TheWiseOldFart

The American people are suffering from many failures caused by the federal government, law enforcement, and the mainstream media. Racism, bigotry, discrimination, Greedflation, the unconscionable high cost of healthcare, life-saving drugs, higher education, and housing have existed for far too long, but the right-wing doesn’t give a damn. Two issues ignored by those in power are rampant in the 21 st century and the greatest danger to our nation’s people are domestic terrorism and domestic violence. Occasionally the media reports incidents of domestic terrorism, but only if the number of deaths and/or serious injuries is great enough to attract the interest of television viewers. The truth is, there are more mass shootings than days on the calendar, and this situation has existed for more than eight years. Never reported by the media are the injuries and deaths resulting from domestic violence. Those who pay attention to the epidemic known as “domestic violence” estimate that the numbe...

  Domestic Terrorism. You don’t hear these two words on television news, and they are seldom included in stories offered by the mainstream media. However, a few years ago, FBI Director, Christopher Wray proclaimed domestic terrorism as “the greatest danger to the American people.” The most obvious acts which confirm the danger of domestic terrorism are the number of mass shootings in our gun-crazed country. Since 2017, there have been more mass shootings than days on the calendar. There have been other acts intended to kill innocent Americans, and last night, New Years Eve, in New Orleans, just outside the French Quarter, a deranged, obviously enraged man drove his truck into a large number of men and women celebrating the New Year. He killed 10 immediately and injured 35 more. When his truck was stopped by law enforcement, he stepped out of the vehicle and shot two police officers before he was killed by gunfire from the other officers present at the scene. This would never have b...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart This time it happened in Alabama. If the perpetrators were Muslim radicals, right-wing politicians would be screaming and demanding that action be taken immediately. However, for those is Washington, it’s just another bloody weekend in “the greatest country in the world.” That’s what politicians tell us. The headline this Sunday: BIRMINGHAM, Alabama. — Four people are dead and 18 others were shot when multiple shooters fired on "people in the open" Saturday night, according to Birmingham police.] Information obtained by law enforcement is leading them to believe that this was not an isolated incident. However, it is not clear who the target might have been, or why it happened. What they do know is multiple shooters began firing into a crowd. Officers believe that many of those injured or killed were innocent bystanders. THE NRA GUN LOBBY, AND RIGHT-WING POLITICIANS OWNED BY THE NRA, WILL LIE, CLAIMING THAT GUNS ARE NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM If you have r...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Where were you, and what were you doing on the morning of September 11, 2001? There are only two days in my 78 years that I remember in detail: November 22, 1963, and September 11, 2001. I was a senior in high school in 1963. I was walking between third and fourth period classes when I learned that President John F. Kennedy had been murdered in Dallas, Texas. Sitting in my fourth period classroom, there was nothing but silence throughout the school. We were eventually sent home. It was a Tuesday and I was out for my morning run in the BLM land just north of my home. As I was returning home, my wife was waving frantically in our front yard. My mother was in hospice care in Idaho, and that was my first thought. When I reached home, my wife just said, “you have to see this.” The top floors of the first tower of the World Trade Center were burning. I couldn’t believe my own eyes. The date was 9/11/01. OUR NATION WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME Not since December 7, 1941, ha...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Red states are a freakin mess. Their priorities are completely wrong for America. Their focus is not on the important issues facing America in 2024. Instead, they spend all their efforts on the agenda of those who call themselves “Republicans” today. “Project 2025” contains a long list of “to dos,” none of which represent the needs and wishes of the majority. Their focus is on escalating racism, bigotry, religious intolerance, white power, and of course what they call “the protection of the Second Amendment.” REPUBLICANS SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM The moronic actions of right-wing extremists in red states include removing all rights for women to decide the mental and physical health of their own bodies, voter suppression, removing American history from our schools, attacks on the LGBTQ community, forcing Christianity on all Americans, and of course open display for the NRA Gun Lobby. Years ago, the FBI revealed that “domestic terrorism is the great...

