Rick Burnett Baker's Blog
September 27, 2025
Patriots, Heroes, & PrepositionsDialogue does not al...
Patriots, Heroes, & Prepositions
Dialogue does not always speak to its meaning. Dialogue is often conflated by conjunctions, prepositions, adverbs, nouns, verbs, and all other grammatical descriptors that exist to confuse or change definitions or meanings. Opinions, too, stifle dialogue. “This is that, BUT….” You get the idea.
Speech, indeed life, is a confusing series of self-censorship in action and dialogue. I learned this only recently by using the conjunction/ preposition, “but” on a Facebook post. That word completely changed, in the minds of readers, the meaning of my statement. I won’t make that mistake again.
My post was a rebuttal of sorts to the far-right, partisan comments of President Trump immediately after the Charlie Kirk murder. Trump was spewing his usual spew, labeling Kirk a patriot, hero, and someone who was loved by “ALL”. (Trump’s capital letters). The MAGA world on (un)social media ran with his comments, and suddenly Kirk seemingly became something akin to the Second Coming.
Kirk was known in far right political circles, and the Christian world. He wasn’t necessarily known and loved by “ALL” in the United States. Kirk was a far right, MAGA, Trump boot licker who had co-founded the right wing organization Turning Point Action at the age of 18. Kirk was a Christian nationalist who often cloaked his radical right-wing opinions behind Jesus talk. There were a handful of his opinions I agreed with, but overall, I disagreed with his blatant support of the extreme MAGA movement and his racial and biased views.
My opinion was and still is that Kirk was a racist, bigot, and religious/ political zealot. That’s a dangerous combination. Anyone with a keyboard can research his podcast statements to see how he felt about the military takeover of major US cities, the intelligence of black women compared to white women, and many other hot-button topics, all with the cloak of Christian fanaticism. He didn’t believe in empathy, and stated that the concept of separation of church and state did not exist: The USA is and should be as Christian nation. That makes me curious about what his thoughts were about theocracies.
My comment was, “Murder’s not condoned, but on Aug. 11th, Kirk advocated for the military takeover of US cities during riots. A real patriot.” That damned conjunction “but”!
Four “friends” of mine on Facebook unfriended me. Oh well. One said that I was “twisted.” Another said my commentary was “bitter and twisted.” All of them intimated that I was supporting his murder. I wasn’t. I was pointing out, despite the “dialogue” from the president down, that because of his leanings and opinions, Kirk was no patriot. A patriot, regardless of Trump’s pronouncements, does not advocate for the military takeover of this country’s cities, Jesus notwithstanding. People will hear what they want to hear, see what they want to see, and believe any and all stupid opinions that support their own beliefs.
Kirk’s murder was a terrible event. Kirk’s death was no greater a tragedy than the June front door assassination of Democrat Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the same day shooting of Minnesota Senator John Hoffman and his wife. (The latter two survived). These shootings of elected officials warranted little comment from Trump. These four were shot by a conservative radical. Patriots? Heroes? I never heard Trump describe them as such. They were, after all, Democrats.
It’s also interesting that dialogue from the Oval Office initially accused the Democrats/leftists, of the Kirk murder, despite there being no idea at the time who committed the crime. Again, Trump’s words inflamed the national dialogue about this event. Subsequently, we know as of this writing that the shooter came from a supposedly MAGA supporting family, and supposedly was not aligned with their leanings.
Charlie Kirk’s murder was horrendous and wrong. Charlie Kirk was not a patriot or a hero. Charlie Kirk espoused racist and bigoted opinions in print, interviews, and on his podcast. Kirk cloaked his racism and bigotry behind smiling, gentle Jesus and Christianity dialogue. That made him palatable for millions of people. He was a political activist with a far-right point of view. Anyone can research Kirk’s views. Trump butt licker, in my opinion.
The stories and commentary during the weeks subsequent to Kirk’s murder have been pointed, biased, and even mildly amusing. It’s been as if he were the second coming. Not even Jesus is on a US coin or paper currency as has been recently proposed for Charlie Kirk to be. One state education superintendent in Oklahoma proposed forcing every school in the state to have Turning Point USA chapters, the Christian organization Kirk co-founded in 2012. Shall we dare discuss propaganda and indoctrination of children in a state that, according to US News & World Report, ranks #48 overall in Pre-K to12 in the United States. Jesus take the wheel?
An odd habit I have is to turn on one of two or three religious TV channels at night so that I can fall asleep. Don’t judge. I seldom actually listen, but one night a few days ago, a preacher was actually saying that this country needs to have Christian doctrine, values, and practices implemented into government. He said he wasn’t preaching theocracy, but that’s exactly what it is. I said out loud, “TAX THE CHURCHS!
With approximately 78 million evangelical Christians in the United States, that is a concerning call.
