The silent majority is stronger than ever. 10924 Grant Road, Suite 133 • Houston, Texas 77070 • www.terrylowry.com On the web at www.TerryLowry.com Archives posted since January 1st 2005 July 2020, Volume 29, Number 3 LINKING TEXAS CONSER V ATIVES SINCE 1993 WEEKDAYS 2:00-3:00PM ON KKHT 100.7FM THE WHAT’S UP Radio Program Awakening the Silent Majority By Sara Tracey, Senior Editor President Trump recently tweeted: “The silent majority is stronger than ever.” But are we? Why aren’t more people speaking out against the Left’s stronghold of the MSM? Simply put: People are scared and feel it isn’t safe to express their opinion publicly. Who is the Silent Majority? In 1969, the silent majority pushed back against anti- war activists. President Richard Nixon called on the silent majority and they banded together, electing him to a send term by a landslide. Now, President Trump is calling on the silent majority to step up and step out to defeat those who wish to turn our great nation into a Socialist dogpile. How can you fight back against the MSM and the Left? Things will never change or get better if the silent majority doesn’t find their voice. n Make sure you are registered to vote and then actually vote! And take some “like-minded” people with you! n Get involved in a campaign. Volunteering just one or two hours on the weekend saves candidates thousands of dollars in overhead costs. n Don’t be afraid to engage in political conversations. Research. Get the facts. And above all – be nice! In end, you can always agree to disagree. n Be a “keyboard warrior”. Use YOUR own platform to spread the truth and stop arguing with a complete stranger who obviously will never alter their view- point. Social media CAN be a great platform, when used in the “right” way. At his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, President Trump received a standing ovation when he stated: “The choice in 2020 is very simple: Do you want to bow before the left-wing mob or do you want to stand up tall and proud as Americans?” Stand up. Step up. And stand tall. Vote President Trump 2020. www.TerryLowry.com July 2020 2 Why you must decide what you want from cops A letter to the American public By Kathleen Dias This article is reprinted with permission from The Rural Badge blog. If you recruit well, conduct thorough background checks and train constantly, you can have a human with a kind heart and good ethics – but you can't have perfection. It's time for the American public to decide what we want from law enforcement. Warriors? Counselors? Guardians? Priests? Social workers? Magicians? Do we want the cheapest cops possible? Or, do we want well-trained and well-screened cops who are equipped with every tool needed for every possible eventuality? As long as cops get recruited from the human race, they're going to be exactly human, with everything that means. A Beat Cop from Granddaddy’s Hometown Or do we want the beat cop from granddaddy's home- town, with nothing but a smile, a wheelgun and one set of cuffs? Really, we want it all. Admit it, we do – and we want it all without paying for any of it. Every off icer needs to be an empathetic, well-spoken, SEAL-trained ninja, with double majors in psychology and social work, who considers the job a calling, and has no bills to pay, no ner ves to fray, and enforces the law completely objectively while also using discretion at all times, unless it's going to result in arresting – or not arresting – the wrong person at the wrong time, for the wrong thing, in the opinion of every member of the public. If that person existed, he wouldn't work for you. So, we've got to deal with what exists, and what exists are humans. Humans are fallible, and their bodies are frail. Their brains play tricks on them when they're under stress, and then keep them from sleeping by replaying the stressor on an endless loop later, trying to find ways to "x" what- ever went wrong. Golden Retriever or a Malinois Humans come in varieties, not exactly like dog breeds, but close enough that the analogy works: If you need a bite dog, you don't start with a Golden Retriever. Possibly, you can teach the Golden to bite on command, if you're persistent enough, and mean enough, but in the process, you'll ruin everything that made him a Golden to begin with. Now translate that back to people. Warriors, soldiers and great war generals like Patton may live for the fight but they don't always play well with others after the battle. They can be harsh. They can use bad language in settings where you wish they were polite. They find humor in ugly, dark places that just frighten the rest of society. They're not always...nice. If you want only a cuddly, soft, empathetic officer whose first response is always a soft answer and compassion, you can have that. She'll never embarrass her chief at Coffee with a Cop. He'll present well on camera every time and remind you of someone's grandfather. Kathleen Dias3 July 2020 www.TerryLowry.com If Your Child Is In Danger? He'll be the perfect SRO until there's an active shooter at your kid's school. Suddenly, society insists on the warrior. They want the demon Malinois, 55 pounds of rawhide, spring steel and gator teeth, driving into the gunfire and doing anything it takes – anything – to keep the children safe. And once the threat is gone, society wants the Malinois to morph back into the therapy dog. They want the warrior gone, the counselor returned, the off switch thrown. That's not how it works. And it's not fair. I tell you now: the unicorn doesn't exist. You can't have it. What you can have is a human. If you recruit well, con- duct thorough background checks and train