The truth about race, crime, and Black Lives Matter

THREAD

I will lose many friends over what I'm about to say.

I will possibly be called a racist or even a white supremacist (even though I'm a brown man, who's been beaten to a pulp by neo-Nazis wearing steel toed boots).

But maybe, just maybe, the fact that I am getting 100% of my information from the black scholars in the picture - The Great Thomas Sowell, Glenn Loury, Shelby Steele, John McWorther, Coleman Hughes, Kmele Foster and Thomas Chatterton Williams, allows me some room for thought?

I’ve been watching the narrative play universally over the heinous killing of George Floyd, and the complete and utter lack of facts about African Americans in The US has been infuriating.

Unfortunately, anyone who doesn’t submit to the dominant narrative will be called a heretic, a racist, a whites supremacist etc. Still, I can’t stop myself.

Violent Protest and the Intelligentsia

The similarities between this week’s riots and the Los Angeles riots of 1992 are obvious. Both were occasioned by appalling video images, and both divided the nation along partisan and ideological lines. The differences between the two events, however, are more revealing. The violence in 1992 came after a court verdict; the beating and arrest of Rodney King had happened more than a year before. This year’s riots came within days of George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis officers. The riots of 1992 were mostly confined to poor and working-class areas of Los Angeles. This week saw mayhem all over America, and in Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere the rioters targeted wealthy streets and neighborhoods.

But perhaps the most striking difference is the rationalization, and sometimes full-throated defense, of violence from left-wing elites: the glorification of havoc, the vilification of cops and their middle-class admirers, highfalutin defenses of vandalism. The sense of revolution and class warfare was everywhere this week: the cognoscenti and underclass arrayed against the petty bourgeois shop owners; the elite and those they claim to represent against everybody else.

Social distancing is over

One thing that the demonstrations and riots have made crystal clear: the past two months of shut down is based on an enormous lie that even the Left doesn't believe.

Megan McArdle - Columnist
June 5, 2020

In a few weeks, one of two things will have happened. Either covid-19 cases will abruptly reverse their decline in some of America’s largest cities, and we will know that they were seeded by the days of rage we are living through . . . or they won’t. Either way, social distancing is over.

In the happy scenario, the protests will have performed an enormous public service, even beyond agitating for justice. They are basically running a natural experiment that scientists could never have ethically undertaken: Do massive outside gatherings — including singing, chanting, screaming and coughing — spread covid-19, or not? Along with evidence from the Memorial Day weekend parties at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks, they may well demonstrate, once and for all, that the risk of spreading covid-19 outdoors is negligible. At which point, throw open the bar patios and backyard barbecues! Bring on the beach-blanket bingo! Move church pews into the parking lot and sing away!

Unfortunately, it’s also grimly plausible that in a few weeks we’ll see new outbreaks that will soon surge out of control, taking many American lives. Because we’ll never be able to lock down our cities again; once you’ve let the cat out of the bag, kitty won’t allow himself to be stuffed back in.

One hears a great deal of magical thinking on this point: Public health experts who believe covid-19 will spread among protesters but assert that, on net, they’ll save lives, because systemic racism already cuts short so many black lives. This is wishful woo on the order of “tax cuts raise revenue.” Improving life expectancy is the work of a generation, not a week; at best, the protests might very slightly narrow those appalling gaps between white and black life expectancy. At worst, the virus will attack the people protesting and actually widen them.

The less fanciful experts acknowledge this, then add that the cause is worth it, unlike the earlier activities public health officials shut down. This, now, is a real argument: Some things are worth dying for. The equality of every American before the law certainly sounds like one of them to me.

But there are reasonable counterarguments: First, as was pointed out when red states were protesting, you may have every right to risk your own death, but with infectious disease, protesters also risk killing other people, who might not have volunteered to die for your cause. Which brings us to the second caveat: In a diverse and highly pluralistic society, authorities don’t get to declare some causes worthy and others worthless.

It may seem obvious to you that ending police brutality rises to a level of importance that, say, church services don’t. But the impossibility of rank-ordering competing ideas about what is “most important” is the reason liberal democracy had to be invented. If you were a religious believer, you might rank church higher; if you were about to lose your house unless your business reopened, you might put nail salons high up on the list.

As individuals, we can make those distinctions. But our authorities may not except on broadly neutral terms. Some public officials seem to imagine that if they can distinguish between selling food and offering Communion, they must also have the authority to make even finer distinctions: allowing people to exercise their First Amendment right to protest police brutality, while circumscribing their First Amendment right to worship in public. Legally, I doubt it, but I’m quite positive that courts won’t let governments distinguish between assembling to protest police brutality and assembling to protest public health policy.

One can, of course, argue that there’s a moral difference. But moral distinctions have no force outside the community that makes them. However satisfying it feels to call one sort of protest “suicidal,” “reckless” and “mind-bogglingly selfish,” while describing the other as a noble and necessary fight against injustice, this will not restrain the disdained. Indeed, the perceived hypocrisy will deafen them to anything said after that.

