Don's Tuesday Column

        THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson  Red Bluff Daily News   8/24/2021

Fires, flu, Afghanistan fables

Upon rediscovering news and information, we found many fires and smoke with inaccurate causes, hysterical reactions to the Wuhan Flu (Chinese Communist Party’s “gift” to the world), and an Afghanistan FUBAR (“Fouled” Up Beyond All Recognition).

First, on the supposed Jan. 6 “insurrection” and subsequent legal processes and revelations: It would probably surprise most Americans to know that 1) that brief outbreak of violence has spawned over 500 arrests and detention conditions unsuitable for common criminals; 2) no deaths or injuries befell law enforcement. Democrats and their slavish media continue to lie about deaths “caused” by the violence; only unarmed Air Force veteran Ashli Babbit was killed by a yet unnamed guard.

The overkill efforts of DOJ/FBI have swept up many who violated no civil code, but were wandering, snapping photos in areas lacking any visible restrictions or police orders otherwise. Some such folks, peacefully present, were rounded up based on photos of groups in the Capitol, photos apparently proving they committed no crime—but have been subjected to making admissions scripted by DOJ lawyers like those in Communist China inflicted on that nation’s dissidents.

It’s been evident that FBI intelligence-gathering was aware of the threat of protests devolving into chaos and violence. Congressional hearings might also uncover whatever breakdowns prevented leaders like Pelosi and McConnell from accepting the offer of National Guard troops from then-President Trump. Hundreds of thousands—"assembled peaceably to petition the government for redress of grievances”—heard Trump’s address and could not have then marched to participate in violence.

Hearings might also expose the extent to which FBI informants may have encouraged, even instigated, the rowdiness and violence, similar to what occurred in Michigan where a “plot” to kidnap its governor was shown to be, if not wholly precipitated by, at least facilitated operationally by FBI plants.

In “Breaking: The Left’s January 6 Narrative Just Went Poof—FBI” (Powerlineblog.com), Reuters finds that there was no conspiracy or coordinated effort behind those events: “The FBI has found scant evidence that the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials.” So, no weapons, “insurrection” capability, or “organized plot to overturn the…election.” One conviction was, however, achieved for “parading.”

On the horrific fires, whose victims, their homes and way of life can never be restored by arguments over causality: When so-called “global warming” is touted to be behind everything, it is actually behind nothing. We have weather alone to thank for the lightning that ignited forests overgrown to the point that tinder box conditions predominate. Climate includes weather related droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and more—none of which could be produced by humans if we wanted to.

I’ll grant that many self-styled “environmentalists” (we all respect and desire clean water and air) have convinced themselves for decades that having and maintaining a “natural” forest is the highest priority. Reasonable, non-fanatical enviros will be open to learning that overgrown forests, with flammable layers from the ground to the crowns, are not natural and certainly undesirable for a healthy forest.

Nature’s “broom” and scouring agents have for millennia been different fires than we see now. Moreover, they occurred with such frequency and regularity that the 10 or so million acres that burned yearly in California were not conflagrations but rather fires that crept along, and burned, the shrubs and immature trees well before they could form into stepping-stone layers to the crowns.

Foresters know this: Those low-grade, spreading fires protected the very soil—key to a healthy forest—from searing heat as in current fires, allowing generations of future trees to thrive. The massive, and massively hot, fires that have resulted from overgrown forests, are the very destroyers of traditional, natural woodlands; only humans could cause this by putting out all fires for most of a century.

Ultimately, spurred on to a great degree by misplaced environmental concerns, we have as a people loved much of our forests to death. Hide-bound obsessive opposition to prescribed burns, tree thinning and even clear-cut sections which become replanted forests—especially for a mile or two around towns—is unconscionable.

The real-life history of Shaver Lake, which was routinely burned for the purpose of reducing fire risks—proved its value when a forest fire scorched surrounding areas but only lightly burned the reduced fuels around Shaver Lake. See “Why didn’t Shaver Lake get torched by Creek Fire? One man’s belief in healthy burning,” (fresnobee.com, 9/24/2020). Thanks to So Cal Edison and one forester, forests and homes survived.

On the Wuhan Flu: “Is COVID-19 Really Impacting Kids? Or Is This the Latest Panic to Push Restrictions and Mandates?” (8/08, pjmedia.com). Answers: No (0.06% of deaths) and Yes (mindless controls). “NIH chief: We don’t have rigorous data about kids and Delta but let me freak you out anyway” (hotair.com, 8/09). Adults traditionally provided words of reassurance and safety, not fear and anxiety. Child learning suffers.

“Unmasking Masks—We upended our world with ineffective policies that have unintended consequences.” Masks=ineffective, useless, virtue-signaling theater, not protection. “NIH Director Admits School Mask Mandates Are Not Based on Data of COVID-19’s Effect on Children” (theepochtimes.com, 8/08,17).

Look up “Weekly Update About That Illness From Asia I Can’t Mention,” by Kevin Downey, Jr. (pjmedia.com 8/16).

On Afghanistan: Every narrative, every message, every assertion, even every word from White House Occupant Joe Biden, is either a lie or Biden is so deluded he thinks it’s true—“most” media are now fully aware of that, whether they admit it or not.