May 31, 2017

Phil Beaver works to establish opinion when the-objective-truth has not been discovered. He seeks to refine his opinion by listening when people share experiences and observations. The comment box below invites readers to express facts, opinion, or concern, perhaps to share with people who may follow the blog.

Note 1:  I often dash words in a phrases in order to express and preserve an idea. For example, frank-objectivity represents the idea of candidly expressing the-objective-truth despite possible error. In other words, a person expresses his “belief,” knowing he or she could be in error. People may collaboratively approach the-objective-truth.
 Note 2: It is important to note "civic" as in citizens for the people more than for the city.

 The Advocate:  See online at theadvocate.com/baton_rouge.

  

Our Views (condone infidelity). Justice springs from fidelities, both respectively and collectively: fidelity to the-objective-truth, to self, to immediate family, to extended family, to friends, to the people, to the nation, to the world, and to the universe. Call it comprehensive fidelity.

Infidelity begs misery, loss, and death.

When a people forego comprehensive fidelity for monetary gain, they have lost the promise for freedom-from oppression and liberty-to pursue personal happiness they owe to themselves, their children, their grandchildren, and beyond---to posterity.

People who support infidelity as fairness (reminds me of John Rawls’s Justice as Fairness, 2001) are turning their backs on humanity. Infidelity favors of a future, technical world wherein justice has no meaning. 

The Advocate may want to lead us there, but I strongly oppose their leadership.

  

Today’s thought (1 John 2:17). “The will of God stays forever.”

For living, I trust my commitment to the-objective-truth. For afterdeath, I trust and am committed to my beforebirth---whatever it is.

I do not trust G. E. Dean's opinion.

Letters

Landrieu’s decision (Barrilleaux, May 22). To Philip Frady: By repeating an opinion in the same thread, you overlook the fact that some people do not agree with you. To discover civic justice, each person may communicate with appreciation for the other party’s experiences and observations.

I have read in this forum that descendants of CSA leaders wanted to memorialize good character in a lost cause. They worked hard to convince private donors and the public to commission the art and place the monuments. The descendants accomplished their goals, during the decades following the Civil War. During that time, erroneous religious beliefs continued to prevail, but not among all white southerners. Many white citizens, such as me, were committed to end the consequences of slavery.

The Declaration of Secession lists complaints by the South against the North and concludes that relief from northern abuses cannot be accomplished because the North held “a more erroneous religious opinion.” What is this religious opinion? I think it is that the Bible condones slavery, including slavery of the descendants of slaves.

Slavery as an institution of God was canonized almost 1700 years ago. St. Augustine opined it was punishment unto the generations for sins of the father. Non-Christian Africans sold African slaves as a commodity during the 15^th-18^th centuries when five European nations colonized the Americas. The did so under the Vatican’s Doctrine of Discovery, mimicked by Protestant kings. From 1619 to 1789 is a span of 9 generations during which the USA both gained independence and accepted feasible responsibility for the slaves, representing the slaves in Congress as 0.6 person/slave and ending the slave trade in 20 years but leaving emancipation for a generation that could feasibly plan. Unfortunately, even great thinkers like Abraham Lincoln did not devise a plan. 

From 1789 to 1865 is a span of 4 generations during which abolitionists struggled for emancipation, and 1865 to 1965 is a span of 5 generations during which the more erroneous religious opinion was practically defeated by non-discrimination and voter-rights acts. Beyond small fringes on both sides, almost no one in 2017, a span of nearly 3 generations still think the Bible’s sanction of slavery is valid.

There are two fringes, one for white supremacy and the other for black supremacy. It seems the black supremacists vie for white slavery through retribution. See foreign recommendations at rt.com/usa/330934-un-recommends-usa-reparations-slavery/ . The civic people, those who trust and commit to the agreement stated in the preamble to the constitution for the USA, would not divide the inhabitants into taxpayers and dissidents. All but dissidents consider divisive foreign recommendations alien to the people.

There are many details that may be addressed; however, the summary is that the African commodity, the African slave, was used to colonize the Americas, this land during 9 generations. It took another 9 generations for the USA to both emancipate and enfranchise the descendants of slaves. At that point, many citizens felt freedom for everyone was available at last. Unfortunately, the last 3 generations have regressed into subjugation for causes respecting the distant past---12 generations ago. The person who would dedicate his or her life to a cause for the past risks losing his or her chance at living.  

When you, Frady, counter that “The statues were erected as a symbol of the reemergence of white power and intended to convey symbolically this fact,” you are writing an opinion that 1) falsely accuses the descendants and refutes their witness about their motives and 2) you may be stating an untruth based on chronological coincidence. That is, the move to remember the descendants’ heroes happened during reconstruction years. In other words, the-objective-truth may not agree with your opinion.

Clearly, other writers in this forum do not agree with you, Frady, and collaborating with the people for civic justice is the only chance for a progressive life during a lifetime. Living people certainly ought not go back to death, misery, and loss for the people.

Film tax (Hackford). Too little, too late, and too unreliable. It’s like the fox trying to persuade the hens.

Parks upkeep (Normand). I agree with Mr. Carrere: the "political victory may be short lived." Lee Circle certainly looks like an eyesore, and so does Latrobe Park.

New Orleans is a distant memory now, and I intend to leave it at that. I won't even attend the annual Darwin Day anymore---there are better ways to celebrate and better places to go.

Columns.

Twitter-in-chief (Rich Lowry). You must be a petulant writer in favor of media control of the USA.

