Civil Discourse Now

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

All Blog Posts (1,847)

If we want to reduce violent crime, we have to reduce numbers of guns.

Friends say: avoid “national” issues as I run for City-County Council in the May primary. Their concerns are legit. I’m conversant on fiscal issues, such as TIFS (I’m against them) and money to pro sports (love sports, but hate subsidies to billionaires). I can’t avoid some issues. 1/5

Want to reduce deaths from guns? Reduce the guns in our city. Lauren Boebert, idiot member of Congress (R-Col) sd we have 4% of the World’s population &“only” 46% of the World’s guns. If we bury the…

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Added by Mark Small on February 4, 2023 at 9:03pm — No Comments

I'm running for City-County Council to fight bigotry & ignorance

UniGov joined the government of Indianapolis w/the governments of most of the rest of Marion County in 1970. The idea was to coherently plan development, foster systems of transportation & services that best meet people’s needs, all in a peaceful environment. We’ve come up short. 1/6



This iteration of the GOP has trained its base to salivate & growl “Socialism!” selectively. Party donors make merry w/TIF funds. Bus lines are placed to serve developers’ needs. Crime rates rise… Continue

Added by Mark Small on February 4, 2023 at 3:25pm — No Comments

Florida's racist governor doesn't know much about history

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis: delusional, stupid or a liar. He has said that the American revolution caused ppl for the first time “to question slavery” & as a result this country gave all ppl equal rights. DeSantis is doing his best to court white supremacists as he eyes the Oval Office. 13

1) Slavery was allowed in all 13 colonies. (Marq Law Sch faculty blog, 12/20/12). 2) The 1787 Constitution was no more advance: "...the right of property in a slave is distinctly and expressly…

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Added by Mark Small on January 31, 2023 at 10:06pm — No Comments

8 p.m. tonight Jan 22: guests will describe what happened Thursday

At 8 pm this 22nd day of January, I shall interview two women who were at the Indiana Supreme Court this past Thursday for oral argument in Med Lic Bd v Planned Parenthood, 22S-PL-338, in which the constitutionality of IN’s “near-total” abortion ban was argued. 1/3

Monique Rust is an artist and long-time activist in Indianapolis. Kim Saylor also has long been active for peoples’ rights in Indy. They will describe how ppl who wanted to watch who wore green to support women’s rights…

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Added by Mark Small on January 22, 2023 at 8:26pm — No Comments

Discrimination at Indiana Supreme Court & no coverage by local media: Prof Sheila Kennedy is right

Prof Sheila Kennedy regularly blogs, in dismay, about the decline of local journalism & its impact on our lives. This week’s debacle at the Indiana Supreme Court is an example. Oral argument was held Thurs, 01/19 in Mem Med Lic Bd., et al v Pl Parenthood, 22S-PL-338. 1/5



Two Indiana trial court judges had held IN’s “near-total ban” of abortions is unconstitutional. Of many ppl who wanted to watch were those who support women’s rights & wear green to show that support. But… Continue

Added by Mark Small on January 22, 2023 at 2:03pm — No Comments

People wearing green were denied entry to IN's Supreme Court to show the Court isn't biased (as opponents wearing blue walked right in)...

A jacket w/”F*** the Draft” printed on it is protected speech in a courtroom. Cohen v California, 403 U.S. 15, 19 (1971). 1st Amendment: “Congress shall make no law () abridging () freedom of speech” Art. I sec 9 of Indiana’s Const’n also protects free speech. Oral argument was held 1/4



at the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday in Members of Med Lic Bd., et al v Planned Parenthood, et al, 22S-PL-338. The issue: whether IN’s “near-total ban” of abortions is constitutional. Those who… Continue

Added by Mark Small on January 21, 2023 at 10:11am — No Comments

Free speech & the color green? Not in Indiana's Supreme Court

In the Barney Fife years (1960-64) of “The Andy Griffith Show,” Black people appeared only in the background & never w/speaking parts, despite their making up 24.5% of the population of North Carolina, where the fictional Mayberry was set and shot in black-and-white. Well... 1/5



