Thoughts Aloud

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While I realize there is no end of opinion being offered regarding the Martin – Zimmerman fiasco, I cannot help but offer my own two dollars worth…

Despite there having been no real evidence of a racial angle to this tragedy, still there seems to be an outcry to make this a racial issue. My question is why?

I expect as much from the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton because they (and others like them) are professional racists. That is to say, their prosperity, fame and influence are all based on the continuation of racial divisiveness.

But, how does one explain the media’s obvious wish to stir up unnecessary racial discord over this? Or that of the “Hollywood airheads”? Worse yet, why is the president of our nation doing the same thing? Do they not understand that the “low information” segment of our society reacts to such misinformation emotionally rather than rationally, and that, to most of them, perception is reality, regardless of the pertinent facts (or lack of same).

I confess to have no idea what was going through the minds of George Zimmerman or Trayvon Martin during that unfortunate encounter. However, my impression, from what evidence we have been offered, is that this was the tragic result of a chance collision between two people, both lacking in good judgment.

Goodness knows that there is enough legitimate racial misconduct among all races without attempting to find a racial problem where none seemed to exist.

Precisely what do the race-baiters wish to come of this? Other than the professional racists named above, why would any sane person want to foment unrest that will intimately harm us all?

There is another angle to this that puzzles me. Assume that the professional racists, the media, the Hollywood airheads and even the president are all totally sincere in their concern that a young black male may have been intentionally stalked and killed by a part Hispanic, part black man with a Jewish name? If the killing of young black males is so high on their collective horror list, where is the like concern for the thousands of young black males that are routinely slaughtered by other black males in our inner cities? Are the lives of those young black males of no account? Is the killing of a young black male only wrong when perpetuated by a killer who is less than totally black?

As I have opined before in this blog, I originally hoped that the election of the first self-identified “black” president would be, if not the end of racism in America, at least the beginning of the end. Instead, we have elected the most racist administration in the history of the Republic.

Perhaps those currently in power see this as some manner of “getting even”? I simply cannot imagine any other explanation for intentionally causing division and discord in the nation they were chosen to lead. But this I do know – whatever their motivation, what they are doing can only turn out very badly for all of us, no matter our individual blend of ancestral ethnicity.

The future of our Republic is in sufficient doubt without this.

Taking this latest fiasco together with all else that has happened in recent years, one would be justified in concluding that those privileged to lead this nation are determined to destroy it. I simply cannot come up with any other rational explanation.

It is our choice whether we allow them to succeed.

Think about it.

Troy L Robinson

This being the holiday when we (should) celebrate our national independence, it seems a reasonable time to reflect on the notion of Patriotism and of the Patriot. To some extent, this article is in response to the blog post at: https://www.thoughtsaloud.com/2013/06/11/does-the-truth-realy-make-us-free/ and to the many comments it prompted (and for which I thank all of you).

To start things off, I offer definitions of the two words, taken from Dictionary.com:

patriotism:
devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.

patriot:
1. a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.
2. a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, especially of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.

While I do not argue with these definitions, I nevertheless find them lacking. For instance, “patriotism” is defined as being about one’s country and national loyalty. Fine, but exactly what does this mean? Is the “country” the physical land? Is it the citizenry? Is it the nation – and, by extension, the government? Common sense suggests to me that it is a combination of these. Again, fine, so far as it goes.

Next, when we consider the definition of “patriot”, we get another “spin” on things. Again is repeated the devotion to country, but, added is the notion that a “patriot” also defends the rights of the individual citizen against governmental interference. And, herein lies the rub.
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The United States of America has reached that sad (and terminal) condition where we are in a constant state of War.

As a people, we have been conditioned to accept War as a necessary thing. After all, was our very freedom as a nation not born in War?

The error in all this is that War, as a term of language, has become so general as to mean almost anything, good, bad or indifferent. We-the-sheeple seem to accept that all Wars are in our interest without stopping to examine each so-called “War” on its own merits (or lack of same). As a result, a condition (War) that we generally accept as always in our interest is increasingly used against us. Yet another example where ignorance is the true enemy – an enemy against which we are not waging any form of “War”. Let us examine a few of the attributes of this thing we call “War”.

