What is a Limousine Liberal? “…They are the same people that demand public education for all of you without choice but then send their sniveling little brats to private education with high tuitions. They are…”

Yes, Cinde Warmington, a Democrat running to be the next New Hampshire Governor, knows that sentence very well, don’t you?

Warmington, Craig, and the unions, are all staunch opponents of New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Accounts, the school choice program that allows families to opt out of the public school system.

“We don’t take taxpayer dollars to subsidize private schools,” Warmington told WMUR last year.

Both of Warmington’s children attended the elite Tilton School for secondary education, an independent boarding and preparatory school in New Hampshire. Tilton charges $38,500 for day school and nearly $67,000 for boarding school.

She’s our modern-day Marie Antoinette: “Let them eat cake.” There are people “who want to force you to practice views they refuse to practice.” That’s Grgg Gutfeld, and he has more to say on the matter. This is for you, Cinde.

So this was sort of good. Not bad.@greggutfeld on the definition of

“limousine liberal.”

We hoi polloi understand this. #TheFive pic.twitter.com/hQSK2OXWIE

— Heather Champion (@winningatmylife) March 29, 2024

 

 

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Veteran Matt Sabourin dit Choinière filed to run for Rockingham’s District 30 for the NH statehouse and seeks to bring strong conservative leadership and reliable representation to Seabrook.

“The biggest priority right now is stopping offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine. If these leases are allowed to proceed, our Atlantic food securities will be threatened along with our 400+ year skill set of commercial fishing on the Seacoast. We’re replacing a reliable food source with an unreliable energy source. The Gulf of Maine should be kept wild.”

Matt escaped the lockdowns of New York State and has since immersed himself in the NH Liberty and Patriot communities, advocating for state sovereignty against federal overreach; contributing to the “Defend the Guard” campaign and advising the NH House Nullification Caucus. He has spoken at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum and Freedom fest, and makes time to attend rallies in support of DCYF sex abuse victims.” As an Air Force Officer, Matt oversaw critical maintenance operations for the MQ-9 aircraft weapons system while stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, and deployed to the middle-east in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Matt has a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY and is also a PADI Master SCUBA diver.

“It’s time to serve again, and with a tight split in the NH house – NH needs committed, dutiful leaders more than ever. Many Americans feel like we’re losing our country. I can’t stand by and watch and wait for someone else to figure it out.”

For more information on Matt’s Campaign, please visit https://matt4nh.com/

 

Reminder: Content about candidates or by candidates is not an endorsement by GraniteGrok.com or its authors.

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Many Granite Staters have seen the recent report in the New Hampshire Journal regarding the investigation done by the Department of Education of the New Hampshire school teacher who took a student to have an abortion.

The teacher indicated that he or she called in sick to take the student because she did not have anyone “to support them.”  Parents who I have talked with are shocked, and they should be shocked. But should we be shocked, really? After all, despite repeated attempts to pass legislation to support parents, legislation has been blocked by Democrats and many in the education establishment.

In the past two years, legislation on parent’s rights has twice been defeated. This year my constitutional amendment that said “parents have a fundamental right and responsibility to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children” did not get sufficient votes in the New Hampshire House to send it to the voters. We have one glimmer of hope, however.

We want to thank Rep. Glenn Cordelli for this Op-Ed. If you have an Op-Ed or LTE
you would like us to consider, please submit it to steve@GraniteGrok.com.

HB1312 has passed the House and Senate and is headed to the Governor, hopefully, for his signature. I worked on this bill with Representative Kristine Perez of Londonderry who ushered its passage through the legislature.

HB1312 will be just the first step in making sure that there will be no more incidents of teachers aiding children to get abortions. One part of the bill states:

“A school district may not adopt policies, procedures or student support forms that prohibit school district personnel from answering questions from a parent about his or her student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being, sexuality, or a change in related services or monitoring, or that encourage or have the effect of encouraging a student to withhold from a parent such information.”

In other words, if a parent asks, tell them the truth about what is going on with their child in school – no secrets from parents. But requiring parents to be told the truth is just the first step.

Rep. Perez and I have already discussed follow-up legislation (if re-elected) for next year that will provide criminal penalties for any teacher repeating this shameful act of taking a student for an abortion. But we need to go beyond just teachers. We will state that no adult can “traffic” an unemancipated minor child to get an abortion while concealing it from their parents.

This really is not an abortion issue. It is about trafficking children and usurping parent’s rights. This will be a priority for Rep. Perez and myself next year.

The post Teacher’s Taking Students to Get an Abortion Day and Other Parental Rights Issues appeared first on Granite Grok.

Sports is a very fickle part of our lives. I used to be a sports fanatic but certainly less so as I aged and realized how much valuable time sports can consume. I am not a fair-weather fan, only paying attention when the local teams win.

I tend to look for a deeper story in sports that has meaning far deeper than what we see in the highlights. One such situation draws daily attention, while another does not seem to get the attention it deserves.

Caitlin Clark has been a scoring phenom since she first threw a basketball through a hoop. As a collegiate player at Iowa, she scored more points than any other college male or female in history, and she drew record crowds to watch her that many games she played in needed to be moved to larger venues. There had been other big stories in women’s basketball, but none rose to the level of Clark’s. She became the first-round draft pick of the WNBA Indiana Fever. Caitlin has been the target of many physical attacks on the court by jealous opponents who fail to see what Clark is doing to elevate the league and players. Three elements of Clark may be the reason for these players lashing out. Clark is White, Straight, and Christian. It is truly a shame that people see these individual characteristics rather than Caitlin Clark, the person.

