News about: Nazi Deportation, Charlottesville, Censure, Monuments, Prisons, Racial Profiling, Right to Work, Pardon, Praying

Camping World CEO has told Trump supporters that they can take their business elsewhere, he doesn't want it. Doesn't he realize that Trump supporters are people who hunt and fish the most? Click HERE to read more about it...

Members of the New York Congressional Delegation wrote a letter urging Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to personally seek the deportation of a Nazi prison guard living in Queens. Led by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Congressman Dan Donovan (R-NY), the lawmakers asked Secretary Tillerson to use his influence to ensure that Jakiw Palij—a convicted Nazi guard—is deported, so New Yorkers and Americans are not forced to live besides “a painful reminder for Americans who fought against the Nazis or lost loved ones in the Holocaust.” Read more about it by clicking here...

The following Members have signed on as cosponsors of H.Res.496 censuring President Trump for his Charlottesville comments:

Alma Adams (D-NC)
Nannette Barragan (D-CA)
Ami Bera (D-CA)
Karen Bass (D-CA)
Don Beyer (D-VA)
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
Anthony Brown (D-MD)
Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Michael Capuano (D-MA)
Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Tony Cardenas (D-CA)
David Cicilline (D-RI)
Katherine Clark (D-MA)
Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
William Lacy Clay (D-MO)
Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA)
John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI)
Joe Courtney (D-CT)
Joe Crowley (D-NY)
Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA)
Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)
Elizabeth Esty (D-CT)
Dwight Evans (D-PA)
Bill Foster (D-IL)
Lois Frankel (D-FL)
Marcia Fudge (D-OH)
John Garamendi (D-CA)
Jimmy Gomez (D-CA)
Al Green (D-TX)
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)
Denny Heck (D-WA)
Brian Higgins (D-NY)
Jim Himes (D-CT)
Jared Huffman (D-CA)
Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX)
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Hank Johnson (D-GA)
Robin Kelly (D-IL)
Joe Kennedy (D-MA)
Rohit Khanna (D-CA)
Ruben Kihuen (D-NV)
Dan Kildee (D-MI)
Derek Kilmer (D-WA)
Ann Kuster (D-NH)
James Langevin (D-RI)
Rick Larsen (D-WA)
John Larson (D-CT)
Brenda Lawrence (D-MI)
Al Lawson (D-FL)
Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Sander Levin (D-MI)
Ted Lieu (D-CA)
Dan Lipinski (D-IL)
David Loebsack (D-IA)
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Alan Lowenthal (D-CA)
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM)
Stephen Lynch (D-MA)
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Donald McEachin (D-VA)
Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Greg Meeks (D-NY)
Grace Meng (D-NY)
Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Richard Neal (D-MA)
Donald Norcross (D-NJ)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ)
Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)
Scott Peters (D-CA)
Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
Mark Pocan (D-WI)
Jared Polis (D-CO)
David Price (D-NC)
Mike Quigley (D-IL)
Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
Cedric Richmond (D-LA)
Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Brad Schneider (D-IL)
David A. Scott (D-GA)
Jose Serrano (D-NY)
Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Albio Sires (D-NJ)
Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Adam Smith (D-WA)
Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Mark Takano (D-CA)
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Paul Tonko (D-NY)
Norma Torres (D-CA)
Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)
Tim Walz (D-MN)
Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Peter Welch (D-VT)

Is it any surprise that all of them are Democrats?

Rep. Grace F. Napolitano slammed the U.S. Department of Interior for lack of transparency after releasing only a summary of the report on the Trump Administration’s review of certain National Monuments, including the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, issuing the following statement:

“This administration and Secretary Zinke have shut out the voices of the public, turning a review of some of our precious monuments into one of the least transparent and most complicated federal processes. The review was announced on April 26 of this year through an Executive Order by President Trump, yet we in the San Gabriel Valley have still not heard from the Secretary. I placed several requests to Secretary Zinke’s office, inviting him to come to California, visit our monument, and to speak with local residents, businesses, and city officials. I never received a response. I additionally sent a detailed letter describing the history and importance of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to our community. If the Secretary is not taking the time to meet with nearby locals nor sharing details of proposed changes to these monuments, then who really controls this process? How can the Secretary make a decision behind closed doors in Washington, DC without stepping foot in Southern California? It looks as though no monuments will be fully eliminated as a result of this review, but we sincerely hope Secretary Zinke publicly releases his recommendations and changes to existing monuments he sent to the White House today. The public, including 2.4 million Americans who submitted comments on the process, has every right to know. As we await details relating to the future of our national monuments, I will continue to fight to protect our limited green space in Los Angeles County and across the country."

Typical Democrat: pretending to care about monuments while destroying them.

However, the Public Lands Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association were encouraged by the Department of the Interior’s report on National Monuments released today. The final report comes after an extensive review of Antiquities Act designations, ordered by President Trump, which included listening sessions in the field and a public comment period.

Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council, stated:

“It is clear Presidents have repeatedly abused their authority under the Antiquities Act locking up over 250 million acres of land and water without local input or economic analysis. We are grateful to Secretary Zinke and his team for soliciting feedback from those most affected by executive land-grabs, and look forward to swift action from the White House in response to the recommendations that aligns with the original intent of the Antiquities Act.”