So if it turns out that covid-19 can spread outside, if enough people gather close together, it will be too late to do anything about it. Public health officials will have forfeited their legal authority; media outlets and cultural leaders who have been much more sympathetic to protests than other sorts of gatherings will never persuade anyone who differs to go back inside. The disease will spread unhindered by anything except private, prudential decisions to avoid other people.

I have every hope that this won’t matter, and that in a few weeks we’ll find out that covid-19 simply doesn’t spread much outdoors. But I also have lots of fear that we won’t, and that private, prudential decisions won’t be enough to stop the resultant outbreak. Because, as a society, we’ve now got nothing else left.

Michigan Supreme Court Unanimously Sides with 77-Year-Old Barber over Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

A small victory over Liberal Fascism

The Michigan Supreme Court rules unanimously in favor of Shiawassee County barber Karl Manke. Manke’s attorney, David Kallman, called it the “biggest, most lopsided victory of his career.” This court ruling shoots down Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel’s attempt to fine Manke and pull his license after he started to cut hair before lifting certain executive orders.

[Manke] said the response during the protest and the support for his stand was “overwhelming,” and called himself “a Michigan small town barber that just wants to work.”

“This is an oppressive move on this governor’s part,” Manke said, observing that it “reflects almost a police state.”

“I refuse to stand down on this,” he said.

“I wasn’t this rock star three weeks ago,” Manke told Breitbart News, but Whitmer made him one.

He thanked God for the development.

“I’m still standing up. I still have that courage,” Manke said.

Tucker Carlson Blasts Schiff, Slams Him For Spending Years Pushing Russian Collusion Theories

Scott Adams cartoon

Scott Adams on Current Events

Employment, news not covering protests, Biden hates us, and more. https://t.co/wyi1vbS273

— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) June 5, 2020

It’s Saturday June 6th, 2020 and Barack Obama was the most corrupt President in US history.

Truth.

Letter to Mattis from John Dowd

Jim:

I slept on your statement and woke up appalled and upset. You lost me. Never dreamed you would let a bunch of hack politicians use your good name and reputation—earned with the blood and guts of young Marines. You did what you said you would—engage in this discourse. Marines keep their word.

The phony protesters near Lafayette park were not peaceful and are not real. They are terrorists using idle hate filled students to burn and destroy. They were abusing and disrespecting the police when the police were preparing the area for the 1900 curfew. Jim, this is the new nihilism. See Dan Henninger in WSJ today. Marines support the police in harms way.

Did you forget that President Bush used active duty Marines to quell the riots in LA? President Trump has countless cities and some snowflake governors and mayors wetting themselves in the use force to protect innocent lives and property. The AG of Massachusetts thinks burning property is good protest.

Three more policemen were stabbed and shot in NYC last night.

Think about it. Should he be upset about the obvious failure of leadership? Where are you Jim?

Marines go to the fight.

No one divided this country more than Obama. He abandoned our black brothers and sisters. He gave guns to the cartels. He apologized for our precious sacrifice and generosity overseas.

President Trump has done more to help our minority brothers and sisters in the three years than anyone in the last fifty. Ask the black pastors. Ask the leaders of the black colleges and universities. He got them funded. Ask them about the prison reform which ended the draconian sentences imposed on young black men by the laws enacted by Biden and his hacks. You need to bone up on your homework and stop listening to Uncle Leon.

I understand, you had to stick to the assigned narrative which did not include three years of corrupt investigations and evidence to destroy this President, his office, and his lawful free election. Nancy has no tolerance for dissent in the ranks—including those with stars.

You said nothing of the ugly, hate filled, disgraceful comments of Pelosi, Schumer, Perez and other Democrat hacks defaming the President and his office. You said nothing of the unlawful sanctuary cities and the unlawful release of hoodlums. You said nothing of the resistance movement to paralyze our courts and our government operations. You said nothing of the obstruction and subversion of our immigration laws. You said nothing of MS-13 killers and the drug cartels who own huge sections of our major cities. Jim, do you think that hateful rhetoric and those corrupt actions were inspiring and unifying? Do you think the DI’s at Parr’s Island would find such behavior as unifying?

Maybe, your problem, is a lot deeper. Perhaps you ought to explain how and why you (and John Allen), as CG Central Command, did not engage and take out Iranian Major General Soleimani who roamed the Middle East and wreaked havoc and death of American boys with his infamous IEDs?

Why did it take President Trump to have the instinct and balls to take him out (of course over the objection the geniuses in the Pentagon)?

Looks like the Persian mullahs were a one horse sleigh and Trump nailed the horse….forever. It has been quiet ever since. Perhaps, your anger is borne of embarrassment for your own failure as the leader of Central command. Did you applaud when the President recognized the central problem in the middle east? Did you applaud the President when he wanted to save American lives by bringing them home in one piece?

John M Dowd

As Rioters Destroy New York, Cops Kick Jewish Families Out of a Playground

Why does deBlasio hate Jews?

