thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Metro School Board Member and Plaintiff Fran Bush Says Constitutional Lawsuit Against Former Superin

Metro School Board Member and Plaintiff Fran Bush Says Constitutional Lawsuit Against Former Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph is Still Pending

The lawsuit against former Metro Nashville Public Schools superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph and the Metro government is still pending , one of the plaintiffs , a school board member , says .
Fran Bush is one of three MNPS school board members who are suing Joseph and the Metro government .
The other plaintiffs are board members Jill Speering and Amy Frogge .
“ It is still pending in court , ” Bush told The Tennessee Star .
“ It is being heard by our attorney .
Right now , it is looking like we will prevail.
” The plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s severance agreement violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights , WSMV reports .
The plaintiffs claim that they are not able to truthfully talk with constituents , with one another and with others , and that the clause does not allow for “ truthful criticism ” of Joseph .
The school board bought out Joseph ’ s contract in April 2019 , The Star reported at the time .
Terms included allowing Joseph to earn his normal salary through July 31 , 2019 and cutting him a check for $ 261,250 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the law , you can not silence or gag any elected official and violate our constitutional rights.
” She said Metro ’ s legal department knew the clause was allegedly illegal but they permitted the clause to be used .
“ We do see a victory , ” Bush said .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Photo “ Fran Bush ” by Fran Bush .

The lawsuit against former Metro Nashville Public Schools superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph and the Metro government is still pending, one of the plaintiffs, a school board member, says.
Fran Bush is one of three MNPS school board members who are suing Joseph and the Metro government. The other plaintiffs are board members Jill Speering and Amy Frogge.
“It is still pending in court,” Bush told The Tennessee Star. “It is being heard by our attorney. Right now, it is looking like we will prevail.”
Their attorney is Daniel Horwitz.
The plaintiffs allege that a clause in Joseph’s severance agreement violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, WSMV reports. The plaintiffs claim that they are not able to truthfully talk with constituents, with one another and with others, and that the clause does not allow for “truthful criticism” of Joseph.
Part of Joseph’s severance agreement includes a clause prohibiting the school board from making “any disparaging or defamatory comments regarding Dr. Joseph and his performance as Director of Schools.” Speering, Bush and Frogge voted against accepting the terms of the agreement. The motion still passed, 5-3.
The school board bought out Joseph’s contract in April 2019, The Star reported at the time. Terms included allowing Joseph to earn his normal salary through July 31, 2019 and cutting him a check for $261,250.
Bush told The Star that, “Under the law, you cannot silence or gag any elected official and violate our constitutional rights.”
She said Metro’s legal department knew the clause was allegedly illegal but they permitted the clause to be used.
“We do see a victory,” Bush said.
– – –
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Fran Bush” by Fran Bush.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Commentary: America’s Clown Conference

Commentary: America’s Clown Conference

The latest act in the clown show that is the Big Ten Conference ’ s postponement of football this fall occurred on Thursday afternoon when Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer green-lighted high school football in the state .
Twitter erupted into paroxysms of hope , and the Internet haruspices crouched down to read the chicken entrails .
Might the decision of this control-freak governor , who a little more than a week earlier had expressed glee that the Big Ten was scrubbing football for the fall , augur a reversal of opinion among decision makers in the Upper Midwest and thus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fall sports ?
The league , for its part , did itself no favors on announcement day .
The rollout of the postponement decision was as inept as the Obamacare website launch .
Had the poll numbers in her state turned , intimating that poll numbers in other Big Ten states had turned as well ?
Could the governor ’ s flip flop portend similar gymnastic feats in nearby states ’ governor mansions , and concomitant 180s in conference presidents ’ offices ?
Could conference schools be playing football … maybe even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every day — indeed , every couple of hours — there is a new , breathlessly reported development in the soap opera that is the Big Ten football postponement .
Ohio State practiced in pads Tuesday !
Jim Harbaugh told his Michigan team to be ready to play in October !
A major voice in sports talk radio pegged the start date as October 10 !
Big Ten prexies were said to be revoting on Saturday !
No , the vote ’ s slated for Monday !
But no again , the Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet , reliable sources say !
How did we get to this chaotic point ?
On August 5 , the conference released a tentative football schedule .
Everything pointed to the hallowed , historic Big Ten giving football the old college try .
The fourteen conference schools would play conference games only ; they would play ten of them ; they would start in early September and conclude in mid-November , with two bye weeks built into every school ’ s schedule as a cushion against delays or virus outbreaks within teams or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fans were optimistic ; if cautious giddiness is a thing , they were that , too .
Coaches had assembled their teams ; players were practicing ; athletic departments were putting in place health protocols for fans and players .
There was a hint of reluctance in the commissioner ’ s go signal , but most everyone , in their enthusiasm for football , burrowed past it and laid plans for some semblance of the grand old game on their campuses beginning in a month or so .
Six days later the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren , blindsided them all by announcing that all fall sports — most prominently football — were canceled .
This occurred on August 11 , a full three weeks before the first scheduled game .
There would be no delay in the decision , no waiting a week or two to see if virus conditions improved or how other major conferences were going to proceed .
The issue would not be revisited .
The decision was irrevocable .
Big Ten football for fall 2020 was finis , caput , done .
The fit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news of the postponement was about to break , the coach of one conference school , Nebraska , tried to forestall the decision with a desperate eleventh-hour press conference .
Scott Frost ’ s players , he said , were safer in the controlled environment of the Nebraska football program than they were at home — they would receive more testing , and better health care , there than they would anywhere else in Lincoln , or even at their parents ’ house .
His school would also lose $ 80 to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the other sports at Nebraska would be hurt .
Intriguingly , Coach Frost also floated the idea that his team might go rogue and play games wherever they could find them .
The “ ungrateful ” Cornhusker was inundated with a tsunami of pushback from the established sports media .
Pundits with blue-blood Big Ten backgrounds were outraged at the coach ’ s temerity to suggest going off the Big Ten grid .
A Michigan alum and a Northwestern grad , respectively , both well-known TV personalities , seemed more upset at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big Ten than they were at the Big Ten for dropping football for the fall .
Another commentator told Nebraska , a parvenu in this the hoity-toity-est of major conferences , to mount its John Deere and drive its “ double duals ” back to where it came from .
Now , understand something about the Big Ten .
It bows to no one in haughtiness .
Its true-blue fans seem more concerned about winning a conference championship than they do a national championship ; the Rose Bowl game seems more important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Indeed , recent additions Maryland and Rutgers ( entered in 2014 ) , and Nebraska ( 2011 ) , and even Penn State ( 1990 ) , are not , and probably never will be , accepted as coequals by the legacy members .
Some in the Great Lakes State are still annoyed that Michigan State got into the conference , and that happened in 1950 , although , to be honest , that sentiment might derive more from University of Michigan arrogance , a discrete but equally obnoxious prejudice , than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the conference that it probably thought its stature and reputation among conferences would force other leagues to do likewise and postpone their football schedules .
True to form , the Pac-12 fell in line , canceling all sports ( for the rest of the calendar year ! )
later the same day .
But three major conferences decided conditions were safe enough to play football this fall , and currently the Southeastern Conference , the Atlantic Coast Conference , and the Big 12 are all teeing it up later this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissent by other league coaches , and even players and their parents .
On August 16 , the league ’ s best player , Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields , started an online petition for playing football that had garnered 230,000 signatures a day later .
Parents of players from various Big Ten schools organized groups in opposition to the forced postponement ; some showed up at Big Ten offices attempting to confront the commissioner and urge a reconsideration .
And of course , the social media raged .
The league , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on announcement day .
The rollout of the postponement decision was as inept as the Obamacare website launch .
Warren could speak only in benign generalities , saying meetings with conference medical people convinced league officials of “ too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.
” Later in the day , on the league ’ s own Big Ten Network , he reiterated that “ uncertainty ” time and again while offering logorrheic responses to questions from an interviewer imploring him for explanation rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which , he pulled down upon himself a cone of silence .
Since that time we have learned the vote to postpone was 11 to 3 , the three no votes , it is widely assumed , coming from Ohio State , Iowa , and Nebraska .
Also , various ideas for alternative seasons have bounced around the media : a spring season ; a winter season , possibly played in central locations , in the domed stadiums of Big Ten Land ; a six-team mini-league with each team playing ten games , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; a season starting around Thanksgiving time ; and lastly the October 10 start-up date .
The situation is , as they say , fluid , but , officially , as of now , no football is officially on the docket for winter , spring , or fall .
The financial damage the postponement imposes on the league is substantial .
A number of schools are expected to lose upwards of $ 100 million .
Athletic department jobs will be axed and departments will institute hiring freezes .
Sports will be cut .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ basketball are heavily dependent upon finances generated by football and will suffer from the postponement .
And Big Ten die-hards will be forced to watch Big Ten Network “ classics ” for the remainder of the calendar year !
But that ’ s minimal compared to the damage postponement will wreak on the playing field .
Truth be told , the Big Ten is decades removed from any sort of football dominance .
In the last 50 years , that is , since 1970 , conference members have won two full national championships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 1995 , for example , the latter date the termination point of the old Big Eight conference , the Big Eight won seven national championships and one split title to the Big Ten ’ s zero .
And since 1995 , the league boasts only a half-loaf championship by Michigan in 1997 and two titles by Ohio State , in 2002 and 2014 .
The SEC , meanwhile , the heavyweights who live rent-free in Big Ten fans ’ heads , has ruled college football , scoring 11 national championships since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 2006 and 2012 .
In the last decade or so , thanks to the supremacy of Ohio State , the conference has clawed its way to respectability , and the last few years could legitimately be considered the second-most-powerful league in college football .
Michigan , Penn State , and Wisconsin regularly people the top 20 , and the Buckeyes are a bona fide national title contender every year .
Postponing the fall football season while three of the other main conferences are playing is sure to widen that gap once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , recruitment will be crushed , as premier high school football players who want to devote their lives to football will gravitate toward schools in conferences that look for reasons to play football rather than conferences that look for reasons not to play football .
It will be a sad sight come middle to late October when coaches and players , not to mention college presidents , in Big Ten country are sitting in front of their TVs watching college football being played in all its pomp and glory in the huge stadiums @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit nearby empty and dark .
Tom Raabe is a writer and editor living in Tempe , Arizona .
Photo “ Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren ” by Big Ten and photo “ Big Ten Football ” by Steve Schar CC2.0 .

