Heres a quietly unsettling moment from the current cries for change churning across the nation:

A teenage girl is at a grocery store in the small town of Marion, Virginia. Her brother, Travon Brown, age 17, had recently become both beloved and hated the center of controversy in the town, because he had organized a protest against racism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. This was one of thousands of such protests across the country, but the majority-white town was nonetheless riled up over this affront, according to the Washington Post, which took a long, deep look at events there.

Indeed, a neighbor had burned a cross on the familys lawn after the protest and wound up getting arrested. That was by no means the end of the unrest. At the store, the Post informed us, RayKia was confronted by a stranger . . . who asked the 16-year-old if she was Travons sister and then pulled up his shirt to reveal a handgun.

This is the USA, land of the Second Amendment. The stranger wasnt threatening to murder a young, African-American woman (I dont think), just tossing a warning into her awareness that armed, white America will never change. Guns are the speech of the inarticulate.

I begin with this fleeting moment nothing further came of it simply because it captures both the worst and best of who we are. This was not the end of the protest movement in Marion, nor has Donald Trumps infusion of secret, federal police into Portland, Oregon with more of the same coming to other cities, including Chicago, where I live put an end to the nations protest movements: the demands for change and consciousness shift. But I see a surreal symmetry here. The inarticulate but oh-so-powerful President Trump is sending the same sort of message to a city, to a country.

The message can probably be summed up thus: This is a divided nation. Always has been, always will be. White people run things here and that isnt going to change. We live in an us-vs-them world. Get used to it. Stay in your place, whoever you are.

Trump is tapping into the same consciousness as the guy in the grocery store. American fascism is always a force waiting to be born.

As Juan Cole writes: It now appears clear that part of that strategy is to send federal agents dressed like Iraq War troops to Democratic-run cities, on the pretext of protecting federal property, and then for them to attack and provoke Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protesters, causing violence to escalate and using it to scare the suburbs. The exercise also has the advantage for Trump of entrenching a new form of secret police and of turning federal agents into instruments of his authoritarianism.

As some writers have pointed out, it could also be Trumps re-election strategy: In this regard, Trump appears to be following Richard Nixons 1968 Southern Strategy, perhaps even on the advice of former Nixon advisor Roger Stone, Thom Hartmann writes. Provoke violence, make cities burn, and then promise to keep white people safe with law and order.

Whats crucial here is not to give them what they want i.e., a pseudo-civil war, which will be crushed by the heavily armed good guys the ones firing teargas and rubber bullets, arresting protesters for no apparent reason and throwing them into unmarked cars.

In this context, meet Naked Athena. Actually, she is an unidentified woman, but she was thus dubbed when photos of her appearance wearing nothing but a face mask and a stocking cap at a Portland protest rally last week, taken by a photographer for the Portland-based Oregonian, went public.

The photographer had been covering a protest into the wee hours last weekend when, according to the Oregonian, at nearly 2am, as police officers stood in a confrontational faceoff with a crowd of protesters, suddenly a naked woman appeared. She walked out to the intersection in front of where police were standing She paced the area near the crosswalk. She laid down, kicking up her feet. She did ballet poses. At one point, police officers shot pepper balls at her feet. She stayed put.

Basically, everyone was stunned. After about 10 minutes, the police simply walked away.

The photographer, Dave Killen, said: She was incredibly vulnerable. It would have been incredibly painful to be shot with any of those munitions with no clothes on.

Perhaps whats most stunning here is the power of vulnerability. And so I return to Travon Brown, and the second protest he organized in Marion. Yes, the protesters were met by a crowd of counter-protesters, who, as the Post reports, started shouting things at them like Antifa sucks and Go home!

Anger bubbled.

When protesters began to talk back, Travon turned and shushed them, according to the Post. He knelt near the front, his right fist raised to the air. As he did so, the caustic sarcasm from the counter-protesters continued. But then

Travon began shouting I love you across the divide, and soon all the protesters were shouting it and the faces opposite them were momentarily quiet and confused.

And later the chief of the county sheriffs department shook his hand, happily reporting that not a single person had been arrested.

As Jeffrey Isaac wrote, when Brown cried out love! He seems to have meant it in the way that Martin Luther King, Jr. meant it not as mere sentiment of affection, but as agape, an active performance of human solidarity, a way of engaging with ones oppressors, and communicating with bystanders

Love so much deeper, so much more vulnerable, so much more powerful than hate.

In the long run, this is the force that will create the change so many of us are calling for.

Read more here:

ESSAY: Standing Up to the Inarticulate - Pagosa Daily Post

Published 11:14am EDT, Friday, July 24, 2020

The major causes of violent crime in large American cities are:

1. Easy availability of firearms to civilian population There are 393 million civilian-owned firearms, 30 percent of Americans personally own a gun; 49 percent of Americans report living in a gun household. It is unimaginable that the framers of the Constitution would have intended the Second Amendment to protect a claimed right to own a firearm. If a citizen militia were sufficient to guarantee national security in todays world, why do we sustain a permanent national defense military establishment with the weaponry it has today? Just call out the Minutemen.

2. Inequality in the exercise of police power Policing is a demanding job. Hiring qualifications and training need an overhaul. Biases by race, ethnicity, and wealth must be eliminated.

3. The system by which we reward by income and respect various occupations is crazy. The pandemic shows that one good nurse or one good janitor has more social value than a superb athlete or a successful hedge fund manager or lobbyist, a free labor market be damned.

4. A popular culture which exalts violence as a means of problem solving.

5. Donald J. Trump has made a mockery of the claim that no one is above the law. Who believes that? Our judicial system is failing.

6. The failure to provide an adequate social safety net including: universal, comprehensive, affordable health care and child care for parents who work.

7. Personal responsibility. We need it from people taking to the beaches. We are getting it from vast numbers of people who are exhausting themselves even risking their lives in serving others and caring for their own families. Lets be realistic about what we can ask of them. Lets support them and lets stop hammering them with sanctimonious comments about the need to prod them with punitive incentives.

Daniel C. Hudson

Ridgefield

Read more:

Letter: Why theres crime in large cities - Danbury News Times

FridayJul24,2020at12:01AM

In recent weeks polling results have shown that Joe Biden has a compelling lead over Donald Trump. Candidates on both sides, though, are quick to warn against taking early polling results too seriously. Bidens folks rightly warn against complacency.

Locally it appears Trump supporters are way ahead in terms of enthusiasm, camaraderie and visibility. I see red flags everywhere and they look impressive. Recently a friend found an interesting statistic. His internet search revealed red campaign flag and banner hits (Trump) at 716 million, compared to 75 million blue (Biden) hits, a 10-1 enthusiasm discrepancy.

Face it. Trump banners and flags look great flying from powerboats and pickup truck beds, sometimes accompanied by the defiant "Dont Tread On Me" flag. They implicitly speak of power, of domination, of freeing oneself of boundaries, regulations and legal constraints. They shout, "Second Amendment rights" and showcase the macho camaraderie available in boldly intimidating others with weapons of war. They broadcast the increasingly transparent "dog whistle" warnings issued by their leader to affluent neighborhood residents of the upward housing ambitions posed by the Black Lives Matter movement.

How can poor, grey-haired, blue flag Joe Biden compete with all that? What power boat owner wants to fly a blue flag that messages "civility" or "science-based policy" or "reconciliation" or "uncage children" or "foreign policy experience"? Such messaging, commendable as it may be, just doesnt have the Trumpian blood stirring pizzazz of those bright red displays. Where is the thrill for the unthinking?

Poor rational, compassionate, truth constrained, low-key, highly experienced, normally hued Joe Biden. Where is the flash, the empty promise, the subservience to foreign adversaries, the fake bravado, the bombast? Why would America want a president who actually has the qualifications for the job?

Richard Brouwer

Grand Haven

See the article here:

Letter: There's a reason you see more Trump flags - HollandSentinel.com

The recent Barbati letter concerned people being afraid because a law-abiding citizen had two guns at a peaceful protest.

