Thursday, March 04, 2021

Dr. Seuss and the Sad Tale of Two Mulberry Streets

Dr. Seuss: Photo by James L. Amos/Corbis via Getty Image
We live in a world turned upside-down in the year 2021.

Yesterday, it was announced that at least six Dr. Seuss children's books will no longer be published. 

In the crazy, often-offended culture of modern America, butter-cup citizens who get their feelings hurt easily think that Dr. Seuss's first-ever book for children And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, one of the six removed from publication, portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong." The books have been criticized for how they depict Asian and Black people.

Under pressure from the "cancel culture" movement, the Dr. Seuss publishing company says the decision was made last year, in an effort to support "all children and families with messages of hope, inspiration, inclusion, and friendship."

Read these "harmful" words from And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. It's about a child who sees a "circus" on Mulberry Street in his hometown:

"I'll bet those wagons weigh more than a ton. 
That's really too heavy a load for one beast; 
I'll give him some helpers. He needs two, at least. 
But now what worries me is this.
Mulberry Street runs into Bliss.
Unless there's something I can fix up, 
There'll be an awful traffic mix-up! 

It takes Police to do the trick, 
To guide them through where traffic's thick – 
It takes Police to do the trick.
They'll never crash now, 
They'll race at top speed. 
With Sergeant Mulvaney, himself, in the lead. 
The Mayor is there, And he thinks it is grand, 
And he raises his hat as they dash by the stand.
 The Mayor is there and the Aldermen too,
 All waving big banners of red, white and blue. 
And that is a story that NO ONE can beat
 When I say that I saw it on Mulberry Street!"

This morning I read an online front-page article from my hometown newspaper called The Enid News and Eagle

Damage at a railroad crossing in Enid, Oklahoma
The article tells of police pursuing a stolen vehicle near Mulberry Street in Enid, Oklahoma It seems a 20-year-old  suspect stole a vehicle then drove eastbound at 80-mph in westbound lanes, directly at oncoming traffic. Curious as to the identity of the young man who showed no regard for human life, who disrespected police in such a dangerous fashion, and who damaged tax-payer property when he crashed his vehicle near Mulberry Street, I went to the young man's Facebook page. 

What I found was a list of reading material, video games, and songs. 

The video game highlighted on the suspect's Facebook page was Grand Theft Auto (ironic?). The first song highlighted was a rap song called OPPS by rappers Yungeen Ace and JayDaYoungan. Here are the words (Warning: Graphic language). 

We looking for opps
Young niggas letting off shots
They don't give a fuck 'bout the cops
We clutchin' them opps
Bitch if you lack at the trap
We taking whatever you got
We catch him, he drop
They're aimin' straight at your top
No dissing, we told them to stop
Hop out on his block, oh with the stick or a Glock
Don't matter somebody get shot

Fuck all the cops
I know they hope we gon' stop
But the way that I'm living I'm not
We stomping this block
Catch him, hop out with the Glock
And put that lil' bitch in a box
You think you gon' plot
He gotta be out of his top
The stick knock 'em outta his socks (bap)
I'm tryin' to turn a bitch nigga head hot
Brand new stick came wit' a red dot

We in that field
I do this shit for real
Bitch I'm tryna catch me a kill
Don't come where I live
Young niggas slinging that steel
You play wit' yo' life and get killed (play wit' yo' life and get killed)
Shit gets real
Won't check you when I come to your city
You and all them bitch niggas gon' get it
This Draco weigh more than twenty
So when I aim at your head I won't miss it (yeah bow!)

My conclusion about this sad tale of two Mulberry Streets is in the form of two couplets.

If the United States cancels Dr. Seuss,
We'll wake up one day with no excuse.

For if we go silent during this stupidity
Our nation will grow full of putridity. 

89 comments:

Paul D said...

@Wade

good word. I agree.

My only caution is that the Bible Belt crowd seems to use stuff like this to dismiss or ignore all kinds of legitimate injustices in our culture. So, while I certainly agree with you on the point of this post - I am not willing to ignore the very real racism that exists in our culture.


thanks
Paul

Lissa Roberson said...

I shared your post on FB with a friend who posted "Just my opinion; they should deal with rap lyrics before they attack Dr. Seuss." Truer words could not have been spoken.

I ordered a "whole mess" of Dr. Seuss' early reader books on March 2nd out of concern that the cancellation of six books would metastasize to include his entire collection. Some of these winsome books address wholesome, virtuous life lessons. Ten Apples On Top! addresses comparison and selfish competition, with cooperation winning out in the end. The press has made much of The Sneetches and its message of superiority, a topic that even former President Obama promoted on several public occasions.

You have to dig deep for reasons to decry Dr. Seuss' books, but when your agenda requires that you undo history in order to induct children into a new mindset, nothing is off the table. "Remove and replace." Remove the rhythm and rhyme of Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham, or Mulberry Street, and replace with rap lyrics that glorify murder, drugs and lawlessness. The tragic result is we'll reap what we sow.

Donald Johnson said...

Dr. Seuss did do some very racist comics during WWII as part of the propaganda campaign and he used the same style of art as in his kid's books. So there was a valid reason some reviewed his kid's books for signs of racism. Unfortunately, I could not find anywhere the publisher explains why they censored these 6 specific books and no more at this time. So one cannot tell if the overall message of a book was against racism or not.

Juliechase480@gmail.com said...

This is stupid. Instead of criticism why don't you try stopping hate. That's what racism is all about remember Jesus loves his little children. Re yellow black and white they are precious in his sight. We should do the same stop criticizing books and start loving each other they way Jesus wants.

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Today, Tucker Carlson discussed equality and equity.

‘Equity people’ want to have as much as others by taking it from someone else.

‘Equality people’ only want what they earn.

Dr. Seuss’s stories stressed equality.



Today, “Outnumbered” said President Biden hasn’t had a solo press conference yet. (43 days) which is more than any President.

“Many are concerned his mind couldn’t handle it. If he’s ruled incompetent, and replaced by Harris, there will be a ‘left wing policy’ that will be a lot worse for the country.”

It’s hard to imagine anything worse than Biden allowing thousands of illegals interring our country without being tested for Covid-19.

By not being tested, they could cause more deaths than the Governor of New York causing thousands to die by moving Covid-19 patients from hospitals to nursing homes that cared for old people.

Christiane said...

WADE,

I know the 'rap' lyrics are shocking and they are meant to be in a 'defensive' way shocking because underneath the horrible language and offensive themes there is a lot of PAIN being expressed.

I learned more about this recently, and as a Christian woman, I will share what I have noticed about souls who 'lash out' at our more 'civilized' culture in ways that may not at first convey that PAIN, which is the underlying story of our human suffering that sometimes will not, can not be HEARD by the 'civilized' world any other way, may God forgive us.

So I'll share about another group of 'shocking people':
'The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia' and what I have learned from their situation, this:

". . . there is an excellent documentary out on ‘The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia’ if you are interested in Appalachia and the effects of ‘isolation’ and ‘hard times’ on families where the culture seems ‘hopeless’ and the living is hard and shocking and seemingly a blend of self-destruction and such human qualities that are also heart-breakingly vulnerable. . . . you might be interested in seeing that but warning, it is not a film for people that ‘don’t understand’ about how generational poverty and hopelessness can take their toll of the ethos of a whole clan, as it seems to have done on these interesting and very human people. I was alternately horrified and much moved by their plight, and I found some ‘answers’ in a reflection on the ‘effects’ of year after year and generation after generation living in fear of dying in the coal mines suddenly and of hearing that someone you love has suddenly been lost . . . that kind of endless experience seems to have worn down these folks in this clan. Take a look, if you can find it. I was fascinated and much moved when I saw it.
They are very wounded, these people, but valiant in their way, and strangely hopeful for the ones in their clan who had passed on that showed love and grace for the needy and the abandoned. It made good Lenten watching for me. The impact was not unlike a crucible."

