Nitrogen Hypoxia Is a Painless Way to Die

January 25, 2024 3:16pm

Before this day is done, Alabama will execute Kenneth Eugene Smith. Smith, along with John Forrest Parker, stabbed Elizabeth Sennett to death inside her home in Colbert County, Alabama on March 18, 1988. The payment for that murder-for-hire was $1000.

Upon conviction, they were both sentenced to death. Parker was executed via lethal injection in June 2010. But when officials tried to carry out the execution of Smith in November 2022, they could not get a needle into his vein before the death warrant expired, so the execution was aborted. His execution was eventually scheduled for today.

What makes tonight's execution notable is that it will be the first nitrogen hypoxia execution in the United States. Nitrogen hypoxia is a very painless way to die. Nitrogen is an inert gas with no taste or smell. The air we breath is 78% nitrogen, so the human body is conditioned to inhale it. Via a facemask, Smith will inhale pure nitrogen. The resulting lack of oxygen will cause his painless death. The pain a person feels during suffocation is not due to a lack of oxygen. It is due to a build-up of carbon dioxide. Because execution via nitrogen hypoxia does not build up carbon dioxide, the prisoner will painlessly lose consciousness as if going to sleep. He'll just never wake up. It inflicts less pain than the needle used for lethal injection does. How do we know this? Because when workers die from nitrogen hypoxia in industrial accidents, they show no signs whatsoever of distress or attempts to escape the affected area. Unconsciousness just sneaks up on them without warning.

So, unlike the extremely painful death Smith inflicted upon Mrs. Sennett 36 years ago, he will die tonight with no physical pain whatsoever. It seems like a good way to go. But if the Constitution didn't prohibit it, I'd be fine if he was stabbed to death. For the record, if it was up to me, every state in the nation would impose mandatory death penalties for all people convicted of murder, attempted murder, aggravated sexual battery, and arson. And it would be carried out swiftly with none of this "36 years on death row" crap. Because to allow such people to live means society values the life of the guilty more than it values the life of the innocent.

Your Credit Card Rewards May Soon Be Taken From You

January 20, 2024 9:31am

Do you enjoy getting reward points, airline miles, statement credits, or cash back when you use a credit card to make purchases? I do. But there is an effort in Congress to eliminate credit card reward programs as we know it. Senate Bill 1838, the Credit Card Competition Act, is sponsored by Senator Dick Durban (D-IL). Co-sponsors are Peter Welch (D-VT), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and JD Vance (R-OH).

When someone uses a credit card to make a $100 purchase, it costs the consumer $100. But the merchant doesn't get the full $100. The merchant receives $96 - $99. The other 1% - 4% of the transaction retained by the credit card processor is the "merchant discount rate." They are informally referred to as "swipe fees." Some of that retained money from such interchange fees pays for the secure technology infrastructure that processes credit card transactions along with certain fraud protections. But almost half of that money is used to fund credit card reward programs. 82% of American adults have at least one credit card. 84% of them have one with rewards. So credit card reward programs are obviously quite popular.

But the Credit Card Competition Act would result in the elimination or serious reduction in credit card rewards. The proposed legislation in Congress would require credit card issuing financial institutions with assets above $100 billion to allow transactions over at least two credit card networks, with at least one not being the Visa or Mastercard networks. Curiously, the bill would not apply to American Express or Discover.

Senator Durbin argues that by forcing network competition, rates will go down, and consumers will save money. While that may seem like a logical outcome to expect, history suggests otherwise. In 2010, it was Senator Durbin's amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act that forced lower swipe fees for debit card transactions. He argued that it was low income people who used debit cards the most, and that they'd miraculously have more money if swipe fees were lowered. But what actually happened was the elimination of reward programs for debit cards and increased fees on checking accounts. There's no such thing as a free lunch, so something had to offset the losses imposed by the government-mandated reduction in swipe fees. In the end, the low-income people that Durbin claimed to care so much about were financially worse off after his do-gooder legislation meddled in the market. He now wants to do the same thing to credit cards.

But the harm that would come from passage of the Credit Card Competition Act goes far beyond those of us who enjoy getting rewards on our credit card purchases. There would be other serious harm to the economy. Yet this threat has received very little attention in the media. So on today's radio show, I discussed the bill and its harmful effects with Nick Simpson, the Managing Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Electronic Payments Coalition. That interview is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/240120

More information is also available at www.ElectronicPaymentsCoalition.org, www.ProtectUSTourism.com, and www.HandsOffMyRewards.com

Trump's Victory in Iowa Is the First Step to His Defeat

January 16, 2024 2:49pm

Donald Trump's victory in yesterday's Republican caucus in Iowa surprised no one. He has lead in the polls consistently since he announced his bid to return the The White House. With 51% of the vote, Donald Trump secured 20 of Iowa's 40 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Coming in second place at 21%, Ron DeSantis received 9 delegates. Third place Nikki Haley, who won 19% of the vote, got 8 delegates. And Vivek Ramaswamy walked away with 7% of the vote and 3 delegates, but he literally walked away in that he withdrew from the race. Asa Hutchinson and Chris Christie also withdrew. But none of those specifics matter.

It is inevitable that Donald Trump will receive the party's nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He will secure it long before the July convention, however. Along the way, it is certain he will win the Republican primaries and caucuses in every state in the union. The only unknown is what his margins of victory will be.

While Trump supporters are excited about the Iowa win and his upcoming victories elsewhere, I am not. It is understandable why Trump is so popular among Republican voters. He accomplished a lot of good during his four years as President. He has been viciously and unjustly persecuted by the Democrats and their allies in the propaganda press. Federal and state governments have been weaponized against him before, during, and after his time in office. And the 2020 election was stolen from him via the loosey-goosey processes and procedures used to conduct the unconstitutional elections. That's not just my opinion, it is the opinion of courts in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. The people who support Donald Trump see how he has been mistreated, so they view him winning in 2024 as righting some of the wrongs committed against him. That enthusiastic support will easily win him the Republican nomination. But when the entire country gets to vote in the general election on November 5th, he will get slaughtered. And Biden will get four more years.

Almost half the Republicans in Iowa voted for a candidate other than Donald Trump. And because the vote was in the form of a caucus rather than a primary, only the hardcore Republicans participated. Think about what that means. If half the hardcore Republicans don't want Trump to be President again, how many independents will?

In modern elections, 30% of the electorate will vote for the Republican no matter what. 40% will vote for the Democrat no matter what. The fight is for the 30% in the middle. That middle will not support Trump in sufficient numbers for him to win in November.

Yes, I am aware that current polls show Trump defeating Biden. But the election is nearly ten months from now, and that middle is not yet paying attention. But after the Republicans crown Trump as the party's nominee, Hollywood, academia, the plethora of left-wing organizations, and their allies in the propaganda press will launch an all out attack on Donald Trump. The voters will be reminded, often inaccurately, about all the bad things Donald Trump has said and done. Not only that, but sometime before election day, Donald trump will be found guilty of multiple felonies. Never before has a convicted felon sought the Presidency of the United States as the nominee of a major political party. Like the charges, those guilty verdicts will be politically motivated and legally erroneous. And those convictions will eventually be overturned by an appellate court. But that will occur long after election day; long after the Left has succeeded with their weaponization of the legal system to eliminate their chief political opponent. Tragically, the entire 2024 election will be all about Donald Trump. Well, everything except the victor.

This post is not sour grapes because I want Ron DeSantis in The White House, although I do. This is about the Republican electorate foolishly nominating the one person who cannot defeat Joe Biden in November. Trump's supporters are well-intentioned. They are patriots who love America and believe only Donald Trump can save it. But the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And the road we're on is to another four years of Hell with Joe Biden in office.