I have three main points:

First I can assure you he was not the only one there with a weapon. Barbati then cherry picked two instances where people broke the law by shooting people. There are many instances where people break the law and injure or kill people without guns. In New York City recently a high-level police official and others were attacked by a woman with a cane. People have been stabbed, beaten, hit by cars, hammers, stones, etc. So people were fearful of a law-abiding citizen?

Second Many of these protests become non-peaceful where protesters break, burn, loot, injure, and kill. This has been happening all across America. If that happens at any small peaceful protest where a patriot or two is carrying a weapon, people may be thankful.

Third People become fearful of many things. Juniata College recently called the cops on a college student who sent a hateful e-mail that (according to the college) ... left many of our community members feeling afraid, angry, vulnerable and unsafe. The student e-mail said students can't blame skin color for their problems, but perhaps from a lack of personal responsibility, lack of growing up in a stable two-parent household, or a general disinclination for learning of the college variety. I might concede that could lead to a feeling of anger or vulnerability, but afraid and unsafe?

The First Amendment allows us to use offensive, hurtful speech. Freedom of speech does not mean that you have to use words or phrases that a small minority of people demand. Freedom of speech means I can say Chinese virus, or American Indian or all lives matter ( Jessica Whitiker was killed recently for saying just that!) or other words or phrases without retribution. The Second Amendment allows a person to bear arms. It is not unlawful to open carry in Pennsylvania.

Our society has turned from the rule of law people are angry or fearful, or strike out at law-abiding citizens yet honor praise, and protect those who break the law over perceived injustices.

Excerpt from:

Law-abiding people are not the problem - Butler Eagle

Ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, Michigan voters will be able to head to the polls or mail in their ballot for the state primary election Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How to vote

According to City Clerk Jennifer Shuster, the state of Michigan is requiring that all voting precincts be open for the state primary election.

The polling locations will operate with social distancing guidelines and required use of PPE for election inspectors, Shuster said via email.

Masks are not required for voters in polling places, per an executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, though they are still strongly encouraged.

There are options for voters who do not want to go to an in-person precinct. All Michigan voters are allowed to vote absentee without a reason, Shuster said.

Absentee ballots, or by-mail voting, allow people to vote without leaving their homes. All registered voters were mailed an absentee ballot application for both the primary and general elections.

An absentee voter ballot must be completed and returned to the clerks office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. A ballot will not be counted unless the voters signature is on the return envelope and matches their signature on file.

Voters can apply for an absentee ballot here. Applications to have an absent voter ballot mailed to you must be received by your clerk no later than 5 p.m. the Friday before the election, according to Michigans Secretary of State website.

Absentee ballot requests are up 350% compared to the same time ahead of the 2016 state primary, according to the Secretary of State website. While 378,317 absent voter applications were returned 35 days before the primary in 2016, 1,323,922 applications have been returned in that same time in 2020.

In 2016, 283,731 absent voter ballots were issued, and 17,590 were returned. This year, however, saw major increases in these numbers, as 1,005,989 ballots were issued, and 29,760 have been returned.

This significant increase in those requesting to vote by mail already this year confirms they recognize that this option is a safe, secure and convenient way for them to ensure their voices are heard, even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said, according to the Secretary of State website.

Those who are not registered to vote may still register through Election Day. However, if you wait until the two-week period before an election to register, you must do so at your city clerks office. You must also provide proof of residency, Shuster said.

Any item with a person's name and residence address is considered proof of residency. Acceptable items to establish residency include utility or credit card bills issued within the prior 90 days, a bank account statement, school transcripts less than two years old, lease or rental agreements with a landlord's number, a pay stub, insurance policies and government documents.

Shuster said it is easier to register to vote online before the two-week mark. More information about registering to vote, including a program to register, can be found here.

She also stressed the importance of keeping voter registration information up-to-date, which can also be done online.

It is possible to register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot at the same time.

Whats on the ballot

East Lansing voters will be voting for partisan offices for U.S. senators down to county commissioners and precinct delegates, Shuster said.

Incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is running unopposed in the primary, as is Republican John James, who ran against U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2018.

On Tuesday, Peters wrote on Twitter he was looking forward to upcoming debates with James after being challenged to four ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Lansing, is running unopposed in her party for the 8th U.S. House District, but will face off in the general against one of four Republican candidates.

Slotkins platform includes affordable healthcare and prescription drugs, investing in infrastructure and education and strengthening national security. She is pro-choice and pro-veteran.

Mike Detmer is running on a platform advocating the codification of federal policy to buy American goods and hire American workers, tax cuts and reformation in the healthcare system to lower costs, provide more choice and include mental healthcare. He also seeks to end "catch and release" and chain migration, and intends to allocate funding for a border wall. Detmer is pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, pro-veteran and pro-term limits.

Alan T. Hoover's platform includes the reduction of government reach into households and the establishment of ethical data collection standards. Hoover also wants to secure the borders, preserve the Constitution and make improvements for veterans and their families. Hoover is also pro-Second Amendment, pro-life and pro-term limits.

Paul Junge intends to oppose tax increases, stop "costly liberal regulations" and cut wasteful spending to promote a more balanced budget. He supports the banning of sanctuary cities and the securing of the U.S. border to stop illegal immigration, and seeks to protect work-related healthcare and Medicare for seniors. Junge is pro-Second Amendment and pro-life.

Kristina Lyke's platform includes the covering of pre-existing conditions and treatment for mental health and addiction. She seeks to secure borders and modernize immigration, and to hold China accountable for "commercial terrorism." She also intends to protect free speech and freedom of religion, in addition to protecting workers and rebuilding infrastructure. Lyke is pro-Second Amendment, pro-life and pro-veteran.

For the Ingham County Clerk seat, incumbent Democrat Barb Byrum is facing a Democrat primary opponent.

According to the Lansing State Journal, Byrum said she will reconcile budgetary impacts onset by the COVID-19 pandemic and modernize and make better use of technology in the Clerks Office to allow customers the ability to make remote transactions if she is reelected.

Her challenger, DeKeea Quinney-Davis, said she will ensure all Ingham County residents are aware of the services the county has to offer, facilitate inclusion in civil engagement with traditionally marginalized groups and increase accessibility to services, according to the Lansing State Journal.

The Michigan Voter Information Center's online tool shows statewide sample ballots by precinct. Here's what a sample ballot in East Lansing will look like.

Ingham County voters will have two county-wide ballot proposals, while Clinton County voters in Precinct 17 do not have any proposals on their ballots.

The first proposal for Ingham County residents concerns an elder person's millage seeking to authorize funding to eliminate wait lists and expand services such as in-home care, meals on wheels and crisis services.

The millage seeks to increase the limitation upon the total amount of taxes that may be assessed in one year upon all property in Ingham County by up to $0.30 per $1,000 of state taxable valuation for a period of four years.

The second ballot proposal for Ingham County residents seeks to renew funding for a comprehensive, countywide 911 Emergency Telephone and Dispatch System at the same millage level approved every four years since 1996.

This emergency telephone service millage renewal intends to maintain the $0.85 per $1,000 of taxable value limitation for a period of 10 years, concluding in 2029.

Voters in the city of Lansing may vote on a proposed renewal of a $1.00 per $1,000 levy for five years, commencing on July 1, 2021, on all taxable real and personal property in the city for the purpose of operating, maintaining and providing improvements to its parks and recreation system.

Leslie Township voters may vote on the millage renewal proposal for fire protection, which seeks to renew the $0.08895 per $1,000 of taxable value levy from 2021 through 2024.

Additionally, there is a bond proposal for Leslie Public Schools that seeks to borrow up to $13,090,000 for additions to school buildings and entryways, the remodeling and re-equipping of school buildings, acquiring and installing technology and security and improving sites such as sidewalks and the high school track.

Two ballot questions concern the Northeast Ingham Emergency Service Authority tax.

The first addresses a tax set to expire December 2032, and seeks to replace the 1.2467 mills tax with one up to 2.00 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for eight years, through 2028 inclusive, for funding emergency services.

