| February 12, 2021
Quote of the Week: "The not-guilty vote is growing after today. I think most Republicans found the presentation by the House managers offensive and absurd. We all know what happened at the Capitol was terrible. I hope everybody involved that broke into the Capitol goes to jail, but I don’t remember any of these House managers saying a damn thing when they were trying to break into my house and going after Susan Collins and spitting on all of us.”
- Sen. Lindsay Graham (R – SC)
Quote of the Week: "Who cares [if they] died in the hospital, died in a nursing home? They died."
- NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, referring to COVID-related nursing home deaths
In This Issue:
- What’s in a Name?
- The Extremists;
- The Beleaguered Postal Worker.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Here they go again. Efforts are underway to change the name of Coon Rapids, MN, because of the perceived racial epithet inherent in the name.
This, despite clear historical evidence that the city got its name from the trappers and fur traders who frequented the area in the 19th Century to trap racoons, which were abundant, by historical reports.
We shouldn’t be surprised, given the virtue-signaling, “woke” world in which we live.
Some non-profit group appropriately named “Transformative Circle” is pushing the change. According to the group, changing the name of some rather anonymous suburb of Minneapolis would be a transformative chapter in the global quest for peace, love, and understanding.
“We’re in the middle of a worldwide movement to become more racially aware, more equitable, learn more about each other”, says Lori Anderson, who represents the Circle.
Here’s what the Watchdog knows about becoming more racially aware and equitable, Lori.
You can call Coon Rapids whatever you want, but it won’t do a damn thing for a minority kid trapped in poverty, a broken home, or forced into worthless online schooling because political leaders don’t have the guts to stand up to Education Minnesota.
If there was truly a concern about equity, why not march down to the governor’s mansion and demand that schools open – today – and get these kids back in front of teachers.
Where’s the concern about black student achievement?
According to the state’s Department of Education, Coon Rapids High School is failing black students.
68% of black students at the school are below proficiency in science.
75% of black 11th graders at the school are below proficiency in math.
57% of black 10th graders at the school are below proficiency in reading.
It’s damn near impossible to prosper in life when you can’t properly read, write, cipher, or understand basic principles of science.
How do you get a good job? Who wants to hire a person lacking these kinds of skills?
And do you think these numbers have gotten better or worse after Governor Walz shuttered our schools?
Maybe the Transformative Circle should transform itself into an education reform group.
But that wouldn’t garner any media attention, would it?
THE EXTREMISTS
The biased and dishonest members of the Fourth Estate are telling us that we need to beware of a group of Americans they call “Christian Nationalists.”
The Watchdog hasn’t heard of such folks, so we read deeper into a local news article to find out the characteristics we should be on the lookout for with these allegedly dangerous citizens.
We learn that Professor Samuel Perry of the University of Oklahoma says such people are drawn together by “a collection of myths, traditions, symbols, narratives and value systems that idealize and advocate a fusion of Christianity with American civic life.”
We further learn that Christian Nationalists are “conservative, believe in the supremacy of the Bible, and believe the nation is ‘on the brink of moral decay,’”
If this is indeed the case, don’t these same definitions apply to millions of ordinary Americans?
After all, many are politically conservative, are people of faith, and believe in participating in civic life.
Moreover, couldn’t these same descriptions be applied to very men who founded the nation?
Wasn’t this nation founded upon Judeo-Christian values?
The historical record is quite clear that the foundation of the Constitution, and the nation, is based upon biblical principles.
There is no question that the Framers were people of faith.
“In God We Trust” can be traced back as early as 1814 in our national life.
So, what’s the point? That anyone who is conservative and Christian is suspect? That there may be a small number people within this broadly defined group who advocate law breaking?
If that’s the case, what about Antifa and BLM?
This publication suspects this is little more than agitprop designed to smear conservatives and Christians, two groups the mainstream media despise.
You’ve been warned, Watchdogs. You’ve been put on notice that the Left is pushing towards a day when these beliefs will be outlawed and subject adherents to criminal sanction.
The Cancel Culture is only a first step to rewriting history and cowing those who object.
THE BELEAGUERED POSTAL WORKER
The mainstream media have also been telling us that we should pity postal workers, who are apparently upset that President Trump didn’t show enough respect and that they were overworked over the Christmas Holiday.
Readers can make up their own mind, but the Watchdog this week took a quick spin through the 460 page collective bargaining agreement to see the terms and conditions of employment in this organization.
We learned that postal workers:
- Have tenure. After 6 years of continuous service, you can’t be laid off;
- Top of the salary schedule is $76,754 per year;
- Ten days of paid vacation every year;
- 2 hours of vacation earned each pay period;
- Overtime pay after 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week;
- A defined-benefit retirement plan.
Doesn’t seem like a bad gig, but that’s just us. |
