I AM ANGRY

A Righteous Rant From Germantown’s Marc King (At the One Year Anniversary of the MoCo Conservative Blog!)

By Marc King

As the past several weeks have gone by, I find myself more irritable than usual. Everything seems to be a bit off and my wife has even asked me: “Why are you being so short about things”?

That caused me to stop and think — why am I being so testy lately?

Well I have given it some serious thought and here is what I have concluded — I’m not “testy” — I am flat out ANGRY about the way things have been going in this country and I suspect that they will not be getting better any time soon. I also suspect that what is making me angry is also making a lot of other American angry — so just what is driving these feelings.

I would start with the loss of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

It takes an enormous amount of “CHUTZPAH” (Oxford Languages Dictionary defines as “extreme self-confidence or audacity and in this example it is audacity) for Jen Psaki to stand on the platform of the White House Briefing Room and inform the American people that if you have an opinion that is different than Joe Biden’s it should labeled “misinformation” and you should be banned from the social media platform that your speech was posted on. For that matter, you should be banned from all social media.

Now, I was taught in 9^th grade civics that if the people want to change the Constitution, we do that by amending it. Study.Com tells us the Constitution’s Article V lays out the process by which the Constitution may be amended. There are actually four different ways, but only one is widely used … so let’s just focus on that: “Proposal by Congress, with ratification by the state legislatures. This method was used for all current amendments except one.”

No where in the Constitution does it say that the Executive, that is the President of the United States, or any of his Cabinet or Staff has the authority to suspend, dilute or disregard the Constitution or any of its Amendment or parts.

The Constitution that the current Executive branch is degrading, is the very same Constitution that I swore an oath to protect and defend on December 6, 1966. So when I hear Ms. Psaki speak in the manner she does, it really ticks me off.

I’m angry that we cannot have faith in the election just held months ago because we cannot be allowed to know what took place in the Socialist Democrat strong holds across the country. And believe me, something was very, very, wrong. There seems to be enough smoke to generate a fire, but those who are in charge have steadfastly refused to allow a full investigation to take place! Why is that? Information is leaked out every day that diminishes our belief in an election process that is fair and transparent. Politicians could bring forth information that can deny or confirm the numerous irregularities that seem to be there, and yet they will not. What are they hiding? Their behavior ticks me off!

I am angry about the southern border. I’m not angry at the people who have crossed or will cross illegally. It falls under Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” theory. But what really ticks me off is that this situation was well under control on January 20^th of this year and just 6 months later the entire country has been plunged into chaos by illegals being moved around the county in the middle of the night by airplanes being supported by the US Air Force!

No one seems to know where they are going or how they will be supported when they get there, and still they come. Is this enough to make you angry? No?! If not, why not? Their arrival here is illegal. Their arrival is a clear violation of our statues regarding immigration. What is more, we know for a fact that helpless children are being trafficked and sexually abused along the way. Therefore it must be concluded that any use of the military and its assets to harbor or support the movement of those breaking the law, and those being victimized by the lawbreakers, has now turned those in the military into lawbreakers themselves. The Uniform Code of Military Justice, the UCMJ is clear on this matter — lawful orders must be obeyed. However, when the base commander orders his airmen and woman that they cannot communicate what they are seeing take place under the cover of darkness on the airbase, that is not a lawful order! A member of the US military cannot be ordered to break the law intentionally and knowingly! So when this occurs, and it is occurring, it really gets my dander up!

Black lives matter… they really do… except in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York! Every weekend it’s the same report — young people, innocent bystanders are being gunned down in the streets of their cities and no one seems to give a hoot. Blame the gun — not the gunmen — it really pisses me off!

I’m angry about the uneven application of the law! For example, in Portland and Seattle, if you begin to burn down a federal Courthouse and injure those inside protecting it, you walk free in 24 hours. But if you walk around the Capitol, you are considered an insurrectionist and you’re given an 8 month prison sentence. Many who committed no crimes have been locked up for 8 months, pre-trial! Loot, burn and destroy property — no problem! You earned it! Firebomb police cars, even if you are a sworn Officer of the Court, and nothing happens! Nor does anything happen, of real consequence, when you are the Governor of New York and are accused by multiple women of sexual harassment. In fact, you can kill helpless old folks in nursing homes, with COVID, and nothing happens! Oh… wait… something does happen: You make a book deal for millions and the people you executed are still dead. Why wouldn’t I be angry?

Oh how the list goes on: Critical Race Theory… being told by the PTA that they own your child, and if you disagree with them ‘you should die’! Even the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs is WOKE! So much so that he is searching for offensive tattoos in the ranks and debating “Gay Pride” flags while our enemies are training their asses off for nuclear war.

The next generation of military leaders at West Point are being taught that the color of your skin matters… so maybe the person you need to rely on will not be so reliable. I never saw racial discrimination in the foxhole when the bullets were flying. It seems that we were all of the same mind then, as we should be now, but we are not. That ticks me off.

Then there is China and Russia — and they really tick me off. The fact that we are seriously compromised by the Biden Crime Family — Hunter Biden’s Laptop tells the tale — both of these international rivals have their hand in Biden’s back pocket, and at least 50% of the country does not care. Why is that? That really ticks me off.

I am paying more for my gasoline; and that seriously ticks me off. Food is costing more, for no good or justifiable reason, just bad economic policy, so why shouldn’t Americans be angry? I certainly am. Because of Biden’s inflationary policy, the money I worked hard to save for my “Golden Years” is being eroded away. My family is forced to make choices that Americans should not have to make, like seeking out private schools when we pay taxes to support the public school system. That ticks me off. Taxes are going up and services are coming down. We are turning into a nation of “good enough” rather than a nation that is proud of what it achieves. Socialism and Communism look good to way too many people in this country! That really, really, really, ticks me off.

