Be it in pursuit of an enemy in retreat… this far and no farther.
Be it in the advance of forces in defense… this far and no farther.
The Enemies of Democracy come dressed in the same attire, seen countless times before. They come bearing badges of honor… to enforce THEIR RULE, upon those deemed worthy of merely being ruled over.
The Defenders of Democracy are myriad and opalescent. Carrying with them their CHILDREN… clothed only in the scars of WAR. They stand to defend. They MARCH out of necessity. They fight to defend their home.
A task deemed worthy of no less, than the loss of their OWN LIFE.
So too, are the values of The People of The United States.
Because we know— if it can happen to ONE of us, then it can happen to us ALL. It’s only a matter of TIME. If we turn a blind eye now, toward the suffering and injustice; so too, for us… it will be the same. In our time of need, in our hour of oppression… our fate will have already been sealed, long before the first shots are fired.
As we cry out for HELP, the question will be asked… ‘What did you do to help keep their Democracy intact?’
Will it be said that the United States of America, stood on the sidelines and did nothing… or will it be remembered as a time in which we chose to ACT.
When they had the CHOICE they did not ACT. Now is the time of their regret. Because they did not know… and how could they? Their STORY had not yet been written.
Today, we reap the bounty of their misfortunes. We HONOR the memory of their sacrifices by ensuring it will never happen again.
There is no regret greater than that born of INACTION.
… words so wise, may they be etched in STONE for all time.
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The Liberty Memorial, Kansas City, MO.
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The Great Frieze of the Liberty Memorial, sculptor Edmond Amateis
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The winged sphinx, Memory, faces east, hiding its face from the horrors of the European battlefields. Its partner, Future (pictured), faces west, hiding its eyes from a future yet unseen.
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Every Nation on every Continent who desires a rich and prosperous future, should stand opposed to these actions… as they endanger the future of us ALL.
President Biden has now laid out in some detail, what the consequences will be if Vladimir Putin decides to invade Ukraine. He has done so on multiple occasions. And now… he believes President Putin has made a CHOICE.
Vladimir Putin has decided to bring about an end to the Post-Cold War Era and disregard all the progress we have made. He has concluded that the ‘Cold’ aspect of the Cold War was insufficient. As he sees it, there remain some issues that cannot be resolved without force. In his eyes… he sees no choice but to act unilaterally.
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So let us bid farewell, to the diplomatic understanding we’ve established between our two nations, over the course of these last 30 years. To the interdependence we’ve created and the scientific advancements we’ve realized, as well as the shared economic prosperity that comes from a PEACEFUL competition between two technologically advanced nations.
As President Biden said… this is the path Vladimir Putin has CHOSEN to pursue.
Our choices have consequences, every one of us. Our LEADERS are no exception. Whether elected by the VOTE of the people or NOT… they too, can be removed from their positions. Either by TIME or by the people… eventually, that time comes for us ALL.
A war of CHOICE only hastens the arrival of that day.
The consequences of their actions are felt by the people they leave behind after their descent. They linger, long after the conflict has ended, and they are never forgotten… no matter how much TIME has passed.
We know what becomes of Leaders who support a war of CHOICE… a war started based on LIES. A Master Class on deception was presented to the American People in the lead up to the War in Iraq, and for a time it worked. We believed our President when he said there was a threat.
But The People of the United States of America soundly REJECTED the idea of supporting a war of CHOICE just two election cycles later. Senator Hillary Clinton voted FOR the invasion… Senator Obama did NOT.
Twenty years later we can see where they LIED, and we can state with CONVICTION— the American People will not support a war of CHOICE… and we will not support those who do.
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Let our story STAND as a cautionary tale for those who would CHOOSE war over diplomacy. Did the United States achieve any of our initial objectives? Have we secured more LAND or more RESOURCES? On the contrary. Our War on Terror has decidedly produced the opposite effect… for those who started the war, and for The People who continue to PAY for it.
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Our standing on the World Stage… tarnished. Our authority on issues of World Peace and National Security… diminished. Because we were blinded by patriotism and a manipulated sense of duty, we forgot the reason we were already at war. We were supposed to be fighting a group of ideologically radicalized individuals who attacked us without provocation.
For their own self-interest. For their own warped sense of reality.
Our Leaders ignored that lesson and chose to engage in a war of vengeance, a war of convenience… a war of CHOICE. And now, twenty years later… those SCARS are forever part of the fabric that makes up our society. Decisions made by FORMER Leaders that will continue to shape our future… long after their TIME has come and gone.
