The Patriot Post Digest 9-18-2017

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The Patriot Post Digest 9-18-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest

Sep. 18, 2017 · https://patriotpost.us/digests/51345

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Yesterday was Constitution Day. Here are some good ways to make the most of it.
Your tax dollars are funding “science” that’s going to be used to push an agenda.
Trump goes after racism and that’s good, but antifa still represents a huge threat.
Daily Features: Top Headlines, Cartoons, Columnists and Short Cuts.

THE FOUNDATION

“In the formation of our constitution the wisdom of all ages is collected — the legislators of antiquity are consulted, as well as the opinions and interests of the millions who are concerned. It short, it is an empire of reason.” —Noah Webster (1787)

IN BRIEF

Constitution Day 20171

Yesterday, Sept. 17, 2017, marked the 230th anniversary of the signing of our Constitution2 at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787.

We invite you to honor this historic event and its enduring legacy by reading Mark Alexander’s Primer on American Liberty3. Keep the flame of Liberty burning bright by promoting the civic knowledge4 of Liberty for all those in your sphere of influence. To assist in that process, please distribute our highly acclaimed “Patriot’s Primer on American Liberty5” pocket guides.

As the current generation of American Patriots6, we hold all elected representatives to account for abiding by their solemn oaths to “to Support and Defend7” our Constitution and the Rule of Law8 it enshrines.

Additionally, we invite you to read our extensive archive of columns on the Constitution as it relates to domestic and foreign policy9, and, more specifically, sections on Liberty and Rule of Law9 and on our Republic’s First Principles10.

A year ago, we marked The Patriot Post’s 20th anniversary11. Yesterday we celebrated our 21st year, and we are grateful to you, our fellow Patriots, for your financial support12 of our mission and operations budget13 in order to extend Liberty to the next generation.

Gov. Seeks to Normalize Transgenderism Via Science14

When science and social politics collide, science is often co-opted to promote political ideology rather than genuine science instructing public policy. The former seems to be the case (again15) regarding the National Science Foundation’s spending of over $100,000 to create “safe zones” for LGBTQ students. Some $114,116 was given to the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign for the purpose of studying ways to “increase the inclusion of LGBTQ students and professionals in engineering.” According to the grant, the field of engineering can be an “unfriendly or a chilly” climate for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals.”

The grant also states that “the research will be the basis of systematic development and formative refinement of an online SafeZone course to provide inclusion training to engineering students and professionals nationwide.” Is this science or politically motivated social engineering?

The federal government’s use of “science” to further push the normalization of transgenderism onto the American public doesn’t stop there. The National Institutes of Health will be spending $200,000 on “exploratory or developmental research on the health of transgender and gender nonconforming people.” The NIH announcement further stated, “Transgender and gender nonconforming people encompass individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex on their original birth certificate, including individuals who are making or who have made a transition from being identified as one gender to the other, as well as individuals who are questioning their gender identity, who identify with more than one gender, or whose gender expression varies significantly from what is traditionally associated with or typical for that sex.”

It’s important to note that studying the problems of gender dysphoria and the impact it has on individuals is not unwarranted or unscientific research. But in today’s politically correct environment — where transgenderism is being celebrated as normal, and anyone questioning its normality or morality is labeled a bigot and a hater — it’s pretty clear this is an attempt to use “science” as a tool to further justify forcing the American public to accept transgenderism as normal. Even Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is drinking the Rainbow Mafia’s Kool-Aid. He is co-sponsoring a bill that would prevent the military16 from banning transgenders from serving.

Top Headlines17

Trump’s UN General Assembly debut to assert his “America First” message (The Washington Times18.)

London terror suspect was a — wait for it — Syrian “refugee” (Daily Mail19)

U.S. conducts live-fire bombing runs in a message to North Korea (Washington Examiner20)

North Korea building nuclear submarine to deploy within three years (The Washington Times21)

Judge blocks sanctuary city defunding (Associated Press22)

Feds spend $587,441 to make engineering a “safe zone” for LGBTQ students (The Washington Free Beacon23)

McCain co-sponsors bill to stop military from banning transgenders (CNS News16)

Newly released emails show Clinton invited Putin to Clinton Foundation event in 2009 (The Daily Wire24)

Trump administration working toward renewed drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (The Washington Post25)

Hobby Lobby displays raw cotton plants in display, claims of racism go viral (The Blaze26)

Policy: Time to retire social security numbers (Real Clear Policy27)

Policy: How to give the public confidence in charter schools (National Review28.)

For more, visit Patriot Headline Report29.

U.S. Air Force Birthday30

Relentlessly committed to the defense of Liberty, the United States Air Force celebrates its 70th birthday today, Sept. 18.

The Air Force began life as the Army Air Corps but became a separate Armed Services Branch when the Department of the Air Force was created by the National Security Act of 1947. As the U.S. Air Force continues its critical mission “to fly, fight and win … in air, space and cyberspace,” we ask that you pray for these brave Patriots prosecuting “The Long War”31 against Jihadistan32, and for their families awaiting their safe return.

And a brief reminder of an important victory at the Air Force Academy33, where the words “So Help Me God” have now been rightfully restored to the USAFA Cadet Handbook oaths. Keep up the good fight! Finally, don’t miss Mark Alexander’s recounting of his son’s graduation34 from the Air Force Academy.

FEATURED ANALYSIS
Trump Condemns Racism, but Here’s the Real Problem35

Donald Trump signed a resolution condemning racism Thursday. Trump said, “As Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry and racism in all forms.” He continued, “No matter the color of our skin or our ethnic heritage, we all live under the same laws, we all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God. We are a Nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal. As one people, let us move forward to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans.” Sounds pretty much like his Inaugural Address36.

