Come Heller high water …
- In an absurd MLive commentary, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy (a more accurate name would be the Mackinac Apologist Center for Far Right Wingnuttery) says we shouldn’t seek to close down the controversial Line 5 gas pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Instead, we should celebrate Enbridge for following regulations thus far. And if we don’t give the company an attaboy? “If companies like Enbridge are criticized for simply obeying regulations and quickly addressing issues,” the commentary says, “there may be unintended negative
consequences. Their experience might give other companies an incentive to act more like Volkswagen — and less like Enbridge. Instead, companies that play by the rules should be encouraged to continue.” That is so breathtakingly stupid, I’m nearly speechless. Nearly. First off, Enbridge isn’t a golden retriever. It shouldn’t need praise to follow the law, although what the heck: “Who’s a good boy! Enbridge is a good boy!” (Better now?) Second, to suggest that “other companies” (of course Enbridge would never do this, right?) might – in the absence of rose petals, ticker tape parades and royal proclamations of congratulations – throw a temper tantrum and intentionally skirt the law, as Volkswagen did by turning off emission controls, is, I’m sorry, just weird. And scary. - By the way, Enbridge is the company that brought you the Kalamazoo River oil spill, one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history. (For the University of Michigan’s study on the potential impact of a spill at the Straits, click the main photo above to see a YouTube video. Or click here.)
- Scientists from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) team say mysterious signal spikes from a star 6 billion light years away could be signs of an advanced civilization. When he heard that, Donald Trump immediately proposed building a wall around the Earth and sending them the bill.
- Scientists always think it’d be cool to find another civilization. But what if that signal is from Trump’s home planet? We could be overrun with bombast and bad ducktails.
- Have you ever noticed how many prescription drug commercials are set in fairs, carnivals and boardwalks? Of course you haven’t. You’re not an overly critical idiot like me. But now that I’ve put the bug in your head, see if you don’t notice the same thing.
- How come when Trump says he’s going to be “humane” about deporting millions of people it sounds like he’s talking about stray dogs or cats?
- Blue Cross Blue Shield, by far the state’s largest insurer, is planning to raise insurance rates nearly 19 percent in Michigan for marketplace buyers. That’s highway robbery of course but when you control 70 percent of the market, you can do what you want. And they are. (To be fair, other carriers are jacking up rates, too.) How come no one notices things like this? (The answer is the media barely mentions them, by the way. Must save room for Trumpisms.)
- Sorry, I can’t gin up much outrage over the backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers not standing for the anthem. That’s his right, right? Same with flag burners. Go ahead. This is America. Protest all you want.
- Every week on my Facebook feed someone posts “Amazing news!” that Ray-Ban is selling its overpriced sunglasses – this week only – for just $24 to benefit charity!” Call me crazy but I think it might just be a scam. I’m smart like that.
- I can’t see how people carrying concealed weapons on the University of Texas campus would inhibit free speech, as some are saying. But I can see how it could cause students to drop classes, switch dorm rooms or leave events. The first thing I do when I see someone open carrying here in Michigan is get the hell away from them. Why? They’re armed, of course, and I don’t know them from Adam. Guess that says it all about my faith in their willingness and ability to protect me if there’s trouble. In my mind, the guy I know is carrying a gun is by default the very first person to worry about. Carry fans can’t seem to grasp that. THEY know they’re not going to shoot someone. Trouble is, we don’t. Mostly, I think they enjoy intimidating people.
- Gene Wilder’s death means the world is a lot less funny. His Willy Wonka was pure evil, comic genius. Still one of the best, most underappreciated performances ever, I say.
- If real guys were like sitcom guys, women would never marry us. Just sayin’.
- “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker.
Image: YouTube
Sorry but I can’t agree with you on the sitting anthem. These guys are watched by millions and millions of people and kids. These athletes should be held to a higher standard. I guess he could burn a flag before the game and that’s his right?
It’s still his right, which was the point, right?
It is his right. And if kid asks why he’s doing it, it’s a wonderful opportunity to say, “Because he’s an ass, son. People are allowed to be asses in this country, which is what makes it great.”
I agree with you Jim. After 13 months in the Nam I came home and the only attention myself and others received were looks of disqust and hate, nice welcome home. Yes I very much believe in the right of free speach and I think that I earned that right. When overpaid underplayed athlete’s just want to draw attention to themselfs. Did I forget party boy? Lets not leave that out. I guess I better cool down B/4 I really get mad. If guys like him wanted to make a better world sitting on his ass is not the answer, get up and do something to make it better, how about that. Go visit a V.A. Hospital, spend one day and see the price of that free speech your so proud of. How about you Mr. Heller I challange you to put a smile on veterans face.
I’m with you, Andy, on all counts in your column, especially the athlete in the spotlight at the moment, who earns verbal abuse for saying America is not great, while a presidential candidate gets rave reviews and cheers and votes for saying the same thing.
Excellent point, Pat.
Where’s the dang like button when you need it?????
