Monthly Archives: June 2016

Fear and Lothing of the Death Lobby

General, Politics, Rants

Yesterday the Death Lobby (AKA the Gun Lobby) chocked up another victory in the US Senate with the defeat of four (4) amendments related to the dreaded Gun Control.  Not that any of these measures would have prevented Orlando.  Nor would they have taken a single firearm from anyone.  They were, obviously the first step by the ‘Govment’ to come and take away your most fundamental freedom.  Not speech, not religion, nor even life, but the most basic right to keep and bear a devise who’s designed to denigh another their right to life.

The Death Lobby is right, the right to keep and bear arms is the first and most fundamental right of Americans that we can not even prevent someone who is suspected of being a terrorist from buying one.  We can keep him from flying. We can keep him from buy both fuel oil and fertilizer at the same time. We can send him to Guantanamo with out even a single hearing.  But we can’t make him wait 48 hours to get his assault rifle.

I think we need to no longer say Welcome to America, the Land of the free and home of the brave.  We should instead say Welcome to Americal the land of the Armed and the home of the Dangerous.  We should accept the fact that we are no longer brave, we are fearful.  We have exchanged our love of law for love of fightfulness.

Of Hate and Terror

Philosophy, Politics, , ,

I’ve waited till now to talk about the horror that happened in Orlando till now to let thing settle out a little. It seems to me that one. Of thing things that is being talked about is if this was a “Hate Crime” or an “Act of Terrorism”. First off, under the law there is no reason why it can’t be both. Often people do things that are more than one thing. I’m sure you all can come up with examples on you own so I shan’t bother too.

What happened in Orlando was a crime who’s motive was hate pure and simple. Weather it’s purpose was also to inspire terror for political or religious reasons we may never know. The perpetrator does not seem to have left any manifesto tell us why he did what he did nor what he wanted to accomplish by his actions. With out this it becomes very hard winkle out just what his motivations were. To help you out here are some thoughts. Of mine.

From several of his statements the investigators have so far deduced that he, the perp, a deep and abiding disgust of male homosexuals, that is Gay Men, and that he was deturmand to do something about them. Given this it is easy to say he did commit the crime of premeditated homicide and his motive was hatred of Gays. This means we can feel safe in charging him with both the crime of Homicide and with the crime of “Hate Crime”. (One point here is I don’t know enough about Florida law to say if this would be separate charges or if “Hate Crime” is just a mitigating factor)
Now on to if what happened was an “Act of Terror”, as the law understands it. First let me make it very clear that I do not Beale for one instant that a great deal of Terror has resulted from the events in Orlando. It harcons back to the bad old days of the closet for the LGBT community. I feel sure that if this had been a night club for Catholics, or for Backs, or Native Americans, et al, we should have no trouble at all in jumping to the conclusion that this was an “Act of Terror” but because it was “Gay’s” we stop and wonder. This is a debate we should not be having, I say that ANY mass murder is ‘prima facia’ an act of terror and should be treated as such. If you wan’t to say it wasn’t then it is up to you demonstrate that it wasn’t.
We may never know if the purpose of the Orlando Mass Murder was to instill terror in the LGBT community. An, except from a leagal standpoint it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that terror has been instilled and these fellow American need our help. We need to show them we understand their fear, and anger. That we are just as horrified by what as happen as they are and we are going to do everything in our power to help them. To this end I say the following:

To all those Christians who preach hatred, loathing, combination to the LGBT Americans I say this
“Get thee behind me Satan
You may thank you are doing God’s work but you are not.

Judge Curiel & One No Trump

Philosophy, Politics, , , ,

Judge Gonzalo Curiel

For the past couple of days I have been following the media struggle with Trump’s latest comments.  It has brought to light a long and traditional problem in American politics.  Specifically, how can you tell if a person is racist, sexist, anti Semitic, et al.

This is a problem I’ve been dealing with since I really became aware of politics way back 1968.  For ease of reading/writing I will only talk about racist but feel free to use any other ism/ist as you wish.  It all works the same.

I’ve heard multiple times people who are asked if Trump’s comments about the Judge, Gonzalo Curiel, means he is a racist?  Are the comments racist.  An other derivations on the theme.  For the first day or so most people dodged the question and tried to talk about something else.  In the last day or so more people have been saying the statement(s) were racist but that that doesn’t mean Trump is a racist. Or they say they can see into Trumps hart or they can’t read his mind so they can’t say if he is or is not a racist.  For what it is worth here are my two cents.

As I said before, I’ve been dealing with this problem of deciding if someone is a racist or not for a very long time (see above) and the best advice I ever got is this. “Until you can look into a man’s sole you have to judge a man by what he says and does.”  We have to judge Donald Trump by both his words and deeds.  When it comes to the judging I’ve always tried, and sometime succeeded, to err on the side of understanding.

When someone says or done something racist I try to let them recant (correct) what they have done or said.  After all we all act badly from time to time.  BUT when someone repeatedly keeps doing or saying racist things or when they ‘double down’ I have to take them at their word and that word is I’m a racist.

In the case of Donald Trump, for me he is a racist.  Not the worst that I have ever known, not by a long shot, but still a racist.  Something to remember this election year.

California Primary

Politics

I-Voted-2014110356This is a little late as I like to do it the Tuesday before Election Day but better late than never.  It does not mater to me if you are a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, American Indepent, or Not Declared.  If you haven’t voted already remember that June 8th is Election Day here in California and get out and vote.

I hold this to be a fundamental truth, the more people who vote the better our nation will be. I also hold that if you don’t bother to vote you give any right or Privlage to complain about who got elected.