WADE,
you know something about the effects of hopelessness and struggle on the human spirit, and I think the 'connection' between people like the White Family of West Virginia and the rappers with the filthy lyrics has much to do with generational living in conditions of that in the end wound a peoples' spirits, and in how this pain is expressed in ways we, who cannot know that pain, could not possible understand.

The 'filth' and the attempts to 'shock' are more defensive than offensive in some cases, when the people afflicted generationally have lost hope and are wounded in spirit.

I am not 'excusing' the filth or the displays of shocking dress and behaviors, no; but I am saying this: that underneath that display is a defensive need to 'control' how the 'civilized' world will come at them with contempt. . . . .

I had a Jewish friend who had been much bullied when she was young, so she developed a 'persona' that was designed to make people laugh at her and make fun of her, but my friend CONTROLLED the situation by how she designed her social persona as 'Froggie', who lived on the lake at 'Toad Hall' and collected much frog paraphernalia for decorating her home. . . .

so sometimes we see people who HAVE SUFFERED maybe over generations and have lived in fear,
who try to take some control over how they are perceived and present personas that THEY construct themselves to hide their fear and pain from a judging world. . .

and I wonder if our reaction to them doesn't tell God more about us than them (?)

Christiane said...

CONTINUED (more about the White Family of West Virginia):

" I was very moved by it. There is something so defensive and vulnerable about these wounded souls. Like they have been scarred deeply from the hopelessness of isolation and living in the death culture of the coal mines, where any day, a husband, a brother, a father is killed in the mines by the greed of owners who failed to provide safety measures. This hopelessness passed down generationally until you get something like the White family.

At surface glance, they are the sort Pharisees would pounce on to judge and point at. But then if you are able to get passed that initial shock, there is another story underneath of people who are very human and very vulnerable and who seek some kind of comfort in their booze and drugs and are clannish and hold to a very primitive, defensive posture. But it's the touching vulnerability that is heart-breaking: the 'dolls' the old women are given, the prayer for the dying 'miracle woman' mother who took abandoned children in and raised them and cared for them, the tears of the addicted woman who gave birth to a daughter who was taken away by the county pending the mother's rehab.

These people are capable of love and even of a kind of primitive, clannish kindness, and they seek to be 'real' under all that defensiveness that tries so hard to come off as strength but fails miserably.

Yeah, it's sad, but I don't see them totally as 'lost', not if they have some hope in them and some love . . . like the way they 'know' that the clan's mother Bertie May had a servant's heart and is with the Lord in heaven now. They know. They believe.
They are reminding me more of the tax-collector in the temple who couldn't look up and who prayed 'Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner';

and somehow, I think in the great expanse of God's infinite mercy that is poured from the deep well of the Holy Trinity and sourced by the Paschal mysteries of Our Lord, I see them finding Our Lord and being healed in God's time,

"When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
(from the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew)

There is healing for those who are wounded. So I have hope for these dis-spirited people. At least they are not self-righteously pointing to 'those other sinners' and casting stones.. These people know they are sinners. But they recognize the goodness in the mother Bertie May White 'the Miracle Woman'. They know what love is, through her witness. Christ will not abandon them the way he will throw the self-righteous out of heaven, I think. I trust Him to care for the wounded. The self-righteous don't need Christ, they follow after other golden idols these days, and that is the saddest thing of all to me."
Thu Apr 09, 10:46:00 AM 2020

MEET the Whites of West Virginia (caveat, swear words are heard, sorry):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ruBif-kIFA

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Today, I heard a story about my Uncle Hez, I’d never heard before. He was strong like his brothers.

A friend of his was of a Denomination that didn’t believe “Once saved; always saved.”

One day his friend I’ll name X, told Hez he’d thought of a way to show how someone could fall from Grace. X took hold of Hez’s arm, and then let go.

“See, I’m not saved anymore.”

Hez grabbed his arm, and X tried to get free but couldn’t.
“See, I’m strong, but don’t you think God is stronger than me.”


CHRISTIANE,
Is there a Matthew in the Bible that’s not holy? 😊

RB Kuter said...

Heard a report today on progress being made at the southern border:
- ICE says they are no longer holding illegals but have been told to refer/and function to their former retention facilities as "Reception Centers"
- The idea is to handle those thousands coming in through the southern border as immigrants were handled in New York at Ellis Island and process them through in 48 hours.
- Those immigrants most often wear "Biden" t-shirts
- No COVID testing is done to any of those coming in who are released into the US population being sent throughout the states
- Hundreds with COVID (not sure how they could tell if not being tested. Maybe they just showed having the symptoms.) have entered and released
- Those being held together prior to release have no COVID precautions taken like wearing masks, distancing, etc. as our President insists all "citizens" practice.

I believe this reflects the thoughts expressed in Wade's post.

Rather than my responding to the insanity by being continually frustrated and depressed, I try adjusting to the reality that this is how this society is and most likely will continue to be, only more radically so once the VP assumes office.

I must consider returning to my Spanish studies.

RB Kuter said...

"remember Jesus loves his little children. Re yellow black and white, they are precious in his sight."

Surely THAT song will be censored and taken out of all publications and circulation. How racist can you get?

RB Kuter said...

Paul D says again, "My only caution is that the Bible Belt crowd seems to use stuff like this to dismiss or ignore all kinds of legitimate injustices in our culture."

We've discussed this before and again I ask, "Brother Paul, do you not see the hypocrisy in your attitude and prejudice toward white southerners?"

It so reminds me of the hypocrisy constantly demonstrated by the righteous "left" crowd so critical of others but so extremely radical in their own injustices, i.e., "love, love, love, but kill the babies!" One example of many occurrences.

I expect it from many but really thought you might be an exception. Guess not.

Christiane said...

'The Bible Belt' seems a pejorative, yes
as so many terms used to describe that section of our country have been over the years.

Mark Twain once referred to what is known as 'the Bible Belt' as 'The United States of Lyncherdom'

There is some difficulty in my own studies of a family-owned newspaper in Plymouth NC where the genteel descriptions of social activities among the town's 'belles'and matrons were so in contrast with the strange, almost obscene descriptions of a lynching in all its gory detail . . .
some hours spent on micro-fiche in any small Southern town library does reveal this contrast, but for me to find it in the newspaper started by my Ausbon ancestors in Plymouth NC, that was a jarring experience indeed.

Is all of human history so graphic in its inconsistencies that the juxtaposition of genteel social gatherings on the society pages are printed on the same paper as the description of the burned body of a lynching victim from another town who had been suspended over a fire before his death? I've never recovered from the experience of that literary discovery, no.
We were a strange lot, we Southern humans, in what we 'celebrated' on the printed pages of our small town weekly newspapers at turn of the century going from the 1800's into the 1900's in my own family's experience in those days. I own I was deeply affected by the contrasts and wondered if that might have been the 'intent' of the publishers in the first place, which thought does in truth raise the hairs on the back of my neck.

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne, perhaps you should study the historical data on lynchings north of the Mason Dixon line. Slaves headed north only to find themselves treated worse than they were by certain slave owners.

You have a not so subtle way of rewriting history to suit your own prejudices.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

as I've said before, I consider myself part of the Bible Belt crowd. I really don't mean it in a pejorative sense - sorry you take it that way, but that's your problem, not mine. I use it simply as shorthand.

I used to have a confederate flag tattoo. I got it covered with flowers and stuff. Just sayin' - I'm not pointing the finger at anyone, just trying to point out where I see problems in my own community.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

"Is all of human history so graphic in its inconsistencies that the juxtaposition of genteel social gatherings on the society pages are printed on the same paper as the description of the burned body of a lynching victim from another town who had been suspended over a fire before his death?"

Are you serious? This statement is the true portrayal of racism, prejudice, and justification for self-righteousness, isn't it?

Yes, Rex Ray must pay reparation taxes for being a southern white male. He is despicable and horrid because of what he allowed his ancestors to do. He must pay for those lynchings!

Christiane, however, is innocent and free of having any obligation for her Catholic heritage and the atrocities committed in its history, and her ethnic background (whatever it is I assure you it includes atrocities). She has no "log in her eye".