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) filed an amendment to the fiscal year 2018 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill to prohibit the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) from carrying out the law that requires individuals in halfway houses and on home confinement to pay a subsistence fee to offset the cost of being housed or supervised. Currently, BOP charges residents at BOP halfway houses a subsistence fee of 25 percent of their gross income, but in August 2016 stopped charging any fee for home confinement. Norton has taken special interest in eliminating BOP-imposed subsistence fees because District of Columbia Code felons are the only local felons housed by BOP and are subject to the fee when in halfway houses. Norton introduced a stand-alone bill to eliminate the subsistence fees and wrote BOP Acting Director Thomas R. Kane calling on BOP to eliminate or significantly reduce subsistence fees. She states:

“Imposing costly subsistence fees on those living at federal halfway houses puts a heavy financial burden on returning citizens who are trying to save money and prepare to make the already difficult transition back to society. Eliminating these counterproductive subsistence fees would help returning citizens meet their financial obligations and secure employment and housing.”

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) also filed an amendment to the fiscal year 2018 Transportation, Housing And Urban Development Appropriations bill to prohibit states that receive federal transportation funding from engaging in unconstitutional profiling based on physical characteristics. Norton said the Supreme Court has stated that racial profiling violates both equal protection and title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and therefore her amendment states that none of the funds in the transportation title could be used in contravention of the Fifth or Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Norton’s amendment previously unanimously passed by voice vote on the House floor and was included in the fiscal year 2015 omnibus appropriations bill, which was signed into law in December 2014. She states:

“Despite heightened awareness of racial profiling throughout the country, we continue to see disproportionate stops of African Americans and other people of color by law enforcement officials. My amendment is a straightforward attempt to reduce racial profiling by local law enforcement by holding them accountable and putting their federal funding on the line if they engage in unconstitutional profiling.”

A Chicago worker, assisted by National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys, has appealed the dismissal of federal unfair labor practice charges against the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) and UWUA Local 18007. Gerald Howard is employed by Peoples Gas in Chicago, Illinois. UWUA Local 18007 union officials have a monopoly bargaining contract in place with Peoples Gas that includes a requirement that workers can be fired for refusing to pay dues or fees to the union.

Under federal law, no worker can be forced to formally join a union. However, because Illinois is not a Right to Work state, workers can be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. Under the National Right to Work Foundation-won Supreme Court case Communication Workers v. Beck, nonmember workers cannot be legally compelled to pay union dues used for union politics and member-only activities. Workers can also demand a breakdown of the dues and fees paid to see which fees are used for which purpose.

In a letter sent to UWUA Local 18007 on February 18, Howard formally resigned his membership in the UWUA and objected to paying full dues, as is his right under the Beck precedent, but UWUA Local 18007 union officials failed to acknowledge his resignation. A month later on March 15, Howard sent another letter, this time to officials at the UWUA International headquarters in Washington, DC.

In a letter dated April 3, Washington-based UWUA officials finally acknowledged Howard’s resignation and objection to paying full dues as of his February 18 letter. The UWUA official’s letter also claimed that Howard would be required to pay 90% of full union dues, but did not provide any explanation for how it arrived at that figure.

Although the UWUA later provided Howard a breakdown attempting to justify that non-chargeable activities like union political and lobbying activities only make up ten percent of full dues, further evidence suggests the figure is not accurate. In required disclosure reports filed with the U.S. Department of Labor under threat of perjury, UWUA officials do not categorize political spending but their report shows multiple examples of political spending that contradict the figures in the breakdown provided to Howard after he filed his unfair labor practice charges.

“UWUA union bosses are ignoring clear Supreme Court precedent, compelling payment for union political and lobbying activities and violating the rights of a worker they claim to ‘represent’ in their grab for more forced union dues,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “This type of disregard for the rights of rank-and-file workers highlights why Illinois desperately needs a Right to Work law making union affiliation and dues payments strictly voluntary.”

The National Urban League has condemned the pardoning of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Click HERE to read about it.

A Washington state high school football coach who was punished for taking a knee at the 50-yard line for a post-game prayer violated the U.S. Constitution, according to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Read about it...

And, Finally, according to Truthfeed,

"A federal judge has denied Democratic Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) from casting any senate votes until his case is closed. Menendez has been indicted on corruption charges and will heading to court next month."

Read more about it by clicking here

Maxine Waters:

"I'm afraid if North Korea nukes us, that man is gonna get us into a war!"

and

"If you come after me...I'm coming after you!"

And she says the President doesn't make any sense...??????????

Letter to the Editor: Charlottesville and Toxic Rhetoric

by Tom MacArthur (R-NJ, 3rd)

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I was proud to build a multinational company with thousands of employees representing every gender, ethnicity, color and creed. Our diversity helped the company to grow, helped families to build better lives, and opened doors of opportunity for some people that may not have been open for their parents and grandparents.

I tell that story because in my life, whether it was in business or now in public service, or through the work of our family charitable foundation across the globe, or at our church, and especially when my wife and I adopted two beautiful children from Korea – the color of one's skin or their ethnicity was never the measure of a person for me. What is far more important, as Dr. King reminded us, is the content of one’s character.

The Courier-Post recently published a letter to the editor that stated: "Now people are dead in Charlottesville. Tom MacArthur's hands are still not clean." So, upon entering politics, while I expected to be called many things, an unrepentant racist who was complicit in the murder of innocent people hundreds of miles away wasn't one of them.

But, unfortunately, that's the state of public discourse in America right now. It is toxic and hate-filled. People across the partisan spectrum are increasingly using inflammatory rhetoric to make their point, or attract attention to their agenda or themselves.

