Category: Opinion

OPINION: Merrick Garland On A Mission

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OPINION: Merrick Garland On A Mission

OPINION: Merrick Garland On A Mission

By Dani Davis

High Profile Prosecutor

The 86th Attorney General of the United States is Merrick Brian Garland. Garland was born November 13, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Harvard law and in 1989 began his illustrious career as a federal prosecutor. His first headline grabbing case was that of lead prosecutor in the cocaine possession case against former Washington D.C. Mayor, Marion Barry. Garland became Deputy Assistant AG during Bill Clinton’s tenure.  The two biggest trials of the decade, that of Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber,” and Eric Rudolph, the 1996 Olympic Games bomber, were led by Merrick Garland. In 1997, Bill Clinton nominated Garland to the D.C. Circuit. He served on that court from 1997-2020, the last seven years as chief judge.

Disgusting Mitch

In 2016, then president Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the associate justice seat on the Supreme Court vacated by the death of Antonin Scalia. The obstructionist right-wing GOP controlled Senate, led by Mitch McConnell, refused to even take up Merrick Garland’s nomination. Unheard of behavior. This obstructionist activity continued until Garland’s nomination expired in January 2017 when Obama left the WH. McConnell’s despicable conduct opened the door for Donald Trump to make an alarming three (Federalist Society) appointments to the Supreme Court in four years; the first, EPA hater, Neil Gorsuch, the second, beer boozing Brett Kavanaugh, and finally, the perpetually pregnant, Amy Cony Barrett.

The Ex Guy

It seems pretty clear ‘The Ex’ and his allies attempted to overturn the 2020 election. Sedition is very serious stuff and any hint of it must be investigated. If there has been criminal wrongdoing it must be punished. I can barely keep up with all the Trump plots. In Georgia, I guess Trump just wanted 11,780 more votes to corruptly appear. In Arizona it was about fake electors replacing the legitimate ones. On 1/6/21, afraid that the other plots might fail Trump dispatched armed rioters to the Capitol to terrorize elected officials; and prevent them from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. These things didn’t just randomly happen, someone was pulling the strings, someone was paying expenses, it looks like at least one of those someone(s) was Donald John Trump.

January 6th

Putting everything else aside, Donald Trump’s actions on January 6th are easy to document and present in a pretty package for a jury. He and his minions called militias to D.C. with a promise of something ‘wild’ going to happen. Trump, Mo Brooks, Rudy, and others whipped up an armed and already agitated crowd and pointed them to the Capitol. While VP Pence and other elected officials were running for their lives,  Donald Trump was in the West Wing cheering on the rioters, calling them patriots.

Refusal To Act

For 187 minutes, Trump refused to call off the mob or reach out to law enforcement or military leaders to try to stop the violence. Without a doubt a dereliction of duty. Trump’s refusal to act in the face of an insurrectionist mob makes him culpable for those who were injured and those who lost their lives that horrible day. Using violence and intimidation Donald Trump attempted to stop the peaceful  transfer of power. That must be investigated and Merrick Garland has promised us that. Our AG was recently quoted  “We intend to hold everyone, anyone, who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6th…accountable.”

White Hot

You would think with all this going on in Trump’s life he wouldn’t be setting any more fires, but you would be wrong. It turns out that for the last 18 months Donald Trump has been holding government documents, many marked top secret, in unsecure boxes at his beach club in Florida.  It’s been nearly three weeks since U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland approved the search and seizure of documents being held illegally by former president, Donald J. Trump, at Mar-a-Lago. While multiple stories were forthcoming from the ex-president, once the dust settled none of Trump’s bombast made any sense.

Off The Deep End

In full battle formation, the Republican Party now demands we defund the FBI, squash the IRS, impeach both AG Garland and President Biden. Kevin McCarthy is sending notice that when he takes over as Speaker of the House, he will start investigations into everyone in the Biden administration. In fact, Marjorie Taylor Greene has already gone so far as to file articles of impeachment against our Attorney General. Such waste of paper,  will go nowhere as long as Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House. This is a big reason to prevent the Republicans from winning the 2022 general election. At this point the American people need to take to the polls like never before. It will take a blue wave of extraordinary proportions to overcome historical trends, state directed gerrymandering, voter suppression, and unethical behavior by the MAGA extremists.

From The Sidelines

Lindsey Graham has been warning of riots in the streets if Trump is indicted under the Espionage Act for theft of government documents.  Graham has yet to make the same threats if the EX-Prez is indicted for wire fraud and other crimes related to ripping off his donors with his SAVE AMERICA PAC.  After paying for Trump’s legal fees to defend against multiple crimes the RNC has said they will not pay Trump’s legal fees for defending his theft of government documents. It seems that even the RNC has established limits when it comes to defending Trump’s corruption. According to multiple sources the RNC has had enough, and has told the former guy that he needs to pay his own legal bills when it comes to the investigation of stolen government records that Trump has had stored at his club in Florida since leaving office, eighteen months ago.

Paper Packin’ Librarians

I believe Merrick Garland will hold steady to his promise to make wrong doers accountable, no matter their station or, former title. Meanwhile the Republican Party has declared AG Garland, the FBI, the DOJ, the IRS, and of course the paper-packing librarians at the National Archives, to be their newest targets of hate. I accidentally landed on FoxNews the other night and listened to an earful of propaganda. Move over Dr. Fauci, you have competition for the Public Enemy Number One Spot.

Conclusion

I believe Mr. Garland will fearlessly pilot the Justice Department’s examination of Trump’s involvement into the 1/6 riot, his theft of government documents, his rip-off of his own donors with his SaveAmericaPac, and numerous other sketchy actions by the ex-president. I say, let the chips fall where they may, “No one is above the law.”

 

OPINION: My Fear for Ukraine

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My Fear for Ukraine

OPINION: My Fear for Ukraine

By David L. Shadrick

 

A Long Time

My fear for Ukraine is apathy. It’s been a long time since Putin decided to slam into Ukraine on 24 February 2022 . That’s 6 months! We’ve all watched this go on and cheered for the successes of the Ukrainian army. There is no doubt that they’ve had remarkable success. Blowing Russian tanks into little pieces, bombing oil facilities well behind enemy lines, and kicking the Russians off Snake Island over and over again. But let’s not forget that the Russians continue to grind forward destroying city after city and reducing them to piles of rubble.

Limitless Resources

Russia has the advantage of being able to continually replenish their supplies while Ukraine has to rely on the kindness of its’ neighbors to get the weapons it needs to fight off the Russian advances. What my fear for Ukraine is that we will forget this in another 6 months. As time rolls on in, and the war grumbles forward, without a clear victor, we can become bored with the struggle.

