Posse Incitatus

Chaos Breaks Out Across the Land

Riots and violence in dozens of cities; President Trump fanning the flames by doing what he does best: Speaking (or tweeting) in brash and caustic terms; smug progressives cheering on the disorder from within their gated communities; so-called intellectuals such as Professor Cornel West upping the game with their advocacy of left-wing, statist policies..... Where to begin?

Well, I'm going to repeat something I blogged about back in 2015 ("Something's Amiss") regarding bad apple police officers and the tense black-white dynamics that have played out repeatedly over the past few years in many of our cities.

Most police officers are upstanding people. They risk their lives to protect the public, and their compensation is modest. Their job entails putting up with a great deal of stress, unpredictability and sometimes life-threatening danger. It is often a thankless job, and sadly, the few bad apples among them have tarnished the name of the entire law enforcement community.

The problem is that the bad apples always seem to hang on for way too long. Too often, when one of them commits an egregious act against a minority, there is insufficient punishment. Then, when the officer ends up killing a minority a few years later, we wonder: Why didn't this officer's supervisors take heed when the red flags popped up? That's what many are wondering in the wake of the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd, who died on Memorial Day. The officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes is being charged with third degree murder.

In some cases, the obstinate police union digs in its heels against any form of discipline. Unions in general too often defend bad or even criminal performance by their members; we'll see if the newly launched investigations into Floyd's death and the background of the officer charged with killing him reveals this to be the case.

This disturbing pattern of rogue law enforcement officials needs to be addressed. It is true many cops are under extreme stress, fear for their lives and are frustrated with hardened criminals being put out on the streets after doing little time for serious crimes. But it also seems there's a "gung-ho" contingent of officers whose machismo and abuse of authority gets the better of them. It's high time police departments and the governments overseeing them root out these bad elements.

But with all of that being said, there's no question that anarchists such as the Antifa scum have played a big role in the unrest that stretches from coast to coast. Several cities have reported that the majority of the arrests of rioters have involved people from outside the area. And although the corrupt news media has attempted to implicate right-wing militia groups along with lefties such as Antifa, the evidence does not point in that direction.

In addition to the outside anarchists and anger of black Americans regarding the unjust killings of African Americans by police officers, it's quite possible that anti-lockdown mania might also have played a big role in the riots. Untold numbers of people nationwide have been locked down for nearly three months, and they're ready to explode.

We have the pandemic lockdown and Orwellian controls, on the one hand, and anarchy in the cites on the other. And a side note to wrap things up: Some of the insufferable and narcissistic Hollywood entertainers have proudly tweeted out that they have given $100k or whatever to help imprisoned rioters meet bail. If they really cared about helping those who are struggling and need help, that money would go toward helping the black and Hispanic business owners whose small businesses have been destroyed by rioters.

That would make sense. And that's why it's unlikely to happen.

Minnesota burning

Late yesterday the Flynn-Kislyak transcript was finally released.

And no one cared.

A number of Democrat-run satrapies are catching fire in response to alleged police brutality.  Oddly, Trump is on the side of the protestors and demanding a federal investigation, but the rioting continues.

I see chatter that maybe this is part of the Antifa network flexing its muscles in the run-up to the election.  If so, it's spectacularly self-defeating.  Hillary's already come out in favor of the rioters and Biden has to oppose Trump, whatever he does.

Which means the Silent Majority will have to vote for Nixon.

I mean, Trump.

What I find truly disconcerting is the number of affluent liberals who are cheering the rioters on - naturally from a safe distance.

Civic disorder isn't a form of performance art, and actual livelihoods are at stake.  The wealth being put to the torch is real.  It's clear that Trump hatred has gone beyond pathological into the realm of suicidal. 

Better the void than Trump.  We'll see shortly how many people are that committed to the kind of victory that leaves them masters of a barren, blasted land.

