I’m not as much into white bread as some people are, but once in a while it’s nice to have that soft, spongy white stuff. Grilled cheese, for instance, is fantastic in a good white bread. And French Bread is the ultimate white loaf. It’s also ridiculously easy to make, which I appreciate so very much. This is the recipe that I use, and it turns out some freakin’ awesome loaves (pics at the end of the post)!

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups warm water, 110-115 degrees F
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast (see note)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons salt (see note)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil
• 5 ½ – 6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (see note)

You can make this in a stand mixer or by hand. It’s not a difficult dough to make even entirely by hand. I’m including directions for both methods.

Start by combining the water, sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture bubble and foam before moving on to the next step (this can take up to ten minutes if it’s really cold or your yeast is old, though usually you can see bubbles within a minute). Instant yeast doesn’t require you to activate it, but I find it’s always good to do this. If no bubbles happen, you know that your yeast is dead BEFORE you start investing time and flour into it.

Once the bubbles start, add in the salt, oil, and 3 cups of the flour, and mix. This can be done in a stand mixer with the dough hook on it, or with a wooden spoon in a large bowl. Continue to mix until the dough becomes a bit soupy, then slowly add in 2.5 to 3 cups more flour. I usually do this about a quarter to a half cup at a time so I don’t overload the dough with too much flour. When the dough is too “formed” to use the spoon anymore, when working by hand, turn it out onto the counter and begin the kneading process. In the stand mixer, continue adding flour until the dough clears off the sides of the bowl and makes a soft ball that might begin crawling up the dough hook. Turn it out on the counter and work the rest of this by hand.

French bread is a soft, sloppy dough in my opinion. You want to knead the dough for a few minutes, but not the 20 minutes a regular hearty bread requires. If it gets too tacky and starts to stick to your hands, add a couple of tablespoons of flour and knead that in. The goal is a ball of dough that is slightly tacky, very smooth, and soft enough that it starts to slump a little bit when left on the counter.

Put the dough into a bowl (I just use the mixing bowl I was using earlier) lightly coated with olive oil, and turn the dough to coat it LIGHTLY. Cover the bowl with a grocery bag or some plastic wrap, or cover it with a warm, moist towel. Set the bowl in a warm, relatively moist place. If you have a proofing box, use that. If you have nothing else, you can use your microwave to heat up 2 cups of water to almost boiling, then put the dough bowl in there WITH the hot water, and close the door. It’s usually a tight fit, but most modern microwaves will manage it. It becomes your proofing box.

Normally I would suggest several methods for rising bread dough, but French bread is a little finicky. It likes it very warm and moist. You want 85*F and almost steamy. My usual tricks won’t work (in a box with a heating mat, or in the oven with the light on but nothing else).

Let the dough rise for about an hour, until it’s doubled in size. If it isn’t doubled, wait longer. I sometimes snap a quick pic of my dough, so I can judge the size more accurately when I go back to check.

Once the dough is risen, turn it out onto your counter and cut it in half. Using the heel of your hand, pat each half out into a thick rectangle, about 9″ x 13″, though it doesn’t have to be exact. I usually put my baking sheet out where I can use it to judge size, and aim for a loaf about the length of the sheet. As you’re patting out the dough (NOT rolling it), use your palm to press out any air bubbles you find. Roll the dough up the long way (you want it 13″ long, not 9″ long), and then pinch the seam closed. I usually tuck the ends in as well, but that’s me. Just make sure they’re even and as sealed closed as possible. Place each of your French loaves onto a bit of parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Some people use two different baking sheets, but I just pull up the parchment paper between the bread so it doesn’t accidentally grow into its neighbor.

Using a bread lame, razor blade, or VERY sharp knife, cut several gashes at an angle over the top of each loaf. While you can score the bread after it rises, that will sometimes deflate it. Doing it now ensures a nice, even rise that you don’t disturb. Spray some plastic wrap with no-stick spray, and cover each of the loaves gently, leaving a little room for growth. Try to avoid sealing it down, as you want it to have room to rise properly. Put the loaves back in your proofing box, or in the least drafty, warmest and moistest place, and allow them to rise again until they are about doubled in size. This will take another hour or so.

Preheat your oven to 375*F, and make sure your oven rack is centered. Put a small, heat-safe bowl in the bottom of your oven. Remove the plastic wrap from your dough, and slide it into your preheated oven. Toss 2 or 3 ice cubes into the small bowl that you put into the bottom of the oven. This gives you a nice, extra crisp crust! Bake the loaves for 25 to 30 minutes, checking ever 5 minutes after the 20 minute mark. You want golden, puffy loaves that sound hollow when knocked with your knuckles.

If you want a softer crust, slide a stick of butter over the top of the loaves the minute they come out of the oven. If you like it crispy, don’t butter it. Allow the loaves to cool entirely before cutting into them. Remember: bread continues baking for about 20 to 30 minutes after being removed from the oven, so cutting into it early will interfere with that.

Notes:

I use this bread for French Dip sandwiches. I use it for French toast. And most importantly, I use it to make garlic bread. It’s just generally yummy, though, whether you serve it as a sandwich or with soup or stew. Enjoy!

We have some good delivery drivers, but my goodness, some are horrible.

I’ve had a half dozen packages delivered to my “porch or front door”. With pictures of boxes, or packages in a white garbage bag sitting in a pile of snow under my mailbox. 2 feet from where the melt puddle forms.

On Saturday they promised a delivery. They then told me they couldn’t deliver because of severe weather.

The cause? They didn’t want to go up the driveway.

Sunday they delivered up the same driveway with no changes.

I’m sad to say that USPS does a better job of package delivery. Amazon drivers will flat-out lie.

That’s nto to say we don’t have some good ones, Saturday and Sunday drivers are bad, in general.

When I purchased my first 3D printer, it came as a kit. One of the “spider” style.

By this I mean it had three towers with arms that supported a hot-end platform. By moving the base of the arms up and down the towers, the platform would move in 3 space.

It was the fastest type of printer available.

Unfortunately, it was not a good choice. The instructions were not good, and in particular, they got the size of one of the drive wheels wrong.

The printer was designed around 3mm filament at a time when most hotends had moved to 1.75mm. I paid to have a 3D printer dude tune my printer to make it work. It didn’t, but he did upgrade it to 1.75mm filament.

There were three types of filament at the time, PLA, PA, and ABS.

PLA is a starch-based plastic; it has a relatively low melting point but is cheap. It is the standard for most prints.
ABS is the standard plastic you find almost everywhere.
PA is Nylon.

I purchased some ABS and Nylon but never had what I would consider a successful print.

Fast forward to today, and the types of filaments have exploded.

Besides the three listed above, they now have PETG, TPU, PC, ASA, PLA+, PA6, PA12. And many of these are available with CF (carbon fiber) or GF (glass fiber) added.

