The Dangers of Cancel Culture

12Feb

*By Julie Barrett, Founder, Conservative Ladies of Washington

For the last several years, cancel culture has been gaining momentum. Maybe it started as boycotts of businesses and companies and now it has evolved into complete devastation of individuals and their families because one group of people doesn’t agree with something they said, something they did, someone they support or something they believe. It has gained speed like rollercoaster at Six Flags.

If social media doesn’t like what you said or a post you shared, they’ll just take down your account. Or maybe they’ll just disable it for a time…a “time out” for grown ups. On Facebook it’s known as “Facebook Jail” and the sentence can be as short as a few days or months long, if not completely banned for good. If you shared information that the social media platform doesn’t want people to know about, consider yourself a target for “consequences” for violating “community safety guidelines.” Cancel culture under the disguise of “safety”, protecting others from your dangerous rhetoric.

No one is safe from Cancel Culture. From the most famous figure, President Donald J. Trump all the way down to your conservative friend on Facebook who posts about the idea that, just maybe, there was fraud in the 2020 election that should be investigated (no, you can not say this or even suggest it may have occurred).

Poor Mike Lindell has been canceled from social media and about 16 retailers who sell his products. I shouldn’t say “poor”, after all, according to many sources, My Pillow is thriving and enjoying record sales numbers right now. That’s typically what happens when someone has been a victim of Cancel Culture: supporters turn up in droves.

Just yesterday, Disney Pixar canceled Mandalorian star, Gina Carano for her tweets about the holocaust. Her tweets were truthful, but her employers didn’t like her position and her political views and so…she got fired. Maybe you know someone who has been fired recently for their political views.

I know of a few people who have lost their jobs because they attended the PEACEFUL rally in Washington DC on January 6^th. Last I checked, Americans were still free to travel and attend any events they like without fear of retaliation. The canceling on this level is not only dangerous, but it is unconstitutional. Us “common folk” are not immune to the cancel culture. If you’re wearing the wrong hat, you could be subject to being canceled. If you tweet something someone doesn’t like…look out! You could be next. Many Americans now live in fear of losing their jobs because their employer may not agree with their political views.

What is the end game for Cancel Culture?

This is a dangerous game because eventually, the left will end up cancelling their own. As I write this I am watching the defense team in Trump’s second impeachment trial. The defense team is using the democrat’s own language of “fighting” against them. This is a perfect example not only of hypocrisy, but what will happen when all the conservatives and Republicans have been canceled – they will have nowhere to turn but on their “own.”

Cancel Culture is a game that the left likes to play. It’s extremely rare for conservatives to cancel people or companies – as a general rule, we believe in the freedom of speech, freedom of choice and freedom of thought. This game the left likes to play tends to backfire on them and the people they cancel end up thriving as a result…because we conservatives don’t like our freedoms being trampled upon. Conservatives typically step up for anyone who has been canceled, even if they disagree with their views. We agree with your right to free speech and we will fight to the end to defend it. We wish this was a concept that worked for both sides, but it no longer does.

Just today, conservative media outlet Daily Wire, announced an upcoming movie project with Gina Carano after the firing by Disney yesterday. A double-win and a major backfire!

This doesn’t end well for the left. Eventually people will wake up when the left has exhausted the canceling of all the people they disagree with and have to come after their own. They enjoy it. It’s about power and control.

This is a time when we need to take courage and stand strong. We cannot afford to cave to the “mob”. When they cancel us, we have to double down and not be scared into doing what they want. And we need to support our fellow Americans who are being canceled. If we don’t do this, we will surely lose our freedoms.

Capital Crime in Progress

10Feb

*By Vincent Cavaleri, Contributing Writer, Deputy Sheriff Snohomish County, Mill Creek City Council

In 1791, James Madison penned the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution for the purpose of creating guarantees to its citizens of the now free Republic. The significance of the structure and wording have a direct impact on all rights granted to American citizens through our birth right. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual, like freedom of speech, press and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the states. Madison had lived under tyrannical rule and understood the importance of establishing the basic framework and far reaching liberties needed for a free society to not only exist, but flourish.

Madison and the framers came from tyranny, so their insight was derived from their historical perspectives. Madison is now regarded as the “Father of the Constitution” for his contributions and visionary intuition. That sort of vision should be powerful in helping to understand the perilous journey America is undertaking today. Those that fail to understand the history, are doomed to repeat it. Permissiveness of free speech abuses seem to be permeating the landscape daily, despite continued Supreme Court rulings protecting it.

