowns don’t want us to see it that way but the patterns tell the truth. 

The made-up Russia collusion attack is child’s play compared to the potential consequences of this stunt.  One of many is the public’s realization the Democrats have weaponized the justice system against the opposition.  Regardless of what anyone thinks of Trump, if the Democrats will do this to him, they will do it to anyone.  Is this an attempt to give Americans a giant middle finger?  To chill resistance, create subconscious fear and further shift the balance of power from “we the people” to government?  To further undermine faith in our once venerable institutions?  To deepen the divide?  All seem like happy accidents if not actual motives. 

Imagine what the rest of the world thinks.  The President of El Salvador tweeted: “Sadly it will be very hard for US Foreign Policy to use arguments such as “democracy” and “free and fair elections”, or try and condemn “political persecution” in other countries, from now on.”  It is hard to debate this logic.  Is reducing our influence globally a motive or a result of the perpetrators’ hubris?   

Another possible motive is the old game of “a good defense is a good offense”.  Credible information continues to pile up on the Biden family’s influence peddling, aka corruption.  Due to media bias, many on the left may be unaware of this.  Should an irrefutable case develop, how will an uninformed public react to legal action against any in the Biden family?  Will they declare it a baseless tit for tat thereby undermining the charges? 

Perhaps the most insidious motive is distraction.  The clown show is like a car wreck that snarls traffic for miles.  While folks miserably sit, glued to the carnage, they may not notice the failures of those who seek power or machinations of those Democrats who push hard to reformat society.  As a result, some people base their votes on the distraction (ie scary orange man) instead of the disturbing trend of girls who spontaneously declare they are boys, sterilize themselves with drugs and cut off their breasts, or any number of other equally serious issues that plague our society.

What is to be done?  Let’s ignore the clown show.  The consequences of Trump’s indictment will be terrible, but we can mitigate them and change the end of this storyline if we stay focused on what matters. 

In this game, both Trump and the Democrats believe Trump’s arrest will fill his coffers and solidify his support.  Hopefully Republicans will not convert their anger into a knee jerk Trump nomination without consideration of his ability to win or govern.  Let’s avoid the distraction and research the other candidates exhaustively.  For example, what are their belief structures and platforms?  Which candidate can communicate effectively to most of the country not just the base?  Who is best suited to unite the country against the woke cancer eating our society and harming our children?  Who is the best manager and can build a solid team?  Which candidate can rise above 2024’s version of the Russia collusion attack?  Who is the most honest and ethical?  Which candidates lead and which divide?  Who projects strength?  Who can best navigate threats abroad?  Who can win?

Democrats, it is logical to assume approval for the Trump indictment strategy came from the highest levels of the party.  Their actions suggest they will use any means necessary to stay in power even if it means deeply wounding America at home and abroad.  We gave these people power with our votes.  There will be a competitive Democratic primary whether Biden runs or not.  Let’s dedicate ourselves to in depth research, ignore the clown show and select a worthy candidate and administration that won’t take this country down with corruption and incompetence.  

Once the primaries are over, we can assume another phase of the clown show will be in play.  Will the Independents ignore the distraction, stay focused on the issues, and conduct a rigorous evaluation of the candidates and their platforms? For the sake of our country, we should all hope so. 

The Democrat strategy has put America on dangerously shaky ground.  “We the people” must disrupt this scheme and mitigate the fallout.  Uninformed complacency is no longer an option. 

DETAILS

Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  Note I am in the process of switching to substack and some of the articles below have not yet been transferred. 

  • Part 1 – “The Beauty of Gathering”.  Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – “Bad Ole Men”. Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – “Whitey in the Woodpile”.  Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.
  • Part 4 – “Annie Get Your Gun”.  Destabilize the populace by undermining the constitutional right of self-defense. 
  • Part 5 – “Thou Shalt Lie”.  Propagation of false narratives designed to destabilize the populace and consolidate power.  
  • Part 6 – “Predators”.  Destabilize US economic and national security with unsound energy policies.
  • Part 7 – “Through the Looking Glass” and “Snowballs”.  Division via the splintering of society based on gender.  Destabilization caused by teaching kids to reject reality.
  • Part 8 – “Incredible Transitions”.  Purposeful economic and national security destabilization to “transition” the United States.   
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“Incredible Transitions”

Part 8 America on Shaky Ground

At a press conference in Japan, Biden said “[When] it comes to the gas prices, we’re going through an incredible transition that is taking place that, God willing, when it’s over, we’ll be stronger and the world will be stronger and less reliant on fossil fuels when this is over,”

A few pressing questions come to mind:   

  1. What are we transitioning to?  Renewables?  It is critical to understand that renewables such as wind and solar are currently unreliable and unable to meet US energy demand. Until a solution for long term storage of energy is invented to overcome the variable nature of weather and/or nuclear energy is increased dramatically, we are stuck with fossil fuels if we wish to satisfy current demand.  Does Biden mean we are transitioning to low emissions nuclear?  Nope.  This administration has declared war on nuclear as well.  Why would they undermine fossil fuels and nuclear which supply 88% of our energy without a viable alternative in place?  An important question that is never asked much less answered by our so called leaders.  
  • Is Biden doing everything he can to lower gas prices?  Regardless of Biden’s words to the contrary, this administration is taking more steps, right now, with the highest gas prices in history, to further hamper the US fossil fuel industry. Regulatory actions impact prices. For additional details please also refer to an earlier article “Predators”, a deeper dive into energy policy.  
  • Intent or incompetence?  Any serious conversation about the Biden administration’s record invariably leads to this question, can they possibly be this incompetent or is there some measure of intent?  Biden lifted the curtain with his “transition” remarks and confirmed intent.  Think long and hard about that folks.  Their intent crushes Americans economically and he encourages us to suck it up with some grand notion of transitioning to a better future.  It’s blatant manipulation.  

It is now crystal clear that this administration has purposely put America on shaky ground to achieve an “incredible” yet undefined “transition”.  A “Great Reset” perhaps?  How long will we tolerate this assault on our country?  How long will it take otherwise intelligent people to stop believing foolish memes that deflect blame from Biden and attempt to normalize high gas prices?  Will the silent majority finally dispense with their silence?  

