hotair--2020-06-03--Charlamagne tha God fires back, kinda: Don't forget Biden's "racist" history, people

Just how long will this strange feud persist ?
Even the normal cui bono rules don ’ t seem to apply to the weird contretemps between Joe Biden and radio host Charlamagne tha God .
Biden ’ s initial appearance on The Breakfast Club turned into a disaster when Biden rebuked the host by saying “ you ain ’ t black ” if even considering the option of voting for Donald Trump .
After Team Biden first claimed that he was joking , Biden later apologized — and then blamed Charlamagne for “ baiting ” him into the remark : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left here , Mr. Vice President , because I know you have to do other interviews .
Listen , I know how familiar you are with black community .
It is clear that many African Americans , and rightfully so , see you as an ally .
Today you showed a level of empathy that African Americans want to see and by contrast , that comment that you made a week ago , that appeared to take black voters for granted .
In light of these horrible events of the last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know which leader are you going to be ?
BIDEN : The leader I ’ ve always been .
I apologized immediately for responding to Charlamagne , who was baiting me , and if you looked at that film , you ’ ll see I was smiling at him .
I was referring to him .
I wasn ’ t referring to all African Americans .
But I should have never said it .
I have never , ever , ever , ever , ever , ever taking the African American community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ally and they have been mine and I ’ ve worked hard to earn every single vote I ’ ve ever gotten , and that ’ s what I ’ m trying to do .
That ’ s what I ’ m going to continue to do .
No one should be taken for granted based on their race , religion or background at all .
Don Lemon never bothered to push back against Biden ’ s claim of being baited into that comment , which is notable in itself .
Biden essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own condescending attitude , a neat trick that Lemon would never have let pass had a Republican tried it .
But more to the point , it also perpetuated a conflict on Biden ’ s left with a significant media figure with a lot of influence with the demographic Biden desperately needs — African-American voters .
Charlamagne ratched up the feud last night by reminding CNN viewers of Biden ’ s “ racist ” history in the Senate , albeit to offer hope that Biden can rise above it : “ He did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , he said a lot of things that I wanted to hear , and I know its dream selling season and politicians say what they need to in order to get elected , but I really enjoyed it , ” Charlamagne , whose real name is Lenard Larry McKelvey , said .
“ But I need some action , like I need him to really lean into blackness now , ” he continued .
The African American influencer , who boasts over 2.1 million Twitter followers and has interviewed almost every major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to say that Biden had a “ racist ” legislative history in the Senate .
“ To me it ’ s like this : if Barack Obama was JFK , then Joe Biden needs to be Lyndon B. Johnson .
You know , he has the opportunity to be as progressive as Lyndon B. Johnson .
Lyndon B. Johnson may have been labeled a racist but his record doesn ’ t reflect that .
LBJ ’ s record showed that he had , like , the most effective progressive record on race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past 80 years .
“ I think , you know , Biden ’ s record in the Senate actually reflects very racist legislation , but he has a chance to correct that by doing right by black people , ” Charlamagne said .
How can Biden rise above it ?
The same way Charlamagne pushed when Biden claimed he was being “ baited ” : You know , and I think that that ’ s why it ’ s very important for Joe Biden to like , really lean into blackness like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these overly qualified sisters as his running mate .
Whether it ’ s Senator Kamala Harris , ( INAUDIBLE ) , Keisha Lance Bottoms , Stacey Abrams , has already committed to putting the black woman on the Supreme Court which would be his , you know , Lyndon B Johnson , Thurgood Marshall moment , like if this country wants to get his soul right , wants to get it so right , like he said , he said that the soul of the country is at stake .
Really , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they started with this feud .
I suppose that Biden might be trying a “ Sista Souljah ” maneuver on Charlamagne , but Charlamagne isn ’ t the kind of extremist that would require such a strategy in the first place .
His influence is greater and his ability to enthuse the African-American voting bloc is very important to Biden ’ s chances .
Bill Clinton ’ s dispatching of Sista Souljah earned him some cred with white voters in 1992 , but Charlamagne isn ’ t anathema to that bloc , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of black voters that Charlamagne is pushing against .
It ’ s inexplicable .
Why not just take the momentary L and get back to being friendly ?
Maybe when Biden picks Kamala Harris or Keisha Lance Bottoms as his running mate , this peculiar feud will end .
If he picks Amy Klobuchar , though , look out .
In the meantime , feel free to keep passing that popcorn .

Just how long will this strange feud persist? Even the normal cui bono rules don’t seem to apply to the weird contretemps between Joe Biden and radio host Charlamagne tha God. Biden’s initial appearance on The Breakfast Club turned into a disaster when Biden rebuked the host by saying “you ain’t black” if even considering the option of voting for Donald Trump. After Team Biden first claimed that he was joking, Biden later apologized — and then blamed Charlamagne for “baiting” him into the remark:
LEMON: We have a short time left here, Mr. Vice President, because I know you have to do other interviews. Listen, I know how familiar you are with black community. It is clear that many African Americans, and rightfully so, see you as an ally. Today you showed a level of empathy that African Americans want to see and by contrast, that comment that you made a week ago, that appeared to take black voters for granted. In light of these horrible events of the last week, it’s important for black voters to know which leader are you going to be? BIDEN: The leader I’ve always been. I apologized immediately for responding to Charlamagne, who was baiting me, and if you looked at that film, you’ll see I was smiling at him. I was referring to him. I wasn’t referring to all African Americans. But I should have never said it. I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever taking the African American community for granted. I have been their ally and they have been mine and I’ve worked hard to earn every single vote I’ve ever gotten, and that’s what I’m trying to do. That’s what I’m going to continue to do. No one should be taken for granted based on their race, religion or background at all.
Don Lemon never bothered to push back against Biden’s claim of being baited into that comment, which is notable in itself. Biden essentially blamed the black radio host for his own condescending attitude, a neat trick that Lemon would never have let pass had a Republican tried it. But more to the point, it also perpetuated a conflict on Biden’s left with a significant media figure with a lot of influence with the demographic Biden desperately needs — African-American voters.
Charlamagne ratched up the feud last night by reminding CNN viewers of Biden’s “racist” history in the Senate, albeit to offer hope that Biden can rise above it:
Charlamagne Tha God: "Biden's record in the Senate actually reflects very racist legislation." Fact check TRUE! Joe Biden has destroyed millions of Black lives during his 47 years in politics. pic.twitter.com/jTqYtbMcxz — Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) June 3, 2020
“He did very well today in Philadelphia, you know, he said a lot of things that I wanted to hear, and I know its dream selling season and politicians say what they need to in order to get elected, but I really enjoyed it,” Charlamagne, whose real name is Lenard Larry McKelvey, said. “But I need some action, like I need him to really lean into blackness now,” he continued. The African American influencer, who boasts over 2.1 million Twitter followers and has interviewed almost every major presidential candidate this election cycle, went on to say that Biden had a “racist” legislative history in the Senate. “To me it’s like this: if Barack Obama was JFK, then Joe Biden needs to be Lyndon B. Johnson. You know, he has the opportunity to be as progressive as Lyndon B. Johnson. Lyndon B. Johnson may have been labeled a racist but his record doesn’t reflect that. LBJ’s record showed that he had, like, the most effective progressive record on race and class of any Democratic president of the past 80 years. “I think, you know, Biden’s record in the Senate actually reflects very racist legislation, but he has a chance to correct that by doing right by black people,” Charlamagne said.
How can Biden rise above it? The same way Charlamagne pushed when Biden claimed he was being “baited”:
You know, and I think that that’s why it’s very important for Joe Biden to like, really lean into blackness like I think he needs to announce one of these overly qualified sisters as his running mate. Whether it’s Senator Kamala Harris, (INAUDIBLE), Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacey Abrams, has already committed to putting the black woman on the Supreme Court which would be his, you know, Lyndon B Johnson, Thurgood Marshall moment, like if this country wants to get his soul right, wants to get it so right, like he said, he said that the soul of the country is at stake.
Really, then, everyone’s back where they started with this feud. I suppose that Biden might be trying a “Sista Souljah” maneuver on Charlamagne, but Charlamagne isn’t the kind of extremist that would require such a strategy in the first place. His influence is greater and his ability to enthuse the African-American voting bloc is very important to Biden’s chances. Bill Clinton’s dispatching of Sista Souljah earned him some cred with white voters in 1992, but Charlamagne isn’t anathema to that bloc, and it reeks of the kind of exploitation of black voters that Charlamagne is pushing against. It’s inexplicable. Why not just take the momentary L and get back to being friendly?
Maybe when Biden picks Kamala Harris or Keisha Lance Bottoms as his running mate, this peculiar feud will end. If he picks Amy Klobuchar, though, look out. In the meantime, feel free to keep passing that popcorn.


hotair--2020-06-03--Risky: Keith Ellison to elevate charges against cop who killed George Floyd to second-degree murder

