08/18/14

Larry Smith – A Veteran Running for Office in Texas’ 34th Congressional District

By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton
Hat Tip: Jack Pinscher


Smith, left, with Greg Abbott, the attorney general of Texas and a candidate for governor this year.

America needs more conservatives like Larry Smith. Look no further than the fact that the Left hates him. Just my kind of guy.

Larry is running for the House of Representatives in Texas’ 34th Congressional District — that’s in Smith County. He’s a a 37-year-old Army veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as an Army Captain. He’s a Christian, who is happily married with three wonderful children he adores.

From Larry Smith:

“Over the past year I have traveled South Texas and the Valley that makes up the 34th Congressional district. People are discouraged and tired of politicians who only come to the district when they need to be seen to be elected to their job. South Texans are sick of empty promises and tired of being treated as if they are not intelligent enough to manage their own lives.”

“The people here have the same basic needs and wants of all Texans no matter what race, religion, or age. Everyone deserves an even chance to work hard for greater opportunity and prosperity for their family.”

“This district has many different races and economic levels: Czechs, Germans, Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, tradesmen, ranchers, farmers, and business owners… They are all our neighbors and proud Texans who suffer from a bloated government. They are tired of opportunity and prosperity being lost.”

“I ask to be your Representative to go to Washington and work to return the Federal Government to within its Constitutional limits. Let’s work together to restore freedom and reclaim the American dream for ourselves and our children.”

Smith has five criteria for voting for a bill:

1. It is understandable.
2. It applies to everyone.
3. It keeps you free to make the best choice for you and your family.
4. It doesn’t take more money from you.
5. It doesn’t hurt the economy.

His conservative beliefs are right on target. This is a true Constitutional conservative that I can wholeheartedly support. He’s against Obamacare, against over-regulation, he’s for small business, he’s pro-military, against illegal immigration and pro-life. He’s also stands strong against radical Islam and Sharia Law. Combined, his stances make for solid bedrock to stand on to fight for those he represents. Larry Smith has guts and a spine. I would be honored to fight along side him. He’s Texas tough.

I hope that if you can, you will donate to Larry’s campaign. He’s one of us – not entitled or rich. He just wants to be elected and institute Constitutional principals like smaller government and a balanced budget. His Democratic opponent is worth between $1.2 million and $15 million. I’m betting on the larger amount.

Larry Smith is one of the good guys. He’s one of the leaders we have waited and searched for and he needs to be elected. We need him in office and many more of his shared character. Larry is right – politics is like combat. We are in a war to save our nation and all we hold dear. Larry will take the battle to DC and fight for those he represents.

08/18/14

Deja Vu

Arlene from Israel

How many times?  How many times do we count down as the final hours of a 72 hour – or 120 hour – ceasefire come to an end, aware that resolution of the issues between Israel and Hamas is exceedingly unlikely and wondering what will happen next??

The guessing is that it will either be active war or a tacit “quiet for quiet” situation.  But I’m not going to discuss various pros and cons, various implications, now: That discussion will wait for my next posting.

~~~~~~~~~~

Here, briefly, I want to share a couple of selected pieces of news that are significant now – even before we know what follows this ceasefire. They will remain significant no matter how things play out because they are indicative of the underlying situation, and of certain attitudes and intentions.

Most telling here is the news that in recent weeks the Shin Bet has arrested 93 Hamas activists who had set up terrors cells across Judea and Samaria, and in eastern Jerusalem: in 46 Palestinian towns and villages, as well as in Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, and Hebron.

Focusing on the Temple Mount, they intended to start a third intifada.  Under cover of that intifada, Hamas intended to take down the Palestinian Authority and take over in Ramallah just as it took down the PA and seized rule in Gaza seven years ago.

The head of this complex operation was Saleh al-Arouri (pictured below); the Shin Bet says he operated from Turkey and remains there now. Al-Arouri is referred to as “the Mohammed Deif of the West Bank.”  In recent months there has been an influx of Hamas operatives known to be loyal to al-Arouri.  Sophisticated Palestinian Arabs – were recruited from abroad.  Notable among these was one with a doctorate in computer science who was trained in encryption and cyber-attacks.  Head of the military infrastructure in Judea and Samaria was Riyad Nasser, who has been in prison for some months now.

Funds for the operation were brought by Jordanian couriers from Jordan and Turkey, in order to purchase safe houses and vehicles.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4560000,00.html

Saleh al-'Arouri - Arabs48

Credit: Arabs48