by Tom Raabe
The latest act in the clown show that is the Big Ten Conference’s postponement of football this fall occurred on Thursday afternoon when Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer green-lighted high school football in the state.
Twitter erupted into paroxysms of hope, and the Internet haruspices crouched down to read the chicken entrails. Might the decision of this control-freak governor, who a little more than a week earlier had expressed glee that the Big Ten was scrubbing football for the fall, augur a reversal of opinion among decision makers in the Upper Midwest and thus a possible revocation of the conference suspension of fall sports?
The league, for its part, did itself no favors on announcement day. The rollout of the postponement decision was as inept as the Obamacare website launch.
Had the poll numbers in her state turned, intimating that poll numbers in other Big Ten states had turned as well? Could the governor’s flip flop portend similar gymnastic feats in nearby states’ governor mansions, and concomitant 180s in conference presidents’ offices? Could conference schools be playing football … maybe even already next month?
Who knows? Every day — indeed, every couple of hours — there is a new, breathlessly reported development in the soap opera that is the Big Ten football postponement. Ohio State practiced in pads Tuesday! Jim Harbaugh told his Michigan team to be ready to play in October! A major voice in sports talk radio pegged the start date as October 10! Big Ten prexies were said to be revoting on Saturday! No, the vote’s slated for Monday! But no again, the Big Ten prexies have no immediate plans to meet, reliable sources say!
How did we get to this chaotic point? On August 5, the conference released a tentative football schedule. Everything pointed to the hallowed, historic Big Ten giving football the old college try. The fourteen conference schools would play conference games only; they would play ten of them; they would start in early September and conclude in mid-November, with two bye weeks built into every school’s schedule as a cushion against delays or virus outbreaks within teams or other disruptions. Coaches, players, and fans were optimistic; if cautious giddiness is a thing, they were that, too.
Coaches had assembled their teams; players were practicing; athletic departments were putting in place health protocols for fans and players. There was a hint of reluctance in the commissioner’s go signal, but most everyone, in their enthusiasm for football, burrowed past it and laid plans for some semblance of the grand old game on their campuses beginning in a month or so.
Six days later the commissioner of the Big Ten, Kevin Warren, blindsided them all by announcing that all fall sports — most prominently football — were canceled. This occurred on August 11, a full three weeks before the first scheduled game. There would be no delay in the decision, no waiting a week or two to see if virus conditions improved or how other major conferences were going to proceed. The issue would not be revisited. The decision was irrevocable. Big Ten football for fall 2020 was finis, caput, done.
The fit hit the shan almost immediately. When news of the postponement was about to break, the coach of one conference school, Nebraska, tried to forestall the decision with a desperate eleventh-hour press conference. Scott Frost’s players, he said, were safer in the controlled environment of the Nebraska football program than they were at home — they would receive more testing, and better health care, there than they would anywhere else in Lincoln, or even at their parents’ house. His school would also lose $80 to $120 million without football, and most of the other sports at Nebraska would be hurt. Intriguingly, Coach Frost also floated the idea that his team might go rogue and play games wherever they could find them.
The “ungrateful” Cornhusker was inundated with a tsunami of pushback from the established sports media. Pundits with blue-blood Big Ten backgrounds were outraged at the coach’s temerity to suggest going off the Big Ten grid. A Michigan alum and a Northwestern grad, respectively, both well-known TV personalities, seemed more upset at Nebraska wanting to play football outside the Big Ten than they were at the Big Ten for dropping football for the fall. Another commentator told Nebraska, a parvenu in this the hoity-toity-est of major conferences, to mount its John Deere and drive its “double duals” back to where it came from.
Now, understand something about the Big Ten. It bows to no one in haughtiness. Its true-blue fans seem more concerned about winning a conference championship than they do a national championship; the Rose Bowl game seems more important to these folks than the national title game. Indeed, recent additions Maryland and Rutgers (entered in 2014), and Nebraska (2011), and even Penn State (1990), are not, and probably never will be, accepted as coequals by the legacy members. Some in the Great Lakes State are still annoyed that Michigan State got into the conference, and that happened in 1950, although, to be honest, that sentiment might derive more from University of Michigan arrogance, a discrete but equally obnoxious prejudice, than from Big Ten condescension. So arrogant is the conference that it probably thought its stature and reputation among conferences would force other leagues to do likewise and postpone their football schedules.
True to form, the Pac-12 fell in line, canceling all sports (for the rest of the calendar year!) later the same day. But three major conferences decided conditions were safe enough to play football this fall, and currently the Southeastern Conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Big 12 are all teeing it up later this month.
The Nebraska coach was soon joined in dissent by other league coaches, and even players and their parents. On August 16, the league’s best player, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, started an online petition for playing football that had garnered 230,000 signatures a day later. Parents of players from various Big Ten schools organized groups in opposition to the forced postponement; some showed up at Big Ten offices attempting to confront the commissioner and urge a reconsideration. And of course, the social media raged.
The league, for its part, did itself no favors on announcement day. The rollout of the postponement decision was as inept as the Obamacare website launch. Warren could speak only in benign generalities, saying meetings with conference medical people convinced league officials of “too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.” Later in the day, on the league’s own Big Ten Network, he reiterated that “uncertainty” time and again while offering logorrheic responses to questions from an interviewer imploring him for explanation rather than confronting him about the decision. After which, he pulled down upon himself a cone of silence.
Since that time we have learned the vote to postpone was 11 to 3, the three no votes, it is widely assumed, coming from Ohio State, Iowa, and Nebraska. Also, various ideas for alternative seasons have bounced around the media: a spring season; a winter season, possibly played in central locations, in the domed stadiums of Big Ten Land; a six-team mini-league with each team playing ten games, home and home, against each other; a season starting around Thanksgiving time; and lastly the October 10 start-up date.
The situation is, as they say, fluid, but, officially, as of now, no football is officially on the docket for winter, spring, or fall. The financial damage the postponement imposes on the league is substantial. A number of schools are expected to lose upwards of $100 million. Athletic department jobs will be axed and departments will institute hiring freezes. Sports will be cut. All sports other than men’s basketball are heavily dependent upon finances generated by football and will suffer from the postponement. And Big Ten die-hards will be forced to watch Big Ten Network “classics” for the remainder of the calendar year!
But that’s minimal compared to the damage postponement will wreak on the playing field. Truth be told, the Big Ten is decades removed from any sort of football dominance. In the last 50 years, that is, since 1970, conference members have won two full national championships and one split title. Between 1970 and 1995, for example, the latter date the termination point of the old Big Eight conference, the Big Eight won seven national championships and one split title to the Big Ten’s zero. And since 1995, the league boasts only a half-loaf championship by Michigan in 1997 and two titles by Ohio State, in 2002 and 2014. The SEC, meanwhile, the heavyweights who live rent-free in Big Ten fans’ heads, has ruled college football, scoring 11 national championships since the new century began, and eight straight between 2006 and 2012.
In the last decade or so, thanks to the supremacy of Ohio State, the conference has clawed its way to respectability, and the last few years could legitimately be considered the second-most-powerful league in college football. Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin regularly people the top 20, and the Buckeyes are a bona fide national title contender every year.
Postponing the fall football season while three of the other main conferences are playing is sure to widen that gap once again. In addition to the financial hit, recruitment will be crushed, as premier high school football players who want to devote their lives to football will gravitate toward schools in conferences that look for reasons to play football rather than conferences that look for reasons not to play football.
It will be a sad sight come middle to late October when coaches and players, not to mention college presidents, in Big Ten country are sitting in front of their TVs watching college football being played in all its pomp and glory in the huge stadiums of the South while their giant coliseums sit nearby empty and dark.
– – –
Tom Raabe is a writer and editor living in Tempe, Arizona.
Photo “Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren” by Big Ten and photo “Big Ten Football” by Steve Schar CC2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Biology Textbooks Reference Too Many ‘White Men’ Washington Post Article States

