Do click: Brief bit of beautiful appreciation
from one (still) sovereign nation to another:
Ukraine’s “Motherland” monument in Kyiv is bathed in the colors of the U.S. flag in honor of U.S. Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/O0RRfMYYPJ
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) July 5, 2023
- Infidel753 preaches against the loud, very loud, trivialization of what should be a solemn celebration of American Independence.
Key verdict:
An adult approach to national history and observances is surely not too much to ask.
Followed by a series of hilariously reckless fireworks fails.
As in The damn fools had it coming!
Confession: I’m ashamed at my out loud laughs at what could be serious injuries.
However, they really did have it coming!
- In Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson looks at the Declaration of Independence as a radical document, limited by a constricted definition of “all men”, but expanded with time and the evolution of social morality.
In the Civil War, the ideals in the Declaration were threatened by an illegal rebellion in denial of founding principles.
Those ideals are similarly threatened today.
- North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz devoted Independence Day to mourning for the America we could have had. Should have by now.
Key observation about the political right:
They can say they love this nation, while betraying almost everything central to its beauty: diversity, plurality, equality—and the indoctrinated cult will lap it up because they need the story to be true.
- Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson compares the state of our ideals with Independence celebrations in the past, focusing on America’s 1976 bicentennial, and concludes we have triumphed over far worse times than we face today.
- Our US Senator from here in Missouri, Josh Hawley, quoted Patrick Henry in support of a Christian nation. Turns out the quote was a fraud. My own reaction:
This could easily have been adequately researched,
even by those of us who actually live and work in Missouri.Over in Washington, you do have a Senate staff, right?
— Burr Deming – @BurrLand01@mastodon.world (@BurrLand01) July 6, 2023
tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors goes a little deeper and discovers that the actual source that inspired Senator Hawley was YIKES! Worse than I thought!
- Dave Columbo confronts his Republican doppelganger on Biden and Trump:
- Hackwhackers looks at Bidenomics for June, comparing the economic performance that was predicted by experts with what actually happened, and proves that one picture is worth almost half a million jobs.
- News Corpse reports President Biden’s reaction to Hunter Biden’s drug addicted behavior, and the Fox/Republican reaction to Joe Biden’s reaction:
Both attack the President for a lack of family values.
Key attack (From Congressman James Comer):
And his own son pled guilty to two tax evasion charges and one [count of] illegal possession of firearms. This is a terrible example of leadership in the White House.
Key description (from Fox anchor Rachel Campos-Duffy):
…the biggest political scandal in modern history, as far as I’m concerned.
Key actual value (noted by News Corpse):
…Comer’s implication of nefarious intent regarding strengthening gun regulations, even though Hunter was found to have violated them, proves that Biden is committed to equal justice under the law, even if it means holding his son to account.
Key additional point (mine):
Investigative reports have only uncovered a father’s continuous unconditional love, combined with a calm insistence on each step of recovery and acceptance of responsibility. When dealing with addiction, this strikes me as a parental model to be admired.
- It was a dark, quiet night. Most people were asleep. The next day was July Fourth, so many had the day off from work. Alas, one man was not asleep.
So begins the Palmer Report, speculating on why, as dawn on Independence Day approaches, a former president lies awake in the dark, obsessed with social media.
- Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger has the survey on who voters find personally likable.
For Joe Biden, the numbers are mixed. Some groups like him, some groups not so much. Overall, it’s negative but only marginally so.
For Donald Trump, everyone seems to agree. They love to hate him. It isn’t close.
- In MadMikesAmerica, Michael John Scott goes sci-fi and predicts what happens when Donald Trump meets space aliens.
- Moms for Liberty has generated comment lately. One from me concerning Hitler adoration:
That's a tough case to make, Tiffany.
You have a point in that anyone can unintentionally use the same words as someone who was pure evil.But they included the name Adolph Hitler.
Right on their webpage.
In front of God and everybody.It was explicit.
It was deliberate.— Burr Deming – @BurrLand01@mastodon.world (@BurrLand01) June 26, 2023
Then there turns out to be another Hitler quote.
It can’t get worse.
Then it does.
Vixen Strangely at Strangely Blogged couldn’t help but notice that a “Moms” speaker, incensed at a false story, called for the public execution of President Biden.
- As Tommy Christopher recounts, Donald Trump helpfully re‑posts Barrack Obama’s home address which is dutifully picked up by a potential assassin.
- Disaffected and it Feels So Good carries advice for July 4 and every other day: Don’t be like Moms 4 Hitler.
