The Patriot Post Digest 6-14-2016

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The Patriot Post Digest 6-14-2016
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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Mid-Day Digest

Jun. 14, 2016

THE FOUNDATION

“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms… disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.” —Cesare Beccaria, quoted by Thomas Jefferson in Commonplace Book

TOP RIGHT HOOKS

Democrats' Rank Politicization of Death1

Democrats in the House didn’t even sit through a moment of silence before they stood on the coffins of the Orlando dead2 to push their gun control agenda. The leftists in the chamber re-introduced legislation3 that would prevent anyone on the no-fly list from purchasing a firearm or explosives. Although he was investigated by the FBI three years ago, the jihadi murderer was not on a terror watch list at the time of the attack. But that’s just parsing details to Democrats, who want to exploit the outrage to advance their long-desired gun control measures.

To be clear: Democrats don’t care about the 49 dead. Monday evening, House Speaker Paul Ryan announced a moment of silence to remember the Americans who died Sunday. In video of the moment4, as most of the chamber stood with head bowed, some Democrats paid the ultimate disrespect by walking out of the chamber. Others interrupted the somber moment by chanting, “Where’s the bill?” Just as some leftists belittle the prayers of people petitioning God after such a murder spree, these lawmakers demonstrated a disregard for the plight of real Americans so that they could push for bills like the one they introduced this week. Never let a crisis go to waste.

The bill Democrats revived was a measure defeated by Senate Republicans in December. As we pointed out then5, preventing people on the terror watch list (which contains 280,000 Americans with no ties to terrorism) from buying guns in no way prevents those on the list from getting guns illegally. Furthermore, the bill would take away Americans' constitutional rights without due process — a gun control loophole, if you will.

But the constitutionally dubious nature of the bill did not prevent Democrat lawmakers — who also took an oath to support and defend the Constitution — from accusing Republicans of being an accessory to terrorism by defeating their scheme.

What Is an ‘Assault Weapon’?6

“When you say assault weapon, what exactly do you mean?” a reporter asked Obama spokesman Josh Earnest. After all, if we’re going to talk about banning something, let’s at least know what it is.

“Well, these are weapons of war,” Earnest began. “There was an assault weapons ban that was in place in the ‘90s that lapsed during the term of the previous president, and [Barack Obama] believes that that ban on assault weapons should be reinstated.”

The question unanswered, the reporter asked again: “The AR-15 is a pretty popular weapon, and it was tweaked in response to the assault weapons ban, so conceivably, with that ban this gun would still be out there. … What types of features … would the president want banned in an assault weapons ban?”

(For background, the '94 ban covered primarily cosmetic features of semiautomatic rifles, which are used in 2% of crimes, though several recent mass murderers have used them.)

“I will acknowledge that, um, the technology, uh, uh, behind some of these firearms and the way that they comport with certain aspects of certain pieces of legislation is complicated,” Earnest stammered. “Uh, I’m certainly not an expert in them. But there’d previously been an assault weapons ban in place that took weapons of war off our streets. Certainly did not allow an individual to walk into a gun store, uh, and walk out that same day with a weapon of war, with a weapon that belongs on the battlefield.”

AR-15-style rifles are not “weapons of war.” They are not the same as the select-fire weapons used by our military. They are semiautomatic rifles (one trigger pull, one bullet fired) with detachable magazines and sometimes even the dreaded barrel shroud7.

We suggest Earnest use this excellent resource8 to become, if not an expert, at least mildly informed.

Finally, as the reporter noted, every time Obama engages in “demonizing the most popular gun,” sales only increase9.

U.S. Army Birthday and Flag Day10

Today is the 241st birthday of the United States Army, born in 1775 of the desire to defend Essential Liberty11 and spread its flame. As the Army and its fellow service branches continue to lead the way in defending Liberty, let us not forget to pray for these brave Patriots standing in harm’s way and their families awaiting their safe return.

Today is also Flag Day. Our flag is a beacon of Liberty, a symbol of hope for all people who “hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed – that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it…” On this Flag Day, we American Patriots display and pay homage to our national flag.

Be sure to read Mark Alexander’s essay on the real history of our flag12.

For the highest quality American-made U.S. flags available, please visit The Patriot Post Shop13. We also have information on etiquette and protocol14.

