30 May 2016

Update no.754

Update from the Heartland
No.754
23.5.16 – 29.5.16
To all,

            The follow-up news items:
-- U.S. Attorney General Loretta Elizabeth Lynch announced she has decided to seek the death penalty for Dylann Roof – the man charged with killing nine parishioners at the historic Emmanual AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church (est. 1816), Charleston, South Carolina [705; 17.June.2015].  Roof is charged with nine counts of murder in state court and with hate crimes in federal court.  He had hoped his murderous actions would spark further racial violence; he failed.  Roof deserves to pay the ultimate price for his crimes.
-- The State Department’s Office of the Inspector General issued its report to Congress on the whole mixing of private and governmental eMail, Clinton’s private server, and the missing official records issue [713].  The IG faulted Hillary Clinton and four of her predecessors for “long-standing” failures in record keeping and cyber-security compliance. The IG’s independent report is separate from the FBI’s criminal investigation.  The findings are not surprising and are certainly consistent with my understanding of the facts associated with this issue.  I am truly and genuinely disappointed in the cavalier attitude of so many secretaries of state toward cyber-security and disregard for the Presidential Recordings Preservation Act [PL 93-526; 88 Stat. 1695; 19.December.1974], and specifically Title II – Public Documents Act [88 Stat. 1698].  This is not new law.  Clinton’s blatant disregard for the law and policy that applies to ALL federal employees including the secretary of state and the president remains the most troubling element of this affair.

            President Obama visited the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) to continue the process of improving relations for a host of reasons, not least of which is collecting up the regional nations to counter the hegemonic land grab of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea.  The President made his Vietnam visit on his way to the G-7 Summit in Ise-Shima, Japan, where the leaders had plenty of topics to discuss from the aggressiveness of Russia and the PRC, to the economic doldrums and risks.  After the summit conference, President Obama went with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Hiroshima, becoming the first U.S. president to visit the memorial to those who died that August day in 1945.  The President paid his respects on behalf of this Grand Republic and gave an admirable speech.  Yet, what struck me in the Press coverage of the ceremonial event were the references used by too many media talking heads – terms like tragedy, horrific, and the darkest day in human history.  Really?  You will never hear me use terms like that.  I see Truman’s decision in far broader terms; the instantaneous cost of (at the outside) a quarter of a million lives, the two bombings ended the war and saved perhaps three million or more Allied and Japanese lives.  There was no reason to apologize for those two events.  If there was an apology due, it should have come from Prime Minister Abe for the many millions of lives taken by the hegemonic offensive actions of Imperial Japan.  For the record, I think President Obama made an appropriate gesture of reconciliation in both Vietnam and Japan.  Well done, Sir!

            President Obama signed into law the Women Airforce Service Pilot Arlington Inurnment Restoration Act [PL 114-158; H.R.4336; Senate: unanimous consent; House: 385-0-0-48(2); 129 Stat. xxxx; 20.May.2016], which enables former WASPs to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery along with male military service personnel.  This is an appropriate follow-on law to the congressional gold medal law [PL 111-040; 123 Stat. 1958; 1.July.2009].  This action was long overdue, and I am grateful it is finally done.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.753:
“A granddaughter graduating from high school!  Oh, my.  Very hard to believe it’s that time already.  Congratulations!
“This just in on MS804:
My response:
            Thx for yr generous words.  Yes, it is that time, but Tylyn is the only graduate this year.
            Thx for the news.  I have not received confirmatory news from my other usual aviation safety sources.  I am confident they will find the FDR & CVR in comparative short order.  The data will tell us a lot more than we know at the moment.  Standing by . .
 . . . Round two:
“Regarding MS804, let the confusion continue.  Why does this have to happen every time there is an aviation accident?  I had accident investigation as one of my graduate courses and I’ve studied many accidents over the years.  The media frenzy that always ensues after an accident and the misinformation that is liberally dispersed really pisses me off.  I guess it’s one of those don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story kind of things.”
 . . . my response to round two:
            Re: MS804.  I’m with you on this one, Brother.  Spot on!  The 24/7 news cycle has driven more than a few electronic news sources to fill the space with virtually anything and everything they can get their hands on, and when there is not enough of that, they find “experts” like the GOP front-runner, who unilaterally declared the root cause, since he is omniscient . . . like God.  Unfortunately, we must filter out all the noise and focus on the facts.  Equally, too many citizens do not understand the aviation crash investigation process and the methodical time it takes to perform a proper investigation, and regrettably, some elements of the Press play to the lowest common denominator for ratings and dollars.
            ‘Nuf said.
 . . . Round three:
"Agreed!  But, you are too quick to disparage the GOP frontrunner, akin to the left always blaming Bush at every opportunity, and quite possibly like me blaming at every opportunity you present to me the rampant unchecked lack of leadership in our administration and government and the disintegrating social fabric of our nation on our leader.”
 . . . my response to round three:
            Wow!  Most impressive, actually!  I resist disparagement; he is doing an incredible job of that all by himself . . . just opening his mouth.  The disgusting demonstration continues to this very day.  It appears I shall have to change my moniker for him, soon, which means we will be bombarded by his obnoxious behavior for another five months; and, who knows, heaven forbid, for the next four years.  I see him in an entirely different light than many other Americans.  I shudder to think anyone can see him as a leader of anything beyond his shameless self-promotion, devoid of even a sliver of detectible humility or compassion for another human being.  And, for the record, my opinion of the GOP front-runner evolved from a time long, long ago, and he has amplified my impression by orders of magnitude in the last year of this quadrennial rendition of the silly season.  Other than that, Kemosahbee . . . hey, he’s a great man; and, my opinion has absolutely nothing to do with anyone else other than him (alone), and Barack did not make me say that.
 . . . Round four:
“Should I just make it easy on myself and give up, and let us let the Alan Combs, the Valerie Jarretts, the Jemhu Greens, and the Juan Williams of the country continue to run amok and not hold leadership of the country accountable, for it is the likes of them and their ilk that have created the GOP frontrunner.  And it is that GOP frontrunner that many Americans see as someone willing to say something in the face of political correctness, do something about the rampant entitlement chaos, and hold accountable those that need to be held accountable.  I am one of those Americans that is fed up with political correctness run amok, fed up with the growing entitlement mentality, and extremely fed up with the leadership of our country putting themselves above the law and not holding their employees accountable.  I may have regrets down the road, but at this point in time I am eagerly willing to accept the likes of the GOP frontrunner.  Now that I have given you another opportunity to defend the king again, fire away and tell me where I’m wrong.”
 . . . my response to round four:
            No, you should not just give up.  The political terrain has changed.  CNN reports previous uncommitted delegates have declared for the Republican front-runner, which in turn has apparently pushed him past the 1,237-delegate threshold.  I will wait until after the 7.June primaries to acknowledge his change in status.  So, regardless of what I think of the man, it appears he will be the Republican Party nominee and will stand for election on 1.November – that election is the only one that counts.  In accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral College will affirm the choice in December.
            Re: Political accountability.  I cannot argue with the logic or reasoning in your position.  Justice says, people who do wrong should be punished, regardless of their position, wealth, authority, or narcissism.  So, I find myself in a rather awkward position.  I cannot defend the wrong-doing in the Obama Administration; those who did wrong should be punished.  However, I can cite examples of unpunished wrong-doing in every administration at least back to Johnson, and perhaps beyond, if I worked at it.  This is not to justify what the current administration has done . . . only to put things in perspective.
            Re: GOP front-runner.  I see numerous fatal character flaws that make him dangerous in the Oval Office, and I use that word intentionally and specifically.  Yet, the choice is not up to me.  If We, the People, vote for the Republican front-runner, he will become POTUS, and I will do my level best to respect whomever is President of the United States of America, as I have tried to do with every President from Barack Obama and prior.  I truly regret that political polarization has produced such blindness in our citizenry.
            At the end of the day, I respect your opinion and encourage you to express your opinion as you choose.