A recent Washington Post article lamented the fact that biology textbooks contain a disproportionate number of mentions of “ white men.
” The article ’ s author , Bethany Brookshire , begins by referencing three of the most recognized contributors to modern biology , Charles Darwin , Carolus Linnaeus , and Gregor Mendel .
“ They ’ re all men .
They ’ re all white , ” Brookshire observes .
The article then attempts to frame the three scientists ’ race and gender as an issue , considering a recent study that found , as Brookshire points out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biology book ” and “ mentions of white men still dominate biology textbooks.
” The study does , according to The Post , concede that “ the number of women mentioned was proportional to the number of tenured women in the academic biology workforce over time , ” but Brookshire later seemingly dismisses this fact as irrelevant , given that the study finds references in textbooks do not “ reflect the gender and racial diversity of who ’ s in the classroom.
” The Post cites an argument made by Spelman College biochemist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also written from a very white perspective , ” as evidenced by the fact that “ textbooks define a perm as making straight hair curly .
The same process can make naturally curly hair straight.
” The latter part of the article appears to advocate a revisioning of scientific history or perhaps a paring down of the teaching of scientific history .
The post paraphrases an article by co-author of the aforementioned study , Auburn University education researcher Cissy Ballen , and noting that “ most biology textbooks are presented as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ No women from the 1600s through 1900 were mentioned.
” Brookshire quotes Ballen ’ s concern that there are “ 300 years of just white men in textbooks.
” The article concedes that “ some history is necessary ” in textbooks , “ because science is based on historical findings , ” but argues that textbooks should “ be written with more emphasis on illustrating concepts with contemporary examples , instead of historical ones.
” The article then concludes with a statement from Lee , who claims that diversity within an industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnicities of the individuals in the industry , but is instead an “ attitude.
” “ Diversity isn ’ t ethnicity and numbers of people ; it ’ s about your attitude…We can ’ t wait until the industry is diverse .
I ’ m asking [ professors ] to take on the burden of being diverse by supporting a diverse population.
” National Association of Scholars spokesperson Chance Layton , told Campus Reform that The Post ’ s characterization of the study is an attempt to make something out of nothing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bethany Brookshire notes that the study found that research published from 1900 to 1999 had proportional numbers of women who were tenured .
If exact representation is the goal , isn ’ t this good ?
Clearly not , ” said Layton .
“ She and the researchers had to make up a problem , namely that those citations ‘ were not representative of the much more diverse student body [ of today ] .
’ Of course , past citations aren ’ t representative of current student bodies !
” Layton continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focusing on quotas and exact representation , individuals choose what they want to do with their lives .
We , in this country , do not choose careers for our youth.
” Layton concluded , “ The article is right , minority representation in biology 100 years ago was dismal .
Textbooks will naturally catch up as more minorities choose this line of work and publish papers .
To worry about their current representation seems to be , again , creating a non-problem .
The authors of this study and essay should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming biologists , not decrying their textbooks.
” Turning Point USA founder and President Charlie Kirk told Campus Reform that The Post ’ s highlighting of such an argument is part of a larger , concerning trend .
“ This is part of an ongoing , pathological pursuit of ‘ diversity ’ for diversity ’ s sake .
All at the expense of history , the truth and the simple fact that for centuries this was a field dominated by white , western men .
And guess what ?
There ’ s nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not racist .
It ’ s not part of America ’ s systemic oppression , ” said Kirk .
“ As more diverse students graduate and make discoveries , their names will naturally , and happily be included in textbooks .
Shame on the Washington Post for once again shouting ‘ racism ’ where none exists , ” added Kirk .
Kyle Reynolds is an Indiana Campus Correspondent with Campus Reform .
He is a Sophomore at Indiana University , Bloomington where he studies Public Policy , Economics , and Political Science .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ IU Student Government and is a member of College Republicans at IU .

by Kyle Reynolds
A recent Washington Post article lamented the fact that biology textbooks contain a disproportionate number of mentions of “white men.”
The article’s author, Bethany Brookshire (pictured above), begins by referencing three of the most recognized contributors to modern biology, Charles Darwin, Carolus Linnaeus, and Gregor Mendel.
“They’re all men. They’re all white,” Brookshire observes. The article then attempts to frame the three scientists’ race and gender as an issue, considering a recent study that found, as Brookshire points out, that “their names appear in every biology book” and “mentions of white men still dominate biology textbooks.”
The study does, according to The Post, concede that “the number of women mentioned was proportional to the number of tenured women in the academic biology workforce over time,” but Brookshire later seemingly dismisses this fact as irrelevant, given that the study finds references in textbooks do not “reflect the gender and racial diversity of who’s in the classroom.”
The Post cites an argument made by Spelman College biochemist Mark Lee, noting that “Textbooks are also written from a very white perspective,” as evidenced by the fact that “textbooks define a perm as making straight hair curly. The same process can make naturally curly hair straight.”
The latter part of the article appears to advocate a revisioning of scientific history or perhaps a paring down of the teaching of scientific history. The post paraphrases an article by co-author of the aforementioned study, Auburn University education researcher Cissy Ballen, and noting that “most biology textbooks are presented as a history of science, and adding that “No women from the 1600s through 1900 were mentioned.” Brookshire quotes Ballen’s concern that there are “300 years of just white men in textbooks.”
The article concedes that “some history is necessary” in textbooks, “because science is based on historical findings,” but argues that textbooks should “be written with more emphasis on illustrating concepts with contemporary examples, instead of historical ones.”
The article then concludes with a statement from Lee, who claims that diversity within an industry has nothing to do with the actual ethnicities of the individuals in the industry, but is instead an “attitude.”
“Diversity isn’t ethnicity and numbers of people; it’s about your attitude…We can’t wait until the industry is diverse. I’m asking [professors] to take on the burden of being diverse by supporting a diverse population.”
National Association of Scholars spokesperson Chance Layton, told Campus Reform that The Post’s characterization of the study is an attempt to make something out of nothing.
“The article creates a non-problem. Bethany Brookshire notes that the study found that research published from 1900 to 1999 had proportional numbers of women who were tenured. If exact representation is the goal, isn’t this good? Clearly not,” said Layton.
“She and the researchers had to make up a problem, namely that those citations ‘were not representative of the much more diverse student body [of today].’ Of course, past citations aren’t representative of current student bodies!” Layton continued, “This is the problem with focusing on quotas and exact representation, individuals choose what they want to do with their lives. We, in this country, do not choose careers for our youth.”
Layton concluded, “The article is right, minority representation in biology 100 years ago was dismal. Textbooks will naturally catch up as more minorities choose this line of work and publish papers. To worry about their current representation seems to be, again, creating a non-problem. The authors of this study and essay should be celebrating the diversity of our up and coming biologists, not decrying their textbooks.”
Turning Point USA founder and President Charlie Kirk told Campus Reform that The Post’s highlighting of such an argument is part of a larger, concerning trend.
“This is part of an ongoing, pathological pursuit of ‘diversity’ for diversity’s sake. All at the expense of history, the truth and the simple fact that for centuries this was a field dominated by white, western men. And guess what? There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not racist. It’s not part of America’s systemic oppression,” said Kirk.
“As more diverse students graduate and make discoveries, their names will naturally, and happily be included in textbooks. Shame on the Washington Post for once again shouting ‘racism’ where none exists,” added Kirk.
– – –
Kyle Reynolds is an Indiana Campus Correspondent with Campus Reform. He is a Sophomore at Indiana University, Bloomington where he studies Public Policy, Economics, and Political Science. Kyle is a Student Congressman in the IU Student Government and is a member of College Republicans at IU.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Trump Supporters Hold Rallies Across Country

