As occasionally mentioned, I am a fan of Canadian blogger Ian welsh. Though I do not always agree with his positions. The man is a thinker however and his thoughts interesting to read.
I happen to agree with a blog he published yesterday: Armed Right Wingers Able To Shut Down Michigan Legislature. I paraphrase his blog for your reading.
My thought concisely expressed first. I consider what happened thursday when the Michigan Legislature failed to convene a disgrace. A stepping stone to worse events to occur. We are gradually moving to rebellion/a showdown.
Welsh believes the Michigan Legislature canceled its thursday session rather than face the possibility of another armed protest and death threats against Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Recall that on 4/30, right wingers playing soldiers and dressed in military fatigues walked the balcony above the legislative chambers armed with weapons.
Intimidation at its worst.
Through the 1970’s, the Democrats were the party of violence. Unions, black disturbances, bombings, etc. Things changed in the 1980’s and have remained changed since then. The Republicans are the party of violence.
Reagan destroyed the Comptroller’s Union and at the same time placed the fear of god in the Democrats. Subtly the violence perspective moved to the Republican side.
Today, Republicans will fight. Democrats will not. They “cry.”
Normal people in normal times would think the police and national guard would be called in to quell these Republican motivated disturbances. Such not easy. The police and guard are loyal to and generally part and parcel of the right.
The authorities would arrest left leaning demonstrators while not bothering those of the right.
An observation. Martin Luther King’s non violence approach fails today. Things change with time. Aggression must be met with aggression.
The left is intimidated. Intimidated by an armed minority. Such is the case with Michigan.
Violence a definite possibility. It may erupt. That’s the way it is.
Trump is a bully. The Republican right are bullies. The only way to bring down bullies is to confront them. Sort of a don’t tread on me situation requiring a don’t tread on me approach.
Welsh suggests 2 reasons why the Michigan legislature gave into violence. First, they think that violence is legitimate. Second, as indicated earlier, they do not trust the police or national guard to stop right wingers who sympathize and support them.
Welsh believes it is time for Antifa and the Black Panthers to become involved. The Black Panthers already have begun escorting certain Democratic legislators.
He also suggests that those who believe fanatically in non-violence exist at the whim of those who believe in violence and are good at it.
Such is the position the left has placed itself in. The left has come to believe violence is wrong and ineffective.
Welsh believes Michigan represents the fruit of those beliefs.
Violence works. History proves it. Effective violence, if perceived as legitimate, is a winning strategy.
Robert, my Robert. Love him.
Sixteen years old. Yesterday his birthday. Happy birthday Grandson!
A sophomore at Key West High School. A tennis player of merit. He has been designated informally All County. Informally because only half a season played.
A good kid, also. His coach Paul Findly said, “We don’t have the typical award this year, but I give him our coaches award for being that team leader. Robert is just a great kid and a good influence on the other kids. He’s the first to practice and the last to leave.”
Mar-a-Lago is partially reopening this weekend. One problem. Members must bring their own towels.
A $200,000 initiation fee and annual dues $14,000. Bring your own towels!!!
Reason given is that Trump’s home/playground laid off 153 employees due to coronavirus.
My immediate thought is Donald is a cheap bastard. However, he is President. He is not a bastard. He is cheap, however!
Wuhan fears a second wave of coronavirus. It went 1 month without any new cases. Then 6 in one day.
Wuhan is a city of 11 million people. Wuhan has issued an order. Referred to as the “Ten Day Battle.” All 11 million people must be tested in 10 days. The program already initiated.
A Herculean task. The best Wuhan did previously was 100,000 tests per day. Never the less, Wuhan is determined to stop a coronavirus “Round 2” and is going all out with the testing.
Arthur trying to get in the hurricane books second week in a row. Last week a low pressure area east of the Bahamas threatened to become the first hurricane of the year. Failed, however. Turned north and back out to sea.
This week another low pressure area in the same place. Could be Arthur if it becomes a tropical storm or stronger. We’ll know later today or tomorrow.
Its final direction not yet determined. Could hit southeast U.S. or turn north and then back out to sea.
The hurricane season does not begin till June 1. Two early threats concern me. The prognosticators tell us this hurricane season could be a bad one.
Jean Thornton, ready your Birmingham home!
The Girl Scouts were feted at the Whit House yesterday. The Girl Scouts wore face masks. Melania did not. Nor did Donald.
