Bless the Donors as Well as the Others Receiving the Vaccinations

  High-end hospital donors receiving the Covid vaccination ahead of others. Now, that's receiving some criticism. The elites, it is said. The haves getting it ahead of the have-nots, simply because of there position in society and their having paid money to the hospitals.

   These are people giving of their millions to charity, to bless the lives of those needing medical attention. And, we attack them? I say we do not judge them. I do not know how many of them give just to get tax deductions, and how many give because they genuinely want to reduce suffering. But, I think it wrong to be too quick to judge. Do they give because they know it will get them to the front of the line for vaccinations? No. Did they ask for the vaccination? No. Someone called them up and offered it to them. Will they give more now that hospitals are giving them first-ups on vaccinations? I don't know. It does spread good will to them. I agree, they do not need the vaccinations as much as others. Their taking it first does mean some who need it worse must wait. We are giving vaccinations to hospital workers first. Should we? Many of them are not high-risk. They are high-exposure, though, so that should also be considered. Still, the point is, the donors are not trying to scam the system. They are not trying to deprive anyone. Why demonize them?

   One important thing is to get the vaccine out to as many people as quickly as possible. We can fight over it. We can fight and bicker and get angry and indignant and get worked up against each other when someone gets ahead of us, or ahead of those we think should get it first. But that is not good.  

Capitol Riot Pointed Out a Weakness in Our National Defense

   The Capitol Riot should have pointed out a glaring weakness in our national defense. A group of  protesters, not even an army, was able to march in and take over the Capitol. 

   Here we are ready to push the nuclear button on a minute's notice, and we aren't even ready to save the Capitol from a bunch of ragtag protesters.

   We must guess it won't happen again. Defenses will be put in place. But, how did it happen this time? Have we been this unprepared all along? At any other moment, could an armed force have swung in and taken over the Capitol? Were we caught off guard by the fact we knew there would be a protest and didn't contest such a crowd? Or, forbid, did someone tell them to not be at full force, to not send enough troops to protect the Capitol?

   Twenty-four/Seven, the National Guard should be standing near, ready to rush to protect the Capitol, the  White House, and the Supreme Court Building. Have we not been doing this? 

Election Irregularities in Arizona?

 Election irregularities in Arizona? One claim is that Trump votes were not counted. The voters used Sharpie pens, it is said, and they smeared, resulting in their votes being not counted. Election officials deny the charges, saying they recommended Sharpies because they are fast-drying. No, they say, those votes were not discounted.

Some of the charges do make you wonder how reliable they are, such as this one: "When I went to check in to vote, I was asked if I was a Republican or Democrat and I told them I was really a Saguaro cactus and then they didn't let me vote. FRAUD FRAUD FRAUD".

Or, this one: "I believe I was the victim, along with our great president, of voter fraud. Standing in line waiting I noticed all the poll workers giving voters black pens to fill out their ballots, but when it was my turn they handed me a Mr. Sketch scented marker. I believe it was watermelon scent, which I found highly offensive as I hate watermelon. No doubt they knew that by tracking me with their 5G towers. Anyways, I'm sure they did that to me because of my KAG hat and 12 guns I was holding at the time. I don't believe my vote for Trump was counted as the watermelon- scented marker is a lite pink color."

 Whether you believe the charges of election fraud or not, the ink hasn't dried on one thing: The investigation. Two independent auditors are being brought in to investigate the Dominion machine voting. One will start its investigation Feb. 2 and the other Feb. 8.

The Constitution Gave Congress Authority to Suppress the Insurrection

    This is interesting, considering the insurrection at the Capitol. We did call it an insurrection, didn't we? Well, did you know who the Constitution gives authority to to put down insurrections? It uses that very word. It specifies that Congress has power "To . . . suppress insurrections."

   That's found in Article I, Section 8, as it lists all the powers of Congress.

   Doesn't that mean that when they were under attack, they should have been the ones calling for the National Guard, or whoever, to come in and protect them? They should have taken a vote authorizing -- demanding, if you will -- that the president immediately send them help.

   It's not a well-known provision of the Constitution, but it's there, the same. 

I Like it that Immigration Should be Considered a Freedom

    Immigration: I like it that it should be considered a right, not just a privilege. You have the right of movement, the right to come and go, to move about as you please. You have the right to live where you will, to travel where you will, and to relocate.

   Those are freedoms. Not every country extends them, but they are freedoms, the same.

 A trinket soon becomes trash, and what once was treasure is tossed aside.

Criticism of Biden's Executive Orders Might be Unwarranted

    Criticism that President Biden is trying to govern by executive order might be unwarranted. Looking through what I can, it appears many of the actions are but reversals of Trump's executive orders, and others amount to policy declarations, not changes of law.

Train Up the Child to not Enjoy Movies and Music Glorifying Killings

    As investigators look into the suggestion that the  alleged Adams Street shooter in Indianapolis was but acting out violent music, we as a society should consider. Do we ban violent music? Of course not. But, we should double-down as parents to teach children not to listen to music that glorifies violence, whether it is gang rap or whatever. More than just that, we as adults should take the cue, and not listen to such music.

   The time a child is being raised is a time there should be restrictions. You do limit their agency. When they are grown, then they are freer to make bad decisions. But, youth is a time for training. I do not know at what point you let young adults make their own choices. But, for the good portion of their being raised, it is wise to prohibit children from listening to songs or watching movies that glorify killings and other acts of violence. Come movie night out, as parents, be mindful of the content of those movies. And, listen in as teens play music at home. Being a parent is not much more than this. Teaching right from wrong is but in moments like these. 

How do We Roll Out the Vaccine Faster?

    Some will look at the rollout, and say it is a nightmare -- was so in the Trump administration and continues so a week into the Biden era.

