Modern “education”: The New Jersey Department of Education will intervene in school districts that do not implement the state’s new sexual education standards that teach 10-year-olds the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. schools that fail to adhere to their new sexual education standards will face “disciplinary action,”. Under the new standards, by the end of fifth grade, students should be able to explain the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation, “describe gender-role stereotypes”, and be able to explain all the ways “pregnancy can be achieved.” And in the entire 1,000+ word story, nowhere does it say the kids must be able to read and write or do common math. Am I the only one that sees something wrong here?
A sad Good-Bye: Dr. Valery Polyakov, a physician-turned-cosmonaut who spent 437 days in outer space and set the world record, died at 80. He was born Valery Ivanovich Korshunov on April 27, 1942 but changed his name after being adopted in 1957. Polyakov began as a physician and joined the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow in 1971. Polyakov’s first lengthy space mission in 1988 lasted eight months, and he became deputy director of the institute he once joined as a young man upon returning back to Earth. Now a specialist in the nascent field of space medicine, Polyakov volunteered to prove human beings could withstand microgravity and reach Mars. His flight to dock with Russia’s Mir space station launched on Jan. 8, 1994 — and Polyakov didn’t return until March 22, 1995. Polyakov orbited Earth 7,075 times and traveled around 187 million miles during those 14 months. Her now sits at the Table of Heroes’. His courage can never be doubted, he will be missed.
War sucks: IZYUM, Ukraine. It was Aug. 27, and after months enduring some of the worst conditions imaginable, families in this largely destroyed city occupied by Russian forces since March had signed their kids up for camp in Gelendzhik, a Russian resort town on the Black Sea. They hoped the camp, advertised in Russian propaganda news outlets, would give their children a break from war and a semblance of normalcy. The kids never came back. The parents said some 200 children from several towns and villages in the Kharkiv region had traveled there in August and were supposed to return home by bus last week. As if living in the middle of a war zone wasn’t bad enough now it appears the children are being held as pawns.
A little back and forth: On 9/15 this letter to the editor appeared in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “A Honolulu man asked for, paid for, and received the license plate “FCKBLM”. The plate is now being described in the local media as “profanity to insult the Black Lives Matter” and the “expletive-laced license plate”. After receiving complaints, the city ordered him to surrender the plate. Until he does, he cannot renew his car registration and is subject to citation and seizure of his property. Okay, it’s 6 letters. Not much for being “laced” with anything. “After receiving complaints”. How many complaints does it take for you to lose your possessions? I’m offended at the guy that owns the island of Kauai. Give it back. I’m offended by the big “Black Lives Matter” sign on the front of the church on the Pali highway. Take it down. If you’re offended at his license plate, and his 1st amendment rights, don’t look. It really is just that simple.”
On 9/20 This letter was printed: A letter to the editor advocated hate speech by saying a license plate that states FCKBLM is free speech. This is incorrect. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution does not protect hate speech. The display prejudice against a race, sex, or religion and to advocate hate in a government issued license plate is illegal under the Civil Rights Act, and Supreme Court cases including the Hawaii Supreme count. Hopefully, the federal court swiftly dismisses the frivolous hate-mongering lawsuit.
My response on 9/22: I believe Ms. Barbee-Wooten misread my letter to the editor, when she stated I “advocated hate speech” over a license plate. I advocated free speech and another person’s right to that free speech. The 1st Amendment protects all speech, not just that you do not find offensive. All speech is free, or none of it is free. “Tho’ I disagree with what you have to say, I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
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