SHAKY GROUND SUMMARY

Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – “The Beauty of Gathering”.  Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – “Bad Ole Men”. Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – “Whitey in the Woodpile”.  Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.
  • Part 4 – “Annie Get Your Gun”.  Destabilize the populace by undermining the constitutional right of self-defense. 
  • Part 5 – “Thou Shalt Lie”.  Propagation of false narratives designed to destabilize the populace and consolidate power.  
  • Part 6 – “Predators”.  Destabilize US economic and national security with unsound energy policies.
  • Part 7 – “Through the Looking Glass” and “Snowballs”.  Division via the splintering of society based on gender.  Destabilization caused by teaching kids to reject reality.
  • Part 8 – “Incredible Transitions”.  Purposeful economic and national security destabilization to “transition” the United States.   
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Through the Looking Glass

American on Shaky Ground, Part 7

The Transgender Campaign, Part 1

A byproduct of the “gender is a feeling” movement is that people who pee sitting down must share public restrooms with people who pee standing up.  This is unacceptable.  Their restrooms tend to get that not so fresh smell from pee landing in places it does not belong.  Logic also dictates that crouchers who pee all over the toilet seat should be relegated to the standers’ bathroom.  In fact, restroom usage should be divided not on how one feels but on who can keep their pee in the toilet bowl.  Laws must be enacted and enforced.  If absurdity is the norm let’s at least be practical.  

Is the above any more absurd than men who wish they were women competing in sports with actual women?  Or that anyone would ask a potential supreme court justice what the definition of a woman was and equally bizarre, the judge would refuse to answer?  No.    

Let’s take a step back and examine the gender and transgender narrative that’s dumped us all in the same restroom.  

A narrative is often accompanied by the manipulation of language.  “Prior to the 1950s, gender meant male or female, but applied only to grammar not persons. Latin based languages categorize nouns and their modifiers as masculine or feminine and for this reason are still referred to as having a gender.”  Source.  

Now definitions like this proliferate: “Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender diverse people. It influences how people perceive themselves and each other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources in society. Gender identity is not confined to a binary (girl/woman, boy/man) nor is it static,” etc. 

The word gender itself has been transitioned.  

The word “Intersex” describes an old phenomenon.  In rare instances, people are born with abnormal chromosome combinations that result in both male and female characteristics.  The first sex change operation on an intersex individual occurred in the early 1900s. While there is disagreement on the prevalence of intersex people, one calculation states they represent approximately .018% of US population. 

Gender Identity Disorder is not new either although this condition is now referred to as Gender Dysphoria. “Gender dysphoria (GD) in children describes a psychological condition in which they experience marked incongruence between their experienced gender and the gender associated with their biological sex.” Source.  “Children represent a small number of individuals with gender dysphoria and in only 10-20% of the children, gender dysphoria will continue to manifest in adolescence”.  Source.  These folks and intersex individuals deserve our compassion and hope for a fulfilling life.  For perspective, a rough estimate of the number of GD individuals seeking sex reassignment surgery can be found in the Details section.  

The label “gender nonconforming” is new but the concept is old.  Gender nonconformity refers to the extent to which a person’s gender identity, role, or expression differs from the cultural norms prescribed for people of a particular sex.

What is new is the idea that we should teach children gender is fluid so they will accept and be compassionate towards those who suffer from gender identity disorder.    

What is also new is the increased volume of GD diagnoses over baseline (referred to as excess demand in this article) and the willingness to treat GD chemically and surgically at younger and younger ages ignoring the data that at least 80% of GD cases resolve with psychotherapy alone by late adolescence.  Unbelievably, in some clinics, chemical transition is initiated in the absence of comprehensive psychological evaluation.  

It appears the increase in referrals to gender clinics has not been quantified although we can look at the explosion of clinics and surmise demand has grown significantly.  The first US clinic to pioneer puberty blockers for children opened in 2007.  According to one study, there are approximately 200 clinics and growing.  This number does not appear to include Planned Parenthood clinics which have embraced puberty blockers and cross sex hormones.  GD drugs and surgery have become big business.  

Why are there so many more gender confused kids?  Why has the number of young girls seeking transgender care surged?  The chicken and egg debate rages but it is important to understand these questions have not been evaluated as outlined in this Dutch article.  Without this essential data the federal government has issued official support for “gender affirming care” which can include social transition (name and pronoun), puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, surgery and psychotherapy.  The federal government has also warned states they could be in violation of civil rights laws if they block minors from receiving “gender affirming care” even though the long term impact of puberty blockers on children has not been adequately studied.  

Even without studies, it stands to reason that excess demand is driven by the relentless gender narrative of social media influencers, politicians, educators and the media coupled with the censorship of critics.  The rhetoric resembles a well-executed marketing campaign.  Gender drug pushers and surgeons welcome the new target market with open arms.  

Another likely driver of excess demand is the age at which gender ideology is introduced. Is it wise to tell little kids that boys can be girls and girls can be boys?  Imagine a prepubescent child’s reaction when presented with the Gingerbread Person or the Gender Unicorn, images that are clearly designed for a young audience.  Once these concepts are in a child’s mind, will they confuse common body image concerns, normal identity questions and insecurities with GD?  According to Erikson’s Psychological Stage Summary Chart, an important factor for adolescents is their search for personal identity.  Is it possible the relentless gender messaging from teachers, children’s programming and social media will misdirect children in their search?  

Like Alice, it feels like we have entered a fantastical world, where we find that, just like a reflection, everything is reversed, including logic.  Did our society take a wrong turn through the looking glass?  

It certainly appears so.  Any human who has been around for a while witnessed the negative impacts of strict gender stereotypes and the existence of “gender noncomformists”.  In the 1970s things visibly started to change.  By the turn of the century expectations and assumptions had loosened to such a degree that those who march to their own drummer were celebrated.   

The gender movement is regressive however and strict stereotypes are back.  How can a 10 year old girl casually tell her parents she is not a girl unless society has narrowly defined how a girl behaves, how she thinks and what is expected of her?  This is obvious “elephant in the living room” logic and is the crux of society’s wrong turn. We should bust the stereotypes not the reality of our biology.  

Are there any other elephants that deserve our attention?  Yes, big ones.  