Supporters of President Trump held numerous rallies across the country this week and over the Labor Day Weekend .
Trump supporters in Oregon caravanned and rallied with hundreds of vehicles showing up for the event .
The Oregon For Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruise Rally event page on Facebook received over 6000 responses with over a thousand people saying they would be attending .
A similar caravan took place in Oregon on August 30th , ending in a Trump supporter being killed , and his killer , reportedly a proponent of the far-left group Antifa being shot and killed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
In Wisconsin , local NBC affiliate KARE reports that around 1500 Bikers for Trump attended a rally that was counter protested by Black Lives Matter activists .
Pennsylvania , Florida , California , Illinois , New Jersey , and Texas saw Pro-Trump boat parades or ‘ flotillas.
’ Hundreds , if not thousands of voters took part , and some events were so crowded that the wakes of some boats swamped and then sunk smaller crafts NPR reports .
In Florida , The Emerald Coast Boat Parade saw enormous turnout , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the record on boater turnout .
Boats sporting Blue Lives Matter , Trump , and American flags took part in the event .
Tom Petska , an organizer for the event told reporters for The Ohio Star that the event had 1400 registered attendees , and that they were “ all patriots.
” Petska went on to say that “ we ’ ve never had one mishap at any of our events.
” In Akron Ohio , several similar parades have taken place , Fox reports .
Mario Innocenzi , an event organizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the event saw “ over 500 boats ” with as many as 900 attendees .
Innocenzi stated that the purpose of the event was to “ show our support for President Trump , and show that there is a lot more support than the media is reporting.
” Innocenzi noted that “ You can ’ t deny it when you ’ ve got all those boats on the water .
The boat parade wasn ’ t the only Ohio event , Fox reports a Caravan style rally traveled two and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Licking and Delaware County Republican Parties put on a rally that received over 2000 responses on Facebook .
State Senator Andrew Brenner told the Ohio Star that hundreds of people showed up and that when he went to speak the tumult from attendees was “ was so loud we could barely hear.
” The senator described the attendees as “ invigorated ” and “ enthusiastic for Trump and promoting freedom.
” The senator noted that people were “ concerned about everything going on ” but that he believed Ohio was in a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
Rallies are expected to continue at least until polls open .
Ben Kolodny is a reporter for The Ohio Star and the Star News Network .
You can follow Ben on Twitter .
Tips can be sent to [ email protected ]

Supporters of President Trump held numerous rallies across the country this week and over the Labor Day Weekend.
Trump supporters in Oregon caravanned and rallied with hundreds of vehicles showing up for the event. The Oregon For Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruise Rally event page on Facebook received over 6000 responses with over a thousand people saying they would be attending.
A similar caravan took place in Oregon on August 30th, ending in a Trump supporter being killed, and his killer, reportedly a proponent of the far-left group Antifa being shot and killed by law enforcement as they attempted to capture him.
In Wisconsin, local NBC affiliate KARE reports that around 1500 Bikers for Trump attended a rally that was counter protested by Black Lives Matter activists.
Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Texas saw Pro-Trump boat parades or ‘flotillas.’ Hundreds, if not thousands of voters took part, and some events were so crowded that the wakes of some boats swamped and then sunk smaller crafts NPR reports.
In Florida, The Emerald Coast Boat Parade saw enormous turnout, as part of an attempt to break the record on boater turnout. Boats sporting Blue Lives Matter, Trump, and American flags took part in the event. Tom Petska, an organizer for the event told reporters for The Ohio Star that the event had 1400 registered attendees, and that they were “all patriots.” Petska went on to say that “we’ve never had one mishap at any of our events.”
In Akron Ohio, several similar parades have taken place, Fox reports. Mario Innocenzi, an event organizer for the parade told The Star that the event saw “over 500 boats” with as many as 900 attendees. Innocenzi stated that the purpose of the event was to “show our support for President Trump, and show that there is a lot more support than the media is reporting.” Innocenzi noted that “You can’t deny it when you’ve got all those boats on the water.
The boat parade wasn’t the only Ohio event, Fox reports a Caravan style rally traveled two and a half hours through Ohio and Indiana.
The Licking and Delaware County Republican Parties put on a rally that received over 2000 responses on Facebook. State Senator Andrew Brenner told The Star that hundreds of people showed up and that when he went to speak the tumult from attendees was “was so loud we could barely hear.” The senator described the attendees as “invigorated” and “enthusiastic for Trump and promoting freedom.”
The senator noted that people were “concerned about everything going on” but that he believed Ohio was in a “strong position to support Trump” in the election.
Rallies are expected to continue at least until polls open.
_ _ _
Ben Kolodny is a reporter for The Ohio Star and the Star News Network. You can follow Ben on Twitter. Tips can be sent to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Poll Reveals Growing Distrust in CDC and Media Over COVID Information

American voters ’ trust in the national media and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide accurate information about the coronavirus pandemic has plummeted since March , according to a CBS poll published Sunday .
Roughly 54 % of voters trust the CDC for reliable information about the virus , a 30 percentage point drop from March , when 86 % of voters said the same thing , the CBS poll showed .
Fewer voters also trust the national media to provide good information about coronavirus , or COVID , according to the poll , which was conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters nationwide .
The virus originated in Wuhan , China , in December before spreading to the United States , where it has reportedly killed more than 188,000 people , according to data from John Hopkins University .
Former Vice President Joe Biden is trusted more than President Donald Trump to deliver on a safe vaccine , the CBS polls showed .
Roughly 47 % of voters polled trust the Democratic Party ’ s presidential nominee over the president ( 34 % ) to provide them a reliable vaccine , according to CBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plus or minus 2.4 point margin of error , also showed trust in Trump ’ s ability to relay good information about the virus is falling , though by a smaller amount than trust in either the media and CDC .
About 40 % of voters polled trust the president on pandemic information , marking a drop of 6 percentage points since March , when 46 % of voters said they trusted what Trump said on the virus .
More voters trust the president than they do the media , with only 35 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s pandemic coverage is trustworthy , down from 45 % in March , the poll showed .
A previous poll indicated that Americans have grown skeptical of how the CDC counts deaths from the virus .
An Axios-Ipsos poll published in July showing 31 % of Americans believed at the time that the number of deaths is lower than what is being reported .
A total of 58 % of Republicans and 9 % of Democrats believe the number of deaths is less than the actual count , the July poll showed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ number is more than what is being reported , while more than 60 % of Democrats said the same , according to the Axios poll .

by Chris White
American voters’ trust in the national media and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide accurate information about the coronavirus pandemic has plummeted since March, according to a CBS poll published Sunday.
Roughly 54% of voters trust the CDC for reliable information about the virus, a 30 percentage point drop from March, when 86% of voters said the same thing, the CBS poll showed. Fewer voters also trust the national media to provide good information about coronavirus, or COVID, according to the poll, which was conducted between Sept. 2-4 and sampled 2,493 registered voters nationwide.
The virus originated in Wuhan, China, in December before spreading to the United States, where it has reportedly killed more than 188,000 people, according to data from John Hopkins University.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is trusted more than President Donald Trump to deliver on a safe vaccine, the CBS polls showed. Roughly 47% of voters polled trust the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee over the president (34%) to provide them a reliable vaccine, according to CBS.
The poll, which carries a plus or minus 2.4 point margin of error, also showed trust in Trump’s ability to relay good information about the virus is falling, though by a smaller amount than trust in either the media and CDC. About 40% of voters polled trust the president on pandemic information, marking a drop of 6 percentage points since March, when 46% of voters said they trusted what Trump said on the virus.
More voters trust the president than they do the media, with only 35% of voters saying the media’s pandemic coverage is trustworthy, down from 45% in March, the poll showed.
A previous poll indicated that Americans have grown skeptical of how the CDC counts deaths from the virus.
An Axios-Ipsos poll published in July showing 31% of Americans believed at the time that the number of deaths is lower than what is being reported. A total of 58% of Republicans and 9% of Democrats believe the number of deaths is less than the actual count, the July poll showed.
Only 16% of Republicans said the number is more than what is being reported, while more than 60% of Democrats said the same, according to the Axios poll.
– – –
Chris White is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Trump, Biden Spar Over Economy, Workers in Labor Day Blitz