PETG is stronger than PLA and has a higher melting point. It is commonly used. I use it anywhere I might need something that will withstand a little heat.

TPU is a printable rubber. You can print custom gaskets with it. It is also used for non-slip feet.

PC is polycarbonate; it prints clear and is heat resistant and strong. ASA is a stronger than ABS material.

All of these do a job well. And I’m going a bit bonkers trying to make sure I hit the correct price/performance mark.

The good news, for me, is that I’m starting to come out of the print for the printer and starting to print tools and organizational things for me.

In May of 1963, there were mass protests in Birmingham, AL. Blacks were protesting racist laws, passed by Democrats, and enforced by Democrats.

The laws were bad. The leaders were bad. The cops and other enforcers were bad.

That isn’t to say there wasn’t more than a bit of propaganda going around.

A motel manager was told to get the blacks out of the motel pool. His orders were ignored. The police were being ignored.

The law was bad. The people enforcing it were bad. The hotel manager? We don’t know, but he was painted as bad.

The gallon of acid he poured into that pool would not have done a damn thing to anybody in the pool. Unless it was poured on somebody, it was so diluted b the time it entered the pool that it did not and could not cause harm.

He used fear and ignorance to drive the blacks from his pool, because he was ordered to do so.

Not every person in the South was racist. Not every person was bad. Enough of them were to paint an entire section of our country as evil racists.

64 years later, conservatives are still being painted as racist using these images of Democrats enforcing Democrat-passed laws.

The problem with dealing with people in the spur of the moment is that “bad” or “evil” is not visible in the moment. It takes time.

I still remember the first time I saw the George Floyd video. I was enraged. I was glad I didn’t have to choose between watching a cop kill a black man or shooting the cop and spending the rest of my life in jail.

It turned out that every single thing told to me by that video was a lie. And my country burned.

The evil that is the modern (and historic) Democrat came to the forefront. They held “protests” that turned into riot after riot after riot.

They attacked federal buildings for weeks on end. They took over parts of cities and refused to allow people free travel through their city.

And they lied to us. The entire memo of “mostly peaceful” comes from a reporter telling us that the “protest” was mostly peaceful while the rioters set fires in the background.

When Kyle showed up to defend a commercial property, because the Minneapolis police wouldn’t or couldn’t, he ended up being chased by a convicted felon. When that felon attempted to take Kyle’s rifle from him, Kyle shot him, and made a good communist out of him.

A little later, another man became known as Lefty. He was carrying concealed. He attempted a sneak attack on Kyle, when Kyle pointed his rifle at Lefty, Lefty stopped, then continued his attack, quickly losing the use of his right arm.

Lefty was not legally carrying, by the laws of Minnesota. His permit to carry had expired.

He absolutely had the right to carry. The Second Amendment protects the right of every person to armed self-defense, and more. The law that made it illegal for Lefty to carry was unconstitutional. It might not have been found such, yet, but it is.

I will stand up to anyone to clearly, loudly state that Lefty had the right to carry.

He did not have the right to misuse his gun. When his gun came out of its holster to threaten Kyle, he was no longer on Second Amendment protected grounds.

You have the right to carry. You have the right to defend yourself. You don’t have the right to use your gun for criminal acts.

We need to be aware that rights are not situational. Your right to carry doesn’t end when you go to protest. Your right to carry doesn’t end when you go to a restaurant that serves beer. Your right to carry doesn’t end because somebody else is scared.

The Fifth Amendment does NOTend when a person is accused. That would make it worthless.

Your rights are not situational.

So some of us live in the boonies or in largely “settled American” areas, and the likelihood we’ll see ICE or DHS is pretty low. But let’s look at this as a “what if” scenario. What if ICE arrived in your town? What do you think would happen?

I live in an area that has a lot of Conservative folk, but a lot of Liberals as well. Considering we have a small contingent of people who stand on the corner of what used to be the Rite Aid building every Friday, protesting whatever (I don’t read the signs), I can say we have some people here who would choose to cause problems for ICE. I don’t know what our Chief of Police, our Firemen, or our Sheriff would do. What this means is that there are likely to be armed LEOs in my vicinity, and they will be agitated and possibly there will be people actively obstructing them.

I will tell you that if someone starts that whistle crap in my neighborhood, I’ll end it right quick. No, not with a firearm (I understand the desire, but not the morals of it, if that makes sense), but with a noise ordinance complaint. Or a lot of noise ordinance complaints. That would not fly well in my little bedroom community. Even some of the libs might find it unconscionable.

I would find it disturbing to see armed, armored men walking the streets of my little town. And where I live would set me walking or driving past them every time I wanted to leave home, because of where my home is situated. I would need to make outings something that happened only during down times, when mobs weren’t being active. I have less then zero interest in getting caught up in ICE stuff. I certainly wouldn’t be interfering in their duties. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t somehow end up in the middle of something, unintentionally.

The first and most important thing I would do is continue my life as normal, as much as was safely possible. The moment I allow someone else to make my life change, they win. On the other hand, if I’m stopped by ICE or other LEOs, I will happily provide whatever they ask for that’s within my power. If I’m armed and I’m stopped, I will keep my hands either above my head (if out and about) or at 10 and 2 (if driving). I’ll let LEOs know I’m armed, what the weapon is, where it is, and where any relevant paperwork is. If someone “jackboots” me, I’ll argue about it AFTER the stop, not during. Hard to argue if someone gets rushed and you end up shot dead. My goal is to make it through any such stop with the least problems for LEOs and myself.

For those who don’t like to show ID, I get it. I don’t either. My general position, prior to the current mess, has been to prepare myself to ask, “Am I being detained?” Because if I am not being detained, I am not showing ID (tho of course if driving you have to show a license if asked). If I am being detained, then I will invoke my right to silence, after asking for a lawyer. None of those things are likely to bother a LEO, especially if you’re otherwise polite and non-threatening.

I don’t need to be threatening. It’s not my goal in life to have others afraid of me. On the other hand, I don’t like being questioned unnecessarily. That whole Fourth Amendment thing about being secure in my person, papers, home, etc. is important, after all. But I’m also going to look at the situation in hand. A random traffic stop is not anything like ICE asking for proof of citizenship. ICE is showing up in places where there are dangerous criminal aliens, and dealing with them. I’m pretty sure they’d rather be dealing with picking them up at the local jail, but if they have to, they’ll hunt them down. I want the cops to pick up serial killers, rapists, and the like… and I want ICE to remove criminal aliens when they find them. That requires at least a little cooperation on my part.

