EDUCATION Comments turned off

Teaching Educators a Necessary Lesson in Court How parents and teachers are fighting back against social justice indoctrination. Richard L. Cravatts

Posted By on October 14th, 2021

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/10/teaching-educators-necessary-lesson-court-richard-l-cravatts/

On September 29th, an association sent an impassioned and grim plea to President Biden’s office in which they “solicit[ed] the expertise and resources of the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, and its National Threat Assessment Center” be employed to address “threats  and  acts  of  violence [that] have  become  more  prevalent –  during  public school board meetings, via documented threats transmitted through the U.S. Postal Service, through social media and other online platforms.”

“These threats or actual acts of violence,” including by “extremist hate organizations,” the letter read, should even require “appropriate enforceable actions against these crimes and acts of violence under the Gun-Free School Zones Act [and] the PATRIOT Act in regards to domestic terrorism . . . “

Who were the extremists and terrorists the letter warned the President about? Islamist terror cells planning domestic attacks? MS-13 gang members who had penetrated the porous southern border and were marauding through American streets and committing criminal acts and murdering American citizens? No, incredibly, the letter was written by The National School Boards Association (NSBA) concerning school board meetings and the threat it described was purportedly coming from concerned parents attending those meetings and questioning, among other topics, critical race theory and mask mandates.

More remarkable, and troubling, is that, in response to the letter, Attorney General Merrick Garland outrageously issued an action plan designed, ostensibly, to suppress any further dissent from concerned parents—citizens whose taxes actually pay for public education. In his October 4th response, while Garland begrudgingly acknowledged that “spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution,” he, nevertheless, was “directing the Federal Bureau of Investigation, working with each United States Attorney, to convene meetings [to] facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff, and will open dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting, assessment, and response.”

The warning was stern and the message, although it will likely (and hopefully) be ignored, is clear: parents should not even think of challenging the current ideology of public school educators, and their race-based, equity-seeking, social justice informed teaching in which white children are oppressors and black children the oppressed. Yet, even with this admonition from the highest level of law enforcement in the land and this naked attempt to criminalize dissent and weaponize the Justice Department, angered parents, students, and even teachers have refused to be bullied and ignored by truculent school boards and have turned to the courts for relief.

ENVIRONMENT AND JUNK SCIENCE, NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

The West’s Suicidal Energy Policies Global warmists’ pipe-dreams and bad science. Bruce Thornton

Posted By on October 14th, 2021

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/10/wests-suicidal-energy-policies-bruce-thornton/

History and common sense tell us that for a nation to survive, it must secure and control critical natural resources. In recent decades, Western nations have increasingly ignored this imperative in order to pursue dubious environmental goals dressed up as science, but more often the consequence of cultural ideals, political agendas, or profitable industries supported by government subsidies.

The current rise in the costs of energy in the U.S. and Europe is a flashing red light warning us that irresponsible energy policies are threatening the global economy, with dangerous consequences for our freedom, security, and way of life.

History provides us with examples of what happens to a state when it loses control of a critical resource. Ancient Athens depended on imported grain to feed its people. Recognizing the importance of foreign grain, the Athenians controlled the ports and sea-lanes that facilitated grain transport from the Black Sea region. Its dependence on those imports in fact led to its defeat by Sparta in the 27-year-long Peloponnesian War. Sparta’s naval victory at Aegospotamai at the mouth of the modern Dardanelles cut off Athenian imports from the Black Sea. Faced with starvation, the Athenians capitulated.

Twenty-two centuries later, the West faced a similar, though not as disastrous, challenge–– the 1973-74 Arab Oil Embargo. OPEC cut off imports of oil to the U.S. and other nations for supporting Israel during the 1973 Arab-Israeli, or Yom Kippur War. Dependent on imported oil, the U.S. faced the “oil shock”: gasoline prices rising 43%, gas rationing, long lines at gas-stations, a tripling of oil costs per barrel, stagflation, a stock market crash, and further damage to the global economy. The silver lining of this crisis was the development of policies and measures intended to wean the U.S. from its dependence on imported oil.

