This "take a knee" shtick has long since become ridiculous. But now. . .

Legal Insurrection

"Because rejecting “the republic for which she stands” is the real message of the left"

All Democrats, if it need be said. TD

"The latest addition to the “this protest is not about America” leftist playbook is taking a knee for the Pledge of Allegiance.  Four members of the Ann Arbor city council took a knee during the saying of the pledge that opens their meetings.

"Michigan Live reports:

Four Ann Arbor city council members chose to kneel during the Pledge of Allegiance at a meeting on Monday, Oct. 16.

Chip Smith, 5th Ward; Chuck Warpehoski, 5th Ward; Sumi Kailasapathy, 1st Ward; and Jason Frenzel, 1st Ward; moved in front of the council’s table, turned toward the flag and took a knee when it came time to recite the Pledge of Allegiance after the meeting was called to order.

Warpehoski said the move was an act of attention, concern and respect.

“I can’t speak to what is in each person’s heart, but for me to ‘take a knee’ is an act of attention, of concern, and of respect,” Warpehoski wrote on his website ahead of Monday’s meeting and also stated at the meeting. “And it is in that spirit that I take a knee at tonight’s City Council meeting: out of respect for the aspiration that we be a nation ‘with liberty and justice for all,’ with full attention that we fall short of that ideal in many ways, and with humble dedication to continue to work that the promise of the pledge may be fulfilled.”

During the meeting, Kailasapathy said she knelt during the Pledge to demonstrate her commitment to upholding democratic values.

“For me, taking a knee is also showing solidarity with the group of people who have been doing this at the national level,” she said.

. . .
"It’s not the only reason, or even a main reason, but it is not an insignificant factor.  [Hillary's] loss last November has somehow freed the left, they are deliberately and overtly attacking not only Trump and Republicans but the very fabric of our nation. And it’s not going unnoticed."

How “Me Too” Unfairly Maligns Men and Perpetuates Victimhood

Legal Insurrection

“ 'We must fight this nonexistent expectation!” is hardly a rallying cry for change."

. . . "Though it may be genuinely well-intentioned, “me too” unfairly maligns men and perpetuates victimhood in the worst ways. Telling only one side of the story, without proof, and without providing the accused party opportunity to defend themselves is hardly a pathway to progress.

"Similar to the campus kangaroo courts that try and punish men using nothing but (often) baseless accusations, “me too” implies there’s an abundance of nasty, anonymously assaulty men lurking around every corner. And it’s simply not true.

"Part of the problem lies in defining ‘sexual assault’. Unlike days of yore, sexual assault now could be anything from conversation that’s suggestive in nature all the way up to violent rape, depending on who you talk to. Unwanted jokes, being asked out on a date by someone with whom you’re not interested — any of these once commonplace occurrences could now be construed as sexual assault. When cat calls are viewed as tantamount to rape, nothing about this sexual assault conversation can or should be taken seriously.

"Whether intended or not, the end result is the blanket maligning of the entirety of maledom and the implication that everyone with a Y chromosome ought to repent for their original sin of being born male.

"It’s the ultimate man-shaming." . . .

"Being victimized is not a choice. Choosing a life of victimhood and leaning on past traumas as solely defining events is just that, a choice." . . .

Do reporters really care about empathy?

American Thinker  "Instead of spending a minute or two on something truly dangerous to the American people, actual Russian collusion, corruption, kickbacks and cover up of the sale of uranium reserves to the Russians, they spend hours on an unverified phone call of Trump. They are supposedly worried about his lack of empathy, according to a disputed account by Rep Frederica Wilson, who allegedly overheard parts of a condolence call the president placed to grieving soldier's widow.

"I don't recall one discussion about empathy on the news during Obama's eight years, but here are some true examples of a President's lack of empathy:

"On the night of 9/11/12 Americans were under attack in Libya. Instead of Obama

and Hillary actually lifting a finger to help them, they concocted a fictitious story about a video causing the attack instead of terrorism which they knew it was from the start. They even continued this blatantly false story when the bodies came home to Dover AFB and sent Susan Rice out to news programs to perpetuate a lie. They had to lie to protect their political power because Obama had been lying that terrorists were on the run and a terrorist attack would be inconvenient. Americans dying and the truth didn't matter, political power did. 

