vdare--2020-09-17--Patrick J. Buchanan: Is Peace at Hand in the Middle East?

Having presided over the recognition of Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain , President Donald Trump has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize amid talk of peace breaking out across the region .
Assuredly , this is a major diplomatic breakthrough , and Nancy 's Pelosi 's sour-grapes dismissal of the deal as a `` distraction '' testifies to that truth .
Recognition of Israel by the UAE and Bahrain will , it is predicted , be followed by recognition of Israel by Oman and other Gulf states , perhaps even Saudi Arabia .
But the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be , as Mark Twain said of reports of his death , premature .
Indeed , the Gulf Arabs could be signing up to recognize Israel because they see the Jewish state as an indispensable ally in the Arab Sunni clash with the larger and more powerful Shiite Iran .
In 1979 , the Camp David Accords were signed in a land-for-peace deal whereby Israel returned the Sinai , captured in the 1967 Six-Day War , to Egypt .
Egypt 's Anwar Sadat and Israel 's Menachem Begin both won the Nobel Prize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was established between Cairo and Jerusalem , that did not inaugurate an era of peace .
Jordan 's King Hussein recognized Israel in 1994 .
Yet , since then , Israel has fought wars with Hamas in Gaza , Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinians of the West Bank in successive intifadas .
The Palestinian issue also seems no closer to resolution .
What the Gulf Arabs are saying with these recognitions is that the seemingly irreconcilable Palestinian-Israeli conflict can no longer be permitted to interfere with the Arabs ' pursuit of allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them—that of Iran against the Sunni Arab nations of the Persian Gulf .
The Palestinians are the losers here , having lost their veto power over Arab nations establishing ties to Israel .
As for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict , it seems even further from resolution .
The `` deal of the century '' peace plan midwifed by Jared Kushner projected a Palestinian state on two-thirds of the West Bank .
The rest of the West Bank , now occupied by half a million Jewish settlers , would be ceded to Israel .
Any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third of the West Bank to Israel would risk ending up like Matthias Erzberger , who signed the Versailles Treaty in Paris for Germany and was assassinated in the Black Forest in August 1921 .
Other conflicts in the region contradict the notion of a coming era of peace .
Syria 's civil war , where Russia , Hezbollah and Iran are supporting the Damascus regime of Bashar Assad is unfinished , though Assad has regained control of most of his country .
The Yemen civil war remains a bloody and inconclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driven out of the capital by Houthi rebels five years ago .
U.S.-backed Saudi airstrikes have made of the country a human rights catastrophe .
There is even talk of war crimes charges being brought against Riyadh for its bombings , and the United States for having sustained and supported those airstrikes .
In Libya , a civil war is underway between the recognized regime backed by Turkey and rebels backed by the UAE , Russia and Egypt .
In the Eastern Mediterranean , there is a naval stand-off between NATO allies Greece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gas below the seas off Cyprus and the Greek islands closest to the Turkish coast .
Then there is the undeclared war being waged against Iran by Israel and to which the U.S. is contributing with the crushing sanctions it has imposed to weaken and to isolate the ayatollah 's regime .
U.S. military action against Iran , before Election Day , long advocated by hawks in this city and Israel , can not be ruled out .
As for the Afghan civil war , in which the U.S. has been engaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though the Taliban have begun talks with the Kabul government .
Then there is the endless Turkish-Kurd conflict inside Turkey that has spilled over into Iraq and Syria .
In establishing embassies in Israel , the UAE and Bahrain are taking a risk , making a wager on who will emerge as dominant in the Middle East .
While the UAE is a significant power in the Persian Gulf , Bahrain is a collection of islands of 300 square miles with a population fewer than two million people , a Sunni king @ @ @ @ @ @ @ port to the U.S. Fifth Fleet , it is vulnerable .
A decade ago , the king was almost dethroned by a Shiite uprising sparked by the Arab Spring .
Saudi Arabia had to send an army across the causeway to put down the resistance and save the regime .
Even Israel is not truly at peace today , with its drones , planes and missiles intermittently striking Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon , Syria and Iraq .
Still , all in all , this week brought good news on at least one front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers ; his books State of Emergency : The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America , and Suicide of a Superpower : Will America Survive to 2025 ?
are available from Amazon.com .
Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “ The Greatest Comeback : How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority .
His latest book , published May , 2018 , is “ Nixon ’ s White House Wars : The Battles That Made and Broke a President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brimelow ’ s review : “ Wheel And Fight ” —Pat Buchanan ’ s Nixon Book Provides Road Map For Trump .

Earlier by Patrick J. Buchanan: Are the Forever Wars Really Ending?
Having presided over the recognition of Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, President Donald Trump has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize amid talk of peace breaking out across the region.
Assuredly, this is a major diplomatic breakthrough, and Nancy's Pelosi's sour-grapes dismissal of the deal as a "distraction" testifies to that truth.
Recognition of Israel by the UAE and Bahrain will, it is predicted, be followed by recognition of Israel by Oman and other Gulf states, perhaps even Saudi Arabia. But the idea that peace is at hand appears to be, as Mark Twain said of reports of his death, premature.
Indeed, the Gulf Arabs could be signing up to recognize Israel because they see the Jewish state as an indispensable ally in the Arab Sunni clash with the larger and more powerful Shiite Iran.
In 1979, the Camp David Accords were signed in a land-for-peace deal whereby Israel returned the Sinai, captured in the 1967 Six-Day War, to Egypt. Egypt's Anwar Sadat and Israel's Menachem Begin both won the Nobel Prize for Peace. Yet, while peace was established between Cairo and Jerusalem, that did not inaugurate an era of peace.
Jordan's King Hussein recognized Israel in 1994. Yet, since then, Israel has fought wars with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinians of the West Bank in successive intifadas.
The Palestinian issue also seems no closer to resolution.
What the Gulf Arabs are saying with these recognitions is that the seemingly irreconcilable Palestinian-Israeli conflict can no longer be permitted to interfere with the Arabs' pursuit of allies in the conflict that more immediately concerns them—that of Iran against the Sunni Arab nations of the Persian Gulf.
The Palestinians are the losers here, having lost their veto power over Arab nations establishing ties to Israel. As for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it seems even further from resolution.
The "deal of the century" peace plan midwifed by Jared Kushner projected a Palestinian state on two-thirds of the West Bank. The rest of the West Bank, now occupied by half a million Jewish settlers, would be ceded to Israel.
Any Palestinian leader who signed away Jerusalem and a third of the West Bank to Israel would risk ending up like Matthias Erzberger, who signed the Versailles Treaty in Paris for Germany and was assassinated in the Black Forest in August 1921.
Other conflicts in the region contradict the notion of a coming era of peace. Syria's civil war, where Russia, Hezbollah and Iran are supporting the Damascus regime of Bashar Assad is unfinished, though Assad has regained control of most of his country.
The Yemen civil war remains a bloody and inconclusive conflict between a Saudi-backed regime which was driven out of the capital by Houthi rebels five years ago. U.S.-backed Saudi airstrikes have made of the country a human rights catastrophe. There is even talk of war crimes charges being brought against Riyadh for its bombings, and the United States for having sustained and supported those airstrikes.
In Libya, a civil war is underway between the recognized regime backed by Turkey and rebels backed by the UAE, Russia and Egypt.
In the Eastern Mediterranean, there is a naval stand-off between NATO allies Greece and Turkey over who owns the oil and gas below the seas off Cyprus and the Greek islands closest to the Turkish coast.
Then there is the undeclared war being waged against Iran by Israel and to which the U.S. is contributing with the crushing sanctions it has imposed to weaken and to isolate the ayatollah's regime.
U.S. military action against Iran, before Election Day, long advocated by hawks in this city and Israel, cannot be ruled out.
As for the Afghan civil war, in which the U.S. has been engaged for 19 years, it remains unresolved, though the Taliban have begun talks with the Kabul government. Then there is the endless Turkish-Kurd conflict inside Turkey that has spilled over into Iraq and Syria.
In establishing embassies in Israel, the UAE and Bahrain are taking a risk, making a wager on who will emerge as dominant in the Middle East.
While the UAE is a significant power in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain is a collection of islands of 300 square miles with a population fewer than two million people, a Sunni king and a Shiite majority.
Though home port to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, it is vulnerable.
A decade ago, the king was almost dethroned by a Shiite uprising sparked by the Arab Spring. Saudi Arabia had to send an army across the causeway to put down the resistance and save the regime.
Even Israel is not truly at peace today, with its drones, planes and missiles intermittently striking Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Still, all in all, this week brought good news on at least one front of the Middle East's forever wars.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers; his books State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America, and Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025? are available from Amazon.com. Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.
His latest book, published May, 2018, is “Nixon’s White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever.”
See Peter Brimelow’s review: “Wheel And Fight”—Pat Buchanan’s Nixon Book Provides Road Map For Trump.


vdare--2020-09-17--GUARDIAN: Was Beethoven Black?

GUARDIAN: Was Beethoven Black?