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The Patriot Post Digest 9-18-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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Trump’s statement came on the heels of a one-on-one meeting with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the only black Republican senator. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the problem of race relations and possible solutions to help bring about greater unity in the nation. After the meeting, Scott, who was critical of Trump’s response to the Charlottesville violence37, said via a spokesman that he “was very, very clear [with Trump] about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups.” Moreover, “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and to expect the President’s rhetoric to change based on one 30-minute conversation is unrealistic. Antifa is bad and should be condemned, yes, but white supremacists have been killing and tormenting black Americans for centuries. There is no realistic comparison. Period.”

The difficulty with the issue of race in America today is the often convoluted nature by which it is both understood and discussed. Scott is absolutely correct about the past history of white supremacy and the evil it inflicted on blacks. But it is also true that today white supremacist groups like the KKK and Neo-Nazis represent the extreme fringe within America — they have no political power and they have been soundly rejected by the vast majority of Americans for decades now. Those few individuals who cling to the racial hatred espoused by these groups are essentially living in a fantasyland of a bygone era.

However, what Scott seems to be missing or maybe too easily dismissing is the larger and growing real threat to Liberty. That threat is the rise and growing appeal of extreme leftist groups like antifa38. There is no question that antifa advocates using violence and justifies its violence by labeling those it attacks as fascists and Nazis, gross irony notwithstanding. Couple that with the fact that antifa explicitly calls for the silencing and suppression of free speech rights and Americans should rightly be concerned. But what makes antifa currently the greater threat than these fringe white supremacist groups from yesteryear has been a sympathetic mainstream media that has been all too willing to overlook or excuse antifa’s violent rhetoric and actions.

When ethnicity is conflated with political ideology the result is a virulent form of identity politics that so demonizes the “other side” that it is unable to hear, let alone consider, opposing ideas or opinions. Identifying with and protecting the group or tribe is prized above all other values. Individual identities and opinions are overshadowed and subordinated by the collectivist group identity. This is where faulty concepts like “white privilege” or “micro aggression” originate. No longer are individuals judged by their own words and actions, but by their tribal identity. The irony with groups like antifa or Black Lives Matter is that they practice the very things they claim to be fighting against.

The rioting over the weekend in St. Louis following the acquittal of a police officer in the shooting death of a black man attests, once again, to this problem of conflating a political agenda with racism. Over the last eight years, Barack Obama lowered the bar for civil unrest and racial discord. And that’s the nice way of putting it. The consequences of that are what we’re now witnessing across the country.

As Morgan Freeman once said, the best way to deal with racism is to “stop talking about it.” The reality is that most Americans aren’t racists. Like a scab, the more it’s picked at the more it bleeds and the longer it takes to heal. We’ve been picking at this scab for so long now, one would think that slavery is still happening today in America.

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

The National Debt: Gradual, Then Sudden Catastrophe39 — Both parties deserve ample amounts of “credit” for facilitating the nation’s steady march toward fiscal Armageddon.
FAA Privatization FAIL40 — The problem with Shuster’s bill is that it doesn’t really privatize air traffic control.

BEST OF RIGHT OPINION

Hans von Spakovsky: Constitution at 230: Separation of Powers Prevents a Democratic Tyranny41
George Will: New Vietnam Documentary Series Provides a Timely Booster Shot42
John L. Moore: While the West Burns, No One Notices43

For more, visit Right Opinion44.

OPINION IN BRIEF

Hans von Spakovsky: “Unfortunately, the separation of powers principle has been weakened significantly over the last century. That is not because of a flaw in the principle. Rather, it is due to the legislative branch acting beyond the limited powers granted to Congress in Article I; the executive branch rewriting, ignoring, or obstructing laws passed by the legislative branch; and the judicial branch failing to rein in the president or Congress when they act in this manner. Moreover, the judiciary has seen fit to create ‘constitutional rights’ not actually in the Constitution. Separation of powers is fundamental to preserving a democratic republic with a government that is effective and efficient and yet not so powerful that it can abuse its power, infringe on liberty, and be unaccountable to the people. It’s a principle that Washington should fully embrace once again.”

SHORT CUTS

The Gipper: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”

The BIG Lie: “I want to remind everyone about fundamental principles at ESPN. ESPN is about sports. … ESPN is not a political organization.” —Entertainment Sports Political Network president John Skipper

Non Compos Mentis: “President Trump is killing me. No, really. He’s killing me. I went for my annual physical last month, and, for the first time in my 49 years, I had to report that I’ve not been feeling well: fatigue, headaches, poor sleep, even some occasional chest pain. My doctor checked my blood pressure, which had always been normal before: alarmingly high! … I arrived at a self-diagnosis: I was suffering from Trump Hypertensive Unexplained Disorder, or THUD.” —Washington Post’s Dana Milbank

Oh come on: “What this kid [mowing the White House lawn] wants to do is noble, but sorry, I’m mindful of problems — I’ve written lots about child labor & kids being hurt by machinery.” —New York Times’ Steven Greenhouse

A vast right-wing conspiracy: “I don’t want to say the right, but somebody came up with as a catch phrase so that you could say there’s violence on the other side. … Oftentimes I found that sometimes the side that is kvetching the loudest has sort of orchestrated this so they can b—h about it.” —Whoopi Goldberg downplaying antifa

A taxpayer war on children: “[American women] have been denied health care too long because of restrictions like the Hyde Amendment. Consider the Hyde Amendment history if we pass Medicare for All45. And all those other restrictions on reproductive rights.” —Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Late-night humor: “Hillary Clinton is promoting her new book. She told Anderson Cooper that a lot of people come up to her now to apologize for not voting. And when they do that, she says she doesn’t forgive them. I guess she used all her forgiveness up on her husband.” —Jimmy Kimmel

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.