Riots are wrong. I opposed the hundreds of "Black Lives Matter" riots across the country in 2020, including at the White House, which were an effort to force political change. And I opposed the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot (and rally).
Democrats only opposed the latter; they encouraged the former, despite a few perfunctory statements against violence. Then they impeached Trump for the Capitol riot. When that failed, they launched the January 6 Committee.
The committee has arguably done more damage to democracy, and to our constitutional system, than the riot. The riot could never have reasonably hoped to seize or hold power. But the committee's effects could be long-lasting.
The committee was one-sided, composed only of Trump opponents. It abused the civil rights of its witnesses and targets. And several members of the committee were themselves guilty of denying previous election results.
The public didn't need to be told that January 6 was bad. People knew. But the media played along with the committee, allowing it to violate due process and the separation of powers. It is a Star Chamber, a constitutional abomination.
I have argued that the Republicans should keep the committee and call Nancy Pelosi as a witness to find out why the Capitol was undefended. But the GOP is more inclined to dump the whole thing. Good riddance to a terrible scourge.
This week's show will be slightly different from the norm: we'll focus on clips and topics, rather than guests -- and that, hopefully, will mean more input from the callers (unless you are all watching football on opening weekend).
Topics:
- The state of the economy
- The fight against crime
- The midterm election fight
- The struggle for peace between Russia and Ukraine
- The airstrike on the Venezuelan drug cartel
- The attempt to sink Kennedy
- The war in Gaza
- The case against Harvard
- The Trump presidency
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET / 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week's Torah portion includes several laws about conduct in civic and personal life, the common theme of which is boundaries -- setting bounds to what one may do at home, at work, and even in the battlefield.
One noteworthy passage concerns Amalek, the evil nation that attacked the Children of Israel as they made their Exodus from slavery to freedom. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 commands Jews to obliterate Amalek's memory.
The South African government accused Israel of genocide on the basis of a story about Amalek in the Book of Samuel, in which King Saul was commanded to wipe out the entire evil Amalekite nation.
Because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quoted this week's portion -- "Remember what Amalek did to you" (25:17), the South African government claimed he was commanding soldiers to commit genocide.
It was an absurd and malevolent misreading of the Bible and of Jewish tradition. The commandment, as observed by Jews today, is to remember the evil of Amalek and fight ...