HARRISBURG , Pennsylvania ( AP ) — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump spent Monday diminishing each other ’ s credentials on the economy and understanding of the American worker as the presidential campaign entered its final , post-Labor Day stretch .
While workers live by an “ American code , ” Biden said Trump “ lives by a code of lies , greed and selfishness ” as he met with labor leaders in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , a key swing state .
Trump , meanwhile , tried to put the halting economic recovery under the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he said Biden and his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , would “ destroy this country and would destroy this economy.
” Labor Day typically marks the unofficial start to the fall campaign season as candidates accelerate their activity for the final sprint to Election Day .
Both campaigns reflected that urgency Monday , as Harris and Vice President Mike Pence each campaigned in Wisconsin , a state Trump narrowly won in 2016 .
The events played out against the background of the pandemic , which has upended campaigning and pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the traditional election activity online .
While the health of the American economy and status of workers were dominant Labor Day themes , both campaigns also focused on recent protests that have roiled Wisconsin and the rest of the nation after police shot Jacob Blake , a Black man , in Kenosha last month .
Harris , the first Black woman on a major party presidential ticket , met privately with Blake ’ s family at the Milwaukee airport after arriving in the state , where she spoke with Blake by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Blake she was proud of him and individually spoke to each of his family members , in person and on the phone , urging them to take care of their physical and mental health , Blake ’ s lawyers said in a statement .
Biden met with Blake ’ s family during a visit to Wisconsin last week .
Trump did not during a trip of his own last week , instead meeting with law enforcement and business owners whose property had been damaged during protests .
Nor did Pence , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in La Crosse , where he toured an energy facility .
“ We will have law and order in every city in this country for every American of every race and creed , ” Pence said .
Out on the trail , signs of the pandemic were evident .
While Pence didn ’ t speak with a mask on , workers from the power company he toured did as they stood behind him .
Harris was careful not to stray far from blue “ X ” marks taped on the floor to encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility .
While supporters gathered outside the candidates ’ stops , they had minimal interaction with members of the public beyond the people invited to their events .
After meeting with Black business owners , Harris greeted a crowd of about 50 supporters outside as she left , removing her mask briefly while telling them , “ We have to get this done , I need your help in Milwaukee.
” She noted in-person absentee voting begins in the state on Oct. 20 , which is her birthday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners in Milwaukee , where she said her day of campaigning was focused on “ the dignity of work and the dignity of human beings.
” Biden spoke to a small group of labor leaders in a backyard in Lancaster , where he criticized Trump for “ refusing to deal with the problems that affect ordinary people ” and called for strengthening unions .
His campaign announced endorsements from the Laborers ’ International Union of North America , the International Union of Elevator Constructors and the National Federation of Federal Employees , collectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide .
Later , at an AFL-CIO virtual town hall with union President Richard Trumka , Biden called Trump ’ s alleged remarks about fallen soldiers being “ losers ” and “ suckers ” un-American and said Trump would never understand why Americans serve .
Trump has denied the remarks .
“ He ’ ll never understand you , he ’ ll never understand us , he ’ ll never understand our cops , our firefighters , because he ’ s not made of the same stuff , ” Biden said .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a leader incapable of handling the coronavirus and reviving the economy and pledged his own “ undying loyalty to the American worker.
” He boasted of adding more than 10 million jobs since May , about half of the jobs lost since the pandemic began .
He also said the unemployment rate “ plunged ” to 8.4 % – a sharper decline than many economists expected from the prior month .
He alleged Biden and Democrats would “ immediately collapse the economy.
” The day marked Harris ’ first solo foray onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she became Biden ’ s running mate nearly a month ago .
Biden himself has stepped up his campaigning over the past week , traveling to Pittsburgh and Kenosha and holding two news conferences .
Aides say to expect both Biden and Harris to increase their campaigning for the remaining weeks .
Polls consistently show the economy as an issue at the top of voters ’ minds .
A strong economy that was Trump ’ s biggest asset for reelection has now become a potential liability , brought down by the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the pandemic , resulting in more loss of life and jobs than necessary .
The U.S. economy has been steadily rebounding from its epic collapse in the spring as many businesses have reopened and rehired some laid-off employees .
Yet the recovery is far from complete .
Only about half the 22 million jobs that vanished in the pandemic have been recovered .
Economic inequalities also appear to have widened , with lower-income and minority workers suffering disproportionately while affluent Americans have lost fewer jobs and even benefited from rising stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacramento , California , and Nasir reported from Milwaukee .
Associated Press writer Amy Forliti contributed from Minneapolis .
About the Headline Photo : President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on the North Portico of the White House , Monday , Sept. 7 , 2020 , in Washington .
( AP Photo/Patrick Semansky )

by Noreen Nasir, Alexandra Jaffe and Kathleen Ronayne
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (AP) — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump spent Monday diminishing each other’s credentials on the economy and understanding of the American worker as the presidential campaign entered its final, post-Labor Day stretch.
While workers live by an “American code,” Biden said Trump “lives by a code of lies, greed and selfishness” as he met with labor leaders in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a key swing state. Trump, meanwhile, tried to put the halting economic recovery under the best light in a White House press conference where he said Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, would “destroy this country and would destroy this economy.”
Labor Day typically marks the unofficial start to the fall campaign season as candidates accelerate their activity for the final sprint to Election Day. Both campaigns reflected that urgency Monday, as Harris and Vice President Mike Pence each campaigned in Wisconsin, a state Trump narrowly won in 2016. The events played out against the background of the pandemic, which has upended campaigning and pushed Biden and Harris in particular to conduct much of the traditional election activity online.
While the health of the American economy and status of workers were dominant Labor Day themes, both campaigns also focused on recent protests that have roiled Wisconsin and the rest of the nation after police shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha last month.
Harris, the first Black woman on a major party presidential ticket, met privately with Blake’s family at the Milwaukee airport after arriving in the state, where she spoke with Blake by phone from his hospital bed. Harris told Blake she was proud of him and individually spoke to each of his family members, in person and on the phone, urging them to take care of their physical and mental health, Blake’s lawyers said in a statement.
Biden met with Blake’s family during a visit to Wisconsin last week. Trump did not during a trip of his own last week, instead meeting with law enforcement and business owners whose property had been damaged during protests. Nor did Pence, who touched on the protests during a speech in La Crosse, where he toured an energy facility.
“We will have law and order in every city in this country for every American of every race and creed,” Pence said.
Out on the trail, signs of the pandemic were evident. While Pence didn’t speak with a mask on, workers from the power company he toured did as they stood behind him. Harris was careful not to stray far from blue “X” marks taped on the floor to encourage social distancing as she toured an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility. While supporters gathered outside the candidates’ stops, they had minimal interaction with members of the public beyond the people invited to their events.
After meeting with Black business owners, Harris greeted a crowd of about 50 supporters outside as she left, removing her mask briefly while telling them, “We have to get this done, I need your help in Milwaukee.” She noted in-person absentee voting begins in the state on Oct. 20, which is her birthday.
Harris also met with Black business owners in Milwaukee, where she said her day of campaigning was focused on “the dignity of work and the dignity of human beings.”
Biden spoke to a small group of labor leaders in a backyard in Lancaster, where he criticized Trump for “refusing to deal with the problems that affect ordinary people” and called for strengthening unions. His campaign announced endorsements from the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the International Union of Elevator Constructors and the National Federation of Federal Employees, collectively representing hundreds of thousands of union workers nationwide.
Later, at an AFL-CIO virtual town hall with union President Richard Trumka, Biden called Trump’s alleged remarks about fallen soldiers being “losers” and “suckers” un-American and said Trump would never understand why Americans serve. Trump has denied the remarks.
“He’ll never understand you, he’ll never understand us, he’ll never understand our cops, our firefighters, because he’s not made of the same stuff,” Biden said.
Earlier in the day, Trump painted Biden as a leader incapable of handling the coronavirus and reviving the economy and pledged his own “undying loyalty to the American worker.”
He boasted of adding more than 10 million jobs since May, about half of the jobs lost since the pandemic began. He also said the unemployment rate “plunged” to 8.4% – a sharper decline than many economists expected from the prior month.
He alleged Biden and Democrats would “immediately collapse the economy.”
The day marked Harris’ first solo foray onto the campaign trail for in-person events since she became Biden’s running mate nearly a month ago. Biden himself has stepped up his campaigning over the past week, traveling to Pittsburgh and Kenosha and holding two news conferences. Aides say to expect both Biden and Harris to increase their campaigning for the remaining weeks.
Polls consistently show the economy as an issue at the top of voters’ minds.
A strong economy that was Trump’s biggest asset for reelection has now become a potential liability, brought down by the coronavirus. Biden says Trump has had an inadequate response to the pandemic, resulting in more loss of life and jobs than necessary.
The U.S. economy has been steadily rebounding from its epic collapse in the spring as many businesses have reopened and rehired some laid-off employees. Yet the recovery is far from complete. Only about half the 22 million jobs that vanished in the pandemic have been recovered.
Economic inequalities also appear to have widened, with lower-income and minority workers suffering disproportionately while affluent Americans have lost fewer jobs and even benefited from rising stock and home prices.
– – –
Ronayne reported from Sacramento, California, and Nasir reported from Milwaukee. Associated Press writer Amy Forliti contributed from Minneapolis.
About the Headline Photo: President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on the North Portico of the White House, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Assistant Principal on Administrative Leave After Expletive-Laced Facebook Video Surfaces

A New York assistant principal has been placed on administrative leave after he recorded himself at Rochester protests screaming “ F-k the police , ” video shows .
Ninth-grade Advanced Placement school teacher Steven Lysenko attended Rochester protests where he took a Facebook Live video of himself screaming about police while wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt in a video , the New York Post reported .
Lysenko did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Lysenko , who teaches at Spencerport High School in Rochester , said that police pepper-sprayed protestors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything but chant and sing , ” the publication reported .
“ Mr .
Steven Lysenko is a tenured administrator with due process rights , ” Spencerport High School spokeswoman Lanette Cypher told the Daily Caller News Foundation Monday .
“ He has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
” “ Our peacekeepers ended up shooting pepper spray at us for singing and chanting and telling them what a s—ty-assed job they were doing , ” Lysenko said in the clip .
“ They can f–k right off , America !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said in the clip .
“ F–k Rochester Police Department !
” The school said in a Saturday statement that “ Spencerport Central School District stands in solidarity in support of racial equality and systemic change , ” but said that “ when a District employee uses language in public or on social media that does not align with our Code of Conduct or demonstrate appropriate role modeling for students , that is something that we will not condone.
” “ These statements by our administrator have caused disruption within our school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We apologize to our students , parents and community that you had to hear this language from one of our employees .
This will be addressed as a confidential , personnel matter.
” Over 4,900 people had signed a Change.org petition saying that Lysenko should not be fired as of Monday morning .