   Two things: Simplify the rollout, and look down the pipeline for more vaccinations. When I say simplify: reduce the paperwork, the computer-work, the qualification process, the necessity of phone calls, and the need for back-and-forth contacting, etc. You only create bottlenecks and lines with the regulation we are having. Take the policy of limiting it to those 70 or older, what happens when you come to a nursing home and give it to those who are of age, but not to the rest of the residents? You have to keep track of who has had it and who hasn't, and you have to come back to that facility and do it again. It would be simpler just to give it to all the residents of the facility if you give it to any at all. Take the lot of them, and be done. 

   Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca each have vaccines. How far down the pipeline are others? How many doses from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca do we have? Could they get us more? How quick? They are already approved, so if they could just roll out some more, that would be beneficial. Why does it take so long just to manufacture more of a thing that is already approved? 

   Bless us that we move along faster. 

Did the Blows of a Sword Kill Gideon, or the Blows of a Club-Sword?

   Faith does not run from questions, but runs to find their answers. And, sometimes, it can be with excitement. If one has faith in his religion, and knows it is true, and a skeptic comes along, saying, "Hey, what of this talk of swords in the Book of Mormon? The people living in the Americas did not have swords. No excavations have unturned any. Metal doesn't just deteriorate and disappear. If there were swords, some would have been found."

   Well, then, if a skeptic comes along with a question like this, the faithful person might well even get excited, for he knows the church is true, and it becomes a riddle for him to answer: There must be an answer: Can it be found? 

   Faith can be a like a Rubik's Cube.

    So, what of no swords in America? I cannot share everything in a short blog. Nor, have I time to fully study it. But, I will offer one discovery. As I turn to Alma 24:12, to see where it refers to swords that were stained, as I was reading how they could have been made of wood, and wood stains whereas steel doesn't, I accidentally looked up verse 12 of Alma 1, instead.

   And, by coincidence, Alma 1:12 speaks of swords as well. What odds on that, I think, that I should be looking for one verse that uses the term, and accidentally turn to another and find it also has the word "sword" in it. This reference, in Alma 1, speaks of an old man, being attacked by someone, and the old man is so old he cannot withstand the blows. "Blows" is a term more often used if you are being beaten with a club, not a sword. One swing of a sword, and that might be it, but a single blow from a club probably won't kill. 

   And, I think back to what I had just read in Wikipedia, describing what was a common weapon. "Warriors in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica are known to have used wooden clubs with blade-like obsidian flakes," said the entry, giving us to assume that a club -- albeit with somewhat of a blade -- was a common weapon. If you are making a sword from wood, it might not have a sharp blade, and end up being more of a club.

   Alma 1:9 says a man named Nehor was wroth with Gideon, who is the old man in the story, "and drew his sword and began to smite him. Now Gideon was stricken with many years, therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword."

   My mind then jumps to the story of Coriantumr and Shiz, in the final battle of the Jaradites, and how they are the last survivors of the exterminating war, and of how Shiz has fainted, lying on the ground, and Coriantumr is tired from the battle, and leans on his sword, and cuts off the head of Shiz. Surely, a sword sharp enough to cut off someone's head is not a wooden club-sword, I think.

  But, as I think on it more, I wonder. All the swinging of the swords thus far have not resulted in decapitation. Nor does the story say either have severed an arm or leg. Yes, it is for loss of blood that Shiz has fainted, but the blows of a club can also bring blood. If your head was on the ground, with ground behind it so it can't do anywhere, even a dull weapon might severe the head if enough weight is put on it. If you are leaning on that "sword," that is all the weight you have, and enough to bust through the neck and decapitate the head.

   I turn to Ether 15, where we find the account of Shiz and Coriantumr. It tells how there were 32 of the warriors of Shiz left, and 27 of the warriors of Coriantumr. "And they were large and mighty men as to the strength of men." Large and mighty can benefit any warrior, but I wonder if in sword fighting, quick and skilled are not more important. In a sword fight, it seems a number of not overly large people might have been skilled and quick enough to be among the final warriors.

   But, if you are using clubs, the weight of the swing becomes more important. A large and mighty person becomes more of a thing, as your swing becomes more damaging, and you become more powerful.

   Does this solve the riddle? Or, am I in my want to believe just jumping to an answer? I do not know. The church is still true, to me, either way. If this is not the correct explanation, there still is one. Still, if these thoughts are right, then I am grateful for them.

Contention is not Good, but Defending Others is

    Agree with thine adversary quickly, it is said. But, that can be a difficult thing. Often, you are defending the honor of others. You do disagree with those who say they are dishonorable. You do find it important to stand up against rumors. Perhaps, the best one can do is to be civil and respectful. Contention is not a good thing. But, silence when others are under attack also is not good. Just as you would come to the defense of someone being attacked in the streets, so should you defend the honor of those who do good.  

The Best Practitioner of Free Speech is One Who Chooses Nice Words

    The best practitioner of free speech: Is it the person who assails the other the most, who uses free speech to condemn, deride, and tear apart? Is it the person who rips others, finds fault, and says, I'm just telling it like I see it?

   That is what free speech is all about, isn't it? You have the right to criticize, lampoon, ridicule, and swear at others. Free speech means no more, to some.

   Then, there's the rare practitioner. He (or she) uses it to agree. Is there one amongst us who enters into this category? Any? Any at all? This person takes the right to say whatever he or she wishes and chooses to say nice things. Free speech is that, too, you know. You have the right to be nice.

   

Identify Why They Take Drugs

   Finding a better way to heal the drug addict is big, in my eyes, as I like to think of solutions for every social problem. What I offered yesterday would be a more successful way of reforming drug addicts.

   But, it occurs to me, you cannot reclaim them all. As long as people have agency, there will be those who choose to take drugs.

