Like I said, 'Putting Up A Fence Is A Declaration of Fear'

Justice for J6 Rally. Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. Less than 200 attended the right-wing event.

I asked the question are we overreacting to J6 Rally two days ago. In it, I asserted putting up a fence around the Capitol was a declaration of fear.

Today's much anticipated right-wing rally was so small (maybe 200 people) the question becomes more loaded. It was a case of bringing a bazooka to a slingshot fight.

There were 20 cops/National Guards for every one protestor. The rally lasted less than 90 minutes after it began around 12 p.m. ET. 

The highlight of the day happened 40 minutes into the rally when Capitol Police arrested a man who had a knife, for a weapons violation.

Other than that it could have just been another day in Portland, Oregon where protests never cease.

Takeaways:

--The potential for chaos made the rally politically toxic for leading Republicans, many of whom maintain the lie at the heart of the assault on the Capitol: that Trump's defeat was the result of election tampering.

--When none of the really crazy GOP senators or House members decided not to appear, or even promote the J6 rally, that was a big clue it wasn't going to be a massive crowd attending.

--Law authorities worked together to establish a game plan. Kudos for that.

--The world is wondering if American democracy can survive the domestic terrorists who've infiltered into the Republican party.

--The good news is protesting for domestic terrorists, and calling them patriots, was very low on everyone's list today. 

The next time there's a rally at the Capitol, I hope we don't have to see that damn fence go up around it making it appear that our nation is under constant siege. 

September Hypocrisy Award Ceremonies Set For Oct. 1

The September candidates vying for this months Biggest Hypocrite award are legion.

The contenders - all politicians or political activists {as usual} - have been summitting videos to a panel of three judges since the start of the month.

With under two weeks remaining, I expect to see a steady tide of hypocrites entering right up until Sept. 30th. 

Program note: This year a new Group Category has been added.

As of this post, the most hypocritical Group is 12 Republican Governors who are fighting-COVID-19 vaccination mandates, despite mandating other vaccines.

Top 4 Individual Candidates:

--Lindsey Graham, last month's winner, is looking for a repeat with accusations that Biden should never have left Afghanistan. It's a complete reversal from his past position, making him a strong contender.

--Mike Pence, continues to kowtow to Trump by being outwardly supportive of him, but in reality Pence is putting together a presidential campaign that would challenge Trump if he did run in 2024.

--Ted Cruz is an accomplished liar, but it's his hypocrisy about Afghanistan, his ill-timed trip to Cancun while his constituents froze their asses off during a major power outage in freezing conditions, that make him a viable candidate.

--Kevin McCarthy, could give a master class in hypocrisy. Thus far his tour-de-force was flip-flopping on Trump's accountability for the Jan. 6 insurrection. This month McCarthy, who is vaccinated, fired off a Twitter message opposing vaccine mandates.

The winner will be announced on Oct. 1st. It should be interesting to see if any of the candidates can crack the top 4 before the end of this month.

The master of ceremonies will be legendary hypocrite Newt Gingrich. 

Location: Guisippi's Pizza Parlor basement, on South Main, Jacksonville, Florida

Related: Social Hypocrisy Group on Facebook

Are Authorities Overreacting to the Right-Wing's 'Justice for J6' Rally?

Watching barriers being erected around The Capitol because of a right-wing rally Saturday, was a sad sight.

Is this the new normal for protests in Washington DC? I realize the group gathering to protest incarcerated rioters from January 6 are antigovernment, but do they warrant barricades?

Unlike Jan. 6, there's not going to be thousands of protestors. In fact, the Department of Homeland Security estimates the anticipated crowd size will be around 700 people.

The national guard will be on alert. Local law enforcement agencies are communicating like never before. 

DHS has warned that lone offenders and small groups of individuals can "mobilize to violence with little-to-no warning, particularly in response to confrontational encounters with perceived opponents or calls for escalation by key influencers."  

The same Trump minion, Matt Braynard, who organized Saturday's rally, is planning similar rallies in 15 other states over the next month. Will they also require the same strict security and fences?

Turns out there's going to be a counter-rally at Freedom Plaza the same day. That doesn't bode well. It heightens the potential for violence. But with all the security that's going to be there the groups will be separated.