The Keys continue to block the entrance to the Keys from non residents. Properly so. Residents have come through the virus so far in relatively good shape.
Regardless of what the President and Governor say, our local political leaders remain firm in continuing to keep the entrance blocked.
This morning’s Key West Citizen reports a lawsuit has been commenced to reopen U.S. 1. By a couple who have a Duval Street business and live somewhere in the Keys.
Crying boo-hoo! Loss of business, no right to close U.S. 1, etc.
I assume they are part of the protesters who appeared on North Roosevelt Boulevard this past week expressing their desire the check point be removed.
When lawsuits of this nature are brought, generally a third person(s) is the party in interest. Who is or are those persons? Follow the money. The question to be answered is who is paying the legal bills. That’s the person.
May Johnson wrote in her diary this day in 1896: “Received a letter from my dearest.” Who is her “dearest?” I missed it somewhere along the way.
Enjoy your day!
I disagree with you on one point. Trump is a bastard. Maybe not in the sense of an “illegitimate” child, but in every other sense of the word.
Haven’t You Had Enough
Remember a while back when the Local bumper stickers said “blow the bridges”, indicating a popular sentiment that expressed a desire to keep more people from coming down here? That wish has been granted. Another wish from the real old timers here was that a hurricane would wipe out most of the people around the Keys and take the place back to the way it was before all the modern buildup.
Yes, the people who live in the Keys, so many of whom are snowbirds or Yankees with money, are really their own worst enemies, aren’t they.
I remember the Keys, particularly Key West from the early 90’s when it was a bohemian paradise. Free and friendly an a lot of creativity. Then cam the rednecks, everybody buying up property, designating some areas as “gated communities” and letting hate and greed take over. It became the Ronald Reagan community it now is. It’s a shame Lou, Key West has become Amerika, like the rest of the country.
Actually the Michigan legislature was not scheduled to be in session on the day of the protest. And rainy weather reduced the number of protesters greatly. Plus some of the protesters were pro Whitmer. Still, not a good thing.
According to ALL reports I’ve read. The Shutdown of the Michigan capitol was done at the end of Wednesday’s (May 13) session “About 4:30 pm, lawmakers in the Republican-majority chamber simply adjourned until Tuesday rather than call the next previously scheduled meeting for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. The Michigan State Police are closing the buildings due to the coronavirus, said spokesman Lieutenant Brian Oleksyk.”
Lou, I agree that back in “the old days,” say the 60’s and the 70’s, most of the protesting was coming from the left, some even violent. But I think both you and your friend in CANADA are doing a serious injustice to the country by carelessly allowing false equivalency to creep into your references and descriptions. The left wing protests and disruptions were rarely about racism or hate, as they are nowadays (churches burned, graveyards vandalized, etc., etc.), but more about the left’s view of equal justice and equivalency, etc., etc.
To describe the similarities without acknowledging these fundamental differences is what helps to get us to unacceptable places like living under wacko regimes as we are in now.
I suppose it is worth mentioning that the Michigan State Senate agreed on Wed at the end of business that they would not reconvene until Tue the 19th. There were no armed wackos in the chamber or in the building. And it seems unlikely that the Republican-led legislature would feel threatened by those protesting Democratic Gov Whitmer’s executive order. The legislature had refused to support her latest stay-at-home extension, hence her overriding and unpopular executive order.
Yes, there have been anti-Whitmer demonstrations. Some of those demonstrators like to dress up and play army like they did when they were 10. But I hardly think they have cowed the entire state legislature into submission. Especially since the Michigan State Police have ensured that there is no ammunition in those weapons, and none on their persons or nearby. All hat, no cowboy.
You Say “But I hardly think they have cowed the entire state legislature into submission.” But the facts appear otherwise: “According to ALL reports I’ve read. The Shutdown of the Michigan capitol was done at the end of Wednesday’s (May 13) session “About 4:30 pm, lawmakers in the Republican-majority chamber simply adjourned until Tuesday rather than call the next previously scheduled meeting for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. The Michigan State Police are closing the buildings due to the coronavirus, said spokesman Lieutenant Brian Oleksyk.”
Yep. That’s exactly what I said. Nothing there about being intimidated by right-wingers with guns. I’m not a legislator, but it seems to me that cancelling an unneeded session in a time of COVID-19 distancing rules is a good thing. Unusual, I know, for bureaucrats to do something intelligent.
I think Lou’s Canadian blogger guy is full of horsepucky.