Mask-Mania is Really Getting Tiresome

Just as lockdowns cannot go on indefinitely (civil disobedience is greatly on the rise), the obligation to wear masks in public or be ostracized will also soon go by the wayside.

It's been well-publicized since the early days of the pandemic that masks are more to protect others from catching the virus from an infected person, than to protect the person wearing the mask. It is not realistic to expect people to continue wearing masks for another six months, or to maintain social distancing. Neither are natural; neither can be sustained.

The bottom line is that millions of young and middle-aged people are going to catch the virus, typically experience symptoms varying from nonexistent to mild or moderate, and develop a natural immunity. We are not going to stamp out this virus completely, and only delay the inevitable by keeping people locked down.

The emphasis has to be on taking special precautions with senior citizens and those with underlying conditions that make them vulnerable to Coronavirus. A targeted approach can dramatically minimize deaths from Coronavirus, since the vast majority (99 percent-plus) of young and middle-aged people do not die from the virus. As I've said before, the current heavy-handed approach is tantamount to making highway speed limits 25 mph and outlawing passing as a response to the fact 30,000 people are killed annually in vehicular accidents.

It is distressing to see videos of masked shoppers screaming and waving furiously at an unmasked shopper in a grocery store, rudely ousting her from the premises. Or to hear reports of smug and haughty liberals dressing down another person out walking his dog because that person is not wearing a mask. This kind of petty and meddling behavior pisses off millions of people. But it's apparently becoming common, as evidenced by videos going viral and first-hand accounts told by talk radio callers and even by people we know.

We've pointed out how hypocritical and inconsistent it is for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to permit people to head into liquor stores to buy booze and lottery tickets, while prohibiting them from getting a haircut or visiting a coffee shop. (And until a few weeks ago, prohibiting them from buying paint, grass seed or mulch.)

Here's another major hypocrisy: Force-feeding masks on the broad public -- a ham-handed approach -- while also sending senior citizens who've tested positive for COVID-19 into nursing homes with little or no incidence of COVID-19. In other words, she's so dense, she hasn't learned from the catastrophe in New York State, which dim-witted Gov. Andrew Cuomo waited far too long to halt, then tried to point the finger at the federal government. This is calloused, murderous behavior, and it's unconscionable. One wonders if our leaders are afflicted with Asperger Syndrome.

I sense that the disgust with mask fascism is growing, and spreading like wildfire. Most people are willing to make some sacrifices for a while if they believe it's for the common good. But after a while, once they start feeling like they're being abused and disrespected all for the sake of politicians' obsession with power and control, they say "Enough is enough."

Michigan has had enough, and the governor's pathetic lies about her husband's efforts to throw his weight around with a marina owner to get the Whitmer family boat put in the water early may well be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

Today is a Memorial Day unlike any we have ever experienced. Despite the pain and dysfunction our nation is enduring, let's keep in mind we are still a blessed people. And our freedom, prosperity and high standard of living all rest on the foundation of our excellent armed forces. Without the courage, character and dedication of our military men and women, none of this would be possible.

Let's resolve to spend some time thinking of or reading about the hardships, sacrifice and suffering of so many fine people, and remember in particular those who gave the ultimate sacrifice -- their own lives -- for our liberty.

I have long thought that the greater our awareness of history, the less likely we are to whine and complain. For it will become readily apparent to anyone who takes a cursory glance at history's horrors that we Americans are profoundly blessed. The valor, dedication and selfless sacrifice of our men and women in uniform have earned and continue to protect our precious freedom.

I might add that the people currently serving, as well as retired veterans whom I have had the pleasure to meet, have all greatly impressed me with their demeanor and respectful behavior, on top of the considerable sacrifices they have made for love of country, and their willingness to put themselves in harm's way to protect and defend our nation.

In an age when so many folks like to "toot their own horn" with self-absorbed Facebook hype, YouTube videos, in-your-face tweets, and talent contests such as "American Idol," it is great to know that humble people still exist. Indeed, the character of our service men and women, and their commitment to put others before themselves, are the qualities that make their loss all the more painful.