   The desire to overcome drugs is the heart of the answer. If you can instill in a person a desire to overcome drugs, you will have the best shot at bringing them out. So, how can we help them desire to quit? 

  Find out why they take drugs. Counsel them. Get them to be honest. Do they take drugs because they are lonely, depressed, frustrated, or feeling defeated? Are drugs their escape? Not everyone will have the same reason. Do they take them to celebrate, to party, to socialize? Rather than an escape, are drugs their means of their being included, and having a feeling of belonging?

  Once you find out why they take the drug, address that issue. Seek a way to neutralize it, or overcome it. Help them realize that is not the way to reach their goal.

  This, in addition to what I said yesterday, are important ways of dealing with drug addiction.  

 

To Overcome Drugs, Perhaps You Should Visit the Haunts

    There's an important element drug rehabilitation centers seem to be missing. The way they are designed even makes them miss on this important element. The centers often do not allow much contact with the outside world. They can shut you off from receiving drugs.

   Yes, that might be a mistake. 

   If a person goes through a drug rehab program, being denied the opportunity for drugs, and comes out clean, that's great. It is not meaningless. It's worthy -- to a point. But, to really overcome drugs, you have to overcome the temptation to take them. If you are simply being taken out of temptation's way while you are in the center, then when you are released and back out in a world where the temptation does exist, you will likely fall flat on your face. No one trained you to face and overcome the temptation. No one prepared you.

   A good treatment center would leave you open to the same temptations you face on the outside world. Or, so it seems to me. At very least, it would teach you how to deal with them. It would say, Jim, when you get back out, you are going to be back with your friends who are on drugs. They are going to be influencing you to take them again. Yes, stay away from these bad influences as much as you can. Keep your friendships with those who won't harmfully influence you. But, you still need to be prepared to deal with the drugs when they do come.

   Rather, than preventing them having the opportunity to even get drugs, I almost wonder if the center should be releasing them each day to visit the haunts where the drugs are available. When person is admitted to the rehab center, he or she pledges honesty. How well he or she does will largely depend on how honest he or she is. He must tell you what happens when he visits those drug haunts. He must tell you honesty if he if was offered drugs, saw people taking drugs, broke down and took them, etc.

  When a person says no to drugs, and has someone to report that to, that is huge. They can glory together in his success. When someone appreciates his (or her) successes in saying no, when someone praises him (or her) for showing the strength to say no, that tremendously lends strength to the ability to overcome drugs.  

We can be United, We can Heal, We can Make the Biden Years Best

   May the Biden years be the best. We know not what they will bring, but we can enter them with hope. My hope begins with the hope that America will rally around this Joe. If I had voice to be heard, I would ask every American to support him. And, if they have a cause they desire, make their voices heard. For I believe Biden will listen to the voice of the people.

   I reject the premise that we cannot unite. I am a believer there are those outside the U.S. who seek our division, and I refuse to be party to their game. They sow the seeds of hate. They cry for turning us one against another. They urge us to be Democrats and Republicans, alone, and to see nothing good in the other side.

  We must reject this. We can heal. We can be united. We can stand shoulder-to-shoulder. We can be bigger than party and we can see good in each other. 

Would be Good to Discuss Rachel Rodriguez, but We Need More Info

   We (many of us) say no election fraud overturned the election. It is probably good, then, to consider news that might hold the potential of persuading us otherwise. This one is from Ken Paxton, the attorney general in Texas. He arrested Rachel Rodriguez. The story does not specify if the vote-getting she allegedly did brought votes to Biden. Paxton announced the arrest just six days ago, but the arrest was months ago. What's up with that? Why take so long to announce the arrest? I hope more specifics are released by Paxton's office, I.E., what exactly did Rodriguez do and did it benefit Biden.

The Hunter Biden Story Bears a Need to be Told Yet Again

    The Hunter Biden story is one that needs to be told in its truth yet again, for many conservatives continue to misrepresent what happened. 

   Ukraine was a land with much corruption. The country put in place a prosecutor to look at all the shady activity. Viktor Shokin inherited that job, but was not doing anything. The international community began to demand he do something. U.S. diplomats up and down the line saw the need for him to either do something or to be removed from the position. Even the populace of Ukraine was upset, with a crowd of at least 200 protesting outside the office of the country's president, demanding that he fire Prosecutor-General Viktor Shokin.

   It was into this situation that Joe Biden stepped. He was hardly the first to call for Shokin's removal. He stepped in calling for Shokin's removal only after everyone else already had. The difference, though, is that Biden succeeded. He said, you either fire Shokin, or you lose this foreign aid. 

   Ukraine fired Shokin.

   It is not even know if Hunter Biden's case was one Shokin was investigating. But, since everyone wanted him fired for not doing any investigating and prosecuting, it follows that if it was a case he was suppose to look into, he wasn't doing it. Joe Biden and everyone else wanted someone in the office who would do all the investigating. So, Joe Biden was hardly protecting his son by calling for someone else to take the office who actually would do the investigating and prosecuting. 

Bless Martin Luther King, Jr.

    "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

   We have read enough wonderful quotes from MLK to see that he did stand for righteousness, truth, equality, and justice. There might be those who still disparage him. He once was cast aside by some conservatives. Is he still? Or has it become that conservatives now join in the belief that he was a righteous leader, worthy of the honor he receives?

   Bless him for the good he did for humanity.

Congressman has the Right Idea, but the Legislation needs Balance

   With dissatisfaction with the way the election was conducted being widespread, Republican Congressman August Pfluger of Texas has the right idea. Pflugar has introduced legislation to restore confidence in the elections. Whether we all agree with what is in the bill, we should agree we want to establish rules that provide more agreement that elections are fair.  While it is possible the majority of Americans believe the election was fair, the goal of providing greater consensus is the right one.

