thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Commentary: Teachers Unions Are More Powerful Than You Realize, But That May Be Changing

Teachers unions throughout the US claim to be looking out for the best interests of teachers and students , but they are deeply political organizations with significant influence over what , how , where , and with whom most children learn .
While the nation ’ s largest teachers unions have long been deeply connected to the Democratic Party and left-wing ideology , this political affiliation has become increasingly apparent in recent months .
From hinging their support for reopening schools on outrageous policy demands to launching court battles , threatening strikes , and openly supporting disturbing actions during recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more powerful and dangerous than many parents may realize .
Public sector unions by their nature are problematic because they are funded by taxpayers under a threat of force and often have monopoly power .
Unlike private sector unions where consumers have more choice , no taxpayer can opt out of paying their portion of public sector union dues ( which come from government employee salaries ) , including what those dues fund .
In July , the Los Angeles teachers union released a report detailing the conditions they identified for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went far beyond requesting social distancing plans and personal protective equipment to an agenda that eclipsed both COVID-19 and educational matters .
Specifically , it laid out policy requirements for school reopening , including passing Medicare for All at the federal level , raising state taxes , defunding the police , and imposing a moratorium on charter schools .
In Florida , the teachers union waged a court battle against the state ’ s school reopening plans this fall .
In New York City , the teachers union is threatening to strike this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in Massachusetts , teachers unions recently succeeded in delaying the school start date to later in September , ensuring no funding cuts , and pushing for remote-only learning in many districts .
As Corey DeAngelis of the Reason Foundation observed , school reopenings are closely linked to the power and influence of teachers unions in a given location—not to virus-related safety concerns .
Citing mounting data on school reopening plans across the country , DeAngelis reports that the “ relationship between unionization and reopening decisions remains substantively and statistically significant even after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths and cases per capita in the county during the month of July.
” Beyond COVID-19 , teachers unions are also weighing in on the social unrest impacting major US cities .
Particularly disturbing was a tweet issued last week by the Chicago Teachers Union supporting protesters who erected a guillotine outside of Amazon founder and CEO , Jeff Bezos ’ s , house : Contentious back-to-school plans , a heated presidential election cycle , and mounting civil strife are shining an illuminating spotlight on teachers unions and their established political affiliations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country as reflecting the political and ideological diversity of their local communities , the reality is that the teachers unions and their members swing hard left .
According to EducationNext , the nation ’ s two top teachers unions have been among the leading financial contributors to national elections since 1990 : “ They have forged an alliance with the Democratic Party , which receives the vast majority of their hard-money campaign contributions as well as in-kind contributions for get-out-the-vote operations.
” Teachers union members comprise 10 percent of the delegates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they represent “ the single largest organizational bloc of Democratic Party activists.
” Fortunately , the 2018 US Supreme Court ’ s Janus decision freed non-members of public sector unions from being forced to contribute union dues , allowing government employees to avoid supporting political organizations and platforms with which they may disagree .
Despite this win , the influence of teachers unions on progressive policy across the country continues unabated .
In fact , the National Education Association , the nation ’ s largest public sector union and the largest teachers union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased a year after the Janus decision .
Kerry McDonald is a Senior Education Fellow at FEE and author of Unschooled : Raising Curious , Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom ( Chicago Review Press , 2019 ) .
She is also an adjunct scholar at The Cato Institute and a regular Forbes contributor .
Kerry has a B.A .
in economics from Bowdoin College and an M.Ed .
in education policy from Harvard University .
She lives in Cambridge , Massachusetts with her husband and four children .
Photo “ Teachers Strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by Kerry McDonald
Teachers unions throughout the US claim to be looking out for the best interests of teachers and students, but they are deeply political organizations with significant influence over what, how, where, and with whom most children learn.
While the nation’s largest teachers unions have long been deeply connected to the Democratic Party and left-wing ideology, this political affiliation has become increasingly apparent in recent months. From hinging their support for reopening schools on outrageous policy demands to launching court battles, threatening strikes, and openly supporting disturbing actions during recent protests, today’s teachers unions are more powerful and dangerous than many parents may realize.
Public sector unions by their nature are problematic because they are funded by taxpayers under a threat of force and often have monopoly power. Unlike private sector unions where consumers have more choice, no taxpayer can opt out of paying their portion of public sector union dues (which come from government employee salaries), including what those dues fund.
In July, the Los Angeles teachers union released a report detailing the conditions they identified for a safe reopening of schools. This document went far beyond requesting social distancing plans and personal protective equipment to an agenda that eclipsed both COVID-19 and educational matters. Specifically, it laid out policy requirements for school reopening, including passing Medicare for All at the federal level, raising state taxes, defunding the police, and imposing a moratorium on charter schools.
In Florida, the teachers union waged a court battle against the state’s school reopening plans this fall. In New York City, the teachers union is threatening to strike this week over in-person school reopening plans. And in Massachusetts, teachers unions recently succeeded in delaying the school start date to later in September, ensuring no funding cuts, and pushing for remote-only learning in many districts.
As Corey DeAngelis of the Reason Foundation observed, school reopenings are closely linked to the power and influence of teachers unions in a given location—not to virus-related safety concerns. Citing mounting data on school reopening plans across the country, DeAngelis reports that the “relationship between unionization and reopening decisions remains substantively and statistically significant even after controlling for school district size and coronavirus deaths and cases per capita in the county during the month of July.”
Beyond COVID-19, teachers unions are also weighing in on the social unrest impacting major US cities. Particularly disturbing was a tweet issued last week by the Chicago Teachers Union supporting protesters who erected a guillotine outside of Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos’s, house:
We are completely frightened by, completely impressed by and completely in support of wherever this is headed. #Solidarity https://t.co/IfsQgJaD1z — ChicagoTeachersUnion (@CTULocal1) August 27, 2020
Contentious back-to-school plans, a heated presidential election cycle, and mounting civil strife are shining an illuminating spotlight on teachers unions and their established political affiliations. While we may think of public schools across the country as reflecting the political and ideological diversity of their local communities, the reality is that the teachers unions and their members swing hard left.
According to EducationNext, the nation’s two top teachers unions have been among the leading financial contributors to national elections since 1990: “They have forged an alliance with the Democratic Party, which receives the vast majority of their hard-money campaign contributions as well as in-kind contributions for get-out-the-vote operations.” Teachers union members comprise 10 percent of the delegates at the Democratic National Convention, where they represent “the single largest organizational bloc of Democratic Party activists.”
Fortunately, the 2018 US Supreme Court’s Janus decision freed non-members of public sector unions from being forced to contribute union dues, allowing government employees to avoid supporting political organizations and platforms with which they may disagree. Despite this win, the influence of teachers unions on progressive policy across the country continues unabated. In fact, the National Education Association, the nation’s largest public sector union and the largest teachers union, reported that both dues and membership increased a year after the Janus decision.
At their July convention, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the nation’s second-largest teachers union, voted almost unanimously to endorse Joe Biden’s presidential bid. In her convention speech, AFT president Randi Weingarten made no secret of the far-left policies and politics her union and its members endorse. She said Imagine a world with: universal pre-K; debt forgiveness for educators; triple Title I funding; expanded community schools; supports for kids with special needs; high-stakes testing thrown out the window; charter school accountability; public colleges and universities tuition-free for families who earn less than $125,000. That’s not from an AFT resolution. That’s straight from the Democratic Party platform, born out of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force recommendations we helped draft. Additionally, the AFT endorsed other progressive policies at their convention that are unrelated to education, such as the Green New Deal, affordable housing, and universal healthcare. For many of the parents of the nearly 50 million K-12 public school students in the US, these policies likely go against their personal and political beliefs and they should be concerned that this leftist ideology is creeping into their child’s classroom. This seems to already be occurring in California. State lawmakers have paved the way for the country’s first mandatory ethnic studies graduation requirement, a move that is actively embraced by the California Teachers Union. The Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote Sunday about California’s planned curriculum mandate: “This is ugly stuff, a force-feeding to teenagers of the anti-liberal theories that have been percolating in campus critical studies departments for decades. Enforced identity politics and ‘intersectionality’ are on their way to replacing civic nationalism as America’s creed.” Parents and taxpayers should also be concerned if teachers unions had overwhelmingly right-wing ideas and influence as well, which is why limiting the overall power of public sector unions is so crucial. While COVID-19 has caused major disruptions in how we live and learn, it has also empowered parents to look more closely at their children’s education. As more families choose independent homeschooling and learning pods this fall, education is becoming more decentralized and family-centered. A recent Wall Street Journal op-ed speculated that this education trend is likely to strike teachers unions hard: “What happens when they refuse to do their jobs and it turns out home-schoolers are better at it anyway?” Education choice and innovation during the pandemic will loosen the clutch of the powerful teachers unions and their progressive agenda. Despite some schools and teachers trying to push parents away from observing their child’s instruction, more parents are waking up to what their children are learning in school and realizing that, in many cases, it may run counter to their own values. A vocally progressive agenda and broad Democractic Party allegiance by powerful teachers unions, combined with the proliferation of more schooling alternatives resulting from the pandemic, may prompt more parents to opt out of their local district school for other options. The pandemic is set to weaken the long-held grip of teachers unions on US education and social policy, and strengthen educational diversity and choice for more families. It may also prompt a closer look at the outsized influence of public sector unions more generally. Taxpayers should know what they are paying for.
– – –
Kerry McDonald is a Senior Education Fellow at FEE and author of Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom (Chicago Review Press, 2019). She is also an adjunct scholar at The Cato Institute and a regular Forbes contributor. Kerry has a B.A. in economics from Bowdoin College and an M.Ed. in education policy from Harvard University. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband and four children.
Photo “Teachers Strike March” by Charles Edward Miller. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Four Little-Noticed Trends That Suggest Trump Could Have an Edge in November

