Where were you? along with a photo of a peaceful/standing twin towers.
My response:
With my GF in Kingston. Had already done some time in uniform. Took me several years to become skeptical and see that the federal government and the press had lost credibility.
Today:
My feeling is that a man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment. That was maybe the best of America in my lifetime.
“What I remember most about 9/11 is the way America was unified the day after. During uncontrollable times we controlled our response. Race, Gender and Political Party were equally irrelevant.”
“We focused on loving each other, how did we get so segregated? We never would have made it this far if we embraced division on September the 12th. We are where we are because we got here TOGETHER let’s embrace love yet again.”
“God Bless The USA.”
My response:
Good Stuff
Let’s keep that and add a free and independent press that will ask questions/rock the boat, no matter who is in office.
The mainstream press provides news coverage that favors government agencies, departments and policies.
I try to think of myself and others as individuals, rather than as members of a group.
Today, American popular and political culture insists on dividing people up into groups, then assigning a separate value to each group.
I went to USMC boot camp after high school in 1979. One of the best parts of my time in the Marine Corps was living and working with people from all 50 states, some foreign countries and every color under the sun. Women and people of color were frequently my bosses at the officer and enlisted level.
Those Moms and Dads will not be interviewed for a TV news story related to any of this.
Random thoughts:
Did race issues become better or worse after President Obama completed 8 years in the White House?
America now seems very much about identity politics. Since American culture prefers to identify individuals based on their family heritage & color of skin, do black mayors and chiefs of police have a better record for controlling violence and police abuse in their cities?
Do women who are mayors and chiefs of police have a better record?
Has there ever been any news reporting on this?
Individual rights and de-escalation of police encounters should be taught and understood as a requirement for high school graduation.
I did not speak out against vaccines or anyone who takes them. Ditto for mask wearing indoors or out.
Around September of 2021, we moved to a new community. My wife and I agreed that in the first few weeks, while getting settled, we would find a local place where we could get the shot. Just about that time, there seemed to be some question about which version of the vaccine was the one to take or avoid.
Restaurants were still changing up inside dining protocols.
Last night, ketchup comes in tiny cups. Water comes in a bottle.
The place we went last night appeared to be fully staffed with good people. Not here to complain about restaurant staff.
Here to ask:
How much of the new dining format (not masks) is forced by the state and how much is made up by the local business?
Is there any medical advantage that comes with the new format?
If it is the choice of the business, what are they trying to achieve?
It seems like the plan is to cause meaningless inconvenience.
If you notice the inconvenience, maybe you will think that the establishment is somehow going out of their way because they care about protecting you.
I will wait on the sidelines if dining out features unpredictable new protocols. The whole idea of returning to a place you like is to duplicate the experience you had before.
About this time, info on vaccine side effects was being discussed somewhere. We were aware that getting the shot did not mean getting to go without a mask. The idea that more than one shot would be required was out there. Somewhere along in there, people were being accused of spreading misinformation and having their social media accounts suspended if they questioned the government version of COVID protocols.
Before the internet and social media-
If different people selected different churches to attend, or they decided to attend no church at all, was this because of misinformation?
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature.
Back into wait and see and never did get the shots.
We were aware that some employers required vaccines, but employees were still getting sick and in some cases facilities were shut down because too many people on staff could not come to work or something like that.
I always wore a mask when entering a business, post office, etc. Always took it off when I stepped back outside. I never spent a day on lockdown. The term lockdown seemed to apply to people who were associated with an employer, school, or maybe a church that was shut down. None of that applied to me.
Every day I wanted to go out and visit a state park or go shopping, I was able to do so.
COVID restrictions handed down by WA
My personal preference would be to let business people make business decisions.
Let customers support or walk away from the businesses of their choosing.
Avoid one size fits all mandates. Mask required? Let the business owner decide. Make the whole thing voluntary, like a stop smoking, or wear your seatbelt campaign.
WA COVID Oddities
Do property taxes go down because fleets of school buses sat idle and students remained at home? Any questions from newspeople?
