Rolling Stone goes after Sound of Freedom

Again.   It's not an unusual discussion where movies are concerned.  In every case in history, a movie is not going to reflect 100% the reality.  At best, a movie will contain some accurate information about one part of something, and not be too far off where dramatic liberties are concerned.  Generally, that's a discussion you have whenever a movie 'based on something' is released.  

But the fury, the wrath against this movie is quite stunning.  Most I saw on the Left initially adopted a 'they might be crazy right winger types, but we're glad the message is getting out' approach.  But left of Lenin rags like Rolling Stone have been calling out the fatwas on this, making sure those trouble making liberals who think tackling the issue of child slavery is the important thing learn their lesson. 

Again, the 'how accurate is this movie?' is something I've heard my whole life.  That's no problem.  Have the debate.  But this time, you can tell it's different.  There is a rage here directed at this movie that goes beyond simply 'there are problems with this film.'  This is meant to attack the movie in ways similar to that other big Jim Caviezel movie back in the day.  

Remember kids, there is nothing more self-righteously judgmental, intolerant or close minded than the modern Left.  That is demonstrated here, as almost immediately major leftwing outlets decided the discussion about child slavery might be one thing, but attacking a movie made by non-leftists is the main thing. 

Says middle aged white dude

Ever since John Lennon sat in his multi-million dollar English estate with a custom decorated Rolls-Royce in the driveway and asked the world to imagine no possessions, proxy martyrdom has been all the rage.  What is proxy martyrdom?  That's my term for people willing to latch on to a righteous cause that demands sacrifice from anyone other than the people latching on to that righteous cause.  Consider wealthy celebrities flying in their private jets to the latest Climate Change conference. Or a rich and famous musician calling for a world with no possessions from the midst of his mansion.  Or anything to do with population control. Has anyone ever sacrificed for the cause of thinning the human herds? 

In fact, much of our modern activism is rather light on self-sacrifice while being heavy on self-righteousness.  Like the bold hero above.  And no, going out and looting, stealing televisions and laptops does not count as sacrifice.  

It is worth noting that the cause he is advocating is becoming common.  There is a growing number of activists calling for things like 'hire fewer white people', or 'don't hire white men' or 'don't this or that with this or that group.'  Often it is called for by people in those very groups.  For example, notice when white liberals beseech organizations to hire fewer people who look like them.  In many cases, those same white liberals have noticeably white hair.  Meaning their careers are comfortably in the rear view mirrors.  Whatever hiring changes come as a result of their pleas might impact millions of white people, especially young white people, but it won't impact them.  Proxy martyrs. 

The best way to approach this is to ask yourself just what they sacrificed when you see someone bravely facing the applause over something like antiracism, or gender, or causes dealing with sex, or climate change, or anything for that matter.  Ask yourself if anyone will have to sacrifice.  Then ask if the individual banging the drum for the cause is one who has, or will, have to sacrifice for the cause.  If there are people who might have to pay a price for the cause, but it's not the one boasting about supporting the cause, then it's best to walk away and ignore.  Find a real hero, because it ain't them. 

Stories like this make me smile

Johnny Depp dons his Jack Sparrow alter ego to honor the memory of a 11 year old child who was a fan.  I recall ages ago, in the early years of St. Blogs, over at the old Catholic and Enjoying It, there was a bit of a row when some commenters mocked and ridiculed the Make a Wish Foundation.  I'm not sure why.  I mused then that of all the things in the world to belittle, are we sure we want to target an organization that tries to give a little happiness to terminally ill children and their loved ones?   Ah, such is the world of the Internet, even back then.

Yes, the cynic in me says this is Depp pulling a publicity stunt.  Or Depp trying to rebuild his reputation after what appeared to be a pretty nasty court case with his ex.  Perhaps.  But I still like it.  And the better side of my nature, which often resides in deep recesses in my darker moments, likes to think it's because Depp is simply a human being who, when given the chance, wanted to do something nice for a young child in an otherwise naughty world.  

It has been over a year

Since my son and his then fiancée took the plunge and opened their own business.  It was last week that marked the anniversary of them taking ownership of the empty space that would be their bookstore.  A used book store and fixings.  I don't believe anyone in her immediate family is an entrepreneur.  I know on our side there aren't.  The closest is when I went into a brief business venture with my late brother-in-law back in my previous life.  What I learned there mostly was what not to do when opening a business.  

So exactly where they imagined they'd get their sage advice, I don't know.  In any event, they took a big leap out and opened it.  With no real capital - since they can't get any type of loan to save their lives - they've managed to scrape, scratch, claw and crawl and make it work.  The anniversary of their opening day will be this Labor Day.  Already they are planning much fanfare and promotional ideas for the event. 

I'll be honest, we're all pleasantly surprised.  Granted, they're still just nearing the beach and haven't really established a foothold.  I don't know about now, but back in the day, conventional wisdom was that you had to make it past about five years to be settled in a new business venture.  Naturally even that doesn't guarantee anything (think Covid Lockdowns).

Nonetheless, one year under the belt isn't bad for a couple young kids just taking the great leap forward.  I've told them no matter what happens, they have already learned more and experienced more than many a college graduate with a four year business degree.  Just the experiences they've had, the people they've had a chance to meet, and lessons they have learned, are price beyond measure.  So here's to another year ahead.  

