Latino Voters Numbers: Political Perspectives

 Keeping up with the demographics the growing populations in the U.S. helps in things like marketing but also in general helps a broader sociological understanding. I like to read these polls from time to time and get a sense of where different demographics are leaning in their perspectives. 

This voting block is maturing and starting to feel the power that comes from one of fastest growing segments of society. Because of the size of the group they will have different perspectives on the same issues that you may not find in smaller populations of peoples.

Just for understanding....

GOP cuts into Democrats’ lead among Latino voters, new poll shows

Think Tank Transparency Act: Good Idea?

A new piece of legislation was introduced called the Think Tank Transparency Act and seeks to require disclosure of foreign monies to U.S. think tanks that desire to influence U.S. Policy. You can read about the act as brought forward by our local UP representative Congressional Representative Jack Berman (R). Basically it says that we don't have a good handle on how many think tanks are being funded by foreign entities nor their influence. It hopes to remedy that lack of knowledge by requiring disclosures like you might find in FARA.

Yes, for the most part I see why it would be doing and hoping to accomplish. In this case we had a retired Marine General lobbying on behalf of a foreign entity and then lied about it. Likewise, we have/had lots of other countries like Russia trying to influence our elections. Thus, the timing of such an act seems to make sense if it fits within a general movement/trend to protect American assets (I'm just trying to understand when legislation can be brought forward and when it has the best chance of success. Much of it appears to be based on timing.) 

Well....is the act a Good Idea?

I think we will want free movement of ideas and thoughts without overregulation but at the same time we want to be sure that the money being sent and spent isn't trying to manipulate our population. So I would say in general "Yes" its a good idea but with a few caveats thrown in; Amount $$/% and Research Data Availability. A certain threshold in $ or % should trigger mandatory disclosures.

Information is very important and I think we have a need for various protections in place but one might wonder when such requirements kick in? One could consider a certain amount of money or a certain percentage from organizations and/or individuals from the same place or region (The threshold amount is $10K in the act. However, one might also want to know if there is a certain percentage from any radius region to help better ensure we are not gaming through multiple small funding amounts. I don't know...its sounds good to me. 🤷 ). 

The same can be said with the data such sites produce and share with the public as "objective" research and science. If you have a study that is published and its credible in today's world you may want to make the methodology easy to find and follow (i.e. polls often list data.). Placing that information on the site with the report helps people to see the meaningfulness of the research and allows for transparency of results and innovation as researchers can use the results in their own studies. (Yes, who is polled, how they are polled, how many are polled, where they are polled, what technologies are used, channels used, what statistics they use, the wording of the questions, etc. all is important in getting a specific response.)

Information be easily available on demand to other researchers and scientists to ensure reasonable accuracy of validity/truthfulness/accuracy. If it looks interesting, or an anomaly, I might want to know more about it if I'm studying the same genre or I'm making an actual policy decision. Thus having the methodology and data could help clarify the limitations of a study before we make long term policy choices that can permanently impact society. 

We need to know what the information means, who is funding it, and what its implications are? We also want to encourage more studies and research as we need in a learning society. So legislation must keep in mind the need to encourage more research while protecting the risks. 

BTW you can read the actual Act HERE.

Pope Appeals to Putin to Stop Violence: Imams and Rabbis Should Do the Same!

We are in a world that is interconnected and we all are saddened when conflict breaks out. The Pope came out to encourage Putin to end the spiral of violence. It may be beneficial for Imams and Rabbis to come out with similar appeals now that nuclear risks have risen. All of these religions share the respect for human life and the need for peace. 

He mentioned the rights of minorities and how we should protect them. Something we sometimes forget in our own nations. Our nation was started on this need and the rights of religion and speech. We should watch the horrors in Ukraine and how differences can be exploited for personal and political gain. 

As we have seen in annexation of Ukraine one can use the law to justify anything but can't change the moral underpinnings of those choices. As a conservative I focus on the real deeper meanings of religion and their essential core meanings (Rino-Dino doesn't factor into it.)

