Category: Professor's Classroom

The Right Of Free Speech

+++It will be interesting to see what others think+++

Note:  I apologize but this will be my only offering today for it is chemo day and the aftershock takes me some time to recover.

This is the first part of a series where I look at promises made within the Constitution….are they doing their part or are they falling short?

There has been much debate on this so-called right and since Donny and his cutthroats have come to power that ‘right’ is being what some say under attack.

Like now with this activist problem that Donny is having…..

Free speech groups across the country are sounding the alarm over the Trump administration’s surveillance of social movements in Minnesota and the prosecution of the Minnesota 15, a group of activists from Minneapolis-St. Paul who face federal conspiracy charges after organizing protests against brutal immigration sweeps earlier this year.

President Donald Trump and his allies in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice Department have targeted the First Amendment-protected expression of protesters, civil society groups, journalists, universities and the lawyers representing them at a scale that has “not been seen since the Second Red Scare,” according to an amicus brief filed with a federal court in Minnesota on Aug. 25 by Protect Democracy and other groups.

Documents recently released in court filings show that DHS agents spied on churches, schools and libraries to gather information on labor unions, nonprofits and community groups large and small. In June, the Minnesota 15 were arrested and charged with conspiracy to stalk, impede and assault immigration officers under a section of federal law the Trump administration has used to arrest anti-ICE protesters across the country.

The ‘Red Scare’ Repression of ICE-Watch Activists

Is anyone surprised at this turn of events?

Maybe you should not.

The right to free speech in the United States is protected by the First Amendment, which stops the government from making laws that limit what people say, write, or peacefully protest.

  • Political opinions: Expressing views about government leaders, policies, and public issues is the main goal of the First Amendment.
  • Symbolic actions: Non-verbal actions like burning an American flag as a protest are protected as free expression.
  • Offensive ideas: Saying things that people find unpopular, rude, or offensive is generally legal and protected from the government.

That is the short version of what most people believe…..that our right of free speech is guaranteed by the Constitution which is after all the laws of the land, right?

If all that is true why is Donny curbing our right?

First of all the Constitution means nothing to him or his minions….if so then who guarantees our right to free speech?

Since the Constitution is the laws of the state then it would be the state.

A blogging friend, Tina, recently posted an article on this subject.

Do Anarchists Support “Free Speech”?

Now if one has a critical thinking mind then what was written holds true….at least in these days.

Just look at what is happening now…..

The freedom of speech and of the press is not a gift bestowed by a president, Congress or a federal agency. It is a natural right of all persons. The First Amendment does not create that right; it prohibits the government from infringing upon it. The ability to think, speak, write, criticize, ridicule, persuade, offend, dissent and challenge those in government is among the most fundamental preconditions of the exercise of human liberty.

It is also indispensable to personal happiness. A person who cannot speak his mind, question authority, express unpopular ideas or tell the government that it is wrong is not fully free. And free speech is essential to the survival of the republic because a government that cannot be criticized cannot be effectively held accountable.

Today, government power is being brought to bear against institutions, journalists and universities because their speech is considered objectionable by the president and his political allies.

This is hardly the first time an American administration has made that mistake.

https://original.antiwar.com/andrew-p-napolitano/2026/09/17/more-threats-to-the-freedom-of-speech/

Your freedom of speech should be protected…..instead it will be used against you by these ‘Black Shirts’ of Donny and his ICE thugs…..

Discuss

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Meaning Of Political Protest

Now a days there are too many that are willing to sit on the sidelines and shrug at the events that are killing this country….their excuse is ‘there is nothing we can do about it’….well that is defeatism plain and simple and I for one will not embrace that cowardly situation.

About ten years ago I wrote a post on the meaning of protest and I offer it here for those that may not have been around that far back.

The Meaning of Political Protest

It is a simple thing….either you want change or you are happy being bullied by the government but are too meek to do anything about it.

Me I will do what I can to change things….I know I am a small voice but I will not accept this crap as my country is dying under the boot of stupid.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Constitution Day–17 September

I believe that this day should be a more important holiday than any of our others….this is the day the new US Constitution was approved….the day that America became a functioning entity.