I favor President Trump’s freedom of expression.

Let’s see how it turns out.

  

Anti-Iranian and anti-terror fronts (Charles Krauthammer). Dr. K, you are confused by trying to second guess President Trump.

The problem is that out of humankind’s confusion, the Jews discovered monotheism and perceived that they were chosen to connect humankind with God and that their future would feature a messiah. All of that viewpoint is expressed in the Old Testament, which contains the Jewish Bible, as I understand it. The God dictated the foundations to Moses.

Then came Jesus, and some Jews claimed Jesus was the messiah but that belief in him made the connection to God available to everyone, and followers of that thought became labeled as Christians. Development of the proposition by the Holy Ghost is recorded in the New Testament, and together with the Old Testament is the canonized Catholic Bible and competing versions. Generously, a Jewish institution created a Complete Jewish Bible.

Then came Allah, writing the Quran through Muhammad.

These three religions originate from Abraham and offer believers hope for a good afterdeath. In dubious ways, they propose the separation of civic governance from religious hopes, where civic refers to humans collaborating for life more than hoping for good afterdeath. Opinions about these and other issues proliferate these three religions into many competing religions.

President Trump and his administration designed his trip to open a dialogue toward all three major Abrahamic religions collaborating for world peace. It was a very ambitious trip, with very special conversations at each stop.

I appreciate your review of your knowledge about the issues and past failures, Dr. K. However, I do not appreciate your expressed doubt in President Trump’s excellent plan. You class yourself with the writers who fear your own gullibility: writers are immune from the-objective-truth.

Writers these days beg the woe of the people’s wrath, and when woe is begged, it finds its way home. Overboard? I don’t think so. I think the press abuses freedom of the press.

  

Conservative capacity for disgust and loathing (Michael Gerson). The ruin that conservatism as Gerson practices it abuses the majority of children in America by subjecting them to less than elite education when they are in fact elite beings.

My vote is for President Trump to change that, despite Gerson’s failure to recognize it. The American tradition is Chapter XI Machiavellianism, and it begs woe.

Kennedy failed fidelity (E. J. Dionne). The key to the possibility for a human to realize his or her potential for unique perfection  is fidelity (see RWE, Divinity School Address, the paragraph starting “Jesus Christ,” and back one paragraph). I invite Dionne to read and comment on my comment on JFK's 100th birthday remembrance.

People who do not face reality cannot learn from it.

Other forums.

Announcement:  theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/calendar/#/details/4th-Annual-Ratification-Day-Celebration/3562296/2017-06-21T19

  

facebook.com/events/294684190984748/permalink/296799887439845/?comment_id=299699313816569&notif_t=event_mall_comment&notif_id=1496237884447773

 Collaboration cannot be coerced or forced: it must be voluntary. Rather than express an opinion and demand its acceptance, a speaker states a concern and offers a well-grounded solution. Then, speaker turns listener, and the second speaker addresses the concern and proposal. This role swapping continues until both parties perceive their experiences and observations are being addressed. If they mutually see need for change, they design a plan to accomplish the change and agree on who will take each action.

Let me postulate your concern and proposed solution: White supremacy is still a dominant posture among Americans, and our humanity is denied daily. We propose to eliminate white supremacy before collaborating.

I tried to research the white supremacy premise, wandering around Pew Research. I found is pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/03/31/10-demographic-trends-that-are-shaping-the-u-s-and-the-world/. The predict in 2065 demographics of 46% white, 13% black, 24% Hispanic, 14% Asian, and 3% other. Next, I looked at pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/ . Subtracting the 6.5% black Protestants and 20.8% Catholics from the Christian total, we have 43.3% that might contain the white supremacists. If we guessed 2% representation, that leaves 0.9% of Americans and in 2065, that would be 0.4%. Thus, you propose to delay collaboration until less than 1% of the population, and I don't think it's that large.

This country was founded with 2/3 of representatives of the people wanting government of by and for all people, with 1/3 dissidents, some of whom wanted the preamble to read "We the States." Rather than hold 13% of blacks hostage to elimination of the small crowd who are white supremacists, I propose that the present 1/3 who are passive join with the 1/3 who are civic and collaborate for justice to constrain the dissidents including the supremacists.

We may work for broadly-defined-public-safety-&-security as the common good more than for the city, state or national vision of the good and more than any ideology. Let municipalities and ideologies serve the people rather than the people sacrifice life to a cause that will not help them.

  

Among a civic people, it is unjust to squander funds needed for noble causes, like lessening child abuse.

  

Phil Beaver does not “know” the-indisputable-facts. He trusts and is committed to the-objective-truth of which most is undiscovered and some is understood. He is agent for A Civic People of the United States, a Louisiana, education non-profit corporation. See online at promotethepreamble.blogspot.com.

May 30, 2017

Phil Beaver works to establish opinion when the-objective-truth has not been discovered. He seeks to refine his opinion by listening when people share experiences and observations. The comment box below invites readers to express facts, opinion, or concern, perhaps to share with people who may follow the blog.

Note 1:  I often dash words in a phrases in order to express and preserve an idea. For example, frank-objectivity represents the idea of candidly expressing the-objective-truth despite possible error. In other words, a person expresses his “belief,” knowing he or she could be in error. People may collaboratively approach the-objective-truth.
 Note 2: It is important to note "civic" as in citizens for the people more than for the city.

 The Advocate:  See online at theadvocate.com/baton_rouge.