“ Overcharging is a perennial risk in cases where cops are on trial because juries want to give the police the benefit of the doubt , ” I wrote last week about the case against Derek Chauvin .
“ If you leave them room to do that , they just might.
” George Floyd ’ s family wants first-degree murder but that ’ s a nonstarter since it requires premeditation , which would be all but impossible to prove given that the encounter between Chauvin and Floyd was by chance and Chauvin had no motive to kill him .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which criminalizes the killing of a person via “ an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind , without regard for human life.
” The problem there is that the maximum sentence is only 25 years , hardly enough for what Chauvin did .
So murder one ’ s unprovable , murder three ’ s inadequate .
Can Minnesota get him on murder two ?
Keith Ellison , the AG , is apparently resolved to try : Ellison is expected to provide an update this afternoon on the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
According to sources , former officer Derek Chauvin , recorded on video kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck as he begged for air on May 25 , will now be charged with second-degree murder .
The other three officers at the scene — Tou Thao , J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — will also be charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder , according to the sources , who spoke on conditions of anonymity .
Chauvin was arrested last Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter .
Thao was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Floyd ’ s neck with his knee .
Kueng was one of the first officers on the scene and helped pin Floyd down .
Lane was detailed in earlier charges as pointing a gun at Floyd before handcuffing , and later asked whether officers should roll Floyd on his side as he was restrained .
Second-degree murder in Minnesota is the intentional killing of a person without premeditation — a heavy lift given that , again , Chauvin had no reason to want Floyd dead .
What he ’ s guilty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the life of the man in his custody , not actively seeking his death .
Third-degree murder seems like a safer charge .
But wait .
Amy Swearer of the Heritage Foundation has been sifting through Minnesota ’ s case law and discovered a problem with charging Chauvin with murder three .
It ’ s not as good a fit as it seems .
In fact , it may be that Chauvin can ’ t be convicted of third-degree murder .
Swearer explains : Certainly , Chauvin ’ s actions were dangerous to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
But that ’ s actually the problem here—Chauvin ’ s actions were specifically directed at a particular person .
And according to the Minnesota Supreme Court , that ’ s not “ depraved mind murder.
” As the state ’ s highest court stated in State v. Barnes ( 2006 ) , unlike other forms of murder , “ [ d ] epraved mind murder … can not occur where the defendant ’ s actions were focused on a specific person.
” … In other words , third-degree murder is for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of another motorist .
The person did not direct his wantonly dangerous acts toward a particular motorist , but his or her acts were nonetheless without regard to the lives of other motorists generally .
Third-degree murder would work if , say , you recklessly fired a gun in the air towards a distant crowd and the bullet ended up killing someone in it .
It ’ s random death resulting from depraved recklessness .
Floyd ’ s death wasn ’ t random .
Minnesota has a problem .
But Ellison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as I noted .
It requires intent — or does it ?
In fact , there are two parts to the murder-two statute , one dealing with intentional killings and the other with unintentional killings .
Swearer pointed to the second part of the statute in her analysis .
What if Chauvin is tried for the same crime with which the McMichaels have been charged in Georgia for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery , namely , felony murder ?
The statute : Whoever does either of the following is guilty of unintentional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 40 years : ( 1 ) causes the death of a human being , without intent to effect the death of any person , while committing or attempting to commit a felony offense other than criminal sexual conduct in the first or second degree with force or violence or a drive-by shooting The McMichaels are charged with aggravated assault of Arbery ; the murder charge stems from the fact that that assault resulted in his death .
The same logic could be applied to Chauvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a police officer turned criminal when Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes total , during much of which time Floyd was pleading for air , and for more than two and a half minutes after Floyd lost consciousness .
If Chauvin is guilty of assault for that , he ’ s guilty of second-degree murder for Floyd ’ s death .
And that allows for a maximum sentence of 40 years , not on par with murder one but somewhat steeper than murder three .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going for with the elevated charges , which I assume means he ’ ll also be charged with assault this afternoon .
( Right now he ’ s charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter . )
If not , if he ’ s going to try Chauvin for intentionally killing Floyd , he ’ s really rolling the dice .
Presumably the argument would run along the same lines as the argument for assault — because Chauvin refused to relent even after Floyd complained that he couldn ’ t breathe and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intent to kill developed over those nine minutes .
I think that argument is a recipe for disaster , but we ’ ll see .
As for charging the other three cops , I saw it reported somewhere recently ( can ’ t remember where ) that Trump had been telling advisors that he thought the protests would calm down once they ’ re charged .
I think they ’ re beginning to calm down already but yeah , this can only help .

“Overcharging is a perennial risk in cases where cops are on trial because juries want to give the police the benefit of the doubt,” I wrote last week about the case against Derek Chauvin. “If you leave them room to do that, they just might.” George Floyd’s family wants first-degree murder but that’s a nonstarter since it requires premeditation, which would be all but impossible to prove given that the encounter between Chauvin and Floyd was by chance and Chauvin had no motive to kill him.
The appropriate charge seemed to be third-degree murder, which criminalizes the killing of a person via “an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life.” The problem there is that the maximum sentence is only 25 years, hardly enough for what Chauvin did.
So murder one’s unprovable, murder three’s inadequate. Can Minnesota get him on murder two? Keith Ellison, the AG, is apparently resolved to try:
Ellison is expected to provide an update this afternoon on the state’s investigation into Floyd’s death. According to sources, former officer Derek Chauvin, recorded on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck as he begged for air on May 25, will now be charged with second-degree murder. The other three officers at the scene — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — will also be charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, according to the sources, who spoke on conditions of anonymity. Chauvin was arrested last Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Thao was recorded watching as Chauvin continued to press on Floyd’s neck with his knee. Kueng was one of the first officers on the scene and helped pin Floyd down. Lane was detailed in earlier charges as pointing a gun at Floyd before handcuffing, and later asked whether officers should roll Floyd on his side as he was restrained.
Second-degree murder in Minnesota is the intentional killing of a person without premeditation — a heavy lift given that, again, Chauvin had no reason to want Floyd dead. What he’s guilty of is horrendous abuse and wanton indifference to the life of the man in his custody, not actively seeking his death. Third-degree murder seems like a safer charge.
But wait. Amy Swearer of the Heritage Foundation has been sifting through Minnesota’s case law and discovered a problem with charging Chauvin with murder three. It’s not as good a fit as it seems. In fact, it may be that Chauvin can’t be convicted of third-degree murder. Swearer explains:
Certainly, Chauvin’s actions were dangerous to Floyd and showed a disregard for his life. But that’s actually the problem here—Chauvin’s actions were specifically directed at a particular person. And according to the Minnesota Supreme Court, that’s not “depraved mind murder.” As the state’s highest court stated in State v. Barnes (2006), unlike other forms of murder, “[d]epraved mind murder … cannot occur where the defendant’s actions were focused on a specific person.”… In other words, third-degree murder is for acts such as drunk driving that causes the death of another motorist. The person did not direct his wantonly dangerous acts toward a particular motorist, but his or her acts were nonetheless without regard to the lives of other motorists generally.
Third-degree murder would work if, say, you recklessly fired a gun in the air towards a distant crowd and the bullet ended up killing someone in it. It’s random death resulting from depraved recklessness. Floyd’s death wasn’t random. Minnesota has a problem.
But Ellison has a problem with second-degree murder too, as I noted. It requires intent — or does it? In fact, there are two parts to the murder-two statute, one dealing with intentional killings and the other with unintentional killings. Swearer pointed to the second part of the statute in her analysis. What if Chauvin is tried for the same crime with which the McMichaels have been charged in Georgia for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, namely, felony murder? The statute:
Whoever does either of the following is guilty of unintentional murder in the second degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 40 years: (1) causes the death of a human being, without intent to effect the death of any person, while committing or attempting to commit a felony offense other than criminal sexual conduct in the first or second degree with force or violence or a drive-by shooting
The McMichaels are charged with aggravated assault of Arbery; the murder charge stems from the fact that that assault resulted in his death. The same logic could be applied to Chauvin. What began as a lawful arrest by a police officer turned criminal when Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes total, during much of which time Floyd was pleading for air, and for more than two and a half minutes after Floyd lost consciousness. If Chauvin is guilty of assault for that, he’s guilty of second-degree murder for Floyd’s death. And that allows for a maximum sentence of 40 years, not on par with murder one but somewhat steeper than murder three.
That’s probably what Ellison is going for with the elevated charges, which I assume means he’ll also be charged with assault this afternoon. (Right now he’s charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.) If not, if he’s going to try Chauvin for intentionally killing Floyd, he’s really rolling the dice. Presumably the argument would run along the same lines as the argument for assault — because Chauvin refused to relent even after Floyd complained that he couldn’t breathe and then passed out, we should infer that an intent to kill developed over those nine minutes. I think that argument is a recipe for disaster, but we’ll see.
As for charging the other three cops, I saw it reported somewhere recently (can’t remember where) that Trump had been telling advisors that he thought the protests would calm down once they’re charged. I think they’re beginning to calm down already but yeah, this can only help.


hotair--2020-06-03--NY Times: Police are 'introducing violence' to peaceful protests