Basically, War is a method by which something is intended to be “defeated’. Simple enough on the surface but, are we always sure we know exactly what is intended to be defeated and why? I submit that the answer is a definite “NO”.
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(It seems I have something to say after all…)

According to the Christian bible, if one knows the truth, that truth will make one free. Will it really? Better still, do most of us even want to know the truth?

In this diatribe, I refer to the various documents provided to WikiLeaks by Bradley Manning followed by the more recent disclosures of government spying on its citizens by Edward Snowden.

It is true that, in both cases, the “leakers”, aka “whistle blowers” violated numerous security laws and rules by making their disclosures. This prompts me to ask whether laws and rules that have the effect of covering up (or hiding) wrongdoing on the part of government can, indeed, ever be accepted as valid laws and rules?

I see this as akin to the principle regarding a soldier’s obligation to follow orders – excepting in those cases where such orders would result in illegal or improper actions (for instance, an order to kill innocent civilians).

Such notions are, in fact, almost impossible to “cleanly” implement because they depend on the interpretation of the situation by the individuals involved as well as the fact that the “rules” of the game are often totally inconsistent.

Referring back to my previous example – most of us can agree that an order for an infantry squad to invade a peaceful village and kill innocent non-combatants is morally wrong. Then, what do we say about the order to drop bombs or fire missiles into areas that contain equally innocent non-combatants whose only “crime” was to be too near some area thought to have legitimate military value? It seems to me the only way out of this morass is to judge the actions of those who violate the rules by the evident morality of their intentions. That is, were the violations in question obviously intended for personal gain or were they done at obvious personal risk to the violator and driven by moral considerations?

Back to the original notion – that of “leakers” who violate security laws and rules to disclose information that they honestly and morally believe should be known by the citizenry at large…

My own opinion, for whatever it is worth, is that what we know to be morally correct always trumps laws and rules established by government. If that is not true, then government automatically becomes all powerful because its ability to manipulate and deceive will be unlimited.

Given this opinion, three thoughts emerge: First, that both Manning and Snowden deserve the same consideration and protection extended to whistle blowers whose revelations did not involve “national security”. Second, that what we allow to be called “national security” is more often a smoke screen intentionally devised to hide the crimes of those who govern us. Third, that any and all members of government who demand that the likes of Manning and Snowden be severely punished, even executed, are themselves highly suspect and most probably have wrongdoing to hide.

The plain truth is that our government, especially the current regime, is corrupt to the point where all our rights and liberties are at severe risk. If we sit by and allow those who would expose this corruption to be silenced and punished, then we are nothing more than accessories to that corruption.

Think about it.

Troy L Robinson

Some time ago, in this blog, I opined that one way to tell that tyrants are becoming secure in their position is that they cease trying to cover up their lies and their misdeeds.

It that not exactly the situation in these United States today?

Today, we are seeing evidence of activities on the part of out-of-control government that, in past days, would have caused people to take to the streets in anger and disgust. Yet, various members of the regime, whether before legislative committees, before what passes for “the press” and in other public venues, give responses to legitimate questions that range from blatant lies to wise-guy responses that are the verbal equivalent of raising the middle finger in the questioner’s face. And there is virtually no meaningful response. Especially from we-the-sheeple.

Consider the testimony of then IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman when asked why he had been cleared to visit the White House 157 times. His response, to a committee of Congress, was that he was taking his kids to the Easter Egg Roll. (Translation – up yours!)

Then we have IRS official Lois Lerner who comes before this same committee, makes a speech proclaiming her innocence of any and all wrongdoing, then invokes her 5th amendment right against self incrimination rather than answer any questions from the committee. (Translation – up yours!)

And, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, angrily responding what difference does it make when asked about the persistent lie that the Benghazi attack, which killed 4 Americans including our Ambassador to Libya, was incited by a YouTube video rather than having been a well planned terrorist attack. (Translation – up yours!)