I shall start with my opinion–While I believe the DoI was an important document that set the whole thing in motion….I also think that this document was a rehash of what Paine wrote in Common Sense….the approval of the Constitution set up the framework of a new country….and the as they say the st is history.

A few facts about Constitution Day…..

Constitution Day celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787.

What the Day Commemorates
  • The Signing: Delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the foundational document in Philadelphia.
  • The Birth of Government: While July 4th marks independence, September 17th marks the creation of the federal government and framework of laws.
  • Citizenship: It is also known as Citizenship Day, recognizing all who have become U.S. citizens through birth or naturalization.
How It Is Observed
  • Education: Federally funded schools and colleges must hold educational programs about the U.S. Constitution.
  • Civic Reflection: Communities use the day to reflect on the rights, liberties, and responsibilities of American citizenship.
Independence Day
  • Date: Celebrated on July 4th.
  • Meaning: It marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which stated that the American colonies were free from British rule.
  • Celebration: It is a major federal holiday with paid time off, parades, fireworks, and public gatherings.
Constitution Day
  • Date: Celebrated on September 17th.
  • Meaning: It marks the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, which created the rules and system for the federal government.
  • Celebration: It is a federal observance, also known as Citizenship Day, but it does not include a federal day off work. Schools and government agencies hold educational programs about the Constitution.

How many people know what the 4th of July signifies?  How about the 17th of September?

This is an important day in the history of this country and should get much more attention than it does for without the Constitution Washington, after the war, would have returned to his plantation and oversaw his slaves and crops.

Another thing the debate around the Constitution was public….the Federalist Papers and the ‘Anti-Federalist Papers’ were printed for all to see and know what the delegates were doing….

(This is included for those that are interested enough to check it out)

https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text

The Anti-Federalist Papers

The American public was privy to what both sides were aiming for with the new government.

When was the last time you got to see or read the real debate on an issue by the government…..today we get snippets from different sources that seldom tell the whole story.

These days the Constitution seems to mean very little to politicians and the population….it is used as some sort of dodge to action on some issue mostly not in the interest in the country or its people.

WE have ‘holidays’ for this person or that but the Constitution is not ever in the conversation and that is so sad that they people, especially students, are unaware of the importance of the document.

A few facts about the Constitution….

Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day, is an important federal observance in the United States. On September 17th each year, Americans commemorate the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. This pivotal document laid the foundation for the nation’s democratic principles, rights, and freedoms. While Constitution Day primarily celebrates American history and citizenship, its significance transcends national borders and holds relevance in the international landscape.

Constitution Day’s historical roots can be traced back to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where delegates from the 13 American colonies gathered to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation. The convention, held from May 25 to September 17, 1787, resulted in the creation of the United States Constitution, a document designed to establish a more perfect union and safeguard individual rights.

The U.S. Constitution remains the oldest written national constitution still in use. It has withstood the test of time, serving as a beacon of democracy globally. It outlines the division of powers, ensuring that no single branch of government becomes too powerful, thereby preserving the democratic ideals upon which the nation was founded.

The Constitution’s Bill of Rights guarantees fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial. These rights have become a cornerstone of American society, shaping the nation’s identity and inspiring similar rights protections worldwide.

Constitution Day underscores the importance of the rule of law. It reinforces the notion that even the highest authorities in the land are bound by a set of rules and principles, fostering a culture of accountability and justice.

Now let me ask you….does any of that hold true today?

I say that the lack of the Constitution importance to America has been greatly ignored in all aspects of American life….and now we are paying for it.

We should be proud of the accomplishments of the Convention that gave birth to the Constitution instead we are too damn busy hating our neighbors because they do not adhere to some sick ideology.

I believe that this country will continue to sink further into chaos until we all embrace the tenets set forth by the Constitution and that will be a disaster.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Stupidity Known As The “Board of Peace”

Donny’s grand plan (yet another debacle waiting to happen) for the solution to the Gaza situation is a Board of Peace.

I am sure that few Americans are watching this issue….but let me fill in the gaps….