Maybe “black-&-gray” is more accurate. Yesterday (1/19/23) Indiana’s Supreme Court heard arguments: is a “near-total” abortion ban unconstitutional? The Court’s chambers lacked color, specifically… Continue

Added by Mark Small on January 20, 2023 at 7:34am — No Comments

This iteration of the GOP: whatever it is, I'm against it!:

Marx (Groucho not Karl) sang, “Whatever it is I’m against it!” in “Horse Feathers.” Nihilism, the punch of that 1932 (classic) movie is an absurdity & the non-existent core of this iteration of the GOP. In January 2017, repeal of Obamacare was at the top of a GOP wish list. 1/4

The Russian stooge who took the Oval Office 1/20/17 “led” a party w/ a majority in both houses of Congress, but this iteration of the GOP had no plans for health care, immigration, or anything, except…

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Added by Mark Small on December 15, 2022 at 9:40pm — No Comments

Overturn the Constitution for what, foreign control?

Only foreign-controlled corporations and billionaires will write a “new” constitution should the “Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States” (U.S. Const., Art V) “call a Convention.” trump most recently primed the American people for such a convention.

First: a Convention, once called, has no limits. Chief Justice Burger: “there is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Const’l Convention.” Judge Robt Bork: “a ... convention could not be limited…

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Added by Mark Small on December 4, 2022 at 8:25pm — 1 Comment

Twitter is a place now where it's difficult to enthusiastically blog

A “public square” owned by an individual isn’t public. I’ve posted on Twitter for > 5 yrs & not always agreed w/rules set by those in charge. Since its purchase by Elon Musk, many have left Twitter. To stay on is difficult because of legitimacy it might lend to Mr Musk’s views. 1/4

He has “suggested a drawn-out war could not end with a Ukrainian victory” as Forbes reported, and Mr Musk wanted to poll whether regions of Ukraine taken by Russia should remain part of Ukraine. He…

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Added by Mark Small on December 3, 2022 at 10:43pm — No Comments

Monon Bell game: DePauw needs to kick degenerates' butts

Today DePauw University, my alma mater, plays football against a team from Crawfordsville for the Monon Bell. This is “the oldest rivalry west of the Allegheny Mountains,” but colleges and universities should not play a game that, long-term, leads to brain damage from “CTE”. 1/6

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: progressive degenerative disease from repeated concussions & traumatic brain injuries. CTE destroys lives of players & their loved ones. College is a time to expand,…

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Added by Mark Small on November 12, 2022 at 8:44am — No Comments

trump does a blackmail thing on DeSantis & DeSantis should remember: Khartoum!

trump, et al, in this iteration of the GOP laud “law & order.” trump’s threats toward FL’s Gov DeSantis illustrate how trump actually breaks the law to give others orders. trump’s statement is like Tom Hagen’s message to a movie director in Godfather I. Remember Khartoum? 1/5

If DeSantis runs for Pres in ‘24, trump will reveal "things about him that won't be very flattering - I know more about him than anybody - other than, perhaps, his wife." Blackmail is obtaining $, goods, or…

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Added by Mark Small on November 11, 2022 at 3:31pm — No Comments

Musk is as much of a financial genius as trump. I'm not kidding

Elon Musk has taken over Twitter and appears to be trashing it. He can afford to trash it. He has Saudi & Chinese financing. Authoritarians tend to hang together. Musk also is proving he’s as much of a financial genius as trump. Ppl likened Twitter to the mythical town square. 1/3

You know, where ppl could speak their minds on any topic. Problems: the town square never was owned by an individual & Musk has reason to destroy it in this crucial time before the mid-terms. Musk…

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Added by Mark Small on November 5, 2022 at 9:37pm — No Comments

Vote: don't let this be our last free election

A couple of scenes in “Casablanca” move me to tears. And when I go the last mile or so of the Mini, same thing happens. In 2020, to see so many in line waiting so long to vote got to me in the same way. This week it got to me, but differently. 1/3

This might be our last free election. Leaders of this iteration of the GOP are bent on absolute rule. Wisconsin’s GOP candidate for Governor promised: “Republicans will never lose another election in Wisconsin after I'm elected governor.”…

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Added by Mark Small on November 3, 2022 at 7:51pm — No Comments

This iteration of the Indiana GOP's silly platform.