USS Yorktown (CV-10): "The Fighting Lady"

December 30, 2023 9:19am

The aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) is the centerpiece of the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. She has been here since 1975, five years after being decommissioned.

Her keel was laid down one week before Pearl Harbor was attacked. Newport News Shipbuilding completed construction very quickly, as she was commissioned just 16 1/2 months later on April 15, 1943. She is one of five ships named "Yorktown" that have served in the United States Navy over the years. This "Yorktown" was named for the USS Yorktown (CV-5) that sunk at the Battle of Midway.

During her 22 years of active service in the U.S. Navy, which spanned from World War II to Vietnam, Yorktown engaged in numerous battles. Among her more notable engagements were the Battle of the Philippine Sea (better known as the "Marianas Turkey Shoot"), Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. In 1968, a Sikorsky Sea King helicopter from the USS Yorktown recovered Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders after they splashed down in the Pacific following their orbit around the moon.

While on board the USS Yorktown, I sat down with the Director of Collections and Curatorial Affairs and the Exhibits Manager to discuss the history of the ship. That interview aired on WPNN Radio this morning and is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231230

Today's Orange Bowl is NOT Georgia v. Florida State!

December 30, 2023 5:11am

On December 2nd, the Michigan Wolverines beat Iowa in the Big 10 Championship Game; the Washington Huskies beat Oregon in the Pack 12 Championship Game; the Texas Longhorns beat Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game; the Alabama Crimson Tide beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game; and the Florida State Seminoles beat Louisville in the ACC Championship Game.

The next day, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee chose Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama to compete for this season's national championship. The Michigan Wolverines are ranked #1, so they'll play the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl on January 1st. The Washington Huskies are ranked #2, so they'll take on the #3 Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl, which is also on New Year's Day. The winners of those two semi-final games will face each other in the National Championship Game January 8th in Houston. Where are the Florida State Seminoles??? Why aren't they in the playoffs???

There are five Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, and SEC). But since only four playoff slots exist, one conference champion must be left out. This year, the Power Five conferences have three undefeated teams. All three deserve to play for the national championship. Undefeated Michigan EARNED a spot (if we ignore their cheating). Undefeated Washington EARNED a spot. And undefeated Florida State EARNED a spot.

So the first three teams to make the playoffs should have been automatic: Michigan, Washington, and Florida State. Who should have gotten the fourth playoff berth? Well, obviously not Georgia because Georgia didn't win their conference. So the question of which Power Five conference champion should have gotten the fourth slot should have been between Texas and Alabama. Texas and Alabama each won their conference championships, but both have a loss. If head to head play means anything, then that should have been an easy selection too. Texas beat Alabama during the regular season. So under no circumstances should Alabama be in the playoffs but not Texas. Well, Texas is in the playoffs. But why is Alabama? Why did Alabama get in over Florida State? It makes no sense. Does what happens on the field mean nothing to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee???

The Committee said they made their decision based largely upon Florida State's starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, being injured and out for the season. But Florida State ended the season undefeated and won the ACC Conference Championship with their third string quarterback! Florida State was improperly and inexcusably excluded. Why?

For Florida State to be denied a berth they earned on the field by a bunch of elitist jackasses at a conference table makes a mockery of the sport. Why even play? Why try to win? Why not just let some committee vote you to victory, huh? Or in the case of the Seminoles, vote you out of a chance to earn the victory on the field. Florida State should be in the final four not Alabama. And it's disgusting they aren't. When the undefeated Seminoles won the ACC Championship Game, the committee said "Screw you. We want Bama."

That snub has caused at least 23 Florida State players to opt out of today's Orange Bowl. So today's game will NOT be Georgia v. Florida State because the Florida State team of the 2023 season has largely disbanded. It will be a shell of the Seminoles team against a mostly intact Bulldogs team. Georgia has players not playing today also. But they are almost all benchwarmers seeking transfers to schools where they can get play time. The Florida State players missing the game are almost all starters. If the Seminoles weren't screwed out of their rightful opportunity to compete for a National Championship, those players would be playing in the post-season. But since the Orange Bowl is meaningless, they have chosen not to.

I expect Florida State to get crushed today. That will then be perceived as "See, Florida State sucks! The committee made the right decision excluding them!" But the truth is that the team playing today is not the team that would be playing if they hadn't been robbed by the Committee. That said, Go Noles! >>>-----;;->

Colorado Supreme Court Unconstitutionally Kicked Trump Off the Ballot

December 19, 2023 11:18pm

The Colorado Supreme Court issued its decision in Anderson v. Griswold today. The state's high court concluded that Donald Trump's connection to the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol constituted an insurrection and thus made him ineligible for the presidency based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The court ordered Donald Trump to be removed from Colorado's Republican primary scheduled for March 5th.

All seven Colorado Supreme Court justices were appointed by Democrat governors. But even with that fully partisan Supreme Court, it was a 4-3 decision. A 4-3 decision has the same legal effect as a 7-0 decision. But it indicates the case is not the slam dunk, anti-Trump victory the Democrats are celebrating it as. That three of the seven Democrats on the court did NOT believe Trump should be removed shows how weak the argument that he's ineligible really is.

When the violence at The Capitol happened, and for months afterwards, everyone called it a "riot." Even the journalists posing as activists in the propaganda press called it a riot. But then all of a sudden that changed. The Democrats and the media - my apologies for being redundant - stopped calling it a riot and started calling it an insurrection. Why? Because some Leftist Democrat think tank came up with the idea that if January 6th was an insurrection, then the 14th Amendment could be used to disqualify Donald Trump from ever serving in office again. So the first time I heard the word "insurrection" used, I knew the Democrats would try a specious 14th Amendment claim to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot. No, I'm not a prophet. It was just that easy to see the legal tactic they were brewing. I wrote about that possibility in my blog on November 18, 2022.

The court removed Trump from the ballot only for the primary election not for the general election. That matters because even if Trump doesn't appear on Colorado's presidential primary ballot, he could still be on the general election ballot in November. A candidate can lose a state's primary but win enough delegates in other states to secure the party's nomination and then appear on the ballots of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. So this ruling, even if it stands, does not mean Trump has no chance of winning Colorado's ten Electoral College votes in November's general election. But having lost Colorado in both 2016 and 2020, it is safe to say he wouldn't win it next year even if he is on the ballot. But I am certain the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn Colorado’s blatantly partisan attempt to remove Trump from the ballot. And there are many reasons why.

The January 6th riot at The Capitol was stupid. It was illegal. And it was pointless. But it was not an insurrection. "Insurrection" is not some nebulous word the Trump-haters get to throw around in pursuit of disqualifying him from ever holding office again. Under the law, insurrection is a very specific crime. It is a violation of Title 18 U.S. Code Section 2383. But violating that law was not included in ANY of the 91 charges against Trump. Why not? Because not a single prosecutor believed Trump's actions vis a vis the January 6th riot violated that law. Why not? Because he didn't engage in insurrection!

So on those grounds alone, the U.S. Supreme Court should invalidate Colorado's decision. But there are other reasons also. Words matter in the law. Details matter. When U.S. Supreme Court justices consider the EXACT verbiage of the Constitution, the exact verbiage of the law, and the exact facts of the case, there is no way an impartial judge could possibly support what the bitterly partisan, yet divided, Colorado Supreme Court just did.

The 14th Amendment doesn't apply to the President. Seriously. If you examine the exact words of the Constitution, it is quite clear the presidency is not included on either side of the 14th Amendment's disqualification clause. It doesn't apply to a person even if he engaged in insurrection while President. And it doesn't prevent a person who engaged in insurrection from serving as President. How can that be?

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment says, "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."

Was Donald Trump a member of Congress? No. Was Donald Trump an officer of the United States? No. Was Donald Trump a member of any State legislature? No. Was Donald Trump an executive or judicial officer of any State? No. So the 14th Amendment doesn't apply to Donald Trump! The only position in government Donald Trump has ever held was President. And the President does not take an oath to "support the Constitution".

