Friday, May 29, 2020
Inevitable?
Your Crusading Blogger would like to join the chorus of voices that call for the end of looting and destructive demonstrations in Minneapolis and elsewhere, as a result of the death of George Floyd. But in my heart, I am divided: while lawful, peaceable action is always the way to go, what happens when one speaks truth to power -- at first whispering, then in a normal voice, and finally, shouting -- and power ignores you? Indeed, deliberately and methodically (sometimes violently, or using economic means) silences you?
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Shame
What is the penalty in the state of Minnesota for (allegedly) passing a counterfeit $20 bill?
"(4) to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if the counterfeited item is used to obtain or in an attempt to obtain property or services having a value of no more than $1,000, or the aggregate face value of the counterfeited item is no more than $1,000."
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.632.
What is the penalty in the state of Minnesota for (allegedly) resisting arrest?
"Subd. 2.Penalty. A person convicted of violating subdivision 1 may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if (i) the person knew or had reason to know that the act created a risk of death, substantial bodily harm, or serious property damage; or (ii) the act caused death, substantial bodily harm, or serious property damage; to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both;
(2) if the act was accompanied by force or violence or the threat thereof, and is not otherwise covered by clause (1), to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; or
(3) in other cases, to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both." https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2011/cite/609.50?keyword_type=all&keyword=Obstructing
Why do I say allegedly? Because in the case of George Floyd, the justice system was not allowed to do its job of proving innocence or guilt? Because, alas, some law enforcement officers decided to assume the roles of judge, jury and executioner?
Trayvon Martin
Breonna Taylor
Eric Garner
Antwon Rose
Ahmaud Arbery
Gotham Jean
And now George Floyd. These are just a small, recent grouping of folks killed while living black. Some by cops, some by vigilantes. Not a good look, America. But when Colin Kaepernick protested police brutality against blacks in 2016 by kneeling during the national anthem, he was the one who was wrong. Disgusting.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/us/george-floyd-minneapolis-death.html
"(4) to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both, if the counterfeited item is used to obtain or in an attempt to obtain property or services having a value of no more than $1,000, or the aggregate face value of the counterfeited item is no more than $1,000."
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.632.
What is the penalty in the state of Minnesota for (allegedly) resisting arrest?
"Subd. 2.Penalty. A person convicted of violating subdivision 1 may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if (i) the person knew or had reason to know that the act created a risk of death, substantial bodily harm, or serious property damage; or (ii) the act caused death, substantial bodily harm, or serious property damage; to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both;
(2) if the act was accompanied by force or violence or the threat thereof, and is not otherwise covered by clause (1), to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; or
(3) in other cases, to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both." https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2011/cite/609.50?keyword_type=all&keyword=Obstructing
Why do I say allegedly? Because in the case of George Floyd, the justice system was not allowed to do its job of proving innocence or guilt? Because, alas, some law enforcement officers decided to assume the roles of judge, jury and executioner?
Trayvon Martin
Breonna Taylor
Eric Garner
Antwon Rose
Ahmaud Arbery
Gotham Jean
And now George Floyd. These are just a small, recent grouping of folks killed while living black. Some by cops, some by vigilantes. Not a good look, America. But when Colin Kaepernick protested police brutality against blacks in 2016 by kneeling during the national anthem, he was the one who was wrong. Disgusting.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/us/george-floyd-minneapolis-death.html
Monday, May 25, 2020
Something Else
Something else I saw today that resonates. It is certainly true that our fine soldiers are not our only warriors. Many will be called. How many will answer?
https://patriciademarco.com/2020/05/24/freedom-is-not-free-_-homage-to-the-citizen-soldiers-of-america/
https://patriciademarco.com/2020/05/24/freedom-is-not-free-_-homage-to-the-citizen-soldiers-of-america/
Friday, May 8, 2020
Spacey's Spaced Twaddle
So, a little while ago, Your Crusading Blogger woke up from a nap to see this story on CBS Evening News, and mirrored in her AOL news feed:
Kevin Spacey Compares Career Downfall To Coronavirus Effect On Business: "I Can Relate To What It Feels Like To Have Your World Suddenly Stop."
Kevin Spacey Compares Career Downfall To Coronavirus Effect On Business: "I Can Relate To What It Feels Like To Have Your World Suddenly Stop."
Grrr. If it's anything I hate, it's awakening from a nice, peaceful, restful nap and going straight into a high state of piss-off. Very, very jolting.
You may recall that Mr. Spacey's career came to a similar jarring halt a few years ago, when several men accused him of sexually harassing and/or assaulting them.