The second question, concerning a tax set to expire December 2020, seeks to increase the 0.7454 mills tax up to 1.0 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levy it for eight years, through 2028 inclusive, for building improvements and equipment.

Further details about Ingham County ballot proposals for the state primary election can be found here.

Discussion

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Michigan's Aug. 4 primary election: What's on the ballot? - The State News

For most of my adult life, I have been a hard-core Democrat, but in 2016, all of that changed and I supported Donald Trumps platform and I voted for him.

I will support and vote for him in his reelection because he stands for what I stand for: pro-life and letting babies live, support of law enforcement, Second Amendment for gun rights, voter ID, economic prosperity, small government and less government control, term limits, capitalism vs. socialism and communism, free speech, the national anthem, our flag and the Constitution.

Trump may not be the smoothest talker, and sometimes he comes on a little strong, but in my heart, I know that he is fighting hard to preserve and protect all the things that I stand for.

I am a patriot, and so is Trump.

Trump 2020. God bless and protect America.

Mary Carol Edwards

Richland Township

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Letter to the editor | Former hard-core Dem now backs Trump - TribDem.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Video of a couple pulling their guns on protesters outside their St. Louis home has gone viral. It has people all across the state and country asking: what are my rights when it comes to protecting my home, specifically with a gun? Mark and Patricia McCloskey are at the center of it all after the June 28 incident.

They claim the protesters tore down an iron gate into their gated community and threatened to kill them and burn down their house. This week, the St Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardener charged the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon, which drew criticism from President Trump, MO Senator Josh Hawley, Missouris Attorney General, and Governor Mike Parson, who said he would pardon the McCloskeys, if they were convicted.

Many now they have questions about the Castle Doctrine,' and Stand Your Ground laws, because those laws did change in 2017. We sat down with those who enforce the law, and those who interpret it.

The law may be written in black and white, but the way its interpreted has shades of gray.

It is your right to protect yourself, your family and your property in the state of Missouri, and effectively saying that, you do not have a duty to retreat, said Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole. He helps teach those who carry. But if you find yourself in a legal bind, defense attorney Dee Wampler often gets a call. He has written a book on gun laws.

You cant just start shooting people or killing people unless you are in fear of great bodily harm. And then you have the right to shoot and use force to repel force, Wampler said. At a time when guns and ammunition are flying off store shelves, it pays to know the law. Missouris law used to require you to retreat before pulling a gun, but that changed three years ago.

You own your own home and property, and what we call curtilage which is that area immediately surrounding your home to the ionosphere up there, and to the middle of the earth, and if anybody comes on your property you have the right to defend yourself, Wampler said.

What about openly showing your gun? Wampler says it is okay unless its in an angry or threatening manner. However, even that is okay, he says, if its necessary in self defense, according to Missouri statute.

Thats why we have the second amendment to protect yourself against other people, protect yourself against the government, and thats what we expect you to do, said Sheriff Cole.

In Missouri, you do not have to take a conceal carry class to carry a gun. However, Sheriff Cole recommends you do so that you understand your weapon and understand the law. You can call any sheriffs office in the state and get a list of approved instructors.

See the article here:

Revisiting Missouri gun laws after couple in STL charged with felony unlawful use of weapon - KYTV

CORUNNA Shiawassee County moved one step closer to becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary county Wednesday as commissioners voted 6-1 to advance a resolution affirming residents right to bear arms to todays full board meeting, set for 5 p.m. inside the Surbeck Building, 201 N. Shiawassee St.

Commissioner Marlene Webster, R-District 1, voted against the move during the panels Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday, citing troublesome language in the resolution that supports both the Shiawassee County Sheriff (Brian BeGole) and the Shiawassee County Prosecuting Attorney (Scott Koerner) in the exercise of their sound discretion to enforce any and all constitutional firearm laws.

I strongly support Second Amendment rights and the Constitution, and Im sure there are laws out there that are violating Second Amendment rights, but I think more core to the Constitution than the Second Amendment is the balance of power, Webster said. We have a system for appealing unconstitutional laws, and if theres a law thats unconstitutional, it has to go through the court system to be deemed so. I feel like giving that authority to local law enforcement puts an additional burden on them and frankly violates the Constitution.

The Second Amendment sanctuary movement which seeks to stop new gun laws is led locally by Byron resident Anthony Tolbert, who serves as chairman of the Shiawassee County chapter of Michigan for 2A Sanctuary Counties, a Facebook group.

Tolbert said the formation of the group, as well as the push for Shiawassee County to become a Second Amendment sanctuary, was sparked by actions to limit Second Amendment rights in Virginia.

In April, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam approved a red flag law that allows law enforcement to temporarily seize firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others. As the legislation worked its way toward passage, a widespread pro-gun movement ignited throughout the state and subsequently the nation, as various localities made vows not to enforce what some officials in those areas perceived to be unconstitutional gun laws.

Tolbert initially approached the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners with the resolution to become a sanctuary county in January. To date, he has collected more than 700 signatures from county residents in support of the resolution, he said.

While our liberal and progressive friends in this county assure us that our Second Amendment rights are not going anywhere, we can simply point to their mainstream politics to know this is simply not true if they were to get their wish, Tolbert said during the public comment portion of Wednesdays meeting. Our current governor and attorney general, as well as the (democratic) partys presidential candidates have called for things such as red flag laws, common sense gun laws, bans and outright confiscations. It is our intent to send a message to Lansing and anywhere else that may look to infringe on our God-given, constitutionally protected rights.

Commissioner Dan McMaster, R-District 2, spoke in support of the sanctuary resolution Wednesday, noting hes received several emails and phone calls from residents regarding the proposal since the topic was first discussed earlier this year. Further action on the resolution was delayed for several months due to COVID-19, he added.

I know my truth, McMaster said, and some of my constituents may disagree with this and thats their right, but by far the majority of the constituents in my district and this county support this (resolution). In my almost four years of public service, this will probably be the vote that I will be the most proud of, (the vote) I will remember the most.

Board Chairman Jeremy Root, R-District 5, also expressed support for Shiawassee County becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary, citing the 45 counties in Michigan that have already approved resolutions.

I dont think were out in left field, I dont think were radical, I mean, thats more than half the state, Root said.

I think the freedom to bear arms is one of the most important rights thats granted to us, Root continued. This simply just reaffirms that we trust in our sheriff, we trust in our prosecutor that they make sound discretion and that they enforce constitutional laws and will not enforce anything unconstitutional on any of our residents.

Webster said if the resolution simply stated the board supports the Second Amendment, she could support it.

When it says that we give discretion to the sheriff and the prosecutor to, and its worded differently in this new draft, but the intent, as Chairman Root just stated, is that they could use their discretion to not enforce laws that they believe are (unconstitutional), thats where I feel this document violates the Constitution, Webster said. If a law is unconstitutional, it has to be taken in litigation to the courts and appealed through the courts and determined by the Supreme Court whether or not it is a constitutional law.

Read more:

Shiawassee County board poised to approve Second Amendment resolution - Argus Press

As Facebook faces down a costly boycott campaign demanding the social network do more to combat hate speech, CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced plans to ban a wider category of hateful content in ads. Twitter, YouTube and Reddit have also taken additional steps to curtail online hate, removing several inflammatory accounts.

But as social networks refine their policies and update algorithms for detecting extremism, they overlook a major source of hateful content: gun talk.

As a researcher of online extremism, I examined the user policies of social networks and found that while each address textbook forms of hate speech, they give a pass to the widespread use of gun rhetoric that celebrates or promotes violence.

In fact, the word gun appears but once in Facebooks policy on Violence and incitement to bar the manipulation of images to include a gun to the head. And neither guns nor firearms are mentioned in Twitters policy on Glorifications of violence, or YouTubes guidelines on Violent or graphic content or within any of these networks rules on hate speech.

Gun references have become prevalent in social media dialogues involving the nationwide protests over racial injustice, police reform and the Black Lives Matter movement.