Here’s the thing, though, when it comes to these ICE protests and riots. You don’t have to participate. Yes, it’s possible to get dragged into a mob by accident (and it’s terrifying, by the by), but if you keep your wits about you, you get away from it as soon as is possible. You don’t have to celebrate ICE, either, if you’re concerned they’re being a bit over zealous about doing their job. You just don’t interfere. It’s that simple.

Most of us are highly unlikely to ever get caught up in an ICE sweep. We’re not hanging around with illegal aliens or criminals. We’re not protecting them. Therefore, ICE really isn’t that interested in us. So our goal is just to stay out of their way.

That is the best preparation you can have, when it comes to ICE. Don’t play stupid games, and you’re not likely to win stupid prizes. Don’t FA and you probably won’t FO.

I’ve been told I live in a MAGA bubble. If I wasn’t brainwashed by FauxNews and actually cared about others, I would no longer be a Maggot.

The reality is that I can’t escape their noise and opinions. It is everywhere.

Ally and I noticed a while ago that every cop show on TV talks about “legally registered guns.” Every single one of them. NCIS was horrible about this. Law and Order had the excuse that it was taking place in NYC where all “legal” guns are supposed to be registered.

Though an egregious one popped up recently. The detectives of L&O were investigating a “sniper.” They tracked the gun back to the FFL that sold the gun.

They then accused the FFL of attempting to hide the identity of the purchaser because the signature on the 4473 was illegible. They made a big deal about it.

Every 4473 that I’ve ever filled out requires me to fill out the form with my printed information and the FFL then copies my government ID information (DL) onto the form. If the left didn’t lie they wouldn’t have anything to say.

The Question

What is a trope or common “everybody knows” that you see in movies or shows that is pure left-wing talking points?

I don’t like losing. I hate losing. I don’t want to lose.

In war, if you are not cheating, you’re not playing to win.

The Democrats and the Leftists of my Nation have declared war on me and mine decades ago. They hid it. They disguised it. They cheated.

They knew they were at war, and they were willing to do anything to win.

We saw this in gay marriage. They fought battle after battle, losing every time. They put forth a referendum in California, of all places. And the people of California soundly defeated the drive for gay marriage. The people of California amended their state constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The left then found an activist judge to rule that the amended constitution was unconstitutional under the state constitution. What BS.

This led to a Supreme Court decision. And suddenly, gay marriage is the law of the land, against the wishes of the people.

And now I’m told I must accept it forever and ever, amen.

The left took over education, from K-12 to higher education. They won.

They attacked the truth through their constant lies on TV and later “main stream media”. They won.

At every step, they won.

And my side let them. Because we were too polite. Because we took the high road. Because “it was the right thing to do.”

After Sandy Hook, I got in a discussion on Facebook with a liberal. She wanted assault weapons banned. She cared for the little children.

I went on the attack. I threw every argument that had ever been tossed at me, at us. I told her that she hated children because she didn’t want people to defend them. That she wasn’t willing to sacrifice for the children.

For three days I hammered on her. I wasn’t giving an inch until her niece, a good friend, asked me to stop. It turned out that this liberal anti-gun was a teacher who had dedicated her life to children. She couldn’t understand why she was being accused of such heinous thoughts and deeds by a stranger.

I took the high road and stopped. No longer.

We, The People, attempted to stand up to the thieves who stole 2020. The result was that people were thrown in prison, denied their rights, lied about, socially destroyed, and financially destroyed.

To this day, the left lies about what happened. None of the people responsible for that travesty of justice have been punished.

I want them punished!

I don’t want my enemies armed. Not with knowledge, not with training, and certainly not with firearms.

They have exposed themselves to the world as animals. Unwilling to be active members of our societal contract. I want them to suffer.

I also believe in the right to free speech. I believe in the right to armed self-defense. I believe in the rights acknowledged and protected by our constitution.

And it is hard, really hard, to let those evil worms exercise their rights. I want to escalate their sound attacks to an extreme.

I’m reminded of the guy who mounted an aircraft carrier landing light, or something like that, in the back of his pickup truck. When somebody refused to dim their lights, he would light that thing off. Instant blinding of the person who was looking in that general direction.

That’s what I want in the sound world. They’re using a 50W Megaphone, I want to hit them with a 500W megaphone. I’d use a 5000W megaphone, but I’m not sure if I could carry that, even on a vehicle.

I’m of the opinion that ICE should be treating those insurrectionists blocking traffic as speed bumps, and I want it to be legal for you and me to treat them as speed bumps.

They have lost my empathy. They might live next to me, but they are not my neighbors. Neighbors have agreed to a social contract. These monsters have not.

They have no morals. They deserve no mercy from me.

They need to be at the strong receiving end of FO.

Jan 27, 2026

Just a reminder of an interesting point.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/just-a-reminder-of-an-interesting
There are ICE agents operating in many states of the union, removing illegal aliens. Yey we only see major protests and violence in the state where fraud of billions of dollars of taxpayer money was uncovered.

Deadly Rhetoric
https://patriotpost.us/articles/124563
Just three days before Saturday’s tragic incident, Mayor Jacob Frey was asked about federal immigration enforcement in his city. He said:“In Minneapolis, we will not cooperate with [federal immigration police] or any federal agency around immigration enforcement work, we will not. And there’s a good reason, by the way, that we won’t, and it’s not just the moral imperative here, it’s also the fact that I want our police officers focusing on safety.” So, Mayor Frey thinks there is a “moral imperative” to not cooperate with federal law enforcement. That’s insane, not to mention illegal in many cases. Just imagine the ***reaction if any elected Republican said there was a “moral imperative” to not cooperate with federal environmental laws, federal gun laws, or federal tax laws. Worse, Frey’s “moral imperative” is making his city unsafe! Because police won’t assist in crowd control, leftist revolutionaries feel free to confront and obstruct federal immigration police, leading to these unnecessary tragedies. Not to be outdone, Arizona’s Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes claimed *that federal immigration police are not “real law enforcement.” She also seemingly encouraged Arizona residents to shoot federal immigration police under the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law. That’s beyond irresponsible! It’s disgusting and it’s reprehensible! That kind of rhetoric will get people killed. There are calls for Mayes to resign. Good luck with that. Radical leftists never resign when they get in trouble. Just ponder that sentence for a while In Virginia, we just swore in a Democrat attorney general who fantasized about the murders of his political opponents’ children. This is the alternative to the Republican Party, and this is who they elect as top law enforcement officials. Is there any doubt that our civil liberties will be in jeopardy if they get power again?
Is there any doubt that our civil liberties will be in jeopardy if Democrats get power again?

Democrats Turn Minneapolis into Fort Sumter
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/01/democrats_turn_minneapolis_into_fort_sumter.html
Just as it did one hundred and sixty-five years ago, the Democrat Party appears to be making war against the federal government…Whether Democrat Party officials are backing an insurgent force on the streets of Minneapolis to distract from their own complicity in a multi-billion-dollar fraud operation, we don’t yet know. But Democrats do appear to believe that Minnesota can ignore federal law and threaten federal agents with impunity. That smacks of rebellion and secession and cannot be permitted.