Story of the Moment

Just weeks ago Ukraine was the story of the moment and was in the headlines constantly. Now they’ve been relegated to page three of the news. I’m not saying that we should pound this war into everybody’s head over and over again. But we need to keep up the enthusiasm. We need the help with refugees, we need to keep supplying them with weapons, and maintaining their infrastructure despite the war. Don’t let my fear for Ukraine become a reality. Don’t be apathetic!

The Coming Plague

The Russian army waits. It waits for reinforcements. For more troops and for more equipment. Once the cities are destroyed the Russians will move in to rebuild and use this as a propaganda victory. They will brag about how they helped Ukrainian cities rebuild the buildings they had destroyed. The Free World needs to recognize that my fear for Ukraine could come true.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, I’m once again asking you not to make my fear for Ukraine come true. Please continue to talk about the conflict, send your money to the appropriate agencies, and keep up to date on war information. Just remember that keeping up means watching footage of exploding tanks, burning oil refineries, sinking warships, and downed aircraft. Mwahaha!

FOX Attacks 10-Year-Old Rape Victim

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FOX Attacks 10-year-old Rape Victim 

FOX Attacks 10-year-old Rape Victim 

 

By D. S. Mitchell

 

Channel Surfing

I started off the morning watching Sam Stein filling in for Velshi on MSNBC.  I switched over to Smerconish, when the commercials came on, to see what was top of the conversation at CNN.  Both CNN and MSNBC were featuring lead stories on the tragic case of a 10-year-old Ohio child who was raped and impregnated by her attacker. Since we are in a post-Roe world, she was denied an abortion in her home state of Ohio, and was forced to travel to Indiana to undergo treatment.

Out of the Blue

When the story went viral a whole lot of anti-abortion agitators opened fire on the girl, her family and the MD who provided her care. Out of the blue, the Indiana Attorney General, Todd Rokita (R), said on the FOX channel, of course, that his department intended to investigate the doctor who did the abortion. On air, he quite plainly accused Dr. Bernard of malfeasance and overt criminality, suggesting that although abortion is legal in Indiana, this particular doctor, “most  likely committed a crime.” He went on to say “she often fails to submit required notifications and documents” to the state of Indiana regarding abortion procedures. Dr. Bernard’s attorney returned fire sending a Cease and Desist notice to Rokita, advising him he is likely to be the target of a lawsuit for defamation.

Political Provacteurs

This came after a week of right-wing bloggers, pundits, and political provacteurs, the likes of Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, assailing this tragic story as a falsehood; arguing that it was a “story searching for confirmation.” Sadly, it was not a made-up story by the crazy liberals, attempting to win public support for abortion. The perpetrator, 27 year-old Gershon Fuentes has been arrested, and he has confessed. It was a true story about a real person, a child, no less, and a doctor trying to make life better for someone who’s life would be forever altered. But, over at FOX there will be no apologies, no retractions, just a quick jump to another hot button issue.

Really, Laura?

Maybe Laura Ingraham can’t remember being a 10 years old little girl, but I can.  I was still playing with dolls for ‘effin sakes. Playing with dolls. . .so instead of dolls, I should have been suckling an infant for the state? Barbaric. What will the next horrific decision be from the Robert’s SCOTUS? Forced state female circumcision? That may sound outlandish, even outrageous, but in the old days a woman wasn’t supposed to enjoy sexual relations, so better make sure she doesn’t.

In any Universe

I don’t know much about god (s) but I do recognize unbelievable cruelty when I see it; and I am convinced there is no god in this or any other universe,  blessing the behavior of FOX and its clones on the pulpits of “Christian” churches, across the United States. My hope is that all the evil done in the name of god, hopefully has harsh punishments, for those who use His name to facilitate their own worldly agenda.

 

Adoption Is Not the Alternative to Abortion

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OPINION:

Adoption Is Not the Alternative to Abortion

It is time to worry about the health and well-being of children already born and recognize that adoption is not answer to abortionhildren

OPINION: 

Adoption Is Not the Alternative to Abortion

 

By Megan Wallin-Kerth

 

With all the news about Roe V. Wade, many conservative talking points have come to the forefront; for, let’s just say, reconsideration. Most of these I’ll leave for others to debate, but one really gets under my skin, because—unlike the hundreds of other thoughts, some more sensible than others—this refrain is ludicrously simplistic and yet very familiar to me. You’ve probably heard it too, at least a dozen times. Here’s a hint: What’s the oh-so-wonderful alternative to abortion?

Adoption.

Always. Without fail. Rarely a dissenter. And yet, how many people shouting this have actually adopted a child? And of those, how many adopted the kids who are considered “difficult to place?”

For those willing to admit that they know diddly-squat about the adoption process or the foster care system, I’ll give more context.

Most infants, particularly white infants from healthy but low-income mothers (think high school or college students), are placed easily into homes that are generally also white, generally middle class or upper middle class, and have usually passed several levels of intensive screening (varying in different states) prior to becoming a parent through adoption. Those are the facts. White babies usually get sent to somewhat affluent white homes. Babies from other backgrounds sometimes linger for longer times, or often get adopted into homes where their culture of origin is, if anything, a sidenote. Add identity crisis to abandonment issues.

However, infants of any monetary, cultural or ethnic background truly have it much easier than children: The children who are taken away from their natural parents after they’ve already started to reach the stage of being toddlers or even older children have a more challenging path ahead.

First, they have the grief and loss that comes with being torn from the parents and family system to whom they are already well acquainted, as well as the customs, traditions, sense of belonging and additional factors that make up one’s feeling of being “home.” They lose it all, and yet they are expected to accept the culture of a new household, family structure, and repeatedly relay their trauma to a constant barrage of social workers and therapists who make it clear that the events which occurred “need to be discussed.” (That need, mind you, is more to provide quotes for said figures to use while testifying about the child’s best interests in court, quite ironically.) What’s not always clear to those kids is that none of it is their fault. Not a single bit of it.

Many of those kids are there because their parents were ill-prepared, young, poor, or impacted by trauma or drug-abuse. Some of them were likely told not to get an abortion, because that would be throwing away the “gift of life.” Not all of them wanted their children, but most of them probably wanted to do right by them. However, wanting to do the right thing and being able to successfully carry out the responsibilities of parenthood are entirely different.

Unsurprisingly, these kids are more likely to be diagnosed with a slew of mental health conditions, ranging from attachment disorder to ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). They are more likely to have trouble regulating their emotions. They are more likely to come from families with histories of trauma or self-medication with drug-use. They are more likely to have been witness to domestic violence. And they are all victims of a system that is primarily run by well-intentioned but vastly undertrained and overworked case managers, many of whom get burnt out quickly if they truly care about the children under their broadly defined supervision.