The 250th anniversary of Beethoven ’ s birth in 1770 is this December 16 , more or less ( he was baptized on December 17 , so born on December 16 is the best guess ) .
But this being 2020 , when Black Is Best and White Is Worst , the nicest thing anybody can think to say about Ludwig van is that in a few engravings , he kind of sort of looks like an octoroon .
‘ Beethoven was black ’ : why the radical idea still has power today He helped galvanise the US civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about cultural dominance and the musical canon .
In his 250th anniversary year can we listen to Beethoven and what he represents with fresh ears ?
Exactly 80 years after Beethoven ’ s death , in 1907 , the British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor began speculating that Beethoven was black .
Note : Samuel Coleridge-Taylor , right , is not the same person as Samuel Taylor Coleridge , author of “ Kubla Khan.
” Colderidge-Taylor was mixed race – with a white English mother and a Sierra Leonean father – and said that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between his own facial features and images of Beethoven ’ s .
Having recently returned from the segregated US , Coleridge-Taylor projected his experiences there onto the German composer .
“ If the greatest of all musicians were alive today , he would find it impossible to obtain hotel accommodation in certain American cities.
” His words would prove prophetic .
During the 1960s , the mantra “ Beethoven was black ” became part of the struggle for civil rights .
By then Coleridge-Taylor had been dead for 50 years and was all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carmichael raged against the deeply ingrained assumption that white European culture was inherently superior to black culture , the baton was passed .
“ Beethoven was as black as you and I , ” he told a mainly black audience in Seattle , “ but they don ’ t tell us that.
” A few years earlier , Malcolm X had given voice to that same idea when he told an interviewer that Beethoven ’ s father had been “ one of the blackamoors that hired themselves out in Europe as professional soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a refrain chanted on a San Francisco soul music radio station and , in 1969 , hit mass consciousness when Rolling Stone magazine ran a story headlined : “ Beethoven was black and proud !
” … Was Beethoven black ?
The evidence is scant and inconclusive .
The case rests on two possibilities : that Beethoven ’ s Flemish ancestors married Spanish “ blackamoors ” of African descent , or that Beethoven ’ s mother had an affair .
But the truth Carmichael and Malcolm X sought was not scientific .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grand metaphor designed to unsettle and shake certainty .
Had Beethoven been black , would he have been classed as a canonical composer ?
And what about other black composers lost in history ?

The 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth in 1770 is this December 16, more or less (he was baptized on December 17, so born on December 16 is the best guess). But this being 2020, when Black Is Best and White Is Worst, the nicest thing anybody can think to say about Ludwig van is that in a few engravings, he kind of sort of looks like an octoroon.
From The Guardian:
‘Beethoven was black’: why the radical idea still has power today He helped galvanise the US civil rights movement, and today sparks intense debate about cultural dominance and the musical canon. In his 250th anniversary year can we listen to Beethoven and what he represents with fresh ears? Philip Clark Mon 7 Sep 2020 Exactly 80 years after Beethoven’s death, in 1907, the British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor began speculating that Beethoven was black.
Note: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, right, is not the same person as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, author of “Kubla Khan.”
Colderidge-Taylor was mixed race – with a white English mother and a Sierra Leonean father – and said that he couldn’t help noticing remarkable likenesses between his own facial features and images of Beethoven’s. Having recently returned from the segregated US, Coleridge-Taylor projected his experiences there onto the German composer. “If the greatest of all musicians were alive today, he would find it impossible to obtain hotel accommodation in certain American cities.” His words would prove prophetic. During the 1960s, the mantra “Beethoven was black” became part of the struggle for civil rights. By then Coleridge-Taylor had been dead for 50 years and was all but forgotten, but as campaigner Stokely Carmichael raged against the deeply ingrained assumption that white European culture was inherently superior to black culture, the baton was passed. “Beethoven was as black as you and I,” he told a mainly black audience in Seattle, “but they don’t tell us that.” A few years earlier, Malcolm X had given voice to that same idea when he told an interviewer that Beethoven’s father had been “one of the blackamoors that hired themselves out in Europe as professional soldiers”. “Beethoven was black” became a refrain chanted on a San Francisco soul music radio station and, in 1969, hit mass consciousness when Rolling Stone magazine ran a story headlined: “Beethoven was black and proud!” … Was Beethoven black? The evidence is scant and inconclusive. The case rests on two possibilities: that Beethoven’s Flemish ancestors married Spanish “blackamoors” of African descent, or that Beethoven’s mother had an affair. But the truth Carmichael and Malcolm X sought was not scientific. “Beethoven was black” was a grand metaphor designed to unsettle and shake certainty. Had Beethoven been black, would he have been classed as a canonical composer? And what about other black composers lost in history?
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-09-17--Minneapolis City Council Wants to Disband the Police, But Wonders Why, in the Meantime, the Police A

Minneapolis City Council Wants to Disband the Police, But Wonders Why, in the Meantime, the Police Aren't Stopping the Rise in Crime

Once boring , Minnesota has in recent years climbed steadily to near the top of the iSteve Content-Generating States rankings , even before its break-out 2020 .
From Minneapolis Public Radio : With violent crime on the rise in Mpls.
, City Council asks : Where are the police ?
The meeting was slated as a Minneapolis City Council study session on police reform .
But for much of the two-hour meeting , council members told police Chief Medaria Arradondo that their constituents are seeing and hearing street racing which sometimes results in crashes , brazen daylight carjackings , robberies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked Arradondo what the department is doing about it .
“ Residents are asking , ‘ Where are the police ’ ?
” said Jamal Osman , newly elected council member of Ward 6 .
He said he ’ s already been inundated with complaints from residents that calls for police aren ’ t being answered .
Just months after leading an effort that would have defunded the police department , City Council members at Tuesday ’ s work session pushed chief Medaria Arradondo to tell them how the department is responding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent crimes , like assaults , robberies and homicides are up compared to 2019 , according to MPD crime data .
More people have been killed in the city in the first nine months of 2020 than were slain in all of last year .
Property crimes , like burglaries and auto thefts , are also up .
Incidents of arson have increased 55 percent over the total at this point in 2019 .

Once boring, Minnesota has in recent years climbed steadily to near the top of the iSteve Content-Generating States rankings, even before its breakout 2020. From Minneapolis Public Radio:
With violent crime on the rise in Mpls., City Council asks: Where are the police?
Brandt Williams Minneapolis September 15, 2020 6:10 p.m.
The meeting was slated as a Minneapolis City Council study session on police reform.
But for much of the two-hour meeting, council members told police Chief Medaria Arradondo that their constituents are seeing and hearing street racing which sometimes results in crashes, brazen daylight carjackings, robberies, assaults and shootings. And they asked Arradondo what the department is doing about it.
“Residents are asking, ‘Where are the police’?” said Jamal Osman, newly elected council member of Ward 6. He said he’s already been inundated with complaints from residents that calls for police aren’t being answered.
Just months after leading an effort that would have defunded the police department, City Council members at Tuesday’s work session pushed chief Medaria Arradondo to tell them how the department is responding to the violence.
The number of reported violent crimes, like assaults, robberies and homicides are up compared to 2019, according to MPD crime data. More people have been killed in the city in the first nine months of 2020 than were slain in all of last year. Property crimes, like burglaries and auto thefts, are also up. Incidents of arson have increased 55 percent over the total at this point in 2019.


vdare--2020-09-16--Never Ever Mention That George Soros Is Funding Anti-Cop Candidates for District Attorney, Not Even

Never Ever Mention That George Soros Is Funding Anti-Cop Candidates for District Attorney, Not Even on Fox News