The Reactions to This Anti-ICE Clown Getting Wrecked by a Flashbang Were Amazing
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/01/27/the-reactions-to-this-anti-ice-clown-getting-his-hand-wrecked-by-a-flashbang-were-amazing-n2670116
This anti-ICE protester, who allegedly—get this—picked up a flashbang, and it exploded in his hand. The video is amazing. The reactions were gold. And he lived, so we can make fun of him. FAFO, loser
video – 00:00:06 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2015907137994596772

Here’s the Other Viral Minnesota Video That Got Leftists Riled Up. It’s a Nothingburger.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/01/27/heres-the-other-viral-minnesota-video-that-got-leftists-all-riled-up-its-a-nothingburger-n2670126
The Department of Homeland Security has pushed back strongly against claims of racial profiling. Agents were in a public area during an active enforcement operation – Individuals, including Menera, began yelling at agents in Spanish. A fluent Spanish-speaking agent identified a Mexican accent – Menera allegedly gave inconsistent answers about his birthplace – He refused to provide documentation, triggering a brief detention
DHS maintains the stop was based on immigration-status indicators, not race, and says agents acted professionally given the circumstances.
video – 00:00:36 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2011813971175588275

The Antifa Crossdresser Who Urged Followers to Take Up Arms Against ICE Is Now on the Run
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/01/26/the-antifa-lunatic-who-urged-followers-to-take-up-arms-against-ice-is-on-the-run-n2670109
The self-described member of the radical leftist terror organization Kyle Wagner is reportedly on the run after encouraging insurrection and threatening ICE agents…He says he needs a lawyer because his speech has been deemed “inciting violence.” He also says he’s now selling hoodies to raise money for the same cause…multiple videos here
video – 00:01:28 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2015786551154716894
video – 00:01:16 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2015140208363090259

PSYCHO VCU Healthcare Worker Scrubs TikTok After Her How-To Paralyze ICE Agents Video Goes Viral (Got It)
https://twitchy.com/samj/2026/01/27/vcu-health-employee-tells-people-how-to-medically-paralyze-ice-n2424394
video – 00:02:41 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2015941489516245223
Any comment @VCUHealth? How can you have such a vile person working with patients? How can anyone feel safe at your facilities if you employ such people?
They put her on leave. And c’mon, we all know that’s not enough.

Democrats Want Blood and They Aren’t Ever Going to Stop
https://townhall.com/columnists/derekhunter/2026/01/27/democrats-want-blood-and-they-arent-ever-going-to-stop-n2670117
Rage is a drug, and the radical left is as addicted to that as they are to porn and not showering. At this point, there is no way for the leadership in the Democratic Party to turn down the heat without being burned by it. So, if you’re waiting for the adult in the room to come forward and, well, be an adult…don’t hold your breath…These cosplay social justice warriors who suggest “mobbing” ICE, which is code for “kill them,” think they’re doing something good. Or, usually more accurately, they think they’re convincing someone else to do something good…You also have these idiots comparing people rioting in favor of illegal aliens with the Holocaust, which makes you realize just how failed the public schooling in this country is…It makes the cries from the cannon fodder a little hollow when you come to the realization that the “action” for which you signed up is to literally be that fodder.
(The rioters (protesters) are the “useful idiots” cannon fodder for the Left/socialist/communist leaders, and those behind them who fund it – jlr)

Speaking for ‘All Americans’: the Obamas’ Dangerous Return to the Megaphone
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/01/speaking_for_all_americans_the_obamas_dangerous_return_to_the_megaphone.html
For years, trained and practiced community agitator Barack Obama has been holding back, waiting for a fitting moment to help advance the “fundamental transformation” he initiated in 2008. From a political observer’s perspective, Obama has been so quiet of late that one would think he had lost hope of living to see his vision of American demise come to pass. But based on his recent comments about the chaos in Minneapolis, it appears he’s been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to fan the flames, side with disrupters, cover for the fraudsters, and cheer on the adversaries of freedom.
(B’OB does NOT speak for me – jlr)

Running Saul Alinsky’s playbook in Minneapolis
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/01/running_saul_alinsky_s_playbook_in_minneapolis.html
Fifty-five years ago, Democrat activist and community organizer Saul Alinsky published Rules for Radicals. Its stated purpose was not reform, persuasion, or compromise, but disruption — manufacturing chaos, provoking conflict, and inciting revolution as a means of political change. Alinsky was explicit: power is seized, not earned,
and the ends always justify the means. More than half a century later, the book has not faded into obscurity. It remains the Left’s operating manual — its tactical guide and its justification for tearing down institutions in the name of “progress.”…This is not accidental disorder. It is intentional political warfare, designed to use instability as leverage until the Democrats get what they want — illegal voters imported under the Biden regime to give them political power.

‘Convicted and fking dangles’: NeverTrumper Rick Wilson calls for execution of top White House adviser
https://www.theblaze.com/news/convicted-and-fking-dangles-nevertrumper-rick-wilson-calls-for-execution-of-top-white-house-adviser
“I want Stephen Miller to be the number one in the Nuremberg trials when this is done. When this is done, I want Stephen Miller to be the first one who is tried and convicted and fking dangles.”…”I want him to be brought before a court of law, because he is the sole executive that runs all this DHS, ICE stuff — the ‘ICEstapo.'”

Texas first: Gov. Abbott freezes H-1B visas after damning report from BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales
https://www.theblaze.com/news/gov-abbott-freezes-h-1b-visas-after-damning-report-on-possible-widespread-fraud-from-blazetvs-sara-gonzales
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed all state agencies on Tuesday to “immediately freeze” new H-1B visa petitions, citing “recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program” and the “federal government’s ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers.”

Anti-ICE brewer’s death wish: Leftist promises free beer when Trump dies ‘in a few months’ — and the Secret Service takes notice
https://www.theblaze.com/news/anti-ice-brewery-promises-free-beer-when-trump-dies-in-a-few-months
The American left appears to have a strong appetite for political violence.

West Virginia Librarian Arrested for Shockingly Soliciting Trump Assassination on TikTok
https://istandforfreedom.com/librarian-arrested-trump-tiktok
Morgan L. Morrow, a 39-year-old librarian at the Jackson County Public Library, was arrested Sunday evening and charged with making terroristic threats. Her crime: posting a TikTok video attempting to recruit someone to assassinate President Donald Trump.The video’s caption read: “Surely a sniper with a terminal illness cannot be a big ask out of 343 million.” Yes, a public employee, drawing a taxpayer-funded salary, casually soliciting a would-be assassin from among the American population. When deputies detained Morrow at her home, she reportedly admitted the post was “intended as a threat directed toward President Donald J. Trump” and cited “personal reasons for wishing harm upon the president.”