 Such legislation should, indeed, eliminate, as much as possible, the possibility of votes being cast in the names of the dead. And, as only citizens are allowed to vote, it should ensure that only citizens do vote. 

   But, it should not let go of the cause championed by Democrats, that of making the elections assessable to every American. You only want eligible voters to vote, but you want every one of them who is eligible to vote. Proving easy access to registering and to voting remains important. 

   If the legislation is quality legislation, it will address both sides of this issue.  

The Writer of the Pledge Shows us Socialists can be Choice Americans

   One of America's most notable patriots was a socialist. Yes, Francis Bellamy, who gave us the Pledge of Allegiance, was a socialist. 

   Bellamy was a preacher. But, he was forced from the pulpit for preaching against the evils of capitalism. Eventually, he would stop attending church altogether because of the racism he witnessed. 

   Bellamy's politics would not be welcome with many today. Still, that he is the man who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance shows that socialists can be Americans -- good Americans, patriotic Americans, and among the best of Americans.

We Should be Mindful of the Michigan Militia and Other Militias

   A Michigan militia group is planning a protest at that state's capitol on Sunday, as a run-up to Joe Biden's inauguration. As we consider the violence from attack on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., perhaps we should note there was little mention of militia participation. Were militia members not much in attendance? If they were, did they leave their guns home? Did they have them but not use them?

  We should be mindful of them. Many militias have been in training for years, waiting for the time to come that they will feel it necessary to use their guns to stop the government from taking their freedoms away. Whether they might see this as that moment, we may not know. But, the words, Eternal Vigilance, should be applied to them. We should be vigilant, careful of the moment they might see as necessary to use their weapons.  

Is This the Coming of the Militia Types?

   The memory of a militia member, telling me that they are just waiting for the word to come from their leaders, telling them it is time to put their guns to use, comes to mind. I thought it ominous when he said this maybe seven years ago. I think it more so now.

   There are gun activists who are no more than people who love the Second Amendment. Then, there are those who notch it up a little, who not only believe the gun is necessary to keep America free, but who anxiously await the day when they can use their guns to protect their freedom. Some who join the militias, have been training for this very day.

   So, is this the day, for many of them? Is this the moment, in their estimation, that they have been waiting for, preparing for? We may not know, but time and tide will tell, and it may be but another six days before we find out. 

Further Studies (Okay, Just Mine) on the Workings of the Mind

When the winds blow, the weeds are sown. And, then, to avoid a field of weeds, you must cultivate them out.

   It is no different from that with the mind. It should be with great joy that we see how the mind works. The wind represents the way information is scattered. We hear something, sometime a rumor, sometimes a truth. The accusation becomes something we are in danger of believing, or at least wondering about. Sometimes, the person who would not be thought ill of causes his own damage by introducing the possibility of his fault. He plants the weed, him or herself.

  "You probably think I took your phone, but I didn't." And, as soon as the person says that, the possibility that he or she took the phone is introduced in the other person's mind. This is the power of suggestivity. All it takes is that the possibility is planted in the other person's mind and the thought will grow into a weed if it is not cultivated out. 

   Ah, yes, the power of suggestivity.

   If we do not like the other person, we are especially susceptible to believing rumors about them. Having itching ears, we jump on the rumor and are quick to believe it. Those with weak minds are also quicker to believe rumors, for it takes mental effort to think things through and the easier path is to simply accept the rumor as truth. Just as it takes effort to go through a field and hoe out all the weeds, so it takes mental effort to cull out the rumors. 

   Drugs can also be influencers. They tend to make the mind lazier and more susceptible. Thus, those are drugs can be more paranoid and be more easily persuaded to believing a lie.

  Others who are more susceptible to rumors, lies and innuendo? Those who are not loving, those inclined to hating others. And, those who are hurt, who become defensive, they are prone to lash back.  

 Teach yourself that the hard is easy and there will be nothing you can't do.

 Peacemakers do not find fault, they forgive it.

You can only borrow tomorrow. 

It will never be yours to keep 

It will come and go 

As sure as time doth leap

(Poems) 

The peacemaker sees a fault, but forgives it. The warmaker invents the fault, and refuses to forgive it.

 The impulse of youth becomes the habit of age. 

 The toys of our youth become the tools of our life. If you play with them young you'll play with them old. 

 Wisdom is more than words you give to others. It is listening to them when they are wise.

 Tomorrow is never a promise, but always a dream.

 Christmas ends on Christmas Day, but its message just begins.

 He who gets fat, gets there before noon.

 The future melts when you expect only summers. Some of your finest moments might need to be carved from ice.

 The whistle in the wind teaches you to sing even in your troubles.

 There is more glory in sticking to a cause and losing than there is to abandoning it to win.

 More important than winning is learning how to lose. Character is built not in victory, but in defeat.

 Years pass and time changes, but hope remains the same.

 Arguing is a lot like sailing. Sailing requires a ship more than it requires a sail. If you don't have a base to float on -- to stand on -- a lot of wind isn't going to do you any good. 

We Should be Double-Masking

   Studies are showing wearing two face masks is more beneficial than a single layer. 

   We are in Covid-fatigue, having fought it for the better part of a year. Somewhat, we are just content to let it run out its string. We aren't as quick to take up ideas that might help, because it seems nothing works.

   But, if double-masking will help, we should do it. And, our leaders should be encouraging us to do it. 

A Moment's Silence for the Seven Deaths Connected to the Capitol Riot

    A moment's silence and a silent prayer for the seven people who died in connection with the storming of the Capitol last week. Two were police officers, and five were supporters of Donald Trump. 
At least two died from violent acts committed upon them. One died from a heart attack, another from a stroke, and another of an undisclosed condition. One of the two officers died from suicide. The cause of death of the seventh person has not been disclosed. 