Comment to the Blog:
“The flap over transgender people using restrooms is pointless nonsense as a national issue, and it illustrates the depths to which the two major parties have fallen. The Republicans benefit from this because it's still more red meat for the ‘moral values’ voters and perhaps rouses fear in a few of their truly paranoid followers that are not burned out on this stuff. What do the Democrats get from keeping this going? They get to claim they are defending the downtrodden and it makes a distraction from the fact that they are not defending anyone from Wall Street or their other major donors. That roster resembles the Republicans' major donor list more than either party wants voters to realize. We need to quit wasting airtime, money, and energy on this. Americans have more important issues.
“Your first linked article this week (‘We Just Lost America’) lacks quality in both thought and writing.  Mr. Reyes basically lists the many issues on which the writer feels everyone else should just shut up and then spends a couple of sentences talking about ‘unity.’ I see the Constitution and the history of the United States as illustrations of ‘unity in diversity,’ and I do not see disagreement short of violence as a threat to our nation. He's just whining because his side is losing so many arguments. The same applies to Cardinal Sarah.
“The only real thing wrong with the CBS report on young children's perception of race is the headline, and that's not so bad. The notion that a report on children's intellectual development via perception of race somehow implies some disaster is beyond me. The report simply identifies the age at which children realize that race cannot change, typically somewhere between the ages of 6 and 9. The only ‘problem’ I can even imagine with that is that it means children are not born racists, which is negative only to racists.”
My reply to the Blog:
            Re: flap.  Agreed.   Quite so.  That was my point precisely.  Transgender citizens have been using restrooms as long as there have been such facilities available to the public.  This was a terribly cynical, bogus issue, and to think state legislators and the governor wasted their time and capacity passing such a foolish law, making a problem out of a non-problem, and then making it illegal.  Yes, indeed, we have far more important topics to discuss and debate.
            Re: “unity of diversity.”  Spot on, my brother.  My resistance to the morality laws rests predominately upon my objection to other people or the State entering the private domain.  Morality is a private matter between the individual and God, and it is taught by their parents from infancy with most of it set by five years old.
            Re: “children are not born racists.  Amen, brother.  They are taught racism by their parents and those around them, as they are taught whatever morality they grow up with in childhood.

Another contribution:
"Thanks again for your words-of course being a non-‘Kansaserian’ I had no idea who this ‘Brownback’ was, so  I found the answer below:
yes, in full agreement with you on those points my friend."
My response:
            My apologies for wasting your time, my friend.  Brownback is not worth knowing.  I would like to return him to private life as soon as humanly possible.

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap                        :-)

23 May 2016

Update no.753

Update from the Heartland
No.753
16.5.16 – 22.5.16
To all,

            Saturday evening, our local family gathered at West Elk High School in Howard, Kansas, to witness Granddaughter Tylyn’s graduation from high school.  She graduated with honors and a GPA of 3.89.  Well done, Tylyn!  We are very proud of her accomplishments.  She will begin her college education at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.  Tylyn’s family offered a delightful buffet reception afterward.  We all had a great time.  Congratulations, Tylyn.

            In Tuesday’s Wichita Eagle, this editorial caught my attention:
“Allow gender change on birth certificate”
Editorial
Wichita Eagle
Published: MAY 17, 2016 12:06 AM
I immediately wrote a short letter to the editor.
            All of my life I have stood for the fundamental and unalienable rights of every citizen to their choices in “Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness.”  I served 25 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, defending those rights for every citizen, not just the chosen.  I am a supporter of and advocate for transgender citizens.  How they see themselves and choose to identify themselves is their private choice entirely, full stop.  I laud your support of transgender citizens in opposition to the archaic notions espoused by the Brownback administration.  What the state government is attempting to do, as is being done in other states, is wrong on many levels and contrary to the founding principles of this Grand Republic.
            Yet, I am deeply troubled by your editorial.  A birth certificate is an historic document; it is not a matter of gender identity; it is a simple, direct, snapshot of a moment in time, like a photograph.  It represents the judgment of a medical doctor at the time of birth based on her/is highly educated observation of genitalia at the moment of birth – anatomy and biology, not gender identity.  Allowing retrospective alteration of that historic document is NOT the way to solve our current political debate.
            We are all embarrassed by Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution.  Fortunately, that shortsighted, compromise provision was superseded by the 13th Amendment, but it was constitutional law for the first 77 years of this Grand Republic – that is history.  We cannot and should not attempt to alter history.
            I strongly urge you to focus the ire of your pen on the root cause, not the symptoms in this question.  There remains a significant and influential minority (perhaps even majority, depending upon perspective), including our current governor, who feel it is their right, their obligation, their duty, to impose their beliefs on every resident of the Great State of Kansas.  It is that antiquated, ill-informed, intellectually unsound attitude that is the root cause here.  Gender identity is NOT the problem.

