The Monday Memo

Posted on by

Quote for the day…

Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you. ― Bethany Hamilton

Today’s independent commentary deals with these issues:

  • The Western Word Poll
  • Great Falls Homelessness
  • TikTok
  • Reading Assignments

THE WESTERN WORD POLL:

The Super Bowl is Sunday, February 13, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The kickoff is set for 4:30 pm (Montana time). It will be televised on NBC. (Source)

This week’s poll question asks, “Which team will win Super Bowl LVI?”

The results will be posted later this week.

GREAT FALLS HOMELESSNESS:

The Great Falls Tribune published a story on Friday that caught my attention.

Of course, since the Tribune is supposedly part of the “liberal media” the story will be attacked by the righties from that angle because that’s about the only argument they have. I found the story informative.

I also agree with the following comments from a local pastor:

Pastor Stephen Underwood of Central Christian Church spoke to the commission during the Petitions and Communications portion of the meeting about comments made by Commissioner Rick Tryon during the commission’s last meeting, calling them “morally repugnant” among other claims.

Underwood also added:

Underwood said Tuesday that Tryon’s suggestion to enforce the city’s criminal nuisance ordinance against the church was “morally repugnant, impractical and unconstitutional” and a “blatant attack on religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.”

He also cited a federal court case to strengthen his argument.

Although some do not think it is the city’s job to help the homeless, it was revealed:

During Tuesday night’s meeting, the commission set the date for a public hearing surrounding the allocation of the city’s HOME-ARP funds, $1,026,477 to provide housing, services and shelter to people experiencing homelessness through the American Rescue Plan. This is on top of the city’s annual allocation of $283,494 of HOME funding.

Two weeks ago, I wrote that Great Falls needs strong leadership and compassion to handle this issue. I have not seen that yet from our officials.

Churches in the city are doing their part to help. God bless them! Churches should not be threatened with citations for violating the criminal nuisance ordinance just because someone wants to act tough.

One other thing, please support the churches that are helping these people. I am sure they could use some donations to help feed the homeless folks.

Read the complete report from the Great Falls Tribune HERE.

TIKTOK:

I have a TikTok account and enjoy learning about new things and watching people do dumb things.

One thing I have recently seen is people video recording public places, like police stations, and when the police show up to ask them what they are doing they claim it is their right. Many won’t give names.

I think people doing the videos are dumbasses. I’ve heard many stories of terrorists or want-to-be terrorists recording the activities around public places.

When a police officer asks for identification, you should give it. If there was someone outside your child’s school recording their moves, I think most people would want to police to identify the person for safety reasons.

Over the past several years the respect for authority in this country has gone into the toilet. It should not be that way.

READING ASSIGNMENTS:

Here are some articles/videos that I read/watched over the weekend that you might find interesting…

Montana Standard – Standard view: Don’t blame the messenger
A recent intramural spat within the Montana Republican Party has produced a mendacious but predictable consensus: It’s all the fault of the “leftist media.”

AP – Pence: Trump is ‘wrong’ to say election could be overturned
The GOP may be heading for a civil war…

Real Time (HBO) – New Rule: Apply Precision to the Pandemic
Bill Maher questions why the same people in medicine who, in private care, always say “get a second opinion” want to allow only one in the public debate.

## BE A PATRIOT – WEAR A MASK INDOORS IN PUBLIC PLACES ##

20 thoughts on “The Monday Memo”

  1. Pingback: Thursday Numbers | The Western Word

  3. Jackie – You remarked, “Over the past several years the respect for authority in this country has gone into the toilet.” Might it be because that’s where so much of the “authority” now spends its time?

    Yes, the degradation of integrity and honesty has occurred across the communal spectrum, but the staggering preponderance of that degradation has manifested on the far-right end of that spectrum. The examples of that are visible every day:
    –Greg Hertz: “Medicaid expansion has been a disaster. It helped too many people.”
    –the entire RNC: ‘Insurrection, rioting, and murderous violence are now “legitimate political discourse”, censuring their own members for finding it reprehensible.’
    –Add your own examples to the list – it is virtually endless.