by Mary Margaret Olohan
A New York assistant principal has been placed on administrative leave after he recorded himself at Rochester protests screaming “F-k the police,” video shows.
Ninth-grade Advanced Placement school teacher Steven Lysenko attended Rochester protests where he took a Facebook Live video of himself screaming about police while wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt in a video, the New York Post reported. Lysenko did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Lysenko, who teaches at Spencerport High School in Rochester, said that police pepper-sprayed protestors though “we didn’t do anything but chant and sing,” the publication reported.
“Mr. Steven Lysenko is a tenured administrator with due process rights,” Spencerport High School spokeswoman Lanette Cypher told the Daily Caller News Foundation Monday. “He has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.”
“Our peacekeepers ended up shooting pepper spray at us for singing and chanting and telling them what a s—ty-assed job they were doing,” Lysenko said in the clip. “They can f–k right off, America!”
“F–k the police,” he said in the clip. “F–k Rochester Police Department!”
The school said in a Saturday statement that “Spencerport Central School District stands in solidarity in support of racial equality and systemic change,” but said that “when a District employee uses language in public or on social media that does not align with our Code of Conduct or demonstrate appropriate role modeling for students, that is something that we will not condone.”
“These statements by our administrator have caused disruption within our school community,” the statement continued. “We apologize to our students, parents and community that you had to hear this language from one of our employees. This will be addressed as a confidential, personnel matter.”
Over 4,900 people had signed a Change.org petition saying that Lysenko should not be fired as of Monday morning.
– – –
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Dozens Arrested as Portland Riots Continue

PORTLAND , Oregon ( AP ) — Hundreds of people gathered for rallies and marches against police violence and racial injustice Saturday night in Portland , Oregon , as often violent nightly protests that have happened for 100 days since George Floyd was killed showed no signs of ceasing .
Molotov cocktails thrown in the street during a march sparked a large fire and prompted police to declare a riot .
Video posted online appeared to show tear gas being deployed to clear protesters from what police said was an unpermitted demonstration .
Police confirmed that tear gas was deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were arrested , ranging in age from 15 to 50 .
At least one community member was injured , authorities said .
A person ’ s shoes caught fire after flames broke out in the street , video showed .
People were “ engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct thereby intentionally or recklessly creating a grave risk of causing public alarm , ” the department tweeted .
“ Fire bombs were thrown at officers.
” A sergeant was struck by a commercial grade firework , which burned through his glove and injured his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troopers were hit by rocks , police said .
Protesters , most wearing black , had gathered around sunset Saturday at a grassy park in the city .
Wooden shields were placed on the grass for protesters to use as protection .
Demonstrations in Portland started in late May after the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis .
During the clashes , some have broken windows , set small fires and pelted police with rocks and other objects .
On the 100th day of protests in Portland , demonstrators vowed to keep coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 23-year-old Black man from Portland , said he had probably been out to protests for about 70 of the 100 days of demonstrations .
Leahy said he wanted to see a significant reduction to the local police budget , with the money directed to other community needs .
He said the demonstrations would continue for some time .
“ I think it ’ s going to keep going on until the election , ” Leahy said .
“ I don ’ t see it slowing down.
” Chelsea Jordan , 30 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel the people here have a lot of heart and a lot of commitment.
” Jordan was helping spray yellow paint on cutouts to mark the names of Black people killed by police .
“ I want to keep at it until the full abandonment of the police , so I think it ’ s going to be a long fight , ” she said .
Earlier Saturday , hundreds of people gathered in a park just north of Portland in Vancouver , Washington , for a memorial service for Aaron “ Jay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing group called Patriot Prayer , who was killed Aug. 29 .
The suspected killer was himself shot and killed by police Thursday .
Families showed up at the event with their kids , lining up for the free BBQ and picnicking on the grass at Esther Short Park .
As various speakers addressed the audience on stage , attendees waved their flags enthusiastically , occasionally breaking out into chants of “ U-S-A !
” Many of the crowd were President Donald Trump supporters , wearing MAGA hats and shirts or holding Trump-Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore T-shirts showing support for the police .
The crowd regularly erupted in boos with any mention of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown , whom Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson demanded apologize to Danielson ’ s family because they felt he had been unfairly portrayed .
“ This is about truth and lies , ” Gibson said .
“ Jay was not a white supremacist.
” The documents included shots of security footage that showed the suspect , Michael Forest Reinoehl , ducked into a parking garage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his waist before emerging to follow the victim .
Danielson was holding bear spray and an expandable baton and had a loaded Glock handgun in a holster at his waist , according to the documents .
Witnesses told police that just before they heard gunshots someone said something like , “ wan na go , ” which is frequently a challenge to a fight .
Danielson , 39 , was shot in the chest and died at the scene .
The court documents were filed to support second-degree murder charges against Reinoehl , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shorthand for anti-fascists and an umbrella description for far-left-leaning militant groups .
Andrew Selsky is a reporter with The Associated Press .
AP writer Jaimie Ding reported from Vancouver , Washington .
About the Headline Photo : Police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during the 100th consecutive day of demonstrations in Portland , Ore. , on Saturday , Sept. 5 , 2020 .
According to an officer , police responded with stronger tactics after a molotov cocktail was thrown .
( AP Photo/Noah Berger )

by Andrew Selsky
PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — Hundreds of people gathered for rallies and marches against police violence and racial injustice Saturday night in Portland, Oregon, as often violent nightly protests that have happened for 100 days since George Floyd was killed showed no signs of ceasing.
Molotov cocktails thrown in the street during a march sparked a large fire and prompted police to declare a riot. Video posted online appeared to show tear gas being deployed to clear protesters from what police said was an unpermitted demonstration.
Police confirmed that tear gas was deployed to defend themselves and said 59 people were arrested, ranging in age from 15 to 50. At least one community member was injured, authorities said.
A person’s shoes caught fire after flames broke out in the street, video showed. People were “engaging in tumultuous and violent conduct thereby intentionally or recklessly creating a grave risk of causing public alarm,” the department tweeted. “Fire bombs were thrown at officers.”
A sergeant was struck by a commercial grade firework, which burned through his glove and injured his hand, and several officers and state troopers were hit by rocks, police said.
Protesters, most wearing black, had gathered around sunset Saturday at a grassy park in the city. Wooden shields were placed on the grass for protesters to use as protection.
Demonstrations in Portland started in late May after the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis. During the clashes, some have broken windows, set small fires and pelted police with rocks and other objects.
On the 100th day of protests in Portland, demonstrators vowed to keep coming into the streets.
Tupac Leahy, a 23-year-old Black man from Portland, said he had probably been out to protests for about 70 of the 100 days of demonstrations.
Leahy said he wanted to see a significant reduction to the local police budget, with the money directed to other community needs. He said the demonstrations would continue for some time.
“I think it’s going to keep going on until the election,” Leahy said. “I don’t see it slowing down.”
Chelsea Jordan, 30, of Portland, said: “I feel the people here have a lot of heart and a lot of commitment.”
Jordan was helping spray yellow paint on cutouts to mark the names of Black people killed by police.
“I want to keep at it until the full abandonment of the police, so I think it’s going to be a long fight,” she said.
Earlier Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in a park just north of Portland in Vancouver, Washington, for a memorial service for Aaron “Jay” Danielson, a supporter of a right-wing group called Patriot Prayer, who was killed Aug. 29. The suspected killer was himself shot and killed by police Thursday.
Families showed up at the event with their kids, lining up for the free BBQ and picnicking on the grass at Esther Short Park. As various speakers addressed the audience on stage, attendees waved their flags enthusiastically, occasionally breaking out into chants of “U-S-A!”
Many of the crowd were President Donald Trump supporters, wearing MAGA hats and shirts or holding Trump-Pence flags. Some also waved flags and wore T-shirts showing support for the police.
The crowd regularly erupted in boos with any mention of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, whom Patriot Prayer founder Joey Gibson demanded apologize to Danielson’s family because they felt he had been unfairly portrayed.
“This is about truth and lies,” Gibson said. “Jay was not a white supremacist.”
Authorities released additional court documents late Friday detailing the moments before Danielson’s slaying.
The documents included shots of security footage that showed the suspect, Michael Forest Reinoehl, ducked into a parking garage and reached toward a pocket or pouch at his waist before emerging to follow the victim. Danielson was holding bear spray and an expandable baton and had a loaded Glock handgun in a holster at his waist, according to the documents.
Witnesses told police that just before they heard gunshots someone said something like, “wanna go,” which is frequently a challenge to a fight. Danielson, 39, was shot in the chest and died at the scene.
The court documents were filed to support second-degree murder charges against Reinoehl, who was a supporter of antifa — shorthand for anti-fascists and an umbrella description for far-left-leaning militant groups.
– – –
Andrew Selsky is a reporter with The Associated Press. AP writer Jaimie Ding reported from Vancouver, Washington.
About the Headline Photo: Police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during the 100th consecutive day of demonstrations in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. According to an officer, police responded with stronger tactics after a molotov cocktail was thrown. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)


thetennesseestar--2020-09-08--Commentary: Trump Takes on the Real Pandemic of ‘Critical Race Theory’

