Standing for the flag or kneeling with some of the Browns

Sometimes it’s the little things that you can do. Cleveland.com reported on the President of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association Steve Loomis’s announcement that officers would not participate in opening ceremonies with the Cleveland Browns:

Cleveland's police union will not be holding the American flag for a pregame ceremony for the Brown's first game Sept. 10, Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association President Steve Loomis said late Friday.

Union members had planned on participating in the flag ceremony for the first game on Sept. 10 until some Browns players kneeled during the National Anthem before a preseason game, Loomis said in an interview with cleveland.com.

The players not standing for the national anthem is offensive because of the sacrifices that people make that allows these guys to enjoy the success that they have, Loomis said. While they're benefiting from protection of the flag they are kneeling in disrespect of it, he said.

Joining the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association out of respect for our flag is “the union that represents the city's dispatchers, EMTs and paramedics.”

Cleveland.com also reported on Police Chief Calvin Williams’s response:

we as Cleveland Police Officers strive to open the lines of communication with all of our citizens--athletes and enthusiastic Browns fans alike. Who are we kidding?! We are CLEVELAND!! And we stay strong together. We stand together. 

Moving forward, I can tell you that we within the Cleveland Division of Police are in communication with the Cleveland Browns Organization as we have been in the past. We want to hear from our players, the fans and our citizens of this great city. We want to bridge the gap. We want to talk.

I look forward to a continued partnership with our CLEVELAND athletes, our community and a great BROWNS season!!!"

Loomis respects our flag and National Anthem and takes a stand. As I see it, Cleveland Police Chief Williams is not taking that stand. 

You can email both Steve Loomis and Chief Williams to let them know what you think:

• Steve Loomis at <Steveloomis[insert the ‘at” symbol]aol.com>
• For Police Chief Calvin Williams, click here and choose “City Services” and “Division of Police” in the drop-downs. 

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By the Book: The Strange Death of Europe

Amazon cover

Just finished Douglas Murray’s frightening must-read The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam. If America needed another wake-up call, this is it.  This book examines the paramount problem of today: uncontrolled immigration. And from all angles, based on his research and his extensive travels, particularly in Europe. 

Murray covers history, philosophy and religion, Islam and Christianity, demographics, cultural suicide, political correctness, ideologies, political landscapes, corruption, voter preferences vs government “leaders”, humanity, immigration pros and cons, good stories, bad stories, as well as the what-do-we-do-now and current dilemma scenarios. His conclusions about Europe are a preview of coming attractions here in the USA. 

And it's cheap on Kindle.

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Happy Labor Day

art credit: pinterest

Happy Labor Day!

The Cleveland Air Show on Labor Day weekend

Always thrilling and very noisy.

  

Note: Final performances tomorrow.

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Tech Giants War on Free Speech

art credit: pamelageller.com

Are we losing our First Amendment Rights?

In case you don’t follow Pamela Geller, she specializes in defending the right to free speech and, in particular, threats to free speech presented by jihad and sharia law. Geller is fearless, and she is under perpetual death threats.

Quite recently, subsequent to the Southern Poverty Law Center putting another target on her back, her access to PayPal was withdrawn. Enough readers complained, and PayPal backed down and restored access. Now it’s Google search drives and YouTubes that are limiting her right to free speech. 

If you do not bookmark her website, you might never hear about this. Jihad and sharia law may not be your particular focus, but your right to free speech is probably toward the top of your priority list. It would be for any Tea Party person. We already know that under the previous administration, the weaponized IRS targeted all sorts of conservative and liberty groups. It's getting worse.

Check out Pamela Geller’s chilling Sept. 2 report here. A few extracts:

My website and posts have been scrubbed from Google search. Fourteen years and over forty thousand posts. Google Adsense has banned my account. Google is blacklisting and has admitted to working with alt-left smear groups to silence opposition. And it’s not just me, it’s all criticism of jihad and sharia.

Facebook has blocked my news-feed. My twitter account is shadowbanned. I have been blocked from uploading videos to YouTube [as] punishment for 2007 video on jihad (and YouTube demonetized all of my videos). Paypal suspended me until an outpouring of condemnation and outrage forced a reversal.

Is this really America?

Read her full report here. Scroll down the article for readers' suggestions on what we can be doing to reverse these dangerous developments. It’s OUR problem!

And for Geller’s equally chilling report on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Aim in Life to Destroy These Groups Completely,” click here.

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September 3: National Day of Prayer for the Victims of Hurricane Harvey

photo credit: Firenews

From the White House website:

President Donald J. Trump Proclaims September 3, 2017, as a National Day of Prayer for the Victims of Hurricane Harvey and for our National Response and Recovery Efforts.

Whether you are a church-goer or not, consider packing up a carton to send down to Texas of non-perishable foodstuffs, unopened toiletries, and other items needed by those whose homes are flooded. Details in a previous blog here. And I found one website with street addresses in Texas should you decide to ship yourself: click KBTX. It includes lists of items needed at each drop-off location.

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Ways to help Hurricane Harvey victims

image credit: crowdrise

The Texas clean-up efforts, especially in the Houston area, are underway, and I found a helpful list of organizations on the Fox 8 Cleveland page that can help Northeast Ohioans help Hurricane Harvey victims.

Many of the efforts are still ongoing (the list was initially published on Aug 29). Note: A lot of the usual relief organizations, including the Red Cross, were requesting cash rather than in-kind donations. We chose the Mira Family Charity, even though they were so overwhelmed with donations that they could not (as of Friday) arrange pick-up of non-perishable food, clothes, etc., so a friend of ours drove the carload of goods to their Payne Ave. drop-off point.

Below are some of the places Fox 8 lists, where you can drop off items to help.

The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland has scheduled a special second collection, the weekend of September 9-10 at all Masses. The funds will be channeled directly to Catholic Charities USA which is on the ground and assisting the flood-ravaged area.

Mario's Barbershop at  7526 Broadview Rd. in  Parma is collecting water, diapers, and non-perishable food.

The City of Stow is helping the Texas Diaper Bank provide much-needed diapers to families. The city will accept donations of diapers or money at Stow City Hall on 3760 Darrow Road.   Stow will also collect at the annual Summer Blast Sept. 2 and 3 at Silver Springs Park. Stow City Council will be taking donations at the council booth.

Mira Family Charity - Operation Help Houston is holding a stuff the truck campaign Wednesday, August 30 through Friday, September 1. All donations can be drop off at Tenable Protective Services 2423 Payne Avenue. Cleveland Ohio 44114. Between 7am and 6 pm thru September 1st. If you need items picked up, call (216) 401-5148. [Note: Pretty sure this organization is scheduling a second Stuff-the-Truck next week. Give them a call.]

Middleburg Heights businesses (Sips & Such, Euphoria Vapor and M of Hope) have organized a drive for the following non-profit organizations in Texas: Houston Food Bank, The Texas Diaper Bank, Austin Pets Alive, SPCA of Texas. Drop off is at 7535 Pearl Road in  Middleburg Heights Wednesday through Saturday from 7 am - 9 pm. Click here to see a list of items they need.

The list at Fox 8’s page has more giving opportunities. The webpage suggests checking back for updates.

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