Christiane's descendants SHOULD have to pay some reparation or penalty for being responsible for what their ancestor, Christiane, and her colleagues actively facilitated in the slaughter of millions of innocent infants by justifying its continuation saying the difficult lives of the mothers justified it and always choosing those political candidates that assured its continuance.

Paul D's and Christiane's inconsistencies and self-contradictions are confounding and disappointing, perhaps somewhat schizophrenic?

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

have I said something about reparations, here or anywhere?

I'm sure Christiane is a great person, but I would appreciate it if you would allow my comments to stand on their own, and take Christiane's as her's.

thanks
Paul

Christiane said...

Hello Mr. Kuter,

"Is all of human history so graphic in its inconsistencies that the juxtaposition of genteel social gatherings on the society pages are printed on the same paper as the description of the burned body of a lynching victim from another town who had been suspended over a fire before his death?"

Are you serious? This statement is the true portrayal of racism, prejudice, and justification for self-righteousness, isn't it?"

I ask a rhetorical question open for discussion, and it's a question I ASK MYSELF as a result of my experience in that library having read that graphic account of a lynching, yes.

I often ask 'questions', Mr. Kuter, because I don't understand everything and I have no answers to the inconsistencies of my own maternal family's history. I don't excuse that history and I am genetically connected to it, as these were 'my people' and I have found in their journals and letters AND the Family's oral history much that is also humane and of Christ-like compassion for the 'slaves' who stayed with the Family after the War (Civil) and were elderly and were beloved and cared for with great kindness and dignity at the end of their lives. Inconsistencies? I agree. Do I understand?
No, sir. I don't understand it. Some of my Family's history horrifies me, and some it comforts me.

I asked a question. I don't have wisdom to answer it, no. Our human nature is much wounded and in need of healing. It would seem that it has always been so since the Fall. (?)

Christiane said...

Mr. Kuter,
as to being 'Catholic' (which I am by faith and by affirmation), I cannot see political answers to 'abortion' in trying to 'control' and 'punish', no. I look to see the change of hearts and minds, and also to see people who genuinely want to help step up and become pro-active towards help for new parents in ways that provide time for medical appointments and paid parental leave and a re-structuring of the 'abortion argument' that offers a chance for life to be WELCOMED as now for so many women, the circumstances are anything but welcoming. Why? Well, I have offered this as insight from a Catholic perspective:

"The quote — which Sister Joan Chittister confirmed she said during an interview with journalist Bill Moyers in 2004 — said:

"I do not believe that just because you are opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, a child educated, a child housed. And why would I think that you don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is."

So, Mr. Kuter, I am open to that 'much broader discussion', sure, but I am not going to support sending frightened and desperate women back into the hands of back-alley abortionists in some politically-devised system that offers no tax monies to help out of a mean-spiritedness that withholds help from new parents because it WILL require the full support of our nation to make a considerable financial commitment.

Money seems to be the REASON for pro-birth rather than pro-life. And I challenge that 'reason' as something that our nation with all of its resources can hold on to, while it seeks to send desperate women back into the hands of back-alley butchers.

A much broader discussion of what 'pro-life' means is something I would encourage, yes.


Paul D said...

@ RB Kuter

who labeled me as:

"...inconsistencies...self-contradictions...disappointing...schizophrenic"

I can only attribute this response to my post on this very blog where I agreed with the content Wade's post but cautioned that I was not willing to fall prey to the straw man fallacy.

The evangelical Bible Belt crowd, of which I am a part, love to take examples like Dr. Seuss and then use it as a lever to prevent even considering the idea that perhaps certain groups of people are being mistreated in our educational systems, law enforcement practices and even retail establishments...because a publisher removed some books from publication. It just does not follow, and any attempt to deny it is...inconsistent...self-contradictory...disappointing...schizophrenic. To the point of building conspiracy upon conspiracy to prop up the denial.


thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

Christiane, if I thought that I had misunderstood the intent of your comment I would apologize but apparently, others, like Scott Shaver, took away the same perception that I did, which was, that you were insinuating that those in the Bible Belt, or southerners, live in a vicious culture while portraying genteel manners.

I accept your saying that this was not your intended statement but rather you were asking yourself a question or perhaps pondering it in your own mind how this contradiction in a society could exist. Perhaps it would help to ask your question outright. If I misunderstood your question, perhaps you could be gracious enough to ask it again; What is it that you are asking?

RB Kuter said...

Paul, you commented, "as I've said before, I consider myself part of the Bible Belt crowd. I really don't mean it in a pejorative sense - sorry you take it that way, but that's your problem, not mine. I use it simply as shorthand."

This following your previous comment, "My only caution is that the Bible Belt crowd seems to use stuff like this to dismiss or ignore all kinds of legitimate injustices in our culture."

Do you not understand why someone, like myself, who lives in the south would not conclude that you are categorizing "all" white southerners as "using stuff like this to dismiss or ignore all kinds of legitimate injustices in our culture" and how this is indeed "pejorative"? (Which, by the way, is a pretty cool word and I appreciate you and Christiane bringing it to light. We rednecks may be dumb but let nobody say we are opposed to learnin'!)

Can you not see that the appearance is that you are collectively assessing a group of a certain race/culture as having the same ideology and social malfeasance? You then make some attempt to distance yourself from being in that group by saying you covered up your Rebel flag tattoo with a flower! Did that somehow change your roots?

This is a real silly conversation. Personally, I believe most of us would feel more comfortable in not being assigned to a particular social label based upon regional residence, skin color, and religious affiliation. Thanks for that, brother.

Donald Johnson said...

https://apnews.com/article/dr-seuss-books-racist-images-d8ed18335c03319d72f443594c174513 mentions some of the (claimed) racist imagery in 2 of the withdrawn books.

Christiane said...

Hello Mr. Kuter,

I think you are referencing this:
""Is all of human history so graphic in its inconsistencies that the juxtaposition of genteel social gatherings on the society pages are printed on the same paper as the description of the burned body of a lynching victim from another town who had been suspended over a fire before his death?"

Mr. Kuter, my 'people', my maternal family, 'owned' slaves; yet after the War, the old slaves who had be 'aunt' and 'uncle' to the Family were given a home WITH the Family to stay on and be cared for in the old age and last sicknesses, and were beloved and were given Christian burial that what we call in my faith, acts of Christian mercy. So, I am not someone 'outside' of 'the Bible Belt' casting stones at what I cannot understand, no. As to my 'reaction' to that old newspaper brought up on a library micro-fiche machine, I was being honest about my own feelings, yes. You may 'judge' how you please. I would much rather you be honest than not. I was.

RB Kuter said...

"A much broader discussion of what 'pro-life' means is something I would encourage, yes."

When you kill a child there is absolutely no possibility of her/him having a life of any kind. There is nothing "pro" about murder in terms of promoting "life".

When you continually promote, finance, campaign, for those who advocate the continued murder of children there is no way to distance oneself from being a participant in that infanticide, no matter what the proposed justification. To continually justify the slaughter by offering justification for it is to diminish the atrocity and promote its participation by an increasing population.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

"You then make some attempt to distance yourself from being in that group"

You are exactly correct, sir. I am in that group, and I am making an attempt to distance myself from the...inconsistencies...self-contradictions...disappointing...schizophrenic comments made by many of that group, present company not excluded.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Judy straightened me out on my Uncle Hez and X story. She said they were holding hands and not arms which makes more sense.

We saw Tucker Carlson’s TV show yesterday, March 4, and were shocked so much we watched it again and took notes:

“Lt. General Russel Honoree’s recommendation: “Have a Force within the DC Guard by reestablishing a military Police Battalion and staffing it with active Guard Reserve troops who live in or near the city year-round; perpetually on active duty.”

If he gets his way, America would have soldiers and razor wire around our Capitol forever. (Sounds like Hitler to me!) In a Democracy, rulers’ rule with consent of the people.

The Biden people believe those that believe Trump was cheated have been brain-washed by QAnon.

BAD NEWS:
Dr. Seuss went from beloved childhood author to Hitler in a few days.