  • “Also, some experts noticed that a clear majority of children on GnRH therapy (puberty blockers) will decide to pursue cross-sex hormonal therapy.” Source.  Other sources suggest this number is close to 100%.  We have already learned that 80%-90% of GD resolves without drug intervention plus there has been a notable increase in children, particularly girls, seeking transgender care.  Do the math.  If we start children on puberty blockers whose GD would have otherwise resolved, we will increase the number of transgender adults who are also dependent on cross sex hormones.  No doubt the pharmaceutical companies support “gender affirming care”. 
  • Consider the distinctive manifestations of women and men in your own circles.  How can gender labels and pronouns possibly encompass the depth of our uniqueness?  They can’t.  That is why the number of genders/pronouns has grown to ridiculous proportions, 64 by one count.  Yet what is the endgame of gender transition?  Male and female genitalia.  A full circle of absurdity.  
  • How can equal opportunity laws conceivably address the expanding number of genders?
  • When I was in grade school, the kids viciously teased an overweight girl because she was different. Imagine her isolation and trauma.  Did the government issue a directive on “fat affirming care”?  Of course not.  Why would we force society at large to declare their pronouns and abandon biologic reality rather than teaching kids to be kind and accept the differences of others?  Does anyone really believe “gender affirming care” will result in kids being nicer to those who are different?  For example, a group of kids in a Maryland junior high bullied another group of kids because they were not bisexual. Junior high. Will the law of unintended consequences rear its ugly head as people are divided into small angry victim groups and kids turn on each other?
  • No amount of compassion for a gender confused individual supports a biological man playing on a women’s sports team.  Note the Biden Administration is scheduled to release a revision to Title IX April 2022.  Consider what that report will do to the polarization in this country.  
  • A man who wants to be a woman can change his name and pronouns, elect chemical and physical castration, get breast implants and other feminine features but he will never be a woman with the ability to give birth and nurse her child.  A woman who wants to be a man can select one of 78 pronouns, pursue hormone therapy, have a double mastectomy and radical hysterectomy.  She will have a clitoris with penis clothing and will never be a man with the ability to impregnate a woman.  The bottom line?  Sex reassignment surgery is cosmetic and pronouns are superficial.  Quite a sad reality for GD folks but it is a reality none the less.  
  • Transgender individuals who pursue full chemical and surgical transition will be sterile, yet “a clear majority of them express the desire for reproductive potential after transition”.  In a society that caters to the smallest minority, where will the transgender desire to maintain fertility lead our nation legally and ethically?  The future is emerging already.  Some states do not require surgical transition to change gender on birth certificates.  
  • How will our unique, gifted or troubled children fare in this new environment.  Will an influencer suggest their uniqueness is a sign of GD and recommend “gender affirming care”?  Will one of the sleazy gender clinics put them on drugs without comprehensive psychological evaluation?  Is it possible the side effects of these drugs will derail the natural development of their gifts or enflame underlying psychological conditions?  Do we undermine our society by undermining our children?  
  • Societal trajectories matter.  In addition to ignoring the long-term impacts of transgender drugs, we are also ignoring the potential progression when reality is supplanted with desire.  The furry movement comes to mind as does research into uterine transplants in men.  What’s next? 

How do we get back on track?  Let’s apply common sense.  

Can we return to simplicity, reality and acceptance?  Let’s celebrate the beautiful diversity of being human, embrace our woman and manhood, reject gender stereotypes and revel in our differences.  Let’s extend our understanding and acceptance to those with persistent GD without forcing society to participate in gender ideology.  Let kids be kids, educate them on the basics, encourage them to be kind, turn off the gender marketing machine and cancel the drug pushers.  This isn’t complicated.  Common sense rarely is.  

Wouldn’t the above actions be preferrable to splintering our society into an infinite number of angry victim groups who take offense at being called the wrong pronoun?  To eliminating a key bedrock of human experience, our biology?  To the gender wars developing between parents, schools, states and the federal government? To the manipulation of compassion which results in the incremental acceptance of senseless legislation?  To the weaponization of greed to advance an agenda?  To subjugate parents’ belief structures to the will of government?  

Yes, reality grounded in common sense, compassion and pragmatism will unite us.  The absurdity of modern gender ideology and associated legislation will rip this country apart, undermine our children and put this nation on dangerously shaky ground.  We should reject it and equally important, determine why the government and their corporate cronies are hellbent on drugging our kids and splintering society.    

SHAKY GROUND SUMMARY

Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.
  • Part 4 – Destabilize the populace by undermining the constitutional right of self-defense. 
  • Part 5 – Propagation of false narratives designed to destabilize the populace and consolidate power.  
  • Part 6 – Destabilize US economic and national security with unsound energy policies.
  • Part 7 – Division via the splintering of society into an ever increasing number of “marginalized” victim groups. Destabilization caused by teaching kids to reject reality which will ultimately undermine children.

DETAILS

  • Gender ideology is complicated.  The above only scratches the surface.  For those who want a deeper dive, there are many resources above and below to get you started.  My plan is to examine gender transition drugs in a future article.  Regardless of the rhetoric to the contrary side effects of long-term use of puberty blockers and cross sex hormones have not been adequately studied.  In addition, once the Biden Administration releases their proposed Title IX update, an article on the illogical outcomes of gender legislation will likely be in order. 
  • Update 4.8.22 – New Jersey has updated their education standards. Gender ideology will be introduced in the 2nd grade. “Discuss the range of ways people express their gender and how gender- role stereotypes may limit behavior.“
  • How many transgender kids were referred for treatment prior to this movement (baseline)?  Was this number consistent over the years?  What is the number of kids claiming to be transgender now?  I don’t know.  I wonder if anyone does.  This is important information, however.  In search of a baseline estimate, it was suggested I review the 2013 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.  While modern transgender narrative began prior to 2013, the Obama administration gave it a hefty push around then.  “There are no recent epidemiological studies to provide data on prevalence of Gender Identity Disorder.  Data from smaller countries in Europe with access to total population statistics and referrals suggest that roughly 1 per 30,000 adult males and 1 per 100,000 adult females seek sex reassignment surgery.”  Census data reveals there were approximately 154,650,000 men and 161,610,000 women in 2013.  Therefore approximately .003% of men and .001% of women sought sex change surgery in 2013.  Did this number justify foisting fringe academic gender theory into mainstream culture?  
  • Update 4.8.22 – After publishing this article, I became aware of the Gallup poll which seeks to measure the number of people who identify as LGBT. This is not surprising.
  • The reader will note that I did not touch on sexual orientation above.  While that may be inexact because many of the new genders speak to orientation, I did not want to complicate the article further.  
  • Upon the release of the above documents which endorse the use of puberty blockers and cross sex hormones, President Biden said among other things: “To transgender Americans of all ages, I want you to know you are so brave.  You belong.  I have your back.”  With everything we have learned about a child’s need to belong, their search for personal identity and the fire hose of gender messaging, this statement is disturbing. 
  • While the US government has embraced transgender drugs, Sweden’s top children’s hospital suspended puberty blockers.  Note Sweden instituted their version of gender affirming care prior to the US and they are not the only country putting the brakes on drugging kids.  https://segm.org/Sweden_ends_use_of_Dutch_protocol
  • The Gingerbread Person is a tool to teach gender ideology.  https://go2tutors.com/what-is-the-genderbread-person-and-how-is-it-being-used-in-schools/  The Safe Zone Project, creates gender curriculums utilizing the gingerbread person.  Sam Killerman, who is a gender and sexuality consultant, had a hand in creating both. Reading this material is recommended.  Much of it seems fine until one realizes that these lessons teach kids they can be any gender “they know themselves to be”. I have been unable to confirm at what age this is introduced but have seen references as young as 4th grade and up.  https://thesafezoneproject.com
  • Because some LGBTQ folks don’t agree with how gender is depicted on the Gingerbread Person, the TSER (Trans Student Educational Resources) created the Gender Unicorn which is also being taught in some schools.  https://transstudent.org/graphics/  Studying the mission and message of TSER is highly recommended.  
  • The American College of Pediatricians is opposed to the current transgender treatment protocol.  They have been vilified and labeled as a hate group.  For two vastly different perspectives read the releases of the Biden Administration “Gender Affirming Care” documents above and this ACP article.  In a takedown of this article, an author suggested ACP misrepresented the twin study.  I have reached out to ACP for clarification. https://acpeds.org/position-statements/gender-dysphoria-in-children  
TSER Graphic for Students

Please feel free to visit BayBuddha Travels for articles on a wide range of subjects.