That anti-enforcement organizations funded by the Soros family have been pouring often decisive amounts of money into previously obscure county-level races for district attorney used to be considered news , but now is considered an unmentionable anti-Semitic conspiracy theory .
For example , from way back in 2018 , here is a long Los Angeles Times news story on the Soros efforts that was funded and written , in part , by a Soros-funded group : Here ’ s why George Soros , liberal groups are spending big to help decide who ’ s your next D.A .
New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private funders targeting four of California ’ s 56 district attorney positions up for election June 5 .
In most district attorney elections , the campaign playbook is clear : Win over the local cops and talk tough on crime .
But in California this year , the strategy is being turned on its head .
Wealthy donors are spending millions of dollars to back would-be prosecutors who want to reduce incarceration , crack down on police misconduct and revamp a bail system they contend unfairly imprisons poor people before trial .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by liberal groups to reshape the nation ’ s criminal justice system .
New York billionaire George Soros headlines a consortium of private funders , the American Civil Liberties Union and other social justice groups and Democratic activists targeting four of the 56 district attorney positions up for election on June 5 .
Five other California candidates are receiving lesser support .
The cash infusion in the nonpartisan elections turns underdog challengers into contenders for one of the most powerful positions in local justice systems , roiling conventional law-and-order politics .
In San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy public defender who spent her legal career trying to keep the accused out of jail , not lock them up .
… The challengers have matched or surpassed the millions of dollars — mostly from police , prosecutors and local business — flowing to incumbents unaccustomed to such organized liberal opposition .
But the coordination between big money and advocacy groups that don ’ t have to reveal their funding sources is largely out of public view .
The campaign has alarmed some law-and-order prosecutors , who warn that discretion over which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits .
“ These people who want to create their own social policy are not worthy of the office , ” said former Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Steve Cooley .
“ If they win in San Diego or Sacramento , L.A. is next.
” As indeed it is in the November 2020 runoff in Los Angeles Country between the anti-crime incumbent , a black woman named Jackie Lacey , and the Steve Martin-looking George Gascon funded by the Soros alliance .
… Where law-and-order campaigns appeal to fear , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has caught fire is police shootings .
“ It ’ s really coming from this Black Lives Matter moment of police accountability , ” said Margaret Dooley-Sammuli , criminal justice and drug policy director for the ACLU of California .
… In Sacramento County , where liberal activists are embedded directly in the insurgent campaign of Noah Phillips , the deputy prosecutor is attacking his boss ’ record of having never charged a police officer who shot a civilian .
Phillips credits Soros ’ team for scripting and paying for his television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Black Lives Matter activists were holding near-daily protests on the doorstep of Phillips ’ opponent , career prosecutor Anne Marie Schubert .
… Half of Phillips ’ money is from Soros .
… In San Diego , the county ’ s limit of $ 800 for individual contributions forces campaigners to work independently of their favored candidate , Geneviéve Jones-Wright .
Soros has supplied more than $ 1.5 million to a political action committee to promote the deputy public defender waging a longshot bid for D.A .
National liberal organizations have joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealthy Silicon Valley donors .
… Jones-Wright rejects descriptions of her funding as an outside threat by groups trying to buy a national agenda , one county at a time .
Soros ’ money , she said , gives a voice to poor and minority communities often ignored in prosecutor races .
“ I love it !
” she told lawyers at a recent fundraiser .
“ If he didn ’ t take an interest in this campaign , it would be an even more uneven playing field.
” Alameda County Dist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed surprise that she ’ s a Soros target .
The registered Democrat showcases endorsements not only from police leaders but also Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) , organized labor and Democratic clubs .
Her opponent , civil rights lawyer Pamela Price , criticizes O ’ Malley ’ s ties with law enforcement , including political donations from police unions .
Mailers sent by Soros ’ PAC condemn “ racist ” stop-and-frisk policies and promise Price would end them .
… Soros , whose spending as of this week in California topped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visible part of the national movement to sway county prosecutor races .
Since 2014 , he has spent more than $ 16 million in 17 county races in other states .
His favored candidates won in 13 .
One of them , Philadelphia Dist .
Atty .
Larry Krasner , fired 31 prosecutors during his first week on the job in January .
Calling for an end to “ mass incarceration , ” Krasner also ordered the rest of his office to stop prosecuting marijuana possession , steer more defendants toward diversion programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prison term would cost taxpayers .
After her 2016 victory in Houston , Kim Ogg announced she would no longer prosecute the possession of small amounts of marijuana .
In Chicago , the Soros-backed candidate stopped filing felony theft charges for property worth less than $ 1,000 .
The changes have outraged police and prosecutor associations .
The head of the union for Los Angeles County prosecutors recently issued a statewide call for donations to counter Soros ’ money in San Diego .
Michele Hanisee , the group ’ s president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors to “ pick and choose ” which laws they enforce .
… Many of those activities don ’ t show up in campaign finance reports .
Federal tax laws allow nonprofit advocacy groups to hide the source of their money and to disclose summaries of their spending years after the fact .
It will be 2020 before Californians will be able to see the full scale of the involvement in June ’ s elections .
But tax forms , grant documents and interviews by The Times and the Marshall Project show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foundations and advocacy groups by last year had sunk $ 11 million into grants focused on district attorney elections across the nation .
At the top is the Open Philanthropy Project , a foundation started by Moskovitz and Tuna , that from 2014 to 2017 directed $ 6.6 million toward “ prosecutorial reform ” or similar terms .
The Open Philanthropy Project of Facebook friend-of-Mark Dustin Moskowitz and his wife is , apparently , not legally related to Soros ’ s famous Open Society Foundation , but they seem to be on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as you would expect from their similarity of names .
Major grant recipients include the ACLU .
The group ’ s projects include national polling last year measuring voter interest in the county races , and score cards helping promote the liberal platforms of candidates in Texas and California .
Soros gave $ 50 million to the ACLU in 2014 for work on criminal justice issues , though it ’ s unclear how much , if any , was earmarked for the prosecutor campaigns .
… In July , a similar group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directors for Soros and the ACLU and racial-justice activists from Color of Change to talk about steering nonprofit money toward the cause .
… The 2016 election in Illinois of Kim Foxx as Cook County state ’ s attorney illustrated the power of combining national money and local field teams .
… Soros joined the fight .
So did Color of Change , Move On and Democracy for America — national organizations also engaged in the California races .
… Foxx won in a landslide , becoming Cook County ’ s first black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course , was the DA who dismissed charges against hate hoaxer Jussie Smollett .
…But other candidates have fallen short .
Targeted incumbents in Arizona and Colorado survived challenges despite Soros ’ heavily funding their opponents .
“ We knew that George Soros couldn ’ t find Jefferson County on a map , ” said Peter Weir , who heads the district attorney ’ s office in the suburbs west of Denver .
“ Justice was not for sale in Jefferson County.
” This story was published in partnership with the Marshall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. criminal justice system .
Sign up for their newsletter , or follow the Marshall Project on Facebook or Twitter .
The Marshall Project receives funding from the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations and other organizations that support efforts to reform the state ’ s criminal justice system .
Under terms of its funding , the Marshall Project has sole editorial control of its news reporting .
So that was the liberal , respectable Los Angeles Times just 2 years ago .
But now you should never mention the name George Soros @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Soros .
And you wouldn ’ t want that to happen , now would you ?
And that ’ s why , two decades later , Baltimore is an annual contender for the prestigious Murder Capital of America title .
… 2011 : Fighting Stop and Frisk Open Society helped develop Communities United for Police Reform , a New York City-based campaign to challenge—and substantially reduce—the police department ’ s racially discriminatory stop and frisk practices .
2014 : Accelerating the End of Mass Incarceration The Open Society Foundations gave a grant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advance its efforts to reduce mass incarceration nationwide .
… 2020 : Building Black Power Open Society announced investments of $ 220 million to build power in Black communities , promote bold new anti-racist policies in U.S. cities , and help first-time activists stay engaged .
A woman sings while surrounded by fellow activists LaTosha Brown , one of the cofounders of Black Voters Matter , sings during an event bringing together several grassroots organizations , in Greenville , Mississippi , on August 24 , 2018 .
© Rogelio V. Solis/AP Personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that while I disagree with him on much , he is a great man , a worthy foe .
Sadly , he is now 90 and it is unlikely he has the strength of will and intellect anymore to change his mind and clean house among his underlings .