On Facebook, a group called White Lives Matter shared a post that reads, Dont allow yourself or your property to become a victim of violence. Pick up your weapon and defend yourself. Another user posted the picture of a handgun beneath the message, I never carried a weapon, never needed it, but I have changed my mind and will apply for what I deem necessary to handle things my way Tired of all these BLM idiots looters.

While nearly every social network works to identify and prohibit violent speech, gun groups have managed to evade censure. One such Facebook community gleefully taunts protesters with the prospect of retaliation by firearm. They share a meme of a stack of bullets surrounded by the caption, If you defund the police you should know, I dont own any rubber bullets.

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Twitter users have also exploited that networks lack of restrictions on gun talk. Hashtags like #GetYourGuns and #2ndAmendment appear in political statements made against the police and protesters alike. A recent video of a police officer punching a suspect behind the wheel is the subject of a tweet that promises in turn, We will take action into our hands. #getyourguns.

Another tweet citing #guns features the viral video of a Florida sheriff warning that the people of his county like guns and will be in their homes tonight with their guns loaded. He continues, And if you try to break into their homes to steal, to set fires, Im highly recommending they blow you back out of their house with their guns. The same video trends across TikTok and Facebook where one gun group concurs, I couldnt agree more!

These examples do not disseminate racial slurs or direct violence, but they do allow users to stoke hostilities in a way that is accepted by social networks. And the mixture of culture wars and gun talk can be a dangerous concoction, as made evident by the Instagram posts of the 19-year-old assailant who later killed 17 people at a Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018. The AR-15 that he used in that shooting was the frequent subject of his social media posts that accompanied rants about illegal immigrants, African Americans, the Jewish community and law enforcement.

The debate over online gun rhetoric is not new to Silicon Valley. In 2018, streaming services like Amazon, Google and Roku were the subject of a high-profile boycott campaign, led by anti-gun advocates. The campaign called upon streaming services to stop hosting the online channel of the National Rifle Association, NRATV, citing its frequent use of hateful rhetoric. One such video opens with scenes of an NRA spokesman in the midst of target practice as he unleashes a diatribe centering on riotous protesters and obstructionist politicians.

My study found that NRATV dedicated the overwhelming majority of its content to denouncing liberal groups, media and movements like the Womens March. Coupled with the gun lobbys core message that Americans should arm themselves, anti-gun groups felt NRATV was producing violence-inciting programming.

But companies like Roku felt the content had not violated their terms of service. The #DumpNRATV campaign ultimately lost steam, but found a form of success when NRATV was later forced to suspend its operation over financial issues. However, its videos still stream on YouTube and Twitter.

President Donald Trumps social media presence also looms heavily over the debate about social network policies regarding violent content. Even as the presidents social media accounts have, at times, featured acts of physical harm done to others, social networks have been reluctant to act. But that may be changing.

During the nationwide protests, President Trump recently tweeted, When the looting starts, the shooting starts. Twitter had evidently seen enough. The network placed a public notice on the tweet, replacing it with the message that it had violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence.

Still, gun and shooting references continue to proliferate across the contentious political exchanges on social networks. For companies like Facebook and Twitter, incorporating guns into their policies that prohibit hate and violence is a risky prospect. Restrictions on gun talk could open the door to a maelstrom of criticism from gun lobbies, politicians, and Second Amendment advocates. But short of taking that political risk, social networks will have to design new algorithms to interpret the true meaning of hashtags like #GetYourGuns and #Shoot2Kill.

More here:

Social networks aim to erase hate but miss the target on guns - The Conversation US

Americans inhabit two vastly different social, cultural and geographic worlds. Unsurprisingly, this divide has helped create stunning levels of political polarization.

Two wedge issues, guns and abortion, fuel the extreme division gripping the country.

Drawing solely on the Constitution and the Bible, a radically centrist approach to these topics can bridge Americas vast social and cultural divide.

Guns:

Compared to our international peers, the United States suffers from an epidemic of gun violence. It is not uncommon for more than 100men, women and children to be shotin one American city over one weekend.

This is morally and ethically unacceptable.

The sheer number of guns in America enough for every man, woman and child (with 67 million left over) also has a deadly effect on policing. Cops are forced to assume that every citizen is armed, leading to far too many violent interactions with civilians.

Conservative interpretations of the Second Amendment hold that Americans have an individual right to own a gun. But America's Founding Fathers did not see things through such a narrow lens.

The original intent of the Second Amendment was to eliminate the need for a standing army. After years of abuses by the British military, the Founding Fathersviewed a full-time national army as a threat to freedom. Decentralized militias, they reasoned, could provide for the common defense without being subject to the whims of a tyrannical leader.

Hence the first 13 words of the Second Amendment: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State...

In other words, the Founders did not view firearm ownership as an individual right, but rather through citizens participation in a state-based army.

Lets apply that reasoning to the present.

Decentralized state militias still exist today. National Guard units complete with colonial militia-themed logos report directly to governors, who can refuse deployment requests from the president.

A centrist and thoroughly constitutional approach would require gun owners to have some connection whether through firearms training, drill, community service or otherwise with their local National Guard unit.

In addition to promoting civic and community engagement, making gun ownership contingent upon affiliation with a Guard unit would weed out many of the criminals responsible for the 40 senseless murders that occur every day in America.

The same goes for mass shooters. Most hold extremist beliefs or suffer from severe mental illness. Such individuals are unlikely tovoluntarilyassociatewith a local Guard detachment, nor would they pass basic screening procedures.

Mandatory Guard affiliation for gun ownership could also stanch the epidemic of suicides by firearm well above 20,000 each year in the United States.

Moreover, some of the most ardent defenders of the Second Amendment enjoy playing military dress-up. If they are so attached to their firearms, why not take this soldierly infatuation a small step further? After all, that would put them squarely in line with the intent of the Founding Fathers that they revere.

Ultimately, an ugly gun-related irony is emerging. The sheer volume of high-powered firearms on the streets fuels the militarization of Americas police forces, posing an obvious threat to freedom and democracy.

But if cops can reasonably assume that American gun owners are trained and vetted by their local National Guard unit, police departments are far more likely to demilitarize and adopt less aggressive tactics.

Abortion:

Americans of all political stripes must acknowledge the complex moral and ethical nuances associated with abortion. But if we are to bridge the social and cultural rifts plaguing America, we must apply an objective, clear-eyed approach to this uniquely divisive topic.

Abortion was weaponized for political gain in the late 1970s. Before then, many evangelicals among todays most passionate opponents of abortion were pro-choice or ambivalent about the issue. As religious and ideological shifts go, this reversal is remarkable.

Evangelicals draw their beliefs partly from the Bible. But while the Bible enumerates a litany of laws and punishments in punctilious detail, the Old and New testaments are stunningly silent on abortion (a relatively common practice in the ancient world).

In fact, a close reading of the Bible finds that there is no biblical justification for opposition to abortion.

Lets unpack that.

The Bible states that Thou shall not murder. It also prescribes the death penalty for homicide. But, according to a Mosaic law found in the same book as the Ten Commandments causing a miscarriage is not a capital crime. Instead, a monetary fine must be paid. The clear implication, therefore, is that abortion is not tantamount to murder.

This is squarely in alignment with Jewish interpretations of the Old Testament. Since the Israelites (quite literally) wrote the book, Jewish law which holds that a fetus is not a person cannot be discounted.

American evangelicals made these same biblically-supported arguments only a few decades ago. In 1968, the movements Billy Graham-founded journal stated that God does not regard the fetus as a soul.

Moreover, according to the Bible, God causes the abortion of a fetus conceived through adultery. This, clearly, is in stark conflict with contemporary pro-life dogma.

Perhaps most importantly, the Bible provides a consistent message on the all-important question of when life begins.

The Book of Genesis states that man became a living being only after God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. The Book of Job relates that the Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Revelation details how the dead arise after inhaling the breath of life from God. Similarly, God told Ezekiel, I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.

A strictly biblical view, therefore, is that life begins at a babys first breath.

As such, a politically centrist approach based entirely on the Bible would not permit most abortions past a certain stage of development of the fetuss lungs (or, perhaps, another organ).