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Predators

America on Shaky Ground, Part 6

To be effective participants in our democracy, a dedication to reality is essential.  Said dedication is difficult amid the relentless political theater and complexity of the issues we face.  But try we must.  Energy policy, Russian aggression, and the West’s ability to respond are inextricably linked. To understand, let’s begin with what we know to be true, raise questions and finally, determine if we can draw any conclusions.  

FACTS

  • Readily available, affordable energy is the backbone of a society. Energy is to society as oxygen is to humans. Every industry, business and citizen rely on energy to function.  Every product brought to market requires energy to produce.  A sound energy policy is essential for economic and national security.   
  • If energy prices increase, the price of goods and service will also increase, i.e., inflation.  Steep inflation has and will continue to jeopardize our economy.
  • Many factors impact energy prices.  Supply and demand are key as are the games nations play with supply to manipulate pricing and/or advance agendas such as climate change.  Regulatory policy and uncertainty also impact prices.  
  • Biden administration energy policy is driven by the belief that fossil fuel emissions are the cause of our warming planet.  Energy policy is therefore geared to reduce fossil fuel production and increase renewable energy.  Biden attacked the fossil fuel industry immediately.  For example, he revoked the permit for the Keystone pipeline on day one, temporarily suspended the issuance of oil and gas permits on federal lands and waters and most recently, during the Russia/Ukraine crisis, FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) modified approval requirements to include climate considerations for interstate natural gas facilities and pipelines.  The new guidelines will ensure such projects are far more difficult if not impossible to permit.
  • While the environment is an essential pillar of any energy policy it is critical to understand that renewables such as wind and solar are currently unreliable and unable to meet US energy demand.  Until a solution for long term storage of energy is invented to overcome the variable nature of weather and/or nuclear energy is increased dramatically, we are stuck with fossil fuels if we wish to satisfy current demand.  Please review the charts in this article that outline energy consumption by source.  
  • In February 2022 the NRC (Nuclear Energy Commission) rescinded extension permits for two functioning nuclear plants in Florida and Pennsylvania. In January 2022, the NRC rejected the application to build a reactor in Idaho. Shuttered nuclear plants typically are converted to gas-fired plants which have higher emissions. Rescinding permits that were issued under a previous administration is a sure fire way to dampen investment at time when we need nuclear energy to reduce imports. For more information please read this article.
  • Germany provides a clear example of a climate based energy policy that neglected to properly balance environmental, economic and national security concerns and ignored the reality of renewables.  “Germany embarked on Energiewende in 2010 with the goal of eventually making Germany independent of fossil fuels. The idea was to phase out oil, coal, and natural gas to allow for drastic reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. Since 2009, Germany has spent over a hundred billion euros on solar and wind energy, but carbon dioxide emissions did not decline over that period.  Source.  Germany also began a process to shutter their nuclear power plants with the remaining two plants scheduled for closure at the end of this year.  How has this worked out for Germany?  “Currently, Russia provides Germany with 55 percent of the natural gas, 50 percent of the coal, and 35 percent of the oil consumed by its inhabitants.” Source.  Germany supported Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that would transport Russian gas to Germany.  Nord Stream 2 will be a significant economic boon to Russia, filling its coffers to rape and pillage Ukraine, threatening Europe’s stability. Germany has since halted the process to certify the pipeline but has declined to enact any Russian sanctions that jeopardize its energy supply. .  
  • Unlike demand, US energy output has not rebounded to prepandamic levels.  This imbalance pushes costs up.  It is difficult to discern the cause. Some say it is a result of Biden administration policies intended to restrict supply.  Some say it is a lack of investment due to the regulatory atmosphere created by Biden policies.  The Biden administration blames OPEC, Russia, big oil and more recently, the conflict in Ukraine.  Still others blame Covid. 
  • The United States achieved “energy independence” for the first time in 2019.  This means that our net exports exceeded imports.  It does not mean that we produced all the energy we consumed.  We continue to import energy.  Becoming a net exporter was fueled in part by regulatory changes and the hydraulic fracking boom.  Prior to the end of the Trump administration our imports exceeded exports due to the havoc lockdowns wreaked on supply and demand.  We continue to import more than we export under Biden.  
  • Soon after Biden took office Russia began amassing troops on the Ukrainian border.  This article from April 2021 states that troop movement to the border had started “weeks” prior to publication.
  • Putin has repeatedly stated over the years that there will be significant consequences if Ukraine joined NATO.  Biden and Harris have repeatedly used language supporting Ukraine’s addition to NATO.
  • While implementing steps to restrict fossil fuel production at home, in May 2021, Biden waived sanctions on the company building Nord Stream 2.  Also in May 2021, U.S. imports of oil and refined petroleum products from Russia increased 23 percent to 844,000 barrels a day from the prior month, according to the Energy Information Administration.  In August 2021 Biden requested OPEC and Russia increase the supply of oil and gas production to offset higher energy prices in the US.  
  • While US imports from Russia increased to their highest historical level in 2021, It is important to note that the US has been importing oil from Russia for years.  Russian exports currently represent roughly 7% of total US 2021 consumption.  We import oil from many countries.  Top exporters to the US are Canada, Russia and Mexico.  For a detailed dive into the data, click here.  For more information consider this US Chamber of Commerce article, this article from Oil Price.com or summary from Institute For Energy Research.
  • “Russia’s sales of oil and natural gas far exceeded initial forecasts for 2021 as a result of skyrocketing prices, accounting for 36% of the country’s total budget.”  Russia’s energy exports are a significant source of funds and finance Russia’s brutal attack.  Source.     
  • Almost a year after signs of impending Russian aggression began, there is finally a bipartisan push to cut energy imports from Russia.  However, the way some suggest it be done is counterproductive.  Elizabeth Warren stated “I think that means it should all be on the table including banning the import of Russian oil, not just here in the United States but among all of the nations.  We can protect ourselves, we can support ourselves, we can keep our economy going without fossil fuels.”