Today, we pay special honor to those who gave it all. Thank you, and R.I.P.

Today is a Memorial Day unlike any we have ever experienced. Despite the pain and dysfunction our nation is enduring, let's keep in mind we are still a blessed people. And our freedom, prosperity and high standard of living all rest on the foundation of our excellent armed forces. Without the courage, character and dedication of our military men and women, none of this would be possible.

Let's resolve to spend some time thinking of or reading about the hardships, sacrifice and suffering of so many fine people, and remember in particular those who gave the ultimate sacrifice -- their own lives -- for our liberty.

I have long thought that the greater our awareness of history, the less likely we are to whine and complain. For it will become readily apparent to anyone who takes a cursory glance at history's horrors that we Americans are profoundly blessed. The valor, dedication and selfless sacrifice of our men and women in uniform have earned and continue to protect our precious freedom.

I might add that the people currently serving, as well as retired veterans whom I have had the pleasure to meet, have all greatly impressed me with their demeanor and respectful behavior, on top of the considerable sacrifices they have made for love of country, and their willingness to put themselves in harm's way to protect and defend our nation.

In an age when so many folks like to "toot their own horn" with self-absorbed Facebook hype, YouTube videos, in-your-face tweets, and talent contests such as "American Idol," it is great to know that humble people still exist. Indeed, the character of our service men and women, and their commitment to put others before themselves, are the qualities that make their loss all the more painful.

Today, we pay special honor to those who gave it all. Thank you, and R.I.P.

A Masked Memorial Day: 2020

Apparently honoring the dead isn't an "essential function."

None of the usual solemnities are scheduled, nominally because of the State of Emergency (which has been extended into a fourth month) regards them as inherently dangerous.  Standing in the open air of the cemetery carries too much risk of infection.

It's far safer to buy a lottery ticket in a liquor store.

Such is our world.

As is customary, each year I dedicate this post to a friend who died too soon, Capt. Sean Grimes.  He was engaged to be married, and by now he might be watching his kids graduate high school.

I remain convinced that striking militarily against both Afghanistan and Iraq after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks was both justified and worthwhile, but had I known it would be managed with such strategic ineptitude, I would have opposed both.

This is a bipartisan condemnation, because neither the Bush administration nor the Obama one had any plan other than managing an eternal conflict.  The lives of our troops were just the cost of doing business.  It's clear that the Democrats used the peace movement as a convenient club, because they're otherwise fine with Wars of Choice (see also, Libya, Syria, etc.).

Our leaders are fine about these losses because they don't know people like Sean.  He doesn't exist in their world, at least not that they know of.  Maybe if they went to his civilian medical practice in later years they'd note in passing an honorable discharge on the office wall, but maybe not.

But we remember him, and all others who - like him - have made the supreme sacrifice for their nation.

Rest in Peace.

Severe Flooding in the ol' Hometown

 
As I've mentioned before, my hometown is Midland, Michigan.  Those who keep up on the national news may have heard about the heavy rains, breaching of two dams and severe flooding occurring in the Midland area these past few days. My thoughts and prayers are with the hard-hit people of Midland County.

Some 10,000 residents were evacuated in Midland and surrounding communities, with this 500-year flood impacting parts of downtown Midland, the Dow Chemical Co. plant, neighborhoods, and several important buildings including the county courthouse, public library and hospital.

The Tittabawassee River crested earlier today at 35 feet, slightly higher than during other major floods in 1986 and 2017. The portion of downtown that is underwater is mostly large parking lots, a farmer's market and a three-way pedestrian bridge ("The Tridge") that crosses to two other banks at the convergence of the Chippewa and Tittabawassee rivers. Main Street is on higher ground, and although some large buildings may have had flooding in basements or first floors facing the river, many buildings were unscathed. 