  • Establishment: Proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in September 2025, it was endorsed by the UN Security Council via Resolution 2803 and formally launched in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
  • Leadership: President Donald Trump serves as the inaugural chairman. Its founding Executive Board features figures such as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
  • Core Mandate: Overseeing the post-ceasefire transition in Gaza, managing reconstruction funding, working to disarm Hamas, and helping deploy an international stabilization force.
  • Membership Structure: Countries are given a standard three-year term, but permanent membership requires a $1 billion financial contribution to fund the organization’s activities.
  • Criticism: The initiative has faced scrutiny and skepticism from several Western and international nations regarding its financial transparency, governance oversight, and how it interacts with traditional United Nations frameworks.

Let me go on record….this is the biggest farce imaginable.  To allow Donny the leadership for he is the problem not the cure along with his butt buddy BiBi.

Donny let one of his billionaire asshole help out….

Marc Rowan has a vision for Gaza. “The potential here is tremendous,” he said at a February gathering of President Donald Trump’s so-called Board of Peace, where Rowan described land devastated by Israeli bombing with a developer’s zeal. “This is not a problem of money or collateral. This is a problem with peace.”

In the U.S., Rowan is simultaneously helping ensure a pro-Israel political project has no problem with money. Since the start of this year, according to Federal Election Commission filings, the billionaire CEO of Apollo Global Management has donated $1.5 million to the United Democracy Project, a super PAC for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spending a fraction of his vast wealth to preserve a foreign policy defined by support for Israel’s genocide and the flow of U.S. weapons to Israel.

“Board of Peace” Billionaire Backs AIPAC Fund Targeting Pro-Palestine Candidates

Look at the leadership of this farce….all pro-Israel therefore pro genocide members….yeah it will lead to peace and justice for Palestinians.

Does anyone here think Israel will allow any resolution?

Israel’s plan is to annex Gaza and as soon as possible….

Let’s not forget that the West Bank is always under siege by Israel as well….just trying to annex yet another portion of the Levant under the blood boot of Israel.

While much of the media is treating reports emerging from the area as simply another episode of “settler violence,” it is not. Qusra represents something far more consequential: a glimpse into the new Plan Dalet that Israel has in store for Palestinians.

Plan Dalet was the military blueprint through which Zionist forces conquered much of historic Palestine, village by village, during the Nakba.

The plan did not suddenly emerge in 1948. It built on military schemes dating back to 1945, developing into a strategy for conquering Palestinian towns and villages, destroying communities and expelling their inhabitants.

The significance of this history today is not merely symbolic. The Nakba was a process, implemented in stages. So, too, is the annexation of the West Bank

Israel’s Blueprint for the West Bank

 

If that was not bad enough here is the plan by Israeli National Security minister, Gvir (or something like that)….

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Thursday unveiled a plan for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza’s Palestinian population, which he and other Israeli ministers refer to as “voluntary migration,” a day after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the removal of Palestinians was the only “real solution” for Gaza.

Ben Gvir dubbed his plan “Disengagement 710” and said that it would involve removing 250,000 Palestinians from Gaza in the first year, 1.11 million within three years, and finally, 1.86 million over seven years. He said that his Jewish Power party would demand the establishment of an “emigration ministry” in the next Israeli government following the upcoming October elections.

(antiwar.com)

This twat is just another Israeli douche bag (there seems to be a lot of them these days)….

There is so much happening that the MSM refuses to cover instead they want to give me updates on Taylor Swift’s marriage….I could give a rat’s ass about anything Taylor Swift.

Turning a blind eye to what is happening is being culpable to genocide.

About now someone is thinking/calling me an antisemite….right?

Well that is bullshit….I personally do not give a shit what a person worships for that is their business but when it goes beyond that then I will say something…

The charge that alleged antisemites represent the opposition to the current genocide in Gaza illustrates the turnabout that history has wrought. The charge that this opposition reflects a hatred of Jews is a non sequitur. Was opposition to the Holocaust also the product of hatred of Jews? No? Then opposition to genocide bears no necessary relation to hatred of Jews. Only by 1) defining antisemitism as opposition to the policies of the nation-state of Israel and 2) defining the interests of Israel as the interests of all Jews, does this formulation have logic. Neither of these is true.