Everything is a potential help, and this visit appears to have been no exception

Always what you want to see.  That comes with not having a local bookstore for endless years.

UPDATE:  I stand accused.  So quick was I to post my admiration for the two I forgot to provide a link to the store itself!  Heh.  Well, here it is:  Griffeys' Book Emporium.  And yes, you can order books through them, if you were wondering.  :) 

If you wondered what kind of a human being would put politics ahead of supporting people who are trying to stop child slavery

I give you Mark Shea:

Now I believe this is an authentic review by a bona fide fan the way I believe Elvis Presley is really alive and working on a road crew in Moose Lake, Minnesota.  Though it is today, when three Jeopardy contestants couldn't fill in the missing word 'Hallowed' in the Lord's Prayer, and CBS reported on a poll that found 40% of Americans couldn't pinpoint the historical event upon which our Independence Day celebrations are based.  So general standards appear to be lowering across the board.   

Nonetheless, it's more than telling.  Mark is hardly alone among those left of center.  But he is the first Catholic I've seen who has made sure attacking those trying to do something about child slavery is the main priority.  

Again, I reserve the right to ignore Mark, and I typically do at this point.  Even when someone sends me something I will usually set it aside.  Nonetheless, when he manages somehow to sink even lower than usual, especially when it comes to attacking those trying to do a good work by fighting the modern enslavement of children, it's worth noting where some Catholics will stand.

Amy Welbourn does the Synod on Synodality

Go here to read her thoughts.  Amy Welbourn was one of the early stars of St. Blogs.  Virtually every Catholic blog sang her praises.  It isn't difficult to see why. Her take is worth the read.  

I typically don't comment on inside baseball stuff where the Church is concerned.  Though I'm not blind to what the entire 'synod' is all about.   Basically, the Church is trying to become what mainline Protestant denominations became.  Why it is doing this is anyone's guess.  Though if we ask too many questions, we might not like the answers.  

Why is the movie Sound of Freedom so controversial?

 Asks this youngster in the following video:

For me, the answer is easy.  There is quite simply no movement in recent memory more self-righteously judgmental, close-minded or intolerant than the modern Left.  I used to say hypocritical as well, but I recently was corrected there.  More on that some other time.  This movie was made by someone who doesn't conform to liberalism. There's your controversy.  

Of course like most things, there can be more than one reason.  Another issue with this is that human trafficking is a part of modern slavery euphemistically called human trafficking, and is irrevocably tied up with the global sex industry.  Which, by the way, if taken as a whole has annual revenues that would make Jeff Bezos drool.  

In the last decade or so, we've started talking about this human tragedy, though in small doses.  Usually as narrow, isolated or local interest stories.  We don't focus on it as a branch of the modern, borderless slave trade that it is.   That's because we don't like to think that the thing we have declared unpardonable and all defining - slavery - is still alive and well in our modern age.  Heaven forbid some of us might benefit from it, or other variations of it (such as sweat shops or child labor camps).  

Beyond that, the sex trafficking part is linked to the overall sex industry, which exists in its vast form  today due to our modern sex culture.  The media, and the Left in general, are loath to draw thick lines between sex and anything negative.  Let people die of AIDS by the millions, let old and new STDs run rampant, let plane loads of children be whisked away as sex slaves, and we might mention something.  We might even do something.  But we will never, ever connect the dots.  If doing something means we might end up with those dots connected?  Better we do nothing at all. 

Nonetheless, the biggest problem with this film is that this subject is being brought out by a non-progressive.  Someone they say is linked to something called QAnon.  I have no clue what QAnon is beyond it being brought up in modern discourse.  I'm told it's some radical rightwing pack of lies and conspiracy theories.  

But the ones saying that about QAnon insist it's sexist to say men and women are intrinsically different, that clearly a man hitting a woman is worse because men and women are intrinsically different, and of course men and women don't biologically exist because they are subjective identities whereby a man can give birth and a woman develop testicular cancer.  So pardon me if my faith in such sources about who the big conspiracy theorists are is on shaky ground. 

Our current American divisions in one Twitter Post

 Here:

There are two basic approaches to America.  Either America has always been a great country despite its sins.  Or America has yet to be a good country because of its sins.  

The Left has convinced a growing number of Americans, especially younger ones, that next to America, there have been few truly evil societies in history.  Ours  is a racist, genocidal, imperialist nation where the evils of racism, oppression, bigotry and genocide are as much in our national DNA as they were in the DNA of the Nazi Party.  

Part of this has been monlithing such sins a racism.  Was a time when we understood racial bigotry was bad.  More than one American had fought against racism since before America.  By the time I came along, racism was clearly a societal no-no.  You drop the N-Word in school and it would be off to the principle's office in no time.  Though you probably wouldn't have been expelled, had the cops called, or saw the media descend on your school like an armored division.  Probably just given a warning and a talking to.  