QUESTIONS

  • Why have so many NATO countries financed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?  
  • Why didn’t the US and NATO turn off Russia’s money machine and seek alternate means of energy supply in 2014 after Russia invaded Crimea? Or if not then, as soon as the troop build up began on the Ukrainian border?  Considering Russia’s history, Russian aggression in Ukraine had a high probability.  Why was it ignored for so many months?
  • Knowing Putin’s “red line” regarding NATO expansion, how much did Biden’s NATO/Ukraine rhetoric enflame the situation?  Were those overtures serious suggestions to Ukraine to join NATO or did they have another purpose?  Did Biden and Harris consider Ukraine’s entrance into NATO worth the potential for war?  If so, why? This opinion piece offers an interesting perspective. 
  • The timeline above raises serious questions.   Let’s recap.  On Biden’s first day in office, he takes steps to hamper US energy markets at a time when the country was reeling from Covid and the disastrous results of the lockdowns.  Russia amassed troops on Ukraine’s border shortly thereafter.  While Russian troops were in place, Biden increased oil imports from Russia and greenlights Nord Stream 2 which will aid Russia economically and increase their control over Europe.  Biden then requests OPEC and Russia to increase supply.  Meanwhile Biden suggests Ukraine join NATO and actively takes steps to reduce oil, gas and nuclear production in the US.  Days before Russia’s invasion, FERC made it more difficult to build infrastructure to transport natural gas and the NRC rescinded extension permits for two nuclear reactors. This is strikingly bizarre behavior for an American president.  Whose side is he on?  Were Biden’s actions an invitation to Russia, is he mentally incapable of evaluating the consequences of his actions, or is he hamstrung by the ideology of his masters?  Who are his masters?
  • How did Biden’s and his son’s financial arrangement with Ukraine impact this situation?  How did the false and relentless Trump Russia collusion narrative impact our relationship with Russia?  How does the Ukraine “phone call” and subsequent Trump impeachment play into this?  The opinion piece referenced above attempts to address these questions as well. 
  • Undermining the fossil fuel industry under the guise of climate policy without a viable alternative actively in place seems foolhardy in the extreme.  Now that we are confronted with the clear consequences of this policy, why hasn’t the administration changed course and taken steps to increase energy production at home?
  • Why is the Biden Administration also undermining the nuclear industry? It is incomprehensible. Nuclear is the only way to reduce emissions and satisfy our energy needs.
  • While unplugging Russia’s money machine seems to make sense, imagine what will happen to energy prices and overall inflation if we eliminate 7% of our energy supply overnight.  Has Biden’s energy policy restricted our ability to react to Putin effectively and therefore compromised our national security?  We import more energy than we export, have massive debt, spiraling inflation and fiscal responsibility at the Federal level is nonexistent. This WSJ editorial explains why cutting our Russian imports could largely be a symbolic gesture and have no meaningful impact on Russia.
  • Does the anticapitalistic “degrowth” movement inform Biden’s energy policy?  Would this explain Biden’s attempt to reduce fossil fuels and nuclear without an alternate means of supply?   

CONCLUSIONS

We can easily conclude that Russia’s actions are horrific. The people of Ukraine will suffer greatly.  We can also conclude that Biden’s and Europe’s feckless energy policies have helped finance this carnage and hampered our ability to respond in the most effective manner.  We know that countries like Germany are so dependent on Russian oil and gas they are incapable of meaningful sanctions without tanking their economies. We know many months elapsed with no discernible strategy from Biden or Europe to thwart this invasion or improve our leverage.

In addition to the complexities inherent in the energy industry, there are far too many unanswered questions for us to fully understand how we came to this juncture in history. We will not learn the truth from talking heads or politicians.  Their rhetoric is political theater and feels like manipulation, the goal of which is unclear but instinctively troubling.  Collectively we must demand answers and seek true motive.  

Russia is not the only aggressor.  Ukraine is the classic shiny object to deflect attention.  Elizabeth Warren clearly demonstrated she would use this situation to advance a drastic climate agenda and it appears many in the administration share her view.  Biden attempts to sweep consequences of his administration’s policies under the Ukrainian rug.  These are the manipulative strategies of weak leaders.  It is high time we view this latest assault on our economic and national security as an act of aggression against the American people.  Equally important, we must ask why.  

And finally, we can conclude that our current leaders, whoever they may be, are woefully inadequate to navigate the difficult times ahead. Can we trust them to do now what they have neglected to do for the last year?  No. Will they dramatically change course to strengthen America at home and abroad with sound fiscal and energy policies that balance environmental, economic and national security with available and evolving technology?  No.  Their goals are not our own.  They have put America on dangerously shaky ground.  

SHAKY GROUND SUMMARY

Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.
  • Part 4 – Destabilize the populace by undermining the constitutional right of self-defense. 
  • Part 5 – Propagation of false narratives designed to destabilize the populace and consolidate power.  
  • Part 6 – Destabilize US economic and national security with unsound energy policies.  

Please feel free to visit BayBuddha Travels for articles on a wide range of subjects.

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Thou Shalt Lie

America on Shaky Ground, Part 5

Have we descended into a fact free culture?  A time where outrageously false pronouncements are commonplace?  Yes. Truth is the sacrificial lamb in our “thou shalt lie” society.  Why do we tolerate this insult to our intelligence?  

While a book could be filled with examples from this and previous administrations, let’s examine a few recent whoppers:  

During his election campaign after the Kenosha riot, President Biden implied that Kyle Rittenhouse was a racist white supremacist in a tweeted video condemning President Trump. The media joined in.  Not surprisingly folks only learned the facts if they watched the actual trial.  Racism played no role and those who stated it did were lying.  

On January 6, 2022, Vice President Harris stated: “The violent assault that took place here, the very fact of how close we came to an election overturned — that reflects the fragility of democracy.”  At no point was the election in danger of being overturned.  To characterize the January 6 riot as a coup is political theater at its worst.  Another lie uttered by yet another morally bankrupt politician.  

During his second public address after Kabul fell, President Biden said:  “Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home.” The President also made the assertion that if we needed to remain in Afghanistan beyond the end of the month to continue to evacuate Americans we would.  Clearly a lie.  

In reference to the trumped up kerfuffle over border agents on horseback, President Biden stated: “To see people treated like they did, horses barely running over, people being strapped – it’s outrageous.  I promise you, those people will pay. There will be an investigation underway now and there will be consequences. There will be consequences.”  Deflection? Probably. Lie? Definitely.  

During President Biden’s speech in Atlanta regarding his proposed bill to federalize election law, he stated: “Jim Crow 2.0 is about two insidious things: voter suppression and election subversion. It’s no longer about who gets to vote; it’s about making it harder to vote. It’s about who gets to count the vote and whether your vote counts at all.  It’s not hyperbole; this is a fact.”  It is hyperbole and it is a lie.  For an excellent summation, consider this editorial from the WSJ. 