For those who missed it, the effective legal definition of antisemitism that is now being deployed across the West is opposition to the policies of the nation-state of Israel. This is more likely than not the result of actual antisemites being hard to find amongst Western opponents of the US – Israeli genocide. Nevertheless, the leaderships of both parties in the US are taking a hard line against the Americans opposed to genocide. The sense now being put forward that there is disagreement amongst the party leaderships over it is misplaced. They both support genocide and ethnic cleansing.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/09/04/why-opposing-genocide-in-gaza-isnt-antisemitic/

I would be opposing this ethnic cleansing no matter the circumstances some religious crap has nothing to do with it.

Think of me as you desire but that will change nothing in my way of thinking and most likely give yourself a headache.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Labor Day–2026

+++Note:  I have been ordered by my daughter to grill some bison burgers with blue cheese so I shall be a bit busy and this will be my only post today for I want to spend time with my daughter and granddaughter.+++

It is the first Monday of September and the BBQ grills will be fired up and massive amounts of beet will be consumed….but what part of that celebrates American labor….just sounds like an excuse for a party.

Instead of honoring our workers the day is dedicated to how much beer can be drunk and still make it to work tomorrow.

Some ask why September and not the International Day of the Worker, 01May?

Let’s look at a little history…..a short not long winded dissertation….

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September because the Central Labor Union chose that time for its early street parades in New York City, and the date stuck.

Origins of the September Date
  • First Parade: The Central Labor Union hosted a massive worker march in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. [1, 2]
  • State Adoption: The September date proved popular. By 1884, the Knights of Labor urged other states to hold celebrations on the first Monday of September.
  • Good Weather: September offered pleasant weather for outdoor parades, picnics, and speeches compared to the harsh winter or spring months.
Why Not May Day?
  • International Workers’ Day: Many countries around the world celebrate workers on May 1 (May Day) to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago.
  • Political Distance: U.S. politicians avoided May 1 because they did not want to associate the national holiday with radical political groups, socialists, and anarchists
Making it Official
  • National Law: President Grover Cleveland signed a law in 1894 making the first Monday in September an official federal holiday.
  • Pullman Strike: This push came shortly after federal troops broke up a violent railroad strike in Chicago, leading the government to quickly appease the American workforce with a peaceful September date.

There you have a short history of the day….that is all fascinating I am sure but why can’t we wear white after Labor Day?

There are three hypotheses about the origins of the “no white after Labor Day” directive. The first theory, disagreed upon by many, is based on class distinction in the early 1900s. Although white clothing was clearly an upper class luxury, after the Civil War it became harder to distinguish women coming from old money or new money. The higher class ladies then made inane fashion rules to weed out those who were “out of place.”

The second theory speaks to a more practical approach by pointing out that Memorial Day and Labor Day bracketed the summer season, and therefore lighter, summery, white clothes were no longer needed.

The last theory has to do with popular fashion magazines, who may have begun promoting fall clothing after Labor Day, and the trend was picked up.

That was absolutely useless information….but at least it still has Labor Day feel about it.

But for more information about the real Labor Day….after all it is an important day and its history should be remembered….these two were from a decade ago….

Brief History Of Labor Day

Then a little history from my past on this Labor Day….

Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.)

But if you still anxious for more information on Labor Day and its history…..

https://www.bustle.com/articles/180203-the-history-of-labor-day-is-fascinating-and-worth-remembering

I was once asked why I was a union organizer….I have always thought the workers were treated shabbily when it come of compensation for their hard work….

CEO compensation at top U.S. firms has surged by approximately 1,094% since 1978, vastly outpacing the 26% growth of typical worker pay over the same period.

  • Long-Term Growth: According to data from the Economic Policy Institute, top CEO compensation grew by 1,094% from 1978 to 2024, while a typical worker’s pay grew by only 26%.
  • The 1960s vs. Today: In 1965, CEOs at major U.S. companies made about 21 times the salary of a typical worker. By 2024, that ratio reached 281-to-1.