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart In the United States, a single night’s stay in a hospital will cost $2607. A normal birth of a child, $14,768. The least expensive heart surgery: angioplasty: $28,200. Open heart surgery with a highly rated surgeon: $200,000. Care for Leukemia: annually, $156,000. And the list goes on and on. These are all costs to patients like me who have no healthcare. When my wife and I were eligible for Medicare, healthcare we paid for all of our working years, we could not afford the monthly cost and keep our home. Now we cannot afford the penalties because we couldn't afford it several years ago. Is Medicare a viable option for all seniors? I don’t think so. I believe that no senior American should be required to pay anything for healthcare. I fail to understand politicians when they claim that America is the richest country in the world. I don’t live in that country. If this is true, there is no excuse why the United States is the only country in th...

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart The latest Gallup poll reveals that at least 56 percent of all Americans are in favor of strict controls over gun purchases, and banning assault rifles, high output magazines, and bump stocks. Several years ago, FBI Director Christopher Wray sat before congress and informed our elected officials that “domestic terrorism” is the greatest danger to the American people. The focus was on the growing number of mass shootings in America. A mass shooting is defined as ‘four or more individuals wounded or killed in a single incident involving the use of a gun.’ Over the last seven years, the number of mass shootings is greater than the number of days on the calendar. No place is a safe place in America. Shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants, bars, movie theaters, concerts, the workplace, churches, synagogues, mosques, and schools have been targets for deranged individuals armed with a weapon or weapons of mass destruction. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY AT THE...

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart. I have been writing for newspapers, online publications, and my own blog, “TheWiseOldFart,” for more than 12 years. I haven’t checked, but I have no doubt that I have written more articles about mass shootings and gun violence than any other subject with the exception of America’s biggest enemy, Donald Trump. I am angry, and disgusted that nothing has been done in Washington to ease the pain and fear of millions of our nation’s people. This week has been like any other week in America. Normal men, women, and children have been going about their lives without any idea that this might be their last day on earth, or they might be seriously injured by a bullet from a weapon of mass destruction. Over the Father’s Day weekend and celebrations on Juneteenth 50 Americans were shot and several lives were lost. The most recent assault on our freedom happened on Friday, June 21, in Fordyce, Arkansas.. Three persons were killed and 10 injured at a grocery sto...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Domestic terrorism is the greatest danger to life in America today. Our worthless and corrupt government refuses to take any action against the NRA gun lobby, because campaign donations are more important to them than human life.   This is one major issue which could be solved in a few days, but profits for gun manuf acturers and gun sellers take priority over the safety of the American people.    This week all d oubt was removed about which lobby owns the legislative and judicial branches of our government. Republicans in the House and Senate   ignored a number of mass shootings. In Washington, the Supreme Court struck down a law banning bump stocks. Bowing to the fascist and heartless NRA is a clear statement from right-wing politicians : “you don’t matter to us.”   SENATE REPUBLICANS SINK TO A NEW LOW   Senate Democrats attempted to pass a law which would override the decision by a right-wing biased C ourt. The law w...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I am so f**king tired of writing about domestic terrorism. I am even more disgusted and angry with our government. This threat to the American people can be stopped immediately, but too many of our elected officials are owned by the NRA gun lobby. Once again, profit comes before people. Today, in Chester, Pennsylvania, a disgruntled employee walked into his former place of employment at 8:30 a.m. and shot five people: two of them are in the morgue. His weapon of choice: a semi-automatic handgun. The perp was arrested as he attempted to flee the scene of the massacre. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS THE MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD The above is not an exaggeration. With more mass shootings each year than days on the calendar, and the fact that anyone can purchase these deadly weapons of mass destruction any time in any city in America, makes it unsafe to leave our homes. No place is safe, including churches and schools. The families of those shot today wil...