Newt Gingrich: "The number one problem in almost all the cities is George Soros-elected, left-wing, antipolice pro-criminal district attorneys..."
Fox hos: "I’m not sure we need to bring George Soros into this."
Newt: "Okay... So, it’s verboten?"
Long awkward silence. pic.twitter.com/tl4CgGcrzI — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 16, 2020
That anti-enforcement organizations funded by the Soros family have been pouring often decisive amounts of money into previously obscure county-level races for district attorney used to be considered news, but now is considered an unmentionable anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.
For example, from way back in 2018, here is a long Los Angeles Times news story on the Soros efforts that was funded and written, in part, by a Soros-funded group:
Here’s why George Soros, liberal groups are spending big to help decide who’s your next D.A. New York billionaire George Soros headlines a consortium of private funders targeting four of California’s 56 district attorney positions up for election June 5. By PAIGE ST. JOHN, ABBIE VANSICKLE
MAY 23, 2018 AM In most district attorney elections, the campaign playbook is clear: Win over the local cops and talk tough on crime. But in California this year, the strategy is being turned on its head. Wealthy donors are spending millions of dollars to back would-be prosecutors who want to reduce incarceration, crack down on police misconduct and revamp a bail system they contend unfairly imprisons poor people before trial. The effort is part of a years-long campaign by liberal groups to reshape the nation’s criminal justice system. New York billionaire George Soros headlines a consortium of private funders, the American Civil Liberties Union and other social justice groups and Democratic activists targeting four of the 56 district attorney positions up for election on June 5. Five other California candidates are receiving lesser support. The cash infusion in the nonpartisan elections turns underdog challengers into contenders for one of the most powerful positions in local justice systems, roiling conventional law-and-order politics. In San Diego County, the groups back a deputy public defender who spent her legal career trying to keep the accused out of jail, not lock them up. … The challengers have matched or surpassed the millions of dollars — mostly from police, prosecutors and local business — flowing to incumbents unaccustomed to such organized liberal opposition. But the coordination between big money and advocacy groups that don’t have to reveal their funding sources is largely out of public view. The campaign has alarmed some law-and-order prosecutors, who warn that discretion over which laws to enforce and how has its limits. “These people who want to create their own social policy are not worthy of the office,” said former Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley. “If they win in San Diego or Sacramento, L.A. is next.”
As indeed it is in the November 2020 runoff in Los Angeles Country between the anti-crime incumbent, a black woman named Jackie Lacey, and the Steve Martin-looking George Gascon funded by the Soros alliance.
… Where law-and-order campaigns appeal to fear, the new strategy targets anger. One issue that has caught fire is police shootings. “It’s really coming from this Black Lives Matter moment of police accountability,” said Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, criminal justice and drug policy director for the ACLU of California. … In Sacramento County, where liberal activists are embedded directly in the insurgent campaign of Noah Phillips, the deputy prosecutor is attacking his boss’ record of having never charged a police officer who shot a civilian. Phillips credits Soros’ team for scripting and paying for his television ad. … At the same time, Black Lives Matter activists were holding near-daily protests on the doorstep of Phillips’ opponent, career prosecutor Anne Marie Schubert. … Half of Phillips’ money is from Soros. … In San Diego, the county’s limit of $800 for individual contributions forces campaigners to work independently of their favored candidate, Geneviéve Jones-Wright. Soros has supplied more than $1.5 million to a political action committee to promote the deputy public defender waging a longshot bid for D.A. National liberal organizations have joined the fight for Jones-Wright, as have wealthy Silicon Valley donors. … Jones-Wright rejects descriptions of her funding as an outside threat by groups trying to buy a national agenda, one county at a time. Soros’ money, she said, gives a voice to poor and minority communities often ignored in prosecutor races. “I love it!” she told lawyers at a recent fundraiser. “If he didn’t take an interest in this campaign, it would be an even more uneven playing field.” Alameda County Dist. Atty. Nancy O’Malley has expressed surprise that she’s a Soros target. The registered Democrat showcases endorsements not only from police leaders but also Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), organized labor and Democratic clubs. Her opponent, civil rights lawyer Pamela Price, criticizes O’Malley’s ties with law enforcement, including political donations from police unions. Mailers sent by Soros’ PAC condemn “racist” stop-and-frisk policies and promise Price would end them. … Soros, whose spending as of this week in California topped $2.7 million, is the most visible part of the national movement to sway county prosecutor races. Since 2014, he has spent more than $16 million in 17 county races in other states. His favored candidates won in 13.
One of them, Philadelphia Dist. Atty. Larry Krasner, fired 31 prosecutors during his first week on the job in January. Calling for an end to “mass incarceration,” Krasner also ordered the rest of his office to stop prosecuting marijuana possession, steer more defendants toward diversion programs and announce at sentencing hearings how much a prison term would cost taxpayers. After her 2016 victory in Houston, Kim Ogg announced she would no longer prosecute the possession of small amounts of marijuana. In Chicago, the Soros-backed candidate stopped filing felony theft charges for property worth less than $1,000. The changes have outraged police and prosecutor associations. The head of the union for Los Angeles County prosecutors recently issued a statewide call for donations to counter Soros’ money in San Diego. Michele Hanisee, the group’s president, said Soros and the ACLU call on prosecutors to “pick and choose” which laws they enforce. … Many of those activities don’t show up in campaign finance reports. Federal tax laws allow nonprofit advocacy groups to hide the source of their money and to disclose summaries of their spending years after the fact. It will be 2020 before Californians will be able to see the full scale of the involvement in June’s elections. But tax forms, grant documents and interviews by The Times and the Marshall Project show that a coalition of wealthy donors, private foundations and advocacy groups by last year had sunk $11 million into grants focused on district attorney elections across the nation. At the top is the Open Philanthropy Project, a foundation started by Moskovitz and Tuna, that from 2014 to 2017 directed $6.6 million toward “prosecutorial reform” or similar terms.
The Open Philanthropy Project of Facebook friend-of-Mark Dustin Moskowitz and his wife is, apparently, not legally related to Soros’s famous Open Society Foundation, but they seem to be on the same page a lot of the time, as you would expect from their similarity of names.
Major grant recipients include the ACLU. The group’s projects include national polling last year measuring voter interest in the county races, and score cards helping promote the liberal platforms of candidates in Texas and California. Soros gave $50 million to the ACLU in 2014 for work on criminal justice issues, though it’s unclear how much, if any, was earmarked for the prosecutor campaigns. … In July, a similar group, the Tides Foundation, hosted campaign directors for Soros and the ACLU and racial-justice activists from Color of Change to talk about steering nonprofit money toward the cause. … The 2016 election in Illinois of Kim Foxx as Cook County state’s attorney illustrated the power of combining national money and local field teams. … Soros joined the fight. So did Color of Change, Move On and Democracy for America — national organizations also engaged in the California races. … Foxx won in a landslide, becoming Cook County’s first black state’s attorney.
Foxx, of course, was the DA who dismissed charges against hate hoaxer Jussie Smollett.
…But other candidates have fallen short. Targeted incumbents in Arizona and Colorado survived challenges despite Soros’ heavily funding their opponents. “We knew that George Soros couldn’t find Jefferson County on a map,” said Peter Weir, who heads the district attorney’s office in the suburbs west of Denver. “Justice was not for sale in Jefferson County.” This story was published in partnership with the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletter, or follow the Marshall Project on Facebook or Twitter. The Marshall Project receives funding from the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations and other organizations that support efforts to reform the state’s criminal justice system. Under terms of its funding, the Marshall Project has sole editorial control of its news reporting.
So that was the liberal, respectable Los Angeles Times just 2 years ago.
But now you should never mention the name George Soros.
Or you might attract the Eye of Soros.
And you wouldn’t want that to happen, now would you?
Also:
For decades, our founder George Soros and we at Open Society have supported the movement against systemic racism. We're building on this history by giving $220 million to build power in Black communities and promote bold new anti-racist policies. https://t.co/7voiy6OM5p — Open Society Foundations (@OpenSociety) August 30, 2020
Open Society’s History Fighting for Racial Justice in the United States
RACIAL JUSTICE MATTERS
JULY 13, 2020 Racial justice has always been central to the work and mission of the Open Society Foundations. In the mid-1990s, after spending years working to reform U.S. drug policies that unfairly target Black Americans, George Soros and the Open Society Foundations expanded their racial justice ambitions in the United States by investing in the movement against systemic racism—from ending the drug war to reforming systems of education and criminal justice to securing the right to vote. Now, in 2020, and in response to the unprecedented wave of activism and organizing for racial justice that’s spread across the world in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Open Society is investing $220 million to build power in Black communities, promote bold new anti-racist policies in U.S. cities, and help first-time activists stay engaged. … 1998: Focusing on Black Americans in Baltimore
The Foundations launched the Open Society Institute–Baltimore—an innovative effort to address three intertwined problems affecting the city’s Black population: drug policy, high incarceration rates, and obstacles that impede Black youth in succeeding both in and outside of the classroom. To date, Open Society has invested over $113 million in Baltimore.
And that’s why, two decades later, Baltimore is an annual contender for the prestigious Murder Capital of America title.
… 2011: Fighting Stop and Frisk
Open Society helped develop Communities United for Police Reform, a New York City-based campaign to challenge—and substantially reduce—the police department’s racially discriminatory stop and frisk practices. 2014: Accelerating the End of Mass Incarceration
The Open Society Foundations gave a grant of $50 million to the ACLU to advance its efforts to reduce mass incarceration nationwide. … 2020: Building Black Power
Open Society announced investments of $220 million to build power in Black communities, promote bold new anti-racist policies in U.S. cities, and help first-time activists stay engaged. A woman sings while surrounded by fellow activists
LaTosha Brown, one of the cofounders of Black Voters Matter, sings during an event bringing together several grassroots organizations, in Greenville, Mississippi, on August 24, 2018. © Rogelio V. Solis/AP
Personally, my view of George Soros is, that while I disagree with him on much, he is a great man, a worthy foe. Sadly, he is now 90 and it is unlikely he has the strength of will and intellect anymore to change his mind and clean house among his underlings.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-09-16--Memo From Middle America: Seeing The South—Before America-Haters Tear The Monuments Down

Earlier by Allan Wall : MEMO FROM MIDDLE AMERICA : Calling Congressman Frank Lucas ( R-OK ) —The Left Hates WHITES , Not Just Confederates .
AOC Says So !
My family and I spent half of July travelling through the Old Confederacy from North Carolina in the east to Texas in the west .
What a great joy it was to see fascinating historic sites—yet how sad I was to know they ’ re under attack from those who hate our country and want to destroy the heritage of the Historic American Nation .
A simple fact : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really care about the Confederacy .
They hate our heritage .
They hate America .
Otherwise , they wouldn ’ t attack statues of Christopher Columbus and Theodore Roosevelt as well .
I 'm no neo-Confederate , and my Union Army kinsman , James Dunlavy ( right and above ) received the Medal of Honor in 1864 for capturing Confederate general John Sappington Marmaduke .
Recently I discovered that another line of my family was still in the South and supported the Confederacy .
Like many Americans , I had family on both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journey through the former Confederacy : Traveling through southern Tennessee , we stopped at three courthouses , each of which had at least one Confederate monument .
Thanks to the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act Confederate monuments have been safer in the Volunteer State .
These county monuments honored the young men , many only teenagers , who fought and died for the South .
• An obelisk on the courthouse lawn of the Hardeman County Courthouse , in Bolivar , dating from 1873 , was dedicated “ To the Confederate Dead of Hardeman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the memory of Her Sons , ” and “ In Hope of a Joyful Resurrection.
” • The courthouse in Fayetteville , Lincoln County ( which is named for Revolutionary War General Benjamin Lincoln ) features two monuments .
Standing guard since 1906 is a Confederate private , made in Carrara , Italy and donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy .
It was erected “ In loving memory of the 3000 Confederate soldiers of Lincoln County.
” UDC donated another statue in 1904 that honors “ the Women of the Confederacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South , while the men of the South were fighting her battles.
” Here is the photo of another monument dedicated to women of the Confederacy , in North Carolina , which was recently removed : • The Confederate monument at the Hardin County courthouse in Savannah , Tennessee , was set up in 1995 by the Sons of Confederate Veterans .
This one is dedicated to the “ honor of the valiant Confederate soldiers of Hardin County who fought , died and suffered during the War Between the States , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may Tennessee counties continue to protect their monuments .
Stone Mountain is a magnificent inselberg near Atlanta , Georgia , and offers the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world .
Begun by Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum and finished by Walker Hancock , it features Jefferson Davis , Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson atop their horses : Blackjack , Traveler and Little Sorrel .
I wanted to see it in case the radical Left actually succeeds in wrecking or destroying it .
Among those who would do so are the Peach State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Stacey Abrams .
She called for sandblasting what anyone—at least before this insane era— would call a great work of art .
Seeing thid monument is actually more impressive than the photographs .
My Mexican wife was also impressed .
One of my sons told me a man could stand up in the mouth of one of the horses .
AT RALEIGH , IN THE WAKE OF THE “ MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTERS ” Living in Middle America , I have the good fortune of not being where any of these recent Mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least not yet .
But visiting Raleigh , North Carolina , I saw the results firsthand .
Many businesses downtown were boarded up .
We saw the state capitol and the area from whence Confederate monuments had recently been removed .
[ To cheers and music , workers dismantling 75-foot Confederate monument at NC Capitol , by Virginia Bridges and Josh Shaffer , NewsObserver.com , June 21 , 2020 ] That includes the Monument to North Carolina Women of the Confederacy , which had stood there since 1914 .
[ Photo from 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast , the Pope hasn ’ t demanded the demolition of the Colosseum .
The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island , which disappeared in the 1580s , is one of history ’ s great mysteries .
VDARE.com readers , of course , know that one of the lost English colonists was Virginia Dare , first English child born in America , and our eponymous namesake .
Roanoke Island is in Dare County on North Carolina ’ s Outer Banks about a 15-minute drive from Nags Head .
I ’ m glad to report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was still being honored .
Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge spans the Croatan Sound and connects the island with the mainland .
A sign on the island proclaims it to be “ Roanoke Island—Birthplace of America ’ s First English Child 1587.
” A monument in Manteo , the town on the island , reads Since 1937 , an outdoor theatre has staged a drama portraying the lost colony ’ s story , though the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 .
Even so , the theater is open and tourists can wander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play , a sign says , Not far away is an Elizabethan garden with its statue of Virginia Dare as she may have looked later in her life , and yet another of Good Queen Bess .
I couldn ’ t resist the urge to text a photo of Virginia to VDARE.com Editor Peter Brimelow , who of course understood exactly where I was .
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt , who watched a performance of the play , understood its significance : “ We do not know the fate of Virginia Dare or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We do know , however , that the story of America is largely a record of that spirit of adventure.
” About 25 minutes from the Lost Colony is the current municipality of Kill Devil Hills , where the Wright brothers , two plucky preacher ’ s sons from Ohio , flew their first powered airplane .
The site , a few miles south of Kitty Hawk , clearly marks out the distance flown by the first four flights .
The Wright Brothers were private individuals , not working for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They just invented the airplane , which revolutionized the world .
We also visited Jamestown , Virginia , founded in 1607 , and the first permanent English colony in the New World .
It was good to see that the sign at the visitor ’ s center still reads “ Historic Jamestowne America ’ s Birthplace.
” We crossed a walkway over the swampy ground and went to the triangular fort that was the original Jamestown .
A nearby obelisk proclaims it Still-working archaeologists have done a remarkable job reconstructing the fort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , that great proto-American leader who led the colony at a strategic time .
I felt a sense of wonder standing in the small area where our country began -- yet at the same time great sadness for the state our country is in today .
A reconstructed church at the fort contains a plaque , a gift from the Virginia State Bar in 1959 , that explains a salient fact about the settlement that many Americans undoubtedly don ’ t think much about : At the gift shop , I even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
Wouldn ’ t John Smith be proud ?
Who would make a tourist attraction out of a cattle market ?
Texans would , and have .
In Fort Worth , Texas , we visited the old Fort Worth Stockyards , now a tourist attraction that features a twice-daily cattle drive .
We were also in San Antonio and saw the Alamo , now fenced off thanks to a Floyd Hoax riot there .
A policeman told me the building had been closed to tourists because of COVID-19 … but at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a George Floyd mob attacked the site where held so dear by Texas patriots and a nearby monument .
Unlike cities that allowed such cultural destruction , San Antonio has protected the venerable old mission where Bowie , Travis , and Crockett , along with 197 men , held off Santa Ana ’ s battle-hardened troops for 13 days .
It isn ’ t exactly a Heritage Site , but the remains of the Branch Davidian compound near Waco , Texas , were nonetheless on our list .
In 1993 , federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed 82 members of the bizarre cult , including their self-styled messiah , David Koresh .
Four federal agents also died .
The massacre could have been avoided , by Koresh himself on the one hand and arrogant ATF and FBI bosses on the other .
President Clinton was never seriously called to account for this catastrophe .
A recent miniseries relates the saga of the Waco Siege , with Canadian actor Taylor Kitsch looking nearly identical to Koresh .
Another faction of Branch Davidians , which is critical of both Koresh and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can see a few remains of the destroyed compound and visit a small museum .
It ’ s sobering .
It does show you what the federal government can and will do when it ’ s determined to do it .
American citizen Allan Wall ( email him ) moved back to the U.S.A. in 2008 after many years residing in Mexico .
Allan 's wife is Mexican , and their two sons are bilingual .
In 2005 , Allan served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Texas Army National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ; his Mexidata.info articles are archived here ; his News With Views columns are archived here ; and his website is here .

