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Panic Porn and the COVID Experts’ Credibility

Matt Vespa at Townhall is right.  The health experts were wrong, and we should all be preparing for our post-lockdown Fourth of July picnics and celebrations.  From his article “And That's Why the COVID Experts’ Credibility Is in Smoldering Ruins”:

People were shamed for going outside. They were selfish, right? People wanting to re-open their businesses were going to get people killed. The overreaction was already apparent by mid-May. And now, with how the medical community has responded to the Floyd demonstrations, it’s now quite clear we’ve been had. Is it still contagious? Yes, but why the blasé attitude towards the Floyd rioters? Where was their public shaming which was shared ad nauseum on social media? The medical experts have been exposed as being no better than CNN, MSNBC, or the entire Democratic operative class. For the millions who lost their jobs to see a narrative reverse overnight because “orange man…bad,” I would be furious. To those who lost their businesses, couldn’t attend graduations, or even funerals—I would be livid as well. In general, we all know that racism isn’t as deadly as a virus. You don’t need to be a doctor to know that, but these clowns think so. We had medical workers clapping and kneeling with protesters. That’s the kill shot to this entire lockdown narrative. We were told to stay home and help not overwhelm the hospitals—and this is the end result. 

The liberal media, Democrats, and the medical expert community, who are now no better than DNC operatives, are trying to weaponize the virus to trash the markets in order to hurt Trump again. They want us back inside. Don’t go back inside, folks. Go outside, go shopping, go to the lakes, go to the beach, and do whatever. The experts have no authority, no high ground—nothing. You cannot sit there and make the argument that protesting in the streets in support of liberal causes is fine, but any other activity is going to spread the virus. You look like a total clown if you do. The experts are finished. So, they can peddle the panic porn all they want. People should do whatever they want because they have zero credibility. 

Panic Porn.  Good phrase.  Read the rest of Mr. Vespa’s article here.

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David Horowitz on the wolf in sheep's clothing

David Horowitz

Many of my relatives and friends are in a state of alarm over George Floyd’s death.  They are sufficiently upset to voice their support for Black Lives Matter, even though nobody knows if race was a motive in police officer Derek Chauvin’s knee-on-neck restraint.  Nevertheless, Black Lives Matter and its offshoots are employing aggressive tactics to increase the scope of their influence.  

But nothing is at it seems.  A go-to source on the history of Black Lives Matter and its core mission is David Horowitz.  He posted on the subject recently at FrontPage Magazine.  Highly recommended if you know anyone who is attracted to Black Lives Matter out of guilt or sympathy or a misunderstanding.  Here’s a short extract (numbers in brackets indicate a footnote in the article):

The power of Black Lives Matter stemmed from its exploitation of the ideology of oppression – Identity Politics – a ready-made indictment looking for a crime. Black Lives Matter was at the center of a very large network, including hundreds of leftist organizations sharing the same vision. Among them: The Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Dream Defenders, Hands Up United, Black Left Unity Network, Black Workers for Justice, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Right to the City Alliance, School of Unity and Liberation, Dignity and Power Now, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Causa Justa/Just Cause, Organization for Black Struggle, Communist Party USA, Showing Up for Racial Justice, and others.

Many of these organizations are funded by America’s largest corporations and philanthropies, including the Ben & Jerry Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Margaret Casey Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and George Soros’s Open Society Institute.

. . .

Black Lives Matter was formed in 2013 by three self-styled “Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries,” who selected as their movement icon convicted cop-killer and Black Liberation Army member Assata Shakur.[4] Shakur had fled to Cuba after being convicted of the homicide she committed when her car was stopped for a broken tail-light by two New Jersey state troopers. Without any warning, Shakur shot trooper Werner Foerster. The 34-year- old Vietnam veteran was lying wounded on the ground pleading for his life, when Shakur walked over and executed him. Officer Foerster left a widow and a three-year-old son.[5] Black Lives Matter activists refer to the murderer as “our beloved Assata Shakur” and chant her words as a ritual, “at every meeting, every event, every action, every freeway we’ve shut down, every mall we’ve shut down.” [6] The chant is this: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support one another. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” The last line is lifted directly from the conclusion to the Communist Manifesto, a document and war cry that has led to the murders of millions.[7]

. . .

The full account is here.

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Mark Steyn is back!

Programming note:  The great Mark Steyn has not made his usual twice-a-week guest appearances on Tucker Carlson for about three months. As of this evening’s (Weds.) 9pm broadcast, HE’S BAAACK!