Rumors that the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers may attend are buzzing on social media platforms, but there's been no confirmation from either group.

The J6 rally is about supporting the rioters who assaulted the Capitol. Claims that the rioters are not getting justice and are being tortured in dark cells, echo throughout the right-wing messaging machine.

Based on what I've read and heard, this protest isn't going to be another Jan. 6. It will be another rally by extremists that's based upon lies, and it won't be the last.

I realize that the authorities don't want a repeat attack on the Capitol, but putting up that fence is a declaration of fear. What does the rest of the world think? That we've become a Banana Republic?

All the concerned agencies are prepared for the worst this time. Unlike the last time when the rioters caught everyone off guard.

The rally is scheduled to last a little more than an hour. Hopefully the fence will comedown immediately afterwards.

Related: Trump Defends Capitol Rioters Being 'Persecuted So Unfairly' Ahead of Sept. 18 Rally

As Our World Turns: Sometimes It's Like Living In An Alternate Universe

Strange Days. Dystopian Times. Ragnarok. Apocalypse Now. End Times.

Following current events in our society is like going on a safari in hell. It's getting harder to tell the difference between the truth and lies. They meld together seamlessly.

Look back ten years ago. Twenty years. Thirty years. And more. Who would have believed that a reality star and sociopath would become the president of the United States?

The brain drain of America (our lack of emphasis on funding the education system nationwide) has produced demoralizing results.

I'll say it. The percentage of stupid people seems to increase daily. And they go into politics because a crooked real estate guy got elected president, and {By God!} they should be able too regardless of experience.

Imagine. Todays Republican party bows to one demented individual. Real conservatives are acting like cockroaches and scurrying under rocks when Trump approaches.

Our reality has been so crazy it defies the imagination. A person can be excused for thinking they slipped into an alternative universe on any given day.

A former president attempted a coup and poisoned our electoral system.

But it doesn't matter! 

The GOP sheep genuflect when he wobbles into a room.

As far as I can tell, Trump may never pay for the multitude of sins he's committed during his chaotic regime, and after he lost the 2020 election.

It's hard to wrap your mind around that thought. Where's justice? Is there such a thing? 

It gets worse. We're experiencing Pandemic 2.0 because of stupid people who won't get vaccinated. To compound their stupidity they take medicines for animals, and bleach to fight COVID-19.

That's a recipe for a national disaster. Annual pandemics. We'll keep getting new mutations thanks to anti-vaxxers who do live in an alternate universe.

It's no easy task to remain grounded and in the "here-and-now" with all of the crazy things that people are saying and doing every single day.

Stay strong.

There's Real Audits...Then There's Election Meddling Audits

Every state in the union was officially audited numerous times after the 2020 election when Biden beat Trump.

Even Trump cronies, like AG Bill Barr, said there was no evidence of fraud in the election. Yet, we're still hearing about so-called "audits."

After watching the audit debacle in Arizona for months it's painfully evident it's anything but a real AUDIT. It's a partisan grift to reinstate Trump and has been a constant source of mockery among the mainstream press.

Even some Republican Arizona lawmakers admit that the whole thing is a farce and nothing more than a right-wing fundraiser.

Kudos to the Philadelphia Inquirer for their recent article about audits - "Why We're Not Calling It an Audit." Take a moment, this is a good read.

Based upon reality, the paper explained that it's because "there's no indication" that this latest "forensic audit" effort in Pennsylvania "would follow the best practices or the common understanding of an audit among nonpartisan experts."

In other words, after months of Trump alleging baselessly that the election was rigged, this effort is just another grift to raise money. There's been no evidence shown to think otherwise.

Pennsylvania's fledgling attempt to conduct a "forensic audit" is based on the months-long partisan review in Arizona, widely regarded as irrevocably flawed and unnecessary to begin with, and initiated by Republican lawmakers carrying water for Trump.

Going forward we can expect more baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 election - it's baked into the base - along with new narratives coming from deep right conspiracy theorists who refuse to acknowledge facts and evidence.

Related: Trump Is Now Backing a QAnon Conspiracy Theorist To Run Arizona's Elections

Jen Psaki Pressers Not As Fun As Sarah Huckabee and Sean Spicer's Were

        Faux News' Peter Doocy and Jen Psake during White House briefing.