Alex Pretti Had Violent Confrontation with ICE Agents Only One Week Before His Death
https://www.westernjournal.com/report-alex-pretti-violent-confrontation-ice-agents-one-week-death/
“It is unclear how Pretti first came to the attention of federal authorities, but sources told CNN that about a week before his death, he suffered a broken rib when a group of federal officers tackled him while he was protesting their attempt to detain other individuals,”

WATCH: The Incredible Moment a Man in an Iowa Diner Asks to Pray for Trump, and Trump’s Perfect Response
https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-incredible-moment-man-iowa-diner-asks-pray-trump-trumps-perfect-response/
video – 00:00:47 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2016259206576300070

So, Iran. Part 3 – Ian, why should we care?
https://thelawdogfiles.substack.com/p/so-iran-part-3
Does everyone know why we’re hip-deep in Somalis? If you answer “Because Somalia is a war-torn hell-hole, and we’re ate-up with suicidal empathy?” Correct! However …
Do you know one of the reasons why Somalia is a war-torn hellhole? Because Iran has been funneling weapons to al-Shabaab, Abnaa ul-Calipha, and others. Because Iran, directly and through proxies, is keeping the entire Horn of Africa stirred up.

Press Covers the Offensive Fashion Choices of ICE, and the Acceptable Sexism Toward the Second Lady
https://townhall.com/columnists/bradslager/2026/01/26/press-covers-the-offensive-fashion-choices-of-ice-and-the-acceptable-sexism-toward-the-second-lady-n2670110
part 1:When the field director of ICE, Greg Bovino, was recently photographed wearing a long uniform overcoat when out in the field, many on social media likened it to an oppressive SS decision…the violence seen in the streets of Minneapolis is due to Bovino wearing a trench coat in snowy conditions…
part 2: What is it about leftist journos who feel it is completely reasonable to trash conservative women in a fashion that they have spent generations bleating is intolerant sexism?!… Heather Schwedel comes out with a completely hate-filled rant about Second Lady Usha Vance becoming pregnant…The premise of her piece is that there had been rumors of an affair between JD Vance and Erika Kirk, a dose of gossip she describes as “always more darkly entertaining than plausible.” But then Schwedel uses this sophomoric insult as justification. First, she states that the desperate wishcasting on social media a few months ago that the Second Couple may get divorced, she says it was not a surprise. But now a new wrinkle has developed: Supposedly, the Vances have decided to have another child to combat those rumors that Schwedel initially did not give credence to in the first place…So…it was not believable, and now they are faking a strong family unit because that rumor was factual, and they need to keep up appearances. Just some galaxy-brain fantasy weaving going on here.

Virginia Democrats Have a New Plan on How to Lock Up Gun Owners
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/01/26/virginia-democrats-have-a-new-plan-on-how-to-lock-up-gun-owners-n2670113
…The amendment to the bill removes the clause to grandfather in preexisting magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds. Violators of the law can be prosecuted as a Class 1 misdemeanor, and a convicted individual could be subject to a penalty of $2,500 and up to 12 months in prison. The original bill already moved to classify any “semi-automatic centerfire rifle or pistol” as an “assault weapon” to be banned.

Texas among states with highest utility bills
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/texas-among-states-with-highest-utility-bills/ar-AA1UZyzD
Texans spend an average of $605 a month on utilities—including electricity, natural gas, water, internet, and phone—according to move.org. While the figure is the 10th-highest among states, it’s slightly below the national average of $611 a month.

Survived (so far) Icemageddon.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/survived-so-far-icemageddon

Jan 28, 2026

Arctic Blast 1.0 and Arctic Blast 2.0 merge into Super Arctic Blast that will entomb the Eastern U.S. into a frigid hellscape.
The Next 10 Days Of Winter: The Worst In 40 Years Across The US
https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/next-10-days-winter-will-worst-40-years-across-us
multiple animated maps here – https://x.com/RyanMaue/article/2014420352147878186
A meteorologist’s main purpose: keep you alive, and marked safe. There is nothing we can do to stop this epic week of weather, and believe me, I have been trying to find silver linings or rays of sunlight. So, the best preparation is fresh, accurate, and expert information from trusted sources. While every new weather model run (alphabet soup of acronyms) shows slight adjustments in who gets the most freezing rain (ice) and snowfall there is little doubt about the aftermath of the massive ice storm

NWS increases confidence in heavy snow across the Carolinas and southern Virginia as Arctic air deepens
https://watchers.news/2026/01/28/nws-increases-confidence-in-heavy-snow-across-the-carolinas-and-southern-virginia-as-arctic-air-deepens/
A surge of Arctic air will spread across the central and eastern United States from Friday, January 30, 2026, bringing the longest duration of cold in several decades to parts of the region. Forecast confidence has increased for a winter storm to develop along the East Coast over the weekend, with the highest likelihood of heavy snowfall across the Carolinas and southern Virginia, and gusty coastal winds extending into the Mid-Atlantic.
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“The useful idiots, the leftists who are idealistically believing in the beauty of the Soviet socialist or Communist or whatever system, when they get disillusioned, they become the worst enemies. That’s why my KGB instructors specifically made the point: never bother with leftists. Forget about these political prostitutes. Aim higher. […] They serve a purpose only at the stage of destabilization of a nation. For example, your leftists in the United States: all these professors and all these beautiful civil rights defenders. They are instrumental in the process of the subversion only to destabilize a nation. When their job is completed, they are not needed any more. They know too much. Some of them, when they get disillusioned, when they see that Marxist-Leninists come to power—obviously they get offended—they think that they will come to power. That will never happen, of course. They will be lined up against the wall and shot.”
― Yuri Bezmenov – a former KGB propaganda expert who defected to the West in 1970 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Bezmenov

Becoming a Useful Idiot: A Guide for Success
https://thecorporateasylum.com/becoming-a-useful-idiot-a-guide-for-success/

Watch: As Chants Ring Out About Lynching Kristi Noem, Clueless Lib Protesters Realize to Their Horror Who They’re in Bed With
https://www.westernjournal.com/watch-chants-ring-lynching-kristi-noem-clueless-lib-protesters-realize-horror-bed/
As we know from years of experience, however, a leftist’s specific grievance of the moment never really matters. Before long, they will move on from anti-ICE protests to whatever comes next…communists will make common cause with useful idiots when necessary. Then, when the violent revolution succeeds, the bloodthirsty revolutionaries will discard and kill the useful idiots. Whether or not that unfortunate lesson of history dawned on the useful idiots in that hotel lobby remains anyone’s guess
video – 00:00:51 – https://twitter.com/i/status/2016294336942731433