Ultimately, a close, objective reading of the Bible and the Constitution uncovers reasonable, middle-of-the-road solutions to two of the most politically and culturally divisive issues in America.

It is long past time for the moderate majority to tune out the ideological extremists and engage their fellow citizens in the spirit of good faith and compromise.

Marik von Rennenkampff served as an analyst with the U.S. Department of States Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, as well as an Obama administration appointee at the U.S. Department of Defense. Follow him on Twitter @MvonRen.

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Radically centrist solutions to America's two great wedge issues | TheHill - The Hill

A student at Fordham University has been sanctioned by the school for a series of social media posts supporting conservative causes that university officials say violated its code of conduct.

Austin Tong, a senior, received a letter on Tuesday relaying the result of a student conduct hearing regarding two Instagram posts he made in recent weeks.

One of the posts shows Tong holding a rifle with a caption that read, "Don't tread on me." The other is a photo of retired St. Louis Police Capt. David Dorn, a veteran of the force killed during rioting in the city following the death of George Floyd. The caption on the post about Dorn read, "Ya'll are hypocrites."

In the post with the rifle, Tong included the hashtag: #198965, a reference to the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

In its judgment, Fordham said Tong violated two areas of the student conduct policy that he agreed to when he enrolled at the school, which prohibit threats, intimidation, and "bias and/or hate crimes."

Dean of Students Keith Eldredge admonished Tong for his posts, writing: It is reported that on June 3 and 4 and in the recent past you made several posts on social media related to the current racial issues in the country and political issues in China.

Tong was informed that as part of the sanctions leveled against him, he would not be permitted to represent the university in an official extracurricular capacity, and his access to on-campus facilities will be restricted, meaning he will need to take classes online. He will also be required to have meetings with university administration and pen a letter of apology.

For too long, students have simply accepted being silenced by their schools and leftist mobs, Tong told Young America's Foundation. I think this says that students of all backgrounds and beliefs need to rally together to protect everyones right to speak, because it will only get worse if we remain indifferent.

Tong told the organization he will consider taking legal action against the school if it doesn't rescind the sanctions.

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Fordham sanctions student over posts about David Dorn, Second Amendment, and Tiananmen Square - Washington Examiner

PATRICK SEMANSKY, ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaksduring a discussion on the 100th anniversary of the ratification ofthe 19th Amendment on Feb. 10 at Georgetown University Law Centerin Washington.

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have tried to make it clear: Given the chance, they would push through a Supreme Court nominee should a vacancy occur before Election Day.

The issue has taken on new immediacy with the disclosure Friday that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is receiving chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer after four earlier bouts with the disease. The 87-year-old liberal, who apologized in 2016 for her pointed public criticism of Trump during his first campaign, says she has no plans to retire.

The development has focused even more on what's at stake this election, with the winner in position to help shape the trajectory of the court for years to come.

Trump administration officials have underscored that Trump would not hesitate to fill an opening before voters have their say Nov. 3, less than four months away, on whether to give him a second term.

Four years ago, also in a presidential election year, the GOP-controlled Senate refused to vote when President Barack Obama, a Democrat, nominated Merrick Garland, a federal judge, to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia after his death in February. Nine months before that year's election, McConnell said voters should determine who would nominate the person to fill that seat.

Fast forward to this past week. Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, told reporters: I cant imagine that if he had a vacancy on the Supreme Court that he would not very quickly make the appointment and look for the Senate to take quick action."

Meadows spoke shortly after the court said Ginsburg was briefly hospitalized, but before the justice announced she had a recurrence of cancer and has been treated with chemotherapy since May 19.

Ginsburg is the oldest justice, followed by Stephen Breyer, 81, Clarence Thomas, 72, and Samuel Alito, 70.

Trump sees his efforts at reshaping the judiciary as a signature achievement of his presidency. Last month he marked his 200th judicial appointment. Earlier in his term, he won confirmation of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the high court.

The president has sought to remind fellow Republicans that should he win a second term, he would have the chance to push the Supreme Court and lower courts further to the right.

Last month, after the court rejected his administrations attempt to end an Obama-era program that provided legal protections to roughly 650,000 immigrants illegally brought to the United States as children, Trump said more needed to be done to push the court to the right.

He said he would release a "new list of Conservative Supreme Court Justice nominees" by Sept. 1. "Based on decisions being rendered now, this list is more important than ever before (Second Amendment, Right to Life, Religous Liberty, etc.) VOTE 2020!" he tweeted.

Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law school professor, said Republicans have shown no consistency between their refusal to give Garland a hearing and their insistence it would be proper to move forward on a vacancy during the waning days of a potentially lame-duck presidency.

Tobias said Trump and Republicans are calculating that playing up their commitment to adding another conservative justice is such an attractive pitch to base voters that its worth risking being labeled hypocrites by their opponents.

Leading Republicans, including the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, now say its OK to consider an election-year appointment when the Senate and the White House are held by the same party.

McConnell was even more blunt. Yeah, wed fill it, he said in a February interview.

At least one key Republican has expressed reservations.

In 2018, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said that if he were still the committee chairman in 2020 and there were a Supreme Court vacancy, he would not take up the nomination. But Grassley, who now heads the Senate Finance Committee, said if there were a different chairman that person would have to make the call.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who is facing reelection, told Iowas PBS station on Friday that she would support taking up a Trump nominee in November or December after the 2020 election and before the start of the next Senate session.

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Page A2 | E-Edition - The Times and Democrat

Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty speaks to supporters on Friday, July 17, 2020, after casting an early voting ballot at the Nashville Public Library Bellevue Branch in Nashville, Tenn.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty speaks to supporters on Friday, July 17, 2020, after casting an early voting ballot at the Nashville Public Library Bellevue Branch in Nashville, Tenn.

Photo: Jonathan Mattise, AP

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty speaks to supporters on Friday, July 17, 2020, after casting an early voting ballot at the Nashville Public Library Bellevue Branch in Nashville, Tenn.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty speaks to supporters on Friday, July 17, 2020, after casting an early voting ballot at the Nashville Public Library Bellevue Branch in Nashville, Tenn.

Trump joins Hagerty in tele-town hall as early voting begins

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday once again threw support behind his former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty, a Republican running in the primary for an open U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee.

Hagerty, 59, has frequently touted Trump's endorsement ever since the president broke the news the former ambassador was running for political office nearly a year ago.

Ill never forget I went to Japan and he knew every person over there, he knew the businessmen, he could pronounce those names I had a hard time with, Trump said in a tele-town hall with Hagerty. I had a very hard time pronouncing those names.

Trump encouraged Tennesseans to vote early, warning that it was critical to elect senators in office who would vote in favor of the judges he appoints.

Your Second Amendment is under siege. If I werent here I dont think you would have a Second Amendment," Trump added while praising Hagerty's support of law enforcement. You would certainly have a very weak one.

Hagerty's main opponent in the Senate primary is trauma surgeon Manny Sethi, who is also seeking the position being vacated by outgoing Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander. The two candidates have recently increased attacks on one another as early voting kicked off Friday.

In a recent ad, Sethi attacked Hagerty's past political donations to Republican Mitt Romney the only Republican to vote to convict the president during his impeachment trial.

Why is the establishment attacking a nice guy like me? Sethi asks. Well, folks are finding out that Bill Hagertys endorsed by Mitt Romney."

Romney has not publicly endorsed Hagerty since the former ambassador joined the race, but Romney had previously supported the idea, according to the Wall Street Journal in mid-2019.

Meanwhile, Hagerty criticized Sethi in an ad as a liberal elitist.

I volunteered full-time for six months when nobody else was supporting President Trump, certainly not Manny Sethi didnt lift a finger, didnt donate a dime back in 2016 to help President Trump get elected, Hagerty told The Associated Press on Friday.

Early voting ahead of the Aug. 6 primary will be open Monday through Saturday until Aug. 1.