I even watched one podcast of Kirk’s where he and several others were debating the lowest age that children could or should be able to watch public executions. I presume in the name of god. We could go on and on.
Now that some of the dust has settled, I still don’t care for Charlie Kirk and his beliefs and visions and never will. It’s a tragedy he was murdered, and a tragedy for his wife, kids, and family. He still isn’t a patriot, hero, or whatever moniker one wants to assign him. He was a political activist, bigot, and religious zealot. There are many more like him, and that should concern most American citizens.
October 18, 2020
Censorship & The 1st Amendment: Evil Twins
The Death Of The 1st Amendment
Because of our immersion into this 21st Century soundbite world, many today believe that the 1st Amendment in the United States is now under threat.
The truth is that it’s always been under threat by those in power, but efforts to circumvent our freedom of speech got big boosts in the 1970’s with the advent of the World Wide Web, or ‘internet’ for short. Its creation was an intelligence effort spearheaded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in concert with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and later the CIA and NSA.
The initial goal wasn’t so that you and I could show our cat pics, selfies, and spread fake news, but rather it’s goal was to handle huge data transfers for military, national intelligence agencies, and create an effective method for surveillance of the masses.
That’s it in a nutshell. There’s no shortage of documentation for anyone interested to see how this monster was created, nurtured, and developed into the sadistic outlier that it is today.
Fast forward to today.
This morning I noted an article about the CEO’s of Facebook, Google, and Twitter being slated to once again testify before a Senate Commerce Committee on October 28th, just five days prior to the election.
GOP Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has called for the breakup of Facebook. It’s not the first time this call has been made. Even Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren has parroted similar demands along with other representatives on both sides of the aisle. If only it could or would happen.
The danger is in thinking that these rumblings of FINALLY taking a stand against the scourge of (un)social media is a good thing. They may simply be an election cycle smoke screen. My opinion is that there’s a pattern to all this double talk.
The previous two times that Zuckerberg has testified before Congress were in October 2018, and April 2018, BOTH times during an election cycle. I believe that this is nothing more than smoke and mirrors or a dog and pony show. Take your pick. But we plebeians are being led to believe that the government is looking after our best interests and the 1st Amendment by pointing fingers at the very (un)social media platforms that it uses to disseminate propaganda and misleading memes, especially during election cycles. Furthermore, these (un)social media platforms are the very ones that individual representatives use to spew their own policies and lies. At the cynical best it is a show of vote pandering by BOTH parties.
The fact of the matter is this: Google’s creation some 20+ years ago was the result of serious funding from the intelligence community to ultimately take control of the digital information network. It was, as described by former director of legislative and public affairs at the National Science Foundation, Jeff Nesbit, a deliberate creation of the the mass-surveillance state. That isn’t only Google, but other internet platforms as well.
This week we turn to Mark Zuckerberg and the evil (un)social media platform he and his cohorts created. Mr. Zee has been again exposed for the hypocritical tool that he is when it comes to allowing hate groups to continue their presence on Facebook, while at the same time using AI to monitor and shut down peons like me with censorship for innocuous comments on Facebook posts.
Yes, I was warned by the FB police in August that a comment I wrote on a friend’s post were in violation of their policies against “hate speech.” I wrote an egregious response on a friend’s post, answering a question about whether restaurants were open here in the US. But Facebook’s sanctimonious AI programs picked-up on the words “American” and “idiots” in the same sentence. Lord have mercy.
Click image to read:
When another box popped up allowing me to dispute the warning, I did so, and their final answer was an instantaneous pop-up again, saying that their first decision would stand. I knew it was a computer generated process, but the idiocy of it all made my blood boil.
Click image to read:
The hypocrisy of Zuckerberg’s views, and his comical attempt to be simultaneously sanctimonious and ignorant about hate groups on Facebook - And this week’s governmental bullshit about breaking up the (un)social media platform - all combine to make me want have a Howard Beale moment.
Icing on the cake is this quote by Zuckerberg during a speech On October 19, 2019 at Georgetown University: “As a principle, in a democracy, I believe people should decide what is credible, not tech companies.” He’s either a cunning liar, ignorant, or both.
Everyone should be aware that the 1st Amendment of our Constitution is being used as a political tool that has NOTHING to do with yours or my exercise of free speech. It is being tossed around by corrupt politicians and their butt boys like Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Sundar Pichai to dismantle actual free speech and further the agendas of the mass surveillance state and Marxist organizations such as BLM that will keep the masses - us - properly censored and in our places. It will also preserve the billionaire status of those CEO’s so that they may continue doing the government’s divisive activities on (un)social media that help keep them in power.
The death of free speech is written on the faces of Democrats, Republicans, Socialists, Marxists, and all of the billionaires of our insidious (un)social media world. Enjoy what we have of it while you can, before you’re damned by the wrath of an AI despot.