Mr. Spacey went on to say that this interval has lent itself to introspection and gave him the opportunity to work on himself. He suggests all of us who have lost jobs in this coronavirus emergency might do the same.
Sigh.
Am I the only one here with a bad taste in her mouth?
I will say, that as a general rule, when disasters and hard times hit, that is sound advice. Absolutely, dwelling on the negative is pointless. There are productive things to do. Many people are going down that path, including Your Crusading Blogger: deep-clean the house, do yard work, get rid of junk, remodel, bake prodigiously. This is proven by the scarcity of items such as flour, yeast, paint, primer, bamboo rakes, etc., and the abundance of ads on apps like NextDoor for all manner of free stuff people are cleaning out of their spaces.
And I see evidence in many places that people are spiritually hungry, and in most cases being offered satisfying food for the soul, and are availing themselves of it. This is actually much more common in bad times than the opposite, no matter what the news cycle might be trying to tell you.
Heartening, too, are all the stories of people helping one another. Again on my local NextDoor app, I see people offering to help, drive, pick up items, initiating and aiding in the distribution of food and masks, and sharing what they have, even if they have very little themselves. I see prayers and hearts going out, and exhortations designed to bolster the spirits of others that do credit to our post-modern world.
The reason Mr. Spacey's commentary is so offensive to me is because he cites an international disaster, an act of God, if you will, complex and large in its scope, but still an incident of randomness. A case, apparently, where everything in nature lined up just so, (which by the way, does tend to happen every so often, indeed we were overdue for a pandemic of this magnitude, long overdue), and he compares it to a series of abusive and exploitative actions of his own whereby he was the agent of his own destruction. And he injured a lot of innocent folks along the way.
In short, Mr. Spacey, the difference is, in your situation, there is blame, and it belongs to you. For you to compare the results of the coronavirus with that of your abuse is narcissistic and disingenuous. And while some of your advice was beneficial, no one will eat even the choicest, sweetest honey if it comes from the mouth of a spoiled fish. You have a way to go, Mr. Spacey. Please get on with your life's work. And please do it quietly.
https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2020/05/08/kevin-spacey-compares-career-downfall-to-coronavirus-effect-on-business-i-can-relate-to-what-it-feels-like-to-have-your-world-suddenly-stop/24242457/
Mr. Spacey went on to say that this interval has lent itself to introspection and gave him the opportunity to work on himself. He suggests all of us who have lost jobs in this coronavirus emergency might do the same.
Sigh.
Am I the only one here with a bad taste in her mouth?
I will say, that as a general rule, when disasters and hard times hit, that is sound advice. Absolutely, dwelling on the negative is pointless. There are productive things to do. Many people are going down that path, including Your Crusading Blogger: deep-clean the house, do yard work, get rid of junk, remodel, bake prodigiously. This is proven by the scarcity of items such as flour, yeast, paint, primer, bamboo rakes, etc., and the abundance of ads on apps like NextDoor for all manner of free stuff people are cleaning out of their spaces.
And I see evidence in many places that people are spiritually hungry, and in most cases being offered satisfying food for the soul, and are availing themselves of it. This is actually much more common in bad times than the opposite, no matter what the news cycle might be trying to tell you.
Heartening, too, are all the stories of people helping one another. Again on my local NextDoor app, I see people offering to help, drive, pick up items, initiating and aiding in the distribution of food and masks, and sharing what they have, even if they have very little themselves. I see prayers and hearts going out, and exhortations designed to bolster the spirits of others that do credit to our post-modern world.
The reason Mr. Spacey's commentary is so offensive to me is because he cites an international disaster, an act of God, if you will, complex and large in its scope, but still an incident of randomness. A case, apparently, where everything in nature lined up just so, (which by the way, does tend to happen every so often, indeed we were overdue for a pandemic of this magnitude, long overdue), and he compares it to a series of abusive and exploitative actions of his own whereby he was the agent of his own destruction. And he injured a lot of innocent folks along the way.
In short, Mr. Spacey, the difference is, in your situation, there is blame, and it belongs to you. For you to compare the results of the coronavirus with that of your abuse is narcissistic and disingenuous. And while some of your advice was beneficial, no one will eat even the choicest, sweetest honey if it comes from the mouth of a spoiled fish. You have a way to go, Mr. Spacey. Please get on with your life's work. And please do it quietly.
https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2020/05/08/kevin-spacey-compares-career-downfall-to-coronavirus-effect-on-business-i-can-relate-to-what-it-feels-like-to-have-your-world-suddenly-stop/24242457/
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