The other individual I find fascinating is Joe Mazzulla, the second-year coach of the 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics. Mazzulla was thrown into the fire last year when then-coach Ime Udoka was fired for a contract violation. Few people knew much about Mazzulla, and many called for him to be replaced when the Celtics did not bring home a championship. Fortunately, his boss, Brad Stevens, was not one of those people.

Stevens stuck with his coach and pulled off some incredible roster moves to put together the best team in the league from start to finish in 2024. As the season went on, and it was apparent we were witnessing something special, we began to look closer into this coach who seemed to relish his lack of notoriety. As the layers were peeled away, an extraordinary individual was unveiled, displaying a much deeper individual than a championship coach.

I started accumulating videos of Mazzulla in different situations, waiting for one to show a crack in this gem, and have yet to find one. People were asking him questions that might have caused someone to pause before responding, yet the coach had the perfect response each time. One reporter asked if Coach was impacted by members of the Royal Family sitting courtside for one of Boston’s games. His response was, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” which drew a chuckle. Still, he said he only recognized one royal family and was unfamiliar with any other from Great Britain.

In another instance, Coach was asked how he was handling the pressure of The Finals. He replied he met three young women under the age of 21 who had terminal cancer. He thought he was helping them with his visit, but he was impacted by these three women smiling and enjoying the moment as they were dying in bed. They taught the Coach the meaning of life.

Mazzulla does not look at himself as a basketball coach but as a man who goes to work to help others reach their potential. Some say that Brad Stevens is the MVP of the 2024 Celtics for putting a great team together, but it was Joe Mazzulla who took those players and their egos and made them a team with a goal. One of the mottos of the Celtics is, “It is different here.” That difference starts with a man who is a Christian and a husband before a championship coach. We are fortunate that Stevens saw enough in Joe Mazzulla to give this 35-year-old the reigns to the greatest NBA franchise. Mazzulla took those reins and gave Boston its 18th NBA Championship and the promise it would not be the last in the Joe Mazzulla era.

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When you think about LEGO, you might remember it from your youth (or infantilized adulthood). And depending on when you discovered ELGO that could be limited to a handful of different colored bricks, massive Death Star-sized builds, or even that BIONICLE thing they did for a while. How about Drag Queens and Furries?

LEGO (apparently) went woke a while ago but I guess they’ve got more pride now. I’m just leaving this here for your consideration.

LEGO just released a LGBTQ+ Pride video with furries and drag queens marching: pic.twitter.com/ce1MBdxOpk

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 20, 2024

One enterprising Xer asked if LEGO would be promoting furries and drag queens worldwide or just in some select locations.

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Science is a problem for the Left when it is allowed to be science. Question the norms, challenge assumptions, and test every hypothesis. That should be the consensus, not the Scientism that undermines science to curry political favor.

The latter has complete control of the Left and its media allies, and it is embarrassing how ridiculous it has gotten. The climate business was bad enough, but COVID and the whole gender spectrum thing. It has polluted the culture, and people are afraid to challenge the cultural norms they are advancing.

Sen. John Kennedy is not afraid.

“The differences between biological males and biological females explode during puberty,” he began. “Girls, during puberty, develop 14% smaller hearts. Their lungs are 12% smaller… You cannot debate that. It’s just a biological fact. That helps boys take in oxygen and pump blood more efficiently than girls can. That gives boys a clear edge in endurance sports like swimming, for example, cycling, rowing…”

Girls’ lungs are 12% smaller than boys’ lungs. Their hearts are 14% smaller.

That gives boys a clear edge in endurance sports. pic.twitter.com/cGieBNHDpE

— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) June 19, 2024

We are not afraid, nor are most of you, so we are in pretty good company. But we need more allies willing not just to speak out but to stand up to this dangerous trend. And if you need some words or inspiration, you’d be hard-pressed to do a better job than this. Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice is speaking at the Faith and Freedom Summit. Red Meat, my friends.

Moms for Liberty cofounder Tiffany Justice speaks at the Road to Majority @FaithandFreedom summit in Washington DC on June 22, 2024.

“We don’t have time to be angry, now is the time to mobilize!” pic.twitter.com/hIWeI3Pc4R

— Moms for Liberty (@Moms4Liberty) June 23, 2024

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Here’s a question: How much would you pay to know what it’s like to have Nikki Haley in your living room?

Sorry…clarification: How much would you pay to hear what it’s like to have Nikki Haley in your living room so you can be bestowed with second-hand knowledge?

Whatever dollar figure (assuming you would actually pay in dollars) popped into your mind, you may not have realized that someone who is running for office here in New Hampshire has already given an answer to that question and quantified it publicly. The dollar amount ranges from $25,000 to $40,000…and thanks to a video released by the Washington Speakers Bureau last November, we know the person of interest who gave that appraisal is a GOP candidate for the Second Congressional District, Vikram Mansharamani.

Much has been made over the past several years about how government has become dominated by a class of ladder-climbers, bureaucrats, and experts, whose hallmark (besides their glibness) seems to be their desire to push an agenda that always consolidates more power for themselves at the expense of the governed. It’s not your imagination; Washington, D.C., really is a city isolated from the rest of the country. Moreover, it’s a place and a culture dominated by people who can easily wield their credentials and leverage their networks to insulate themselves from the perspectives of the rest of the citizenry. I ought to know. I once lived there.