Meanwhile, the both the Obamanation and his Attorney general lie with impunity to virtually every question then are asked – and are pretty much allowed to get by with it. (Translation – up yours!)
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From FOX News:

Paula Broadwell apologizes for Petraeus affair
The biographer whose extramarital affair with then-CIA director David Petraeus triggered his resignation says she regrets the relationship.

What is with all this apologizing? The Obamanation has apologized to almost everyone on Earth for America’s very existence. A steady stream of celebrities are constantly apologizing for DUI and abusive behavior (which most then go on to repeat over and over). Criminals apologize for heinous crimes as if that will make some difference to their victims. And so on until I could vomit.

Certainly there is a time and place for a sincere apology for certain acts. For instance, Petraeus and Broadwell may well owe some form of apology to their families or to others who were directly affected by whatever they did. However, whatever intimate relations they may have had with each other were not my business, did not involve me and, in a sane world, did not affect me one way or the other. So, how can I possibly be due an apology from either of them? I just don’t get it.

As for the celebrities, most of what they apologize for were criminal acts that would result in serious punishment if done by you or me. And, in most cases the obvious insincerity of the apologies make them more like insults.

Whether your average criminal’s apologies make any difference to the victims and their families, I simply do not know. I have no doubt that most of them are genuinely sorry but I suspect this sorrow is more from getting caught that from whatever illegal act they were caught at.

Then there is that repeated Obamanation world apology tour. Yes, we use a large percentage of the world’s energy resources. Yes, in the past we lived better than much of the world. We have also expended endless blood and treasure fighting on behalf of others and are almost always first on the scene with assistance when tragedy strikes other nations. We are what we are and most of us are proud of it. If the Obamanation is not, he should move to one of those third world crap pots he seems so enamored of. Or at least quit insulting the people who have bestowed the highest position in the world upon him (for reasons that escape me).

I feel so much better having said all this. If, in the process of venting, I have managed to offend any of you, rest assured that I offer you no apology whatever.

Thank you.

Troy L Robinson

Scandals related to the Obama regime are popping up almost faster than Fox can cover them (the other parts of the MSM evidently not caring). The evidence that we are being constantly and systematically lied to – thus being manipulated — is overwhelming. Yet, the Obamanation enjoys a positive job approval rating over 50%. Sane people wonder how could this possibly be?

I think I now partly understand and, that partial understanding leads to a conclusion I simply have no idea how to cope with.

We were driving to Ft Worth yesterday to keep an appointment – a drive of 1 ½ hours or so, depending on conditions. So, as is my usual habit, I had the radio tuned to a local talk show. The topic under discussion is quite beside the point. The gist of the story is that a woman called in to make a comment on the topic of the moment. The host reacted to the comment she had made by citing several known, openly available facts showing that what she was claiming was totally incorrect. Her reaction was, in my interpretation, that she did not care what the facts were, she had decided what she wanted to believe and she would continue to believe it no matter what. In other words, her position was based on what she wanted to be true, not on reality.

I admit that I have no idea how such attitudes can be dealt with. And, if as I suspect, this is a widespread thing, the situation seems quite hopeless.

Since my retirement, much of the focus of my life has been on attempts to inform, to educate and to challenge others to think, mostly by trying to restate complex notions in the simplest and most logical way possible in an attempt to make them more understandable. My thinking being that many of our citizens, for any number of reasons, simply do not fully understand what is happening around them. The notion that large numbers of them knowingly and intentionally reject reality is so alien to my world view as to leave me feeling totally helpless and unable to cope.

In my world, the essence of our humanity is our ability to reason. When we intentionally reject that, haven’t we become something less than human?

What disturbs me most of all (about myself and my reaction to this realization) is that suddenly the actions of the likes of Hitler, Mao, Stalin, etc., actually start to make a sort of perverted sense. Yet, the rational being inside me knows that this cannot be the answer because, if it is, then what point is there to anything?

I seek better understanding should any of you have the insight I obviously lack. Truly, if ignorance is bliss then tis folly to seek wisdom. In the meantime I find that there is much joy in simply sitting in my Japanese garden in the evenings, enjoying the plants, the birds, and the critters (especially my friend Mr. Squirrel who is quite the entertainer), partaking of a good cigar and a glass of fine Scots whisky and letting the world do as it will. If this seems overly selfish – weel, I dinna give a hoot!