    • Fred – That could be the case. I’ve had my problems with authority over the years, but I have always respected their position. Thanks, JmB

    • Mary – Regarding whether masks are a waste of time? Remember last year’s flu season? No? That’s because there wasn’t one. Now, this year, with so many fewer people consistently wearing masks, we’re into what will probably be a very bad flu season. Agree or not – facts is facts; sick is sick; dead is dead.

    • The circumstantial evidence of flu infections indicates the Covid mitigation measures worked to reduce the transmission of disease. The 2020-2021 flu numbers were way way down from where they were in previous years, when people did not wear masks and take other measures. I also tend to believe that health care professionals have worn masks in surgery and elsewhere for many years because they are proven to prevent the spread of germs.

      “Flu activity was unusually low throughout the 2020-2021 flu season both in the United States and globally, despite high levels of testing. During September 28, 2020–May 22, 2021 in the United States, 1,675 (0.2%) of 818,939 respiratory specimens tested by U.S. clinical laboratories were positive for an influenza virus. The low level of flu activity during this past season contributed to dramatically fewer flu illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths compared with previous flu seasons. For comparison, during the last three seasons before the pandemic, the proportion of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza peaked between 26.2% and 30.3%.”

      https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2020-2021.htm

    • Jcolemanmoore- Thank you! I briefly saw the article, but the paywall kept me from reading it. I hope to see it later. – JmB

  7. I saw the Trib story reporting that admonishment from Pastor Underwood. Good for him. Too many of our right wing elected officials and party leaders and leading media figures call themselves Christian and often quote Old Testament fire and brimstone to justify their positions, but then totally ignore the teachings of that noted liberal Jesus Christ whose name is on the masthead.

    Commissioner Tryon’s suggestion that the congregation of one church should be responsible to find housing for the city’s homeless is a dereliction of duty, in addition to the pastor’s various characterizations. The city has the problem. City leaders should address it.

    Church membership nationally is in decline, thanks in part to Christians giving Christianity a bad name. Declining church membership means churches no longer have the same resources to address public problems like they used to, but the problems still remain.

    • Love this quote regarding JC. So true, but the right wingers refuse to accept it. Can’t have it both ways. Unless of course a certain city commissioner.

      “OK, so if we need to scrub the public library shelves from books that promote the “socialist mentality” and/or contain “narrative accounts of sexual excitement or sexual conduct,” it’s time to round up all the Bibles and lock them away from the children.
      For starters, Jesus was basically Bernie Sanders in open-toed sandals.”

    • Terry – Great points. Christianity took a big hit when many of them backed Trump. I lost many friends because of their blind loyalty to Trump. I believe Christians should pray for all elected officials and country and vote. That’s about it. Thanks, JmB

  8. Homeless situation
    I don’t think someone “wants to act tough.” There’s a problem that will be difficult to remedy for sure. Reading the link to the Federal Case, NYC never alleged there was a nuisance. Their case was based on if the church was sheltering the homeless in violation of city codes that pertained to Shelters.
    Just thinking that if a Nuisance ticket in violation of city codes was issued, it would be heard in the Municipal Court.
    I’ve not visited the church property so. I’m not saying it is a nuisance.
    And the past several years I’ve concentrated all my charitable donations to one good cause, the Great Falls Rescue Mission.

    • Mary – Thanks for your comments. I think we kind of have one person acting like a “mini Trump” on the city commission. Members of the commission need to show some leadership and compassion.
      As for the rescue mission, I used to donate a little their way, but I have read some comments from one of their employees, so I won’t be doing it as long as they are there.
      On another note, I sure hope I see your name on the candidate’s list running for office this year. We need some common sense. Thanks, JmB

      • Ha ha. You will not be seeing my name on a candidate list. I’m thinking I know of which employee you speak. They do great work at the rescue mission. I’ll continue my donations even though I no longer create the homeless in landlord tenant cases.

Comments are closed.