We want to thank Andy Schaalman for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

Soon after I arrived in the Beltway as a student at American University, it became obvious that there was a template of the kind of person the school wanted its students to emulate. That template included acclaimed authors like Francis Fukuyama, pundits like Fareed Zakaria, “foreign policy experts” like Ian Bremmer, and financial wizards like Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Wonky intellectualism and “global thinking” were prized over common sense everywhere and nearly always. When I hear Vikram Mansharamani talk about the interplay between “the U.S. economy, geopolitics, and the world economy,” it’s like hearing an old song for the first time in over ten years. You may not remember every single lyric, but the familiar chorus comes back to you fast.

Vikram seems like a nice guy, and he probably is. But he gives every indication of being the sort of candidate who wants to go to D.C. to move amongst the crowd of people he considers his intellectual and power-brokering peers. People in that mold make fine talking heads, lobbyists, law professors, diplomats, financial analysts, you name it. They don’t tend to make representatives who see their first duty as being to their constituents.

Which brings me back to the $25,000 to $40,000. To believe that the speaking fee justifies itself, you’d probably have to believe that every person who has insider access to everyone who makes a serious run for public office has obtained the secret to power for themselves. More importantly, to sell the secret to power – or as Vikram has referred to it, “how the sausage is made” – for a price tag, you’d probably have to believe that power is both an unalloyed positive and something that no one had figured out the secret to before. You might even be the sort of person who sees the ultimate things to chase in life as power and success.
I don’t know about you, but I suspect we have enough of those people in D.C. already.

The post The Price of Power and Success? appeared first on Granite Grok.

Everything Steve wrote a while ago about a revolution by conservatives is pretty much true. If the Left is in power, when someone shoots back against Antifa or BLM, they (the Left) would love to declare a national emergency and deploy federalized troops to crush resistance.

But if we can elect Donald Trump, there is a better than even chance that by declaring a national emergency, we would or could use the limited military against those internal terrorist groups, their supporters, and financiers. Also, we need to consider radical Islamists, and all those military-age illegal aliens would likely be a factor.

In the article comments, one writer rightly pointed out that in the first instance, with a democrat-controlled military, the resistance would use guerilla tactics, never engaging the police or military, only assassinations of leftist politicians, media, activists, and infrastructure. How long did the Irish Republican Army fight British rule? Ask yourself.

In the second instance, my hope, roles would be reversed, but we conservatives would have a far better chance of survival as many of us are legally armed and could immediately respond to terrorist threats on site.

Ideally, with a Trump administration, major incidents of violence could be avoided and criminal terrorist gangs arrested early on along with those funding them. But who knows?

The post On Any Impending Guerrilla War? appeared first on Granite Grok.

For those of us of “age,” we have watched as the Wall built of the “bricks of Societal Norms” has had every brick removed from it. At first, not much changed – Society still seemed to be the same as it was, and the decay was invisible.

Over time, however, I’ve watched how the nation’s secular religion made headway to the point where it is now like Islam – once it grew to a given point, it started to “throw its weight around.”

Filling a void.

As Statista’s Anna Fleck reports, new data from Gallup shows that church attendance has dropped across all polled Christian groups. As the following chart shows, the biggest drop in attendance in the past 20 years has been amongst Catholics, which has fallen from 45 percent of U.S. adults self-identifying as Catholic saying that they go to religious services weekly or at least every week in 2000-2003, down to 33 percent saying the same in 2021-2023. This is a decrease of 12 percentage points. Catholics’ attendance is lower than their Protestant counterparts, which saw a drop of 4 percentage points in that time frame from 48 percent of worshippers to 44 percent.

 

Lately, it is VERY clear that despite preaching “inclusiveness,” it is antagonistic towards traditional religious beliefs, and anyone protesting against them becomes targeted.

We can now have all but naked and sexualized parades, Governmental blessing of the destruction and theft of private property, the sanctity of marriage is a shambles, the traditional nuclear family is seen as outmoded (and in fact, dissed for being “hetero-privileged”), and the idea of absolute right and wrong has been turned upside down and inside out (right, Van Jones?) to the point it is all but pointless. Gratitude, gratefulness, mercy – all attributes associated with Christianity are being left behind.

There are a lot of churches that have declining seats in the pews and no more so than the formerly “mainline” Protestant denominations. Why?

IMHO, they have decided BIGELY to join that secularization of religion. They have abandoned the Biblical teachings and purpose for the trappings of the current culture and assuaging themselves that they are staying culturally relevant – and refuse to admit that the idea that their main purpose was to save souls and then educate them. Instead, contra to the Bible’s teachings, they hang transgender flags over their doorways and accept any behavior willingly as “being accepting”.

Sure, you have to meet people where they are, but these churches, IMHO, have not only not led them to a path of righteousness but have jumped into bed with them.

And the conservative parishioners no longer attend labeling such behaviors by church leaders as heretical – Truth isn’t variable, it doesn’t change with “the times” – it is what is supposed to be preached and evangelized.

So if there is no spiritual beacons calling the lost in, what happens? Society becomes poorer as the “shared” morality gets splintered and relativistic.

And, unless another Revival begins, not only will churches continue towards their Doom Loop, but so will Society. G. K. Chesterton:

When a man stops believing in God he doesn’t then believe in nothing, he believes anything.

And he becomes his own god. And when that happens, ANYTHING is believable, including that one is god in and of themselves. Morality becomes singular in nature: “my lived experience” and “MY truth” is the relativism that will destroy Society. When one is their own god, Self is the uttermost attribute and of the uttermost importance.