  

Our Views (mismanagement). I perceive the LSU-maintenance problem as a lack of voluntary public-integrity and the question is where the failure is occurring: Louisiana government, LSU, or the people.

I think the people have the opportunity to realize two principles: 1) just as a person may earn a living to have the freedom-from oppression that is readily available in the USA, 2) he or she may work for the liberty-to responsibly live according to personal preferences rather than the dictates of the city, state, and federal governments.

To pursue these two opportunities, participants must stay politically informed and collaborate for civic justice, where “civic” refers to citizens of humankind more than citizens of a municipality or ideology beyond public-security. Civic justice is empowered by fidelity to the-objective-truth.

Both LSU and Louisiana-government have the excuse that the people don’t pay attention to the partnership that erodes the people's “freedom-from” and “liberty-to.”

I hope attention to dysfunction will motivate the people to both 1) consider the purpose and aims stated in the preamble to the constitution for the USA and 2) determine personal actions to responsibly pursue “freedom-from” and “liberty-to,” not for some future generation, but for current living.

   

Today’s thought (Proverbs 28:26). Humankind’s noble quest is to discover and benefit from the-objective-truth. For example, the earth once thought to be flat and 4 thousand years old is like a globe and 4,600,000 thousand years old. A civic people don’t lie because they care to communicate rather than to satisfy some mysterious rule.

The person who persuades himself or herself that he/she “knows” God may “watch out” for the-objective-truth. I wonder if Dean is self-deceived. I don’t know.

Letters

Cut taxation for the arts (Stillman, May 29). Joe Diogenes You are claiming that I have no talent.

However, I have talent and perfect it, low as it may be. I repeat ideas in this forum, but never cut and paste: I start from scratch. Thereby, my expressions improve each time.

Let’s collaborate for voluntary public-integrity.

But you don't have the humility to avoid anonymity and thereby publicly own your carelessness. That’s OK with me: to own his each.

 

Violent offenders (Hogan). I’m not convinced public-safety should take second chances with violence.

Services for rehabilitation need to be in place with good performance records before second chances are made available.

Religion is not a rehabilitation: mystery inspires people to bemusement rather than responsibly independent living.

Monuments (Claus). “Removing the monuments . . . is merely a missed opportunity to celebrate the goodness and ability to change of mankind.”

The monuments could have been turned into reminders of a nation overcoming “a more erroneous religious belief”---that the Bible’s verses that condone slavery are valid.

Now that the monuments are gone, people may plan the change to goodness: what must be done?

I hope we collaborate to keep religion, a private practice for comfort and hope in face of the undiscovered, separate from public justice, which is continually discovered through the-objective-truth.

Columns.

Saudi trust (Cal Thomas). Your approach is to appeal to ignoble motives.

In Islam, separating religion from politics is an internal task that only Islam can accomplish.

In America, separating religion from politics is an internal task that only America can accomplish.

I think President Trump started a progressive conversation and that your attitude undermines it. I hope you reform.

  

Trump budget failed (E. J. Dione). I think his budget is based on jobs. We’ll see.

Bad news for Trump (Byron York). It may turn out to be bad news for both Obama operatives in federal offices and the media.

I hope Congress acts to constrain the media. Perhaps not taking that need seriously was Benjamin Franklin’s most serious failure as one of America’s signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the 1787 draft constitution for the USA.

The media take excessive liberty-to publish what they want-to-be under “freedom of the press.” The people may stop them.

Other forums.

Announcement:  theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/calendar/#/details/4th-Annual-Ratification-Day-Celebration/3562296/2017-06-21T19

European envy (WSJ). Sohrab Ahmari in “How Nationalism Can Solve the Crisis of Islam,’ Wall Street Journal, May 27, page A11 reports an interview in Paris with Pierre Manent, political philosopher who defends capitalism.

I failed to mention the statement: “In its communiques claiming credit for terror attacks, Islamic State never fails to mention that the ‘soldiers of the Caliphate’ targeted this nation, which ‘carries the banner of the cross in Europe.’”

The interview-report goes on to propose that nations create a legitimate way for Muslims to join the nation. That will require that Muslims accept the separation of political power from religious hopes and for nations that seek justice to appreciate separation of churches from political power. In justice, the people collaborate for private-liberty-with-civic-morality, where “civic” refers to people who work for public-integrity more than for municipal control and prevent the Chapter XI Machiavellian religion-government-partnerships.

Phil Beaver does not “know” the-indisputable-facts. He trusts and is committed to the-objective-truth of which most is undiscovered and some is understood. He is agent for A Civic People of the United States, a Louisiana, education non-profit corporation. See online at promotethepreamble.blogspot.com.

May 29, 2017

Phil Beaver works to establish opinion when the-objective-truth has not been discovered. He seeks to refine his opinion by listening when people share experiences and observations. The comment box below invites readers to express facts, opinion, or concern, perhaps to share with people who may follow the blog.

Note 1:  I often dash words in a phrases in order to express and preserve an idea. For example, frank-objectivity represents the idea of candidly expressing the-objective-truth despite possible error. In other words, a person expresses his “belief,” knowing he or she could be in error. People may collaboratively approach the-objective-truth.
 Note 2: It is important to note "civic" as in citizens for the people more than for the city.

 The Advocate:  See online at theadvocate.com/baton_rouge.

  

Our Views (Memorial Day). I appreciate Memorial Day and The Advocate’s attention to it.
 