   I don't know that any of their deaths qualify under the criteria for flying the flag half-mast. But, if we do only fly it half-mast for the officers, let us not leave out the others in our mourning.

   Kevin Greeson, 55, Athens, Alabama. As someone who often posted on Parler, in December he reportedly urged action to support President Trump. "Load your guns and take to the streets!" NBC reported he posted. He urged Proud Boys to give "hell" to antifa. Greeson had high blood pressure and died of a heart attack. Another reported post of his (not NBC doing the reporting), said, "I'm in.. call me I have guns and ammo!" Greeson had high blood pressure and died of a heart attack. A source named Chris Evans reported on Twitter that Greeson accidentally tasered himself multiple times before he died of the heart attack. 

Rosanne Boyland, 34, Kennesaw, Georgia. Died of an undisclosed medical emergency. One source said she collapsed during the protests and another suggests she was trampled. 

Christopher Stanton Georgia, 53, Alpharetta, Georgia. News of his death came today, though he died Saturday. It hasn't been confirmed that his death is connected to the insurrection, but he was there, participated, and was arrested, and it appears connected. Investigating officers removed two rifles from his home.

Brian Sicknick, 42, originally from South River, New Jersey. Sicknick was involved in physical confrontation with the mob. The Associated Press reported he was hit with a fire extinguisher. He died about a day later. 

Howard Liebengood, 51, Virginia. United States Capitol Police officer Liebengood committed suicide three days after the attack on the Capitol. Little else was released about his death. He was off-duty at the time. He had served in the Capitol since 2005. 

Ashli Babbitt, 35, San Diego. An ardent Trump supporter, Babbitt was shot and killed by an officer as she and others tried to force their way into the House chambers. She was an Air Force veteran who identified as a libertarian. 

Benjamin Philips, 50, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Reportedly died of a stroke. Philips founded a pro-Trump website and helped coordinate rides to the protest at the Capitol.  

Do not Call this Treason, and do not Impeach the President

   I never did find why I thought the Constitution warned against being too quick to call someone out for treason -- or have I?

   In the days leading up to the Capitol insurrection, I reflected on how it is wrong -- dangerous to democracy -- to run around accusing each other of treason. 

   And, now, here we are. I haven't heard the word "treason" yet used on Donald Trump, but perhaps that is just because I am not listening closely enough. Either way, he is being accused of more than I think we should saddle him with. And, it is not only the president, but others who are facing potential punishments that are unwise. There are calls for senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley to resign (or be expelled).

   Could we ask what Cruz and Hawley did wrong? They continued to lead a wave of discontent with the election results. They continued to suggest the election was a fraud. That is all. These are not things for which we should remove them from office.

   There is this danger in our times. We have been endangered by President Trump. But, also dangerous to freedom are these efforts to silence those who feel the election was a fraud. Now, I am not among those who think it was a fraud. Joe Biden won, fair and square. But, there is danger in the way we are fighting the deceit being practiced by Trump's lawyers and leaders.

   When lies are silenced by persuasion, that is the just way of silencing them. But when they are silenced by edict, you only strengthen them. Truth comes not by edict, but only through earnest discussion. If the fact that Biden won fairly is to carry the day, it must be done by pointing out the deception being practiced by Trump's people -- a deceit that has fooled perhaps 75 million people. And, though they are swallowed by deception, they honestly believe they are right.

   Government cannot dictate what is truth. Instagram, Cameo, Twitter, and Facebook cannot by edict proclaim the truth. Amazon, Apple and Google should not be shutting down Parlor. Our freedom of speech is in danger. 

   Did Trump incite an insurrection? Yes, depending on how you look at it. By stirring up the people to believe the election was unjust, a riot did result. But, I don't know if he ever directly suggested violence. "You will never take back our country with weakness," he said. That might have been about as provocative as he got. Rudy Guiliani was more provocative. "Let's have trial by combat," he said.

   You cannot just shut these voices down. Sometimes, there is a right to free speech even when it brings the danger of insurrection. We lose our freedom of speech and that is not to be counted as a small thing. And, so, I say, do not expel Cruz and Hawley from office. Do not call for State Attorney General Sean Reyes and others in Utah to resign. Do not impeach the president. 

   I think I've found it: "Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

   The founding fathers did not want to make it easy to convict someone of treason. They purposefully put restrictive limits on what it was. In the annuls of time, accusing someone of treason has been the hallmark of dictators. They throw in jail those who oppose them. This has been the very danger we have had with Trump. He would have marched off to prison everyone from Hillary Clinton to James Comey. Everyone who opposed him, by his way of thinking, belonged in jail. He fired every person who dared stand up to him. 

   Let us not be guilty of the same thing. Let us not endanger the freedom of our nation by being too quick in going after someone for their beliefs. We've 75 million Trump supporters, would we run all of them off Twitter, or off Facebook? Heaven forbid the freedom of speech that would be lost.  

A lie is sold by a truth untold. 

Laugh at the Notion the Russians are Spreading Their Lies

    Truth's banner has never been so important, not for the United States. It is under assault as never before. There have been times people have questioned the free press. The study of the public's confidence in the press would be an enlightening one. Call it coincidence -- for whether it is, we do not know -- but I would not be surprised to find a decline in trust of the free press shifting in somewhere back in the days of the old Soviet Union. And, going wild just in these recent years.

   We have known all along the communists are into disinformation, propaganda. From the Cold War and before, they have long been its exponents. 

   And, they have become its experts. We speak of trade wars. No nation exports more disinformation than the Russians. Of all the trade deficits we have, none are more one-sided than this one. 

   Would you deny it? Would you suggest otherwise? If we told you Robert Mueller sat on Congress's witness stand and said that even as they were discussing the issues, the Russians were spreading their disinformation -- if we told you our intelligence agencies have warned us like this, would you still deny it?