Let us continue to help Ukraine and learn from conflicts in the world so that we can continue to raise our torch to lighten the way for others.  Freedom is worth it!

You can read the bulletin at Pope appeals to Putin to stop war and Zelensky to be open to serious peace offers

What is it like to be a target of hate? When the Laws No Longer Function Appropriately

Hate is powerful tool especially if it is normalized and become part of local institutions. As some of my readers know my family and I have been targeted by hate (...they told us why they were targeting us because of religion. These officers eventually did the right thing and realized they were being played with. The other department connected to that social group continued forward in support of their ethnic, racial, and/or social group.) and that included a group of 100+ mediocre ex sports players/bullies, what appears to be 3-5 officers, a local college HR (They said I was more than qualified for an adjunct labor law course but then rejected me when they found out I was the "Muslim guy" their friends didn't like and whom they were targeting. Another hint of ethnic/religious cleansing based on trying to restrict jobs and opportunities. Usually an EEOC violation where such laws applied appropriately.), and what appears to be a local judge (I can't believe they would go this far with pre-knowledge of immunity before and after such behaviors if not given a wink and nod to "clean" their community. There could be other explanations but this one would be one plausible and leading explanation.) 

Imagine just for a moment if what I am saying is true (I know! I know! Impossible and would never ever happen anywhere! Ever!! 🤷 Never! 3X Never!). Just for a second let us pretend that someone who makes such a claim is telling the truth even if it seems impossible in a modern society (This much aggression is not common but I suspect many smaller forms are more common with most people are not consciously aware but do feel they got the short end of the justice stick.). If true it would open a pretty big can of worms caused not by something the out-group/other did but by the reaction of those with hate leanings to the presence of an out-group/other member; especially one who sets a boundary.

Let us further pretend the impossible and recognize that the people who started this knew they were immune as indicated in smirky aggression, condescending remarks and doubling down on trying to manipulate/harm children (devaluing their rights and their life through recklessness). They had no fear they were going to get in trouble and appeared to have been coached by some of their close officer friends on how to delegitimize someone (Typically called defamation of character and in ethnic conflict propaganda to dehumanize others) and "set" someone up through false testimony and provoke an argument through highly provocative comments, words, and aggression (It actually didn't happen because I recognized the disingenuous behaviors and am generally am more likely to pause before acting. Polite but not passive. Meaning I might tell you a truth you don't want to hear but do so in a polite way. Its called a feedback loop when your doing something wrong.)

If the officers that were involved where part of this hate group's close friend network and were doing the bidding of one of their social leaders that would be immoral (Not to mention not following the Bill of Rights or the requirements of their job function.) Likewise, if the social leader had a financial stake in how things turned out that might be a moral problem that further highlights the manipulativeness of the behaviors. 

Let us also say that the people around this social leader knew that they potentially had a mental health problem based on their own personal observations. They knew that when they get upset at people they get "weird" (One of their close friends said that! Not my words.) and that others have experienced the more apparent signs of potential narcissisms with loud attention seeking and aggressive behaviors (A possible important point as to the need for better mental health intervention before you exploit race/religion for group coordinated cleansing. BTW most of the members are good people but they were socialized to a "better than you" beliefs and when you stand up to one of their bullies they quickly act as a coordinated entity to social enforce the rules.) 