No, that is NOT “exactly” what you said! I think you are SPINNING the hell out of this. I also think that is deceitful and manipulative of you. There are probably not 12 honest people on earth that would think that a bunch (a lot) of people walking around ANY state legislator chambers or the halls, or the restrooms, or wherever, isn’t intimidating at least as much as they would feel that if they saw a swat team on your front lawn all decked out, etc.
Furthermore, those state legislators are on record as having canceled that session BECAUSE of those ARMED protestors, and said NOTHING about any session as being unneeded.
Quit fibbing about this, or everybody is going to start thinking your are just that other manipulative jerk Sandy posting with yet another not so clever name!
Hahaha!
If you find these scruffy, bearded, long-haired, ragged, army wanna-be, numbskulls intimidating, then maybe YOU should be a state legislator somewhere. California perhaps. I grew up in Texas and currently live in an open-carry state. These guys aren’t intimidating, they’re comical.
I did read that there had been online threats against Gov Whitmer (of course there have), but I haven’t seen where any legislators were directly threatened. But okay, maybe they feel intimidated somehow. If Michigan legislators are really that afraid of the “bad men”, then some of us should go there to hold their hands while they do the job they were elected to do. Maybe they could grow a spine while they are at it.
Not a “HaHaHa” matter. How YOU feel about these “scruffy, bearded, long-haired, ragged, army wanna-be, numbskulls ” or how me or anyone else should feel about these guys is one thing. – but you were making false claims about the Michigan legislators not canceling their Thursday session. You got that wrong in what was apparently an out right lie meant to spin things the way you want them to be and not the way it really happened. That is deceitful and dishonest and that was what my reply was about.
The fact that YOU can’t see “where any legislators were directly threatened” is your opinion and irrelevant. It also does not appear to hold up to the facts (e.g. wrong) or the actions of those legislators and the law enforcement community that is at the center of the debate.
If you want to stick by your opinion that “If Michigan legislators are really that afraid of the “bad men”, then some of us should go there to hold their hands while they do the job they were elected to do. Maybe they could grow a spine while they are at it” then so be it, but please don’t try and lie about the actual facts in this matter just to justify YOUR OPINIONS .
Thanks for repeating most of my post so that I can see what I said.
The Michigan legislature, both house & senate, have had a Republican majority for the last 10 years. That makes them a right-wing body to most Democrats. So now you are telling me that a right-wing legislature is so intimidated by some rag-tag right-wing demonstrators that they were afraid to convene their right-wing session in order to vote on some right-wing laws that might benefit right-wing citizens. Wow. The Michigan capitol is really screwed up! I guess the right-wing legislature will not meet on Wed either if there are any of those right-wing demonstrators around.
BTW, I would be a lot more concerned about the gun toting right-wing demonstrators if they were allowed to load their weapons. That would greatly increase the chances of one of them shooting himself or the person standing next to him.
“I’m” not telling you anything, other than you deliberately falisfied the facts.
Those Michigan legislators voted to collectively to cancel their scheduled sessions for Thursday through the following Tuesday, in order to avoid the armed demonstrators. Which is a matter of FACT and something you specifically and deliberately lied about on Lou’s blog.
So, you are NOW trying to twist what I said by putting words “that a right-wing legislature is so intimidated by some rag-tag right-wing demonstrators that they were afraid to convene their right-wing session in order to vote on some right-wing laws that might benefit right-wing citizens. Wow.” – I never said that and you shouldn’t say that I did !!!!!!
You have No idea how I feel about this one way or another. I would kindly like to know what makes you so presumptions and arrogant as to think you can preach to me what I think or how I should feel on this subject.
The ONLY thing you need to know is that I (and probably a lot of other people) caught you trying to spin this issue into something you want everyone else to believe, by lying about it. Stop with your bully bullsh*t and sophomoric twisting of what you want to believe is what happened, or should be happening, even if you don’t really have a very good grasp of that either.
I’m concerned. Have you tried Prozac or Zoloft to help you with your anger management? A check of your blood pressure might be wise also. I’m having a lovely day sitting out by the pool with a beer. You should try it.
Never tried Prozac or Zoloft, never been accused of any anger problems either. Blood pressure’s normal too. I must say however that’s all my business and really none of yours. Enjoy your time by your pool and please try in the future to tell the truth if you choose to post on Lou’s blog. Open dishonesty and political spin is not something any of us should have to tolerate while reading Lou’s personal thoughts and feelings.