Earliest days of WA COVID concern: We were told that COVID-19 was a life and death concern requiring regular people to stay home from work and school while marijuana and booze sales were designated as essential. This policy may have made people wonder about the science here.
The state took money from some people, and gave it to some other people.
If your construction crew is working on a project based on any sort of voluntary exchange or honest demand for services, you might have to stay home for a while.
During COVID, a few letters and editorials compared this time to the past and made the case that people did a better job of pulling together during WWII.
They are correct.
A man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment.
Since that time, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation.
It seems typical that the cashier, who handles cash, coins and cards-also places napkins in the to-go bag.
This really doesn’t seem to make sense even before concerns Re: COVID-19.
Food handler card? Cross-contamination? Health Department? State of the art protocols practiced by global corporations, restaurant management professionals, etc. No one seems to notice.
Whoever designed the building did so by code/permit. Size of building dictates number of exits/entrances and how large the space is where people are able to move shopping carts, enter with their family, etc.
COVID brings on restricted store entrances and exits. To enter the store, the normal access is restricted and made more narrow, forcing people to bunch up in order to get into the store. What is the medical advantage of this?
Landlords required to provide rent-free housing during COVID
“Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has again extended the state’s eviction moratorium, this time through the end of March.”
Love to see newspeople ask:
Have any arrangements been made to cover property owner’s costs for mortgages, taxes, repairs, maintenance, water, trash pickup, sewer, insurance, etc.
Who pays to have the apartment complex dumpster emptied if the property manager cannot collect rent?
If you called 911 to report an emergency and described why the local state park is shut down, would the operator agree that this situation involves an emergency?
If there is a list of the things government does well, it must be a small one. Will people have a never again attitude towards restrictions during a future crisis? Will the government think it was able to prove that people can be herded into submission?
To me, the most interesting people in politics are the people who are willing to question their chosen political party.
Anytime there is a plane crash, a loss at sea, or an industrial accident, a thorough investigation takes place. Lessons learned are used to prevent future events.
Mass shootings seem to go straight from breaking news of the event to scenes of memorials near where the event happened, interviews of victim’s family members and statements from various politicians. The crime scene investigation seems not to be a priority for the press. If we wait for an entire year, will that be enough time to ask questions?
People who are interested in having questions asked and people who want clarification and better information seem to be scolded/shamed or accused of advancing conspiracy theories.
The press should be out asking questions all of the time.
Here are some questions we’d like to see newspeople ask:
13 pounds of ammo could be manageable. Seems like 58 magazines might be bulky.
Looks like we are told the Texas school shooter crashed his vehicle, regained his composure, and then moved this load across the road and into the school on foot?
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
Love to see the press find out from elected officials how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
The War on Terror has prompted law enforcement authorities to calm the public by looking into the future and announcing that no credible threat exists.
“There’s no “credible threat” to the upcoming Boston Marathon, authorities say as they nonetheless call up all available Boston cops and continue to talk to New York City authorities following the terrifying attack there.”
Zero questions from newspeople on how intelligence reports were used to any advantage in the April 12, 2022, NYC mass shooting event.
Love to see newspeople show some initiative and curiosity in asking questions.
What we get now is sort of a press release style of news reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
Newspeople post this statement as is. A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.
Our questions appear in bold type below. We require no federal grant money in order to ask these questions.
Basic public policy questions newspeople will not ask:
What role did a post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, Real ID, tracking of cell phones, etc.) play in preventing the April 12, 2022 NYC subway shooting?
What role did a $49.8 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security play in preventing the April 12, 2022 NYC subway shooting?
No Credible Threat?
If the good guys can tell what the bad guys will do before they do it-surely, these powerful crime fighting tools will be used to shut down gang and cartel activity, heroin trafficking, bank robberies, mass casualty shootings, etc.
Where was the threat forecast prior to the April 12, 2022 NYC subway shooting?
Voting is highly emphasized in American culture. Asking questions related to public policy takes a lower priority.
