Disgusting. Andy Ngo is an independent reporter. He is Asian, conservative and gay. He has often reported on the fascistic-type conduct of the ironically named group Antifa (short for Anti-fascist). Ngo was brutally attacked in Portland when demonstrators on the right were met by Antifa bullies. In an Op-Ed in the 7/3/19 Wall Street Journal, Ngo wrote: "Officers told me they would not approach the suspect, who was still in sight, because that might "incite" the crowd." So, let an innocent man be beaten severely such that he was hospitalized with a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Disgusting! What the hell do we need for police for? Civilians are capable of putting yellow tape around a crime scene. Those police officers should be fired or resign. The Mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, was equally disgusting: "I was appalled by what I saw in the video (of the attack), but I support the Portland Police Bureau's decision not to intervene." If he ordered the police to stand down, he should be prosecuted for violation of Mr. Ngo's civil rights.
Bad. Colin Kaepernick told Nike that their new sneakers were offensive to him; and if it offends Kaepernick it must be bad. The heel of the sneakers depicted the early "Betsy Ross" flag of 13 stars in a circle with the red and white stripes. You see, at the time of that flag, slavery still existed. The truth is that today's flag is also disturbing to Kaepernick and others on the Left. Recall Kaepernick's refusal to stand for the National Anthem with hand over heart while facing the flag. No symbol of America satisfies the Left because America does not satisfy the Left. Michael Eric Dyson, a guest commentator on MSNBC, came up with this gem: "Why don't we wear a swastika for July 4th? Because, I don't know, it makes a difference." Yes, America is the equivalent of Hitler's Germany. So Nike caved because the flag might "unintentionally offend" people, and we get moronic comments like Dyson's, but...oh, Obama had the same Betsy Ross flag displayed at his inauguration. Oops!
Good. One letter writer to the WSJ opined: "If I, as a candidate, offer a student $50 to vote for me, I am guilty of bribery and could go to jail. But if I offer a million students $50,000 in free tuition, I could be President." We are way past the days of "a chicken in every pot." Now, it is a race to see who can offer the most "free" stuff to the most people. Some have reasonably asked why, if they did not go to college, they should pay for those who did.
Bad. In their 6/16/19 editorial, "Americans Need More Neighbors," the paper extols the many virtues of city living - as they see it. Younger people seem to prefer it. People live close to their jobs, hence shorter commutes and less pollution from cars. Although, I would question that assumption, having sat in traffic for 35 minutes to go a distance of about 2 miles in a congested part of the city. The ideal for the Times is Minneapolis, which they say "is ending single-family zoning." The Times: "People should be free to live in a prairie-style house on a quarter-acre lot in the middle of Minneapolis, so long as they can afford the land and taxes. But zoning subsidizes that extravaganza by prohibiting better, more concentrated use of the land." Get that? A single family home is an "extravaganza," and there is "better" use of the land. As the Left obtains control over more municipalities, expect more control over our lives. At least they have done a great job dealing with the homeless.
Utterly ridiculous. I was advised (I am not on Facebook) that some believe they are just too unhappy and feeling too unsettled to celebrate the 4th because of what is happening at the border with the illegal immigrants (sorry, migrants). Well, that is certainly their loss. The world is often filled with much sadness at the same time that there is much goodness. Should we just walk around feeling morose all the time until everything is perfect; or, if you are religious, until the coming of the Mosiah? Not terribly surprising though, as the Left often has a negative and pessimistic view of America and the world. I would suggest to these unhappy people that they try watching the movie "Life is Beautiful," and, one of my favorites, "It's A Wonderful Life."
Good. There was an Op-Ed in the 6/21/19 WSJ by a Michael Blechman titled "Liberalism Isn't What It Used To Be." Blechman: "When I worked for the (Robert) Kennedy campaign, I identified as a Democrat and a liberal. The core beliefs that made me liberal in 1968 put me at odds with many of the things "progressives" stand for today, 51 years later." This Op-Ed brought to mind my 7/17/16 post called "Classical Liberalism," in which I discussed the difference between liberalism and leftism, which has taken over much of the Democrat Party. Blechman discusses the differences between his liberalism and today's progressives in the areas of race, due process, presumption of innocence, the right to counsel and free speech. I have had a difficult time trying to get today's Leftists understand that they are in no way liberal. Which, again, demonstrates another difference between liberals and Leftists - liberals would listen.
Bad. In yet another example of Leftism versus liberalism, the owner of the restaurant from which then White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was booted, was commenting on the recent experience of Eric Trump, who was spat on in a bar in Chicago. This idiot basically said that Trump officials "should consider dining at home" in order to avoid the wrath of some members of the public. Bad and disgusting. A normal person (including classical liberals) not totally consumed by their hatred of Trump and conservatives, would condemn the person spitting on Eric Trump. A normal person (including classical liberals) would welcome Eric Trump to eat in their establishment. But for Leftists, all the rules of common decency no longer apply. As Congresswoman Maxine Waters said: "...if you see somebody from that (Trump's) Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere." Not welcome anywhere in the United States of America. I guess that is how Andy Ngo felt in Portland, with the Mayor and police seeming to believe he was not welcome there. Welcome to the Left's America.
Thursday, July 4, 2019
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