Of most concern, Midland Public Works Department reported that some of its sanitary sewer services have been disrupted because five pump stations were overwhelmed with floodwaters. Drinking water, however, has not been affected.  Also, Dow Chemical Co., headquartered in Midland, stated floodwaters had overtaken some of its containment ponds, causing concern for possible contamination of the river and its eventual destination, the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron (via the Saginaw River).

Temporary shelters were established at several high schools; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA and the Michigan State Police Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division have been on the scene to help with relief and rescue efforts. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported.

The problems started Tuesday night when the Edenville Dam at Wixom Lake on the Midland-Gladwin County line burst, causing a deluge of water to flow southward to Sanford Lake, where it ran over and around the Sanford Dam and downstream into Midland, where a dike also failed. (Thanks to Mother Nature, Midland was vulnerable to these artificially created lakes. Midland County is the only one of Michigan's 83 counties that does not have a natural lake in a state with 11,000 inland lakes!)

The Federal Energy Regulatory Corp. and state regulators had warned the two dams' private owner, Boyce Hydro Power, LLC, that it needed to upgrade the structures and spillways, and had even revoked the Edenville Dam's license in 2018.

The Michigan Governor's Office and Office of Attorney General are looking into filing suit against Boyce Hydro Power, LLC; we'll see how that turns out. No doubt thousands of property owners and/or their insurance companies will also have lawsuits on their minds in the coming months.

Having grown up in Midland, I can say for certain that flooding near the Tittabawassee River was almost an annual occurrence. But it seldom had much effect on downtown. When I was a teen in the 1970s, I delivered a weekly shopper's guide to houses in a down-at-the-heels, flood-prone neighborhood on the south side of the river. I knew a kid whose family lived there (they belonged to my church; this boy went to my school). Within 5-6 years, the city bought out all of those properties, including a party store at the edge of the neighborhood near a major road, leveled them and created softball fields and bike trails.

A mile or so upstream, Emerson Park was a favorite place during my long-lost youth. The C & O Railroad ran along the edge of the park, through downtown and through the Dow Chemical plant en route to nearby Bay City. (The tracks were removed in the late 1980s.)

Our school picnics took place at Emerson Park, and a 1940s-era stadium hosted top-notch fast-pitch softball teams and tournaments back in the day. Nearby softball and baseball diamonds were flooded with water in the winter to provide large outdoor skating rinks. There was even an enclosed hockey rink, too. Recently, I read the city plans to tear down Currie Stadium because it has sustained severe structural damage due to frequent flooding over the years, and would cost far too much to renovate. Plus, softball is not nearly as big a spectator sport as it was 30-50 years ago. Another old memory soon to be gone.

As a side note, there was an old suspension bridge (vintage 1890s) called the Benson Street Bridge that connected downtown Midland to that downtrodden neighborhood across the river. The local fish-wrap wrote an exposé about how decrepit, rusted and corroded it was when I was in grade school. I recall closeup photos on Page 1 of the Midland Daily News showing extensive rust and corrosion on bolts and beams. Soon it was decided the bridge would be torn down, as a modern four-lane bridge was being constructed nearby.

Just upstream, I sat on the river bank with a classmate after school watching them try to tear down the bridge with wrecking balls and cranes. It stubbornly refused  to yield for the longest time, but finally gave way with a wrenching wail. Its worn and rusted beams lay in the river for a few days before they were removed, forming irregular, foaming rapids in the murky brown water. I suppose the city fathers knew that the pitiful neighborhood across the river would soon be gone, and no longer needed the bridge built during the horse-and-buggy era.

Although a wealthy city overall, Midland definitely had and still has some poor neighborhoods, both in the city and in outlying areas such as Midland Township and surrounding rural areas. But thanks to the wealth generated by Dow Chemical, there are numerous generous foundations that have donated toward schools, parks, cultural attractions and programs. I am confident these foundations will play an important role in helping Midland rebuild.

One thing about this tragedy occurring in the midst of the pandemic drives home an old (cynical) point about bad luck and misfortune: "When it rains, it pours."