"Trump has done more in nine months to clean up the Veterans Administration corruption and help veterans than Obama did in eight years. Are we to believe that reporters and Democrats all of a sudden have a great deal of concern about veterans?

"I do not recall Obama ever saying a word about people killed by illegal immigrant criminals in sanctuary cities -- or reporters caring that he didn’t have empathy. 

"When an undercover video came out showing women from Planned Parenthood bragging about crunching and dismembering babies illegally for profit, where was the empathy? Instead of caring about the children, Democrats and reporters defended the abortion body parts sellers. Democrats went after the people taking the video instead of the people illegally selling the body parts for a profit. Normally reporters like undercover videos showing criminal activity but not when it goes against their agenda. How could anyone look at those women at Planned Parenthood and see how absolutely cold hearted they were?" . . .Full article.  By Jack Hellner

Kelly ‘Stunned’ and Brokenhearted’ by Congresswoman Who Revealed Details of Trump’s Phone Call to Widow

Free Beacon

"WH chief of staff furious over Frederica Wilson's actions: 'I thought at least that was sacred' "

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Thursday blasted a congresswoman for revealing the details of a phone conversation President Donald Trump had with the widow of a soldier this week, saying he was "stunned" and "brokenhearted" by her conduct.

"Kelly was so troubled by it, he said, he went to Arlington National Cemetery to collect his thoughts and walk among "the finest men and women on this Earth" for an hour-and-a-half.

"Kelly made his second appearance at the White House press briefing to discuss the tumult over a call Trump made on Tuesday to Myeshia Johnson, whose husband Sgt. La David Johnson was killed this month along with three other solders in Niger.

"Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson (Fla.) told reporters she overheard the call, and she ultimately made appearances on CNN, MSNBC and ABC to say that Trump had upset Johnson and acted in a callous manner by telling her that her husband knew "what he had signed up for."

"Kelly, a Marine Corps general and Gold Star father himself whose son died in Afghanistan in 2010, revealed he initially advised Trump not to call the families of fallen soldiers, and he defended Trump for doing the best he could to console the families.

"He said Trump wanted to make the calls and asked him what to say in such a situation. Kelly responded that his friend Gen. Joseph Dunford told him, "He was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed. He knew what he was getting into by joining that one percent. He knew what the possibilities were."

"And when he died, Kelly said, "he was surrounded by the best men on this earth, his friends." . . ."

Rep. Wilson’s Reaction To John Kelly’s Somber Presser: “I’m A Rock Star”

Congresswoman reacts to White House statement on call to army’s family
. . . “ 'You mean to tell me that I’ve become so important that the White House is following me and my words?” she said laughing. “This is amazing. That’s amazing. I’ll have to tell my kids that I’m a rockstar now.' ” . . .

Yes, Weinstein Accusers Are Brave -- So Were Jones, Willey and Broaddrick

" . . .Paula Jones accused . . . Bill Clinton of sexual harassment. Clinton aide James Carville famously said, "If you drag a hundred-dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find." Jones said she sought help from the National Organization for Women, but they refused to support her."

Larry Elder

"In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others, praised the Weinstein accusers for their "courage." For decades, Weinstein, a big Democratic donor who could make or break Hollywood careers, apparently preyed on young women. Over 30 women have now come forth, with five alleging rape. 

"But where were Hollywood's social justice warriors the last 30 years? 

"After all, Hollywood insiders call Weinstein's behavior Hollywood's worst kept secret. The television series "Entourage," based on the world of Hollywood agents, portrayed an obnoxious, browbeating character, Harvey Weingard, clearly based on Weinstein. On NBC's series "30 Rock," one character made the following joke: "I turned down intercourse with Harvey Weinstein on no less than three occasions -- out of five." 

"At the 2013 Oscar awards show, host Seth MacFarlane, after reading the names of the five nominees in the supporting actress category, joked, "Congratulations. You five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein." Today MacFarlane says, "I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a hard swing in his direction," after his friend, actress Jessica Barth, confided that she had been sexually harassed by Weinstein in his hotel room in 2011.

"So, many in the Hollywood industry said and did nothing -- until now. The courageous women coming forward deserve praise and encouragement for speaking out. But where was this support for the accusers of Bill and Hillary Clinton? " . . .