The death of free speech is also plastered on the face of Facebook’s own Col. Data who’s playing the testimony game to his best advantage, but to the public’s detriment. At some point, the 1st Amendment may become nothing more than an illusion, and one that most Americans will not even be able or intelligent enough to see.
©️Rick Burnett Baker
October 18, 2020
Rochester, New York
October 16, 2020
Green Green, It's Green I Say, On The Far Side Of The Hill...
Junk Shops, Communists, and Political Parties, Oh MY!
Decisions decisions. Another “most important of our lives” presidential election cycle is just days away from coming to a close. At least we hope. And coming into the home stretch of this horses ass race, some folks must decide which candidate they will vote for. Will it be the Republican, the Democrat, the Libertarian, or the Green Party? OR will it be any one of the 1,218 actual candidates who’ve filed to run for president? Yes, you read that correctly: One thousand two hundred eighteen registered candidates. I suspect that once again, Democrats and Republicans are holding their noses as they vote. I do have a number of friends, actual and virtual, who have stated they will vote for the Green Party.GREEN PARTY. Oh yes! Clean air, clear water, bushy forests, plastic-free seas…..Whoa! Hold on a New York nano-second! I’m kidding! The Green Party is none of that. That party should be rebranded as the Communist Party. Yes, you again read that correctly. The Green Party presidential candidate is Howie Hawkins. He has been a member of the Socialist Party USA since 1973, although he describes himself as an “eco-socialist”, inspired by Marxism, anti-capitalism, and anti-private property, just to list a few. In 1993, he favored what’s called, “anarcho-communism” which also promotes the abolition of state, capitalism, wage labor, and private property, and promotes common ownership (READ, Government ownership) of production. His VP running mate is Angela Nicole Walker, also a socialist, but seemingly one who wittingly or unwittingly, embraced capitalism (ooooh, strike me with lightening!) by deciding to be a bus driver rather than teacher because of more money. For shame! Currently, she’s a dump truck driver. Socialist, of course. In 2014 she ran for sheriff as an independent socialist in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The frightening thing about that is that she actually won 20% of the vote. That just goes to reinforce my belief that many voters in this country are simply too uninformed to be responsible voters. The Green Party platform reads like a 21st Century Marxist/Communist party bio: Ecosocialist Green New Deal, Peace policies, Socialist economy, political democracy, social, criminal & civil justice, and others, none of which are economically feasible, nor doable in the ridiculous nine year timeframe listed. So if your wife, husband, father, mother, significant other, or other other tell you they’re voting “Green” point them to the Green Party website, or perhaps, this nifty 1949 movie. I found the poster in a junk shop. You know, the kind the Green Party should be found in!
©️Rick Burnett BakerOctober 16, 2020Rochester, NY
September 21, 2020
Silence As Political Theater
Silence Is Violence:
A Walk Down Pennsylvania Avenue
Photo: Rick Burnett Baker Rochester, NY
Usually, Democrats like Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and others would be condemning the recent mass shooting in Rochester, NY and playing the gun control anthem at full volume. Don’t misunderstand me - I believe that we need solid, comprehensive gun control measures on a national level that cover all 50 states. But that’s not the reason for this essay.
My opinion about the aforementioned representatives is that this latest shooting event, and any shootings from now until after the election, will play into the Democrat’s strategy of defeating Trump. This Rochester shooting is yet another criminal event during this year of protests, riots, and BLM that will allow them all to say that this is “Trump’s America.”
And there’s truth in that. Trump has done nothing to calm the national dialogue, nor has he taken actions that might help reduce crime in our country. His 4th Grade verbal spew and on-going Twitter shit fest attest to that. But it’s also Schumer’s and Pelosi’s and Obama’s, and to some extent every other past representative’s and administration’s America. Nowadays, particularly during a national election cycle, it’s useful, shameful, political theater.
Nothing meaningful has been accomplished through all these years to stop gun violence in the United States. Apparently, there has been nothing notable done in the way of police vetting, training, and accountability in police departments around the country. Hence, we find ourselves at this familiar intersection of protests, riots, and anger.
The Rochester shootings this past weekend offer a clear example of how silence IS violence, to parrot a common protest sign seen in cities across the country these days.
The morning after the Rochester mass shooting that left two dead and some 16 others injured, the recently formed ROC Freedom Riders seem to have had no comment on that tragic event. That morning I witnessed a group of these “Freedom Riders” in front of the downtown police station protesting by shouting “Black lives matter” and “Say his name: Daniel Prude” over and over again. I heard nothing about the shooting.
Interesting, too, is the statement by Rashad Smith, co-founder of ROC Freedom Riders, as reported on September 17, 2020 to WXXI News that “we’re not just riding for issues that are impacting us nationally, it’s now in our own backyard and now the fight is more intense.”
It doesn’t get much more intense than a mass shooting in the back AND front yards of Pennsylvania Avenue in Rochester, NY. To date, I haven’t seen, nor have I heard any comments from these local organizations. I’ll be appreciative to be shown otherwise.
