Wednesday • November 27 • 2024
Vol.XVI • No.XLVIII
Manchester, N.H.
ow can Donald J. Trump electrify the campaign trail, turbocharge his re-election prospects, and nauseate the Democrat Left? Stage MAGA rallies in the hood.
Atop his usual Republican-leaning venues, the former president should hold his signature mass meetings in the black neighborhoods of such swing-state cites as Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Richmond. Trump should capitalize on one of Election 2024’s most intriguing trends: The 45th president’s rising popularity among black voters.
The Fulton County, Georgia, mug shot that made Leftists salivate backfired. The GOP base circled its wagons more tightly around Trump. Added advantage: This police-involved photo shoot gave Trump street cred as a victim of The Man. (RELATED: JOSH HAMMER: Hunter’s Gun Charge Is A Big Problem For The Biden Crime Family)
New York Post’s Jon Levine recently showcased pro-Trump rappers. Chief Keef told his 8.8 million Instagram followers, “He good in da hood.” Badman Kevo, who boasts two Trump tattoos, complained: “Biden…actually got me paying a lot of taxes.” Buffalo’s Benny the Butcher declared via X: “I’m votin Trump 2024.”
Black attitudes towards Trump are warming far beyond the recording studios. Edison Research’s exit polls gave Trump 8% of the black vote in 2016 and 12% in 2020, including 19% of black men. Reuters/Ipsos discovered in July that 18% of blacks favor Trump versus 46% for President Joe Biden. A late August Economist/YouGov study pegged Trump at 20% among black registered voters compared to 62% for Biden.
Fox News on Thursday spotted Trump at 21% and Biden at 69% — down from 87% at the last election, per Edison. These combined figures put Trump 9% ahead of and Biden 18% behind their final 2020 results.
Trump should ask in person for the votes of this increasingly receptive audience. He also should discuss his overall record and how it specifically helped black Americans. He should remind black voters about the broad economic boom that the Trump/GOP Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and deregulation unleashed, before COVID-19 wrecked everything.
TCJA included Sen. Tim Scott’s Opportunity Zone initiative. The South Carolina Republican’s measure has lured at least $48 billion in private capital into 8,764 low-income Census tracts whose populations are 57% minority.
Trump arranged a steady stream of taxpayer support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He extended Pell Grants to summer school students. HBCU presidents begged Obama-Biden for this small reform and got nowhere. Trump delivered.
Trump reauthorized and funded the Washington, D.C., school voucher program. Obama-Biden struggled to kill it.
Trump signed the First Step Act, which has granted second chances to 23,158 mainly black non-violent prisoners. After going home, 12% have reoffended, far below the general prison population’s 45% recidivism rate.
Trump should promise a vigorous economic renaissance, robust school-choice options, and a muscular fight against crime — to protect its disproportionately black victims.
Rallying black voters also will endear Trump to other minorities and even “nervous whites.” They will see for themselves how the regime media shamelessly lie about Trump’s “white nationalism.”
Democrat officials will have seizures. They consider blacks their political property and take them for granted — save for their condescending, quadrennial battle cry: “GOP = KKK!”
This might explain why black turnout trailed national participation in 2020 and 2022. If Trump can attract 20% to 25% of disillusioned black voters in November 2024, Democrats will be cooked like Thanksgiving turkeys.
If Trump stumps in the ’hood, Leftists who call him “Racist!” will beclown themselves. If Trump disables the Democrats’ relentlessly overplayed race card, he will cripple them.
Trump’s inner-city rallies would find black and white Trump fans shouting in harmony: “Make America Great Again!” CNN and MSNBC anchors would hurl on cue. Who cares?
What a perfect rejection of the Critical Race Theorists, who hate seeing black and white patriots happily disproving “systemic racism.” And what an affirmative reply to Rodney King’s eternal question: “Can we all get along?”
Trump should ask black voters a question that will crystallize their sense of betrayal at the hands of their morally bankrupt “benefactors.”
“What the hell have the Democrats done for you lately?”
Deroy Murdock is a Manhattan-based Fox News Contributor.
Deroy Murdock | Daily Caller News Service
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The post Trump In The ‘Hood’: Former President Should Rally In Black Precincts appeared first on Granite Grok.
Mark Robinson is the current Lt. Governor of North Carolina. He is the first black man to hold the role, but he deserves a shot at much higher office (rumor has it he might be on Trump’s shortlist for VP, but that is not confirmed). All I can say is, wow!
Related: Remember Mark Robinson Who Scolded a School Board. Now’s He’s Scolding Others Over Voter ID
According to his bio, he is the 9th of ten children with an abusive alcoholic father and a strong Christian mother. After watching him speak, I was willing to bet he had some background as a preacher, but I didn’t find any. He worked in furniture manufacturing, mostly, before landing in the world of politics, and he appears to me to be very good at that. Politics. The talking it up part, at least.
Robinson comes off as very pro-America and pro-American. He supports a strong US military free from the race and gender BS, and he’s got some suggestions about Biden’s open borders and what he’d do if he were the governor of Texas (looks like he may have listened).
Good read meat for Republicans and Conservatives.
Jump to 9 min. 30 sec. to start and watch through 25:03.
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The post Need a Little Lift? Here’s Some Red Meat American Patriotism to Start Your Morning appeared first on Granite Grok.
I want to thank all those who came out and voted in the Rockingham County District 1 special election on September 19th. This whole journey started in June when I decided to run for the seat that Ben Bartlett had to step down from due to health-related issues. Ben stuck it out as long as he could but felt he couldn’t perform the duties he was elected to do.
I commend him for being a person of integrity and doing what he felt was right. If he hadn’t stepped down, I would not have had the privilege of running for this seat.
This campaign allowed me the opportunity to meet so many really awesome people. The communities of Northwood and Nottingham are similar in many ways. But the greatest resource of this community is the people! I met some many beautiful folk that I was truly blessed beyond measure. I could go on and tell many stories of my encounters, but for now will savor them in my heart.
I want to thank all those who invested their time and talents in this campaign. I want to especially thank all the state representatives who came out and knocked on doors along with making phone calls. This was truly a team effort, and I, for that, will be forever grateful.
I will continue to serve my community as a selectman and the fire department chaplain. That role was never going to change. Although the election results didn’t turn out as I and many others had hoped for. I am eternally blessed for the experience of running in this special election and meeting so many great people.
The post I Want To Thank All Those Who Invested Their Time and Talents in This Campaign appeared first on Granite Grok.
It was inevitable that the philosophy of no grades in schools would find its way into business and government. After all, that is the purpose of indoctrination instead of education. It is not to educate our children and prepare them for productive lives but to adjust their mindset to accept the new America, the one that the Left promised to transform.
