Tag: Civil Rights

The Long Con

I make no secret of my extreme dislike (some may call it hatred) for the Supreme Court and the political hacks that sit on it…..none more disliked than chief justice Roberts….

This judge has done more damage to this country than most are unaware of because it is not reported as it should be….

I recently read an excellent article on his long con….

There is no bigger con man in the United States than Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Not even President Donald J. Trump.

The con began in September 2005, during Roberts’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Articulate, handsome, and energetic at fifty years old, Roberts seemed to have been culled “straight from central casting,” as Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama actually remarked on the first day of the hearings. Roberts was also convincing—he famously promised that if confirmed, he would serve in the fashion of a baseball umpire, calling only “balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat.” Seventy-eight Senators, including twenty-two Democrats, fell for the ploy and voted to give him the lifetime assignment.

The biggest yarn Roberts told during his hearing concerned his views on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), a cornerstone of American democracy, which the Supreme Court gutted this past April in a redistricting case from the state of Louisiana (Louisiana v. Callais).

As is his prerogative as Chief Justice, Roberts assigned the task of drafting the Callais majority opinion to fellow conservative Justice Samuel Alito, who responded with a 6 to 3 ruling that held that, henceforth, Section 2 of the landmark legislation would require VRA plaintiffs to meet the nearly impossible burden of proving that redistricting maps challenged as “racial gerrymanders” were created with discriminatory intent rather than for permissible political purposes. The opinion allowed Louisiana to eliminate one majority Black Congressional district. It also effectively negated legislation passed in 1982 that had amended Section 2 to permit the Justice Department and private citizens to challenge election laws that have the effect of diluting minority voting power without proving intent.

Flash back to 2005 and it is apparent that, at best, Roberts misled the judiciary committee. In response to a question from Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy about the VRA’s constitutionality, Roberts replied, “[T]he existing Voting Rights Act—the constitutionality has been upheld. And I don’t have any issue with that.”

https://progressive.org/magazine/the-long-con-of-john-roberts-blum-20260821

The voters have had long cons played on them by politicians and we could have changed that….but we chose not to do so…..but with the Supreme Court we do not have that option and once seated they are there for life….even if they live to past one hundred…..we cannot rid ourselves of their devastating rulings.

We hear promises that reform is high on the agenda during elections and so far I have not seen shit once the elections are Over with…..have you?

I am sure we shall hear much on this issue and once the election is over nothing will materialize.

Anybody see anything differently?

Educate, Agitate

I Read, I Write, You Know

cogito ergo agito

“lego ergo scribo”

The D/Bags Are Watching

I sure most everyone has heard the statement “Big Brother Is Watching” and it is true.

As someone who was the target of the old COINTELPRO I can tell you that if you disagree with the government then they will find you and spy on you.

Since Donny took to the now destroyed White House there have been a wealth of spying on protesters and the groups that support them…..and it is getting worse…..

It’s time to familiarize yourselves with the names “Operation Puppet Master” and “Operation Keyhole.” If those nefarious phrases evoke to you the U.S. government’s domestic spying on leftist groups in the 1960s and 1970s, it’s for good reason. The terms are coinages of today’s Department of Homeland Security, and they’re associated with a massive covert surveillance effort that DHS unleashed earlier this year to track anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protests in Minneapolis, where Donald Trump’s violent paramilitary invasion triggered months of intense civil conflict.

We just learned about the broad outlines of this domestic surveillance from newly released court papers related to the ongoing prosecution of a handful of protesters. As The New York Times reported, the papers show that DHS began surveilling left-leaning groups—including a union, a climate change group, and others—after ICE killed Alex Pretti in January. This has entailed seeking financial records and infiltrating protest meetings that are protected by the First Amendment.

But you can get a far more vivid picture of these undercover surveillance operations—and how brazenly they were conducted against American citizens—if you read deep into the court papers. The documents—which are attached as exhibits to a motion filed by lawyers for one of the protesters facing prosecution and are available on Pacer—include investigative reports that were transmitted by the undercover agents themselves about meetings they infiltrated.

It’s jarring, revealing stuff. The reports show that covert agents surreptitiously attended well over a dozen protest meetings organized by groups like the Sunrise Movement and various small socialist organizations. In some cases the agents secretly recorded the gatherings.

https://newrepublic.com/article/214482/trump-dhs-secret-police-spying-anti-ice-americans

Just a warning if you think about getting involved with the protests of Donny and the Gang….

Big Brother Will Be Watching!

Educate, Agitate

I Read, I Write, You Know

cogito ergo agito

Hamilton May Have Been On To Something

****Please keep any abortion comments to yourself this post is about our loss of freedoms….if you comment stick to the post….we already have enough manure being spread****


Year after year we have watched the states go about taking rights away from their residents and few have anything to say about it other than the old ‘state’s rights’ dodge.


One state has stated that the people do not have a fundamental right to vote….while others are taking the freedom of choice away from the voters….etc etc  I am sure that you have some sort of horror story along these lines coming from your state legislature.


That intro leads me to the point of this post….


Hamilton believed that the US should be one strong unit as opposed to smaller units….