Days after police officers were fought with , run over , and nearly firebombed in New York City , the NY Times has published an editorial blaming the police for failing to protect protesters .
The Times briefly acknowledges the looting and violence but quickly moves on : The Times shrugs off violence against the police , which has been pervasive , as if it were a party foul .
The hundreds of people seen looting in New York City and other cities this week also gets minimized as if it were background noise .
It ’ s really striking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered a sign of abject failure , an inability to maintain urban life .
But just a few weeks ago , anyone violating stay-at-home orders was considered to be guilty of murdering granny .
The Times editorial board does devote one paragraph to sympathy for the impossible job police are being asked to do .
The chaos unleashed by the death of Mr. Floyd defies simple prescriptions ; it is a result of too many underlying conditions .
Authorities are facing a stern test : It can be all but impossible to police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ground .
And it must be painful for many police officers who put their lives on the line to hear themselves criticized by their fellow citizens .
Again , it ’ s probably more painful for police in NYC to see police officers run down in the street as they tried to stop the chaos only to be denounced as abject failures by the Governor and berated by the NY Times as too violent .
What the NY Times does not mention is that the re-opening protesters did not destroy police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They did not throw bricks and frozen water bottles at the police .
They did not overrun and vandalize police precincts before setting them on fire .
As I pointed out here when Chris Hayes made this same argument , the reason police initially used tear gas in Minneapolis is that “ peaceful protesters ” were breaking into police cars which contained loaded weapons .
Here ’ s the video : Why didn ’ t the NY Times mention any of the destruction and arson prompting the police response ?
There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to hand out Molotov cocktails or the woman who actually threw one at a car full of cops .
Attempted murder of police doesn ’ t help the narrative .
The man ’ s speech was nice but he was part of a crowd that had been ordered to disperse .
He was arrested without any violence .
Police were wrong in the first two arrests and apologized .
The governor of Minnesota , Tim Walz , apologized to the CNN reporters arrested in Minneapolis , and then took a moment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press .
“ The protection and security and safety of the journalists covering this is a top priority , not because it is a nice thing to do , because it is a key component of how we fix this , ” Mr. Walz said .
“ Sunshine , disinfectant and seeing what ’ s happening has to be done.
” Fair enough .
I don ’ t want to see journalists intentionally targeted by police .
But blaming police for introducing violence when there is clearly a lot of violence connected with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the head in Las Vegas who is now on life support ) seems like a pretty one-sided presentation of the facts .

Days after police officers were fought with, run over, and nearly firebombed in New York City, the NY Times has published an editorial blaming the police for failing to protect protesters. The Times briefly acknowledges the looting and violence but quickly moves on:
Some protesters crossed the line into violence. Some people took advantage of the chaos to loot. But all too often, facing peaceful demonstrations against police violence, the police responded with more violence — against protesters, journalists and bystanders.
The Times shrugs off violence against the police, which has been pervasive, as if it were a party foul. The hundreds of people seen looting in New York City and other cities this week also gets minimized as if it were background noise.
In many places, the country is experiencing a communal breakdown so complete that mayors have thrown up their hands and ordered curfews or called in the National Guard. Unable to maintain urban life, they have tried to suspend it, just as they had done in response to the spread of the coronavirus.
It’s really striking how curfews to prevent riots are suddenly considered a sign of abject failure, an inability to maintain urban life. But just a few weeks ago, anyone violating stay-at-home orders was considered to be guilty of murdering granny. The Times editorial board does devote one paragraph to sympathy for the impossible job police are being asked to do.
The chaos unleashed by the death of Mr. Floyd defies simple prescriptions; it is a result of too many underlying conditions. Authorities are facing a stern test: It can be all but impossible to police the boundaries of legitimate protest, particularly on the ground. And it must be painful for many police officers who put their lives on the line to hear themselves criticized by their fellow citizens.
Again, it’s probably more painful for police in NYC to see police officers run down in the street as they tried to stop the chaos only to be denounced as abject failures by the Governor and berated by the NY Times as too violent.
Just a few weeks ago, the police demonstrated remarkable forbearance as heavily armed groups turned out in several state capitals to oppose coronavirus-related public heath measures. Now the police are demonstrating an equally remarkable intolerance to protests against their own behavior… They have behaved as if determined to prevent peaceful protest by introducing violence.
What the NY Times does not mention is that the re-opening protesters did not destroy police cars or set buildings on fire. They did not throw bricks and frozen water bottles at the police. They did not overrun and vandalize police precincts before setting them on fire. As I pointed out here when Chris Hayes made this same argument, the reason police initially used tear gas in Minneapolis is that “peaceful protesters” were breaking into police cars which contained loaded weapons. Here’s the video:
RAW VIDEO: Protesters inside Minneapolis Police's 3rd Precinct parking lot smashing squad cars, before officers show up and fire flash grenades inside to get them to disperse. WARNING: This video contains violence and strong language. READ MORE: https://t.co/HZTamsXTCN pic.twitter.com/Cktz07ftSg — WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) May 27, 2020
Why didn’t the NY Times mention any of the destruction and arson prompting the police response? There’s not one mention of lawyers who were trying to hand out Molotov cocktails or the woman who actually threw one at a car full of cops. Attempted murder of police doesn’t help the narrative.
In some of the most troubling attacks, police officers have singled out those who spoke up, wading into crowds of protesters and silencing the loudest voices. In Charleston, S.C., a black man dropped to one knee and told the police, “All of you are my family.” The police arrested him.
The man’s speech was nice but he was part of a crowd that had been ordered to disperse. He was arrested without any violence.
In scores of incidents across the country, police officers also have deliberately attacked journalists reporting on the protests. Minneapolis police arrested a CNN crew on live television. Video captured Louisville police firing pepper bullets at a local TV crew. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is investigating the alleged assault of a Wall Street Journal reporter by the police. Protesters, for their part, have also targeted reporters, including a Fox News crew outside the White House.
Police were wrong in the first two arrests and apologized.
The governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, apologized to the CNN reporters arrested in Minneapolis, and then took a moment to dilate on the importance of a free press. “The protection and security and safety of the journalists covering this is a top priority, not because it is a nice thing to do, because it is a key component of how we fix this,” Mr. Walz said. “Sunshine, disinfectant and seeing what’s happening has to be done.”
Fair enough. I don’t want to see journalists intentionally targeted by police. But blaming police for introducing violence when there is clearly a lot of violence connected with the protests (including an officer shot in the head in Las Vegas who is now on life support) seems like a pretty one-sided presentation of the facts.


hotair--2020-06-03--Russia's virus-tracking app has citizens seeing red

I ’ ve been among those expressing concerns over the development of “ contact tracing ” databases here in the United States and the implications that could have in terms of both privacy and potential hacking .
I ’ ll also confess that I ’ ve had some uneasy feelings over outfits like Google monitoring your social distancing practices .
But if you ever want to feel a little bit better about how these things are being handled in the United States , just check out what the Russians have to put up with .
If you come down with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are ordered to download and install a new app for your phone called Social Monitoring .
It ’ s a government tracking tool that will make sure you remain in self-quarantine at home .
And a failure to comply has consequences .
( Associated Press ) When nurse Maria Alexeyeva caught coronavirus at work , she isolated herself at home and followed the rules set down by Moscow authorities : She checked in with doctors regularly , didn ’ t leave her apartment and downloaded a smartphone app required by the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Social Monitoring app tracks users via GPS and sends them random notifications demanding a selfie to prove they ’ re still at home .
If it detects they ’ ve left home or they fail to provide a photo , they face a fine of about $ 56 each time .
But soon the app became a nightmare for Alexeyeva .
It crashed when she tried to take a photo .
Weak with illness , she struggled with the software for days , sometimes on hold for hours with technical support .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ discovered she had accumulated 11 fines totaling $ 620 .
The app not only monitors your location but periodically instructs you to take a selfie and upload it to show that you ’ re still in your home .
Every time you show up in the wrong location or fail to provide a picture , you get hit with a fine .
In the case of the nurse featured in the excerpt above , her total fines after two weeks added up to more than her entire monthly salary .
And a failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The use of this app would be disturbing enough even if it functioned properly .
But according to many witnesses contacted by the AP , it doesn ’ t .
Sometimes the tool for uploading the pictures fails , but the app doesn ’ t provide an error message saying that it didn ’ t go through .
At other times , the app will demand a picture in the middle of the night when the user is asleep and their phone is off .
Too bad .
You still get hit with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ install the app because nobody at the hospital told her she had to do it .
Within a week she had run up hundreds of dollars in fines , first for not installing it and then because the system somehow determined that she wasn ’ t at home even without the app on her phone .
( At least to her knowledge . )
Another user who claims to have managed to follow all of the directions without error was hit with four fines and the app never once sent a message that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in all , the fines have added up to more than $ 3 million from tens of thousands of Moscow residents .
There is an appeal system in place if you disagree , but almost nobody has gotten it to work to the point where their fines were canceled .
Welcome to Russia .
Some of us in the United States tend to complain about the authoritarian impulses of our elected leaders here , myself included .
But sometimes we should probably remind ourselves that there are real authoritarian governments out there and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes to such practices .
To quote Yakov Smirnoff , what a country .