Where is security? You can see how sex crime scandals can go on for decades when the culture watches a crime take place, then hands over a big award moments later:
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
The effort to stamp out misinformation in social media does not apply to major TV networks promoting the idea that US troops are sent to distant lands to defend American rights and freedoms.
1:55
“Fought for freedom on foreign battlefields”
Do the folks who go on TV to say they support veterans also advocate for phasing out undeclared wars?
The Dept. of Defense has a truly poor track record with undeclared wars. This record goes back to 1949, the year DOD was established.
Love to see the press, school teachers, sports announcers and politicians come clean on how any of this was linked to American rights and freedoms or defending the constitution.
Both major political parties continue to promote the idea that The Troops are sent to distant lands to fight for American rights and freedoms.
“It is our priority to come alongside you and your children so that our military service members can stay focused on their mission and remain ready to fight and protect our freedom.”
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
“…WSP Vessel and Terminal Security Troopers responded to the MV Kaleetan upon its arrival at Colman Dock. By that time, WSF crews had already secured the suspect, who had boarded the vessel by vehicle.”
Not my idea to promote the concept that riding safely on the ferry requires gun boat escorts, SWAT teams and K-9s on the job to detect explosives.
If a guy decides to fire a gun during a 60 minute ferry crossing and WSP waits to respond until the ferry arrives at Colman Dock, how is this security?
Will newspeople follow up and let us know if the guy who purposefully fired his handgun from the ferry had a concealed carry permit?
Did he pass any sort of background check?
A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.
Has any state, ever in history, required proof of membership in a militia to purchase, transport, or carry, guns and ammo/participate in shooting sports, etc.
Remember grandpa? Yeah, he was the only one we ever knew growing up who had guns. He was the one that was in a militia.
SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”
What powers are granted to the federal government here?
The Washington State more than 10 round magazine ban is another of many examples where freedoms may come & go-completely unrelated to military operations/US Troops in distant lands, or the Sound of Freedom.
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms- The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
WONDERING WHERE EVERYONE SCATTERED? Well, they just moved from 3rd Ave. to Pike St. around the corner. I’m still seeing the drug use, all kinds of merch being sold, and music being played. Few feet away, investigators gather evidence. What a juxtaposition. Welcome to #Seattlepic.twitter.com/cZl1Oi3fdT
— Jonathan Choe Journalist KOMO News (@choeshow) March 3, 2022
Not invited as special guests to show off policy goals and achievements at a made for TV State of the Union speech.
Photo above:
A symbol of a country that will send US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., to attempt to solve problems with military power and tell us that it’s all for our freedoms.
Both major political parties promote the idea that The Troops are sent to distant lands to fight for American rights and freedoms.
Love to see the press, school teachers, sports announcers and politicians come clean on how any of this was linked to American rights and freedoms or defending the constitution.
KOMO and some of the commenters make it more about personalities and less about what people think of ongoing information suppression.
Not too many years ago, American society was much less about information suppression.
Social media is big on it now.
Today, newspeople show a lack of initiative and curiosity in asking questions.
JFK speaks about the role of the press and voices of dissent in a free society:
Today, TV newspeople tend to report only one side of the story.
Much of what we get today is sort of a press release style of news reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
Newspeople post this statement as is.
A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.
When is the last time all of Penn Cove was safe for recreational shellfish harvest?
Living on an Island near Puget Sound, there seems to be great concern for salmon, orca, eagles, recreational shellfish and clean water.
Has anyone ever seen the Puget Sound area press ask questions about Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls?
Has anyone ever seen any government agency, elected official or volunteer organization seeking answers related to one or more sewage treatment plants sending unsafe product into the waters near Whidbey Island?
Coupeville
“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”
“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”
I am interested in living in a free and honest society.
Political parties and personalities are not as interesting as what stays the same no matter who is elected to office.
Politics seems to be very much about political personalities and group identities and very little on news reporting and discussion about what the major parties stand for or believe in.
Both major parties seem to be OK with undeclared wars.