The Founders who wrote and ratified the Constitution of the United States included verbiage that required an oath for federal and state officials. But the specific wording of such oaths was only specified for the President. Specific wording for oaths for all other positions was not included. So the First Congress, in its very first act, specified the wording for Senators and Representatives. This is what they required by law: "I, [name], do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States.” That oath was used for all federal officials except the President.

The wording of the required oath has changed many times since that first act of Congress. Since 1966, as prescribed in Title 5, Section 3331 of the United States Code, the wording is, "I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” That is the oath for all federal government officials EXCEPT the President. The President has a different oath; the one prescribed in the Constitution itself.

That Presidential oath (Article II, Section 1, Clause 8) is "Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Did you notice its specific words? The oath for President is to "preserve," "protect," and "defend" the Constitution of the United States. Nowhere in that oath does the word "support" appear.

Article VI, Clause 3 says, “The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Notice the word "support" is required.

Then, after the Civil War when the 14th Amendment was written, discussed, and passed in the U.S. House and Senate; and was then discussed, and ratified by 3/4 of the states, specific words were used. They were not willy-nilly thrown together. They were used with very deliberate intent. They were carefully chosen to describe and put into effect via the Supreme Law of the Land, the intent of both the national and state legislatures. And what word was not included in it? The word "support."

That the President is not subject to 14th Amendment disqualification is further supported by the Constitution never referring to the President as an "officer of the United States." Indeed it implicitly states the President is NOT an "officer of the United States." Article II, Section 2, Clause 2, states the President shall have power to appoint "ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, AND ALL OTHER OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE NOT HEREIN OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, and which shall be established by Law..." This indicates the Constitution dos not consider the elected President to be an "officer."

Additionally, Article II, Section 3 says the President "shall commission all the Officers of the United States." Because the President does not commission himself but does commission "ALL the Officers of the United States," he is clearly not an "officer of the United States.”

But there's more. Article II, Section 4 says, "The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." If the Constitution considered the President to be an officer, it would have said "The President, Vice President and all OTHER civil officers of the United States" or "all civil officers, including the President and Vice President." But it doesn't say either of those. It says "The President, Vice President AND all civil Officers of the United States." Clearly, the President is not "an officer of the United States" and is therefore, not subject to the 14th Amendment's disqualification clause.

Why? Because the 14th Amendment applies only to insurrectionists who were "a member of Congress," "an officer of the United States," "a member of any state legislature," or "an executive or judicial officer of any State." And what does it prevent those people from being? A "senator or representative in Congress," an "elector of President and Vice President," or "any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State." It does not disqualify someone from the Presidency. Sorry, Trump-haters. The Constitution means what it says not what you wish it said.

There are also other grounds for overturning Colorado's erroneous decision. A state does not have the authority to disqualify a person from the presidential ballot based on a claim that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment prohibits service as President. Why not? Because Section 5 of the 14th Amendment says, "The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article." Who has the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of the 14th Amendment? CONGRESS. Who else? NOBODY.

But what about precedent? Has a state court ever refused to put someone on the ballot for the presidency because the person wasn't qualified to serve? Yes. And do you know what state did it? Colorado! Yep. And the Colorado Supreme Court cited that instance in its ruling that Trump was ineligible. But the case they cited has little to do with the Trump case. The case they cited was Hassan v. Colorado.

Page 31 of today’s 133 page decision of the Colorado Supreme Court says, "several courts have expressly upheld states’ ability to exclude constitutionally ineligible candidates from their presidential ballots." The decision then went on to cite cases where courts did uphold the ability of states to exclude constitutionally ineligible candidates from their presidential ballots. Theses are the cases they cited:

1) California’s refusal to place a twenty-seven year-old candidate on the presidential ballot.

2) Illinois' refusal to place a thirty-one year-old candidate on the presidential ballot.

3) Colorado's refusal to place a naturalized citizen on the presidential ballot.

It is that Colorado case, Hassan v. Colorado that the uninformed Leftists are so excited about because Supreme Court Justice Neal Gorsuch ruled in favor of Colorado in that case. He wasn't on the Supreme Court at the time. But he ruled in that case as a member of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. And the Democrats are saying Neal Gorsuch couldn't possibly reverse himself in the Trump case.

But that argument is without merit. Did you notice what that Colorado case and the other two cases had in common? Colorado refused to place a naturalized citizen on the presidential ballot. California refused to place a twenty-seven-year-old candidate on the presidential ballot. And Illinois refused to place a thirty-one year-old candidate on the presidential ballot.

The obvious commonality of those three cases is that they all had to do with the objectively obvious and provable qualifications for President laid out in the Constitution. There only three constitutional requirements to be President. Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 says, "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

Since nobody who was a citizen of the United States at the time the Constitution was adopted is still alive today, the only requirements to be President are being a natural born citizen, being at least 35 years old, and having at least 14 years as a resident within the U.S. Those are all very obvious and very provable.

In the California case, the wannabe candidate was 27 years old. He was too young. In the Illinois case, the wannabe candidate was 31 years old. He was also too young. In the Colorado case, the wannabe candidate was a naturalized citizen not a natural born citizen. He was not eligible because he wasn't born in the United States (he was born in Guyana) .

It is that Hassan v. Colorado case the justices on the Colorado Supreme Court are misrepresenting. Page 32 of the decision says, "As then-Judge Gorsuch recognized in Hassan, it is a state’s legitimate interest in protecting the integrity and practical functioning of the political process that permits it to exclude from the ballot candidates who are constitutionally prohibited from assuming office. The question then becomes whether Colorado has exercised this power through the Election Code. We conclude that it has."

But let's get into some details of that Hassan v. Colorado case. Abdul Karim Hassan wanted to run for President of the United States in 2008. But as a naturalized citizen, he was constitutionally ineligible to serve. Ergo, the State of Colorado refused to put his name on the ballot. Hassan sued the State of Colorado asserting that the natural-born-citizen requirement, and its enforcement through state law barring his access to the ballot, violated the Citizenship, Privileges and Immunities, and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.

On its face, it does seem like naturalized citizens do NOT receive equal protection vis a vis eligibility to be President. But the Constitution elsewhere says natural born citizens can't be President. End of discussion. If it was a statute that banned naturalized citizens from serving as President, that would violate the equal protection clause. But since it is the Constitution itself that bans it and not a statute, Hassan lost.

Neal Gorsuch was one of three judges who ruled against him and in favor of Colorado's right to keep him off the ballot. For what it's worth, Hassan also applied to be on New Hampshire's ballot and was denied there too; for the same reason. So he sued New Hampshire also. And he lost in the case of Hassan v. New Hampshire too. But since a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice wasn't involved in that New Hampshire case, nobody seems to care about it. I only know about it because when I read the Colorado Supreme Court's mention of Hassan v. Colorado, I looked up that case and read it. In researching the case, I came across the New Hampshire case too. Abdul Hassan's status as a naturalized citizen was never disputed by anyone; not even by Hassan. So Gorsuch and the other two judges had only one way to decide the case; to decide against Hassan.

But Trump's eligibility under the 14th Amendment is in dispute, albeit only by bitter partisans who are pulling out all the stops trying to prevent him from winning a second term. The Trump case is not a question of eligibility. It is a question of what qualifies as an "insurrection." And in no way, shape, matter, form, or regard do Trump's actions vis a vis the Capitol riot of January 6th constitute an insurrection.

To be clear, disqualification of a candidate based on the 14th Amendment does not require a judicial insurrection charge or conviction. But it does require the person to have engaged in insurrection or rebellion. And despite the lie being repeated so often, Trump did not. And neither did anyone else that day.