But racial bigotry was merely one of many such foibles.  And it was certainly varied.  It was understood that to tell a racially insensitive joke, while certainly evidence of the lingering effects of socially accepted racist thinking, was not the same as seizing control of a central European country and mass murdering ethnic minorities in gas chambers.  Perhaps you could argue it might lead there, but it wasn't the same. 

That is no longer the case.  Racism is simply the worst, all defining, unforgivable sin that even Jesus could never forgive. And there are no levels to it.  Seize that central European country or drop an N-Word in a 20 year old email, and you're now a racist.  Period. End of statement.  You could have cured cancer or rescued twenty kids from a burning building.  Now you're merely a racist, and that's all you'll ever be.  Not a human, an American, a father, or a sister.  Racist.  

To that end, and based heavily on the Left's push for a world of endless group identity, America is nothing but racist and, therefore, nothing but irredeemable.  It's history is one of racism, where every black American lived in the equivalent of an America shaped death camp, and every white American had privilege enjoyed from being racists 24/7.  End of template. 

Hence, there is no good in America's past.  There was only racism, or sexism, homophobia, or whatever you wish to focus on, depending on the group in question.   While Haley's is clearly a politically spun recollection, it isn't false.  Those were things more than one American would have valued across the demographic board, hence America worked to end such injustices on its own.  Nobody had to invade and conquer America to get the US to give women the right to vote, or pass the Civil Rights Act.  Yet Ms. King acknowledges none of that.  She could have said 'Yes, those things are missing and we could use them again, however there were also problems back then ...'.  Or something to that effect.

But nope. It's straight to the bad. Only the bad.  Not faith, not country, not family, only racism in our racist nation filled with American racists. 

Note also that nothing Nikki Haley said prevents one from acknowledging the sins and failings of the past.  Which is a good thing.  Goodness knows we are the generation that defines itself by eternal finger pointing at those who came before.  But Ms. King's response all but wipes those virtues aside, as if to say yearning for those cannot happen but that we focus exclusively on the sins of our nation.  It's either acknowledging sins, or ignoring them by embracing the best.  Almost as if the purpose of continually focusing on the sins of the past is specifically for the purpose of getting us to forget the best of the past.  

I've been reading The Latin Right recently

Here is a link.  The blog is at Patheos, and I say more power to him.  I see some of the usuals who tend to wander about Patheos.  Not many of the old trolls, but quite a few who are obviously to the left of center.  As can be expected, some of their positions and rhetoric match the increase in madness we're seeing in the world around us.

Nonetheless, the blog author - one Dennis Knapp - does a pretty good job writing in a fair manner and being willing to engage maturely with those who disagree.  Not an easy trick at a place like Patheos.  

Just thought you might like to know about his site if you haven't stumbled across it yet, and perhaps step in and give a few pennies worth of thoughts here and there.  I resist the temptation to comment, but if others would like to jump in and join the fray, I doubt he'd mind.  

Celebrating our nation

Isn't easy nowadays, but it's still worth the effort.  To that end, I'll be scarce this week due to chewing up the time with a combination of paperwork for homeschool and prepping for next year ahead of enrollment, plus family gatherings, fireworks, concerts and all the fun that comes with the holiday.  

It's also worth noting that Ohio finally legalized private fireworks.  My sons, who sometimes appear to dream of giving up their life plans to become pyromaniacs, have dipped into their accounts to give their dad some extra gray hairs this year.  So with everything happening, it will be later in the week or so before I'm back.  

In the meantime, The American Catholic dropped some videos worth watching during this Independence Day.  One of them included the old Schoolhouse Rock American history clip about July 4th.  I decided to add that and a few others that, in their day, still represented the template for understanding our nation and its history.  

I added that last one because it includes, as much as anything, that part of American history most often thrown out in the attempt to compare the United States to Nazi Germany.  As has been said many times among the Left, and in not a few books my sons had in school, Manifest Destiny was nothing other than America's Lebensraum.  That's because today the Left admits to nothing positive brought to the wider world by the West.  Oddly, Christians increasingly appear to accept that perspective, seeing nothing of value brought to the world by the West - not its principles, advancements, values, or religion.  Which, to me, speaks volumes. 

How great was the Arnold

Thanks suckers folks!

I recall back in 2004, Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the darlings of conservative Republicans.  They couldn't get enough of the guy.  I took my kids to see President GW Bush when he came to Columbus that year.  I've long tried to see presidents if they are in the area.  I think it's a good experience, and I wanted my sons to see the current president in person.  Bush got applause to be sure.  FWIW, former governor Taft, a Republican in an arena filled with Republicans, got overwhelmingly booed.  But nothing compared to the rave screams of adoration that came when Arnold took the stage to introduce Bush.

Arnold has a long connection to Columbus.  His Arnold Sportsfest is one of the big events of the year in Central Ohio.  Part of the cheers could be due to that.  But overall, the praise and adulation he received here in the Buckeye State was repeated across conservative media, conservative talk shows, conservative punditry and even conservative churches.  Heck, I remember some conservatives wanting to change the Constitution so Arnold could run for president!

Why?  The guy has virtually nothing in common with any conservatives I know, religious or otherwise.  His rather explicit interview here, in which he dumps on religion and the afterlife, certainly explains his lack of moral connection to religious conservatives.  Schwarzenegger has long stood as an example for those coming from the far corners of the world to indulge in all the porn-orgy culture America has to offer.