Love to see the press find out from elected officials how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
The Dept. of Defense has a truly poor track record with undeclared wars. This record goes back to 1949, the year DOD was established.
Wasteful and ineffective Homeland Security spending
A $49.8 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security that fails to keep cartel product from showing up in all 50 states.
This may trigger a Trump/Biden debate, but be honest, cartels remain in business no mater who is in the White House. The US Dept. of Homeland Security was created in the aftermath of 911. Is there any President since that time who was able to keep cartel product from arriving all over the US?
Pre-Biden:
Cartel Moves 180 Kilograms Of Meth From Mexico To Canada by Rail
The media seems to be run mostly by the D side of politics, certainly not by constitutional conservatives.
What are some constitutional conservative views on undeclared wars?
What are some constitutional conservative views on federal prohibition of marijuana?
What are some constitutional conservative views on treating 18-20 year old adults as second class citizens?
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Both major parties promote the idea that US troops are sent to distant lands to defend American rights and freedoms.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can elected officials of any party or any member of the press help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
Will there ever come a time when newspeople ask if there is any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war, linked to the movement of National Guard troops to an overseas location?
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
“Minnesota and Croatia formed a partnership in 1996, five years after the Southeastern European country declared independence from the former Yugoslavia. Croatia joined NATO in 2009 and the European Union in 2013.”
Did the advantage of NATO allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
“However, it was unclear what mechanisms would allow DoD to track unvaccinated troops and withhold their pay. Personnel and pay systems are mostly handled at the state level. Also, troops flagged under other circumstances, such as failing a fitness test, are not typically denied pay.”
Love to see the press find out from elected officials how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
Look for TV newspeople to play along by not asking questions.
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
USS Calhoun County sailors dumped thousands of tons of radioactive waste, using GIs in mustard gas experiments, using GIs to test nuclear weapons, Agent Orange, MCAS El Toro and Camp Lejeune water contamination & Gulf War Syndrome.
Reach for an honest understanding of US foreign policy.
Find out from elected officials how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
Look for TV newspeople to play along by not asking questions.
Claims about freedoms that cry out for questioning:
Two major political parties continue to promote the idea that The Troops are sent to distant lands to fight for American rights and freedoms.
School teachers and newspeople are OK with promoting this urban legend.
Local press:
Hometown pride running high. High enough to stop asking questions?
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
The War on Terror has prompted law enforcement authorities to inform the public by looking into the future and announcing that a threat may exist.
If the good guys can tell what the bad guys will do before they do it-surely, these powerful crime fighting tools will be used to shut down gang and cartel activity, heroin trafficking, bank robberies, mass casualty shootings, etc.
The post 911 surveillance state (fusion centers, license scanners, Homeland Security grant money, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, & social media sites, no fly/terror watch lists, Real ID, tracking of cell phones, etc.) appears to have played no role in preventing these crimes:
“Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday he is extending Washington state’s eviction moratorium for one month. The state’s moratorium was set to expire on Sept. 30, 2021.
USS Calhoun County sailors dumped thousands of tons of radioactive waste, using GIs in mustard gas experiments, using GIs to test nuclear weapons, Agent Orange, MCAS El Toro and Camp Lejeune water contamination & Gulf War Syndrome.
Out this past week to get some clams. First time in many years. Last outings were in the Oak Bay area, where I had a couple favorite spots that were healthy and had an abundant crop of clams.
The text “This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.” has been removed by WDFW for beaches at Coupeville, the north side of Penn Cove at Monroe Landing and Oak Harbor.
In its place:
“Health status: Closed by Biotoxin and Pollution”
Sewage treatment plant outfall has been changed to pollution. Biotoxin is a seasonal status.
Several Island County beaches remain closed all year for recreational shellfish harvest.
A year-round closure seems significant, but the WA State Dept. of Health does not provide specific info on why each beach is closed. The word pollution is as close as we get to understanding what is going on.
The WA State Dept. of Health once made more of an effort to tell the story of why a beach was closed by posting red signs at the beach for all to see.