They are trying to, and in many ways, they are, wearing us down – and that My Fellow Americans — is why I am not just ticked off; that is why I’m ANGRY!

Podcast Episode 15: Refugees From Communism Living In The U.S.A Today – History Is Repeating Itself

Listen to our latest podcast.

Guest speakers Richard, Al, and Mike are the voices behind The Richard Dick Show. Topics discussed on today’s podcast include:

Living in Montgomery County and the U.S.A. as an immigrant and supporter of President Trump;
The dangers of Communism, Socialism, and everything in between; and
What’s next for the country.

Recorded January 27, 2021

EXCLUSIVE: MoCo Gov’t Caught Engaging In Citizen Intimidation

The MoCo Conservative has received information from Ashley Mouktafi, co-owner of Clarksburg Tavern LLC, who believes she is the target of retaliatory measures from the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Department for filing a lawsuit to keep her business afloat and offer jobs to help end systemic discrimination the County is subjugating minority residents to experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Examples of the alleged intimidation tactics reported by the owners within the last week include:

The appearance of a Montgomery County government-owned vehicle and a MCPD cruiser in the dining establishment’s back parking lot for about 35 minutes. The occupants of both cars never came out of their vehicles while parking on private property. Mouktafi believes that this incident was an intimidation tactic to arouse fear and anxiety in her, Clarksburg Tavern staff, and patrons of the dining establishment.
The Licensure and Regulatory Division of the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Department sending an inspection report citing a non-existent violation claiming that owners and immediate family are not able to “sit and eat or drink” on premises (no such law or code exists). Mouktafi claims that the County “wants to fast track our warnings to get to the fines.” As of this article, the Licensure and Regulatory Division of the County Department of Health and Human Services has redacted the report and warning, after failing to acknowledge there is an ongoing lawsuit regarding this very matter in the County’s circuit court system.
A mentally unstable, non-compliant individual (not a customer) aggressively walked into the dining establishment, threw a mask at one of the owners, and called the owner a “murderer.”
The staff took a telephone order for ten entrees and two appetizers that was a no-show. When the call-back number was dialed and connected to the initial caller, the customer had no intention of purchasing the food and subsequently told the owner, “I hope you die of COVID.”

Mouktafi – a single mother of two young, school-age children who co-owns Clarksburg Tavern with her mother, Janice Allen – had this to say about the situation:

As a self-identifying female small business owner and single mother, I have had to work through the institutional patriarchy that is inherent within the business community and hospitality industry. I love and appreciate the diversity of my customers, community, and staff. What I don’t love is being strong-armed by a tyrannical male like County Executive Marc Elrich and being forced to lay off almost all of my employees, who rely on a paycheck to help break through the systemic, socio-economic institutional racism affecting communities in Montgomery County and the country.
Threatening me only exacerbates the problem. These intimidation tactics have caused undue stress to my staff and me, and I plan on taking additional legal action against those entities that are taking retaliatory measures against me.
Community and county-wide problems require community and county-wide solutions from residents, not just bureaucrats who don’t understand what it’s like living from paycheck to paycheck and who have never owned a small business as a single mother. I take my business and the health of my patrons and staff very seriously; it’s time that the local government does the same.

King: 2020 AD – The Decline & Fall Of The American Experiment

Marc King lives in Germantown, Maryland.

In the year 2020 AD we are faced with the most challenging health issue of our time – the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. As a nation we have been locked down, let loose, masked up, unmasked, and locked down again and masked up again. We have been subjected to the whims and biases of questionable health officials who have ordered us to set aside our Constitutional freedoms for the greater good – with no Constitutional authority to order us into submission – yet submit we do.

Now, with the specter of a Biden/Harris administration getting closer, we are faced with the reality that defunding our police and releasing murderers, rapists & child molesters from our prisons is becoming a reality. We just have to look at what the new Los Angeles (L.A.) County District Attorney George Gascón stated a few days ago:

George Gascón sworn in as new L.A. County District Attorney (KTLA 5)

Based on what L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón is directing his office to do for the handling of murderers, you can expect that it will be coming soon to a jurisdiction near you.

L.A. District Attorney George Gascon (photo credit: AP)

No more prosecuting the street level drug dealer – “he does it because he is poor.” No more prosecuting the street prostitute – “after all, a girl has got to make a living.”

No cash bail, no death penalty, and no charging juveniles as adults. A lawless society in L.A. County.

Prosecutor on Gabriel Fernandez case says new D.A.’s policies jeopardize public (ABC7)

Then we have Cancel Culture. Statues commemorating significant historical events on state land and in public parks have already suffered the wrath of Cancel Culture; even memorials that stand on Federal land upon hallowed battlefields places that were deemed to be “off limits” to this wave of history’s destruction have been attacked.

Dead confederate soldiers, with the Dunker Church in the background, after the Battle of Antietam, September 19, 1862 (photo credit: Alexander Gardner)

On September 17, 1862, 4,000 Americans died at Antietam; the battle is remembered as the single bloodiest day in U.S. history from both sides. Just this past week we were informed that the statue of Robert E. Lee is to be removed from the battlefield at Antietam.

History is being erased.

But it does not stop here… today the press reported that there is a school in San Francisco that is changing its name from Abraham Lincoln High School because: “he (Lincoln) didn’t show ‘black lives mattered to him.’ “

**A San Francisco district is planning to rename a school named after Abraham Lincoln because of his treatment of Native Americans (photo credit: Google)**

So, we have seen street and school names changed, so now we must ask just how long it is going to take this movement to convince our socialist democrat Congress to change the name of our Capital city: Washington, D.C. After all, we all know Washington’s history regarding slave ownership, so why should his name adorn the most enduring seat of government ever envisioned by man? Why should his monument stand when others have been removed?

