Wednesday, May 10, 2017



Police-Bashing's Contemptible Consequences

Leftists love any social disruption and they have achieved it in spades with police now reluctant to go into black communities.  Blacks are dying  because of that.  Clearly, black lives don't matter to Leftists

An unclassified FBI report reveals the consequences of the American Left’s penchant for police-bashing.

According to “Assailant Study — Mindsets and Behaviors,” which examined “multiple high-profile police incidents across the country,” the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the ensuing mayhem it engendered “initiated a movement that some perceived made it socially acceptable to challenge and discredit the actions of law enforcement,” the report states. “This attitude was fueled by the narrative of police misconduct and excessive force perpetuated through politicians and the media.”

“Hands Up Don’t Shoot” has been the most enduring narrative promoted by the Leftmedia and their political allies, despite being ultimately labeled one of 2014’s “biggest lies of the year” by Washington Post “fact-checker” Glen Kessler. The lefty Kessler also reminded us that four Democrat members of the Congressional Black Caucus “raised their hands during their speeches in solidarity” with the anti-cop gesture it spawned, despite the reality the “grand jury had questioned this characterization by then.”

For a racially polarized Obama administration, the grand jury that ultimately exonerated Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson was considered insufficient. The Justice Department, led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, conducted its own investigation — and much to the dismay of a race-baiting left, Wilson remained un-indicted.

But what about the plethora of witnesses who claimed Michael Brown’s hands were in the air when Wilson shot him? “All of these purported witnesses, upon being interviewed by law enforcement, acknowledged that they did not actually witness the shooting, but rather repeated what others told them in the immediate aftermath of the shooting,” the DOJ report reveals.

Moreover, forensic evidence backed Wilson’s version of the events.

None of it mattered. “Hands up don’t shoot” is now a business. Amazon sells t-shirts with the phrase, and merchandise like stationery, bags and home decor is flacked at Redbubble. And as the http://handsupdontshoot.com/ website insists, “‘Hands Up Don’t Shoot’ DID happen.”

No, it didn’t. But that hasn’t stopped leftists from exploiting the lie. A CNN article insists hands up don’t shoot “has transcended the specifics of Ferguson to make a longstanding grievance a national issue.” An NPR article titled “Whether History Or Hype, ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ Endures” speaks to Holder throwing “cold water on the hands-up scenario,” but quotes Holder insisting it “remains not only valid but essential to question how such a strong alternative version of events was able to take hold so swiftly and to be accepted so readily.”

How about “the lie told often enough it becomes the truth?”

Unfortunately, that lie spearheaded the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, a despicable collection of anti-police activists with ties “to Cuba, Northern Ireland, Europe and the Middle East,” according to a report compiled by noted criminologist and law enforcement expert Ron Martinelli.

Martinelli also reveals a substantial portion of BLM’s funding comes from “George Soros through his Open Society Institute.”

BLM’s mission? “The Black Lives Matter organization is relatively transparent in its intent to create a new Marxist style policing and criminal justice paradigm,” he writes. “However, their less than transparent and ultimate goals to achieve this objective are to disenfranchise and diminish law enforcement officers in the eyes of the low-informed and disengaged general public and media.”

The FBI report reveals they are making serious inroads. An examination of 50 of the 53 incidents where officers were killed in the line of duty in 2016, (the three cases involving minors or unknown perpetrators were excluded) reveals most assailants using deadly force did so to avoid capture. But the report states 28% “expressed a desire to kill law enforcement prior to carrying out their attacks,” because they had a “hatred of law enforcement.” Furthermore, “assailants in this category posted their beliefs on social media and/or informed their friends and family of their intentions prior to ambushing or initiating violence against law enforcement.”

BLM? “Specifically in the Dallas, TX and Baton Rouge, LA attacks, assailants said they were influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement and their belief that law enforcement was targeting black males.”

Who’s targeting whom? Five police officers were murdered and seven injured in Dallas. Three officers were slain and three others injured in Baton Rouge.

The BLM movement hardly stands alone. “Due to the coverage of the high-profile police incidents,” the FBI report states, “it appears that immediately following the incidents, assailants were constantly exposed to a singular narrative by news organizations and social media of police misconduct and wrongdoing.”

It also states the decriminalization of drugs has fueled a “turnstile justice system” that in turn fuels the “increase in violent attacks on law enforcement,” courtesy of those who believe “consequences no longer exist for criminal acts,” or those in drug-induced psychoses “more willing to shoot an officer to stay out of jail.”

And what does this toxic mix engender? “Ask any police department recruiter across the country about efforts to attract new officers and you will likely get a similar answer — fewer people are willing to wear the uniform, fewer see a future in policing, fewer want to risk their futures on a profession where you face public disdain, media attacks, and the increased potential for financial wreckage from unwarranted charges,” former assistant FBI director Ron Hosko explains.

Officers still on the job? “Departments — and individual officers — have increasingly made the conscious decision to stop engaging in proactive policing,” the report warns. “The intense scrutiny and law enforcement officers have received in the wake of several high-profile incidents has caused several officers to (1) ‘become scared and demoralized’ and (2) avoid interacting with the community.”

