Westchester Herald

Weir Only Human: Organized Crime – Government Style BY Bob Weir

The textbook definition of robbery is the taking of something of value from another by the use of force. Now, how many of you willingly give about half of your earnings each year to the government? If you’re like most people, you probably feel that you’re paying way too much for an assortment of taxes that range from federal to property to sales and everything in between. Have you ever looked closely at your phone bill and noticed all those little fees and taxes slipped in by federal, state and local authorities? You have no idea why you’re paying the additional $1.15 for this and 88 cents for that because no one bothered to explain it to you; they just decided that you probably wouldn’t notice it. After all, it’s a tiny amount compared to the overall bill. Yet, that tiny amount, added to tens of millions of bills, comes to a tidy sum that is, collectively, being robbed from the Americanpublic. The same goes for the  federal income tax that began during the Civil War when current methods of  taxation, i.e., tariffs on imports, were not enough to meet the demand for  war resources. The first withholding tax was 3% on incomes of $600 (about $10,000 today) to $10,000 (do the math) and 5% on incomes from $10,000 to $50,000. By the way, they also tossed in a small inheritance tax (called the death tax today).

Weir Only Human: Gray Area between Black and White BY Bob Weir

If I hear one more politician, news anchor, or talk show host say that the first thing we must do to stop  illegal immigration is “secure the border,” I think I’m going to be sick. Moreover, if I hear the term “comprehensiveimmigration reform” again, I’ll probably begin to retch with disgust. The reason for my stomach-turning impulse comes from the frustration I feel when I hear meaningless phrases used repeatedly by those who have no plan for their implementation. We hear about building a 2000 mile fence as we watch videos of people climbing over portions of recently constructed fences. We hear about state and federal officers assigned to guard the border, while acknowledging that we don’t have enough manpower to become 24-hour sentinels, stretching across several states. When US citizens take it upon themselves to organize and guard their borders, they’re maligned as “vigilantes” and “hate mongers” by those who know how to work the system to turn common sense on its head. 

Weir Only Human: Our Country Needs a Rebirth of Values BY Bob Weir

Remember when you were a child and were always asking your parents for things? Your mom and dad wanted to make you happy, but they understood the danger of taking satisfaction to the extreme. In addition, they understood the need to teach you the merits of self-sacrifice. They realized that you would grow up and be released into a world in which discipline was a key factor in your maturity. When they said no to your requests, even to your demands, it was because they were keeping you from believing that you could have anything you want if you simply held your breath and stomped your feet in defiance of their judgment. If you had permissive parents, they probably gave in every time you pouted, screamed, or engaged in other childish tantrums. But, if you were real lucky, you had parents who taught you that you can’t always have your own way, and that nobody owes you a living; they were preparing you for adulthood. 

Weir Only Human: Are We Being Cruel to Illegal Aliens? BY Bob Weir

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I’m going to try to come in at about 800. I took a look at the front page of a major Dallas newspaper and saw a photo of 2 Hispanic women and a 9-year-old Hispanic girl hugging each other and crying as they celebrated the decision by Federal  District Court Judge Susan Bolton to block some portions of the Arizona immigration law. It couldn’t be more obvious that the photo was used in order to pull at the heartstrings of every decent American. It certainly caused me to choke up for a few minutes because the look on their faces made me feel like an ogre for supporting the Arizona law. It’s difficult to take a stand on a subject that causes pain to others; we all like to believe that the decisions we make are based on sound moral judgment. Yet, when we see the tear-stained faces of women and children, people who simply want the American dream for themselves and their families, it strains our concept of humanity to oppose them. Every fiber of my body wants to reach out and embrace them, to assure them that I’m really not a heartless fiend.

Weir Only Human: Destroying America from Within BY Bob Weir

There must be millions of people around the world who look at our country and wonder if we are experiencing the last gasps of an empire in decline. When radical Islam attacked and killed close to 3000 Americans, in their workplace, on their own soil nine years ago, the world waited for a response that was expected to be cataclysmic. After all, as President Kennedy said in his inaugural speech: “Those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger, ended up inside.” When JFK spoke those words in 1961, only 15 years after the US won its second world war, we were the tiger of the world. Yes, the cold war was still part of the national dialogue, but we felt secure in the knowledge that we would outlast the Soviet threat and continue to prosper. When the Berlin Wall came down and the USSR was dismantled, it seemed like a continuation of Manifest Destiny; as though America was uniquely positioned to spread democracy throughout the world. As the mightiest nation in history, no country stood a chance against us. The closest strike on our interests around the world had been the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Our response to that murderous raid culminated in the atomic bombings of 2 Japanese cities 4 years later. 

Weir Only Human: Political Criticism Should be Colorblind BY BOB WEIR

When the first African-American was elected to the presidency of the United States one would have thought that race would become a less serious issue for the country to deal with. Au contraire; after only about 18 months in office, accusations of racism rival those of a generation ago when the thought of a black president seemed very remote. It was to be expected that blacks would vote in overwhelming numbers (97%) for the first Chief Executive of their race. In addition, it wasn’t hard to imagine that they would be sensitive about criticism toward him. But, one would think, in view of the criticism directed toward every other president, that even the most diehard liberal would realize that it goes with the territory. Given the daily tidal wave of scorn and bitterness toward George W. Bush during his presidency, one wonders how it would have been viewed if he was black. When Bush was frequently referred to as “stupid” or “dumb” by his critics, there wasn’t anyone calling them racists. 

Weir Only Human: Thanks to Otis McDonald and the Supremes BY BOB WEIR

The most important job of the government is the protection of its people. That protection involves their physical safety and the security of their property. That means providing police presence to deter criminals before they commit crimes and harsh penalties for offenders whose crimes were not deterred. The fact is that most crimes cannot be deterred because the bad guys don’t generally mug people in front of the officer on patrol. Since the police can’t be everywhere, people need a way to protect themselves. That was how Otis McDonald felt when he walked into a Chicago police station and applied for a .22-caliber pistol 2 years ago. The 76 year-old retired maintenance engineer became the public face of one of the most important Second Amendment cases in US history. As the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Chicago’s 28 year handgun ban, McDonald was a sympathetic figure; an elderly man trying to protect himself from violent hoodlums preying upon his neighborhood.