Letter to the Rio Vista Beacon

To the empty vessels:  The "AR" in AR-15 does NOT stand for "assault rifle" nor does it stand for "automatic rifle," of which the aforementioned semi-automatic weapon is neither.  It stands for "ArmaLite Rifle," the original manufacturer.  It does not have a selector switch to fire short bursts or become fully automatic.  It is NOT "...a powerful military weapon converted for civilian use" nor is it a "military-style assault weapon" contrary to the erroneous pronouncements of Senator Feinstein.  Anti-gun forces are probably just as frightened by the form as the function: it just looks so scary and they are so triggered!

There are more people beaten to death with "assault bats," "assault clubs," and sundry "assault blunt objects"  in the U.S than are killed by rifles.  There are more people killed by "assault hitting and assault kicking" than are killed by rifles.  There are over four times as many people killed by "assault knives and assault sharp objects" than are killed by rifles.  If a generation doesn't have sufficient "maturity" to purchase a rifle until they are twenty-one, maybe they shouldn't have a license to drive an "assault auto," especially given their propensity to text while driving and kill innocent people.  Maybe there should be a reconsideration as to whether they possess the necessary maturity to cast a vote as well.  They have every right to grieve publically and to demand safer schools but they should have no say whatsoever in deciding what sort of weapon I can use to defend my home and my family!

Sincerely,

Bill Garvin

"...they know so much that isn't so."

“It’s not that liberals are ignorant, it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.”  Ronald Reagan

A recent “critique” of my letter was so erroneous that it was almost laughable.  I had pointed out that there are exceptions to protections regarding freedom of speech such as libel, slander, defamation, threats (“fighting words”), obscenity, child pornography and language that is incendiary or likely to incite to riot.  If my critic had even a modicum of knowledge of constitutional law, he would know that these examples are not “childish”.  Case law is replete with situations where sanctions are imposed in each of these areas because the speech was not constitutionally protected.  It is frequently speech that escalates crime to “hate crime” calling for enhanced penalties.  Search engines are your friend.  Use them before you suggest that I have a “perverted version of the constitution”!

He then shifts to the “Russian collusion delusion.”  After numerous investigations, countless hours and thousands upon thousands of dollars, where’s the evidence?  Where’s the proof?  Where’s the crime?  It’s not like President Trump’s spouse received $500,000 for a single speech or the Trump Foundation received millions of dollars from Russian oligarchs as did Bill and Hillary Clinton.  And when the FBI launched their investigation into Russian hacking, the RNC gave them full access to their computers and servers but the DNC did NOT!  Methinks it’s curious at best.

Finally, he complains about racist language used against Barack Obama.  I have never used such language nor do I condone those who do.  Therefore, this complaint is irrelevant to my letter but consistent with his previous erroneous observations.   Please find another foil for your foolish, ad hominem strawman arguments.

In the future, “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

The “death rattle” of the Democrat Party!

Listen!  Did you hear that?  It’s the “death rattle” of the Democrat Party!  Suffocating in the chokehold of the radical left, they flail mindlessly searching for a semblance of relevance.  The alt-left Alinsky acolytes know that truth is an inconvenient impediment to their lust for power and principles are merely sacrifices to pragmatism. Meanwhile, “moderate Democrats” stand by impotently as their dreams go up in smoke and their policies go down in flames!  As their death throes drag them farther and farther to the left, their “resistance” becomes nothing more than a comical caricature of what used to be known as “loyal opposition.”  As the alt-left becomes more vulgar and violent, the old-school Democrats stand mutely by tacitly lending aid and comfort to those who would destroy our country and our government.

 

Nationally and locally, Alinskyites are relentless in their “trite and true” tactics of “isolate, personalize, ridicule, and destroy” anyone who opposes their progressive (sic) agenda.  Of course, it is quite difficult to ascertain exactly what their “new” vision for America will be since their last eight years has failed so miserably.  In any event, this predictable strategy surfaced quite recently when I compiled a cumulative list of slurs, slanders, libels, innuendoes, falsehoods, and childish name calling written by local liberals.  Lo and behold, another liberal writer took it upon himself to respond.  Every single comment he made was either a complete distortion or a blatant falsehood.  He even characterized the liberal lies and slanders as “astute.”  That’s a bigger lie than any I previously documented!

 

It is this sort of impolite, impolitic polemics; it is this sort of scorched earth intransigence; it is this lack of civility that threatens the fabric of our democracy.  Since they have no message, they viciously attack the messengers.  It’s pitiful…what a shame!    

The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!

By William L. Garvin

To make sense out of the current progressive political panic and media feeding frenzy surrounding Russia, it is necessary to employ selective political amnesia.  You must forget the cold war leftist shibboleth of “Better Red than Dead!”  You must forget détente, glasnost and perestroika.  You must forget the slobbering love affair the left had for Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev.  Forget sycophantic Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her plastic “Reset Button.”  Forget presidential candidate Romney identifying Russia as our number one geopolitical foe and presidential reelection candidate Obama mocking him by saying “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War’s been over for 20 years.”  Forget President Obama leaning forward in a conspiratorial whisper to his Russian counterpart and promising that this was his last election and after that he would have more “flexibility.”

