Polyticks: Bob Butler's Perspective

[Bob Butler]

Watching the blue MSM last night, they emphasized a couple of minor things. The first was sleeping babies. Apparently, just around the corner from the main entrance to the court, there was so little noise that it was easy to fall asleep. Turns out there were less than a few dozen each of Trump supporters and un supporters. They were significantly outnumbered by both media and security. Quite different from the indictments a year ago, when the security was geared up for a January 6 scale event. It seems that no one cares enough to show up. If there are violent people, they are in jail at the moment. Trump's lies are not worth it. No violence. Hardly any demonstration. It's over.

The other nothing was a bunch of warnings the judge has to give at every trial. You must appear. If you are disruptive, you might be removed from the court. If you do not show up, you can be tried in absentia and jailed for contempt. Usually, just a technicality. Insignificant. This time, the TV hosts seemed to make it a big deal.

I find China and the Republicans obsessed with forcing their culture on others. Sure, China is against Christianity and the Republicans for in letter if not in spirit. Either way, this is the opposite of freedom, of choice. For the Republicans the bigotry and religious fanaticism is entirely compatible with China's efforts. Each group believes in a One True Way, that the True culture should force itself on all the others.

I would disagree.

[Bob Butler]

Doing some Youtube web surfing, they gave me a bunch of WW II videos. Several things stood out. One thing was how Hitler and the Axis made decisions based on ideology rather than strategic advantage. America was run by blacks and Jews, therefore it was safe and proper for Germany to declare war in 1941. The holocaust could also compete with the Allies for resources. There was just a different approach to making decisions. True Nazi thought differently.

Another bit was about how many Germans knew the war was lost in late 1942. Once they could not handle Britain and various Soviet cities, once the Battle of the Atlantic was lost and the air war turned around, it was clear to many in high command that the war was lost. They kept on fighting anyway. How many lives were lost by fighting to the end? They tell of one ranking member of the munitions manufacturing sector on hearing that Hitler had declared war on the US responded by committing suicide.

Another point made involved the Normandy invasion. Allegedly the Supreme Headquarters called the field marshal in charge of the western front and asked them what they should do. “Make peace, idiots!”

This got me to thinking about the current crisis. Conservative autocratic cultures think differently. Today, some cling to white supremacy and prejudice. Some try to force their religious beliefs on others. Some disregard limited resources and the environment. The GOP used to value rule of law, containment and character, but no more.

Make peace, idiots?

[guest]

As the esteemed African-American scholar Thomas Sowell pointed out, ""structural racism" is not something that can be quantified or measured, and therefore talking about it and "working against it" is every bit the equivalent of tilting at windmills. Some people don't like that reality, but it is reality, nonetheless, and eventually all will be forced to accept it.

Some may not have noticed (being colorblind as they are), but 75% of the prosecutors levying charges against Trump are black. White supremacy? Only in a fool's mind.

I've seen no evidence of anyone forcing their religious beliefs on others, but I have seen some people who very justifiably believe that "less fully developed" humans are humans, and should not be killed. Are they right? We can argue. Can their argument be dismissed out of hand? Of course not.

Are we harming the environment? Probably yes, ever since the megafauna were eliminated and fire was discovered. Are we harming it too much? It's a very valid question, worthy of discussion. Why is no one on the left willing to discuss it? Probably because it has become their religion, and in their worldview, this belief gives their lives value. Very simple cause to rally behind, absolutely no thought required, kill the dissenters.

But in America, the dissenters are not quite so easy to kill.
This will become evident in good time, unfortunately.

[Bob Butler]

The recent Black Lives Matter protests stopped the occasional murders by police officers. This is not compatible with tilting at windmills. Some racists would like to believe it is so, but considerable progress is being made in race relationships. For example, Americans are no longer enslaving blacks. Someday the racists will acknowledge this as worthy progress.

Racism can be measured in many ways. Sure, you can cherrypick measurements that go against the trend, but who would go back before Lincoln’s time?

Abortion legislation exists. Proponents feature religious organizations. This counts as evidence?

I have heard that the downfall of Bronze Age civilization in the eastern Mediterranean resulted from climate change droughts caused by human slash and burn agriculture. Yes, we have been blind to the environment for far too long. Some care as to the results. Others know the worse effects won’t happen in their lifetime, so the don’t seem to care about the human race.

Killing the different is alas a human instinct, as is loving one’s neighbor. I would shun the former, encourage the latter.