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War, whether justified or not, brings with it unintended consequences. The vulgarity and the brutality on full display, will ironically highlight the HUMANITY of those involved in the conflict. In the wake of Blitzkrieg or Shock-and-Awe lies devastation. Lives shattered and infrastructure destroyed.
What comes AFTER those fires are extinguished will shine brightly, contrasted against the haze sparked by the aggressors. Schools leveled; children left hungry. Diaspora… overwhelming loss and need. Even if those images are restricted, in time the World will learn of those actions. In time… everyone will be able to SEE.
Those images can touch the souls of every person… regardless of race, color, or creed. They can strengthen the resolve of those who stand opposed to the aggressors, and they can inspire CHANGE on a global scale.
For out of the ashes will grow HOPE. Out of necessity… to ensure it can never happen again.
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After the conclusion of WWII, African Americans who served abroad as Free Men, came home to a Jim Crow segregated South. Twenty years later, those who fought for Liberty abroad, joined in the fight for the same thing HERE… and they secured their Right to Vote.
Women, who had stepped up to fill the void in our workforce as our G.I.’s went off to war, felt slighted when they were sent ‘back to the kitchen’ as our soldiers came home. But Liberty, once seen cannot be forgotten. Liberation was the cause they took up in the wake of aggression… a fight, that continues to this day.
Let there be NO DOUBT. Vladimir Putin’s war of CHOICE will produce the same. It will be the catalyst of change, both at HOME and ABROAD… and our WORLD will never be the same.
All that stands between us and the ash-heap of history… is our WORD. Our BOND. The principals for which we continue to STAND. Where is it written that we should COWER in the face of aggression, for FEAR of what may come?
Every word I’ve ever seen written on the subject, demands that we STAND STRONG and do everything within our power to avoid war… whatever the COST might be. Our ACTIONS in this moment will determine the future of the Post-War Era… so too, will our INACTION.
We cannot control the actions of others; we can only control the actions of ourselves. And one day… we will be judged based on those actions.
A war of CHOICE only hastens the arrival of that day.
I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s much easier to REMOVE someone from elected office who chooses to IGNORE the Will of The People, than it is to elect someone who will actually ACT.
Why do they not act? When the evidence is CLEAR that their actions would SAVE LIVES… they hesitate. Instead of doing what is RIGHT they remain SILENT. For what? What’s more precious to them than saving someone’s life?
We all know what the problem is.
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It’s a hard thing to swallow… it’s just a numbers game. Even if the odds are infinitesimally small. One-in-a-million, one-in-a-billion… people are dying due to the vaccine. It’s a stone cold fact. To deny it, is to deny science.
And that’s where this whole debacle went off the rails. Our elected officials chose to DENY SCIENCE and played politics with a deadly virus. I have no confidence that our elected officials are telling us the TRUTH right now… because BOTH SIDES have been manipulating facts and spinning scientific data for over TWO YEARS.
And now we can SEE just how accurate Donald Trump’s predictions were…
“If we could hold that down… so we have between 100 and 200,000 – we altogether have done a very good job.”
—Donald J. Trump
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Nailed it, sir.
IF ONLY they knew in advance, if only they had some sort of PLAN…
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IF the odds are one-in-a-million, in this country alone that’s 350 people… worldwide that’s 8,000 deaths. Even if we are generous and it’s more like one-in-a-billion, we’re still condemning EIGHT people to die.
That’s a hard call for anyone to make… because it could be anyone. It could be my MOTHER, or my CHILD. It could even be ME. And that decision is made with intent. With knowledge… with consent. A decision was made, knowing with certainty what the outcome would be.
Because of our knowledge and our collective effort to SAVE LIVES… we are at the LOWER end of those initial internal projections. Unequivocally, our SACRIFICE has saved over one million American Lives.
And it’s not that hard to see how it could happen. When we lose focus on our goals. When doing what’s RIGHT becomes too cumbersome… when the PRICE of expediency is more attractive than the burden of responsibility.
At best we could say, that our elected officials are just out of touch with the lives of Everyday Americans. At worst… they act knowing the results of their inaction. And hey, I’m an optimist. I’ll gladly take a half-empty glass… if that’s all that’s left. But I refuse to be BLIND.
What person acting in GOOD FAITH, would name a bill after a recovering addict out of spite… especially when that recovering addict is the SON of the sitting President of the United States?
Strip it all BARE. Lay it out there for the whole WORLD to see. That old phrase ‘You better get RIGHT with Jesus’ comes to mind… and that seems about right. They’ve now shown themselves to be the hucksters and carpetbaggers that they truly ARE.