Earlier by Allan Wall: MEMO FROM MIDDLE AMERICA: Calling Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK)—The Left Hates WHITES, Not Just Confederates. AOC Says So!
My family and I spent half of July travelling through the Old Confederacy from North Carolina in the east to Texas in the west. What a great joy it was to see fascinating historic sites—yet how sad I was to know they’re under attack from those who hate our country and want to destroy the heritage of the Historic American Nation.
A simple fact: The mobs tearing down statues don’t really care about the Confederacy. They hate our heritage. They hate America. Otherwise, they wouldn’t attack statues of Christopher Columbus and Theodore Roosevelt as well.
I'm no neo-Confederate, and my Union Army kinsman, James Dunlavy (right and above) received the Medal of Honor in 1864 for capturing Confederate general John Sappington Marmaduke. Recently I discovered that another line of my family was still in the South and supported the Confederacy. Like many Americans, I had family on both sides.
What we saw on our journey through the former Confederacy:
COUNTY CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS
Traveling through southern Tennessee, we stopped at three courthouses, each of which had at least one Confederate monument. Thanks to the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act Confederate monuments have been safer in the Volunteer State.
These county monuments honored the young men, many only teenagers, who fought and died for the South.
An obelisk on the courthouse lawn of the Hardeman County Courthouse, in Bolivar, dating from 1873, was dedicated “To the Confederate Dead of Hardeman County, Tennessee,” “To the memory of Her Sons,” and “In Hope of a Joyful Resurrection.”
The courthouse in Fayetteville, Lincoln County (which is named for Revolutionary War General Benjamin Lincoln), features two monuments. Standing guard since 1906 is a Confederate private, made in Carrara, Italy and donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It was erected “In loving memory of the 3000 Confederate soldiers of Lincoln County.” UDC donated another statue in 1904 that honors “the Women of the Confederacy, who kept intact the homes of the South, while the men of the South were fighting her battles.” Here is the photo of another monument dedicated to women of the Confederacy, in North Carolina, which was recently removed:
The Confederate monument at the Hardin County courthouse in Savannah, Tennessee, was set up in 1995 by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This one is dedicated to the “honor of the valiant Confederate soldiers of Hardin County who fought, died and suffered during the War Between the States,” and bears this thought-provoking quote:
Poor is a nation that has no heroes. Shameful is a nation that has heroes and forgets them. No nation can long survive without pride in its traditions.
Long may Tennessee counties continue to protect their monuments.
STONE MOUNTAIN
Stone Mountain is a magnificent inselberg near Atlanta, Georgia, and offers the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world. Begun by Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum and finished by Walker Hancock, it features Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson atop their horses: Blackjack, Traveler and Little Sorrel.
I wanted to see it in case the radical Left actually succeeds in wrecking or destroying it. Among those who would do so are the Peach State’s failed gubernatorial candidate in 2018, Stacey Abrams. She called for sandblasting what anyone—at least before this insane era— would call a great work of art.
Seeing this monument is actually more impressive than the photographs. My Mexican wife was also impressed. One of my sons told me a man could stand up in the mouth of one of the horses.
AT RALEIGH, IN THE WAKE OF THE “MOSTLY PEACEFUL PROTESTERS”
At least until now, none of these recent "Mostly Peaceful Protests" have taken place where I live. But visiting Raleigh, North Carolina, I saw the results firsthand. Many businesses downtown were boarded up.
“Mostly peaceful protests?”
We saw the state capitol and the area from whence Confederate monuments had recently been removed [To cheers and music, workers dismantling 75-foot Confederate monument at NC Capitol, by Virginia Bridges and Josh Shaffer, NewsObserver.com, June 21, 2020].
That includes the Monument to North Carolina Women of the Confederacy, which had stood there since 1914. [Photo from 2011 in a previous section].
In contrast, the Pope hasn’t demanded the demolition of the Colosseum.
THE LOST COLONY
The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island, which disappeared in the 1580s, is one of history’s great mysteries.
VDARE.com readers, of course, know that one of the lost English colonists was Virginia Dare, first English child born in America, and our eponymous namesake.
Roanoke Island is in Dare County on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, about a 15-minute drive from Nags Head.
I’m glad to report that when I visited, Virginia Dare was still being honored. Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge spans the Croatan Sound and connects the island with the mainland.
A sign on the island proclaims it to be “Roanoke Island—Birthplace of America’s First English Child 1587.”
A monument in Manteo, the town on the island, reads
Virginia Dare, First Born of the English in America Near By this Place, Born the Eighteenth and Baptized the Twentieth of August 1587 and then Vanished with those Colonists.
Since 1937, an outdoor theatre has staged a drama portraying the lost colony’s story, though the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19. Even so, the theater is open and tourists can wander freely throughout it.
It is a play, a sign says,
honoring the birthplace of our nation and the heroic people who tried to bring England to the New World.
Not far away is an Elizabethan garden with its statue of Virginia Dare as she may have looked later in her life, and yet another of Good Queen Bess.
I couldn’t resist the urge to text a photo of Virginia to VDARE.com Editor Peter Brimelow, who of course understood exactly where I was.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who watched a performance of the play, understood its significance: “We do not know the fate of Virginia Dare or the First Colony,” he said. “We do know, however, that the story of America is largely a record of that spirit of adventure.”
KILL DEVIL HILLS, WRIGHT BROTHERS
About 25 minutes from the Lost Colony is the current municipality of Kill Devil Hills, where the Wright brothers, two plucky preacher’s sons from Ohio, flew their first powered airplane. The site, a few miles south of Kitty Hawk, clearly marks out the distance flown by the first four flights.
The Wright Brothers were private individuals, not working for the government nor beneficiaries of some government program. They just invented the airplane, which revolutionized the world.
JAMESTOWN
We also visited Jamestown, Virginia, founded in 1607, and the first permanent English colony in the New World. It was good to see that the sign at the visitor’s center still reads “Historic Jamestowne America ’s Birthplace.”
We crossed a walkway over the swampy ground and went to the triangular fort that was the original Jamestown. A nearby obelisk proclaims it
The First Permanent Colony of the English People—The Birthplace of Virginia and of the United States—May 13, 1607.
Still-working archaeologists have done a remarkable job reconstructing the fort, which contains a statue of John Smith, that great proto-American leader who led the colony at a strategic time.
I felt a sense of wonder standing in the small area where our country began--yet at the same time great sadness for the state our country is in today.
A reconstructed church at the fort contains a plaque, a gift from the Virginia State Bar in 1959, that explains a salient fact about the settlement that many Americans undoubtedly don’t think much about:
Here the common law of England was established on this continent with the arrival of the first settlers on May 13, 1607. … Since Magna Carta the common law has been the cornerstone of individual liberties, even as against the crown. Summarized later in the Bill of Rights its principles have inspired the development of our system of freedom under law.
At the gift shop, I even purchased a Historic Jamestowne baseball cap…made in China. Wouldn’t John Smith be proud?
THE ALAMO
Who would make a tourist attraction out of a cattle market? Texans would, and have. In Fort Worth, Texas, we visited the old Fort Worth Stockyards, now a tourist attraction that features a twice-daily cattle drive.
We were also in San Antonio and saw the Alamo, now fenced off thanks to a George Floyd riot there.
A policeman told me the building had been closed to tourists because of COVID-19 … but at least they could still approach. That stopped when a George Floyd mob attacked the site where held so dear by Texas patriots and a nearby monument.
Unlike cities that allowed such cultural destruction, San Antonio has protected the venerable old mission where Bowie, Travis, and Crockett, along with 197 men, held off Santa Ana’s battle-hardened troops for 13 days.
Congratulations, San Antonio!
BRANCH DAVIDIAN COMPOUND
We also visited the remains of the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas.
In 1993, federal authorities laid siege to the compound and killed 82 members of the bizarre cult, including their self-styled "messiah", David Koresh. Four federal agents also died.
The massacre could have been avoided, by Koresh himself on the one hand and arrogant ATF and FBI bosses on the other. President Clinton was never seriously called to account for this catastrophe.
A recent miniseries relates the saga of the Waco Siege, with Canadian actor Taylor Kitsch looking nearly identical to Koresh.
Another faction of Branch Davidians, which is critical of both Koresh and the Feds, maintains the site. You can see a few remains of the destroyed compound and visit a small museum. It’s sobering.
It does show you what the federal government can and will do when it’s determined to do it.
American citizen Allan Wall (email him) moved back to the U.S.A. in 2008 after many years residing in Mexico. Allan's wife is Mexican, and their two sons are bilingual. In 2005, Allan served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Texas Army National Guard. His VDARE.COM articles are archived here; his Mexidata.info articles are archived here; his News With Views columns are archived here; and his website is here.