~~~~~~~~~~

Folks, this Hamas plan is no surprise (even if the scope of it was greater than most of us had assumed).  But it is mind-boggling because of its various implications:

[] Let me begin with the kidnapping-murder of the three students – martyrs, truly:  In the course of searching for the boys, the IDF and associated security agencies pulled off a major operation in the Hevron area.  This was well after the Shin Bet had uncovered the plot (which was in May) and so clearly the search provided the opportunity to do considerable destruction of Hamas infrastructure in the area, to do arrests of Hamas operatives, and to confiscate Hamas funds.

[] I – along with many others – have been writing about the foolishness of thinking that Mahmoud Abbas’s PA might be installed in Gaza to monitor reconstruction, or the crossings, or whatever.  The PA is not strong enough, I’ve been saying.  In fact, I have been writing, Hamas even wants to overthrow Abbas in Judea and Samaria and is prevented from doing so only by the presence of Israel.

Well, hello??? Here we are.

Any one who proposes that Abbas move into Gaza after the exposure of this plot has got to be willfully blind (as most leftists are) or have distinctly devious motives.  The fact of this plot should be waved in the face of those who dare (and they will dare) to continue to suggest this.

What is more, anyone who suggests that we provide Abbas and the PA with an autonomous/sovereign state in parts of Judea and Samaria should be likewise challenged.  As things stand now (and barring a full take-out of Hamas – no simple task): to give the PA a state is to guarantee a Hamas state at our east.

[]  I must speculate, as well, as to what Abbas is using in place of brains.  I would assume that he imagines he will be the winner if the international community gives him a role in Gaza.  He probably thinks it’s pay-back time for what Hamas did to him.

But the article I cite, above, says that PA security was updated on the investigation regarding Hamas plans.  Abbas knew that Hamas was planning to overthrow him, and that it was only the Shin Bet that protected him.

This leads to the question, as well – a significant question – as to why Abbas did not disavow the “unity government” with Hamas in light of this information.  Or why he sits as one of the factions negotiating on the side of Hamas against Israel.  Is he motivated simply by fear?  This man who some imagine would monitor Hamas.

This is all too convoluted and surreal.

[] The article makes a significant point about the international nature of Hamas.  Mashaal is in Qatar. The Turkish government knew what was taking place on its territory – with al-Arouri planning the operation from there and recruiting operatives loyal to him from diverse places, including Malaysia (which is where the guy trained in cyber-attacks came from).  This makes Hamas more dangerous than would be the case if it were – as it once was – primarily a “local” terror group.

I cannot speak for my prime minister or the Security Cabinet.  But I would suspect that this awareness of the nature of Hamas may have played into decisions regarding how to deal with it.  “Taking out Hamas” would be more complicated and vastly more difficult than those who charge that Netanyahu is remiss for not doing so likely imagine.  This is not to say that Hamas in Gaza should not be taken down – a good case can still be made for this.  But it’s important to consider broader ramifications and not draw conclusions too quickly.

[] It is a good bet that this information about the Hamas plot was made public now for a purpose.

[] Lastly, the Temple Mount – Har Habayit – where Hamas wanted to focus its intifada scheme.  We’ve known for some time that there has been Hamas incitement on the Mount. But, again, most of us did not understand the full ramifications.