More than a thousand people have been charged with crimes for being at the Capitol on January 6th. How many were charged with insurrection? Zero. Not the President. Not anybody. Why not? Because the January 6th riot, while stupid and criminal, was not an insurrection under any sane definition. The only people calling it an insurrection are the Leftists who are trying to unconstitutionally remove someone they hate from the ballot. That includes the Democrats, most of the press, and four of the seven Democrat judges on the Colorado Supreme Court. But three judges on that court did dissent. Justice Carlos Samour wrote in his dissent, "Procedural due process is one of the aspects of America’s democracy that sets this country apart. The decision to bar former President Donald J. Trump by all accounts the current leading Republican presidential candidate (and reportedly the current leading overall presidential candidate) - from Colorado’s presidential primary ballot flies in the face of the due process doctrine.... I have been involved in the justice system for thirty-three years now, and what took place here doesn't resemble anything I've seen in a courtroom."

Justice Samour is correct. Four of the seven Colorado Supreme Court Justices made an unconstitutional and indefensible ruling based solely on the Democrat Party's hate and contempt for Donald Trump. But the U.S. Supreme Court will certainly overturn it, assuming they rule in time. Colorado's primary is March 5th. But a decision would need to be rendered by January 5th because that's the deadline for Colorado to print its presidential primary ballots.

What the all-Democrat Colorado Supreme Court did - and what Democrats in many other states are trying to do - is to remove Donald Trump from the ballot based on this phony 14th Amendment insurrectionist nonsense. But even when that effort fails, the Democrats will have benefited. All these court battles are costing Trump and the Republicans time, money, and effort that would be better spent on a campaign to reach voters rather than on lawyers to defeat these baseless and frivolous attempts to remove the leading candidate of a major political party from the ballot. That is something third-world countries do. It is not something the United States does. Shame on the Democrats for attempting it.

I do not want Donald Trump to be President again. But this effort to twist the Constitution of the United States to prevent him from being on the ballot is disgraceful. And disgusting. And dangerous. Sadly, in today's Amerika, it is par for the course.

Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery

December 10, 2023 11:19pm

On December 16th, volunteers will lay wreaths at veterans' graves in national cemeteries throughout the country as part of the Wreaths Across America program. But today, family of a veteran buried at Arlington could place a single wreath at the relative's grave.

With this being the first Christmas since my father died, my mother wanted to personally place a wreath at his grave. So I, along with my mother, wife, and oldest son, placed the wreath against his headstone this afternoon. It was our first time at Arlington since the funeral on July 27th. The weather today was awful. But the pouring rain washed away many tears. Rest in peace, Dad. We love you and miss you.

Florida State Football Got Screwed

December 9, 2023 8:58am

Those vile, corrupt jackasses on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee who put one-loss Alabama into the championship series while leaving undefeated Florida State out are a disgrace.

The Power Five conferences have three undefeated teams. All three deserve to play for the national championship. Michigan EARNED a spot (if we ignore their cheating). Washington EARNED a spot. And Florida State EARNED a spot. Texas and Alabama each won their conference championships, but both have a loss. Because Alabama's loss was to Texas, Texas should get in over Alabama. Well, Texas is in. So the real question is why did Alabama get in over Florida State?

It makes no sense. Does what happens on the field mean nothing to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee??? That has never happened before. Never before has an undefeated Power Five team not gotten a berth in the top four to play for a Natty.

Oh, but Mike! It's different this year. Florida State ended the season with their third string quarterback! Yeah, and they won the conference championship anyway. And while people might say, "Yeah well, Brock Glenn sucked, it was the defense that won that game," they'd be correct. The Seminole defense did win that game. And Glenn did play poorly. But the team still won the game. And won the ACC Championship. And remained undefeated. And for the committee to pass them over for a team with a loss is a travesty of the highest degree.

Alabama absolutely, positively, does not belong in the final four playoffs. And Florida State absolutely, positively does belong there. But that's not what happened. Bama is in, and the Noles are out. And that is disgustingly unfair and atrocious. I went into detailed reasons why on today's radio show. That episode is now available online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231209

Video of the 2023 College Football Playoff Selection Committee's meeting where they screwed undefeated Florida State out of its rightful place in the playoffs was leaked. It can be viewed here (parody).

NOTE: The "robbed" image above is available on a t-shirt here.

The Jury System in the United States

November 25, 2023 1:51pm

I reported to the courthouse for jury duty this past Monday. But like about a third of us there, I never made it passed the assembly room into the courtroom for voir dire on a specific case. Although most people would be thrilled with a dismissal, I actually want to serve on a jury; not because I want to send someone to jail, but because it is a duty and an honor to serve as a juror. The only time I've served all the way to a verdict, we acquitted the guy.

On today's radio show, I discussed the history and importance of the jury system in America, the eight times I've been summoned for jury service, the reason I previously found a defendant "not guilty," and the controversial concept of jury nullification. If you'd like to hear it, it is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231125

The History of Thanksgiving in America and What It Means Today

November 18, 2023 9:54am

Today's episode of The Mike Bates Show was a fascinating hour about the history of Thanksgiving in America and what it means in today’s world.

The detailed story of the Pilgrims and that first Thanksgiving feast is far more interesting than what we learned in elementary school. It is truly miraculous that any of the Pilgrims survived. They had much to be thankful for, as do we today. The program has been archived online as a podcast which is now available at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231118. Happy Thanksgiving!

AAPEX/SEMA Show 2023

November 11, 2023 09:23am

I was in Las Vegas last week for the AAPEX/SEMA Show. AAPEX is the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo, and SEMA is the Specialty Equipment Market Association. They're two different organizations. But they are very similar, and they coordinate their conventions to be held simultaneously.

Nearly 100,000 automotive professionals attended the four day convention that included speakers, education seminars, and exhibit halls. The event's keynote speaker was National Champions Florida Gators quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow. I attended his outstanding speech but did not conduct an interview with him. Products shown at the exhibit halls ranged from paint primers to hydraulic shop lifts and everything in between. Vendors included decades-old products, new products, and prototypes of products not yet available on the market. And cars. Thousands of cars. Exotic cars, modified cars, and beautifully restored cars were all on display.

My radio show today featured interviews I recorded with a few vendors at the AAPEX/SEMA Show along with legendary race car drivers Mario Andretti and Ricky Bobby. In the last segment of the show, I spoke with Eric Snyder, the Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs for SEMA. We discussed the REPAIR Act and how it is necessary to preserve the rights of automotive consumers to get their vehicles repaired at independent shops. It's an issue that should concern everyone who owns car. Because if the big auto manufacturers and new car dealers get their way, you will lose the ability to choose who fixes or modifies your car, and you'll be forced into paying far more money to get your car worked on.

Today's radio show is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231111

Nevada's Valley of Fire is Spectacular!

November 6, 2023 10:27pm

I've been in Las Vegas for two weeks reporting on the new Sphere entertainment venue (both the U2 concert and the "Postcard from Earth" film), interviewing Mark Hall-Patton (from The History Channel show "Pawn Stars”), and attending the AAPEX/SEMA Show.

What most people know about Las Vegas is its reputation as "Sin City." But there is so much more to this fabulous city. Of the 13 nights in Vegas on this trip, I only drank alcohol one night. And I didn't do any gambling at all. Yet it has been fun and memorable.

Outside the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street, this area boasts some incredible natural beauty at Red Rock Canyon National Park and Valley of Fire State Park. I've been to both many times. This trip, I only visited Valley of Fire, which I think is the better of the two.

I encourage you to visit Las Vegas sometime because the city offers a one-of-a-kind experience. If you do visit, be sure to allocate enough time to see the natural beauty that awaits within easy driving distance of the casinos. Viva Las Vegas!

Well, That Was Fast! Biden's Betrayal of Israel

November 1, 2023 8:05pm

As I predicted on October 18th, Joe Biden has called for a ceasefire in Gaza. But even I am surprised it happened so soon.