Many of his policies are nothing close to what Conservatives endorse.  As often as not he would get along just fine with the good folks on The View.  Heck, even libertarians should shrink from him.  I recall him joining people like Chris Christie and stomping on the idea that gays are anything but forced to be gay by birth.  Therefore, all attempts to help them be anything other than flaming homosexuals must be crushed.  That's not libertarian.  It's hell and gone from conservative views.  

So what was it about him?  That he put an 'R' in front of his name?  I've often said I was ahead of the curve where Trump is concerned.  I didn't like the guy back when liberals, Democrats and Hollywood power players loved the guy.  What changed?  For me, nothing.  But for them?  He put the dreaded 'R' in front of his name.  Once you do that, to those inclusive left of center activists you become discount Hitler.  Perhaps conservatives view that from the opposite perspective?   

I don't know.  It can't be just because of the 'R'.  After all, Mitt Romney has an 'R' in front of his name and I think there are more ostrich racing fans in the world than there are conservatives who care about him.  Perhaps Romney's is a case of conservatives learning lessons about blindly following people because they have an 'R' in front of their name?  

I just can't say.  I simply know as I watch so many still rally around Donald Trump, it's a question I keep asking.  A man who spent most of his life embodying so much of what conservatives oppose.  Not to mention supporting him despite his actions in recent years: Throwing conservatives under the bus where the Covid vaccines were concerned, declaring anyone who fails to conform an enemy of the Don (and having perhaps the least loyalty among his subordinates that I have ever seen), his open support for issues we conservatives are supposed to find unacceptable, his attacks against fellow Republicans over issues we are supposed to agree upon, and his continued behavior as if he is one of the highest paid employees on the 'Keep Democrats in the White House' committee, I wonder.  It's a mystery I can't figure. 

Octoberfest in June?

We've never had candles burn down that quickly

As I wrote here, our half of the year begins on June 25.  The last big day, apart from the anniversary of Dobbs and the end of America's national sanctification of abortion on an industrial scale, is Fathers Day.  The first big day is our third oldest son's birthday.

This year, owing to conflicting schedules and the difficulty with getting folks together that comes with kids getting older and life moving on, we celebrated his birthday on the Sunday before.  That is, on June 25th.  His birthday comes later, but we figured that would work.  

It was a nice time.  Not a milestone birthday, but a birthday nonetheless.  Also we now include our daughter-in-law and her scheduling needs just the same.  And that's a nice addition to the festivities. 

Traditionally he has been the one to give my culinarily gifted oldest son fits.  It's always been tradition for the individual with the birthday to name the meal.  For him, he loves picking cuisines to push our oldest to the limits.  He has done Indian, Sub-Saharan African, Hawaiian, and British/Irish among others over the years. 

This year he was rather late coming up with an idea.  He's been chomping at the bit for a promotion.  He is already management, but he's eyeing the next rung on the ladder.  Therefore he sees working his tail off, taking on as many hours as he can, and working whenever needed as a good way to buttress his resume.  Hence the lack of time to think about something like birthday dinners.

Then, at the eleventh hour, he came up with his request - Eastern European/German.  That was a new one.  With little time to spare, my oldest and I put together a menu.  We assumed shoot for English style - but with sauerkraut.  Despite a little German in my background, it's never been our cultural reference point.  That would be Irish, with some American Indian, especially for my wife's side of the family. 

Nonetheless, after a little putting our heads together we came up with a decent menu.  Not a light menu by any stretch.  Germanic and Eastern European food, let's just say, has a 'stick to your ribs' quality about it.  Lots of sausages and potatoes.  The focal dish was Sauerbraten, somewhat improvised due to the lateness of the request.  It's beef that is marinated for a hundred years, then served doused with a toothsome gravy (Tolkien reference there).  Instead, my son cooked it within the gravy to get some of the taste.  It worked.  Other dishes included the aforementioned sauerkraut and sausages, extra sausages as sides, Hasselback potatoes, a traditional currywurst, stuffed cabbage, pumpernickel bread (not bad with the gravy), proper German beer for those who wanted it, and a delicious homemade apple strudle.  As my second son quipped when they walked in the door, he could 'almost smell the fascism.' 

Altogether a good day.  Sunday itself was nice, with our priest rallying the troops for the big abortion fight here in the Buckeye State, and inspiring the boys accordingly.  Plus our most excellent Bishop Fernandes also lit a fire by telling his flock to stop letting the world tell us to shut up.  My birthday boy was rather taken by that, having gone through much of his Catholic life without hearing such commitment to the cause of virtue and righteousness.

And, it being his birthday, he was allowed to relax, chill, play games and pick the fun.  Including a new game called Go that he received among his other gifts.  Apparently it's an ancient game that's becoming popular again.  My rascally daughter-in-law was the only one, other than our birthday boy, who knew of it.  Making me and the rest of the family of game players feel sheepish.  

