Dinner table topics (updated 16dec21)

George Rebane

At our house the conversation turns to politics after the usual householder topics are covered and resolved.  Both Jo Ann and I are political animals.  Readers know my beliefs and propensities, there is here a long record of both, one that is regularly ignored by those of the Left.  Not so many here know about the wife of my life.  She is a longtime hardworking volunteer in various philanthropic organizations and in charge of our family’s giving.  She is also a member of the NC Republican Central Committee, the Union’s editorial board, and the Nevada County Republican Women Federated.  The latter is the local chapter of the largest organization of grassroots Republicans, and next week she will become the new president of the NCRWF.  Did I mention that she’s also the family matriarch with our two daughters, six adult grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren?  Me?  I now try to devote as much time as possible to master the lifestyle of a classic flâneur of the Taleb school – you see, I have been blessed as a kept man by a very capable woman.  Enough.

Recently we dissected the abortion issue (again).  It’s a topic much discussed in these pages, but not so recently.  The so-called ‘pro-life’ anti abortionists continue to miss the dominant argument to abet their cause.  The ‘pro-choice’ promoters base their entire case on the mantra ‘A woman has a right to do with her body as she will.’ – my body, my choice.

The entire basis of the abortionists is that there is only one body and one life involved.  That’s not true in any sense of the word, most certainly not clinically, and in many places, not legally.  What the pro-lifers should continually point out is the singular ‘body’ in the pro-choicers’ mantra, and ask ‘how many bodies (lives) does your choice affect?’  Getting them to admit to the correct answer will change the nature of the debate on a pregnant woman’s rights, subsidizing abortions, who should be involved in the decision, especially in the pregnancy of a minor, and so on.

All ideologues, no matter their coloration, agree on the importance of controlling language as part and parcel of controlling thought (Sapir-Whorf and all that).  The ongoing onslaught of the Left to cancel western culture requires strict adherence to language control, especially as it is taught in schools, used on the lamestream, and pontificated by progressive politicians.  The tsunami of illegal entrants across our open southern border is a case in point.  These arrivals are no longer illegal aliens, or even illegal immigrants.  Today they are simply migrants.  Everyone knows that people have innocently migrated here and there for ages, that’s how the world got populated.  And the migrants from the south are simply people who decided to move to the United States, so what’s wrong with that?  Read the poem on the Statue of Liberty.

In the same vein the press has banned Christmas tree.  The thing we light and decorate in our living rooms during Christmas is now relabeled as the “holiday tree”.  None of that European western culture need be acknowledged in lands both ancient and colonized.  Today a new global world of equity is dawning.  But a little attention reveals that the culture cancelling is very precisely directed.  No one yet dreams of calling the menorah of Hanukkah a ‘holiday candelabra’.

And then there are pejoratives like ‘white supremacist’ and ‘racist’ which must only be used for their implied meanings but never ever defined.  For to offer definitions, no matter how imprecise or ludicrous, would quickly torpedo their entire narrative in pursuit of social justice and equity.  Substance in support of socialists’ apologetics is definitely not their strong suit.

We both could not help smiling (more like snickering) when we heard the latest report on NPR about BLM leaders going on media to lament that ‘armed white people are now running amok’, thereby making their rioters and pillagers to feel unsafe during their public activism.  As odd as that may seem, we hope that more law-abiding people would carry in public, and have the strong belief that rioters assaulting innocents should not feel safe as they are promoted politically on the lamestream.

[13dec21 update]  Ivermectin's effectiveness subrogated to landing a $40M grant.  A leading virologist and researcher, Dr Andrew Hill, republished his favorable findings on the life-saving effects of Ivermectin in order to satisfy the politically correct requirements for obtaining a sizeable grant for Liverpool University.  Given the demonstrated performance of Ivermectin in saving lives during the Covid pandemic, Hill worried about changing his report that could then cost about a half-million lives since his research was one of the main inputs used by the WHO to recommend Covid therapeutics around the world.  You can read all about this tawdry and deadly saga here.  (H/T to reader)

‘Bend over and spread ‘em.’  Our State Dept admits this was the reception our diplomats got when arriving in China and succumbing to their government’s C19 tests via anal swabs.  Understandably Foggy Bottom has been very silent about this new level of contempt Xi has for Team Biden.  This latest foreign policy embarrassment was instituted in February 2021, immediately after Bumblebrain got sworn in.  The insult was first discovered by The Hill to whom State admitted that it was carried out but under protest since the State Dept “never agreed” to the Chinese ignominiously swabbing our diplomats where the sun don’t shine.  This was confirmed by Judicial Watch which filed a lawsuit after State stonewalled a FOIA request.  (more here)

[16dec21 update]  No disaster remains unattributed to climate change.  The know-nothing activists are doing their best not to let the recent Midwest tornado disaster go to waste.  They will be haranguing us with a passel of made-up tales that the whole thing is more undeniable evidence of preventable manmade global warming.  However, suppressed historical data tells a markedly different story of huge multi-state tornado systems with hundreds killed that have devasted that region since white settlers started keeping records in the early 1800s.  But such counter-narrative evidence is no match for the bullshit that now saturates lamestream outlets. (more here)

Comments

[Gregory]

A mantra from cs in years past, I recall reading it from tractor feed output in the '70's:

Pillage, rape, and loot and burn,
but all in moderation.
If you do the things we say
then you'll soon rule the nation.
Kill your friends and enemies,
and then kill your relations.
Pillage, rape, and loot and burn,
but all in moderation!