For those who do not want to vote in person, a judge is giving all eligible voters the option to vote absentee during the pandemic. Absentee ballots can be requested until July 30. First-time voters can only vote absentee if they have shown ID at a county election office.

___

Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

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Trump joins Hagerty in tele-town hall as early voting begins - Alton Telegraph

SundayJul19,2020at12:01AM

Kerry Irons letter to the editor of July 14th ("Character issue in Park Twp. race") is a disgusting shot at Jim Chiodo. It is an obvious attempt by someone who does not even live in Park Township to taint the race.

In addition, take a look at Irons list of grievances beyond the distortions. People lose elections all the time only to return and, in notable cases, return to be congressmen, senators and U.S. presidents. Banned from web forums? Guess who else has been victims of such moves; the current president of the U.S. and several leading conservative national VIPs. My own conservative Facebook shares have been recently taken down.

Lastly, take a look at the rest. Chiodo dares to exercise his Second Amendment rights, his widely held conservative views on global warming, and for Mr. Irons, Jims worst sin criticizing Black Lives Matter which the new leftist cancel culture just cannot tolerate.

Jim Chiodos "crimes" are really summed up in this; he is an unabashed vocal conservative, believes in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Jane Ashby

Holland

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Letter: Irons' letter missed the mark - Opinion - HollandSentinel.com

An effigy of Gov. Andy Beshear was hanged from a tree outside the Kentucky state Capitol during a Memorial Day weekend protest. Louisville Courier Journal

In response to an effigy of Gov. Andy Beshear gettinghanged from a tree outside the state Capitol in May, afence is going uparound the Kentucky Governor's Mansion "for the safety of the current and future first families."

Crystal Staley, a spokeswoman for Beshear, said the Kentucky State Police executive security team requested the fence be put up after attendees of a Second Amendment rally on May 24 hanged the effigy on Capitol grounds.

A request for bids for the installation of the security fence was sent out July 8, and contractors have until July 20 to make their bids, said Jill Midkiff, a spokeswoman for the stateFinance and Administration Cabinet.

The fence will be 4 feet tall in most places, except for one area where it will be 5feet, according to state procurement documents.

Midkiff told The Courier Journal that "we cannot provide an estimated value of the contract" until the bids are received.

"Due to the historic nature of the mansion, the security fencing installed must maintain the integrity of the mansions exterior," Midkiff wrote in an email.

"The initial cost of the installation will be paid out of the Department for Facilities and Support Services budget. The private Kentucky Executive Mansion Foundation indicates they plan to vote on the possible reimbursement of this expenditure," Midkiff added."It is believed that Kentuckys Governors Mansion may be the only Executive Mansion in the United States that does not currently have security fencing."

The Second Amendment rally in May, which drew a crowd of more than100 people outside the Capitol in Frankfort, beganas a celebration ofconstitutional rights.

But it eventually turned into a protest of the Beshear administration and the Democratic governor'scoronavirus-related restrictions.

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Near the end of the rally, organizers led the remaining attendees to the Governor's Mansion to attempt to deliver a request for Beshear to resign, with the group chanting, "Come out Andy" and "Resign Andy."

From May: Beshear hanged in effigy as Second Amendment supporters rally at Capitol

More: Kentucky state senator announces he has tested positive for the coronavirus

No one came to the door, as several statetroopers monitoring the rally got out of their vehicles to observethe group but not intervene.

The crowd returned to the Capitol, and an effigy ofBeshear was hanged from a tree while God Bless the U.S.A. played over a loud speaker.

The effigy bore a sign that read, sic semper tyrannis, which means thus always to tyrants." John Wilkes Booth shouted the phrase after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

Staley told The Courier Journal that the "group ofarmed demonstrators crossed over barriers to stand on the front porch of the mansion, just a window pane away from where the Governor and First Lady raise their two young children, and chanted for him to come outside."

As a result of the group also hanging Beshear in effigy, Staley said the Kentucky State Police executive security team "requested a fence be built for the safety of the current and future first families."

The effigy brought swift condemnation from Democrats and Republicans.

In addition, the man who was captured on video hoisting the effigy of Beshear from the tree, identified as the president of the Kentucky ThreePercenters group, was later fired from his job at an auto dealership.

A few days after the rally, Beshear denounced the "mob" that carried out "acelebrationof assassination on our Capitol grounds" and chanted "on the other side of the glass from where I raisemy kids."

"I will not be afraid," the governor said."I will not be bullied.And I will not back down."

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.

Read or Share this story: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-governor/2020/07/14/fence-going-up-around-kentucky-governors-mansion-after-beshear-effigy/5433624002/

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Fence to go up around Kentucky Governor's Mansion in response to Beshear effigy - Courier Journal

President Donald Trump walks between columns outside the White House.

According to a recent report, deaths attributable to so-called right-wing domestic terrorists have increased by more than 300% since President Donald Trump took office in 2017.

A database compiled by the Type Media Centers David Neiwert and based on government interpretations of ideological motivations showed that at least 87 people were killed by far-right terrorists during Trumps first three years in office. That number swells to 145 dead in three years if the 58 people killed by Stephen Paddock during the Las Vegas massacre in October 2017 are added in.

The Type Media Center was formerly known as The Nation Institute and was previously attached to The Nation magazine.

From 2013 through 2016, right-wing terrorists in the United States killed some 46 people.

Conversely, Neiwert notes, only 17 people have died due to domestic Islamic terrorism over the past three years. Left-wing domestic terrorism barely registered during the time span; only four such deaths occurred in the past three years.

The stuff about the Las Vegas killing is interesting because it shows how police literally cant SEE right-wing ideology because it is naturalized as normal politics, claimed The Nations National-Affairs Correspondent Jeet Heer on Saturday.

According to Neiwert and others, there is every indication that Paddock was an anti-government, gun-rights zealot. Paraphrasing numerous acquaintances of the killer into a composite explanation of his ideology, Neiwert writes that Paddock had a thing about guns and the Second Amendment and harbored a deep fear that the government would attempt to take them away.

One such acquaintance said that he defended the Second Amendment with an incredible degree of vigor.

Stephen Paddock [Image via the FBI]

But, because Paddock lacked any explicit right-wing organizational affiliations and because he did not leave behind a manifesto after he shot nearly 900 people, the government declined to assign him any ideological motivation.

The Paddock case is odd in that if there were the same number of links to ISIS or Al Qaeda ideologies, there would be no question that the government would highlight them and call him an Islamist terrorist, Brennan Center for Justice Liberty and National Security Fellow Michael German told Neiwert. But here, law enforcement tried to hide and downplay his many links to far right groups/ideology.

The aftermath of the Oct. 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nev. [Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]

The database shows that during the first three years of the Trump administration, cases involving Islamist extremists were preempted 18 times, compared with seven completed attacks, or 72% a powerful indicator of the resources federal agencies poured into such probes. In contrast, a minority of right-wing extremist cases were preempted 18, compared with 30 realized attacks, or 37.5%.

[L]aw enforcement priorities remain skewed, Neiwert claims.

The top-line numbers are based on the total number of killings that were committed by far-right domestic terroristsunder an expansive definition of the termin the first three years of Trumps presidency compared to those committed by the same ideological cohort during the last three years of Barack Obamas time in the White House.

A less expansive definition of what constitutes right-wing domestic terrorismduring the same time frameshows that such killings have risen by nearly 200% since Trump became president.

[photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

Have a tip we should know? [emailprotected]

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Right-Wing Domestic Terrorism Has Increased By More Than 300% Since Trump Took Office: Report - Law & Crime

This is regarding the June 6 Black Lives Matter protest in Elizabethtown (addressed in the June 14 Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline editorial, Disturbing the peace).

The Elizabethtown businesses claim they brought in militia members for security. The police chief said he only learned about this plan the night before. He asked for a discrete signal, so he would know who the security personnel were a signal no one would know about except those who needed to know.

So business owners and militia members wore strips of green tape. One business owner discussing the tape with an LNP | LancasterOnline reporter wouldnt say who put the security plan in place.