Rep Ed De Laney, Democratic incumbent in Indiana’s 86th House District. I am the nominee of the GOP. Tomorrow, 10/31, 11:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m, we shall discuss women’s reproductive rights, the environment, guns, marijuana, and school finance & curricula.

IN GOP’s 2022 platform states the GOP “provides women the greatest freedom and framework for prosperity for themselves and our families” (p. 5) but lauds overturning of Roe (p. 4) and says the GOP’s “long history of electing…

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Added by Mark Small on October 30, 2022 at 7:47pm — No Comments

Conversation between opponents for IN House Distr 86 at 11:30 a.m. on 10/31

Tomorrow, Monday October 31 at 11:30 a.m., an event (perhaps unusual in these times) will occur on Civil Discourse Now (on Facebook and YouTube). Opponents for a seat in the Indiana House of Representatives will have a conversation, without a moderator, about issues. 1/4

Rep Ed De Laney is the Democratic Party nominee and the incumbent in Indiana’s 86th House District. From the GOP will be me, Mark Small. I won the primary. We shall discuss women’s reproductive rights, the…

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Added by Mark Small on October 30, 2022 at 10:45am — No Comments

A Conversation Between Opponents, Mon Oct 31 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

On Monday, October 31 at 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. on
Facebook and on YouTube,
Rep Ed De Laney, of the Democratic Party and
the incumbent in Indiana’s 86th House District,
and Mark Small, nominee of the Republican
Party for that seat, will discuss
Women’s reproductive rights, the environment,
guns, school finance & curricula, and
marijuana.

Added by Mark Small on October 27, 2022 at 8:45pm — No Comments

Vermont has a progressive GOP candidate for U.S. House! I'm not alone.

I’m the pro-choice, pro-green, pro-civil rts, pro-sep’n of church & State, anti-gun GOP nominee for IN House Distr 86 & have been blunt. We can’t abandon one the 2 “major” parties to forces of bigotry & ignorance. I’m not alone. Liam Madden is VT nominee for US House. 1/4

He served in the Marines & has worked in renewable energy, as a farm hand & as a waiter. He served as director of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He’s anti-MAGA GOP nominee for VT’s seat in U.S.…

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Added by Mark Small on October 27, 2022 at 8:15pm — No Comments

This iteration of IN GOP isn't accountable to voters

In 1987's “Predator,” Blain played by (later Minn Gov) Jesse Ventura said the predator was “dug in like an Alabama tick” an apt metaphor for how this iteration of the IN GOP in 2005 used our election laws to grab control of the party & never give it up. If these laws aren’t changed? 1/4

Any political party should be accountable to voters, the most basic way being a take-over by the voters. IN’s GOP was set up to protect the control of a few. “State Committee is the supreme party…

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Added by Mark Small on October 24, 2022 at 8:54pm — No Comments

GOP wasn't based on religion, so MAGA cultists should take care whom they call "trash."

The following invocation occurred at a rally attended by trump ppl at Manheim PA last weekend:

“God, open the eyes of Pres Trump’s understanding, that he will know how to implement divine intervention. And you will not surround him with RINO trash, in the name of Jesus.” NO! 1/7

MAGA ppl, ignorant of origins of the GOP & of U.S. history, are Republicans “in name only.” A 1st meeting of the GOP was held 3/1/1854 & issued & stood: “Resolved, that all of the outrages…

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Added by Mark Small on October 24, 2022 at 12:11pm — No Comments

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