The Kaepenick guy not standing for the anthem. It’s not about the anthem, the flag or America. He’s just a sorry piece of humanity trying to make a hero of himself. His reason was that he wants change from “police getting paid leave for killing people”. If he really wants change then he should acknowledge what the real problem is. Young black men being raised without morals, discipline, or fathers. (Every time I see another arraignment of these young men, my heart bleeds for the life they COULD have had under better circumstances.) He needs to go to some of these communities and talk to the mothers and the young men about the problem and how to stop it.
Or better yet, he should put on a police uniform and walk through the streets of Chicago, and then see what the life of a policeman really is about, and the things they face on a daily basis.
Sorry, Kaepernick is not a hero!
I disagree with both Jim and James. If you want mandated allegiance, look to ISIS or Boko Haram or Naziism or South Korea. Our constitution guarantees and encourages peaceful protest. It’s the civil way to bring about change in a democratic society.
I think you mean North Korea?
I agree with you Kathy, you can’t mandate allegiance or patriotism. Jim and James, along with men like my ex-husband who was a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and fought in Viet Nam and the many other brave military men and women who have served over the years, fight for ALL Americans’ rights, not just the ones they agree with. It’s just the way it works. It’s just like I grew up around guns, did competitive target shooting, belonged to the NRA (long ago), and I support the 2nd Amendment, but I don’t agree with people who are mentally ill or on the terror watch list having the right to buy and own a gun. I believe in background checks for all gun sales, even if they take more than three days. Andy I’m with you on all of the above but especially on open carry, it makes me nervous, but the point is they have that right just like Kopaernick has the right to protest the way he is–like it or not. It upsets me when people protest this way or burn the flag, but we agree to disagree and we live with it–that’s one of the things that is great about our country.
I want to say thank you to Jim and James and all the brave men who fought and served in Viet Nam. You’re absolutely right, you were disrespected and treated horribly when you came home from Viet Nam. I remember my ex and his buddies being told not to wear their uniforms when they flew home, but my ex was still spit on at the Los Angeles airport…I think his strong, straight posture, very short haircut and duffel bag gave him away. It still breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes. You guys didn’t deserve what you got from so many Americans…shame on them.
Regarding background checks to purchase firearms: I am in the process of changing my name back to my birth name, and I found that I will be undergoing greater scrutiny to do that than any firearm purchaser must endure. Petition to the court, fingerprinting, background check, etc., and that is expected to take weeks. Apparently fear of identity theft is of greater concern than of any mentally ill or criminal getting hold of a firearm?
If the football player really wants to make a difference, he should adopt an inner city school. Let him put his money somewhere productive.
Wow! The discussion today is great! All the points that come across have merit. Lucky for you, my fellow commenters, I continued to write about the wide and varied interpretation of the laws of our country. I got carried away, and due to it’s length I deleted everything but this.
Personally, I don’t think anthem sitting , flag burning and many other insults spewed against our country by word or action should be “rights” as some of you see them. But Andrew’s explanation is priceless–it covers everything!
I’m an Army veteran, proud American and at first blush I thought the SF QB was a jerk for sitting during the national anthem. On second thought he’s still a jerk,… although I respect his right to do so it seems detrimental to the purpose. Colin needs to stand up and do something more, sure he drew attention to the issue but just standing there, (or sitting there) pointing fingers is not the answer as it’s more divisive than productive.
That SF QB has a right to not to stand during the playing of the national anthem
Just as it is the right of those who chose not purchase or burn items that have his number on them.
He was complaining about the number of blacks being shot by the police as way too many.
In more than one study, they state that more whites are killed by police each year than blacks.
The cousin of the NFL football player murdered by the 2 gangbangers must have figured out to buy the weapon used to murder her.
Of course Chicago does have some of the strongest gun control laws in the nation. It also has the the highest black on black murder/killing rate in the nation. It is also ran by democrats.
As to the Enbridge pipes underneath the bridge area, those pipes need to be really looked at to be sure that they are really safe.
I would not trust a “pipeline engineer” that has been hired by Enbridge to certify their worthiness to carry any kind of chemical through them. I would not trust those pipes to even carry water through them. They are over 60 years old, plus being underwater means that much more corrosion possible.
Andrew so it seems that you can hardly control your bladder when you see a law abiding citizen carrying a gun.
All I am going to say on this matter is that if a bad situation comes up and you are in the middle of it you had better hope that some peaceful law abiding citizen comes to your aid. If not then just hold up you gun free zone sign and hope for the best.
I am an army veteran. I have looked down on the wrong end of a rifle barrel on more than one occasion. The rifles were not held by another American.
Been shot at a couple of times also.
One time was on the north end of Flint in 1998. Gangbangers were upset at someone.
Strange that folks are upset by open carry, but not by the many potential heroes that do practice concealed carry. Appearances scare folks, I guess. One of eight concealed carriers, in his lifetime, needs to use his weapon in his defense, or defense of a neighbor.
They are upset by seeing someone sitting, but not by reading about 20-60 people being shot each weekend in places like Chicago and Detroit. Or by the drugs and gangs causing most of the shootings.
Cal, it’s not strange at all. You know that. The norm is not for people to walk around with guns. So when we see a gun, it’s pretty normal to think, “Crap, I don’t know this guy and he’s armed to the teeth.” And why would you think people aren’t bothered by people being shot in Chicago or Detroit? Of course they are.