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~gitars/EJG/add/nostalgia/filks/pillage.txt
A New Left inspired ditty?

[scenes]

You could always talk about art.

https://www.takimag.com/article/the-new-black-gold/

The sad thing is that the Blue Mob believes what they say.

“Sincere--that was the hell of it. From a distance, one's adversaries seemed fiends, but with a closer view, one saw the sincerity and it was as great as one's own. Perhaps Satan was the sincerest of the lot.”
― A Canticle for Leibowitz (W.M. Miller)

[Don Bessee]

They are going to pull his liberal card for telling the truth -

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/12/11/fmr-obama-treasury-counselor-rattner-fixing-inflation-will-take-years-and-its-going-to-be-painful-for-growth/

;-)

[Don Bessee]

The socialist dems are destroying everything they touch and the people are noticing -

Krasner's assertion that "it’s important that we don't let this become mushy and bleed into the notion that there is some kind of big spike in crime" represents a longstanding sense among progressives that tough-on-crime rhetoric, combined with an "if it bleeds it leads" ethos at major publications, contributes to public misconceptions about the crime level, in turn fueling political support for policing and incarceration. But a commitment to the obverse—depolicing and decarceration—seems to have encouraged leaders like Krasner to insist there is no reason to be worried, even when there is.

Such denialism is likely to play poorly in an electorate where more than three in four voters across all parties say violent crime is a "major problem." Republican Glenn Youngkin used rising crime rates against Democratic opponent Terry McAuliffe in his successful bid for the Virginia governorship this past year. Particularly if murder rates continue to rise, Republicans are likely to take the same tact in the coming midterm elections next November—with potentially disastrous consequences for Democrats.

https://freebeacon.com/policy/why-cant-we-talk-about-the-murder-wave/

;-)

[Don Bessee]

This bill must get signed to stop the chi coms from continuing to abuse US industry and not shipping our goods east -

The other supply chain crisis: American farmers can't ship food abroad because foreign shippers won't take it
U.S. farmers struggle to ship product abroad, causing 'destruction of millions of dollars in value'

But many American farmers are dealing with essentially the opposite of that supply chain crisis – they're having a hard time getting their goods out of the country to foreign buyers.

"It's the destruction of millions of dollars in value," Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., told FOX Business Wednesday. He was the chief sponsor of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act that passed the House Wednesday by a 364-60 vote.

Among the provisions in the bill, Johnson said the most important has to do with Asian ocean carriers that "unfairly discriminate against American cargo." He said that they will offload foreign goods in U.S. ports then simply sprint back to Asia so they can bring more goods back to the U.S., rather than taking the time to fill up with American goods to sell abroad.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/supply-chain-crisis-american-agriculture-exports-house

;-)

[scenes]

A cheery Christmas column from Mr. Kunstler.

"Flood-tide of Darkness

The frenzy around the Christmas holiday conceals deeper currents running through advanced techno-industrial societies like froth on the surface of a raging river that surges with dangerous, hidden flotsam."

https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/flood-tide-of-darkness/

[Bill Tozer]

“And then there are pejoratives like ‘white supremacist’ and ‘racist’ which must only be used for their implied meanings but never ever defined.” — Dr. Rebane.
——-
Criticism, no matter how valid, is racist?

Sarah Silverman punches back at liberal critics who suggested racism after she knocked Joy Reid: 'I cannot believe I need to say this'

“Liberal comedian Sarah Silverman fired back at liberals who criticized her last week after Silverman told MSNBC host Joy Reid that she should read articles before commenting on them.

“Early in December, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced plans to revive the Florida State Guard, a civilian force over which he would have total control. Democrats and media members, including Reid, immediately responded by raising hysteria, claiming it proved DeSantis has authoritarian impulses.

"So… y’all know this is fascisty bananas, right…?" Reid responded on Twitter, linking to a CNN story detailing DeSantis' plan.

However, the CNN story that Reid shared plainly stated that Florida would become the 23rd state in the United States to have such a force activated, thus disproving any notion of fascistic behavior from DeSantis. Silverman used the opportunity to make a point.“
—
“After noting the complexities of political journalism — that opinions are often mixed together with news — Silverman lamented that most news is tainted with bias.

"Where do I get just the plain old news?” Silverman asked. “I need a news outlet that’s just the facts, something that I can draw my own opinion. It’s just facts, and then I draw my own opinion on it. That’d be so nice. I’d like to draw my own conclusions sometimes. I mean, I’m interested in other people’s thoughts, but, um, it can’t only be that.”

