Patterico's Pontifications

12/31/2014

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Filed under: General — Dana @ 7:37 pm



[guest post by Dana]

Here’s wishing everyone a Happy New Year’s Eve tonight! And a safe one – especially if you’re on the road or indulging in adult beverages. A number of time zones represented at Patterico’s, so I’m not sure who will greet the new year first (perhaps Sammy Finkleman and Millhouse). Regardless, it’s been a real pleasure being a hostess here this past almost-a-year. If you need anything, just holler.

…yes, daley, I’m getting that beer for you right now. Gimme a break!

–Dana

All Lives *Should* Matter

Filed under: General — Dana @ 1:33 pm



[guest post by Dana]

(Trigger warning: lifeydoodle post)

Last week, Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke sent a tweet to Mitch Smith, a journalist in the Chicago bureau of The New York Times, which read:

“If only these faux protesters were asked by media about all the black on black killing or black babies aborted in US every year.“

Later, when asked about the tweet, Clarke explained:

“When I hear these things that Black lives matter, the only people who really believe that statement are American police officers who go into American ghettos every day to keep people from killing each other. Alright, so, yes I did say that and I meant it. Look, the abortions? If Black lives – if they really mattered, that’s where the outrage would be that’s where we’d see protests…”

According to Life News, the black community is impacted more greatly than other minorities when it comes to abortion:

36.2% of the total number of abortions recorded for race or ethnicity were reported on Black women.

Mississippi, which currently has only one abortion clinic in the state, had the highest number of abortions reported on Black women coming in at 63.4%.

Alabama, reported that 58.7% of their abortions were on Blacks while in Georgia they reported 52.1% abortions on Black.

Tennessee performed 49.9% of their abortions on Black women and Virginia performed 43.9% on Black women, while Michigan’s Black abortion percentage was 47.9%.

New York City alone performed 46.1% of their abortions on Black women and 41.1% of Black abortions was reported in Missouri.

With that, Planned Parenthood just released its yearly numbers:

Planned Parenthood clinics did 327,653 abortions in its fiscal year 2014 (which ran from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014), according to Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s newly released annual report.

That works out to an average of 37 abortions per hour or nearly 1 every 90 seconds.

2014 number of abortions exceed the previous year’s number by 487.

Also, according to the report, as the increase in abortions took place, a simultaneous decrease in contraception also occurred: 3,577,348 patients in fiscal 2014 compared to 3,724,558 in fiscal 2013.

All lives should matter. Sadly, not all do.

–Dana

Chief Of Police Responds To Resident’s Letter Asking Why Protesters Are Being Allowed To Disrupt Their City (And Being Served Hot Chocolate And Coffee)

Filed under: General — Dana @ 9:13 am



[guest post by Dana]

In what is being lauded as a remarkable letter, chief of police Steve Anderson of Nashville responds to a concerned resident’s letter inquiring why protesters are being continually allowed to disrupt the city:

I wanted to send you this email to express my frustration and outrage at how the situation of these protesters is being handled in Nashville. The first night protesters marched here after the incidents in Ferguson they never should have been allowed to shut down the interstate. Instead of at least threatening to arrest them, they were served coffee and hot chocolate. I don’t feel that is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. It sends a message that they can do whatever they want and will be rewarded. Then, this past week, more protesters march around downtown for 3 or more hours and once again, no arrests, and it took THP to keep them from getting on the interstate again. Saturday night, marching and “die ins” at Opry Mills mall. How long are we going to allow these people to disrupt our city?

I have a son who I have raised to respect police officers and other authority figures, but if he comes to me today and asks “Why are the police allowing this?” I wouldn’t have a good answer. If any other group of people wanted to march around the streets they would have to get a permit weeks or months in advance, and I know it’s not possible to get a permit to obstruct traffic and walk on the interstate.

The writer also urges the chief to ask himself: “Am I following or giving orders that help or hurt the community?” .

I am highlighting portions of the chief’s response:

Has consideration been given as to whether the response of the police department “help or hurt the community.”

It is our view that every decision made within the police department should be made with the community in mind. Obviously, there are some matters in which we have no discretion. On matters in which we do have discretion, careful consideration is given as to the best course of action, always with the welfare of the general public in mind.

That has been the consideration on this issue. Certainly, in comparing the outcome here in Nashville with what has occurred in some other cities, the results speak for themselves. I stand on the decisions that have been made.

“These actions are putting the department at disharmony from the majority of the citizens.”

While I don’t doubt that you sincerely believe that your thoughts represent the majority of citizens, I would ask you to consider the following before you chisel those thoughts in stone.

As imperfect humans, we have a tendency to limit our association with other persons to those persons who are most like us. Unfortunately, there is even more of a human tendency to stay within our comfort zone by further narrowing those associations to those persons who share our thoughts and opinions. By doing this we can avoid giving consideration to thoughts and ideas different than our own. This would make us uncomfortable. By considering only the thoughts and ideas we are in agreement with, we stay in our comfort zone. Our own biases get reinforced and reflected back at us leaving no room for any opinion but our own. By doing this, we often convince ourselves that the majority of the world shares opinion and that anyone with another opinion is, obviously, wrong.

It is only when we go outside that comfort zone, and subject ourselves to the discomfort of considering thoughts we don’t agree with, that we can make an informed judgment on any matter. We can still disagree and maintain our opinions, but we can now do so knowing that the issue has been given consideration from all four sides. Or, if we truly give fair consideration to all points of view, we may need to swallow our pride and amend our original thoughts.

And, it is only by giving consideration to the thoughts of all persons, even those that disagree with us, that we can have an understanding as to what constitutes a majority.

“I just want myself and my family to feel that our city is safe, and right now we don’t feel that way.”

I have to admit, I am somewhat puzzled by this announcement. None of the demonstrators in this city have in any way exhibited any propensity for violence or indicated, even verbally, that they would harm anyone. I can understand how you may feel that your ideologies have been questioned but I am not aware of any occurrence that would give reason for someone to feel physically threatened.

“I have a son who I have raised to respect police officers and other authority figures, but if he comes to me today and asks “Why are the police allowing this?” I wouldn’t have a good answer.”

It is somewhat perplexing when children are injected into the conversation as an attempt to bolster a position or as an attempt to thwart the position of another. While this is not the type of conversation I ordinarily engage in, here are some thoughts you may find useful as you talk with your son.

First, it is laudable that you are teaching your son respect for the police and other authority figures. However, a better lesson might be that it is the government the police serve that should be respected. The police are merely a representative of a government formed by the people for the people—for all people. Being respectful of the government would mean being respectful of all persons, no matter what their views.

Later, it might be good to point out that the government needs to be, and is, somewhat flexible, especially in situations where there are minor violations of law. A government that had zero tolerance for even minor infractions would prove unworkable in short order.

Although this is unlikely, given your zero tolerance stance, suppose that, by accident or perhaps inattention, you found yourself going 40 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone and that you were stopped by a police officer. Then, after making assurances that licenses were in order and that there were no outstanding warrants, the officer asked you not to speed again and did not issue a citation, but merely sent you on your way.

As you have suggested, a question may come to you from the back seat, “How can I respect the police if they will not enforce the law?” In the event this does occur, here are some facts that might help you answer that question.

H/T Weasel Zippers

–Dana


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