And that discrepancy is why I went into organizing.

But being in Mississippi, which hates unions, it was difficult to organize….one workplace where I was working the boss found out and threatened to fire everyone involved….and he could get away with it because Mississippi is a right to work state and the companies are protected from any attempts to unionize.

I retired from union work in 2000 but I am still in touch with the union and give my help wherever I can.

Enough for today….we are suppose to enjoy the day off and I do not want to be a downer.

I hope everyone enjoys their day off and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Lefties Must Pay

In my younger years, after Vietnam, I was an anti-war protester and as such I was a target of the government’s program, COINETPRO….a program that targeted protesters….I wrote about the program many years ago….

COINTELPRO: The Ghosts Of Protests Past

Thanks to this government program once I finished college I could get a good job….I settled for shoe store clerk then a bookkeeper the went to work for the state but thanks to the government that did not last long….then there was a string of similar jobs….all because the government used my anti-war stance against me then I got a good job as the manager of a pub that lasted 11 years but all that time I continued my protests against the government on many issues.

Sadly in today’s world the government has many ways of spying on protesters….from social media to phone conversations to face recognition….which makes their job so much easier than in the 70s.

That program never really went away they just used other terms to describe it and now with all the protests that is across the country the government is at it in a big way again…

Newly disclosed records reveal the US government extensively spied on prominent leftwing organizations and on protesters as part of a vast operation into groups opposing the immigration crackdown in Minnesota earlier this year.

Internal investigative reports show the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent undercover agents to community meetings in the Twin Cities and New York City, infiltrated Signal chats and obtained financial records of mainstream unions and left-leaning non-profit groups.

Nearly 30 internal law enforcement reports were released on Thursday as part of a criminal case the Department of Justice has filed against 15 Minneapolis protesters. The defendants are accused of a “conspiracy” to “impede” US immigration officers during the Trump administration’s surge in the region.

The DHS investigative reports were disclosed by the government and submitted to the court by an attorney for one of the defendants. The records show that in January, DHS launched an inquiry called “Operation Puppet Master” to identify a “network of conspirators” organizing against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The operation came as community organizing against ICE was swelling in the region in response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/13/us-government-spied-anti-ice-protesters

Us so called ‘pinkos’ may not be the only targets of our government….you could be ….

The rapid spread of public surveillance cameras represents something far more consequential than a new piece of police technology. It represents a fundamental change in the relationship between the individual and the state.

These cameras allow government agents to record, identify, catalog and retroactively track the movements of people who have committed no crime, are suspected of no wrongdoing and have done nothing to invite government scrutiny. That’s not public safety. It’s an assault upon individual privacy.

Privacy is not a privilege granted by government. It is an aspect of personal liberty that the government exists to protect. It is a natural human right protected from the government in the Bill of Rights. The fact that a person leaves his home and travels upon a public road does not mean that he has surrendered that right.

There is an enormous moral and constitutional difference between a police officer who happens to observe a person in public and government surveillance that automatically and systematically records that person’s vehicle, location and movements; and stores that information for future use.

A free society doesn’t just protect people from crime; it protects them from arbitrary government. The presumption is liberty. Government is the negation of liberty. A person should not have to establish his innocence before the government leaves him alone. The burden always belongs to the government to justify all intrusions into personal liberty. Police cameras reverse that principle. They collect information about everyone the camera views and leave it to individuals to challenge the collections afterward.

A State of Surveillance

Be on your best behavior….Big Brother Is Watching.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Are Free Markets In Danger?

This is a re-post from my Daily Agitator I posted because some visitors do not know about my other blog and I am hoping to boost traffic on ‘Agitator’….

There is lost of chatter about the Dems, well the DSA, will destroy our free market system….another far Right pipe dream…

 

Are Free Markets In Danger?

 

Any thoughts please by all means let me know.

Educate, Agitate

I Read, I Write, You Know

cogito ergo agito

That Pesky Waterway

Since I am an old fart and dearly love history and using it show that not much changes over the years….I thought yet another lesson for those that are young and may not be aware of any similarities.

