May 18, 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 (The Advocate’s loss). Legislative task forces meet for iterative collaboration on a perceived problem and proposed solution. 

 

The idea is to pool experiences and observations to reach the best statement of the problem and the best solution. Never is that a short process. The Advocate should not discourage iterative collaboration.

 

Perhaps a liberal democrat federal administration called for prison reform for vigilante reasons. See theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/12/eric-holder-smart-crime-reform-us-prisons. By vigilante I mean prisons exist to protect the public. By dicktat, the administration set out to reduce incarceration rates.

On the other hand, helping criminals reform is a better option than mere punishment, and many states started dedicating funds to education, substance abuse counseling, mental-health services, etc.---lets lump them as dissident-reform.

By education I do not mean inculcation of religion, which imposes concern for the afterdeath rather than skills for living. Religion usually conflicts with civic morality. Also, observed good behavior is incentive to re-consider parole. With dissident-reform in place some states enacted sentencing reform.

I don’t know how Louisiana’s task force got sentencing reform ahead of dissident-reform. I suspect Gov. John Bel Edwards failed again. However, in the public-interest, the sheriffs and district attorneys, at the legislation stage, iteratively collaborated to delay some sentencing reforms. Thank you. In iterative collaboration, participants are expected to speak the-objective-truth upon comprehension, and no one should fault their process to reach understanding.

Shame on The Advocate for continually badgering the people’s first responders in the difficult work of constraining criminals through services (sometimes rewarding) and imprisonment.

 

Today’s thought (James 1:22). As usual, Dean expresses a mystery that readers may take not too seriously. 

 

Chapter 1 ends with how to act: “The religious observance that God the Father considers pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world.”

 

I accept that God would not be so narrow then broad in requirements, so doubt that James 1 represents more than an opinion addressed to the twelve tribes.

 

Waning something more reliable, I place my trust and commitment in the-objective-truth of which most is undiscovered and some is understood.

Letters

Punishing and threatening Metro Council Members (Carwile). A friend is an activist, and I do all I can to persuade her to take the written option. 

 

I continually write useful messages to the Metro Council, and wrote messages to the mayor and other officials. I learned the mayor does not "let's have a conversation" with me.

Each person may be careful for civic well-being. Alinsky-Marxist organizing (AMO) is well known as amoral politics. See newenglishreview.org/DL_Adams/Saul_Alinsky_and_the_Rise_of_Amorality_in_American_Politics/ .

Alinsky said that violence is justified. See youtube.com/watch?v=OsfxnaFaHWI and go to the student’s question at 46’58” and Alinsky’s response.

AMO recruits people and trains them to sacrifice for a cause. However, as Adams points out, AMO disruption may lead to violence for no reason beyond conflict. Thus, the AMO end is chaos.

America has been subjected to AMO since Alinsky learned from Al Capone and started practicing and especially once he published his rules for AMO.

AMO should be avoided as a plague.

Livingston schools v flood (Landry). I'm humbled by the school story and your happiness to be on that team. I hope The Advocate creates a feature story telling how collaboration was accomplished.
 

The Advocate helped. I recall this notice for volunteers regarding home restorations: theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/communities/livingston_tangipahoa/article_9e38e66c-1fc3-11e7-8cd6-67ec2de2842f.html and this celebration of school employees: theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/communities/livingston_tangipahoa/article_76de57fe-2212-11e7-b7f3-2b867c48cf4e.html .

  

Froma Harrop column (hopes Trump passes like a kidney stone). Golly. I thought liberal democrats preach against hate.

 

No doubt, Ms. Harrop, your imaginary constructs oppose my votes. I hope you get the chance to say, “I regret having been so hateful.”

   

Dana Milbank column. I think people of integrity fare well with President Trump. People with mere honesty receive Trump-patience. Liars get fired. We’ll see.

People who construct lies are beneath the above classes.

James Gill column (no mask). Gill that’s the second time you wasted my time for your cuteness. Three strikes and you’re out.

Bernard Goldberg column (politics is infection). I thought assigning Robert Mueller as a special council was a good step for we the civic people of the United States. “Civic” refers to persons for the people rather than a party, ideology, or AMO disruptions.

I think now that President Trump has a cabinet some democrats will care enough to help the civic people of the United States However, I don’t perceive a cure for the media’s will-to-construct-their-hopes. The civic people of the United States need a means of holding the media responsible for consequences of lying.

Plan $50 billion (Page 1B). Is that a $0.05 trillion debt? That’s only 0.25%. But I want debt reduction.

Religion has no standing (Page 1A). Safety & security is a civic people's responsibility.

We learned from Alvin Plantinga’s $1.4 million Templeton prize that God probably “allows” evil: God left it to humankind to constrain crime.

Platninga seems in agreement with Abraham Lincoln, who, perhaps not expecting the power of “more erroneous religious belief” taunted the Confederate States of America, “Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?”

No religious institution, much as it tries, may usurp humankind’s responsibility for civic safety & security. “Civic” indicates citizens collaborating for the people more than for the government. Introducing religion into the discussion may be civic immorality.

No person can lessen a neighbor’s claim, “My God is awesome.” However, everyone may justify the statement, your God is no better than mine, and neither has standing in civic debate: Civic safety & security is on us.
 
These ideas may be hard to accept but deserve consideration.

 

Mueller on Russia (Page 1A). Good for a civic people of the United States.

Can’t trust the Associated Press (Page 6A). Bad for US Rep. Kevin McCarthy for claiming a careless tongue. 

 

Woe to the Associated Press, understandably writing in anonymity for constructing exposition of AP folly. When woe comes to those who beg it, it comes unexpectedly and harshly.

 

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.