Worse, every time this group sees you they either chuckle loudly (...as is their custom much like chest beating of monkeys) and/or encourage people to get angry (Social bullying with a potentially violent leanings by some members.) Beyond staring kids down in a Menards parking lot their behavior more than once could have led to a group/gang/clan group fight. An example of provocative behaviors would be yelling out "Your father is a bitch" or something similar to my kids attending an event (No respect of life, liberty or pursuit of happiness. I can't believe how destructive they were to kids. A total violation of a person's rights and wink and nod free pass. If we don't have a democracy and freedom for our kids/hope then what do we actually have? If the root assumption is based on racial or religious considerations and they acted on those distorted beliefs that is kind of a serious issue. Like I said, I can't imagine I would have any serious problems with anyone in that group or do they know me or my family enough to make such judgements.  🤷)

All of that would be illegal and immoral in 1st world, 2nd world, 3rd world nations and under international law. Imagine if a local judge gave them the right to engage in these behaviors (Either let them engage in these behaviors and/or didn't step in to stop it then I would have concerns.). That would be a sign this judge is supporting a good old boy networks through racial and/or religious identities (Its only one possible explanation. There are likely others.). 

If acceptable it would then be a violation of Freedom of Religion as defined in the Constitution and one of the reasons our forefathers started this country in the first place (Its not fair to have bigots define what that means to the rest of us.). Now imagine if you set up a red line to protect your kids and they doubled down on violating those boundaries to teach you a lesson on who they can and can't harm (The narcissism trait). Furthermore, they did so with the approval of their close network of officers and possibly a judge (Let us wait and see what comes out of this. Maybe not but I doubt it. Someone would have had to give them the right to target. A judge would be the person that would hold them to account and if they are in agreement then there would be no checks and balances in the system. i.e. prior knowledge they could engage in these behaviors. This is why we need more checks and balances.) 

Standing up to hate is a dangerous affair. Where laws don't always apply there are all types of things that can go haywire when your part of the other side of society. The more you talk, the more they target through raising punishments and that could further lead to a violation of Freedom of Speech through intimidation tactics to remain silent (..an illegitimate use of legitimate power). (The break down of the rule of law as applied universally to American citizens. Targeting seems ok as long as the "other" is seen as less valuable and not truly worth of inherent rights. Whether they, people in their family, or others fought for those rights. It only matters the religion, ethnic affiliation, and social network of the perpetrators.). 

(I want to clarify that I believe 90+% of the officers in the area are doing the right thing, our state and federal systems are functioning {not perfectly but functioning} and that most people want the best outcomes for our nation and inherent rights. There is that 10% of the society that wants what they want and no one else matters if it doesn't fit within their distorted perception of the world. That is the 10% of society that approve of cleansing, political violence and/or other aggressive behaviors. Those are big national numbers but think about what that might look like on a local level and within some of our institutions if the targets seem so worth of hate and so very very different then their perpetrators.)

What is it like to be a target? These are just a couple of things I learned. Most of the people in the community support you and provide a welcoming environment. This is your hometown and people know you come from here and have every right to be here. However, a group of officers, their friends, and what looks like a local judge can create a highly toxic environment. (Neglecting that this is my town and my genetic line precedes many of theirs). When your seen as the "other" the laws stop being your friend and are directed toward you (Most minorities know how this works and until the riots most judges didn't care. It is a fundamental issue in our society. We need universal justice and the demand for that will likely grow. I support police 100% and civil rights 110%). 

You know what happened was wrong and you know they targeted your child for personal gain and hate based bigotry. You know that they were given a free pass and they had support for such aggressive behaviors both officially and socially among their connected network. You stay and you take risks but if you leave you allowed corruption to cleans out their community. Leaving would mean others are at risk in the future and likely there were victims in the past (This is where state and federal stakeholders should consider the dangers of local institutions that don't follow our Constitution, laws, or cultural understanding of moral conscious). 

You do what you can do based on the tools available to you. You be polite but not passive, you call for accountability, you challenge, you help your community, encourage reconciliation with recognition of their bad behaviors, you try and bring opportunity but what you don't do is sugar coat dangerous and at multiple times potentially violent behaviors.  Bending a knee to fear, hate and potential (I can only say potential but it seems to add up) disrespect to all those who sacrificed for Freedom or Speech and Freedom of Religion (Some of us live it everyday. Freedom isn't only an abstract concept.). It becomes to define your community and the values of the nation (How wonderful the vast majority of the local society actually is.). 