Most by now are familiar with our mash-up with Iran and that the waterway in this conflict, Strait of Hormuz, is a vital route for that flow of black gold….the sticking point is who will control this vital trade route.

Been there before.

The year is 1956, Ike was president and Israel was at war with it’s neighbors (sound familiar)….and it began….

The Israelis struck first on October 29, 1956. Two days later, British and French military forces joined them. Originally, forces from the three countries were set to strike at once, but the British and French troops were delayed.

…

The response of President Dwight Eisenhower and his administration was measured. It warned the Soviets that reckless talk of nuclear conflict would only make matters worse, and cautioned Khrushchev to refrain from direct intervention in the conflict.

However, Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles also issued stern warnings to the French, British and Israelis to give up their campaign and withdraw from Egyptian soil. Eisenhower was upset with the British in particular for not keeping the United States informed about their intentions.

The United States threatened all three nations with economic sanctions if they persisted in their attack. The threats did their work: British and French forces withdrew by December, and Israel finally bowed to U.S. pressure, relinquishing control over the canal to Egypt, which reopened the Suez Canal canal in March 1957.

(history.com)

This all rings similar to the Strait thing that Donny is trying hard to control….without much success….

The Suez crisis provides the clearest example. In 1956, Egypt’s president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, nationalized the Suez Canal Company, displacing the British- and French-controlled corporation that had operated one of the world’s most important commercial arteries. Britain and France regarded nationalization not merely as an economic injury but as a strategic humiliation and, together with Israel, invaded Egypt.

President Dwight Eisenhower refused to support them. After rejecting the Anglo-French invasion, Eisenhower’s administration did not make restoration of British or international ownership a condition for accepting Egypt’s continued administration of the canal. Instead, Washington opposed the invasion and pressed for a diplomatic arrangement that would preserve international access. The applicable legal regime emphasized the canal’s free use by ships of all countries on equal terms, while leaving Egypt responsible for administering and defending the waterway.

Egyptian control was not the same as unrestricted Egyptian discretion. The distinction was crucial. Washington could accept Egyptian sovereignty over the canal while insisting that sovereignty be exercised within rules guaranteeing nondiscriminatory passage. The overriding American interest was not which flag flew over the canal authority, but whether the canal remained open under internationally accepted rules.

A crucial detail that should not be overlooked: Egypt at the time was not an American ally, whereas France and the UK were. Indeed, Egypt was at the time closely aligned with the Soviet Union though not formally allied with Moscow. Washington nevertheless accepted continued Egyptian administration of the canal rather than seeking to reverse nationalization, provided freedom of navigation was preserved.

https://original.antiwar.com/trita-parsi/2026/08/05/before-hormuz-there-was-suez-what-trump-can-learn-from-eisenhower/

Donny needs to open that aging mind to reality….as if….

But nope he decided to do what he always does….act like a buffoon…..

President Trump apparently has a new target for American expansion: one of the world’s most strategic shipping chokepoints. Speaking on Long Island on Friday, the president said, “Pretty soon, I will be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” even though the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman is not under US sovereignty. He offered no explanation for how Washington could claim ownership of the passage, which is bordered by Iran to the north and Oman to the south, the Hill reports. He also claimed Iran “is being very badly defeated” at the moment, USA Today reports.

Roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas moves through the Strait of Hormuz, now closed amid a six-month war between the US and Iran that has driven up energy prices. Trump has repeatedly asserted that the US “controls” the strait and has twice ordered a naval blockade there, insisting on American primacy over oil shipments. “No ships get through unless we want them to,” he claimed Friday. Iran has rejected those assertions; its Persian Gulf Strait Authority wrote on X this week that whoever claims ownership “does not change the reality: the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.” Al Jazeera‘s take is that Trump is “overstating” the amount of US control over the strait.

What an arrogant ass.

In case you want to know….the peace deal runs out today….

Oil tankers are staying put as a US-Iran ceasefire runs out of time. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil, slowed sharply over the weekend ahead of Monday’s expiration of a 60-day truce, with no replacement deal in sight, reports CNBC. Only five cargo ships sailed through on Saturday and none on Sunday, down from 31 a week earlier, according to Reuters. Overall traffic is off about 90% from prewar levels.