Yes, silence IS violence: So take note BLM and ROC Freedom Riders.
For any of you who are also parroting the BLM mantra, and displaying those PC black & white signs in your front yards, know this: BLM isn't much concerned about mass shootings in Rochester, Chicago, or any other city in America, for that matter. BLM is a well-funded, international Marxist political movement who’s platform is clearly stated on its website, and often discussed by the three avowed Marxist co-founders of the so-called “grassroots” organization.
Don’t pretend to be shocked, ignorant, or incensed over that last statement. Anyone “woke” (what a tragically stupid word) enough to claim to have critical thinking skills should be fully educated and versed in the socio-political movements they choose to support. This has been stated cogently by Olympic athlete and NFL star Herschel Walker, who this week brought the Marxist foundation of BLM to the forefront of conversation regarding teams proudly wearing BLM shirts before games.
Welcome to the American form of dystopian ignorance. It’s an outgrowth of our collective bias, fear, and reticence over meaningful and practical change.
Some will disagree with these comments. But the First Amendment hasn’t yet been overturned. Again: Silence Is Violence.
Consider: The road from Pennsylvania Avenue in Rochester, NY to Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC is a short one. Don’t blink.
©️Rick Burnett Baker
September 21, 2020
Rochester, NY
#pennsylvaniaavenue #ROCfreedomriders #silenceisviolence #marxism #guncontrol #juveniletrump #sneakydemocrats #silentGOP
https://www.redstate.com/alexparker/2020/09/20/herschel-walker-sunday-morning-futures-fox-news-black-lives-matter-marxism-christianity/
https://thebl.com/us-news/black-lives-matter-founder-admits-groups-creators-are-trained-marxists.html
https://nypost.com/2020/06/25/blm-co-founder-describes-herself-as-trained-marxist/
https://www.wxxinews.org/post/roc-freedom-riders-spread-their-message-hope-and-racial-justice-fringe-audiences
September 11, 2020
Trumpers To America: Screw You!
Photo: Rick Burnett Baker, Sept. 8, 2020MAGA And Up Yours!
If Trump’s sophomoric tweets and 4th grade mentality weren’t enough to antagonize normally rational humans, we have to deal with his followers.
While those on the left of the political spectrum often talk about how divided our country is, many of Trump’s supporters are working diligently to make that irrevocably so. This image is a case in point.
This post may come across as being a broad, sweeping generalization of Trump supporters, but having seen NO condemnations of this type of political sloganeering from more rational Trumpers, I’ll go with it and let my supposition stand. Frankly, this isn’t the kind of sentiment that I want to represent me as a citizen on a personal or national level, regardless of political party or candidate.
The grand idea that Trump himself might see and condemn this type of sloganeering is nothing more than fantasy. The sad reality is that he would probably agree with this 100%. I’d say to these Trump supporters, “You’re better than that!” The truth is, they’re not. Until I see a widespread condemnation of this type of rankish behavior, my opinion about Trump supporters stands.
It’s disturbing to think that a large percentage of Americans may think like this…Even more disturbing to think that they actually vote.
I’m tempted to say broadly, “We’re better than this.” The scary truth may be that we’re not.
©️Rick Burnett Baker
September 11, 2020
Rochester, NY
August 7, 2020
Like & Pledge Before It's Removed...
I PLEDGE
Some people, mostly on the conservative side of the political aisle, often get riled-up about those words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. They love to post memes of the flag and the Pledge AS IT WAS WRITTEN on Facebook and do the ‘ol “Like & share because Facebook keeps removing this,” routine. Or, “Let’s flood Facebook with this image before they take it down again.”
Of course, Facebook hasn’t and isn’t removing images of the flag, pledge, or that Marine who lost a leg, for that matter.
But conservatives have a bad habit of latching onto any and nearly all conspiracy theories that support their particular narrative of the God, Guts, and Guns mantra. I’ll talk another day about how many liberals are devious kings and queens of Marxist economic theory while sucking-up to the logos on the blue portion of the flag photo above, all the while promoting the systematical dismantling of our nation’s constitutional foundations. Mind you, I’m not saying that some conservatives aren’t aiding and abetting in that dismantling with their tin-foil hat fears and militia bullcrap, but that’s all for another screed.
Today, I saw the above-mentioned meme about sharing the Pledge “…as it was written…” showing the words “under God” as part of that narrative.
That’s false, of course.
Written in 1892 by Christian Socialist minister, Francis Bellamy, the original Pledge did not contain those words “under God”. And Rev. Bellamy was a Baptist minister, no less. Christian Socialist Baptist minister. Moving on….