Almost all recent national polling has shown President Trump consistently behind Joe Biden .
According to RealClearPolitics , which uses averages of released polls , Biden remains up in the national polls , the battleground states , and even the betting odds .
The current electoral count at RealClearPolitics stands at 115 for Trump , 212 for Biden and 211 tossups , with 270 votes needed to win .
Do these statistics imply a Biden wave on Nov. 3 ?
Or are we seeing a repeat of 2016 when almost nobody predicted Trump would — or even could — win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry Biden supporters : Gamblers are giving Biden the edge over Trump : 50.7 % to 48.3 % .
But a look at the trend line shows a large decline for Biden and a comeback for Trump from just 30 days ago .
On Aug. 1 , the odds were 61 % for Biden and 36.4 % for Trump .
The concern for the Biden camp comes with a comparison to 2016 .
Although Trump is on the losing end right now , his position is actually slightly ahead of where he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Explained another way : Hillary Clinton was beating Trump more in the battleground states in 2016 than Joe Biden is now — and we know Trump actually won in 2016 .
So does the current trend imply an even larger Trump win ?
Even the most confident pundits appear to be hesitant to predict a firm outcome , based on the numbers , this time around .
It ’ s hard to disagree with one takeaway : With the election a little more than two months away , it ’ s still anybody @ @ @ @

by Sharyl Attkisson
Almost all recent national polling has shown President Trump consistently behind Joe Biden. According to RealClearPolitics, which uses averages of released polls, Biden remains up in the national polls, the battleground states, and even the betting odds. The current electoral count at RealClearPolitics stands at 115 for Trump, 212 for Biden and 211 tossups, with 270 votes needed to win.
Do these statistics imply a Biden wave on Nov. 3? Or are we seeing a repeat of 2016 when almost nobody predicted Trump would — or even could — win?
There are four little-discussed trends that worry Biden supporters:
1. Betting Odds
Gamblers are giving Biden the edge over Trump: 50.7% to 48.3%. But a look at the trend line shows a large decline for Biden and a comeback for Trump from just 30 days ago. On Aug. 1, the odds were 61% for Biden and 36.4% for Trump.
2. Top Battleground States With the exception of North Carolina, which is a virtual tie, the RealClearPolitics average shows Biden ahead in every other key battleground state. When averaged together, Biden is up over Trump 48% to 45.3% in six states: Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona.
The concern for the Biden camp comes with a comparison to 2016. Although Trump is on the losing end right now, his position is actually slightly ahead of where he was in the battleground states in 2016. Explained another way: Hillary Clinton was beating Trump more in the battleground states in 2016 than Joe Biden is now — and we know Trump actually won in 2016. So does the current trend imply an even larger Trump win?
Judging by the news coverage and social media, it would be easy to conclude that Trump is one of the most unpopular presidents of all time. However, Rasmussen Reports, the only polling organization that publishes Trump’s job approval ratings on a daily basis, finds the 45th president is not nearly as unpopular as it may seem. His total approval among likely voters frequently bests that of President Obama at the same point in his presidency. All of the high marks since April 2018 have been set by Trump (compared to Obama). On Sept. 24, 2019 Trump’s total approval hit 53% compared to Obama’s 44% on Sept. 24, 2011.
4. Favorability Ratings For the past year, Biden has, without exception, bested Trump in favorability ratings. Right now, Biden is significantly ahead of Trump, by 13.2 points. The concern for the Biden team comes with a comparison to 2016, when Hillary Clinton was, likewise, ahead of Trump every single day — but often by a bigger margin. And Trump won, in the end. RealClearPolitics tracking shows Trump has spent most of the past year in a better position than he was in 2016 (signified by red in the graph).
Even the most confident pundits appear to be hesitant to predict a firm outcome, based on the numbers, this time around. It’s hard to disagree with one takeaway: With the election a little more than two months away, it’s still anybody’s game.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Poll: Nearly Half of All Voters Concerned Violent Riots Will Come to Their Communities

Nearly half of all registered voters in the country are concerned that violent riots could arise in their own communities , according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen .
A total of 48 % of voters expressed fears that the destructive protests across the U.S. in recent months might happen their own neighborhoods .
Just 20 % of voters , meanwhile , are not at all worried , while 30 % said they were “ not very worried ” about the possibility .
And 3 % said they were unsure .
“ Half the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community is a startling fact , ” Rasmussen said .
“ Not something we would normally see in 21st century America .
“ What ’ s especially interesting about this is that it ’ s not really a partisan issue .
It ’ s not that Republicans say they are worried while Democrats disagree , ” he continued .
“ Instead , roughly half the voters in each party is concerned .
That means it could be a significant issue for the fall campaign .
It ’ s why President Trump is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his comments about violence yesterday.
” The recent riots – in which buildings and businesses have been destroyed and over a dozen people have been killed – have stemmed from the ongoing protest movement that arose following the police-involved death of black Minneapolis resident George Floyd , who died in late May .
The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from August 27-29 , 2020 .
To see this poll question ’ s cross-demographic tabulations , click here .
To see this poll question ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .

by Daniel Payne
Nearly half of all registered voters in the country are concerned that violent riots could arise in their own communities, according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen.
A total of 48% of voters expressed fears that the destructive protests across the U.S. in recent months might happen their own neighborhoods. Just 20% of voters, meanwhile, are not at all worried, while 30% said they were “not very worried” about the possibility. And 3% said they were unsure.
“Half the country being worried about violence in their own community is a startling fact,” Rasmussen said. “Not something we would normally see in 21st century America.
“What’s especially interesting about this is that it’s not really a partisan issue. It’s not that Republicans say they are worried while Democrats disagree,” he continued. “Instead, roughly half the voters in each party is concerned. That means it could be a significant issue for the fall campaign. It’s why President Trump is in Kenosha today and why Joe Biden made his comments about violence yesterday.”
The recent riots – in which buildings and businesses have been destroyed and over a dozen people have been killed – have stemmed from the ongoing protest movement that arose following the police-involved death of black Minneapolis resident George Floyd, who died in late May.
The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from August 27-29, 2020.
To see this poll question’s cross-demographic tabulations, click here.
To see this poll question’s methodology and sample demographics, click here.
– – –
Photo “Riot Damage Minneapolis” by Chad Davis. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Injured Illegal Immigrant Moved to Long-term Care Facility Instead of Being Deported After Activists

Injured Illegal Immigrant Moved to Long-term Care Facility Instead of Being Deported After Activists ‘Made a Stink’

A hospitalized illegal immigrant was transferred to a long-term healthcare facility instead of being deported after activists “ raised a stink , ” the Philadelphia Inquirer reported .
The 48-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala , identified by his family as A.V.
, was originally taken to the Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia where he was treated for a neurological trauma , two broken legs , and fractured ribs after a motorcycle hit him , the Inquirer reported .
Activists reportedly organized at the hospital to physically block any potential efforts to medically repatriate A.V .
“ If we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stink , he would be in Guatemala right now , and might not be alive right now , ” Director of the Free Migration Project and Philadelphia immigration lawyer David Bennion said , the Inquirer reported .
The Free Migration Project is an advocacy organization , they support “ the right of all people to freely migrate , ” according to their website .
Bennion would not say where A.V .
was transferred so that Immigration and Customs Enforcement couldn ’ t find him , the Inquirer reported .
“ My uncle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and when we talk on the phone he can recognize me , but he is still quite confused , ” A.V.
’ s niece Claudia Martinez said , the Inquirer reported .
“ What I want to happen is that he recovers , that he has the care and attention that he needs no matter how long it takes .
… My family is in total agreement on what is best for my uncle , ” she added .
A spokesperson for Jefferson Torresdale Hospital told the Inquirer , “ Jefferson Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or if the patient can not consent , a family member or their legally appointed decision maker .
… Jefferson works very closely with family members to develop transfer or discharge plans , no matter how complex.
” Medical students started an online petition against the deportation of A.V .
on June 23 , according to the Inquirer .
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Kaylee Greenlee
A hospitalized illegal immigrant was transferred to a long-term healthcare facility instead of being deported after activists “raised a stink,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The 48-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala, identified by his family as A.V., was originally taken to the Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia where he was treated for a neurological trauma, two broken legs, and fractured ribs after a motorcycle hit him, the Inquirer reported. Activists reportedly organized at the hospital to physically block any potential efforts to medically repatriate A.V.
“If we had not gone to the hospital and raised a stink, he would be in Guatemala right now, and might not be alive right now,” Director of the Free Migration Project and Philadelphia immigration lawyer David Bennion said, the Inquirer reported.
Based on my understanding covering medical deportation- including A.V.'s case in Philadelphia this week: The decision to deport is made by hospital administrators and it is based on two factors: 1. The patient's immigration status, and 2. The undocumented patient's ability to pay — Tina Vasquez (@TheTinaVasquez) June 25, 2020
The Free Migration Project is an advocacy organization, they support “the right of all people to freely migrate,” according to their website.
Bennion would not say where A.V. was transferred so that Immigration and Customs Enforcement couldn’t find him, the Inquirer reported.
“My uncle is much better, is better attended, and when we talk on the phone he can recognize me, but he is still quite confused,” A.V.’s niece Claudia Martinez said, the Inquirer reported.
“What I want to happen is that he recovers, that he has the care and attention that he needs no matter how long it takes. … My family is in total agreement on what is best for my uncle,” she added.
A spokesperson for Jefferson Torresdale Hospital told the Inquirer, “Jefferson Health transfers patients in coordination with the patient, or if the patient cannot consent, a family member or their legally appointed decision maker. … Jefferson works very closely with family members to develop transfer or discharge plans, no matter how complex.”
Medical students started an online petition against the deportation of A.V. on June 23, according to the Inquirer.
– – –
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Leahy on The Tennessee Star Report Tuesday Morning: MNPS District Six School Board Member Posts Trut