When the ACLU launched in 1920, the free speech fight was the bedrock of its foundation. Roughly a century later, these battles have taken on new forms, but they still exist today. Citizens across our nation are rationalizing free speech and censorship abuses if it serves their need or viewpoint. Targeting enemies or creating enemies’ lists have become a current day practice. As tempting as it might be to some, muzzling our counterparts or opponents by sidestepping constitutional rights only serves to destroy the fabric of liberty created by our founders. The essence of Marxism.

Regardless of your view on the 45th President of the United States, the upcoming impeachment of the former White House resident should be frightening to everyone. Twice in 13 months, the impeachment process is being used as a vindictive tool to settle scores with political rivals; and diminishes the actual role of the impeachment process. A process normally used in rare occasions throughout history, has become a reflex reaction of the far left; and has denigrated the House of Representatives and turned it into a worldwide laughingstock.

Constitutional provisions require a Supreme Court Justice to preside over impeachments; however, Chief Justice Roberts has balked at the idea of participating in this debacle. His understanding of the Constitution and the rules therein have forced the Chief Justice to opt out of the unconstitutional proceedings.

What’s really at stake in this sham impeachment? Trump is accused of inciting the Capitol riot with his words during a political rally. I have now listened to his speech and read the transcript (I encourage you to do the same), several times and still cannot fathom the rationale for impeachment charges; especially for a man that has already left office. The Constitution is clear, impeachment is used to “remove a sitting President from office”.

Frederick Douglas said, “Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist”. That is as true today as it was 150 years ago. On January 6th, 2021, then President Trump was speaking to his constituents at a lawfully organized and permitted political rally in the nation’s capital. The subsequent activities in the House of Representatives by violent factions at the rally have now been proven to have been coordinated and planned well before President Trump’s speech; according to the FBI. Knowing this to be true, the sham impeachment continues forward.

Instead of conducting the people’s business, the partisan abusers of the public trust continue to conduct their own vendettas on the public dime; and in full public view. In what’s becoming an all too familiar pattern of misconduct and one-party rule by the left, the vessel of the people has been damaged to a degree we many never recover. This will have consequences going far into the future, yet their foot remains on the gas pedal. The use of the impeachment process is an attempt to silence or vilify political opponents. This will now irreparably damage the peoples house and diminish its stature in world politics.

Thanks, and God bless. Vincent

Is it Really A Pathway to Recovery?

09Feb

*UPDATE: 2.16.21 – HB 1499 passed out of committee this week in Olympia

It’s called the “Pathways to Recovery Act” which seems pretty deceptive. It seems to be more like “pathways to legalizing drugs act.” HB-1499 seeks to provide behavioral health resources to persons with substance abuse disorder.

I grew up in the 80’s and very much remember First Lady Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign. I’m pretty sure she would be extremely disappointed with this bill making it’s way through Olympia right now. This bill would decriminalize the use of “personal drugs” to include: heroin, meth, cocaine. If a person is caught with these drugs, there would be no incarceration – no jail time – because that would prevent them from getting the help they need.

HB-1499 would also make it easier for the sales and distribution of recreational and illegal drugs.

The rehabilitation component of this bill would give state resources to addicts, paid for by your tax dollars.

The legalizing and “normalizing” of recreational drugs poses a number of problems for our society and our citizens. It’s especially destructive to our young people and our minority populations and those at greatest risk for substance abuse. Legalizing drugs will target the most vulnerable in our society.

Please OPPOSE this bill. Send your representatives a message today and let them know you oppose this bill and leave them a comment.

You Can Become Citizen Activist

08Feb

This is Part 2 in our Citizen Activist series. Read Part 1 here: What is a Citizen Lobbyist? – Conservative Ladies of Washington

The most vital participation a citizen lobbyist can make is contact their elected officials at every level of government. Although some people may feel intimidated about doing so, we should understand that our public officials work for the citizens. Still, there is a protocol to such contact. Most importantly is to not waste the official’s time. That is why you should know the topic from beginning to end and be specific about what you want the official to do. Next, make sure you are reaching the right person. Is your issue a City, State, or Federal issues? It could be a combination, so educate yourself in order to communicate to the right people. Find out who are your state and U.S legislators. It’s easy to check. Just log on to your state government website, type in your zip code, and in most states the website will direct you right to the correct legislator in your district.

Investigation is easier these days because every branch of government has a website. For instance, here in Washington State, the website is leg.wa.gov. From there, a person can get information on bills, committees, scheduled hearings, and floor sessions. There are separate pages within the website specifically for the house and senate republicans and democrats. Further, each legislator has a personal page and that page shows what bills they are sponsoring. When Congress is in session, they will be 4,000-5,000 bills for them to consider. It’s simply impossible for them to understand every issue. In many instances, they are instructed by their caucus on how to vote.