WORST NEWS: People treated differently based on their political views.
February 6, supporters of Trump have been in jail two months without bail.
VS
Last year on July 27 and for months in Portland Oregon, BLM attacked police, and set the courthouse on fire. 90% had charges dropped.
In New York, 400 BLM rioters were arrested in June and released without charges.
Democrats are punishing their political enemies:
People who were at the Trump Rally but didn’t go near the Capitol, are being ‘invaded’ by federal agents. Their neighbors wonder why they’re being questioned by the FBI.

Pelosi and Biden say Trump supporters are White Supremist and Insurrectionists, and are the biggest threat to America which is domestic Terrorist.

Pelosi has placed metal-detectors going into the House chamber.

RB Kuter said...

"have I said something about reparations, here or anywhere? I would appreciate it if you would allow my comments to stand on their own, and take Christiane's as her's."

Paul D, no where did I associate you and "reparations". I did associate your comments being somewhat similar to Christiane's in collectively associating and assessing people based upon their regional residence and historical background. This is born out by your continued referencing a group as "evangelical Bible Belt crowd".

It is apparent to me that you are categorizing people who have similar political views that are not consistent with the elitists/socialists as having their viewpoint bases upon their religious beliefs and regional residence. Why do you do that?

Given that I am a "born-again" proclaimer of the "Good News-Evangelical Message" of Jesus Christ and live in a state in the deep south of the country, you are proposing that I "love to take examples like Dr. Seuss and then use it as a lever to prevent even considering the idea that perhaps certain groups of people are being mistreated in our educational systems,"!

Do you feel comfortable in doing that? Are you proposing that there are no people living in the south who are "evangelicals" that are Democrats?

Do you think this somehow contributes to the progress of our American society and elevates the conversation?

No, I don't by any means suggest that the censorship of Dr. Suess diminishes the reality of "there being people who are mistreated in our educational system". I don't even know what that means?

Who in our educational system is being mistreated and how are the nasty Bible Belt evangelicals using the Dr. Suess censorship debate as a lever to diminish that reality? I have no idea of what "reality" is of people being mistreated in the educational system or why we (I include myself given that I am in Georgia and a follower of Jesus) are supposedly being accused of diminishing it by "questioning" the logic of attacking a childrens' book author!

Like the famous quote from the movie, "Cool Hand Luke" says, "What we have here is a failure to communicate."

Christiane said...

I'd give us points for trying. :)

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

"What we have here is a failure to communicate"

actually, I feel pretty good about our communication. I know it's difficult to let go of some stuff, but I think you'll get there in time. You hear the same crap in your community that I hear in mine, and you know it's crap.

"Did that somehow change your roots?"

You bet it did - yes.

thanks
Paul

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne, I think broader acceptance of child murder is what you seek as opposed to a "broader discussion" of pro-life ethics.

Scott Shaver said...

You didn't misunderstand her RB. She's passive/aggressive in her approach to the south and non-catholics. Don't let the Saccharine sweetness fool you.

RB Kuter said...

Perhaps I am as guilty of "profiling" and prejudice when making reference to "elitists/leftists/socialists/anarchists", etc. as those who categorize all people living in the Bible Belt as believing and behaving a certain way. (That's pretty stupid when you think about it given that a high percentage of people in the south are immigrants from other regions.) Yet, I don't think referring to groups that profess a particular conviction to an ideology is profiling because I am simply affirming what they say they are and what they believe.

If I refer to people living in Michigan, New York, California as all being anarchists or communists, then I believe I am profiling and throwing a lot of people into the mix that are genuinely not of that persuasion in which we are discussing. My experience in conversation with many friends and acquaintances from the "north" is that they are no more or no less racist than people of the south.

All my relatives on my father's side were extremely prejudiced toward African Americans and they were from Illinois and Wisconsin. (Thank goodness for my Mom who was born in the deep south and never was heard to make a racist remark or insinuation!)

I would never project that living in Illinois or Wisconsin means a person is racist just because my relatives were. Perhaps like Paul D., I grew up in a very racist society and family, and in my early years that influence had its effect on making me that way. That can't be helped. The key is, "What are you like TODAY?"

I feel no obligation to pay penance for what I have been. (I use to drink and carous around too!) If I could return to those times and express my grief and regret for offending a person or for not being courageous and standing up by their side when it was not popular to do so, I would do that. I cannot. I CAN live TODAY loving ALL people without consideration of those things beyond their control like color, regional residence, culture, etc.

The same goes with identifying someone's ideology and positions on things like abortion, socialism, or even their belief on salvation qualifications based upon their religious affiliation. I know that all Catholics do not believe the same as Christiane, but a lot do. If I meet a Catholic that I have not formerly known I do not conclude they justify abortion because they are Catholic nor do I conclude they believe they will go to heaven because "they are members of the Catholic church". I have personally known and observed a lot of Catholics who believe that the only means to gain entry into God's eternal Kingdom is through faith in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ.

My political views are not the same as all others who follow Jesus Christ and are so often referred to as "evangelicals". Like Wade, I disagree with a lot of my fellow "evangelicals" on a lot of things including politics, Biblical doctrine, and church polity. The same goes with my disagreeing with people living in Georgia or "The Bible Belt" on some issues.

So when someone else attempts to label all those within those common religious or regional parameters as being like-minded I do take offense. Well, I don't really "take offense", I just assess their comment as being absurd and their opinion as being less credible.

Rex Ray said...

RB, Scott, and CHRISTIANE,

Are you guys blind?

America: “Home of the brave and land of the free!”

Are you more interested in your disagreements than to release America is no longer free, but free for only those in control?

Rex Ray said...

I envision someday of Wade having a TV show as popular as Tucker Carlson in shouting a warning to America.

I omitted some of Carlson’s March 4 program. I believe it’s fulfilling one of the steps Nations commit suicide by Richard Lamm; former governor of Colorado.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/richard-lamm-on-multiculturalism/

(One step Lamm listed: Have one uneducated group that believe it’s the fault of others they’re not doing well.)

New York: Blacks committed 75% of all shootings; 23% of population.
Chicago: Blacks committed 80% of shootings; 33% of population.
Los Angeles: Blacks committed 44% of violate crimes; 9% population.
Saint Louis: Blacks committed 90% of homicides; 40% population.

The last step of Lamm: “Unable to control immigration.”

Christiane said...

Ecclesiasticus 18:10

“As a drop of water unto the sea, and a gravelstone in comparison of the sand; so are a thousand years to the days of eternity.”

getting some 'perspective' asks a lot from us who are so embroiled in the present troubles, but the wisdom gained is priceless

what matters?
what REALLY matters MOST when you pull way back from the 'sturm und drang' of the present time and gaze quietly on the whole of human history?

that Jesus Christ, Son, Savior IS 'Risen From the Dead'
that's worth repeating:
WHAT MATTERS in the end?
"THAT JESUS CHRIST, SON, SAVIOR, IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD"


(sturm und drang? -
Synonyms & Antonyms for Sturm und Drang

Synonyms: disquiet, ferment, fermentation, restiveness, restlessness, turmoil, uneasiness, unquietness, unrest

Antonyms: calm, ease, peace, peacefulness, quiet, tranquillity (or tranquility)



Tomorrow is the Lord's Day for all Christian people:
let us attend to the Holy Gospels of Our Lord on this day and cease being in turmoil for a time of calm reflection on what REALLY MATTERS to us who believe

when we do that, we draw closer in spirit to all of His Creation:
"30And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.
AND IT WAS SO.
31 And God looked upon all that He had made,
AND INDEED, IT WAS VERY GOOD."






Christiane said...

poor Dr. Seuss,
they've discovered his '30's and '40's political cartoons:

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/01/dr-seuss-protest-icon/515031/

RB Kuter said...

"poor Dr. Seuss,
they've discovered his '30's and '40's political cartoons:"

"let us attend to the Holy Gospels of Our Lord on this day and cease being in turmoil for a time of calm reflection on what REALLY MATTERS to us who believe"

Guess Dr. Suess trumps the Holy Gospels.

RB Kuter said...