Breaking Video: Ilhan Omar Physically Attacked During Town Hall
https://www.westernjournal.com/breaking-video-ilhan-omar-physically-attacked-town-hall/
Omar has become a central figure in the recent chaos in Minneapolis,
(HOW convenient for her. Coming under physical attack while she is under federal investigation and is rabble rousing against ICE – I smell a photo-op setup – jlr)
V
Ilhan Omar ‘Assaulted’ at Town Hall Event. Here’s What Happened.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/01/27/ilhan-omar-squirted-with-unknown-liquid-at-event-n2670197
…was sprayed with an unknown liquid by an attendee who was wrestled to the ground. The substance reportedly emitted a foul odor… no one was hurt. We don’t know the suspect’s name or his motive. Brace yourselves for a possible string of ‘the GOP is out of control’ stories from the media over this incident. But something smells about this whole incident, especially after Omar is now the subject of a DOJ investigation regarding her financials.
V
It’s a Question Everyone Is Asking About the Ilhan Omar Syringe Attack…and I Can See Why
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/01/28/its-the-question-everyone-is-asking-about-the-ilhan-omar-syringe-attackand-i-can-see-why-n2670206
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) held a town hall event in Minneapolis last night. It got disrupted when a disheveled white guy squirted her with some fluid out of a syringe. It emitted an odor, and there are some who are suggesting that this could be another fake attack incident…the man sat right in front of her, and the mayhem seemed a bit coincidental as the Justice Department opened an investigation into her financials. The key is whether the suspect is identified and charged.
V
Developing: Omar Attack Questioned Heavily as Viewers Notice Subtle Detail Right Before Attack and Omar’s Extremely Unexpected Response
https://www.westernjournal.com/developing-omar-attack-questioned-heavily-viewers-notice-subtle-detail-right-attack-omars-extremely-unexpected-response/
…many raised suspicions about the legitimacy of the liquid attack based on the fact that Omar refused to seek treatment or get checked out, and the fact that footage seemed to indicate a nod toward the attacker just before the attack…lleged attacker was identified by ABC News as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak. He was booked at Hennepin County Jail for third-degree assault…The town hall event continued for 25 more minutes after the liquid was sprayed on her.
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Instant Multi-Millionaire Ilhan Omar’s $5 Million Fake Winery
https://gellerreport.com/2026/01/instant-multi-millionaire-ilhan-omars-5-million-fake-winery.html/
Omar’s 2024 disclosure lists her spouse Tim Mynett’s eStCru LLC stake in Santa Rosa, California, valued between $1 million and $5 million, up sharply from $15,001-$50,000 the year before. The winery shows signs of inactivity—no working phone, empty parking lot, dormant social media—while Mynett faced a settled investor fraud lawsuit and a separate debt claim. House Oversight Chairman James Comer launched a review of her wealth rise from near-zero to $6-30 million, tying it to Minnesota fraud reports, as Trump called for DOJ scrutiny; Omar calls the claims misreadings of broad disclosure ranges. If it walks like a thief and steals like a thief, innocence becomes a performance—and the contempt unmistakable

‘I am going to kill Donald Trump’: Smug Democrat candidate threatens death penalty in latest campaign trick
https://www.theblaze.com/news/i-am-going-to-kill-donald-trump-smug-democrat-candidate-threatens-death-penalty-in-latest-campaign-trick?
“I mean I’m going to obtain a conviction rendered by a jury of his peers at a standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, based on evidence, presented at a trial, conducted in accordance with the requirements of due process, resulting in a sentence, duly executed, of capital punishment,”… he did not indicate which crimes worthy of the death penalty he thought President Donald Trump has committed.

rcd via e-mail
Exposed: Minnesota federal judge threatening ICE director Todd Lyons appears on donor list of pro-illegal-immigrant group
https://www.wnd.com/2026/01/exposed-minnesota-federal-judge-threatening-ice-director-todd/
“Fox News has learned that Patrick J. Schiltz, the Minnesota federal judge who is threatening to hold ICE Director Todd Lyons in contempt of court & is ordering him to appear in court on Friday, appears in a 2019 list of donors & volunteers for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, an organization that provides free legal advice and representation for illegal immigrants. Judge Schiltz was appointed by President Bush in 2006.”

Breaking: FBI Launches 2020 Election Raid at Fulton County, Georgia, Facility
https://www.westernjournal.com/breaking-fbi-launches-2020-election-raid-fulton-county-georgia-facility/
State Farm Arena was a major focus of concern on election night when party observers and the media were told counting had stopped, only for it to resume for nearly two more hours soon thereafter.
V
FBI Raids Fulton County Election Hub Days After Trump Vows Prosecutions for 2020 Election – Here We Go
https://redstate.com/rusty-weiss/2026/01/28/fbi-raids-georgia-fulton-county-election-hub-over-2020-election-days-after-trump-hinted-at-prosecutions-n2198604
Trump has long questioned the results of the 2020 election, where Joe Biden defied explanation by garnering over 81 million votes, the most in American presidential election history, despite having all the charisma of a meat tenderizer.

rcd via e-mail
BBC obtains footage from January 13 of a man they say is Alex Pretti
https://x.com/RyanSaavedra/status/2016611647553413126
Videos appears to show him spitting at federal law enforcement and attacking their vehicle
video – 00:02:08

In other news, 9th Century tribesmen – Are acting like it’s the 9th Century
https://thelawdogfiles.substack.com/p/in-other-news-9th-century-tribesmen
In today’s news the bleeding hearts of the United States have discovered that the Afghanistan Taleban are … acting like Taleban. Huh. Couple of Womxn’s Studies types are all a-twitter because the Taleban have announced a permanent ban on the education of women. What does this mean to the United States? Honestly, short term, not much…but that’s not a United States problem, nor a problem for the West as a whole.