            Although I doubt anyone reading this edition of the Update is unaware of the disappearance of Egypt Air Flight 804 (MS804), I feel compelled to note that far too many people from political presidential candidates to technical analysts (who should know better) have jumped far too quickly to terrorism as the cause.  While I understand and appreciate the urge, in the troubled times in which we live, the available public evidence does not justify such presumptive statements that are not helpful for the truth.  The search units have recovered surface debris from the flight.  I suspect they will locate and recover the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) in comparatively short order.
            A few reminders might be useful . . . Egypt Air Flight 990 (MS990) [31.10.1999] could have easily been classified as terrorism, and yet more likely it was suicide with company, like GermanWings Flight 9525 (4U9525) [693, 694; 24.3.2015].  Unfortunately, we are likely to never know why the MS990 crashed.  Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) [638, 691, 711, 716; 8.3.2014] disappeared; it may well have been terrorism, but it could also quite plausibly be another suicide with company, e.g., 4U9525.  My message here . . . let us focus on the facts, however long it takes those facts to emerge, and not jump to emotional conclusions.

            I usually do not pass along the doomsday crap I read nearly every day.  Yet, occasionally something sparks my attention.  Here is an exception:
“Enjoy your transgender bathrooms. We just lost America.”
by Kyle S. Reyes
New Boston Post
Published: MAY 17, 2016
This one caught my attention, largely because of the title.  OK . . . call me shallow!  Guilty!  Reyes last two sentences seem the most relevant to me.  “It’s time we start having some very difficult and very real conversations. I hope this helps start that.”  Agreed.  That has been the underlying purpose of this humble forum for more than a decade and remains my primary motivation to continue spending the time to collect, digest and reflect the information.  Fortunately, for all of us, enough readers choose to contribute their opinions to further the objective of this humble forum.  Thank you all.

            For those who are concerned or worried about this whole transgender matter, I have just one question.  What do you think has been going on for the last . . . oh say . . . 50 millennia?  Non-heterosexual people, including gender-ambiguous folks, have been part of humanity since human ancestors walked upright.  Have gender-ambiguous people been holding their urine in some miraculous manner?  Laws discriminating against non-heterosexual or gender-ambiguous citizens are wrong, ill-informed and otherwise really bad at the most basic level.   Are we really going to inspect genitalia or birth certificates before anyone can use the restroom?  Really?  Is this really what we have become?  Creating a boogie-man for ignorant citizens to fear is hardly unique or even new.

            Just an odd thought that came to me this week . . .
            Regardless of the religious beliefs of any of us, or whether any of us believes in an after-life of any form, the notion of an after-life has profound wisdom on many levels for me.  Since my religious faith is predominately Christian, I shall use the word ‘heaven’ to represent the concept of an after-life.
            The introduction of the concept of heaven into the teachings of the revealed religions strikes me as one of, if not the, most profound elements of religious faith, in that our actions in our lives of the flesh will be judged for eternity for their worthiness.  This to me is the essence of conscience, morality and respect for other life-travelers around us.  Without that sense of post-life judgment, peaceful co-existence would be much more difficult to achieve.  Morality is what we do when no one is watching – the rules of conduct that guide our behavior.  Thus, the thought that God is watching and our actions will be judged is a civilizing concept that has made us all better, regardless of our belief systems.

           An interesting opinion:
'God is Being Eroded, Eclipsed, Liquidated' in the United States, Cardinal Says – Robert Sarah warned against a 'demonic' threat to American society and encouraged prayer.”
by Rachel Dicker | Associate Editor, Social Media
U.S. News & World Report
Published: May 18, 2016, at 1:31 p.m.
I shall respectfully and emphatically disagree with Cardinal Robert Sarah.  His cited reasons are private matters, just as an individual’s relationship with God (and her/is choice of religion) is a private matter.  I will continue to argue with the likes of Cardinal Sarah. We must mature for secular society to recognize the equality of every human being, and the fundamental right of every citizen to freedom of choice.  He is not the arbiter of right and wrong, good and bad.  He seeks to shame people into conformance with his beliefs, his notion of worthiness.  My faith in God is far stronger than he believes and it cannot be eroded, eclipsed or liquated by anyone.