- CalicoJack in The Psy of Life relies on two studies of eight propaganda techniques used by Hitler in Nazi Germany and how conservatives apply them to recent Supreme Court rulings.
- The Supreme Court is divided between 6 conservatives and 3 liberals. Right?
Well, right?
Green Eagle says no. The real divide is not ideological.
- PZ Myers reads through the SCOTUS decision in race-based college admissions. Can’t do race-based admissions. right?
One problem is a loophole the Supreme Court forgot about, one that discriminates against Black applicants.
Professor Myers personalizes a known pattern with a real life experience: a high performance Black student is continuously denied admission while complacent, mediocre White kids coast on by.
- Scotties Playtime gathers reactions to the decision allowing Christian business discrimination against gays.
Key understandable rage quoted against Christianity:
It’s a foul pestilence that should be righteously and vociferously mocked and shunned as the anti science, anti logic and reasoning millstone dragging society down to stupidity that it is.
- Cato Institute’s Julian Sanchez doesn’t much care for a Democratic governor interpreting meaning beyond all meaning:
I mean, it’s funny but… surely nobody thinks this is a legitimate way for law to get made. https://t.co/Qy5FFvGujc
— Julian Sanchez (@normative) July 5, 2023
Blatant, that is true.
Almost as in-your-face blatant by the Supreme court:As I understand it, that was not the basis of the court's decision.
It was that when Congress allowed for the waiver or modify those loans it didn't mean what than we might think:
"waiver" does not really mean "removing an obligation"
and
"modify" does not really mean "change"— Burr Deming – @BurrLand01@mastodon.world (@BurrLand01) July 5, 2023
- At The Moderate Voice retired U.S. Air Force Major Dorian de Wind goes to Netherland history to provide the tragic background to an unusual proclamation by a sitting monarch apologizing for slavery.
Key delay (1863):
…it was one of the last countries to abolish slavery in its colonies
Key additional decade in the Netherlands (1873):
…a 10-year transition stipulation designed to mitigate the “loss caused by this measure” to the plantation owners.
Key 150 year delay (2023)
It would be another 150 years from this latter date, 1873, that the Dutch government — at the highest level — would formally apologize for this dark, painful chapter in Dutch history.
Personal reminder of our common textbook history:
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution formally abolished slavery (1865)
- During my long ago youth and ever since, textbooks, films, and literature have glorified Robert E. Lee.
Our favorite Earth-Bound Misfit seems skeptical of all the worshipful regard.
- Frances Langum brings us the bizarre DeSantis ad slamming Trump for insufficient hatred against gay people, along with an exceptionally calm response from Pete Buttigieg.
- The Propaganda Professor examines a common rhetorical technique. Projection and accusation are not the only methods of seizing the offensive. Sometimes the technique can, instead, advance the truth.
- driftglass doesn’t quite buy into idealizing low information voters who can’t focus on politics because they are too busy living real life. He offers a less flattering explanation.
- The Onion brings welcomed news of heat-wave relief for Texas as Governor Abbott institutes reinforcement for the state electrical grid composed of a backup prayer system.
- This probably applies to most of us who are Christians.
In The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser, atheist Bruce makes the case that most Evangelicals did not choose to become Christians.
- Mark Waulberg (No, not Mark Wahlberg, the other Mark) brings us the late great Dudley Moore with a seldom heard theological explanation for evil in the world.
- Nan’s Notebook suggests that the error of religion lies in providing answers and certainty to what should be an individual inward search.
I have to agree.
- YellowDog Granny has graphic, cynical wit on family, humanity, and the universe.
- M. Bouffant at Web of Evil answers the question that has to have occurred to nearly everyone. If you want to be a social influencer, what could go wrong with falsely accusing Hispanics of child kidnapping?
- SilverAppleQueen has advice for the new graduate on wise goals, what success might require, and what the reward could be.
- Author John Scalzi reacts in photography to getting nominated as a finalist for the most prestigious award in Science Fiction.
- @whiskeywhistle98 listens in as Kelly Manno explains how OKAY, how very okay, is Generation X:
- Meanwhile, in Georgia minor leagues, The Savanna Bananas show how to pitch to a left handed batter:
- Clickbait satirist Reductress invites a click to a horror story, from an individual who puts on a mood ring.
– Podcasts – From a while back: Have they stood the test of time?
When somebody decides to launch a rocket from his own ass, then yes, I’m afraid he does have it coming.
That seems to me like a well-reasoned judgment.
A few Darwin Award nominees.