They are delivering on their promise, and what we have is a generation weaker, less educated, and most importantly, more malleable than any generation in our young history.
Two leaders in our past told us the truth. A young Ben Franklin answered a question during the closing days of the Constitutional Convention. On September 18, 1787, “A lady asked Dr. Franklin, Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy – A republic replied the Doctor if you can keep it.”
Former President Obama, on October 30, 2008, just before the presidential election, told a crowd in Columbia, Missouri, “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” Many thought Obama was referring to a man of color becoming President, but we now know he wanted to break down America and rebuild it as a Socialist entity.
The indoctrination of America that started over 100 years ago is complete. From kindergarten through college, the Left has succeeded in making the purpose of our education system the transformation of our young people who are now poised to become leaders in our country.
That is a long preface to get to a “profound” point. The John Fetterman affair has disheartened me since his unfortunate stroke. It is sad when anyone experiences a life-threatening event, but sadder when someone recovering from a severe stroke is pushed to continue his campaign for a Senate seat. I am still naive enough to think the Senate is a body of 100 of America’s best and brightest. John Fetterman has destroyed that myth, and now Chuck Schumer is breaking the traditional dress code on the Senate floor for Senators, not for staff.
Schumer has instructed the Sargeant at Arms to no longer enforce the Senate dress code of suits for men and business attire for women. To accommodate John Fetterman’s love of shorts and hoodies. He can now grace the Senate floor in his favorite sweat-shorts and bulky hoodie.
The rules are changed for the 1 of 100. The minority has spoken.
I do not think a person necessarily performs better in a suit than a hoodie, but the Senate is looked up to by more than Americans. The world looks at our Senate as representative of our best, and then seeing John Fetterman struggling to parse a sentence together wearing a hoodie with ketchup stains down the front is not symbolic of America we should all aspire to. John Fetterman is a non-functioning member of the Senate, and now he looks his part.
He is a manipulated con man blocking his seat from a legitimate Senator for the Keystone State, and the Majority Leader just became complicit. Fortunately, changes like this are not law or cast in stone, so we can right these wrongs when the adults regain the room.
The post The US Senate Keeps Lowering Its Standards appeared first on Granite Grok.
In 1957, J. Edgar Hoover, FBI Director, warned: “The American mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst.” Hoover went on further stating that this ignorance of evil “would handicap an individual coming face to face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists.”
Patriots should pressure their Senators and Representatives to help Speaker McCarthy keep his promise to shine a congressional searchlight on the Chinese-linked biolab called Prestige Biotech. Speaker McCarthy has a laboratory in his own backyard where mice are “genetically engineered” to catch and carry the COVID-19 virus.
This accidental exposure found during a code inspection was a red flag, causing the city fire department to declare the lab a hazard to the community, a possible source of explosion, and other health threats. According to the 9/11 issue, the “emergency specialists of truth” at thenewamerican.com:
The Fresno County Department of Health reported finding thousands of gallons of biological fluids and samples of at least 20 pathogens such as HIV, malaria, SARS, and E. coli.” Health Department Director David Luchini told the Mid-Valley Times that in his 30 years experience,” he had never seen anything like the medical violations his department uncovered… among countless blood, tissue, and bodily fluid samples, investigators also found thousands of vials containing unlabeled fluid.”
The fact that mice are genetically engineered to catch and carry the COVID virus right in the Speaker of the House’s home district is dangerous. And the China connection makes it more serious. But even worse is that the power of “we the people” to limit government to the Constitution remains only an asset to the Deep State because Americans do not know the law of the land that needs citizen enforcement.
This is evident by the kind of leaders we continue to put in office. There are no shortcuts. The American people must, in the majority, learn how the Founders intended the Constitution to limit government abuse of power. For more info about the Constitution in The Solution seminars now presented throughout New England, please contact John Birch Coordinator Matt Rhodes at mrhodes@jbs.org or at 207-391-0970.
The post The Deep States Greatest Asset appeared first on Granite Grok.
The headline is a quote from a piece at Brownstone. It is a lengthy thing that documents at least 40 incidences of elites ignoring their own mask, lockdown, or distancing mandates. It is a handy reference worth your attention, but as the title tells you, that’s not what I’m going to talk about.
The Transgender agenda is a thing with no foundation, no rules, no guardrails. becasue it can’t have any. And yet it does. LGBTQIA+- or BIPOC people are victims unless they vote the wrong way or use incorrect words. At that point, you can mistreat them at will. So it’s not about sex or gender. It is like every other group to which the Left panders. Politics and ideology define you.
Outside of that truth, everything else is made of quicks that swallow everything, but can it swallow this? “If a person’s genitals do not determine their gender, how does removing them change their gender?”
Why do men who say they are women dress as the caricatures women have sought to liberate themselves for decades? And why isn’t this parody scorned like blackface or cultural appropriation?
Why do these men play-acting as women act like the Hollywood stereo-typical bubble-headed bleach blonde?
Why does this subculture advocate giving children gender-bending drugs that can kill them under the guise of keeping them from killing themselves when nearly half the kids treated (far more than if you left them alone) will try to kill themselves when you’re done?
And if genitals do not determine gender, how does removing or adding them change their gender? Deliberately trying to match a person’s body parts to their mental state directly contradicts the idea that gender is fluid.
Genital mutilation surgery is anything but fluid, which might explain why so many of the kids brainwashed into castrating themselves as a solution to another problem the left created, try to end their lives – which, as we’ve long suggested, is the goal. The Progressives have concocted a way to make castration – long considered a suitable social engineering tool, protected. And if they end up dead, that advances the depopulation agenda too.
The post “If a Person’s Genitals Do Not Determine Their Gender, How Does Removing Them Change Their Gender?” appeared first on Granite Grok.
And yet more evidence that America is a Police State … the Biden-Regime is throwing grandmothers in jail for the crime of opposing abortion. And the people on the Right who are saying, “this should concern you even if you support abortion” just don’t get it. The Left does NOT support free speech. They believe that opposing viewpoints should be censored, criminalized.
I don’t hear too many GOP “leaders” talking about this. Presumably because they’re afraid of losing the suburban moms in Bedford. And, at least in New Hampshire, these “leaders” want us to focus on the important issues … like protecting Facebook and Google from regulation so they can continue to interfere in elections, and help the Deep State spy on us and censor us.
BREAKING: Pro life activists Jean Marshall (73) and Joan Bell (74) were just convicted for blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic and now face 11 years in prison.
It's good to see the Biden DOJ removing these hardened criminals from our streets. pic.twitter.com/W4Pysg2xoy
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 18, 2023
The post The Police State of America (Part __) … The Biden-Regime Criminalizes Opposition To Abortion appeared first on Granite Grok.