The oh-so predictable results? In 2016, one year after the nationwide murder rate rose at its fastest pace since 1990, it ticked up another 8%, according to a report by Matthew Friedman, Ames C. Grawert and James Cullen of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.

One city under virtual siege is Baltimore, now enduring its highest murder rate per capita ever. It’s also operating with the smallest number of police officers in approximately a decade. Neither fact is surprising in a city where politically motivated prosecutor Marilyn Mosby attempted and failed to punish police officers for the death of Freddie Gray, and city officials ordered police to stand down while those using Gray’s death as an excuse to riot were given “space” to destroy the city.

“All the data studied over the past two and a half years proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the Ferguson Effect is real,” explains Manhattan Institute scholar Heather Mac Donald. “But what we often forget is that beyond these abstract numbers are the faces of real people, our innocent fellow Americans, who might still be alive today had the police been allowed to do their jobs.”

Innocent victims are largely irrelevant to leftist activists who believe identity politics and racial grievance-mongering remain vital components of their ability to maintain political power. Better to rule in a tribalist nation than serve in a united one.

Cop-bashing? A contemptible means to an anarchistic end. Nothing more, nothing less.

SOURCE





Nationalism Is Here to Stay  

Not mentioned below is that Macron is also critical of the EU and has pledged to reform it.  He would seem to have little power to do that, however

On Sunday night, French citizens selected En Marche leader Emmanuel Macron as their nation’s newest president. Macron defeated supposed “far-right” candidate Marine Le Pen 65% to 35%. While this may appear to be a united vote of confidence for Macron and his pro-EU, centrist policies, it should be noted that about 11.5% of ballots were damaged or left blank while 25% of the registered voters abstained from voting altogether. Macron’s new challenge is to bring a country of disparate opinions together, in spite of differences. This challenge seems simple enough, yet he has to contend with the deeps issues which Marine Le Pen addressed in her “French First” campaign — namely immigration, terrorism and globalism.

Le Pen’s campaign ran on the discontent of French citizens who feel forgotten and left behind in the wake of refugee and immigration policies. During a recent interview with French citizens, Angelique Chrisafis, a reporter for the Guardian, discovered a growing number of French nationals who echo this sentiment. One French local stated: “Foreigners — they arrive and are given a flat, new clothes, food and free petrol. We give them everything and the French have nothing.” They watch refugees and immigrants being given free housing, food and petrol while many rural French citizens are struggling with unemployment and poverty. “The third world isn’t the suburbs at all” a woman stated in the interview, “it’s in the countryside. Nobody cares. Nobody talks about it. Ever.” Marine Le Pen calls these people “Forgotten France.” That should ring familiar to a few supporters of Donald Trump.

The globalist EU policies have made it difficult for the French nation to make unilateral decisions in the best for their country, rather than in the best interest for the entire Euro-zone. Centralized governing powers, like the European Union, require countries to relinquish sovereignty and control of their own countries in exchange for rule by another, larger governing body. The interests of one country are then shared with all of the countries in the group. This really means that the interests of an individual country are diluted by the interests of many other countries. In other words, all countries who submit to the European Union lose much of their voice while their “representatives” make decisions for them in another capital hundreds of miles away.

The globalist organizations of Europe are not unlike the monarchies of the past in which a disconnected central figure made unilateral decisions for a people. In history, this dynamic has often led to a people throwing off the disinterested centralized government in favor of self-rule. Some notable historic examples, of course, include the French Revolution (1789-1799), the American Revolution (1776-1783) and, in last century, the Tunisian victory for independence from the French (1952-56), and India’s victory for independence from British rule (1947). Of those, the American Revolution is unique for its achievement of real and lasting Liberty.

We applaud the efforts of such countries to independently rule themselves. Yet most people today cannot recognize that the same impulse which drove India to free herself from England or Tunisia to throw off French rule is the same which drove Britain to vote for Brexit and Le Pen and her supporters to seek a Frexit. National Review’s Andrew Stuttaford notes, “The French may not love the EU, but that’s not the same as saying that they want to leave it. They don’t.”

The struggle for independence served as the drive behind Le Pen’s campaign. This struggle for independence has often been called “nationalism.” In its best form, nationalism encompasses a love for one’s own country, which propels citizens with a desire to build their own country’s economy, the ability to make local decisions based on local needs and the ability to secure their country from their enemies.

The globalist institutions that rob sovereignty from nations in exchange for centralized, monolithic decisions, simply do not comport with the intrinsic human instinct for self-rule. These institutions, in fact, compromise that democratic impulse.

While Emmanuel Macron has won the presidency in France, the cause for nationalism and independence from the EU will continue to be an issue for the people of France. The policies which exclude local voices for local needs will continue to exist, and so will the opposition.

SOURCE




Dr. Mark Green Withdraws From Army Secretary Nomination

This is a sad day for Army Patriots serving our nation and for our national defense.