Leahy on The Tennessee Star Report Tuesday Morning: MNPS District Six School Board Member Posts Truth to Facebook About Schools Reopening and Sports Resuming

Tuesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy discussed Metro school board ’ s district six member Fran Bush ’ s recent post on Facebook addressing parents discontent with Metro Nashville public schools decision to continue to halt in-person learning , extracurricular activities and sports .
Big rally yesterday .
Parents in Nashville want Metro Nashville public schools to get back to in-person learning and also to allow kids to play sports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I have been a very strong critic of Metro Nashville public schools for some time .
A critic of the nine-member board and the administration there .
They ’ re doing all things wrong in my view .
Some people celebrate the fact that all nine members of the school board are women .
And that the new director Dr. Battle is a woman .
And some think that makes a difference .
Whether it ’ s all-male or all-female or mixed isn ’ t the issue in my view .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do , and what they stand for .
I have been of the opinion that they pretty much all stood for the wrong thing .
Stood for unions and not the kids .
Stood for political correctness and stood for the wrong information being taught about American history .
But I am going to revise and extend my remarks here .
And this may not be so good for this particular member of the school board .
But I do now have a favorite .
I didn ’ t like any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have a favorite member of the school board named Fran Bush .
We ’ re going to try and get Fran Busch on the show to talk about this .
She was at that rally yesterday .
She represents district six .
She put a Facebook post up a couple of days ago .
This is a bit long .
But I want to kind of go through this because I think it is important .
I think it shows at least one member of the school board here in Metro Nashville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know we need to make a change .
Let me just read this post .
It ’ s pretty long .
I think it ’ s a thoughtful post by Fran Bush .
‘ The board of education has received countless emails from parents regarding major concerns of virtual learning and cancellation of all extracurricular activities and sports .
Parents and students feel they are left out of the decision of having options and senior student-athletes feel their chances of college scholarships are in serious jeopardy .
Parents and students definitely understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sports safely , and teachers also need to feel safe.
’ OK.
Here ’ s the next thing .
‘ After Tuesday night , this last Tuesday board meeting , it was revealed after months of supposed planning in preparing schools for a safe return for those parents choosing in-person learning would send off students after Labor Day , the administration was actually not prepared .
As a result , the in-person learning option was pushed to after fall break.
’ This is from Metro Nashville public schools .
As I understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote on Facebook two days ago , ‘ they are just now receiving information on the plans to reopen their schools.
’ Board member Fran Bush continues .
‘ Parents are upset and angry and have weighed in how bad virtual learning has been for their students .
And it has hugely impacted their finances .
Parents are having to quit jobs .
Go down to part-time work .
Hire tutors and parents have even taken on part-time jobs to send their kids to district private schools .
It is clear that teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep their students engaged and teach them virtually .
But there ’ s been a downside .
Parents are seeing their students become disengaged now .
Tired of being in front of the computer most of the day .
Showing anxiety .
Becoming depressed and stressed .
And not loving education anymore .
Parents are devastated and feel like they don ’ t have a voice and have been given a false narrative by the administration ’ s parents ’ opinions.
’ So , let me just stop and say , these are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fran Bush the board member from district six has said them on Facebook two days ago .
I have to say , I am impressed .
Fran Bush continues , ‘ extracurricular activities and sports have been stripped from Metro Nashville public school students even as they have safely conditioned all summer to prepare for fall sports .
Coaches from volleyball , football , soccer , track , golf , and other activities outside were given safety guidelines for the conditioning .
And as a result , we had no cases of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Coaches now ask , why can ’ t we compete ?
The coaches , students , and parents have never been given an opportunity to weigh in on this decision .
Nevertheless , the administration gave these two reasons why : Number one .
If schools are not open extracurricular and sports can ’ t resume .
Number two .
Doctor Alex Jahangir , orthopedics and fractures specialist , has recommended that Nashville public schools stay virtual and no sports should be allowed until the number of COVID-19 cases goes down in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush .
She is looking at the facts here .
She is reporting the facts .
Apparently the only member of the school board reporting the facts and being critical of the new director of schools Dr. Battle who apparently , I ’ d have to check and see .
But I thought it was unanimous support of the board for Dr. Battle .
I could be wrong .
We ’ ll go back and check on that .
Fran Bush , board member of Nashville public schools continues .
And again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual truth to reason number one if schools are not open then extracurricular and sports can ’ t resume .
‘ We are in school because virtual learning counts as being in school .
Our teachers are still teaching and food delivery is still being provided to our students by our bus drivers .
We are still getting federal funding for our students even if it ’ s in a virtual space or in-person .
The TSSAA has put in writing that students ’ and athletes ’ abilities to still participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the contrary , Metro Nashville public schools do not have a policy in place against virtual learning students ’ participating in extracurricular activities and sports .
In fact , students have been practicing since early July .
Student-athletes feel like they are being punished although they are following the rules and safety guidelines , yet their dreams have been shattered .
Senior athletes who were going to be given major scholarships are now at risk of losing them due to not getting playtime and having the film .
Parents of disadvantaged kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids don ’ t play , there may be no way out of their situation.
’ Again , board member Fran Bush making excellent common sense by just pointing out the facts .
It ’ s very interesting .
We ’ ve got to get Fran Bush on here if she ’ ll come on to the program and talk more about this .
And she goes on , here is the truth to reason number two .
This is no virtual sports should be allowed until COVID-19 cases go down in Davidson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down in Davidson County .
And parents are not comfortable with the reported metrics and aren ’ t convinced of the validity of the number reported .
Parents aren ’ t saying there aren ’ t positive cases being reported but they are questioning why the decision sports while private schools in the district are playing sports and have the same reporting metrics .
Shouldn ’ t this apply to all ?
’ Again , this is a very good point by Fran Bush .
Metro Nashville public schools coaches ’ presented a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plans were not even considered .
This is stunning stuff from board member Fran Bush criticizing the tone-deaf nature and the anti-factual nature of the decisions made by Metro Nashville public schools not to have extra-curricular sports .
Now in a letter to the mayor ’ s office sent by Dr. Jahangir dated July 29th , he asked the committee to commit to not holding extracurricular activities and sports until after Labor Day and only to resume when the key metrics to reopen Nashville has improved .
Well , the key metrics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more here that she points out that ( MBA ) Montgomery Bell Academy is playing football .
They are in town .
Why are they playing football and Metro Nashville schools aren ’ t ?
Instead of taking safety recommendations to reopen schools from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the school Superintendent Association , this administration has chosen to only listen to Dr. Jahangir ’ s , and this is my view , shut them all down recommendations .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .

Tuesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy discussed Metro school board’s district six member Fran Bush’s recent post on Facebook addressing parents discontent with Metro Nashville public schools decision to continue to halt in-person learning, extracurricular activities and sports.
Leahy continued:
Big rally yesterday. Parents in Nashville want Metro Nashville public schools to get back to in-person learning and also to allow kids to play sports. Apparently they chose not to do that. I have been a very strong critic of Metro Nashville public schools for some time. A critic of the nine-member board and the administration there.
They’re doing all things wrong in my view. Some people celebrate the fact that all nine members of the school board are women. And that the new director Dr. Battle is a woman. And some think that makes a difference. Whether it’s all-male or all-female or mixed isn’t the issue in my view. It’s what they think, what they do, and what they stand for.
I have been of the opinion that they pretty much all stood for the wrong thing. Stood for unions and not the kids. Stood for political correctness and stood for the wrong information being taught about American history. But I am going to revise and extend my remarks here. And this may not be so good for this particular member of the school board.
But I do now have a favorite. I didn’t like any of the school board members before but now I have a favorite member of the school board named Fran Bush. We’re going to try and get Fran Busch on the show to talk about this. She was at that rally yesterday. She represents district six. She put a Facebook post up a couple of days ago. This is a bit long.
But I want to kind of go through this because I think it is important. I think it shows at least one member of the school board here in Metro Nashville is looking at the facts and saying you know we need to make a change. Let me just read this post. It’s pretty long. I think it’s a thoughtful post by Fran Bush.
‘The board of education has received countless emails from parents regarding major concerns of virtual learning and cancellation of all extracurricular activities and sports. Parents and students feel they are left out of the decision of having options and senior student-athletes feel their chances of college scholarships are in serious jeopardy.
Parents and students definitely understand the importance of returning to school and to sports safely, and teachers also need to feel safe.’ OK. Here’s the next thing. ‘After Tuesday night, this last Tuesday board meeting, it was revealed after months of supposed planning in preparing schools for a safe return for those parents choosing in-person learning would send off students after Labor Day, the administration was actually not prepared.
As a result, the in-person learning option was pushed to after fall break.’ This is from Metro Nashville public schools. As I understand from principals school board member Fran Bush wrote on Facebook two days ago, ‘they are just now receiving information on the plans to reopen their schools.’ Board member Fran Bush continues.
‘Parents are upset and angry and have weighed in how bad virtual learning has been for their students. And it has hugely impacted their finances. Parents are having to quit jobs. Go down to part-time work. Hire tutors and parents have even taken on part-time jobs to send their kids to district private schools.
It is clear that teachers are doing an awesome job trying to keep their students engaged and teach them virtually. But there’s been a downside. Parents are seeing their students become disengaged now. Tired of being in front of the computer most of the day. Showing anxiety. Becoming depressed and stressed.
And not loving education anymore. Parents are devastated and feel like they don’t have a voice and have been given a false narrative by the administration’s parents’ opinions.’ So, let me just stop and say, these are words I could have said. And Fran Bush the board member from district six has said them on Facebook two days ago.
I have to say, I am impressed. Fran Bush continues, ‘extracurricular activities and sports have been stripped from Metro Nashville public school students even as they have safely conditioned all summer to prepare for fall sports. Coaches from volleyball, football, soccer, track, golf, and other activities outside were given safety guidelines for the conditioning. And as a result, we had no cases of COVID-19 reported amongst our coaches and our students.
Coaches now ask, why can’t we compete? The coaches, students, and parents have never been given an opportunity to weigh in on this decision. Nevertheless, the administration gave these two reasons why: Number one. If schools are not open extracurricular and sports can’t resume.
Number two. Doctor Alex Jahangir, orthopedics and fractures specialist, has recommended that Nashville public schools stay virtual and no sports should be allowed until the number of COVID-19 cases goes down in Davidson County. She continues, Fran Bush. She is looking at the facts here. She is reporting the facts.
Apparently the only member of the school board reporting the facts and being critical of the new director of schools Dr. Battle who apparently, I’d have to check and see. But I thought it was unanimous support of the board for Dr. Battle. I could be wrong. We’ll go back and check on that. Fran Bush, board member of Nashville public schools continues. And again, this is good stuff.
Here is the actual truth to reason number one if schools are not open then extracurricular and sports can’t resume. ‘We are in school because virtual learning counts as being in school. Our teachers are still teaching and food delivery is still being provided to our students by our bus drivers. We are still getting federal funding for our students even if it’s in a virtual space or in-person.
The TSSAA has put in writing that students’ and athletes’ abilities to still participate in sports even during virtual learning. But on the contrary, Metro Nashville public schools do not have a policy in place against virtual learning students’ participating in extracurricular activities and sports. In fact, students have been practicing since early July.
Student-athletes feel like they are being punished although they are following the rules and safety guidelines, yet their dreams have been shattered. Senior athletes who were going to be given major scholarships are now at risk of losing them due to not getting playtime and having the film. Parents of disadvantaged kids are extremely hurt knowing that if their kids don’t play, there may be no way out of their situation.’
Again, board member Fran Bush making excellent common sense by just pointing out the facts. It’s very interesting. We’ve got to get Fran Bush on here if she’ll come on to the program and talk more about this. And she goes on, here is the truth to reason number two.
This is no virtual sports should be allowed until COVID-19 cases go down in Davidson County. ‘The numbers have gone down in Davidson County. And parents are not comfortable with the reported metrics and aren’t convinced of the validity of the number reported. Parents aren’t saying there aren’t positive cases being reported but they are questioning why the decision sports while private schools in the district are playing sports and have the same reporting metrics. Shouldn’t this apply to all?’
Again, this is a very good point by Fran Bush. Metro Nashville public schools coaches’ presented a safe plan to the administration and yet the plans were not even considered. This is stunning stuff from board member Fran Bush criticizing the tone-deaf nature and the anti-factual nature of the decisions made by Metro Nashville public schools not to have extra-curricular sports.
Now in a letter to the mayor’s office sent by Dr. Jahangir dated July 29th, he asked the committee to commit to not holding extracurricular activities and sports until after Labor Day and only to resume when the key metrics to reopen Nashville has improved. Well, the key metrics have improved. Also, there is more here that she points out that (MBA) Montgomery Bell Academy is playing football.
They are in town. Why are they playing football and Metro Nashville schools aren’t? Instead of taking safety recommendations to reopen schools from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the school Superintendent Association, this administration has chosen to only listen to Dr. Jahangir’s, and this is my view, shut them all down recommendations.
Listen to the full second hour here:

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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Liberty University Hires Outside Firm to Investigate Jerry Falwell Jr.’s Tenure

Liberty University says it is conducting a forensic investigation of Jerry Falwell Jr. a week after he resigned as president .
Falwell resigned last Tuesday after amid conflicting claims about a sexual relationship his wife Becki Falwell had with a business partner , The Associated Press reported .
Falwell reportedly participated in some of the liaisons as a voyeur .
The Lynchburg , Virginia based university on August 21 announced a paid leave of absence for Falwell and that Board Chairman Jerry Prevo would serve as acting president .
The evangelical Christian university ’ s Executive Committee , acting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday defended its handling of the scandal and said that the university is moving forward in a new direction in addition to investigating Falwell ’ s tenure .
This past week challenged all of us to the core .
While we had been willing to extend grace and understanding to Jerry Falwell , Jr. before , once the revelations about his past personal life came more fully to light , we acted swiftly and decisively to ask for his immediate resignation , which we received .
Some may say that all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before last week .
It ’ s certainly fair to say that there were questionable comments made , worrying behavior , and inappropriate social media posts , but all the signs were not there until the start of last week .
While we still didn ’ t know the full scope of the matter , we have learned enough about the past to know that we had no choice but to take the leadership of Liberty University in a new direction .
We are also committed to learning the consequences that have flowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our former president .
One of the leading forensic firms in the world has been retained by Liberty University ’ s Board of Trustees to conduct a thorough investigation into all facets of Liberty University operations during Jerry Falwell , Jr. ’ s tenure as President , including but not limited to financial , real estate , and legal matters .
Throughout these past few weeks , we knew we were being lifted in prayer by the entire Liberty University community .
For this we are especially grateful , as we know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we were able to put aside emotion and make the decisions that were necessary and essential for bringing calm to the storm .
We thank all those who extended prayerful support !
“ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves , and it was completely calm.
” Matthew 8:26b Of course , moving forward , we are very mindful that we must seek leaders who demonstrate a full commitment to the spiritual mission of Liberty University by words , actions , and example .
That is why , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new president , we are also reviewing options to establish a new role in the top leadership of the University for someone who will serve as a spiritual coach , mentor , and guide to help ensure that every member of the University leadership fulfills his or her spiritual responsibility to live out the Christian walk expected of each and every one of us at Liberty .
Lastly , we are charging Jerry Prevo to use the full range of his presidential authority to implement any changes necessary to improve the ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrich the spiritual mission of Liberty University , not only for its students but also for every executive , administrator , faculty member , and the entire staff , and for a prospective new president , as well .
We ask for continued prayers as we all manage this transition and for a continued commitment by us all to fulfill our spiritual mission here at Liberty University today and always .

Liberty University says it is conducting a forensic investigation of Jerry Falwell Jr. a week after he resigned as president.
Falwell resigned last Tuesday after amid conflicting claims about a sexual relationship his wife Becki Falwell had with a business partner, The Associated Press reported. Falwell reportedly participated in some of the liaisons as a voyeur.
The Lynchburg, Virginia based university on August 21 announced a paid leave of absence for Falwell and that Board Chairman Jerry Prevo would serve as acting president.
The evangelical Christian university’s Executive Committee, acting on behalf of its Board of Trustees, on Monday defended its handling of the scandal and said that the university is moving forward in a new direction in addition to investigating Falwell’s tenure.
The statement said:
This past week challenged all of us to the core. While we had been willing to extend grace and understanding to Jerry Falwell, Jr. before, once the revelations about his past personal life came more fully to light, we acted swiftly and decisively to ask for his immediate resignation, which we received.
Some may say that all the signs were there for a long time before last week. It’s certainly fair to say that there were questionable comments made, worrying behavior, and inappropriate social media posts, but all the signs were not there until the start of last week. While we still didn’t know the full scope of the matter, we have learned enough about the past to know that we had no choice but to take the leadership of Liberty University in a new direction.
We are also committed to learning the consequences that have flowed from a lack of spiritual stewardship by our former president. One of the leading forensic firms in the world has been retained by Liberty University’s Board of Trustees to conduct a thorough investigation into all facets of Liberty University operations during Jerry Falwell, Jr.’s tenure as President, including but not limited to financial, real estate, and legal matters.
Throughout these past few weeks, we knew we were being lifted in prayer by the entire Liberty University community.
For this we are especially grateful, as we know it was by the Lord’s grace that we were able to put aside emotion and make the decisions that were necessary and essential for bringing calm to the storm. We thank all those who extended prayerful support!
“Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:26b
Of course, moving forward, we are very mindful that we must seek leaders who demonstrate a full commitment to the spiritual mission of Liberty University by words, actions, and example. That is why, in addition to starting a search for a new president, we are also reviewing options to establish a new role in the top leadership of the University for someone who will serve as a spiritual coach, mentor, and guide to help ensure that every member of the University leadership fulfills his or her spiritual responsibility to live out the Christian walk expected of each and every one of us at Liberty.
Lastly, we are charging Jerry Prevo to use the full range of his presidential authority to implement any changes necessary to improve the ongoing operations of the University, and to enrich the spiritual mission of Liberty University, not only for its students but also for every executive, administrator, faculty member, and the entire staff, and for a prospective new president, as well. We ask for continued prayers as we all manage this transition and for a continued commitment by us all to fulfill our spiritual mission here at Liberty University today and always.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Kenosha Sees Nearly $2M in Damage to City Property