With cake and deserts and beverages galore, a nice kickoff to the second half.  At times like this we realize how nice and precious it is to have my mom with us, and she enjoyed herself as well.  Despite her age and cognitive condition, in an interesting twist, she always recognizes her new granddaughter-in-law.  Which makes the fun even better.  Even if we learned that Eastern cooking requires a monumental level of cookware that will take the next two days to get cleaned.  

So there you have it.   Not a bad way to get things going.  The real Independence Day will be just around the corner, and then comes our youngest's birthday, coinciding with the anniversary of the Moon Landings.   

A spliced picture, because apparently seven people can't sit still at the same time
Why does our birthday boy put me in mind of Terry Gilliam?

Hint:

What anti-racism should look like

 Here:

Anti-racism, like social justice, marriage equality, or reproductive health, is a good thing. Anti-racism is good.  So is social justice.  Marriage equality could be good, too.  Reproductive health.  Who would be against it?

But we all know these are political buzz phrases used by the Left to mean, well, what the Left says they mean on any given day:  Anti-white racism, Marxist inspired leftwing political activism, sexual amorality, and pro-abortion advocacy.  Mantras that must be repeated or be deemed an enemy of the Left. 

In the video above, however, we have a wonderful explanation for why the discrimination against whites, the judgementalism against whites, the condemnation of whites simply for being white, all promoted in the name of anti-racism, is every bit as racist as anything the Nazis pulled in the 1930s.  What the young man says here is authentic anti-racism, and the type that should be embraced every bit as much as we would embrace anti-Nazism.  Sadly, that is not the case among far too many, including those who otherwise see this for what it is.  

Let's face it.  There is little to suggest that those embracing this latest incarnation of racism today would have done any different in the Jim Crow South or Germany in the 30s and 40s.  Sorry, but that's the fact of the matter.  It takes nothing to stand up to the sins of the past, but sometimes everything to stand up to the sins of the present.  Failure to stand up against the sins of the powerful today is probably all the proof you need to know you would have failed the same way in the past.  

Bonus points, by the way, for watching the segment of the video showing various racist screeds that include white people, most likely liberal white people.  The white liberal sanctification of demographic self hate and masochism is a virtue that is unique among the woes of humanity, I will say that.  I've not found its parallel in history.  Which is why, perhaps, it is so effective and so devastating. 

Because nobody tells black American racists or Asian American racists that it's fine to be a racist if it's directed at white people more loudly than white liberals.  Which makes me think of this:

“And Jesus said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea”    Luke 17.1-2a

Ethnic scrubbing

Is simply ethnic cleansing writ small.  John C. Wright has another absurd case in the growing 'can we get rid of the white people?' movement among the Left.  As Mr. Wright points out, a big part of this is to provoke a racist reaction.  Yes, the Left can label any reaction racist, and it will.  But the big game trophy is in finding someone who reacts in a legitimately racist way - hence reinforcing the narrative.  We call this a type of self-fulfilling prophecy. 

It reminds me of a story a week or two ago that white supremacy is on the rise in the US.  That was a couple weeks after a story on the same local channel in which some professor explained why it's absolutely fine when a university segregates based on skin color, or roles in movies are now decided based upon which skin colors to exclude (I think in reaction to the new Oscars requirements).  I'll leave you figure which skin colors were being discussed.

Of course very few speak out against this (see the charge of racism above), leaving young up and coming white Americans  more than clear about their future prospects.  Those who are white who push this racial discrimination usually sport gray hair with their own careers safely in the rear view mirrors. Or they are individuals in positions where they, or they assume their posterity, won't be the ones singled out for dismissal owing to their skin color.

All in all, nothing new.  Racism, contrary to popular narrative, is not a white person's sin, a conservative person's sin, a MAGA person's sin, a Western Civilization sin.  It's found where two or more people tend to gather.  And, as we see in front of our eyes, it has a universal appeal.  So universal that a form of racism unknown in the West - against whites - is now as common as Jim Crow was in the south a hundred years ago.  That racism was based on generations and even centuries of racist thinking.  Yet how fast has the current racism been embraced today?  And most institutions and national leaders (and religious leaders) stand by and let it happen - or join in.

With each passing day we have less and less reason to think we can judge previous generations.  After all, in doing so we are becoming the worst of those generations without the good.  A toxic combination. 

Give the Orthodox Church credit

Like all faith traditions today, secularism has besieged the Orthodox, and increasingly the younger Orthodox are ready to chuck the olden Faith and embrace the modern secular paganism, especially where south of the waistline issues are concerned.  Inadvertently, the Orthodox also aid that by insisting they never jump into politics, but then diving headfirst into things like BLM if they can make the West look bad.  America looking bad being a bonus point.  Remember, the Left can always bet on 1/3 of its opponents to join the Left at any point in a revolution.  BTW, one of my beefs with the Orthodox was their almost pathological resentment, if not hatred, for anything west of the Danube. 

With that said, many older Orthodox are fighting the good fight, and doing so much more openly than we're seeing in the West, and especially in the United States:

That comes from being in a tradition where some of your colleagues can still show their scars from being tortured during the days of the Soviet Union.  

Fact is, most of us in the US, including our leaders, never imagined we'd face actual persecution for resisting the emergent secular society.  Lulled by eternal chanting of never ending tolerance and respect for diversity, we imagined whatever grave evils they indulged in, they would leave us alone.  