Lastly, the longer a child stays in foster care, the more they face several unfortunate facts: Adoption rates are lower, foster homes are increasingly scarce (and often resort to abusive or coercive methods to control trauma-based behaviors), and it’s not uncommon at all to age out of the system with no solid support. It’s also likely that those with severe trauma—and corresponding behavioral issues stemming from a lack of care—will end up incarcerated, filling jails and prisons. And let’s not even get into the number of failed adoptions, where families commit to adoption and change their minds (this happened to me and another family member), sometimes going so far as to relinquish parental rights after the whole matter has been legally confirmed.

This is the true nature of the so-called alternative that people don’t realize they are presenting, and it’s not the fairytale full of compassion and hope that comes to mind with the word “adoption.”

Furthermore, those stating that they would “love to be foster parents once the time is right for their family” should also take heed of the fact that doing so is a sacrifice to any children already in your home, whether biological, adopted or foster. It requires everyone in that household to possibly shift expectations, routines, etc.—and to frequently practice more emotional regulation if the child coming in has some emotional struggles themselves (and spoiler alert: many of them will).

Am I discouraging people from fostering and adopting? No, not at all. However, much like the decision to become a biological parent, it needs to be approached realistically—for everyone’s sake.

Forgive me if I put it all in a grim light; that’s not the intention. I’m an adoptee myself, and an adoptive parent. I also grew up in a conservative household, with a narrow, black-and-white view of matters such as abortion rights.

But now that I’m older, I look back with less tunnel vision. I’m not a one-issue voter anyways, but if I was, I would still hesitate to stake all my focus on the ill-placed show of concern people seem to have regarding the value of life before birth, as opposed to the many months and years that follow.

To be clear, I also am not convinced of something just because it’s a “women’s issue.” As a woman, I don’t see the need to coddle us, and I don’t see pregnancy as only an issue in which women should have a voice. It takes two to create life, and most cases of pregnancy are the result of consensual baby-making.

And yet facts are facts: The facts are that rape happens, unprepared parents exist, and even in the best case scenarios, pregnancy is completely a woman’s task, effecting us physically, emotionally, mentally and financially. All those prenatal visits are scheduled for a reason; There are many risks and expenses. Furthermore, giving birth, even in developed countries, can be dangerous or even life-threatening. And as women on birth control are keenly aware, even with today’s modern advances and a lot of talk about “consent,” attempts to prevent pregnancy via hormones, condoms or abstinence can all fail. (Just look at sexual assault and rape statistics.)

However, everything from birth rates to women’s healthcare access affects us all, because that adds up to how well we can provide for our citizens. And how we treat people after they’re born, breathing and making decisions should matter to the pro-life crowd, right?

Mainly, it comes down to this: Regarding adoption and foster care, I’ve seen the dark underbelly of the beast—and for every child out there who gets adopted, there are statistically at least 10 who are shifting between foster homes waiting for their chance to stay somewhere with people who understand their unique needs and can continuously care for them when their expressions of pain often push others away.

This is not the “solution” to a world with fewer abortions. It’s proof that the primary talking point of the “pro life” crowd these days clearly has nothing to do with protecting human beings, even though I believe (perhaps naively) that most pro-lifers probably insist that is exactly their logic. They believe they’re protecting babies, because the fetus grows into one. My argument is “When does life matter most to you?”

A young child in the system, already born and in the world, suffers so much more and deserves so much more protection than a 16 week fetus. But that is not where people see fit to focus their fervent “value for life.”

Coming from one of those kids who wasn’t aborted, I know it probably sounds richly elitist to that crowd. But having navigated that first five years of life without a forever kind of family, I can tell you that I wish people would do their pro-life picketing outside the DHS office with signs that beg for real life-changing improvements. Their signs could ask for more foster homes, better pay for social workers, more stringent screenings for private adoption agencies, more rights for extended biological family members of children in care, and more resources for those aging out of the system. That is the pro-life attitude this country needs right now.

I believe a true understanding of this very real perspective might also produce the realization that supporting the right to choose an abortion isn’t the same as saying you would personally find the procedure useful.

In summary, the point of being pro-life should not just be about protecting life but also seeing fit to protect the quality of life. And it should never be at the expense of a life fully formed and out in the world.

My life was not protected simply because I was born. It was not even protected after I was adopted…twice. Children who have been separated and traumatized are automatically at many disadvantages, and while name-calling and anger don’t suit either side of the political aisle, the right to abortion should be beyond politics at this point. I’m by no means a hostile person, but I’m sick of being nice in the face of willful ignorance of inconvenient facts, when some of us are in the very category that adamant pro-lifers are using to support their arguments.

While the political left could do better at not cherry-picking their cases (you really don’t need to prove your point with only rape and incest cases), the right has done nothing to alleviate their increasing reputation for being hypocritical on the topic of reproductive rights.

Being hyper supportive of the military, the NRA, and abstinence-only sexual education while being unsupportive of affordable healthcare, and holding the record for having more people on welfare (yep, look it up) makes one look not only callous, but ignorant.

Quite frankly, abortion access is not about your views, it’s not about religion, it’s not about proving when life begins, and it’s not about the unborn.

It’s about allowing for the prevention of predictable, probable, and elongated suffering of multiple human beings for the technicality and self-righteousness of protecting one not yet fully formed and out in the world. It’s about whether someone is ready to be a parent—a good parent. It’s about pregnant women (sometimes mere children or teens) choosing whether they allow their body to house, feed and produce yet another entity that will require a great deal of care and love. It’s about applying critical thought and a wide lens of compassion to situations where bringing a life into the world cannot be done safely. It’s about allowing people to make decisions that impact their bodies and livelihoods with the expertise of medical professionals.

Bottom line: It’s about how well we take care of the people already in our world, and the sad truth is that we’ve got a great deal of room for improvement.

 

OPINION:Horrible Language, Horrible Intent

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OPINION: Horrible Language, Horrible Intent

It's a dog fight, and it will be playing out near you as the 2022 Midterms approach

OPINION: Horrible Language, Horrible Intent

By D. S. Mitchell

It’s Ugly Out There

It’s a dog fight. The language is vitriolic. Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on campaign ads, showing candidates brandishing AR-15’s and going so far as to call their opponents “groomers” and “pedophiles”. Numerous Republican candidates have made claims that their liberal opponents are “grooming” children by pushing for LGBTQI+ rights; claims repeated by Tucker Carlson every night on the FOX channel. The radical language is not just for the opposition party, but these hyped-up right-winger’s are threatening members of their own party who they feel are not obscene, or disgusting enough, labeling them “RINO’s (Republicans in name only).”

Dangerous Topics

These ads filling our TV and PC screens are pushing some highly dangerous topics, one of the more dangerous and disgusting, is the current monster under the bed, the ‘great replacement theory’ and other similar racially and religiously charged conspiracies. According to America’s Voice, a progressive immigration advocacy group, hundreds of GOP ads specifically mention “replacement theory,” “migrants,” and “invasion.”