In order to be an effective citizen lobbyist, a person has to think from the perspective of a legislator. According to the Family Policy Institute of Washington State, “To influence the behavior of a legislator, there needs to be knowledge of what motivates their decisions.”

Fundamentally, there are three types of legislators: The first is the legislator that agrees with the issue and is participating on the same team. The second legislator is equally against the issue and on the opposite side. Then there is the third legislator that sits squarely in the middle. It is this third legislator that determines what issues get voted on and is the deciding vote on controversial bills. He or she is the person who needs to be persuaded on the issues.

There are four distinct ways to educate a legislator:

Facts
Studies
Budgets
Policy Arguments

When approaching a legislator, it is important to understand their thinking and motivation on key issues. The number one deciding factor with many votes is, “How will it impact their reelection?” The next question is, “Do they have a conviction about the issue?” If they do—one way or another—it will be difficult to make a persuasive argument. If there is no conviction about the issue, the legislator will consider your arguments.

Now, to a legislator, thinking about an issue is not the same thought process as a vote. A voter looks at an issue from deeply held values. A legislator—especially those in the middle—will ponder several things before casting a vote:

Interest groups

Will the vote affect the interest groups that are giving them money?

Chairmanships

Will the vote jeopardize future leadership positions within the party?

Peer Groups

What kind of consequences will come from peers and associations?

Impact on Position in Caucus

Will the vote upset the party line and caucus?

Higher Office

Will the vote impact future chances for higher office?

A citizen lobbyist needs to identify and get to know the legislators who can be persuaded—those in the middle. Build a respectful relationship with your legislator, not a combative one. The middle legislator needs to become an ally. Work on discovering their focus and goals for their term. Getting involved with issues that are bi-partisan is a good head start in relationship building. The goal is to build bridges, not burn them. Simply screaming, “Our rights are being taken away and this country is going to hell,” is not going to advance a cause with the people who have the authority to change the situation. In this year of 20/21, establishing any level of relationship with those on the other side of the isle will be difficult, but not impossible. Our kindness and sincerity will go a long way.

The first step in advocating and lobbying for an issue is thorough and in-depth knowledge of the topic. If all a person knows about a topic is some strange headline from social media, how can that person answer in-depth questions on the topic? Studying all aspects of the topic is important to becoming an effective advocate. With every Legislative issue, there are people who are for it and against it. It is important to know:

Who is in leadership on both sides of the issue?
Why are some for advancing the issue and why are some against advancing the issue?
What are the history and current status of the legislation concerning the issue?
What are the barriers to passing the legislation?

After fully understanding the issue and preparing for every possible question, there are several ways to bring attention to the topic. Those ways will be addressed in part three of Citizen Lobbyist.

Mary Salamon is the author of Government and Its People- How the Church can Participate in Government and the children’s version, Government in the Bible. She resides in the Pacific Northwest and was the publisher of Marysville Tulalip Life Magazine. She served as the Washington State Leader for the Governors Prayer Team and a regional leader for the National Day of Prayer. She is the mother of three sons and seven beautiful grand-children. She is available for speaking engagements at local civic events, churches and conferences.

Do you own a firearm? Do you want to keep it?

07Feb

*By Jon Kimball, Contributing Writer

We have an incredible freedom in this country like no other in the world. The Declaration of Independence states, “… all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” One way we are allowed to accomplish this is written in the Constitution. The 2^nd Amendment gives us the right to “… keep and bear arms.” Do you know why the founding fathers included this? It is so we can maintain a free state and not be infringed upon by a tyrannical government… do you see the irony in our current situation?

2020 was a rough year. The state of many of our cities (and suburbs) has been rocked by the homelessness, crime, the drug epidemic and most of all lawless rioting (not to mention the government restrictions involving COVID). Most of my friends who own guns are conservative, but this year alone I have seen more liberal people I know purchase a gun. Why? Because they feel threatened… I say to them, “Aren’t you glad you have that right?” Estimates of over 21 million firearms were purchased in 2020 (up 73% from 2019) and in just the month of November the FBI states there were 3,626,355 background checks conducted.

How would you feel if that right was taken away? Well, you’d better wake up… because the liberals in our government are about to try and do that.

Now you might say to me, “Hold on, these are just laws to keep us safe and protect against mass shootings, etc.” I would say you’re flat out wrong. It’s not about safety, it’s about control. Remember it was Hitler who expressed the sentiment, “To conquer a nation, one must first disarm its citizens.” Law abiding gun owners don’t break the laws… criminals and mentally depraved people do. You can create laws until the cows come home and “they” are still going to find a way to break them. (There are estimates that we have over 20,000 gun laws in the U.S.) We live in a fallen world and unfortunately, shit happens. I, as a husband and father want to make sure that I have the ability to protect my family if a time should ever come in which I need to.