It doesn't help that those who long ago sold themselves to this new tyranny have said, without saying it, that anything less than shaved heads, striped pajamas, and two steps from a gas chamber doesn't count as persecution.  For dissenters of course.  Designated minority groups, when in line with the latest progressive dogma, can declare themselves the most persecuted people in history if a conservative says they're wrong.  And suddenly those same leftwing believers will weep and lament and declare their plight the worst in history.  

So it's a bit of a one-two punch.  Suddenly we are faced with a movement with increasing power to persecute any who dissent, mixed with those who betrayed righteousness and our posterity by making it clear that no matter your suffering, they will support it. 

Because of that, I think we're seeing a great many leaders invoke the sacred ostrich when it comes to the evils we're seeing.  See no evil, hear no evil, run like a baby from the evil, head in the sand at all times. 

Again, this isn't to say all Orthodox are resisting, or even all Orthodox leaders.  The Orthodox have a long, proud history of throwing their sheep into the wolves' den to save their skin.  But among those who are resisting, they are far more prepared to speak openly, directly, and truthfully while addressing the egregious evils of our day. 

The growing importance of our half of the year

Several years ago, during one of our family chats, we mentioned the idea of 'our half of the year.'  It was mostly a lark.  Just one of those silly things. But as things began unraveling fast over the ensuing years, and the calls to eradicate the West and its heritage and historical moorings grew, we started to reference the idea more and more. 

Some time later, I posted about the idea.  Even then we mostly just smiled when we said it, understanding the point, but not really taking it seriously.  Until the last couple years. 

Now we're seeing transgender activists declare from the rooftops that we absolutely should perform sex change surgencies on minors down to 14 years old for now.  And, as a bonus, activists are becoming loud about telling parents to step aside and let state actors alone guide the kids in these decisions.  Quite a departure from only a year or so ago. Which is the warning sign.  When things don't appear able to be stopped, and lies can be lied in shorter amounts of time, your nation is on a bad trajectory. 

For instance, pride month this year has been nauseating.  On the morning news channel we watch while getting ready, in one half hour section of the broadcast, there were no fewer than five stories about something LGBTQ, including two dealing with the horror and terror of the growing ant-LGTBQ hate attacks. One other was a sort of focus feature on a Trans activist, and two were promoting various 'Pride' events in the area.  Except for the obligatory Trump, Jan 6 and Weather stories, nothing else was mentioned in that top half hour. 

And as John C Wright correctly notices, we're past the point where the Left feels obliged to defend itself or explain its viewpoints.  It simply declares the next truth and turns the media out as some digital secret police to attack, besmirch, malign and in any way discredit anyone who dissents.  Thus we have here, where a press outlet unironically posts an editorial about blacks outraged over seeing white people on Juneteenth banners.  Something Deacon Steven Greydanus actually defends here. 

Which is why, come tomorrow on June 25th, we claim the rest of the year as our own.  The first half of the year is the half with months dedicated to topics allowing the infinite hashing and trashing of virtually everything that came from west of the Urals.  Not that those months have to be used that way.  But over the years they have become used that way more and more.  So far, that's not the case for months in the second half of the year. 

The 25th is chosen because it is 6 months until Christmas which, thanks to Madison Avenue and Wall Street, is still a thing.  Oh, it has virtually nothing to do with the Christian holiday, and a large swath of Americans say this is a good thing.  Heck, there are plenty of Christians, including Catholics, who appear glad the whole Jesus thing has been relegated to a Church service on Sunday but removed from the greater national stage. 

Still, for us the anchoring events and seasons are still there in this second half of the year.  Our third son's birthday is first, coming only days after the 25th.  Then Independence Day, which is, so far, still a thing.  Then our youngest son's birthday and the anniversary of the moon landings later in the month.  Then August, the dog days, and our second son's birthday.  Labor day kicks off school and the 'Fall' season - still a favorite.  Though at this point we don't do all we used to, it's still a season that seems to tweak nostalgia and memories for bygone days.  October is Halloween month, though we've diminished all the gaudy from years gone by.  Preferring a more harvest/rural approach.  Our oldest has his birthday (so did my late grandmother and so does my childhood best friend) then as well.  We also use Columbus Day to remember and celebrate our past. November is Veteran's day and Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is still a thing despite growing activist calls to eradicate it.  Wall Street is busy fumbling about trying to divorce Thanksgiving from the holiday shopping season kick off.  When it finally does, expect Thanksgiving to go the way of Columbus Day. Of course after that is Christmas, and Catholic though we are, we celebrate the weeks leading up to it, combining it with advent, until we reach Christmas proper.  Then to the best of our abilities it's as many of the Twelve Days as possible, which stretch over my mom's birthday in early January.  

Then it's back to the post-Western half of the year.  There are plenty of celebrations there as well.  Birthdays, anniversaries, holy days and of course Easter.  Father's day is the last of the big days in the first half of the year.  But again, it is during the first half of the year, like we've seen this year, we are increasingly inundated with anti-American, anti-Western, anti-white, anti-Christian, anti-male, anti-reason, and anti-virtue movements quickly seizing control of our nation.   