Jewish community leaders are condemning New York Mayor Bill de Blasio for a “blatant double standard.” He singled out the Jewish community in enforcing coronavirus restrictions, yet defended protesters who violated social distancing rules in order to protest the heinous police killing of George Floyd. In fact, videos showed police officers dispersing Jewish mothers and their children at a playground while a larger group of protesters gathered in violation of lockdown rules.

“The double standard is blatant and shocking,” Chaskel Bennett, co-founder of the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, told Haaretz. “For months, we have seen our community come under unrelenting scrutiny by ‘gotcha’ media coverage of Hasidic Jews not social distancing or wearing masks, while the overwhelming majority of religious Jews in New York City were doing all the right things.”

“After watching the thousands of protesters given free rein to exercise their constitutional right to protest, it begs the question: Isn’t religious freedom protected by the very same Constitution?” Bennett asked. “Is there one rule of law or selective enforcement? It seems the mayor thinks differently.”

Indeed, de Blasio struggled to defend applying the coronavirus restrictions to protesters and rioters, even while he still applies restrictions on the businesses getting torched and the churches getting burned.

Are the riots a cover-up for RussiaGate?

Just as the Justice Department investigation of RussiaGate begins to zero in on the Obama Administration crooks who tried to hijack an election, riots are breaking out ... nationwide. 

And the media which sold the story that Trump was a Russain agent focuses like a laser beam on marches and riots.

There have been too many "coincidences" for this to be dismissed as a conspiracy theory.  The entire Trump administration has been the focus of a conspiracy to overturn an election. 

And the Democrats are getting Russian and Chinese help;

When Russiagate Conveniently Vanishes

Rod Rosenstein – the former Deputy Attorney General at the red hot center of the Robert Mueller probe into the phantom menace of Trump collusion with the Russians – testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 3.

You may not know that happened. ABC, CBS, and NBC ignored it that night. PBS gave it 55 seconds. NPR gave it four minutes, but this part sounded bizarre.

Mary Louise Kelly, anchor: “May I start with an observation? Does this seem a little out of left field? With everything going on in the country right now, senators are focused today on the Russia investigation?”

Philip Ewing, reporter: “The short answer for that is, politics.”

The ABC, CBS, and NBC evening newscasts devoted 2,202 minutes of coverage to the Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy theory from January 21, 2017 to February 10, 2019. When the Senate Intelligence Committee announced its conclusion on February 12 that there was no collusion? Zero on ABC, CBS, and NBC.

The short answer for that? Politics.

The New Normal and the Old Normal operate simultaneously

You must wear a face mask entering a store unless you are there to loot the store in which case face masks are optional.

You can't go to church unless you are there to torch the church in which case the police won't bother you.

Racism is wrong unless you're skin is white.  Then you need to go to your knees and ask forgiveness for your skin color. 

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot: If You’re Attacked, Don’t Use a Gun, Call the 911…And Wait

Murder City, USA lived up to its well-deserved nickname over the weekend with 24 killed and scores more wounded. On Tuesday, Mayor Lightfoot acknowledged that a crush of 911 calls has overwhelmed both the system and Chicago Police Department. But she also told her city’s residents that, if trouble comes their way, they should call 911 instead of using guns to defend themselves.

Other Democrats called for the end of police altogether. This will not end well.

Candace Owens tells the truth

This is flat-out brilliant even if you disagree. https://t.co/V4uDnpVRNk

— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) June 4, 2020

Tucker: Kneeling will never be enough for the mob

Tucker Carlson Spent Tons of Politcal Capital In This Monologue

Powerful: Protesters Spell Out 'Love' With Burning Homes And Businesses

MINNEAPOLIS, MN—In a powerful display of their care for love and justice, protesters in Minneapolis burned the word "LOVE" into the city, arranging the inspiring message with homes and businesses set ablaze by their riots.

Heartfelt and moving.

"We just really wanted to show how much we care about love and social justice by burning this community into a powerful reminder of what it's all about," said local protester Jake Hernandez, who had flown in from Portland for the event. "Now, when police and fire helicopters fly over to try to restore order, they'll be inspired by our message of love and harmony."

Antifa’s Call to Violence Gets Free Rein on Twitter While Trump is Censored

Twitter has twice muted the voice of prolifically tweeting President Donald Trump with a “fact-check” and another shielded post where he allegedly “glorified” violence against the thuggish rioters in Minneapolis (which he didn’t).

But groups and individuals who identify with Antifa, the anarchists who agitate for violence and destruction — most recently following the excessive police force death of George Floyd in Minneapolis — have been allowed to spread their destructive messages on Twitter.

Read more ...

Stop the Bullshit. Tell the truth

He is 100% correct
Police killings of black people are fewer every yearhttps://t.co/Z47srv21yH
But media & activist hype goes up
Fueling the fires

Jason Riley: Blanket media coverage giving false impression that police use of force is more prevalent https://t.co/8kJt4xbN4R

— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) June 1, 2020