What I advocate is for a win-win. No one needs to get in trouble if they don't want to. Its an opportunity to learn as a community and as a nation. Undiagnosed and untreated mental health may have spawned the hate to a group of ex sports players that had poor boundaries and false beliefs of Blacks, Muslims and Others. Close connections between perpetrators and police officers may have misguided a judge with coordinated false testimony much in the same way as they engaged in group behaviors. That can be answered based on how the judge finds out they were given false information. If they don't tackle the problem in an appropriate way (i.e. not just blame the victim) then it could mean they were aware and want to minimize what happened. Some things are being designed as we move forward......

(Nothing in here is fact it is only the most likely explanation I can come up with based on first sight observations, knowledge and possible explanations. There are other explanations like a rare disease or something like odd like that {just making a point}. However, what I have here is likely a leading "ball park" reasonable conclusion. New knowledge with change and adjust that. One justifying these targeting behaviors as appropriate would have a different construction of events than one not justifying these behaviors. That is the two "worlds" of perception and logic that are often rooted in our culture and backgrounds. In society now it is nearly 50/50 with half running down certain mental chains of thoughts (neural networks) and the other half running down a different mental chain of thoughts. Those who feel "entitled" to the law will interpret the purpose of law different then those who feel less "entitled" to the law. Different experiences, different logics, and different conclusions. The rare divergent thinker can run down both if they have the experiences to understand those symbolisms, cultures, and root value systems. You will eventually see what I'm saying in future posts....)

Annexation of Parts of Ukraine Has Longer Term Implications

Annexation of Ukraine is an important point in history and while it has been discounted by some it comes with its own long term significance.  Most historians are likely to say such annexation wasn't legitimate. They will also likely bring in certain aspects of a broader historical timeline into their discussion. In hindsight, current events are seen through the context of past in a way that sheds light on motivations and behaviors.

Russia is using false justification of self-defense which likely gives Putin some additional powers to lock down the decision making of the nation. During "war time" or in "defense of the homeland" puffery, one is likely to get more powers to increase control on the Russian population to fight off internal descent, more control over resources and create a level of perceptual support for his actions. 

Putin is a sly fox with experience in the dark arts of manipulation so he is all about creating false justifications and leverage. "Defending the homeland" gives him additional war powers that he can use to create that internal leverage. We should not expect him to just leave because his army becomes routed. He might ratchet up his efforts to create the Iron Curtain to isolate Russia more to allow for a level of nation building and internal industry protection. 

(However some of the fundamentals might not be there anymore so it will come with longer term risks of another collapse.)

I think he is the type who loved the Cold War and really doesn't like democracy or free markets very much. He likely blames such markets for the Soviet fall. However, that isn't true as from my understanding of history the USSR was collapsing already well before they reformed. Reform was born out of necessity and social pressure. Much of our generation remember watching the news when the country collapsed and with many had hopes Russia could be brought into the fold of positive international engagement. Right now that feels a long way off.

*adjusted 10/27/2023 to ensure the message is clearer. I got confused by reading my own writing. 

Why Forgiveness and Not Forgetfulness is Important in Hate (Essential American Values)

 We are still one nation but we do run risks in the future as Far Right extremists call for Civil War and local corruption violates peoples rights. I'm the type of person that fights for togetherness and I encourage people to work out their differences. There are so many people trying to "pull the wool" over each other's eyes seeking some advantage for their particular cause. 

Because of people's agendas the right thing doesn't always come through. When you do and say the most reasonable thing and it falls flat on its face your realize something is not right. 

This crowd of "super cools" put me and my family at risk, lied about a great many things to defame, had financial incentives for engaging in these behaviors, and could have really hurt someone (...my son being one of them. Who gave them the right to make choices over others? I didn't give it to them and I'm going to do my best to ensure the courts don't give it to them.) They were intentionally harmful and destructive! Simply, giving them a free pass based on their social connections, race-religion, or any other superficial difference is against everything I think is appropriate and in line with our American values.