Enrique

The airwaves are filled with Republicans accusing Democrats of deliberately encouraging migrants to cross the southern border illegally so they can “replace white voters”. They further claim Democrats are trying to indoctrinate children with fake history lessons about systemic racism against blacks. Of course it isn’t just blacks; it’s browns, Mexicans, Muslims, Jews, Asians and anyone that isn’t ‘really’ white- Christian. In a country like ours, the “real” white guys are pretty far and few between. Apparently, the neo-Nazi, white supremacist group, the Proud Boys, couldn’t find enough of those ‘real white guys’ and were forced to enlist  Enrique Torrio, a man of Afro-Cuban ancestry, whose parents came as immigrants from Cuba, to act as their front man. What a joke. Only, it’s not a joke.

Highly Combustible

The language is dangerous and highly combustible. In my view, the hateful language is fodder for inevitable violent consequences. Hate crimes are up 339 per cent! The shooter in Buffalo, referenced the racist replacement theory 10 times in writings before his killing rampage at a Top’s Food Market. The gunman called his victims “replacers” of white Americans. While there’s no direct one-to-one connection between one campaign ad and a person or group carrying out a crime, “there is a really clear relationship between the hateful speech of politicians and hateful acts,” Sophie Bjork-James, an expert on racism, said recently. Ms Bjork-James went on to say that there seemed to be a disturbing pattern between a string of violent incidents across the United States and an increase in “dangerous” highly charged language from Republican candidates and sitting GOP members of Congress in ads, social media posts, and speeches.

Systematic Replacement

“They will not replace us,” was the rallying cry at the Charlottesville riot in 2018. This replacement conspiracy theory has anti-Semitic origins. This baseless belief theorizes that Jews are behind a systematic program to replace ‘white people’ with immigrants and black people, with the intent to  overwhelm American elections. When challenged to stop promoting such hateful speech the noise only  intensifies. Despite the outcry, Republicans refuse to step away from the hateful language. Recently 32 GOP members of Congress repeated “invasion” language in a letter to Joe Biden, demanding the president “protect America from invasion.” When surveyed, 7 in 10 Republicans believe the heated rhetoric. In fact, 7 out of 10 Republicans believe Democrats eat the bodies of small children, are actually, lizard people, and who the hell knows what else?

A Trumpian Call

J.D. Vance, a Republican U. S. Senate candidate in Ohio, said back in February, the only way President Joe Biden could win reelection in 2024 “is to replace the citizens of his own country with illegal foreigners. The invasion he’s allowing to happen at the border is about power for democrats and nothing more.” The fear mongering ramps up as we close in on the 2022 midterms. Traditionally the party out of power wins seats in the midterms. So, why are the Republicans going to the most base and deplorable extremes when they are almost guaranteed to  to flip the House, and perhaps even the Senate.

It’s not just liberals, immigrants, or trans kids, in the cross hairs. Republican candidates and lawmakers who are not aggressive enough are also are being targeted. Former Missouri governor, a candidate for  the U.S. Senate, released a video of him smashing into a residence, carrying an assault rifle, backed-up by a group of individuals in combat attire, also carrying long guns, and announced, “Today, I’m going RINO hunting.” The RINO’s are corrupt and cowardly, get a “RINO hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.” Holy Moly. This is how he treats his allies? Facebook removed the ad and Twitter flagged it. Wimps.

January 6th Threats

Adam Kinzinger, is one, of only two Republicans, on the January 6th Committee. Kinzinger also voted to impeach former President Donald Trump. Kinzinger has been threatened, along with his wife and newborn son. Trump has labeled Kinzinger as a RINO. Kinzinger, predicts, “There is violence in the future, and we can’t expect any different.”

Pissed Off And Ready To Shoot Someone

The Department of Homeland Security is also warning of a “heightened threat environment” due to  domestic terrorism and ‘a politically charged environment.’ The agency pointed out a large number of false narratives and racist conspiracy theories in a recent report. DHS Secretary, Mayorkas, said the department is keeping close tabs on extremist groups, “Individuals spurred by ideology of hate, false narratives, personal grievances, (are likely) to act out violently.”

No 400 Pounders

The theories the Republicans are vocalizing aren’t coming from 400 pounders knocking out posts in their basement, but the rhetoric and the absurdities are coming from people who have real power. The continued hateful, divisive rhetoric, has gotten out of control. It is time to tap this shit down. Extremist thought is being elevated to a level of legitimacy unheard of, at least in the last fifty years. Words, and speech we may have heard at a card game, or in a bar-and certainly on the fringes of politics-but not spoken aloud by major players.

Conclusion

Those never said descriptors now part of 2022 campaigning. Is it working? I’m sure it is with a certain part of the electorate, I’m hoping that there are enough outraged women in the country to put  a stop to the Republican plan. However, if the Republicans take back the House and the Senate, I expect the rhetoric and the violence will become a larger, and larger. factor in our daily lives. We are headed for a new Jim Crow, a new repression of women, and LGBTQ suppression. I predict; chaos is coming, unless there is a blue wave; previously unseen in history. A huge Democratic turn out, that runs the Republicans out of office, is the only thing that could turn this whole thing around.

 

OPINION: ‘Eff the Supreme Court

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OPINION: ‘Eff the Supreme Court

I have something to say about the SCROTUS and it is not nice.

OPINION: ‘Eff the Supreme Court

Editor: I think this quote is a perfect response to the Supreme Court justices that want to enforce constitutional originalism on 21st century Americans. 

“WHEN PEOPLE START ACTING AS THOUGH THE PAST IS THE SAME AS THE PRESENT AND CONTEXT DOESN’T MATTER, THINGS START TO GET DANGEROUS.” TREVOR K. MCNEIL 2020

By D. S. Mitchell

Written on a Sign

I don’t know about you, but my outrage grows. In a recent abortion protest, I saw a young girl carrying a sign inscribed, “I hate it here.”  If you are a follower of Calamity News and Politics, you may have noticed an increased tension, and quite honestly, unbridled rage coming from this corner of the progressive community. I too have had several recent moments of, “I hate it here.”

Targeted Killings

The radical right sees no contradiction in banning abortion, for love of life, yet fuel rhetoric that has likely led to the  murder of at least 10 pro-choice physicians. The radical right tell us the Second Amendment is sacred. Sometime between my birth and today, the sanctity of the Second Amendment has taken on ridiculous, and unintended proportions.

Group Killings

Originally the Second Amendment described, “a well regulated militia.” Mind you, this was before the U.S. had a military. Out of that simple concept, it is now every Americans right, maybe duty, to load your AR-15, strap it with a bandolier of 30 shot magazines and go walk around town, terrorizing and murdering people who are just shopping for groceries, celebrating at a concert, attending class, and now a 4th of July parade. Mass murderers love it when we gather in groups.