Monica Lewinsky tweets '#MeToo'

Alyssa Milano on #MeToo campaign: 'We are going to be vocal until this stops'

ABC News

. . . "As of this morning, 1.4 million and counting tweets included the hashtag, along with more than 13 million posts, comments and reactions on Facebook.
"Milano called herself a "vessel" for the millions of women and men now publicly acknowledging they have faced sexual abuse or harassment. She said it is her mission to make sure the movement becomes more than just a hashtag.
" 'I really want this to be about the everywoman’s voice. This is your movement, women," Milano said. "This is your time and if I can be the vessel and hold the bullhorn for you guys to shout as loud as humanly possible then I’m honored to do so."
"She added, "Let’s fix this problem.' " . . .

MSN News  "Monica Lewinsky raised eyebrows over the weekend when she tweeted the hashtag #MeToo, marking herself as a victim of sexual harassment or assault.

"Lewinsky, who carried on an affair with then-President Bill Clinton while a White House intern in the 1990s, did not go into details about her experience.

"Several women have accused Clinton of sexual misconduct, dating back to his tenure as governor of Arkansas. Clinton has only admitted to having consensual relations with Lewinsky and Gennifer Flowers.

"The #MeToo hashtag gained traction after actress Alyssa Milano asked Twitter users to respond with that message if they had been subject to unwelcome advances.

"The social media outcry has followed a series of accusations of sexual misconduct against film producer Harvey Weinstein. A number of actresses, including Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rose McGowan, have accused Weinstein of sexual abuse, assault and in the case of British actor Lysette Anthony, rape."

The campus shout-down movement takes its next logical step

Power Line  "Recently, a friend who is enrolled in a graduate program at a prestigious university asked me whether I would be interesting in speaking to a group of students as part of series on public policy the program was holding. She said that all of the speakers so far have been liberal and that I would add a different perspective to the proceedings.

"I responded, chidingly, that I might be risking life and limb if I participated. She assured me that I would be in no jeopardy because I am not a white supremacist.

"I don’t really believe there would much real risk associated with speaking to a handful of graduate students at this university. However, the shout-down movement is not about preventing “white supremacists” from speaking. It is about enforcing left-wing orthodoxy (which, to be sure, now includes the notion that those who reject that orthodoxy are white supremacists).

"Accordingly, the next logical steps in the shout-down movement are (1) to prevent speech by liberals who don’t embrace key tenets of radical leftism and (2) to prevent speech by mainstream conservatives and Republicans." . . .

When Truth Becomes Obscene. Ask Mayim Bialik

Tiffany Kendal Koogler  "The most appalling and troubling spectacle of the American Left’s bag of tricks is their refusal to simply tell the truth. Democratic representative Frederica Wilson, who resembles both a rodeo clown and a pimp from the movie Shaft, said that President Trump has a brain disorder because he told a widow whose husband died in the Special Forces that: “ he knew what he signed up for… but it hurts when it happens anyway.”

"What’s wrong with that statement? Absolutely nothing. It does not detract an iota from the sadness and somberness of the man’s death, but it is true. What else would someone believe being in the Special Forces entailed? An intense game of Scrabble? Ferocious flour sack races at dusk? Death is on the menu." . . .

"Politically correct language is obscene because it is a language whose entire purpose is to swindle. Hurting someone’s tender feelings has become social leprosy, and anyone who is brave enough to speak truth will find themselves shunned by the elites who shape the narrative and hand out the goodies.

"Because the only currency the Left values is stridently not calling something exactly as it is, they could not understand how to advise Hillary on how to be the one thing voters want most of all: to be sincere." . . . Hat tip to Teri Donahue 

Bialik: “I Am Very Sorry” For My Statement About Modesty And Sexual Harassment

I still make choices every day as a 41-year-old actress that I think of as self-protecting and wise. I have decided that my sexual self is best reserved for private situations with those I am most intimate with. I dress modestly. I don’t act flirtatiously with men as a policy.

"Bialik knew that would provoke a strong reaction from other feminists in her industry. She included the principle that women should be free from attack intrinsically, but challenged them to change the culture more significantly:" . . .

If Trump had been Barack Obama things would have been just fine

Gold Star Mother Praises Trump, Says Obama Left Tarmac Before All of the Bodies Were Removed from Plane!  . . . "Karen Vaughn, mother of fallen Navy Seal of Aaron Carson Vaughn, praised the president for his kindness to her and her family.