Earlier this year, a sign remained posted at Coupeville and Monroe Landing warning of a sewage drain pipe.
Image above:
Coupeville
Image above:
North side of Penn Cove at Monroe Landing
Are the two signs above still in place?
Why was the text changed on the WDFW pages?
Has anyone ever seen the Puget Sound area press ask questions about Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls?
Has anyone ever seen any government agency, elected official or volunteer organization seeking answers related to one or more sewage treatment plants sending unsafe product into the waters near Whidbey Island?
“Especially important in my classroom was the closing phrase, “With liberty and justice for all.” That aspiration and inclusivity is the culture I support in the education of South Whidbey’s children.”
In the US, we probably brag about freedom more than anywhere else on the planet.
When people want to take delivery on their freedom, things can become controversial.
Newspeople play along by not asking questions.
The freedom talk is always sounding good for federal holidays and overseas military operations.
Real life:
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Certainly, Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
Love to see school teachers provide lessons on how American culture is good for dividing adults up into groups of first and second-class citizens.
Each November, school teachers across America host Veterans Day assemblies– and promote the idea that The Troops are in distant lands- fighting for American rights and freedoms.
Growing up in the 60s & 70s- veterans were all around- church, school, Boy Scout leaders, family, the neighborhood, etc. It was all just an average thing. These folks weren’t seen as a separate part of American society.
People weren’t stepping over to say “Thanks for your service” to my Dad- who did time in the Navy in the 50s- but looked just like anyone else out in public.
These guys weren’t lining up for free dinner promotions marketed by major restaurant chains.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20. Can elected officials of any party or any member of the press help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
1967
Did the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?
Was it the Viet Cong that set up laws in 16 US states to prohibit interracial marriage?
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
Stop with the glorification of undeclared/unwon wars in distant lands.
Love to see the press, school teachers, sports announcers and politicians come clean on how any of this was linked to American rights and freedoms or defending the constitution.
Love to see more in the way of newspeople asking questions.
What we get now is sort of a press release style of news reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
Newspeople post this statement as is. A 5th grade book report would require more in the way of asking questions.
Newspeople show a lack of initiative and curiosity in asking questions.
Today, it seems as if the press promotes whatever message is handed down by elected officials and government agencies.
Voices of dissent, and their social media accounts, are suppressed.
This whole structure brings government messages into question.
JFK speaks about the role of the press and voices of dissent in a free society:
Local papers have stripped away all comments from past articles, and removed the opportunity to post comments to new articles.
Various newspapers in the Puget Sound area have gone with this trend.
Suppressing comments, getting away from asking questions related to public policy and telling us they need more support from subscription and advertising sales.
Got it.
I’d be more interested in paying (again) for a local paper subscription if there was more in the way of newspeople asking questions.
Elimination of reader comments works against the idea of paying for an online subscription.
Seems like the press was better at asking questions back then.
Today:
We are the very best at militarized pageantry for pro sports events.
Newspeople play the role of federal public affairs staff as authorities prepare for the Super Bowl.
Sorry, no time for newspeople to ask:
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
US fighter jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
Alternative Media
We are big fans of Independent/alternative media here at Oak Bay Starfish.
The family friendly, hometown pride-oriented local small town papers and TV news folks are more welcome to do interviews related to public policy. Unfortunately, they seem to have moved away from asking questions.
Instead of waiting for school teachers to teach about individual rights and limited government authority, waiting on the press to ask questions or courts to handle cases, these guys go out and update us with a quick reality check:
There needs to be more as Washington enters Pac-12 play.”
Regular newspeople don’t seem to have permission to ask hard questions.
Sports writers are OK with being critical of coaches, teams, players, the rule book, the league, referees, team owners, when the season starts and ends, etc.
Are people who work for newspapers and TV news folks given permission to go out and to do interviews related to public policy? If elected officials and people who run government agencies are not available to be interviewed, that should become the story.
Recommendation for newspeople:
Interview people from various sides of any given issue.