We Need You

You read The Patriot Post because you believe in our mission: advocating individual rights and responsibilities, the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and the promotion of free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. Because we are not sustained by any political, special interest or parent organization, and we do not accept advertising, your support is what keeps The Patriot Post in the hands of Patriots around the nation, while in turn building the conservative movement. Help your Patriot Post team continue the fight for Liberty. Please consider making a secure online donation15 to our 2016 Independence Day Campaign today.

Thank you!   Nate Jackson 
Managing Editor

Don’t Miss Patriot Humor

Check out Income Inequality16.

If you’d like to receive Patriot Humor by email, update your subscription here17.

BEST OF RIGHT OPINION

Dennis Prager: What If the Orlando Murderer Were a Christian?18
Thomas Sowell: Will Orlando Change Anything?19
Stephen Moore: The Stupid Party Keeps Getting Stupider20

For more, visit Right Opinion21.

FEATURED RIGHT ANALYSIS
Casting Blame in All the Wrong Places22

By Paul Albaugh

The terrorist attack in Orlando carried out by a radicalized Islamic U.S. citizen has brought back to the forefront talks of more gun control, as well as a fight over how to address so-called “hate crimes.” Amidst all of the speculation about who this murderer was and why he committed this horrific act of terror, many in the Leftmedia, the “LGBT community” and even our own president are attempting to blame people and organizations who had nothing to do with what happened.

A Muslim killed homosexuals during Ramadan and “LGBT Pride Month,” so naturally, it’s the fault of … Christians.

You can’t make this stuff up folks. It’s really happening, and it is going to grow worse each and every time an atrocity happens. Instead of looking at the root causes of Omar Mateen’s evil actions, we are told that it’s the fault of everyone opposed to the homosexual agenda (or gun control).

According to ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, Christians are to blame. “You know what is gross,” he tweeted, “your [Christian] thoughts and prayers and Islamophobia after you created this anti-queer climate.” He continued, “The Christian Right has introduced 200 anti-LGBT bills in the last six months and people [are] blaming Islam for this.”

As if it’s outrageous to blame a radical Muslim when a radical Muslim pulled the trigger.

Maybe Strangio missed some important facts about the murderer. Mateen was not only Muslim but a Democrat, and some suspect he was a regular at the homosexual bar because he himself was homosexual — versus casing the joint for the attack. (There’s much to be said about the self-loathing he must have felt as he tried to be a “good Muslim.” One might call this a self-hate crime.) Yet somehow the ACLU has the audacity to blame Christians, conservatives and Republicans.

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The Patriot Post Digest 6-14-2016
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
________________________________________

National Review’s Heather Mac Donald reports23 that right after the Orlando attack, media outlets wasted no time in trying to connect the incident to outrage over Obama’s transgender bathroom policies. Further, she notes that The New York Times attempted to frame the discussion about why it happened without once mentioning Islamic extremism.

From the Times: “What did it mean that it happened in June, Gay Pride Month? Was it a hate crime against gay people or simply evidence that gun violence is out of control — or both? Gay rights have been advancing at a rapid clip. Has that lessened homophobia? Or maybe made it worse?”

Another delusional individual, Chad Griffin, who is president of the Human (read: Homosexual) Rights Campaign, railed that Orlando is an example of what happens when a “deranged, delusional person is taught to hate” by a “preacher on Sunday morning in church or by a politician.” He might have a point except that Mateen was taught in an Islamic mosque, not a Christian church. Nor did he learn from politicians who have fought for traditional values and Rule of Law.

James Obergefell, the plaintiff from Ohio whose same-sex marriage was upheld by the Supreme Court, had this absurd take24 on the Orlando massacre: “To know that a mass shooting — to know it happened in a place where we as a community go to feel comfortable and be ourselves? I knew there would be a backlash against the strides we’ve made. There’s so much hatred directed toward our community, from candidates, from religious fanatics. I’m not surprised something horrible has happened, but I’m surprised at how horrible it is.”

By religious fanatics, did he mean radical Islamists? Perhaps, but he avoided saying it, choosing instead to lump all those who are opposed to the homosexual lifestyle into one group.

Finally, during a White House Press briefing25, Barack Obama was asked, “Is there anything more to the LBGT angle to this?” His response based on his personal agenda is not surprising, but it is sickening: “There are connections between this vicious, bankrupt ideology and general attitudes towards gays and lesbians. And unfortunately, that’s something that the LGBT community is subject to not just by ISIL but by a lot of groups that purport to speak on behalf of God around the world.”