Washington Monument (photo credit: IStock/Sean Pavone)

You see, this is a never-ending erosion from within; the decline that will lead to the fall. Much like the Fall of the Roman Empire, it was the decay within that allowed it to become susceptible to the “Barbarians of Europe.” Our “barbarians” come much more neatly packaged in 2020. They are, in fact, the Chinese Communist Party, and our internal decay will be what they rely on to bring the “American Experiment” to its fall.

References:

Podcast Episode 6: Guest Colleen Meyer Discusses “Toxic Positivity,” Children Suffering During COVID, and Connecting with Conservatives

Listen to our latest podcast.

Colleen Meyer lives in Howard County, Maryland and is a political activist and organizer for the Reopen Howard County Schools initiative. Topics discussed on today’s podcast include:

“Toxic positivity” when it comes to the radical Left’s pressure to keep schools closed;
The effect of the “pandemic” on the mental, emotional, and physical health of children; and
How conservatives can connect and communicate with each other without fear of retaliation.

Recorded October 29, 2020

The MoCo Conservative Podcast Episode 3: Guest Eleanor Jones discusses Howard County, the #WalkAway movement, and special needs education

Listen to our latest podcast.

Special guest speaker Eleanor Jones joined us for our podcast today and we discussed the following topics:

How Howard County, MD politics mirror that of Montgomery County, MD;
The #WalkAway movement and its impact on the state and national level; and
Her experience raising a special needs child during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eleanor Jones is State Lead Moderator for the Maryland chapter of the #WalkAway movement. She is a parent of a special needs child and lives in Howard County, Maryland.

Recorded October 21, 2020

Response To MoCo Council Member Hucker: Why Do You Want More Police Deaths?

From A Former Law Enforcement Officer in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Now-deleted Tweet from Montgomery County, MD Council Member Tom Hucker

Tom,

I hope you really did not tweet that there should be “justice” for the family of Berhe? If you did, shame on you.

The call went out as a burglary in progress and the subject was armed with a knife. How the heck is a social worker supposed to handle that? Even if the call was merely a mentally ill person brandishing a knife, no mobile crisis team, psychologist, or psychiatrist would dare go near the scene until it was rendered safe and secure.

Even on those mental health calls where there is a potential for violence and the Mobile Crisis Team is responding, they will have the officers there as back ups. They cannot confront violent and armed people in a non-controlled environment.

Officers must live with their split second decisions. They have to decide in mere fractions of a second how to react to a deadly threat. That difference means the ability to go home in one piece to your family or suffer life changing injuries or death. Likewise, failure of the officer to take action with an armed, emotionally disturbed individual creates a danger to the community members as well.

I personally know this officer, as well as others who have had to use deadly force to protect themselves and the community. Several never recovered from the trauma of taking a human life and had to leave the department. Universally, those officers are forever changed. I have never met a police officer yet that thought, “Tonight I am going to kill someone.” In fact, the opposite is true.

I have seen my share, me included, of those who did some dangerous and stupid things to avoid shooting someone despite the deadly threat. But, when that trigger is pulled and it is a justifiable shooting, the community should be there to support the officer, not to second guess them. That includes the elected officials that have an obligation to know the facts and circumstances and educate themselves on the realities of police use of force.

Having the council members not recognize that the actions of the officer are also predicated on the actions of the assailant and shift blame to the system, the officer, training, or lack of a 24/7, fully staffed crisis team does a disservice to every officer out there. It is unrealistic and just plain foolish to believe that mental health professionals will be the panacea to fix the problem.

The problem with dealing with the mentally ill goes far beyond community crisis team response. Our mental health system has been insurance driven for 40 years. We went from almost 4,000 beds at Springfield State Hospital to less than 300. Hospitalization is a joke. They stabilize them and kick them out because that is all insurance carriers will pay for. I could speak for hours regarding the mental health systems in place or lacking. I will leave that to a later discussion.

The fact is out of the nearly 1 million law enforcement officers serving today and the millions of contacts and arrests made, the numbers of people shot by officers every year has remained constant for decades or decreased despite huge increases in population. The Montgomery County Police Department provides some of the best training in Crisis Intervention. I was one of the first to go through the training. Now, all MCPD officers must complete the 40 hour course in crisis intervention.

In this case, honestly tell me that if a knife wielding individual attacked you and you were a police officer that you would not protect yourself. Tell me you would take one for the team and hope your family could do without you. If you say you would not have fired, I challenge you to do some shoot don’t shoot scenarios. Many people change their opinion after experiencing that training. And, that is still make believe where they know they are not going to get hurt.

References:

Main photograph credit: Associated Press

Virtual Learning Series: How The School System Is Failing My Child (#4)

We are bringing awareness to the unjust and unfair treatment our nation’s children are experiencing due to state-sanctioned indoctrination and certain schools not reopening in the DC Metro Area.

I wanted to share something that ties into Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), black lives matter (BLM), and Law Enforcement (LE).
Recently I saw my son’s high school teacher wearing a BLM shirt on their zoom meeting for class. We addressed it by expressing our concern with the principal, informing him of my husband’s service and how my entire career has been in support of all levels of LE in many different ways throughout the years.
Today we received a response.
“MCPS does not recognize Black Lives Matter as political speech. It is recognized as an advocacy group started as a response to police shootings, as you can read on their website. The organization’s mission is aligned with the MCPS core values, and it is representative of our inclusive environment. That said, I did discuss the shirt with the teacher and let her know that one of her student’s families took offense to her wearing of the shirt so she was aware of the possible impact on some of her students and community members.”
The first issue is the principal speaking for the district. The second is the BLM site. Their political advocacy isn’t listed on the “About” page but it is listed on the “What’s Next” portion of their site.
My question is why is this acceptable? They are saying that the district’s core values align with civil unrest and the targeting of LE? MCPS is the largest school district in MD.
THIS is what our kids are seeing and secretly learning? I’m utterly speechless right now.
Anonymous in Montgomery County, Maryland

Exclusive: An Undercover Look At Montgomery County Public Schools

Written by a former educator and a retired teacher of the Montgomery County, Maryland Public School System (MCPS).