"Are you more interested in your disagreements than to release America is no longer free, but free for only those in control?"

Rex Ray, I prefer to it being considered as "vigorous debate".

Rex Ray said...

You guys are fiddling while Rome burns. 😊

Here’s the latest by Lara Ingram on March 4, 2021.

In fear of the Capitol being invaded by Trump supporters on March 4, 2021, Pelosi had a meeting of the House on March 4 at 2 A.M.

(She wanted everyone to get away before the invasion.)

They passed a bill that people don’t have to show I.D. when doing any voting.

Rex Ray said...

What’s Pelosi afraid of?

“The guilty flee when no man pursues.”

Christiane said...

OMG

calm down everyone

please

the sky is not falling

not tonight,

at least

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

You’re right the sky is not falling where you are, but Google tells the sky has fallen on the border of Texas. How about you checking that out, if you’re not afraid to.

Christiane said...

" . . . He is with a million displaced people
On the long road of weariness and want.
For even as we sing our final carol
His family is up and on that road,
Fleeing the wrath of someone else’s quarrel,
Glancing behind and shouldering their load. . . . "


Yes, REX RAY, I know about the refugees and I also know how it is that Christ has Himself shared in all of mankind's sorrows, even those of 'a million displaced people on the long road of weariness and want'

(the quote above is an excerpt from a poem by
the Anglican priest/poet, Malcolm Guite)

I believe God will have mercy on those seeking asylum, because He knows what it is like to be a refugee.

Don't worry for those people, REX RAY. They also know the story in the Bible from St. Luke's Gospel, and they know that Lord Christ knows their plight and that He is mindful of them, yes.

It is safe now for them to come that it is no longer the policy of our government to take little ones away from their mothers' arms and place them in 'the camps for tender aged children'.


Christiane said...

Oops, sorry REX RAY,

the account of the flight into Egypt is found in the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 2, this:

"And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be you there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

When was God a refugee?

Are you comparing illegals to Jesus? Jesus didn’t have COVID-19.

Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christiane said...

Hello REX RAY,

In my Church, 'God' IS the 'Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit"
so for us, each 'Person' IS fully God, and after the Incarnation, Jesus was both fully God and fully Man

I sometimes forget that the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not seen in the same way by many evangelical people.

Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

Did the Trojan Horse have a sign? ‘Please let me in’.
https://metrovoicenews.com/migrants-arrive-at-border-with-biden-please-let-us-in-shirts/
March 5, 2021

Who printed and paid for the t-shirts? That’s what many are asking after hundreds of migrants showed up at the southern U.S. border wearing shirts that read, “Biden, Please let us in.”

Migrants seeking entry rose by 50 percent in February alone with the number of unaccompanied children increasing 10-fold. The Biden administration is refusing to allow reporters into the holding camps.

According to The Associated Press, the department’s phase one was only expected to start slowly, processing roughly 300 people per day. That number has skyrocketed this week with thousands seeking entry and even a Biden administration official calling it a crisis.

Earlier this week, Biden told reporters he learned “a lot” after receiving a briefing about the border. But he refused to characterize the overwhelming number of migrants at the border as a “crisis” despite one administration official having called it that.

A reporter asked Biden on Tuesday if there was a crisis at the border, to which he responded, “No, we’ll be able to handle it.”

Under the Biden administration, the U.S. is nearing maximum capacity in shelters for illegal immigrant children.

Internal documents from the Department of Health and Human Services reveal the shelter system is now at 94% occupancy, according to Axios. And it is expected to hit maximum capacity later this month.”

CHRISTIANE, are bars on these windows to keep people out, or so children can’t escape?

If you want to help these people, why not fix the problem in their home country that makes them want to leave?

Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christiane said...

". . . the great God, mighty and awesome, Who has no favorites, accepts no bribes;
Who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him. So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt" (Dt 10:17-19).


From the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus Himself echoes this tradition when He proclaims prophetically,
"For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed Me" (Mt 25:35).


Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

There’s two ways to enter America, legal and illegal.

You wrote: "For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, a stranger and you welcomed Me." (Mt 25:35)

That’s a great Scripture for people who are legal, but “Biden please let us in” people are NOT legal, and the Scripture is OUT OF CONTEXT FOR THEM.

I stand by my father’s belief: “It’s OK to be softhearted, as long as you’re not softheaded.”

Christiane said...

REX RAY,

in my faith, NOTHING is 'out of context when it is spoken by Our Lord Himself. His teachings go beyond time and circumstance and find meaning from everylasting to everlasting. There are 'no borders' that fence off His Words from us or from any living human person.

Remember: Jesus Christ, as the 'Logos', 'spoke' all Creation into being. And with a 'word' He will raise the dead on the Day. So 'context'? I don't buy into any logic that limits His intent. No disrespect to you or to your good father, but I see things differently because of how my faith views 'Who Christ Is', sure.

It's okay to see things differently. I think we were meant to so we could share our own views with one another as not one of us sees the 'big' picture alone. In the Body of Christ, all have meaning and all have purpose and no one is unimportant.

I have to note that if you were raised up on being 'afraid' of 'hoardes of invaders' coming to infect you with disease and to commit crimes;
of course you would be fearful. Lou Dobbs, and many who comment on Fox News have promoted fearfulness of the 'aliens',

but in my Church, we have come to see them as people who are seeking asylum and are in need of help to find safety, to find a home and work and help for the families;
and my response to that need is not one of fear, no. The more I see these poor people demonized by the far right, the more sadness I feel for all involved, including those who cannot respect the age-old plight of any refugee seeking asylum. There is a timelessness in that plight, and in how we must respond to it if we follow Our Lord Who Himself was once an infant carried into Egypt in the arms of His mother.

'Out of Context'?
or
something 'else' entirely: a Christian response to any refugee that is commanded to be eternally humane because of the One Who was fully God and fully Man ?

Christiane said...

'Context'?

" 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 And they too will reply, ‘Lord, WHEN DID WE SEE YOU hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’

Yes, the Matthean Gospel's 'context' indeed is shown here:
'WHATEVER YOU DID NOT DO FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO FOR ME.'

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

You said, “Nothing is ‘out of context’ when it is spoken by Our Lord Himself.”

“…Thou shall Love thy neighbor as thyself…” (Mark 12:31 KJ)

Can we take this out of context?

YES, as an example, Mexico is the neighbor of Texas. Should we love Mexico?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_drug_war

“Analysts estimate that wholesale earnings from illicit drug sales range from $13.6 to $49.4 billion annually.

The U.S. Congress passed legislation in late June 2008 to provide Mexico with US $1.6 billion for the Mérida Initiative as well as technical advice to strengthen the national justice systems.

By the end of President Felipe Calderón's administration (December 1, 2006 – November 30, 2012), the official death toll of the Mexican drug war was at least 60,000. Estimates set the death toll above 120,000 killed by 2013, not including 27,000 missing.

Since taking office in 2018, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared that the war was over; however, his comment was met with criticism as the homicide rate remains high.”

RB Kuter said...

"RB, Scott, and CHRISTIANE, Are you guys blind? America: “Home of the brave and land of the free!” Are you more interested in your disagreements than to release America is no longer free, but free for only those in control?

Rex Ray, don't think that our debate/disagreement is a display of complacency or to minimize the serious nature of what is taking place in the nation. I consider our discussion and "disagreement" to be the core of what the problem is.

I contend that the leftists/socialists/Marxists that are now in control of the government are hypocrites using such disguises like the use of humanitarian rhetoric to justify their ideology and making subsequent decisions while their actions are doing the opposite of what they are saying they are pursuing. For instance, their saying they are so concerned about the well-being of women who have unwanted pregnancies who choose to kill the baby as a remedy for their difficulties while their hypocritical actions result in the destruction of more life than would occur if the slaughter of babies was outlawed.

I contend that this hypocritical ploy again surfaces when the leftists argue for the censorship of free speech due to their lofty condemnation of it being hate speech as determined by their own definition while shouting for their freedom to say anything hateful they desire to express. Same goes for their outrage over the violent protests at the capitol while never objecting to the burning of cities and violence that occured in urban areas for months with the leftists politicians not lifting a finger to stop it.

