Trump's blog defunct/Netanyahu in peril/Chauvin facing prison/Black roots of Memorial Day

The Thursday Thoughts!

Trump ends blog

Last month amid great fanfare, the 45th President of the United States launched his Blog, "From the Desk of Donald J. Trump," with promises of giving his followers opinions on hot topics similar to what they came to love via Twitter and Facebook during his candidacy and eventual presidency. The Blog was a defiant response to the social media giants that suspended his accounts after the January 6th MAGA riots—suspensions that are still intact as of today.

Well yesterday, the Trump Blog shut down for good after the platform simply did not take off in the way that organizers had hoped. As a writer for the past 30 years, and as a blogger for the past decade on numerous platforms (including this new subscription based model), I am not surprised that Mr. Trump has called it quits because blogging takes a consistency that is driven by passion and you either have it—or you don't!

What does surprise me is that the Trump Blog did not take off with his base following, as I assumed that his faithful would gladly dole out a few dollars per month to read his thoughts if for no other reason than to spite the major social media sites that muted their leader. I suspect that one reason for the low numbers could be that many of Trump's followers who "liked," "loved," and "Re-Tweeted" his Tweets did so, in part, to "own the Libs." For those unfamiliar, “owning the Libs” or “Liberals” is a phrase that social media conservatives use that encompasses making Trump's ardent opponents angry by supporting each joke, slur, invective, or barb that the 45th President dished out each day until his social media accounts were suspended.

With no Libs following the Trump Blog to agitate, well, perhaps even the most ardent MAGA men and women simply didn't find any fulfillment by living in an echo chamber? Who knows, but while Ol’ Hobbs bids the Trump Blog adieu, I thank my subscribers for propelling my new blog format—also launched last month—steadily forward with new subscribers each day!

Trust, the best Hobbservations are yet to come…

Netanyahu in jeopardy?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's days in office appear to be numbered, felled by his stubborn refusal to acknowledge that many younger Israeli citizens across the ideological spectrum, be they Jewish, Islamic, or Christian, have grown tired of the intransigence that has left Israel without a stable budget and a weak government for nearly two years.

Simply stated, the religious antagonism that the far right Netanyahu and his ilk have fomented threatens future stability and has increased frustrations among more secular voters who fear that the nation will collapse from the political in-figthing.

If the coalition holds (photo above), Netanyahu would be replaced by his former right wing ally Naftali Bennett, one who opposes a Palestinian state. But in 2023, Bennett would be replaced by Yair Lapid, a centrist former television host who is more closely aligned with secular Jews. The coalition includes an Arab-Israeli group that could help foment not only a two-state solution that recognizes new Palestine, but also pushes for greater rights and peace for Arabs living and working in Israel.

This last factor, peace through compromise, likely prompted Netanyahu's Tweet that "All the lawmakers who were elected by right-wing voters must oppose this dangerous left-wing government." To be clear, Netanyahu has been a survivor in the political game for nearly 15 years, so it will be very interesting to see what final results are tallied this week in Jerusalem and whether he lives to lead from the hard right another year, or is forcibly placed into retirement.

Derek Chauvin Sentencing coming soon

Minnesota prosecutors that secured Derek Chauvin's conviction for murdering George Floyd are calling for Judge Peter Cahill to sentence the disgraced former police officer to 30 years in prison for his misdeeds.

Lawyers for Chauvin have countered by asking the judge to consider Chauvin's health, lack of criminal history, and to simply place him on probation with credit for time served. 

30 years on the one hand, probation on the other—what will the judge do?

My opinion, based on having tried hundreds of cases (including far too many murder and attempted murder ones where the death penalty or life imprisonment was a possibility), is that the judge will sentence Chauvin anywhere from 20-30 years. If I had to hazard a guess, I would wager that the sentence will fall between 25-30 years based upon the judge's prior agreement with prosecutors that aggravating factors, such as Chauvin's rank and exhibition of a callous and cold disregard for Floyd's life, are crucial. 

Now, most of my kin and friends have been open about wanting to see Chauvin imprisoned forever—trust, I feel your pain and agree with your sentiments. But if there is any consolation, 30 years would place Chauvin in prison until his late 70s and if he survives that long in custody, which is a big “if” due to putrid conditions in most prisons, he would never be able to harm anyone else in the manner that he killed Floyd and abused other suspects during his career.

Throwback Thursday: Memorial Day

This past Monday, we collectively paid homage to military men and women who died in service to America but as is the case with so much in this country, few Americans realize that the roots of what would become Memorial Day stem from a group of recently freed Blacks in South Carolina honoring the Union dead. Indeed, after the end of the Civil War in 1865, formerly enslaved Blacks reburied Union soldiers that had been interred in a mass grave in Charleston, South Carolina, and they held a memorial service honoring their sacrifices in advancement of freedom for Black people.

If you did not know that fact, do not feel bad because like with so many other topics that Ol' Hobbs will explore in the weeks ahead, American history has been written and told repeatedly in a way that marginalizes Black achievements, Black sacrifices, and the role that white supremacy has played in stymying Black progress. For more information about the Black roots of Memorial Day, the History Channel has a very nice article that tells the story admirably. 

Earlier this week, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter, 77, while delivering a Memorial Day speech in an Ohio cemetery, found his microphone cut off when he began recounting the Black origins of Memorial Day. To his credit, the Colonel said that he used his "command authority voice" and finished what he had to say anyway, but I point this out once more to argue that those among us who fear the true teaching of history are a danger to the multi-cultural, "From many, one" ideal that America has proclaimed for years to the world, even though the truth has been a homogenous, white-washing of historical facts in deference to historical fiction.

So Kudos to you, Col. Kemter (above), for saying what you had to say regardless of what the narrow minded truth deniers had to say about your commentary!

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