We need to be better than this. President Donald Trump must be better; members of Congress and politicians in both parties must be better; the media, which is too often biased and even dishonest, must be better; and Americans on the fringe of the political left and political right must be better. Each has played a role in getting us to this point, and each has an obligation to move us past it.

What happened in Charlottesville was despicable and tragic. Decent people must utterly reject white supremacists, the KKK, and their hateful and perverse ideology. Many of our parents or grandparents fought in World War II to rid the world of Nazism across Europe; allowing it to rise again on our shores is unacceptable. People of good moral conscience must stand against it.

We must call out prejudice, intolerance and violence wherever it exists, whoever perpetrates it, and whatever part of the political spectrum with which they identify.

We, as a nation, should have an open and honest dialogue about all that is dividing us, but let's recognize that this can't happen if we're screaming at and vilifying each other.

Each of us must look in the mirror and honestly consider whether we are helping to heal our nation or widening the divide. May God help us to be healers. I'm asking all of you reading this to help lower the volume. Only then will we be able to hear one another speak.

U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur

R-3rd Congressional District

This Letter to the Editor first appeared in the Courier-Post here

ABIDE SURVEY REVEALS VIEWS ON TRUMP, CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE

San Francisco, CA - August 22, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- A new survey from Abide, the Christian meditation and prayer app, revealed the majority of Christians have a negative view of President Trump’s handling of Charlottesville.

In a survey of 1,500 American Abide users across all races, when asked if they thought President Trump handled the rallies is Charlottesville appropriately, 61 percent of Abide users said he had not. Additionally, 45 percent of respondents said their views of President Trump had been impacted negatively since Charlottesville.

Additionally, 45 percent of respondents said their views of President Trump had been impacted negatively since the Charlottesville protests.

“While some polls have show that Christians have been favorable toward President Trump in the past, this survey showed they feel work needs to be done when it comes to his leading the discussions on healing our nation’s racial divide,” said Neil Ahlsten, CEO and co-founder of Abide.

The survey also asked users about opinions on Confederate statues.

The majority of individuals – 40 percent – believe historical Confederate monuments should be removed compared to 20 percent who believe they should not be removed and 27 percent who are unsure.

However, when broken down by race, 52 percent of whites said the statues should remain where they are. Meanwhile, 60 percent of African Americans, 33 percent of Hispanics, 40 percent of people of Middle Eastern descent and 34 percent of Asian Americans believe the monuments should be eliminated.

Moving forward, when given the choice between violence, racial matters, equality and freedom of speech, a majority 59 percent said violence was their biggest concern following Charlottesville.

“It’s important that we take this information and use it to better ourselves,” said Ahlsten. “We may not agree on everything, but the Church should be at the forefront of the tough discussions regarding race. At the end of the day, we’re all created equal in God’s image and loved by Him. Just as He loved us, we need to love each other.”

Abide is a Christian prayer and meditation app developed by Carpenters Code, a fellowship of technologists from Google, Tesla, Ebay, Microsoft, and other firms seeking to use their gifts to bring people closer to God. Abide offer’s meditative guides for every season of life with a goal to touch the world with meaningful, scriptural prayer so everyone may know God’s love and be transformed by His Spirit. The Abide app that is available for download on iTunes and Google Play. For more information, visit Abide.is.

Rep. shares article saying Charlottesville was ‘set-up’

Idaho Falls: Post Register

Idaho Falls Rep. Bryan Zollinger took to Facebook on Friday, re-posting a conspiracy theory suggesting that the tragic events in Charlottesville, Va., could have been an inside job orchestrated to smear President Donald Trump.

The post, written on a site called “The American Thinker,” is replete with wild, unevidenced claims couched in what-ifs.

“The conflagration in Charlottesville is beginning to feel like a set-up, perhaps weeks or months in the planning,” the author wrote.

In a comment, Zollinger called the blog post “completely plausible.”

Read more...

How to deal with the aftermath...

by Shonda Ponder, editor of The Ponder News

The mainstream news channels have been going non-stop on the ISIS car attacks in Barcelona. Here at The Ponder, we are not going to be covering the Barcelona attacks, except to say that the CIA warned them two months ago what was about to happen and they neglected to prepare for it. Let someone warn us here in the U.S. and watch how fast we prepare for it, whether we believe them or not. Therefore, it's as much the government's fault there as it is the criminal's for doing it, in my opinion.

I'm not trying to sound insensitive to the pain that has been inflicted on the city of Barcelona and its people. My thoughts and heartfelt prayers go up for them; but, we have problems here at home, and there is a lot that isn't being reported because the media's focus is not where it should be.

Someone last night asked me, "Why are they reporting on something that is half a world away? I want to know what is going on HERE!"

I answered him with, "Because, after Charlottesville, the media got caught with their pants down, so they are trying to distract us from that." He nodded and smiled as if to agree.

I wonder how many people are actually buying it.

Having said all that...

I was impressed by the words of Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R - UT) as I read these words from a press release he sent out:

"I was just eight years old when my older brother Jesse was killed in World War II. As I said on Saturday, Jesse didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home. I will never hesitate to speak out against hate--whenever and wherever I see it.

In the wake of this weekend's violence, our nation has some soul-searching to do. It is not a time to say "What about" but to seriously ask ourselves "What now?

The choice before us is stark: Either we succumb to the bigotry and tribalism which threaten to tear us apart--or we condemn evil in all its forms and determine to come together as one nation, one people, united under God.