Do you know your history? Do you know the history of Democratic gun control? It began as early as 1640 when the Virginia’s House of Burgess passed a law denying free African-Americans the right to bear arms. In 1798 the Kentucky Comprehensive Act required African-American (unlike whites) to obtain a license if they wanted to protect themselves on the frontier with a gun. Later, the left’s workaround to the Constitution’s right of all free citizens to have the right to bear arms was to label the African-American a non-citizen. Even as current as 1925 Michigan seized guns from African-Americans, requiring and denying gun permits.¹ These are just a few examples, but the reality is (whether you want to admit it or not), gun control in this country has its roots in the pursuit of racial inequality.

Well, it’s being repeated by the left again with this bill – and I’m not saying just to the African-American community, but to EVERY American who may not have the means to jump through all the hoops. Below I’m going to give you an overview of the House’s new Bill (H.R. 127) and show you how discriminatory it is to all.

H.R. 127 (here’s the CliffsNotes as best I can understand the bill)

To possess a firearm and ammunition you’re going to have to get a license that requires:

Provide the gun make/model/serial number, your identity, when you acquired it and where you’re going to store it.
If you loan it (e.g., family member for hunting) you have to notify the Attorney General (AG) with the identity of the person and the period of time you’re loaning it to them (and obviously they have to have to have a license, too).
Age at least 21yro.
Pass a criminal background check.
Pass a psychological evaluation (which includes interview of spouse, former spouse and at least 2 other persons (family or associate).
If deemed necessary by the licensed psychologist, an evaluation of all members of your household.
Complete a training course (minimum 24 hrs).
Have a firearm insurance policy paid to the AG.
All this info will be in a database that will be established by the Attorney General (AG). In addition to being available to all Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies, etc., the data base will be accessible to “all members of the public.” Did you catch this? Every criminal will be able to access and know how many firearms (and ammo) you own and where you store them!!! For previously owned guns you will have 3 months to report them to the AG.
If you have antique firearms to display, you’ll have to get a separate license for that and meet the appropriate regulations on display and storage (as determined by the AG).
If you have a military-style weapon (there’s a lengthy definition, but basically semi-auto rifles, shotguns and pistols that have certain characteristics) you’ll need to:
- Get a separate license (in addition to the firearm/ammo license).
- Take a training course and “live fire” training (minimum 24 hrs).
They can deny a license if you currently are prohibited by Federal law or have been hospitalized with mental illness, disturbance, or diagnosis (including depression, homicidal ideation, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, or addiction to a controlled substance or alcohol), or a brain disease (including dementia or Alzheimer’s); or on account of conduct that endangers self or others.
Suspend your license if indicted for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1yr; lack firearm insurance or violate the .50 cal ammunition restriction (this is unclear within the document as to whether it’s both or one or the other).
Revocation of your license requires you to immediately return you license and surrender all firearms and ammunition you possess to the AG.
Expiration period appears to go from 5yrs down to 3yrs.
License renewal requires you meet the licensing requirements with regards to a psychological exam, proper insurance and a training course (at least 8 hrs).
Firearm insurance is $800 paid to the AG. This section is very vague and does not explain if it’s a one-time cost, or if you have to pay every renewal cycle.
There’re prohibitions of transferring/selling/gifting a firearm or ammunition… the other person has to have a license, they have to be at least 18 and you have to make notification to the AG. It doesn’t mention use of an FFL.
Ammunition .50 caliber and larger will be illegal.
Large capacity ammunition feeding devices will be illegal. This appears to be anything greater than 10 round mags (exception with .22 rimfire caliber).
Penalties for violations of these requirements (they range depending on the violation):
- Least – fined not less than $5k-$10k
- Most – fined not less than $75k-$150k, imprisoned not less than 15-25yrs or both.

Here are a few items that the document does not address (or I wasn’t able to determine) –

What will the license(s) cost?
Is the insurance one time? Is it required every purchase? Is it required every year? Every renewal period?
What are the parameters of the psychological evaluation? Do you have to have one completed each renewal?
Who pays for the psychological evaluation (and additional interviews of family members, etc.)?
What are the storage requirements?
Who pays for the training classes? Where and how often will they be available? What will they cost?