Eleven days after the horrific attack in southern Israel by Hamas terrorists, I praised Joe Biden for saying the United States supported Israel's military response to being attacked. But I also predicted "the day will certainly come when Joe Biden will demand that Israel cease its attacks on Gaza. And that day will certainly arrive long before Israel achieves its proper goal of eradicating the terrorists in Gaza whose stated reason for existing is to kill the Jews and to destroy Israel."

Well that day was today. At a fundraiser in Minneapolis, Biden said there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the 26 day old Israel-Hamas war in order to get “prisoners” out.

Well, first of all, Joe, your euphemism "pause" is really a pro-terrorist cease-fire. And secondly, if that so-called "pause" is to last until the so-called "prisoners" get out, then they'll be held forever. Besides, they are not at all "prisoners." They are illegally held "hostages." And for you to call them "prisoners" plays right into the hands of Iran and their terrorist proxies who would love for the world to think those innocent civilians kidnapped on October 7th are somehow prisoners of war. Words matter, Joe. And your words are not only despicable; they are dangerous.

I knew this disgusting betrayal by Joe Biden would one day come. I just thought he wouldn't have done it so soon. He is a disgrace.

Sphere Las Vegas Is the Ultimate Theater Experience

October 31, 2023 10:23pm

I took my wife to see Darren Aronofsky's "Postcard from Earth" at Sphere Las Vegas today because I wanted her to see the incredible new entertainment venue in the world's greatest entertainment city. Having seen U2 in concert there a few days before, I already knew how spectacular Sphere is. But I also knew that all the sensory enhancements at Sphere were not utilized at the concert, and that "Postcard from Earth" would utilize it all because it was produced specifically for that venue.

So was the film outstanding? Yes and no. I'll start with the "yes" reason. The film was outstanding because the cinematography was superb. Every inch of Sphere's near wrap-around 16K LED video screen was filled with unbelievably beautiful and life-like images of Earth and its inhabitants. From our planet's immense natural beauty to the dominating architecture of human civilizations, the film presented the artistry of Earth as no other venue in the world can. I won't get into the details of Sphere's state-of-the-art theatrical technologies in this post, but you can read what I wrote about that last week at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/blog/231028-1712

Now for the reason "no." I fully expected the film to be a propaganda piece about how humans are destroying our planet via anthropogenic climate change. What I didn't expect was for it to be so direct, deceptive, and defenseless. The entire premise of the film is that, at some unspecified date in the future, mankind has destroyed Earth to the point that the planet cannot heal if there is even one human left on it. So all humans left Earth to populate other planets. The number of people evacuated from Earth was never specified in the film. But billions would be unrealistic even with the future's space travel technology. Presumably, we killed off most human life through our destruction of Mother Earth. I won't give away the ending in case you plan to see it yourself and want to hold on to at least some suspense. But suffice it to say that the plot was too unrealistic and preachy, even for a climate activist's science fiction piece.

Do I recommend going to an event at Sphere? Yes, I absolutely do. The one-of-a-kind entertainment venue offers a spectacular sensory experience that isn't available anywhere else. Concerts that incorporate Sphere's potential to enhance the performance will be amazing. The resident "Postcard from Earth" film is also amazing; visually, audibly, and physically (because the haptic seats vibrate with appropriate timing synchronized to the sound). Just know before you go that the film's message is a disgusting one; that "humans are evil, and Earth would be better off without us."

But the irony of that message is that, while the film's narrator describes how humans have ALWAYS destroyed everything we've touched, the planet is somehow still here. And so are we; the homo sapiens that, without any explanation of the non sequitur, somehow managed to survive on the planet we supposedly destroyed multiple times already. But if anything is consistent among the climate change alarmists, it is never having to explain when they err.

U2 Live at Sphere Las Vegas!

October 28, 2023 5:12pm

Sphere is the latest and greatest entertainment venue in Las Vegas. Uh, make that "Sphere is the latest and greatest entertainment venue on Earth." The $2.3 billion structure is a massive, spherical building located behind the The Strip's Venetian Hotel & Casino. It stands 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide.

The exterior surface is covered with LEDs, making its 580,000 square feet of fully programmable video the largest video screen on the planet. Its physical size, while huge, does not dominate the Las Vegas skyline. But its bright, ever-changing, colorful display attracts attention like no other building in the world can.

On September 29th, U2 opened Sphere at The Venetian Resort with the first performance of their 21 week “U2 UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere” residency. I wasn't at Sphere for opening night. But I did attend last night's U2 concert there. It was indescribably incredible.

Along with my friends Rob Ade and Dave Whittaker, I saw U2 perform live at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, Ireland on August 8, 1987. It was the band's final European show of their Joshua Tree Tour. That concert was typical for arena concerts of the era. It was festival seating on the grass pitch of the stadium. Being young then, we were happy as pigs in mud partying in the dense crowd just a few feet from the stage.

Last night's concert was far more agreeable for a man of my age. The luxurious assigned seats were not only comfortable, they offered unobstructed views of the performers and the astonishing videos that enhanced the visual experience.

Sphere's seats have built-in haptic technology that vibrates the seats with the beat and intensity of the music. Although they were not used for the U2 concert, the "Postcard from Earth" film does use them, so the audience can "feel" the music. By design, the music can be literally felt in the seat of your pants at Sphere. I plan to see that this Tuesday.

Sphere's spatial audio system consists of 1900 speakers strategically placed throughout the venue to create the ultimate acoustic experience. Three hundred of those speakers move as necessary to maximize the sound quality throughout the arena. Sphere's 167,000 computer-controlled loudspeaker drivers carefully control precisely where the sound goes. The result is that the front row audience doesn't have to get overblown and distorted sound just so the audience in the back can hear the music like what concerts used to do... well, until a month ago when Sphere opened.

Sphere is visually stunning both inside and out. The curved interior walls are illuminated with LEDs that form a fully immersive concert experience. While viewing the band from my seat in Section 208, the entirety of my left, right, and upper peripheral vision was filled with the ever-changing dazzling scenery created by those LEDs. Remember the first time you saw an IMAX film? Think that times a thousand. But because the spherical screen has no corners or edges, visual cues that it's only a video just don't exist.

Furthermore, the massive high-resolution LED screen that wraps around the entirety of the interior, except where the seats themselves are located, is 16K. That means it uses 256 million pixels (16000 x 16000) in its 1.2 million light modules, with each module divided into 48 LED diodes capable of displaying 256 million different colors. It is the highest resolution LED screen on Earth. The interior display measures 160,000 square feet. The resolution of state-of-the-art 4K home television screens is so vivid that it is difficult to discern video from real life. Well, Sphere's video screen is sixteen times better than that!

Sphere creates an experience that transcends reality. At one point during the concert, the LED screen displayed an in-motion image of the Las Vegas Strip behind the band. It was so realistic that, if you didn't know it was LED, you'd think it was an outdoor concert. At another time during the concert, the ceiling collapsed onto the audience; except that it didn't. But the effect was convincing. With Sphere's stunning 360° imagery filling the full peripheral vision, it was easy to feel as if the arena was flying. Before U2 came on stage, news helicopters appeared overhead. As their searchlights swept the interior, vibrations from the rotors shook the arena. But of course, the helicopters and their intense sounds were all digital effects.

The stage itself also had built-in LEDs that not only changed colors but featured live video of the concert embedded in the stage floor. Attendees in the general admission area right in front of the stage probably couldn't see that. But for those of us in the elevated seats, the stage itself was alive.

Not every song was accompanied by intense video graphics. But even the songs without the high tech pizzazz were elevated by Sphere beyond the normal concert experience. The concert was great. Of course it was great. It was U2. How could it be anything else? But the venue... oh, the venue! Sphere has changed what a concert is. A concert can now be a full body experience.