            An article that instigated a thread of exchange:
“Can White Kids Grow Up To Be Black? Some Preschoolers Think So”
CBS Detroit
Published: May 19, 2016; 8:32 AM
Contributor comment:
“Very true.  Our nation is rapidly going down the shiter, as the masses turn into those low IQ folks in Idiocracy, or those with higher IQ but no real way of using discernment.”
 . . . to which I replied:
I respectfully and adamantly disagree, my friend.  We have survived far, FAR worse.  We shall overcome.
 . . . the follow-up comment:
“Thank you for the respect and I understand those that are not concerned about our trend-vector, at least from some the perspective of Americans.  I think the resistance many of us have whether this subject email's news item or let's say the one hot in the press now, the transgender bathroom debate, is many of us believe the GOV and liberal if not socialist news media (and Hollywood, and the music industry) are acting as change agents, not for the good of the ones they say they are protecting, but to gain more power and contain our free thought and speech, if not even locus of control.”
 . . . to which I replied:
We are only controlled if we allow them to control us.  I see the issue you illuminate in an entirely different light.  The Press is no different from society at large.  Democracy depends upon diversity of opinion, vigorous public debate, disagreement, arguments and sufficient citizens who seek solutions.  A lame attempt to maintain the status quo ante on some idealized "good old days" is simply resisting change, maturation and attempting to stop the tides.  Whether the Press is intentionally or unintentionally trying to affect change is really irrelevant.  In a viable democracy, we are and should be exposed to a very broad spectrum of opinions.  We filter, digest, absorb and eventually adopt a perspective on any particular issue.  My concern in the transgender issue is the right of every citizen to dignity, respect and equality under the law.  Gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual conduct itself, are private matters and should be beyond the domain of government or other citizens for that matter.  Passing laws about imaginary boogie-men and discriminating against a very small segment of our citizenry is wrong in the worst possible way.  So, I say and suggest . . . we do our job as citizens . . . listen, argue, decide.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.751:
“First of all, congratulations to your daughter.  I wish her the best.
“Now, what caught my eye this week was the following:
“Brownback claimed the success of the Republican front-runner in the primary season is directly attributable to President Obama.  The really sad reality in all this, Republicans appear even more pathetic when they blame everything, including their own primary results, on President Obama – the boogie-man did it.  Really?  What are We, the People, supposed to think of this juvenile nonsense?  The anger that the Republican front-runner managed to tap into is much larger than President Obama and the desperation that has led so many to grasp at the closest life-ring they can see.
“Specifically, Brownback says: ‘The really sad reality in all this, Republicans appear even more pathetic when they blame everything, including their own primary results, on President Obama – the bogeyman did it.  Really?  What are We, the People, supposed to think of this juvenile nonsense?’  How conveniently he forgets eight years ago when the democrats blamed everything on President Bush.  What did We, the People, think then?  Well, I’ll tell you what We, the People thought.  We were schmoozed by a smooth-talking community organizer from Chicago, and you know the rest of the story.  We are now paying for it.  We’re trying to dig ourselves out of a severe decline in National leadership and eight years of societal degradation as a result.”
My response:
            Re: “How conveniently he forgets eight years ago when the democrats blamed everything on President Bush.  I have mentioned this observation many times in my writing.  I did not appreciate the mindless negativism of the opposition during the Bush (43) administration, just as I do not appreciate the exact same mindless negativism of the opposition during the Obama administration.  That said, I do not agree with “a severe decline in National leadership.
            Re: “eight years of societal degradation as a result.  What exactly are you referring to hear?  Yes, our society has its very real and serious problems, but our problems today pale in comparison to what we faced in the 60’s & 70’s as our society was being literally torn apart at the seams.
            I understand and accept that some folks do not appreciate what President Obama has done, yet to portray his performance in totally negative terms does not recognize reality.  He has accomplished a great deal.  He is certainly not stood up to my expectations, but total failure, I cannot find justification for such a conclusion.
 . . . follow-up comment:
“When I try to weigh in on your posts I am generally referring to the here and now as I was with the most recent post regarding the present abysmal administration and the to be abysmal administration, not the 60s and 70s.  You forget that we are not that far apart in age.  I was there during those times.  Mindless negativism or not, aren’t there facts to be taken into account?  When I speak of a severe decline in leadership, I am speaking of over extending authority on using Executive Privilege, enlisting the likes of Al Sharpton as an advisor, facilitating/allowing the IRS to target conservative organizations, facilitating/allowing the EPA to do the same, instigating social outrage by weighing in on situations that he should have stayed out of (Travon Martin), treating the military with disdain, apologizing for America, facilitating the Benghazi cover up, exerting control over the Justice Department so as to prevent them from doing their job, i.e., taking the justice out of Justice Department, and not holding those under his domain, or himself,  responsible for their/his actions, and for making a secret deal with Iran that may not be in the best interest of America or the world, and for promoting/feeding the entitlement base in order to garner votes.  All of this sets the tone for contemporary societal degradation, not degradation in the 60s or 70s.  Aren’t the generally history-ignorant populace looking up to contemporary leadership for direction, not leaders of the past as you or I might, or as some intellectually savvy minds might?  And then I get home from work yesterday to find that our arrogant leader hijacked the commencement exercise at Rutgers to further his own and his party’s agenda.  On a positive note, Obama securely took the mantle of worst president of all time away from Jimmy Carter.  Okay, my rant is over.  My fear in trying to provide you adequate rebuttal is coming off like Alan Combs or Juan Williams or Valerie Jarrett or Jehmu Greene who hem and haw and deflect, and evasively seldom provide any answers of substance when asked simple questions.  I wish I had the time to debate you on your level, and for not being able to do so, I apologize.
 . . . my follow-up response:
            My reference to the past is for point of comparison, nothing more.
            The long and short of this . . . you are entitled to express your opinion, as am I, and I will always listen.  So, we shall respectfully disagree.
            Re: executive orders.  I find it rather baffling that critics of President Obama seem to believe President Obama’s use of executive orders is somehow excessive compared to other presidents.  I think the evidence will show every president from Franklin Roosevelt and subsequent used executive orders in ways that can easily be argued as excessive.  I am not aware of any executive order issued by President Obama that is out of the ordinary when compared to his predecessors.
            Re: Al Sharpton.  Come now, every president should listen to a full range of voices.  I am not a fan of Sharpton for a host of reasons, but in some circumstances, I would like to hear his opinion.  Surely, we are not suggesting the president should only listen to people we approve of in society?
            Re: IRS.  I have written before, every administration has abused the IRS, including Bush (43) and Reagan.
            Re: EPA.  Now, there is a worthy topic.  Some of the EPA’s most recent decisions exceeded their authority, appear to be driven by a political agenda, and those decisions have been more impactful on society.  Just like the IRS, the EPA is NOT a political instrument.  Again, the Obama administration is not the first to use federal agencies for political purposes; this observation does not excuse such conduct; violators should be prosecuted, but they have not been in this administration or previous administrations.
            Re: social outrage.  This is an arguable point.  Again, I look to history.  President Truman took on racial discrimination as a virtual singular voice back in his day; he unilaterally banned racial discrimination in federal employment and military service by issuing Executive Orders 9980 & 9981 [26.7.1948].  Some members of Congress wanted to impeach him for that action alone, and Truman alone had many others.
            I should continue my observations of your points, but this should suffice.  So much of our assessment of any individual’s performance, opinions, or positions depends upon perspective, e.g., the glass half full metaphor.
            You are doing quite well with your rebuttals.  I believe I clearly appreciate your opinions regarding President Obama.  We simply do not agree.  I am not an unseeing, unthinking supporter of President Obama; I only seek a balanced assessment.  I simply believe President Obama’s performance is as negative as your portray.
 . . . Round three:
“Ah, there is finally a glimmer of hope in my Sisyphean rebuttals.  We agree that neither of us is a fan of Al Sharpton.  However, unlike you, it would please me to no end to never hear another peep from him.”
 . . . my response to round three:
           Wow!  Oh my, I had to resort to the big boy’s dictionary for that one – “Sisyphean” – wow! 
            I choose to hear all voices . . . well, within reason.  I read Mein Kampf, because I wanted to know how or why he thought the way he did and acted out the way he did, not because I had some yearning to be a National Socialist.  Voices we don’t like are important, perhaps more important than voices we like – peaks need the valleys to be peaks.
            There is always hope.