May I say again… it is the right of EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN to own a firearm as stated in our Constitution. What you have read above is discriminatory in that it will limit “who” can own a firearm and ammunition. How will a single mother, who works 2 jobs and wants a firearm for protection be able to accomplish these requirements let alone afford them? How does she afford the license fee; psychological exam(s); training class(es); insurance; let alone find the time to attend them all? And that’s in addition to paying the cost of the firearm and ammunition which currently is exorbitantly high. How is this fair to all?

This is a bill that will simply make gun ownership impossible for the majority of the public. Only the wealthy and elite will be able to pay the fees and have the time to jump through all the hoops… actually, let’s be real and it will be their body guards not them.

In closing, please think about how you vote in the future. I encourage you to email your representative and senators and let them know what you think about the bill. I’ll even make it easy for you… just cut and paste the below statement. All you have to do is look up their individual websites for their email address.

I am an American citizen that takes my rights given to me by my Constitution seriously. I have the right to have a firearm (and ammunition) without excessive restrictions. Bill H.R. 127 is discriminatory in nature and will prevent the majority of this nation from having the freedom to protect themselves. As your constituent, I am letting my voice be know that I am against H.R. 127 and am asking you to OPPOSE it.

¹ Excerpts from the book “Hands Off My Guns” by Dana Loesch

The Divisive Rhetoric of the MSM

06Feb

*By Julie Barrett, Founder, Conservative Ladies of Washington

I recently did a podcast episode about a PBS program my husband and I watched together at the request of someone close to us. We knew, going in, that the program was sure to be pushing a narrative. We watched it hoping it would help us in a respectful dialogue. That was the sole purpose. It was otherwise a complete waste of time.

The program was a Frontline episode titled: Trump’s American Carnage. So you lost me with the title but I watched just so I could know what information is being pushed to other people.

I was literally sick to my stomach as I watched how this program had been strategically crafted to portray Trump and his supporters in the ugliest way possible. Angry, white supremacists. A President filled with hate and vitriol. I thought: no wonder people hate Trump so much…and what must my Trump-hating family think of me as a Trump supporter? Do they think I am an angry, racist, white supremacist? Is that truly their perception of me? Do they actually believe this lie coming through their tv screen?

This entire 60 minute program was filled with video that had been carefully spliced together to make President Trump and ALL of his supporters out to be evil, destructive people. I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes. Having been to patriotic rallies and sign waving events throughout the summer and fall election season, I knew, firsthand, that this compilation was a complete manipulation of the audience. Is it any wonder this country is so divided? Is it any wonder that as my patriotic friends and I stood out on street corners we had trash and dangerous objects thrown at us?

Now that we have the “Biden Administration”, the ones who were going to miraculously bring UNITY to our country overnight, the narrative and dangerous rhetoric has not improved. It has, in fact, gotten worse…mush worse. The headlines on MSM sources are now about how we must “DEPROGRAM” Trump supporters and “right wing extremists.” While I agree that extremists on either side are dangerous, I believe the definition used by people on the left for “right wing extremists” is problematic. Their definition seems to include patriotic Americans who enjoy attending rallies for conservative candidates and are not at all violent is extremely destructive to our country. Anyone who showed any support or allegiance to Trump is automatically classified as an “extremist.”

There are headlines for how you can “Deprogram Your Trump Supporting Family Members” which does nothing for unity but further divides not only America, but our own immediate families. There is no call for common ground, for respectful dialogue and understanding of different viewpoints. It’s “my way or the highway.” If we don’t agree with people on the left than we are wrong and must be rehabilitated and/or punished.

Yes, extremists find their way into all sides of the political spectrum. But the vilification of an entire group of people (which happens to be AT LEAST half of the US population) is ignorant and it is divisive. The conservatives loved Trump so much because he made it “okay” to love American. He fought for the little guy, the small business owner, the unborn, our families, our churches and was the first to hold public office in a long time who actually followed through on his promises.

The divisive rhetoric by media that has since infiltrated almost every other institution – from corporations to public and even private schools, even to many churches – is going to quickly destroy our country. If you thought President Trump was destroying our country, you are about to see how wrong you were.

It is a tragedy if we are going to continue to allow the mainstream media to shape our views of people we disagree with. I encourage everyone to have healthy and respectful dialogue with people who see things differently – find out why – maybe you will learn something new. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that the people on the right that you don’t agree with are actually very compassionate, loving, polite people who are quite tolerant of those they disagree with.

If we refuse to build this bridge, America will fall. Let’s build!

How to Kill America, Executive Order Style

06Feb

*By Vincent Caveleri, CLW Contributing Writer

In the first few days of the Biden presidency, he has wielded the pen and used executive orders to deliver a death blow to middle America and our neighbors to the north, Canada. The joint venture known as the Keystone XL pipeline is the culmination of US and Canadian efforts to eliminate the need of energy imports into North America; and safely move oil throughout our countries.