(Lock) down for the Count

Analyzing a catastrophe as it unfolds day after day, week after week, is highly difficult, in large part because statistics and data are constantly changing. What once were accepted wisdoms and "truths" backed up by so-called "science" can suddenly become yesterday's misinformation.

The Democrats who are most fervently in favor of a hard-core lockdown for many months are usually in the "protected class." They have fat bank accounts, are well-paid and/or may have grown up in wealthy families or inherited family money. Often, they can work from home -- unlike roofers, landscapers, factory workers and legions of struggling low-wage employees in service industries.

These authoritarian types often have zero empathy or even awareness of the suffering tens of millions of Americans endure because their businesses are closed, their factories and offices have laid them off, and their bills and obligations continue to hound them. The economic devastation, it is well documented, contributes to alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, depression and suicide.

But there's another large chunk of the population -- including members of the protected class -- who are also suffering and may die because of current policies involving hospitals and surgical centers. For two months, the emphasis has been on ramping up to fight coronavirus. The trend has been to dedicate large portions of hospital beds, resources and personnel to fighting COVID-19. Out of a fear of hospitals and their staffs being overwhelmed, elective surgery, certain tests and treatments have been postponed indefinitely.

So-called "elective" surgery means surgery that is not so urgent it must be done immediately.  In some cases, however, it is surgery that is vital, and postponing it for many months can worsen existing conditions. I'm only scratching the surface, but think gallstones, early-stage cancer, joint replacements, epilepsy, cataracts, perforated bowels, serious heart problems, broken bones ... I am certain there are dozens more I haven't mentioned.

There are treatments, therapies, tests and consultations that have not happened, and it will take a long time to ascertain how much damage has been done. 

The truth is, millions of Americans are being harmed by the over-the-top response to Coronavirus. If the powers-that-be don't start allowing the economy to open up very soon, the suffering will continue indefinitely, and we'll damage far more than private enterprise and tax-reliant public institutions.

Let's hope this realization becomes much more apparent -- sooner than later.

 

Obama and his lying liars will continue to lie about his crimes

The ongoing revelations about the depth and scope of criminality within the FBI, Dept. of Justice, intelligence services and the Obama White House has unleashed a predictable set of excuses based on outright lies.

Oddly, some people are bothered by this.  I assume they expect Obama's minions to hang their heads and mutter that they could have gotten away with it too, if was wasn't for those meddling kids.

In fact, the lies are all the left has left.  All their policies are based on lies, and they have to lie about their predictable failures as well.

Should any go to prison, they will be declared political prisoners, complete with candlelight vigils - even if they plead guilty.

Remember, these people have been screaming "Free Mumia!" for decades.  They have zero shame.

Of course, if a Howard Dean figure emerges (and doesn't commit suicide), things will get more difficult.

This is why Mexico's demand for information on Eric Holder's "Fast and Furious" criminal enterprise is so intriguing.  It will be a treat watching the Democrats pivot from praising Mexico to trashing it.  I don't expect much to come of it, but it would be interesting if it actually happens.

In the meantime, the real game will play out in the courts, and if we see indictments handed down, maybe something tangible will come of it.

Chaos in the Sports World

I can only take so much Coronavirus gloom-n-doom RE: suffering, dying, economic and fiscal devastation...

Time to comment on something that normally is a healthy diversion to take our minds off of bad news and bickering politicians: sports.

Long story short: It's a big can of worms. At this point, we don't know whether the NBA and NHL will try to hold playoffs and wrap up their seasons with a championship, or just call it a day as the NCAA did with its men's and women's basketball tournaments back in March.

Major League Baseball is talking about playing an 81-game season (exactly half the normal number of games) starting the first week of July. But here's the kicker: The owners want to split revenues with the players 50-50, and the players are balking at that. Several stars, including Bryce Harper of Philadelphia and Blake Snell of Tampa Bay, have been spouting off on Twitter about how they might sit out the season rather than take such a pay cut.