I’ve been among those expressing concerns over the development of “contact tracing” databases here in the United States and the implications that could have in terms of both privacy and potential hacking. I’ll also confess that I’ve had some uneasy feelings over outfits like Google monitoring your social distancing practices. But if you ever want to feel a little bit better about how these things are being handled in the United States, just check out what the Russians have to put up with. If you come down with any symptoms of COVID-19 in Moscow, you are ordered to download and install a new app for your phone called Social Monitoring. It’s a government tracking tool that will make sure you remain in self-quarantine at home. And a failure to comply has consequences. (Associated Press)
When nurse Maria Alexeyeva caught coronavirus at work, she isolated herself at home and followed the rules set down by Moscow authorities: She checked in with doctors regularly, didn’t leave her apartment and downloaded a smartphone app required by the city to keep tabs on quarantined patients. The Social Monitoring app tracks users via GPS and sends them random notifications demanding a selfie to prove they’re still at home. If it detects they’ve left home or they fail to provide a photo, they face a fine of about $56 each time. But soon the app became a nightmare for Alexeyeva. It crashed when she tried to take a photo. Weak with illness, she struggled with the software for days, sometimes on hold for hours with technical support. And when her quarantine ended, she discovered she had accumulated 11 fines totaling $620.
The app not only monitors your location but periodically instructs you to take a selfie and upload it to show that you’re still in your home. Every time you show up in the wrong location or fail to provide a picture, you get hit with a fine. In the case of the nurse featured in the excerpt above, her total fines after two weeks added up to more than her entire monthly salary. And a failure to pay brings even more penalties.
The use of this app would be disturbing enough even if it functioned properly. But according to many witnesses contacted by the AP, it doesn’t. Sometimes the tool for uploading the pictures fails, but the app doesn’t provide an error message saying that it didn’t go through. At other times, the app will demand a picture in the middle of the night when the user is asleep and their phone is off. Too bad. You still get hit with a fine.
One patient failed to install the app because nobody at the hospital told her she had to do it. Within a week she had run up hundreds of dollars in fines, first for not installing it and then because the system somehow determined that she wasn’t at home even without the app on her phone. (At least to her knowledge.) Another user who claims to have managed to follow all of the directions without error was hit with four fines and the app never once sent a message that he was out of compliance.
All in all, the fines have added up to more than $3 million from tens of thousands of Moscow residents. There is an appeal system in place if you disagree, but almost nobody has gotten it to work to the point where their fines were canceled.
Welcome to Russia. Some of us in the United States tend to complain about the authoritarian impulses of our elected leaders here, myself included. But sometimes we should probably remind ourselves that there are real authoritarian governments out there and they put our worst officials to shame when it comes to such practices. To quote Yakov Smirnoff, what a country.


hotair--2020-06-03--NYPD chief to Cuomo: Apologize for slagging us -- and apologize *publicly*

Did Andrew Cuomo regret blaming the NYPD for a lack of effective response to rioters ?
According to its highest-ranking uniformed officer , Cuomo ’ s office called with an apology for calling them and mayor Bill de Blasio a “ disgrace.
” Terence Monahan appreciates the sentiment , he told NBC ’ s Savannah Guthrie this morning on Today , but he urged Cuomo to apologize publicly to all New York City police officers — especially after the job they did last night : The New York Police Department ’ s highest-ranking uniformed officer , Terence Monahan , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo will publicly apologize after saying that the NYPD failed to do its job .
… Terence Monahan , chief of department of the NYPD , told the “ TODAY ” show on Wednesday that governor ’ s office called him to apologize Tuesday , and he said the governor also talked directly to New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea .
Monahan , though , said , “ I hope he would come out publicly and say it again.
” “ You have to come out and see what these men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Don ’ t ever call them ineffective.
” Monahan also noted that shifting the curfew to 8 pm allowed police to get a head start on containing the violence and pillaging .
The New York Times reports this morning that police didn ’ t exactly end it , but that the situation didn ’ t deteriorate after curfew nearly as badly as the night before : Overall , there appeared to be fewer violent confrontations between officers and protesters than there had been in recent days , and there also appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two previous nights .
… In the first hour after the curfew began , the police did not appear to be moving aggressively to disperse or arrest the remaining protesters , at least not in large numbers .
But many of those who continued to march were trailed closely by clusters of officers .
Others encountered squad cars or barricades that kept them from crossing bridges between boroughs or from flooding commercial corridors .
On Manhattan ’ s Upper West Side , cross streets were blocked to keep demonstrators flowing uptown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ part because the legitimate peaceful protesters had gone home : At around 9:30 p.m. on the Upper West Side , officers charged into a group that was peacefully protesting , according to New York Times reporters at the scene .
The officers tackled a person with press credentials and made several arrests , and the crowd scattered .
Later , after 11 p.m. , the police were making a significant number of arrests around Union Square and Astor Place , with social media reports suggesting that officers were using aggressive tactics as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw scattered break-ins .
In one , the windows at a Gap store in Greenwich Village were smashed , with shattered glass and mannequins strewn on the street .
Hours later , a Starbucks around the corner , on Astor Place , had its windows smashed .
Looters also hit Zara and Verizon stores in Lower Manhattan .
That isn ’ t exactly a result worthy of an end-zone spike , even if it is an improvement over the night before .
Are the NYPD still outmatched on the streets ?
If so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call up the National Guard to boost presence on the streets before New Yorkers take matters into their own hands .
Some of them have already , in fact : Saks Fifth Avenue surrounded its flagship Manhattan store with razor wire on Tuesday to keep thieves from smashing their way in and making off with troves of expensive merchandise , The Post has learned .
The luxury retailer has also hired private security guards with specially trained dogs to protect the premises in the wake of Monday night ’ s looting of Macy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … At least seven German shepherds , Belgian Malinois and pit bull dogs were also on hand , along with guards who will use them to patrol outside the store in an attempt to deter looters amid the ongoing protests over the racially charged May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
“ God willing , I hope they don ’ t show up and it goes smoothly , ” one guard said .
The guard noted that the dogs “ aren ’ t friendly.
” The rich can afford to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City relies on the government to do it , and thus far the results still aren ’ t terribly promising .
Cuomo was wrong to call the NYPD a “ disgrace , ” but they ’ re still outmatched .
If they ’ re lucky , that won ’ t get proven tonight .
But just how lucky does Cuomo feel these days ?

Did Andrew Cuomo regret blaming the NYPD for a lack of effective response to rioters? According to its highest-ranking uniformed officer, Cuomo’s office called with an apology for calling them and mayor Bill de Blasio a “disgrace.” Terence Monahan appreciates the sentiment, he told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie this morning on Today, but he urged Cuomo to apologize publicly to all New York City police officers — especially after the job they did last night:
Watch @savannahguthrie’s full interview with @NYPDChiefofDept about the department’s response to protests and the effectiveness of an earlier curfew. pic.twitter.com/TSFh4pkmqm — TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 3, 2020
The New York Police Department’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, Terence Monahan, said Wednesday that he hopes Gov. Andrew Cuomo will publicly apologize after saying that the NYPD failed to do its job. … Terence Monahan, chief of department of the NYPD, told the “TODAY” show on Wednesday that governor’s office called him to apologize Tuesday, and he said the governor also talked directly to New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. Monahan, though, said, “I hope he would come out publicly and say it again.” “You have to come out and see what these men and women are doing,” Monahan said. “Don’t ever call them ineffective.”
Monahan also noted that shifting the curfew to 8 pm allowed police to get a head start on containing the violence and pillaging. The New York Times reports this morning that police didn’t exactly end it, but that the situation didn’t deteriorate after curfew nearly as badly as the night before:
Overall, there appeared to be fewer violent confrontations between officers and protesters than there had been in recent days, and there also appeared be fewer acts of looting than in the two previous nights. … In the first hour after the curfew began, the police did not appear to be moving aggressively to disperse or arrest the remaining protesters, at least not in large numbers. But many of those who continued to march were trailed closely by clusters of officers. Others encountered squad cars or barricades that kept them from crossing bridges between boroughs or from flooding commercial corridors. On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, cross streets were blocked to keep demonstrators flowing uptown.
Police later got more assertive, in part because the legitimate peaceful protesters had gone home:
At around 9:30 p.m. on the Upper West Side, officers charged into a group that was peacefully protesting, according to New York Times reporters at the scene. The officers tackled a person with press credentials and made several arrests, and the crowd scattered. Later, after 11 p.m., the police were making a significant number of arrests around Union Square and Astor Place, with social media reports suggesting that officers were using aggressive tactics as they enforced the curfew. The area also saw scattered break-ins. In one, the windows at a Gap store in Greenwich Village were smashed, with shattered glass and mannequins strewn on the street. Hours later, a Starbucks around the corner, on Astor Place, had its windows smashed. Looters also hit Zara and Verizon stores in Lower Manhattan.
That isn’t exactly a result worthy of an end-zone spike, even if it is an improvement over the night before. Are the NYPD still outmatched on the streets? If so, then Cuomo may still want to call up the National Guard to boost presence on the streets before New Yorkers take matters into their own hands. Some of them have already, in fact:
Saks Fifth Avenue surrounded its flagship Manhattan store with razor wire on Tuesday to keep thieves from smashing their way in and making off with troves of expensive merchandise, The Post has learned. The luxury retailer has also hired private security guards with specially trained dogs to protect the premises in the wake of Monday night’s looting of Macy’s iconic Herald Square location. … At least seven German shepherds, Belgian Malinois and pit bull dogs were also on hand, along with guards who will use them to patrol outside the store in an attempt to deter looters amid the ongoing protests over the racially charged May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “God willing, I hope they don’t show up and it goes smoothly,” one guard said. The guard noted that the dogs “aren’t friendly.”
The rich can afford to protect their wealth. The rest of New York City relies on the government to do it, and thus far the results still aren’t terribly promising. Cuomo was wrong to call the NYPD a “disgrace,” but they’re still outmatched. If they’re lucky, that won’t get proven tonight. But just how lucky does Cuomo feel these days?