And when billions adopt that outlook, what happens?

Colossians 2:1-5

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 

(H/T: Zero Hedge)

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The people in charge of the summer Olympics (in Paris) are getting a charge out of an Olympic village with NO Air conditioners. They installed a series of cooling pipes under the floors, but the US Olympic Team, Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada, and Britain have their own ideas.

The Germans are probably just excited to be someplace with enough electricity to run an air conditioner, but according to the AP, AC is not very common in France or the EU.

According to the International Energy Agency, fewer than 1 in 10 households in Europe has air conditioning, and the numbers in Paris are lower than that. The study said that of the 1.6 billion AC units in use across the globe in 2016, more than half were in China (570 million) and the United States (375 million). The entire European Union had around 100 million.

China is the place to go for AC and Dirty coal. Good to know.

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirshland said Friday that while the U.S. team appreciates efforts aimed at sustainability, the federation would be supplying AC units for what is typically the largest contingent of athletes at the Summer Games.

“As you can imagine, this is a period of time in which consistency and predictability is critical for Team USA’s performance,” Hirshland said. “In our conversations with athletes, this was a very high priority and something that the athletes felt was a critical component in their performance capability.”

I wonder if anyone else will join the parade of Western nations telling the French to piss off with their paltry efforts at comfort?

And how amusing would it be if half or more of the competing nations decided to bring AC with them? Talk about increasing the carbon footprint, which brings up another point. Aren’t the Olympics, even without the BYO AC, just a massive waste of emissions we could probably do without?

I’ll let you decide, but if this helps, breaking (breakdancing) is now an official Olympic sport.

The post Paris CA (Climate Accord) Out the Window as Teams Bring AC (Air Conditioners) To Paris Olympics appeared first on Granite Grok.

The UN’s New York City Summit of Future, which will take place on Sept. 21st and 22nd, is meeting “to strengthen global governance for both present and future generations.” The ultimate goal of world government does not include our freedom or independence but rather the unlimited wealth and power of the UN, which promotes Chinese-style controls upon the state.

The purpose of this is to establish multi-lateral protocols that can be quickly activated throughout the globe to respond to “global shocks.” They want global decrees to automatically respond to a wide range of crises at the expense of national sovereignty. (Check out this planned Emergency Platform at: https://gojt.us/zn6i) Even though Biden will robotically wave it by with a kiss, remember, it must pass the Senate. These plans, if accepted, could make this July 4th the last day we celebrate independence.

We want to thank Russ Payne for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

Did you vote for such disloyalty to the U.S. Constitution that takes your tax dollars and spends them to act as a boomerang that targets your liberty? What can one person do? First, implore your Congressmen and Senators to support the Defund Act (H.R. 6645 & S. 3428). Then take advantage of this campaign season: ask incumbent congressmen and candidates to sign the UN Withdrawal pledge form. Get your copies at (https:got.us/iunwp).

President Ronald Reagan’s words point out our noble obligation: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was like in the United States where men were free.”

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With Independence Day almost here, proud Americans are gearing up to celebrate the birthday of the greatest nation in the world. There’ll be fireworks displays, parades, and family gatherings.

Many will take a moment to reflect on how it all started. Perhaps they’ll pause to think about our founding documents, the American Revolution, and the sacrifices made by those patriotic colonists who fought and died for our independence.

Independence Day is probably the most patriotic day of the year. But this is 2024, and not all Americans are proud.

Anti-American sentiment today runs the gamut from ambivalence to utter disdain. Many will join in the festivities without even knowing what they’re celebrating. Others, sadly enough, will sneer at the celebrations. Some believe that America is racist and xenophobic. Some condemn its capitalist system. Others see themselves as conditional patriots. They say they’re patriotic, but believe our country needs to be fundamentally transformed.

They use patriotism as nothing more than a tool to manipulate the masses, to push an agenda. They’ve used it to justify tax increases, telling us, “It’s time to be patriotic … time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut.” During the Covid-19 pandemic, they told us that getting vaccinated was “the most patriotic thing you can do.”

But patriotism has nothing to do with taxes or vaccinations. It’s something that seems to elude too many American citizens today. It’s simply a love of country. It means putting America first. It’s supposed to serve as a common bond uniting all citizens. And it’s one reason we’re so deeply divided.

People often forget that even during the American Revolution, not all the colonists supported the patriots and their efforts to break free from an increasingly oppressive government. Many, often for selfish reasons, remained loyal to the British Crown, and even took up arms against the patriots.

It’s a simple fact that America would not exist today, were it not for those visionaries who fought so hard and sacrificed so much to create our constitutional republic. After more than 200 years, the vast majority of Americans still treasure the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, and recognize that document as the supreme law of the land.

But in recent years, some politicians have come to believe that our Constitution is outdated, that the country has outgrown the values and ideals it represents. Consumed with the power entrusted to them, those politicians have forgotten that they all took a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution. They’ve forgotten its first three words: “We the people.” So they issue unilateral decrees and edicts that do nothing for the American people, but only benefit themselves and their allies. Untethered to the documents that created America and guided our country throughout its history, they create only havoc.

Havoc at our border, havoc in our streets, havoc in our schools, havoc on the world stage.

They also create 21st Century versions of patriots and loyalists.