The police chief also said he thought the militia members would be inside the businesses. They werent they were on rooftops but he did nothing about this, even though he didnt know who let the militia members up on the roofs. Was it property owners? The chief also wouldnt identify the businesses involved.

One militia member refused to give his full name. Another militia member said his group was not paid to be there; he didnt know another armed man who was on the same roof, but thought he was a local business owner. Two men on the roof had semi-automatic rifles.

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I dont think hired policing of citizens in a public square and on public sidewalks and roads is an appropriate exercise of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

But were just supposed to take all the white folks word for everything, concluding all was legal. See how white supremacy and systemic racism work?

Patty McKenna

Elizabethtown

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Gun permit applications are skyrocketing in Iowa and gun shops are seeing a shortage of firearms and ammunition. "People want to buy their own piece of security and a firearm fills that sense of security for people," said Ethan Settle, with CrossRoads Shooting Sports. "Many common firearms such as a glock, big named brand firearms are just really hard to get right now."And so it popular ammunition. "One thing we've done to mitigate that is to ration it," Settle said. "So we can guarantee that everyone who comes into our range has at least a box of ammunition to shoot."New Iowa Department of Public Safety numbers show a similar story. In the first six months of 2019 the state received 1,746 new gun permits. Applications in the first six months of 2020 show that number has nearly tripled to 6,857 permit requests.Settle said his customers have many reasons for getting new permits and buying new firearms. But many mentioned the increased need for personal security during this strange year. "In general what I've seen behind the sales counter is a lot of first time buyers. A lot of people that I'm helping to educate on the permitting process and are purchasing their first firearm, so it's exciting to bring new people into the sport and to the Second Amendment as well," Settle said.

Gun permit applications are skyrocketing in Iowa and gun shops are seeing a shortage of firearms and ammunition.

"People want to buy their own piece of security and a firearm fills that sense of security for people," said Ethan Settle, with CrossRoads Shooting Sports. "Many common firearms such as a glock, big named brand firearms are just really hard to get right now."

And so it popular ammunition.

"One thing we've done to mitigate that is to ration it," Settle said. "So we can guarantee that everyone who comes into our range has at least a box of ammunition to shoot."

New Iowa Department of Public Safety numbers show a similar story. In the first six months of 2019 the state received 1,746 new gun permits. Applications in the first six months of 2020 show that number has nearly tripled to 6,857 permit requests.

Settle said his customers have many reasons for getting new permits and buying new firearms. But many mentioned the increased need for personal security during this strange year.

"In general what I've seen behind the sales counter is a lot of first time buyers. A lot of people that I'm helping to educate on the permitting process and are purchasing their first firearm, so it's exciting to bring new people into the sport and to the Second Amendment as well," Settle said.

Link:

Requests for firearm permits in Iowa have nearly tripled this year - KCCI Des Moines

LYNCHBURG, Va- (WFXR) New gun laws took effect July first, and some say they arent happy about it.

A group of people gathered in downtown Lynchburg at the riverfront park for one cause.

President of right to Bear arms Virginia Brandon Howard says, We educate and advocate for the individuals and citizens protection of the second amendment U.S. Constitution as well as the laws in the Commonwealth.

With long guns in hand and others strapped to their waist, the group took two-mile freedom walk around downtown Lynchburg, to demonstrate.

Gun owner John Hinkle says, To show the public that were not scary black rifle people. We come from all areas of civilian life, and were not out to harm anybody and were not here to aggravate anybody and were not aggressive we are peaceful citizens.

The group wants to educate the public and let them know there are safe ways to carry firearms and exercise their rights.

We show them law abiding citizens can safely and legally carry a fire arm in public responsibly, says Howard.

Attorney Chuck Smith says, We are here to tell them to know youre not gonna touch our second amendment right not now, Not tomorrow, not ever.

Gun supporters here at the rally took a stance in regards to the new gun control laws here in the commonwealth.

As APPOMATTOX supervisor, I am introducing a resolution on Monday night board meeting to propose no new gun laws, says Hinkle.

I think whether you are a gun lover or a regular citizen. You have a stake in whether the constitutional right can be divvied up by Governor Northam, says Smith. Whether those can be passed to individual cities and counties.

With a peaceful freedom walk and rally. Their message is clear when it comes to those controversial laws.

Were not just here trying to protect just the Second Amendment, says Smith. Our challenge is against a government that believes they can change anything of the United States Constitution at their whim.

Get breaking news, weather, and sports delivered to your smartphone with the WFXR News app available on Apple and Android.

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A group of people gathered in Lynchburg for a freedom walk and rally - WFXRtv.com

SAGINAW, MI - Five Democratic candidates will compete for the partys nomination to replace term-limited state Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D-Bridgeport Township, as 95th District Representative, while a lone Republican candidate will likely advance uncontested.

The 95th District includes the cities of Saginaw and Zilwaukee, as well as the townships of Kochville, Zilwaukee, Carrollton, Buena Vista, Bridgeport, Spaulding and James. Guerra, first elected to the seat in 2014, is now running for Saginaw County Clerk. The primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 4 will determine the final candidates for each party heading into the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election.

Brandell Cortez Adams, a candidate for Michigan's 95th District state representative in 2020.

Brandell Cortez Adams

Adams is a legal secretary with a history of volunteer work and community involvement, working with the Saginaw County Democratic Party and NAACP. He holds a bachelors degree in psychology from Saginaw Valley State University and an associates degree in business at Cornerstone University. He graduated from Bridgeport High School and has more than 15 years of business experience in hotels and hospitality, according to his website.

Clint Bryant

Clint Bryant

Bryant is a labor relations representative, a former union president and former member of Saginaw City Council. He was appointed to city council in 2016, winning reelection in 2018 and resigning in February 2020 to pursue the 95th District seat. He touts a long list of community involvement in Saginaw, his hometown and birthplace.

Carly Hammond, candidate for state representative in Michigan's 95th district, leads a chant during a rally for peace with Iran in front of the Saginaw County Courthouse on Jan. 9, 2020.Riley Yuan | MLive.com

Carly Hammond

Hammond is an activist and community organizer operating in Flint and Saginaw. She helped organize and campaign on behalf of residents during the Flint Water Crisis and later worked to promote voter turnout in Saginaw County. She attended Frankenmuth High School and Oakland University.

Amos O'Neal, county commissioner for Saginaw County's 9th district, speaks during a town hall meeting at Buena Vista Community Center to discuss a possible police-fire merger on Jan. 3, 2020.Riley Yuan | MLive.com

Amos ONeal

ONeal is a Saginaw County Commissioner and former Saginaw City Councilman. He served on council from 2003 until 2016, when he resigned from his position as mayor pro tem to run for his seat on the commission. He is a graduate of Saginaw High School and holds a bachelors degree in business administration from Northwood University.

Democratic candidate James Graham did not provide biographical information to The League of Women Voters Vote411, which provided candidate info to MLive, or respond to its questionnaire.

The lone Republican candidate for the seat is Charlotte DeMaet, who did not provide biographical information and has not yet responded to Vote411s candidate questionnaire. As the only name on the Republican ballot, DeMaet will likely face off against the Democratic victor of the Aug. 4 primary showdown during the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

What is your position on the role of public funding of education in Michigan? What measures do you support/propose to improve educational outcomes and accessibility for all Michigan students?

ADAMS: Our kids are the future so its important that we invest in them. There is a significant technology gap in our local schools causing kids from wealthier parts of the State to have an advantage upon entering college and trade schools. Lets bring our kids up to speed and secure their future by providing necessary education funding. Providing a good education is critical to our way of life.

BRYANT: As a former substitute teacher its my professional opinion that Michigan has never made a solid investment in education. A $1.5 billion fund from the lottery and the gas tax are ineffective. We have to reinvest in our education system to ensure our students have the technology and resources to ensure they are proficient and that their schools are safe. Furthermore, it is imperative that we develop career pipelines with our intermediate school districts for education, agriculture, and healthcare.