It's a bit like sitting in the Michigan section at an Ohio State football game.  You might be able to root for the team, but the other fans will sometimes drown you out.  Of course even when you are in the Ohio section, you'll have your dissenters, just as we will through the rest of the year.  But at least they are the minority voice.  As of now.  

And that's how we see the importance of the second half of the year more and more with each passing year. 

Friday Frivolity: Wargames

From a stock photo of Battles of Waterloo, a favorite game of mine

So a week or so ago I was chatting  with my wife about the fact that I don't really have a hobby.  That's because I lack the ability to stick with any one interest long enough to justify it being called a hobby.  

I probably have what hipsters call ADHD. Or at least ADD.  My mind can seldom stay focused more than a few minutes at any given time.  Put  me in a corporate meeting with some hour presentation going on and it's as close to hell for me as I can imagine.  The same goes for anything.  Books, interests, topics, or just pastimes will come and go again.  I'll have a dozen books being read, sitting around at the same time.  That's pretty much true with anything.  

Anyhoo, as I said this, I was told this isn't true.  I was reminded that wargames, or the broader category of strategy games, has long been my hobby.  No matter what I've picked up or tossed aside over the years, my love of strategy style games has never changed.  I suppose there is some truth to that. 

I imagine that falls under the wider context of history as my hobby.  Though over the years I have taught, lectured and read endlessly about history, I never made a living of it.  I always thought there might be some loss to the enjoyment if it became a job with a steady paycheck.  Nonetheless, since I received my first history book at the tender age of eight, I was hooked. 

It was one of those old coffee table World War II books.  My dad bought it for me since I was already interested in the war.  That's because I had several family members who served and fought in the war. I heard about their exploits, but largely from everyone else who didn't serve and fight.  Plus it being the early 70s, WWII hadn't fallen on the hard times it would by the time I was in high school and college.  That's up until Saving Private Ryan and Tom Brokaw made WWII cool again, if only for a season. 

Though the book was a gift for me, it was clearly published for adults.  I struggled with the text to be sure, especially the Russian and Asian names and terms.  As a coffee table book it was replete with pictures, charts and images.  Leaning on what had to be a 2 point font, it also managed to have a decent amount of text.  Compared to school books and textbooks I've seen published today, it came off as doctoral level scholarship.  

It was also brutal.  Many of the images from that destructive war were there without modifying or editing.  Images of the dead, the mutilated, the tortured graced the pages at a time when the worst of Hollywood was still kept from kids my age, and Harryhausen was about as brutal as we'd see.  I vividly remember a color photo of a German solider caught and crushed by tanks during retreat.  Not for the squeamish.  And probably not for an eight year old in 1974. 

But it spurred my interest in the war and in history overall.  Over the years I would learn more about that subject, and eventually other periods in the long story of human history.  Eventually other periods would eclipse my interest in WWII, particularly the Napoleonic Era and Mediaeval European history.  In seminary, of all the topics I could zero in on, I became enamored with the transmission and textual record of the New Testament.  What Greek I learned, I learned to better grasp the various textual witnesses of the New Testament through the ages. 

With that said, it shouldn't be surprising that as a youngster and young man, a big part of my interests revolved around military history of any sort.  It's hard to read history and not run into the myriad conflicts that have marred human relations over the years.  Back in the day, it was a very young man thing to focus on. 

Now, the thing about history is it's tough to 'do.'  You can read about it, or watch documentaries or movies for what they're worth.  But it isn't like science, or music, or sports, or art where you can 'do things.'  Which might be why, for reasons I can't fathom, many people I know say history was their least favorite subject.  I always ask people who say that if they like books, TV shows, plays or movies.  If they say yes, then I ask why would they ever not like history?  There is nothing in any fiction that matches the real McCoy. 

In any event, I get that history is tough to do.  Unless you're a reenactor risking being called a Nazi, or enjoy traveling a lot and can afford endless museums and historical sites, you're stuck reading about it or passively watching it on screen.  

Enter wargames.  Or strategy games.  Though I'll admit, strategy games might be a bit broad for me.  Perhaps historical strategy games.  After all, my sons prefer more far out games, and enjoy Sci-Fi or other fantastical forms of strategy games.  Who can colonize Mars first, or whose galactic empire will come out on top and such. Not me.  When asked to play I will, however, since I believe there are worst things for a parent to endure than being asked to do things with one's children. 

Nonetheless, I prefer history based strategy games.  I do like period games, such as the old Roman Republic, which really isn't a wargame, but a very broad and abstract strategic game set in that period of history.  Mostly, however, it's the old 'chit' game replicating a specific war, conflict or battle that I prefer.  It's a bit like chess, but on steroids.  

I like chess, don't get me wrong.  I'm not that good, but I enjoy it.  I prefer more bells and whistles, however, since I find more extras and add-ons give more chances to circumvent my deficiencies where strategic thinking is concerned.  Hence my enjoyment of the game World in Flames - the ultimate game with a million extra add-ons.  Which is why, in the end, I enjoy endless strategy games, especially of the historical type.  They scratch that love of history itch, and they let me flex my strategic thinking muscles while giving me more than 'pawn takes rook' options.  And they can be educational, with the historical notes sections of old Avalon Hill games surpassing most of what passes as history in today's schools. 