At long last , the president tackles the “ critical race theory ” infecting the federal workforce .
To be a freedom-loving individual in the year 2020 , and to have a proper understanding of modern history and current events , is to be terrifyingly aware of just how much the liberty , prosperity , and stability of America and the free world depend on one thing and one thing alone – namely , the continued physical and intellectual health of a certain preternaturally brave , brilliant , and energetic 74-year-old named Donald Trump .
Rarely have so many owed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world-historical figure .
And rarely has a head of state been so outnumbered by his enemies .
The Democrats are against him .
The media and academy are against him .
The deep state , which is to say officials in government departments and agencies and bureaus that are nominally under his own control , is against him .
An increasing number of corporate leaders are against him .
And even most of the members of his own party are against him – either that , or they ’ re cowards and careerists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can fill his shoes , are hedging their bets , waiting to see whether he prevails or not .
Ever since Trump began running for president , the odds against his prevailing have seemed steep .
In the 2016 Republican primaries he ran against a stage full of political veterans armed with researchers , speechwriters , focus-group results , and poll-tested talking points .
He felled them all .
In the general election , he faced a candidate who had been cast by the blue-state establishment as the inevitable first woman president to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the greatest upset in American history , he beat her , too .
During his campaign and well into his presidency , his predecessor plotted with deep state higher-ups and media cronies to bring him down .
He survived—and they have yet to pay the price for their crimes .
The newest challenges against him take the form of riots in American cities—Minneapolis , Seattle , Portland , Kenosha , Rochester .
There is vandalism , arson , and worse by fanatical socialists who , brainwashed by an ideological abomination known as critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for racial justice .
The entire Democratic Party , which in recent years has been radicalized beyond recognition , is behind these riots .
Democratic mayors and governors refuse to criticize them , let alone to suppress them ( or to allow Trump to do so ) .
Meanwhile , the media either portray the riots as “ largely peaceful ” or , perversely , blame them on Trump .
But these riots are not the most menacing challenge to Trump .
Far from it .
Just as the greatest danger coming from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occasional act of terrorism but the relentless daily pressure on Western societies to adapt to Islamic social and legal norms , the greatest threat to Trump is not the fights and fires in the streets but the quiet , steady , behind-the-scenes institutionalization of critical race theory across America .
Take the New York Times ’ duplicitous “ 1619 Project , ” which , drawing on critical race theory , seeks to convince Americans that their country was founded not on freedom and equality but on slavery and racism .
Propaganda materials based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been distributed for use in schools around the country .
White children are being taught that they ’ re privileged oppressors .
Black children are taught that they ’ re born victims .
The idea of America as a land of opportunity for all , where little white and black kids can talk and learn and play together without constantly thinking about race , has been jettisoned .
Meanwhile , this same critical race theory is being forced on employees of innumerable companies and colleges at compulsory “ training sessions ” reminiscent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are required to issue statements in which they confess to racism .
These “ training sessions , ” we learned recently , have also been given to federal government employees under a policy apparently instituted under the Obama Administration .
It ’ s ironic .
In 2008 , Americans elected their first black president , who had spoken loftily during his campaign of “ one America ” that was neither blue-state nor red-state , neither black nor white .
After he entered office , he launched aggressive reeducation initiatives predicated on the assumption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that white Americans—the people who put him in office—are profoundly racist .
Nothing could be more divisive , more dangerous—more un-American—than critical race theory .
It ’ s not just wrong about the way ordinary , decent people think and feel .
It ’ s an insidious attempt to undermine the view of race advanced by Martin Luther King , Jr. Dr. King called on Americans to treat people as individuals and to judge one another by the content of their character and not by the hue of their skin .
He held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redemption and reconciliation—the hope of building a multiracial ( not multicultural ) society in which people of all colors live together in harmony and work together towards ever-greater freedom , peace , and prosperity .
By contrast , the proponents of critical race theory paint an unrelentingly grim picture of America .
Theirs is an America in which , no matter what we may feel or think or say or do , we are all eternally trapped in the cages of our racial groups and all , consequently , eternally divided into oppressor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A society that buys into this view of itself thereby sets itself on a road to increasing fragmentation and—ultimately—destruction .
For months , Americans have been worried about the COVID-19 virus .
But the spread of “ critical race theory ” is the real pandemic .
Which is why actions taken by Trump in the last few days are so important .
His moves come in the wake of a warning by the Discovery Institute ’ s Christopher Rufo , who told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on September 2 that “ critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the federal bureaucracy and is now being weaponized against the American people.
” Rufo spoke of Treasury Department employees forced to attend a seminar at which Caucasians were denounced as white supremacists and pressured to confess their prejudice .
The vile ideas propounded at such events , asserted Rufo , are utterly at odds with “ core traditional American values ” and represent an “ existential threat to the United States.
” He ’ s right .
It is immensely heartening , then , that Trump , who retweeted a video of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s show , has now ordered federal agencies to cut all this malignant nonsense out .
In a memo issued last Friday , Russell Vought , director of the Office of Management and Budget , wrote that these “ training sessions ” run “ counter to the fundamental beliefs for which our Nation has stood since its inception ” and “ engender division and resentment within the Federal workforce.
” The president , added Vought , “ has directed me to ensure that Federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sessions.
” Vought called on all agencies “ to begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on ‘ critical race theory , ’ ‘ white privilege , ’ or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either 1 ) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or 2 ) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil.
” Vought ’ s memo concluded with this paragraph : Of course , in a sane world all of this would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being what it is at present , the mendacious mainstream media were quick to depict Vought ’ s directive – which is rooted in an understanding of these matters that can be traced directly to Martin Luther King , Jr. – as racist .
In a commentary presented as a news story at the CNN website , Caroline Kelly cynically framed Trump ’ s action as “ the latest overture to his political base , ” one that would provide “ another talking point for his reelection campaign as it seeks to highlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which gained attention recently for its uncritical promotion of a book entitled In Defense of Looting , Matthew S. Schwartz appeared to take for granted that Trump was shutting down noble initiatives : “ While many conservatives applauded the move , others decried the continuing racism that they see pervading many aspects of American society , including the awarding of government contracts.
” At the Washington Post , Josh Dawsey and Jeff Stein cited claims by “ experts ” to the effect that “ racial and diversity awareness trainings are essential steps in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American society , including those perpetuated by the federal government.
” One such “ expert , ” M. E. Hart , said that “ If we are going to live up to this nation ’ s promise— ‘ we hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created equal ’ —we have to see each other as human beings , and we have to do whatever it takes , including taking whatever classes make that possible.
” To their credit , Dawsey and Stein admitted that Hart “ has run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the federal government.
” Ka-ching !
They did not acknowledge , however , that such sessions routinely make a goal not of equality but of “ equity ” —i.e.
, of a society in which an extensive system of preferences is in place to ensure the supposed redress of racial injustice .
Finally , USA Today ’ s Jason Lalljee contextualized Trump ’ s order by explaining critical race theory .
How did he explain it ?
By uncritically quoting critical race theory hustlers , who , of course , made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One such hustler , Princeton ’ s Imani Perry , claimed to be “ unaware of any critical race theory ‘ training ’ for federal employees ” and said she was “ not even sure how that would function.
” Perhaps Perry should ask M. E. Hart .
Or else she could ask this year ’ s most successful author , Robin DiAngelo , who got rich giving such training sessions ( for $ 12,000 a pop ) before getting even richer on sales of her book White Fragility .
Like many others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lalljee included in his article references to Trump ’ s supposed opposition to “ anti-racist demonstrations ” ( no , he opposes riots ) and repeated the now-familiar calumny that Trump described white nationalists at Charlottesville as “ very fine people.
” But that ’ s all par for the course , needless to say .
But wait .
This Labor Day weekend , Trump made a double bogey .
Not content to take on these “ training sessions ” in the federal government , Trump followed up the Friday memo from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he broke some exceedingly welcome news .
The Department of Education , he announced , would henceforth be under orders to defund any California schools found to be making use of the reprehensible “ 1619 Project.
” Double bravo .
Needless to say , CNN was on the job , representing the “ 1619 Project ” – which was criticized roundly by respected historians for its outrageous distortion of history – in a flattering way while characterizing Trump ’ s action as yet another move by the White House to “ disparag [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the country ’ s fraught racial history.
” With these two bold steps—which of course will have to be followed up with aggressive action – President Trump has yet again proven his utter indispensability , giving further hope that all may not yet be lost .
Bruce Bawer is the author of While Europe Slept , Surrender , and The Victims ’ Revolution .
His novel The Alhambra was published in 2017 .