(Not the values many of our politicians profess but the real one's that connect generation to generation.)

I have advocated for positive change in ways that help resolve the problem for the long term future. The people who started this likely have mental health issues (One was already diagnosed and the other two need to be evaluated) and their close police friends (not the 90% of good officers) that engaged in coordinated targeting crossed some important civil rights boundaries (...and truth boundaries). I have advocated for group learning, help for the perpetrators, and a correction of that department so as to protect the public from future defaults. 

The problem we face is that if a local judge views themselves as extensions of this group and wants to please only a small fraction of their stakeholders we have bigger issues that federal or state courts should intervene. Bias is when a local judge comes down to the same conclusion every time regardless of fact and events. In other words, they are potentially misusing the law to protect their "in-group" consciously or unconsciously (Whether that is some misperceived notion of "local"/social, race, religion, politics or other. In this case its likely social, race, and religion oriented. However, I'm never 100% sure and we have to wait to see how things ferret out. I could be wrong but I think there was a lot of bad things on in the background and a judge would be the person who could have held them to account. The initial chase stopped but it appeared this group had an "understanding" and moved into micro aggressions where the law has a hard time regulating. The problem was that some of the initial behavior almost caused violence more than once and further encouraged local corruption.).

I'm not sure how anyone else views it but we started this country based on freedom of religion because people suppressed our forefathers. After the American Revolution we created doctrines that protect religious freedom and freedom of speech. We are now in a spot where life (my families life), liberty (the right to not be attacked by bigots or their police extension), and pursuit of happiness (not to be harassed, have things stolen, or have names smeared by bigots) are either lived values or just hypothetical in orientation.

I hope that these words still mean something to the many people that have fought for them (That includes myself). Right now....I'm not sure that is the case. 😥  Me, I will continue to peacefully push for a stronger, better, and more functionable nation that has a higher purpose than extremism, hate, clan or even political loyalties. Our politicians and our judges will have to determine what is most important to them. It comes down to their essential value system on a deep neural level (i.e. what defines them). Before they jump to a quick conclusion remember what is most important in the long run for their stakeholders.  

"...the unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates.

Local Judicial, Law Enforcement and Hate Group Corruption: Ensuring Checks-n-Balances

If you have been targeted by a couple of local police officers, your underage children pulled over multiple times in an unmarked car, a police car parked outside your home, your children targeted for manipulation, a large group of people pick fights and spread rumors to damage you, lost opportunity that the local college said you were "more than qualified" for, there would be a serious break in the legal structure if such behaviors were given a free pass. Looks like a local prosecutor was muted in their investigation of this group (I cant say that 100% but there is some indication they left the area for that reason. Even if not true it detracts nothing from what I have seen.) Worse, as this group was trying to set you up by staging undercover police (These police figured out what they were being manipulated and stopped. They are the good police.) they came to you and said, "We are doing this to you because your family is Muslim" we have what would normally be considered hate crimes of the worst type. Serious Federal and International Law violations.  Lack of enforcement is different than being a violation.

Lack of respect for the Constitution (freedom of religion and speech), children's rights, and the very purpose of law enforcement. First, let me say I support 90% of our law enforcement officials who are doing the right thing. However, when law enforcement engages in criminal corruption with the support of a local judge and group of hate supporters that is a different story. These judges shame the bench, shame good officers, shame the sacrifices of others and lower the perceived value the entire legal institution (This is why corrupt judges should be removed). 

We are down to some very fundamental things as it relates to the purpose of our nation and democracy. We started this country because of the need of these freedoms (i.e. religious persecution in Europe), my family has sacrificed for those freedoms, I have sacrificed for those freedoms, and others have sacrificed for those freedoms. For a corrupt group of bigots to throw that away simply because they want to "protect their own" as "locals" (Not defined by our genetic longevity in the area which is longer than most of theirs.) is unconscionable! 