I thought it was their 2nd amendment right to carry loaded weapons anywhere they felt like taking them.
No. The 2nd amendment Is not absolute. It can be limited. Like for public safety reasons, for example.
So says you?
You have to be pretty dense (or politically motivated) to answer that question it that way. It is almost impossible to to suggest where anyone cannot carry a significant weapon just about anywhere, loaded or not!
And you have to be under a rock not to see that the 2nd Amendment itself is almost always being interpreted as absolute.
Try carrying an unregistered gun in New York State. I’ll send you a Christmas card in prison.
Whose talking about unregistered guns in New Your State, Patrick?
Duh – Try carrying a loaded gun into a police station and see how far that will get you. Try carrying on onto a high-school campus and see what happens. There are many places where walking around with a gun will get you shot with no questions asked. So go ahead. Try carrying your gun anywhere you want. We need fewer morons in this world.
Well Duh
Your arguments never seem to follow any logical relationship to what’s being talked about.
I don’t happen to own a gun, so if that is evidence I can’t be considered a moron in your eyes, I can live with that.
BTW, if carrying a gun into a police station is unacceptable, then why would carrying a gun into a state capitol legislative chamber, hallway, restroom, etc., be considered acceptable, or at the very least no big deal?
Duh – It is not acceptable to walk into a state legislative chamber with a weapon unless you are an armed guard charged with protecting the safety of everyone inside.
And Duh – If I was that armed guard charged with protecting those inside, and if someone walked into the chamber with a weapon, I would draw my weapon, challenge the intruder carrying the gun, and demand that they slowly put the gun on the floor. I would then arrest that person. But if that intruder made any menacing motion with their gun, I would drop them on the spot… no more questions asked.
And Duh – That’s exactly how public school guards are now trained to respond.
Well Duh
Seriously? You are asking why carrying a firearm is okay in some places but not others? The reason is that the 2nd amendment is NOT absolute. There are limits to a citizen’s 2nd amendment rights. Didn’t we cover this already?
Nonsense, WE did NOT cover this already! You just pontificated your biased opinions with boundless arrogance, a**uming the rest of your world is trying to argue that the second amendment IS absolute, as a way to change the subject from your lies and misrepresentations on other subjects, about which you were caught factually wrong, again!
Stop trying to twist thing around, especially on something only the supreme court can resolve. Your comprehension limitations, notwithstanding.
Do you read and understand your own posts? Asking for a friend.
You’re not going to start crying again, now are you Paddy?
A lot of ordinary citizens do not like guns. They do not own any, they are scared of them, they believe they are dangerous, they are uncomfortable seeing them even on police. So the sight of civilians brandishing military style firearms in public is particularly disturbing. But who cares about wimps like that anyway?
I fully understand that the sight of a firearm can be disturbing to some people. That is why I am personally opposed to the practice of carrying a weapon openly, even though I live in an open-carry state.
But carrying it concealed is OK?
I too fully understand that the sight of a firearm can be disturbing to some people, that’s why I am apposed to ANY ownership or use of an azzault rifle, which cannot be concealed effectively. I am also opposed to the use of any long gun in any city who chooses to ban their area, etc., etc.
Now, I wonder if there is anyone else who reads Lou’s blog who would like to pompously add if they prefer to, or prefer not to, carry their gun openly or not?
Please define what an azzault rifle is which you are “apposed” to ANY ownership or use of?
I thought we were talking about issues and merits concealed weapons? Are you trying yo change the subject again? Why can’t you stay on topic?
Your exact quote – “why I am apposed to ANY ownership or use of an azzault rifle, which cannot be concealed effectively.
If you can’t explain what you call an azzault rifle, then don’t bring it up in your comment.
Is that on topic enough for you.
Nice try at avoidance of your own ignorance on guns.
We are not talking about any ignorance on guns, yours or mine. My reference to a gun (azzault rifle) was only an example (a metaphor, if you will) to make a point, regarding your off point use of that item/subject. Regardless of what any gotcha definition of said azzualt rifle might be, it was and is irrelevant to the discussion itself, apart maybe to your need to include it as a diversionary inclusion. I should think you would know this and not post such a condescending response, if you were honest and not so obsessive with your deceitfulness.
I wasn’t part of any or your previous discussion. I’m a different person. I know you have issues with understanding that more than one person can have “apposing” views on subjects.