What’s really being taught?

As a former educator I have a deep appreciation for education. What’s happening in the Montgomery County School System and systems across our nation is not education- it’s indoctrination. The children of Montgomery County are being programmed to accept the Marxist ideology by teachers whose jobs are at risk if they challenge the system. This is happening under the watchwords: equity, 1619 project, social justice, racism, police brutality, cancel culture, and social reform.

President Trump recently shared his concern for teaching alternative American History.

“We want our sons and daughters to know the truth.”

“Our country wasn’t built on cancel culture, speech codes, and crushing conformity; we are not a nation of timid spirits.”

My wife, who is a retired teacher from MCPS, recently contacted several of her conservative friends still teaching in the system. She asked them how the current cancel culture environment is affecting their teaching. Here are some of the responses:

“I was given the book ‘White Fragility’ and was told we’d be discussing it during staff development. We also received an email after the George Floyd incident that expressed the administration’s white guilt we all should feel. It was re-sent at the beginning of the school year. Conservative teachers are frustrated and many are ready to retire.“

“Teachers and para educators are required by the county to view 10 videos redefining race, sexual orientation, and inappropriate words considered politically and socially incorrect. Teachers and paras must adhere to these new standards or risk disciplinary actions or termination. Many of these new guidelines conflict with the moral and ethical values that Judeo-Christian teachers hold.“

“I assisted in a classroom where the teacher had a large picture of president Obama on the wall with the caption under it that read, ‘Greatest President Ever.’ The flag was placed next to the American flag so children were forced to view this every morning as the pledge was recited.”

“I recently posted a clip on my personal Facebook page following the attempted police assassination in Los Angeles that read Police Lives Matter. I was told by the administration that I must remove it or face disciplinary action.“

“As a history teacher I’m expected to teach the narrative, ‘It’s not a black fight but rather a human fight.’ Every teacher in every context is expected to teach something regarding it. It’s also taught in homeroom.”

“I see bias. When the kids go to a source to site examples during an assignment MCPS always uses very liberal news outlets like CNN, New York Times, Vox, etc.“

Another testimonial we got was from a Montgomery County police officer who shared that the police had been called because a teacher was offended during her zoom class because a student had a “Trump 2020” poster on his bedroom wall. She reported she was subject to cyber bullying and wanted the police to investigate. As it turns out, the student was suspended for two days. Sadly, we don’t hear this on the nightly news.

Another testimony quoted from The MoCo Conservative blog from a 1^st grade mother was that her child was read to from a book entitled, Antiracist Baby, by Ibram X. Kendi. Another junior from Rockville High School had to write a report on the black lives matter (BLM) movement.

Another student at Montgomery College wrote a paper on anti-abortion. Her teacher told her the paper was written extremely well and would have received an “A,” but because of the content she would only receive a “C.”

Conservative teachers in Montgomery County are being bullied, intimidated, disciplined, and reprimanded for their conservative beliefs. They are mandated to teach using the new narrative. As a result, we see middle school and high school students standing on street corners holding up signs which support BLM, “social justice,” and de-funding the police. They are clueless and naïve relative to the history of Marxism and Communism.

Middle school and high school students are the product of our failed school system that devotes more time to social reform than teaching basic curriculum.

So, what are the solutions?

Remove the Marxist leaders governing Montgomery County, most of whom live in Takoma Park, Maryland, and replace them with conservative leaders who appreciate patriotism and embrace our historical past embedded in Judeo-Christian values;
Elect a school board that is willing to take a stand to resist the liberal teacher unions and Marxist leadership of Montgomery County;
Campaign for school vouchers so that those who cannot afford private schools can have the right to have their children receive a non-biased, normal education;
Place your children in private schools that reflect your moral and ethical values;
Move to a state or county that has a more conservative agenda; and
Accept that a do-nothing attitude will result in your child’s indoctrination and acceptance into the new narrative of Marxism.

References:

Police Reform: Two Treatises And The Case Of Dijon Kizzee

Thomas Black lives in Leesburg, Virginia.

As the debate regarding police reform grows in intensity, we must consider the legislation Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) are being asked to enforce.

More importantly, what is the governing philosophy to which the legislators must hold LEOs and citizens accountable?

I recently became aware of an individual in Los Angeles, California who was allegedly unarmed at the time of being shot by local law enforcement; while I do not wish to take the tragedy of a life lost and turn it into a mere political discussion, further reflection may – in fact – save lives. Furthermore, it is worth noting that all of the information about the Dijon Kizzee case has likely not been made public, and this discussion must be tempered with the understanding that more information could, in fact, nullify or modulate aspects of my opinion. Nonetheless, I believe it is important to examine why law enforcement began interacting with Mr. Kizzee.

What law was Mr. Kizzee breaking which initiated LEO contact?

According to the article, Mr. Kizzee was stopped while riding his bicycle for vehicle code violations. Permit me, for a moment, to frame the criminal activity like this: Mr. Kizzee was engaged by LEOs for operating the same instrument of transportation that my two year-old son is currently learning to master. Should we now pause and consider what principles of government would lend itself to such legislation, and require armed officials to police such behavior?

To answer this question, I would submit that there are two fundamental philosophies of government in modern American politics.

One philosophy, as evidenced by a tweet from U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), suggests that the function of government is to create laws that would progress society toward a better future – according to the government’s relative understanding of betterment at the time – and the popular election is the primary source of justification needed for subsequent legislation. The other philosophy would espouse a view concluding that the primary role of government is to protect the individual liberty of citizens. In the case of Dijon Kizzee, Eric Gardner, and others, these two perspectives proved immeasurably consequential.