Its a break in inherent value because you can't get around it and you can't justify it. Outside Federal and State stakeholders must come in and enforce our Federal laws. Without that the risks to my family and to myself continue to rise. No matter which way you slice or dice the law the behaviors I have seen cannot be justified through evidence in any third world nation nor in any first world nation. They didn't align to the prior immunity and coaching before they started nor the free pass after they ended (Its not actually over. With a free pass they will be back at it again.)

While I will be polite, positive, engaging and walk boldly in the middle of this agressive clan network, I will continue to walk in ways that help my community I will not be silent in the face of dangerous corruption. I have no doubt that talking in ways that challenge embedded hate where people have already shown the propensity to abuse power will likely result in increased corruption and targeting. I suspect they will eventually succeed in constructing a reason to violate more laws and rules. However, what kind of nation would we be if we accept local corruption as legitimate?

I want my kids to live in a free nation as it was supposed be beyond the lip service of many of our politicians. I want other minorities and people that hate groups like this don't like (based on their own false perceptions of entitlement) to live free without coordinated aggression. There are other needs of the community for protection this judge and associated officers can no longer provide. The proof is in the pudding. We either a free nation or we are not a free nation? Placing politics and/or disparately applying the law to protect one's own ethnic, racial, religious, or political group sort of answers that question. We must be better then the lowest possible position.

I have no doubt in the long run that I will win over this hate but I will likely go through another period of targeting, aggression and potential violence. Not because I'm an optimist but because the behaviors were so egregious, so dishonest, so inherently dangerous that simply pretending they didn't happen is also dangerous. I believe the facts cant be hidden.  I'm doing the right thing by having the adult maturity and the appropriate understanding of the purpose of our Constitution to put my hand up again and say "No!" We must protect the rights of our citizens and people. That includes me even if this group hates Muslims (Just listen to them and you will find they hate anyone not like themselves but they are stuck in a dysfunctional group with inappropriate values.), hates me, and thinks my kids are "nigga babies". 

This is just a local judge helping his "local" buddies with no consideration for the valid application of law. When the perks of the job and the nice suits become more important than the very purpose of the job then wider stakeholders must step in and make a correction. You see how quickly systems break down when you devalue the lives of citizens because they are seen as "the other". They become nonfunctional and/or functionable only for certain people. What happened to the concepts of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness? It looks like in some place that is only for certain clan affiliates. 

(Side note. How this turns out should be of interest to politicians, government administrators, and the American populace.  If such behaviors are allowed it should send a shiver down your spine. It would mean something is seriously broken and we may need to think about how those laws might apply to coordinated hate against their own families. If it is acceptable in one place it can become acceptable in another. Americans need to stick together against the illegitimate legitimization of hate, corruption and extremism in public positions of authority where they put everyone at risk. We either are or we are not what we profess. It is a choice. My loyalties are to my oaths/country, my God, my family and my community.  

To many others their loyalties are to themselves and their social group often defined by racial, religious, social and political factors. Whether far R or far L there should be certain agreed upon principles. At present seems like there are no laws and no moral conscious in place. It does not bode well for the nation if corruption like this is happening across other small towns throughout America. It is what it is!  Doors close to justice but maybe others may open. I never thought selling out your values and your people was so fashionable! Nothing I say at the moment will make much difference but I will now likely say it for the rest of my life until this moral and legal failure is corrected. It is fundamental to our national values. This group has been sent a message that their behavior was acceptable as long as its against the "wrong" type of people. We should see this behavior rear its head again in the future due to lack of checks-n-balances. This would not have been here if the court would have done their job in the first place. 🤷‍♂️ Even though I have asked for a win-win that helps the perpetrators and the community those comments fall on deaf ears. There appears to be more effort in protecting one's clan than one's country or the universal understand of the laws people believe in.)