   They have become the experts of the world, both in cybersecurity and disinformation. Believe otherwise only at the peril of our nation. Laugh at the notion they are destroying us even as they continue to destroy us. 

Is there Even Such Thing as a Peacemaker in a World of Red and Blue?

    Blessed are the Peacemakers, it is said. And, now would be a good moment for them all to step forward.  Let's run a little experiment, and see if we can get twenty of you to step forward as Peacemakers. Any takers?

   First, how many of you are willing to forgive those who assaulted the Capitol. You need to be someone who opposes Trump to qualify. You are not saying you justify the looting, nor anything else that was done that was wrong. But, you are forgiving them. And, you are offering them friendship. And, you are not calling them names, nor saying they are traitors, nor treasonous.  You are not condemning them. You understand them. You allow that they believed what they were doing was right. You allow they felt they were doing something to save the country. You might think they were misguided, but at the same time you are not condemning them. Do we have any takers? Any at all? Will any of you step forward to be this Peacemaker?  

   America has plenty people waving the red flag of Republicanism, and plenty of people waving the blue flag of Democratism. What we need are more of are those who are willing to raise the white flag of Peacemaking. Notice how when we refer to the flag as the Red, White and Blue, white is in the middle, even as a Peacemaker is in the middle, keeping the other two apart. If you took white out of the flag, there would be no stars and there would be no stripes. We would be left with but strife and contention in our land, with a sky of Democrats and a sea of Republicans.

   Peacemakers are not quick to condemn, but to forgive. There will be times they must condemn, but they will weigh the moment well before they walk that ground. 

   Peacemakers do not find fault, they forgive it. Who will be this class of Peacemaker for us? 

  Peacemakers are fair in their judgement of others. They look not for fault, but for fairness. So, let's look at the faults being cast, and see if we can find Peacemakers willing to drop their fault-finding, drop their aspersions, drop their name-calling, and accusations. Can we find even one who will fill this category? Speak up, if you will, for this is the hardest of all category to fill. I'm guessing there will not be so much as a soul who will be this type of Peacemaker. But, to help you along, that you might be this rare soul, let me point out that false accusations are the heart of contention. So, if we are to be less contentious as a people, we must cease our false accusations. We should consider the Ten Commandments, and how one of them is to not bear false witness. A Christian nation, it would seem, would run from bearing false accusations, would shun as a sin the bearing of false witness. 

  There are other types of Peacemakers close to the one just mentioned. There is the Peacemaker who does see a fault, but sees past it. They might find fault in a politician, and even verbalize it, but they reach a point of contentedness instead of contention. They allow others to disagree with them about that politician. They live with the facts. The show a measure of tolerance even though they do not approve of the politician.

  Peacemakers? Is there someone who disfavors Trump, but is willing to go without impeaching him? Ten days are left, and he will be out of office. Is there an anti-Trumper who will be willing to at least be that much of a Peacemaker?

  Here is a type of Peacemaker I doubt will step forth. There have been accusations made of everyone from Hillary Clinton to Robert Mueller. Is there anyone willing to step forth and say, You know, there really isn't any good evidence that Hillary is guilty of some of the things she is accused of?

  I suppose, on the flip side, some would ask those of us who feared Trump to likewise apologize. Realize, though, that now is the moment our fears have come to fruition -- at least in our eyes. Still, if there are things about Trump that have not proven to be more than unjust accusations -- in the name of being a Peacemaker -- are we willing to apologize?   

   We are a nation divided. If we are to quit fighting, we have to quit finding reason to fight. If we no longer see the need to condemn our neighbor, we can love him or her like the Bible suggests. 

 I will repeat: Peacemakers do not find fault, they forgive it. And, if that is not true, this is: The Peacemaker might see a fault, but forgives it. (That does not mean they say those doing wrong should not be punished. ) The warmaker invents the fault and refuses to forgive it. 

  False accusations are the heart of contention. So, if we are to be less contentious, we must cease our false accusations. 

  Well, I was going to rewrite this before posting it. It rambles and isn't organized enough. I'll go ahead and post it as is. Maybe I will rewrite it and post a better version in the future. 

  One last thing. I uppercased Peacemaker throughout this post. The roll of a Peacemaker is such that the person filling it deserves that uppercase treatment. 

Three Answers to Claims of Election Fraud

Were envelopes bearing the voter signatures destroyed? (Cobb County, Georgia)

  The envelopes destroyed were not the signature envelopes. It is deceitful that social media posts are saying they were. The envelopes with the signatures were placed inside another envelope, a privacy envelope. It was those, outer, envelopes that were destroyed. Whoever came up with all the social media posts saying the signatures were destroyed either didn't check their facts or knowingly ignored the truth and posted the falsehood anyway.

Were people locked out and not allowed to be vote challengers? (Detroit, Michigan)

   The video of people locked out and not allowed to come in and be challengers doesn't take into account that there were already at least 400 challengers there. It reaches a point where you have to say, We can't fit any more in. Security and Covid restrictions both dictate that you put a limit on how many are allowed. The limit was 134. They soared way past that before they realized they better cut it off. The video is deceptive. It would have you believe they weren't allowing challengers. Four hundred or more, though, were there. Once again, this is a case of the Trump people being deceptive.