Obama and all of these other activists could not be more wrong. They refuse to acknowledge that Mateen was an Islamic terrorist. They refuse to point out that killing homosexuals is a regular occurrence in many Muslim nations as a matter of “justice.” Has anyone heard the “LBGT community” cry out about this? No, you haven’t and you won’t.

It would do some good if a major news outlet would proclaim that in breaking news, millions of Christians, as well as thousands of bakers and florists, killed no one today despite being verbally beaten into acquiesce by the band of “tolerant” thugs we call the Rainbow Mafia.

Obama and these LGBT activists have an agenda that is clear to those paying attention. They want anyone who dares to say that homosexuality is wrong — especially conservative Christians — to be portrayed as hateful bigots. They want those who speak the truth in love to be silenced.

It is not enough for them to force their wicked lifestyle into the courts, into the law and into the classroom. They don’t simply want us to acknowledge it; they want all Americans regardless of faith to embrace it, to call good what is evil. And as our culture deteriorates, we cannot lose sight of the truth and we cannot lose sight of the fact that without truth there is no Liberty.

MORE ORIGINAL PERSPECTIVE

ANALYSIS: Obama’s Failed Record Is Hillary’s Platform26
Clinton Calls It Jihad27
Another Casualty of Obama’s Economy: The American Family28
Reid Lied, Accused Senator of Praying for Obama’s Death29

TOP HEADLINES

Under Obama: 8 Islamic Terror Attacks That Could Have Been Prevented30
Supreme Court Declines to Rule on What Makes a U.S. Citizen31
Trump Adds 'Washington Post’ to Banned List32

For more, visit Patriot Headline Report33

OPINION IN BRIEF

Dennis Prager: “I am writing this column in Rome, where I’m staying at a hotel located one block from the American embassy. The embassy is draped in an enormous gay liberation flag. Three questions come to mind: Why does the embassy have such a flag? Does it have any other giant flag besides the American flag on hand? Are all embassies currently draped in this flag? For example, are the American embassies in Muslim countries draped in it? My third and most relevant question is: Had a Muslim targeted and murdered scores of Christians, would any American embassy anywhere in the world be draped in a flag depicting the Christian cross? In fact, in light of the one and only ongoing genocide in the world, that of Christians in the Middle East by certain Muslim groups, why aren’t American embassies draped with a flag bearing a cross? We all know the answer. Christians must be portrayed as villains, not victims.”

SHORT CUTS

Upright: “If you responded to a mass murder by a Muslim who has pledged allegiance to the world’s most violent terrorist organization by expressing rage against Christians who have never in their lives advocated violence against any gay person, anywhere — you’re a bigot.” —David French

Observations: “[The Orlando] atrocity posed a test for those on the multicultural left: Would they see clearly the threat of Islamic terrorism when it targeted a minority whose interests they vigorously champion against far lesser threats? For the most part the answer was no.” —James Taranto

The BIG Lie: “It’s no coincidence that hate crimes against American Muslims and mosques have tripled after Paris and San Bernardino. That’s wrong. And it’s also dangerous. It plays right into the terrorists' hands.” —Hillary Clinton (As if radical Islamists would leave us alone if we’re just nice to them.)

Non Compos Mentis: “[Donald Trump turned this] into a villainous rampage against other Americans who have absolutely nothing to do with this — and I mean Muslims now — it’s just outrageous.” —Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress (The only villainous rampage was the one committed by the jihadi in Orlando.)

Gun grabbers: “We are going to have to make sure that we think about the risks we are willing to take by being so lax in how we make very powerful firearms available to people in this country.” —Barack Obama

“We cannot fall into the trap set by the gun lobby, that says if you cannot stop every shooting or every incident, you should not try to stop any. That’s not how laws work. That’s not common sense.” —Hillary Clinton

Nailing the Left: “[Hillary Clinton] wants to take away Americans' guns and then admit the very people who want to slaughter us.” —Donald Trump

Sauce for the goose: “‘If the FBI is watching you for suspected terrorist links,’ Hillary Clinton said today in her supposedly apolitical speech, ‘you shouldn’t be able to just go buy a gun.’ If we’re going to do this, let’s be consistent. If the FBI is conducting a criminal investigation of your suspected illegal use of a home email server to transmit classified intelligence, you shouldn’t be allowed to just go and run for president. Obviously. The idea that we would allow a person who can’t be trusted with our most vital secrets to hold the most powerful office in the nation is absurd. It’s just not safe.” —David Harsanyi

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis!
Managing Editor Nate Jackson

Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families.