Category: Politics, Religion & Money

The Wrongs of Gun Rights

“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.” — Wayne Lapierre, CEO of the NRA

There was a good guy with a gun at the Tops Friendly supermarket. Security guard Aaron Salter, who is now dead, was a former Buffalo police lieutenant.

Don’t know yet how the alleged shooter came to have the weapon in question. What is known is that a year ago there was an indication of future trouble.

In June 2021, police in Broome County were called by officials of a local high school who told them Gendron had threatened violence in comments made to fellow students.

“A school official reported that this very troubled young man had made statements indicating that he wanted to do a shooting, either at a graduation ceremony, or sometime after,” the same government official familiar with the case told The News.

State Police were sent to investigate and Gendron, under a section of state mental health laws, was referred for a mental health evaluation and counseling, the official said.

https://buffalonews.com/news/local/mass-shooter-accused-of-pure-evil-killing-of-10-in-buffalo-hate-crime-named-in/article_f9ef9bac-d3d9-11ec-9eaf-cbcafe308f9c.html

Kyle Rittenhouse II?

10 dead, suspect arrested in mass shooting at supermarket

The gunman was identified as Payton Gendron of Conklin, a community about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Buffalo in New York state, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b

Payton Gendron, age 11, attending a 2015 Vet School open house at Cornell University
It’s been reported the alleged shooter wrote online of his belief in extreme right wing ideas, like white replacement. Who or what could have influenced him so profoundly as an adolescent?

He was 11 years old when Trump announced his candidacy for the 2016 Presidential election. Could there be a connection? I’m just asking a question, like Tucker Carlson would do.

Mickey Up For Grabs

Air Pirates Funnies #1, cover illustration by Bobby London

Insurrection sympathizer Josh Hawley seems to think he’s a Republican senator from Florida, and not Missouri, the state he represents. Joining the battle being waged by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Hawley wants to cut short Disney’s ownership of Ub Iwerks’ original character design for Mickey Mouse, which is scheduled to expire in a couple of years anyway.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-copyrights-targeted-in-bill-proposed-by-sen-josh-hawley-1235144054/

Fifty years ago, Nixon’s Republican dirty-tricksters were planning the Watergate break-in. At that same time, a group of underground cartoonists calling themselves The Air Pirates were fighting Disney in court.

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Air_Pirates_(comic)

How ironic that a radical Republican wants to strip Disney of its hold on the same imagery that a group of Hippie cartoonists wanted to exploit.

Note the addition of the “NIX KIDS – ADULTS ONLY!” disclaimer

Air Pirates Funnies was a subversive take on Mickey Mouse, while being a faithful tribute to the masterful artistry displayed in the first years of the Disney comic strip.

Mickey Mouse comic strip, December 2, 1933. Floyd Gottfredson pencil drawing, Ted Thwaites, inking.

Wading into Roe

Was Justice Alito’s first draft of an opinion that overrules Roe v. Wade leaked to Politico by someone who knows it is, in fact, the court’s decision? I’m going to guess yes. The Supreme Court’s complete removal of federal protection for abortion rights proves the court is now dominated by a “bunch of partisan hacks,” despite Justice Barrett’s denial.

On top of the revelations about Justice Thomas’ fanatical wife Ginni, Chief Justice Roberts has much bigger problems to deal with than finding out who leaked the opinion. Does he even have any power, now that his vote is no longer needed to serve the conservative agenda?