“Under God” was officially inserted into the pledge in June of 1954. It is often described as being an effort that would distinguish the United States from the atheistic Soviet Union during the Cold War. As history has shown, that effort really made a huge difference in bringing about world peace and our own national unity. Moving on again…
For better or worse, the flag above is probably the most representative banner that we could actually have as our United States flag. Both conservatives and liberals pledge their power hungry souls to that flag.
Perhaps the Pledge of Allegiance should be amended again. MoveOn dot org., BLM, The Lincoln Project, Democracy Now, The Tea Party, the NFL, MLB, MLH, NBA, and every other socio-political group could form a coalition to write a new pledge that would satisfy everyone and no one. (Good luck with that.)
They could even come up with a third salute to the pledge, like kneeling or some other sanctimonious action to express our love for Pledge, Flag, and Country.
Speaking of the salute to the Pledge, the original Bellamy Salute is a long suppressed memory of what school kids and adults use to use to show love for country when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s illustrated below in the breathtaking images found online. Heil Amerikka!
The truth is that as millions of Americans clammer for commerce to reopen, the salute or pledge that holds any real meaning today is represented in that flag I saw hanging on a middle-class front porch, along a bucolic Americana neighborhood in Rochester, New York.
Pledging allegiance to the Corporatocracy of America is an idea for a meme that Facebook would NEVER try to remove.
©️Rick Burnett Baker
August 6, 2020
July 3, 2020
WORDS MATTER - THEY STAB LIKE A KNIFE
“I’ma stab you.”
Graffiti photo, Cobb's Hill Park water tanks. R. Baker 2020“Gloom, despair, and agony on me…..OOOHHHHH….deep dark depression, excessive misery…”
That old Hee Haw TV show song could be the new theme song for a Harvard student, Claira Janover, who this past week posted a Tik Tok video of herself ranting against anyone who dared to say that all lives matter. It was obviously her higher educational way of supporting Black Lives Matter, and protesting against systemic racism. She failed.
“I’ma stab you.” That, from a Harvard graduate. Brilliant.
Photo from New York Post, 7-3-20She was fired from her job at accounting firm Deloitte. Good. Corporations should take a stand against this vocal idiocy to protect their bottom lines, with policies that prohibit these moronic rants by people who have graduated from racist schools such as Harvard, and obtain presumably lucrative careers with international corporations. After all, she did say that she worked really hard to get her job. It took no effort at all, however, to spew her shallow-minded words on unsocial media and damage her career. Clearly that isn’t the sort of thing they teach students at fancy pants schools like Harvard - you know, that words and actions have consequences. If her parents paid all that money for her lack of education, I’ll bet they’re really proud.
The larger aspect of this latest racist episode, however, isn’t this poor child’s misfortune that has been brought on by her own stupid choices and racist rant. It’s a reminder to everyone that this type of behavior, and more concerning, this attitude of violence towards those with different beliefs, can and does come from both sides of the socio-political fence.
In THIS particular instance, these words of violence - and Ms I’ma Stab You’s subsequent refusal to apologize - comes from the side of the fence that supposedly believes in tolerance, diversity, and inclusiveness.
And let’s not forget what this segment of “woke” (I hate that word) society is continually saying to and about the right side of the fence: WORDS MATTER . Remember that, Miss Janover, next time you jump into the shallow end of the unsocial media pool.
Rick B. Baker July 3, 2020 ©Rick Burnett Baker
June 26, 2020
Sticky Wickets & Feathers
“The capture of the Alamo, in spite of its attendant disasters…gave us a prodigious moral prestige.” -Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaAddressing his fellow citizens about His battles, including the Alamo, And his capture at San JacintoLess than two months later.May 10, 1837
Sam Houston Monument, Houston, Texas. R.Baker 2017A Feather In His Cap
Once again, the Confederate statue confabulation has presented itself after a confluence of recent racial social events and issues. It is the result, as it usually is, of particular groups emoting rather than cerebrating over a cause that certainly deserves serious consideration.
Clearly there are many Confederate statues that should not have a platform of presenting the subjects as heroes, and should be removed and placed in an educational setting. Others, such as the Sam Houston statue in Houston’s Hermann Park represent mixed messages about legacy, and should possibly be preserved. Protestors-turned-rioters in Philadelphia even attacked the statue of abolitionist Matthias Baldwin, who fought for black voting rights and helped establish a school for African-American Children in Philadelphia in the 1830’s. He paid the teachers’ salaries out of his own pocket for many years after, during the horrors of slavery years. Presumably, that statue was attacked because Baldwin was white.
What is lacking in all this hoo-haw of muddled anger is actual dialogue, debate, and critical thinking.
As stated by former American Civil War Museum CEO Christy Coleman in a 2017 USA Today interview, “It’s a sticky wicket. I’m a public educator, and, like ’em or not, these things have a story to tell.″
Let’s briefly consider just a few of these events.
The statue of John C. Calhoun, Vice President of the US 1825 - 1832, was removed this week in Charleston, South Carolina after the unanimous vote by city officials.