Such are the issues of our debate. If I don't get excited about the tens of thousands of immigrants crossing the borders having gone through no process of what was formerly legal standards it is because that leftist side is only doing what it said it would do. We can expect totally open borders, socialism, increasing debt, influx of criminals and drug traffickers, sex traffickers and terrorists through those open borders and the abandonment of concern for law enforcement. We can anticipate the implementation of globalism ideology at the expense of the prioritizing of American industry and business and anticipate continued global trade agreements that favor the "other guy" at the expense of the American worker and this nation's industry.

None of this should be a surprise or shock. It is what has taken control whether through a legal electoral process or not. It is there and will be unless God intervenes to prevent it but personally, I don't believe God will. I believe God has already given us the chance to demonstrate whether we will acknowledge Him and His righteousness or not and we, as a nation, have made that decision by those we have chosen to represent us, even prior to this last election. It was those politicians already in office prior to the last election who had oversight over the election process and if they chose to undermine its credibility it is because of their nature. Their constituents were fully aware of that when they voted them in.

So I will continue to express my "disagreement" in my way and urge you to continue to do in yours. We cannot silently submit, not because we may win, but because it is not right to allow it to go without opposition.

Christiane said...

REX RAY,

we have our OWN drug problems in our towns and cities and suburbs now, but here is something that gives me hope about how it is being handled with some wisdom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-psuowFTkk

Christiane said...

There are no 'short cuts' to helping people who are in real trouble.
Impatience and anger are not helpful in most cases, no. Nor is stone-throwing and finger-pointing.

The Church is in the business of helping troubled people. But only when it acts 'as Church' using ways that are scorned by harsh people who want 'quick fixes'.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is more powerful than the ways of this world's harsh and brutal fixes, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit is not respected as 'effective' by the world;

but if what folks have been doing so far hasn't worked, maybe trying the 'fruit of the Holy Spirit' as 'Church' can provide what all the 'laws' and 'punishments' and harsh ways haven't been able to overcome.

'Structure' and 'discipline' and spending time being 'with' people can be done positively using the 'fruit of the Holy Spirit'. The world does not understand this, no.

I think the judge in this film understood what troubled folks really needed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-psuowFTkk

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

I stand corrected about asking if you, Scott, and Christiane were blind. I see now we’re in the same ‘war’ but fighting in different ways.

CHRISTIANE,

Your link was about the drug Opioid.

I want to tell you about a ‘drug lord’, George. He was a Mexican policeman gone bad. So bad, America had him on their ‘most wanted list’.

His ruthless character scared his wife so bad, she ran away with their young son to America. George went in search for them because his son was precious. The Holy Spirit convicted him that his son would not approve of him. He asked Jesus to save him.

To the amazement of the American police, he said Jesus wanted him to surrender. He was sentenced 50 years in prison at Macalester, Oklahoma. That prison was noted for gang-fights and killings.

George preached Jesus and the fighting stopped. After 3 years, the Chaplin told him: “I’ve got bad news. They’re kicking you out.” George said, “They can’t do that; I have a ministry here.” He became the ‘caretaker at a Baptist Seminary in Mexico.

I met him on one of our six mission trips. On his desk was a Plaque Award that read: “Thank you for making our task easier-Macalester Prison”

He painted a railing that it took two weeks for me to weld on their second story walkway. He is now a pastor, and our church helps to support them.

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, looking on Epoch Times it seems that Trump may be taking steps to create his own third party. He has told the RNC to stop using his image and name for their fundraising. They have been raking in tons of money by using their affiliation with Trump and refusing to delegate it as he has asked them to do, most notably to contribute to efforts to stop voting fraud, and other things that he prioritizes. The swamp Republicans, like our Georgia governor, refuse to respond to his expressed interests but continue to use him to get funds for their purposes and agenda.

Trump has a lot of leverage given his support from his populist following but I'm sure he couldn't win on a third-party ticket. He would destroy any hope of a Republican win over the leftist-party. I'm sure that group would be greatly relieved if he decided to run on a separate ticket and fragment their opposition.

It will be a case similar to the 1992 Presidential race when Ross Perot ran on a third-party ticket and got almost "19%" of the vote! He may have got even more but I believe choosing Admiral Stockdale as his running mate REALLY hurt him. Stockdale was a hero Navy man but did terrible in the VP debates. All of Perot's 19% were conservatives so took away H.W. Bush's support and sent the victory to Clinton, who would not have won had Perot not been the spoiler. Bush would have surely won again.

Even though Trump would not win as a third-party candidate, I would likely vote for him if the choice was that or to vote for "oatmeal"-Republicans whose ideology concedes to the leftists. Chances of our ever having a credible election process again is extremely unlikely anyway.

In addition to the "impossible to monitor-unregistered mass mail-in voting process" implemented by the leftist politicians, which is sure to expand, there will be the addition of millions of votes coming in from those illegal immigrants currently entering our population. They are very grateful to the leftist party for accommodating their unrestricted entry and will surely be voting for the continued social welfare support promised by that party. Good luck finding anyone wearing a "Biden" t-shirt that speaks English! (Is that racist? Don't think so. Just observation.)

Still, I would vote to oppose the communist take-over even if my vote is countered by 10 non-legitimate ballots stuffed in the box. It's a matter of principle and whether my voice has any effect or not it will be what I believe to be consistent with what God would have me do.

Siempre Fi, bro'!!

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

"So when someone else attempts to label all those within those common religious or regional parameters as being like-minded I do take offense."

Ok, you win. I did not take you for a member of the political correctness police. Henceforth, instead of using the shorthand of "Bible Belt" or "evangelical" I will use a multitude of words to vaguely define a group of generally like minded people and provide caveats for exceptions in particular beliefs and practices.

For myself, I am a Bible Belt evangelical. Does that mean that I agree with every majority opinion of that group or that those opinions could even be defined in anything less than a volume of books with continual revisions and appendices? No.

So, I'll rephrase my original comment on this post:

Some people use stuff like this to dismiss or ignore all kinds of legitimate injustices in our culture. So, while I certainly agree with Wade on the point of this post - I am not willing to ignore the very real racism that exists in our culture. "Some People" could live in any number of places and may or may not hold to orthodox confessions of faith. My particular concern is for those in my own community who do make orthodox confessions of faith, whose children play with my children, who teach the youth in our churches. I would like to encourage that group to consider their views on racism and injustice in light of their confession of faith instead of dismissing these thoughts because there are examples like the subject of Wade's post on Dr. Seuss.

thanks
Paul

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

Your comment was very enlightening.

Just as Trump was cheated in the last election, I don’t believe America will ever have honest elections as long as there’s mail-in-ballots. It makes no sense for Trump to start a third party.

I sure hope the Senate cancels Pelosi’s making a law that voters don’t have to have identification. (Wonder what’s she up to?)

Christiane said...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Epoch_Times

is this 'The Epoch Times' the organization you are referencing here, Mr. Kuter?

Christiane said...

REX RAY,

if
you believe Trump was 'cheated' in the last election,

then
why didn't the courts (including the Supreme Court) take his case?

without any proof of wrong-doing that is credible, the courts likely couldn't act, and you have to remember that Trump started whining BEFORE any votes were ever cast in the 2020 election anywhere . . . that was NOT a 'good sign' for his credibility, no

The courts rejected Trump, the Supreme Court rejected Trump, the Pentagon rejected Trump, and the Congress in session at the Capitol on Jan 6th, even under attack from Trump's supporters, did their duty under the US Constitution.

seems to me, if he ran again in 2024 and lost again, we have cause to wonder what form the reaction of his supporters might take if that were to happen (?)

Now, on the 6th of January, there were two Trump appointees who would have had the authority to tell the National Guard to help the police at the Capitol building;
but they did not act for over three hours, while people died and many of the police were attacked and injured. The whole nation saw this happening, and EVERYONE kept wondering WHY help wasn't coming to aid the police who were under attack.