I Said

Fuck the NRA, fuck the U.S. Senate, fuck the Second Amendment, and most of all fuck this illegitimate court. This has become a human rights issue-a public safety issue, a fucking right-to-life issue. Every American should have the reasonable expectation to go out for a walk, go the local Starbucks safely; it should not be a flip of the coin, situation.

Worse Than Roberts

John Robert’s has been Chief Justice since 2005.  He was nominated by George Bush the Younger and in my mind, Robert’s has been the spearpoint of a ruthless and relentless right-wing attack on democracy. During his tenure, the court has turned back democracy by 75 years, and privacy rights by 50. Even with Robert’s terrible record on gun control, voting rights, gerrymandering, campaign finance, abortion, and every other personal freedom imaginable, there are more dangerous and radical justices than John Roberts, and that clique is now apparently running the court.  Where as Robert’s style is to just keep chipping away at a law until over several years it vanishes into history, barely noticed. This new blatantly political court is ready to upend the apple cart, the hell with the consequences, in essence giving majority America the big middle finger salute.

Let it Go Alito, This Ain’t 1776

So, this now 6-3 ‘originalist’ court thinks it can push back all Progressive reforms since 1930. These folks are willing to snatch away Medicare and Medicaid, and the ACA of course, will fall. Gut the EPA. Ban abortions, nationwide. When you see an institution disregard established law and take up the task of writing new laws, just because they can; says to me that we are in a dangerous place. It seems apparent that swift action is necessary.

What I Think

This Thomas-Alito court seems hell bent on destroying any shred of validity this court ever had. The most recent public confidence polls show the court to be deeply unpopular.  The approval level of the court among all voters is at a jaw dropping 25%. Talk about Biden’s underwater numbers. As laws become more oppressive, affecting larger swaths of the population; enforcement may fail, in fact, it most likely will. As larger numbers of citizens commit the unenforceable crimes, police and prosecutors begin to ignore them. The overturning of Roe is so unpopular 70% of the country is in full revolt.

Anywhere, Anytime

The lawmakers just passed the first gun safety act in thirty years. My cynical side says, “a little is better than nothing.” My realistic side says, “not nearly enough.” As I said previously, the Second Amendment guarantees do not supersede those of LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.  Yet, the radical ‘originalist’ court refuses to face the reality of a heavily weaponized country that needs some serious restrictions on gun access, not an open season on all of us, anywhere, at anytime.

Conclusion

When extreme decisions are pronounced without the support and acceptance of the population, those decisions become unenforceable. The court has no army, no police force to back up its decisions, the only thing the court has is its standing in the eyes of the country’s citizenry, and that includes law enforcement. It is time to enlarge the court, install term limits, and codify a standard of ethics these justices must adhere to. Right now, this radical right-wing abomination calling itself the “Supreme” court of the United States,  ain’t looking so “Supreme.”

 

The Bastardization of the Second Amendment

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OPINION:

The Bastardization of the Second Amendment

OPINION:

The Bastardization of the Second Amendment

*The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as “one with four or more people injured or killed, not including the perpetrator.”

By D. S. Mitchell

 

Breakdown

2022 started out with a bang, and it just seems to be getting worse. I had barely stopped crying over what had happened in Buffalo, N.Y. when Uvalde took over the news cycle. Yesterday, I watched Mathew McConaughey, the Texas actor who was born in Uvalde, break down during his speech at the White House as he described trying to identify young bodies after being shot to pieces by an AR-15 assault rifle.  One cable commentator told the television audience that there have been more than 250 mass shootings since the beginning of 2022.  I can’t confirm that, but such a number would not surprise me.

Statistically Speaking

As most of us are aware, Americans kill Americans in huge numbers. Americans kill themselves in huge numbers. In 2020, according to CDC data, 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S. That figure includes gun murders and gun suicides, accidental deaths, and law enforcement actions. During the Corona virus pandemic, it seemed like mass shootings had stopped; or at least decreased.  But as information comes out it is becoming clear that perception was an illusion; the killings never stopped. For some reason the shootings were less public. Maybe there was just too much noise about masks, mandates, and vaccine protests. With all that aside, the statistics are staggering. There were more than 600 mass shootings in 2020, compared to 417 in 2019. That carnage continued into 2021, and now 2022, with hundreds of shootings.

American Exceptionalism

No where else in the world is gun violence a problem. So, why in the United States? Well, let’s see. I think a good place to start would be to recognize that we live in a country where there are more guns than people. We have a Supreme Court that wants to write its own laws. I say that, using the decisions of the Robert’s court to support that contention; whether it be Heller or Citizen’s United. In the minds of our 21st century ‘conservative’ justices, Ben Franklin, James Madison, Washington and all that crew visualized a country of 330 million people all able to pack AR-15’s if they are over the age of 18. Oh, and let’s not forget the NRA. In my opinion the NRA should be sued after every mass shooting. It is the power of the NRA lobby and their big money that buys off members of the House and Senate; halting any progress on common sense legislation.

Just Imagine

These rebels and rabble rousers of the 18th century never comprehended the potential invention of a revolver, much less an automatic weapon. Lord, folks, when I was a kid I never would have imagined the rise of the personal computer, cell phones, social media, electric cars, or billionaires. I’m damn sure that Ben, Jimmy and George would have written things a bit differently if they could have only imagined our world. There is no person on earth that could ever convince me of anything different. This bullshit of the Second Amendment being a permission slip to ignore pubic safety and turn our streets into war zones, as deadly as Mariupol, is outrageous. Personally, I don’t want to have to put on a flak jacket to go to the store, pick up my grand kids at school, or go to a concert.  Come on America demand sensible gun control; our lives, and the lives of our children depend on it.

 

Trump Continues Contemptuous Behavior

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The Contemptuous Donald Is Finally In Contempt…

Trump faces numerous law suits around the country

By Anna Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

Holding The Contemptuous One in Contempt

After years of apparent criminal and questionable civil business activities, Donald Trump is finally being forced to face the music.  He is being held in contempt of court by New York State Justice Arthur Engoron.  I heartily applaud this decision and am planning a “Contempt for Trump” party, complete with champagne, a DJ for dancing, and swag bags, including a mini-Donald Trump collector’s edition dartboard, macaroons, and a bottle of Evian water, for my guests.  It’s about time the orange haired scowling monster is called on the carpet legally.  Per the citation, this civil contempt charge will cost Trump ten thousand dollars per day until such time as he turns over the subpoenaed documents.

So, What Does That Mean, Really?

So, what exactly is “contempt of court”?  We sometimes hear this phrase referenced as just “contempt”.  According to Wikipedia, being in contempt of court means, “the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers.”  This can include willful disobedience of a court order, ignoring the court’s decorum or authorization, or failure to preserve a reverent frame of mind.  Investopedia defines, “Contempt of court is a legal violation committed by an individual who disobeys a judge or otherwise disrupts the legal process in the courtroom.”  This describes Donald Trump accurately.