Patriots have defended our Constitution throughout our history. They love our country and bear allegiance to the founding principles enshrined in that document. They only want greatness for America. Yet critics call them – those proud constitutionalists – a “threat to democracy.”

On the other side are the loyalists, deep state bureaucrats and misguided citizens willing to close their eyes to all the havoc and pledge their allegiance to a government that brazenly defies all constitutional restraints, a government that’s become increasingly oppressive and corrupt. With blind loyalty, they stand by that government and embrace whatever radical new agenda it introduces. Even if it includes things that would have horrified them just a few short years ago. Even if it leads to the disintegration of our republic. That is the folly of mindless loyalty to unprincipled politicians.

Two and a half centuries ago, Ben Franklin and the Founding Fathers created a new government. Asked to define it, Franklin said it’s “a republic,” but added these cautionary words: “If you can keep it.”

We should consider his warning this July 4th as we celebrate the birth of our nation. We should remember that there are internal and external forces that hate America. They give rise to a pervasive, ominous feeling that our constitutional republic is in serious jeopardy.

In this election, the platforms of the Republican and Democrat parties have been overshadowed. The real struggle will be between patriots – constitutionalists with an abiding love of country – and loyalists, faithful to the politicians who want to destroy it.

 

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Air travel has declined since COVID, and I can’t help but think this is just another progressive Rube-Goldbergian plan to get people to stop traveling. You make it too expensive or too much trouble or too expensive or inaccessible, or even dangerous.

They tried to jab all the pilots, Boeing went #woke, and planes broke. The Airlines have beenfalling in line on diversity quotas, so the Air Line Pilots Association International has decided that certain words are no longer appropriate for their members (while, ironically, the word ‘member’ is not prohibited).

“While the word ‘cockpit’ dates back to the 1900s, it has been and may be used in a derogatory way to exclude women in the piloting profession,” the guide explained, according to Breitbart. “Many women have heard a variation of ‘It is called a cockpit for a reason’ by a male pilot, suggesting that women do not belong in the piloting profession. The intent behind the use of the word is important. … While the word ‘cockpit’ dates back to the 1900s, it has been and may be used in a derogatory way to exclude women in the piloting profession. … Many women have heard a variation of ‘It is called a cockpit for a reason’ by a male pilot, suggesting that women do not belong in the piloting profession. The intent behind the use of the word is important.”

The word Cock, or (Old English) Cocc has a long history of referring to things male (and not in its current derogatory context), so I suppose there is room for consideration, especially if tradition or history is of no consequence but what the hell is this.

The APLA also dislikes using the terms “mother” and “father” because those “may inadvertently ignore different family structures,” such as “caregivers, same-sex parents, stepparents, families with adopted members, and more,” Breitbart noted.

I’ve known my fair share of biological men who were “mothers,” so I’m not inclined to agree. It is certainly not necessary for a pilots association to weigh in on the matter generally or amongst its “members.” People should feel free to call whatever it is whatever they like, and if they ask nicely, friends and family might be inclined to comply with the way people adopt someone’s preferred nickname out of courtesy.

And while corporations or incorporations bending to the cultural winds seems like a sensible thing to do, recent history has shown us that this trend is wholly incompatible with free speech and expression to the point of Obnoxious Orwellian principle. Those who do not speak outside the approved argot are the prevue or petty despots and aspiring tyrants. And pilots ought to be thinking about flying planes and the safety of passengers, not whether they are permitted to use the word cockpit to describe their office space.

After all, given that the criteria for hiring the people who build and maintain their aircraft are more focused on demographics than aptitude paying attention is more important than ever. We wouldn’t want Boeing or the ground crew accused of discrimination because its diverse hires caused a plane to crash that killed the diversity pilot who was trying to fly it from the thing up front where they operate the aircraft.

The post Boeing Went Woke and Planes Broke. Pilots Association Joins Them (Sort Of) appeared first on Granite Grok.

Louisiana has a new law that requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public classroom. In a recent post, the question is asked (and answered).

Hasn’t the US Supreme Court already ruled that this kind of thing is blatantly unconstitutional?

Of course, it has.

This might be more than a tad ironic because that very post bemoans that Supreme Court justices have strayed from the original understanding of various constitutional provisions. (It is unclear (to me) if the author believes the Constitution, properly interpreted, prohibits the Louisiana law.)

The Bill of Rights, which contains the First Amendment and the Establishment Clause, was originally understood to apply ONLY to the Federal government. It was originally understood to allow States to promote religion and, indeed, to favor one religion over other religions. The Establishment Clause was not applied by the Supreme Court to States until 1947, via a judicially invented doctrine called “incorporation.”

 

 

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THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY once supported treating patients suffering from mental illness by hammering a sharp instrument through the eye socket into the brain’s prefrontal cortex. The inventor of this crude surgery even received a Nobel Prize.

Despite severe complications of brain hemorrhage, disability and death — and lack of long-term evidence that the procedure was beneficial — the press touted the surgery as groundbreaking, fueling false hope for families of suffering loved ones.

Tens of thousands of lobotomies were performed in the U.S. before a critical analysis of complications and measured “success” led to its disrepute.

Similarly, as evidence mounts discrediting “gender-affirming” medical treatments for children with gender distress, it is perplexing that the medical community has not established guardrails to protect minors from irreversible surgeries that they may come to regret later in life.

We want to thank Dr. Aida Cerundolo for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

Enter HB 619.

HB 619 prohibits gender reassignment surgeries — such as the creation of an artificial penis or vagina — in patients under the age of 18 who do not otherwise have a disorder of sexual development.