constantly, you can have a human with a kind heart and good ethics who is willing to fight hard, be uncomfortable and even get hurt for you. You can have a human who tries. You can have someone who struggles, who sometimes fails, who gets better with time and experience and who has setbacks. But you can't have perfection. In fact, you can break perfectly good humans by insisting they be something they can't be – things no one can be. Decide now that as long as cops get recruited from the human race, they're going to be exactly human, with everything that means. What Do We Want From The Rest of Us? The rest of society is also human, after all. Maybe it's time we decide what we want from the rest of us, too.. NEXT: If you are a member of the public reading this article, PoliceOne recommends you check out 15 things cops wish the public knew about policing. About the author Kathleen Dias writes features and news analysis on topics of concern to law enforcement professionals serving in rural and remote locations. She uses her background in writing, teaching and marketing to advocate for professional levels of training and equipment for rural officers, open channels of communication for isolated departments, and dispel myths about rural policing. She's had a front-row seat observing rural agencies – local, state and federal – from the Sierra foothills to California's notorious Emerald Triangle, for more than 30 years.www.TerryLowry.com July 2020 4 What Do We Want from U.S. Citizens? By Robert Knight We hear a lot today about what it takes to be a good citizen – not just any, but an American citizen. Sometimes, it’s good to start by looking at what we don’t want. To the progressive Left, a good U.S. citizen is someone who: n Believes there’s no media bias, or, if there is, it’s for a good cause. n Favors immigration by illegal entrants from anywhere, regardless of whether their values comport with American ideals. n Thinks government is way too small and taxes way too low. n Constantly points out America’s failings. n Thinks all cops are racists who want to brutalize or kill black people and that the Armed Forces exist only to enforce American imperialism. n Insists that white, Christian males (or Christian women) hate themselves and engage in Maoist- style confessions and self-abasement. n Doesn’t believe in American exceptionalism and blames America for any conflicts in the world. n Wants to impose socialism and redistribute income to make everyone “equal.” n Doesn’t care how this is done, as long as it happens. n Wants the government to enact gun control leading up to confiscation, as in communist countries. n Seeks to use government and cultural coercion to force everyone to celebrate every conceivable sexual “orientation” or identity, not limited to the 56 genders listed on Facebook. n Has contempt for religious liberty, believing that Christians in particu- lar “hold back progress” by defend- ing everyone’s rights to speech, assembly and private property. n Believes that election safeguards like voter ID laws are racist tools to suppress the minority vote, since minorities are incapable of procuring identification like other Americans. n Wants conservative speech actively censored by universities, social media, corporations and, if all else fails, by government. Okay, enough. This is only the tip of the iceberg of leftist ideas of good citizenship. For contrast, here are a few aspects of what we should expect from a U.S. citizen beyond the initial requirements of being born in America or naturalized. U.S. citizens are patriots. They love this country. Blessed by living in the freest and most prosperous nation in history, they’re full of gratitude. They know that our enviable lot came about through the blessings of God, the sacrifice of many in uniform, hard work and the genius of the Founders. U.S. citizens pay their taxes, obey the laws (unless such laws contradict the laws of God) and help out their neighbors and the less fortunate. U.S citizens strive to be good. America is not perfect by any stretch, as evidenced by the recent riots amid heart- felt protests, but, overall, Americans welcome genuine reform – not anarchy. It’s often said that America is more an idea than a country. That’s nonsense. This is a real land with real people who have real histories. Reducing it to an abstraction mutes Robert Knight Photo by NBC News5 July 2020 www.TerryLowry.com the “mystic chords of memory” that bind us and inspire us toward higher things. An Old Glor y waving in a crisp breeze embodies all of that; singing the Star-Spangled Banner reminds us that freedom is not free, and that America is the world’s beacon of liberty. U.S. citizens who are proud of America under- stand that. America has always beckoned newcomers, with most seeking what Americans want – material wellbeing, the rule of law and the blessings of liberty. We are the heirs to an ancient civilization forged in the timeless truths of Jerusalem, encoded in England’s Common Law, and enriched by the Greco- Roman humanities and cultures from around the world. The American spirit is exuberant and dynamic, informed by the biblical understanding that each life is precious because we’re all created in the image of God – but that we’re sinners, too. U.S. citizens instinctively get nervous upon seeing concentrations of power, since, as Madison remarked, “men are not angels.” U.S. citizens stay informed, drawing from numerous sources so that they get a fuller picture. U.S. citizens work to keep America free, not let it turn into a coercive, human perfection machine that spawns new tyrannies. U.S. citizens are heartsick at the toll exacted