They have NO FAITH in the Will of the MAJORITY… so they’ll just take whatever they CAN for themselves. While the rest of us desperately rally behind their PARTY… their RACKET… their COVER… praying that maybe someday, SANITY might rule the day in the United States Senate.
But we all know what the problem is… and an ADDICT will not change their ways until they admit they have a problem.
Our elected officials, making FUN of addicts… laughing at the plight of their VOTERS. Their CONSTITUENTS. All while they fail to remember… damn near every single one of those addicts owes their addiction to the LAX OVERSIGHT allowed by the very legislative body in which they serve.
They fail to tell you… all of this could have been avoided in the first place.
Can they not remember? Did they simply forget? The mind does start to fade after a certain age… maybe we should just give them the benefit of the DOUBT.
Or maybe we all know what the problem is.
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Senator Manchin and his family’s got it all figured out… why can’t YOURS?
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Is there nothing left that we hold SACRED? Is there nothing that can bridge the gap… no place where we can find COMMON GROUND?
If I may be so BOLD to suggest… there is NO political division in this country. There is no existential threat. There is still ONE overarching ideology that encompasses every political party, that every one of us can agree upon.
Our Legislators legislate based on MONEY and the pursuit thereof.
To FUND their Political Organizations.
To FUND their Political Parties.
To FUND their re-election campaigns…
All at the expense of THE PEOPLE they were elected to represent.
Any system that would allow the influence of MONEY to decide who is worthy of legislating for the rest of us, will inevitably favor those WITH money over those WITHOUT.
Be it the Second Amendment, a woman’s right to CHOOSE, or the teaching of this Nation’s long and prosperous HISTORY… we all know what the problem is.
The following letter sent to the Archivist of the United States from the United States Senate, and signed by Senators Portman, Romney, and Johnson, moved me to add my own voice to the discussion.
It remains my opinion that EQUALITY has no time limit, and the Will of The People should always reign supreme.
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Below is a copy of the email I sent to the archivist this evening, outlining why I believe the Equal Rights Amendment should be added to the Constitution.
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To: The Honorable David Ferriero
Archivist of the United States
National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
Dear sir,
I am writing in regard to the letter sent from the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security, dated February 8, 2022, and singed by Senators Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, and Ron Johnson, addressing their concerns about the 28th Amendment and the “… calls for you to disregard your duty and certify the ERA.”
There are few things in this world that are more important than doing one’s duty.
Upholding the Will of The People and defending the Rule of Law, even in the face of overwhelming pressure, is quite honorable indeed. Even when holding that position stands opposed to the opinions of many others, integrity must always be maintained. In a land based on precedent, our actions today will impact generations to come. There can be no doubt, some future case will be presented in an attempt to challenge the validity of a future amendment, and this situation will be referenced. Whether that amendment has already been ratified or not… so long as there is a Constitution left to amend.
It doesn’t take a Constitutional Scholar to see— there’s not a whole lot of legal precedent on the subject of Constitutional Amendments. Each and every case is important in its own right, and the Equal Rights Amendment is no exception.
Everyone seems to have an opinion on the subject, either reasons why the amendment is dead or why it should now be added to the Constitution, but there seems to be one fact that overrides them all— The People have spoken. The requirements have been met. That’s indisputable. Well… if there is a dispute, precedent shows us how disputed amendments can be resolved. There is no precedent allowing for a judicial override of the amendment process, and I say for good reason. Look no further than the example set by the State Supreme Courts.
Setting that precedent for amendments to the United States Constitution would introduce partisanship into the ratification process and it would allow for judicial review of any amendment before passage, especially if a partisan actor were ever appointed to your office. It would forever change the amendment process.
As I said, I’m no legal expert. Just a guy with an opinion. But, I am a Citizen who still hopes that one day, this Nation will pursue the amendment process with great vigor in order to bring about some much needed changes. As it currently stands, that process is already fraught with many obstacles. Whatever your decision will be, I pray you consider what precedents your actions will create… and always err on the side of The People. May their Will guide us all.
Thank you for your dedication and adherence to the Constitution, and good luck to you in whatever path you choose in your retirement.
Those judges are on the bench because they were nominated and confirmed by elected officials, who hold their office because of a discriminatory system. A system that is not representative of The People overall, but only a segment of the population.
A poll is a scientifically accurate snapshot of the electorate because of the deliberate attention paid to BIAS and efforts made to minimize its influence…
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Credit: Breaking Points w/ Krystal and Saagar
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… and any politician worth their salt, pays attention to the polls.
Our response to crime isn’t what eliminates crime or deters people from committing crime in the first place. What drives someone to commit a crime.