Forget that the Clinton State Department and the Obama presidency allowed twenty percent of the U.S. uranium production to be sold to the Russians.  Forget the New York Times reporting that “...while the State Department was involved in securing a uranium mining deal with Russia, investors in the company involved in the deal, Uranium One, gave millions to the Clinton Foundation” and “…shortly after the Russians announced their intention to acquire a majority stake in Uranium One, Mr. Clinton received $500,000 for a Moscow speech from a Russian investment bank with links to the Kremlin that was promoting Uranium One stock."  No “play for pay” here, folks, just move along!  Forget the hideous corruption within the Democrat National Committee and the partisan collusion with major cable networks that was revealed by WikiLeaks.  Just keep moving!  If you manage that significant memory loss (or equivalent prefrontal lobotomy!) then you can begin to understand the Nixonian media obsession of “what did the President know and when did he know it?”  This is the media, sometimes and more accurately known as the “opposition party,” emerging from its eight-year hibernation along with the Russian bear!  Such a coincidence!!!

For eight long years, the MSM has been in their “hear no evil, see no evil, print/broadcast no evil” mode in regards to the Obama presidency, scandals, and Russia.  Now they have reverted to their “hear no positive, see no positive, print/broadcast no positive” mode in regards to the Trump presidency.  This is typical of their approach to any “other than Democrat” political figure.  Their antipathy to real scandals during the Obama years and proclivity to invent scandals in the first month of the Trump administration has become a travesty to the profession of journalism.  Their “snowflake” response to criticism and challenge to their self-declared elitism is at best an overly defensive reaction to having been so wrong on so many levels on so many things for so many years!  To give them credit, at least they are fighting back, albeit on a dirty tricks level, rather than cowering in a safe space, cuddling puppies, putting on safety pins, and screaming their primal hearts out!

There are many other questions about their hypocrisy that remain.  When President Clinton (Bill) decried illegal aliens, why weren’t they outraged?  When senators Schumer, Clinton (Hillary), and Obama complained about illegal aliens and voted for a wall, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?  When Obama bragged about his number of deportations, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?  When Obama identified seven countries that were hotbeds of terrorism, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?  When President Carter rounded up and deported Iranians, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?  When Obama sent millions and billions of dollars to Iran, the number one state sponsor of terrorism, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?  When Obama cozied up to Castro and his Communist regime with its continual practice of human rights abuses, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?  When Obama ended the “wet foot/dry foot” policy for Cubans, why weren’t they and their readers outraged?”  Oh, you didn’t know that?  That just proves the point.

 For your edification, here’s the text of the Obama DHS policy statement: “Today, the United States is taking important steps forward to normalize relations with Cuba and to bring greater consistency to our immigration policy. The Department of Homeland Security is ending the so-called "wet-foot/dry foot" policy, which was put in place more than twenty years ago and was designed for a different era. Effective immediately, Cuban nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally and do not qualify for humanitarian relief will be subject to removal, consistent with U.S. law and enforcement priorities. By taking this step, we are treating Cuban migrants the same way we treat migrants from other countries. The Cuban government has agreed to accept the return of Cuban nationals who have been ordered removed, just as it has been accepting the return of migrants interdicted at sea.”

If you noticed the political relevance of Cuban refugees being generally conservative in the swing state of Florida, are you just cynical?  Nope!  If you noticed that Lois Lerner and the IRS specifically targeted Tea Party and conservative groups, are you just cynical?  Nope!  If you believed “there’s not a smidgeon of corruption,” think intelligence leaks are harmless, and the MSM doesn’t have a progressive agenda, you’re in progressive political denial!  Unfortunately, ongoing political amnesia leaves too many people brain dead and in large cities, zombies still vote!   

THE APOCALYPSE IS UPON US!

According to liberal letters, all is lost; the apocalypse is upon us; and there is no hope for anyone! Just this last month, they have wailed that we didn't have an election, we had a coup d'état and are on the brink of World War III. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will be destroyed and no one will have jobs, homes, or healthcare. Coal sludge will clog our rivers and toxic nuclear waste will contaminate our ground water and air. But don't worry about a slow death because crazy people will be running around with guns and it will be too dangerous to fly to try and get away!

Bush and Cheney were cowards and were why Obama couldn't negotiate a status of forces agreement and President Trump has already killed one soldier and wounded three. Now, "white wing thugs," crooks, liars, and con artists make up the presidential cabinet (what few have been confirmed!). Furthermore, the cabinet is made up of white supremacists, racists and the Attorney General is a member of the KKK! Anybody who voted for President Trump is "stupid,' "uninformed," "troglodyte few," "mindless minions," and possess "no ability for independent thought."

The president himself is "narcissistic, delusional, racist, stupid, uninformed, inept, a joke, politically ignorant, gross buffoon, big liar" and of course "not legitimate"! That is because he was chosen by the Kremlin and is a Russian puppet and there is an actual video in the Russian "dossier" that shows President Trump in a hotel room with prostitutes. But wait...it's "Herr Trump" and a cabinet of "Vichy Republicans." I'm confused...is he fascist or communist?

