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AverageOldGuy

AverageOldGuy's Journal
AverageOldGuy's Journal
January 28, 2022

VA Gov. Youngkin's hypocrisy exposed . . . and it's brutal

In November, former businessman (fired from the Carlyle Group) Glenn Youngkin ran for and was elected Governor of Virginia. A major part of his campaign was his red-meat-to-the-base attacks on "critical race theory," which he vowed to removed from Virginia's public schools, even though "CRT" is graduate school or upper level law school material that is not taught in public schools. What he was really attacking was high school classes on diversity, Jim Crow, and some of the dark corners of American history - - - topics that the rural Virginians who supported him do not want their kids to know about.

Well, now it turns out that:

1. Youngkin's kids attend exclusive, private schools in DC.
2. Both teach equity, opportunity, diversity.
3. A book titled "Critical Race Theory: An Introduction" is on the schools' reading list along with a lot of very uncomfortable works by black authors.
4. Youngkin was on the Board of Governors of the schools when the curriculum was approved.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/01/26/glenn-youngkin-report-teachers-divisive-hypocrisy/

Youngkin’s move on critical race theory also comes with an added dollop of hypocrisy. Public schools, including Virginia’s, don’t teach critical race theory, which was a little-known academic school of thought before the Fox News crowd misrepresented it as a threat to American children.

But do you know which schools do teach “divisive” concepts, including something resembling critical race theory? The private D.C. schools Youngkin had his children attend. And you know who was on the board of governors of one of those schools while it was beefing up its anti-racism policies? Glenn Youngkin.

. . .

DEI — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — has been a priority at National Cathedral for many years. The school has an extensive staff devoted to the initiative, as well as programming that includes affinity groups such as diversity forums, an equity board, an intersectionality council and a student diversity leadership conference. A National Cathedral strategic plan approved by the board in 2018 — during Youngkin’s tenure — “includes the mandate to ‘Advance an Inclusive Educational Environment,' " which involved “integrating related action steps into the fabric of everything we are and do as a school community.”


Among the other things National Cathedral has done: made time in the school schedule for “critical conversations around topics of race, anti-racism, social justice, and inclusion”; added courses such as “Black Lives in Literature” and “Courageous Dialogues”; developed new hiring protocols “as a result of our anti-bias work” and required diversity training for all staff members; and included in the school’s summer reading list books such as Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism.”

January 11, 2022

Advice from an old guy with white hair

Well, what's left of it is white.

Here's some advice for you young gentlemen: DO NOT, and I say again -- DO NOT -- do not ever find yourself in the midst of a "discussion" between your wife and one or more of your adult daughters, no matter the topic, no matter your opinion. Leave the room. Better yet, go to your local watering hole, but stay out of it.

You see, fathers and adult sons can talk about hunting, fishing, football (or whatever sport is in season), home repairs, cars, trucks . . . a variety of topics. And you can do this for days and days. Fathers and adult daughters have an understanding: She's always going to be your little girl, she knows it, you know it, and -- most important of all -- you recognize that she's a smart, competent, independent woman who will ask your opinion if she wants it.

Mothers and adult daughters can maintain a truce for 48 hours at best . . . after which . . .

TAke coveer.

December 25, 2021

I can't stand it any longer!!!!!

Wife and daughter been baking all morning!!

-- Pound cake
-- Two pecan pies
-- Two sweet potato pies

All sitting on the island in the kitchen, waiting for tomorrow and family to arrive (except for my idiot son and famly who are not vaxxed)!!!

Do you know what a house smells like after baking a pound cake and four pies??

I CAN'T STAND IT ANY LONGER -- I'm raiding the kitchen!!!!!!!!

December 18, 2021

Unvaccinated family -- what to do?

We have two children twins, in their late 40's (very late). Daughter is a liberal Democrat, partner in a white shoe DC law firm. Son and daughter-in-law are raving Trumpistas; they have two sons, aged 15 and 13.

Plan is for everyone to be here on Christmas Day. Daughter is working from home, so, she will get here Sunday, Dec 19. Son, DIL and grandsons will come and leave Christmas day, staying a few hours.

Son, DIL, and grandsons are NOT vaccinated and have told daughter that "media is overhyping this, Dr. Fauci is getting rich off vaccines, rave, rant, bullshit upon bullshit."

We have a few choices:
-- Go ahead with Christmas Day as though nothing has happened, avoid the topic.
-- Tell son, DIL, and grandsons to stay away.
-- Require masks and rapid tests (which will cause son and DIL to go ballistic and storm out).
-- Cancel Christmas Day, call Child Protective Services, report son and DIL for child abuse and get custody of grandsons.
-- Only other options involve cops, firearms, etc., etc., etc.

What to do??

December 9, 2021

Boat decorated with "Let's Go Brandon" and "FJB" 1st place in Yorktown Xmas Boat Parade

[link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/09/christmas-boat-parade-lets-go-brandon/|https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/09/christmas-boat-parade-lets-go-brandon/
]


A boat decorated with "Let's Go Brandon" and "FJB" in lights won the Yorktown VA Christmas boat parade.

The 50-foot vessel named Southern Rock, owned by Bill Berger, went on to win the 25th annual Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade’s “Best in Show” award.