Ignore The Court at Your Peril

Wikipedia also states, “Contempt of court is essentially seen as a form of disturbance that may impede the functioning of the court.  The judge may impose fines and/or jail time upon any person committing contempt of court.  The person is usually let out upon his or her agreement to fulfill the wishes of the court.”  In other words, Mr. Trump, you have never been, nor will you ever be above the law.

Trying To Stave Off the Inevitable Again…

“The Donald” was ordered back in February of this year to turn over documents for scrutiny no later than March 31, 2022.  It is unclear whether the daily fine is retroactive to the end of March deadline or not, but we can hope that it is.  Sources report that Trump’s legal team had agreed to provide the documents but then filed exceptions saying the summons, despite having been approved by the judge, “is grossly overbroad, unintelligible, unduly burdensome, and does not adequately describe which documents and communications are requested or sought with reasonable particularity.”  Letitia James, the New York State Attorney General, sought the fines to force the former president to comply with the NY State subpoena.

More Of the Same Game

Trump and his company, The Trump Organization  is accused, quite bluntly, by the state of NY of tax fraud.  The attorney general’s accusations in the filing are regarding misreporting property values to receive loans with better terms and improved tax positions.  New York’s top lawyer had also said of late her investigators had, “uncovered substantial evidence establishing numerous misrepresentations in Mr. Trump’s financial statements provided to banks, insurers, and the Internal Revenue Service.”

What, Me Cooperate?

Needless to say, “The Donald”, who apparently feels he is above the law, is still not cooperating.  Ms. James considers Justice Engoron’s actions to be “a major victory” and that the rule of law has prevailed.  These documents are needed for an attorney general investigation into Trump’s business holdings.  Her office has been assisting the Manhattan District Attorney’s office with a synchronous criminal investigation into Donald’s companies, as well.  The court, declaring him in contempt is monumental.  Mr. Trump apparently committed crimes, and this decision should hopefully knock his attitude down a few pegs, but I doubt it will.

More Ways to Try to Hold Off the Inescapable

Criminal charges against his “Organization” are being pursued, and it’s CFO Allen Weisselberg who denies wrongdoing and has entered a not guilty plea despite charges of falsification of business records and tax fraud.  The subpoena in the civil probe by New York’s lead litigator is similar, perhaps say, to the turning over of one’s tax returns when running for president.  Forty-five sued Attorney General James, filing in federal court, at the end of 2021, claiming her exploration to have political motivation.  The suit is still unresolved.  Gee, could this be a stall tactic on the part of “The Donald”?  He would never do such a thing, not.  Trump attorney Alina Habba claims he is unable to turn over the documentation, claiming that he does not actually have said documents.  She goes on to say the office of the attorney general was told this.

I Don’t Know Where It Is

Ms. James made it clear that Trump and the company were to provide statements regarding what they did to attempt finding these documents.  She went on to say Donald should have knowledge of the whereabouts of such documentation, since he, “personally executed documents central to the issues under investigation.”  If this is complied with, the civil contempt charge can potentially be averted. Well, how difficult is it to look in the paper shredder or the fireplace, Mr. Trump?  It could save you ten grand a day.  If you go too many days being fined this significant sum of money, how will Melania get her plastic surgery, or will you be able to afford golf balls, because those are the only kind you possess.  Ten big ones is a lot of McDonald’s, Donald.

Which Witch is Which?

Of course, forty-five’s lawyer is calling this, “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time”; let her tell that line to Joan of Arc.  The Trump Organization alleges turning over more than 750,000 documents in this investigation, however the New York attorney general claims that the release of papers has been rather lethargic.  She wants a look at “post it notes” and the files that “The Donald” utilized as communication to his employee base.  This information is necessary to examine and evaluate whether civil suit will be brought against the former ‘Oval Office’ occupant and his firm.

Still Subject to The Rule of Law

Trump’s attorneys have filed an appeal and we don’t know whether the court of appeals will suspend the fine during the appellate process.  But reportedly the judge has just recently rejected “The Donald’s” affidavit, which claims Trump does not have the documents that are being demanded by the Attorney General of New York.  In closing, I for one am overjoyed to see any legal action against forty-five because absolutely no one is above the law, whether it be criminal or civil.  Statutes govern all citizens, even former White House residents.

OPINION: Put the Mask Back On Rudy

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OPINION: Put the Mask Back On Rudy, We Don’t Want to See Your Face

Rudy Giuliani mask up and stay masked up, we don't want to see your stinkin' face.

OPINION:

Put the Mask Back On Rudy;  We Don’t Want to See Your Face

 

By Anna Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

“I’m Done”

When Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York City, was unmasked on “The Masked Singer”, judge Ken Jeong walked off the stage, saying, “I’m done”, and who can blame him?  Personally, I was surprised that even a FOX show would have a man with Rudy’s lack of morality on any episode.  Shock value for sure but not a wise decision; viewership is sure to tank, one can hope. Host Nick Cannon stated, “It surprises us all that you’re here”.  Exactly Nick, it’s mind boggling that he appears on any television show, other than perhaps, “America’s Most Wanted”.

Trial By Jury, Not By “Combat”

Of course, what we want to see is Mr. Giuliani and his former client “The Donald” on trial for crimes against our nation and humanity.  His “trial by combat”, “Game of Thrones” comment regarding the January 6th, 2021, insurrection, and his client’s part in it makes my blood run cold.  This man belongs behind bars, not behind a mask on any television show.  His barbaric comment, “I was referring to the kind of trial that took place for Tyrion in that very famous documentary about fictitious medieval England.  When Tyrion, who is a very small man, is accused of murder.  He didn’t commit murder, he can’t defend himself, and he hires a champion to defend him”, borders on the insane.  The only time we care to hear him sing would be in a court of law against the Trumpster and his fellow cronies.

Work Cut Out for Him

The Federal Prosecutor’s office for the Southern District of New York (i.e., Manhattan) has been pursuing cases regarding Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump for some time.  As of October, of last year, it is headed by President Biden nominee Damian Williams, the first African American to hold the position.  We wish him Godspeed.

“…In Deep Trouble”

During an interview a year ago this month with Vanity Fair, Preet Bharara, the Southern District prosecutor from 2009 to 2017, was quoted as saying, “Rudy Giuliani is in deep trouble”, as he should be.   Later in the same interview, Bharara also quipped in response to the allegations of the Justice Department under Trump and ally Bill Barr blocking search warrants related at the time, “It’s possible the delay by Justice cost Rudy Giuliani a Trump pardon.”  A pardon by Trump was given to his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, sentenced to seven years for his wrongdoings, as one of Trump’s last actions in office during December of 2020.