As ambiguity has no friendship with good intentions, I will clearly state that it is my belief that a governing body, no matter how well-intentioned, will often subject the governed to unforeseen and unintended consequences of laws which go beyond the intent of protecting individuals to an encroachment on their civil rights and personal liberties.

Our Declaration of Independence states,

“…to secure these [inalienable] rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

Our Constitution, under the 14^th Amendment, broadly recognizes that the government is responsible for protecting “life, liberty, or property.” This, therefore, begs the question:

What benefit did Eric Garner and Dijon Kizzee derive from their local governments and the laws they passed, which I have to assume were well-meaning and intended for societal betterment and progress?

References:

Response to Mr. Jawando: Are Antifa & BLM MoCo’s New Traffic Cops?

From A Very Concerned Citizen In Montgomery County, Maryland.

When does the emphasis on community activism end and real governing begin?

Apparently not any time soon in Montgomery County, Maryland. As long as the seats on our county council are primarily filled with community organizers and political activists, we will continue to see Montgomery County become more like Takoma Park and Berkeley, California. Unfortunately, five of the nine council members are from either liberal Takoma Park or Silver Spring.

As liberal Democrat mayors and council members from across the nation are crying for police reform and defunding police, the liberal Montgomery County Council has also joined the narrative. Recently, the Council has declared racism a “public health emergency.” In a spin off move, liberal Council member Will Jawando, another At-Large member from Silver Spring, was tasked with leading “re-imagining policing in Montgomery County.” Jawando, whose resume describes him as an attorney, political activist, and community leader, boasts to have worked with Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama on “civil rights” issues.

Sadly, Jawando, along with most of the other Council persons in Montgomery County, have no business or work experience. Consequently, their total focus while on the council is on community activism.

When Will Jawando joined the council as one of the At-Large Council members in 2018 he immediately began inserting his agenda into legislation. He had now found a new platform for his lifelong passion. Jawando immediately introduced legislation for hair discrimination in the workplace; his ultimate passion was to reform the police department of Montgomery County. In an article published by dcist on August 26, Jawando tells a story of how he was arrested in the mid 2000’s while riding in a car with several law school friends. They were admittedly shouting obscenities at an undercover female police officer. Apparently, his parents did not teach him manners or respect for fellow human beings. Instead of recognizing his fault for his misconduct, he chose to process the incident as police harassment and developed a victim mentality. Sadly, this happens all too often. It’s sad when people do not accept responsibility for their actions. His concern was how this arrest would affect his future career. Today, he counts himself as a victim because of his race. He sees himself as a statistic rather than a foul-mouthed young man who got caught for his poor behavior.

Today, because of his victim mentality, Jawando is on a mission to reshape policing in Montgomery County. Along with Hans Reimer, a Marxist from California, they are proposing that police no longer make traffic stops and issue traffic citations. They would like to use the Berkeley model, utilizing the department of transportation as traffic enforcers. They are also suggesting more traffic cameras.

By Will’s own admission and his distrust of police he is suggesting we throw out the baby with the bath water. Again, it’s legislating to the lowest common denominator.

In a lengthy conversation with a Montgomery County police officer over the Labor Day weekend, he and I discussed policing in Montgomery County. He shared with me that morale on the force is at its lowest point. I asked him if he had been given stand down orders.

He acknowledged most officers are reluctant to make arrests because of fear of reprisal and lack of support from the County Executive, Marc Elrich.

He also shared that many activists purposely provoke police hoping for a negative response while they stand by with their cell phones filming the event. I asked him to tell me how the police would respond if I was a victim of black lives matter (BLM) harassment or if my business was threatened or looted or burned. He sadly responded they would most likely stand down. He shared that the risk of losing his job or being sued or jailed for doing his job caused him to think differently on how he performed his work.

So, I ask you, Mr. Jawando:

1. How do you propose protecting the law-abiding citizens of Montgomery County who are at risk of the anarchists, rioters, and criminals?

2. Do you propose protecting the rioters over the law abiding taxpayers of Montgomery County?

3. Why do you allow your poor, disrespectful behavior as a student shape your policy-making for this county?

I suggest we need businessmen and persons with common sense to lead our county-not community organizers, civil rights activists, and attorneys who have a chip on their shoulder.

We are not Takoma Park.

References:

https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=26728
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/racism-a-public-health-emergency-montgomery-county-to-discuss/65-84a8dc4e-6a57-46cd-9587-76c24aad8162
https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=26775&Dept=1
https://lefthandview.wordpress.com/2013/11/17/11-16-13-its-2014-in-maryland-politics-d20-candidates-forum/
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/crown-act-passes-in-montgomery-county/65-471853d9-53c0-4c53-bce0-b9a7ebff186c
https://dcist.com/story/20/08/26/montgomery-county-will-jawando-defund-the-police-reform/
We had to dig up via web archives Jawando’s original article on the incident involving his arrest, because it had been scrubbed from the original website (I wonder why): https://web.archive.org/web/20160524085845/http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/08/what_makes_black_men_run_from_the_police.html
https://en.paperblog.com/051714-md-d20-is-will-jawando-stupid-we-already-knew-he-was-unqualified-894733/

Racist Opinion: Racist Racists Are Racist

From Anonymous in Maryland.

“Racism” and “racist” are two of the most overused words in the English language.

Today the word “racist” is used to define any person, black or white, who makes a public statement that could be construed to be anything but complimentary. Loosely translated, if I disagree with you or your politics, I’m considered a racist.

Human beings are now afraid to speak for fear of being labeled a racist.

