Damaging Speculation #292
By Hank Silverberg
Commentary
Political violence is rare in the United States, but not unheard of.
In our history three presidents have been assassinated, (Lincoln-1865, McKinley-1901, John Kennedy-1963), and attempts have been made on the lives of three others (Jackson-1835, Ford-1975 and Reagan-1981). Two people running for president have been shot before. Robert Kennedy was killed (1968), George Wallace was shot and paralyzed for life (1972).
Only one of those, Lincoln, involved a conspiracy. The rest were lone gunmen with some warped concepts that sometimes weren't even political.
But we have seen a great deal of speculation and punditry on just what happened in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
The responsible media that I watched (CBS, NBC, CNN) were careful not to rush to judgement on the who and why, instead sticking to the facts as they came in. Others, however, (see dumb quote) jumped to conclusions that the attempt on Mr. Trump's life must have been a left-wing conspiracy. Those who did so, whether they were media or politician are irresponsible and do more to hurt our political system than the gunman. Over the next few days we are going to learn more about the man who wounded Mr. Trump and killed and injured bystanders. Let's wait for facts before reaching any conclusions. Let's hope the Republicans, who hold their national convention in Milwaukee this week, don't exacerbate the current political polarization with disinformation and false accusations. Please, everybody, keep calm. This is the United States of America, not some unstable third world country.
News You May Have Missed
The Best Evidence of Climate Change
Have you ever heard of Tuvalu? It's a Pacific Island nation and it is slowly disappearing. Tuvalu, a country of nine small islands, is located about halfway between Hawaii and Australia in the South Pacific, and has about 12,000 inhabitants. It's only ten feet above sea level at the highest point and scientists say by 2050 Funafuti, the country's capital where more than half the population lives, will be flooded out.
It's the best example of rising sea levels caused by
Tuvalu's nine islands have a landmass of just 10 square miles. The country has very few visitors with only four flights a week at the international airport, which doubles as a multi-lane highway, a volleyball court and a picnic destination.
Climate change has affected almost every aspect in life on the islands. Sea water has infiltrated the soil and made it difficult to grow taro, breadfruit and coconut, all major food sources.
King tides, which are getting worse with climate change, often sweep across the islands about once a month, flooding the airport and people's homes.
The irony here is that Tuvalu is one of the 25 countries with the smallest per capita carbon footprint in the world. Working to slow down climate change is a national priority for Tuvaluans. The country has received $11 million from Australia for coastal restoration projects, but at the same time, Australia has also granted visas to 280 Tuvaluans who have moved there. And the Tuvalu government is working to ensure that Tuvalu can retain its sovereignty and fishing rights, even if climate changes make the islands uninhabitable. There are several infrastructure projects being financed by the U.N. to protect some of the island's land. But at the same time, there's a digital migration project to help keep records of historical artifacts so Tuvalu can retain its cultural identity, even if the land ceases to exist.
Climate change migration is becoming a bigger issue around the world, and may cause major political strife by the second half of the 21st century.
Ammo Vending Machine?
There have been some dumb business ideas over the years, but there's one out right now that is probably the dumbest. Not to say that it won't make money. It probably will. But selling ammunition from a vending machine is just not a good thing.
A company called American Rounds has begun installing machines in grocery stores and convenience stores in Oklahoma, Alabama, Colorado and Texas. You don't need to see a clerk or fill out any paperwork to use the machine. You just need a valid credit card and a legal I-D.
The company says the machine uses AI technology with card scanning and facial recognition software to verify the identity and age of every buyer, and the company claims all the transactions comply with federal and state regulations.
The machines are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there are no limitations on the amount of ammo that can be purchased as long as the machine is still stocked.
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| (From American Rounds website ) |
The data for each transaction is kept by the company to meet state laws, but it's not shared.
KCRA TV in Sacramento quotes the company CEO Grant Magers, who says sales have been great and have increased month-to-month.
The machines sell a variety of handguns, rifle and shotgun rounds, according to Oklahoma TV station KOCO.
So now, in at least four states, it's as easy to buy ammo as it is to buy cigarettes.
Dumbest Quotes of The Week
A repeat offender for the dumbest AND MOST IRROSPONSIBLE quote of the week: none other than Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene who said this just hours after the shooting in Pennsylvania:
"Joe Biden told his donors that it's time to put Trump in the bullseye. Well guess what, that is exactly what someone did today with their rifle as they attempted to assassinate President Trump. They did exactly what Joe Biden said to his donors on the phone."
Taylor-Greene was not the only one to make this kind of comment. Her congressional colleague from Georgia Congressman Mike Collins went on X and said:
"Joe Biden dent the orders"
As I write this on Sunday afternoon there is no information on what the shooter's motive might have been. But Taylor-Greene, Collins and and others thought it was appropriate to drum up more hate and promote more violence with this kind of nonsense.
(Your Suggestions and comments are welcome)
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