vdare--2020-09-16--Hillary Clinton Explains Democracy

Hillary Clinton Explains Democracy

“ Democracy ” is being used here to mean , no more , no less , than : Democrats Win @ @ @ @ @ the zeitgeist has been thinking becoming less abstract , less principled , more Who ?
@ @

We can have democracy—or we can have social networks that allow the spread of weaponized disinformation about our elections.
But we can’t have both.
Facebook, Twitter, and Google can and must act before the damage is done.https://t.co/K80ZA2PClR — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 16, 2020
“Democracy” is being used here to mean, no more, no less, than: Democrats Win.
A general trend in the zeitgeist has been thinking becoming less abstract, less principled, more Who? Whom?
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-09-16--Ann Coulter: Simple Ideas To Ensure a Trump Victory!

COVID , the shutdown , riots , looting , wildfires—we ’ re depressed enough .
Do one small favor for the nation in 2020 by giving us another hour of sunlight .
The next president can punish us again .
( But why would we ever want to lose an hour of daylight in the afternoon ?
Why ?
Why ?
Why ? )
During World War II , the long-suffering Britons left their clocks one hour ahead at the end of summer , then added an extra hour ahead when spring came along again .
You ’ ve compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this great wartime idea from Britain !
2 ) Try To Go Seven Weeks Without Being a Fanboy to the Liberal Media .
Ordinary , middle-class people would never have made the mistake of talking to Bob Woodward .
Only a massively insecure social climber would say : “ OMG !
OMG !
It ’ s Bob Woodward !
!
!
” Honey , guess who I ’ m talking to ?
A little reporter by the name of … BOB WOODWARD !
Woodward ’ s job is to get people to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell him .
It sounds like he didn ’ t even have to break a sweat with you .
TRUMP : How about this letter from Kim Jong Un ?
Pretty cool , huh ?
You see the way he says “ your excellency.
” You know who he ’ s talking about , right ?
That ’ s me !
Oh and by the way , I printed up a laminated copy for you .
WOODWARD : Really ?
I can keep this ?
I ’ m allowed to take it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sir , thank you !
Working-class people are busting their butts to keep you in office , while you go off and blather a lot of nonsense to Woodward to feed your ego months before the election .
3 ) Round Up Antifa Criminals , Jail and Prosecute Them .
As badass as your “ LAW & ORDER ” tweets have been , they don ’ t seem to have done the job .
You can ’ t keep warning voters about widespread lawlessness if Biden is elected president when there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president .
Right now .
That ’ s you .
( And congratulations on that again , your excellency . )
Remember how there was going to be a two-week shutdown to “ flatten the curve ” ?
Guess what ?
We ’ ve flattened it !
It ’ s been almost six months of everyone staying home , socially distancing and wearing masks .
COVID isn ’ t lurking out there like a back-alley rapist ready to pounce .
There aren ’ t a lot of human carriers left .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all COVID deaths in the nation were in New York .
But by now , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has already killed off everyone who was ever going to die of it .
Throughout April there were more than 500 deaths a day in New York City alone .
In the last seven days , a total of 44 people died of COVID in the entire state .
Other states have passed through their much milder peaks .
On Monday of this week , more than 2,000 Americans died of cancer , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to The Not-Hysterical-At-All New York Times , 450 died of COVID .
Things have gotten so good that the Times ’ creepy COVID obituaries are forced to feature 101-year-olds dying from “ complications of COVID-19.
” The six-month nationwide shutdown has largely cleared COVID from the body politic .
Now the main danger is if we start importing other countries ’ body politics .
5 ) Denounce the Pedo Film That ’ s All the Rage With Our Elites .
The exact same people who been freaking out about Confederate statues have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedophilia movie “ Cuties.
” Movie shows little girls writhing on the floor in soaking wet panties , trying to seduce their relatives , watching porn , discussing oral sex , dancing sexually for strangers as the camera zooms in on an 11-year-old ’ s derriere … Liberals : These uptight conservatives are freaking out about a film .
Yawn .
Hey , there ’ s a statue to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that ’ s been standing in a public park for the past century .
Liberals : BURN IT DOWN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OUT OF MY SIGHT !
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !
!
!
Unfortunately , the left ’ s studied complacency about a pedo movie seems to be petering out .
One tweet from you could get them going again .
You won by 80,000 votes across three states , mostly cast by non-college-educated Americans who ’ ve been betrayed by both parties for 40 years .
They didn ’ t want tax cuts—they don ’ t have jobs .
They wanted manufacturing back , safe neighborhoods , and ( like your neighbors on Fifth Avenue and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t overwhelmed with Somalis or Mexicans .
Thanks to the political acumen of your whiz-kid son-in-law , you gave them tax cuts , “ criminal justice reform ” ( i.e .
you released criminals ) and a moved embassy .
These are people who voted Obama , Obama , Trump .
You gave them another Bush .
Maybe Jared is right about the MAGA base having “ no place else to go , ” and it was a shrewd political move to betray them .
But it wouldn ’ t take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to lose .
To convince your voters that , in a second term , you really will get around to the promises you made in 2016—about immigration , bringing manufacturing home and ending pointless wars—you have to fire your amnesty-supporting , pro-criminal , Israel-obsessed son-in-law .
We want to see moving trucks .
Ann Coulter is the author of THIRTEEN New York Times bestsellers—collect them here .
Her book , ¡Adios America !
The Left ’ s Plan To Turn Our Country Into A Third World Hell Hole , was released on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , Resistance Is Futile !
: How the Trump-Hating Left Lost Its Collective Mind , was released on August 21 , 2018 .