I believe in the infinity capacity of the American people. And I believe that the unbreakable bonds of affection, which for so long have held us together as a nation, are stronger than the forces which seek to divide us.

Above all, I believe in the virtue of civility. While I have strived to demonstrate compassion, comity, and respect throughout my public service, I have, at various times, fallen short of the ideal. But today, I am recommitting myself to civility--and I hope you will join me in doing the same.

Civility requires that we approach debate and discourse with sound logic and new ideas, not with cardboard shields and tiki torches. It asks that we bear our beliefs proudly and in the open, not behind the cowardly anonymity of social media accounts.

The tragedy in Charlottesville calls for a moment of national renewal. Let us all resolve to change. Let us all commit to fighting hatred in our communities with love, empathy, and understanding."

Evil in all its forms. Civility. A call for ALL to resolve to change.

I can go with that, as long as that doesn't mean I have to shut up and that my point of view should be stifled and displaced just because you don't like me. Debate means being willing to listen to the other side, even though you already know you disagree, and addressing the words that come out of their mouth with respect, not insults.

I've learned a lot through my years of debating on the internet.

Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions urging him to create an interagency task force to address the tragic increase in hate crimes that has stricken the United States. The recent outburst of violent racism and domestic terrorist activity by white supremacist organizations and individuals in Charlottesville, Virginia, has made the senators’ call for action more forceful.

“President Trump’s reluctance to quickly and directly condemn the hate, bigotry, and racism of the white supremacists and members of the Ku Klux Klan that gathered in Charlottesville was deeply alarming to us and to millions of Americans,” wrote the Senators. “In light of the horrific attack and hatred demonstrated this weekend in Charlottesville, we urge you to act quickly to address the alarming rise of hate in our country.”

That right there is lack of sufficient information, which leads me to believe that the senators in question did not listen to the press conference I heard. Instead, they heard what CNN and the Main Stream Media had to say. There should be a law against our leaders in office listening to the news on television. Instead, they should be required to converse and read what their constituents are saying.

In April, Senator Hirono joined a similar group of her colleagues to send a letter to President Trump asking for the task force; to this day, the letter has yet to be directly answered by the Administration. Although the Department of Justice has created a subcommittee focused on hate crimes, the subcommittee lacks sufficient power to effectively address the rise of hate crimes as its scope has never been defined. It's scope? You mean, should the BLM and ANTIFA groups be included in any investigations?

The letter notes that hate crime incidents have increased from 5,479 in 2014 to 5,850 in 2015, a rise of seven percent, and expresses concerns about the Administration’s recent actions to decrease funding for efforts to stop white extremism and eliminate funding for efforts dedicated to de-radicalizing neo-Nazis. The Southern Poverty Law Center found that the number of hate groups operating in the U.S. rose to 917 in 2016, an increase of 25 from 2015. In particular, anti-Muslim hate groups almost tripled in 2016.

Well, considering that the SPLC doesn't have correct information on who is a white supremacist and who isn't, I wouldn't be depending on their information in order to secure funding for anything...and if white supremacy is going to be addressed, shouldn't also black supremacy? This is the one-sided madness that needs to be stopped. This is what is causing the racial rift in our nation today. It ALL needs to stop.

In addition to the formation of the task force, the Senators’ letter urged the Attorney General to devote more resources from his department to supporting states and local communities in addressing the root causes of hate through education, community development, and cross-cultural exchanges. I'm all for that.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) released a letter in response to Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and the Democrat Members’ call for a hearing on the threat of domestic terrorism. In the letter he said:

"On September 12th, we will hold a full committee hearing and have invited the leaders of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Counterterrorism Center to discuss the most serious threats America faces. I strongly encourage Members of both parties to engage the witnesses on the dangers posed by domestic terrorists and other extremist groups."

This should be interesting to watch.

More Opinion from House Members on Charlottesville

House Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO, 4th) made a heartfelt statement about the violence in Charlottesville, saying, “Over the past few days America has witnessed the disturbing events in Charlottesville and the racism and violence that continues to inflict harm on our nation. It breaks my heart that today's young generation is still having to witness this unAmerican way to settle disagreements. Racism is not acceptable in our society in any form and should not be tolerated. It is one thing to have disagreements on the validity of historical monuments but violence is not the answer. It cannot be tolerated. This is not representative of America or the values that we hold dear.”

I appreciate how she refused to name either side as sole culprit. Of course, not everyone had the same view. House Representative Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL, 20th) shot back, "Today’s comments by President Trump were completely appalling. What took place in in Charlottesville was an act of domestic terrorism, not a two-sided affair." I'd like to ask Mr. Hastings if he was there at the rally, or did he speak to anyone at the rally to make this assumption. Just because there where White Nationalists present did not mean that there weren't black bigots taunting and instigating them, throwing feces, urine and spraying pepper spray.

"The President has lost all moral authority to lead this nation," he continues. It takes a lot of morals to look at both sides of an issue before deciding which bandwagon to jump on. "By continuing to stand with white supremacists promoting the abhorrent, anti-democratic ideology of inequality, injustice, and fascism, President Trump is fueling the fires of hate." Nowhere did Trump say he stood with white supremacists. What he said was that the violence was the responsibility of BOTH sides, and BOTH sides need to be held accountable (not in those exact words). "This is completely outrageous, and every single elected representative to Congress, regardless of party, must hold him to account." Go ahead, and when you do, make sure you bring the unedited version of the Youtube video in which Trump speaks to the press about Charlottesville.