The pipeline allows the flow of crude oil through 10 American states, from the province of Alberta Canada. Through each passing state there are refinement processes and distribution points for the use and export of crude oil. This conveyance is what helped America gain energy independence two years ago for the first time since the early 1900s. As we hypothesize the rationale or justification for the community killing order, you will see it’s nothing more than green lobby voter base appeasement. Biden is pandering to the radical wing of the democrat party; and willing to let thousands of American families suffer because of it.

There is no environmental justification for killing the pipeline, it’s just simply cruel. As a matter of fact, killing the pipeline endangers the environment, according to reports. This will force the oil to be shipped (and it will be shipped) by trucks and rail cars, thus increasing the frequency of accidents and mishaps. This will also displace grain shipments from the Midwest and increase costs across the board. So, what’s really behind the move?

The shortsighted executive order eliminated thousands of American jobs with one stroke of the pen. Without forethought, the indifferent Biden leadership team stated, “workers who have been or expected to be employed on the Keystone XL pipeline should simply get other jobs”. In what seems nothing more than a political stunt, the newly elected leader has decided to marginalize entire populations, in both Canada and the US. His dismissive tone tells you all you need to know regarding their stance on energy; and the oil and gas industry in general. In 2015, then President Obama suspended the pipeline project indefinitely simply pandering to the environmentalist lobby and essentially punting to the next administration. It was a stalling tactic for him at the time but has now become a “political football” to the inept Biden administration. To simply double down during COVID lockdowns with job killing legislation is clearly someone with a lack of consciousness or awareness.

Neal Crabtree is a member of the Arkansas Pipefitters Local Union 798; and had this to say. “just like the rest of the country, COVID hurt us bad, we’ve had a lot of projects canceled”. He went on to state, “we have guys that haven’t worked in months, and in some cases years, and to have a project of this magnitude cancelled, it’s going to hurt a lot of people, a lot of families and a lot of communities”. Folks, this was day one of the Biden administration. This is part of Joe Biden’s “long dark winter” that he promised us.

On day 7, Biden signed another pandering and job killing executive order halting all oil and gas exploration permits on federal land. Approximately 25% of our nation’s fossil fuels are produced on federal lands. This will force America to import oil and gas from other countries; and enrich countries like Russia, Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries like Iran, while American energy costs will skyrocket. Their plan is so ill-conceived that it will have the opposite effect on the environment. America is the world leader in refining and safely shipping oil and gas. No one does it better, cleaner or more safely. These raw products will be forced to be shipped and refined in China and South America, where there are no EPA standards to adhere to. The effects on jobs and dependent communities will be felt for years. Despite false promises made by Biden during the campaign, he is full steam ahead with radical policies that not only harm America but help our enemies. Nice work Joe. All in your first week.

Peace and blessings always. Vincent

Conservatives Must Confront Critical Race Theory

05Feb

*By Jeannie Cook, CLW Contributing Writer

“Critical Race Theory views the world—all relationships, systems, personal interactions, policies, etc—through the lens of racial hegemony. It ascribes guilt and innocence, responsibility and victimhood, oppressor vs oppressed, to groups based on their race.”

One of my favorite conservative voices out there is Allie Beth Stucky. She has a podcast called Relatable where she takes current political issues and scrutinizes them through a Biblical lens. She tweeted the above description of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in response to someone’s question about what CRT really is.

This ideology has been working its way into the mainstream since the early 70s. There is one thing you can say about Progressives: they are patient. Like all their radical ideas, this one stewed for decades on the fringes of American mainstream society. Once it took firm hold in the universities at the turn of the current century, it spread like wildfire and became the not-so-subtle sledgehammer of power over the faculty and staff of nearly every campus across the country.

I was working at a community college in 2012 when a consulting company was brought to our campus to implement a program of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. They asked personnel at all levels to participate in questionnaires, interviews, panels, workshops, and small groups to discuss such ideas as micro-aggressions, equity vs equality, and white fragility. Most ominous was the “Circle of Oppression” graphic that explained those nearer the center of the circle were more privileged than those in the outer circles. In the inner circle were such word as: heterosexual, citizen, educated, and (of course) male. In my observation, few were more eager to bring these ideas onto campus than white liberals. The campus where I worked at that time is located in the middle of a more affluent, white collar neighborhood. Nearly everyone in the college’s executive offices was white.