While I do write about the Temple Mount from time to time, I feel that perhaps I have been remiss in not focusing on it more.  Any one who thinks this most sacred space for Jews – our right to which is being challenged – is not at the heart of matters does not see the full picture.

~~~~~~~~~~

Only one other piece of news here.  I think this is sufficient for now:

The US has offered to guarantee Israel’s commitment to any signed agreement. As Aaron Lerner of IMRA put it: “US offers to guarantee that Israel doesn’t interfere with Hamas missile construction?”

Please read Steve Emerson, Executive Director of The Investigative Project, on this:

http://www.investigativeproject.org/4522/op-ed-the-president-true-colors-finally-revealed

Every time you think Obama has stooped as low as he might, in seeking to block Israeli actions against Hamas and protect Hamas, something else emerges.  None of this should be forgotten.

08/18/14

Sarah Palin, Joe Miller and We The People

By: Lloyd Marcus

Once again Sarah Palin has proven herself to be a true leader, a powerful voice and a consistent advocate for We The People by endorsing Joe Miller for U.S. Senate, Alaska.

Joe Miller is the only rock solid conservative candidate in the August 19th Republican primary.

While his GOP opponents are squishy on numerous issues, skilled in noncommittal political speech, Joe Miller always says what he means and means what he says; refreshing and honest.

Without sticking her finger in the air to see which way the political wind was blowing or surrendering to polls, Palin selected Miller because he is the Tea Party candidate. Period. I like that.

Gov. Palin, my Conservative Campaign Committee PAC is on the same page with you sister. We have also proudly endorsed Joe. Please listen to our CCC produced radio ad for Joe Miller. http://bit.ly/1rCRouY

Gov. Palin explained her endorsement.

“To restore liberty, to defend our Constitution, to build American exceptionalism, we must send fighters to the U.S. Senate who will stop Barack Obama’s fundamental transformation of the nation we love. The status quo has got to go, and in Alaska the man who understands this key to our state and country’s future also has the guts, wisdom, experience and optimism to fight for what is right — and win. 

“We said we’d send the good guys in Washington their reinforcements, so, Alaska, here we go! Vote for Joe Miller on Tuesday and shake off the liberal stronghold so we can get on the right track.” 

Building on the statement of Gov Palin, simply sending Republicans to the U.S. Senate is not enough to stop the insanity destroying institutions and traditions that we who love America hold dear.

Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and the rest need more strong committed conservatives on their team in DC; not two-faced RINOs who will retreat or desert us in battle.

Because my dad has been a Christian preacher all of my life, I have come to realize that the tendency to preach a bit is in my DNA. I have been encouraging patriots to stayed focused and faithful. Sarah Palin is the epitome of focus and faithfulness while enduring endless shock-and-awe assaults on her and her family by the Left and MSM.

Like Palin, Joe Miller has remained focused and faithful, fighting for conservative principles and values while pushing back against Obama’s tyranny. Joe has maintained his loyalty to the Tea Party movement despite his own party nullifying his 2010 victory with a GOP funded write-in campaign against him for RINO Lisa Murkowski.

Gandhi said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win!”

Also, because Conservatism is true compassion, in sync with the human spirit and most beneficial to all people, my Bible tells me that the battle is not ours, it is the Lord’s. The Bible tells us not to become weary in doing good. This means doing everything in our power to put conservatives in office.

I came upon this inspiring 3 minute video about Joe Miller. It confirms that we truly are backing the right man in the fast approaching August 19th primary. Please give it a view and help Joe win! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6NIO0_v7hg

Lloyd Marcus, Unhyphenated American

Chairman, Conservative Campaign Committee

08/18/14

Yelling Fire in a Theater

By: T F Stern
T F Stern’s Rantings

The more we hear about what is going on in Ferguson, Missouri, the more it would appear that this was a Crisis that could be used by the Obama administration to further divide our nation.   ‘Low information voters’ turned Ferguson into a war zone, rioting, looting and burning down storefronts; all the while demanding ‘justice’ for what they considered a police department sanctioned murder of an innocent Black youth.  Far too many days went by before the public was informed that there was a high probability that the slain Black person was connected to a robbery that had been recorded on video.

“In a shocking revelation today, it was revealed that the Department of Justice had the videotape footage of Michael Brown robbing a liquor store in Ferguson, but actually told the police department NOT to release it to the public.”

{…}

“The Obama administration wanted to put a lid on that transparency, and ironically, this only suits a political agenda of further stoking racial tension…”

How many of those who joined the angry crowds, crowds with vengeance in their hearts as they were told nothing other than words that would incite riots, how many of these otherwise law abiding citizens would have listened with a reasoned attitude had they been better informed?  We will never know because the fires were stoked, apparently on purpose, from as far away as the Oval Office.  Never let a Crisis go to waste.

