Civil Discourse Now

Where the far left and far right overlap for fun and enlightenment

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WARNING: please read this message while we still are free...

This message is serious. If (1) a candidate for elective office (2) claims “God” talks to him (3) on a regular basis about (3) political issues, we should be wary. That (4) candidate (5) is a preacher who (6) has weapons training for ppl in his church. Need a crystal ball? 1/6

Inevitably the candidate will say he carries out Orders from “God.” Ham County preacher/IN Lt Gov wannabe Micah Beckwith is the candidate just described. He’s declared his candidacy for Lt Gov in Indiana’s GOP.…

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Added by Mark Small on August 11, 2023 at 6:05am — No Comments

"God" neither wrote nor inspired the Constitution: more reasons

“God” neither wrote nor inspired The Constitution. Sources, if applicable, will be listed at the end of this blog/tweets. 1) “God” as author/inspiration is neither invoked nor mentioned Congress’s 2//21/17 resolution to have a convention. [FN1] 1/8

2) “God” as author/inspiration is neither invoked nor mentioned in The Constitution.

3) “God” as author did not need a convention.

4) Convention was set to start 5/14, but quorum wasn’t reached until 5/25. [FN2]. “God” shouldn’t…

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Added by Mark Small on August 10, 2023 at 1:54pm — No Comments

"God" neither appears nor was invoked when Congress authorized the Convention in 1787

Of the Constitution of the United States, some claim (1) “God” wrote The Constitution; (2) if not, then people who wrote The Constitution were divinely “inspired”; and (3) either way, the USA is & always was meant to be a “Christian” country. The Constitution is a specific document. 1/7

Courts look at wording and relevant history of a constitution to interpret or apply its provisions. In Congress’s February 21, 1787, resolution in favor of a convention, no mention is made of any…

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Added by Mark Small on August 9, 2023 at 2:27pm — No Comments

"Evangelical preachers & sexual perversion for $200. And the answer is..."

Civility in social media is full frontal tonight on “Mouthwash,”(Tues, 8/8, 9 pm, Facebook) John Schmitz’s podcast. Conversation will focus on Ham East Public Library, & a policy 4 of the 7 trustees adopted moving books from a teen to an adult section & that controversy. 1/10

Ham County preacher Micah Beckwith (the Lloyd Ruby of local politics) will be on a panel with Jocelyn Vare (Fishers City Council) and Alexandria librarian Brad Sowinski. Compare/contrast Beckwith in The…

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Added by Mark Small on August 8, 2023 at 10:01am — No Comments

More on Beckwith's problems w/impetus

A flick, “The Sound of Freedom,” inspired at least one member of the 4-3 majority of the Ham East Public Library board to move books out of a teen section for review & possible placement in the adult section of the Fishers Library. This costs $$$, although HEPL board member 1/13

Tiffanie Ditlevson said an earlier review of children’s books didn’t cost an add’l penny. Either the section was extremely small or the review sought was more narrow than the current project. A quote fr a…

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Added by Mark Small on August 7, 2023 at 8:40pm — No Comments

Beckwith's problem with his impetus & pornography

As kids there were books, plays & movies we were told not to read or view.. History is not kind to people who censor writings & other forms of art. One person thought Shakespeare went too far. (Look up “bowdlerize”) Our laws are based on notice that a thing is illegal. “Ignorance 1/5

of the law is no excuse,” but whether something violates the law is different. People can try to define “pornography.” The closest: “I know it when I see it.” Jacobellis v Ohio, 378 U.S. 184, 197…

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Added by Mark Small on August 7, 2023 at 5:50pm — No Comments

Tony Kinnett's right, but for different reasons

Tony Kinnett (The Daily Caller 5/23/23) was angry “[l]ocal media began writing about the [Ham East Library] board’s ordering ‘shelves emptied’ in a project ‘expected to cost $300,000'” due to the GOP gaining “seats on the public library’s board of trustees.” An Indy Star reporter’s 1/6

description of the “review” by the library as “book banning” was wrong. Kinnett says “None of those claims is true.” In an April mtg the libr director said $300K “was a ‘misquote’” & included costs…