The Life & Times of George Washington

October 28, 2023 12:20pm

We see him on the one dollar bill. He's on the 25 cent coin. Our nation's capitol is named for him. He is the father of our country. He was a farmer, a distiller, a surveyor, an author, and an entrepreneur. As a young man, he served with the British Army during the French & Indian Wars. Although once loyal to the King, when the colonies declared independence from The Crown, he lead the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War. Despite his attempt to retire after the Treaty of Paris ended that war, he again answered his country's call to preside over the Constitutional Convention. He was later unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States. Twice.

But George Washington is so much more than that. The significance of Washington's contribution to the Revolutionary War and to the establishment of this nation cannot be overstated, and the details of his accomplishments are worth knowing. So I sat down with Jeremy Ray, the Director of History Interpretation at Mount Vernon, to discuss the life and times of the man who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

Our conversation aired on my radio show in a two-part documentary. In last week's episode, we discussed Washington's life from birth through the end of the Revolutionary War. Today, we covered his life from his presidency through his death in 1799. Both episodes are now archived online as podcasts. Part 1 is at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231021. Part 2 is at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231028.

My Attempt to Hijack the Terrorists’ Rally

October 22, 2023 6:33pm

This afternoon, I attended a pro-terrorist, anti-Israel rally held in downtown Pensacola. No, I did not go there to support their hate; I attended to condemn it.

For about 45 minutes, in addition to shouts of "Allahu Akbar" and "Free Palestine," about a hundred people chanted the usual anti-Semitic tripe:

"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!"

"Stop the killing, stop the hate. Israel is a terrorist state!"

"Hey, hey, ho, ho. The occupation's got to go!"

"Netanyahu, you can't hide. We charge you with genocide!"

"Not another dollar, not another dime; no more money for Israel's crimes!"

and "Free! Palestine!"

Most carried Palestinian flags or held signs proudly proclaiming their ignorance and hate with such slogans as "Free Gaza!", "Stand with Palestinian resistance! Stop U.S. funding of Israel's apartheid," "America funds genocide," "End all U.S. aid to Israel," "Free all Palestinian political prisoners," "End Israeli occupation," and "Resistance against occupation is a human right." Some of the signs displayed an affiliation with the Party for Socialism and Liberation or ANSWERCoaltion.org.

About a half hour into the rally, the Terrorist-in-Charge who was leading the hate group asked if anyone wanted to lead a chant. That was the open mic moment I was hoping for. So I told her I'd like to help lead a chant. But she responded with a firm "No!"

So I hovered around her. And every time a hater would finish a chant and hand back the microphone, I would reach my hand out to accept my turn. But the mic was not handed to me. After a few unsuccessful attempts to have my turn at the mic, one of the terrorist goons got in my face and firmly said, "You will not be given the mic!" I asked, "Why not? I want to talk about the Zionists."

He did not respond verbally, but he kept himself physically between the mic and me for the duration of the rally. As I moved, he moved. I am disappointed I did not achieve my goal of speaking to the rally on mic. But in hindsight, it was my own damn fault. I should have put more thought into how I presented myself.

I made the mistake of wearing khaki pants and a blue shirt. Although the shirt did not display a Star of David, it was the shade of blue that is on Israel's flag. I intended no message with that shirt; it just happened to be what I grabbed from the closet. I should have worn the green, red, and black colors of the terrorist's flag. I also wasn't holding any anti-Israel, pro-terrorist sign. And I wasn't chanting along with the crowd. It must have been obvious that I did not support their pro-genocide message of anti-Semitic, anti-Israel hate.

Had I gotten the microphone, I had prepared remarks that were designed to fool the crowd into thinking I was on their side before suddenly revealing the truthful message I wanted them to hear. This is what I was prepared to say if I got the mic:

"If you have any moral decency, you cannot support the killing of innocent civilians! If you have any moral decency, you cannot support attacking people in their homes! If you have any moral decency, you cannot support genocide!" Up to this point, I think they would have cheered me. But then I would have continued with "If you have any moral decency, you cannot support Hamas! If you have any moral decency, you MUST support Israel's right to exist and its right to respond militarily to being attacked by Palestinian terrorists. Israel is the victim here. If you have any moral decency, you must condemn Hamas, condemn terrorism, and support Israel!"

I'm certain they would have tried to seize back the microphone physically - perhaps violently - immediately after the word "Hamas." But that would have been OK with me. I would have made my point. I'm disappointed in myself for not planning my subterfuge more carefully. It's obvious I've never been to Spy School.

#StandWithIsrael

Biden Says the United States Supports Israel

October 18, 2023 1:54pm

Today in Tel Aviv, Joe Biden told the Israeli people that America is "going to stand by your side" in this conflict with Hamas. He promised that "the United States isn't going anywhere either. We're going to stand with you. We'll walk beside you in those dark days."

While I appreciate him speaking those words of support for the correct side in this conflict, I also know that support will not last. The day will certainly come when Joe Biden will demand that Israel cease its attacks on Gaza. And that day will certainly arrive long before Israel achieves its proper goal of eradicating the terrorists in Gaza whose stated reason for existing is to kill the Jews and to destroy Israel.

I must add, however, that I'm pleasantly surprised Joe Biden didn't express his empathy with the Israelis by speaking about that time his son Beau was killed by Hamas terrorists while attending a music festival in southern Israel. His handlers kept him on script.

Why All Morally Decent People Must Support Israel

October 14, 2023 11:23pm

Since 1948 (and really before that), there has been an easy litmus test to determine if a person is good or bad. I don't mean behaviorally on an individual basis in terms of politeness or etiquette. I mean in terms of one's worldview. That litmus test has been how someone views Israel. If someone believes Israel is a proper nation with decent people who have an absolute right to exist, then that person is good. If someone believes Israel is a pariah nation with bad people who are living on land stolen from innocent Palestinians, then that person is bad.

With the Middle East dominating the news in the aftermath of Hamas' most recent terrorist attack on Israel, it has become even easier to judge someone's intellect and morality. If someone expresses support for Israel and its military action against Hamas, that is an indication the person has a sense of decency. But if someone condemns Israel's actions and expresses support for the terrorists, then that person is an evil and despicable human being who is no better than the Hamas terrorists themselves.

During last week's attack, Hamas terrorists killed more than 1300 Israelis. It was the largest single day terror attack in Israel’s history. The largest number of deaths in the United States due to terrorism was the 2977 killed on September 11, 2001. The population of Israel is only about 9 million. The population of the United States in 2001 was 281 million. So those 1300 Israeli deaths would be the percentage equivalent of 40,500 Americans being killed on 9/11. That's how massive the Hamas attack was.

America's response to those 2977 deaths was to engage in a massive global war against Islamic terrorists. If you think Israel should not go to war over the 1300 deaths inflicted by Hamas, then you've got a serious problem with your intellect and morality. Or you're a disgusting anti-Semite. But neither is acceptable. If you have any decency about you whatsoever, you will condemn Hamas for the attack, and you will support Israel in its response to it.

Joe Biden has publicly denounced Hamas' attack and has expressed support for Israel. That is good. He should express America's support for Israel. And he should denounce Hamas. He said America's support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering. And I'm glad he said it. But don't believe that support for Israel will last. It's early. I am one-hundred percent certain that, as living conditions in Gaza deteriorate and civilian deaths mount, Biden will demand that Israel cease its military actions against the terrorists. And he will make that demand long before Israel completes its justified response to being attacked.

