“We do not seek to liberate blacks at the price of the humiliation of the whites.” -Martin Luther King
Unbiased civil liberties and rights is the most fundamental value for Americans. Yet sixty years ago, American citizens of all races, ages, sexes, colors, and religions were not entitled to harvest these benefits equally. In a republican nation where the majority could not disenfranchise the minority, it took average white and Black citizens to mitigate and rectify these heretical societal incongruities.
Martin Luther King united people of all colors to crusade against the Democrats’ segregation in the South, which powered the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While the evils of segregation died with the Civil Rights Movement, The Civil Rights Act outlawed all discrimination against Americans based upon gender, race, color, age, nationality, religion and political beliefs. Unfortunately, too few realize this.
Former segregationist Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. But by the end of his first term in office, riots had broken out around our nation. His efforts to compensate for years of segregation and discrimination failed miserably.
“A leopard cannot change his stripes.” – Al Gore
Woke history does not reveal that Richard Nixon shaped the civil-rights landscape of today. He desegregated schools and nationalized the Voting Rights Act. He gave billions to Black colleges. He created affirmative action hiring and education goals for government colleges and business.
From Nixon’s friendship with Martin Luther King, to his last days in office shadowed by Watergate, Nixon made time to meet with Black college presidents to see how he could best execute the Civil Rights Act. Black business leader Robert Brown, Nixon’s head of the civil rights commission, said, “Richard Nixon did more for middle class Black America than any president in American history.”
Since Richard Nixon left office, we’ve had affirmative action programs and federal mandates to “fill quotas” for corporations, college admissions and hiring. Although The Civil Rights Act protects the rights of all Americans equally, progressives tell identity groups it did nothing for them. If you dare to challenge a progressive about their lies, deception and disinformation, they claim you are racist.
Wokes purposely wrote Richard Nixon’s civil rights accomplishments out of history. If they didn’t, they could never accuse white people and the GOP of racism against Blacks: Yet they benefited most from them.
“A good job and a good education are important civil rights.” – Richard Nixon
Progressives say the Civil Rights Act is racist since it protects everyone equally. Their new social formula is “DEI.” Since “quotas” are unconstitutional, to appeal to identity groups, they call quotas “diversity.” They equate “equality” as more “ethnic groups” than whites. The newest twist in their portfolio is “inclusion.” All identity groups should feel happy and cared for in school and on the job.
Since most colleges are breeding grounds for new progressives, they have no problems with DEI requirements. Although DEI provisions are unconstitutional, they flaunt them proudly. And it’s also contagious. Since the election of Barack Obama, corporations now have DEI requirements also.
You can’t force a job applicant to say they will engage in social engineering. Yet DEI testaments are part of applications for college admission and for academic jobs. DEI testaments say you will cohere to the tenets of DEI. You are judged on how you will adhere to a companies enforcement of Critical Race Theory. They are read and judged before work experience and academic credentials are ever assessed.
“We hire the best people for the job and never think of their race.” – Steve Jobs.
If you don’t meet the companies social philosophy for DEI, your job application will be trashed. No applicant who says they “will treat all people equally” will be hired. You dare not repeat what Dr. King said: “People should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin.”
Companies designate specific jobs for ethnic applicants, which is against the law. They know it is illegal but do it to appease wokes and not fall in disfavor with government and liberal media.
“We seek to liberate American society and to help all people liberate themselves.” – Martin Luther King
It isn’t surprising that most diversity programs aren’t increasing diversity. Despite a few new bells whistles and buzz words used by big tech data firms, companies are basically doubling down on the same approaches they’ve used since the 1960s. DEI testaments are just for widow dressing.
Harvard business school analyzed three decades of data from over 800 U.S. firms and consulted with hundreds of HR managers. The majority said DEI doesn’t work. They believe they get better results without control tactics. It’s more effective for managers to solve problems with on-the-job contact with female and minority workers. This promotes fair and unbiased social accountability.
HR managers claimed that’s why interventions, such as targeted college recruitment, mentoring programs, self-managed teams, and task forces have boosted diversity in businesses. The most effective solutions aren’t designed with diversity in mind. They work because they don’t have to meet ethnic or gender quotas. Neither the interviewer nor applicant is intimidated or pressured.
Freethinker Robert Ingersoll once said, “An opportunity given to one is taken from another.” The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed to protect the rights of all Americans equally. Richard Nixon created programs to address concerns about enforcing it. The quota systems of the 60s and 70s worked for some and deprived others of opportunities and that is why they were declared illegal.
Major league sports is dominated by minority athletes, especially professional basketball. Should an owner of an NBA franchise be forced to have an equal number of white and Black players on his team? During the next NFL draft, will they make team owners choose players by race or ethnicity?
According to Census data, white men make up 31% of the population while Black men make up 8%. Since white males have all but disappeared from TV commercials, does DEI mean that we must reverse this lopsided trend and start giving acting jobs to more white male Americans again?
Employers should focus recruitment efforts on sources that are likely to provide a diverse pool of candidates. But they cannot legally state a preference for candidates of any race or gender. Ideally, targeted recruitment will increase the diversity of the candidate pools from which an employer is selecting. Through a neutral selection process, the workforce will naturally become more diverse. Besides being unconstitutional, there is no need to implement arbitrary hiring goals or use race in any way in the hiring process. Any hiring practice that looks like a quota is a quota.
“Please forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.” – Robert Frost
Article cross-posted from The Center Square.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