ISRAEL Comments turned off

No Time for Guilt Over Israel’s Self-Defense Moshe Phillips

Posted By on October 14th, 2021

https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/10/12/no-time-for-guilt-over-israels-self-defense/

This month’s anniversary of the 1953 battle of Qibya has triggered yet another outpouring of Jewish guilt. But Israel has no more reason to feel guilty about Qibya than the Allies do for bombing Dresden, Hiroshima, or Nagasaki.

The Biblical book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) was read by Jews during Sukkot. Even non-synagogue-going Jews know it’s verse “a time of war, and a time of peace” — thanks to the 1959 Byrds hit “Turn! Turn! Turn!” But it should be made clear that nowhere in Kohelet does one find a verse declaring that there’s “a time of guilt.” And there’s good reason for that.

In the early 1950s, Palestinian Arab terrorists based in Jordan frequently crossed into Israel and perpetrated savage attacks against Israeli civilians. Instead of hitting back, Israel’s leaders first tried diplomacy. On June 8, 1953, they signed an agreement with Jordan that was supposed to prevent the cross-border attacks. How did that work out? Each evening for the next three days, Palestinian Arab terrorists coming from Jordan murdered Israeli civilians, including children, in Jerusalem, Lod, Mishmar Avalon, and Kfar Hess.

The Israeli cabinet met in an emergency session. Jordan denied responsibility, claiming the terrorists were actually just burglars. That was, of course, a blatant lie: throwing grenades through the windows of homes, and not stealing anything, is not the way burglars operate.

Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett pleaded with the United Nations to do something. Long weeks passed, as Israel waited in vain for the international community to respond. There were crickets.

The final straw came when terrorists from Jordan slaughtered an Israeli mother and her two young children in the town of Yehud. Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion decided to stop waiting for international sympathy, and to undertake a military response. So he sent an Israeli army unit headed by Ariel Sharon to hit the nearby Jordanian town of Qibya on the night of October 13, 1953.

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Gobbling China’s exports, US sinks into dependency Illustrating the state of America’s supply chains, orders for US-made manufacturing equipment are at 1992 level David Goldman

Posted By on October 14th, 2021

https://asiatimes.com/2021/10/gobbling-chinas-exports-us-sinks-into-dependency/

China’s exports rose 28% in September from the year-earlier level, more than the analyst consensus had forecast. More important is that China’s exports to the United States have risen by 31% since January 2018, when President Trump imposed tariffs on a wide range of US imports from China. At a seasonally adjusted annual rate, the US is buying $635 billion of Chinese goods, equal to a staggering 27% of US manufacturing Gross Domestic Product.

During the same period, China’s exports to South Korea rose by 50%, to Taiwan by 60%, and to Germany by 61%, but China imports almost as much from these three countries.

Demand for Chinese goods after the pandemic disruption has strained China’s production capacity, contributing to a power shortage that is now forcing cutbacks in key industries, including computer chips.

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Gas prices at 7-year high and rising as Biden wages offensive against domestic energy producers Oil and gas supply is too low to meet U.S. demand, due to a combination of factors, including halting of new leases on federal land, halting the Keystone Pipeline, and increasing regulatory burdens, industry analysts argue.By Bethany Blankley

Posted By on October 14th, 2021

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/tugas-prices-seven-year-high-and-rising-biden-offensive-against-domestic-oil

“Average gas price: June 2020: $2.21 June 2021: $3.07 President Biden’s economy!” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) tweeted during the summer. 

“You forgot to mention that gas prices are the same now as they were in June 2018,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki fired back. “Or that this time last year unemployment was 11.1% — today it’s 5.8%. @POTUS agrees families shouldn’t pay more at the pump — that’s why he’s opposed to GOP proposals to raise the gas tax.”

Yet, the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill reportedly includes an estimated $6 billion worth of charges on U.S. oil and gas operators on federal lands, which could effectively put mom and pop small business, and minority and Native-owned operations out of business, in addition to killing tens of thousands of jobs.   

There isn’t enough oil and gas supply to meet U.S. demand, due to a combination of factors, including the Biden administration halting new leases on federal land, halting the Keystone Pipeline, increasing regulatory burdens, and other measures that will take years to correct, those in the industry argue.