Yet it is Hamas, not Israel, that is responsible for every civilian death in Gaza. Hamas teaches their children pretty much from birth that the reason for their existence is to kill as many Jews as possible; that the best way to please Allah is to kill Jews. And they train the children of Gaza to become terrorists - not just via propaganda to support Hamas, but by training them in the use of weapons to literally kill as many Jews as they can. Such is the disgusting level of hate that Hamas promotes in Gaza.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said it best when she said "Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us." Golda Meir also said, "When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons." Where did she get such decency about her to say that? Where does Israel get such decency?

The Islamic terrorists have no such decency. They WANT their sons and daughters to be killed. Because they think it pleases Allah. And because it helps create anti-Israel propaganda. It is quite clear that the Muslim terrorists hate Israel more than they love their own children. How pathetic is that, huh?

Even Benjamin Netanyahu, who is certainly no peacenik, described the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel."

Many uninformed people are citing the Geneva Conventions as they pertain to civilians in war zones. But just because people are identified as civilians doesn't mean they aren't legitimate military targets. The Geneva Convention IV governs the protection of civilians. Under Geneva IV, if civilians engage in hostilities without clear, visible identification associating them with a militia force, they lose the protections they would otherwise be entitled to receive.

Geneva Convention IV, Article 5 says, "Where, in the territory of a Party to the conflict, the latter is satisfied that an individual protected person is definitely suspected of or engaged in activities hostile to the security of the State, such individual person shall not be entitled to claim such rights and privileges under the present Convention as would, if exercised in the favour of such individual person, be prejudicial to the security of such State."

In other words, if person in civilian clothes engages in combat and is engaged, killed, or caught by the enemy, they are NOT entitled to the protections enumerated in the Geneva Conventions. Israel is well within its rights to kill anyone in Gaza who is engaged in warfare against them. Even so, most civilian deaths in Gaza are collateral damage from the perspective of the Israel Defense Forces. Civilian deaths are INTENDED damage from the perspective of Hamas. Hamas WANTS civilian deaths. It is part and parcel to their tactics, strategies, and objectives.

It is Hamas, not Israel, that uses its people as human shields. Hamas hides behind women and children. Hamas seizes humanitarian supplies and uses them to create ways to attack Israel. Hamas uses concrete intended for the construction of schools and hospitals to instead construct tunnels in which terror operations are conducted. Hamas uses ambulances intended to provide medical services to instead transport weapons. Hamas uses money given to it for humanitarian purposes to instead build rockets and other weapons they use to attack Israeli neighborhoods. Hamas places their weapons inside civilian homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques knowing that Israel is a nation of decent people who won't attack those places - although they're attacking those places now; and rightfully so.

Hamas demands that Gazans remain in buildings they know Israel has targeted for destruction. How does Hamas know what buildings Israel has targeted for destruction? Because Israel usually announces beforehand what buildings they will destroy. They do that so the people in those buildings can evacuate. Israel gives that advanced notice because they don't want to kill innocent civilians.

But Hamas WANTS civilian deaths so they can cry to the propaganda press about how evil Israel is. And that fake news gladly amplifies those cries without reporting that Israel warned the residents to flee those buildings before they attacked. Hamas wants civilians to be killed so they can blame the deaths on Israel and get sympathy they don't deserve. By announcing their targets in advance so civilians can evacuate, Israel is also giving Hamas terrorists the opportunity to evacuate and to remove weapons from the targeted locations. But Israel is such a decent nation that they would rather the weapons of their enemies be moved and used against them in the future than for the children of their enemies to be killed. Where does a nation get such decency? I wouldn't do it. The U.S. doesn't do it. But Israel does. Israel goes out of its way to preserve innocent human life even when those lives are the lives of people who support the acts of terrorism being conducted against Israel.

It is Hamas, not Israel, that is responsible for EVERY death in this war. Whether the death is of an Israeli, a Gazan, or anyone else caught in the crossfire, there is only one party responsible for it. And it ain't Israel. It's Hamas.

Hamas exists for one reason and one reason only. That reason is to destroy Israel. Jew hatred and the destruction of Israel is not the outcome of Hamas' existence; it is the raison d'être. The Hamas Charter calls for the total destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian State from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. These excerpts are directly from the Hamas Charter:

"(We) the Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realization of Allah's promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said: "The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him."

"Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes."

The Hamas Charter goes on to deny the Two-State Solution with, "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with."

"Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Moslem generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Moslem generations till Judgement Day? This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Moslems have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Moslems consecrated these lands to Moslem generations till the Day of Judgement."

"Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight."

"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith: 'The people of Syria are Allah's lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation."

"The day the enemies conquer some part of the Muslim land, jihad becomes a personal duty of every Muslim. In the face of the Jewish occupation of Palestine, it is necessary to raise the banner of jihad. This requires the propagation of Islamic consciousness among the masses, locally [in Palestine], in the Arab world and in the Islamic world. It is necessary to instill the spirit of jihad in the nation, engage the enemies and join the ranks of the jihad fighters"

"The Islamic Resistance Movement - proceeding from these general concepts which are in harmony and agreement with the laws of nature, and following the current of divine destiny towards confrontation with the enemies and jihad against them in defense of Muslims, Islamic civilization and Islamic sanctities, primarily the Al-Aqsa mosque - calls on the Arab and Islamic peoples and their governments, and on their NGOs and official organizations, to fear Allah in their attitude toward the Islamic Resistance Movement and in their treatment of it. They should act towards it as Allah wants them to, namely back it, support it, assist it and continuously reinforce it, until Allah's word is fulfilled. Then the ranks will all be united, jihad fighters will join other jihad fighters, and the masses all over the Islamic world will rush out and answer the call of duty, shouting: "Hasten to jihad!" This call will penetrate the clouds in the sky and continue to ring out, until liberation is accomplished, the invaders are defeated and Allah's victory is revealed."

The Hamas Charter even states how Palestinian children are to be trained as Jew-killers: "The woman in the jihadist home and family, as mother or sister, has the primary role in managing the household, raising the children according to the moral ideas and values inspired by Islam, and teaching them to perform the religious duties in preparation for the jihadist role that awaits them."

Do those quotes from the Hamas Charter sound like the beliefs of a decent, sane people? No. They're the beliefs of crazy, devil-worshipping Muslims who believe that the key to pleasing Allah and achieving eternal life in paradise is to murder infidels. And they define infidels as all non-Muslims. So don't think for a minute this is just about killing Jews. Oh, sure, the Muslims want the Jews dead. But they just want the Jews dead first. They want all of us dead eventually. They want everyone except fellow Muslims dead. The Koran says that's what they're supposed to want and what they're supposed to do.

The Koran's Sura 9:5, known as "The Verse Of The Sword" says, "And when the sacred months have passed, kill the Infidels wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and pay jizyah (taxes levied upon Infidels), let them go on their way. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

Some Muslim apologists will claim Sura 9:5 is quoted out of context, and that there are many verses in the Koran that instruct Muslims to be peaceful. There are peaceful verses in the Koran (i.e. Sura 6:151 says, "Do not take a human life made sacred by Allah, except with legal right. This is what He has commanded you."

But context and scholarly knowledge is important. The Koran has two categories: the Meccan verses and the Medinan verses. Although they are interspersed in what appears to be a random order, the Meccan verses were written first. They are largely peaceful. They were written in the early years of Islam when Mohammad lived in Mecca with one wife and had to tread carefully so as not to annoy the political leaders. He was a teacher and prophet who encouraged worship of Allah via prayer, fasting, and good works. The peaceful Sura 6 is part of those Meccan verses. The violent Sura 9 is part of the Medinan verses.

The Medinan verses were written after Mohammad was forced to flee Mecca, and he relocated to Medina. In Medina, he was the political and military leader, so he had no fear of persecution and no need to seem like a nice guy. It was in Medina that he took on multiple wives and forced people to convert to Islam by the sword. The Medinan verses, because they were "revealed" more recently than the Meccan verses, are considered to be in greater effect than the Meccan verses in much the same way that Christians believe the New Testament is in greater effect than the Old Testament.