"Karen’s son Navy Seal of Aaron Carson Vaughn was killed in Afghanistan in August 2011.
"Karen Vaughn also told Rose of how Obama took his photo op and then left before all of the bodies were removed from the plane.

Karen Vaughn: So the president stuck around for our ceremony and then left before those bodies came off the plane. And never even went and spoke to those families of the fallen heroes because they weren’t SEAL Team 6 and it would do him no good politically.

"The Gold Star families know who support them."
 "The Dem Party gives license to black members of Congress to go after President Trump because if he responds they’ll just call him racist.

Words of a general who lost a son in combat resonate . . . " 'If anyone thinks you can somehow thank them for their service and not support the cause for which they fight –- America's survival -- then these people are lying to themselves and rationalizing away something in their own lives, but more importantly they are slighting our warriors and mocking their commitment to this nation," Kelly said.

"Added Kelly: "It's not Bush's war. It's not Obama's war. It's our war and we can't run away from it."
"Thousands have been killed or injured in the wars, but they are not victims, Kelly said." . . .

WH: Kelly Felt Trump's Remarks to Widow Were 'Respectful'  . . . "Gen. Kelly was present for the call and thought it was completely appropriate," Sanders told reporters at the daily briefing.
"He thought the call was respectful — and he thought that the president did the best job he could under those circumstances to offer condolences on the part of the country." . . .
"Kelly, who became chief of staff in July, is a retired Marine Corps general whose son was killed in Afghanistan in 2010."

Lowly Liberals Manipulate Gold Star Families in War on Trump

Jason Cartmill comments in Lars Larson's site: "She heard the whole conversation but she didn't hear the whole conversation and can't exactly remember it. Which is it? He said it but he basically said it. Again, which is it? People sometimes only hear what they want they want to hear during normal conversation. Grieving changes perceptions too. None of us were in the car or in the room and have no clue as to what was said or what wasn't said. At this point, any furor over this is purely speculative.....a manufactured outrage."

Trump Call Controversy Brings Out The Trolls To Threaten Florida Congresswoman  . . . "To be clear, Wilson is the typical Democrat, meaning, an insufferable liberal. However, threatening her with violence is not acceptable.

Fake news or corroboration? Can anyone verify the source for this report? Without provenance, the below is useless. TD

Florida Dem Who Criticized Trump for Disrespecting Soldier's Widow Has Terrible Record of Helping Vets

Leah Barkoukis

The congresswoman also opposed numerous bills aimed at improving VA services provided the veterans and their families

"It turns out the Florida Democrat who criticized President Trump this week for making insensitive remarks toward the widow of a fallen U.S. soldier doesn’t exactly have a great track record herself when it comes to helping veterans.

"Congresswoman Frederica Wilson has repeatedly voted against bills that help veterans and their families, according to VoteSmart.org. 

The measures that Wilson opposed included a bill that could have ensured that families of four soldiers slain in Afghanistan in 2013 received death and burial benefits. […]

Despite Wilson's claim to be “committed to honoring our service members, not only with words but with deeds,” she has voted against most bills ensuring continued funding for veteran benefits, including payments to widows of fallen soldiers, the vote-tracking site shows.

She has also opposed measures designed to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In March 2013, Wilson opposed the “Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act,” which prevented a government shutdown and provided funds for the U.S. military and the VA.The bill, which passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by the Obama administration, provided funding to the military and the VA until the next government shutdown showdown. […]

 

Weinstein's Pimps: Revenge Of The Ugly Girls

Ann Coulter  "Liberalism is a sexual assault protection racket. Judging by the last week's news coverage, EVERYONE in the liberal universe -- Hollywood, the fashion industry, the media and Democratic politics -- knew about Harvey Weinstein's sexual predations and nearly all of them were covering it up. 

"Liberals circle the wagons to protect fellow liberals. All those sacrosanct laws about rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment are the fire ax behind a glass door: "Break in case of conservative." 

"Weinstein admitted as much by immediately responding to the accusations against him by offering to donate money to fight the National Rifle Association. (That's not the thing we're worried about being cocked and loaded, Harvey.) 

"According to Ronan Farrow's comprehensive article in The New Yorker, "(m)ultiple sources" told him how Weinstein bragged that he could use his allies in the press to crush anyone who crossed him. 