Fox News reports , destruction to city-owned property caused by rioters over the last week following the police shooting of Jacob Blake has climbed to nearly $ 2 million , city officials said Monday night .
“ Right now , we ’ re estimating between lost equipment , lost street lights , lost traffic signals , and miscellaneous sign damage – we ’ re estimating a cost of approximately $ 1.9 million , ” said Kenosha Public Works Director Shelly Billingsley , in an update reported to the Public Works Committee .
Billingsley said the estimate is based on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She confirmed that two dump trucks that functioned as snow-plow vehicles in the winter were destroyed .
Officials were hopeful they could get two new trucks prior to the snowfall this year , although the coronavirus pandemic could impact how quickly that would happen .
The vehicles destroyed , which also included garbage trucks , were deployed in downtown at the time of the protests and destroyed by rioters through the night .
Street lights and traffic signals were also destroyed .
“ But as much as it is a loss , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security , ” said Ald .
Bill Siel , according to Kenosha News .
“ So , I guess they went down with a fight.
” Siel said he realizes that some might not view the situation similarly .
Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian announcedhe has requested $ 30 million in state funding from Governor Tony Evers “ to help the City of Kenosha rebuild and heal after the week of violence and damage experienced particularly in the downtown , uptown and surrounding areas of the city , ” Fox 6 Now reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardworking individuals who are mourning and facing immense tragedy and devastation , ” Antaramian said in a news release .
“ We ’ re asking the state and community partners to help rebuild what was lost and to invest in programs and training for our young people.
” Kenosha fire officials reported 37 fires set on Monday night , Aug. 24 in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday .
The following night , two people were fatally shot , allegedly by 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of Antioch , Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catherine Smith reports for American Greatness .
Photo “ Jacob Blake Poster ” by Becker1999 .
CC BY 2.0 .

by Catherine Smith
Fox News reports, destruction to city-owned property caused by rioters over the last week following the police shooting of Jacob Blake has climbed to nearly $2 million, city officials said Monday night.
“Right now, we’re estimating between lost equipment, lost street lights, lost traffic signals, and miscellaneous sign damage – we’re estimating a cost of approximately $1.9 million,” said Kenosha Public Works Director Shelly Billingsley, in an update reported to the Public Works Committee.
Billingsley said the estimate is based on what it would cost to replace the equipment. She confirmed that two dump trucks that functioned as snow-plow vehicles in the winter were destroyed. Officials were hopeful they could get two new trucks prior to the snowfall this year, although the coronavirus pandemic could impact how quickly that would happen.
The vehicles destroyed, which also included garbage trucks, were deployed in downtown at the time of the protests and destroyed by rioters through the night. Street lights and traffic signals were also destroyed.
“But as much as it is a loss, the burning hulks did provide some additional security,” said Ald. Bill Siel, according to Kenosha News. “So, I guess they went down with a fight.”
Siel said he realizes that some might not view the situation similarly.
Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian announcedhe has requested $30 million in state funding from Governor Tony Evers “to help the City of Kenosha rebuild and heal after the week of violence and damage experienced particularly in the downtown, uptown and surrounding areas of the city,” Fox 6 Now reported.
“Kenosha is a safe community with hardworking individuals who are mourning and facing immense tragedy and devastation,” Antaramian said in a news release. “We’re asking the state and community partners to help rebuild what was lost and to invest in programs and training for our young people.”
Kenosha fire officials reported 37 fires set on Monday night, Aug. 24 in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday. The following night, two people were fatally shot, allegedly by 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse of Antioch, Illinois, according to Fox 6 Now.
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Catherine Smith reports for American Greatness.
Photo “Jacob Blake Poster” by Becker1999. CC BY 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Commentary: D.C. Mayor’s Committee Recommends Removing Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument

Holy Cow , the cancel culture has sunk even further .
Thomas Jefferson , James Monroe , Andrew Jackson , William Henry Harrison , John Tyler , Zachary Taylor , Alexander Graham Bell , Ben Franklin , Woodrow Wilson , and many more names from American history are now personas non grata in Washington DC .
A committee formed by the mayor has recommended taking their name off city-owned buildings .
They also recommended removing federal assets such as the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument .
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser formed the District of Columbia Facilities , and Commemorative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DC FACES Working Group .
The committee ’ s purpose is : … to review the legacy of namesakes , including buildings , parks , public spaces , street names , and monuments , to ensure the people who had assets named after them did not contribute to the nation ’ s history of slavery , systemic racism , and other biases , and , instead , are consistent with our D.C. values — empowering and uplifting African Americans and other communities of color .
( … ) We believe strongly that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , facilities and commemorative works should only honor those individuals who exemplified those values such as equity , opportunity , and diversity that DC residents hold dear , ” the committee ’ s chairs , Bowser advisor Beverly Perry and public library director Richard Reyes-Gavilan wrote in a letter introducing their report .
The committee recommended renaming dozens of public schools , parks , and city-owned government buildings in D.C.after studying the historical namesakes ’ connections to slavery and/or other types of oppression .
On top of the DC-owned properties Beyond the D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee recommended : “ Using the Mayor ’ s position on the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission , recommend the Federal government remove , relocate , or contextualize the following assets : ” 2020 has been the year of “ cancel culture , ” with celebrities , politicians , and anyone who ’ s ever held an opinion that is mildly divergent from the politically correct left coming under attack .
The biggest victim of cancel culture has been American history .
This concerted effort to revise history to fit the modern social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portray the U.S. as an evil nation that must be transformed Of course , the people who contributed to America ’ s greatness did awful things – that ’ s what makes them human .
Using their logic , do we remove names from the Bible ?
Moses disobeyed God and struck a rock , but he led the slaves out of Egypt .
King David wrote the Psalms but slept around .
Solomon was granted wisdom by God and broke the rules about kings having too many wives and horses .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can strive for their human achievements and avoid their human failings .
In the same vein , Jefferson had slaves , but he wrote the Declaration of Independence , declaring that our rights come from our creator .
Therefore no human can take them away .
George Washington had slaves , but he not only the revolutionary soldiers and defeated the British , but became our first president and began our tradition of a peaceful transition of power that lasted until 2016 .
No human in history was perfect .
That doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who became heroes despite their failings .
Below is a PDF of the full DC Faces recommendation : Jeffrey Dunetz is the founder of The Lid .
Read this and other commentaries at https : //lidblog.com .

by Jeff Dunetz
Holy Cow, the cancel culture has sunk even further. Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Alexander Graham Bell, Ben Franklin, Woodrow Wilson, and many more names from American history are now personas non grata in Washington DC. A committee formed by the mayor has recommended taking their name off city-owned buildings. They also recommended removing federal assets such as the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser formed the District of Columbia Facilities, and Commemorative Expressions Working Group, also known as the DC FACES Working Group. The committee’s purpose is:
… to review the legacy of namesakes, including buildings, parks, public spaces, street names, and monuments, to ensure the people who had assets named after them did not contribute to the nation’s history of slavery, systemic racism, and other biases, and, instead, are consistent with our D.C. values — empowering and uplifting African Americans and other communities of color. (…) We believe strongly that all District of Columbia owned public spaces, facilities and commemorative works should only honor those individuals who exemplified those values such as equity, opportunity, and diversity that DC residents hold dear,” the committee’s chairs, Bowser advisor Beverly Perry and public library director Richard Reyes-Gavilan wrote in a letter introducing their report.
The committee recommended renaming dozens of public schools, parks, and city-owned government buildings in D.C.after studying the historical namesakes’ connections to slavery and/or other types of oppression.
On top of the DC-owned properties Beyond the D.C. owned properties, the mayor’s committee recommended:
“Using the Mayor’s position on the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, recommend the Federal government remove, relocate, or contextualize the following assets:”
Christopher Columbus – Columbus Fountain (federal) Benjamin Franklin – Benjamin Franklin Statue (federal) Andrew Jackson – Andrew Jackson Statue (federal) Thomas Jefferson – Jefferson Memorial (federal) George Mason – George Mason Memorial (federal) Francis Griffith Newlands – Newlands Memorial Fountain (federal Albert Pike – Albert Pike Statue (federal) George Washington – Washington Monument, George Washington Statue (federal)
2020 has been the year of “cancel culture,” with celebrities, politicians, and anyone who’s ever held an opinion that is mildly divergent from the politically correct left coming under attack. The biggest victim of cancel culture has been American history. This concerted effort to revise history to fit the modern social justice is part of their effort to portray the U.S. as an evil nation that must be transformed
Of course, the people who contributed to America’s greatness did awful things – that’s what makes them human. Using their logic, do we remove names from the Bible? Moses disobeyed God and struck a rock, but he led the slaves out of Egypt. King David wrote the Psalms but slept around. Solomon was granted wisdom by God and broke the rules about kings having too many wives and horses. By learning about their good and evil, we can strive for their human achievements and avoid their human failings.
In the same vein, Jefferson had slaves, but he wrote the Declaration of Independence, declaring that our rights come from our creator. Therefore no human can take them away. George Washington had slaves, but he not only the revolutionary soldiers and defeated the British, but became our first president and began our tradition of a peaceful transition of power that lasted until 2016.
No human in history was perfect. That doesn’t mean we should forget the people who became heroes despite their failings.
Below is a PDF of the full DC Faces recommendation:
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Jeffrey Dunetz is the founder of The Lid. Read this and other commentaries at https://lidblog.com.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Northwest Tennessee Legislative Delegation Holds Law Enforcement Appreciation Event