It is natural for clinicians to want to alleviate a child’s gender distress since providing relief and comfort are instincts that feed compassionate medical care. However, evidence-based medicine is the most compassionate care there is. Evidence exposes whether or not treatments are beneficial, and current evidence does not support medicalization of gender-distressed children. In fact, research shows that patients may do worse after gender-affirming procedures, as some studies reveal that overall risk of suicidality increases significantly after these interventions.

In April, British pediatrician Hilary Cass released the largest systematic review of gender medicine research to date commissioned by the United Kingdom’s National Health Service. (Systematic reviews are the gold-standard analysis of evidence that guide best clinical practices.) The Cass Review found no way to know which children will maintain a lasting transgender identity and no reliable evidence that medical treatments help most children with gender distress.

Despite claims that hormones are “lifesaving,” evidence did not demonstrate that hormones reduce the risk of suicide in these children. The Cass Review’s conclusions match findings reached by experts in multiple other countries who have recommended pumping the brakes on “gender-affirming” treatments for children.

A minor in New Hampshire is considered to lack the mental capacity to enter into legal contracts because children are not cognitively mature and may not understand the terms. Likewise, HB 619 protects children from undergoing permanent surgeries on healthy body parts when they likely cannot comprehend the long-term consequences. We know that the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that determines personality and executive function, is underdeveloped until the mid-20s, limiting a child’s ability to make informed decisions. Children are not static but rather have an evolving personality and understanding of themselves, necessitating time and space to grow.

Good medicine isn’t political, yet politics has muddied the waters surrounding gender-distressed children. Opponents of HB 619 argue the legislation antagonizes the transgender community, but the reverse is true. Minors exploring their sexuality and gender are, first and foremost, children with the same cognitive limitations as all children, and they deserve the same protections.

Others point to prominent U.S. medical organizations that support youth medical transition as justification for this approach, but the U.S. has become an outlier among other countries that have shifted practice away from medicalization of gender-dysphoric youth after analyzing the evidence.

HB 619 has bipartisan support because the human instinct to protect children crosses party lines. Labeling children based on their temperament or sexual orientation doesn’t erase their vulnerabilities — all children need the same protections, and medicine must prioritize this responsibility.

Governor Chris Sununu can underscore the importance of protecting New Hampshire’s most vulnerable and precious resource — children — by signing HB 619.

Aida Cerundolo, M.D., is a physician living in Lebanon.

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George Washington once warned about the dangers of a two-party system. As I pondered whether to run, my choice seemed clear. Both sides seemed to have trampled on the Constitution, forgetting about the true meaning of Government: to PROTECT the people, not rule them or punish them for their political views or religious beliefs.

That said, I believe that the Republicans believe their past is their future. My proof, you say? Well, Kelly Ayotte and Chuck Morse, this is my proof.

Two years ago, I helped found the Constitution Party of NH. Since then, we have welcomed all Constitutional-minded individuals who are politically homeless due to broken promises from RNC to represent the people, this isn’t a side piece of course. The DNC causes most of the issues with progressives taking over, that is why I decided to run for Governor under the Constitution Party of NH. If you’re fed up regardless of your Party and believe in the Constitution, as the saying goes, our light is on it patriots. Edmond Laplante Chair of Constitution Party Candidate for Governor Laplante4constitutionalnh.com Reminder: Content about candidates or by candidates is not an endorsement by GraniteGrok.com or its authors.

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One of the few huge mistakes that Trump made was back in 2017 after the Las Vegas shooting at a music festival where 58 people died. He, with the ensuing caterwauling by the anti-Second Amendment folks, commanded the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) to find that bump stocks, by their mere existence, can turn anything into a machine gun.

And the ATF complied.

Bump stocks are the up-leveled use of a redneck arrangement using a rubber band (at its simplest) to allow a shooter to press a trigger faster than most people can do with a semi-automatic rifle. But they still only fired one round per trigger press. One. Only one.

No, it DIDN’T turn it into a fully automatic rifle where one trigger pull can fire multiple rounds at a time (yes, emptying the gazillion-round magazine that the Democrats believe we all have. And so, the lawsuits ensured (Steve covered the 5th Circuit’s slapping the ATF around back in 2018) and finally reached the SCOTUS level – which promptly continued the well-deserved slapping:

The news is in that the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, struck down the federal ban on bump stocks approved by President Donald Trump following the tragic Las Vegas shooting in 2017 that resulted in the deaths of 58 people. It was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Here’s what Fox News is reporting:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a bump stock does not transform a firearm into an automatic weapon, striking down a federal rule that banned bump stocks.

 In a 6-3 decision, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “Congress has long restricted access to “‘machinegun[s],’” a category of firearms defined by the ability to “shoot, automatically more than one shot . . . by a single function of the trigger.”

Get that last part – exactly what I said – multiple rounds with a single press of the trigger.  Or, in this case, the use of the word “function”.

It is needful that words be used precisely and in an exacting manner. They don’t care about anyone’s feelings, which is what the Left went into paroxysms over. To the Left, only intent matters and definitions exist only to be bent out of whack to suit their agenda, which, as we all know, is to eliminate every single civilian-owned gun so as to leave the Government with the Force to go all totalitarian.