House Representative Brian Higgins (D-NY, 26th) made his viewss known by saying, “Over the past several months, a regular barrage of words and actions coming from those entrusted to lead have demonstrated disrespect for women, refugees, transgender service members and others based on race. We are witnessing a dangerous and dismissive attitude toward some people as less accepted and less valued than others. This display of intolerance is hurtful to individuals and the noble principles that genuinely make our nation great.

“I am proud to call Buffalo -- the ‘City of Good Neighbors’ -- my home. As a country and as humans we could all benefit from being more neighborly. Each of us face our own struggles but they are better overcome when we are united rather than divided. Each of us bring our own strengths as individuals but we are wise to recognize we are significantly stronger together.

“Genuine leadership doesn’t embolden hate; instead, it should promote kindness and understanding. These exhausting distractions tear us apart, preventing us from working together and making real progress. We need less confrontation and more collaboration, fewer outbursts and more outcomes, and less heat and more light.”

Promoting kindness and understanding does not mean shutting out the voices of those who are different from us. It means being willing to listen to what they have to say, even if you don't like them, and finding a way to accommodate that won't hurt either side of the issue, and may even help both. THAT, Mr. Higgins, is what TRUE leadership does. Demonizing someone who thinks differently than you do doesn't do anything to help the relationship. The next step after demonization is extermination, and if you would look at history and learn from it, you will see the truth in what I have just said. But, I digress, most of those who think like you are for getting rid of any reminders of that history.

House Representative French Hill (R-AR, 2nd) condemned what happened by saying, ""During World War II, my father-in-law helped to liberate Buchenwald concentration camp. He bore witness to Nazi terror – a terror that started with an ideology of hate and superiority based upon race and creed. He and so many other Americans and Allies fought against that ideology, which was an affront to American values and continues to have no place in our civil society. I reject, in the strongest terms possible, the speech of hate and bigotry of white supremacists and others. It's repugnant and un-American. I condemn acts of domestic terror as the tools of cowards. Let's pray for civil discourse in our country, and my thoughts are with the community, those hurt, and those grieving over loss and injury."

My granddaddy was one of 300 soldiers who rode in a ship to Normandy. He fought for freedom so everyone, including his wife (who he encouraged to get her high school diploma, so she could better help with the war effort at home), could have the opportunity to better themselves and the world around them. When it came time to come home, there were only 73 men from the same ship who survived. He fought the war every day of his life since then. I would not be here today if he hadn't survived -- and I will not let his sacrifice be in vain by picking and choosing who has rights regardless of race, creed, religion, color or nationality, and that includes those who wish to preserve their heritage...even if I don't agree with their views. The First Amendment was not written for popular opinion holders.

House Representative Jim Himes (D-CT, 4th), who obviously has no idea what the President said, retorted, "White supremacy in any form has no place in our society, our politics or our civil discourse. It takes surpassing ignorance, total moral bankruptcy and a pathetic sense of entitlement to have marched with the KKK and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville. Period, full stop, and I am shocked I need to say so, much less to the President of the United States.

"I condemn the violence in Charlottesville and the hateful ideology behind the late night march and the daytime rally, and I stand aghast with the rest of the nation and leaders in both parties at the President's equivocation on this fundamental principle of decency. The President betrays the ideals and legacy of the country he leads - a country which paid with the lives of millions of its people to defeat white supremacy and Nazism."

While I agree with Himes about the characterization of those who marched with the KKK, I would like to extend that same characterization to the BLM group who decided that the KKK didn't have First Amendment rights and disrupting their Freedom of Assembly, which is also a First Amendment right. As far as what he said about the President, the President did not betray anything. He is not going to condemn one without condemning the other, and he is working to make those guilty of breaking the peace accountable on BOTH sides.

Our Race-baiting Leaders Choosing Sides.

The host of Your Voice America, Bill Mitchell, voiced his frustration on Twitter about how objectionable the mainstream media is when it comes to anything Trump says.

He tweeted:
Trump: "I disavow and condemn all hate groups including white supremacists."
Media: "Trump refuses to condemn white supremacists!"

I happen to agree with him. How can anyone say that condemnation of ALL hate groups, INCLUDING white supremacists, is not condemning white supremacists? It's illogical, and only closed-minded bigotted people will follow what the media is saying blindly. I hope they know that.

Senator Thom Tillis (R - NC) decided to try to look good by jumping on the media-created bandwagon against ONLY white supremacists by saying, "When it comes to white supremacists & neo-nazis, there can be no equivocating: they’re propagators of hate and bigotry. Period." Does he think that by shutting down the KKK and such groups that he will end the bigotry? There is still the BLM to contend with, and if they aren't dealt with the same time that the KKK is dealt with, and in the same manner, the BLM will get a foothold and grow that much stronger and more terrorizing. I hope he knows that.

Senator Todd Young (R - IN) offered what he thought was a solution, by saying, "This is simple: we must condemn and marginalize white supremacist groups, not encourage and embolden them." Apparently he thinks that by not listening to people he doesn't like, he won't have to deal with their problems, which, in the long run, become all of our problems. Does he even need to keep his job? I hope he is also planning to "marginalize and condemn" the black hate groups also.

Senator James Lankford (R-OK) cut into the conversation by stating, "Our words must not create confusion. The supremacy of any race is abhorrent, unAmerican & should be condemned by everyone. Full stop." Now that is the most sensible thing I've heard just about anyone say.

Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA) showed his Democrat ignorance about what happened in Charlottesville by chiming in, "Charlottesville violence was fueled by one side: white supremacists spreading racism, intolerance & intimidation. Those are the facts." He obviously got his "facts" from somewhere else other than Charlottesville. It was fueled by BLM and ANTIFA throwing rocks, urine, feces and spraying innocence rally attendees with pepper spray. The car attack came later.

House Representative Kathleen Rice (D-NY, 4th) called Trump a racist while sticking up for Black Lives Matter by refusing to acknowledge their part in what happened. How hipocritical is that?

Senator Susan M. Collins (R - ME) made sense when she stated, "The violence in Charlottesville was caused by racists & hate groups. We must unite against them." I think she may have a future.

Senator Marco Rubio (R - FL) blamed the organizers of the events 100%, even though they did not have anything to do with the attacks. I am glad I didn't vote for him, and that he isn't my President.

The Democrats in the House and the Senate are all chanting "There is only one side!" By doing so, they are negating the fact that the left side exists, the one that they are on. It will reflect against them during the next election, I am sure.

I hope they know that we are all watching them trip over themselves now. Only those telling the truth will survive the next election.

To Remove or Not to Remove, blaming both sides....and more

While the UN calls for Trump to stop detaining illegal immigrants and enact an "open border" policy,
House Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA, 15th) compared Trump to being a Nazi on his Facebook post by saying, "Brave Americans have taken on Nazis before. President Trump is on the wrong side of the beach. Hate loses." Mr Swalwell, I suggest you get that beam out of your eye so you can see straight, because you just showed your own hate.

John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN, 2nd) has decided to retire next year, rather than run for re-election.

Former Secretary of State and black woman, Condaleeza Rice, said on "Fox and Friends" three months ago, "I am a firm believer in 'keep your history before you.' So I don't actually want to rename things that were named for slave owners. I want us to have to look at those names, and realize what they did, and be able to tell our kids what they did and for them to have a sense of their own history.” I wonder if she has the same feelings today.

What is happening today reminds me of this:

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.” ― George Orwell, 1984

Another Democrat House Representative, Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR, 1st), decided to chime in about Trump's Presidential qualifications with, "Waiting two days to call racism evil isn’t just a failure in presidential leadership; it’s shameful. Sadly, I’m not surprised by the President’s lack of action. President Trump has advisors who are racist and hateful. I’ve called for the resignation of Steve Bannon, who has a long history of supporting white supremacists, since the day he was appointed. Now it’s time for him to be fired. The President’s delayed and wholly inadequate response to the domestic terrorism in Charlottesville is a new low, and we must never accept this as normal." I'd like to remind her that she is not qualified to "fire" the President. The only people qualified to "Fire" the President is the American People, and they elected him because they didn't like HER.

White Nationalist members of "The Traditionalists Worker Party" are planning to exercise their First Amendment rights to Free Speech by holding a rally in Lexington, Kentucky to oppose the planned removal of two Confederate statues from the lawn of the former Fayette County Courthouse. House Representative Harold Rogers (R-KY, 5th) voiced his concern by saying, "America is a nation that defends peace worldwide and we should strive to live in harmony on our own soil. I condemn the hateful, divisive language and brutal actions we witnessed in Charlottesville, Virginia and I extend my heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families. Democracy and diversity are part of the cornerstones of our great Nation, and bigotry and racism reverse the progress we’ve made. I pray that the violent displays in Virginia will not be repeated in Kentucky."

If they really intend to do this, I would suggest they send out a nation-wide Press Release to all media stating their intent to hold a peaceful rally and distancing themselves from BLM and ANTIFA who might show up. I would also suggest they find a lawyer to see on what grounds they can sue the BLM and ANTIFA and the city itself if need be to ensure that their right to hold a peaceful rally is protected. They should be ready to sue if it is interfered with in any way whatsoever. Yes, the First Amendment is their right, too. I don't have to agree with them to defend their rights. American Soldiers do that every day.

On August 14, 2017, people were seen protesting outside of Trump Tower today calling for no KKK no President Trump and supporting the BLM. While the BLM also has First Amendment rights (as long as they are peaceful), they are no better than the KKK in how they have contributed to the upheaval and division in the nation today.

Trump finally won my approval with this:

Go Pence GOOOO!

Black Christian Leaders Detest Claim That Trump Is the 'Driver' of Racial Division in America
Christian Post
August 14, 2017
"Don't make our commander in chief a villain when in actuality it is more the villainess of the media in terms of making something where nothing is," Vaughn stated.
Read more...

Lincoln Memorial vandalized with graffiti, park police say

CBS News
August 15, 2017
National Park Police (NPS) said they are working to remove graffiti from the Lincoln Memorial that was discovered before dawn on Tuesday.

"[Expletive] law" was written in red spray-paint on one of the columns.

A monument preservation crew is using a mild, gel-type paint stripper that is safe for use on historic stone, CBS affiliate WUSA-TV reports. The crew will evaluate after each application, but treatments will be applied as necessary until all of the graffiti is gone.

Another act of vandalism in silver spray paint was discovered on a Smithsonian wayfinding sign in the 1400 block of Constitution Avenue, the NPS told WUSA-TV.
Read more...

New SHOCK theory emerges about Charlottesville driver’s “motive” and it’s blowing MINDS

Allen B. West
August 14, 2017
Department of Memes reported that police officers in Charlottesville believed the driver was not acting maliciously, suggesting he was scared by the protesters on every side of his vehicle and he did not know what to do.
Read more...