Alexander Hamilton believed that America need- ed a strong central government. Instead of let- ting the states mostly govern themselves, he wanted the federal government to hold more power. This led him to support the approval of the Constitution and affected what he did as the country’s first Treasury secretary.


Hamilton believed that a strong Government is necessary to protect and preserve liberty. He regarded anarchy—exemplified in the French Revolution—as freedom’s worst enemy. He feared that the American people, if allowed to freely express an exaggerated concept of liberty, could destroy the benefits of our Revolution.


Hamilton wanted a new national government that had complete political authority. He disliked state governments and believed that they should be eliminated entirely. In fact, Hamilton believed that the perfect union would be one in which there were no states at all.


A government that gives too much power to the common people cannot be trusted. Wealthy, educated, public-spirited men should lead the country. Alexander Hamilton: How strong should our national government be? We should have a strong national government that unties the states and keeps order among the people.



To keep it simple….Hamilton thought the US should be one country under uniform law not individual states with their own constitution and laws.


The American people basically have two sets of laws they must conform to on any given day.


Got it now?


As the title infers I believe that Hamilton was on to something….one country divided into districts with representatives in the capitol to deliver the wants of those districts.


The whole state’s rights thing is just a powder keg waiting to ignite….and it is a smoldering mess now.


Problems that state’s rights promotes…..


Conflict of Authority – The biggest problem that arises when you have two bodies of
government in power is the power struggle. Both central and state government intend to
assert their power over the other which at time causes conflict between them. Even the long-
term conflict between the central and state government can create hurdles in way of national
development and prosperity.


(We see this today with states usurping federal law)


Regionalism Over Patriotism – The mark of a great country is just how patriotic and
prideful the citizens is to be a part of it. Federalism, since it promotes smaller level of
government, it also promotes smaller levels of pride. It can begin to pit one region against
another and take away from the feeling of patriotism that should be present all over the entire
country.


(Red State vs Blue State is making regionalism the priority among certain states….patriotism is gone)


Inequalities Between States – The federal form of government allows for regional
inequalities between different states. For example, instead of education funding throughout
the country being the same, since it is a state issue, some states will spend more, per capita,
on education than other states, causing what could be considered a disparity. The same goes
for other things, as well, such as taxes, health care programs, and welfare programs which
increases regional inequality amongst the different states.


(We see this in most Southern states that are lagging behind most of the wider nation)


The Blockage of Nationalist Policies by States – States can fight against the existence of
certain national laws by challenging them in court, or going out of their way to not enforce
those national laws, or even deliberately obstructing enforcement of national laws


(Again the states are changing voting laws, freedom of choice, and condemning the population into poverty and hunger)


SO I say once again…I believe Hamilton was on to something.

Educate, Agitate

I Read, I Write, You Know


“cognito ergo me agitare”

Assault On Free Speech

We hear a lot of this stuff these days….it seems that everyone is ranting about the loss of of our right to freely speak our minds.

The TikTok thing is said to be a loss of free speech and so……

Take for instance this AntiSemitism Awareness Act that will come up for a vote soon.

Totalitarianism rarely shows its true face when it arises. Instead, it often pretends to stand for good and decent values. A new bill claims to fight anti-Semitism, something all decent people oppose. 

But anti-Semitism — that is, bias and discrimination against Jews because of their religion or ethnic identity — is already barred under civil rights law. The real goal of the so-called “Antisemitism Awareness Act” is to suppress free speech.

This dangerous bill was passed by the House of Representatives and now awaits a Senate vote. It outsources some of our constitutional rights to an outside organization, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, whose arbitrary definition of anti-Semitism poses a threat to civil liberties.

It could be used to crush legitimate debate about Israel, its policies and American policies toward it — policies that have given rise to one of the greatest acts of genocide since the Holocaust.

This bill could suppress historical research and ban the mention of facts that have been verified by international organizations. It could initiate lawsuits, funding cuts and disciplinary action across all American “education programs or activities, and for other purposes.” (Those “other purposes” are not defined.)

Student protesters, professors, writers and even elected officials could face political repression and become legal targets.

The Dangerous ‘Anti-Semitism Awareness’ Act

I bring this up because according to this pack of manure flies I am an anti-Semite….which is total bullshit.

My dislike of the state of Israel has not a damn thing to do with religion….I personally could care less where or what they choose to worship that is their problem not mine.  I dislike Israel goes way back to 1967 and the murderous attack on the US naval vessel, the USS Liberty, where they, Israel, was allowed to attack an unarmed ship killing and injuring American sailors without any retaliation.

My nation may have forget this dastardly deed but I have not.

If I criticize the bastards I will be labelled an anti-Semite….I say so be it I refuse to give up my right to free speech and criticism.

First I was banned from a boycott of Israel and now I cannot criticize the state of Israel and their barbaric ways….this from a government that is in the deep pockets of AIPAC.

Apparently with enough ‘grease’ you can get anything you want from our corrupt officials…..like Congress and the White house.

You may be silent but I shall not and will never until I am dead.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Christian Bullshit At Its Best

The nation is confronted with the rise of what some called ‘Christian Nationalism’….a forceful attempt to make all American conform to their warped sense of country.