MEMO TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
1) Extend Daylight Savings Time.
COVID, the shutdown, riots, looting, wildfires—we’re depressed enough. Do one small favor for the nation in 2020 by giving us another hour of sunlight. The next president can punish us again. (But why would we ever want to lose an hour of daylight in the afternoon? Why? Why? Why?)
During World War II, the long-suffering Britons left their clocks one hour ahead at the end of summer, then added an extra hour ahead when spring came along again. You’ve compared the Wuhan flu to war. Steal this great wartime idea from Britain!
2) Try To Go Seven Weeks Without Being a Fanboy to the Liberal Media.
Ordinary, middle-class people would never have made the mistake of talking to Bob Woodward. Only a massively insecure social climber would say: “OMG! OMG! It’s Bob Woodward!!!”
Honey, guess who I’m talking to? A little reporter by the name of … BOB WOODWARD!
Woodward’s job is to get people to tell him what they don’t want to tell him. It sounds like he didn’t even have to break a sweat with you.
TRUMP: How about this letter from Kim Jong Un? Pretty cool, huh? You see the way he says “your excellency.” You know who he’s talking about, right? That’s me! Oh and by the way, I printed up a laminated copy for you.
WOODWARD: Really? I can keep this? I’m allowed to take it with me? Thank you, kind sir, thank you!
Working-class people are busting their butts to keep you in office, while you go off and blather a lot of nonsense to Woodward to feed your ego months before the election.
3) Round Up Antifa Criminals, Jail and Prosecute Them.
As badass as your “LAW & ORDER” tweets have been, they don’t seem to have done the job. You can’t keep warning voters about widespread lawlessness if Biden is elected president when there’s already widespread lawlessness and you’re the president. Right now. That’s you. (And congratulations on that again, your excellency.)
4) Open the Country, Close the Border.
Remember how there was going to be a two-week shutdown to “flatten the curve”? Guess what? We’ve flattened it!
It’s been almost six months of everyone staying home, socially distancing and wearing masks. COVID isn’t lurking out there like a back-alley rapist ready to pounce. There aren’t a lot of human carriers left.
In early May, about a third of all COVID deaths in the nation were in New York. But by now, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already killed off everyone who was ever going to die of it. Throughout April there were more than 500 deaths a day in New York City alone. In the last seven days, a total of 44 people died of COVID in the entire state.
Other states have passed through their much milder peaks. On Monday of this week, more than 2,000 Americans died of cancer, another 2,000 died of heart disease and, according to The Not-Hysterical-At-All New York Times, 450 died of COVID. Things have gotten so good that the Times’ creepy COVID obituaries are forced to feature 101-year-olds dying from “complications of COVID-19.”
The six-month nationwide shutdown has largely cleared COVID from the body politic. Now the main danger is if we start importing other countries’ body politics.
5) Denounce the Pedo Film That’s All the Rage With Our Elites.
The exact same people who been freaking out about Confederate statues have suddenly became oh-so-bored sophisticates about the Netflix pedophilia movie “Cuties.”
Movie shows little girls writhing on the floor in soaking wet panties, trying to seduce their relatives, watching porn, discussing oral sex, dancing sexually for strangers as the camera zooms in on an 11-year-old’s derriere …
Liberals: These uptight conservatives are freaking out about a film. Yawn.
Hey, there’s a statue to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that’s been standing in a public park for the past century.
Liberals: BURN IT DOWN! DECAPITATE IT! GET THIS MONSTROSITY OUT OF MY SIGHT! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Unfortunately, the left’s studied complacency about a pedo movie seems to be petering out. One tweet from you could get them going again.
6) Fire Jared and Ivanka.
You won by 80,000 votes across three states, mostly cast by non-college-educated Americans who’ve been betrayed by both parties for 40 years. They didn’t want tax cuts—they don’t have jobs. They wanted manufacturing back, safe neighborhoods, and (like your neighbors on Fifth Avenue and in Palm Beach) schools that aren’t overwhelmed with Somalis or Mexicans.
Thanks to the political acumen of your whiz-kid son-in-law, you gave them tax cuts, “criminal justice reform” (i.e. you released criminals) and a moved embassy. These are people who voted Obama, Obama, Trump. You gave them another Bush.
Maybe Jared is right about the MAGA base having “no place else to go,” and it was a shrewd political move to betray them. But it wouldn’t take a lot of former-Trumpers to stay home for you to lose.
To convince your voters that, in a second term, you really will get around to the promises you made in 2016—about immigration, bringing manufacturing home and ending pointless wars—you have to fire your amnesty-supporting, pro-criminal, Israel-obsessed son-in-law.
We want to see moving trucks.
COPYRIGHT 2020 ANN COULTER
DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION
Ann Coulter is the author of THIRTEEN New York Times bestsellers—collect them here.
Her book, ¡Adios America! The Left’s Plan To Turn Our Country Into A Third World Hell Hole, was released on June 1, 2015.
Her latest book, Resistance Is Futile!: How the Trump-Hating Left Lost Its Collective Mind, was released on August 21, 2018.


vdare--2020-09-16--Michigan Court Releases 6'5'' Black Strangler Who Killed Woman With One Hand Because Because He Was

Michigan Court Releases 6'5'' Black Strangler Who Killed Woman With One Hand Because Because He Was "Visibly Shackled" During Trial

Jonathan H. Adler at The Volokh Conspiracy has a blog item about a murder conviction In June , in Davenport v. MacLaren , a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit overturned Ervine Lee Davenport 's first-degree murder conviction because `` he was visibly shackled at the waist , wrist , and ankles during trial . ''
Judge Stranch wrote for the court , joined by Chief Judge Cole .
Judge Readler dissented .
Today , by a vote of 8-7 , the full Sixth Circuit denied the state of Michigan 's petition for rehearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sixteen judges believe the original panel decision was wrong .
Two of the judges on the court , Judges Sutton and Kethledge , concluded that the panel decision was wrong , but not en banc worthy ( something these same judges have concluded before ) .
I added a comment to the effect that : Online prison records show that Mr. Davenport is 6 ‘ 5 “ tall and weighs 299 pounds .
The offense that he was charged with was killing an adult with his bare hands .
Under those circumstances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NOT shackling him ?
A commenter pointed to a Supreme Court decision by Stephen Breyer in which Carman Deck , a white man who murdered James and Zelma Long on July 9 , 1996 , had his penalty phase sent back in 2005 for the prejudicial effect of being shackled during the Death Penalty of his trial , when he 'd already been convicted .
Deck , who was reconvicted in 2008 , and re-sentenced to death , had his death penalty reversed again in 2017 .
The Longs , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murders , Lake of the Ozarks family still looking for justice , by Amy Wilson , Lake News Online , March 16 , 2016 .
As for Davenport , it would be more accurate to say that what he was charged with , and the reason he was presumably subject to pretrial detention , was that there was a prima facie case that he had killed a woman with one hand , while driving a car with the other .
Jurors in the Davenport trial said the shackling had n't influenced them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must have been .
Assuming that the law does say defendants ca n't be shackled while they 're in court , it 's a case of `` Civil Rights Law Does n't Care If You Die '' .
A huge mad killer may decide to kill his defense lawyer , a court officer , a prosecutor , or if athletic enough to leap the bench , even a Judge .
Are they supposed to die just to prevent his conviction being reversed on appeal ?

Jonathan H. Adler at The Volokh Conspiracy has a blog item about a murder conviction
In June, in Davenport v. MacLaren, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit overturned Ervine Lee Davenport's first-degree murder conviction because "he was visibly shackled at the waist, wrist, and ankles during trial." Judge Stranch wrote for the court, joined by Chief Judge Cole. Judge Readler dissented. Today, by a vote of 8-7, the full Sixth Circuit denied the state of Michigan's petition for rehearing en banc, even though nine of the sixteen judges believe the original panel decision was wrong. Two of the judges on the court, Judges Sutton and Kethledge, concluded that the panel decision was wrong, but not en banc worthy (something these same judges have concluded before). Wrong, But Not En Banc Worthy—2020, September 15, 2020
I added a comment to the effect that:
Online prison records show that Mr. Davenport is 6‘5“ tall and weighs 299 pounds. The offense that he was charged with was killing an adult with his bare hands. Under those circumstances, what would be the justification for NOT shackling him?
A commenter pointed to a Supreme Court decision by Stephen Breyer in which Carman Deck, a white man who murdered James and Zelma Long on July 9, 1996, had his penalty phase sent back in 2005 for the prejudicial effect of being shackled during the Death Penalty of his trial, when he'd already been convicted. Deck, who was reconvicted in 2008, and re-sentenced to death, had his death penalty reversed again in 2017.
The Longs, of course, are still dead: Two decades after murders, Lake of the Ozarks family still looking for justice, by Amy Wilson, Lake News Online, March 16, 2016.
As for Davenport, it would be more accurate to say that what he was charged with, and the reason he was presumably subject to pretrial detention, was that there was a prima facie case that he had killed a woman with one hand, while driving a car with the other.
Jurors in the Davenport trial said the shackling hadn't influenced them, but the Sixth Circuit insists that they must have been.
Assuming that the law does say defendants can't be shackled while they're in court, it's a case of "Civil Rights Law Doesn't Care If You Die". A huge mad killer may decide to kill his defense lawyer, a court officer, a prosecutor, or if athletic enough to leap the bench, even a Judge. Are they supposed to die just to prevent his conviction being reversed on appeal?


vdare--2020-09-16--Sailer in Taki's on the NYT's White-Counting

From my new column in Taki ’ s Magazine : While The New York Times is quite worked up over @ @ @ @ @ assumes is proven by white overrepresentation among the powerful , it has never shown any @ @ @ @ @ concept of Jewish Privilege .
And yet Jews are far more overrepresented among the NYT @ @ @ @ @ Power ” listing of the 922 most important Americans than are whites in general ( @ @ @ @ @ you might expect ) .
A Twitter user named Philippus Arabus went through the list @ @ @ @ @ compared with the Times ’ count of only 85 blacks , 62 Hispanics , and @ @ @ @ @ who make up about 2 percent of the population , are 13 percent of the @ @ @ @ @ One might think that Jewish pundits who promote the concept of White Privilege by pointing @ @ @ @ @ per capita of whites than blacks should ponder that the exact same logic would suffice @ @ @ @ @ Jewish Privilege .

From my new column in Taki’s Magazine:
While The New York Times is quite worked up over White Privilege, which it assumes is proven by white overrepresentation among the powerful, it has never shown any interest in the exactly parallel concept of Jewish Privilege.
And yet Jews are far more overrepresented among the NYT’s “Faces of Power” listing of the 922 most important Americans than are whites in general (although possibly less so than you might expect). A Twitter user named Philippus Arabus went through the list and identified 120 Jewish individuals compared with the Times’ count of only 85 blacks, 62 Hispanics, and 32 Asians.
Jews, who make up about 2 percent of the population, are 13 percent of the NYT’s rankings. One might think that Jewish pundits who promote the concept of White Privilege by pointing to the greater executive power per capita of whites than blacks should ponder that the exact same logic would suffice to demonstrate the existence of Jewish Privilege.


vdare--2020-09-16--Are They Going to Come for Beethoven Too?