Brad Jardis
I was sent this guest blog from former NH cop Brad Jardis, to share with you:Greetings all!
For those of you who don’t know me, I used to be a blogger here. I ended up being a blogger after meeting Ian Freeman at a hearing to legalize Marijuana back in 2007/8 when I was working in law enforcement. I was a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition at the time and was just beginning to convert to libertarianism. Through the grace of many episodes of Free Talk Live was my mind unwound – and I became a libertarian. I left law enforcement in 2010 after working there for 11-years.
I’m here guest blogging today to talk about the 2nd Amendment. Specifically, the restrictions placed on individuals who have had mental health services and became ineligible to exercise their 2A rights.
Did you know that according to the CDC in 2020 20.3% of adults received mental health treatment in the past 12 months. A much smaller percentage of that number suffered an acute crisis which requires court proceedings and longer-term treatment.
In 2016, the latter was me.
I unfortunately got really sick in 2016 and needed hospitalization. I was hospitalized in total for 8-months at the New Hampshire State Hospital in Concord. It was a difficult stay, but the staff there was awesome. They really care about the people in their care.
My stay at the Hospital was not voluntary. I was required to be there. Because of this I lost my federal firearm rights under 18 USC 922 (g) (4).
It has now been 7-years since I was very ill and through on-going therapeutic treatment I’m pleased to report I’ve been symptom free since 2017.
I would like to petition and present evidence of my good health to get my federal firearm rights back, but I cannot. New Hampshire is one of 17 states that do not have ATF certified programs for rights restoration. Even where I live right now, one of the most firearm restrictive states in the nation, Massachusetts, allows people who have recovered from mental illness to regain their gun rights.
The People of the United States have spoken, through their representatives, that people who have recovered from mental health struggles should be afforded due process to regain their rights. This exercise of due process to regain a federal right needs to be through a state program ran by a court, board, etc. In New Hampshire there is no program. If you lose your federal firearm rights in New Hampshire… you cannot get them back.
Enter the Good People of Pelham, NH through their Representative Tom Mannion (R). Rep. Mannion is a huge 2nd Amendment supporter and has introduced LSR 2024-2556: an Act relative to the federal relief from disabilities program. This law would establish that the New Hampshire Probate Court will be responsible for holding hearings for the restoration of federal firearm rights. This law, after enactment, will require ATF review to ensure that the requirements of the United States Attorney General are met.
Rep. Mannion’s bill is about fairness and due process. The State of New Hampshire will have every right to object and present its own evidence to counter an individual who wishes to regain their rights.
Fairness and due-process to exercise a constitutional right. That’s what it’s all about!
Are you an individual who is barred from firearm ownership because of mental health treatment in New Hampshire? Please e-mail me at bbrad121@gmail.com. There is strength in numbers!
I want everyone to take a look at this email from Citizens Alliance NH, a group I am not very familiar with, but I did respond to them as a rep candidate last year.
This message could easily get very long as I could refute the ratings of lots of reps, particularly many well-known ones who have earned their reputations, good or bad. This group has red-starred a lot of good reps that I support. I’m sure you will see for yourself as you spot-check a few.
I’m glad that the author of this report had enough common sense to red-star ALL the Nashua reps, particularly the Newmans and their ilk in Hollis. However, they gave green stars to some very unworthy RINOs!
Ted Gorski voted YES on HB 1342 last year. He and former Rep Wuelper seem to like the idea of uncapping Nashua and voted with the enemy camp. Thank God Wuelper is no longer in office, but Gorski sadly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. They’re the kind of people that Ward 4 (home to the disgraced SM Laughton and no-show serial swamp rat David Cote) would vote for. Green stars were also given to several Belknap treasonist members of the famous “Lang Gang” of Gunstock. (see other GG articles)
And about Lang, let’s talk about how they reviewed the Senate. First and foremost, the WHOLE Senate deserves a reprimand for voting YES on Mass Health unanimously, and one should never forget that. At least my senator responded to my complaint with a defense argument about uncompensated care being a “hidden tax.”
While I appreciate his honesty and decision to not ignore me, I still do NOT support that vote.
And Tim Lang wrote an editorial about a “conservative vote for it.” 23 out of 24 Senators got red-starred. While I agree that some Republicans have gone wayward, two examples being Denise voting YES on Twitley’s welfare school lunch and database surveillance and Sharon’s union sympathizing, I don’t think all of them necessarily deserve red stars. And Sharon makes up for that union sympathizing elsewhere, particularly in her support for SB 203. And the one and only yellow star (a mediocre rating)? You guessed, Senator Murphy.
I happen to like Senator Murphy, but how did he do marginally better than his 23 peers? Was it just because he voted for pot? I’d like to know. Asking for ALL of NH.
Share your thoughts about this group and this survey report in the comments.
The post Is Your Lawmaker in Good Standing? appeared first on Granite Grok.
According to the NHGOP’s “leaders,” Republicans lost a winnable special election for the House because of Trump, but the GOP candidate for Mayor in Manchester … despite getting only a little more than 40 percent of the vote … was a winner. I’m not joking! This is their takeaway from Tuesday’s (September 19) elections. The proper takeaway … which I have been consistently posting … is that New Hampshire has been BLUE Hampshire for some time and Sun-King Sununu’s legacy is that New Hampshire has gotten much BLUER under his watch thanks to his embrace of WOKE and COVID totalitarianism.
So here are the NHGOP “leaders” reacting to the House special election … essentially GOP PRIMARY VOTERS ARE STUPID:
For some context, my understanding is that the Osborne-Regime has lost four special elections in a row. The NHGOP, under the Osborne-Regime, also LOST House seats in the 2022 midterms. The problem, according to the Mikey-Graham-RINO-Republican-types, is that GOP primary voters are just too stupid to realize that Trump is toxic and that they must embrace “Republicans” like Sun-King Chris Sununu who reject Trump.
Sun-King Sununu won repeatedly because his non-Republican embrace of WOKE and his non-Republican COVID-authoritarianism reflects what most voters in New Hampshire want. Stated more succinctly, New Hampshire is BLUE Hampshire and real Republicans are unelectable. You can denounce Trump all day long … but if you hold real Republican positions, you are still going to lose.
The “victory” in Manchester for the GOP candidate was NOT a victory. The three Democrats (Communists would be a far more accurate description) running for Mayor combined for nearly 60 percent of the vote. That is a LANDSLIDE victory for the Democrats … but, of course, NHGOP grifters like Ross Berry and Mikey Graham are trying to sell it as a victory. And if you believe that those Democrat-votes are going to Ruais in the general … you probably also believe that “masks work,” that Mikey Graham is an independent journalist and that Ross Berry is a political-mastermind.