The language of CRT was added to the college’s framing documents, such as the Mission and Vision statement and strategic plans. In one meeting, I recall questioning the power of these ideas and asked out loud if someone who did not agree with the premises of CRT would be allowed to work there. It took many sentences and a lot of vague phrases to make it clear that such people would not be welcomed to work there, or even attend there as a student. That was quite clear when flyers were discovered on walls and corkboards throughout the campus that said simply, “IT’S OK TO BE WHITE.” I can tell you that that, while the administration played it cool in front of the students, there was an uproar in the offices. It was almost as if there had been a bomb threat. The students responsible for the “threat” were sought out and brought before the administration. I don’t recall now if they were allowed to continue their studies.

So, what is CRT? Allie Beth gave an excellent, brief description, but there is more; so much more that people spend years getting a degree in it, and that degree is nearly always tied to law degrees. CRT is not merely an academic theory. It influences our laws. This should not be surprising when you learn that the man considered the father figure of the ideology was a law professor at New York University, Derrick Bell. Former President, Barack Obama was once criticized for hugging the “radical” Derrick Bell.

Derrick Bell and a small group of legal scholars coined the phrase “critical race theory” in the early 1970s. The phrase is actually an off-shoot of the phrase “critical legal theory.” Critical Legal Theory was a form of study that challenged the validity of bases of legal thought and application in the U.S., such as rationality, objective truth, and judicial neutrality. All forms of “critical” studies actually have their origins in Marxist theoretical frameworks. So, yes, you should be wary any time you hear of any kind of “critical” studies.

The most troubling aspect of CRT is its challenge to the very foundations of western thought and the accelerated efforts of activists to apply CRT into every facet of our lives, and their demands that we do so in a hurry. What do I mean by challenging foundations of western thought? Consider this quote from Richard Delgado, one of the founders of CRT and author of an often-used textbook in law schools today, Critical Race Theory: An Introduction

The critical race theory (CRT) movement is a collection of activists and scholars interested in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power. The movement considers many of the same issues that conventional civil rights and ethnic studies discourses take up, but places them in a broader perspective that includes economics, history, context, group- and self-interest, and even feelings and the unconscious. Unlike traditional civil rights, which embraces incrementalism and step-by-step progress, critical race theory questions the very foundations of the liberal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law.

Please note that last sentence, those things which CRT question are the very foundations of the freedoms guaranteed to us in the Constitution. They are the basis upon which our Founders drew to write the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. So, if when you hear the ideas of CRT and they feel foreign or threatening to our way of life, you are correct.

So, what are we to do? Remember that progressives have been incredibly patient to get to this point in our society. Undermining the principles of the American Republic has been an ongoing effort for more than a century. Sadly, they’ve been successful at driving out the teachings of Western thought from our public education system. This is why so many of our younger generations don’t understand why we are free and the dangers that we will face if we lose our freedoms.

My first suggestion would be to those who have school-aged children: get them out of public schools. Aside from CRT, there are other, even more evil teachings being forced upon their young minds. I know that finding an alternative to public schooling will not be an easy task for the majority of parents, but it is incredibly important to do this.

The second thing we must all do is learn those things that proponents of CRT question and oppose. I’ll list a few possible topics here. Please keep in mind that the descriptions are extremely simplistic and leave out much that needs further study to give yourself an understanding. The things listed here are not all that we should focus on, but they can start us on our journey to self-education.

Classical Liberalism

The idea that there should be restraints in the exercise of power so that people can enjoy their basic civil rights in a constitutional state with a representative assembly

Conservatism

An interest in maintaining existing, traditional order and a respect for institutions.

Rationalism

The principle that actions and opinions should be based on reason rather than emotion or religion.

Western Philosophy

It’s impossible to give any brief description to this topic since there are many philosophers and schools of philosophical thought. Just know that many aspects of Western Philosophy are looked at with disdain by CRT proponents.

Capitalism

Capitalism is the economic system our world primarily uses. Basically, capitalism is a form of economics where the means of production are privately owned. It is a free- market system that allows for development, innovation, and the accumulation of wealth.

Critical Race Theory activists mean to up-end our current system of government by discrediting these ideas and implementing another idea that has already proven disastrous to millions of people around the globe: Marxism.

I know that the ideas in this writing can seem overwhelming. Few of us know what these terms mean, but that needs to change and it needs to change quickly. We must educate ourselves and our children. We will not be able to combat the tactics used by the radical left without knowledge. Our children’s freedom is at stake.

National Freedom Day

02Feb

February 1st is National Freedom Day. On this day many towns have festivals, while other citizens reflect on the freedoms that the United States honors and to appreciate the goodwill of the United States. Wreath-laying at the Liberty Bell has also been a tradition to mark National Freedom Day for many years. Symbols of the day may include a theme about freedom for all Americans.