The Advocate conclusion begs ideas for a better future: “That lack of gravity seems to inform our politics these days. We must do better . . . long after Memorial Day has passed.”

How?

 

We suggest Baton Rougeans prepare for Ratification Day, June 21, by reading, considering, paraphrasing, practicing, and promoting the preamble to the constitution for the USA, especially on June 21.

That one sentence, the preamble, states the purpose and aims of collaboration by willing citizens to establish and maintain civic justice. “Civic justice” is for citizens of humankind more than for citizens of the city.

In civic justice, the city, state, and nation serve the people. The world benefits from the national example.

That sentence, the preamble, divides inhabitants: a civic people vs dissidents. A civic people, by example, inspire and motivate dissidents to communicate their concerns and objections with integrity rather than with violence or with disruption, so that actual injustice may be identified and corrected.

Since June 21, 2014, we work to increase a civic people. After a conversation with Don M, I wonder if Baton Rouge is now split 1/3 civic, 1/3 passive, and 1/3 dissident. We hope to experience an increase to 2/3 a civic people in Baton Rouge by Constitution Day, September 17, 2017.

Civic justice by a willing people does not come by propaganda, coercion or force. It comes from awareness that we can have collaborative safety and security so as to responsibly live our brief, private lives. Nevertheless, annual celebration of Ratification Day, the people's day, might lead to great celebrations of July 4, national Independence Day.

I cannot think of a better way to honor our fallen soldiers and their families and the people than to celebrate Ratification Day, without which the Confederation of States, originally thirteen, might exist or not.

  

Our Views (terror). Not to diminish the current reign of terror, I think it is erroneous to bury the erroneous past.

Despite the modifier “current,” “Reign of Terror” recalls the French Revolution. The mind quickly jumps to The Inquisition. It’s a stretch to the Atlantic Slave Trade, and the Doctrine of Discovery is obscure. However, these events have in common the religion-politics-partnership: Chapter XI Machiavellianism.

The global dilemma with Islam is that most Muslims believe religion is politics. The integrity of Islam is that it makes and sometimes takes that erroneous assertion covertly.

In 1905, France made separation of church and state a law. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1905_French_law_on_the_Separation_of_the_Churches_and_the_State . Christianity erroneously labels France a secular nation, when in reality many French people are privately religious. Soviet Russia failed to outlaw religion. The preamble to the constitution for the USA is falsely labeled secular whereas it is neutral to religion.

The USA could end its religious hypocrisy by amending the First Amendment so as to protect thought, a human responsibility, rather than religion, an institutional hope.

Despite all appearances other than his unabashed humanity, I hope President Trump will influence that change.

    

Today’s thought (Psalms 119:62). I move about in gratitude and openness to the-objective-truth.

When I have a civic problem, I try to resolve it from my side, and wait patiently if another party needs to collaborate. If I doubt my judgment, I visit a civic practitioner (skilled social worker) for advice. If the other party feels they’d prefer not to communicate, I accept their liberty-to choose.

When I gave trouble sleeping, I read, think, and may write. The likes of Plato, Madison, Hayek, Poulos, and many more inform me much better than Dean could.

For example, could Dean present anything but mystery regarding the Bible’s verses that condone slavery? New Testament hate?

I think it is time for Dean and others to awaken to the-objective-truth.

Letters

Cut taxation for the arts (Stillman). Creativity cannot be coerced. Philanthropy is a form of coercion. Redistributing tax money is beyond coercion toward force.

The technology of art can be taught, but art appreciation cannot be coerced. A Kennedy Award may coerce consideration, but appreciation for the art may not result.

 

Cut taxation for the arts.

Next monuments (Kabacoff). I guess about $1 million or more was spent to take down four monuments. The CSA lesson about “more erroneous religious beliefs” was not considered much less learned.

What does “move on” refer to? Big bucks to replace the monuments and other big bucks to relocate the monuments?

And take ‘me down has their sights on many more monuments and remembrances. More big bucks in three stages?

Against my wishes, I visited New Orleans, including Lee Circle. Latrobe Park is so disgusting I don’t want to return.

A young man who passed by seemed like an inhuman human. In the past, I would think “Oh, well it’s New Orleans.” I do not want to go back.

When some people served me at meals or at hotel, I felt tolerance toward me and the label “old white man.” I do not want to go back there.

Time to move on; time to say “goodbye.”

Columns.

Trump-Russia has no substance (Jules Witcover). If the-objective-truth is that the media, in concert with officials in place due to Obama fabricated the Russian story, there should be a consequence.

For example, Congress might pass a law that media fabrication of a brouhaha can lead to multimillion dollar fines to the publisher, and jail to the fabricators. Benjamin Franklin recommended the cudgel. The people need statutory law.

Additionally, Congress might require the publisher to reveal all leakers involved in the fabrication and subject them to traitor scrutiny, fines and jail.

The people deserve better than freedom of the press, because the press goes way beyond freedom.

   

Leftist drubbing again (David Ignatius). The midterm elections have the potential to send the liberal democrats into oblivion.

Even France is glancing toward American change after President Trump’s speech: We are sovereign and we don’t lecture other nations.

Trump has no character (Michael Gerson). Trump does the right thing anyway.

I don’t think I have ever encountered such leadership before---anywhere, anytime.

If my votes succeed, Gerson will need to turn pride to humility; gullibility to resolve. If so, will Gerson have the character?

I doubt a self-styled journalist can admit being wrong and apologize.