Before you Confederate flag wavers blow your “can’t erase history” gaskets, let me presume this: NONE of you know diddly-squat about John C. Calhoun. He was a staunch slavery promoter his entire life and insisted that one of his escaped slaves who was captured be imprisoned and tortured with 30 lashes.
Calhoun’s philosophy was summed-up in his Senate floor speech of Feb.6,1837:
“I hold that in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two, is, instead of an evil, a good—a positive good…”
Calhoun’s philosophy holds undertones of Hitler’s “master race” thinking, that we heard during the 20th Century.
John C. Calhoun was not a decent man. He was no hero. He did not deserve a statue. His racist, hateful legacy should be taught in all history courses in all schools. That should satisfy all those who are clamoring to save our history.
Anyone who disagrees with the notion that the Calhoun statue should have been preserved to “teach” history is just plain wrong. Period. May you all be reminded that the entire world - THE ENTIRE WORLD - knows all about the history of Adolf Hitler, yet there isn’t even one statue of him in Germany.
Then, there’s good ‘ol Sam Houston.
Sam Houston Statue, R. Baker 2017The history of the namesake of our country’s 4th largest city is interesting as it is confusing. The day before I shot the photos of the Sam Houston statue in Houston’s Hermann park in 2017, protestors were demanding that the monument be torn down.
I dare say that would spark a second civil war, or at least another Texas revolution, should it ever come to pass. Texans are a funny breed. They’ve been up in arms over the expansion and renovations proposed for the Alamo for several years, changes that I personally think would greatly enhance the Alamo experience. But that’s another discussion. As for tearing down the statue of the 1st President of the Texas Republic _ just wipe that notion out of your cerebrum post haste!
Sam Houston was an enigma of sorts. He championed Native American rights, was made an honorary Cherokee, fought and ultimately set free Mexican General Santa Anna after the Battle of San Jacinto at the close of theTexas Revolution, became the first president of the new country, and voted against the expansion of slavery into new territories while serving in the US senate. He was also an alcoholic and slave owner.
Houston did not shrink from his nasty drinking habit and considered it his own misfortune. In James L. Haley’s book, “Sam Houston”, Sam was described as a “…man of action, one who would ride to battle with a feather in his cap,” alluding to the idea of a warrior adding a new feather to his headwear after a successful battle or achievement. Houston did not make excuses for his flaws.
I’ll admit to more than a bit of bias here about Sam: I’m a Texan, born and raised. My opinion is that his legacy isn’t equivalent to that of men such as John C. Calhoun. This is where those notions of dialogue, debate, discussion, and critical thinking should come together in our body politic.
One last point for discussion is that of Stone Mountain in Georgia. This massive bas-relief of Confederate soldiers Jeff Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson has been a source of controversy for many years.
Stone Mountain, Georgia. R. Baker, 2017Prepping for my 2017 exhibit, “The Architecture of Grief & Redemption”, I visited Stone Mountain in April of that year. It was interesting and perplexing to witness hundreds of visitors gathering in the open space facing the carvings, while they waited for the nightly laser show. It was a quintessential American scene of a community gathering for a festive event.
The compelling and striking aspect of this scene was the racial/ethnic/religious composition of the hundreds of people gathered: Caucasian, African-American, Naive American, Indian, Asian, European, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and I assume atheists.
There were mixed-race couples with their children walking the grounds, throwing frisbees, eating vendor candy, ice cream and popcorn before the event. No one was arguing, protesting or complaining - just people living and enjoying life on a calm, warm evening together.
What are we to make of that?
That dialogue and discussion is far more complex than the discussion about Sam Houston. After all, Stone Mountain was commissioned to be carved by a sculptor who was associated with the KKK.
The questions surrounding the blasting away of this massive Stone Mountain carving isn’t as obvious as it might seem to those who emote rather than cerebrate.
What leaves this discussion open to interpretation and debate, then, is exactly the way Ms Colman described it in the quote above: “…Like ‘em or not, these things have a story to tell.”
How we choose to tell those stories should preclude the wholesale toppling of every monument, Confederate or otherwise.
Another perspective was posited in 2015 by the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP president, Richard Rose: “It is time for Georgia and other Southern states to end the glorification of slavery and white supremacy paid for and maintained with the taxes of all its citizens…The heritage we should be celebrating is the US heritage. We’re not a separate nation.”
On might argue that the obvious flaw in Mr. Rose’s statement is that the commission of , displaying of, and meanings behind these monuments are also part of all citizens in the US. Whether we like it or not.
The larger question going forward, if we are to move forward, is perhaps found in the words of General Santa Anna. What, indeed, will offer all of us a sense of prodigious moral prestige? That, is truly the “sticky wicket.”
The challenge for all of us going forward is to approach these national issues as a nation, collectively, with feather’s in ALL our hats.