Speaking of who will be canceled sooner or later , from Vox : How Beethoven ’ s 5th Symphony put the classism in classical music To many , Beethoven ’ s most famous work is a symbol of exclusion and elitism in classical music .
By Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding on September 15 , 2020 9:01 pm Beethoven ’ s Fifth Symphony starts with an anguished opening theme — dun dun dun DUNNNN — and ends with a glorious , major-key melody .
Since its 1808 premiere , audiences have interpreted that progression from struggle to victory as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of his oncoming deafness .
The famous first movement of the Fifth doesn ’ t do much for me , but the finale … Or rather , that ’ s long been the popular read among wealthy white men who embraced Beethoven and turned his symphony into a symbol of their superiority and importance .
For others — women , LGBTQ+ people , people of color — Beethoven ’ s symphony may be predominantly a reminder of classical music ’ s history of exclusion and elitism … Today , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policing who ’ s in and who ’ s out , and much of it started with Beethoven ’ s Fifth .
When you walk into a standard concert hall , there ’ s an established set of conventions and etiquette ( “ don ’ t cough !
” ; “ don ’ t cheer !
” ; “ dress appropriately !
” ) that ’ s more about demonstrating belonging than appreciating the music .
As we all know , straight white men are obsessed with dressing appropriately and policing everybody else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LGBTQ+s , and people of color .
Whoever heard of a gay man or a straight woman or a person of color who was into dressing up ?
Well , here are 10,000 appropriately dressed people of color , no doubt some of them LGBTQ+- , having a blast with the 4th movement of Beethoven ’ s Ninth Symphony : For classical music critic James Bennett II , Beethoven ’ s popularity and centrality in classical culture is part of the problem .
“ As you perpetuate the idea that the giants of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it conveys to the other that there ’ s not a stake in that music for them , ” he says .
After such knowledge — that the Fifth Symphony was composed by a white man — what forgiveness ?

Speaking of who will be canceled sooner or later, from Vox:
How Beethoven’s 5th Symphony put the classism in classical music To many, Beethoven’s most famous work is a symbol of exclusion and elitism in classical music. By Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding on September 15, 2020 9:01 pm Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony starts with an anguished opening theme — dun dun dun DUNNNN — and ends with a glorious, major-key melody. Since its 1808 premiere, audiences have interpreted that progression from struggle to victory as a metaphor for Beethoven’s personal resilience in the face of his oncoming deafness.
The famous first movement of the Fifth doesn’t do much for me, but the finale …
Or rather, that’s long been the popular read among wealthy white men who embraced Beethoven and turned his symphony into a symbol of their superiority and importance. For others — women, LGBTQ+ people, people of color — Beethoven’s symphony may be predominantly a reminder of classical music’s history of exclusion and elitism … Today, some aspects of classical culture are still about policing who’s in and who’s out, and much of it started with Beethoven’s Fifth. When you walk into a standard concert hall, there’s an established set of conventions and etiquette (“don’t cough!”; “don’t cheer!”; “dress appropriately!”) that’s more about demonstrating belonging than appreciating the music.
As we all know, straight white men are obsessed with dressing appropriately and policing everybody else into dressing appropriately, unlike women, LGBTQ+s, and people of color. Whoever heard of a gay man or a straight woman or a person of color who was into dressing up?
Oh …
Well, here are 10,000 appropriately dressed people of color, no doubt some of them LGBTQ+-, having a blast with the 4th movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony:
For classical music critic James Bennett II, Beethoven’s popularity and centrality in classical culture is part of the problem. “As you perpetuate the idea that the giants of the music all look the same, it conveys to the other that there’s not a stake in that music for them,” he says.
After such knowledge — that the Fifth Symphony was composed by a white man — what forgiveness?
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-09-16--His Name Is Jordan Stevens: White Male Executed in Front of His Four-Month Pregnant Wife by Black Ma

His Name Is Jordan Stevens: White Male Executed in Front of His Four-Month Pregnant Wife by Black Male on Killing Spree

No celebrities lamenting his murder and how he died .
Just another victim in a nameless war .
His name is Jordan Stevens .
He was a white man executed by a black male… all in front of his four-month pregnant wife .
A Tennessee man was executed in front of his pregnant wife after they were taken hostage in a wild killing spree , authorities said .
Jordan Stevens , 23 , and his four-month-pregnant wife , Aileen , were driving Sunday to church in their Ford Mustang when they were kidnapped by 29-year-old Dangelo Dorsey on the side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WTVC reported .
Dorsey initially rear-ended their vehicle , prompting them to pull over under the impression it was a fender-bender , authorities said .
He then kidnapped them at gunpoint and forced them to drive him to their home in Morrison , where he stole two of their guns , swapped vehicles and took off again with the couple , officials said .
At some point , Dorsey fatally shot Stevens and forced his body out of the vehicle along I-24 near Manchester , authorities said .
He then drove off with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car , taking her on a high-speed police chase , officials said .
Police said the car accelerated to over 100 mph before crashing and flipping on the interstate .
“ At that point , Dorsey took his own life , ” Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said in a statement .
Authorities revealed that Dorsey had been on a violent rampage that began around 9:30 a.m. on I-24 .
Before taking the couple hostage , Dorsey opened fire on a moving vehicle , killing 28-year-old Darcey Johnson and injuring another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attempted to carjack a nearby vehicle , though the driver was able to escape on foot , officials said .
Dorsey next approached a nearby truck and shot the man behind the wheel in the face , authorities said .
Another driver was then confronted by the assailant and shot in the hand as she tried to drive away , authorities said .
Rausch said the agency doesn ’ t know why Dorsey went on the killing spree , adding that there is “ a lot of work ahead of us to @ @ @ @ @ @

No marches.
No celebrities lamenting his murder and how he died.
No burned cities.
Just another victim in a nameless war.
His name is Jordan Stevens.
He was a white man executed by a black male… all in front of his four-month pregnant wife.
A Tennessee man was executed in front of his pregnant wife after they were taken hostage in a wild killing spree, authorities said.
Jordan Stevens, 23, and his four-month-pregnant wife, Aileen, were driving Sunday to church in their Ford Mustang when they were kidnapped by 29-year-old Dangelo Dorsey on the side of I-24 near Beechgrove, news station WTVC reported.
Dorsey initially rear-ended their vehicle, prompting them to pull over under the impression it was a fender-bender, authorities said.
He then kidnapped them at gunpoint and forced them to drive him to their home in Morrison, where he stole two of their guns, swapped vehicles and took off again with the couple, officials said.
At some point, Dorsey fatally shot Stevens and forced his body out of the vehicle along I-24 near Manchester, authorities said.
He then drove off with Stevens’ pregnant wife still in the car, taking her on a high-speed police chase, officials said.
Police said the car accelerated to over 100 mph before crashing and flipping on the interstate.
“At that point, Dorsey took his own life,” Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said in a statement.
“The female hostage was safely recovered,” he added.
Authorities revealed that Dorsey had been on a violent rampage that began around 9:30 a.m. on I-24.
Before taking the couple hostage, Dorsey opened fire on a moving vehicle, killing 28-year-old Darcey Johnson and injuring another person, authorities said.
He exited and attempted to carjack a nearby vehicle, though the driver was able to escape on foot, officials said.
Dorsey next approached a nearby truck and shot the man behind the wheel in the face, authorities said.
Another driver was then confronted by the assailant and shot in the hand as she tried to drive away, authorities said.
Rausch said the agency doesn’t know why Dorsey went on the killing spree, adding that there is “a lot of work ahead of us to connect all the dots.”


vdare--2020-09-16--Today's Moment of WTF with Joe Biden: Tells Of Black Veteran Who Ran Over, Raped, And Murdered Elder

Today's Moment of WTF with Joe Biden: Tells Of Black Veteran Who Ran Over, Raped, And Murdered Elderly White Woman, Says "End The Stigma"

Earlier : For Biden , Story Of Black Man Who Ran Over , Raped , And Murdered Elderly White Woman Is About `` Traumatic Brain Injury '' And American Veterans The Democrats and media are almost unanimously agreed that they will package Joe Biden this fall as a boring , calm , reassuring candidate .
The only dissenter is Biden , who sees himself as a man full of surprises who might say anything , whether it ’ s Thomas Edison not inventing the lightbulb or the following disturbing anecdote : What the hell was that , Joe ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movie screenplay you ’ ve always wanted to pitch to Hollywood ?
As I ’ ve been pointing out , with his vanity and lack of filter , the second-most Trump-like man in American politics is Biden .
One difference , though , is that with Trump it ’ s usually pretty obvious at all times which angle he ’ s working when he brings something up .
But with Biden , a lot that spills out of his mouth seems less than calculated , just something that he suddenly felt the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presume that Monday ’ s excessively detailed story about the necrophiliac madman was in service to some focus-grouped campaign theme like more money for veterans ’ mental health services , but , Joe , please , Too Much Information .

Earlier: For Biden, Story Of Black Man Who Ran Over, Raped, And Murdered Elderly White Woman Is About "Traumatic Brain Injury" And American Veterans
The Democrats and media are almost unanimously agreed that they will package Joe Biden this fall as a boring, calm, reassuring candidate. The only dissenter is Biden, who sees himself as a man full of surprises who might say anything, whether it’s Thomas Edison not inventing the lightbulb or the following disturbing anecdote:
What the hell was that, Joe? The opening scene of some low budget slasher movie screenplay you’ve always wanted to pitch to Hollywood?
As I’ve been pointing out, with his vanity and lack of filter, the second-most Trump-like man in American politics is Biden. One difference, though, is that with Trump it’s usually pretty obvious at all times which angle he’s working when he brings something up.
But with Biden, a lot that spills out of his mouth seems less than calculated, just something that he suddenly felt the need to get off his chest. I presume that Monday’s excessively detailed story about the necrophiliac madman was in service to some focus-grouped campaign theme like more money for veterans’ mental health services, but, Joe, please, Too Much Information.
[Comment at Unz.com]