Congressman Curt Schrader stated on a Facebook post: "The racist scenes from Charlottesville last weekend were incredibly disturbing and have absolutely no place in our society. There are so few things in this world that are crystal clear, but this - neo-Nazis, white supremacists, propagators of hate and violence - is one of them. I'm disturbed that the leader of this country doesn't seem able to recognize that," once again, only focusing on one group of racists that were there. The BLM and ANTIFA were also present at the rally.

Then, Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO, 5th) decided to chime in with, "Lordy, lordy. I now believe that the President's natural inclination is to make matters worse. He ran a White House that had become a mess, but he has magnificently and proudly turned it into a Mess Hall. Equating the Klan and the Nazis with civil rights organizations and those whose very existence is based on destroying huge segments of the American population is a maze from which escape might prove nigh impossible. Anyone who justifies this behavior needs to fill out an application to work in the West Wing." It is the opinion of the editor of The Ponder that Cleaver is jumping on the bandwagon of anti-Trumpers here. I haven't heard Trump try to justify anything.

Congressman Bill Flores (R-TX, 17th) put in his 2-cents worth by stating, "The bottom line is that white supremacists and neo-Nazis are evil and should be stopped. It is time for Americans to stand united as a nation to counter hatred and division of any kind."
While his statement did say "hatred and division of any kind", it still maintained the focus that the white suprmacists were the only ones at fault for what happened in Charlottesville.

Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA, 10th) is calling for the firing of Steve Bannon. "Actions speak louder than words, Mr. President. Fire Steve Bannon as I asked you to do Saturday morning, and show us you are serious about fighting the ugly extremism and racist ideology of the KKK, neo-Nazi groups, and other white supremacist hate groups," He said in a Facebook post calling for leadership. He, true to form, forgot to mention that there are those in congress who sympathize with Black Lives Matter.

And then...

Pence Destroys Liberal Media for Criticizing Trump Over Charlottesville

Politics Liberty
August 13
Speaking during a visit to the South American nation of Colombia, Pence said that it was appropriate to criticize not only the white supremacists behind the “Unite the Right” march but also counter-protesters on the scene.
Read more...

This makes me want to work on Pence's Campaign next election. Go PENCE GO!

Charlottesville: Commentary by Shonda Ponder

Senator Bernard Sanders (I - VT), who blames President Trump for the violence in Charlottesville, made the following statement concerning the violence in Charlottesville:

"The white nationalist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, is a reprehensible display of racism and hatred that has no place in our society. I am disgusted by the news, and my thoughts are with those in the Charlottesville community and around the country who have been targeted. While this incident is alarming, it is not surprising. Hate crimes and shows of hostility toward minorities have recently been surging. Now more than ever we must stand together against those who threaten our brothers and sisters."

Never mind that the Rally, which was not intended to be a "White Supremacist" Rally, did not invite the KKK, BLM or ANTIFA. They just decided to show up and get their name in the paper -- as usual.

If you want the vetted facts, click HERE

BTW. We're all aware of who paid for the civil unrest during the Obama Administration with the Black Lives Matter riots, aren't we? Guess who decided to show his handiwork again? Click HERE My bet is that he had a lot to do with what happened in Charlottesville. As a matter of fact, I'd bet he had more to do with it than Bernie's nemesis, Trump, did.

This is an eyewitness account from a post on Facebook:

Michael Wyrick

"I was at the Unite the Right Free Speech Rally. It was simply a FREE SPEECH rally. Yes, some folks waved the Confederate Flag, and yep, a lot of folks were waving the American Flag as well. I did not see or meet any "White Supremacists". I did not see or meet any "White Nationalists". Most of the attendees were white, true. However black folks, Hispanic folks, and Asian folks were also represented. NO ONE ... again NO ONE advocated violence. Absolutely NO ONE was "protesting". We were there to hear the speakers. Close to noon (when the rally was scheduled to start) may have been about 11 or so, the park already packed, we were suddenly attacked by Antifa and BLM. They were spraying pepper spray, mace, spray paint, throwing paint, lighting spray cans and yes spraying fire at the rally attendees. Obviously several fights did then break out along the outside edges of the park. The clash really was over in just minutes. The lying media, even Fox News are spewing lies and it is sickening."


All of this is so familiar to me, because when I was the president of America's Media Alliance, I remember attending the rallies of our members that were not KKK rallies, in which the KKK showed up. I've seen this before when I was president of America's Media Alliance. We would have a rally and the opposition would try to paint us as racist white trash. Never mind there were a lot of different races involved who want the same thing.

Loving the Confederate Flag does not make you racist, by the way, and getting rid of historical monuments is not going to change history.

After working with the AMA, I no longer trust our "leaders" when it comes to how they perceive these kinds of events. Before the election, I was a "Cruz-er". Cruz made these comments in his statement:

"The Nazis, the KKK, and white supremacists are repulsive and evil, and all of us have a moral obligation to speak out against the lies, bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred that they propagate. Having watched the horrifying video of the car deliberately crashing into a crowd of protesters, I urge the Department of Justice to immediately investigate and prosecute this grotesque act of domestic terrorism."

While I don't dispute what he has to say about Nazis, KKK and white supremacists, he failed to include Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA in his tongue-lashing of what was evil about the protesters. After all, they started all of the commotion. This is disappointing to me. It is also disappointing to me that the President did the same thing, and the main stream media is having a hay-day with the misconception.