Another contribution:
Subject:  Re: Update no.752
From:  "Darren"
Date:  Mon, May 16, 2016 3:26 pm
To:  "cap@parlier.com"
“Thank you.   I've done many same-sex weddings in the limousines, mostly females.  Never had any issues and they always handle themselves well, respect the cabin and myself, and usually tip well.  I've actually made friends with one of the couples, the more husband kinda role one, she served in military and I've actually driven her son's graduation from HS celebration.  It's been a word-of-mouth thing where in their community they tell others about our company and my service, and specifically request me.  I treat 'em all like I treat anyone else--well and with respect (I hope).  I may not like what Target is doing, or Obama, on this transgender restroom/locker room issue, but I do try not to judge those in the LGBT community, as I am not above them or any better.  If there is judgment, I let God do that or the laws of karma.  There are many-many worse things than those who are wanting to marry as same-sex couples.  Just wanted to state my position on that matter sir.”
My reply:
            Thank you for your generous words and observations.
            I did not convey the joyous news in our family to seek approval, or to impose my beliefs on anyone else.  As always, my words are only my opinion, my perspective, nothing more.  I am proud of our daughter and our daughter-in-law.  They are good people, good citizens, who simply are working on their pursuit of Happiness, as each of us has an inalienable right to do in life.  Let’s allow them that without condemnation.
            No one is asking for acceptance, only respect . . . for their choices (for anyone’s choices), as all of us would expect for our choices.
            Denying transgender citizens the restroom of their choice is judging them and not showing them respect for their personal identity.  Who are we to judge?  Target is trying to respect the rights of all citizens, including transgender citizens.  Let us deal with criminal conduct when it occurs, not our perception to other folk’s private lives.

A different contribution:
“First of all, hurray for committed loving relationships!  Thank you for sharing your joy, something with which I have had experience because of similar unions of folks I love.  Too bad that our government from the earliest colonial days made marriage a legal issue rather than leaving it up to non-governmental religious or other rule makers.  All my adult life I have believed, and occasionally been criticized for it, that it was unconstitutional for government to favor or disfavor marriage in any way whatsoever, all the while hypocritically taking advantage of any tax breaks my marital state afforded.  Our country's mistake of having made laws defining, controlling, favoring, disfavoring, forbidding, rewarding (etc.) has cost us dearly, when the answer has always been to leave marriage to be defined, favored, disfavored, etc, (see above) by non-governmental forces.  Now we are obliged to take sides as some folks who disagree cite legalities to bolster their views and others cite religious freedom.  That being said, I am saddened by the widespread nationwide condemnation of and use of inflammatory exaggerations to predict ill effects of Mississippi's statute to protect citizens with sincerely held religious beliefs from governmental prosecution.  Unlike most commentators, I have read the law and know the motivations of those who have championed its plain purpose.  Of course, no amount of defense will diminish the din of outrage flooding the media.  Again, too bad as a nation we made the mistake long ago of setting ourselves up for this tragic war among citizens, most of whom really are willing to live and let live so long as their beliefs are not run over roughshod in a shouting match.
“Second, IMHO you gave your blogger friend responding to 751 way, way far, far too much space.  His or her views, some of which are at least interesting and tempted me to comment, were well acknowledged and appropriately countered by your own.  No need for more than one round with that blogger...  Whew!”
My response:
            Thank you for your kind words.
            Re: marriage.  Interesting observations.  I would have no problem with anything you suggest as long as everyone’s freedom of choice is respected and treated equally under the law.  Discrimination in the matter of public policy and conduct for any reason that does not respect every citizen’s inalienable right to “Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness” is simply not acceptable in a free society and especially within the example this Grand Republic represents.
            Sincerely held religious beliefs” do NOT enable, allow or rationalize discrimination in public conduct, period.  I truly respect the religious beliefs of each and every citizen, as long as those citizens respect my rights and the rights of other citizens.  Who an individual chooses to associate with, accept, condone, whatever in private matters is the right of every individual, but there is a huge difference between the private and public domains.  The issue here is public conduct.  Restroom access is a public matter.  The operation of a business is a public matter.  Respect under the law is a public matter.
            Difference of opinion and a vigorous public debate are essential to any democracy.  We must disagree and challenge ideas.  It has always been my purpose to give voice to dissent, to contrarian views, and to other perspectives.  I will continue to make every effort to give as much space as I am able to further public debate.

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap                        :-)

16 May 2016

Update no.752

Update from the Heartland
No.752
9.5.16 – 15.5.16
To all,

            Jeanne and I are proud to announce and acknowledge the wedding of our oldest child and only daughter Jacy Lynn to her partner of almost 13 years Tracy Lynn Elpers.  They committed to each other 10 years ago in Hawaii, where civil union (but not marriage) was legal.  Rather than petition Hawaii to upgrade their civil union after the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges [576 U.S. ___ (2015)] ruling [706, 710], they decided to marry before their families and friends in Kansas.
The Wedding Party
[File: Jacy wedding B 160514.jpg]
I must give a shout out to our friends Karen & Mike Young, who provided the venue for the ceremony, and to Mike, who officiated expertly at the wedding.  Thank you, Mike and Karen.  Jacy & Tracy have always been so great together.  We have never seen our daughter happier.  We are happy, thankful and grateful they can finally enjoy the benefits of marriage.
The Brides – Jacy & Tracy
[File: Jacy & Tracy wedding 160514_2.jpg]
Congratulations Jacy & Tracy.  Take good care of each other.  May God bless you both and enrich your lives together.  We are proud of you both.