Los Angeles Homeless Services CEO Charged With Defrauding Taxpayers To Pay For Luxury Lifestyle
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/los-angeles-homeless-services-ceo-charged-defrauding-taxpayers-pay-luxury-lifestyle
The CEO of a Los Angeles homeless services charity faces federal and state fraud charges after prosecutors said he lived a luxury lifestyle that included lavish vacations and designer clothes paid for with $23 million in public money meant to keep people off the streets. Alexander Soofer, 42, was arrested Friday at his $7 million home that investigators believe he afforded using funds that were supposed to support his nonprofit Abundant Blessings, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli…This case was uncovered by local investigators working with law enforcement — exactly the kind of accountability and oversight the state has pushed for,” Newsom’s office said. That prompted a response by Essayli, who again blamed Newsom. “You and the California legislature facilitated this fraud by handing out billions in tax dollars to these nonprofits with zero vetting and zero state oversight,” Essayli said

Virginia Democrat Debuts Bill to Prohibit ICE at Polling Places, and Suddenly It All Makes Sense
https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2026/01/27/virginia-democrat-bill-seeks-to-prohibit-ice-at-polling-places-n2198556
…Crafted by Del. Alfonso H. Lopez (D), the bill in question, HB 1442, seeks to prohibit federal immigration enforcement activity within 40 feet of polling places…Elections; polling places; prohibited activities; acts in furtherance of federal immigration laws. Prohibits any person from performing any act for the purpose or in furtherance of enforcement of federal immigration laws within 40 feet of any building, or part thereof, used as (i) a polling place, (ii) a meeting place for the local electoral board while the electoral board meets to ascertain the results of an election, or (iii) the place for a recount.(https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1442/text/HB1442)…if illegal immigrants can’t vote, why the supposed “need” for this bill?
V
‘Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud’: Washington Governor Inslee Demands ICE Stay Away From Polling Places
https://twitchy.com/gordon-k/2026/01/28/jay-inslee-voter-suppression-n2424424
…In the midst of ICE horror, the Senate needs to prohibit Trump from using ICE as (illegal – jlr) voter suppression tool.

Philly’s Woke Prosecutor Says He Will ‘Hunt Down’ ICE Agents Like ‘Nazis
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/josephchalfant/2026/01/27/phillys-woke-prosecutor-says-he-will-hunt-down-ice-agents-like-nazis-n2670190
Nazi, of course, has simply become a catch-all term for “people we don’t like”…
They don’t kill you because you’re a Nazi. They call you a Nazi so they CAN kill you.

Social Media Provides Sickening Proof of Just How Far Left Healthcare Has Become
https://redstate.com/beckynoble/2026/01/27/social-media-provides-sickening-proof-of-just-how-far-left-healthcare-has-become-n2198562
In the wake of the ongoing ICE operations in Minneapolis and the shooting deaths of Renee Good and, most recently, Alex Pretti, some of the most heinous and inhumane reactions to these events have come from the very people charged with caring for people, regardless of who they are. It serves as a stark warning if you are a conservative and support ICE.

More than 100 outraged community members denounce elementary school teacher over 2-word post about ICE
https://www.theblaze.com/news/two-word-ice-post-teacher
The teacher made the comment on his personal account on social media…More than 100 community members, including parents, attended a meeting of the West Chicago City Council to demand they take action against an elementary school teacher who posted about immigration. West Chicago Mayor Daniel Bovey also joined the mob in calling on Gary Elementary School to get rid of the teacher…’We want to ensure our schools are safe spaces, and we look forward to seeing all students back in school…The teacher’s outrageous statement was composed of only two words: “Go ICE.”
(apparently some people/parents/unemployed busybodies have nothing better to do than comb through people’s social media posts to find something to be offended about, then make a huge stink about it, so they can say “see, I got them fired” – jlr)
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Chicago Teacher Faces Woke Backlash, Disciplinary Action Over Two-Word Social Media Remark About ICEhttps://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2026/01/27/chicago-teacher-on-leave-for-message-about-ice-on-social-media-account-n2198564

Preparing for Unrest – Communications
https://tactical-wisdom.com/2026/01/28/preparing-for-unrest-communications/
Let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: Signal. We teach in Brushbeater’s RTO & SIGINT courses and the Combat Studies Group’s Ground Rod One course that Signal is PRIVATE, but not SECURE. There are many cases of intelligence agencies and reporters gaining access to Signal chats, usually through poor security practice and bad messaging habits. Stop thinking it is secure.
On that note: DELETE YOUR MESSAGES. The number one way in which messages are read is through reading them on someone’s device. You don’t need texts from 3 days ago – go ahead and delete them. When using any app that lets you destroy both copies of a message, set them to self delete quickly. Turthfully, if the message needs to be secure, apps and the phone are NOT how I would send it.
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Rights Are Rights By Chris Johnson
https://vineofliberty.com/2026/01/28/rights-are-rights/
The right to self-defense is what keeps us from having mass graves.

The Second Amendment By Allyson
https://vineofliberty.com/2026/01/28/the-second-amendment/
Is it scary to me that people who might be my enemies are arming themselves? Yes it is. But here’s the thing… freedom is not free. It’s not safe. It’s not easy. If you think anything about freedom is safe or easy or free, you obviously have not read your history books…I might be a bit more conservative than some of you give me credence for. Because I will say it clearly, it is a conservative value to refuse to use the government to take away the rights of someone else. And that’s where I stand.
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Suffering from an overabundance of scruples.
https://miguelgg.substack.com/p/suffering-from-an-overabundance-of
If you haven’t caught on yet that we are in a state of internal war in Minnesota… You are willing to grant graces to people who are siding with those who want to harm you and yours. And I don’t care if you feel bad because they are misguided and they do not realize the harm they are doing, they are still trying to kill you to support those robbing you blind.
Stop having stupid scruples. They sure have none for you.

and finally–the Los Angeles dichotomy
A Refuge Against the Culture of Degradation
https://chrisbray.substack.com/p/a-refuge-against-the-culture-of-degradation
Is there a better crystallisation of Western Civilisation’s values than an orchestra? The millions of hours of diligent practice needed? The centuries of iterative tradition? The uncompromised excellence?The Decorum? Basically everything worth preserving.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. (The Second Amendment, The Constitution)

In the years before the American Revolution, British rule stated that only Protestants could keep arms for self-protection (Regan Library). In the quickly coalescing United States, those early State governors and representatives realized that We The People required arms in order to protect ourselves, both at a personal level and as a country, and that denying arms to a subset of people (those not Protestant, for instance, and a few years later, Black people) was a bad idea. Either the Right was going to be infringed, or it wasn’t. Our Founding Fathers decided that not infringing was the correct way to go.

I happen to agree with them.

I am an absolutist when it comes to the Second Amendment. It is wrong, 100% wrong, to infringe on the right of someone to keep and bear arms. Anyone. Even Leftists. Even criminals, in fact, though I still struggle with this one (as an aside, if a criminal is too dangerous to be allowed to have their firearms, then they ought not be out of jail). You want to own a rail gun? Sure. You want to have a nuclear missile in your backyard? Fine. You just have to follow all the laws surrounding the owning of those things (for instance, if you have nuclear weapons, you have to have adequate, safe storage for them so that you don’t poison your land or your neighbors). It’s permissible, to a small extent, to limit certain things when it can inherently damage other people (as with nuclear weapons). The Founders were clear: SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.

The moment you start saying, “Oh, but I don’t want *that* person to have guns…” you’ve lost. You’re now on the Left, and you’ll be issued your blue hair dye and have your septum ring installed momentarily. And yes, this IS a hill I will die on.