In one of his first acts in office, President Joe Biden, through executive order, halted the issuance of new oil and gas leases on federal lands, effectively stopping much production for existing operations. He also eliminated low-cost Canadian crude from being processed by mid-continent and Gulf Coast and U.S. refiners by prohibiting the Keystone pipeline from opening. 

If Biden had not severely hampered domestic production, the U.S. would have an ample supply of oil and gas and commensurately lower costs at the pump, industry experts argue. 

The $6 billion in additional costs imposed on the industry included in the budget reconciliation bill include new methane fees, inspection fees, severance fees, and bonding requirements, as well as additional requirements for operating on federal lands.

P.C.-CULTURE Comments turned off

Chicago Museum Goes Woke, Fires All of Its Mostly White, Female Volunteers By Kevin Downey Jr.

Posted By on October 13th, 2021

https://pjmedia.com/uncategorized/kevindowneyjr/2021/10/12/chicago-museum-goes-woke-fires-all-of-its-mostly-white-female-volunteers-n1523179

Thank you, ladies. You were kind enough to volunteer for years. Some for decades. Now get out.

The Art Institute of Chicago has canned all of its volunteer docents—well-trained, volunteer educators—almost 150 in total. Their crime? Most were retired white women. No diversity, no inclusiveness. I’m betting many were… ew… straight. And… “cisgender.” Bah.

The Docent Council complained about the decision in a letter to Art Institute President James Rondeau:

We believe we were dismissed (1) because the museum’s perspective is that the current docent corps’ demographics do not meet the need of the strategic plan (2) the museum concluded that reengineering the docent program was a step towards achieving the museum’s important goal of creating a culture of diversity and inclusion.

“Once you cut through the blather, the letter basically said the museum had looked critically at its corps of docents, a group dominated by mostly (but not entirely) white, retired women with some time to spare, and found them wanting as a demographic,” stated the Chicago Tribune.

And if you think that’s ugly, here is the real punchline: Their “diverse” replacements will be paid $25 an hour.

Yes, you read that correctly, a volunteer crew of mostly white older women is out and a diverse, well-paid crew is coming in.

This is the work of the museum’s new Woman’s Board Executive Director, Learning and Public Engagement, Victoria Stein. Stein, who is black, was hired earlier this year.

EDUCATION Comments turned off

Professor Canceled by Woke Outrage Mob Has Last Laugh By Gwendolyn Sims

Posted By on October 13th, 2021

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/gwendolynsims/2021/10/12/update-professor-canceled-by-woke-outrage-mob-has-last-laugh-n1523199

Last week I reported what happened when tenured University of Chicago Professor Dorian Abbot questioned his university’s Diversity/Equity/Inclusion (DEI) efforts in a series of YouTube videos and articles. The professor faced backlash immediately. Soon, a small group of leftist ideologues mounted a successful Twitter campaign against him resulting in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) canceling a distinguished science lecture Abbot had been invited to give simply because the woke mob disagreed with some of his political positions.

And what were Abbot’s “controversial” political positions that provoked the wrath of the Twitter mob? Abbot posited that university hiring and admissions should be based on merit not racial “equity.” Yes, you read that correctly. Abbot had the audacity to go against the leftist narrative that DEI are the most relevant considerations in hiring and admissions standards, you know, because of “systemic racism.” Of all the white privileged nerve or something.

That’s when MIT caved to the woke mob by canceling the prestigious Carlson lecture altogether “in order to avoid controversy.” That’s where we left the story last week, however, I’m happy to report that another prestigious school, Princeton University, has invited Abbot to speak.

In addition, I’m happy to report that not only has Princeton stepped in when MIT was too cowardly to face the mob, but the embattled Geophysical Sciences professor’s audience has grown exponentially.

ISRAEL Comments turned off

Why Palestinians Prefer To Work In Israel by Khaled Abu Toameh

Posted By on October 13th, 2021

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17859/palestinians-work-israel

The fact that a large number of Palestinians are desperate to work in Israel is a sign of the failure of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to improve the living conditions of their people despite the massive sums of money they receive from various sources, including the United States, European Union and United Nations.

