List, Schmist

A Thought Experiment

Consider three hypothetical scenarios...

It is election day, and as you have on many other occasions you show up at your polling place to do your civic duty, only to be told that you will not be allowed to vote.

When you protest that you are registered, you are told that it doesn't matter, since your name is on an FBI "watch" list.

You arrive at your local parish for Mass one Sunday, but your pastor meets you at the door of the church and tells you that you the diocese has decided that you can no longer attend services at your parish or any other parish because your name is on an FBI "watch" list.

You arrive home from work one day to find police officers in the middle of a search of your home. When you ask to see their warrant to conduct such a search, the police claim they didn't need one because your name is on an FBI "watch" list.


Now, is there a single American anywhere would willingly give up their constitutional right to vote, their 1st Amendment right to practice their faith, or their 4th Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures just because their name turned up on an FBI "watch" list?

Before you answer, keep in mind that the process by which names are added to or removed from the list has been harshly criticized by the Justice Department, that the FBI is not required to divulge who is on their list or how they got on the list in the first place, and that thousands of people are put on the list by mistake.

Still think it should be okay to deny constitutional rights to someone just because they're on that list? Remember, these people haven't been arrested, or charged with any sort of offense, much less convicted of one.

I'm writing about this because progressive Democrats in congress, egged on by hysterical groups like Everytown for Gun Safety, are pushing a piece of legislation that would deny people their 2nd Amendment rights just as in the hypotheticals above. Given the Orwellian title "Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015," the law is a constitutional travesty.

It is tyranny, plain and simple. And my response to such proposals will never change...

"This is becoming quite a habit for you. Perhaps you need an anger management course."

Or maybe I should just tie your snout into a knot and call it a day...

 90 Years Ago Today...

...William Frank Buckley, Jr. was born in New York City. As I recently noted, Bill would eventually become the single most important influence in the way my life turned out. Fortunately, his life had other, far more noteworthy accomplishments.

November 24, 1925 - February 27, 2008

Happy birthday, Bill. You are missed...

Trump: The Teenage Years

From the droll comic strip Zits, by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, which you should read every day, as I do.

Until Next Time...

On November 24, 1950 the legendary musical Guys and Dolls opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre (now known as the Richard Rodgers Theatre). Based on short stories by Damon Runyon, the show was an immediate hit, running for 1200 performances and winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. It also earned songwriter
Frank Loesser two Tony Awards, one for Music and one for Lyrics.

Ever since its debut, it has been one of the most popular musicals for both amateur and professional productions. I think it is safe to say that there is a production of Guys and Dolls either performing or rehearsing pretty much every day of every year in this country except on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In 1993, Barbra Streisand released Back To Broadway, an album of show tunes. It was
a kind of sequel to Streisand's 1988 hit release The Broadway Album. The sequel debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and eventually received two platinum certifications and a pair of Grammy Award nominations. Among the songs included were two numbers from Guys and Dolls, the bouncy "Luck Be a Lady" and the ballad "I've Never Been in Love Before."

Today's send-off is Streisand's soulful rendition of the latter. Enjoy...