It seems imperative that we find out why help wasn't sent in a timely manner. A lot of people are wanting to know the truth of this.

?

Christiane said...

"The Guard commander, Major General William Walker, described receiving a “frantic” phone call from the then-head of the Capitol Police, Steven Sund, shortly before 2 p.m., as the breach was underway.
Advertisement

Yet because of the restrictions from Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, and the “best military advice” of senior Army officers, Walker and his 155 Guardsmen could not respond to the scene of the insurrection for another three hours and 19 minutes—restrictions Walker pointedly noted were not placed upon him during the summer’s Black Lives Matter protests in Washington, D.C.

Had Walker been able to deploy to the Capitol “immediately,” as he testified he wanted, around 2 p.m.—a process he said took less than 20 minutes—“that number could have made a difference,” Walker said. “We could have helped extend the perimeter and pushed back the crowd.”"

Does this help answer WHO refused to give the order?
Now we need to find out WHY they refused, leading to 3 plus hours of hell in the Capitol for the police who were trying to protect our Congressmen and women and others who were present (the Vice President and his family).

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

You said, “because of the restrictions from Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller…Walker and his 144 Guardsmen could not respond to the scene of the insurrection for another three hours and 19 minutes.

If you’ll read your link again:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?509313-1/senate-rules-homeland-security-committees-hearing-us-capitol-attack-day-2&live=

You’ll see Acting Secretary Chris Miller gave his consent, but it was the Army leaders that said no because it would look bad to have troops at the Capitol.

Another question; do you know who the Vice President is? since you said, “(the Vice President and his family).” :)

BTW, Mrs. Harris only has stepchildren.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I watched your link. That newspaper was something else; wasn’t it? Really pro-Trump.

I challenge you to watch Judy’s favorite program, Outnumbered. (Warning, it’s on Fox 😊)

One thing they discussed today, was on “Looney Toons”, one character was removed from the show; the French Skunk because he represented race culture.

I hope they don’t go so far as to remove Archie Bunker.

RB Kuter said...

Christiane, "The Epoch Times" newspaper is the only one I have found that presents a perspective that I believe boldly contrasts to the left-wing propaganda media machine ruling this nation.

Fortunately, they have so far maintained an independence from the leftist media moguls that swallow up any and all sources that report views and news contrary to the mainstream, liberal sources, all of which are controlled by the socialist media giants. Even Fox News has been swallowed up by Disney and predictably, since then, has gradually moved further and further to the left.

Fox, like all other liberal "news" sources, has lost all credibility in my estimation as being a source that provides alternative views from those of the leftist sources. I have not watched or viewed anything from Fox News in the past months. I would just as soon watch CNN or MSNBC. Rex Ray continues to access Tucker and Sean on Fox, who are about the only remaining sources presenting anywhere near a right-wing alternative perspective. Apparently, they have been left as token conservatives for the time being but I am sure their time is limited.

You find true, credible reports in "The Epoch Times" that you will not find reported in other left-wing sourced publications, like the report today that reads;

"President Joe Biden signed an executive order on March 7 altering the way the federal government handles elections, including by increasing voting and voter registration access for criminals in prison and on probation."

It's a factual report and one that portrays what is taking place that is cloaked by other news sources.

"The Epoch Times" is aggressively opposed to the communist Chinese and their tactics. They have first-hand experiences of the persecution and injustice inflicted by the communist Chinese. I believe the communist did target and imprison some of the families of the newspaper's founders for, among other things, being involved in the "he Falun Gong religious movement" which was persecuted as that atheistic government does with Christians, Muslims, and other non-communist ideological groups. The paper recognizes the same oppressive trends taking place in the US and knows firsthand how that transpires into a totalitarian regime which we are rapidly seeing taking place right here in the "land of the free".

"The Epoch Times" will be on the hit list of the powerful leftist totalitarian forces at play here in the US now, as surely as they are on the list of the communist Chinese who continue to do all they can to undermine their news operations here in the US. Every means possible will be made to demonize their executives and attempts will be made to outlaw and disable their rights to publish. Fortunately, they are not dependent upon such sources as Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and the rest. But an all-out assault in the paper should be expected. It's the way of the players currently in control.

Whenever any source for information creates fear and panic among the communist Chinese and the socialist-left-elite powers in the US, I conclude that source must be worth considering as having something worthwhile to read.

Christiane said...

Mr. Kuter, I don't think 'wikipedia' represents ' powerful leftist totalitarian forces at play here in the US now'.

I know 'wiki' isn't the end-all and be-all of information, no;
but it can be a decent jumping off point for continuing research on a topic.

Thank you for the time you took to comment. I continue to get my information from a wide array of sources, which, if nothing more, helps me to examine the various agendas being supported by those 'sources'.

I am partial to C-span and to watching things 'live' to do with the House and the Senate hearings.

I never buy into that trumpist right-wing talk about 'alternative truths', no.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

Another person on Fox News telling the facts is Laura Ingraham. I believe the best reason to like Fox Trump never called it “Fake News” and Obama hated it.

I’ve already said Looney Toons remove the French Skunk because he represented race culture. (They showed him kissing all over some other animal.) I thought they nailed it by him being French.

We visited France when I was 16 and tall enough to see over a wooden fence that hid their trough toilet. Five feet away was a sidewalk. The guy next to me tip his hat as a woman walked by.

RB Kuter said...

Christiane, I use Wikipedia A LOT too. And I always appreciate and look for your comments.

Just because I almost always challenge the things you say doesn't mean I don't appreciate them. I know you pursue information from diverse sources.

I'm glad that you actively express your opinions. I realize I'm most often in the minority in my perspective in the US these days but I still want to hear and interact with those holding views contrary to mine. I can learn if I have access to their thoughts. I may not be persuaded by their position but at least I have a better understanding of their rationale.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

"...leftist media moguls that swallow up any and all sources that report views and news contrary to the mainstream..."

shall we start a list that begins with Rush and Hannity? Or should we go further back, or more recent?

It's funny how capitalism works in a free republic. Medium sized moguls gain credibility and become successful, and then become conglomerations. Oh the evil! Maybe we should become more socialist and prevent businesses from having so much freedom to determine their own course of action based on their success in the marketplace. Shoot, by that philosophy maybe we should get rid of voting altogether and just let the right wing illuminati decide everything.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, I know there continues to be some on Fox who portray a conservative viewpoint. That's good. I just got tired of filtering through the other ridiculous comments and interviews. I have reduced all of my "news"/commentary viewing, almost entirely, and sleep better at night.

I wish "The Epoch News" would start their own news network. I think I heard that Trump was even considering that. I'm sure that neither would be biased.

HA! HA! Of course they would, but it's nice to have a voice speaking things you agree with.

Speaking of the open bathroom, when in Asia it was kind of nice to not have to wait for a "Rest Area" on long trips, just look for a bush. Also, the women cleaning ladies had no qualms about just coming into the "Men's" room to mop the floors while the guys were standing there and the guys thought nothing about it either.

Don't you just love different cultures? We can learn a lot.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

In Japan, they don’t need a bush, and their port-a-pots were so small, Americans couldn’t shut the door.

Years ago, our house was selected to be a rest stop for a county long bicycle ride. They placed the port-a-pots back-to-back under the shade of a tree. We moved one under another tree.

A group of macho guys went down the slide. One said, “I’m going to ask my psychologist why I can’t do it.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

Have you tried watching Judy’s favorite “Outnumbered” on Fox?

Today they said, the number crossing the border had tripled in the last two weeks. Kids are put in jail-like facilities.

Biden said there was no crisis.

RB Kuter said...

"In February—despite a week of freezing weather—Border Patrol apprehended 101,535 illegal border crossers along the southern border, according to Jaeson Jones, a former Texas Department of Public Safety captain. Another 26,000 people evaded capture, he said.
Jones collected the provisional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data from internal sources and it has been reviewed by The Epoch Times.
CBP told The Epoch Times that the official numbers would be available in the next couple of days.
The February number is almost triple the apprehensions from February 2020, when Border Patrol caught almost 37,000 people, while in 2019, on the cusp of the most recent crisis, the number was almost 77,000."