So I guess that's fair, I do have a hobby after all.  

Sam Rocha wins!

The award for most asinine defense of the anti-Catholic sex show celebrated by the Dodgers:

That's hilarious.  I think it deserves the prize because I can always use a good laugh. 

I love the reaction from Smac.  Exactly what does that mean?  Who is talking about prayers for the reparation of costumes?  The answer is, of course, nobody.  That isn't what is happening among those who take the Gospel seriously.  

It means Sam, like those beholden to the Left, knows his place.  The Left is a jealous god, and will not tolerate dissent.  Whatever the Left does, whoever or whatever it slaughters, oppresses, mocks, or blasphemes, nobody on the Left  can speak against it. 

So Sam does the safe thing. He makes it about  - the reparation of costumes?   Which has nothing to do with what people are praying about or upset about.  Sam just put the word 'reparations' in to deflect back to another issue.  He's not defending the sex show.  He's not attacking it. He is simply deflecting.  He could have added Ronco Vegematic to the public prayers instead of reparations and it wouldn't have made less sense.  

It's funny.  I've seen those from my old Protestant stomping grounds, and friends I have who are not Catholic, express outrage at this.  Also, it's not some 'poor white Americans' whining either, see here.  For that matter, even non-Christians are offended by this naked anti-Catholic bigotry.  Meanwhile so many leftwing Catholics like Sam stumble over themselves to avoid calling out the same anti-Catholic blasphemy. Speaks volumes I'd say.  By their fruits you will know them, as the old saying goes. 

As a fun note, Sam's attempt at deflection was so disconnected from the actual topic, it immediately brought this to mind:

The Righteous Gentiles of Juneteenth

 Are, like the Righteous Gentiles of the Civil Rights Movement, pretty much non-existent. 

Something missing here

You know who the Righteous Gentiles are.  They are those non-Jews who risked, and at times lost, their lives trying to rescue Jewish victims from the clutches of the Nazis.  Throughout the world in Jewish circles, they are held in the highest esteem.  There are memorials, tributes and celebrations of them across the board.  For the Jewish community, especially the survivors of the Holocaust, they were always seen as the heroes they were.

I notice, however, that in our modern Civil Rights era, there are no 'Righteous Gentiles'.  There are no white people who ever seemed to contribute to the aid of black Americans.  Tributes for civil rights activists are almost always centered on African Americans.  Any mention at all about anyone non-black American is glossed over.  

Something about that bothers me.  Like Juneteenth.  The attempt, of course, is to eventually push this to replace July 4th. That wouldn't be a problem if it was celebrating what it was: Basically the government did good by sending Union troops down to Texas to enforce the liberation of the remaining slaves.  But that's not how it's portrayed.  Like the Google image above, apparently the black Americans of the day magically freed themselves and that's why we celebrate.

Some years ago, I watched on our streaming service a documentary about the making of the movie Harriet. Obviously it was about Harriet Tubman, apparently focusing on her work within the Underground Railroad.  Now to be clear, I never saw the movie and perhaps the movie itself is no problem.  But if the documentary was to be believed, you'd never know white people had anything to do with the Underground Railroad.  To watch the documentary, the only role white people played were those whites hunting down runaway slaves or betraying them.  

That's a big problem I have with the civil rights movement today. Something doesn't go down well when I notice that there is a purposeful attempt to ignore, downplay or deny any positive roles played by white people in the history of our country where the fight for civil rights is concerned.  When I see things like that, I imagine we aren't supposed to be educated about these events.  Rather they are to be exploited for other, unmentioned, agendas. 

BTW, an excellent example is this NPR piece.  Under the photo, it mentions the arrival of the Union Troops on June 19.  That is it. Nothing else in the piece alludes to the actual event or who was involved.  In fact, it seems to go out of its way to explain why Juneteenth is not at all a celebration of the actual historical event which led to Juneteenth: 

"We are not celebrating the history of Juneteenth. We are celebrating the symbolism of Juneteenth," said Leslie Wilson, professor of history at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

Because to do so would necessitate celebrating the individuals involved, and goodness knows we can't have that.  Or as this piece in McPaper makes clear: White people have no business being included on images for Juneteenth, which isn't only about black people. 

Heh.  If it wasn't based on racism and the desire to destroy Christian Western civilization and its virtues of liberty, equality, and life, it would be funny.  Everyone runs about screaming 'it ain't about black people' and then they turn about and insist it's for black people.  That's literally where we are as a country.  They can say opposing things in the same breath and it's true or you're a racist.  

“"Juneteenth GVL would like to apologize to the community for the presence of non-black faces on two flags representing Juneteenth. We acknowledge this mistake having been made and will correct the error quickly.”

Mark Shea and Martin Niemöller

Alrighty then:

In a nutshell, since the State is ever just, I'm sure they all had it coming. 

I was going to write up a big post about this, since I haven't bothered with Shea for some time.  But  I figured it speaks for itself.  It's worth posting if only to see a mentality we've seen too many times throughout the sad story of human history.   That's why we shouldn't be shocked when we see it again.