“One primary motivation for the Second Amendment was the fear of federal tyrannical power. Many Founders believed that governments naturally tend toward oppression, and that an armed citizenry served as a crucial check against government overreach. This reasoning reflected the Revolutionary experience of fighting against what was perceived as British tyranny.” (Vanho Law)

People on the Right have long talked about the concern of the tyranny of the government. When Biden was in office, I heard it every other day. I heard it almost as often when Obama was in office. Valid concerns were voiced, and while I didn’t agree with all of them, I did listen. At that time, the Left thought the Right were a bunch of nutters.

Right now, people on the Left are concerned about tyranny of the government. They are in a complete and utter froth over Trump, ICE, and DHS. I hear this several times every day. I’m strongly of the opinion that most of the concerns voiced are bull… but even when I don’t agree with them, I listen. And now the Right thinks the Left are a bunch of nutters.

Is it scary to me that people who might be my enemies are arming themselves? Yes it is. But here’s the thing… freedom is not free. It’s not safe. It’s not easy. If you think anything about freedom is safe or easy or free, you obviously have not read your history books. Go read them, and then you may come back and comment.

It doesn’t matter if I’m scared or nervous or freaked out that the left may be arming themselves. In the same vein, I have been telling the left that for years, that the fact that I’m arming myself or my husband is arming himself or whatever is none of their business and it doesn’t matter if they’re freaked out or scared. It’s my right, I get to exercise it, and if you want to be upset over it, you are absolutely welcome to be but you’re not going to stop me exercising that right.

There is no possible way for me to say that to the left and then turn around and tell them that my piddly little fears or my gutty terrors are a reason for them not to be allowed to have firearms. I refuse to be a hypocrite. I refuse to be unethical, or situational. My ethics and my morals stand, no matter who they are aimed at. I believe the same things have to apply to everyone, and if there are laws and rules and regulations that don’t apply to everybody equally, then they should be removed. You can’t have rules for me but not for thee.

To bring this to a close, I strongly believe that people who jump through the hoops to get their firearms and the training, and maybe their CC paperwork, will become good and ethical 2A people. Eventually. I believe it is functionally impossible for someone to be a firearm owner, do training and practice, and not become a 2A supporter. In my albeit limited experience, everyone I know who has gone on to learn how to safely and properly use their firearms, has realized the stupidity of the gun control crowd.

Let the left arm themselves if that’s what they feel they need to do. If I’m scared, then I’m scared. That has nothing to do with their rights. Just as I tell them that their feelings have nothing to do with limiting my rights, I have to give them the same in return.

If you’re all for taking away the rights of your enemies, or restricting their access to certain things, whether that’s free speech, firearms and self-defense items, information, etc… then you are the Gestapo that they have been afraid of.

This is important stuff. You are all welcome to believe however you want, because I believe in the first amendment as well as the second. You have the freedom to believe what you want, think I’m an idiot, and anything else. But so do I.

I will protect your right to be afraid of the left being armed, to talk openly about that fear, and to brainstorm ways ways to be safe. But the moment you step out of line and start trying to take away the rights of others to speak freely, to keep and bear arms, you’re no better than you’re saying they are. I’ll still protect your right to say what you want, but I’m not going to protect you from the consequences of your statements.

I have often said both here on the blog and in other places that only in the crazy world that we live in right now, could I be considered conservative. In a sane world I would be slightly right of center of the liberal side, and I don’t have a problem with that. But in writing this missive and in interactions recently, I think I might be a bit more conservative than some of you give me credence for. Because I will say it clearly, it is a conservative value to refuse to use the government to take away the rights of someone else. And that’s where I stand.

The right to self-defense is what keeps us from having mass graves.

I disagree with everything you said. I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Rights exist. We are all born with them. Every person in the world.

We are lucky to live in the United States, where many of those rights are protected by our constitution.

Those are not our Second Amendment rights. Those are our Second Amendment protected rights.

The same is true of all of our rights. Some are explicitly protected through the Bill of Rights, others are implicitly protected through the body of the Constitution and other Amendments.

TCK is wrong. Civil rights do apply to everyone.

My morals are not situational. Ally’s morals are not situational.

TCK’s seem to be situational. Rights for him but not for them.

When Dickwad was accused of sexually molesting the daughters of my best friend, I waited until I had seen enough evidence to know it was true.

When the detective asked me what I thought should happen to him, my answer was simple: After he is found guilty and sentenced, I want him placed in genpop.

Dickwad still had rights. He had a right to a jury of his peers. He had a right to face his accusers. He had the right to not incriminate himself. He had a right not to be tortured.

When he was convicted of the crimes he was accused of, he was sentenced, and his rights were removed from him.

He lost the right to vote, he lost the right to keep and bear arms, and he lost the right to move freely. And I fully expect he will lose his right to life will be removed from him before he gets out of prison.

Now I’m going to put on my administrative hat.

TCK: Feel free to leave. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

If you do stay, drop the insults. Ally put on her administrator hat and gave you the rule.

She told you that “Go fuck yourself.” is unacceptable. I echo that. “Go fuck yourself.” is unacceptable.

Her reply was thoughtful and did not attack you. She expressed her opinion clearly without attacking you.

Your reply again resorted to insults. You can’t point to a single thing in her original article or her reply that even remotely sounds like she’s being an “asshole.” You are wrong. Take a step back and read her article again and her comments without taking it personally.

Civil rights apply to everyone. You might not like it, but they do.

Do you even know what gaslighting means? Ally’s perspective is incredibly valuable to me, and I hope to the blog in general. Because she isn’t a “far-right conservative”. She’s barely right of what center used to be. Her perspective brings how the left perceives things.

She isn’t telling you this is a reality; it is how the left perceives things.

Are their fears irrational? Absolutely. If the Trump administration was disappearing people, like they claim, they wouldn’t know it was happening. If they were out of control, they would be rounding up those insurrectionists and throwing them in the oubliette, never to be seen again. That’s not happening. This means their fears are irrational.

“[Y]ears brutalizing the innocent” doesn’t seem to match with my memory. Those people up in MN didn’t brutalize the innocent. Maybe the Joe Biden puppet masters did, but not those people.

You might think “they” are guilty, you haven’t even presented enough evidence for me to consider them guilty. Regardless, people don’t lose their rights because they say nasty, evil, horrible things. They have to commit an actual crime.

If they haven’t committed a crime but what they did should be a crime, then we need to work to make it a crime.

We don’t get to say, “They committed a moral crime” anymore than they get to say it to us.

The reason they are called “civil rights” has nothing to do with social contracts. They are called that because they are “civil” cases, not criminal cases.

Criminal cases can only be initiated by the state. Civil cases can be initiated by anybody. A boundary dispute between to neighbors is a civil case.

A case about a violation of your Second Amendment protected rights is a civil case.