Bad Company Continues to Corrupt Morals

Giuliani’s apartment was searched to ascertain if he broke political lobbying laws when he served as Donald Trump’s lawyer.  Once the top Federal Prosecutor on the island of Manhattan himself, his law license was suspended for “false and misleading statements” in regard to Trump’s loss of the 2020 election in two boroughs of the city (both Manhattan and the Bronx) he once was mayor of.  He is also suspended from practicing law in Washington, DC. Rudy could face disbarment.  What a fall from grace his involvement with Forty-Five has caused him.  As the Bible says and is often echoed, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV).

September 11th To January 6th?

Makes one ponder whether Rudy’s heart was ever in the right place. Clearly, the Giuliani of 9/11 is not the man that is partner in crime to the orange haired monster.  During those attacks on our nation, Giuliani was counted upon to make a phoenix rise from the ashes. He was the loving father our nation needed,  intelligent and strong.  He made a horrific situation almost bearable, doing his best against the worst nightmare our nation had faced.  He showed courage and fortitude. What has happened to the man we came to admire twenty-one years ago?   Many books have been written about the Manhattan College and NYU School of Law alumnus.

The Taller They Are…

I, for one, am saddened by his fall. It resembles a bad dream but, unfortunately, the nightmare is so very real.  It is disconcerting enough when one of Trump’s cronies is a criminal, but it is certainly all the more distressing when the person was once considered an American hero.  This reminds one of the O.J. Simpson trial.  Will Rudy’s trial be similar, “If it does not fit, you must acquit”?  How is the man we now distrust and detest, the same one we admired during one of the saddest and darkest times in recent history? It seems incomprehensible.

That Was Then, This Is Now

Rudy Giuliani handled the brutal attack on the World Trade Center with aplomb and strength, but now during our most recent hour of distress and vexation Mr. Giuliani has not only failed our nation, he supported the unthinkable acts of violence.  This brings up the same question regarding people we know personally who took a ride on “The Donald” train and lost their way (if they ever really knew it).  Is there any turning back for those afflicted with the Trump cancer?  In the case of Rudy Giuliani, it appears to be terminal.  He claims that he should not be held accountable for the Capitol riot, saying his “trial by combat“ comment was hyperbolic. Well, someone believed his words, Rudy, an insurrection certainly occurred.

Casualties Beyond That of Respect for Constitutional Practice

Four lives were lost immediately during the violence – two to “natural causes” of cardiovascular disease, one to meth overdose, and the defensive shooting of Ashli Babbitt.  Officer Brian Sicknick suffered two strokes, the second fatal, shortly thereafter as a result of the significant injuries he sustained that day. A fifteen year police veteran Howard Liebengood committed suicide three days after the travesty, followed by fellow Officer Jeffrey Smith a few days later.  One hundred and forty police officers were injured during the attack on our nation’s capital.

Since The Glove Does Fit, We Must Convict

Rudy Giuliani needs to stand trial for his role in the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election.  No one is above the law; not a former president, an associate Attorney General, or even Time Magazines “Person of the Year” for 2001. Twenty years after being named man of the year Rudy has turned to supporting violent overthrow of the government.  Rudy is no longer “America’s Mayor”, he is now part of America’s ongoing nightmare.  It is with a heavy heart that I have watched Donald Trump lead so people astray. I trust in God, not Mr. Trump or any of his cohorts.  In closing, I demand they investigate and if proven guilty, “Throw the book at this masked singer.”

OPINION: Anti-“Reasons” From Anti-Vaxxers

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OPINION:

Anti- “Reasons” From Anti-Vaxxers

OPINION:

Anti- “Reasons” From Anti-Vaxxers

Editor: This is a reminder to get vaxxed.  It’s importance for us as a nation to increase our vaccination level. We’re doing good, but we can and need to do just a bit better. So, here again, for those who missed the message, Anna and Wes Hessel’s take on COVID anti-vaxxers.

 

By Anna Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

To Vaxx or Not to Vaxx, That Shouldn’t Be A Question

I admit I had qualms about the COVID-19 vaccine when it first came out.  I am an anaphylactic, and side effects concerned me, but shortly after the vaccines became available, I talked to trusted friends and medical professionals, did some research, and then did the right thing by getting vaccinated.  My spouse and myself are fully Pfizer vaccinated. We’ve had our first booster, and are planning on having the second booster because we are both over 50.  We are both happily vaxxed and proud to show our vaccine cards as proof that we took a stand against this deadly virus.  Some of the worst excuses for refusing to get vaccinated follow:

Unsafe “Shortcuts”

  1. “I would rather take a horse de-wormer,” a product not intended for humans – this speaks for itself.
  2. “I would rather drink bleach” – this is toxic and has never been proven to prevent COVID. When President Biden was campaigning, he made a comment that he couldn’t believe he had to say it but, “Don’t drink bleach”.

But It Will…No, It Won’t

  1. “The vaccine will make me infertile.” Then why are fully vaccinated women getting pregnant?
  2. “There are side effects.” I will admit, I was very afraid of side effects when the vaccine first came out. I, however, did the right thing and got my two shot Pfizer vaccine along with my spouse, and got my booster, too.  My side effects were minimal, even having more than one autoimmune disease, and I not only protected myself with the shots but am helping to protect others from getting COVID-19.  Some minor symptoms are much better than in a hospital on a ventilator, having a tracheotomy, or worse.  Getting the vaccine is the right thing to do.
  3. “There will be sudden serious side effects years down the road.” There is no proof of this, and it is paranoid to think this.  If there were horrific side effects, they would have shown up by now.  The COVID vaccines have been repeatedly tested for safety.  Those of us who are vaccinated have not grown a tail or get radio frequency in our arms.

Misleading “Faith”

  1. “God is protecting me; I choose faith over fear.” As a devout Christian with Jewish heritage, this attitude appalls me.  God protects those that protect themselves and do what is right to help themselves and others.  This misuse of the “faith over fear”-type statement smacks of the misleading rhetoric of cult-like groups such as “Christian Scientists”, or the also not-Biblical tenets of the so-called “health and wealth gospel” adherents.  I listen to actual science; God gives aptitude and wisdom to medical professionals.  If you need surgery, or have other illnesses, do you go to a doctor?  Most Christians will say yes, so there is no difference between this and a vaccine.  If you don’t have polio, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), TB (tuberculosis), pneumonia, chicken pox, or shingles, it is because of vaccines.  Vaccines are effective.
  2. “It is a sin to get vaccinated.” Nowhere in the Bible is there any indication of this.  A popular gospel singer had COVID, and she spoke out in favor of vaccines, posting a photo of her getting the shot on social media.  Many of her fans were outraged, spewing hateful comments on her page.  Again hypocrisy, because the Word of God teaches us that we should not judge, lest we be judged and to love one another unconditionally, as we love ourselves.  And it is certainly not sinful behavior to listen to science.  Listening to science is listening to the God who created it and gave the knowledge of it to people He chose.
  3. “It’s ‘the mark of the beast’.” Well, I do agree Donald Trump is an anti-Christ, but check the Book of Revelation in the Bible, the war of Armageddon had not yet even begun, this prophecy has not yet come to pass, so the mark of the beast has not begun.  The Bible indicates this mark to be on the forehead, not in the arm.  The idea of any chip being inserted with a very thin fine needle and a clear liquid vaccine is ludicrous.  Technology may exist to do this, but it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, to do so, and there is no way that the government would spend this money on so very many people, when they have your cell phone number.