The entire civil rights movement has been corrupted by political correctness and hypersensitivity. The liberal left has exploited this label to benefit their agenda and narrative. Racism is big business; just ask Jessie Jackson, net worth $9 million and Al Sharpton, admitted net worth of $2 million. Both of these men have made a successful living exploiting racism. The black lives matter (BLM) movement, which is an admitted Marxist organization, along with Antifa, are in fact hiding places for looters and rioters. They do little to bring unity to the races. Sadly, the democratic party receives significant funding from these organizations.

One could potentially label me a racist for speaking out against these two men and organizations.

If one would ask my view on racial equality, I would begin by sharing my family history. My ancestors were in fact abolitionists and members of the underground railroad. My grandfather, several generations removed, was in fact a defendant in a year-long trial because of his involvement in harboring a fugitive slave. He lost the case and was forced to pay punitive damages to the slave holder. This case, which took place in Philadelphia in 1823, became one of the many legal cases used to determine the right to own a slave. Later in January 1863, another grandfather of mine fought for the Union Army. He was captured at the Battle of Murphysboro, Tennessee and incarcerated at the Libby prison, a confederate prison located in Richmond, Virginia. The hardships he endured in this deplorable prison were inhumane and cruel. Mind you, he fought and suffered greatly so black men could be free and equal.

My past is deeply rooted in the advocacy of civil rights. I should not have to apologize for having white skin.

My ancestors would be saddened to learn how civil rights and equality are defined today. The term racism and racist have been cheapened to reflect political rhetoric without true meaning. Sadly, I see reverse discrimination in today’s society.

It’s politically incorrect for me to say this, but it is the elephant in the room. Why do we have a NAACP and not a NAAWP? Why do we have negro college funds and not white college funds? Why do we have Black Entertainment Network and not White Entertainment? Why do we have black history month and not white history month? Why do we have black Miss America and not White Miss America? Why aren’t professional sports teams more racially balanced? Why are 90% of the players on men’s basketball teams black? Does affirmative action only apply to black?

I just said what most white Americans think but are too afraid to say publicly for fear of being called a racist.

I had a dear neighbor who is black tell me she is fearful of police. She is fearful of being singled out because of her skin color. She has never personally been arrested or detained. Her husband and children are very successful and hold prominent positions in the government and academic world. She is very down on America even though America gave her husband and children opportunities for success. I fail to see the logic in her fear and hatred, but it is impossible to have an honest, open conversation with her when it comes to this subject. Sadly, I believe she has bought into the leftist narrative of oppression and truly believes what she hears on the news.

The reality is her family was successful not because of their skin color, but because of hard work and determination in an America that provides this opportunity for ALL.

References:

How To Kill Cancel Culture

From Anonymous in Maryland.

This article will explore my theory on how cancel culture’s ultimate goal is that of a civil war in the United States, and how certain spending habits of Americans, particularly involving firearms, will help determine the outcome.

I’ve always started papers and articles with a specific quote in mind. For this particular topic, the quote comes easily:

“Force always attracts men of low morality.”
Albert Einstein

We live in an age of technological advancement that is not only rapidly advancing our quality of life, but is also rapidly deteriorating our peace of mind. As a certain three-star General once stated, “[w]e live in a digital battlefield.”

Going on Twitter and, to a lesser degree, Facebook, you can clearly see that humanity is already at war in a battle hosted by servers, where the opposition (a small but loud and dangerous army) is aided by tyrants like Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Dorsey (Twitter), who brazenly carry an unlimited supply of artillery and ammunition (e.g., angry liberals, bots, shadow banning, blacklisting, blocking, suppression algorithms, etc.).

Digital warriors consist of conservative-leaning individuals who fight against left-leaning radicals online with memes and rhetoric intentionally mischaracterized by the Left as “divisive.” Both sides are pawns in the clash of ideas and morals; where one side’s sole intent is on damaging a person’s livelihood no matter the cost, the other side is fighting a behemoth of rage and idiocy funded by billionaires with a twisted agenda.

This is cancel culture.

Where just one “errant” or unpopular opinion psychologically triggers the snowflake social justice warriors and causes an avalanche of action to destroy reputations, families, and livelihoods, causing irreparable damage to those without job protection.

This is not, in the general sense, about scaring people with job protection; it’s about scaring those who don’t have a stable platform for speaking their mind and going against mob mentality.

Cancel culture is, at first glance, an exercise of power to prevent the open debate of ideas. But I see its goal as more violently oppressive.

Journalist Jonathan Rauch recently created a “Cancel Culture Checklist” containing six warning signs explaining how to determine if you are an impending victim of cancel culture. The warning signs include: punitiveness, deplatforming, organization, secondary boycotts, moral grandstanding, and truthiness. It’s a good read for those who wish to learn more about specific actions being taken against those who refuse to adhere to the tenets set forth by the marxist mob of the Democrat party.

Below are the different phases of how cancel culture’s movement and its operatives work, based on my observations and research:

Create politically progressive coalitions and other entities with innocent, feel-good sounding names;
Strategize on plans of action to eliminate the “threat” of conservative thought;
Initiate social media flood, accrue followers, and get people angry via emotional manipulation;
Start boycotting products that “support conservative thought” and that contribute to any political campaign not endorsed by the DNC;
Utilize sleeper cells in all institutions to shove the same agenda down the throat of every student, customer, and viewer to increase reach;
Force defectors to apologize in order to create a feeling of shame for others who wish to do the same;
Dox and “swat” famous and well-known conservatives as a tool to prevent naturally-occurring, and at this point, increasing defection;
Slowly and consistently introduce radical, marxist ideas that your loyal followers must now obey in order to remain compliant and in the “popular” clique; this includes sanctioning murder of those who disagree with you;
Take the agenda out in the streets when an event (staged or not, but usually with a preventable casualty) provides the perfect opportunity to further divide based on issue/label of the day;
Encourage destruction of property, looting, arson;
Encourage violence against people who do not look like you (aka white people) and who wear the American flag on their hat, shirt, shorts, jacket, etc.;
Mobilize your army of foaming-at-the-mouth, cash-strapped anarchists and send them to the suburbs;
Declare war on anyone who lives in the suburbs, no matter what their political affiliation, because they are all selfish and evil; and
Stage a physical, tangible war between law abiding citizens and brainwashed, paid, and “zombified” communists of the Democrat party.