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Added by Mark Small on August 6, 2023 at 8:11pm — No Comments

"God" didn't write The Constitution & that was a criticism of it

Ham County preacher/GOP IN Lt Gov candidate Micah Beckwith said in an FB post on 8/2, “Our rights are not products of man-made law, but are considered to be God-given.” The people who wrote The Constitution would have been surprised to here that. First, no “god” was invoked

to attend the 1787 Convention. Second, Franklin’s suggestion each session begin w/prayer was ignored. Third, there is no mention of any “god” or of Jesus Christ in The Constitution. Fourth, Madison makes no mention…

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Added by Mark Small on August 6, 2023 at 1:38pm — 1 Comment

Does Micah Beckwith understand what it means to be a "Constitutional conservative"?

Ham County preacher/political wannabe Micah Beckwith wished everybody Happy Natl Choc Chip Cookie Day & referred to principles we hold dear as “Christians [&] Const’l conservatives.” Here’s a time line. 2020: he lost the GOP primary INCD5. 2023: Beckwith “won” w/o notice 1/6

on the agenda, a seat on Ham East Library Board. Books he hasn’t read, but objected to, were moved (est cost: $300K) to the library’s adult section.. 2024: he’s running 4 IN Lt Gov & has a chance since…

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Added by Mark Small on August 5, 2023 at 5:27pm — No Comments

Is civil discourse in danger?

"Why can’t we have civil discourse!?” Discourse consists of talking and listening. Key elements: 1) Format allows each person the same amount of time to speak; 2) No one interrupts the speaker w/o the speaker’s consent; & 3) A person to moderate. Over the past few days discussion 1/5

of a live broadcast shifted to the social platform formerly known as Twitter. The lively discussion concerned the Hamilton East Library Board, censorship & what many see as efforts by the far…

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Added by Mark Small on August 4, 2023 at 1:47pm — No Comments

More than 2 sides to any issue & some people see only 1 side

John Schmitz started his podcast “Mouthwash” over 2 yrs ago on Facebook (Tuesdays at 9 p.m.) As director/host, each week he has to line up guests, research topic(s), confirm regular panelists, and publicize it all. John wanted people of any political views could talk in civil fashion.1/5

I’ve been a guest & have a weekly spot, smalltalk, on Mouthwash. John and I disagree on most issues. Mouthwashtalkshow is John’s handle on Twitter & yesterday he had a series of exchanges…

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Added by Mark Small on July 31, 2023 at 7:16pm — No Comments

I-70 billboard of long ago: God, guns & guts...

In the mid-70s, a billboard at I-465 and I-70 on the west side greeted east-bound traffic: “God, guns & guts made America great/Let’s keep all 3!” This is an example of falsehoods repeated so often as to deter question of their validity. 1) “God” is not in The Constitution. At the 1787 1/5

Constitutional Convention, Franklin’s motion to start each day w/prayer did not come to a vote. To say “Freedom of & from religion made this country different” is more accurate, but bogs…

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Added by Mark Small on July 29, 2023 at 10:14am — No Comments

Beckwith as the back door man

To say views espoused by Hamilton County preacher/wannabe politician Micah Beckwith are silly is kind. We use comedy to ridicule bigotry, ignorance, misogyny & racism, but usually at a distance. Mel Brooks did not shoot “The Producers,” w/its fictional musical “Springtime for 1/6

Hitler,” until more than 20 years had passed since the end of the “Thousand Year Reich” after a run of 12 years & 4 months. 100 years ago this month, D.C. Stephenson was formally inducted as head of…

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Added by Mark Small on July 28, 2023 at 3:47pm — No Comments

People should not compare trump to Hitler

trump says if he regains the Oval Office, he wants more power. Some observers are too quick to compare trump to a genocidal former corporal who led Germany from 1933-1945. Years of home schoolin’ & vouchers have left many Americans ignorant of civics & history. Differences 1/4

between trump and Hitler are stark. 1) Hitler actually wrote (Hess typed) the best seller published under his name, but tfg had ghost writers; 2) Hitler was financially solvent (mostly from book sales)…

