Update no.1177

 Update from the Sunland

No.1177

29.7.24 – 4.8.24

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

With the effort to satisfy my publisher’s instructions for my 24^th book and the seductive attraction of Olympic sports, no topics breached the capacity threshold of my works this week. And so it goes.

On the positive side, I got to watch sports I do not usually get to observe—archery, field hockey, water polo, cycling, volleyball, and such. Watching the best in the world perform is fascinating to me.

 

I will repeat myself. The societal issue before us is not about abortion or any other reproductive activity. It is absolutely about every citizen’s fundamental right to privacy regardless of any single or combination of the social factors. As Associate Justice Thomas loves to point out to all of us at every opportunity he can find, the word or even concept of privacy is not mentioned anywhere in the Bill of Rights or the Constitution in toto. If we look beyond the socio-political right’s moral projectionist focus on abortion, the choice is simple and easy. I stand for freedom and for privacy to exercise that freedom.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1176:

Comment to the Blog:

“Certainly, someone at the Secret Service failed in their responsibilities at the assassination attempt on Little Fingers. Two outstanding flaws are that (1) they allowed him to go onstage knowing a shooter was about to act and (2) they let him raise his head and arm for several seconds after already being hit (if that’s authentic).

“Many of us feel the moral indignation you expressed at the attempt to take over our nation. The feelings by themselves have no effect. Call for specific actions.”

My response to the Blog:

I will argue that the blameworthy for the assassination attempt on Little Fingers goes much farther than singular. For example, that USSS sniper team on the building roof behind the stage knew better, or should have known better, that the perimeter had been drawn too close, and that that rooftop was an unacceptable vulnerability. You listed a couple of flaws. There are many more. The paucity of some common communications network seems the most prominent. The principal detail should have been informed of a suspicious person and held the principal in a secure location until that suspicion had been cleared or removed. Open air pollical campaign sites are particularly difficult to secure, but a bunch of USSS professionals failed in their primary task.

Quite so, and our primary tool is our vote.

 . . . Round two:

“The planning failures you mentioned appear accurate, and communication seems to have failed too. I’ve seen reports that the Secret Service knew the shooter was there but didn’t stop Little Fingers from going onstage. It’s too soon for that to be verified. Also, I’m not aware of any available medical reports on the ear wound, if any. Little Fingers will be interviewed by the FBI, which ought to be interesting given his habit of lying about everything all the time.”

 . . . my response to round two:

The acting director of the USSS testified yesterday before a couple of congressional committees and adamantly rejected supposition that the protection detail knew about the shooter. The communications between local law enforcement and the USSS was poor to non-existent, a recipe for disaster. And, disaster struck. I cannot believe the protection detail would have allowed him on stage if they had known a unlocalized suspicious person was in the area; but hey, I could be wrong.

First, whether he was grazed in the right ear is irrelevant. Eight shots were fired at or in the vicinity of the former president. That fact alone makes it a viable assassination attempt. Second, where did the blood come from? Please do not tell me Hollywood magic. Third, the USSS protection detail believed their principal was in danger and took appropriate action.

We shall see how the various investigations turn out.

 . . . Round three:

“The obvious thing about the assassination attempt is that the Secret Service failed badly. Real public knowledge of the details won’t come unless there’s something like a Warren Commission investigation. The failure of the attempt makes that unlikely.

“As far as the blood on his ear, you won’t learn if you already know.”

 . . . my response to round three:

I am not quite so cynical about the investigative process, but you may well be correct. We shall see. That event was a failure to protect the principal no matter how we look at it. No matter how vile that man is, he deserved better protection.

The point is, I do not know. I just question. I continue to look for evidence as I do in most incidents I study. I want to know exactly what happened and why.

 

Another contribution:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2024/08/01/donald-trump-racist-comment-kamala-harris-black/

“He’s at it again-this person is unfit for political employment.”

My reply:

Indeed! That is just one of many. He simply cannot help himself. It is often what happens when malignant narcissism combines with a paucity of any moral values.

We shall ensure. I can only hope he will be embarrassingly defeated in November. We shall see.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)