Troy L Robinson

I often write articles predicting the end of the United States of America. I realize that, taken in the wrong context, this sounds a bit extreme. Therefore this attempt to give the intended context.

First, if asked whether the physical entity the United States of America is going to disappear from our maps in the foreseeable future, my response would be no. Then, you may well ask, why all the predictions of doom and gloom? This requires a far more detailed explanation.
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The detailed investigation held post 9/11 clearly indicated that the information needed to prevent that attack was in hand. The problem, we were told, was that the appropriate government agencies “failed to connect the dots”.

Now, just a few days after the Boston Marathon bombing, initial investigations suggest that the information needed to prevent the bombing was in hand. The problem, we are again being told, was that the appropriate government agencies “failed to connect the dots”.

Indeed, reviewing want we think we know today, the only time the information “dots” seem to have been accurately “connected” was with those supposed “near misses” which, on deeper investigation, seem usually to have been orchestrated (and financed) by government agencies – particularly by the FBI.

For sure, there is a secondary problem at work here and that is that the various government agencies refuse to cooperate and communicate effectively. This is true, and will always be true, of political agencies led by people whose first priority is to perpetuate their agency, its prerogatives, and, most especially, its funding.

From all of this, I have reached several (to me) obvious conclusions:
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I will begin this by repeating one of my favorite notions… I am only one religion removed from the most fanatic believer. I say this because, inevitably, the truly fanatic are certain that every religious dogma, except their own, is fatally flawed. In a word, they are all wrong. All I do is take this idea one religion further and accept the obvious – that ALL religions are fatally flawed, ergo the one religion difference.

There are several very simple principles that convince me I am correct. The simplest of all is this: the root of all religions is nothing more or less than an attempt to explain the relationship between humanity and the unknowable. Unknowable. Think about this a moment. If something is truly unknowable, are not any and all attempts to find an explanation automatically flawed? None can be any better than wild guesses. Possibly, one or more of these wild guesses may be near some form of truth but we cannot know that with any certainty because that is the very nature of unknowable.

It follows (to my mind) that, given the absolute uncertainty of any dogma based on wild guesses, any attempt to use such dogma as justification for interfering in the free exercise of their natural rights by others can only be wrong. Very wrong. As wrong as wrong can get.

How could anything be simpler to comprehend? Yet, by the billions, we humans cling to belief systems that were not even convincing back in the dark ages when they were conceived. Belief systems that would be both silly and comical were it not for the damage they have done and continue to do.

Which brings us to marathon day in Boston. Once again, we are forced to see the result of a belief system that, by its own tenents, cannot, and will not peacefully coexist with any other system of belief or governance. Yet, we refuse to see that the problem is not a few over zealous practitioners of Islam. Instead, the problem is obviously in the core beliefs upon which the religion is based.

Why such a refusal? Simple. Once we, via our institutions, openly admit that the very tenents of a religion can be dangerous to humanity, we open the door to the next obvious question: “can this conclusion apply to all religions?”

At some level of our being, I think all of us know the answer to that question. That is why we do not dare allow it to be asked in any meaningful forum.

Think about it.

Troy L Robinson

We are just arrived in Manchester, NH, home town of saint J9. One of the reasons we came at this particular time is that my son-in-law ran in the Boston marathon today — with my daughter and two granddaughters in the stands cheering him on (and we planned to hook up with them in Boston tomorrow). Thankfully, they left the bomb site about 30 minutes before the explosions. Still, we had a tense time of it while flying in, disconnected from any media after having seen early reports of the blasts on monitors in the Philadelphia airport.

While all the pertinent data is not in yet, we can all make a fairly accurate guess as to the underlying cause of this crap. To that end, I have a suggestion that I am certain would have some level of effectiveness. The government of the US should instruct our ambassador to the UN to make a very simple statement to the entire world that says — as of the next terrorist attack on the US, that can be reliably linked to Islam — the city of Mecca, holiest site in Islam, will be promptly turned into a sheet of glass, by a nuclear blast that will render the entire area uninhabitable for centuries to come. Then, follow through and actually do it. If, like Japan in WWII, they do not learn after the first strike, then Medina should be next. Etc. with other Islamic sites until the message gets through to them — that we are not weak, we are not decadent and we have had enough.
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After a 45 minute wait in the security line at the Miami airport, I once again realized that the terrorists in the so-called “war on terror” have won this phoney war.

Our “leaders” seem to have no idea what terrorism is really all about. They act as though this is a traditional form of war with pitched battles and conquest of territory rather than a technique intended to cause the targeted society to lose faith in its institutions, in its culture, indeed, in every aspect of its existence.

Clearly, this has worked. Why else would a once free people willingly surrender a major part of its traditional and constitutional liberty in exchange for a phoney “security” system that treats them like a bunch of criminals who simply have not yet been caught in the act?

Or, could it be that our government has itself become the primary threat to our liberty rather than the so-called “terrorists”? Do you consider this an irresponsible or misleading question? Read the rest of this entry »

The Obamanation has issued yet another Imperial Decree (sorry – I meant Executive Order), this time taking control of the election process. The order title is Executive Order — Establishment of the Presidential Commission of Election Administration and the details are on the White House web site at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/28/executive-order-establishment-presidential-commission-election-administr

My friends, if you have somehow resisted the urge to get angry over the past power grabs by this pseudo dictator who pretends to be president, surely this will push you over the edge.

Those of you who have bothered to study our Constitution know that the election process is one power the States did not delegate to the Federal Government. Yet, here is a power mad narcissist claiming to himself – and to a “commission” appointed solely by himself, with no congressional consent or oversight, the power to manage the election processes of the entire nation.

As I have tried to explain in other articles, we are only a declaration of martial law away from a full-fledged dictatorship and the time and the means to change the present course both grow thin.

Look around you and realize that our liberty is now under assault from every angle.

While I realize that our national legislature is dysfunctional – and obviously scared out of whatever wits it once may have had by the actions of this tyrant and his thugs, I nevertheless ask each of you to help start a telephone and email barrage to our senators and congresspeople, demanding they override this outrage. It may not help but it surely will not hurt.

And stock up on whatever guns, gold and ammo you can afford.

Good old Adolph would have been proud of this guy!!

Troy L Robinson

Among other prohibitions, the first amendment to our Constitution prohibits infringing on the freedom of the press.

I understand this to mean that the government is not supposed to tell journalists what they can or cannot convey via whatever medium they work in. All well and good. But, does this “freedom” include the freedom to knowingly misinform and/or confuse?

By “ knowingly misinform and/or confuse”, I mean such things as: intentionally lying; intentionally omitting salient facts so as to distort; not reporting events that are of concern to the general public and the like.

For sure, I have no concern with the notion of an expressed opinion (especially since I express so many of my own). But, at the same time, I think that an “opinion” should be clearly that, whether so indicated by the medium in which it is expressed (such as a blog, a letter to the editor of a newspaper or a byline that is clearly for the expression of opinion. Where I do have a concern is when either an opinion or an intentional distortion of truth are offered as ”news coverage”, something that happens with increasing frequency in our republic.
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According to recent news, the DHS (Department of Homeland Subjugation) is planning to extend ”trusted Traveler” status to Saudi Arabians.

No, I am not joking. Agents from an extremist nation that funds international Islamic terrorism, that supplied 15 of the 19 terrorists who planned and executed the massive attack on September 11, 2001, will soon be allowed to put their citizens on a “fast track” for entering the United States.

Per the cited report: ”Foreign nationals enrolled in the program can enter the country with almost no effort. When they arrive at an international airport, so long as they provide a passport and fingerprints, they can bypass customs entirely.”
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Watching the repeated attempts by progressives to exploit each and every tragedy, particularly those involving the slaughter of children – purely for whatever political advantage they might milk from them – has been nothing short of disgusting. But, the performance put on by Senator Harry Reid, on the floor of the U. S. Senate, was truly sickening.

Senator Reid, while ostensibly honoring several U. S. Marines who were killed in what was clearly an accident, made clear and repeated attempts to link this tragedy to the sequester.

It is a pity that the limbo has gone out of style because Senator Reid (and all his kind) could slither under a limbo stick as it lay flat on the floor. One simply cannot sink lower than that!
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I have long been a frequent and vocal critic of what passes for an education system in our nation. Sometimes, when stewing over the human tragedy resulting from the substitution of indoctrination for true education, I ask myself – were I empowered to determine one thing to stress in our attempts to educate, what would that be?

Certainly we must try to instill and build the basic skills – the traditional “3 R’s”. But, this alone is not enough. Then I think that teaching the discipline of “critical thinking” (the skill of taking in unfiltered information then using it to make rational decisions) would be an obvious benefit. While it surely would, this too is not enough (nor is it about to happen in the foreseeable future). So, I once again consult with myself, asking what other thing, preferably a simple thing, do our people need to help them better navigate the endless stream of choices that constitute human life?

Amazingly, myself somehow suggested an answer; It occurred to myself that, in general, our people do not know or understand what I call “The Reality Of Choice”.

What do I mean by this? Several different but intertwined things:
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The most recent edition of Imprimis, a monthly pamphlet published by Hillsdale College is well worth the few minutes needed to read it. The title is Calvin Coolidge and the Moral Case for Economy written by Amity Shlaes.

In this article, Ms. Shlaes describes the discipline and the rationale President Coolidge used in managing the federal budget during his presidency. And, manage it he did!

Many in the GOP of today yearn for another Ronald Reagan when what we really need is another Calvin Coolidge. While it is true that Mr. Reagan’s economic policies did lower the overall tax burden, generating one of the longest periods of growth in our history, most seem to have forgotten that his policies also allowed for almost uncontrolled growth of government spending and the corresponding expansion of government. Looking back from our present condition, it is reasonable to ask whether the temporary rise in prosperity was worth the permanent damage of government growth.

Troy L Robinson

In a number of recent articles, I have repeated my prediction that the Obamanation intends to declare martial law in the United States. What I don’t know is when or under what pretext.

1) Many of the preparations are obvious:

→ Over 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition stockpiled by the Department of Homeland Security with more on order. Some speculate that all this ammunition buying is merely to keep the ammunition off the shelves of firearms dealers but I suspect otherwise.

→ The purchase of 2,700 Mine Resistant Armor Protected Vehicles (MRAP) by the Department of Homeland Security. Are we to suppose that these are intended to protect FEMA personnel during hurricanes? Hardly.

→ The myriad emerging plans to control and/or confiscate firearms in civilian ownership.

→ The growing number of drone aircraft in use within our borders.

→ The growing and pervasive invasions of personal privacy – GPS tracking, telephone monitoring, cameras everywhere, email monitoring, etc.

→ The Obamanation granting himself the authority to order the execution of United States citizens, of his own choice, without even a hint of due process.
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For the first time in months, I am encouraged by something that happened in our Capital. Whatever your opinion of the drone program, the filibuster is having the effect of making various politicians show their true colors. I was very heartened to see that other Senators and a few Congressmen openly supported Senator Paul, some going so far as to help with the filibuster. I am especially proud of our newest Texas Senator, Ted Cruz. Electing him was the best thing we have done in years.

On the other side, John McCain and Lindsay Graham in particular have shown us that they have been in the Senate far too long. Their net opinion seems to be that it is an outrage for anyone, especially an elected official, to stand in the way of increased government power and its concentration in the Executive branch. As prime examples of the GOP “establishment”, they have also shown us how rotten said establishment is – to its very core. The establishment’s only “cause” is its own continued power and position. Any service or benefit to the nation and its citizens is purely coincidental.

Predictably, most of the Lame-Stream Media are condemning Senator Paul and his helpers just as they condemn anyone who dares question the Obamanation and his quest to destroy the United States of. America. And, equally predictably, most of that condemnation comes in the form of ridicule and attempts to trivialize.
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