Congress made the law defining what a machine gun is, and what SCOTUS did was to defer its reasoning to what Congress wrote – and ONLY what Congress wrote. What the Left and the ATF tried to do (again, with Trump trying to make political points) is “gunwash” that definition to be whatever they wanted. But that wouldn’t be precise, and it wouldn’t follow the law. Congress could have written the law stating, “a machinegun is whatever can fire 100s of rounds per minute without specifying the function/mechanism. But they didn’t. Instead, they described it by using the functional operation rather than the result.

But we, the People of the Gun, have known that for decades – Clarence Thomas made it quite plain and clear:

“Semi-automatic firearms, which require shooters to reengage the trigger for every shot, are not machine guns,” Justice Thomas wrote. “This case asks whether a bump stock—an accessory for a semi-automatic rifle that allows the shooter to rapidly reengage the trigger (and therefore achieve a high rate of fire)—converts the rifle into a ‘machine gun.’ We hold that it does not.

“A bump stock does not convert a semi-automatic rifle into a machine gun any more than a shooter with a lightning-fast trigger finger does.”

We hold that a semi-automatic rifle equipped with a bump stock is not a ‘machine gun’ because it cannot fire more than one shot ‘by a single function of the trigger.’ And, even if it could, it would not do so ‘automatically. ATF therefore exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a Rule that classifies bump stocks as machineguns.

“Exceeded its statutory authority” – 26 U. S. C. §5845(b). Funny how that is going to be seen over and over during this series. And yet, the ATF will put a microscope on those they go after, even for extremely small legal or regulatory violations by FFL or gun owners – all the while, they ignore their own law that regulates them.  Hypocrisy is thy name (even if ordered by their boss).

And once again, an Executive Branch agency gets spanked properly for not following the Law themselves and committing a rather gross level of overreach of their delegated Power (and, by proxy, Trump, their boss). It was no different than School Boards trying to force people into their demanded speech when it comes to Transgender Pronouns and forcing their staff to lie to parents (yes, my favorite bugaboo still).

If the anti-gunners want to make bump stocks illegal, they can certainly do so. All that is required is that legislation doing so be written, submitted to the House and Senate, voted upon and passed, signed by the President, and not found to be unconstitutional from the resulting lawsuits. Thus far, such legislation hasn’t been submitted, voted upon, and signed.

When it came down to it, this case wasn’t about guns, the Second Amendment, feelings, or even the deadly destruction by an evil man. This whole case concerned itself with the actual black letter law that Congress wrote versus what a mere agency declared it to be from their point of view. SCOTUS ruled, “You can’t do that.”

As it should be. Yet another ding in the Chevron Doctrine that states that the judiciary needs to defer to agencies that decide to “interpret” laws anyway they want to.

I’m glad to see that the Law decides that.

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Maybe, just maybe, people want to leave politics behind when they visit an iconic National Park like Yosemite. Maybe, just maybe, they do not want wonders like El Capitan used as political props. Not Woke Communists like Alissandra Murray, though. For the Woke Communists, politics is everything.

And so … not surprising in the least … here is Alissandra Murray amplifying the desecration of El Capitan.

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You are URGED to contact the Executive Councilors and urge them to vote AGAINST #52–funding for MTSS-B.

Cinde.Warmington@nh.gov, Ted.Gatsas@nh.gov, David.K.Wheeler@nh.gov, Janet.L.Stevens@nh.gov, Joseph.D.Kenney@nh.gov

#52 Authorize to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Hampshire Department of Education, Concord, NH, in the amount of $562,000, to support New Hampshire school districts with exploring the feasibility of, or expanding a previously implemented Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health and Wellness and/or Pyramid Model Framework.  Effective July 1, 2024, upon G&C approval through June 30, 2026, with the option to renew for up to four additional years.  100% Other Funds (Governor’s Commission) Download 

Dear Executive Counselors:
I am writing to you regarding #52 and the request to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Hampshire Department of Education to support New Hampshire school districts in exploring the feasibility of or expanding a previously implemented Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavioral Health and Wellness and/or Pyramid Model Framework.

I urge you to REJECT this request for funding based on several reasons I will explain below.

The MTSS-B funding requires reporting to the federal government by various contractors. These contractors have been Plymouth State, Antioch University, and now Keene State BHII. The reports prepared are supposed to show how well the MTSS-B framework is working in our public schools. This report looks more like a marketing brochure than any in-depth independent study that’s been peer-reviewed. In addition, I’ve found numerous problems that have erupted since this framework has been implemented in schools across New Hampshire.

1) Lack of Ethical Practices
If you click on this link to Keene State BHII, you will see that under “school mental health,” it says, “Install and evaluate a Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health & Wellness.”  MTSS-B crosses over to mental health assessments and services that are now provided in our public schools. There is a lack of ethical guidelines in place, which I believe has led some schools to ignore consent laws that are in place.

School Counselors do have a Code of Ethics that they must follow. However, school counselors have reported that they were required to share private and sensitive mental health data with Keene State BHII. This was done without the knowledge or consent by parents or students in some of our New Hampshire Schools. (Please see attached School Counselors Code of Ethics under Confidentiality)

2) Violations of Constitutional Right to Privacy
Not only is this unethical, violates the School Counselor’s Code of Ethics, but this action violates a student’s Constitutional Right to Privacy. [Art.] 2-b. [Right of Privacy.] An individual’s right to live free from governmental intrusion in private or personal information is natural, essential, and inherent.