The post BLUE Tuesday … Democrats Crush Republicans In Manchester … Because Trump? appeared first on Granite Grok.
As promised in Monday Memes, I have an overflow. My meme cup runneth over. And yes there will be a Friday edition too.
Let the mayhem, mockery, and ridicule resume:
*** Warning, a few possibly off-color ones, in case tender eyes are about ***
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Palate cleansers:
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There are two themes that President Joe Biden has harped on as long as he has been in office. One is people paying their fair share of taxes, and the other is stricter gun laws. So what happens when the President’s son violates laws highlighting his disdain for both of Biden’s crusades? You hire high-priced attorneys who attempt to shoot holes in the Constitutionality of the rules your Father, the President, wants every American to live by. That may be the best example of hypocrisy in history. But we are talking about the Bidens, so should we expect anything different? Absolutely not.
Special Counsel Weiss indicted Hunter Biden last week on three gun charges. These charges primarily involve Hunter lying on his background applications to purchase a pistol. The charges claim he misrepresented his drug addiction, which nullified his right to own a firearm. There is visual evidence that Hunter possessed two guns, a revolver and a semi-automatic, but there is only proof of him applying for one. So much for details. Hunter’s legal team is trying to prove the unconstitutionality of drug addicts denied gun ownership. Somehow, that doesn’t align with Joe’s strict gun laws. No hypocrisy there, is there?
The other situation in which Weiss may file more charges and indictments is Hunter not paying taxes for millions of dollars of income over two years. Some violations have passed the statute of limitations, but some are still active. How ironic that the son of the President, who says the rich need to pay their fair share, has a deadbeat son who pays nothing on money earned illegally by shaking down foreign governments and companies. This is not the plot of a Tom Clancy book, but real life for the Bidens.
Hunter Biden thought he had beaten all these charges a few weeks ago, but that plea bargain agreement blew up when the Biden team got too greedy. Weiss was involved in the agreement, which would have given Hunter immunity from future charges. A Federal judge smelled out this rotten deal and killed it. Her actions also exposed Weiss as being soft on Hunter. He is now trying to save his reputation with multiple charges on Hunter. This could not happen at a worse time for Joe, as these cases will all be scheduled during the 2024 campaign. The networks must cover the case they have worked hard to keep under wraps.
The Hunter Biden situation puts Joe in a difficult position in many ways. If Hunter gets sweetheart or preferential treatment, the Republicans will use it during the campaign. If convicted, Joe must decide if he wants to pardon his son. He may pardon Hunter and retire if he has to go this route. This will be the only way to negate the Republican criticism and assuage the Democrats who want someone else on the ticket. Every Democrat and the Media had been supporting and defending Joe and Kamala. That changed dramatically this week, and the pressure now seems to be to force Joe to the sidelines. They now see what we have all seen for three years. Joe is not fit to serve four more years. He is not fit to serve four more days, but one step at a time.
The post Hunter The Hypocritical Son appeared first on Granite Grok.
As prior installments of this series have shown, state and national standardized test scores in New Hampshire and Vermont don’t appear to support the current narrative that the COVID pandemic shutdown caused children to suffer “learning loss.” Instead, the data revealed two things: First, that the test scores have been dismal for more than two decades, and second, they were in decline well in advance of the pandemic shutdown.
As elementary schools are tasked with teaching children how to read, we’ve looked at several in our region to assess both their scores and how they teach reading. Our reports on the Croydon Village School and Killington Elementary School reveal that there’s little, if any, evidence of “pandemic learning loss.” Remember, it was statements made by Croydon Principal Nicole Lackey, who faulted the pandemic shutdown for poor test scores while also admitting schools didn’t know how to teach reading, that inspired this series.
We now look at Washington Elementary School in Washington, NH. Here, we see a similar pattern but also something different.
WES is a K-5 school with multi-grade classes for K-1, 2-3, and 4-5, balanced each year according to the numbers. They typically have 50 students, with enrollment ranging from 40 to 56 in recent years. They have three full-time teachers, one full-time special educator, and three full-time paraprofessionals, with some focusing on special education.
Kelli Colarusso has been the teaching principal of Washington Elementary School (WES) for three years. Before that, she served as the school’s associate principal for one year. As a teaching principal, Colarusso taught math and science to the upper grades. Last year, she switched to teaching physical education and music. Prior to being in the administration, she taught all subjects to grades 4 and 5.
Though Washington’s scores on the NH Student Assessment System (NHSAS) test declined dramatically from 2017 to 2018 and showed continued decline in 2019, it appears the decline accelerated following the pandemic shutdown (see chart below). The scores improved from 2021 to 2022. School scores for 2023 are not yet available.
Colarusso said she’s not really sure how to explain the drop in scores. She also said that the NHSAS is not the only measure they use to determine a student’s reading ability.
WES uses a data-driven approach to make instructional decisions that focus on the growth of individual students, which small schools have the luxury of doing. They use the iReady diagnostic test 3 times a year to track student progress. Younger grades use Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS), which measures phonics ability.
Colarusso and two other teachers have been taking the NH Department of Education LETRS training — Language Essentials for Teaching Reading and Spelling. LETRS helps teachers understand the science of reading in order to help them teach better. LETRS has made the WES teachers rethink how they teach reading and has driven some of their curriculum decisions.
The “science of reading” is based on decades of research about how students become proficient in reading and writing and why some of them have difficulty. Using brain scans and eye-tracking technology, they found that good readers process virtually every letter in every word as they read. Some children catch on quickly, but some need to be taught how to do it. Learning to read is not as natural as learning to talk. The science of reading research is summarized in an engaging podcast series called “Sold a Story,” produced by Emily Hanford, an investigative education journalist at American Public Media.
Historically, WES used Treasures (K-3) and Reading Street Common Core (4-5). Before they started the LETRS training, they had already felt those were not providing what their students needed. They have been using FUNdations for phonics at the K/1 level for as long as Colarusso can remember. This past year, the school added FUNdations instruction to grades 2 and 3. FUNdations is a structured literacy approach for grades PreK-3 grounded in the science of reading to make learning to read fun.
WES also started using the Fountas & Pinnell (F&P) Benchmark Assessment System (BAS) instead of the Rigby Reading Inventory. Colarusso said the school went to F&P because the staff felt that the Rigby system they had been using gave them data on fluency but not on comprehension. Teachers, she said, felt the BAS would give them more actionable information.
As explained in previous articles, the science of reading research has shown that Fountas & Pinnell’s BAS testing does not provide reliable scores for student performance and that the F&P “cueing” approach is not supported by the science of reading and can even harm students.