Major Richard Robert Wright Sr., a former slave, fought to have a day when freedom for all Americans is celebrated. When Wright got his freedom, he went on to become a successful businessman and community leader in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

One year after Wright’s death in 1947, both houses of the U.S. Congress passed a bill to make February 1 National Freedom Day. The holiday proclamation was signed into law on June 30, 1948, by President Harry Truman. It was the forerunner to Black History Day and later Black History Month, officially recognized in 1976, though begun by Carter G. Woodson in 1926

National Freedom Day commemorates the signing by Abraham Lincoln on February 1, 1865, of the joint resolution adopted by the Senate and the House of Representatives that proposed the 13th amendment to the Constitution.

Gubernatorial Mass Killing

02Feb

*By Vincent Cavaleri

I’m quite sure when you read the title, you thought I was writing about the incompetent duo of Jay Inslee or Gavin (about to be recalled) Newsome of California. These two couldn’t find gas in a gas station. Normally you would be correct in your assumptions, but one of the more despicable people of our time has pulled ahead in the race for incompetence and ineptness.

Having grown up in New York, I had the honor of meeting; and campaigning as a young man, fresh out of the military for then New York Governor Mario Cuomo. Governor Mario Cuomo (D) was an incredible man that understood the needs of the people he served; and was re-elected in 1986 and 1990 by the largest margins ever recorded in New York’s history. He inspired everyone that came within his gravitational pull; and it was an honor to shake his hand in 1984. Dropping campaign flyers on my neighbors’ doorsteps was an honor for me at the time, and my first foray into politics.

Roughly 25-30 years later, the offspring of this great man emerged on the New York political scene and was subsequently elected governor due to name recognition alone. Sadly, for my brothers and sisters in New York, the acorn does fall far from the tree in this case. His son, Andrew Cuomo has been leading the empire state through the COVID campaign with an abysmal record of leadership. I often write regarding abhorrent leaders in the governor’s mansions, but Andrew Cuomo has now set the bar at its lowest pitch recorded in history.

On March 25th of 2020, Gov Cuomo ordered our senior patients that had tested positive for COVID 19, back into the nursing homes from which they came. Using Cuomo’s words, “it was like pouring hot coals on dry grass”. By the fourth week of March it was almost commonplace knowledge that seniors, and those with compromised immune systems were in harm’s way with this infectious virus. Despite having hundreds of experts at his disposal, the incompetent democrat governor carried out his version of the death march.

It’s now been widely reported that New York’s Department of Health (NYDOH) has now more than doubled its count of senior living facility COVID deaths from just a week ago. The NYDOH website provided 8,740 senior living deaths just days before the most recent audit by the state and its attorney general’s office. That number has since been removed from the site and is no longer available. The fatality number has now eclipsed 17,000 nursing home deaths and counting. Sadly, we will probably never have an accurate accounting and recognition of our lost loved ones in nursing homes; or anywhere else for that matter. These blue state governors and mayors continue to skew and hide actual data from the victims and the families that love them. This story continues to unfold; and Andrew Cuomo continues to blame others, including President Donald Trump for the decisions that he (Cuomo Jr) in fact made.

Cuomo’s degree of malevolence is further exacerbated when you calculate the President’s deployment of the USS Mercy and the retrofit of the Jacob Javits center in New York City for direct COVID patient care. According to records, the two facilities saw almost zero patients. Meaning this, he had options for care and containment, but chose otherwise.

Cuomo Jr continues to blame everyone else except himself and the poor decisions he made regarding our vulnerable senior population. His decisions were based on politics and optics, not health.

To make matters worse, if that were possible; on March 27th of 2020, Gov Andrew Cuomo signed legislation granting immunity to nursing homes and their executives from prosecution. The indemnification of these facilities and the agents thereof add insult to injury; and the surviving victims will never have justice for their lost loved ones. Meaning you can’t even sue if there was negligence. Think about that for a moment, commit the crime and then create rules to protect the criminal. If there were ever crimes against humanity, here they are.

If not for the New York Post and Fox News, this story would have; and probably will be buried. The mainstream media bears much of the blame or their reckless indifference and unwillingness to cover human tragedy stories such as this; and those that affect blue state leaders and their political careers. Regardless how you feel about COVID and the pandemic, our senior citizens and loved ones deserved a whole lot better. How can a society and culture turn its back on those that came first? These blue state elected leaders decided those that matter most to us, matter least to them. I hope you understand how much you and your loved one’s matter to them.

Shame on them, now and forever. Peace and blessings always. Vincent