I couldn’t help wondering about these current news stories while attending Sunday School this morning; the lesson, Happy Is The Man That Findeth Wisdom, was tied in with Proverbs attributed to Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.  Throughout the readings we were reminded to be wise rather than foolish and all I could think of was how much foolishness was being displayed in Ferguson.

I wonder why folks like the Al Sharpton wouldn’t use their extensive knowledge of the scriptures to enlighten rather then deceive; but the answer is fairly obvious, race baiters make a living out of inciting riots.

Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see how words are used for good or for evil; and in the case of Ferguson’s racially motivated anger, how this Crisis was used to further erode race relations in that community as well as the rest of the nation.

The Sunday School lesson extended the idea offered in Proverbs 15:1 as it included a comment made by Elder Gordon B. Hinkley on the subject:

“We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention”  (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, 82; or Ensign, June 1971, 72).

Compare that thought process with some folks in the news media publishing maps that indicated the home in Ferguson where the police officer involved in the shooting lives.   The logical question was asked:

“Is the media trying to get Ferguson police office Darren Wilson lynched?”

Isn’t the answer to that question fairly easy to figure out?  If you still need help figuring it out then listen to the sound bites of an angry mob being led by the New Black Panthers to repeat their desires to kill the police officer.

Getting back to the lessons, words of wisdom Solomon left for us:

Proverbs 15:18

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 16:29

A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

There isn’t much doubt as to what Obama’s lapdog media would like to see happen.  They want this to erupt into a full fledged race war; blood, bodies and all the horrors of society in total chaos; the perfect storm to keep viewers glued to the boob-tube hour after hour while their ratings numbers increase.

Obama and his administration intend to use racial upheaval to justify massive federal intervention.  Their handling of the Travon Martin Crisis didn’t quite succeed as the public was able to gain far too many facts before the fires burned completely out of control; but each mini-Crisis when ‘spun’ in just the right way…they become stepping stones toward total societal breakdown with a need for totalitarian response.

Wouldn’t it be so much better to hear a responsible individual stand up in front of this angry crowd and instruct them in the proper way to conduct themselves?   But that would involve crossing the line between church and state, even though there is no such restriction in our constitution; we can’t be quoting from the Bible in public.  Oh the horrors of inflicting righteous rebuke that might hurt someone’s feelings; no better to burn down the rest of Ferguson, lynch a police officer and bring about America’s total transformation.

A wise leader would encourage folks to go to their homes and ride this out; but instead the ones holding sway just keep shouting, “Fire”, and watch everyone panic.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

08/18/14

Forum: What Is Your Reaction To Recent Events In Ferguson, Missouri?

The Watcher’s Council

Every week on Monday morning, the Council and our invited guests weigh in at the Watcher’s Forum with short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture or daily living. This week’s question:  What Is Your Reaction To Recent  Events In Ferguson Missouri?

The Razor: I think Michael Brown may have had some kind of altercation with the police. I think the police overreacted due to inexperience and lack of professionalism. St. Louis county is riddled with municipalities with their own police forces and few compare in terms of professionalism and quality to the larger St. Louis County, St. Louis City or Missouri State Trooper forces. Municipality cops might know how to hand out a speeding ticket, but that’s about it.

American police forces have become militarized in ways that were predicted in dystopian science fiction movies of the 1970s and 1980s yet at the same time American society has grown less violent and the need for such militarization is disappearing.. Seeing the weaponry on display in Ferguson I have to ask why one needs fully automatic high caliber weapons in an urban setting? Do they plan on killing the target as well as 8 or 9 people behind him? Such weapons may make sense when facing the Taliban across a valley in Afghanistan, less so when facing unarmed Americans across a suburban street.

To be brutally honest the rioting and other reaction on display in Ferguson doesn’t concern me. Nothing much ever comes of that. What really disturbs me is the militarized police on display there and the “heavy footprint” the law leaves on society. In his piece in Time Sen. Rand Paul quoted a former member of the 82nd Airborne who said “We rolled lighter than that in an actual warzone.” In two generations we have gone from outgunned cops in inner city warzones to cops who view society as a warzone and act accordingly. We need to pull them back and re-engage them in their mission to watch over the people, not watch the people.