As for the peace talks, a senior US official describes the situation as “static” to Politico. Key sticking points include Iran’s demand for compensation and the logistics of how ships will transit the strait when the war is over. Iran’s foreign minister said there is currently “not anything like a ceasefire” and no direct talks with Washington, though Qatar and Pakistan are relaying messages. The war of words has continued: President Trump last week suggested he might declare the strait US territory, while an Iranian deputy foreign minister responded that it will remain under Iran’s control.

What will our Dear Donny do?

This is good stuff for us that like to blog.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Some Thoughts On Israel

You guys know that I am a political history buff….so I feel it necessary to include a bit of history from time to time….thanx for indulging me.

We will start with 1948 and Truman….

In 1948, with war raging in Palestine, Harry Truman found himself trapped.

On one side were Zionist lobbyists and the president’s domestic political advisers, who were urging him to support the establishment of a Jewish state in as much of Palestine as possible. On the other were his top foreign policy and national security officials, led by the secretary of state, George C Marshall. Their unanimous recommendation was to prevent the establishment of a Jewish state, which they believed would trigger war in the Middle East and endanger the future of US relations with the Arab and Muslim world.

…

In the mid-1940s, Marshall pushed quietly but steadily against the Zionist movement’s proposals to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. He was concerned that American support would open opportunities for the Soviet Union to exploit Arab anger, put Middle Eastern oil supplies at risk in the event of a war between the Soviet Union and the United States, and require the deployment of unavailable American troops to prevent bloodshed and instability in Palestine. These were, indeed, the strongly held views of virtually all of Truman’s most important military and foreign policy advisers.

Truman was personally and deeply moved by the suffering of Jewish survivors of the Nazi “Final Solution”, but also irritated by and at times furious with the constant hectoring to which he was subjected by campaigners for recognition of a Jewish state in Palestine, including the World Zionist Organization and a host of other Jewish delegations, friends and politicians. Despite his personal exasperation, he could not ignore them. Coming in an election year that would pit him against Governor Thomas Dewey of New York, pressures from the Zionist lobby forced him into an excruciating and embarrassing position.

With Palestine engulfed by civil war, Arab states threatening to invade and the last British soldiers about to leave the country, Truman called a meeting of his top advisers on 12 May 1948. According to Marshall’s own account of the meeting, he warned Truman against adopting the policy strongly advanced by Clark Clifford, his main political adviser, to recognize the state of Israel before it was established.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/aug/02/pro-israel-lobby-presidents

As you can see not everyone was thrilled with the idea of Israel….but things worked out in Israel’s favor.

Now fast forward to the modern day….

The US holds states responsible for their supposed actions, Asad of Syria, Chavez of Venezuela to mention only a few and yet Israel can do as they please with impunity matters not what it is…..killings Americans, devastating Gaza with death and destruction, terrorizing the West Bank, etc. etc.

Why can’t we hold Israel accountable for their actions in Gaza?

The easy answer is money and the media…..

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry released the report on June 23. Titled “The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed,” it was the first to focus on crimes and violations against Palestinian children in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Vijay Prashad at CounterPunch called it an “accusation of extraordinary gravity.” In 100-pages, the investigation documents Israeli security forces’ direct killing, degrading, and inhumane treatment of Palestinian children, including sexual and gender-based violence and torture. The report also documents the destruction of schools and civilian infrastructure and amounts to a gruesome compendium of how Israel is destroying Palestinian childhood and denying the Palestinian people a future and self-determination. As the human rights lawyer Srinivasan Muralidhar, who chaired the UN commission and led the press conference that announced its findings, bluntly summarized, “By targeting children, Israel is attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist.” This is genocide.

The UN report flatly contradicted the claims made by President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace that conditions in Gaza were improving. The UN report stated that the amount of available aid is woefully inadequate to meet the needs of hungry, wounded people, living in appalling conditions, who are being squeezed into 30 percent of what was once the Gaza Strip. The UN report further noted the admission of one Israeli soldier: “It feels like a game. You can sit in some basement of a house, safe, with your helmet off, scratching your balls, half-dressed, and kill Palestinians.”

https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/08/11/why-cant-we-hold-israel-accountable-for-its-genocide-in-gaza-its-the-media/

The damage done to Palestinian children is just one aspect of Israel’s conflict but there are so many more….