            The follow-up news items:
-- The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence navigated to within 12 nautical miles of a land feature in the South China Sea known as Fiery Cross Reef [624, 696, 702/3].  The PRC scrambled fighters to challenge the passage of the Lawrence.  I hope and expect the captain of the Lawrence had the ship at general quarters with at least two birds (missiles) spun up and the guns manned and tracking.  No shots were fired by either side, thankfully, but we continue to inch closer to that day.  In addition to the South China Sea hegemonic expansion, the PRC is also attempting expansion in the East China Sea at the Senkaku Islands [567, 574, 580, 582, 624, 673].
-- Special Agent in Charge Robert Elder, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, of the Houston Division, publicly announced that the agency had determined the explosion at the West Fertilizer Company, West, Texas [592, 17.4.2013] was caused by a fire intentionally set by someone or group of someones.  The explosion registered 2.2 on the Richter scale and was estimated to be a 25-35T ammonium nitrate explosion that killed 15 people and injured more than 250, and it was a criminal act.  The agencies of the USG are searching for those responsible for setting the fire that caused the blast.  Special Agent Elder offered no indication whether the event had a terrorism connection.
-- The Wall Street Journal reported that interviews as part of the continuing investigation and a Belgian parliamentary inquiry into the Brussels terrorist attack on March 22nd [745] could have been much worse if not for ample luck, solid police work, and disarray inside the terror cell caused by the lack of an on-the-ground leader.  As we say in the aviation business, better lucky than good.

            What is it about this damn restroom issue?  The state of North Carolina and the United States Government (USG) filed counter suits in federal court over, which restroom transgender people are allowed to use.  In the USG’s petition, they claimed the North Carolina law restricting restroom usage to the gender on a person’s birth certificate is illegal under the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [PL 88-352; 78 Stat. 241].  Like so many other similar morality laws, state governments seek to discriminate against an entire class of citizens based on the distant, mythical threat conjured up in their distorted imaginations.  Instead of enforcing existing laws against injurious, criminal conduct, they seek to disenfranchise that segment of our population.  In that sense, the Republican front-runner was correct, leave the laws status quo ante, i.e., existing laws are sufficient to prosecute criminal conduct.

            I offer a snapshot of the situation in Kansas.
“Brownback remains least popular governor in the nation”
by Bryan Lowry
Wichita Eagle
Published: MAY 12, 2016; 3:31 PM
This little news flash is not a revelation to those of us living in Kansas.  Brownback narrowly survived re-election.  I doubt he will survive the next election, if he is not impeached and removed from office in the interim.  I think the poll data is precisely correct.  And yet, how did he get elected, you ask?  Well, the believers who swallowed the Kool-Aid vote; other citizens do not.  That is how he got elected.  Then, as if we really care what he has to say, we hear this:
“GOP voters’ anger with Obama helped lift Trump”
by Bryan Lowry
Wichita Eagle
Published: MAY 11, 2016; 1:22 PM
Brownback claimed the success of the Republican front-runner in the primary season is directly attributable to President Obama.  The really sad reality in all this, Republicans appear even more pathetic when they blame everything, including their own primary results, on President Obama – the bogeyman did it.  Really?  What are We, the People, supposed to think of this juvenile nonsense?  The anger that the Republican front-runner managed to tap into is much larger than President Obama and the desperation that has led so many to grasp at the closest life-ring they can see.