The Rainbow Mafia, with the help of its Senate Republican “friends,” Lindsay Graham, Jeff Flake and the now-senile John McCain, refused to let Donald Trump’s extraordinary nomination of Mark Green for secretary of the Army move forward. The reason: His views on homosexuals and Islamists did not pass the PC litmus test.

I wrote about Dr. Green’s nomination and exceptional qualifications last week, noting that this would be a litmus test for Republicans — a choice between military readiness or political correctness: Time to Restore Courage, Character and Integrity to this Office.

The Rainbow Mafia will now endeavor to derail his campaign for governor in Tennessee (if he reactivates that campaign) by mounting a defense threatening boycotts, as it did in neighboring North Carolina to overturn that state’s legislation to keep men out of little girls' restrooms.

Falling on his sword so as not to become a distraction to Trump’s health care revisions in the Senate, Dr. Green issued this statement: “It is with deep regret today I am withdrawing my nomination to be the Secretary of the Army. I am honored that President Trump nominated me for this position. I appreciate his support and confidence in me, as well as that of Secretary Mattis and many others, and their desire to Make America Great Again by preparing our military to face the many challenges in the world for the safety and security of our nation. But to meet these challenges, there should be no distractions. And unfortunately due to false and misleading attacks against me, this nomination has become a distraction. Tragically, my life of public service and my Christian beliefs have been mischaracterized and attacked by a few on the other side of the aisle for political gain. While these attacks have no bearing on the needs of the Army or my qualifications to serve, I believe it is critical to give the President the ability to move forward with his vision to restore our military to its rightful place in the world. Camie and I look forward to finding other opportunities to use our gifts to serve others and help Make America Great Again.”

Thank you, Mark, for your willingness to be subjected to this disgraceful rejection.

SOURCE




Kansas City Archdiocese Breaks Ties With Girl Scouts, Cites Planned Parenthood, Radical Feminists

Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann announced on May 1 that the Catholic churches in his archdiocese would be transitioning away from the secularist Girl Scouts to the Christian-based American Heritage Girls, citing in part the national Girl Scouts' support for the international Girl Scouts, which is tied to Planned Parenthood, which promotes contraception and abortion.

Archbishop Naumann also noted the Girl Scouts' promotion as role models the eugenicist Margaret Sanger, who founded Planned Parenthood, as well as the radical feminists Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem.

"Our greatest responsibility as a church is to the children and young people in our care," said the archbishop in a May 1 statement. "We have a limited time and number of opportunities to impact the formation of our young people. It is essential that all youth programs at our parishes affirm virtues and values consistent with our Catholic faith."

"With the promotion by Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) of programs and materials reflective of many of the troubling trends in our secular culture, they are no longer a compatible partner in helping us form young women with the virtues and values of the Gospel," said Archbishop Naumann.

"The national organization, for example, contributes more than a million dollars each year to the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGS), an organization tied to International Planned Parenthood and its advocacy for legislation that includes both contraception and abortion as preventive health care for women," he said.

"Margaret Sanger, Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem are frequently held up in materials as role models for young Scouts," said the archbishop.  "These as well as many other 'role models' in the GSUSA’s new manuals and web content not only do not reflect our Catholic worldview but stand in stark opposition to what we believe."

Consequently, the archbishop has directed his priests and lay workers to start transitioning from the Girl Scouts.  Different parishes, churches, and schools may abruptly end all work with the Girl Scouts or slowly transition out as young women graduate from the program.

About 205,000 Catholics live in the archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas. There are 120 parishes in the archdiocese and seven high schools.

The alternative formation group being offered in the archdiocese is the American Heritage Girls, which is described as "the premier national character development organization for girls 5-18 that embraces Christian values and encourages family involvement."   (See video.)  Their mission reads, "Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country."

In his concluding remarks, Archbishop Naumann said,  "While I am grateful that offensive and completely age-inappropriate material was recently removed by GSUSA from portions of their Journey series of manuals in response to concerns raised by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and others, it is disturbing such an intervention on our part was necessary."

"We prefer to partner with youth organizations that share our values and vision for youth ministry," he said, "not ones that we have to monitor constantly to protect our children from being misled and misinformed."

"On a final note, I want to express my appreciation for the many extraordinary Girl Scout leaders of the archdiocese who have served so many so well," said the archbishop. "We look forward to having as many of them as are willing join us in leadership roles as we take this new step into the formation of our girls. I will always be grateful for their exceptional service."

SOURCE

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Political correctness is most pervasive in universities and colleges but I rarely report the  incidents concerned here as I have a separate blog for educational matters.

American "liberals" often deny being Leftists and say that they are very different from the Communist rulers of  other countries.  The only real difference, however, is how much power they have.  In America, their power is limited by democracy.  To see what they WOULD be like with more power, look at where they ARE already  very powerful: in America's educational system -- particularly in the universities and colleges.  They show there the same respect for free-speech and political diversity that Stalin did:  None.  So look to the colleges to see  what the whole country would be like if "liberals" had their way.  It would be a dictatorship.

For more postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, GREENIE WATCH,   EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS and  DISSECTING LEFTISM.   My Home Pages are here or   here or   here.  Email me (John Ray) here

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