hotair--2020-06-03--Widely publicized hydroxychloroquine study appears to be based on bogus data

This certainly looks like a significant case of medical fraud .
A company called Surgisphere claimed it had a database of information gathered from over 600 hospitals around the world on the success of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the coronavirus .
The company ’ s owner authored several papers published in prominent medical journals based on this data .
Those papers were then widely reported in the media last month and resulted in drug trials that were already underway being paused : On its face , it was a major finding : Antimalarial drugs touted by the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just ineffective , but downright deadly .
A study published on 22 May in used hospital records procured by a little-known data analytics company called Surgisphere to conclude that coronavirus patients taking chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine were more likely to show an irregular heart rhythm—a known side effect thought to be rare—and were more likely to die in the hospital .
Within days , some large randomized trials of the drugs—the type that might prove or disprove the retrospective study ’ s analysis—screeched to a halt .
Solidarity , the World Health Organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ megatrial of potential COVID-19 treatments , paused recruitment into its hydroxychloroquine arm , for example .
Just to emphasize how this Lancet study was greeted by the media , here ’ s the NY Times story about it which is headlined , “ Malaria Drug Taken by Trump Is Tied to Increased Risk of Heart Problems and Death in New Study.
” Last week , a group of 100 doctors and scientists wrote an open letter to Lancet asking that the data underlying the study be explained in more detail because it appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the time , Dr. Sapan S. Desai , the owner of Surgisphere vigorously defended the accuracy of his data but refused to show it to anyone .
He later agreed to let Lancet review it .
However , today the Guardian reported some additional problems with the credibility of Surgisphere , a company whose total of six employees include a science fiction author and an adult model : A search of publicly available material suggests several of Surgisphere ’ s employees have little or no data or scientific background .
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a marketing executive is an adult model and events hostess .
The company ’ s LinkedIn page has fewer than 100 followers and last week listed just six employees .
This was changed to three employees as of Wednesday .
While Surgisphere claims to run one of the largest and fastest hospital databases in the world , it has almost no online presence .
Its Twitter handle has fewer than 170 followers , with no posts between October 2017 and March 2020 .
Until Monday , the “ get in touch ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a WordPress template for a cryptocurrency website , raising questions about how hospitals could easily contact the company to join its database .
Dr. Desai has previously had three malpractice suits filed against him and back in 2008 he created an Indiegogo page for some kind of wearable device which sounded pretty much like science fiction : Experience the next generation of human augmentation and wearable electronics .
Neurodynamics Flow allows you to learn faster , perform better , and think smarter .
Take human evolution into your own hands .
Neurodynamics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ device that can help you achieve what you never thought was possible .
Unlock hidden creativity , improve your memory , and heighten your peak performance using the latest in wearable computer electronics .
With its sophisticated programming , optimal neural induction points , and tried and true results , Neurodynamics Flow allows you to rise to the peak of human evolution .
The project was never funded and a video for “ Neurodynamics Flow ” has been deleted .
Shortly after the Guardian approached Lancet with all of this , the journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reliability of the study .
Today , issued an Expression of Concern ( EOC ) saying “ important scientific questions have been raised about data ” in the paper and noting that “ an independent audit of the provenance and validity of the data has been commissioned by the authors not affiliated with Surgisphere and is ongoing , with results expected very shortly.
” Hours earlier , The New England Journal of Medicine ( NEJM ) issued its own EOC about a second study using Surgisphere data , published on 1 May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blood pressure drugs including angiotensin-converting enzyme ( ACE ) inhibitors didn ’ t appear to increase the risk of death among COVID-19 patients , as some researchers had suggested .
( Several studies analyzing other groups of COVID-19 patients support the NEJM results . )
“ Recently , substantive concerns have been raised about the quality of the information in that database , ” an NEJM statement noted .
“ We have asked the authors to provide evidence that the data are reliable.
” We ’ ll know soon enough if there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not looking good .
Meanwhile , actual research was halted by WHO and others because of this .

This certainly looks like a significant case of medical fraud. A company called Surgisphere claimed it had a database of information gathered from over 600 hospitals around the world on the success of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the coronavirus. The company’s owner authored several papers published in prominent medical journals based on this data. Those papers were then widely reported in the media last month and resulted in drug trials that were already underway being paused:
On its face, it was a major finding: Antimalarial drugs touted by the White House as possible COVID-19 treatments looked to be not just ineffective, but downright deadly. A study published on 22 May in The Lancet used hospital records procured by a little-known data analytics company called Surgisphere to conclude that coronavirus patients taking chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine were more likely to show an irregular heart rhythm—a known side effect thought to be rare—and were more likely to die in the hospital. Within days, some large randomized trials of the drugs—the type that might prove or disprove the retrospective study’s analysis—screeched to a halt. Solidarity, the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) megatrial of potential COVID-19 treatments, paused recruitment into its hydroxychloroquine arm, for example.
Just to emphasize how this Lancet study was greeted by the media, here’s the NY Times story about it which is headlined, “Malaria Drug Taken by Trump Is Tied to Increased Risk of Heart Problems and Death in New Study.”
Last week, a group of 100 doctors and scientists wrote an open letter to Lancet asking that the data underlying the study be explained in more detail because it appeared the numbers didn’t add up. At the time, Dr. Sapan S. Desai, the owner of Surgisphere vigorously defended the accuracy of his data but refused to show it to anyone. He later agreed to let Lancet review it. However, today the Guardian reported some additional problems with the credibility of Surgisphere, a company whose total of six employees include a science fiction author and an adult model:
A search of publicly available material suggests several of Surgisphere’s employees have little or no data or scientific background. An employee listed as a science editor appears to be a science fiction author and fantasy artist whose professional profile suggests writing is her fulltime job. Another employee listed as a marketing executive is an adult model and events hostess, who also acts in videos for organisations. The company’s LinkedIn page has fewer than 100 followers and last week listed just six employees. This was changed to three employees as of Wednesday. While Surgisphere claims to run one of the largest and fastest hospital databases in the world, it has almost no online presence. Its Twitter handle has fewer than 170 followers, with no posts between October 2017 and March 2020. Until Monday, the “get in touch” link on Surgisphere’s homepage redirected to a WordPress template for a cryptocurrency website, raising questions about how hospitals could easily contact the company to join its database.
Dr. Desai has previously had three malpractice suits filed against him and back in 2008 he created an Indiegogo page for some kind of wearable device which sounded pretty much like science fiction:
Experience the next generation of human augmentation and wearable electronics. Neurodynamics Flow allows you to learn faster, perform better, and think smarter. Take human evolution into your own hands. Neurodynamics Flow is a next generation human augmentation device that can help you achieve what you never thought was possible. Unlock hidden creativity, improve your memory, and heighten your peak performance using the latest in wearable computer electronics. With its sophisticated programming, optimal neural induction points, and tried and true results, Neurodynamics Flow allows you to rise to the peak of human evolution.
The project was never funded and a video for “Neurodynamics Flow” has been deleted. Shortly after the Guardian approached Lancet with all of this, the journal published a notice of their concern about the reliability of the study.
Today, The Lancet issued an Expression of Concern (EOC) saying “important scientific questions have been raised about data” in the paper and noting that “an independent audit of the provenance and validity of the data has been commissioned by the authors not affiliated with Surgisphere and is ongoing, with results expected very shortly.” Hours earlier, The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) issued its own EOC about a second study using Surgisphere data, published on 1 May. The paper reported that taking certain blood pressure drugs including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors didn’t appear to increase the risk of death among COVID-19 patients, as some researchers had suggested. (Several studies analyzing other groups of COVID-19 patients support the NEJM results.) “Recently, substantive concerns have been raised about the quality of the information in that database,” an NEJM statement noted. “We have asked the authors to provide evidence that the data are reliable.”
We’ll know soon enough if there is any validity to this data but it’s not looking good. Meanwhile, actual research was halted by WHO and others because of this.
Update 6/4: The Lancet study has been retracted after Surgisphere refused to transfer data to independent peer reviewers.


hotair--2020-06-03--SecDef Esper: No, it's not the time to invoke the Insurrection Act; <span class='red'>CNN: White Hou

SecDef Esper: No, it's not the time to invoke the Insurrection Act; CNN: White House "not happy" with Esper remarks