Was a suitcase of ballots dragged in that hadn't been there the night before? (Fulton Co., Georgia)

   Rudy Giuliani or someone presented a tape of the Fulton County election, but it was an edited tape, showing only parts of the video. Then, though those parts were omitted, Giuliani declared, "The video tape doesn't lie. Fulton County Democrats stole the election. It is now beyond doubt." To begin with, there were no suitcases brought in containing the new ballots. They were standard containers. They were simply the containers the election workers use. And, they were opened and prepared for counting in full view of observers. Nobody waited for everyone to go home and then pulled out these hidden "suitcases" and ballots and viola, there they were the next morning, a suitcase of ballots that hadn't been there the night before. Trump's people (Giuliani or whoever) selectively edited the video footage to make it appear to be the way they wanted. That, too, like so many other things they have alleged, is deceitful. Why would Giuliani do this? It would seem he would know he was being dishonest. Or, if it was an honest mistake on his part, eventually he must have found out the truth, and he failed to take back his false accusation. 

Dustin Luftin and the Thousands He Stopped on the Sidewalks

    We should maintain some love for those who attacked our Capitol, though that love should only be felt by them in measured essence right now. If we could sit them down and talk to them, what would be the right script? If we could lecture them, what would we say? 

   Let's have an imaginary exchange, to suggest what might be said.

   "Hey, guys, how goes it?" Dustin Luftin said as the thousands who stormed the Capitol a few days were walking by. 

   They nodded, but kept on walking.

   "Mind if I have word with you?" Dustin asked. "Come over. Sit down. Let's talk."

   Some of them looked at him distrustfully, but they all stopped. Bags were thrown on tables. Some of them found places to sit. Others stood, their arms folded belligerently across their chests. 

   "You guys are fighting for freedom, I take it?" Dustin asked.

    They shouted back in the affirmative, some using more expletives than others.

   "Well, its good to want freedom, you guys. That is not a bad thing to be chasing."

    More expletive-laced language proclaiming that was, indeed, all they were after. 

    "Guys, you are great to want freedom. We all want it, too. Guys, I don't want you to think I approved of what you did, but I do want you to know I respect that you were searching for freedom." Dustin was searching for the right thing to say, even as he spoke. He marked it a great blessing that he had seen them coming down the road, a great blessing that he had encountered them on these sidewalks, that he should have chance to speak to them. 

   As he spoke, a thought shot through his head. He wondered at how much they were manipulated. See, Dustin was of the belief that there are forces in our world, people who spread seeds of discontent and division. He also knew that those forces hardly wanted any love to exist between Americans.

   "Just want to say I love you," Dustin continued. "Hope that doesn't sound to corny. Now, I've got a thought, and I hope you will listen to it, hope you'll try it."

   Dustin paused, and they all looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

   "Whose your enemy?"

   The answers filled the air: Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Robert Mueller . . . Government, Government, Government. 

   "Guys -- and when I say 'guys,' I mean it in the non-specific-sex way. I'm speaking to you gals, as well -- Guys, Love your neighbor. Is that too much religion for the moment? I'm serious about it. Love your enemies. If that is Pelosi, Schumer, Mueller, Clinton, the Supreme Court, or whoever, love them."

   The air filled with outrage as Dustin concluded, some of the response using expletives, others not. Some spit into the ground. Some rolled their eyes. But all vocalized their utter contempt for what Dustin was saying. 

   Well, most of them, that is. Surprisingly, some took Dustin's words to heart. And, as he got up and walked away, he could read the lips of those who mouthed the word, "Thank you."

   Even so, love is a silent force. While all the world rages against it, it silently persuades yet a few. 

'Tis Wrong that They are Suspending the President's Twitter Account

   'Tis wrong that they are suspending President Trump's twitter account. The right to tweet should be protected by the First Amendment. It will be argued that Twitter is a private company, and they should be allowed to set their own rules governing Twitter accounts. It is their forum, so they can pick who they allow on it. 

   But, Twitter is more than that. It is, in essence, a public utility. And, it is more than that. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others are forums for public speech. They are public forums.

Here's Inviting You to be One of Three Types of a Peacemaker

 Blessed are the Peacemakers, it is said. And, now would be a good moment for them all to step forward.  Let's run a little experiment, and see if we can get twenty of you to step forward as Peacemakers. Any takers?

   First, how many of you are willing to forgive those who assaulted the Capitol. You need to be someone who opposes Trump to qualify. You are not saying you justify the looting, nor anything else that was done that was wrong. But, you are forgiving them. And, you are offering them friendship. And, you are not calling them names, nor saying they are traitors, nor treasonous.  You are not condemning them. You understand them. You allow that they believed what they were doing was right. You allow they felt they were doing something to save the country. You might think they were misguided, but at the same time you are not condemning them. Do we have any takers? Any at all? Will any of you step forward to be this Peacemaker?  

  How many among us are there sincerely believing the election was robbed? We do not have to believe they are right, and we might consider in our minds how they have been led astray, but can we respect their opinions? Are there any readers here willing to take up being this category of Peacemaker? To qualify, you must be someone who feels the election was not robbed. But, you are not mad at them for believing as they do. You understand their reasoning. You do not tell them to shut their mouths as all they offer is just falsehood and disinformation. You may believe it is, indeed, falsehood and disinformation, but you allow them  the right to believe as they will and express their beliefs. 

   There is also room for Peacemakers on the other side of the aisle. Though you might be sure in your heart of hearts the election was stolen, you are considerate of those who believe the election was fair. You do not say that we all know that it was stolen, and anyone who can't see it is not being honest with themselves. For, no, we don't all see it that way.  How many of you would volunteer to be this type of Peacemaker?

   I could go on, and probably will offer tomorrow or the next day a much more thoughtful version of this post. So, when you see it, know it is a new-and-improved take. But, from what I have written, I do not know that any of you should decline to be a Peacemaker. I've identified three ways to be one. Tell me which of the three you would like to be -- or why you can't be any of the three.

   

Let Us not be so Quick to Call it Treason

   Let us not wield the title of treason too quickly upon those we disagree with. Great damage is occurring in America, as a result of those who are fighting against the election results. It does amount to insurrection. It does qualify as sedition.