And yes I wrote about it (go figure)….

Does Theocracy Approach?

It began many years ago when the Right started with their opposition to the freedom of choice (abortion) and when Roe v Wade was overturned by SCOTUS it opened a door that had been closed for about 200 years.

Now states are flexing their misguided religious muscle…..fist with Louisiana….

Under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom. The GOP-drafted legislation mandates that a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” be required in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities, the AP reports.

  • The displays, which will be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025.
  • The posters would be paid for through donations. State funds will not be used to implement the mandate, based on language in the legislation. The law also “authorizes”—but does not require—the display of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Northwest Ordinance in K-12 public schools.
  • Opponents question the law’s constitutionality, warning that lawsuits are likely to follow. Proponents say the purpose of the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. In the law’s language, the Ten Commandments are described as “foundational documents of our state and national government.”
  • The Tennessean reports that Landry boasted about the bill at a Republican fundraiser in Nashville on Saturday. “I’m going home to sign a bill that places the Ten Commandments in public classrooms,” he said. “And I can’t wait to be sued.”

This is a bad idea and should not be allowed to stand.

After Louisiana’s assault the great state of Oklahoma had to inject its brand of ignorance…..

Coming to classrooms in Oklahoma: the Bible. The state’s superintendent has ordered the religious text be taught in Oklahoma’s public schools, reports the New York Times, which calls it “an extraordinary move that blurs the lines between religious instruction and public education.” “Every teacher, every classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom, and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom,” Ryan Walters said on Thursday, though the AP notes that the directive from Walters, a 39-year-old conservative Christian and ex-AP history instructor, applies to classrooms from fifth grade through 12th.

“Immediate and strict compliance is expected,” the order reads. It comes about a week after Louisiana ordered the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools, a move that has already been hit with legal challenges. This, too, will likely face pushback in the courts. “Public schools are not Sunday schools,” Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, tells the Times, adding to the Wall Street Journal that the decision is a “transparent, unconstitutional effort to indoctrinate and religiously coerce public school students.”

Her group is also challenging the Louisiana Ten Commandments mandate. Some aren’t even sure that Walters has the authority to make such a sweeping order, as state law leaves such authority on instruction and curriculum to individual school districts. The superintendent, however, is adamant that the Bible be a required study topic in his state. It’s “a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization, to have an understanding of the basis of our legal system,” Walters says, per the Times.

Both these will make it to the Supreme Court and I have NO faith that the judges will even take the Constitution into consideration before the make their ruling.  After all only the First Amendment is at stake….no big deal.

I am truly sick of these lying assholes about the history of this nation.

The sooner we can pull the plug on this mindless twats the better.

I personally do not want to0 live in the theocracy….do you?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“cognito ergo me agitare”

Vermont Joins Other States

Vermont on Tuesday became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage — and the first to do so with a legislature’s vote.

The House recorded a dramatic 100-49 vote, the minimum needed, to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto. Its vote followed a much easier override vote in the Senate, which rebuffed the Republican governor with a vote of 23-5.

Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples and joins Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa in giving gays the right to marry. Their approval of gay marriage came from the courts.

Tuesday morning’s legislative action came less than a day after Douglas issued a veto message saying the bill would not improve the lot of gay and lesbian couples because it still would not provide them rights under federal and other states’ laws.

Douglas called override “not unexpected.” He had called the issue of gay marriage a distraction during a time when economic and budget issues were more important.

The list grows longer and longer.

About Damn Time

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling Friday finding that the state’s same-sex-marriage ban violates the constitutional rights of gay and lesbian couples, making Iowa the third state where marriage is legal.

In its decision, the court upheld a 2007 district court judge’s ruling that the law violates the state constitution. It strikes the language from Iowa code limiting marriage to only between a man a woman.

“The court reaffirmed that a statute inconsistent with the Iowa constitution must be declared void even though it may be supported by strong and deep-seated traditional beliefs and popular opinion,” said a summary of the ruling issued by the court.

Are you sure we are talking about Iowa?  A unanimous decision?  All the others like New Hampshire or California were split decisions, but Iowa?

This is a great civil rights victory for gays and will be interesting to see where it will lead.  Will other states follow suit?

Get Government Out Of Your Life

I do not mind the government taxing me or telling me that my kid has to go to school but there are some things that they should NOT be allowed to do.  These are to legislate morality or good health or good eating habits.

Last year the state of Mississippi tried to encat a law that would make it illegal for restaurants to sell certain foods to overweight people.  You got it!  They were trying to making certain eating habits illegal….like what they are doing with smoking and oral sex.

But Mississippi is not alone in this assault on the people’s right to the “pursuit of happiness” thing.  Paterson of New York had his “fat Tax”.   The initiative that drew the most criticism was an 18-percent tax on nondiet soda. It was dubbed the “fat tax” because $404 million in proceeds were to go toward combating childhood obesity.

The government needs to stay out of the people’s private lives…their health habits are just that…theirs.  No matter how hard the government tries they cannot legislate morality or health.