I believe we are currently, as a nation, somewhere between numbers 11/12 and 12/13 (depending where you live). Before we go into what needs to happen to get to the last two, however, let’s take a step back and talk about the types of behavior that allow cancel culture to flourish in our society.

The types of behavior that allow cancel culture to permeate in our society:

Apologetic/no backbone. When someone in the public eye takes a stand on an issue and provides a counter argument to the ideas put forth by the leaders of the radical, progressive Left, they are usually pressured to issue a public apology. When the apology is made public and shared, the Left has once again controlled opposition through their cancel culture agenda. So, what happens when that person does NOT apologize? Apart from clearly becoming persona non grata, something shifts in the narrative; since the Left can no longer control the individual, they employ tactics to make sure that the resistance to their ideals does not reach many people. Since they control the news and social media (to a certain extent), this is easy to do.
False sense of moral superiority. How many times have conservatives heard that we are selfish for putting our needs and our children’s needs above other’s needs? How many times have conservatives and to a lesser extent, moderate liberals, been told they need to “check their privilege”? The Left strategically brainwashes its loyal followers to believe that what they are espousing, the public shaming they are doing, is for “the greater good” of humanity. Don’t have kids! It’s bad for the environment. Don’t start learning pods! Your kids will have a higher chance to succeed later in life than others. Don’t go outside with your mask off! You can kill someone. The list is never-ending.
Overly emotional. Leftist liberals are the most hyper emotional people I have ever met. They rely on their emotions to guide their decision-making skills, thereby prioritizing goals and actions that make them feel good, instead of focusing on long-term, realistic, and pragmatic solutions that will do good. Is there a middle ground? Absolutely! But not for the cancel culture mob, which brings us to #4.
Refusal to compromise. Time and time again, the cancel culture mob’s devoted followers have stated that they refuse to listen to the “other side” and refuse to compromise. This means that it’s basically their way or the “highway.” No wonder they sound like they’re little children throwing a tantrum- would you teach your children to never compromise? I didn’t think so.

Will the suburbanites fight back?

At this point, I am confident that we can follow specific consumer spending trends of American citizens to find a solution/deterrent to cancel culture’s ultimate goal of instigating a civil war.

There is no doubt in my mind, and in the minds of millions of first-time gun owners, that there is a shift happening based on the number of firearm-related purchases by law-abiding citizens.

War is (almost) here, and it will only be a matter of time before suburbia starts experiencing the effects of “peaceful protests” that end in the destruction of apartment buildings, town homes, and single-family homes. These violent and aggressive mobs get organized on multiple online platforms; platforms that allow this to happen:

More than 2 million new gun owners were reported in the first half of 2020.

In case you weren’t paying attention, that is a HUGE number. You can clearly identify consumer spending habits with how safe a consumer is feeling at that time. Based on the number of gun sales alone within such a short time frame, it’s clear that personal, physical safety is being prioritized by many citizens living in the cities and suburbs.

“Gun sales have skyrocketed during the past three months, and a record-breaking 80.2 percent increase in sales was reported in May compared to last year, according to the shooting foundation. April’s data showed a 71.3 percent increase from 2019, and there was an 85.3 percent increase in March, according to information previously released by Small Arms Analytics and Forecasting.”
Fox Business News, June 4, 2020

Here’s another fun number to look at, this time from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):

“The spark in investor interest came after the FBI reported that there were more than 3 million background checks last month, the highest for any May on record.”
USA Today, June 3, 2020

So, what is the point of showing you this data? It’s clear that more and more people are preparing to have to defend themselves, their families, their homes, and their businesses.

Firearms are the most effective threat deterrent.

You will kill cancel culture’s main, long-term goal of destroying and wreaking havoc on suburbia when you: legally buy at least one firearm (per adult); learn how to use that firearm; and practice self-defense techniques (with a trained professional) that will help you and your family stay safe and eventually escape from immediate danger when (not if) the mob comes for your community.

P.S. Did you think that I would tell you to “fight back” with words and feelings? We are way past that stage, don’t you think?

References:

Opinion: What’s Happening Now Is Insanity

From M.E. In Virginia.

Everyone can have their own opinion and believe what they choose to believe. It’s America. Not everyone is the same.

But I know I’m not alone in my beliefs that what is happening now is insanity.

Mask up. Don’t gather. Hide in your house. Defund the police.

They say we are the silent majority. I’m not going to be.

We get no air time.

We don’t burn things down or tear things up.

We don’t hurt others.

We go to work and support our families.

We love America!

We want to protect the unborn.

We salute the flag, always.

We sing when “The Star-Spangled Banner” plays.

We respect law enforcement, appreciate them, and obey the law.

We appreciate the military.

We are the very backbone of this country.

We believe all lives matter because that is what we learned from reading the

Bible and watching our parents.

We treat everyone with respect no matter what color their skin is.

But they want us to be invisible!

Let’s be heard! It’s time to start making some noise.

References:

Both drawings copyright of Ben Garrison.

Opinion: Rep. Clyburn Lacks Courage Of Conviction

Marc A. King lives in Germantown, Maryland.

I spent some time this morning listening to an interview on “Fox and Friends” of Congressman Jim Clyburn, regarding the first night of the virtual Democrat National Convention. The interviewer, Brian Kilmeade, seemed to be lobbing softball questions at first, but when he changed the subject to the rioting in the streets across America, the tone of the interview shifted.