by abor- tionists and the distortion of sexuality and God’s institu- tion of marriage into caricatures. Thomas Paine, whose pamphlet “Common Sense” was the most-read book in the American colonies other than the Bible, waxed eloquently about the duties of American citizens even before the revolution was won and the Constitution ratified. “These are the times that try men’s souls,” he wrote. “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Paine urged all Americans to do their part to secure liberty. “The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice…. I love the man that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.” What do we want from U.S. citizens? First, an under- standing that America is, indeed, in crisis, and that it’s part of a larger effort to destroy our God-given liberties. Citizens who want to save America must get involved. It begins with praying for our families, communities, church and nation. We cannot save America alone, and we can’t expect God to intervene on our behalf if we do nothing. Those who can should remove their children from cor- rupt, government schools dominated by leftist teacher’s unions and either home-school them or educate them in a Christian school. We need to vote, to help others of like mind to do so, to help turn out the vote, and to help inform our communities as to what’s at stake. Everybody can do something. This means writing letters to the editor, phoning lawmakers, calling out journalists when they serve up fake news, and engaging in discussions where we can. There are signs that a growing number of Americans are appalled at the lawlessness they are witnessing at all levels – from the U.S. Supreme Court to the streets of our cities. They realize that U.S. citizens who love this country can no longer sit this out. Robert Knight, a former Los Angeles Times news editor and former Media Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, is a frequent guest on the “What’s Up?” radio program and a regular weekly columnist for the Washington Times, Townhall, OneNewsNow and others. His website is roberthknight.com. Photo by The New York Times www.TerryLowry.com July 2020 6 The Underbelly Exposed By Brad Mattes President of Life Issues Institute LifeIssues.org It’s not often that we see abortion advocates publicly f ighting amongst themselves. Even more rare is to see a fight break out within Planned Parenthood’s work- force. The abortion industry has generally kept internal conflict behind the scenes. Planned Parenthood has been particu- larly successful at portraying a façade of high professional standards and a united front. That is until a revolt developed within the ranks of Planned Parenthood’s largest affiliate. Cohesive is not a word that describes Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY), boasting 28 locations and 900 employees. Staff said they had been working with management internally for 18 months to right their listing ship, to no avail. As a result, hundreds of current and former employees of PPGNY went public with a letter, explicitly detailing their complaints. An $18 million surplus that evaporated into an even larger projected def icit opened CEO Laura McQuade to accu- sations of financial mismanagement, including awarding lucrative contracts to close friends. McQuade was also accused of discrimination against pregnant employees and creating an atmosphere of “fear and intimidation.” The PPGNY board at first sided with their embattled CEO when the letter was made public, but as the contro- versy grew, they decided to part ways with McQuade. Still, a thorny and persistent issue remains at the heart of the controversy that will require more than firing their top executive. Charges of “systemic racism” have prevailed as the dominant theme of concern. The public letter read, “Planned Parenthood was founded by a racist, white woman. That is part of history that cannot be changed.” And it acknowledged the problem of racism is not limited to its past. “We know that Planned Parenthood has a history and a present-day steeped in white supremacy…” (emphasis added) Additional concerns of racism by staff were revealed in a Jezebel online article. The detailed allegations were stunning in nature and provided an internal confirmation of what the pro-life movement has been saying for years. Some came forward out of a genuine belief that they are serving fellow Black women—even though abortion arguably does not serve women or their babies. One of those altruistic staffers was Michelle Adams who described an initiative promoting long-lasting contraceptives such as IUD’s in Black and Hispanic schools, as “white saviorism,” adding, “It’s a direct link to the history of forced sterilization.” Another wor ried that McQuade’s “revenue-driven, assembly-line approach… put patients, and in partic- ular Black and other patients of color, at potential risk.” Employees pointed to “a lack of upward mobility for Black staff ” which, according to them had previously existed but became more prevalent since McQuade’s arrival as CEO. Black workers, they said, serve as window dressing, while those who ascend the corporate ladder are part of a “white- washed” environment. A staffer said, “For me, this is really about treating people like they’re dis- posable, and using Black staff for our labor and then discarding us. It’s very much in the playbook of white supremacy.” The sentiment was echoed by a Black clinician who stated, “White supremacy is still so embedded into the function of the organization.” Planned Parenthood’s racist roots are deeply embedded in eugenicist Margaret Sanger who referred to minorities as “weeds… overrunning the human garden.” She labeled them as “morons, misfits, and the maladjusted;” and advocated for the sterilization of “genetically inferior races.” Obviously, Sanger’s documented history has not gone unnoticed by those who work for the abortion giant. However, an effort, supported by staff, to change the name of Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger Health Center in Manhattan fell on deaf ears. Brad Mattes We know that Planned Parenthood has a history and a present-day steeped in white supremacy…7 July 2020 www.TerryLowry.com Sanger’s racist agenda lives on in Planned Parenthood’s current business model. 