And how about the Biden administration talking point, “inflation is transitory”.  Gross incompetence?  Yes.  Lie?  Yes.  

Other than sporadic Washington Post Pinocchios, there appears to be a bizarre indifference to the incessant lying as evidenced by empty excuses such as “all politicians lie” or more often “at least Trump is gone”.  Our silence is permission.  

Not only do we encourage lying politicians and their propagandists with our silence, very few ask why they bombard us with one obvious lie after another.  Has our curiosity been dulled by years of unethical politicians?  Are we too lazy to ask why?  Too busy?  We certainly are not too stupid.  We must reengage and examine the liars’ motive. 

Some motives are obvious.  As evidenced above, much of the lying seeks to divide us on racial lines spawning resentment and anger between groups causing the citizens to turn on each other.  Clearly division and resultant destabilization is one goal.  Another goal appears to be the consolidation of the liar’s power.  Divide and conquer is an axiom for a reason.  

Consolidation of power also requires an erosion of our Federalist system of government which distributes power between the States and the central government.  Not surprisingly we have recently witnessed an uptick in proposals to shift power away from the States, such schemes fueled by blatant lies.  Why do they lie in this case?  To gain popular support.  We should reject all efforts to concentrate power at the federal level and loudly denounce the lies. Our system of checks and balances offers us protection from tyranny and limits the power of unethical individuals who manage to win elections or lurk in the shadows controlling an incompetent figurehead.

We tolerate the manipulative behavior of politicians and their propagandists at our own peril.  Our rational democrat, republican, black, brown, yellow and white neighbors are not the enemy as they would have us believe.  The liars are the enemy.  Regardless of their rhetoric to the contrary, these dishonest politicians do not care about us, the constitution, our democracy, voting rights, poverty or racism.  They only care about themselves, their power and money.  

Our country desperately needs ethical, competent men and women at the helm who will uphold our brilliant constitution.  We need leaders who respect our intelligence with the truth and do not propagate false narratives for their own gain.  It is up to us, we the people, to demand the best and stop accepting politicians who put America on dangerously shaky ground.  

Shaky Ground Summary

As a reminder we will only examine what is happening and leave why unasked for now.  Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.
  • Part 4 – Destabilize the populace by undermining the constitutional right of self-defense. 
  • Part 5 – Propagation of false narratives designed to destabilize the populace and consolidate power. 

Notes

  • The thoughts above are not intended to be solely a Democrat bashing session. There are Republican politicians who have been equally guilty of lying and creating division. I chose to focus on the present lies and avoid the distraction that any discussion of Trump always brings. Republicans were virtually silent about Trump’s lies and Democrats are virtually silent about Biden’s lies. This contributes to the division in our country. We can no longer be silent regardless of party.
  • Lately everything seems to be a “threat to democracy”.  This is head spinning material considering that the same folks who use that talking point are also leading efforts to consolidate power at the federal level.  Concentration of power opens the door to future tyranny, which is a very real threat to democracy.  
  • Considering the lies and rhetoric, a review of our federalist form of government is in order.  There are many articles such as https://oxgs.org/a-brief-overview-of-the-american-model-of-federalism/,https://www.britannica.com/topic/federalism.
  • Federal encroachment on State’s rights is not new.  There has been steady creep for years.  For an overview, read this Heritage Foundation article.  https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/report/federalism-crisis-urgent-action-required-preserve-self-government
  • Here is a Daily Mail article that summarizes a CATO institute study which assessed each of the 50 states under 23 different categories and produced an overall freedom ranking. The most and least free states are unchanged – New York being the least free, followed by Hawaii and California, and New Hampshire, Florida and Nevada being the most free.
  • Since so many false narratives involve race, it behooves us to reacquaint ourselves with the global history of slavery.  Thomas Sowell outlines much needed facts in his essay “The Real History of Slavery” found in his excellent book “Black Rednecks and White Liberals”.  
  • The lies and rhetoric that surround HR1 are beyond belief. Read the full text of the Georgia law here. Schumer is the latest in a long line of politicians to enter the fray. This WSJ editorial demonstrates what Schumer really cares about and its not voting rights.
  • Biden took the opportunity during his press conference on January 19, 2022 to divide the country further by suggesting that the 2022 elections could be illegitimate unless his federal voting rights bill is passed. Haven’t we had enough talk about illegitimate election results from would be and elected Presidents? I encourage the entire country to watch Biden speak on this issue. Do we really want to put control of elections in the hands of this man and his handlers, Trump or any other future President?
  • There is always a kernel of truth in a good lie. This WSJ editorial attempts to find that kernel in the distorted justifications supporting federalized election law.

Please feel free to visit BayBuddha Travels for articles on a wide range of subjects.

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Annie Get Your Gun

America on Shaky Ground, Part 4

The Rittenhouse trial offers a window on the current state of America.  It is not pretty.  I watched much of the trial to determine if the narrative of the killer, white supremacist, racist kid was true or if indeed he acted in self-defense.  Plus if Rittenhouse acted in self-defense, no question the media jackals would double down on the narrative instead of admitting their error.  Or if convicted, Rittenhouse supporters would likely spin their own narrative.  Only the facts would reveal the liars. 

Watching the trial suggests strongly Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. Even some of the prosecution’s witnesses corroborated Rittenhouse’s story. Are they racists too? The prosecutor did not present a strong case and in fact it was painful to watch. He asked questions that either reflected his lack of firearm knowledge or were designed to misrepresent the situation.  The most bizarre line of questioning insinuated that having a gun pointed at you was not grounds for self-defense because the person hadn’t pulled the trigger yet.  Ideology or grasping at straws?  

As the facts piled up in favor of self-defense, not surprisingly the jackals began attacking the judge.  Another white supremacist of course. If watch the trial instead of relying on media personalities for information, it is crystal clear the judge became angry when the prosecutor blatantly attempted to trample Rittenhouse’s constitutional rights. Are constitutional rights not applicable to those who Biden and the media label as racist? The judge is called a Trumpist as well because his ring tone is a pro American song. Horror of horrors. 

The jackals scream, why was he there in the first place especially with a gun? Guilty! Rittenhouse is not on trial for being in Kenosha. Have any of them asked why the rioters were there? Why did the police and local government allow the rioters to loot and burn the city leaving it to the citizens to defend their property? Why did the media, BLM and their masters incite violence with false information about the Jacob Blake case?  Why did President Biden and the jackals immediately brand Rittenhouse a white supremacist before the facts were available? So many questions yet so few questions asked.  But there is one question that is asked a lot – did Rittenhouse fake his breakdown.  Is that deflection or a failure to comprehend the big picture?

Let’s personalize this.  Suppose an out of control mob arrived in your town intent on massive destruction. As happened in some cities, assume local government and police stood down with little effort to curb the violence and protect private property.  No question this would be an Annie get your gun moment.  People have the absolute constitutional right to protect themselves, their families, livelihoods, and community.  