Rick Burnett BakerJune 26, 2020Rochester, NY
©Rick Burnett Baker
June 2, 2020
White Privilege & Blackouts
[DISCLAIMER: If anyone, left or right of the socio-political spectrum are tempted to believe I’m advocating against wealth, or advocating FOR the redistribution of wealth as some kind of socialist agenda, DON’T. Shut that thought down pronto. That isn’t what this screed is about.]
It seems that it's becoming an ethnic or racial fashion statement to admit to having ‘white privilege.’ June 2, 2020 was deemed by Atlantic Record executives Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas as “Blackouttuesday” and given its own (un)social media hashtag badge. Social media users are encourage to make a post with a blacked-out square, if you will. One Facebook user declared, that among other things she was “…bathed in life-long privilege…. I will admit how little I really know…and need to be uncomfortable with this.” In order to fit in, as it were, there will no doubt be myriad social media users who will display throughout the day (and probably ongoing) this statement of nothingness.
Self-depreciation, is yet another method of abdicating responsibility for actually getting involved and taking action(s) that might make a difference in others’ lives, regardless of circumstances, events, or race. Let’s be real, folks: Being “woke” isn’t a thing, it’s a soundbite. Taking action(s) to right a wrong, or assisting others with their journeys through life is what matters, whether it’s through community service, charity work, or small private assistance to those or someone who needs it. Part of taking action is learning and re-learning our history as white people, and how we've been shaped by it, openly and even subliminally.
In our 20th and 21st Century pop culture Atlantic Records has long been a major music player with signed artists from the sappy, milky white ABBA to lesser known artists such as Don Q, who profits off lyrics such as those in his song “I told you”:
“…don’t front a nigga that you know…” “…I’m drippin’ my jewelry is fountained upI choose bitches I get them and pile ‘em up.”
One might question Ms Agyemang, and Ms Thomas as to whether those lyrics and thousands like them or worse, are yet another form of “privilege” with its own hashtag. But that's not the subject of this essay. As for my previous comment about taking action(s), businesses that are also participating in this so-called event have reportedly been encouraged to not buy or sell their products on June 2nd in a show of economic strength and solidarity. I can't quite fathom how that actually works, but never mind. Spotify and other companies have announced that there would be an 8-minute and 46-second moment of silence on some podcasts and playlists during the day. (8min.,46sec. has been decided as the exact amount of time murdered citizen George Floyd had a knee on his neck by a Minneapolis cop.). I assume Don Q’s and others’ rarified lyrics can be aired throughout the day, however, privilege notwithstanding. It’s unfortunate that the lyrics of thousands of Rap songs can’t be blacked-out as well.
In an essay by Cory Collins, titled “What Is White Privilege, Really?” [Issue 60, Fall 2018. Tolerance.org], an attempt is made to define the term ‘white privilege’ by saying that having it isn’t racist, but that it exists “…because of historic, enduring racism and biases.” On the surface, one cannot dismiss this, but there is a flaw, in my estimation, to the premise, in that a defining, key component for historic racism (systemic), is absent as an important qualifier: “Power”.
Being white today or any day isn’t the problem. The problem is in the fact that there were white Europeans who colluded with African tribes in the human trafficking trade for centuries, spreading slavery throughout the New World and elsewhere. Power, wealth and resources, including human resources, were, and to a high degree still are today, under the purview and control of what I'm calling Power Elites, most of whom, if not all, happen to be white.
Without delving into a dissertation about ethnic disparities that have been leveled on every ethnic group to have come to the New World over centuries, suffice it to say that the general citizenry for hundreds of years has been indoctrinated into group think narratives pitting one group against another, creating divisions and tensions that serve to strengthen and perpetuate the progeny of those original Power Elites.
In a nutshell, this ingrained, systemic racism, if you will, from whites - wealthy and not so wealthy - has stunted the intellectual development of society’s white plebeians, creating this seemingly never-ending ethnic divide that has caused this country hundreds of years of bitterness, grief, wars, riots, and hatred.
Additionally, there is no privilege in having been intellectually subjugated by the same Power Elites who have subjugated US ethnicities from around the world, and throughout the world. This isn’t an excuse for white on Black, Hispanic, or Asian animosity and violence. It’s not an excuse for supremacists, anarchists, or any other group seeking to cause trouble.
In short, wealth and power are key elements to applying indoctrination and control, be it social, religious, or political in nature. The vast majority of we Earth citizens have little of that wealth and power, but are systematically and continually indoctrinated in believing that we do hold power, at least here in the United States. Fewer still non-white citizens in this country have that wealth and power, and have been endlessly harassed by the ‘privileged’ whites who, believing they've been granted some kind of power, don’t realized how they too, have been used by the Power Elites to do those Elites’ dirty work of ongoing social division and tension. Social division and tension is one key to their holding power. Therefore, don’t be duped into doing their dirty work with this social division and tension. Social division and tension keeps them in control of EVERYONE, regardless of ethnicity, and preserves their wealth and power. These labels are but one tool being used in this overall preservation of power.