HAMMOND: Our state legislature NEEDS to stop stealing from the school aid budget. We have a priorities problem with k-12 education, not a scarcity problem. The legislature, instead of supporting public education, moves its money into economic development programs that subsidize corporate industries- meanwhile setting up accountability programs that punish poor districts for having substandard education outcomes. Supporting our education means putting public schools first, it means recognizing that outcomes are determined by ZIP Code, and we need to equitably fund school districts.

ONEAL: Increased School Funding is critical to support our public education systems. Additionally, increased pay for teachers and advanced training education for all new and tenured educators as well. Important measures would include Infrastructure for all schools in Michigan that would support access to intranet technology for all students. Also, Investment in special education and special needs students would provide the learning platforms for all special education and special needs children in the State of Michigan.

What policies do you support to increase jobs and help Michigan residents improve their economic positions, in general and given the pandemic?

ADAMS: Our jobs are a part of our everyday lives and they are often what binds us together as a community. We need a system that promotes lifelong learning with job training and preparation that helps both those entering the workforce and those who are currently working on the job. Such training fosters continued improvement to ones marketability and skills in order to take advantage of new opportunities. Local Business - Small businesses are the growth engine of any economy and I will work to support and enhance the local business community and ensure that wealth generated here, stays here.

BRYANT: To ensure that the families of Saginaw County and the surrounding communities are able to bounce back from financial hardship that has affected them in recent years, I plan to work with my fellow legislators to draft a comprehensive Economic Recovery Plan that: Focuses on collaboration between the private and public sectors, Offers relief for families under hardship,Re-invests in our state schools and increases access and affordability to home loans and educational loans

HAMMOND: In my campaign, Ive introduced the concept of a dignified wage. It includes at least a $15/hr living wage tied to inflation, but also sets a standard for public assistance. Our unemployment and welfare system in Michigan is broken- this pandemic has put that issue on full display. In order to create sustainable, well-paying jobs, Michigan must further job training programs, as well as revitalize its public education system. Unions must be protected and welcomed. Also, the Green New Michigan plan includes the creation of tens of thousand of Green industry jobs.

ONEAL: In the wake of COVID-19 and the related unemployment, our economy is hurting. Our families are hurting. We must put people back to work in the areas that are most essential to the quality of life in Michigan. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities economy. We will focus on providing and bolstering recourses and technology that support the creation and the expansion of small businesses for business owners. Also, our policies will work with labor groups and businesses to help cut out some of the paperwork to make it easier to get what they need.

What state policies do you support regarding Michigan elections, voting and campaign funding? Do you support mailing ballots to all eligible voters?

ADAMS: Im pleased to see an Independent Citizens Commission handling the redrawing of electoral districts. Michigan effectively has Vote by Mail with our No Reason Absentee Voting law.

BRYANT: I support mailing ballots to all eligible voters. The passage of Proposal 2 and 3 have propelled Michigan to creating a safer and more secure democracy. I collected signatures for both proposals because the residents of Michigan deserve to have fair legislative districts and ease of access to letting their voices be heard. Access to voting is paramount to a true democracy. Proposal 3, a constitutional amendment passed by the voters has eliminated barriers to voting and we must do all we can to keep these constitutional amendments. Voting should be confidential and convenient.

HAMMOND: Michigan is ranked worst in transparency, accountability, and dark money in politics. I absolutely support mailing ballots to all eligible voters, AND not requiring postage costs for the return of those ballots. Also, we must: Reform dark money laws Get rid of revolving doors in Lansing Make our legislature much more accessible and transparent- a Lansing interface that allows citizens to track bills, contact legislators, etc for free. Have stricter guidelines for lobbyists operating in Lansing Fix our term limits Reform our guidelines for political appointments and legislative assistants

ONEAL: Our democracy rights includes the right to a fair and just election process. Therefore, I support same day registration, vote by mail, reduced barriers to voting, straight tickets voting and strong campaign funding guidelines.

What actions or policies do you support to protect Michigans water, air and land for current and future generations? What is your position on energy efficiency and renewable energy?

ADAMS: Michigan is unique among states in that it features some of the most beautiful and pristine waterways, forests and other natural features in the entire country. It is imperative that we protect these features for future generations to come. Further, not only will renewable energy sources help to ensure the maintenance of our natural resources but can be the foundation to a resurgence in Michigans economy. Lets make this state a literal powerhouse by creating green energy right here!

BRYANT: We can no longer pretend climate change is not an urgent environmental crisis. Frankly, if we do not begin to prioritize the health of our dear planet, our quality of life will greatly suffer. One of Michigans greatest assets is its natural resources. Saginaw was once home to 14 industrial manufacturing plants which provided a unique set of challenges from poor air quality to water contamination. We must hold polluters accountable for their failure to act which has greatly accelerated this crisis.*

HAMMOND: I believe that Michigan needs to implement appropriate portions of the Green New Deal in its policy. We have the perfect opportunity, while creating plans to revitalize the degraded infrastructure in our state, to implement mass transit, green technology, and other environmentally-friendly initiatives. Instead, we have horrendous environmental regulations, and allow corporate polluters free reign to dump waste into our lakes, rivers, and aquifers. We must hold polluters accountable, and build an infrastructure that hopefully helps us avoid climate disaster NOW.

ONEAL: Protecting the environment is one more spoke on the wheel of economic development and strong infrastructure. Enacting and enforcing strict standards to protect our air, water, and soil in the 95th district adds healthcare protections as well. Protecting our environment is protecting ourselves and our families. We will work to ensure EPA standards are enforced and strengthened to protect our Great Lakes, our great trust and pride.

How would you address the racial, economic, health, education, etc. inequities, including Michigans 20% of children and 17% of seniors living in poverty?

ADAMS: A few steps not at all exhaustive recommended by University California Berkeley that will decrease inequality are as follows: increase the minimum wage, expand the Earned Income Tax, build assets for working families, invest in education, make the tax code more progressive, and end residential segregation.

BRYANT: COVID-19 did not only illuminate disparities in our healthcare and educational system; but has also forced us to acknowledge again that women and communities of color are not treated equally in America. As we navigate through this health crisis, the heaviest burdens have been placed upon women. Not only is a woman most likely to provide well over 50% of care and schooling in the home, but women are more likely to be considered essential workers. It is the women who will help America recover, and if theyre the ones helping us recover, theyre the ones that need our protection.*

HAMMOND: Fostering social justice in Michigan means dismantling systems that exploit and benefit from injustice. Currently, our governing system and practices here in Michigan perpetuate systemic injustice. Dismantling that system is a difficult and long process, but it starts by electing new, strong leaders that are ready and willing to challenge the status quo. Its time to rid Michigan of corruption and corporate interference in our democracy. Its time to demand that we take issues of injustice and inequity seriously. Its time to elect new, bold leadership to do just that.

ONEAL: We must all work hard to deconstruct or dismantle systemic and discriminatory practices that impact many of the inequities black and brown citizens experience.

Do you believe that Michigan has a gun violence problem? If so, what measures would you support to alleviate this problem?

ADAMS: A lack of gun safety education as well as a general knowledge surrounding Second Amendment rights are whats missing from gun violence dialogue. Further, courses meant to teach conflict resolution should be introduced in schools in communities where gun violence prevails.

BRYANT: Gun Violence is a problem across our Country. However I recognize every American citizen has the right to bear arms. But they should not be used as props to incite violence or rebellion or fear.

HAMMOND: I agree with the 97% of Americans that want to see universal background checks (with no expiring waiting period), loopholes closed, and a ban on assault weapons. To go further, our state regulations when it comes to registration of guns is an absolute mess. For instance, one can legally own a long gun without any registration. We have to clean up our standards so that registration is compulsory and consistent.

ONEAL: No, I believe its the lack of access to opportunities that provides a path forward for many individuals in this country.

*Some of Bryants answers were cut off mid-sentence due to a character limit on the Leaguw of Woemn Voters form. MLive removed these partial sentences from his answers where it impeded clarity.

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Originally posted here:

5 vying for Democratic nomination to replace Vanessa Guerra as 95th District rep - MLive.com