The Noisy Room: There have been and always will be riots and unrest. In a Progressive area such as Ferguson, with the entitlement mentality, poverty and want brought on by Democratic/Marxist policies, I am not surprised that these events happen. It’s disturbing to me that the media paints Michael Brown as some innocent teen who was executed by the state — a la Trayvon Martin, as the Rev. Jesse Jackson (race hustler extraordinaire), puts it. Brown was a very big boy and by all accounts he had just finished robbing a QuikTrip store. He towered over the clerk there and in a video, it showed him lifting and shaking the poor man before shoving him away after robbing the store. We can thank our lucky stars he wasn’t armed, or that clerk would probably be dead and maybe the cops would be too. We don’t have all the details yet and I don’t know if the cops did what they had to do to protect themselves. I suspect they did — a gun is not the only weapon to fear and like I said, Brown was a big, big guy with a bad attitude. The media can call him a teenager – at 18, he looked more like a truck and certainly had the stature of a man.

I do know that Obama, Holder and the DOJ are attempting to cover up evidence and manipulate the whole affair into race riots. They have lots of help from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, as well as the New Black Panthers and the lapdog media. These people truly want violence in the streets so they can further their agendas. A curfew has now been called due to violence and we are one small step from martial law being declared. I can see Obama rubbing his hands in gleeful anticipation of such an event.

However, my attention is riveted on the militarization of the police.

As awful as the shootings and the senseless waste of life is, the underlying story lies with the police force itself in my eyes. Business Insider has a great piece up on the militarization of the Ferguson police force and it is sobering and frightening.

This is the evil gift of Obama’s governmental control fetish. He has facilitated police forces whose attire is fashioned after the US Marine Corps MARPAT camouflage pattern. If there were not police force patches on the arms, you would swear the US military was descending. These departments have been armed just like the military in preparedness for standing against regular American citizens. Now, I understand calling out all you’ve got to stop riots, but this is ridiculous and deadly.

In fact, these officers are more geared up than the military forces on the ground in various combat arenas. MRAPs and Bearcats — armored vehicles that can withstand IEDs and severe attacks from insurgents hardly seem everyday fare for taking on American unrest. Why are we arming more heavily to confront our own than enemies in war? Please tell me, because I sincerely want to know. There is no good reason, except to control and intimidate the American people.

Officers are brandishing short-barreled 5.56-mm rifles based on the military M4 carbine, with scopes that can accurately hit a target out to 500 meters. On their side they carry pistols. On their front, over their body armor, they carry at least four to six extra magazines, loaded with 30 rounds each. And these guys have attitude to match. “Bring it. You f*cking animals, bring it,” one police officer was caught on video telling protesters.

Not very professional conduct on the officer’s part and not how I choose to remember the men in blue who I have looked up to my whole life. I’m not sure when all of this morphed into the police turning into Obama’s new army. ‘Protect and serve’ has now become ‘us vs. them.’ Ferguson is not a war zone, at least not yet. Americans are supposed to have Constitutional rights and be innocent till proven guilty. This is not martial law. Not yet anyway.

So, now we have the FAA suspending flights over the area because they claim someone is firing at helicopters. How very convenient. The police are threatening reporters as well and protests are supposedly banned. It feels like I woke up in Moscow this morning – maybe I should check my passport. Papers please.

America better wake up and put a stop to this crap. Some day, and soon, this will come to a place near each of us. Every teeny tiny burg out there now is armed as if they are fighting ISIS in each of their neighborhoods. No doubt there are those just itching to use said force. The militarized police just rolled into Ferguson… next stop, your town USA.

Robert Avrech, Seraphic Secret: My response is to republish my account of the ’92 LA riots: Jew Without a Gun.

GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD: If Ferguson Police Depts precepts are kinda unclear, maybe it’s why cause proponents don’t feel obligated or obliged to explain it to the media or community activists—cops just arrest them instead.

Who knew the 53-officer police force in Ferguson, Mo., even had all that military equipment and SWAT gear? Why do they have it?

The military is trained to engage and law enforcement is trained to defuse, nicht wahr?

Militarized Po Po deployments have increasingly come under scrutiny when, oh, you know, scrutinizable stuff like violating the 4th amendment or storming pot dealers houses in the middle of the night, shooting pet dogs and cats and terrorizing chirrunses and spouses with automatic weapons—sometimes at the wrong addresses—or like when they’ve ponderously established perimeters around active crime scenes while victims were still being shot in homes or schools.

In response to civic unrest after last week’s police killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, those coppers turned out in force, in all their riot gear and SWAT splendor, while the brass stonewalled the community and street cops arrested journalists.

Ferguson’s police department is just one recipient; small towns all over America are now the proud owners of “MRAP” armored vehicles.