Announcement: 

theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/calendar/#/details/4th-Annual-Ratification-Day-Celebration/3562296/2017-06-21T19

Phil Beaver does not “know” the-indisputable-facts. He trusts and is committed to the-objective-truth of which most is undiscovered and some is understood. He is agent for A Civic People of the United States, a Louisiana, education non-profit corporation. See online at promotethepreamble.blogspot.com.

May 28, 2017

Phil Beaver works to establish opinion when the-objective-truth has not been discovered. He seeks to refine his opinion by listening when people share experiences and observations. The comment box below invites readers to express facts, opinion, or concern, perhaps to share with people who may follow the blog.

Note 1:  I often dash words in a phrases in order to express and preserve an idea. For example, frank-objectivity represents the idea of candidly expressing the-objective-truth despite possible error. In other words, a person expresses his “belief,” knowing he or she could be in error. People may collaboratively approach the-objective-truth.
 Note 2: It is important to note "civic" as in citizens for the people more than for the city.

 The Advocate:  See online at theadvocate.com/baton_rouge.

  

Our Views (justice reforms). I appreciate The Advocate’s caption “justice reforms” rather than the usual prison reform, criminal justice reform, criminal justice system, incarceration rate from past reports, etc.

I hope this week legislators will keep in mind Gov. John Bel Edwards failed Louisiana’s No.1, the people again, by following Obama-Holder-erroneous-formula-thought: prison just a modern racial-enslavement.

If necessary to get it right for the people including those who need help to get their lives back to a civic path, scrap all related bills and re-think them with the mindset “public safety & security” justice reforms (take this morning’s unintended lead from The Advocate’s caption). On the other hand, a quick review with the public safety & security mindset might bring approval of any good bills, perhaps with amendment.

Columns.

   

LSU “research” (Mark Ballard merely reporting). With “international” symposiums like “Moment or Movement?” October 3-4, 2016, LSU’s flag in SBR seems to compete with Southern University in NBR.

Then there’s the new course on dialogues on racism. Strange flagship fruit. I would not give LSU another dime.

President Trump musing (Michael Gerson). How can writers be so bold? Perhaps competition with the National Enquirer is attractive to the Washington Post.

Georgia on his mind (George Will). “If” is a game of folly not worth reading about, but Will has liberty-to write.

Police solidarity (Page 1B). To James Savor: Rochester, NY’s Cedric Alexander's statement, “[P]eople don’t see police as being legitimate,” may be true among vigilantes.

Alexander represented vigilante thinkers both above and below the police: Some legislators, lawyers and judges who arbitrarily burden the first responders---police, investigators and DA s---and the vigilante communities below.

The worst burden from above is recycling habitual criminals, which denies the police the civil right to a job that is supported by management. Under civil justice, Alton Sterling might not have been free to threaten public safety the night he resisted the police.

A civic people---those who collaborate for public safety & security---when in circumstances that call for police control respond to orders and often add “Yes, Sir/Mam,” to voice appreciation.

Officer Blane Salamoni doubts (Page 1A). Mary A. Diamond-Stockwell Good Grief, The Arrest Record

Here’s Alton Sterling, the guy they’re making a cause celebre out of.
•9/09/96 aggravated battery
•10/31/97 2nd degree battery
•1/06/98 simple battery
•5/04/00 public intimidation
•9/20/00 carnal knowledge of a juvenile
•9/04/01 domestic violence
•5/24/05 burglary of an inhabited dwelling place
•7/11/05 receiving stolen things
•9/12/05 burglary of inhabited dwelling place
•3/17/06 simple criminal damage to property, simple robbery, simple theft, drug possession, misrepresentation during booking, simple battery, aggravated battery
•4/12/06 aggravated battery, simple criminal damage to property, disturbing the peace, unauthorized entry
•4/04/08 domestic abuse battery
•6/03/09 resisting an officer, drug possession, receiving stolen things, possession of stolen firearm, illegal carrying of a weapon with CDs, sound reproduct without consent
•10/12/09 illegal carrying of weapon, marijuana possession
•8/13/15 failure to register as a sex offender
•4/08/16 failure to register as a sex offender
•6/14/16 ecstacy and marijuana possession

None of that makes it OK if the cops shot him while he was subdued. And that’s the argument here; if he was subdued at the time he was shot, it’s a bad shooting and the two cops involved, Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II, need to face criminal charges for it.

But if not, and he was actually reaching for the gun he had on him, which would have been an illegal gun and it wouldn’t be the first time he had an illegal gun on him when the cops arrested him (and it wouldn’t be the first time he was resisting arrest, either), then there isn’t much to argue about here.

What this arrest record shows is not the story the family and the “community” is trying to paint, of a “misunderstood” poor father trying to earn a living selling CD’s. He got arrested three weeks ago on drug possession – that’s hardly somebody trying to turn his life around. His arrest record shows that, charitably, he was a wannabe drug dealer but wasn’t very good at it.

And since he knew that gun was illegal and he was likely to be off to jail for a good while for having it, you can understand struggling with the police. Not to mention that if he was arrested three weeks ago for possession of ecstasy, you now have at least something to speculate about as to why he could be tazed and it wouldn’t even affect him. We know that gang-bangers use ecstasy, or a form of it called thizz which is something akin to crystal meth, as fuel for street violence, and it’s often mixed with marijuana for maximum effect. There was even a sizable drug case involving a rap label that was apparently a front for an ecstasy ring a few years ago.