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Added by Mark Small on July 18, 2023 at 8:51am — No Comments

trump's presidency & any nominations to courts he made, are illegitimate & void

Even people acting in good faith can’t keep gains from criminal conduct. Example: some ppl cashed out their investments before Carlo Ponzi’s Securities Exchange Co was busted in Aug 1920 had to pay back profits. trump & ppl who gained fr his time in office can’t keep the 1/5

spoils obtained. I was counsel in 2 cases filed w/SCOTUS in 2017: Bailey, et al v. U.S., docket 16-1464, and Blumstein, et al v Pence, dkt 16-907, mandamus actions. In Shane, et al v U.S., et al, 17-857,…

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Added by Mark Small on July 17, 2023 at 4:30pm — No Comments

The Roberts Court: fraud (not very well) disguised as jurisprudence

The fraud that is the jurisprudence of the 6-justice Roberts Court hit depths, last term, not seen in over two centuries. Possibly the Worst Court Ever, the Taney Court (1836-64) in a 7-2 opinion, by the CJ himself, in Dred Scott v Sanford, 60 U.S. 393 (1856), solidified racism. 1/5

The issue: “Can a negro, whose ancestors were imported into this country” & “sold as slaves” be & be entitled to all the rights of a US citizen? Taney’s answer: no: fr 1789 Black ppl were…

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Added by Mark Small on July 14, 2023 at 8:01pm — 1 Comment

GOP SCOTUS justices: corrupt for pay or because they enjoy it?

Sen Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) tweeted an MSNBC story about ethics conflicts of SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas, & asked: “How many billionaire benefactors does one judge need?” The question is legitimate & implies specific limits should be imposed. As usual for, 1/7

us liberals, the Senator overlooked very important prelim info. Is the judge in it for the money? Or, so maga ppl better understand, is the judge a sl*t or a wh*r*? (Vowels are $50 each.) The former is in it for fun…

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Added by Mark Small on July 12, 2023 at 1:59pm — No Comments

Indiana's anti-transgender law, SB 480 was partially blocked in federal court (& Delaware County Council member Ryan Webb isn't funny

06/16/2023: U.S. District Court, Indiana’s southern district, blocked most provisions of Indiana’s statute limiting care for transgender people. Its Order Granted in Part a Motion for a Preliminary Injunction in K.C., et al. Medial Licensing Bd, et al, 1:23-cv-595. First, Indiana AG Rokita, 1/7

on 04/05/22, sd SB480 “protects our children from irreversible” damaging decisions & “banning these experimental procedures is critical” for future generations and that his office is “ready…

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Added by Mark Small on July 10, 2023 at 11:05am — No Comments

Military mind-sets are not good for domestic policy

For 78 years USA has talked more “war” than’s been waged. LBJ (poverty) and Nixon (drugs & crime) had wars. Recent talk has been of a “second civil war.” “The Congress shall have Power [] To declare War.” (Const. Art. I, sec. 8.) USA only has fought in five (5) wars: 1/6

1) War of 1812: British troops sacked D.C. & we had a tie. (U.S.: 0-0-1.) 2) Mexican-American War: Pres Polk sd Mexico attacked U.S. troops on U.S. soil. Others disagreed. U.S. won. (U.S.: 1-0-1.) 3)…

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Added by Mark Small on July 7, 2023 at 3:43pm — No Comments

Drugs in the White House are as American as Willie Nelson ... or djt jr

DATELINE: Washington, D.C. “U.S. Secret Service agents found the [cocaine] during a routine White House sweep on Sunday, in a small, clear plastic bag on the ground in a heavily trafficked area.” Drugs in the WH are American culture. Willie Nelson got high on the WH roof. 1/5

The most uptight individuals to occupy the Oval Office were vehemently anti-pot. Nixon is on tape: “I want a [gd] strong statement on marijuana ... You know, it’s a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are…

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Added by Mark Small on July 6, 2023 at 9:06pm — No Comments

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