After complaints from people who watched the parade, the award was revoked.

The owner of the boat was the usual Republican unapologetic asshole.

“If you choose to interpret ‘bad words’ that’s on you,” Berger wrote in the post. “No curse words ever from my boat.”

Berger told WAVY that “FJB” stood for “falling Joe Biden,” accompanied with a display in which the president was falling down a ladder. He admitted he was shooting for an anti-Biden theme.

“I think our message got across,” Berger said.
September 30, 2021

Commander Cody is dead . . . and I'm not feeling to great myself


There were few that could tap into the cosmic side of country music better, and nobody that could sail as deep into the ozone as Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen. And now, the band’s illustrious pilot, the Captain, keyboard player and singer Commander Cody himself, Mr. George Frayne, has flown his final mission.


https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/pioneering-country-rocker-commander-cody-george-frayne-has-died/


September 18, 2021

Minnesota police have an absolutely (NOT) brilliant idea:

Every motorist should carry a vinyl pouch on their vehicle dashboard containing license, registration and proof of insurance. That way, when a cop stops you, he won't shoot you when you reach into your wallet or purse for your ID because it will all be in one handy place -- where anyone walking past your car will see it and steal it.

No, I am not joking. From DailyKos:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/9/17/2052883/-Minnesota-Police-Admit-They-Can-t-Be-Trusted-to-Not-Murder-You

On both Twitter and Facebook, MnDPS announced its solution to cops shooting and murdering motorists in traffic stops was… to offer these bags, in which they expect motorists to put their documents, so that when complying with a police officer’s order to produce them, that the police will not see the motorist reaching into their pocket and murder them on the chance the motorist will pull a weapon out.


Go to the link and read the comments!!! Blistering!!

September 16, 2021

Why don't hosts challenge Republicans?

About 10:45 Eastern time today, I was listening to CNN on the Sirius radio while loading junk into my truck.

I don't recall the names, however, the guest was a Republican Senator.

The discussion was about elections, voting legislation, and the like.

The host asked the Republican Senator if he would state unequivocally that Biden was elected in a fair, accurate election. The Republican replied by ignoring the question and launching into GOP talking points about "hundreds, perhaps thousands" of Americans are trapped in Afghanistan. I turned it off.

Seems to me any host or moderator should check to see when a Republican guest was elected. If that person were elected in 2020, and if they refuse to state that the Nov 202 election was fair and accurate, then, the host needs to ask why we should accept that person's election as legitimate. "Well, Representative Asshole, if you believe the Nov 2020 election was rigged, and you were elected in Nov 2020, how do we know your election was not rigged?"

I know -- never happened. But we can hope.

My Republican Congresscritter was elected in Nov. 2020. He's holding a town hall in a couple of weeks. He voted against certifying the Nov 2020 results. I think I'll ask him if his election was rigged. I'll likely be escorted out.


September 7, 2021

Lee statue to be removed from Richmond's Monument Avenue, Wed, Sep 8 !!!!

https://richmond.com/news/local/lee-statue-on-richmonds-monument-avenue-will-be-removed-wednesday-morning/article_564094aa-7a89-5a34-8c9b-155c9dcaf990.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

The Monument Avenue statue of Robert E. Lee, a symbol of Confederate glorification that became the epicenter of calls for racial justice in Richmond, will be removed from its pedestal Wednesday morning.

The 60-foot-tall bronze statue of the Confederate general atop a horse will be removed in pieces 131 years after it was first erected.

The administration of Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday that preparations will begin Tuesday evening, when crews will install protective fencing along Monument Avenue and Allen Street. The statue itself will be removed Wednesday morning. On Thursday, crews will remove the plaques at the base of the statue and replace a time capsule believed to be at the site.

The Lee statue is the last Confederate icon along Richmond’s Monument Avenue to be removed.

In Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy, the removals have signaled the rejection of Confederate glorification — a movement that sought to perpetuate discrimination against Black people while denying that a key impetus for the Civil War was the defense of slavery
.


On May 29, 1890, crowds were estimated at 100,000 to view the unveiling of the first monument, a massive memorial to Robert E. Lee. Confederate General Jubal Early -- a subordinate and worshipper of Lee -- made the dedication speech in which he all but declared that Lee was seated at the right hand of God. Early was responsible for the creation of the "Lost Cause" myth through his control of the Southern Historical Society.

For your reading pleasure:

Robert E. Lee and Me: A southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause

The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History

Lee's Tarnished Lieutenant



July 25, 2021

Ted Cruz takes a swing at the Cleveland MLB team . . . and strikes out

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-cleveland-baseball-team-name-change_n_60fbb745e4b06e84e31d08a5

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined the right-wing freakout over the Cleveland baseball team’s decision to change its name from the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians, and Twitter called foul.


The Cleveland OH MLB team has changed their name to "Guardians." Cruz immediately asked -- in a Tweet -- "Why does MLB hate Indians?"

He was buried in scorn . . . I don't know how to post tweets, so, go to the cited article to see.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering why Cruz wants to be called "Ted" and not by his given name of "Rafael"? Is it because he knows Texas Republicans will not vote for someone named "Rafael"?


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