White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, is a no-nonsense kind of person who respects the press, but doesn't let some of it's members walk all over her.

Most of her pressers are boring. There's very little action going on, and fewer insults than in the previous administration.

In her defense, Psake doesn't have a lot to work with. If it wasn't for Faux News reporter, Peter Doocy, I wouldn't even watch the White House Q and A exchanges. I can usually count on him saying something stupid and partisan for a good laugh.

There's a few other reporters from right-wing organizations like Chanel Rion, for OAN, Emerald Robinson for Newsmax TV, and Elizabeth Moore for Breitbart, that provide sporadic entertainment.

But I miss the days of Sean Spicer, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders assaulting the press corps and lying about everything.

It was fun watching the pressers with Sean Spicer who often got beet red with anger while ranting at his tormentors who sought the truth. I knew I could count on Saturday Night Live to re-enact those hilarious episodes.

Then there was Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 

Most of the time she kept a straight face while rattling off a string of lies.

Sometimes her face got contorted and looked funny as she tried to defend the indefensible.

Throughout Trump's reign there was always a sense of anticipation at every press conference because you knew it could become a circus in a blink of an eye.

Nowadays, we have stoic Jen Psaki who doesn't speak from both sides of her mouth or asshole. 

Sure, the entertainment value nosedived (nothing for SNL to work with), but it's worth it to hear the truth, and not have to listen to alternate realities.

Trump and Other Right-Wingers Ignore 911 Ceremonies

While most of the nation mourned the loss of 2,977 Americans on Sept.11, Trump and other right-wing toads ignored it.

While family members recalled the names of loved ones lost, Trump was slathering on his orange makeup in anticipation of his gig as a color commentator for a fight in Hollywood, Florida last night.

The "fight" was a joke starring 58 year-old Evander Holyfield fighting a MMA retiree Victor Belfort. Trump's stupid oldest son Don Jr. was also there hinting that his dad knew a lot of secrets about aliens and Area 51.

The farce ended in the 1st round. It was an event where everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves.

As crowds gathered in New York and Pennsylvania to honor the dead, right-wing lunatics held a "We the People Reunion" rally in Kentucky.

The event featured the whose who of extreme right-wingers in America, hosting speakers like the MyPillow guy Mike Lindell, Michael Flynn and Pastor Greg Locke.

Promoters expected crowds of around 10,000 people, but a local news station reported less than 300 people showed up for the alternative reality event.

Right-wingers were furious that former President George Bush passionately spoke about threats to America today with a thinly veiled reference to the Jan. 6 insurrection and homegrown terrorists.

"We have seen growing evidence that dangers to our country can come, not only across the borders, but from violence that gathers within," Bush said in a speech marking the anniversary at the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In a day that should have united all Americans it didn't. Twenty years ago it did, but now we face an even more dire threat from within.

California Recall Is Facing Another 'Big Lie' By Republicans

The 2020 Big Lie by Trump is surfacing again in the California recall election on Sept. 14th.

The Big Lie will be a Republican mainstay from here on out in any election. The claims of a "rigged election" in California days before the voting even begins heralds a another chapter of corruption in the GOP.

Like Trump, California politicians are claiming the election will be rigged if they lose it. 

For starters; California has nearly twice as many registered Democrats as registered Republicans. Advantage blue.

This fact doesn't even register with right-wing Republicans who are already whining about losing an election that hasn't started yet.

It's important to realize that we now live in the era of the Big Lie. For better or worse, GOP candidates are clinging to the lie in the hope it will get them elected.

Some Republicans have not even bothered to offer a specific explanation for their baseless fraud assertions. 

Faux News commentator Tomi Lahren claimed, "The only thing that will save Gavin Newsom is voter fraud. So, as they say, 'stay woke.' Pay attention to the voter fraud going on in California."

Not to be outdone by Faux, Newsmax television host Grant Stinchfield said, "They're going to cheat to win. The mail-in scheme is rigged."

None of this should come as a surprise. Trump and his minions have planted the lie firmly in the minds of their extreme base.

Like the original Big Lie, this latest attempt to steal an election will probably fail. Newsom is well ahead on the most recent polls.

It won't matter however. I fully expect to see the Big Lie take front and center in next years midterms.