Snell whined to the media: "Y’all gotta understand, for me to take a pay cut is not happening because the risk is through the roof, it’s a shorter season and less pay. Bro, I’ve got to get my money. I’m not playing unless I get mine. That’s just the way it is for me." That won't play in Peoria.

Understand that a 50 percent pay cut for a Major League player still leaves him earning several million dollars a year -- more than probably 99 percent of Americans. When tens of millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table and pay the rent, grieving the loss of loved ones, suffering from Covid-19 themselves, and facing up to the fact their livelihoods have been destroyed, it certainly is a bad look for professional athletes to demonstrate such heartless greed and selfishness.

Today's Major League Baseball players are too young to realize this, but the sport alienated millions of fans when players went on strike in 1994, which canceled the last few months of the season. And even before the pandemic, TV ratings for MLB were way down, as was stadium attendance in many cities. Old timers may refer to baseball as the "national pastime," but that's a 1950s mindset. The NFL and college football are far more popular and bring in much more revenue.

Frankly, I'd love to see these players sit out the season, and for their ratings to tank so severely that many of them would have to take major pay cuts. As it is, quite a few minor league baseball teams will fold because they are no longer financially viable. Meanwhile, Major League players continue being delusional about the financial realities. My interest in pro sports has declined steadily as I've grown older.

Studies show that the average age of MLB fans is north of 55. A wake up call to the prima donnas: Once this generation dies out, don't count on much interest from young people. They have so many other entertainment options (many of which are much more affordable) and are not interested in a game that has become excruciatingly boring and irrelevant.

Now let's turn to football. The NFL is talking about playing its games in empty stadiums (absurdly, Fox Sports has mentioned it may pipe in fake crowd noises to accompany on-the-field action). Most colleges have not announced whether their football teams will play this fall. Many say the students must return to campus in order for their football teams to play.

It's possible that some conferences will have patchwork schedules as teams must drop planned opponents from their schedule should those opponents decide not to field a team in Fall 2020. Some schools may negotiate new opponents on the fly as the season progresses. It's the wild, wild West of scheduling. (That really wreaks havoc on planning, logistics and budgets.)

My guess is both pro and college football will be played, because way too much money is at stake. But keep in mind: Football is a sport where a lot of men are in close quarters -- in the locker room and weight room, on the field, in dormitories... What happens if a couple guys on a team test positive for COVID-19? Will everyone need to go into quarantine for two weeks? We cannot have football players wearing masks during practices or games. This could get dicey. Frequent COVID-19 tests and temperature checks will undoubtedly be a part of the standard M.O.

Meanwhile, many colleges are seriously considering totally dropping some sports -- activities that do not generate much revenue. Think lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, track and field... Football and basketball pretty much subsidize many of these sports at hundreds of universities, so there could be significant cost savings by reducing scholarships and travel, while axing coaches' salaries and other expenses.

However, this also opens up the pandora's box of inequality with regard to how many athletic scholarships are given to females as opposed to males. (Fallout from Title IX, which, like the EPA, is one of President Richard Nixon's legacies that has proven expensive and burdensome).

I wish it were as simple as just saying "PLAY BALL!" But like everything else in 2020, complexity and far-reaching ramifications rule the roost.

Authoritarianism and Hypocrisy in the Pandemic Age

We often hope (and indeed, expect) that our leaders will up their game during a state of emergency or ongoing hard times. World War II, the Great Depression, the dark days immediately following 9/11... We have plenty of examples of every day Americans and public figures behaving in exemplary fashion when the chips were down. Their words and actions can be highly inspirational -- material for documentaries, movies and homemade YouTube videos.

We've seen some upstanding behavior, generosity and selfless actions during the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020, but alas, hypocrisy, stupidity and authoritarian behavior by government officials seem to be running rampant. (Or is it just because these things have always existed but we're simply more aware of them now due to ubiquitous cellphone cameras, social media and 24/7 cable news networks?)

