The Patriot Post® · Thursday Short Cuts

Insight: “Governments last as long as the undertaxed can defend themselves against the overtaxed.” —American art historian Bernard Berenson (1865-1959)

Upright, part I: “[Virginia shooter Bryce Williams] couldn’t deal with his inadequacy, so he woke up [Wednesday] morning, he looked in the mirror, didn’t like what he saw, and decided the only way he was going to make a name in TV news was to go out and find two people doing their job, that had nothing to do with his … inferiority complex, and take them out so that he could be the headline news. I think the best thing that we can do after today is never speak of this guy again.” —Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke

Upright, part II: “We saw evil in Charleston. We saw evil yesterday. Unfortunately, too many are too blind to evil. Those who have eyes to see can see the evil in Planned Parenthood decapitating children and sending their heads in the mail making sure their eyes are closed. Those who have eyes to see can see the evil in the collapse of families and the rise of dysfunctional young people without a relationship with one parent or the other. … Evil is always going to exist. It is never going to be exterminated by us. It will not be legislated away. But it will be exterminated on that final day.” —Erick Erickson

Non Compos Mentis: “Another proud moment for the NRA. Thank you, NYC, for your strict gun laws!” —New York Post columnist Bart Hubbuch on the slaying of a Roanoke, Virginia, television crew

Village Idiots: “I believe we are smart enough, we are compassionate enough, to figure out how to balance the legitimate Second Amendment rights with preventive measures and control measures… There is so much evidence that if guns were not so readily available, if we had universal background checks, if we could just put some time out between the person who is upset because he got fired and the domestic abuse or whatever other motivation may be working on someone who does this, maybe we could prevent this kind of carnage.” —Hillary Clinton

Late-night humor: “The CEO of Starbucks sent a message to Starbucks employees, instructing them to be sensitive to customers who might be feeling stressed out about the market. I like that the place that charges $5 for a cup of coffee is concerned about our finances.” —Jimmy Kimmel