            In another local newspaper phenomenon, the Wichita Eagle Sunday edition published a full-page advertisement titled: “What does the Bible really say about abortion?” [p.5B, 15.5.2016].  The subtitle: “There is no Biblical justification for the assault on women’s reproductive rights.”  A group called the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) purchased the advertisement.  The ad quotes a dozen Old Testament verses as rationale.  The ad’s last line, “It’s vital for women’s freedom to ensure that our civil rights are not subject to someone else’s religion.”  I thought it was an interesting argument, which is why I decided to illuminate the advertisement.  I happen to agree with the concluding line.  Abortion is a morality question unique to each woman.  As I have long argued, morality is the business of religion and a private matter to each individual.  The exception with abortion and as the anti- crowd argues, who speaks for the single cell, zygote – the sperm fertilized ovum?  If the anti- crowd cared even a fraction as much about living, breathing children as much as they want us to believe they care about the zygote, I might actually give more credence to their argument.  They do not; thus, I do not.  The ‘quickening’ threshold utilized by the Judiciary remains the most rationale criterion.  Until the Doctrine of Coverture was finally expunged from our body of laws [1981], a wife was considered the property of her husband or father.  While there are a significant segment of our population who advocate for our return to the good old days, I am proud that we have matured beyond the antiquated thinking of the past.  Making abortion a crime – a morality crime at that – is simply a bludgeon to deal with a specific issue; and, like all the other morality laws, e.g., gambling, substance consumption, prostitution, et al, using the common law in matters of morality not involving injury to person or property is just not the correct way to deal with morality questions.  I was intrigued by their approach, but I will not be contributing to FFRF . . . interesting argument, though.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.751:
Comment to the Blog:
“I’m glad you enjoyed Arizona. I’ve never been anywhere more beautiful.
“I had an experience near the New Mexico-Arizona border that somewhat parallels yours. I succeeded in driving (on Interstate 10) through a dust storm only to see it change to a rain of mud. I found my windshield suddenly an interesting shade of yellow brown, completely opaque. Fortunately for me, I was able to stop, and the ordinary kind of rain followed closely. The shower cleared the windshield, leaving me with only a unique memory. It’s good that you were able to come through your experience unscathed.
“I have driven on that stretch of US 60 through Mesa. I hope and expect never to do that again. The two or three times I did it, traffic filled every lane, bumper-to-bumper, shoulder-to-shoulder, merciless and fast.
“While the Republican ‘presumptive nominee’ continues his course, I suspect he will be the end, rather than the beginning, of the Tea Party. Seeing the Donald through a traditional political lens reveals very little. While I still doubt his aims, either at the beginning or now, I think I’ve divined his method. Trump, as you may know, has not succeeded in business to nearly the degree he claims. However, he has a talent for marketing that should be obvious. (For example, when I heard that ‘Donald Trump is running for President,’ I knew instantly who that meant, and I expose myself to popular culture quite a bit less than most people. That’s marketing.) Whatever goal he seeks, we’re seeing a very successful marketing campaign. Having eliminated the competition for the nomination, he has begun the next phase. His marketing is turning to the general electorate as he tries to take over some of Bernie Sanders’ ideas. My evidence for this is hearing him say on CBS Morning News this morning (5-9-2016) that the wealthy will inevitably pay higher taxes. That will bring nausea to the Tea Party, but he got what he needed from them and he’s done with them. Keep in mind that none of this has anything to do with his actual plans.
“As with any other marketer, Trump is not interested in the surface appearance of his actions but in their deeper psychological results. Think of all the annoying or silly advertising you have seen. Those ads continue because they sell products, not because people like seeing the commercials. The Donald is not nearly as dumb as he seems.
“Your discussion of a ‘thousand year plan’ or some such by people in the Islamic world to take over Europe appalls me. That notion is unworthy of you. The best-laid plans of conspirators ancient and modern have fallen apart due to the same field of knowledge that sells Donald Trump: psychology. If a plan with the caliber of conspirators involved in the Watergate mess cannot keep its secrets for Nixon’s entire term, what makes you think a disunited collection of religious fanatics can seek such a goal for centuries? To address your commenter’s description of that cartoon, there’s a simpler reason displaced Syrians go to Europe rather than other Arab nations. The entire Middle East is under siege by the U.S. and our agents, especially from a Syrian viewpoint. Beyond that, most of the Middle Eastern countries treat outsiders like dogs, and the differences between the various shades and grades of Sunni and Shiite Muslim have caused strife right from the beginning of Islam. The Crusades would be a better example of attempted religious conquest, and we know what happened to that idea.
“President Obama seems to have found a backbone for the last two years of his term, at least to some degree. If I thought Hillary Clinton would perform that well, I would probably vote for her.”
My response to the Blog:
            Arizona is a magnificent state.  All states have beautiful spots, even Ohio, West Virginia and New Jersey.
            I’ve had a similar mud rain event, but not as bad as yours.  Our bug event was even more strange in that it was instant, not a progressive sequence – instant opaque.  Anyway, we all survived.
            Our US60 experience was not as bad as yours.  I was just amazed at the expanse, and that even with heavy traffic it was still moving fast, which is much better than the stop & go crawl of LA and other major cities.
            Re: GOP front-runner.  Interesting perspective, I must say.  My Tea Party remark was rather loose and a disservice to serious Tea Party citizens.  I am still struggling with how desperate some of our citizens must be to latch onto any old piece of flotsam or jetsam floating about on the water.  He is a façade without depth, and yes, apparently a master marketer.  Marketers are an essential part of the commercial process, and perhaps a marketer is precisely what we need at this point in time.  I am just not convinced this particular marketer, with all his myriad character flaws, is an acceptable candidate, set aside best, to be commander-in-chief of this Grand Republic.
            Re: the plan.  I do not recall using the word ‘plan,’ in that the word implies some organized, concerted effort toward an established objective.  Yet, facts are facts.  Eventually, facts accumulate into an image.  What does the picture suggest?  To me, more than an odd few, radical clerics spread over more than a millennium have instigated their believers to dominate, subjugate and oppress everyone they could (believers and non-believers) by force of arms, by intimidation, by fear, by terrorism.  No, I do not believe there is some national plan other than parochialism to an extreme that is incapable of tolerance.  It took Christianity 1500 years to begin the process of finding tolerance, and I will argue Christians are still trying to embrace tolerance.  None of this alters what we experience today.
            Re: “The entire Middle East is under siege by the U.S. and our agents.  My oh my, this appears to be a chicken or an egg philosophical argument, i.e., is the U.S. in the Middle East to dominate the region militarily, or even economically, or is the U.S., there because more than a few inhabitants of the region kill and threaten to kill American citizens?  The Crusades are often used as a bad example, yet they are another chicken & egg argument.  You accurately reference the strife between Islamic factions, which has been a fact of life at least since the assassination of Imam Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib [661 AD]; that strife is not likely to abate anytime soon.  Yet, I doubt the U.S. would be engaged in the region if ‘that strife’ was confined to the region and those believers, like a civil war.  But, that violence has NOT been confined to the region for 60 years (or more, depending upon how we wish to define thresholds).