HORNBEAK , Tennessee – The Northwest Tennessee legislative delegation held an appreciation dinner for all area law enforcement on Sunday .
The event was organized by state Representative Rusty Grills ( R-Newbern ) and was open to members of law enforcement and their spouses .
Grills ’ invitation to the event acknowledged the environment that law enforcement has been working under recently .
“ Over the past few months , it seems that our law enforcement community has really been under extra pressure .
We want them to know how much they mean to us , ” the representative said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that speaks to the support for law enforcement , “ We back the blue.
” Grills told The Tennessee Star that about 60 members of law enforcement had attended over the course of the 3 to 6 p.m. event .
In addition to Grills , event sponsors included state Representatives Andy Holt ( R-Dresden ) , Chris Todd ( R-Madison County ) , Chris Hurt ( R-Halls ) and Curtis Halford ( R-Dyer ) as well as state senators Ed Jackson ( R-Jackson ) and John Stevens ( R-Huntingdon ) .
Republican primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also an event sponsor .
Darby will face off against an independent in the November 2020 election to fill the seat vacated by the retiring Holt .
Also in attendance was House Majority Leader William Lamberth ( R-Portland ) and state Representative Lowell Russell ( R-Vonore ) , all the way from Middle Tennessee and Eastern Tennessee , respectively , enabled by Russell being a pilot .
Long-time Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Tony Parker who lives in the area also attended the gathering .
Event hosts were Mike and Kathy Hayes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Reelfoot Lake in Hornbeak , where the catfish dinner was held .
For five generations , the Hayes family has been an outfitter , offering fishing and hunting experiences on and around Reelfoot Lake and now have the resort facility as well .
Mingling with event attendees , both Hayes shared plenty of stories about how the lake was formed , the area ’ s abundant wildlife including the majestic American Bald Eagle , the on-site butterfly garden and even a bit of politics .
Hayes told of how in the 1950 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election ballot boxes were fabricated so that the original could be thrown in the lake , while the ballots from the fabricated box would be counted .
Despite all of the elected officials , there were no speeches , political or otherwise .
Grills did take a moment , however , to introduce and recognize 24-year-old Christian Jones .
Jones used his stimulus check , received from the federal government to help people cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic , to host his own catfish appreciation dinner for the officers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .

HORNBEAK, Tennessee – The Northwest Tennessee legislative delegation held an appreciation dinner for all area law enforcement on Sunday.
The event was organized by state Representative Rusty Grills (R-Newbern) and was open to members of law enforcement and their spouses.
Grills’ invitation to the event acknowledged the environment that law enforcement has been working under recently.
“Over the past few months, it seems that our law enforcement community has really been under extra pressure. We want them to know how much they mean to us,” the representative said.
Grills concluded with the short mantra that speaks to the support for law enforcement, “We back the blue.”
Grills told The Tennessee Star that about 60 members of law enforcement had attended over the course of the 3 to 6 p.m. event.
In addition to Grills, event sponsors included state Representatives Andy Holt (R-Dresden), Chris Todd (R-Madison County), Chris Hurt (R-Halls) and Curtis Halford (R-Dyer) as well as state senators Ed Jackson (R-Jackson) and John Stevens (R-Huntingdon).
Republican primary winner for House District 76 Tandy Darby was also an event sponsor. Darby will face off against an independent in the November 2020 election to fill the seat vacated by the retiring Holt.
Also in attendance was House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and state Representative Lowell Russell (R-Vonore), all the way from Middle Tennessee and Eastern Tennessee, respectively, enabled by Russell being a pilot.
Long-time Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Tony Parker who lives in the area also attended the gathering.
Event hosts were Mike and Kathy Hayes, owners of the Blue Bank Resort on Reelfoot Lake in Hornbeak, where the catfish dinner was held.
For five generations, the Hayes family has been an outfitter, offering fishing and hunting experiences on and around Reelfoot Lake and now have the resort facility as well.
Mingling with event attendees, both Hayes shared plenty of stories about how the lake was formed, the area’s abundant wildlife including the majestic American Bald Eagle, the on-site butterfly garden and even a bit of politics.
Hayes told of how in the 1950’s and 60’s duplicate election ballot boxes were fabricated so that the original could be thrown in the lake, while the ballots from the fabricated box would be counted.
Despite all of the elected officials, there were no speeches, political or otherwise.
Grills did take a moment, however, to introduce and recognize 24-year-old Christian Jones. Jones used his stimulus check, received from the federal government to help people cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, to host his own catfish appreciation dinner for the officers of Lake County a few months prior.
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Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Austin Peay Officials Plan to Fight Hate Speech, Despite No Known Examples of It on-Campus

Austin Peay State University ( APSU ) ’ s Office of Equity , Access and Inclusion officials have announced they will fight hate speech on campus , even though one official said no known examples of hate speech have occurred there .
Additionally , APSU officials said they have no way to precisely define what is and isn ’ t hate speech .
Through a press release , Austin Peay officials have publicized this campaign , which they call “ That ’ s Enough !
” “ There is no legal definition of ‘ hate speech ’ under U.S. law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definition for rudeness , unpatriotic speech or any other kind of speech that people might condemn , ” said APSU Chief Diversity Officer LaNeeça Williams in an email to The Tennessee Star .
“ Generally , however , hate speech is any form of expression through which speakers intend to vilify , humiliate , or incite hatred and/or violence against a group or a class of persons on the basis of race , religion , skin color , sexual identity , gender identity , ethnicity , disability or national origin.
” Williams went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Enough !
” initiative “ is not a punitive measure.
” “ I currently do not have any information about any documented incidents of hate speech on campus in the past two years , ” Williams said .
“ Austin Peay State University is simply trying to be proactive in providing awareness and educational tools for campus members.
” The “ That ’ s Enough !
” campaign , the APSU press release said , stipulates that unkindness or bias on campus is unacceptable .
As soon as someone hears it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loud , “ That ’ s Enough !
” According to the campaign , someone speaking in a hateful way may react by saying , “ I was joking , ’ ” the press release said .
“ Williams said this is merely an excuse , and even if someone is joking , that doesn ’ t mean they shouldn ’ t be held accountable for what they said.
” Williams told The Star that APSU wants “ a cultural and environmental shift ” that minimizes social injustice “ through hateful speech , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ APSU Campus ” by Riffsyphon1024 .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .

Austin Peay State University (APSU)’s Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion officials have announced they will fight hate speech on campus, even though one official said no known examples of hate speech have occurred there.
Additionally, APSU officials said they have no way to precisely define what is and isn’t hate speech.
Through a press release, Austin Peay officials have publicized this campaign, which they call “That’s Enough!”
“There is no legal definition of ‘hate speech’ under U.S. law, just as there is no legal definition for rudeness, unpatriotic speech or any other kind of speech that people might condemn,” said APSU Chief Diversity Officer LaNeeça Williams in an email to The Tennessee Star.
“Generally, however, hate speech is any form of expression through which speakers intend to vilify, humiliate, or incite hatred and/or violence against a group or a class of persons on the basis of race, religion, skin color, sexual identity, gender identity, ethnicity, disability or national origin.”
Williams went on to say that the “That’s Enough!” initiative “is not a punitive measure.”
“I currently do not have any information about any documented incidents of hate speech on campus in the past two years,” Williams said.
“Austin Peay State University is simply trying to be proactive in providing awareness and educational tools for campus members.”
The “That’s Enough!” campaign, the APSU press release said, stipulates that unkindness or bias on campus is unacceptable. As soon as someone hears it he or she should say, out loud, “That’s Enough!”
According to the campaign, someone speaking in a hateful way may react by saying, “I was joking,’” the press release said.
“Williams said this is merely an excuse, and even if someone is joking, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be held accountable for what they said.”
Williams told The Star that APSU wants “a cultural and environmental shift” that minimizes social injustice “through hateful speech, gestures and symbols.”
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “APSU Campus” by Riffsyphon1024. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Music Spotlight: Cory Marks

