Quote for the Day…

If you’re helping someone and expecting something in return, you’re doing business not kindness. – Unknown

Caught My Eye (CME) is the once-a-week column that is posted every Friday morning. This is when I look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week.

Here are some of the things that “Caught My Eye” this week:

• Great Falls Homeless Issue
• SCOTUS & Guns
• Confidence in U.S. Supreme Court
• January 6 Committee

GREAT FALLS HOMELESS ISSUE:

It was reported by The Electric this week that the First United Methodist Church in downtown Great Falls is withdrawing its conditional use permit (CUP) for an emergency shelter. The city announced that the church is withdrawing their application to revise their plan and submit a new CUP application.

Homeless people were camping on church property, and it caused a tizzy in the neighborhood. Many residents in Great Falls showed their true colors during this time – it was not a good look.

Nonetheless, the ignorance of the haters in the city continues.

One person commenting on social media asked, “can we find out where the pastor is moving and provide these people with bus tickets there?” Nine idiots liked that comment and the owner of the social media page said, “Great idea!”

The pastor is being rotated to a new church. As far as I know, that is typical.

The Electric reported that the church is also making an effort to remove the tent encampment that’s currently on the property to try to reset the situation and develop a CUP application with a more defined structure to address what’s happening at the church property.

That does not mean the homeless situation is over in the Great Falls – they will just move somewhere else in the city. They will probably be back at the church soon. Churches are supposed to help people. God bless Pastor Jeff Wakeley and the members of the First United Methodist Church for doing their part.

We need elected and local government officials to show compassion and leadership. I’ve seen little of either.

SCOTUS & GUNS:

If you follow me on Twitter, then you were one of the first to know the following…

The Associated Press (AP) reported that in a major expansion of gun rights after a series of mass shootings, the Supreme Court said Thursday that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense, a ruling likely to lead to more people legally armed. The decision came out as Congress and states debate gun-control legislation.

It looks like the USA may be heading back to the wild, wild west days. Instead of lunch hours, we can mosey on down to the local park and have a shoot-out!

Yippee Ki Yay!

You can read an explainer of what the decision means HERE.

Read the complete report from the AP HERE.

Read how Reuters reported it HERE.

CONFIDENCE IN U.S. SUPREME COURT:

Gallup reported this week that Americans’ confidence in the court has dropped sharply over the past year and reached a new low in Gallup’s nearly 50-year trend. Twenty-five percent of U.S. adults say they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court, down from 36% a year ago and five percentage points lower than the previous low recorded in 2014.

I believe that is still higher than congress, and that’s not saying much.

Read the report from Gallup HERE.

JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE:

Hey MAGA folks – did you request your pardon?

NBC News is reporting that at its first public hearing, the Jan. 6 committee teased that multiple Republican lawmakers had asked then-President Donald Trump for pardons for their roles in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.

On Thursday, the panel named names and offered specific details about how those requests were made.

The list comprised Trump’s closest congressional allies: Republican Reps. Mo Brooks of Alabama, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

I guess these folks figured they committed a crime and needed a pardon…

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##