Whoever is calling the shots for BLM and Antifa certainly know that many Americans will take a stand when threatened.  I suspect these leaders count on that reaction because the possibility of confrontations and deadly violence increases. As we have witnessed in the aftermath of Kenosha and other clashes, the violence creates the opportunity to fuel division, chaos and instability, clearly goals of the combatants in our current culture war.  As expected, Kenosha violence was also used to advance the anti-gun narrative.  

There appears to be a more insidious goal however. The relentless false narrative seems designed to undermine our ability to defend ourselves both legally and in the court of public opinion.  Please think long and hard about this statement.  Watch the trial, consider the jackal narrative, examine the big picture. Do you see it?  Then ask yourself why.  

The ability of Americans to defend themselves provides tremendous stability to our country.  It holds bad actors in check.  It is not racism.  It is not white supremacy. An armed society tends to stay a free society. To undermine our right of self-defense would thoroughly destabilize this country.  We cannot let it happen.  

Shaky Ground Summary

As a reminder we will only examine what is happening and leave why unasked for now.  Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.
  • Part 4 – Destabilize the populace by undermining the constitutional right of self-defense. 

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Whitey in the Woodpile

America on Shaky Ground, Part 3

Do you really think the likes of Carol Swain, Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas and Ben Carson achieved success by crawling around under someone’s bootheel?  Of course not, they believed in their own ability to succeed, worked hard and took advantage of all that America has to offer.  As Dr. Swain eloquently explained “I was born into a world where systemic racism was real—no-fooling, outright-bigotry, back-of-the-bus real. But here’s what you need to know: Yes, that racism shaped the black experience—but even then, it did not define it. Change was in the air. Call it systemic reform.”  

The systemic reform Dr. Swain referenced has transformed our country.  While there is more work to do, a person of any color can succeed in America.  Our collective American message should be one of possibilities, hope, hard work, personal responsibility, and perseverance.  We should encourage all citizens to learn from the past and shoot for the stars.  Sadly the opposite is happening. We are bombarded with negativity and defeatist messaging that black folks are victims to white oppressors.  Some would have us believe that America is drowning in racism and white supremacy.  As one BLM leader said regarding US systems of law: “when we talk about institutional and systemic racism, I can’t think of an example of a system that is clean.”  Welcome to the race chapter of the victim/oppressor club where black outcomes are stymied by whitey in the woodpile.  

Will stoking animosity between racial groups result in the advancement of our nation?  Highly unlikely.  Has any group of any size achieved success when the team members are infighting rather than focused on the goal?  A group with a common focus that knows what’s working, what isn’t working, creates reality based plans, learns from mistakes, avoids problems and works in concert has a chance of winning.  A group divided by hate sinks to mediocrity or collapses entirely.  We see this concept played out in our families, sports teams, small business, large corporations and countries.  Since this is a fundamental fact of human interaction, why has a narrative been deployed that pits citizens against each other rather than a message of unity that uplifts us all?  

It is extremely disorienting to watch black people who have achieved the pinnacles of success tell their black brethren that their success is hampered by white people.  Where is Captain Obvious when you need him?   There are many reasons individuals and groups achieve different outcomes not the least of which is the individual’s attitude and work ethic.  However, these peddlers of victim ideology offer only one excuse for poor outcomes – systemic racism.  

Anyone who listens to the local news knows that there are serious problems that plague poor minority neighborhoods that are unrelated to racism.  These communities suffer from lousy government schools, the disintegration of the family, a culture of government dependence, drugs, out of control gangs and black on black violence to name a few.  Instead of honest conversations regarding the economics of poverty and comprehensive multipronged strategies, we see black youths loot and burn their own communities, often destroying minority owned businesses.  Then BLM tells us “looting is reparations”.  Translation – violence that destroys other people’s lives is okay because whitey is in the woodpile.  

The actual occupants of the woodpile are race hustlers and others who seek to benefit from the extreme division caused by corrosive victim/oppressor ideology.  These evil people are sacrificing our black youth for their own gain.  It is beyond sad that many have placed themselves in victim status in search of a handy oppressor to blame for their personal outcomes.  Victimhood is at best a recipe for mediocrity and will likely result in worse outcomes for struggling black folks.  How can this be good?  

Even though we still feel the shock waves from slavery and the unbridled racism that followed, it is my fervent belief that the vast majority of Americans are not racist.  Please consider how these folks will react as the nationwide hunt for whitey in the woodpile intensifies and white people are tried and convicted for the actions of their ancestors.  It is very bad business to fight racism with racism unless division is the actual goal.  There is a better way.  

We will delve into the subject of race in greater detail in future articles but for now our goal is to list destabilizing factors impacting America.  Without question, the racial segregation of Americans via victim/oppressor ideology puts us on dangerously shaky ground.  

Shaky Ground Summary

As a reminder we will only examine what is happening and leave why unasked for now.  Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and previous articles in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – Division and distrust caused by categorizing women and men into victims and oppressors.  
  • Part 3 – Division and distrust caused by racial segregation via victim/oppressor ideology.

Notes

  • Dividing our nation along racial lines is so incredibly destructive that it behooves all Americans to study this issue in depth rather than react emotionally to three word slogans.  Empirical evidence and historical context are essential to evaluating the current narrative accurately.  A great start is the “Black Wisdom Matters” series of videos curated by Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams and other very smart people.  Here is part 1 of 7.  
  • “Discrimination and Disparities” is an excellent book by Thomas Sowell that offers an in depth examination of disparate outcomes among groups and forms of discrimination.  This is critical information for assessing the current conversations on “equity”.  “Black Rednecks and White Liberals” is a collection of thought provoking essays that provide necessary historical facts missing from critical race theory based narratives.  
  • The Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization is more than it appears and research into BLM and the founders is wise.  This video by Ami Horowitz is worth your time.  
  • This Forbes article provides a quick summary of the history of slavery. Note to all our poorly educated students, America did not invent slavery.

Pearls of Wisdom from Thomas Sowell

Below are two Thomas Sowell quotes which elaborate on the concepts discussed above:  

“While the lessons of history can be valuable, the twisting of history and the mining of the past for grievances can tear a society apart. Past grievances, real or imaginary, are equally irremediable in the present, for nothing that is done among living contemporaries can change in the slightest the sins and the sufferings of generations who took those sins and sufferings to the grave with them in centuries past. Galling as it may be to be helpless to redress the crying injustices of the past, symbolic expiation in the present can only create new injustices among the living and new problems for the future, when newborn babies enter the world with pre-packaged grievances against other babies born the same day. Both have their futures jeopardized, not only by their internal strife but also by the increased vulnerability of a disunited society to external dangers from other nations and from international terrorist networks.”  Black Rednecks & White Liberals.

