Potpourri

 I saw this on something, and thought it was a good conversation starter.

Democratic Platform

You don't need your guns, because you should call the police.

De-fund the police because they make the criminals unsafe.

If you defend yourself from a criminal using lethal force, we will prosecute.

Clearly this is tongue in cheek, hyperbolic, sarcastic, or whatever terms you'd prefer.   Yet, there's some truth there. 

 I've literally heard those on the left who want to ban or significantly restrict gun ownership, or who consider self-defense an illegitimate use for a gun say things very much like the first statement.  When I've pointed out the reality that it's not the job of the police to protect us, I've never gotten a coherent answer as to why we shouldn't be able to protect ourselves.

Obviously there are a multitude of voices calling for de-funding the police.  Strangely some of those same voices have used the police of publicly funded private security to give themselves a level of protection denied their constituents.   It seems reasonable that if the second premise is implemented, that it increases the possibility that you might need to defend yourself.   

Finally, as we saw in STL, simply displaying firearms to deter people from trespassing further, generated a prosecution that was significantly out of proportion to the actions that precipitated it.   It seems safe to say that "lethal force" isn't necessary for prosecution if there are political points to be made.

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I keep hearing the line that goes something like "All the burning cities are on Trump's watch.", and it makes me wonder if people just grab on to these slogans without thinking.    

For anyone who knows anything about our federal system of government, it is indisputable that the executive branch of the federal government has virtually no connection with the actions of any city police force, let alone with individual officers.   These are likely the same folks who will tell you without hesitation that Trump is a tyrant, yet want to blame him for staying within his constitutional authority.    

He's offered help from the National Guard and other federal resources, with the exception of MSP those offers have been declined.  I suspect that no one in power in MN will do anything except claim credit for involving the MNANG.   Strangely enough, MSP hasn't seen the months of rioting we've seen in Portland and Seattle, and Walz and Frey were quick to call the MNANG again the other night to nip the looting in the bud.  

It's absolutely beyond me how anyone can absolve the local, county, and state governments from responsibility for these local police departments (for which they DO have varying degrees of responsibility), while trying to blame Trump who has virtually none.

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BVMLTT

BLM supporter @AbTwo4, responding to a Twitter enemy.

"racist bitch"

"Fuck you ho"

"Hope somebody kill u n rape ya kids pussy bitch"

I can see why we should be listening to this particular black voice.  This is something I see a fair amount of on Twitter.  This "I hope someone rapes/kills your wife/children".  I guess it's either thought to be persuasive or a sign of surrender.  Stay classy.

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"Jesus, who astounded the world by rejecting this temporal kingdom, is our savior, not rogue ambassadors.  And when He returns, you better believe that:

1. He's not going to ask His bride who they voted for in 2020.

2.  He won't be taking sides.  He's taking over."

Phillip M Holmes

Why do I suspect that progressives will find #2 problematic?

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"Since I announced my move from LA to Texas, my inbox is full of:

Liberals telling me I'm not welcome here because I'm trans and conservatives will beat me up.

Conservatives excitedly welcoming me an encouraging me to move faster.

Interesting."

Blaire White

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Yesterday, the hometown baseball team decided to forgo their game as a tribute to everything that's going on,  A story that got great press.  Yet I wonder:

If nobody realized that this is an extra day off in a compacted season.

What did the players do with their time?

If the fact that they only have to play a total of 14 innings of baseball over two days as opposed to 18 has anything to do with the decision, or if it's just a fortuitous coincidence.

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I keep hearing the excuse, "Well they've got insurance." as if having insurance makes stealing and destroying the livelihood of anyone appropriate behavior.   I wonder how many people understand the realities of business insurance for small business.

1.  Insurance isn't just a magic blank check, there's no guarantee that the settlement will be large enough or come fast enough to save your business.

2.  Insurance is a way that some business owners might choose to cut in slow economic times.   So, if you've been forcefully closed down and can't afford all of your bills, it's not unreasonable to conclude that temporarily cutting back on insurance is a way to stretch your limited finances.

3.  Small business owners are rarely rich enough to survive months of being closed down, then having their business (inventory, etc) destroyed in the name of justice.

4.  If the business owner decided to burn down their business to collect the insurance, it'd be called insurance fraud.

5.  It's still stealing, it's still wrong, it's still a violation of the criminal legal code and of two of the 10 commandments.

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I'm always amazed that people know so little of our legal system that they conclude that someone being charged with a crime or crimes automatically means that they are guilty of those crimes.   These are likely the same morons who think everyone should be charged with 1st degree murder regardless of the circumstances or the law.  As well as the ones who are going to burn more shit down when 3/4 of the fired MPLS cops get acquitted, and Chauvin gets convicted of involuntary manslaughter (or something minor).   Maybe (along with a class in practical life skills) HS should include a basic overview of how the US legal system works as well.