So did Mohammad say not to kill people? Yes. He did. And then he later said to kill, enslave, or tax all Infidels who won't convert to Islam. It is indisputable that the Koran and the Hadiths are replete with instructions to commit acts of violence in the furtherance of Islam to please Allah. To state otherwise is to deny the truth.

What drives all this hate? Why do Muslims so despise the Jewish people? It isn't because the Muslims have any legitimate claim to Jerusalem, although that's the lie you've been fed. But Jerusalem is not really a holy place for Muslims. They just want it so the Jewish People can't have it. Muslims claim that Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam (behind Mecca & Medina) because of the story that Mohammad rode the winged horse from Mecca to Jerusalem on his “night journey” (Isra and Miraj). It is claimed that he then ascended into Heaven from the location of the Al-Aqsa Mosque accompanied by the Angel Gabriel.

The problem with this nonsensical story is obvious. The night journey to Jerusalem (referred to in the Hadith as “the farthest mosque”) supposedly took place in 621. But there was no mosque in Jerusalem in 621! Umar bin al-Khat'tab built the first mosque in Jerusalem during the Rashidun Caliphate, which didn't begin until 632 following the death of Mohammad. But Jerusalem was not conquered by Muslims until 637, so the likely date for construction of the first mosque in Jerusalem was 637. That is 16 years AFTER Mohammad's Night Journey! So clearly Islam's religious claim to Jerusalem is complete rubbish.

But Jewish connection to Jerusalem goes back to at least 1300 BC. Jews believe that the rock below the Dome of the Rock is the Foundation Stone from which all creation began. It is also believed to be the site where God instructed Abraham to slay Isaac. And it is unquestionably the site of the Jewish Temple.

Jerusalem (al-Quds) is not mentioned at all in the Koran - not a single time. It is mentioned 806 times in the Bible (660 in the Old Testament and 146 in the New Testament). Interestingly, the Koran does state that the Holy Land was written by Allah to Israel. "Oh, my people, enter the holy land that God has written for you, and do not turn your backs, or you will become losers." - Sura 5:21. "And we said after him to the Children of Israel: dwell in the land, then, when the time of the second promise comes, we will bring you all together as a mixed crowd." - Sura 17:104.

So who has the legitimate claim to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount? The Jewish People. Only.

Israelis are mostly good. Palestinians are mostly evil. But it's important to note that the Palestinians are not inherently evil. They are taught to be evil from the moment of birth. It's sad, really. Because if the Palestinians put half the effort into being decent that they put into being evil, they would prosper AND have their own State.

I say that "Palestinians are mostly evil" because it's true. They are not ALL evil any more than ALL Israelis are good. But generalizations are generally true. Palestinians are generally bad.

Hamas is a terrorist group. Hamas was ELECTED by a MAJORITY of the Palestinians in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is less evil than Hamas. But even Fatah calls for the destruction of Israel.

Hamas claims they want a peace deal with Israel that includes a Palestinian state. But they really don't. What they want is the total destruction of Israel. The stated desire for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel would just be a step toward Israel's complete destruction. Don't forget that the PLO was offered 98% of what they wanted, yet they turned down the deal because the deal didn't include the eradication of Israel and the Jews.

Hamas was given Gaza in a "land for peace" deal in 2005 when the Israel Defense Forces pulled out of Gaza. The IDF even forced Israeli Jews to leave Gaza. So Gaza was left for the Palestinians to run. Although the people of Gaza are so obsessed with prioritizing their fight with Israel that they have little concern for anything else. Consequently, Gaza relies on Israel to provide it with food, electricity, gasoline, and pretty much everything else it needs to survive. Through the years, while Hamas has been either gearing up to attack Israel, actually attacking Israel, or rebuilding its forces to re-attack Israel, Israel has provided Gaza with what is needed to live in modern society. But did that result in peace with Gaza? No. Egypt was given back the Sinai in a land for peace deal. Has there been peace in the Sinai? Yes. Because the Egyptian Muslims are not as hateful as the Palestinian Muslims.

Peace cannot happen as long as one of the parties (the Palestinians) continues to call for the total destruction of Israel. If the Palestinians would renounce terrorism, abolish their anti-Semitic charter, and show that they can actually get along with their Jewish neighbors, there would be peace. Unfortunately, the chance of that happening any time soon is zero. In the meantime, Israel must continue to defend herself from Islamic aggression. And they should pull no punches in doing so.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not stop its military operations in Gaza until it eliminates the ability of Hamas to attack Israel and eliminates Hamas' ability to govern the Gaza Strip. Those two are related, of course. It is by governing Gaza that Hamas is able to build up enough military supplies that it can attack Israel. Hamas has been attacking Israel nearly nonstop for decades. Those attacks on Israel from Gaza are so common that they don't usually make the news. What made last week's attack so newsworthy was its size and its success.

Israel needs to respond to last week's attack with overwhelming and unrelenting force. And they need to get it done as soon as possible. Because while Israel currently has the support - at least the publicly stated support - of most of the world, we all know that support won't last. The day will come when most of the world - including the United States, sadly - will say that Hamas has been punished enough and that Israel needs to stop attacking Gaza.

But the fact is that Hamas, Hezbollah, and its benefactors in Iran will settle for nothing less than the total destruction of Israel. Israel and all decent nations need to make sure that doesn't ever happen.

But it isn't going to be easy. Israel is engaged in serious warfare with Gaza to its south. Iran backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon are a threat to Israel's north. And if The Fatah Palestinian Authority in the West Bank decides it's time to make a move, Israel will find itself getting attacked from its east also. With the Mediterranean Sea to its west, Israel could find itself surrounded not just by people who hate Israel, but by terrorists actively engaged in attacking Israel. And that doesn't include what Syria, Iran directly rather than through its proxies, and perhaps even Russia may decide to do if it senses an opportunity to exploit the chaos.

Israel needs to prepare for that possibility. Israel needs to engage in all-out war against those who attack it. This is no time for pulling punches. Israel has always pulled punches. Israel has always allowed enough of its enemies to survive that they re-group, re-arm, re-strengthen, and re-attack. But just like a cancer, if you don't eradicate all of it, it will grow back with a vengeance and kill. Well, Israel's enemies are a cancer. And they need to be eradicated by whatever means are necessary to ensure the survival of Israel and its citizens.

The Unites States and the rest of the decent world need to let Israel do what needs to be done. I'm not advocating we engage American forces in direct warfare. But I am saying we need to let Israel do what needs to be done without condemnation or demands for restraint or proportional responses. And we need to supply Israel with whatever conventional weapons it will take to pulverize Hamas and every single person in Gaza who supports Hamas. Remember, Hamas is the ELECTED government of Gaza.

My advice to Israel is this: "Kill 'em all. Let Allah sort them out."

America’s Greatest Air & Space Museum

October 7, 2023 10:15am

Mankind achieved powered flight on December 17, 1903 when the Wright Brothers successfully got airborne at Kitty Hawk on North Carolina's outer banks. Less than a quarter century later, Charles Lindbergh made his solo flight across the Atlantic. Twenty years after that, Chuck Yeager flew faster than the speed of sound. And on July 20, 1969, man walked on the Moon. From the sandy beach in North Carolina to the Lunar surface took less than a century. A lot less, actually; just 65 years, 7 months, and 3 days to be exact.

The history of that incredible accomplishment - plus what has happened since - is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum. When most people think of the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum, they think of the one on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Well, that museum is great. But the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum also includes the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia about 20 miles west of our nation's capitol. And frankly, I think the Udvar-Hazy Center is the better of the two facilities.

On today's radio program, I visited that museum and spoke with historian Jeremy Kinney, the center's Associate Director for Research and Curatorial Affairs. Our conversation is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/231007