If you are a newspaper struggling for subscription and advertising dollars, figure out how to use the web to post videos of these interviews to bring more attention to your media outlet.
There has been a lot going on in the news. I’d like to move away from it, but the big stories have pulled me in over the past few days.
A man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment.
Since that time, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation.
We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam.
Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
Some may have become skeptical along the way.
Love to see the press, school teachers, sports announcers and politicians come clean on how any of this was linked to American rights and freedoms or defending the constitution.
Much of the TV news reporting we get today is sort of a press release style of reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
Stopped by a WA bar on Friday. Masks must be worn to enter. Masks come off inside and people carry on as always. Even for people with a completely neutral mind, much of all this seems like just going through the motions.
My personal preference would be for business owners to make business decisions. Customers would support or walk away from the businesses of their choosing. If people want to sit at the bar and drink, let’s leave that option open.
A One Size Fits All Society?
TV newspeople tend to report one side of the story. Would TV newspeople (prior to the protest phase) be willing to interview people from various sides of an issue?
A large number of news stories Re: parents showing up at back to school protests tell us that different people believe different things.
Allowing people to voluntarily opt in or out may ease the tension-similar to the way people select the church they attend, or chose to attend no church at all.
People who wish to wear masks and get vaccinated may do so at any time.
None of these images belong to me. I did not create them. They were shared on the web.
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
I do not speak out against vaccines or anyone who takes them. Ditto for mask wearing indoors or out.
My concerns are not specific to any political party, personality or group identity.
Today, bulk medical advice handed down from central authority is promoted as the norm.
Away from the TV, real people set up various relationships with medical professionals.
Some people want to get pregnant and have more kids.
Some people want to be well without drugs and surgery.
Some people want to ask their doctor about the latest drug they saw advertised on TV.
I want to know what various people are thinking on various issues.
Today, voices of dissent, and their social media accounts, are suppressed.
This whole structure brings government messages into question.
People who were once neutral on these issues may resist the idea of living in a one size fits all, guilty until proven innocent society.
Before the internet and social media-
If different people selected different churches to attend, or they decided to attend no church at all, was this because of misinformation?
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature.
Look for scolding, shaming, guilt tripping, dividing people up into groups, pitting one group against another and a guilty until proven innocent approach in dealing with the next crisis.
Would TV newspeople be willing to interview people from various sides of an issue?
Much of what we get today is sort of a press release style of news reporting where a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest policy update, drug bust/federal grant money award, etc.
If different people selected different churches to attend, or they decided to attend no church at all, was this because of misinformation?
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature.
Today, it seems as if the press promotes whatever message is handed down by elected officials and government agencies.
The press release style of news reporting means that a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest drug bust/federal grant money award, etc. Newspeople post this statement as is.
“What goes on at airports is not security. It is Security Theater. When the government’s own agents try to smuggle “weapons” aboard airliners to test the system, they succeed ninety-five percent of the time.”
“Further, a terrorist doesn’t need to get aboard an airliner to blow up spectacularly. At many airports, hundreds of people line up at ticket counters during peak hours. A carry-on bag of explosive would easily create enough slaughter to shut down air travel and to make international headlines for weeks.”
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
Is it possible that over the past 40 years or so, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation?
Sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution?
What becomes of American rights and freedoms and the constitution when the US returns from distant lands without a victory?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals Re: lessons learned on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established in 1949.
Would the DEA be out of work if a $49.8 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security was able to keep cartel product from showing up in all 50 states?
All 50 states:
DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
“There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.”
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal prohibition of marijuana?
Hard to tell what the major political parties believe in. They get a pass during long Presidential primary seasons, because the press shows no initiative or curiosity in asking questions.
Are Biden voters OK with federal prohibition of marijuana?
Are Biden voters OK with using federal funds for traffic stops to look for marijuana?
Are conservative/GOP voters OK with using federal funds for traffic stops to look for marijuana?
Are conservative/GOP voters OK with sending US troops to Iraq and Afghanistan to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things and spending $49.8 billion (every 12 months) on a US Dept. of Homeland Security that fails to keep cartel product from showing up in all 50 states?