To Mary A. Diamond-Stockwell: I appreciate the time you spent writing an impartial overview and The Advocate for providing the means for you to share.

In all the reporting and other abuse Baton Rougeans have suffered, I have not read one press-interview with a member of the public who has no interest beyond public safety.

I think a civic people are those citizens who either collaborate or cooperate for public safety and security so that each individual may responsibly pursue the happiness he or she perceives more than community preferences. We wish exemplary living would suffice, but some dissidents to safety & security cause harm and therefore a civic people provide statutory law and law enforcement so that dissidents may be either coerced to cooperate with safety & security or constrained. When a person threatens public safety the police have first responsibility.

A person attracted 911 attention by waving a gun in public. First responders arrived, perhaps expecting cooperation despite the gun. However, resistance began and escalated. After 90 seconds’ struggle public endangerment through failure to constrain was possible. One officer, reacting to two verbal gun-notices, perceived the perpetrator might gain freedom and attack the public. He took action. The perpetrator seemed to be getting up. The officer took second action.

Salamoni envisioned losing control of his ability to provide public safety. Based on my life experiences---referring to plant startups and related work, Salamoni had public safety on his mind more than personal safety. In a dreadful moment of doubt, Salamoni protected the public.

I know what it is like to lose. I regret Sterling’s outcome but thank Salamoni for his service. If he thinks one bad experience is enough for a lifetime, that’s his call, IMO.

European envy (WSJ). Sohrab Ahmari in “How Nationalism Can Solve the Crisis of Islam,’ Wall Street Journal, May 27, page A11 reports an interview in Paris with Pierre Manent, political philosopher who defends capitalism.

He starts by quoting President Donald Trump (not the media’s president), “America is a sovereign nation . . . We are not here to lecture.”

Without complimenting Trump, the writer segues to the condescending idea that “the American experiment,” at least in its realism regarding safety & security may be mimicked in Europe: “We are sovereign---we don’t lecture.”

  

Other forums.

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quora.com/What-is-the-similarity-dissimilarity-between-liberty-and-equality/answer/Phil-Beaver-1

Classical writers (Frederich Hayek, Edmund Burke, etc.) confuse me about freedom-from and liberty-to; I use the dashed phrases to distinguish the two. If you accept my usage, it seems clear that equality is required for freedom-from but conflicts with liberty-to.

Further, a “civic” people collaborate for safety & security for private happiness more than for the city. The city serves the people. With safety & security as the common good, a civic people develop statutory laws and law enforcement in factual justice rather than dominant opinion. Living by example is insufficient for some, and dissidents encounter either civic coercion or just punishment.

Individuals are diverse in understanding-of and appreciation-for the-objective-truth (the facts). The-objective-truth exists and human kind does the noble work of discovery, comprehension, and application thereof. For a physics example, the earth is like a globe, not flat, and gravity holds objects thereon. In a connections example, a civic people do not lie so that responders may address a true expression; liars cannot communicate. Human diversity crosses ethnicity, personal age, awareness of the facts, and collaboration. Through appreciative collaboration, individuals benefit from other people’s experiences and observations and thereby may live more informed than is possible alone.

In a civic culture or nation, an infant is born into equality before statutory law. He or she is educated and coached into personal responsibility to acquire comprehension during the transition to civic young adult with the understanding and intent to live a full life. Some individuals react negatively to education and coaching, so even in a civic nation, outcomes are not equal.

During adult life, the civic individual earns his or her living and either collaborates-for or cooperates-with civic justice. He or she pursues personal preferences in the process of perfecting his or her unique person. The consequences of the individual life-journey varies with a person’s fidelity to the-objective-truth and connections, with fate, and with personal abilities. Coerced equality would prevent individual liberty-to pursue personal perfection.

A civic nation develops statutory laws that empower freedom-from oppression so that the individual may acquire the liberty-to pursue private happiness. Thus, equal freedom-from oppression is a government requirement, and liberty-to pursue personal happiness is an individual responsibility.

   

Phil Beaver does not “know” the-indisputable-facts. He trusts and is committed to the-objective-truth of which most is undiscovered and some is understood. He is agent for A Civic People of the United States, a Louisiana, education non-profit corporation. See online at promotethepreamble.blogspot.com.

May 27, 2017

Phil Beaver works to establish opinion when the-objective-truth has not been discovered. He seeks to refine his opinion by listening when people share experiences and observations. The comment box below invites readers to express facts, opinion, or concern, perhaps to share with people who may follow the blog.

Note 1:  I often dash words in a phrases in order to express and preserve an idea. For example, frank-objectivity represents the idea of candidly expressing the-objective-truth despite possible error. In other words, a person expresses his “belief,” knowing he or she could be in error. People may collaboratively approach the-objective-truth.
 Note 2: It is important to note "civic" as in citizens for the people more than for the city.

 The Advocate:  See online at theadvocate.com/baton_rouge.

  

Our Views (no hair braid licensing). I agree with The Advocate: pass the no-license-required bill.

To JT McQuitty: The article makes it clear that licensing causes unemployment, which hurts the economy. It's like government "shooting the people in the foot" (an idiom).

  

Today’s thought (Proverbs 28:13). If the sinner “confesses and forsakes” the sin, the person’s perfection is restored. Why then, does Dean spring to the idea “Only God can fix it”?

I do not recommend Dean’s misuse of explicitly good advice from Proverbs.