by Bruce Bawer
At long last, the president tackles the “critical race theory” infecting the federal workforce.
To be a freedom-loving individual in the year 2020, and to have a proper understanding of modern history and current events, is to be terrifyingly aware of just how much the liberty, prosperity, and stability of America and the free world depend on one thing and one thing alone – namely, the continued physical and intellectual health of a certain preternaturally brave, brilliant, and energetic 74-year-old named Donald Trump.
Rarely have so many owed so much to one extraordinarily dynamic and world-historical figure. And rarely has a head of state been so outnumbered by his enemies.
The Democrats are against him. The media and academy are against him. The deep state, which is to say officials in government departments and agencies and bureaus that are nominally under his own control, is against him. An increasing number of corporate leaders are against him. And even most of the members of his own party are against him – either that, or they’re cowards and careerists who, aware that no one else can fill his shoes, are hedging their bets, waiting to see whether he prevails or not.
Ever since Trump began running for president, the odds against his prevailing have seemed steep. In the 2016 Republican primaries he ran against a stage full of political veterans armed with researchers, speechwriters, focus-group results, and poll-tested talking points. He felled them all.
In the general election, he faced a candidate who had been cast by the blue-state establishment as the inevitable first woman president to follow the first black president. In the greatest upset in American history, he beat her, too.
During his campaign and well into his presidency, his predecessor plotted with deep state higher-ups and media cronies to bring him down. He survived—and they have yet to pay the price for their crimes.
The newest challenges against him take the form of riots in American cities—Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Kenosha, Rochester. There is vandalism, arson, and worse by fanatical socialists who, brainwashed by an ideological abomination known as critical race theory, view themselves as crusaders for racial justice.
The entire Democratic Party, which in recent years has been radicalized beyond recognition, is behind these riots. Democratic mayors and governors refuse to criticize them, let alone to suppress them (or to allow Trump to do so). Meanwhile, the media either portray the riots as “largely peaceful” or, perversely, blame them on Trump.
Critical Race Theory
But these riots are not the most menacing challenge to Trump. Far from it. Just as the greatest danger coming from Islam to the West is not the occasional act of terrorism but the relentless daily pressure on Western societies to adapt to Islamic social and legal norms, the greatest threat to Trump is not the fights and fires in the streets but the quiet, steady, behind-the-scenes institutionalization of critical race theory across America.
Take the New York Times’ duplicitous “1619 Project,” which, drawing on critical race theory, seeks to convince Americans that their country was founded not on freedom and equality but on slavery and racism. Propaganda materials based on the Times’ project have since been distributed for use in schools around the country. White children are being taught that they’re privileged oppressors. Black children are taught that they’re born victims. The idea of America as a land of opportunity for all, where little white and black kids can talk and learn and play together without constantly thinking about race, has been jettisoned.
Meanwhile, this same critical race theory is being forced on employees of innumerable companies and colleges at compulsory “training sessions” reminiscent of Communist Chinese reeducation camps. White employees are required to issue statements in which they confess to racism. These “training sessions,” we learned recently, have also been given to federal government employees under a policy apparently instituted under the Obama Administration.
It’s ironic. In 2008, Americans elected their first black president, who had spoken loftily during his campaign of “one America” that was neither blue-state nor red-state, neither black nor white. After he entered office, he launched aggressive reeducation initiatives predicated on the assumption, central to critical race theory, that white Americans—the people who put him in office—are profoundly racist.
Nothing could be more divisive, more dangerous—more un-American—than critical race theory. It’s not just wrong about the way ordinary, decent people think and feel. It’s an insidious attempt to undermine the view of race advanced by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King called on Americans to treat people as individuals and to judge one another by the content of their character and not by the hue of their skin. He held up the bright possibility of post-Jim Crow redemption and reconciliation—the hope of building a multiracial (not multicultural) society in which people of all colors live together in harmony and work together towards ever-greater freedom, peace, and prosperity.
By contrast, the proponents of critical race theory paint an unrelentingly grim picture of America. Theirs is an America in which, no matter what we may feel or think or say or do, we are all eternally trapped in the cages of our racial groups and all, consequently, eternally divided into oppressor and oppressed, villain and victim.
The Real Pandemic
A society that buys into this view of itself thereby sets itself on a road to increasing fragmentation and—ultimately—destruction. For months, Americans have been worried about the COVID-19 virus. But the spread of “critical race theory” is the real pandemic.
Which is why actions taken by Trump in the last few days are so important. His moves come in the wake of a warning by the Discovery Institute’s Christopher Rufo, who told Fox News host Tucker Carlson on September 2 that “critical race theory has become the default ideology of the federal bureaucracy and is now being weaponized against the American people.”
Rufo spoke of Treasury Department employees forced to attend a seminar at which Caucasians were denounced as white supremacists and pressured to confess their prejudice. The vile ideas propounded at such events, asserted Rufo, are utterly at odds with “core traditional American values” and represent an “existential threat to the United States.”
He’s right. It is immensely heartening, then, that Trump, who retweeted a video of Rufo’s appearance on Carlson’s show, has now ordered federal agencies to cut all this malignant nonsense out.
In a memo issued last Friday, Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote that these “training sessions” run “counter to the fundamental beliefs for which our Nation has stood since its inception” and “engender division and resentment within the Federal workforce.” The president, added Vought, “has directed me to ensure that Federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to fund these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions.”
Vought called on all agencies “to begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on ‘critical race theory,’ ‘white privilege,’ or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either 1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or 2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil.” Vought’s memo concluded with this paragraph:
The President, and his Administration, are fully committed to the fair and equal treatment of all individuals in the United States. The President has a proven track record of standing for those whose voice has long been ignored and who have failed to benefit from all our country has to offer, and he intends to continue to support all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed. The divisive, false, and demeaning propaganda of the critical race theory movement is contrary to all we stand for as Americans and should have no place in the Federal government.
In a word: bravo.
The Mendacious Media
Of course, in a sane world all of this would be a no-brainer. Alas, America being what it is at present, the mendacious mainstream media were quick to depict Vought’s directive – which is rooted in an understanding of these matters that can be traced directly to Martin Luther King, Jr. – as racist.
In a commentary presented as a news story at the CNN website, Caroline Kelly cynically framed Trump’s action as “the latest overture to his political base,” one that would provide “another talking point for his reelection campaign as it seeks to highlight culture war issues.”
At NPR, which gained attention recently for its uncritical promotion of a book entitled In Defense of Looting, Matthew S. Schwartz appeared to take for granted that Trump was shutting down noble initiatives: “While many conservatives applauded the move, others decried the continuing racism that they see pervading many aspects of American society, including the awarding of government contracts.”
At the Washington Post, Josh Dawsey and Jeff Stein cited claims by “experts” to the effect that “racial and diversity awareness trainings are essential steps in helping rectify the pervasive racial inequities in American society, including those perpetuated by the federal government.”
One such “expert,” M. E. Hart, said that “If we are going to live up to this nation’s promise—‘we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’—we have to see each other as human beings, and we have to do whatever it takes, including taking whatever classes make that possible.”
To their credit, Dawsey and Stein admitted that Hart “has run hundreds of diversity training sessions for businesses and the federal government.” Ka-ching! They did not acknowledge, however, that such sessions routinely make a goal not of equality but of “equity”—i.e., of a society in which an extensive system of preferences is in place to ensure the supposed redress of racial injustice.
Finally, USA Today’s Jason Lalljee contextualized Trump’s order by explaining critical race theory. How did he explain it? By uncritically quoting critical race theory hustlers, who, of course, made the whole thing sound innocuous and valuable.
One such hustler, Princeton’s Imani Perry, claimed to be “unaware of any critical race theory ‘training’ for federal employees” and said she was “not even sure how that would function.” Perhaps Perry should ask M. E. Hart. Or else she could ask this year’s most successful author, Robin DiAngelo, who got rich giving such training sessions (for $12,000 a pop) before getting even richer on sales of her book White Fragility.
Like many others who reported on the OMB memo, Lalljee included in his article references to Trump’s supposed opposition to “anti-racist demonstrations” (no, he opposes riots) and repeated the now-familiar calumny that Trump described white nationalists at Charlottesville as “very fine people.” But that’s all par for the course, needless to say.
A Double Bogey
But wait. This Labor Day weekend, Trump made a double bogey. Not content to take on these “training sessions” in the federal government, Trump followed up the Friday memo from the OMB with a Sunday tweet in which he broke some exceedingly welcome news. The Department of Education, he announced, would henceforth be under orders to defund any California schools found to be making use of the reprehensible “1619 Project.”
Double bravo. Needless to say, CNN was on the job, representing the “1619 Project” – which was criticized roundly by respected historians for its outrageous distortion of history – in a flattering way while characterizing Trump’s action as yet another move by the White House to “disparag[e] attempts to process or reckon with the country’s fraught racial history.”
With these two bold steps—which of course will have to be followed up with aggressive action – President Trump has yet again proven his utter indispensability, giving further hope that all may not yet be lost.
– – –
Bruce Bawer is the author of While Europe Slept, Surrender, and The Victims’ Revolution. His novel The Alhambra was published in 2017.