   Today's assault on the Capitol underscores the gravity our nation is facing. But, were these acts treasonous? These are not people who want to destroy America. However misguided, they do love our nation. 

  On the flip side, there are those among the Republicans who have in the past tried to cast their enemies as being treasonous. James Comey is but one who has been so accused. And, I find a headline that says, "New evidence shows it is time to charge Joe Biden with treason."

   When either side reaches the point where they are able to toss the other side in jail for treason, that is the point where government rule by a single ideology imprisons our land. 

We Need Our Best as Cybersecurity Agents

   Headline on a story from Reuters, May, 2015: "FBI warns Russians hacked hundreds of thousands of routers."

   The trail of Russian hacking American computers is impressive. The Democratic National Committee during the 2016 election and the large hacking uncovered weeks ago are two of the more dramatic incidents. 

   The point is: When will stop them? When will we get serious about stopping them? When will we say, We've got to do better at defending ourselves? When do we take this off the back-burner?

   Our current cybersecurity personnel have failed? Bless them, surely they are doing their best. But, we need improvement in our efforts. We need to search out the best cybersecurity personnel in the nation, from those already in our agencies and those in the private sector. We need to put our best on the job, and start making a dent at stopping the Russians. 

That no Charges Were Filed Underscores the Need to Change the Law

    This underscores the need to correct our laws. No charges will be filled in the August shooting of Jacob Blake. In the video, Blake is shown walking around the front of his car, tailed by police. As he reaches his car door and gets in, an officer shoots him.

   Officers say they believed he was reaching for a weapon, perhaps a knife. 

   I do not say officers should not protect themselves, should not shoot when necessary. But, I don't believe that point in the confrontation had been reached. If it is a weapon Blake is going for, wait till he has it in his hand before you shoot. You have your gun pointed at him, you are ready to shoot an instant notice. Why shoot before you know whether he even has a weapon? And, if it is a knife he is going for, all the more reason to wait to ensure that he is, indeed, fetching a weapon. As soon as his fingers touch the weapon, shoot. But, not until.

   If our laws should be corrected, so while they still allow you to defend yourself, they do not allow for those such as Blake to be killed prematurely.  

We Need Our Best Cybersecurity People Fighting the Russians

   With the Russians having hacked into some of our most delicate computer systems without being caught for eight months, we should consider turning over personnel that failed to discover the breaches. If a coach has a 1-10 record, you let him go. If you put someone on a project and they fail, you consider replacing them.

   The cyber security of the nation is vital. This was perhaps the greatest breach ever. It is not that you want heads to roll just to be laying blame. You need your finest people in these positions. And, this failure suggests we haven't achieved that. These are not positions to grant based on the spoils system, or on whether they will be loyal to you, or as a return for supporting you in the election, or any of that.

   You search the nation for the best, because you desperately need the best.

    The day of the election, Gen. Paul Nakasone said he felt "very good" at where the U.S. was in cybersecurity. Nakasone is one of the nations top officials, presiding over both the National Security Agency and the military's Cyber Command.

   Likewise, Christopher Krebs, head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) lauded our cybersecurity efforts in the election. And, then this.

   None of our government sleuths saw it coming. It was a private firm, FireEye, that spotted the Russians.

   We should search for the best of our talent. We should consider J. Alex Halderman, the University of Michigan computer science guru, and others who have shined in the private industry. And, we should not just ensure that our top people are leading our cybersecurity efforts, everyone on the team should be among America's most talented. 

Russian Hacking is a Big Story Gone Silent

    Push this story back to where it belongs at the top of the news. It has been a couple weeks now since we've heard much about the Russian hacking of America's computers. What should continue to be a big news story has gone silent. 

   Why? They plug into information from our Treasury Department and other departments. They steal it. This is not a story that should go away so easy. It is not a happening our government leaders should not be making noise about. Where, the out-going president offering any comment, or calling out the Russians? Where the new president doing the same?

These Senators and Representatives Should Not be Grabbing for Power

    The Constitution offers no provision for Congress voting on whether to accept the election. It doesn't offer that option. It says the electors shall transmit their votes sealed to the president of the senate, the president of the senate shall then open the sealed envelopes in the presence of the senate and house of representatives, and all the votes shall be counted. 

   It doesn't even say the senate and the house are the vote-counters. It would appear they are there simply as poll watchers. Now, what an open-door for corruption that would be. If poll watchers in some states in this election had the authority to vote on whether to accept the election results, they would have. 

   If this is to be a matter of upholding the Constitution, the 12 senators and 140 house members (all Republicans) should not be taking authority nor taking action that the Constitution does not give them. 

Trump is Literally the Textbook Case of a Person Who is Unethical

   Yesterday, I heard one of the most-damning things about Donald Trump you will ever hear. I had a worker over. While he worked, we got discussing politics. And, this is what he told me . . .   

   Way back before the turn of the century, he took a business ethics class at Southern Utah University. . . . And, they had a whole chapter on Donald Trump. Now, when I say a whole chapter on Trump, I do not just mean a chapter on the type of things Trump does. No, they were discussing Trump, the person. The chapter referred to him by name. He was the case history. He was the poster child, so to speak, of a person who is unethical. 

   Trump is literally, then, the textbook example of a person who is unethical. How about that?

Screening Out Bombers, Suggests We Should also Screen Out Shooters

    If a bomber in Nashville, Tennessee, shouldn't have been allowed to keep and bear arms, neither should a shooter in Parkland, Florida.

    The National Firearms Act restricts ownership of bombs. You need an explosive handler's permit. We can see that owning a bomb is not something the average citizen should claim as a right. But, there can be just as much criminal intent -- just the same tendency to terrorism -- with a person using a gun. If we can see the need to screen out those who would use explosive devices, should we not also see the need to screen out those who would use assault weapons?