“And good grief!” she continued. “You dare criticize anything in your own party, you’re the enemy. And that kind of black and white thinking on both sides...it’s such a turn-off to me: That ‘you’re either with us or against us’ kind of vibe with no room for questions or critique — it feels very not liberal to me."

https://www.theblaze.com/news/sarah-silverman-responds-liberal-critics-joy-reid

Sarah, you are correct. It does indeed feel ‘very not liberal to me’ also, you racist you.

[Bill Tozer]

Bill Mahr on language hijacking.

https://fb.watch/9TvA_1rvxn/

[Bill Tozer]

re update. It don't come easy

'Virginia Hospital Found In Contempt Of Court, Subject To $10k Per Day Fines After Denying Patient Ivermectin'

https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-hospital-found-in-contempt-of-court-subject-to-10k-per-day-fines-after-denying-patient-ivermectin

[The Estonian Fox]

Follow-up BT 10:33PM-
From Fauquier Times in Warrenton VA -

The hospital had argued that the family’s physician could not direct patient care because she does not have privileges at Fauquier Hospital. But (Judge) Fisher said in his ruling Dec. 9 that the requirement that a doctor have privileges is not written into state code and is therefore not a prerequisite. [Why didn't the hospital's lawyers already know this?]

Fisher also wrote in his decision that although hundreds of pages of legal and medical documents were submitted by both sides to support their arguments, “the court finds it unnecessary to descend into an analysis of the merits of Ivermectin as a treatment protocol.” [As Harry Callahan once said - a man's (judge) got to know his limitations.]

Monday morning, the hospital’s attorney filed an opposition to the motion, stating that the hospital was ATTEMPTING to comply with the court order, BUT.... [Reminds me of the comic strip Pogo, one character has another one's arm to pull him out of the water, while bracing himself with his own foot on the helpee's head. Not much progress that way.]

Davies said that at 11:25 a.m. on Dec. 13, his counsel advised him not to say any more. Court records show that on Dec. 13, Judge James Fisher sealed all records in the case.

So it now looks like everything may be wrapped up tighter than a Havana cigar.

[The Estonian fox]

https://www.fauquier.com/news/update-judge-holds-fauquier-hospital-in-contempt-for-not-administering-ivermectin-to-covid-19-patient/article_8cb9853e-5c3d-11ec-8635-376fda43665b.html

[Bill Tozer]

Essay….might go here.

‘How American Progressives Became French Jacobins’
The iconoclastic gestures of the woke left bear an alarming resemblance to the excesses of the French Revolution

“In the U.S., the long abuse of states’ rights by Southern segregationists no doubt contributes to the centralizing though undeclared national statism of most liberals and leftists. But in many countries with nothing like America’s former solid South there are traditions of centralism on the left, motivated simply by the idea that local governments and intermediate institutions must not be allowed to thwart the popular will and its agent, the national bare majority. At this point I think the specter of the return of segregation is just an excuse that hides what most progressives really want: a unitary, consolidated, centralized nation-state in which the states have been reduced to provinces of the capital and the cities to prefectures. One of the ironies of our time is that liberals and leftists, who denounce the very idea of “American nationalism” as a code word for fascism or white supremacy, are, in fact, extreme American nationalists. The more power the federal government has to do good, the better, even if that means less autonomous power for states and local governments.“

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/how-american-progressives-became-french-jacobins

[Bill Tozer]

Again, might go here instead of the Sandbox. One man’s opinion….don’t have to agree with everything to post it. Not a requirement.

‘The new Dark Ages’
The woke assault on Western civilisation is taking us backwards

“If ignorance is bliss, the Western world should be ecstatic. Even as colleges churn out degrees and collect fees, and technology makes information instantly accessible, the basic level of literacy, as measured by such things as reading books and acquainting oneself with the past, is in a precipitous decline. Rather than building a vital world with our technological culture, we are repeating the memes of feudal times, driven by illiteracy, bias and a rejection of the West’s past.”

https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/12/15/the-new-dark-ages/

[George Rebane]

BillT 1006am - Good find Mr Tozer. However, there is one fly in its ointment. The real reason (self proclaimed in many writings) for the Left's turning the US into a centrally planned and managed state, via the road through the wreckage of federalism to a pure, radical, and unstable democracy, is that such an autocratically controlled and weakened state would remove the last real impediment to global government and make the US into a ready and compliant new province of such an overarching monopolistic state. Equity for most will be served in spades; however, the Gini index of the new world order will be close to unity.

[Bill Tozer]

Jonathan Pie on language

https://fb.watch/9X3lI6YnAK/

[scenes]

https://quillette.com/2021/12/18/scientists-must-gain-the-courage-to-oppose-the-politicization-of-their-disciplines/

related:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c01475

[scenes]

re: ivermectin

random internet page.

https://archive.md/uqIgF

True? Not true?