According to Colarusso, a lot of progress has been evidenced by FUNdations unit tests. The results of unit tests guide teachers to provide effective instruction to students. Since FUNdations is used for the lower grades, the improvement Colarusso mentions refers to students in grade 3 and below.
With all of this, it’s not clear why WES chose F&P after being trained in the science of reading. It will be interesting to see if reading will improve in the upper grades. It’s possible that if students build a good reading foundation through 3rd grade, F&P won’t confuse or harm many children.
WES takes a “station-based” approach to teaching. The stations include core instruction by the teacher based on student needs, review or practice led by a paraprofessional, and a station where students practice skills independently. Students are grouped according to need based on their diagnostic tests and teacher observations about their work.
The K/1 stations are focused on phonics, with some reading comprehension, and they integrate science and social studies. WES recently instituted dedicated phonics time for grades 2-3, something they had not done before. Grades 4-5 focus on reading comprehension and now have more dedicated time to what Colarusso calls “word work,” which includes things like Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
Colarusso said that COVID changed the way WES teaches and learns. Since WES is very community-based, the most drastic change was not being able to invite community members into the school. Traditionally, the school has worked with local conservation commissions, had writing buddies in town who also visited the school, hosted a monthly program for students to eat with a local police officer, and had parents come in for performances and family nights. They are trying to bring these things back, opening their doors to their families and community members again.
They are now working with a consultant from WestEd to learn how to better use data to inform their instruction. A goal centered around literacy instruction for this school year has been set. Colarusso is hopeful that these changes will greatly help each student succeed.
This story was first published by the Eagle Times and is part of a series where we show how the pandemic shutdowns in Vermont and New Hampshire affected student performance on state and national standardized tests. We’re also taking a look at how some elementary schools in our area teach reading. Next, we’ll take a look at test scores and reading instruction at the Albert Bridge School in Vermont. Prior installments in this series were published in the Eagle Times on September 9, 12, 14, and 16 and can also be found on Jody Underwood’s Granite Grok page.
The post How the Shutdown Affected Student Performance: Washington NH Elementary (part 5 of 8) appeared first on Granite Grok.
I picture Merrick Garland rousing from a restless sleep, donning his Obama slippers and a pilly white cotton robe, before scurrying to his lair. You can hear distant, muffled screaming as he walks, clinging bitterly to the remnants of the dream he’s just had.
Related: Gov. Michelle ‘Grab Your Guns’ Grisham Just Became the Best Gun “Salesman” in Albuquerque
A new way to disarm law-abiding citizens or, at least, make the exercise of Second Amendment rights more burdensome. That is, after all, what a Democrat attorney general is supposed to do.
Garland makes his way to his desk, where he quickly downs two fingers of scotch forgotten from earlier. His chair creaks when he sits, his hands illuminated by a pool of lamplight paw for a Pall Mall Mentholated cigarette, which he sticks to his chapped bottom lip.
A Sphynx cat listens to the scratching of a pencil on paper from a dark corner, its eyes reflecting the scant light from its gloomy perch.
Suddenly, a cackle echoes down the hall as lightning strikes and thunder booms. It’s Alive! Alive!
What’s alive? Merrick Garland is reimaging portions of the Gun Control Act that would require vast numbers of gun owners to pay the ATF for a firearms dealer’s license or face the consequences.
The new rule purports to narrow the term “personal collection,” which Congress did not limit, to “personal firearms that a person accumulates for study, comparison, exhibition, or for a hobby.” Somehow “self-defense” didn’t make the cut, although that’s a predominant reason to acquire firearms. …
The rule adds that the term “personal collection” “shall not include any firearm purchased for the purpose of resale or made with the predominant intent to earn a profit.” But collectors in general buy guns with the purpose of eventual resale when they locate and can afford guns of ever-higher quality and rarity, and they certainly intend to sell guns for more than they paid as the collection moves up the ladder. And any gun owner would hope that the value of his or her firearms will increase in value, even if only to be sold by the heirs at a profit. …
The new rule is calculated to require potentially hundreds of thousands of gun owners who occasionally buy and sell firearms to obtain dealer licenses from ATF.
The new rules would also expand the ATF’s power to seize firearms based on the presumption or potential intent. “A single firearm need not even be sold if the person expresses a willingness to sell firearms, even if the person has no firearms to sell. That’s not how Congress defined the terms.”
You post a picture of a firearm on social media, and guess what? ATF could decide you intended to sell it and introduce you to their 5 AM raid program (hide your dog).
ATF can supposedly seize and forfeit firearms based on “presumptions” it invented and is not limited to the grounds for forfeiture set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 924(d), which for many forfeitures requires a showing of intent “by clear and convincing evidence”—the opposite of a presumed violation.
Stephen Halbrook, writing at Reason.com, has a lot more background and foreground here, but the long and short of it is this. Merrick Garland, DoJ, and ATF, whose jobs are to enforce laws, not make them, are penning rules that create crimes they can then use to enrich the Government at the expense of your rights (property and self-defense).
These suggested rules have little chance of surviving even the thinnest scrutiny, but that’s not the point. The point is to try. To try everything, overwhelm the system, and build on whatever they can sneak by or learn from their failed attempt. They will take your hand. The Left wants to disarm law-abiding citizens and will do anything to accomplish that task, evening the shadow of Bruen.
Americans should respond to the news … by buying more guns.
HT | Reason
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President Donald Trump’s political tenure was marked by fervent support and vehement opposition. However, beneath the surface of political disagreements, it becomes evident that he exposed adversaries lurking within the government and media who now actively conspire to sideline him. These adversaries, threatened by Trump’s policies and America-first commitment, are tirelessly working to diminish his influence and thwart his legacy.
During and after the Trump administration, some individuals and groups could be labeled as “enemies within” of the President. They represented political opponents and potential threats to President Trump’s vision for America. Their actions included vocal criticism of the President’s decisions, alleged leaks of sensitive information to the media, and behind-the-scenes maneuvers aimed at obstructing or undermining his policy agenda.
President Trump pointed fingers at those he perceived as threats to his administration. Among these adversaries were the “deep state,” influential figures in the media, and Democrats in Congress. They formed part of a vast network determined to dismantle his America-first agenda.
The “deep state,” often synonymous with entrenched bureaucrats and officials, became a recurrent target of President Trump’s relentless pursuit of transparency and accountability. This shadowy network sought to undermine his authority, thwart his policy initiatives, and hinder his promise to prioritize American interests over global agreements and conventions.
His America-first approach, characterized by stricter immigration policies and tax reforms, faced unwavering opposition from lawmakers across the aisle. This resistance only reinforced the belief that enemies conspired to eliminate Trump’s influence on national policy.