The overall societal elements that drive someone to pick up a GUN instead of a PHONE… the dire straits that lead someone to STEAL just to pay the BILLS… the conditions that lead one to find more in common with a criminal organization than with a worker’s union…
That is what changes. That’s what makes fertile ground. Not the actions of police. The police officers are only doing what they’re TOLD to do— Enforce the Law.
The Law… as created, by elected officials who are BEHOLDEN to campaign contributions.
You got a GOOD IDEA? Great! Let’s run it past the DONORS and see what they think… ’cause if they don’t agree, you might not get re-elected. If it hurts their BOTTOM LINE or stands opposed to their ideology, they might not DONATE to your campaign. Worse still, they might DONATE to your political opponent.
Hell… they might back a PRIMARY CHALLENGER for that election.
Did Stop and Frisk work? Crime went DOWN during that period in time, so elected officials took credit for that progress… until it was found to be locking up BLACK MEN disproportionately, then it was shunned and disavowed.
Does the beating and killing of MORE BLACK MEN by police reduce crime?
Unequivocally… no.
Then why does it continue to happen? During periods in time where crime rates are HIGH. During periods in time where crime rates are LOW. Whether we create MORE LAWS or REPEAL THEM. When our Nation’s economic activity is soaring AND when our economic activity is dismal… some things just remain CONSTANT. Some things are just a given.
Getting Tough on Crime is kabuki theater of the Highest Order… an enterprise, worth BILLIONS of dollars.
Throwing BILLIONS at crime does not address the underlying conditions that give rise to the criminality in the first place. So why would we associate a reduction in crime with MORE COPS, MORE LAWS, and MORE JAILS? Because they can’t STOP the crimes already in-progress.
There’s a delay effect… a temporal echo. What was PASSED by previous legislatures creates what we see TODAY. More cops, more policing, more violence does not solve the problem NOW. It only addresses the product of their inadequate and flawed legislation. It’s a parallel to Trickledown Economics.
You want people to NOT do crime? Then you have to present them with a viable alternative to a life of crime.
If life keeps biting you in the ass, eventually you stop caring about all the other noise and just focus on yourself. Me against the WORLD. Do or die…
We must avoid getting to that place.
And that doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t hire MORE COPS and solve a financial crisis. You can’t stop and frisk people and expect to solve the problem of increased murder rates. If you tell someone their JOB depends on them finding CRIME… then they WILL find it. Whether it exists or not.
Because they wouldn’t want to lose their JOB now. That could lead them down a dangerous spiral… and we all know where that could lead.
So why would we allow it to happen in the first place.
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So NOW… let’s reduce crime. Let’s make MORE laws. Let’s get rid of LAWS. Let’s stop enforcing laws or shift the threshold of what constitutes a breaking of the law…
If we do THIS, or if we do THAT. If we tweak it around the edges. If we look into the problem… let’s form a panel. A committee… an Investigative Body. MORE COPS. MORE POLICING. ‘I’m outraged!’… by the apparent result of their own INACTION? By the inability to anticipate the consequences of their legislative actions?
By the intentional limiting of options, caused by their need to FUNDRAISE for their re-election.
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So, how do we fix it? How do we get back to NORMAL… without going back to Business as usual? More SUNLIGHT is always the answer.
How do we CLEARLY interpret the Will of The People? Is it with LESS participation? Will we find it through practices of exclusion and disenfranchisement? One man should not rule over a FREE PEOPLE, but should a small handful of elected elites be allowed to decide FOR US who is worthy of that position?
More participation equals BETTER GOVERNANCE. Everyone has a role to play, and everyone’s VOICE should matter equally.
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With each successive HOUR, with each passing DAY… the generation that came after the LAST, now knows more than their predecessors… BECAUSE of the work they have done. What we have now was unimaginable to them… and what will come, is beyond our wildest dreams.
Because they knew the answers COULD be found, if only we look hard enough. If we refuse to be fooled by those who cling to old ideas and false pretenses…
When we push the boundaries and expand our horizons… when we step outside our own little world… we find the answers. We gain KNOWLEDGE. And, of course… we find the answers to questions, we never even knew existed.
And what will we SEE? The fine points, the details, the minutiae… at the heart of it all, is our LIVES. When the Rule of Law reigns Righteously and Equally, we will know what the opinion of the MAJORITY is. It’s the difference between thinking we know what The People want, and actually knowing what they want.
The answers to these problems exist. The question now becomes—
Do we have the COURAGE to find them?
CLARITY. Above all else. MORE SUNLIGHT is always the answer.
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End The Electoral College NOW!! 