It is time to get this dark money out of our system…..probably not gonna happen considering how deep that well is but it should be attempted.

I Read, I Write, You Know

‘lego ergo scribo”

How About A Rational View?

This post is about capitalism vs socialism….

We Americans seem to be deathly afraid of the term socialism….why?

Well basically because of the 50s Red Scare and it has just kept growing from those days.

Awhile back I wrote a post….

Who’s Afraid Of The “S” Word

With that firmly in your mind there is a very good piece written by Nick Licata….

While Wikipedia identifies two dozen different kinds of socialism, two primary approaches support its goal of upholding a society’s welfare. One approach is to realistically regulate the marketplace to ensure it provides everyone in society with their basic needs, allowing them to lead a satisfactory life. The other is pursuing the ideal communal society without a marketplace that forces competition for obtaining basic needs.

Capitalism’s active practice is maintaining a marketplace to exchange goods, services, and access to them through a price system. Money has the greatest exchangeability value because it allows for the acquisition of various types of resources, one of the most critical being political power. However, exchanges can be made through a barter system, in which tangible items, including human labor, can be directly exchanged between seller and buyer. This was the dominant system before the advent of written history.

Capitalism’s belief system is limited to preserving the marketplace because it results in greater accumulation of resources that can be used for many purposes. There is no aspiration to create a new society; rather, it is to protect the current market-based one. It is a continuation of Adam Smith’s philosophy, as presented in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, which appeared just as the Industrial Age was dawning in the late 1700s. He believed that individuals pursuing their self-interest in the marketplace would benefit society through increased productivity and wealth.

Socialism as a practice can be seen as a popular response to the marketplace system that replaced the barter system.  It aimed to regulate the marketplace so that no concentration of material or social advantages occurred to the extent that it disrupted a community’s cohesion.
Socialism, as a pronounced belief system challenging the marketplace, emerged in the 19th century, when the term “socialist” was introduced. It was first used to describe the effort to create cooperative businesses and communities as an alternative to capitalism’s marketplace economy.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/07/31/a-rational-view-of-capitalism-vs-socialism-in-america-and-history/

If one is afraid of socialism then fix capitalism…..

Everywhere I look, I see people expressing alarm about the popularity of socialism. It polls in the mid-to-high 30s, and considerably higher among younger people. Older people, who have a living memory of the various socialist regimes that once dotted the planet, which at best didn’t deliver prosperity to their people and at worst threw them in jail by the thousands, can’t understand how this could be and seem to want to talk endlessly about it.

I, however, marvel at the other consistent result of all these polls, which these people don’t seem nearly as interested in talking about. I refer to the ratings Americans give to capitalism. They’re terrible. A big Gallup poll from last fall is representative. Socialism won the approval of 39 percent, while capitalism’s positive number was 54 percent.

That is pathetic—barely half the country! In the country that invented modern capitalism and where it is worshipped by the elite class! And you know what? It’s entirely deserved. In fact, it deserves to be a little worse (as it is among Democrats). The kind of capitalism we’ve been practicing in this country over the last 40-plus years is cruel, corrupt, and a perversion of what humane capitalism ought to be. The people who are so freaked out about socialism ought to realize that the only way they’re going to arrest its rise is to change capitalism for the better.

From the founding of the country until the stock market crash of 1929, the general belief was that government should be small and markets should not be regulated. Some people say it worked pretty well until 1929, but in fact, that isn’t true. It worked well enough to perpetuate itself, because if capitalism is anything it’s elastic and dynamic, but that’s about it.

https://newrepublic.com/article/214122/fear-socialism-try-fix-capitalism

Unfortunately to fully understand is to say that critical thinking needs to be foremost in one’s mind….but sadly those days are gone….that is why I try to give my reader as much information as I can without too much thought.

It is a complex subject that needs more study than one can receive here but at least it is a start.

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”