During his presidency, Trump oversaw a remarkable economic boom, groundbreaking criminal justice reform, and staunch efforts to safeguard Second Amendment rights. His administration’s economic policies led to record-low unemployment rates and substantial stock market gains. Criminal justice reform, an issue that long languished on the sidelines, saw unprecedented progress under Trump, earning him bipartisan acclaim. His pledge to protect Second Amendment rights resonated deeply with millions of Americans.
A group of career bureaucrats and former Obama administration officials were accused of conspiring to undermine President Trump. The House Intelligence Committee’s release of declassified transcripts related to the Trump-Russia collusion investigation revealed a lack of concrete evidence to support the collusion claim. This raised questions about the credibility of the accusations and fueled suspicions that some members of the “Deep State cabal” had been saying one thing behind closed doors while making wild and often contradictory claims in public.
Trump’s enemies within the political landscape may be overlooking his resilience and ability to rally his supporters. The left-wing media’s anti-Trump fervor, rather than weakening him, has, in the eyes of his supporters, only served to make him stronger.
The left’s steadfast refusal to acknowledge any successes or achievements of the Trump administration underscores a bias that fuels the perception of a hostile media environment. Trump’s opponents are aware that he has the potential to stage a remarkable political resurgence, underscoring the enduring political influence of Donald Trump.
One of the most enduring legacies of President Trump’s time in office is his role in exposing an alarming level of rot and corruption within the American political system. He shed light on the extent to which ruling class elements were willing to undermine a president who challenged the established order. The relentless efforts to destroy him, differing standards in the courts, and the use of hatred as a proxy for destruction all exemplified the determination of some to protect their interests, even at the expense of democratic norms and institutions.
Even after leaving office, President Trump remains at the epicenter of an unrelenting battle. High-profile events like the Georgia subversion trial and ongoing disputes over the 2020 election results underscore the enduring impact of his presidency on American politics.
The Georgia subversion trial showcases the enduring legal challenges surrounding the 2020 election, serving as a testament to President Trump’s dedication to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
The looming threat of impeachment in Texas is a calculated move by political opponents who seek to undermine individuals like Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the values and ideologies they represent. It’s seen as part of a broader pattern where individuals perceived as Trump loyalists are targeted for their commitment to conservative principles, traditional values, and support for the former President.
President Trump’s presidency exposed enemies within the government and media who now actively conspire to diminish his influence and impede his legacy. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, it is crucial to recognize the significance of such power struggles and their potential consequences for individuals and society as a whole.
While the fight continues, it is important to remember the substantial accomplishments of the Trump administration and the ongoing commitment to America-first policies, which remain a cornerstone of political discourse. President Trump’s legacy, whether lauded or criticized, undeniably left an indelible mark on the American political landscape, inspiring passionate support for the principles he championed.
The post Trump Exposed the Rot and Fraud of the Elites appeared first on Granite Grok.
I want everyone to take a look at this email from Citizens Alliance NH, a group I am not very familiar with, but I did respond to them as a rep candidate last year.
This message could easily get very long as I could refute the ratings of lots of reps, particularly many well known ones who have earned their reputations, good or bad. This group has red-starred a lot of good reps that I support. I’m sure you will see for yourself as you spot check a few.
I’m glad that the author of this report had enough common sense to red-star ALL the Nashua reps, particularly the Newmans and their ilk in Hollis. However, they gave green stars to some very unworthy RINOs! Ted Gorski voted YES on HB 1342 last year. He and former Rep Wuelper seem to like the idea of uncapping Nashua and voted with the enemy camp. Thank God Wuelper is no longer in office, but Gorski sadly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. They’re the kind of people that Ward 4(home to the disgraced SM Laughton and no-show serial swamp rat David Cote) would vote for. Green stars were also given to several Belknap treasonist members of the famous “Lang Gang” of Gunstock. (see other GG articles)
And about Lang, let’s talk about how they reviewed the Senate. First and foremost, the WHOLE Senate deserves a reprimand for voting YES on Mass Health unanimously, and one should never forget that. At least my senator responded to my complaint with a defense argument about uncompensated care being a “hidden tax.” While I appreciate his honesty and decision to not ignore me, I still do NOT support that vote. And Tim Lang wrote some editorial about a “conservative vote for it.” (citation needed) 23 out of 24 senators got red-starred. While I agree that some Republicans have gone wayward, two examples being Denise voting YES on Twitley’s welfare school lunch and database surveillance and Sharon’s union sympathizing, I don’t think all of them necessarily deserve red stars. And Sharon makes up for that union sympathizing elsewhere, particularly in her support for SB 203. And the one and only yellow star (a mediocre rating)? You guessed, Senator Murphy. I happen to like Senator Murphy, but how did he do marginally better than his 23 peers? Was it just because he voted for pot? I’d like to know. Asking for ALL of NH.
Share your thoughts about this group and this survey report in the comments.
The post Is Your Lawmaker in Good Standing? appeared first on Granite Grok.
Bill Gates was a primary funder of the dumbed-down Common Core Standards and once said something about knowing if Common Core would work after a decade. Common Core was adopted by most states in 2010. We now have over a decade to see that this fad failed.
Gates now knows Common Core was a failure, but like many education reformers, they don’t learn from their mistakes. Even before COVID, the scores were in, and we could see Common Core / Next Generation Science was a failure.
Many of us tried to warn elected officials in New Hampshire that the standards were inferior. There was evidence of better quality standards and tests. That went ignored.
It’s possible the bribe, I mean the pay-off by the Feds, had something to do with that. A big payoff that came to states through the Race to the Top grants that offered a lot of money if officials adopted the dumbed-down national standards.
Those who did any kind of research could easily see that quality academic standards would serve our children the best. We had evidence that some states had already drafted quality academic standards, so why would they want to adopt the Common Core? HINT: $$$.
This battle in New Hampshire had organizations like Reaching Higher NH or Advancing New Hampshire Education, fighting to implement federal fads like Competency Based Education and Common Core. They even featured a letter sent to the State Board of Education by Former Sanborn Superintendent Brian Blake. Blake left Sanborn, worked in Hopkinton, and appears to be working in Massachusetts now. In Blake’s email to the State Board of Education, he praised the dumbed-down standards:
Dr. Brian J. Blake Superintendent of Schools SAU #17 bblake@sau17.orgDear Members of NH House Education Committee,
RE: Testimony in support of the Common Core and related issues.
I am writing this email to share my thoughts in support of the Common Core and issues related to it. As the Superintendent of Schools for the Sanborn Regional School District, I fully support the implementation of the Common Core and improved assessment practices.