I hope nobody is surprised. These are the fulfillment of campaign promises. No reason to believe that it will change. The Arizona and Montana governors can sue the Feds to stop their open-border policies all they want but it will not have any significant effect. These new residents from the south, Middle East, etc., are voters for the leftist regime and will assure that they remain in power. It's good strategy for cartels and traffickers. You know they are celebrating.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

"These new residents from the south, Middle East, etc., are voters for the leftist regime and will assure that they remain in power...You know they are celebrating."

I wonder how many "new residents" are just waiting in anticipation for the next election cycle. I'm sure it's a close 4th priority for them right after the basics - food, shelter, clothing - then they'll be sure their leftist politicians are taken care of.

thanks
Paul

Jen said...

When you call human beings "illegals", it makes you appear to be unkind. I don't believe Jesus would call people "illegals". I also believe Jesus would be helping them as Christiane mentions above.

The right has pounced on "cancel culture" because they aren't actively doing anything to help our country. The $1.9 trillion in Covid aid that was passed today had exactly 0 Republicans voting in favor of it, though 70% of the country is in favor of it. Those same Republicans voted entirely in support of the 1.9 trillion bill in favor of tax cuts for the rich. Last year, Democrats did vote for Covid aid under the trump administration. They were showing they care more about the US people than playing partisan politics.

We need to listen to people of other races and let them tell us what is racist, not what we as white people "think" is racist. As a woman, I know more about being treated poorly or unfairly by men, I don't want men telling me they aren't "misogynistic. We should listen carefully and then be slow to speak. White people have no idea what it is like to have been oppressed for generations.

Be slow to anger and slow to speak, be quick to listen.

Oh, and by the way, yes I believe Jesus would tell us to love Mexico and the entire rest of the world.

RB Kuter said...

Paul D., I was not insinuating that the immigrants were coming to vote for the leftist regime, but that the leftist regime is rejecting law and order outright for the purpose of expanding their supportive voter base.

The current policies of not requiring immigrants to meet any entry standards or having to follow any process for vetting using immigration laws will result in nobody having any visa or resident requirements. That is insane and should be considered criminal negligence on the part of the Administration as it totally undermines our national security. It may be treasonous. I cannot imagine the outrage that would be present if we still had the former Administration in office doing the same foolishness.

The absurdity of this is portrayed in the reality that ALL other nations recognize the necessity for an orderly process of registration and filtering prior to people entering and especially residing in their countries.

RB Kuter said...

Jen, should we also refer to other criminals as being something other than "illegal"?

Scott Shaver said...

Jen: Why not begin "loving Mexico" by inviting a group of these illegal aliens crossing our Texas border, vandalizing ranches, stealing cars and testing positive for COVID to your house for a few months of harbor, food and shelter?

Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

If I understand correctly, you are saying the immigrant's reason/purpose/goal for coming to the U.S. is not necessarily to vote or support a leftist agenda, but eventually and inevitably they will, because they are immigrants.

Ok - Maybe you're right. Why is that? Is it the administration's fault? Why wouldn't the conservative message win them over and increase their voter base? Are immigrants incapable of making an informed decision when presented with conservative and not-conservative candidates?

Also, is your concern that we need to limit the number of immigrants because it's inevitable that they will vote not-conservative? OR, the number is fine they just need to be processed correctly so they can legally vote?

thanks
Paul

Christiane said...

Hello Jen,

some Churches, my own also, are 'helping' refugees who needed assistance to find shelter and jobs and friendship;
the Churches do this kind of thing as a faith community project so that the one who needs help has a whole family of people caring for them with strong initial support to help them get established.

there was a time when 'Church' was seen as a sanctuary and people could go to a Church and seek asylum in past centuries; and I like to still see the Church as 'sanctuary' even in our 'modern' times because some things never change about human nature and it is a good thing that 'Church' still has that 'meaning' in this broken world, of a place of 'sanctuary' and shelter in time of trouble.

As to the 'Church' taking on the care of the immigrant peoples, in the end, the way that our faith works in us, I expect it's a toss-up about who ends up caring for whom;
as 'in giving, we receive' and the old pattern is fulfilled that the Christ-like caring for someone is in itself an act of healing one's own heart. :)

RB Kuter said...

Paul, I have "zero" problem with immigration. Shoot, I AM one, as are ALL of us other than those nationals found here by our immigrant ancestors.

My problem is having a government that fails in its sworn duty to maintain the Constitution, protect this nation from foreign, hostile invaders, maintain the integrity of its national borders and protect those who are legal citizens of the nation. I hold those elected to office responsible for what I see as being a failure to maintain their oath of office and perjury, negligence, and perhaps treason, for not fulfilling their sworn obligation; no, for actually doing the opposite of what they swore to do.

You and your family are less safe having representatives who are inviting criminals, traffickers, mobsters, drug cartels and their merchandise to freely cross the border. Do you not believe they will take over the judicial, law enforcement community of this nation in the same manner that they have done in Mexico? Why would anyone presume otherwise? Do you believe that they will no increase their horrid human and drug trafficking due to not having any deterrents?

Do you believe that those "illegals" entering our nation, even for the promise of a better life than they left, will be rendered the slave laborers in this nation due to their not being legally processed citizens? Are you willing to sponsor one, ten, twenty families seeking to have sponsorship of support while they pursue legal citizenship? No. They
will be exploited as being slaves by greedy bullies running sweatshops, corporate farms.

Just makes no sense and the entire ploy of the politicians for their personal benefit of maintaining their assured, career, position in office is evil and satanic. The abandonment of law and order always results in the most vulnerable being the victims of the unruly, violent oppressors.

Why are we even debating this? The greatest disappointment to me is not the evil politicians. It is the citizen that fails to acknowledge what I see as being as evident and obvious as the sky being up and the ground being down.

Christiane said...

from the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 25, this:


"34Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in . . . "


I sometimes forget that there are those who do not emphasize that Christ as 'God', and that His Words in sacred Scripture take priority simply because they are HIS Words . . . do they forget that Christ is the 'Logos' who, ex nihilo, spoke all of Creation into being with a Word;
and Who, on the Day, will WITH A WORD raise the dead to life again?



CM said...

Once again Wade illustrates a false dichotomy:

For starters, the IP and copyright for all the Dr. Seuss books is owned by the Dr. Seuss estate. So they can choose to publish or not publish for whatever reasons (or no reasons at all). If there was pressure from the "cancel culture" that impacted their business decision, how is this any different attempt by Evangelicals to use "cancel culture" in their boycotts of Disney, 7-11, or the myriad of other companies/organizations they have done over the years? People are free to boycott, put social pressure, etc. on businesses they feel violate their principles and businesses are free either acquiesce or ignore them (and let the chips fall where they may). The removal of Dr. Seuss books by public libraries is different than the owners of the copyright deciding NOT to publish the titles anymore) and is not addressed in this line of thinking.

As for the case on Mulberry Street and the rap lyrics, well for starters the person was an adult and he bears responsibility for his actions. Blaming the lyrics is just as wrong-headed as those on the Left blaming guns and smacks of Tipper Gore in the 1980s and social conservatives going after Rock Music lyrics (with the same epic failure). Sure, people are free to boycott, criticize, etc. these Rap Artists in the private arena for their "cancel culture". But remember it was not an official panel of the US Government that had a hearing on Dr. Seuss in their attempts to cancel it (unlike the Lyrics in Rock Music back in the day).

The bottom line is this. I think fundamentally the blog owner and many of the posters here are so-called "conservatives" (who are really social "con" statists) who are OK using the levers of power to push their particular flavor statism and Constitutional shredding but get upset when the other team does it. This explains your love of Donald Trump more than anything else.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

that's all great. As much as you try to avoid addressing it, I was addressing the statement that you originally made:

"These new residents from the south, Middle East, etc., are voters for the leftist regime.."

I was simply pointing out that this is an irrational fear and that conservatives could appeal to immigrants if they wished (of course...they don't wish). Therein lies a big part of the problem.


thanks
Paul