Big Brother or Big Business

  1. “The vaccines contain magnetic government implantation and/or “mark of the beast” inserts.” I feel the way President Biden felt about warning against drinking bleach.  I don’t believe I need to say this, but the syringe is full of a clear, see-through liquid and the needle is far too thin to contain anything but the clear thin liquid.  The so-called metal that magnets supposedly cling to is either adhesion caused by sweat and body oils on the skin or, even less likely, the iron and other metals found naturally in the bloodstream.  No magnets or implants; it’s a vaccine to prevent COVID, nothing more.
  2. “The government has no right to tell me what to do with my body” – this comment is mostly made by the same individuals that claim denying a woman’s right to choose is not telling her what to do with her own body. I am not making a pro-choice or a pro-life statement here, but simply pointing out hypocrisy.  No, the government is not “trying to control me”, the government is trying to control COVID-19.
  3. “This vaccine is just a way for pharmaceutical companies to make money.” Just like any for profit company, drug companies do need to make money to stay in business and bring us medicines.  I agree that they often gouge prices, but the vaccines are free of cost, including the boosters, so consumers are not paying out of pocket for the vaccinations.  Democrats and our current administration are trying to get large corporations to pay their fair share in taxes also – this is in direct contradiction to the idea that liberals who agree with vaccines are simply trying to put money into the deep pockets of the drug manufacturers.  Yes, this vaccine took a shorter period to create than other vaccines but with the number of COVID-19 deaths, time was of the essence, an emergency situation and worldwide pandemic.  When Jonas Salk created the polio vaccine, he refused to patent it to make it as widely and swiftly available as possible.  Medical technology is far better today than it was when other vaccines were being created, allowing those working tirelessly to create a safe and effective vaccine much more quickly.  The competing cooperating research units of the pharmaceutical companies means the groups who develop safe, effective vaccines first make the most profit from the paid for vaccinations.  Conversely, a group creating a vaccine which has serious side effects or high risks would open that corporation to the vulnerability of liability and the associated lawsuits. In the end costing them hundreds of millions or more, so it behooves them to make a product that will help, and not harm.

Selective Science

  1. “Vaccines should not need a booster shot.” Flu shots are annual, and for the same reason as the need for coronavirus booster shots: COVID-19 is a virus, which means it mutates quickly, making it harder for the body to adapt to fighting variants.  I will gladly get additional jabs to avoid a ventilator and death.
  2. “The vaccines were created too quickly.” With millions of people dying from the COVID-19 pandemic, it was imperative to act fast.  We have medical technology that is far more sophisticated today, than yesteryear when the other vaccines were created. We have the ability to create safe vaccines much faster than scientists did back in the day.  When Jonas Salk and his team had created the polio vaccine, the testing was done over one year – 1954 to 1955.  Computer modeling and so many other medical research improvements have occurred in the 65 years since then.
  3. “Having COVID-19 will cause you to have better immunity against it.” Again, like many of the anti-vaxxers arguments, this is not proven and there is the little factor of if you don’t actually die from COVID involved here or suffer from long-term effects from the virus which are becoming apparent.
  4. “Getting the vaccine will change or destroy my DNA”- this again makes no sense. It’s a vaccine, to save lives just like the ones for polio, diphtheria, shingles, or chicken pox.  It is not DNA altering, it is just a weakened or “killed” virus which protects us from getting COVID or getting a worst case scenario bout of the virus.
  5. “COVID-19 is not really a pandemic of the unvaccinated’” – yes, it is. Even with some vaccinated individuals getting Omicron or other variants.  While “breakthrough” infections will occur, studies continue to show that vaccinations, especially boosted, significantly reduce death and hospitalizations.
  6. “COVID is just like the flu”, as many anti-vaxxer, anti-maskers want to believe – scientific fact proves otherwise. WHO estimates about 1 billion people get influenza every year, with around 290,000 to 650,000 flu-related deaths per year (presumably the fluctuation due to the flu variants prevalent at the time).  Per Johns Hopkins online COVID-19 statistics (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6), as of the morning of April 5th, 2022, there have been over 494 million identified cases of the coronavirus, and over 6.17 million related deaths worldwide.  In the United States alone, there have been almost 81.5 million cases of COVID, and approaching one million connected deaths.  Reasonable people with intelligence recognize this truth and get vaccinated.  Those refusing to believe this do often end up dying or hospitalized from the virus but anti-vaxxers choose not to see reason.  This frightening belief among those refusing to do their part to eradicate COVID is alarming.  People who insist that we should just enjoy one another and live life without regard to COVID-19, in my opinion, are lying to themselves.  I find their attitudes to be irresponsible and appalling, especially when it is done in the name of the Lord.  It is certainly not possible to simply enjoy life or one another if you are dead or on a ventilator.

But…

  1. “I don’t have time to get vaccinated” – the reality is, it takes a little waiting time, a few minutes for the actual shot, and 15 minutes for safety observation after. If you don’t get vaccinated, you will lose all time after your death, or the time eaten up in a hospital.
  2. “I hate needles” – so do I, very much. But presumably, you had other vaccinations when you were young, and you got through it.  Focus on the good it does for you, rather than the little pinch.  Also, my husband cued in the nurse who did our first injections, and she chatted me up while in the process.  The distraction of conversation or the like can also help.
  3. “I don’t want to.” Ultimately, this is what almost all the so-called “reasons” to not get the vaccination boil down to justifying – selfishness.  The idea in psychology of “the personal fable” strongly applies – that is the concept of denial which says, “it won’t happen to me”, and these days it seems, the “me” is all that matters.  This isn’t borne out in the number of COVID-19 infections, and the significantly stronger likelihood of serious complications if you are unvaccinated.  Not to mention in general, if everyone is only looking out for “me”, then all the other “me’s” are at risk, which sooner or later will lead back around to your “me”.  And as a Christian, I see the Bible via Jesus’ words to be clear: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

Religious or true medical reasons aside, most human beings have no legitimate reason to not vaccinate.  So, let’s not continue to focus on the self in this or any other way, because to do so will eventually seriously threaten oneself.