December 5, 2018

3) Violation of Federal Law Every Student Succeeds Act
MTSS-B includes a 3 tiered system of support. The first level involves Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). SEL programs and assessments are now used in the classroom by teachers who are not qualified to assess or administer mental health services to students. School Counselors and Social Workers are also participating in this treatment in the schools but lack the necessary qualifications and education.
I have filed numerous complaints with the New Hampshire Department of Education when schools have administered these assessments and treatments in the schools without parental consent.

ESSA Section 4002 General Protections requires consent by parents or guardians when administering mental health assessments or services in school.

One of New Hampshire’s physicians wrote about how schools are now preparing psychological profiles on students through the SEL assessments here. This is done without informed consent by parents.

4) More evidence Social Workers are violating Federal Law
Superintendents are not mental health professionals, so they do not always understand or know what laws or ethical codes that need to be followed. We’ve turned our public schools into mental health clinics run by education professionals instead of utilizing these resources in an actual mental health clinic where laws are respected, and ethical treatment for children is held in the highest regard.

Executive Director Lynn Stanley, from the New Hampshire Chapter National Association of Social Workers, testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee on SB 573. SB573, as introduced, would have required parental consent for any medical or mental health care. This would have essentially required what ESSA already requires when it comes to consent for mental health services in our schools.

During Ms. Stanley’s testimony she indicated that if this consent law were to pass, it would have a “chilling effect” on school social workers. You can listen to her testimony at the 9:02:00 mark here. I found this testimony to be extremely disturbing since school social workers should be abiding by the federal consent provision in ESSA. This indicated to me that this national organization is either unfamiliar with federal law, or they are freely violating federal consent laws in our public schools.

5) Manipulation of Parental Consent Forms by School Counselors in New Hampshire Schools
I urge you to watch this 20-minute video from a Zoom meeting where Data Analysts from Keene State BHII were present, along with an employee from the New Hampshire Department of Education and several LEAs in our local public schools. You can see at the 20 minute mark, Heather Garcia from Hillsboro-Deering School district, admitted that they changed the consent form so that it does not reflect mental health treatment. This lack of respect for parental rights, and ethical treatment of our children, should cause us all to put a stop to this program in our public schools.

6) SEL programs shift focus to Political Agendas
Transformative SEL moves SEL programs to a political focus.
The Trouble with Social and Emotional Learning 
Second Step SEL program used in some NH schools : Anti-Racism Anti-Bias Resources
Equity Based Social and Emotional Learning

Now that you know that the administrators of this program in our public schools are violating their students’ rights to privacy, and laws that were put in place to protect them, it is critical that any funding for MTSS-B be rejected.  The Senate Health and Human Services Committee rejected additional funding for MTSS-B based on the problems that have been exposed.

Until there is substantial evidence that the people working in our schools, or servicing these federal grants are abiding by ethical guidelines and federal laws, this program needs to be stopped immediately. No funding should be granted without a serious overhaul of the MTSS-B program in our schools. Parents need to know that their child’s mental health information is confidential, will not be shared with anyone, and that they will be fully informed and consent to these practices in our schools.

I urge you to oppose approval of #52 at the June 26th Executive Council meeting.

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I concede that America is divided on most issues, but there are some situations where you have to shake your head and question the rationale of the Left. Massachusetts is one of the most liberal states in America, but I would like to have someone from the Bay State justify the ad campaign announced this week that attacks Pro-Life Pregnancy centers with your tax dollars.

This week, the office of Governor Healey announced a “first-in-the-nation public education campaign highlighting the dangers and potential harm of anti-abortion centers, also called ‘crisis pregnancy centers.'” The quick of this is that the state of Massachusetts has spent one million tax dollars to attack clinics where women go to get treatment for their pregnancies and to save their unborn fetuses. Have we become so enamored with killing the unborn that we have to attack women who want to give birth and the clinics that provide them aid? This initiative is sick, and there is no justification.

The ad claims how unsafe these pregnancy clinics are and how safe abortion clinics are in comparison. I am not sure the fetus feels very secure in a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic where they will be cut into pieces and sucked out of their mother’s body with a vacuum cleaner. The ad also claims that since pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) do not commit abortions, they deny women “comprehensive” health care. It also accuses pro-life women’s centers of employing “untrained staff” and spreading “misinformation about abortion.” The alternative name of these PRCs is anti-abortion centers. Maybe the most significant issue here is these PRCs and the births they help happen are bad for business for Planned Parenthood.

This twisted logic by Planned Parenthood and the government is as convoluted as the name itself and the services it offers. Pro-choice advocates live to increase aborted pregnancies, but they use code words to soften their message. Planned Parenthood has nothing to do with parenthood but in preventing parenthood and families. Reproductive care has nothing to do with reproduction but termination. MSNBC published an op-ed on Father’s Day saluting the brave men who supported their partners in ending unwanted pregnancies. That is not insulting but gross, and the possibility this is the thought process of all Pro-Choice individuals makes them dirty.

The state-sponsored assault on pro-life centers gladdened several Democratic politicians, who spoke at its launch. “These are con artists posing as health care professionals,” insisted the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.). “These clinics present a public health risk,” asserted Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.). Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) hoped “pregnant people” would learn about “the dangers of anti-abortion centers that mislead and misinform patients, collect and share their most sensitive health data, and dissuade them from making the medical decisions that are right for them.”

Markey’s words were most disconcerting. ‘Dissuade them from making the medical decisions that are right for them’ insinuates that abortion is the only ‘right’ solution for pregnancy. I hope that pro-life groups will find a way to sue the state of Massachusetts for wasting a million taxpayer dollars and producing this offensive and misleading ad campaign.

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