The Patriot Post® · Thursday Short Cuts

Topsy-turvy: “The pose of the trans movement is to pretend their main problem is with society when actually their main problem is with reality.” —Frank J. Fleming

Re: The Left: “Defending assigning critical race theory texts, [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark] Milley told Congress that it’s important for military personnel to be widely read. ‘I’ve read Karl Marx, I’ve read Lenin, that doesn’t make me a communist,’ Milley said. But that’s misleading. Critical race theory isn’t taught as one of many ideas to be debated. It shuts down debate. Activist Robin DiAngelo says that even keeping your own viewpoint to yourself and staying silent during a discussion of racism makes you a racist. The idea isn’t to foster debate. It’s used only to indoctrinate and compel acquiescence.” —Betsy McCaughey

For the record I: “Jen Psaki was asked about the controversy surrounding Olympic athlete Gwen Berry. She said that President Biden supports the right of peaceful protest and believes ‘there are moments where we as a country haven’t lived up to our highest ideals.’ In other words, Joe Biden is perfectly fine with members of the U.S. Olympic team using their platform on foreign soil to disrespect the United States and our most cherished customs. And this is the guy who is supposed to unite us?!” —Gary Bauer

For the record II: “[Gwen Berry] herself is an excellent indicator of just how much promise America holds for its citizens. She grew up in the home of her grandmother, with 13 people in the house; she had a baby out of wedlock at 15 and then earned a college scholarship. She got two jobs and helped support her extended family. Now, she’s going to the Olympics. And presumably, there, she will turn her back on the flag and the national anthem if she makes it to the podium. … Those who spend their days championing their own ingratitude at a society that gives them extraordinary opportunities … aren’t likely to live happier lives. And they’re unlikely to make their nations better, either.” —Ben Shapiro

Political futures: “Over the long haul … the battle is not going to be about defunding the police but defining the police. Republicans should be against funding the progressive vision of law enforcement, which would give the country what it has given Democrat-run cities: non-enforcement and rising crime.” —Andrew C. McCarthy

Touché: “Let me state a simple fact: All of the statues being removed by [HR 3005] are statues of Democrats. … I think the bill should go further. Maybe it’s time the Democrats changed the name of their party.” —House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy

Fact-check: True: “When I was president, I delivered on my promise to build a border wall to protect our country. All Joe Biden had to do was paint it. Instead, Biden has enacted the most radical open borders agenda imaginable.” —Donald Trump

Hot air: “Obviously, we don’t know [the impetus of the Surfside building collapse] fully, but we do know that the seas are rising. We know that we’re losing inches and inches of beaches, not just in Florida but all around. … We’ll have to wait to see what the analysis is for this building, but the issue about resiliency and making sure we adapt to this changing climate, that’s going to mean levees need to be built, that means sea walls need to be built, that means infrastructure needs to be built.” —Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm

And last… “Calling Kamala’s visit to El Paso a visit to the Southern Border is the equivalent of going to Olive Garden and saying you’ve been to Italy.” —Congresswoman Lauren Boebert