Don's Tuesday Column

          THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson   Red Bluff Daily News   12/17/2019

Reason, love or obsession over Trump

There’s “the Reason for the Season” and then there’s the reason that this season is an odd mix of joy/elation/gratitude and angst/anger/alienation. By objective measures, and many anecdotes, America and its people are experiencing abundance, optimism and satisfaction, both in personal worlds and over America’s place in the world—with exceptions for those suffering misfortunes and those whose personal and political obsessions prevent them from taking joy in the state of our nation.

For instance, the popular chicken restaurant, Chick-fil-A—which has benefited profitably from its founders’ adherence to Christian family values and observance of the Sabbath via closed stores—has for reasons not yet forthrightly explained, abandoned charities like the Salvation Army over bogus objections by the splinter kook fringe that persist in denying the biological facts of male/female genetics. Never mind that no one, no matter their circumstances, sex, orientation or “gender identity,” is turned away from the SA’s Christian charity, generously shared with all in need.

However, many people have stepped up to replace the lost donations, including this writer whose donation is placed through Hugh Hewitt’s “Red Kettle” link (as well as folded money in the red kettles at store entrances), which delivers said donations to this zip code and is raising a quarter million dollars this season. This reflects the fact that charitable giving rises when the economy is thriving; people respond to the wrong-headed abandonment of the Salvation Army.

It’s also notable that studies of generosity across America have found a marked difference between “red” and “blue” America: Republicans communities and states give more generously than those of Democrats. Likewise, gun and Bible ownership, and support for home schooling. Coincidence?

If I could share my thoughts with someone in Chick-fil-A, I would politely explain that, regardless of their food quality, outstanding service and cleanliness, America would get along just fine without their restaurants, while America would be immeasurably worse off without the selfless Christian charity of the Salvation Army, Tehama County being an example. Yes, it is deeply disappointing.

A recent incident in Washington, D.C. showed the bizarre physical and emotional violence stemming from the leftist, Trump-deranged side of politics. Now, kids in school—bullying and assaulting other kids that have the temerity and courage to show their support for President Trump—are likely reflecting their parents, or even their teachers, animosity and demonization of Trump and his supporters. They are just kids with immature and undeveloped social values; however, the primary value of not hitting other children ought to have been inculcated in them. It’s a shame that it’s not.

What does it say about otherwise mature adults that they become so obsessed with vitriol and ill intent that they not only excuse or encourage politically-motivated violence, but also seize the chance to confront, insult, threaten and even physically attack Trump supporters who just happen to be holding an innocuous event in a hotel? We’re not talking about even-tempered, mild-mannered Red Bluff-ians who confine their venom to the letters section of the paper or the Republican fair booth.

Look up: “Reports: Women for Trump Group Attacked at DC’s Willard Hotel–By Democrat Wedding Party,” by The Gateway Pundit’s Kristinn Taylor. Briefly: A @WomenforTrump/Women for America First event, with former Navy SEAL J. Gilliam as speaker, was the target of women and men at a nearby wedding reception. Apparently tipped off by the greeting table outside the door, obscene insults and taunts flowed freely in the hall and restroom; hotel security and D.C. police responded, all photographed and recorded.

One photo showed a skinny, rather plain-looking anti-Trump woman with closed fists in the bathroom; the former SEAL Gilliam was involved with, and injured by, multiple men (it would take a few liberal men to get a punch landed on a Navy SEAL). So, a wedding reception, a celebratory event occasioned by holy matrimony, is set aside for the crass purpose of politically-motivated hate and violence.

An aberration, to be sure, but not that far removed from 1) several known Trump associates being run out of restaurants by Democrats well-enough-off to eat out in Washington, and 2) the lovely Rep. Maxine Waters issuing, in her dulcet-toned voice, commands to her minions to create a mob for purposes of harassing Trump people found pumping gas or otherwise engaged in normal public activities. Do Dems condemn “Antifa”? Not hardly.

Recent events: Polls showing impeachment losing support are accurate, given the usual bias of the pollsters, and shouldn’t be surprising to non-fanatics, given the watch-paint-drying appeal compared to the riveting Clinton and Nixon impeachment processes. On that note, ABC and CBS news both left out the relevant fact that Democrats worked closely with President Clinton et al for his Senate trial—while reporting the Democrat talking point of outrage over coordination between Trump’s team and Mitch McConnell. Bias?

 A month ago, “CNN reported Thursday evening that top Democrats are privately acknowledging that the impeachment hearings will do little to persuade the vast majority of the public that President Trump committed an impeachable offense. Speaker Pelosi and ‘her top lieutenants were skeptical about the prospects of a dramatic shift in opinion as hearings began this week.’ It seems Democrats fault the American public, for…not being smart enough to understand ‘abuse of power.’” (Matt Margolis, PJmedia.com)

More numbers from Margolis, 12/6: “Five times Democrats didn’t care when Obama committed Obstruction of Justice”— 1) National Black Panther Party voter intimidation investigation, 2) Not providing subpoenaed Solyndra documents, 3) Not letting Ben Rhodes testify on the Iran nuclear deal, 4) the Iran ransom payments investigation, and 5) Obstructing dozens of Inspectors General investigations. Hypocrites!

No, it’s not 17 FISA violations by the FBI; it was “51 violations and 9 false statements” (John Solomon). Jail for anyone? We can hope.