All I am asking is that you describe what an azzault rifle is, if you are going to post that term.
Go on, now post a bunch of nonsense about being off topic and how superior you are, instead of admitting you don’t know what you’re talking about by using the term azzault rifle.
I know you are a different person, never part of our discussion, although I am confused a little about why you are posting from the exact same IP address.
I don’t find any reason to describe to you, or your Mick friend’s ‘gotcha’ question, about describing what an azzualt rifle is. I’m happy with what ever Google describes, something you can look up yourself, if you really have no other way off figuring it out. I did once hear someone else suggest that an azzult rifle is something even a desk bound State Trooper would describe as “that rifle someone is azzaulting you with, nothing else matters.”
“Mick friend”?? Ethnic slur, perchance?
Maybe Lou should get someone else less racist to manage his blog for him.
Shoe fit?
Nice try silencing comments. Show one example where I have made a racist comment on this blog.
Under which name sissy?
You do know that the word (term?) “Mick” is not actually a racist term. It is meant to be derogatory and even sometimes contemptuous, but not racist. Snowflakes of Irish decent and right wing sensibilities however, often object to it, because it gives them a chance to play the victim and accuse other people of being bad. It also serves as a way to change the subject from what ever they don’t want to face.
You are the admin of this blog, so you can easily see that I don’t use other names.
The name calling and racist (yes, Mick is racist) names are not what Lou needs to manage this site.
At least now, everyone knows who you are.
No, “Mick” is not racist, no matter how many times you want to insist it is, snowflake!
But the word “Spick” is, a term I have heard you use several times.
Go ahead, deny that too!
You are delusional. I have never used a racist term on this blog or anywhere else. You are a pretty poor admin if you can’t keep your IP addresses straight.
I guess the shoe does fit, doesn’t it!
I never could figure out what an “assault rifle”was.
Lou, an azzault rifle is an automatic weapon used by the military. Some civilians can get access to them but they have been severely restricted and regulated since 1934. Very few available.
Azzault rifle is also a term incorrectly and widely used by anti-gun people with very limited/to no knowledge of guns.
“Azzult Rifle is also a term used by the US Congress, US Senate and Supreme court – ditto state agencies, Fox News and all other news outlets, with reference to laws and usage, as a category. Not exactly just a term used by anti-gun people with very limited/to no knowledge of guns. That part is a cheap dismissive political spin.
It is not spin. The new media is using the term incorrectly. We will see, when the Congress tries to outlaw “azzault rifles”. Because then they will have to describe what constitutes an azzault rifle.
Which brings me back to my original question, “define an azzault rifle.”
Define ‘azzualt’ then add anything you want to azzociate with it. Such as an “azzult umbrella” and you have the actual definition. The operative word is “azzualt” almost everything else is irrelevant.
a rifle is only an azault rifle if something is azzaulted by it!
You can easily be azzualted with a kiss, which doesn’t necessarily make a kiss an azzault.
So any gun can be an azzualt weapon, or not depending on the circumstances.
Sure. Concealed-carry is perfectly fine in those states, communities and locations that permit it. It is not okay in locations where it is prohibited by law.
As to azzault rifles, there has never been an accurate definition for them, but I azzume you are talking about military style, semi-automatic rifles. You can oppose any ownership or use of them if you like. That’s your privilege. But you will have to take your argument back to the Supreme Court to bring about any change.
I’m ambivalent about other long guns. When I was in high school some of the guys drove pickup trucks with rifles stored in a rack behind the seat. They parked in the student parking lot. No big deal.
Finally, it is judgmental of you to azzume that my “pompous” opinions on this subject are due any gun ownership that I may or may not have. I also have opinions about bazookas, rocket launchers, flame throwers, etc, etc,
Hold on buddy, guns don’t kill – people do. No guns should ever be disallowed anywhere, by any law. Guns should be allowed everywhere, even in court rooms and government offices, post offices, anywhere. Who gives you the authority to decide what guns or where they should be allowed. You sure seem to be impressed with yourself! Get off your pedestal, azzhole!
Ummm. No one has given me any such authority. But I’ll take it if you want me to be the Head Gun Authority Guy. I’ll start drawing up a list of changes I want to make.
Apparently the legislators, law enforcement, public safety people of that area, legitimate press and a SIGNIFICANT number of the people in Michigan, that’s who! Oh, and the parents of Heather Heyer.