“Whatever chances such people have of acquiring the missing ingredients for their own advancement are reduced to the extent that their problems are misdiagnosed as the sins of other people rather than things that they themselves lack—even if they lack those things for reasons beyond their control. Often the things they lack can be acquired sooner and more extensively than they can either reform other people or get the society as a whole to provide for them through a redistribution of existing wealth what they are capable of producing for themselves through an upgrading of their own productivity. Moreover, rising productivity adds to the net wealth of the society and the world, which is more likely to gain the respect of others, as well as self-respect, than are reiterated pleas or demands for a share of what others have created.”  Black Rednecks & White Liberals.    

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Bad Ole Men

Part 2 America on Shaky Ground

Last week a guest speaker opened her remarks with an obvious excuse.  She told a large gathering that “covid protocols” prevented her from attending in person. I suspected then she was full of it and was on alert for more.  I didn’t have to wait long.  She proceeded to explain when she was in meetings with men “her voice was not heard” and that other women would help her employ strategies so men “would hear her voice”.  Let’s put our boots on and wade in.  

As someone who has always worked in male dominated fields and was typically the only woman in a testosterone filled conference room, I can say with certainty that I rarely had a problem with my voice being heard.  If my message was not initially understood, I wondered how to communicate more effectively.  People process information differently and one’s style has to be adjusted accordingly.  These differences do not necessarily break on gender lines although, news flash, men and women are different.  Even with an appropriate communication strategy, failure can occur for reasons that have nothing to do with gender.  The listener can be a jerk, have extreme ADD or be one of those manic talkers incapable of listening.  Regardless of the countless factors that contribute to failure, in some quarters it’s always the bad ole men who prohibit women’s “voices from being heard”.  Women are the victims and men are the oppressors in this corrosive narrative.

Sadly some women have been actual victims at the hands of truly bad men.  These women are real victims through no fault of their own.  Victim/oppressor ideology attempts to project the no fault reality of the genuine victim to all women.  If a woman buys into this theory, she has no personal responsibility for bad outcomes in the conference room or life.  It’s the oppressor’s fault.  They get away with it because good folks will never ascribe blame to real victims and it’s just so hard to tell the difference between real and ideological victims these days.  As a result people have stayed silent and allowed this con job to take root.  

Conversely, traits of actual bad men are projected to all those in the targeted oppressor group and viola, all men, including good men, become victimizers and misogynists.  A casual observation of the men we know proves the lie of gender based oppressor theory.  

This concept is not new.  When I started out 40 years ago, a few folks dangled the victim card in my face.  I swatted it away like a bad smell.  I was focused on achievement and had no use for “poor pitiful me” ideology.  Even then our society had progressed to a place where women had the opportunity to advance unfettered should they choose to do so.  In fact, a competent woman in a male dominated industry actually had the advantage.  In order to recognize this, however, it was essential to have the correct perspective.  I believed in my ability to succeed and remained focused on the goal.  Equally important the source of my failures could be found in the mirror.  That isn’t to say that I was free of insecurities. Like all humans, I had plenty and perhaps more than most.  But insecurities were my baggage to offload, not an amorphous self-limiting ideology that cast me as a victim.  

One difference between then and now is victimology has gone mainstream infecting Americans of all ages including young impressionable minds.  Should we encourage our daughters to view themselves as oppressed or teach the concept of personal responsibility? Do we want them to fear there is an oppressor behind every male face?  Or should we teach them to evaluate the character of both men and women acknowledging there are good and bad of each?  Should we teach our sons they are bad simply because some stranger with questionable motives has labeled them an oppressor?  Or should we teach them how to think?  Should we ensure young people understand the prerequisites of success or turn them into victims trapped below a self-imposed glass ceiling?  

Victim/oppressor ideology divides us horribly.  Consider how real victims feel towards their attackers.  Now imagine that negativity and distrust percolating in the newly oppressed ideological victims.  As we see on the news daily, it is disastrous for America and puts us on very shaky ground indeed.  

A more insidious and equally dangerous result is a culture of mediocrity.  How can anyone possibly be the best they can be if bad outcomes are always someone else’s fault?   How does an individual learn and grow without the benefit of acknowledging and examining their own mistakes and poor choices?  Victim/oppressor ideology therefore stunts growth potentially reducing the chance of success.  Dampening the achievements and ambitions of individuals results in mediocrity or worse.  As the number of achievers declines, the overall success of America will diminish and with this comes destabilization. 

Luckily for the propagation of our species, the gender chapter of the victim/oppressor club has not attracted wholesale membership.  We women like our men and do not take kindly to painting our good men with a bad ole man brush.   The race chapter however is growing at an alarming rate…

Shaky Ground Summary

As a reminder we will only examine what is happening and leave why unasked for now.  Below is a summary of destabilizing factors addressed in this and the previous article in the America on Shaky Ground series.  

  • Part 1 – Division and distrust caused by the prohibition of gathering.
  • Part 2 – Division and distrust caused by separating women and men into victims and oppressors.  

Notes

The phrase “prerequisites of success” was lifted from one of America’s great critical thinkers, Thomas Sowell.  I highly recommend “Discrimination and Disparities” for an excellent discussion on this topic.

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The Beauty of Gathering

American on Shaky Ground, Part 1

As Joni Mitchel said, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.  It is also true that we don’t know what we lost till it’s back.   

For 14 long Covid months, either government edict or individual choice restricted the ability of most to gather.  This was a severe loss with far reaching implications.  My first opportunity to gather unfettered was at an outdoor concert in mid-May.  The night was perfect, the music excellent and the crowd happy. All of this was punctuated by a superb display of nature as the sun set over the water.  It was powerful medicine.  I was reminded that gathering is a basic human need that lifts and unites us.   Events of the last year demonstrate the converse is also true, the extended inability to assemble will depress and separate us.  

As I contemplated the positive energy sifting through me and the crowd, I was deeply reminded why the right of assembly is specifically outlined in the 1st Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”  Gathering is power.  

Is it any surprise that communist countries who wield total control over their subjects severely restrict assembly and religion?  We humans are a wily bunch that can be difficult to control.  Separating us from each other and our collective power is a good first step.  It is destabilizing.  Sprinkle in a huge dose of fear and behavior control becomes even easier.  The Covid experience taught us this is absolutely true.  My intention is not to discuss whether Covid restrictions were necessary but to recognize the reality of their impacts.  Covid edicts separated us from essential human needs, injected boundless fear, destabilized us and set the stage for the successful manipulation of millions.   

With this Covid reality firmly understood, I took a few steps up the ladder and realized that there are a good number of destabilizing forces at work in our country.  America is on shaky ground.  For now, let’s not examine why, let’s just examine…