The Department of Defense provides military-grade weapons and equipment to local law enforcement agencies through the 1033 program, enacted by Congress in 1997 to expand the practice of dispensing extra military gear. Due to the defense industry’s bloated contracts, there is a huge surplus. To date, the Pentagon has donated military equipment worth more than $4 billion to local law enforcement agencies.

And the giving goes on, to police forces in all 50 states in the union.

For a police department like Ferguson’s, the path to becoming a paramilitary force is a short one. After getting fully crunk with free military gear, no big surprise that cops wanna use it. See, the 1033 program’s regs require the police use what they receive within one year.

Police militarization is a growing national threat. If the federal government doesn’t act to stop it, the future of law enforcement everywhere will look a lot like Ferguson.

JoshuaPundit: Trayvon redux. And when the toxicology report comes back, just like Trayvon I’d bet  they will find that Michael Brown was high out of his mind on something. No one who’s in his right mind does a strong arm robbery in a convenience store, slaps the clerk around and shoves him into a display case,  follows up by  walking in the middle of a major street disrupting traffic to attract law enforcement’s  attention and then indulges in cop fighting.

Two other points – First, A lot of people on the Left of the spectrum, especially certain black commentators have mentioned a lot about the ‘militarization of the police’ and how terrible it is. None of them will mention that it was President Obama, the man they voted for twice that was primarily  responsible for this. It was President Obama who called for that ‘domestic security force, just as well trained, just as well funded, just well armed as our military’ blah blah blah. Remember that? And it was the Obama Administration that opened up the floodgates  and who chose to sell local PDs military hardware by the boatload as well as establishing armed SWAT teams for over 70  government departments that never had them before.

It won’t happen, but it would be nice to get a sorry, at least.

Second, I have to admit I find it amusing in a bitter sort of way that some of the same  black folks who quiver with emotion over things like Emmett Till and the lynch mobs of the past seem all too ready to become part of a lynch mob now themselves.

The Right Planet: What really floors me about the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, is we really don’t have all the facts, yet so many are acting as if they do. No one is really sure just what happened during the confrontation between the police and Michael Brown, at this point, except for those who were eyewitnesses. But more and more details are leaking out, albeit slowly. The surveillance video showing what appears to be Michael Brown shoving a convenience store owner after stealing items from his store and brazenly walking out certainly has taken the wind out of the main-stream media’s narrative that Michael Brown was just a “gentle giant.”

There’s a logical fallacy called “confirmation bias” (also called myside bias), which is the tendency to favor information that confirms one’s beliefs or hypotheses. But let’s be clear, beliefs and theories are not synonymous with facts. No, I think there are those who only wish to use this tragic event to further their own political and social agendas–namely, all cops are bad, especially white ones. And to see the liberal press so eager to be the judge, jury and executioner of the town of Ferguson and the Ferguson Police Department–going so far as to print a map to the police officer’s home who was involved in the shooting–is beyond disgusting; it’s damn near criminal.

Whatever happened to simply reporting the who, what, why, where, when and how? For so many years now, I have watched the liberal media masquerade social advocacy as de facto journalism. It seems that many in the press and the administration wish to inflame and agitate an already volatile situation, instead of making a sincere effort to try and deescalate tensions by simply reporting on both sides of the story, leaving all the social activism and personal bias out the story. But I’m not holding my breath in the hope that the main-stream press will change their agitating ways anytime soon. As a matter of fact, I believe the whole purpose and mission of the main-stream liberal media is to agitate for radical social change, and then call it “journalism.”

The Glittering Eye: Sadly, the events in Ferguson reflect a series of “shouldn’ts”.

The police shouldn’t mistrust the people they’re supposed to be serving.

The people shouldn’t mistrust the police that are supposed to be serving them.

The police shouldn’t shoot unarmed civilians.

The people shouldn’t engage in violent protests.

The police shouldn’t overreact.

People shouldn’t rob stores under the guise of protest.

And on and on.

Most importantly, people shouldn’t be so quick to draw sweeping conclusions from an incident that is, sadly, all too common and more dependent on local conditions and issues than on any overarching national issue.

Well, there you have it.

Make sure to tune in every Monday for the Watcher’s Forum. And remember, every Wednesday, the Council has its weekly contest with the members nominating two posts each, one written by themselves and one written by someone from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council. The votes are cast by the Council and the results are posted on Friday morning.

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