Music Spotlight: Cory Marks

NASHVILLE , Tennessee – As a kid from Canada who played hockey and wanted to become a pilot , Cory Marks might be the last person who you would expect to explode on the Southern Rock/Country Music scene .
But after listening to his unapologetic , raw , yet real song , Outlaws and Outsiders , I wanted to find out what he was about .
Marks grew up in North Bay Ontario , Canada , about three hours north of Toronto .
North Bay was a big hockey town and also a prominent military city hosting an important Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer Marks and his family attended the air shows in August which provided the young boy driven desire to become a pilot .
Not only that , but he was also on hockey skates at age three .
( His brother plays professional hockey . )
Being from Canada , Marks ’ family loved the rock band Rush .
His dad was a drummer and he bought Marks a drum set at the age of 10 .
That ’ s when music kind of took over .
He became obsessed and listened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Funk Railroad and Ozzy Osborne .
By age 16 , he was in his first metal band and also the school band .
But strangely enough , as Marks recalls , the only subject he ever failed was music .
“ Between hockey and drumming , I kind of wanted to be the next Tommy Lee .
I was way too shy to sing , ” the singer said .
After high school , he played drums in a Top 40 band where he sang harmony behind his kit .
During high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he found out he had to take the SAT , it was no go for him .
Then at age 19 , Marks pursued his private pilot ’ s license but the school went under before he could complete his goal .
He tried to figure out what to do and ultimately decided to return to hockey .
Marks was then scouted out by the Royal Military College of Canada .
He could play hockey for five years , go to college tuition-free , and pursue his life-long desire to become a fighter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ontario , and while in college , he picked up a guitar and learning that instrument as well .
He posted YouTube videos of himself playing and his hockey teammates found out how good his he was .
One night at a bar called The Brass , his buddies asked if they would let their teammate , “ Sunshine ” play between the sets of the house band .
“ They called me ‘ Sunshine ’ in reference to the movie , Remember the Titans because like the star quarterback , I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Marks said .
He got called up on stage and even though he had been in a band , he had never sung solo before .
Marks reminisced , “ I was so nervous but I definitely had had some liquid courage.
” He sang two covers and two original songs .
People started asking where else he was playing and if he had an album out .
After several months of playing at The Brass , in 2012 , he moved back home and started playing at a local bar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After 12-18 months , he had played at every bar in town and then in various nearby cities .
He crossed Canada several times and now has a top-ten hit at U.S. rock radio which is streaming globally .
What you don ’ t know about the hit single , “ Outlaws and Outsiders ” is that Marks received help from major artists including country icon Travis Tritt , metal icon Ivan Moody from Five Finger Death Punch , and rock icon Mick Mars from Motley Crue .
“ Outlaws & Outsiders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance on the airplay charts since 2002 and his first Mainstream Rock Top 10 appearance ever .
“ Travis loved the song , loved what it represented , what it meant , and wanted to be part of it , ” the singer said .
“ Growing up on country and rock music – being inspired by songs like The Rolling Stones ’ “ Honky Tonk Woman , ” bands like Deep Purple , Rush , and the iconic Ozzy Osbourne , the original outlaws & outsiders , Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a true honor to be working with the country music outlaw of my generation , the great Travis Tritt , ” he added .
“ Being an outsider , that ’ s kind of what it feels like up here in Canada with Canadian country radio , having more of a rock edge rather than pop .
I think there is too much of that in country music right now .
I think country music needs a change and I want to be that change .
It ’ s country music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marks continued , “ When Nashville closed their doors on me saying this is too heavy , we don ’ t see what is going on , Better Noise stepped up and said they loved it .
They saw the potential and they believed in me.
” Because he was produced on a rock label , two of his label mates are Five Finger Death Punch and Motley Crue , which is how they came to sing on this awesome single .
Most recently , Marks released his highly anticipated debut record , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Music .
The 13-track album Billboard calls , “ the long-awaited next-generation country rock record ” mixes country music with the hard-hitting stomp of rock & roll .
Produced by award-winning Kevin Churko ( Five Finger Death Punch , Shania Twain , Ozzy Osbourne ) and his son , Juno award-winning producer , songwriter , and engineer Kane Churko ( Papa Roach , Skillet ) , the album consists of songs telling stories of heartbreak , hell-raising , and everything in between .
WHO I AM , which dropped August 7 , currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Country Albums Chart , # 3 on the Top New Artist Albums chart , # 3 on the Canadian Country Albums chart , # 6 on the Country Albums chart in the United Kingdom , and # 2 on the Country Digital Albums chart in Germany .
In addition to “ Outlaws & Outsiders , ” Marks has released videos for the singles , “ Better Off ” , “ Blame it on the Double ” , “ Devil ’ s Grin ” and Country classic “ Drive.
” On album release day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Out in the Rain ” featuring Lzzy Hale of Halestorm , one of the stand-out tracks on the album , was shared .
But Lzzy Hale wasn ’ t the only surprise of the song .
“ Out in the Rain , ” showcases Marks ’ stripped-down vocals and proves he belongs with southern rock gods .
The rising star and his new music have already earned placements in film .
“ Outlaws & Outsiders ” is included in the Sno Babies movie soundtrack , a powerful film that deals with the topic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you would least expect – middle-class suburbia .
Marks ’ song , “ Blame It On The Double , ” will appear on another soundtrack , Better Noise Films release , horror spectacular – The Retaliators .
Since COVID-19 hit , Marks has been doing live-streams shows to keep in touch with his fans .
He is busy promoting his current music while creating new music .
He hopes to complete his pilot ’ s license this fall .
For more information on Marks , visit www.CoryMarks.com and follow him on Facebook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a freelance entertainment writer .
You can follow her blog , Instagram and Twitter , and YouTube .

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – As a kid from Canada who played hockey and wanted to become a pilot, Cory Marks might be the last person who you would expect to explode on the Southern Rock/Country Music scene. But after listening to his unapologetic, raw, yet real song, Outlaws and Outsiders, I wanted to find out what he was about.
Marks grew up in North Bay Ontario, Canada, about three hours north of Toronto. North Bay was a big hockey town and also a prominent military city hosting an important Air Force base in North America. Every summer Marks and his family attended the air shows in August which provided the young boy driven desire to become a pilot. Not only that, but he was also on hockey skates at age three. (His brother plays professional hockey.)
Being from Canada, Marks’ family loved the rock band Rush. His dad was a drummer and he bought Marks a drum set at the age of 10. That’s when music kind of took over. He became obsessed and listened to rock groups like Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad and Ozzy Osborne.
By age 16, he was in his first metal band and also the school band. But strangely enough, as Marks recalls, the only subject he ever failed was music.
“Between hockey and drumming, I kind of wanted to be the next Tommy Lee. I was way too shy to sing,” the singer said. After high school, he played drums in a Top 40 band where he sang harmony behind his kit.
During high school, Ohio State scouted Marks but when he found out he had to take the SAT, it was no go for him. Then at age 19, Marks pursued his private pilot’s license but the school went under before he could complete his goal. He tried to figure out what to do and ultimately decided to return to hockey.
Marks was then scouted out by the Royal Military College of Canada. He could play hockey for five years, go to college tuition-free, and pursue his life-long desire to become a fighter pilot. He moved to Kingston, Ontario, and while in college, he picked up a guitar and learning that instrument as well.
He posted YouTube videos of himself playing and his hockey teammates found out how good his he was. One night at a bar called The Brass, his buddies asked if they would let their teammate, “Sunshine” play between the sets of the house band.
“They called me ‘Sunshine’ in reference to the movie, Remember the Titans because like the star quarterback, I was the only guy with long hair,” Marks said.
He got called up on stage and even though he had been in a band, he had never sung solo before. Marks reminisced, “I was so nervous but I definitely had had some liquid courage.” He sang two covers and two original songs. People started asking where else he was playing and if he had an album out.
After several months of playing at The Brass, in 2012, he moved back home and started playing at a local bar. He ended up playing at other establishments. After 12-18 months, he had played at every bar in town and then in various nearby cities. He crossed Canada several times and now has a top-ten hit at U.S. rock radio which is streaming globally.
What you don’t know about the hit single, “Outlaws and Outsiders” is that Marks received help from major artists including country icon Travis Tritt, metal icon Ivan Moody from Five Finger Death Punch, and rock icon Mick Mars from Motley Crue.
“Outlaws & Outsiders” marked Travis Tritt’s first appearance on the airplay charts since 2002 and his first Mainstream Rock Top 10 appearance ever.
“Travis loved the song, loved what it represented, what it meant, and wanted to be part of it,” the singer said.
“Growing up on country and rock music – being inspired by songs like The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman,” bands like Deep Purple, Rush, and the iconic Ozzy Osbourne, the original outlaws & outsiders, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings – shaped my musical style. It’s a true honor to be working with the country music outlaw of my generation, the great Travis Tritt,” he added. “Being an outsider, that’s kind of what it feels like up here in Canada with Canadian country radio, having more of a rock edge rather than pop. I think there is too much of that in country music right now. I think country music needs a change and I want to be that change. It’s country music with a rock n roll attitude.”
Marks continued, “When Nashville closed their doors on me saying this is too heavy, we don’t see what is going on, Better Noise stepped up and said they loved it. They saw the potential and they believed in me.”
Because he was produced on a rock label, two of his label mates are Five Finger Death Punch and Motley Crue, which is how they came to sing on this awesome single.
Most recently, Marks released his highly anticipated debut record, WHO I AM, through Better Noise Music. The 13-track album Billboard calls, “the long-awaited next-generation country rock record” mixes country music with the hard-hitting stomp of rock & roll. Produced by award-winning Kevin Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, Shania Twain, Ozzy Osbourne) and his son, Juno award-winning producer, songwriter, and engineer Kane Churko (Papa Roach, Skillet), the album consists of songs telling stories of heartbreak, hell-raising, and everything in between. WHO I AM, which dropped August 7, currently sits at #7 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart, #3 on the Top New Artist Albums chart, #3 on the Canadian Country Albums chart, #6 on the Country Albums chart in the United Kingdom, and #2 on the Country Digital Albums chart in Germany.
In addition to “Outlaws & Outsiders,” Marks has released videos for the singles, “Better Off”, “Blame it on the Double”, “Devil’s Grin” and Country classic “Drive.” On album release day, a video for album track “Out in the Rain” featuring Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, one of the stand-out tracks on the album, was shared. But Lzzy Hale wasn’t the only surprise of the song. “Out in the Rain,” showcases Marks’ stripped-down vocals and proves he belongs with southern rock gods.
The rising star and his new music have already earned placements in film. “Outlaws & Outsiders” is included in the Sno Babies movie soundtrack, a powerful film that deals with the topic of substance use disorder in the places you would least expect – middle-class suburbia. Marks’ song, “Blame It On The Double,” will appear on another soundtrack, Better Noise Films release, horror spectacular – The Retaliators.
Since COVID-19 hit, Marks has been doing live-streams shows to keep in touch with his fans. He is busy promoting his current music while creating new music. He hopes to complete his pilot’s license this fall.
For more information on Marks, visit www.CoryMarks.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
– – –
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram and Twitter, and YouTube.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-02--Suspect in Fatal Portland Shooting Has Pending Gun Charges, Expressed Support for Antifa