Remember, the media thrives on mob rule...and trying to create it. Only in protecting free speech can we fight the propaganda that is obviously driving the lies about what is happening in Charlottesville.

Finally, I find it all a nightmare; not just because it happened, but because some of my best friends are now focused on how evil White Supremacists are, and are making the mistake of lumping them together with the original rally attendees. They have allowed the whole "Freedom of Speech" argument to burn red. Some are even going so far as to cry for the removal of the monuments that represent our history, because they are "a reminder of the evil in our past," while at the same time, failing to acknowledge the black supremacists who also attended the rally.

We don't need to get rid of White Supremacists and what they stand for. We need to hold accountable those Supremacists, WHITE AND BLACK, who do harm to other people and their property in the name of Free Speech. There are better ways to make your point known...more peaceful ways.

I cry inside because the evil in our past is what we NEED to remember. A popular quote from George Santayana, who said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" is applicable here. None of us have owned slaves, and none of us have been slaves -- at least in the sense that they were during the Civil War -- but we are still fighting with each other over the ideals that led to it's riddance.

Only by remembering and vowing "Never again" can we rid our nation of the hate that permeates this present war.

Charlottesville reignites Lee NAACP fight for removal of Confederate symbols in Fort Myers

Ft. Myers:News-Press

The images from the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that ended in upheaval and death Saturday led James Muwakkil to a Robert E. Lee statue in Fort Myers.

Muwakkil, the president of the NAACP in Lee County, placed an American flag at the statue on Monroe Street.

Read more...

It was a FREE SPEECH RALLY not a "White Supremacist Rally". White Supremacists just happened to show up.
I think the NAACP should be outlawed. Look at what the name means: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. By their very name, they are racist. They only work to advance colored people. God forbid we have a NAAWP. I am not racist, but I am sick of this being a one-sided issue.

South Florida activists host vigil for victims of Virginia white supremacy rally

Ft. Lauderdale:Sun-Sentinel

About 30 people came out to Cathy and Bob Anderson Park in Hollywood to speak out against racism and intolerance Sunday.

Protesters came donning signs and shirts with taglines such as “Refuse fascism” and calls to take down Confederate flags and monuments. The demonstration was meant to honor the people killed and injured protesting white supremacy in Charlottesville, Va. just a day before.

Read more...

Okay, since we are getting rid of all the symbols that represent people and ideas that we don't agree with,
let's get rid of the statues of Santa Claus in front of department stores at Christmas, and lets take down the statues of Martin Luther King, Jr. (who I totally admire, btw) around the nation, and all the statues of eagles that represent the freedoms we have according to our First Amendment, including Free Speech. While we are at it, since we are getting rid of the Confederate Flag, we should also get rid of the American Flag.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I am for any of this at all, but if we are going to applaud people who call on suppression of Free Speech as a way to solve the race issue, I think we should be willing to give it up for ourselves, as well as make sure NO ONE has that freedom anymore.

Opinion: Trump’s weak statement failed the people of Charlottesville and the rest of us

Fresno Bee

Words matter, but so does policy. Graham and Cruz called for investigations into such groups. They should make sure the U.S. Justice Department follows through.

Trump, for his part, needs to take a stand. He goes out of his way to denounce terrorists who claim to be followers of Islam, no matter where they strike. It should not be difficult to call white terrorists what they are, especially because they are responsible for so many more acts of domestic terrorism.

Read more...

This is all well and good, AS LONG AS while we are investigating the KKK and other groups like it, we don't forget to also investigate the BLM and the ANTIFA group that instigated the violence in the first place. It was, however, not a BLM or ANTIFA person driving the car. When a black man commits an atrocity like this, he is usually not on psychotropic drugs, either. Perhaps we need to investigate that, as well. As a matter of fact, it's just come out recently that all of the suicides of military men and women have been by our finest who are on psychotropic drugs. Is anyone getting this?

Crash suspect’s ex-teacher says he idolized Hitler, Nazism

Fairfield Republic

The young man accused of plowing a car into a crowd of people protesting a white supremacist rally was fascinated with Nazism, idolized Adolf Hitler, and had been singled out by school officials in the 9th grade for his “deeply held, radical” convictions on race, a former high school teacher said Sunday.

James Alex Fields Jr. also confided that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was younger and had been prescribed an anti-psychotic medication, Derek Weimer said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Read more...

Schizophrenia. Anti-psychotic medication. Go Figure. Also, just because the KKK was there does not make it a
"white supremacist rally". When are people going to stand up and tell the main stream media to either do proper research before publicizing trash or suffer the consequences, including but not limited to the dollars people spend on them.

Local residents protest Virginia violence

Fort Smith Southwest Times Record

A group of local residents came together to make protest the violence that horrified the country this weekend.

More than a dozen demonstrators gathered in front of the U.S. Post Office at 3318 S. 74th St. in Fort Smith on Sunday in response to the death and injuries that took place in Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday. A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally, killing one person and injuring at least two dozen more. The white nationalists gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

A helicopter crash that killed the pilot and a passenger later Saturday afternoon outside the town was also linked by Virginia State Police to the rally.

Sunday’s event, which began at 3 p.m., was organized by Indivisible Fort Smith & Western Arkansas. Those involved held up signs with phrases that spoke out against racism and hatred as people drove by on South 74th Street, some of whom honked their horns in approval. Other demonstrators took to chanting, shouting slogans such as “No more hate,” “No more Charlottesville,” and “Let’s make a difference” to all who passed by.

Read more...