Are voters who support both major parties OK with newspeople who don’t ask questions?
DEA Drug Take Back Day
A huge success for the legal drug dealers- they sold more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs to people who did not need them.
When news/social media posts are created by federal employees, there’s no need to deal with any awkward/real questions from the press.
Questions newspeople will not ask:
Have opioid lawsuits played any role in reducing opioid overdose deaths?
How do drug cartels react to opioid lawsuits?
If sending US troops to Afghanistan and creating a $49.8 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security was meant to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things, why are drug cartels able to move product into all 50 states?
Look for newspeople to ask zero questions in this area.
“The investigation began in November 2020 and police alleged tractor-trailers were equipped with hydraulic traps capable of smuggling as much as 100 kilos of drugs in one trip.”
Looks like a $49.8 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security played zero role in preventing product from moving into the US and later into Canada.
What role do US fusion centers play here?
US press remains silent.
Deep into the GWOT – No CBP inspection of rail shipments entering the US?
US Troops at the border, big El Chapo takedown, opioid lawsuits, REAL ID, Homeland Security grant money, CBP social media posts, strict post 911/GWOT security protocols and a $40.6 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security fail to keep cartel from moving meth into the US and on into Canada:
Surely, a free and independent press will step up and ask for clarification on this wild CBP claim.
Any word on how the more than $50 million worth of methamphetamine was able to move past federal agents staffing a $49.8 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security before showing up in Polk County?
Any word on why the highly controlled environment that exists inside a federal prison in Georgia would allow a federal inmate to be an active drug trafficker?
As time goes on, we can see that there is a list of things the government is not very good at. Is this list bigger than a list of the things government does well?
Alternative media is OK with asking these sorts of questions. Mainstream media seems to avoid reporting on various topics.
Some people are OK with opting out on COVID vaccines. The government is trying their very best with lottery giveaway events, to pull people in.
He found out about the new lottery game moments after getting his second vaccine?
News cameras were rolling to promote the “A Heroes Thanks” program, but the people being interviewed by KING 5 TV and getting their vaccine didn’t know about the “A Heroes Thanks” program?
The value of the meds does not stand on its own. A carnival game will help people to make up their mind.
The press is not available to interview people who still opt out over at the military base? Thanks newspeople.
Love to see TV news reporters interview people who might give an alternative viewpoint.
A man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment.
Much has changed.
Over the past 50 years or so, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation. A wide variety of political personalities have occupied the White House.
We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam.
Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
Some may have become skeptical along the way.
Since WWII, information is now available on:
USS Calhoun County sailors dumped thousands of tons of radioactive waste, using GIs in mustard gas experiments, using GIs to test nuclear weapons, Agent Orange, MCAS El Toro and Camp Lejeune water contamination & Gulf War Syndrome.
Getting away from treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Certainly, Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
American culture is good for dividing adults up into groups of first and second-class citizens.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal prohibition of marijuana?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in this area.
When the US Armed Forces are sent to Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Vietnam, etc.- how is that defending the US Constitution– or our rights and freedoms, or our physical security?
The Troops are often sent to distant lands to fight people who:
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
Much concern these days about spreading misinformation on the web while newspeople tell us The Troops are sent to distant lands to protect American rights and freedoms:
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
The US has vast holdings in the Southwestern United States and elsewhere in the form of bombing ranges, missile test ranges, federal lands appropriate for nuclear weapons testing, etc. War games and military training might be conducted in these areas without bothering anyone?
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
The idea that freedom comes from military aircraft does not seem to stand up to any discussion or questioning. In a free and honest society it would be OK to ask questions related to public policy.
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms-The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
Sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution?
What becomes of American rights and freedoms and the constitution when the US returns from distant lands without a victory?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals Re: lessons learned on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established in 1949.
If sending US troops to Afghanistan and creating a $49.8 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security was meant to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things, why are drug cartels able to move product into all 50 states?
Yesterday, somebody posted:
