Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Young Dems; Old Anti-Semitism

Young Dems; Old Anti-Semitism
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 12, 2019 

Anti-Semitism is about as old as time - the Crusades, myriad pogroms, Jewish people exiled from virtually every European country, restricted from employment, trades, professions, housing, college admissions quotas, martyred for peacefully practicing their faith - proselytizing goes against Jewish law, and of course the Holocaust of European Jewry.

There’s no need to regale anyone with the hardcore statistics - for those feel free to visit the Anti-Defamation League website: www.adl.org - I have no affiliation with the ADL.

Anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head throughout the United States since before its founding as a great nation. Without parameters, the “club” includes, but sadly, is not limited to political commentator Patrick Buchanan, Father Charles Coughlin, author Roald Dahl, former KKK Grand Wizard and state house member David Duke (R-LA), author T.S. Eliot, Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan, automobile magnate Henry Ford, actor Mel Gibson, Reverend Jesse Jackson (D), Congressional candidate and Holocaust denier Arthur Jones (R-IL), aviator Charles Lindbergh, author Ezra Pound, Congressman John Rankin (D-MS), Margaret Sanger - founder of what would become Planned Parenthood, and Reverend Al Sharpton (D-NY).
https://sanfordspeaksout.blogspot.com/2018/02/gop-adl-dont-challenge-nazi.html 

Thanks to social media, indoctrination in our classrooms and on our campuses, anti-Semitism is permeating the halls of Congress with a greater prevalence than in recent memory. Recent tweets by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) have opened a can of worms demonstrating the blatant anti-Semitism of someone who will remain unapologetic. Just wondering if she has a copy of Protocols of the Elders of Zion on her bookshelf.

Beginning Sunday evening February 10, criticism was rightfully hoisted upon Omar for suggesting that AIPAC paid or bribed members of Congress for their support of Israel. 

AIPAC - the American Israel Public Affairs Committee - is a 501(c)(4) bi-partisan advocacy organization founded in 1951 promoting strong relations between the United States and Israel. (www.aipac.org) Don’t confuse the PAC in AIPAC with a PAC - political action committee, which far too many people do. AIPAC, of which I am a proud member, does not endorse or contribute to political candidates. Some of my most conservative friends are members of AIPAC, as are some of my most liberal friends. AIPAC truly exemplifies what bipartisanship is all about and perhaps Congress could take a few lessons there.

Initially, Omar alluded to AIPAC prior to mentioning its name, then when asked why such an organization would supposedly pay members of Congress for support, Omar tweeted “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby,” referencing a 1997 rap song by Puff Daddy. This is an old anti-Semitic canard about Jewish greed or obsession with all things financial. (Setting the record straight, Jews, while not monolithic in their charitable giving, are among the most generous of any ethnic or religious group.)

Because this is not Omar’s first foray in anti-Semitic screeds, elected Republicans, the Republican Jewish Coalition, and even leading Democrats called for the Somali-born House member to apologize. Republicans and members of Jewish groups also called for Omar to be stripped of her membership on the powerful Foreign Affairs Committee.

In part, the Democrat’s House Leadership wrote, in condemning Omar’s anti-Semitism: “Anti-Semitism must be called out, confronted and condemned wherever it is encountered, without exception…
Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments…”

On February 11, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tweeted, “In our conversation today, Congresswoman Omar and I agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms.”

Yet prior to her disingenuous “apology,” Omar not only mocked those calling her anti-Semitic, she added, “I’m always surprised by the criticism I get.”

Counselor to President Trump Kellyanne Conway called Omar’s remarks “sewage spilling from her mouth.”

Omar’s apology, is disingenuous because it is not her first apology for anti-Semitic remarks, and because it was conditional, doubling down on her attack on AIPAC.

“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish American as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize.

“At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry. It’s gone on too long and we must be willing to address it,” tweeted Omar.

Virginia Democrat Congressman Gerry Connolly defended Omar calling her a “freshman. She’s young.”

Omar is not a 14 year old freshman in high school - she’s a 37 year old grown woman whose opinions and attitudes did not formulate on January 3 when she was sworn in.

DNC Chairman Tom Perez barely mentioned Omar’s name in a tepid, almost non-existent rebuke, instead offering boiler-plate pablum about the importance of the relationship between the United States and Israel. Additionally, Omar suffered neither punishment nor removal from any committee assignment - just lip-service from the Democrats at best. On the other hand, when Congressman Steve King (R-IA) used racist language in January, the GOP punished him with removal from all committee assignments.

Additionally, on November 16, 2012 Omar tweeted “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.” Not only did Omar not apologize for that tweet, it still exists. More recently Omar said she thinks it’s a joke when Israel is called a democracy, comparing it to the despotic regime of Iran.

“Congressman Omar’s statements are deeply hurtful to Jews, including myself,” said fellow House freshman Max Rose (D-NY).

“Anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress,” said President Donald Trump about Omar’s statements. “Her lame apology - and she didn’t mean a word of it - I think she should either resign from Congress, or she should certainly resign from the House Foreign Affairs Committee,” continued the President.

Omar is not the only freshman or Democrat of longer service to have made anti-Semitic remarks/texts or been supportive of anti-Israel legislation. Freshman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), another young House member at 42, not only penned a column for a Farrakhan-led Nation of Islam publication in 2006, she, like Omar, is a strong supporter of the virulently anti-Semitic BDS Movement (Boycott, Divest, Sanction). Freshmen Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), 45, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), 29, are also supporters of the BDS Movement.

In fact, an anti-BDS bill passed the Senate on Tuesday, January 29, 76-23 - including 24 Democrat senators voting in favor. However, six potential 2020 Democrat presidential aspirants voted against the measure allowing state governments to deny contracts to businesses supporting the BDS Movement. The six Democrat senators are Cory Booker (NJ), Sherrod Brown (OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Kamala Harris (CA), Bernie Sanders (VT), and Elizabeth Warren (MA).

Elected officials, like Omar and her cohorts, have a First Amendment right of free speech, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be condemned for hate speech - of which anti-Semitism most certainly is. Jewish voters, who vote in one of the strongest blocks for Democrats, better wake up and understand that this is not their grandparents Democrat Party. Even Democrat senators Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Brian Schatz (HI) - both Jewish voted against the anti-BDS bill.

The Republican Party is the party of the American people sans hyphens. The Republican Party doesn’t play identity politics and doesn’t believe in egregious taxation. The GOP used to believe in limited government and reduced spending and needs to return to those days of fiscal responsibility. The GOP understands the importance of a strong alliance between the United States and Israel and hopefully more Jewish voters will come to that realization and no longer allow the Democrats to take their votes for granted.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Enter Governor Kirk Cox?

Enter Governor Kirk Cox?
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 6, 2019

OK, it may be a bit premature, but judging by Democrat “principles,” and “standards,” Commonwealth of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, and Attorney General Mark Herring - all Democrats - should be exiting stage left - far left, any day now, for their various alleged peccadillos and indiscretions.

Apparently Virginia is for Losers, to change the phrase from “Virginia is for Lovers,” used since 1969. Let’s review. Both Northam, 59, and Herring, 57, have been found red-faced for their public displays in black face in 1984 and 1980 respectively, while Fairfax is accused of the more egregious charge of sexual assault in 2004. 

Ironically, Northam’s picture, found in his Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook, prompted Herring to call for the governor’s resignation. Days later, Herring admitted he too took a turn in black face as a 19 year old attending the University of Virginia. He has since called it “the greatest shame I ever felt.” Democrats nationwide have been apoplectically falling all over themselves calling for Northam’s ouster, but that was prior to learning about Fairfax’s troubles.

Quite frankly, this is sleight of hand perpetrated by the Democrats as they are trying to deflect from Northam’s damning comments in support of infanticide just a day prior to his yearbook picture being made public. https://sanfordspeaksout.blogspot.com/2019/01/infanticide-new-morality.html  Why the gubernatorial campaign of Republican Ed Gillespie couldn’t unearth this photo in 2017 is inexplicable; it’s not like it was hiding under aunt Martha’s mattress. 

Initially, the chorus of demands for Northam’s resignation was palpable. It seems to have quieted somewhat in light of Herring’s duplicate offense, but more so because of the accusations against Fairfax. Yet, the Democrats must continue the full court press against both Northam and Herring, otherwise they lose the supposed moral high ground and the right to continue to call President Donald Trump a racist, albeit incorrectly so.

Fairfax, turning 40 on February 17, may actually be in legal hot water, not just facing moral indignation. He has been accused of sexual assault by Dr. Vanessa Tyson during the 2004 Democratic National Convention, held in Boston.

“What began as consensual kissing, turned into a sexual assault,” said Tyson, an associate professor of politics currently on leave from Scripps College in Claremont, CA. “Mr. Fairfax put his hand behind my neck and forcefully pushed my head towards his crotch. Only then did I realize he had unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants. As I cried and gagged, Mr. Fairfax forced me to perform oral sex on him,” Tyson continued.

“At no time did she express to me any discomfort or concern about our interactions, neither during that encounter, nor during the months that followed it when she stayed in touch with me, nor the past 15 years,” said Fairfax.

“Mr. Fairfax has tried to brand me as a liar to a national audience in service to his political ambitions, and has threatened litigation. Given his false assertions, I’m compelled to make clear what happened,” added Tyson. The statements made by Tyson and Fairfax appeared on Fox News.

Now the Democrats find themselves in a quandary. Either they throw one of their own under the bus, by adhering to their so called principles, or they are hypocrites. These so called principles are to believe the female accuser regardless of bona fide proof, as evidenced by the recent Supreme Court hearings of current Justice Brett Kavanaugh. With little specific memory of events, Democrat senators firmly stood behind Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford.

“Not only do women like Dr. Ford, who bravely comes forward, need to be heard, but they need to be believed. They must be believed,” said Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in defense of Ford then, while saying nothing to support Tyson now.

“I believe her because she’s telling the truth,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), using circular logic in support of Ford, yet the 2020 presidential aspirant had no words of support for Tyson.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said he believed Ford, calling her “the survivor,” adding, “she has provided the country with an amazing teaching moment.” Blumenthal himself is on shaky ground where the truth is concerned, having lied about his alleged military service in country during the war in Vietnam. He has had nothing to say in support of Tyson.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) called Ford “heroic” for coming forward. It was during the Kavanaugh hearings that Booker had his awkward “I am Spartacus” moment. Booker should be called hypocritical because he admitted to inappropriate sexual groping as a teenager, and has been silent on Tyson. The Democrats seemed to have ignored that aspect of Booker’s past, while welcoming him to the ranks of 2020 presidential hopefuls.

None of the Ford stalwarts, including senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), or Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have come to the defense of Tyson, whose memory of the events of 15 years ago seem clear, as compared to the blurred memories of Ford, attempting to recount events from 36 years ago. It seems Kavanaugh is guilty by association with President Trump, but Fairfax is being given quite a bit of the benefit of the doubt.

Where are the feminists now? Hearing crickets.

Will the Democrats, who pressed so hard in their attempts at keeping Kavanaugh from being seated on the Supreme Court, work equally hard supporting another supposedly victimized female - Dr. Tyson, or give Fairfax a pass in the name of party kinship and hypocrisy?

Should Northam, Fairfax, and Herring all have to fall on their swords, that would leave the door to the Governor’s mansion in Richmond open to the Speaker of the House of Delegates in the line of gubernatorial succession. Enter Governor Kirk Cox (R). Or will the Democrats’ hypocrisy and political zeal cause them to reevaluate their calls for resignations because Cox is a Republican?

Marvin Kirkland Cox, 61, represents the 66th District which includes Richmond suburb Colonial Heights and parts of Chesterfield County. Serving his constituents since 1990, Cox said he has no plans to attempt to seek Northam’s ouster. That statement came before the news that could sink the entire Democrat triumvirate. The stickiness of Virginia’s situation is sad, but what is truly sad, is that it is self-inflicted and could have been avoided.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN. He lived in Northern Virginia for nearly a dozen years.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

The Picture of Democrat Priorities

The Picture of Democrat Priorities
Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
February 5, 2019

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA) and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are a microcosm of the Democrat Party’s priorities and moral relativism. Pelosi calls walls (or any structure) that would help secure the southern border of the United States “immoral,” while living in her ivory tower-gated community as the peons below her literally pee on the streets of San Francisco sans repercussions. 

When asked about the comments Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) made about late term abortion and infanticide, Pelosi feigned ignorance, as did myriad Democrats, taking cover under shrugged shoulders claiming not to have followed the day’s news cycle. Cuomo called the signing into law the absolute relaxing of abortion laws in New York, “a moral victory.” Late term abortion in New York State is legal up to and including the points of crowning and dilation. Here you go, Madam Speaker, read up: https://sanfordspeaksout.blogspot.com/2019/01/infanticide-new-morality.html 

OK, Pelosi didn’t feign ignorance, she has mastered it to an art form, the same way she manages a vote in the House of Representatives. Yet mere moments after a supposed yearbook photo of Northam surfaced on Friday, February 1, Pelosi is front and center calling for the Virginia governor’s resignation. The photo, from his Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook, shows Northam clad either in a KKK robe and hood or in black face - both equally despicable.

While crickets could be heard around the Democrat Party regarding late term abortion and infanticide, a frenzied cacophony swelled as Democrats couldn’t trip over themselves fast enough to call for Northam’s resignation. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) uttered nary a word pertaining to the slaughter of born infants, yet called the Northam photo “disturbing,” in demanding the governor’s resignation.

But is there room for redemption or forgiveness in the liberal/progressive bag of tricks? Apparently there is for criminal activity as opposed to stupidity. Case in point; Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), who days ago tossed his sombrero into the ever growing list of presidential hopefuls, invited as his guest, Edward Douglas to attend the State of the Union address. Douglas earned himself a life sentence in 2003 for selling 140 grams of crack cocaine. Yet on January 10, Douglas was released under the auspices of President Trump’s “First Step Act,” giving criminals a second chance at a redeemable life. Douglas is forgiven a serious drug offense after 15-plus years, but Northam is persona non grata for a 35 year old yearbook photo. Such priorities.

While I’m certainly not endorsing racism, it seems the Democrats have their priorities completely backward - reacting apoplectically to a 35 year old photo while remaining silent to the legalization of the crimes that sent abortionist Kermit Gosnell to prison. To review, walls and borders - immoral; full term murder and infanticide - a moral victory.
https://sanfordspeaksout.blogspot.com/2013/05/kermit-gosnell-soul-of-nazi.html 

In their quest to out-liberal and out-progressive each other, moving so far to the left as to expect an endorsement from Pravda, Democrats seeking their party’s nomination during the summer of 2020 have further devalued life to its lowest common denominator, dollars and cents. “We believe that reproductive freedom leads to economic freedom for women,” said Northam. How he can claim the words he uttered the prior Wednesday on WTOP radio were taken out of context, when he doubled down with such a reprehensible notion. By the way, if women don’t want children, that’s perfectly acceptable, not they need my blessing one way or the other, obviously. There are ways to avoid motherhood that don’t involve the murder of a child - contraception, adoption, and abstinence. 

Yet this is not the issue on which the Democrats wish Northam to fall on his sword. That would be the aforementioned yearbook photo, which apparently is more egregious than infanticide. Such priorities. And adding insult to his self-inflicted injury, Northam, with the nickname “Coonman,” appearing in the same yearbook, first apologized for the photo, then, the next day, after categorically denying it was him, figuratively shot himself in the mouth admitting he actually did appear in blackface attempting to emulate Michael Jackson in a dance contest in San Antonio. Northam actually had to be verbally prevented from demonstrating the Moonwalk by his wife. Where is his brain?

Some things the left-wing media simply can’t whitewash or protect, as they did regarding Northam’s abortion comments, as ABC, NBC, and MSNBC provided no coverage, and CBS less than 30 seconds. Make no mistake, the racism issue is a smokescreen the Democrats need to protect their precious abortion on demand through birth, of which the left-wing media is wholly complicit.

Add to the mix the new revelations of accusations levied against Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. Fairfax is accused of sexual assault during the Democratic National Convention of 2004, something apparently The Washington Post conveniently failed to report during the campaign of 2017 when Fairfax won his current post. Such a quandary for the Democrats who insisted, nay, demanded, that all the accusers who came forth during the Supreme Court confirmation of now Justice Brett Kavanaugh must be believed. How much of a priority will this be for the Democrats to unearth the truth? Is Fairfax to be given a pass because he’s a Democrat? Is he to be given a pass because he is black? What is the pecking order of the ever changing rules according to the PC and thought police of the Democrat Party?

By the way, Booker admitted to unwanted sexual groping dating back to 1992, yet his voice was one of the loudest against Kavanaugh. Apparently admission of guilt by a Democrat nets one a continuing seat in the United States Senate, while a Supreme Court appointee by a Republican president is guilty without proof. Such priorities.

Liberals/progressives don’t get enough red meat going after conservatives, they eat their own now - just ask former Senator Al Franken (D-MN), former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw, and actor/comedian Kevin Hart - of the three, only Franken deserved his ultimate political demise.

Be careful America, because the words you uttered or printed a decade or three ago, the costume you wore, harmless then, will undoubtedly come back to not just haunt you, but send your career to the dustbin. This, along with the liberal/progressive protection of abortion rights on demand will continue to be part of their Final Solution for total control of an America that once enjoyed freedom of speech and religion - unless we stand up and shout ENOUGH.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.