Portland police are investigating whether a self-identified member of Antifa with two pending firearms charges was involved in the fatal shooting of a Trump supporter at a Black Lives Matter event on Saturday , one of his family members told reporters .
The Oregonian reported that Michael Forest Reinoehl , 48 , is a suspect in the shooting death of Jay Bishop , a member of Patriot Prayer , a conservative organization that has appeared at protests in the Portland area .
The newspaper reported the Reinoehl ’ s sister identified him in photographs shown to her by police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal reported that a law enforcement official said that Reinoehl is a person of interest in the case .
Reinoehl has been charged twice in recent months with illegal possession of a loaded firearm , including at a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland last month .
He was issued a citation but not arrested at the time , a spokesman for the Multnomah County district attorney ’ s office told The Daily Caller News Foundation .
Bishop died Saturday after he was shot in the chest shortly before 9:00 p.m. local time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were traveling in a caravan of Trump supporters through the city when they clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters .
The Portland police department declined the DCNF ’ s request comment on whether Reinoehl is a suspect in Bishop ’ s death .
Reinoehl has a lengthy criminal record and has expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and Antifa .
“ I am 100 % ANTIFA all the way !
” Reinoehl wrote in a post on Instagram on June 16 .
“ We do not want violence but we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reinoehl , who lists himself on social media as a snowboard instructor , also compared the protests to war , and said that “ like all wars there will be casualties.
” Oregon court records show Reinoehl was charged on June 8 with illegal firearm possession , reckless endangerment , driving under the influence and reckless driving .
According to local news reports , Reinoehl was clocked at 111-mph while drag racing his son on Interstate 84 .
Police found alcohol and pills in Reinoehl ’ s vehicle , as well as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news report , Reinoehl did not have a concealed handgun license .
Reinoehl ’ s 11-year-old daughter was also in the vehicle , leading to the reckless endangerment charge .
Court filings show that a warrant was issued for Reinoehl ’ s arrest after he failed to appear for arraignment on July 8 .
Reinoehl was cited again on July 5 with possession of a loaded firearm , resisting arrest , and interfering with police activity .
All of the charges were misdemeanors .
According to The Oregonian , Reinoehl was found with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest in Portland at 2:00 a.m. on July 5 .
Court filings show that the judge handling the case issued a “ no complaint ” ruling .
A spokesman for the Multnomah County district attorney declined comment on whether Reinoehl is a suspect in Bishop ’ s shooting death .
But he said that Reinoehl was given a citation — and not arrested — following the incident last month .
Brent Weisberg , the spokesman for the district attorney , said that Reinoehl ’ s case remains open , but that arraignments in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody have been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ The majority of cases we received as a citation in lieu of booking , including this case , remain pending review , ” Weisberg told the DCNF .
“ We have neither rejected nor declined prosecution on this case .
This incident from July 5 , 2020 remains an ongoing investigation.
” Portland has for several years been a flashpoint for clashes between Antifa supporters and right-wing groups such as Patriot Prayer , which was founded by activist Joey Gibson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the deaths Breonna Taylor and George Floyd , who were killed by police officers earlier this year .
Reinoehl ’ s Instagram account shows he has attended several protests over the past couple of months .
He also made reference to a patriot group showing up to a protest on July 4 , the day before Reinoehl was arrested on the gun charges .
Reinoehl posted a message he received from a friend who said that they were “ getting word from a Patriot group on Facebook that the 4th of July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They might probably are hostile w arms .
Watch your and your friends back and don ’ t get cought [ sic ] in a crossfire.
” “ Thank you my friend we are ready , ” Reinoehl wrote .
It is unclear whether Reinoehl was referring to the Patriot Prayer group .
Reinoehl posted a video on Instagram on July 4 of a Trump flag being burned in which a man near the camera can be heard yelling “ Fuck Trump ” along with a crowd of protesters .
A caption for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fuck Donald Trump , ” and hashtags for Black Lives Matter and Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old black woman fatally shot by police in Louisville in March .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Michael Reinoehl ” by Michael Reinoehl .

by Chuck Ross
Portland police are investigating whether a self-identified member of Antifa with two pending firearms charges was involved in the fatal shooting of a Trump supporter at a Black Lives Matter event on Saturday, one of his family members told reporters.
The Oregonian reported that Michael Forest Reinoehl, 48, is a suspect in the shooting death of Jay Bishop, a member of Patriot Prayer, a conservative organization that has appeared at protests in the Portland area.
The newspaper reported the Reinoehl’s sister identified him in photographs shown to her by police officers investigating the shooting. The Wall Street Journal reported that a law enforcement official said that Reinoehl is a person of interest in the case.
Reinoehl has been charged twice in recent months with illegal possession of a loaded firearm, including at a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland last month. He was issued a citation but not arrested at the time, a spokesman for the Multnomah County district attorney’s office told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Bishop died Saturday after he was shot in the chest shortly before 9:00 p.m. local time in downtown Portland. Patriot Prayer members were traveling in a caravan of Trump supporters through the city when they clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters.
The Portland police department declined the DCNF’s request comment on whether Reinoehl is a suspect in Bishop’s death.
Reinoehl has a lengthy criminal record and has expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and Antifa.
“I am 100% ANTIFA all the way!” Reinoehl wrote in a post on Instagram on June 16. “We do not want violence but we will not run from it either!”
Reinoehl, who lists himself on social media as a snowboard instructor, also compared the protests to war, and said that “like all wars there will be casualties.”
Oregon court records show Reinoehl was charged on June 8 with illegal firearm possession, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence and reckless driving.
According to local news reports, Reinoehl was clocked at 111-mph while drag racing his son on Interstate 84. Police found alcohol and pills in Reinoehl’s vehicle, as well as a loaded Glock handgun.
According to the news report, Reinoehl did not have a concealed handgun license. Reinoehl’s 11-year-old daughter was also in the vehicle, leading to the reckless endangerment charge.
Court filings show that a warrant was issued for Reinoehl’s arrest after he failed to appear for arraignment on July 8.
Reinoehl was cited again on July 5 with possession of a loaded firearm, resisting arrest, and interfering with police activity. All of the charges were misdemeanors.
According to The Oregonian, Reinoehl was found with the weapon at a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland at 2:00 a.m. on July 5.
Court filings show that the judge handling the case issued a “no complaint” ruling.
A spokesman for the Multnomah County district attorney declined comment on whether Reinoehl is a suspect in Bishop’s shooting death. But he said that Reinoehl was given a citation — and not arrested — following the incident last month.
Brent Weisberg, the spokesman for the district attorney, said that Reinoehl’s case remains open, but that arraignments in cases where defendants are not in police custody have been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The majority of cases we received as a citation in lieu of booking, including this case, remain pending review,” Weisberg told the DCNF.
“We have neither rejected nor declined prosecution on this case. This incident from July 5, 2020 remains an ongoing investigation.”
Portland has for several years been a flashpoint for clashes between Antifa supporters and right-wing groups such as Patriot Prayer, which was founded by activist Joey Gibson. Tensions have escalated in recent months following the deaths Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, who were killed by police officers earlier this year.
Reinoehl’s Instagram account shows he has attended several protests over the past couple of months. He also made reference to a patriot group showing up to a protest on July 4, the day before Reinoehl was arrested on the gun charges.
Reinoehl posted a message he received from a friend who said that they were “getting word from a Patriot group on Facebook that the 4th of July they are taking back the cities. They might probably are hostile w arms. Watch your and your friends back and don’t get cought [sic] in a crossfire.”
“Thank you my friend we are ready,” Reinoehl wrote.
It is unclear whether Reinoehl was referring to the Patriot Prayer group.
Reinoehl posted a video on Instagram on July 4 of a Trump flag being burned in which a man near the camera can be heard yelling “Fuck Trump” along with a crowd of protesters.
A caption for Reinoehl’s video reads, “Fuck Donald Trump,” and hashtags for Black Lives Matter and Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman fatally shot by police in Louisville in March.
– – –
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Michael Reinoehl” by Michael Reinoehl.