The Common Core is not a new endeavor being forced upon school districts. We have been engaged in the implementation of the Common Core for the past 4 years. Given the extensive research behind the Core, the rigor of the Standards, and the need to produce students who are critical thinkers ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st century, adoption of the Core makes perfect sense. I am disheartened that the Core has been politicized to the degree it has. The Common Core is NOT a national curriculum. It contains the big ideas about what our students should know and be able to do. It does not dictate what to do or how to do it. Teachers and districts continue to have the flexibility at the local level.
In our District, we have not seen any increase in costs as a result of implementing the Common Core. Changes in educational materials aligned to the Core have been reviewed and purchased thru the normal curriculum review cycle that virtually every school district in the State follows. A “cross-walk” of the Common Core and the previous Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) shows the close alignment of our curriculum with the Core. In Sanborn, our curriculum is fully aligned to the Common Core and is being successfully implemented at this point.
Opponents of the Common Core report things like “there’s no study of Shakespeare in the Common Core”. That would be correct… The Core is NOT curriculum. There are numerous standards that apply to the study of Shakespeare, however. At Sanborn, high school students participated in a month long, intensive study of Shakespeare in the context of History, English/Language Arts, and Theater.
In terms of the Smarter Balanced Assessment, we look forward to the increased rigor of the assessment. Our teachers clearly see the value in this type of assessment versus the NECAP Assessments of the past. Opponents of the Common Core and related assessments tend to find fault with the difficulty of the assessments… Isn’t the idea that we have higher, more rigorous standards for our students? Another concern with the Smarter Balanced Assessment is technology capabilities of the Districts. In Sanborn, we have a long history of utilizing the NWEA assessments, which are computer-based assessments similar in style to the proposed Smarter Balanced Assessments. Sanborn welcomes the opportunity to participate in the Assessment program, as our students are well conditioned to this type of assessment.
To summarize, the Sanborn Regional School District has been engaged in the implementation of the Common Core for several years with great success. I am concerned that this has become such a politicized issue and encourage that the Education Committee find the bills that seek to delay, outlaw or weaken the continued development of common core based instruction and improved rigorous assessment Inexpedient to Legislate. These include: HB 1239, 1238, 1432, 1508 and others with similar intent).
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at bblake@sau17.org
603-642-3688
Has Blake admitted that this experiment has failed students across the country? Or is he hoping that no one realizes that he went out of this way to support the dumbing-down of New Hampshire Schools? Here’s how Sanborn is doing when it comes to proficiency in the core subjects:
That’s not exactly a stellar performance from a Superintendent who fought to keep the dumbed-down Common Core in New Hampshire’s public schools. 24% of the high school students are proficient in math!! At what point do you admit you were wrong? How many of Sanborn’s students were denied opportunities after graduating from these public schools?
Sanborn was called out by some of their high school graduates several years ago.
Is Sanborn Lying to Parents?
These administrators jump from district to district, and sometimes, leave a trail of failures in their path. You would think at some point, they’d be held accountable in some way.
Even the Brookings Institute acknowledged this failure: Why Common Core Failed
More than a decade after the 2010 release of Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics, no convincing evidence exists that the standards had a significant, positive impact on student achievement. Mar 18, 2021
Jason Zimba, one of the mathematicians who developed the Common Core math standards has to tutor his children in math because of the poor quality of math education his children are receiving with Common Core curriculum. Just think about all of the kids who are not receiving that kind of individualized instruction. How many are falling through the cracks?
The Man Behind Common Core Math
Today public schools in New Hampshire are saddled with this lousy curriculum for their children because of Superintendents like Brian Blake. His advocacy for the dumbed-down standards caused the Governor and the State Board of Ed to back off of improving the standards.
There were plenty of organizations that fought to keep the Common Core in New Hampshire. They are all responsible for this failure to improve our public schools. The Governor didn’t have enough drive to fight this fight for your kids. That’s why it’s important to make sure the next Governor puts your children, and your public schools FIRST.
The post Former NH Superintendent that Supported Dumbing Down of Our Public Schools appeared first on Granite Grok.
One of the most salient passages in the Qur’an is 2:106, which shows us the basis for the doctrine of abrogation:
“We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except when we bring forth one better than earlier or similar verse. Do you not know that Allah is over all things competent?”
Abrogation has an impact on the arguments about the true nature of Islam. At endless interfaith dialogues, the early tolerant verses are quoted to show the nature of Islam as being peaceful. When both verses are mentioned, and then abrogation is applied, we see that the later violent verses trump the earlier tolerant ones. Jihad abrogates tolerance. In general, the Medina Quran abrogates the Meccan Quran. Several verses of tolerance are abrogated by jihad against Christians.
But the earlier verse is still acceptable and in use. Abrogation does not negate the early verse. Indeed, the earlier “peaceful” verse that is abrogated is most apt to be used in public discourse.
This creates a logical problem since if two things contradict each other, at least one must be false. This is a fundamental element of Western unitary logic. In Quranic reason, two statements can contradict each other, and both are true. This is dualistic logic.
Simply put, Allah changes revelations as he pleases, and the latter revelations supersede the earlier ones. There are deviations among Muslim theologians regarding which verses have been abrogated and replaced, but the overall idea has been clear. When Muslims are weak and in a minority position, they should behave peacefully according to the Meccan passages (which reflect the early time when Muhammad was vulnerable and building his power base). When strong, they are obligated to wage war, according to the later Medina passages.
An alternative explanation is that the early verse is the first stage in a process, like a seed, and the later verse is the second stage, like a plant.
There is truth to this, but the process model does not consider that both truths are available simultaneously. Returning to the analogy, you don’t have the seed and the plant simultaneously. The verses contradict each other and are both true at the same time. Again, this is dualistic logic. The contradictions are usually explained by abrogation, the classical doctrine, but the principle of abrogation is limited to the Quran. Duality includes the particular case of abrogation and describes how the entire philosophy of the Quran and Sunna works. It is not just the Quran that is contradictory, but the Sunna.
Another dualistic aspect of Islam is its ethics. One of the chief features of Islam is the doctrine of the kefir (unbeliever). It treats them dreadfully and horribly. No one would ever want to be treated as a kefir is treated in the Trilogy. This leads us to the Golden Rule. There is no Golden Rule in Islam because of the division of humanity into believers and kefir. The Golden Rule is to treat all people as you would be treated. Since no one wants to be treated like a kefir, and the kefir is so central to Islamic doctrine, it proves that Islam has no Golden Rule. Islam has one set of rules for Muslims and another for kefirs. This is dualistic ethics.