79% of their abortion facilities are within walking distance of Black and/or Hispanic neighborhoods. The Guttmacher Institute, initially founded to be the research arm of Planned Parenthood, has reported that Black women are nearly five times more likely to have an abortion than white women. A new light is shining on Planned Parenthood’s deadly and racist agenda, admittedly from an unexpected source. Regardless, we welcome every revelation that exposes the underbelly of legal abortion in America. Sincerely for the babies, Bradley Mattes President, Life Issues Institute Life Issues Institute is dedicated to changing hearts and minds of millions of people through education. For 27 years, organizations and individuals around the world have depended upon Life Issues Institute to provide the latest information and effective tools to protect innocent human life from womb to tomb. “Hordes of people [are] born, who live, yet who have done absolutely nothing to advance the race one iota. Their lives are hopeless repetitions… Such human weeds clog up the path, drain up the energies and the resources of this little earth. We must clear the way for a better world; we must cultivate our garden.” Margaret Sanger Birth Control: Facts and Responsibilities, 1925 Weekdays 2:00 to 3:00 PM on AM 1120 The Bridge – Austin. Visit www.TerryLowry.com www.TerryLowry.com July 2020 8 Grassroots Activism By Chairman James Dickeys Republican Party of Texas I get so energized being amongst fellow g rassroots activists because that is how I started too. My Precinct Chair invited me to stay around after voting in the Primary Elections for our Precinct Convention. He and the others there that night showed me for the first time how the Republican Party of Texas worked- how it welcomes and encourages input from every Texas Republican. In a few short months, I experienced first-hand how the Republican Party of Texas, like no other, empowers its base and how, as a result, it is uniquely able to leverage the best our great state has to offer. Since then, I have served in nearly every capacity you can as a volunteer of this Party. Like so many of you, I have been an organization leader, a Precinct Chair, an Election Judge, a delegate to my local conventions, to State Conventions, and to National Conventions. I have been a County Chair, and now I have served as State Chair. We are the most grassroots party in the country - a true bottom up organization. Our rules are drawn that way. I have to credit our dear friend, the late Clint Moore from Senate District 7 and several others, for being instrumental in working to make our party the most grassroots in the nation. Your voice is heard - from our platform, to resolutions, to rules, to elected leaders - the decisions are yours. That is the bottom-up grassroots beauty of our party. We are not a top-down entity. My number one priority for the Republican Party of Texas is to win for President Trump and all of our Republicans and defeat Democrats in November. It is paramount to remember that the business of the Republican Party of Texas is to elect Republicans to office. The RPT and I are fully focused on winning for President Trump in November and our Republicans in Texas up and down the ballot. We are working around-the-clock to ensure that Texas delivers its electoral votes for President Trump and that we protect and win back even greater majorities in Texas this year. We need to keep working together to WIN TOGETHER in November 2020! Let me tell you, I went to work for that victory in 2020 - - immediately on Election Night in 2018. Had we not spent every day since that election preparing for victory this November, we would be in a very difficult position right now. Because we went to work immediately in November 2018, to prepare for November 2020, we are right on track to execute our plans despite this crushing pandemic and despite all of the actions and reactions of those in power. Because of the vision and foresight we had, for which I am grateful, and the hard work we put in, the Republican Party of Texas ended 2019 with a record $4.4M on hand, and now we have a never-before-reached $4.8M on hand to defeat Democrats this November. This is a result of the incredible coalitions that have come together to support RPT like never before. I am very grateful to those who have joined me in preparing RPT for James Dickey9 July 2020 www.TerryLowry.com November victories this year. It’s all on the line in Texas. I am committed to victory for us. The Republican Party of Texas is firing on all pistons. We are on the right track to deliver Victory in November - from the White House to the courthouses all over Texas - to protect and hold our majorities in Texas, to win for President Trump, and we are on the right track to beat the Democrats in November! Weekdays 2:00 to 3:00 PM on AM 1120 The Bridge – Austin. Visit www.TerryLowry.com On the morning of November 4th, will you be able to look yourself in the mirror and say, “I did everything I could, plus some…” Next >