It was clear that the Congressman did not like being questioned about defunding the police, looting in Chicago, and the rioting in Portland and Seattle.

When pressed on the lack of response to these matters, the Congressman dodged the question by stating that neither he nor Congressman Lewis (now deceased) supported such actions. But when pressed again by the interviewer, however, Congressman Clyburn launched into a response about his Civil Rights fight of the 1960’s and how that was “hijacked” by desperate groups who rioted in the streets, chanting “Burn Baby Burn.” Kilmeade, to his credit, then asked, “[W]hy are you allowing them [Black Lives Matter/BLM] to hijack this movement?”

At this point, the Congressman got visibly angry and refused to condemn the rioting being conducted in the name of Black Lives Matter.

What is most interesting, is that throughout the entire discussion and constant references to the 1960’s Civil Rights struggle that Congressman Clyburn defaults to on every question – not once in the discussion is the name of Martin Luther King, Jr. mentioned. Now, I am old enough to have lived through the 1960’s and remember the Civil Rights movement very well. As I recall the man who led that movement was not Jim Clyburn or John Lewis, although they were involved.

Martin Luther King, Jr. | Photo: Getty Images

It was Martin Luther King, Jr. who preached non-violence and had the courage of his own convictions to act in a non-violent manner.

It was King who was on the television many nights and it is King whose statue stands in Washington, D.C. I find it curious that in the year 2020 it seems that the history of the Civil Rights movement of old is being rewritten by the likes of Congressman Jim Clyburn, who now claims “first rights” to the activities and outcome, especially as he is called to task on the behavior of leaders in his party in response to the BLM movement, Antifa, and the actions of those who loot in the name of reparations.

I also find it completely disingenuous on Congressman Clyburn’s part when he supports the anti-Semitic diatribe that is often spewed on the floor of the House of Representatives by Representatives Omar, Tlaib and other members of “the Squad;” seems to me that the Congressman forgot about the “Freedom Riders,” some of whom were Jewish and gave their lives in support of the Civil Rights movement.

The remains of three civil rights workers whose disappearance on June 21, 1964 garnered national attention, were found buried in an earthen dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, both Jewish white New Yorkers, had traveled to heavily segregated Mississippi in 1964 to help organize Civil Rights efforts on behalf of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). The third man, James Chaney, was a local African American man who had joined CORE in 1963. The disappearance of these three young men led to a massive FBI investigation that was code-named MIBURN, which stood for “Mississippi Burning.”

Congressman Clyburn seemingly reverts to this era every time he does not wish to answer particularly probing questions focused on the differences between both movements; you would think that he would be appalled and ashamed to know that “the Squad” denigrates the very people who helped him with his struggle, died for his cause and, to this day, remain staunch supporters of the Democrat Party. You would think that, but that is not the case at all.

This man feigns all knowledge of what is happening on the streets of America today because he thinks this approach will help defeat Donald Trump and return his party to power.

He will look, as is evidenced in the most recent interview on Fox, right into the camera and lie to the American public. As Conservatives we must be sure to defeat this “Democrat” ideology and its political platform and return Donald J. Trump to the White House for a second term. If we fail, this country will be heading toward a very dark place with only people like Clyburn left, who lack the courage of their own convictions to lead the way.

References:

My Take On Police Reform

From Thomas Black of Leesburg, Virginia.

As Virginia’s General Assembly prepares to discuss police reform, I pray emotional impulse and situational ethics surrender to principled rationale. Without proper foresight, it is possible to do well-intentioned harm.

The most obvious reform I hope to see is a mandate for all uniformed officers to have body cameras, in addition to dashboard cameras for all law enforcement vehicles.

I believe this will serve a variety of parties. First, it will help serve the citizens, as the knowledge that their engagement with law enforcement is being recorded should help provide peace of mind. Second, it will help protect our law enforcement officers from fraudulent claims of civil disobedience and conduct unbecoming of an officer. Finally, these recorded interactions can, and should, be used for training purposes. Having academy students watch real interactions will help them see how to appropriately respond to challenging situations.

I also believe there is wisdom in removing qualified immunity for law enforcement officials. This is not because most officers abuse their authority, but because the principle of checks and balances in government have served us well.

Officers who cannot be easily held accountable could abuse authority and create a sense of micro-tyranny for communities.

Furthermore, before an experienced law enforcement officer is hired into another department or jurisdiction, I believe state law should require the professional file of that individual be sent from their old office to their new one, prior to hire. Officers who are commonly and formally rebuked should not be hired by another department.

Finally, I believe it would benefit officers to receive training on how traumatic experiences can affect an individual’s brain. When officers enter potentially dangerous situations, they often interact with traumatized individuals, many of whom have had early and/or frequent exposure to violence, drug use, etc. The late Karyn Purvis conducted remarkable research on the effects of trauma on the brain, how it governs an individual’s actions, and most importantly, how to appropriately address it. Admittedly, her research is geared for foster and adopted parents, which is not the responsibility of the police; however, the principle of knowing how a traumatized individual may behave, and how to counteract the potential for escalation, is noteworthy.

Richmond should not denigrate an officer’s ability for self-preservation.

We trust law enforcement officers to be wise stewards of lethal weapons, so how would legislation be consistent if it took away options and tactics that may lead to the prevention of lethal force? Rather, Richmond should seek to give officers as many non-lethal options as possible to avoid chaos and protect innocent life. Furthermore, officers should retain the ability to serve no-knock warrants; knocking on the door of an alleged weapons trafficker places a tactical disadvantage on law enforcement, benefits the alleged criminal, and unnecessarily increases risk.

In this debate, police officers are not adversaries, nor are concerned citizens antagonists.

May the passions of the day give way to temperance, and perhaps subsequent legislation will further protect the citizenry without sacrificing protections for law enforcement.

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