A smart argument from Mark Esper , who perhaps has more than one reason to push back against using the Insurrection Act to deal with riots in American cities .
Speaking at the Pentagon this morning , the Secretary of Defense called that a “ last resort ” option , for use only in “ the most urgent and dire of situations.
” The National Guard under control of governors is the proper alternative for bolstering local law enforcement , Esper says , throwing cold water on Donald Trump ’ s suggestions this week that he might bypass the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the riots : Esper ’ s undoubtedly correct about the use of the Insurrection Act as a last-gasp option .
George H. W. Bush invoked it for the Rodney King riots in 1992 , but that came at Gov .
Pete Wilson ’ s express request for federal troops in addition to National Guard and local police .
In fact , Wilson wanted Bush to federalize the National Guard troops as well , likely hoping that outside control of those groups would reduce tensions created by the LAPD in the first place .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ invoked in opposition to a governor was in Arkansas during desegregation , when Dwight Eisenhower federalized the National Guard and sent in Army troops to open up the Little Rock schools .
That was to enforce the Constitution and the Supreme Court ’ s Brown v Board of Education decision , which Faubus illegitimately used the National Guard to oppose .
It had a very limited scope , though , and a very specific mission .
Does the authority exist ?
Yes .
Is it wise to invoke it now ?
No , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of other reasons , too .
For one thing , seizing law-enforcement control of the cities effectively puts Trump in charge of them — every aspect of them , right down to trash collection and traffic lights .
Just as it ’ s impossible to run a national economy via central command , that kind of control of even one city from Washington DC would be impossible , too .
( The feds don ’ t even do that very well with Washington DC itself , over which they have explicit authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it with more than one city , those problems get magnified exponentially .
It sets up all sorts of vectors for failure that will shortly combine into a Hurricane Katrina-like narrative of incompetence — and local leaders who get sidelined will have every political incentive to make sure of it , as will local and national media .
Esper might have other motives for making this declaration , though .
He made it very clear last night in an interview with NBC News that he didn ’ t appreciate getting blindsided with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other night : Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he was given no notice before President Donald Trump led him and other senior administration officials to St. John ’ s Episcopal Church for a widely criticized photo opportunity .
“ I thought I was going to do two things : to see some damage and to talk to the troops , ” Esper said Tuesday night in an exclusive interview with NBC News .
Esper said he believed they were going to observe the vandalized bathroom in Lafayette Square , which is near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know where I was going , ” Esper said .
“ I wanted to see how much damage actually happened.
” Esper was still sore about that this morning , too : Esper also got ripped for participating in the event by former Joint Chiefs chair Admiral Mike Mullen and Defense Science Board member James Miller , who resigned his position in an open letter last night published by the Washington Post .
He ’ s not just standing by with his mouth shut despite working for a president whose reputation for retaliation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not resigning , but he made it pretty clear that he won ’ t turn into a yes man to keep his job , either .
In any event , Esper ’ s correct , but one has to suspect that Trump already knows this .
The threat to invoke the Insurrection Act is likely a high-stakes bluff , or at least a way to pressure governors into acting more assertively to restore order .
It had an effect on Andrew Cuomo , who finally raised the possibility of calling up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and publicly blasted Bill de Blasio and the NYPD for allowing rioting and looting to occur unchecked in the Big Apple .
If that threat results in better policing , so much the better .
Update : Apparently Esper ’ s remarks went over at the White House like the proverbial flatus in church , according to CNN ’ s sources .
They claim also to have been blindsided : Trump and other top officials , including national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien , are “ not happy ” with Esper after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the White House ’ s thinking said .
In the press conference , Esper also distanced himself from a maligned photo-op outside St. John ’ s Church .
One White House official said aides there did not get a heads up about the content of Esper ’ s remarks , including most notably Esper ’ s decision to publicly break with the President on the use of the military to address unrest in US cities .
The blindsiding went both ways , in other words .

A smart argument from Mark Esper, who perhaps has more than one reason to push back against using the Insurrection Act to deal with riots in American cities. Speaking at the Pentagon this morning, the Secretary of Defense called that a “last resort” option, for use only in “the most urgent and dire of situations.” The National Guard under control of governors is the proper alternative for bolstering local law enforcement, Esper says, throwing cold water on Donald Trump’s suggestions this week that he might bypass the “weak” response from state executives to the riots:
Defense Sec. Esper: "I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act." "The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now." pic.twitter.com/MFgi35e8hs — ABC News (@ABC) June 3, 2020
Esper’s undoubtedly correct about the use of the Insurrection Act as a last-gasp option. George H. W. Bush invoked it for the Rodney King riots in 1992, but that came at Gov. Pete Wilson’s express request for federal troops in addition to National Guard and local police. In fact, Wilson wanted Bush to federalize the National Guard troops as well, likely hoping that outside control of those groups would reduce tensions created by the LAPD in the first place. The last time the Insurrection Act got invoked in opposition to a governor was in Arkansas during desegregation, when Dwight Eisenhower federalized the National Guard and sent in Army troops to open up the Little Rock schools. That was to enforce the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s Brown v Board of Education decision, which Faubus illegitimately used the National Guard to oppose. It had a very limited scope, though, and a very specific mission.
Does the authority exist? Yes. Is it wise to invoke it now? No, as Esper says, and for a couple of other reasons, too. For one thing, seizing law-enforcement control of the cities effectively puts Trump in charge of them — every aspect of them, right down to trash collection and traffic lights. Just as it’s impossible to run a national economy via central command, that kind of control of even one city from Washington DC would be impossible, too. (The feds don’t even do that very well with Washington DC itself, over which they have explicit authority and jurisdiction.) If Trump tries it with more than one city, those problems get magnified exponentially. It sets up all sorts of vectors for failure that will shortly combine into a Hurricane Katrina-like narrative of incompetence — and local leaders who get sidelined will have every political incentive to make sure of it, as will local and national media.
Esper might have other motives for making this declaration, though. He made it very clear last night in an interview with NBC News that he didn’t appreciate getting blindsided with Trump’s Lafayette Park photo-op stunt the other night:
Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he was given no notice before President Donald Trump led him and other senior administration officials to St. John’s Episcopal Church for a widely criticized photo opportunity. “I thought I was going to do two things: to see some damage and to talk to the troops,” Esper said Tuesday night in an exclusive interview with NBC News. Esper said he believed they were going to observe the vandalized bathroom in Lafayette Square, which is near the church. “I didn’t know where I was going,” Esper said. “I wanted to see how much damage actually happened.”
Esper was still sore about that this morning, too:
https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1268183868546392064
Esper also got ripped for participating in the event by former Joint Chiefs chair Admiral Mike Mullen and Defense Science Board member James Miller, who resigned his position in an open letter last night published by the Washington Post. He’s not just standing by with his mouth shut despite working for a president whose reputation for retaliation is hardly a secret. Esper’s not resigning, but he made it pretty clear that he won’t turn into a yes man to keep his job, either.
In any event, Esper’s correct, but one has to suspect that Trump already knows this. The threat to invoke the Insurrection Act is likely a high-stakes bluff, or at least a way to pressure governors into acting more assertively to restore order. It had an effect on Andrew Cuomo, who finally raised the possibility of calling up the National Guard after a night of rioting and publicly blasted Bill de Blasio and the NYPD for allowing rioting and looting to occur unchecked in the Big Apple. If that threat results in better policing, so much the better.
Update: Apparently Esper’s remarks went over at the White House like the proverbial flatus in church, according to CNN’s sources. They claim also to have been blindsided:
Trump and other top officials, including national security adviser Robert O’Brien, are “not happy” with Esper after his Wednesday remarks, three people familiar with the White House’s thinking said. In the press conference, Esper also distanced himself from a maligned photo-op outside St. John’s Church. One White House official said aides there did not get a heads up about the content of Esper’s remarks, including most notably Esper’s decision to publicly break with the President on the use of the military to address unrest in US cities.
The blindsiding went both ways, in other words.


hotair--2020-06-03--NJ governor on COVID risk: It's one thing to protest your nail salon being closed, it's another to p

NJ governor on COVID risk: It's one thing to protest your nail salon being closed, it's another to protest police brutality