            Re: Obama.  Also, an interesting perspective.  I have been disappointed by his lack of apparent engagement with Congress to do the nation’s business.  President Franklin Roosevelt was perhaps the best at engaging Congress, and more importantly, We, the People, to move the nation.  To be candid, I had high expectations for Obama’s rhetorical skills to move the nation like Churchill and Roosevelt.  He has not attained that threshold of my expectations.  Oh well, life is like that.
            We still have quite a way to go before the election.  A lot can happen in that amount of time.
. . . Round two:
“By this time, the phrase ‘serious Tea Party citizens’ is an oxymoron. People who won't listen to science, history, or reason ought not to be taken seriously.
“Certainly marketing is an appropriate skill for a politician, but it needs to be accompanied by many other skills and ethical values as well. I see Trump as a marketer with no ability to govern, conduct diplomacy, or negotiate sanely with Congress. His ethics better fit a marketer than a responsible leader.
“I currently live 106 miles from the Cleveland Convention Center, site of the Republican convention. I find myself torn between wanting to be closer to the action to watch the splendid circus the GOP will put on and a more practical need to be further from the stench and potential violence.
“That tendency to dominate everyone else is built into all the Abrahamic religions. Certainly the Christians have done it more successfully than anyone else, with all of Europe, the Americas, and Australia under their belt as well as various other territories. I do not see the Christians trying to embrace tolerance, at least not a majority of them. (I have an outside view of Christianity that is colored by mostly negative personal experience.) I think they have merely run out of places to conquer that are not ably defended.
“I was not discussing the Middle East from a philosophical view at all. I don't waste time discussing philosophy publicly unless it relates to functioning. I was merely trying to explain to a hostile audience how the Syrians would view their region. From where they stand, nowhere nearby is safe from drones, bombs, or armies. Those come from or are trained by the U.S. government, in some instances on both sides of a conflict. They cannot put energy into deciding who to blame.
“Your claim of Muslims committing violence outside the Middle East for 60 years needs much more support before I'll consider it, as does your claim of any attempt by them to ‘dominate, subjugate, and oppress everyone else’ more than other religious groups. In a related matter, I'm seriously tired of people basing further violence on 9-11. Those 3,000 people literally have been avenged a hundred fold and the perpetrators are long dead. In the course of our vengeance, we have created many enemies for ourselves. Claiming fear of a military attack is a red herring. We need out of this mess.
“Your faith in oratory as a way to move Congress is touching but misplaced. Oratory moves the public sometimes, but politics works more behind the scenes or in historical ‘writing on the wall’ terms. Beyond that, too many currently in Congress never listen with respect to a black man, any more than they pay attention to the women in their midst. The Congress does not give President Obama the choice of working with them.
“A lot can indeed happen before the election, even before the conventions. I saw a passing item on the Internet somewhere today about missing emails from the person responsible for setting up Senator Clinton's private email server. Sanders won yet another primary today, as did Trump. I'm sure there will be more items by the late news tonight. As David Niven used to say, the possibilities are endless.”
 . . . my response to round two:
            Re: serious Tea Party citizens.  I shall beg to differ, my friend.  I believe there are indeed some very serious, Tea Party citizens.  Not all Tea Party believers / identifiers are the same.
            Re: GOP front-runner.  Good observations; I happen to agree . . . a very shallow man, it seems to me.  Unfortunately, I have no urge whatsoever to be in Cleveland in July . . . niente.
            Re: religious tolerance.  I agree with your initial observation, but there is a world of difference between Christianity today and 600 years ago; and, I do not agree Christians retain a crusader drive to imposed their religious beliefs on others . . . well, now wait a minute . . . then, there are the likes of Ted Cruz, Sam Brownback, et al, who are attempting to do just that.  Perhaps, I am wrong here, I must admit, but I don’t think so.
            Re: Syria.  Whoa, whoa whoa!  We are missing a whole lot of history from your contention.  There are a bunch of steps missing from your statement of U.S. engagement in Syria.  That said, President Bush and his administration (specifically SecDef Rummie) have culpability, since their failure to secure Iraq after deposing Hussein led to ISIL.
            Re: Muslims committing violence.  Well, please allow me to cite just a few examples:
23.7.1968            El Al Flight 426 (B-707) hijacked by 3 members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
21.12.1975          just before 12:00 [A] EST, a six-member terror squad stormed the conference of the oil-exporting countries (OPEC) in Vienna.  During a gunfight, an Austrian detective, an Iraqi security officer and the Libyan delegate Jusuf al-Azmarly were killed.  Terrorist team included: Ilich Ramirez Sanchez AKA “Carlos the Jackal,” Hans-Joachim Klein, and Gabriele Kröcher-Tiedemann. The terrorists took about 70 hostages.
23.9.1983            Gulf Air Flight 771 destroyed in flight over UAE by a onboard bomb planted by the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO), killing 112 [245+]
12.4.1985            car exploded at Madrid restaurant frequented by U.S. servicemen near U.S. airbase, killing 18 Spaniards and wounding 82 people, including 14 Americans.
26.2.1993            World Trade Center bombing in NYC; a bomb exploded in the garage of New York's World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others.
28.11.2002            Suicide car bomb in Kenya blew up a resort hotel [15 killed] + 2 ManPAD SAMs fired at Israeli airliner, Arkia flight 582, [but missed, one may have hit but not detonated]; al-Qa’ida again
2.3.2011            -- 15:20 [A] CET, jihadist assassin attacked USAF bus at Frankfurt airport, Germany, killing 2 airmen, injuring two others; a Kosovo national Arif Uka, 21, captured & taken into custody by German police [U-481]
I can offer a myriad of other event examples, but this list should suffice.  The War on Islamic Fascism goes back a long way prior to 9-11.  We could unilaterally withdraw from the entire world and that would not stop the violence, not make us safer; it was would only invite more serious attacks in this country.  In my examples above, I specifically excluded attacks on Americans or Europeans inside Muslim dominated countries, as they can be interpreted as “defending the homeland.”
            Re: faith in oratory.  Misplaced, perhaps, but I don’t think so.  As a student of history, there are too many examples in history.  The polarities and calcification of politics in the last few decades has nothing to do with President Obama.  The exact same thing occurred in reverse when President Bush (43) was in office.  The political problems within this Grand Republic are far deeper than President Obama, Hillary Clinton or the GOP front-runner.
            Re: happening.  We are not past the strangeness and oddities.  Hang on for the bell.
. . . Round three:
“I am tired, and for now I will only dispute your claim about Christians. That issue looks very different from the outside. Whether or not they meant well, dozens of Christians have disputed my right to be non-Christian and/or my statement that I have long been content either with no religion or with a very different religion. Plenty of those were not the poisonous likes of Ted Cruz, but mainstream people who nonetheless insisted that some version of Christianity was necessary to happiness, functioning, or whatever they thought would be persuasive. I have no interest in whether they sincerely feel that way, but only in their insistence that I change my beliefs.”
 . . . my response to round three:
            I shall not contest your observation.  There are more than a few Christians, who vehemently proclaim their evangelical Christianity, and yet ignore the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.  Yes, you are quite right, far too many so-called Christians feel compelled by their beliefs (perhaps a better word is obsessed) to impose their beliefs on everyone around them.  They are not content to live their lives per their beliefs; they insist everyone else must live by their rules as well.  Apparently, their beliefs are so fragile and delicate that dissent or opposition cannot be tolerated.  Yet, those Christians so threatened by differences are not all Christians.  Like Anthony Comstock, a vocal, determined minority has been able to impose their will on all citizens through intimidation, shame and persistence; the same is true today.

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap                        :-)