"Longtime editor Tina Brown -- ironically, one of Weinstein's erstwhile clean-up gals -- told Charlie Rose: "What I found really unsettling was how many journalists, frankly, were on his payroll. I mean, you know, Harvey would have everyone on his payroll. All the people at the (New York) Post and people in all the tabloids, people writing stuff, entertainment writers, gossip writers." 

"I knew the gossip pages were written by PR agents, but I didn't realize they were written by sexual predators, too. I was curious about exactly who was protecting Harvey and, luckily, I have a Nexis account. The full list would take me well over my word limit, so this column will focus on the tabloid most slavishly devoted to protecting Weinstein's good name: the New York Post. " . . .

"Farrow's sources cited as their proof of how Weinstein could dirty up an accuser the coordinated tabloid attacks on Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez after she reported Weinstein's assault on her to the police in 2015." . . .

Tony Branco

Gold Star mother says Trump showed DISRESPECT as he spoke to her fallen Green Beret son's widow

– as president says congresswoman who claimed he said the hero 'knew what he signed up for' was FABRICATING his words. 
If at my death I were praised by the president saying that I knew what I was enlisting for, I hope my survivors would be proud and honored.* TD

UK Daily Mail  

President Trump phoned Myeshia Johnson on Tuesday afternoon to give his condolences over the death of her husband Sgt. La David Johnson; Rep. Frederica Wilson said Trump told her the slain solider 'knew what he signed up for'

. . . "The Gold Star mother of an Army Special Forces sergeant killed in Niger is backing up a Democratic congresswoman's version of a condolence phone call between family members and Donald Trump, saying the president 'disrespected' them.

"Rep. Frederica Wilson had told reporters Trump dismissively said to Sgt. La David Johnson's widow Myeshia that he 'knew what he signed up for' by enlisting, adding that 'when it happens it hurts anyway.'

" 'Yes the statement is true,' Johnson's mother, Cowanda Jones-Johnson, told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

" 'I was in the car and I heard the full conversation. Not only did he disrespect my son,' she said, but Trump also disrespected the dead soldier's father and his widow." . . .

The Most Ridiculous Scandal Of The Night Involves Trump And Rep. Frederica Wilson  . . . "Wilson admitted to ABC News that she “didn’t hear the entire conversation” and that she “just can’t remember everything that he [Trump] said. But that stood out in everyone’s, uh heart, on the call. You don’t say that.”

"Wilson proceeded to claim that the partial conversation that she heard was “an insult to the entire Miami Gardens community, to our entire District 24, to Miami-Dade County, and to this nation.”

"The White House officially declined to comment on Wilson’s tirade.

” 'The president’s conversations with the families of American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice are private” a Trump administration spokesman told ABC News." . . .

Bahamian-American Wilson on right

The congresswoman who accused Trump of upsetting a dead soldier's widow has a history of antagonizing Trump

"As a Congresswoman sworn to uphold the Constitution, Rep. Wilson should know better." Commenting on her wanting to lock Zimmerman up "for his own safety"
Sarah Huckabee Sanders says it's 'appalling and disgusting' that congresswoman 'politicized' Trump's call to a soldier's widow
Rep. Wilson misspelled The young widow's name.

Michelle Malkin on this:  ✔

I call bullshit. This is hearsay, uncorroborated, and out of context pot-stirring by Dem partisans riding the impeachment bandwagon--and recycled by lemmings masquerading as journalists.#fakenewshttps://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/920505428735352832 …12:11 AM - Oct 18, 2017

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. . . Wilson admitted she did not hear the whole call.

“Now I didn’t hear the entire conversation,” she told WPLG,  “but when I tried to find out what the entire conversation was, she said I just can’t remember everything that he said. But that stood out in everyone’s, uh heart, on the call.' ” . . .

Obama pictured saluting soldier's casket. I considered this a cheap trick by a president who loved to inject himself into every significant event, and, like Bill Clinton, wanted to play the role of loving his troops. This was early in his administration and I consider him to have been hoping for street cred with America's troops. 
I cannot believe his mentors Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright would have approved without knowing it was a necessary political posture. TD

* Please excuse my using four personal pronouns ("I"). After eight years of Obama his speech patterns have become mine. TD