Via Reason , I can believe that he believes that demonstrating for social justice is not only more important than the daily livelihoods of millions but so important that public health restrictions to contain a pandemic should go out the window to facilitate it .
He ’ s a Democrat , after all , and a rich one to boot .
He won ’ t starve .
I just can ’ t believe he ’ d admit it .
There are more than a million people in New Jersey on unemployment .
How are you feeling today as a voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a stay-at-home order , now watching Phil Murphy shrug at mass gatherings because the tenets of wokeness require it ?
Meh , New Jersey is solid blue .
They ’ ll reelect him , just like Andrew Cuomo will be reelected in the COVID-body-count capital of the United States .
On Monday , New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy ( D ) thanked state residents for protesting the unjust police killing of George Floyd in large numbers , and commended them for participating in “ the transformational moment of our time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus mitigation plan calls for people to gather outside in groups of no more than 25—and in fact , state authorities have fined citizens for organizing anti-lockdown protests .
But for Murphy , the two forms of protest are “ in different orbits.
” “ I don ’ t want to make light of this , and I ’ ll probably get lit up by everyone who owns a nail salon in the state , ” said Murphy .
“ But it ’ s one thing to protest what day nail salons are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come out in peaceful protest , overwhelmingly , about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes.
” Not true , my man .
We can have a foolish debate over the relative urgency of murderous police violence towards black Americans and of ending depression-causing economic restrictions on the country writ large , but urgency is irrelevant to the epidemiological reality .
In one case demonstrators were criticized — understandably — for risking the health of people around them by holding large gatherings .
In the other , demonstrators are lionized and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings .
The virus won ’ t punish one group more than the other based on the relative merits of their case , needless to say , so what explains the disparate treatment by politicians ?
Why can ’ t Murphy and every other Democratic leader say , “ I share your outrage at the death of George Floyd but containing this disease remains our utmost priority and mass gatherings are hurting that effort ” ?
Most demonstrators would ignore him but maybe it would help at the margins .
At a minimum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be consistent .
At least Murphy has the excuse of being a politician , ever eager to pander to voters .
What excuse do scientists have for holding a double standard on mass gatherings ?
But the risks of congregating during a global pandemic shouldn ’ t keep people from protesting racism , according to dozens of public health and disease experts who signed an open letter in support of the protests .
“ White supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19 , ” the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded demonstrations “ under the guise of maintaining public health , ” the experts said in their open letter .
They urged law enforcement agencies not to use tear gas , smoke and other irritants , saying they could make people more susceptible to infection and worsen existing health conditions .
True enough about tear gas ( “ tear gas may cause damage to people ’ s lungs and make them more susceptible to getting a respiratory illness , according to studies on the risks of exposure ” ) but shouting and chanting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there ’ s been lots of that among the demonstrators .
Is this the explanation ?
There are two health-related differences between the anti-lockdown protests in April and the police-brutality protests now .
I can ’ t quantify it , obviously , but based on photos the current demonstrators seem more likely to wear masks than the anti-lockdown demonstrators were .
That ’ s probably a function of ideology , with right-wingers more resistant to mask-wearing than left-wingers .
The other difference is the state of the epidemic : With daily deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now flattened out , it seems “ safer ” to protest now than it did then .
We ’ ve endured several cases of mass gatherings outdoors over the past two months ( with the anti-lockdown protests as exhibit A ) without any resulting spike in infections , which may have made public officials more confident that the current demonstrations are less dangerous than we fear .
If George Floyd had been killed on April 1 , say , and demonstrations had been organized a week later , maybe the emphasis on public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have been different .
I think we ’ re all wagering right now , in fact , that the epidemic is in temporary remission and we ’ re acting accordingly .
But is it ?
There ’ s one other health-related difference between April and now .
The current demonstrations are much bigger than the anti-lockdown protests , which usually drew no more than a few hundred people .
The current rallies are large , they ’ re widespread , and participants are often packed in shoulder-to-shoulder .
“ Epidemiologists said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of the virus , ” said the Times , but the exact number will matter .
If there ’ s a small spike two weeks from now , supporters of the demonstrations will claim either that it ’ s a small price worth paying to protest the injustice of Floyd ’ s murder or that it ’ s sufficiently negligible that it can ’ t be traced to the protests rather than , say , to the country reopening for business across many states .
If there a big spike , Murphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ splaining to do .
Exit question : If there ’ s no spike later this month , what ’ s the argument for keeping fans out of outdoor summer sports events ?
Why not limited capacity attendance , at least ?
Update : This glib idiot is the chairman of the New York City Council ’ s health committee : An anti-lockdown protester could just as easily say , “ Let ’ s be clear about something : if there is a spike in coronavirus cases in the next two weeks , don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass unemployment.
” No one ’ s going to listen to political leaders going forward when they warn about mass gatherings , needless to say .
The only thing that ’ ll encourage them to keep practicing social distancing is if there really is a spike in a few weeks .

Via Reason, I can believe that he believes that demonstrating for social justice is not only more important than the daily livelihoods of millions but so important that public health restrictions to contain a pandemic should go out the window to facilitate it. He’s a Democrat, after all, and a rich one to boot. He won’t starve.
I just can’t believe he’d admit it. There are more than a million people in New Jersey on unemployment. How are you feeling today as a voter if your business just went under due to a stay-at-home order, now watching Phil Murphy shrug at mass gatherings because the tenets of wokeness require it?
Meh, New Jersey is solid blue. They’ll reelect him, just like Andrew Cuomo will be reelected in the COVID-body-count capital of the United States.
On Monday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) thanked state residents for protesting the unjust police killing of George Floyd in large numbers, and commended them for participating in “the transformational moment of our time,” even though New Jersey’s coronavirus mitigation plan calls for people to gather outside in groups of no more than 25—and in fact, state authorities have fined citizens for organizing anti-lockdown protests. But for Murphy, the two forms of protest are “in different orbits.” “I don’t want to make light of this, and I’ll probably get lit up by everyone who owns a nail salon in the state,” said Murphy. “But it’s one thing to protest what day nail salons are opening, and it’s another to come out in peaceful protest, overwhelmingly, about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes.”
Not true, my man. We can have a foolish debate over the relative urgency of murderous police violence towards black Americans and of ending depression-causing economic restrictions on the country writ large, but urgency is irrelevant to the epidemiological reality. In one case demonstrators were criticized — understandably — for risking the health of people around them by holding large gatherings. In the other, demonstrators are lionized and held harmless for participating in even larger gatherings. The virus won’t punish one group more than the other based on the relative merits of their case, needless to say, so what explains the disparate treatment by politicians?
Why can’t Murphy and every other Democratic leader say, “I share your outrage at the death of George Floyd but containing this disease remains our utmost priority and mass gatherings are hurting that effort”? Most demonstrators would ignore him but maybe it would help at the margins. At a minimum, his own public pronouncements about gatherings would be consistent.
At least Murphy has the excuse of being a politician, ever eager to pander to voters. What excuse do scientists have for holding a double standard on mass gatherings?
But the risks of congregating during a global pandemic shouldn’t keep people from protesting racism, according to dozens of public health and disease experts who signed an open letter in support of the protests. “White supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19,” the letter said… Local governments should not break up crowded demonstrations “under the guise of maintaining public health,” the experts said in their open letter. They urged law enforcement agencies not to use tear gas, smoke and other irritants, saying they could make people more susceptible to infection and worsen existing health conditions.
True enough about tear gas (“tear gas may cause damage to people’s lungs and make them more susceptible to getting a respiratory illness, according to studies on the risks of exposure”) but shouting and chanting will contribute to the spread as well and there’s been lots of that among the demonstrators.
Is this the explanation?
I think that elite liberals really did believe what they said in March. But they are so used to making exceptions for themselves to their own rules and getting away with it that, on a subrational level, they really think they can do it for germs too.https://t.co/cbXWXRcQ2u https://t.co/uwIcu92SvR — Peter Spiliakos (@petespiliakos) June 3, 2020
There are two health-related differences between the anti-lockdown protests in April and the police-brutality protests now. I can’t quantify it, obviously, but based on photos the current demonstrators seem more likely to wear masks than the anti-lockdown demonstrators were. That’s probably a function of ideology, with right-wingers more resistant to mask-wearing than left-wingers. The other difference is the state of the epidemic: With daily deaths having declined from their April peak and now flattened out, it seems “safer” to protest now than it did then. We’ve endured several cases of mass gatherings outdoors over the past two months (with the anti-lockdown protests as exhibit A) without any resulting spike in infections, which may have made public officials more confident that the current demonstrations are less dangerous than we fear. If George Floyd had been killed on April 1, say, and demonstrations had been organized a week later, maybe the emphasis on public health from the likes of Phil Murphy would have been different.
I think we’re all wagering right now, in fact, that the epidemic is in temporary remission and we’re acting accordingly. But is it?
The US: Cases and deaths now trending up. This is worrying. pic.twitter.com/Z1kjhe8gFx — Jim Edwards (@Jim_Edwards) June 3, 2020
There’s one other health-related difference between April and now. The current demonstrations are much bigger than the anti-lockdown protests, which usually drew no more than a few hundred people. The current rallies are large, they’re widespread, and participants are often packed in shoulder-to-shoulder. “Epidemiologists said the protests would almost certainly lead to more cases of the virus,” said the Times, but the exact number will matter. If there’s a small spike two weeks from now, supporters of the demonstrations will claim either that it’s a small price worth paying to protest the injustice of Floyd’s murder or that it’s sufficiently negligible that it can’t be traced to the protests rather than, say, to the country reopening for business across many states.
If there a big spike, Murphy and other leaders will have some ‘splaining to do.
https://twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1268162083209850880
https://twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1268163828476448774
Exit question: If there’s no spike later this month, what’s the argument for keeping fans out of outdoor summer sports events? Why not limited capacity attendance, at least?
Update: This glib idiot is the chairman of the New York City Council’s health committee:
Let's be clear about something: if there is a spike in coronavirus cases in the next two weeks, don't blame the protesters. Blame racism. — Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) June 3, 2020
An anti-lockdown protester could just as easily say, “Let’s be clear about something: if there is a spike in coronavirus cases in the next two weeks, don’t blame the protesters. Blame mass unemployment.” No one’s going to listen to political leaders going forward when they warn about mass gatherings, needless to say. The only thing that’ll encourage them to keep practicing social distancing is if there really is a spike in a few weeks.


hotair--2020-06-03--White Coats for Black Lives: Doctors choose march over social distancing