Practicing ToleranceWe are told that it is only civil to respect or at least tolerate other peoples’ beliefs, even if you disagree with them — a live-and-let-live attitude. As a general principle, this position is admirable. Yet there are exceptions. A case in point is when people say consumers believe what they want. I disagree with letting Muslims believe what they want to think when they hold that I, as a non-Muslim, have no right to live. Or if I am to live, I must live a life subservient to Muslims. And wherever they are in power in the world, Muslims do everything they can to make non-believers’ lives dreadful and deadly.
I don’t tolerate these beliefs and practices, in the same vein as I reject fascism and all other exclusionary oppressive systems of belief.
As they say, tolerating evil is not tolerance; it is a crime.
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Science. Experimentation. Psychology. It’s all well regarded when it produces results that mimic the political Machine’s approved narrative. When it doesn’t, it is disinformation, misinformation, colonialism, lies, racism. So, what’s this then?
A video showing a child faced with a choice between cookies and a substantial monetary reward is being highlighted as an example of why children shouldn’t be allowed to choose their gender.
In the video going viral with over 25 million views, a child is asked to choose between two Oreo cookies, or $10,000 cash money.
This is why you don’t let children choose their gender pic.twitter.com/wBTlE7hkWq
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 15, 2023
The video was praised for effectively demonstrating how children generally lack sound judgment, therefore shouldn’t be allowed to decide their gender or agree to life-altering genital mutilating surgeries.
This video should also be praised for demonstrating how young children and Democrat voters have a lot in common.
The post “This is why you don’t let children choose their gender” appeared first on Granite Grok.
Text from my remarks on Constitution Day
There are a couple of things we hear a lot today in political speeches, on the Sunday morning talk shows, and in letters to the editor in our local papers. One is that we are in danger of losing our democracy!… And another is that “authoritarianism” or some version of it — fascism is an equally popular term — is just around the corner.
I won’t say that either of these warnings isn’t a valid concern given that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, as Thomas Jefferson instructed us. But I will say, if you are worried about either or both of these predictions coming to fruition, the best thing you can do is understand, celebrate, embrace, and enforce the letter and the spirit of the most amazing, timeless, governing document in human history, the United States Constitution.
Now, about losing our democracy. The democratic republic we as a nation have and built over the last two and half-ish centuries – one that has done more to advance the causes human freedom, human rights, human prosperity than any other in the history of human civilization — is the result of fidelity to to our Constitution and the principles that make up its foundation – limited government, separation and decentralization of political powers, individual rights, and equality of all citizens before the law. Where and when we are in fact in danger of “losing our democracy,” it is because we are more and more straying from those principles set forth in our Declaration of Independence and abandoning the safeguards put in place to preserve them in our Constitution.
So, if you want to save “our democracy” – and by that I mean our unique and exceptional republic that Benjamin Franklin warned us we would need to work to keep. If we want to save these blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity, the best thing you can do is to protect and preserve our Constitution. Insist that its boundaries, checks and balances be enforced by the people we elect. They all swear an oath to uphold the Constitution. But it’s our job as citizens to make sure they live up to that oath. There’s a reason the document starts out with “We the people.” That’s where the buck starts, and that’s where the buck ultimately stops.
Now, about authoritarianism. If you’re really worried about the possibility of living under an increasingly authoritarian government, well, The US Constitution is probably the most anti-authoritarian document ever produced to govern a nation. Be grateful for it!
After all, what is authoritarianism? It is a system of government in which the government – not the individual citizens, the government – has the ultimate authority to make decisions about how we act and allocate resources. But look at Bill of Rights in our Constitution. It’s basically a very long and comprehensive list of everything the government does NOT have the authority to do.
The First Amendment could just as easily read, “Congress does not have the authority to make laws abridging freedom of speech or of the press.” Congress does not have the authority to make laws regarding how citizens worship, or with whom we chose to associate.
Our politicians do not have the authority to prohibit us from keeping and bearing arms.
They do not have the authority to invade the security of our persons, our homes, our papers without just cause. They do not have the authority to deprive us of life, liberty, or property without due process of law…. Or inflict upon us cruel and unusual punishments.
The list goes on. And even beyond the list the 9th Amendment might as well say, just to be safe, anything we left out here by accident, well, Congress doesn’t have the authority to do that either. And thanks to the 14thAmendment, these rules apply to our state lawmakers as well as federal.
So, if you are concerned that authoritarianism – or a government dictatorship or fascism… whatever you want to call it — is a looming threat to our democracy and way of life, the US Constitution is your shield and your sword. Pick it up and use it!
However, if you’re in favor of the government being the ultimate decider… of, say, what kind of car people can drive… how you’re allowed to heat your home in winter… what your kids learn in school… What speech is allowed to be published and distributed in public forums, and what speech should be punished… even down to what kind of bag you’re allowed to use at the grocery store and what kind of light bulbs you’re allowed to buy…. Well then, be careful, because you just might be the very authoritarian — or fascist or dictatorial — threat we’ve all been hearing so much about, and the US Constitution is not your friend. Because, I’ll say it again, the most anti-authoritarian governing document for a nation the world has ever seen is US Constitution – as it is written.
But what is the US Constitution but words on a page. So fragile, in fact, that it has to be kept in a special high tech container in the National Archives or else it would just turn to just dust and blow away in the wind.
That ink and parchment has no power of its own. The rights and principles that our constitution speaks to only exist to the extent that we as a people and a culture want and are willing to hold those values in our hearts, live those values in our lives, infuse those values into our communities, and teach these values to the next generation.
Clearly we need to do a better job of this. And doing that job is up to us. We the people.
So, I will end my thoughts today with a proposal. It’s not my own, and I don’t remember where I originally heard it, but I think it’s a good one. And it is this: When school children stand up first thing in the morning, look at our flag, and put their hands on their hearts – instead of the Pledge of Allegiance, let’s have them recite the Preamble to our Constitution.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish [our] Constitution for the United States of America.”
Because before we should ask anyone to pledge loyalty to a flag – what is a flag? — we need to do our job of teaching and explaining what they are really pledging loyalty to. The United States is unique in that we were founded upon an idea – that we are all created equal with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. What we are pledging allegiance to is those principles – not our government, regardless of what it does. Or politicians regardless of what they do. Or a particular political party or political leader – but those principles and that idea.
Our constitution is the mechanism through which we attempt to live up to that idea – “more perfectly.” We’ll never be perfect, as the document itself in its wisdom recognizes, but its promise is that we can be a more perfect nation today than we were yesterday, and more perfect nation tomorrow than we are today. That has been the true history – the observable path — of our nation from its birth to the present, and this is precisely because of our great Constitution, not in spite of it. It can be our future too if, as Ben Franklin challenged us, we can keep it.
The post To Be Anti-Fascist, Support Our Constitution appeared first on Granite Grok.