Letters

Coastal law suits (Barry, May 24). John M. Barry Who created the thought below?

"Science . . . does not compromise. Instead, science forces ideas to compete in a dynamic process. This competition refines or replaces old hypotheses, gradually approaching a more perfect representation of the truth, although one can reach truth no more than one can reach infinity."

If you respond accurately, I have another question.

LSU research (Valsaraj). Is it coincidental that ongoing work on the liberal-democrat agenda is not listed?

We see “computer scientists are improving . . . predict hurricane storm surges” and “impacts of . . . disasters on the most vulnerable coastal residents.”

But there’s nothing about the liberal-democrat agenda at LSU:  dialogues on racism, “social justice,” movements, women’s rights, etc. There’s nothing about Mass Comm’s computer work to help influence (control?) public opinion. That’s the LSU agenda I oppose, and I do not want another dime to go there for those programs.

Those programs train people to ridicule the-objective-truth and stonewall people who advocate collaboration to discover the-objective-truth. For example, Albert Einstein sad that a civic people don’t lie so that the public is not challenged to respond to a lie. The other day, a liberal-democrat educated in sociology at LSU and a self-proclaimed righteous Catholic used the phrase “poor Albert Einstein.” What folly LSU turns out! Of course, you can blame the student for not learning, but LSU granted the degree.

I work for voluntary public-integrity and think Valsaraj is blind to the failing side of LSU.

Parks upkeep (Normand). Not to slight Chalmette: It seems to me Mitch Landrieu has made the case that monuments and parks are none of the state's business. I no longer care to spend my money in his risky city.

However, I am only one of four votes in my family, so we just returned from a visit. Ladies in my family like to make a pass through the French Market to purchase gifts. My past routine was wait in Latrobe Park, maybe get a snack from Gazebo Restaurant, and read or take notes.

There's neglect there, especially the gift from Paris, the Wallace fountain in the west section; see crescentcityliving.com/living-in-nola/things-to-do/latrobe-park-new-orleans-in-photos. It’s identical to statues in Paris, except in Paris, they are painted green and have water flowing. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_fountain. Worse are the social conditions, which changed Gazebo to 5:00 PM closing. My ladies will not return there. I guess I’ll find a place to wait in the French Market.

In general, I am concerned about my long-term desire to be in Louisiana. I might retreat to my home.

Columns.

AMO vs Turkish gestapo (Rich Lowry). Louisiana’s law on freedom of expression is better than the USA law. It makes it clear that the speaker is responsible for the consequences.

For the second time, protesters demanding their perception of freedom-of-expression encountered internationally immune rebuke. Prudence calls for personal constraint instead of taunting guards from another country.

Yes, the police, if present are obligated by US law to protect the protestors. But US police are also obligated to defend the foreign gestapo. If US police get injured, the protestors caused the injury. Next time, arrest the protestors.

Contrary to Lowry’s call for “Not in our house,” protestors are well advised to spend their time and life for personal happiness rather than Lowry’s direction from the comfort of his desk. With this poorly thought out essay, Lowry took company with Alinsky-Marxist organizers (AMO), the source of amoral political activism in the USA for the past five decades and more. Google D. L. Adams + Alinsky, pick the first URL, and read about the story from Al Capone to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

  

Leftist press competing with National Inquirer (Bernard Goldberg). When you are part of the problem you can’t see it. Journalism is a dead profession.

The leftist media has always opposed republican candidates. However, Trump is not a republican candidate. He defeated the GOP to accept the DNC’s failure and become President of the USA.

I voted for him twice, not to make America great again, but to make America great. So far, I think he is doing a great job, and I am looking for more good news in the future.

I hope that at the end of the left’s rainbow is reform of freedom of the press such that never again will the New York Times, the Washington Post, etc., publish lies. I don’t always get what I want.

Some blacks cross the color line, too (Edward Pratt). Not to slight the Linton family, but lots of people wanted national integration orders in the late 20^th century to work. My children started in the 70s and finished Magnolia Woods, Lee High, McKinley, LSU, and one left as junior at Louisiana College.

  

Many people predicted that the blacks would not integrate. Some did not. Under a half century of Alinsky-Marxist organization (AMO), I think some black Americans regressed. It’s a story out of Chicago that starts with Al Capone and hopefully ended with Barack Obama.

Google “D. L. Adams + Alinsky” to read a scholarly view of the story. My curiosity to understand black power initiated in February, 2015, when I attended Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr.’s speech at Southern University. I did so because I did not trust the press to help me learn.

Today, I consider the press less reliable than black people. In 2002, I walked out of the sixth and last session of YWCA’s indoctrination on racism and white privilege, knowing that I had never had the feelings they tried to impose on me. I always thought I was part of the solution and acted that way throughout my life.

Today, in conversation with a black person, I’m suspicious that they erroneously pity me, because my skin color informs them I cannot relate to the suffering of slaves.

It’s been 12 generations since the preamble to the constitution for the USA was created. It offers willing citizens a civic agreement to, among other concerns, overcome the consequences of 9 generations of African slavery in this land and imposed by Africa and the Church. “Civic” refers to citizens collaborating to live private-happiness more than to help the city achieve an imposed “common good,” such as theism.

Almost no one can recite the preamble, but its ideas are in many 2017 citizens’ memes, regardless of ethnicity. It proposes voluntary public-integrity. I do not know a black person who says he or she uses the preamble, but I know many who act in concert.