Let ’ s just file this one in the you-can ’ t-make-this-stuff-up category .
The medical community has consistently told us that in order to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic outbreak , everyone must remain home as much as possible and stringently social distance from friends and loved ones to save lives .
Well , that was then and this is now .
The Peace March in downtown Houston Tuesday in memory of George Floyd brought out an estimated crowd of 60,000 people .
I ’ m pleased to say that it was , in fact , mostly peaceful but what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in attendance ?
Was no one concerned about the coronavirus that is still with us and its potential to spread among the protesters ?
There is one lone voice who spoke out about public health safety while all the other public officials in Houston were front and center to get recognition for participating .
I ’ ll get to that in a minute .
The march in Houston began at Discovery Green – an 11-acre public park – and ended at City Hall .
Speeches were made by public officials from Mayor Turner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The event was organized by the Houston Chapter of Black Lives Matter and local rapper Trae tha Truth ( given name Frazier Thompson III ) .
As I said , it was mostly peaceful with only some sporadic moments of discord between police ( including Police Chief Acevedo ) and protesters .
Bricks and rocks were removed by city workers earlier in the day along the route .
Despite what the media narrative is from the left , Black Lives Matter protests often turn very violent and apparently plans for this one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it started .
I watched some of the coverage on television and I listened to NPR ’ s coverage of the march in the car as I ran some errands , mostly to monitor any violent outbreaks .
The moderator on the radio asked a reasonable question – what about social distancing and personal safety measures due to the coronavirus ?
The reporter at the scene noted that about 80 % of the protesters he was seeing were wearing facial masks .
Some groups were handing out masks to those who didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no way for the crowd to do any kind of social distancing .
The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world .
It consists of 54 medicine-related institutions , including 21 hospitals and four medical schools , seven nursing schools .
You get the picture – it ’ s huge .
So , many voices mean many personal opinions .
In this case , many of the medical professionals decided to side with the protesters over public health concerns .
What happened to “ First , do no harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ busy putting the fear of God into us over the seriousness of the coronavirus .
Lives have been ruined because the city shut down , following orders from elected officials .
Apparently social justice trumps public health when push comes to shove for some in the medical community .
Suddenly everyone is quiet on the subject of social distancing and bending over backward to prove how woke they are about the protests .
“ The concern that public health departments across the country have is as we are in the midst of fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are occurring where the very messages we ’ ve been putting out about social distancing , wearing facial coverings and doing all the preventative measures are in contrast to how people are coming together , ” said Dr. Umair Shah , Harris County ’ s health director .
“ We also recognize the right of individuals to express themselves.
” But a number of Texas Medical Center leaders who have led the push for social distancing were quiet about it Tuesday amid what seemed a more important cause .
Dr. Marc Boom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview request about the march ’ s impact on COVID-19 , a day after he emailed employees and tweeted that “ we can ’ t allow our privilege to continue to blind us as to what ’ s happening around us .
And we certainly can ’ t continue to stand idly by in the face of so much injustice .
Enough is enough !
” And in an email to the campus community Tuesday , Baylor College of Medicine President Dr. Paul Klotman wrote that the school “ supports individuals speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , trainees , faculty and staff are participating “ to demonstrate against racism , violence , and the devaluing of African-American lives.
” Said Klotman later Tuesday : “ Just hope people wear masks !
” Got that ?
It ’ s guilt about privilege and the right of individuals to express themselves that pop up .
What about the right to earn a living and support your family ?
To worship in church ?
To surround yourself with family and friends ?
All of that was discouraged during mitigation at the orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medical professionals .
Now none of those professionals want to be caught on the wrong side of the social justice movement .
You can ’ t make this stuff up .
Only one elected official , that I ’ ve seen , has spoken out about the risk of huge protests while the coronavirus is still with us , and cases continue to rise in Houston .
Tuesday , the day of the march , Houston recorded the largest daily increase since the outbreak began in the state in March , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last two weeks .
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo , whom I have little confidence in as the county ’ s CEO , actually spoke up .
She didn ’ t attend the protest .
She encouraged people to protest online .
At least she is being consistent .
The spokeswoman for Mayor Turner actually said the death of a black man in police custody is “ a public health crisis.
” I ’ ll end with this observation – as I said , I monitored a lot of the coverage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had to turn it off , though , when Tamika Mallory was speaking .
She was brought down from NYC for the rally .
You may recognize the name – she ’ s a co-founder of The Women ’ s March and a strident socialist .
When she started railing against capitalism and turning her speech into one that blamed the bad Orange Man and his election for all the evils in the world , it was time for me to change the radio station .
Spare me the talking points of @ @ @ @

Let’s just file this one in the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up category. The medical community has consistently told us that in order to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, everyone must remain home as much as possible and stringently social distance from friends and loved ones to save lives.
Well, that was then and this is now. The Peace March in downtown Houston Tuesday in memory of George Floyd brought out an estimated crowd of 60,000 people. I’m pleased to say that it was, in fact, mostly peaceful but what about the sheer size of the crowd in attendance? Was no one concerned about the coronavirus that is still with us and its potential to spread among the protesters? There is one lone voice who spoke out about public health safety while all the other public officials in Houston were front and center to get recognition for participating. I’ll get to that in a minute.
The march in Houston began at Discovery Green – an 11-acre public park – and ended at City Hall. Speeches were made by public officials from Mayor Turner, Reps. Sheila Jackson-Lee and Al Green. The event was organized by the Houston Chapter of Black Lives Matter and local rapper Trae tha Truth (given name Frazier Thompson III). As I said, it was mostly peaceful with only some sporadic moments of discord between police (including Police Chief Acevedo) and protesters. Bricks and rocks were removed by city workers earlier in the day along the route. Despite what the media narrative is from the left, Black Lives Matter protests often turn very violent and apparently plans for this one to do the same was stopped before it started.
I watched some of the coverage on television and I listened to NPR’s coverage of the march in the car as I ran some errands, mostly to monitor any violent outbreaks. The moderator on the radio asked a reasonable question – what about social distancing and personal safety measures due to the coronavirus? The reporter at the scene noted that about 80% of the protesters he was seeing were wearing facial masks. Some groups were handing out masks to those who didn’t have them. But there was no way for the crowd to do any kind of social distancing.
The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world. It consists of 54 medicine-related institutions, including 21 hospitals and four medical schools, seven nursing schools. You get the picture – it’s huge. So, many voices mean many personal opinions. In this case, many of the medical professionals decided to side with the protesters over public health concerns. What happened to “First, do no harm”? For months they have been busy putting the fear of God into us over the seriousness of the coronavirus. Lives have been ruined because the city shut down, following orders from elected officials.
Apparently social justice trumps public health when push comes to shove for some in the medical community. Suddenly everyone is quiet on the subject of social distancing and bending over backward to prove how woke they are about the protests.
“The concern that public health departments across the country have is as we are in the midst of fighting this pandemic, we now have protests that are occurring where the very messages we’ve been putting out about social distancing, wearing facial coverings and doing all the preventative measures are in contrast to how people are coming together,” said Dr. Umair Shah, Harris County’s health director. “We also recognize the right of individuals to express themselves.” But a number of Texas Medical Center leaders who have led the push for social distancing were quiet about it Tuesday amid what seemed a more important cause. Dr. Marc Boom, president of Houston Methodist, declined an interview request about the march’s impact on COVID-19, a day after he emailed employees and tweeted that “we can’t allow our privilege to continue to blind us as to what’s happening around us. And we certainly can’t continue to stand idly by in the face of so much injustice. Enough is enough!” And in an email to the campus community Tuesday, Baylor College of Medicine President Dr. Paul Klotman wrote that the school “supports individuals speaking their conscience” and noted many students, trainees, faculty and staff are participating “to demonstrate against racism, violence, and the devaluing of African-American lives.” Said Klotman later Tuesday: “Just hope people wear masks!”
Got that? It’s guilt about privilege and the right of individuals to express themselves that pop up. What about the right to earn a living and support your family? To worship in church? To surround yourself with family and friends? All of that was discouraged during mitigation at the orders of public officials because of recommendations from the medical professionals. Now none of those professionals want to be caught on the wrong side of the social justice movement. You can’t make this stuff up.
Tuesday’s demonstrations included one at the Hermann Park Reflection Pool — called White Coats for Black Lives — where Texas Medical Center students, faculty and staff stood in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time George Floyd was restrained.
Only one elected official, that I’ve seen, has spoken out about the risk of huge protests while the coronavirus is still with us, and cases continue to rise in Houston. Tuesday, the day of the march, Houston recorded the largest daily increase since the outbreak began in the state in March, a figure that represents those who tested positive in the last two weeks. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, whom I have little confidence in as the county’s CEO, actually spoke up. She didn’t attend the protest. She encouraged people to protest online. At least she is being consistent. The spokeswoman for Mayor Turner actually said the death of a black man in police custody is “a public health crisis.”
Hidalgo said public protests, in-person graduation ceremonies and the reopening of bars, restaurants and churches put the county at risk of a spike in cases. Continuing community spread and limited testing have hampered the ability of the epidemiologists to identify virus hot spots here. “In many ways, we’re blind,” said Hidalgo, who did not attend Tuesday’s rally. “We’re on the verge of an outbreak at any given time.”
I’ll end with this observation – as I said, I monitored a lot of the coverage of the march and the speeches. I had to turn it off, though, when Tamika Mallory was speaking. She was brought down from NYC for the rally. You may recognize the name – she’s a co-founder of The Women’s March and a strident socialist. When she started railing against capitalism and turning her speech into one that blamed the bad Orange Man and his election for all the evils in the world, it was time for me to change the radio station. Spare me the talking points of the Bernie Bros.