Instead of holding Hamas responsible for what he called the “tragedy” in the Gaza Strip, al-Amsi and other Palestinians choose to blame Israel.

This view is in keeping with the longstanding habit of the Palestinian leadership to evade their responsibility for thievery and non-governance by blaming Israel for everything.

Many Palestinians and Arabs, however, are no longer buying this nonsense and know exactly who is trying to help and who has not done a thing to end their suffering.

“Thousands of Palestinians, including those with [academic] degrees, are fighting for a job in Israel. I guarantee you that if Israel announced that it wants workers from Algeria, they would cross the Sahara [Desert] on foot to work in Israel to escape the hell they are living in at home.” — Hoda Jannat, Syrian journalist and political analyst, Twitter, October 7, 2021.

As has now become embarrassingly clear for all to see, Israel has become the only hope for the hungry workers in the Gaza Strip — who have been abandoned not only by their leaders, but by the rest of their Arab brothers as well.

Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip are excited. Israeli authorities have decided to allow thousands of them to work in Israel. The news about the Israeli decision spread like wildfire, prompting tens of thousands of Palestinians to converge on the offices of the chambers of commerce throughout the Gaza Strip in the hope of obtaining a permit to work in Israel.

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Americans Are Being Lied to’ by the Biden Administration Keely Sharp

Posted By on October 13th, 2021

https://dailypatriotreport.com/tulsi-gabbard-americans-are-being-lied-to-by-the-biden-administration/

On Saturday, former presidential candidate and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard appeared on Fox News and told viewers that the Biden Administration is straight up lying to the American people about the border crisis and Afghanistan withdrawal.

Gabbard explained, “The faith and trust that the American people need to have in our leaders is dropping every day. The Department of Homeland Security Secretary recently told Congress our borders are secure. This is what he said, this kind of bald-faced lie, whether it has to do with domestic issues or foreign policy issues. We’ve seen this with Afghanistan and the tragically botched withdrawal of our troops and Americans out of Afghanistan. When people are being lied to, the American people are being lied to, it is revealing of the arrogance and the self-serving nature of leaders who are in power in this country.”

She added, “The disrespect that they have for the American people, and it’s why people are losing faith and trust in those leaders. If we have leaders who respect the people, then the people will respect our leaders. If we have leaders who trust the American people, we will trust our leaders. And that’s the problem here is we don’t have leaders who have that trust and respect and who therefore put themselves ahead of the interests of the people.”

ELECTIONS Comments turned off

Your Vote Won’t Count There is no point in hoping the next election will be magically less fraudulent than the last one. Hope gives you an excuse not to act. By Dan Gelernter

Posted By on October 13th, 2021

https://amgreatness.com/2021/10/12/your-vote-wont-count/

We’re coming up on another election of national importance—the Virginia governor’s race is November 2. My friends are hopefully suggesting on social media that this will be the election that turns things around, where the full anger of the common folk at being bossed around by autocratic overlords finally manifests itself and we throw the bums out.

Mind you, they were saying the same thing with the same hope about the California recall election. And I said at the time, weeks before the vote was tallied, there was no point in hoping that patriotic anger would outbalance the massive machinery at work behind the scenes: Your votes didn’t matter in the 2020 presidential election, they didn’t matter in the California recall, they won’t matter in the Virginia gubernatorial election, and they won’t matter next year.

In case you’ve forgotten the high-level overview of the situation, let’s have Time Magazine remind us:

‘Every attempt to interfere with the proper outcome of the election was defeated,’ says Ian Bassin, co-founder of Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan rule-of-law advocacy group. ‘But it’s massively important for the country to understand that it didn’t happen accidentally. The system didn’t work magically. Democracy is not self-executing.’

That’s why the participants want the secret history of the 2020 election told, even though it sounds like a paranoid fever dream—a well-funded cabal of powerful people, ranging across industries and ideologies, working together behind the scenes to influence perceptions, change rules and laws, steer media coverage and control the flow of information.

According to Time, this was a huge triumph, since the “conspiracy unfolding behind the scenes” (again, their words) was designed to protect “democracy” from being undermined by stupid people like you who believe the wrong things and want to elect the wrong people. You were against the “proper” outcome!