It’s been 8 generations since emancipation of the slaves. It’s approaching 3 generations since the Civil Rights Act against racial discrimination. Some are good some not. Black power, black liberation theology, and the Congressional Black Caucus have effected a regress in public-integrity.

Hopefully, Mitch Landrieu’s tyranny will help us voluntarily admit a nadir in barbaric conflict to establish dominant opinion. Perhaps 2017 will be the year of ascent toward private-liberty-with-civic-morality in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the USA, and beyond.

Because these ideas exist here, we can be the people who first collaborate for voluntary public-integrity.

(We’ll be discussing the preamble and collaboration at the 4^th annual Ratification Day celebration, June 21, 7:00 PM at Goodwood library.)

Marxist or Nazi wit (James Gill, May 25). This column was cute but futile freedom of the press to throw obsolete daggers.

The Marx side of the Alinsky-Marxist organizer (AMO) has more to do with the oppressor-victim relationship than economics. The AMO objective is conflict for chaos. And the Alinsky side of it posits that egocentric definition of right-to-equality justifies violence (negating the vote). Let me repeat that: With AMO power, no need to vote. Thus, AMO may be expressed as Nazi-Marxist organized, and that is fair assessment of Landrieu’s brown-city-popular-movement.

During the Mitch Landrieu imposed ordeal over the very expensive proposal to change the character of New Orleans so as to represent the egocentric “victims,” I have suggested that the oppressor is the Bible that was canonized by the Catholic Church and the Church’s use of their Bible for colonizing the Americas using African slaves. Thus the Church is the oppressor and we are all the victims:  together.

I do not want an apology from the Church. However, I do want the people to learn to talk to each other rather than stonewall each other. Landrieu is clueless to the potential for: after Jackson’s equestrian statue, remove St. Louis Cathedral, St. Paul’s and all the rest---all to save Landrieu’s hypocrisy. Replace them with more inhumanity rather than people who secretly feel sorry for each other.

People may get acquainted with the reality by viewing James Baldwin who proudly feels sorry for white people in debate with William F. Buckley, man who is gullible unto himself, in Gill’s home territory I think. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFeoS41xe7w .

Broome letter to Dabadie (May 26 online). To Elaine O Coyle: Here's a problem. She's backed by AMO groups like Together Baton Rouge, who feel sorry for white people because they can't relate to the cruelty slaves suffered.

 

Descendants of slaves are incredulous that "whitie" does not feel grief for the construct: white privilege. (Some white people have so much pride that they are gullible to that emotion. I'm humble.) What they don't admit is that I would never be cruel to a person. Moreover, I also am a victim of Christianity: I was always a person who trusted-in and committed-to the-objective-truth. I had to dig out of the well of Christian indoctrination.

Some black-Americans are victims of perhaps eternal-ingratitude.

"Whitie" came here 400 years ago, discovered freedom-from oppression and liberty-to live and then discovered that England was enslaving them to oversee African slaves placed here for England's agricultural enterprise.

 

Some descendants of slaves are not grateful that "whitie" carried the slaves through the Revolutionary War, debated how to accommodate slaves when “whitie” created the USA, then conducted the Civil War to overcome the Catholic Bible, which yet condones slavery.

 

Instead, many blacks are now enthralled that Bible-condoned slavery is true, but the masters are black-skinned. The preamble to the constitution for the USA included the slaves in 1787 and is there for their descendants and everyone else who is willing to use it. It is a voluntary civic agreement.

Since the civil rights acts of 1964-5, the black-American opportunity for freedom-from oppression so each person may work for the achievement of liberty-to live according to personal preferences instead of somebody's impositions has been enslaved. The enslaver is Alinsky-Marxist organization (AMO), a combination of black power, black liberation theology, and Congressional Black Caucus. The method is community vigilantism with public disruption that has the potential for violence, so that neither the vote nor the republic matters. Activists lose their lives to the cause.

I know so little about this I look to perhaps Raymond Jetson (perhaps F. King Alexander's tutor), Together Baton Rouge, and other minster coalitions to explain Ms. Broome.

Meanwhile, like Abraham Lincoln, I look to a civic people for ultimate justice. “Civic” means citizens for humankind more than for the city. The city serves the people.

I don’t want supremacy. I want voluntary public-integrity so that I can live as a human being among humans.

 

Again to Coyle: I agree there are many blacks who appreciate people as persons. The problem is the present dominance of liberal democracy in America.

Someone with a male body says "I always felt like I'm a woman," and the US Supreme Court with it's totally inept god of dignity and equality, Justice Kennedy I presume, may think, oh, let's be fair to her and give her a female body. But he does not take the time to examine the brain and discover if the brain, like the body, is male.

Kennedy might be humbled by James Poulos’s statement, “Put bluntly, the case for human freedom cannot succeed if the case for being human fails.” See National Affairs, No. 31.

Poulos motivates me to borrow a thought about Frederich Hayek: What civic morality provides “the individual is much more than what he would be able to do if only he were free.” “Civic” refers to citizens collaborating to live for private happiness more than the common good beyond public safety & security.

Other forums.

Announcement:  theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/calendar/#/details/4th-Annual-Ratification-Day-Celebration/3562296/2017-06-21T19

  

Phil Beaver does not “know” the-indisputable-facts. He trusts and is committed to the-objective-truth of which most is undiscovered and some is understood. He is agent for A Civic People of the United States, a Louisiana, education non-profit corporation. See online at promotethepreamble.blogspot.com.