First, let's touch on a few glaring acts of hypocrisy involving public officials.

• Several weeks ago, New York Mayor Bill De Blasio urged his city's residents to shelter in place and warned of the dangers posed by going out into public. Shortly afterward, he had his chauffeur drive him to his favorite health club for a workout.
• Likewise, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot cautioned Chicagoans not to go out. Then she went out and got a haircut. Needless to say, her stylist did not socially distance while clipping away.
• More recently, world renowned British epidemiologist Dr. Neil Ferguson ignored his own and his government's lockdown & social distancing policy, arranging for a tryst with his married lover. Ferguson will no longer serve as an advisor to the British government, having resigned in disgrace from the SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) Committee.

Sometimes, it's governments themselves that are hypocritical, but this often stems from the decision of one person such as a governor. In Michigan, for example, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" executive order attempts to prohibit residents from leaving their homes for nonessential reasons or purchases. For several weeks, it deemed such everyday items as paint, plants, grass seed and mulch as nonessential. Since the state of public emergency began in mid-March, liquor and lottery tickets have not been deemed nonessential, so by default, I guess they're "essential." The former, to keep people from going nuts and resorting to bootlegging and smuggling booze across state lines. The latter, to keep the revenues flowing into state coffers. Hey, whatever floats your boat.

But you know what? Hypocrisy is so commonplace that seeing it displayed by holier-than-thou politicians and public figures doesn't even upset me that much. I've come to expect it, just like I expect lying from politicians, the news media and the federal government.

What is far more bothersome is when hypocrisy morphs into irrational, convoluted policies involving authoritarian actions by government, on the one hand; and undue respect and concern for criminals on the other.

Across the nation, states have been releasing convicted felons, some of whom committed violent crimes, due to the threat of COVID-19 in the  prisons. (Reports are that some prisoners are deliberately attempting to contract Coronavirus in hopes of getting released!) At the same time, police in many jurisdictions are arresting people for not sufficiently social distancing.

Lightfoot famously went on camera with a menacing look of rage on her face and admonished those who have flouted social distancing by holding packed house parties and congregating in parks and on Lake Michigan beaches. She assured Chicagoans that they were in danger of being arrested and jailed if they continued to brazenly disobey the pandemic law.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear put in place restrictions on gatherings of church worshipers, yet allowing offices and factories to remain open as long as social distancing is practiced. Police even showed up at an outdoor church worship service in Louisville, writing down license plate numbers and issuing citations. Fortunately, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the guidelines. The court's ruling includes this dose of common sense: "The Governor has offered no good reason so far for refusing to trust the congregants who promise to use care in worship in just the same way it trusts accountants, lawyers and laundromat workers to do the same."

In New York and other cities, several violent clashes have been videotaped between police and people who have disobeyed social distancing guidelines and/or requirements to wear a mask. One famous video going viral shows a police officer body-slamming a woman.

Ironically, it is often minorities -- mostly young people -- who bear the brunt of the jack-booted thug type behavior imposed by liberal and progressive governors and mayors. Maybe in 2020, "RESIST!" will be an actual movement against authoritarian governors and mayors and involving multi-millions of supporters, rather than a silly Twitter and bumper sticker meme of bitter progressives and Antifa wanna-be's whose hatred of Donald Trump is insane and psychotic.

Yes, it seems there's a good chance "the resistance" may be in opposition to governments foisting upon us outrageous, unAmerican policies couched in "science" -- science that evolves by the month, if not the week. Governments that coddle felons and put the hammer down on masses of young people doing what the young love to do: Get out and socialize, congregate, and party.

As I've said before, there is no way we will ever stamp out the virus entirely. The vast majority of young people will have mild or no symptoms from Coronavirus, and in the long run it will be beneficial if millions of them build up an immunity to the virus. Continuing to lock down (Los Angeles just announced its lockdown will last through July) will only delay the inevitable, while at the same time destroying the economy.