New York magazine had an interesting interview with Bill de Blasio recently. Not so much interesting because of the questions asked and answered, but rather because of the view it provides into the heart of the far-left. Want to know how the world will operate if they have their way? I’ll warn you, it’s a bit scary…
Author: admin
DACA
President Trump today ended Obama’s DACA program that allowed so-called “dreamers” – children brought here illegally by their parents (or who simply arrived unaccompanied) – to stay, attend school and work in the U.S. However, no matter what sympathies you might hold for these DACA recipients, President Trump’s elimination of the DACA program is the correct course of action.
It is the responsibility of Congress to decide the fate of DACA individuals and to establish subsequent immigration programs. Their failure to do so does not empower a President to circumvent the constitution. President Obama overstepped his authority by establishing DACA when Congress refused to pass similar legislation; no one should blame President Trump for re-establishing law and order by rescinding the program. His actions have placed responsibility back where it belongs – squarely on the shoulders of Congress.
People in glass houses…
Jesse Jackson recently implied that Donald Trump “…would not qualify to get into Jesus’ kingdom…”.
Really, Mr. Jackson? Well, you probably would not qualify, either.
Put down the rocks, Mr. Jackson – you’re likely to hit your own house.
Turnabout
When I first read the predicament of this college professor I was delighted. Turnabout, I thought, is fair play. If right of center opinion is to be punished as a means to censor that opinion, then so too should be left of center opinion.
However, Prof. Eugene Volokh, in his column at the Washington Post, reminds us that we must apply our ideals uniformly. If we accept limitations on speech with which we don’t agree, we potentially open the door for others to place limits on speech with which we do agree. This will eventually have a chilling effect on speech that we actually need to hear.
Thank you, Professor, for the reminder.
1st amendment be damned…
If you had any doubt as to the pending demise of the 1st amendment in the far left’s version of the United States, here’s a quote from San Francisco mayor Ed Lee after one group’s attempt to use a city park for a press conference was thwarted.
“If people want to have the stage in San Francisco, they better have a message that contributes to people’s lives rather than find ways to hurt them,” Lee said.
“That’s why certain voices found it very difficult to have their voices heard today.”
Wow. Really; wow.
Berkeley Chancellor promotes free speech
Eugene Volokh’s column at the Washington Post, “The Volokh Conspiracy” (one of my daily stops on the Internet), recently posted a written statement by University of California at Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ regarding free speech and safe spaces.
I am highly encouraged by Chancellor Christ’s statement, and would recommend it for all to read.
Krazy Kalifornia
A convicted felon, unable to own or possess firearms, allegedly uses one to kill the father of his stepson in their San Francisco home. He claims self-defense, and is not prosecuted – not even as a felon in possession of a firearm. Why? Could it be because he’s a documentary film maker and activist in the good graces of the SF elite?
In nearby Vallejo, a woman and her boyfriend retreat from a confrontation with a third party. As they are driving away, the third party fires an allegedly full-auto AK-47 at the car and hits the girlfriend, killing her. The shooter, a suspected gang member, claims self-defense (?!?) and is not charged. However, the boyfriend is charged with murder for bringing his girlfriend to the encounter. Why? Who knows…
Only in California…
Seattle rents will soon skyrocket
While the Seattle city council might have good intentions (although I fear it’s simply political posturing), their ordinance to restrict the ability of landlords to screen their tenants will likely backfire. Attempts to regulate the rental housing market to increase the housing stock for historically undesirable tenants are doomed to failure.
If Seattle really wants to help less desirable tenants, then they need to offset their higher risk with more landlord-friendly eviction rules. Otherwise, the increased risk to landlords will result only in fewer rentals and higher rents.
Come now, children; play nice…
A professor at U.C. Berkeley and (former) science envoy for the State Department resigned his position in a resignation notice where he largely berated President Trump. However, it has also been noted that his long-winded and scathing resignation letter had an interesting attribute: the first letter of each paragraph, when taken together, spell out the word “IMPEACH”.
A similar tactic was used when all 17 members of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities – consisting entirely of Obama appointees (they wouldn’t have a political agenda in mind with their mass resignation, now would they…?) resigned their positions. In their resignation notice the first letter of each paragraph (including the “Thank you” sign-off) spell “RESIST” (notice link here).
In any event, I find it interesting that this science envoy chose to resign only one month before his commission ended (according to the NBC article linked above), leading me to believe that this was more a political opportunity than a true expression of concern. Also, if the message hidden withing his resignation was intentional, it was an incredibly immature act much more reminiscent of a child’s temper tantrum than a statement meant to produce useful change.
We need people who will pull us together, not political opportunists who will push us apart using cheap parlor tricks. We have no use for sore losers who choose to lament their election losses with politically-motivated actions under the guise of legitimate protest.
White toddler = racist propaganda
The ACLU has in the past posted pictures on their twitter feed of several babies wearing ACLU-sanctioned political messages about free speech, women’s rights, etc. with the caption “This is the future that ACLU members want”. However, when they posted a picture of a blonde-haired white toddler holding an American flag and wearing a “free speech” tee, all hell broke loose. Apparently, white = racist, even as a toddler.
It strikes me as strange that so many of those who are preaching for racial inclusivity are so insistent on exclusivity (examples here and here). Does anyone really believe that excluding any group will bring us together? Shouldn’t we be looking for ways to come together as a people – irrespective of race, gender, or religion – rather than identifying ways to divide us further?
The insidious nature of the claim that a child – or anyone, for that matter – represents racism solely as a result of the color of their skin should be alarming to all. It should be more alarming, however, that this premise has been accepted by so many.