And this evening’s severe thunderstorm passed through downtown Cleveland.  It inflicted far less damage than the riots and ended with a rainbow:

Photos by Cleveland Tea Party’s roving photographer

Pat Dooley Photography

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We're being played

Are you wearing a mask and practicing social distancing?  Via Instapundit:

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A good guy without a gun

photo credit:  Baltimore Sun

In the riots over a week ago in downtown Cleveland, property was destroyed, looted, and torched.  The Cleveland Police explained that they were “unprepared” for the riots.  “Unprepared”?  Despite having seen the violence and rioting in Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Columbus in the days preceding?  Now comes a report about how a citizen in California stopped further killings.  From CBS News:

U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Steven Carrillo, who allegedly killed a Santa Cruz deputy and wounded two others with gunfire and improvised explosives in a weekend ambush in the Santa Cruz Mountains, was captured by a local resident who wrestled him to the ground and disarmed him of an AR-15, pipe bomb and pistol in a life-or-death confrontation, CBS San Francisco Bay Area reports.

Angry and emotional Santa Cruz Sheriff Jim Hart called Carrillo "a dangerous man intent on bringing harm to police officers."

"I want to talk a little about Steven Carrillo, I don't even want to say his name again," Hart told reporters at a Monday afternoon news conference. "It's the last time you are going to hear me say it. This guy was active Air Force. He was dangerous and he was an angry man intent on bringing harm to police officers. He murdered Sergeant (Damon) Gutzwiller. He injured another deputy."

But Hart said it was the actions of a local resident who stopped Carrillo from claiming more victims Saturday night.

"This guy (Carrillo) went into the backyard of a local resident and the local resident confronted him and wanted to know what he was doing on his property," Hart said. 

"The suspect told him that — actually he had an AR-15 slung, he was carrying an AR. He told the resident he wanted his car keys. The resident very calmly went into his house, obtained a key and came back out and handed it to him."

"As the suspect turned around, the resident tackled him and the AR-15 fell away and the resident took this guy to the ground. At that time the suspect reached into his pocket and pulled out a pipe bomb and tried to ignite a pipe bomb while being held down."

"This resident was able to knock the pipe bomb out of his hand and then the suspect reached into his waistband and pulled out a pistol. There was a wrestling match over the pistol. The resident was able to knock the pistol out of his hand, detain this guy. Multiple other community members from Ben Lomond jumped on this guy and held him until our deputies sheriffs were able to get there and take him into custody."

The full report is here.  So if this citizen could prevent more violence in California, why did the Cleveland Police – who did such a great job with security at the RNC in downtown Cleveland in 2016 – drop the ball?  What were their marching orders?  Inquiring minds want to know.

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The Future Success of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County (RPCC)

Seen on social media over the weekend:

RALPH KING·SUNDAY, 7 JUNE 2020·READING TIME: 2 MINUTES

Dear Fellow Central Committee Member,

My name is Ralph King and I am a member of the Central Committee representing Bedford Ward 6. I have served the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County in excess of 15 years. Currently I also serve on the Scanning Committee. In addition to years of grassroots activism & organizing at the local, state and national level for conservative causes and candidates, I served as a Delegate for President Trump in 2016 and had the honor of also representing our area as a member of the 54th Ohio Electoral College for President Trump.

With my years of activism and dedication to the Republican Party at all levels, especially in Cuyahoga County, I can honestly say we here in Cuyahoga County face an important crossroads offering two very distinct yet starkly contrasting choices.

The Republican Party in Cuyahoga County has been run like a social club for many, many years. The county party is so incestuously intertwined with lobbyists, consultants, political patronage, etc... nothing can get done. This broken strategy of $100K salaries & cronyism consulting fees has left the party literally broke. Do not believe the recent claims that we are on stable financial ground, otherwise why would the RPCC do an emergency fundraising initiative to keep the doors open past June? See attached RPCC special funding initiative letter. (Click Here)

Their old strategy has not worked, will not work and most importantly the old strategy will not change unless WE change it with your VOTE. Elect the “CUYAHOGA FIRST” slate —led by Lisa Stickan as the Chairman — in charge of the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County. VICTORIES are certain to follow.

Do we continue with the same strategy of being mired with the current swamp-filled ways of political patronage & this financially strapped County party unable to help candidates? Or do we stand up & embrace a new fresh Cuyahoga First leadership built on transparency, strong fundraising ability & grassroots support that will lead them to a path of vibrancy, success & winning in Cuyahoga County again!

This all important Central Committee chairman’s race is not as much about the candidates as it is about US — the members of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County Central Committee & Republican voters in Cuyahoga County. And today with our vote together WE can choose a new path, a new successful way to start winning by electing the “Cuyahoga First” slate with Lisa Stickan as our new Chairperson.

In Liberty,

Ralph King

Cleveland Tea Party Patriots

Bedford Ward 6

Central Committee Republican Party Cuyahoga County

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