I won't even dignify the lewd slurs you have made about the First Lady with a response. All of the above foolishness is contained in letters to this paper from the supposed party of tolerance in 2017. I'm not going to call you out but I would hope that responsible members of your party would take exception to you being the public representation of Democrats. It is this sort of irresponsible hyperbole, blatant falsehoods, and alt-left propaganda that sets the stage for the anarchy surrounding what should be peaceful protests. I wonder who are the real "puppets" for the enemies of democracy? Who are the real "useful idiots?" I can't imagine how anything I have been reading lately would persuade anyone to join your cause. 

Some Rhymes for These Times

(Ed. note: the two fools mentioned in the first two entries are local lefties who fill the editorial page of the local fishwrap with their "wisdom"...LOL.)

Beware of Frito Zamboni;

His letters are full of baloney.

Wherever he goes,

It's hatred he sows,

An angry political phony!

His sidekick is always Ms. Willing;

Who believes the kool-ade she's swilling.

With lies and half truths,

Reality she spoofs,

But fantasy she finds quite fulfilling!

The elections over, you lost.

Our country chose a new boss.

You may think he's a chump,

But it's President Trump,

Learn how to deal with your loss!

The thing you feared the most,

The middle overcame the coast.

Another election,

Provides new direction

Liberal dreams are now toast!

Hopefully someone will fret

Over outrageous national debt

And provide some order

To our national border,

Something we haven't seen yet!

Hillary’s Brave New World

By William L. Garvin

"I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views…my treatment of the issues is often partial and incomplete."  Barack Obama

When Candidate Obama pursued the presidency, gullible voters and malleable media wistfully opted for a “post-racial” president.  Attention to his radical roots and strongest influences (Alinsky, Davis, Wright) was scant if at all.  Those who scrutinized his upbringing and writings (to the minimal extent they are available) were not at all surprised by Obamacare and the government seizure of one-sixth of the American economy.  They were not at all surprised by the many other socialist expansions via increasing governmental regulations and controls.  The utopian “hope and change” morphed into “radical transformation.”

It is patently obvious that race relations in this country has deteriorated significantly during his tenure and Obamacare is neither affordable nor does it improve health care.  Over half the exchanges have already collapsed and insurers are leaving in droves.  And lest we forget, before it was Obamacare, it was called Hillarycare!  Hillary and her socialist surrogates continue to trumpet the need for a “public option.”  Since government never needs to show a profit (don’t forget our $20 trillion national debt!), it will undercut the private sector rendering it even less profitable and soon they will have their single-payer government monopoly.  Think VA travesties on a national scale.  As for race relations, Hillary continues down the same divisive status quo track.  As does the president, she sees “systemic racism” throughout law enforcement and sees “Black Lives Matter” as an important voice in formulating public policy.  Will she glamorize and glorify common criminals with presidential representatives at their funerals?  She certainly hasn’t distanced herself from any current administration biases.

How can she possibly be a president of all the people when she sees her opposition as a “basket of deplorables” and “irredeemable?”  When queried by Anderson Cooper as to enemies she was most proud of, she immediately responded: “Well, in addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians; probably the Republicans.”  As to showing respect for the Constitution, she has already warned “I’m going to speak out, I’m going to do everything I can to rally people against this pernicious corrupting influence of the NRA.”  Her daughter, Chelsea, said that with Justice Scalia gone, her mother would nominate a justice that would uphold “common sense gun control” regulations.  This, as always, is lib-speak for “confiscation.”

The Second Amendment is not the only constitutional right under attack in Hillary’s brave new world.  “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” does not apply to the unborn.  She left unchallenged the charge that she would allow a baby to be aborted up to the day of delivery and has never repudiated partial birth abortions.  She reiterated her support of Planned Parenthood and their grisly practices even though PP officials and other abortion advocates have stated that a child surviving an abortion should not unconditionally receive appropriate medical treatment!  A baby’s right to life does not exist even after he or she is born!

Of course, in Hillary’s brave new world, taxpayer money from those who believe life begins at conception will still be funneled to PP.  Then again, she recently said: “All the laws we’ve passed don’t count for much if they’re not enforced.  Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will.”  (Naturally she wasn’t talking about handling confidential material, private servers, money from oppressive regimes and other conflicts of interest!)  So far so good but then she concluded: “And deep seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.”  In other words, she not only knows what is best for you common folk -- she even knows what is best for God!  What incredible hubris!!!

So yes, conservative groups will continue to be terrorized by the IRS; the FBI and DOJ will decide to prosecute on the color of skin or political affiliation; the EPA will put coal mines and miners out of business; and millions of dollars will be funneled to bundlers and cronies via government contracts.  Irrational lessons in morality and behavior will be inculcated via endless repetition of platitudes through the educational system and the malicious, mendacious media.  Opponents will be vilified; their speech will be deemed “hateful” and therefore silenced.  Her new world order without borders will be one gigantic safe space.  It will tolerate anything but dissent….  Vote wisely.