The first action that white Americans should take in combating these ongoing ethnic divides is to recognize that what they’ve been taught as their history and past isn’t always true. Gasp! Remember, white folks, learning and re-learning isn’t a bad thing, but denying the truth of our historicity is. Realizing that some truth has been twisted or withheld isn’t something to be ashamed of, but rather something that should awaken all citizens, especially whites, to seek solutions to an ugly problem we have in our society today.
Blacking out your social media page for a day isn’t an action: It’s an example of abdicating responsibility for learning history, and recognizing certain “leaders” or power elites, as the frauds and con artists that they are and have been for decades. It’s an example of not paying attention to the process of voting and holding your elected leaders accountable. ALWAYS. It's an example of paying lip-service, or in this case, "finger-service" to the problems of social justice. It’s an example of how you’ve been bought off with the toys you’re using to proclaim your “wokeness” while the Power Elites nod their heads with approval.
It’s an example of doing nothing.
One final thought. A year or so ago, I heard it said that in any given discussion, debate, or dialogue, leveling the accusation of “white privilege” on someone was an effective and convenient way of shutting down a conversation; it was a method of not having to hear points of view that did not fit the prevailing or desired narrative. At the end of this screed, I’m providing a few of links to opinions/essays, that give other perspectives, and have within them links that one can follow to become more informed, cerebrating rather than emoting . I realize that not everyone will agree with these ideas and opinions, but that’s irrelevant.
Just opening the door to more than the prescribed ideology of the Power Elites as suggested above is at least a step in the direction to possibly taking more meaningful action than blacking out your Facebook or other social media pages.
Thanks for the effort, Atlantic Records, but we’ve had enough blackouts to last a millennium.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fa...
https://vernamyers.com/the-sugarcoate...
Rick Burnett Baker June 2, 2020
June 1, 2020
Stupidity: A Right, A Luxury
Photo: Rick Burnett Baker, Rochester NYThe Constitutional Right of Stupidity
"The words of the prophets are written on the subway wallsAnd tenement halls"-Paul Simon
And so they are, and they’re graffitied on abandoned water tanks at a park in Rochester, NY. Artists paint, and other prophets leave their take on whatever’s on their minds. Like a global crisis.
We have the luxury in the United States of being able to be and remain stupid. It’s a constitutional right, it seems. My generation, Boomers, are a borderline generation whereby some of us learned critical thinking skills, (or we were at least made aware of that notion) and others of us are, for whatever reason, simply stupid. Not ignorant, just stupid. Ignorance can be remedied. Stupidity, much more difficult to remedy if a person doesn’t know what ignorance is. And we in this country have had, and still do have, all the tools of knowledge available to us to NOT be ignorant. When a person chooses to not remedy whatever they’re ignorant about, then they become stupid. There’s just no excuse for that.
Unfortunately, the generations after us Boomers - Millennials, or X or Z or whatever they’re called this month - are in jeopardy of being stupid, if not more stupid. Our country is seeing this daily on (un)social media, in general media, and in the streets with various protests around the country during this Covid -19 crisis.
Photo: Sergio Flores/Getty Protesters have displayed some of the most moronic sayings on signs that I’ve ever seen. For example, a face mask represents tyranny. Clearly those idiots don’t know the definition of the word, and were sadly (stupidly) absent during history and civics classes in school. (Silly me: I’m assuming that those subjects are still taught in schools) The fact that those mental degenerates are allowed to be on the streets protesting should be their first lesson about the definition of the word ’tyranny’: If they were living in a tyranny, they would NOT be on the street protesting. Morons.
Photo: Mark Makes/Getty More recently, I’ve seen a sign that conflates the issue of reproductive rights with the right to possibly endanger others’ health by not wearing a mask. No, Skippy, it’s not your body, your choice, it’s our bodies depending on your choice. To all these people, let me suggest that they pay attention to the tyranny of having to wear a car seatbelt. Stop doing that, and if you’re in an accident, try to quickly recite the 1st Amendment as you are hurled violently through the windshield of the car and flung to injury or death. God bless Amurhaka! Choice, indeed.
Finally, to any yuk yuks who disagree with my assessment I’ll simply say this: You’re wrong! This is a GLOBAL crisis. Get it? Amurhakins aren’t the only nation of people having to follow rules in this crisis. We are NOT special, nor are we grandfathered into some form of exceptionalism during this crisis. Get the hell over yourselves. Wear a mask. Social distance. Take responsibility for your lives and the lives of others. And stop being stupid: Stupidity ain’t in the Constitution!
© Rick Burnett BakerJune 1, 2020
Rick Burnett Baker's Blog