Politics VS Public Safety: Republican Governors Crossing The Line Of No Return

Rhetoric and outright lies are not going to stop the deadly new COVID mutation - the Delta variant - from infecting and killing thousands of Americans every day.

Apparently that doesn't stop eight Republican governors from banning masking in schools and public places in the name of...wait for it...FREEDOM.

Free to die from ignorance and partisanship that has conservatives around the country consuming horse de-wormers or bleach.

Among those science-denying GOP governors there's two that stand out like a pimple on someone's ass; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

DeSantis has been waging war against face masks the moment they were proposed by the CDC. He's threated school districts and even individuals in the education system if they don't comply with his anti-masking demands.

Thus far the courts have held DeSantis back like a rabid dog, but he's not giving up and has filed an emergency appeal in hopes of stopping school masking mandates.

Meanwhile...

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his right-wing Attorney General, Ken Paxton, vowed to punish any school district that defied Abbott's ban on mask mandates.

Then something odd happened. Republican lawmakers (who are in the majority) failed to pass a mandate stopping masking in schools. As a matter of fact, they didn't even bother to put up a bill preventing masking after the first one failed.

That left Abbott and Paxton no other recourse than to take their fight to the courts. So far it's resulted in chaos as different judges reached different conclusions about whether to uphold mask mandates or block them.

There's six other governors that have crossed the line between politics and public safety.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is in a standoff with local school officials who want students to wear face masks.

The other five governors that have joined in the culture war are from; Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, South Carolina, and Utah.

All of these governors have one thing in common, they put politics ahead of public safety. 

Texas is the Rape Capitol of the Country and It Just Got Worse

Right-wing maniac, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, is proud of himself for forcing victims of rape and incest to have unwanted babies with the new law he signed.

Let's take a look at three reasons why this new abortion law is such a bad idea:

1.) According to Statista, there were almost 15,000 rapes in Texas in 2019 - the most of any state in the nation.

2.) The new law outlaws abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Many women - including rape survivors - may not even know they are pregnant by that point.

3.) It's worth mentioning that Texas has more than 2,000 rape kits backlogged.

In a press conference yesterday, after Abbott signed the bill into law, he was asked about the rape and incest victims getting no protection.

His reply was a typical right-wing retort; "Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets."

What? Wait a minute. Does that mean the state is not aggressively going after those cretins until just now because of the new law?

And, Abbott said he's going to eliminate all rapes. I wonder how that's possible?

Texas Democrat, Rep. Gene Wu, hit the nail on the head; "Oh really? The governor had a solution to end all RAPE and he sat on it until now? Does it involve horse de-wormer?"

The reality is there's no way to totally eliminate rapes. But there are things Abbott and the state could do to reduce rapes. Passing a law that criminalizes rape survivors is not one of them.

You Pick The Color Of The Sky: It's Optional in America Today

Fact and fiction are being redefined as our society sinks deeper into a rabbit hole of hate.

There is no longer room for compromise among the red and the blue. White and black realities are more stark than ever.

The chaos from the Trump regime continues nearly a year after his loss to Joe Biden. If anything, things are getting worse as voter suppression has become mission number one for Trumpy Republicans.

The Mike Lindell's and Sydney Powell's of the far-right openly lie and laugh at the fools who believe their fever dreams. Reality is no longer recognized by right-wing extremists and their sheep-like followers.

That's the reason QAnon is spreading like noxious mushrooms through rural areas and cities. Followers prefer to be divorced from the real world where their reality sucks.

Anti-vaxxers disavow science and common sense in favor of off-the-wall remedies that often prove fatal.

The color of the sky, or grass, has become questionable as Republican's ask people to not always believe what they see...or hear. Denying facts gets easier every day.

Apparently we've reached a point in our society where questioning reality has become commonplace. Nothing is too far out.

The ramifications of this willing brain drain will become part and parcel of our republic's demise from within. 

There's consequences for denying reality. One of the biggest that comes to mind is denying that climate change is ravaging the planet. 

The forces of nature get deadlier every year with massive droughts, "super-wildfires," monster storms, increased tornados, huge hurricanes, flooding, and rising temperatures across the globe.

If you believe in the real world, in facts, and what you see and hear, stay strong. There's a good chance the odds will catch up (it probably won't be pretty) to those who live with alternative realities.