Thoughts for the Day, April 23, 2024: Shades of the 60s and 70s.

Shades of the 60s and 70s

The anti-Israel protests on campus bring back memories of the 60s and 70s when our campuses exploded because of war in a foreign land. As one who lived through those years, I know that some of the protests did not turn out well. Think Kent State, Columbia, U of C-Berkley, Eastern Michigan University, U of M, just to name a few. Arrests, injuries, and sometimes death occurred.

As I watch and read about police being called into campus, I hope and pray that cool heads will prevail. Unfortunately, I am not optimistic.  Anytime you pit teenagers and young adults against law enforcement, it will not take much to create the spark that may ignite the bomb that explodes. It gets especially dangerous if the national guard is called in to keep the peace, since the national guard has many young adults similar in age to the protesters. However, these national guard members are armed.  All it takes is one person to lose their cool like what happened on May 4, 1970, at Kent State.

I hope and pray that I am wrong.

It is not the Jewish and Palestinian people. It is Hamas and Netanyahu who have created this mess.

Showing displeasure with the war by taking it out on the Jewish and Palestinian people is unacceptable. Protest the war, speak out against Netanyahu and his policies, speak out against the U.S. support of Netanyahu’s war, protest the action of Hamas, protest whatever you want.  Just don’t take it out on innocent Jewish people and innocent Palestinians.

It is unacceptable to take out anger and frustration on someone because of their ethnicity.  Hate and violence have no place in our society. Jews and Palestinians in the U.S. should not fear for their lives or their safety because of a war taking place on the other side of the world, no matter how one views the war.

A good word about Detroit in the Wall Street Journal

I love this positive article about Detroit that was posted in the Wall Street Journal. Here are the opening paragraphs as written by Konrad Putzier.

Barely a decade after Detroit declared bankruptcy, the city is emerging as the U.S.’s most unlikely real-estate boomtown.

A development frenzy has gripped Detroit’s central business district. Big companies, including Ford and developer Related Cos., are spending billions of dollars on office buildings and other properties.

Dan Gilbert, a Detroit native and the billionaire co-founder of home lender Rocket Mortgage, is leading the city’s revitalization. His new skyscraper, still under construction, recently topped out at 681 feet, making it the city’s second tallest tower. It sits across the street from downtown Detroit’s first Gucci store.

The city’s residential market is also taking off. Home prices in the area are up 40% since 2020, and last fall had the steepest rise among major U.S. metropolitan areas. The number of apartments downtown has more than doubled to 5,903 since 2010, according to the Downtown Detroit Partnership.

Detroit’s business-district transformation offers lessons to other cities that are struggling to revive their empty downtowns and avoid being sucked into a debilitating doom loop.

A big thank you to my friend Mike for sharing this article with me.

The former president is pressing his luck with Justice Juan Merchan

I get the feeling the former president and his lawyer have stepped to the edge and it won’t take much for Justice Juan Merchan to push both of them over the edge. When the judge says the following during a hearing on the former president’s gag order it does not bear well for the former president and his lawyer. It is my Quote of the Day

“You’ve presented nothing.  You’re losing all credibility with the court.” Justice Merchan told the former president’s lawyer, Todd Blanche

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Quote of the Day: See above from Justice Juan Merchan

Orchid of the Day: Gary Jones, Tiger coach, putting his arm around Tiger rookie Colt Keith after Keith made an in the field error and then hit a rocket down the first base line that was snagged by the Ray’s first baseman. As Keith made his way back to the dugout the frustration was written all over Keith’s face. Jones putting his arm around Keith and telling him to keep his head up was priceless.

Onion of the Day: To those who contribute to the hate and fear by making Jews and Palestinians not feel safe in this country. It is unacceptable.

Question of the Day: Will the former president push Justice Merchan to the point the president will be found in contempt of court?

Video of the Day: One more time for Dickey Betts. RIP.

The Allman Brothers Perform “Jessica” | Letterman (youtube.com)