{"id":95960,"date":"2021-08-19T21:44:20","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T01:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/?p=95960"},"modified":"2021-08-19T21:45:48","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T01:45:48","slug":"the-daily-gouge-archive-friday-july-30th-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/?p=95960","title":{"rendered":"The Daily Gouge Archive, Friday, July 30th, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>It&#8217;s Friday, July 30th, 2021&#8230;but before we begin, we offer two other citations we considered for our <em>Quote of the Day<\/em>\u00a0immediately above:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>&#8220;<span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em>So the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">vaccines work<\/span>, the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">only people getting sick<\/span> are the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">un<\/span>vaccinated, but the vaccinated <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">still have to wear masks<\/span>. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Why is that<\/span>?\u00a0You just read it. Quote: &#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Public health leaders<\/span> in our administration <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">have made the determination<\/span>.&#8221; In other words, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">because we said so<\/span>. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">That\u2019s<\/span> the medical justification for <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">suffocating your 3rd-grader<\/span> with a paper mask <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">forever<\/span>. &#8220;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Public health leaders<\/span> in the administration <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">have made the determination<\/span>.&#8221; <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">They<\/span> issue the rule, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">without explaining it<\/span>. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">You<\/span> then <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">obey<\/span> it. If you <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">question<\/span> it, CNN calls you a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">murderer<\/span>. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">That\u2019s<\/span> how our government works<\/em>.<\/span>&#8221; &#8211; Tucker Carlson<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>&#8220;<span style=\"color: #800080;\"><em>You <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cannot work yourself into a frenzy<\/span> denouncing unvaccinated rural Americans and Trump voters as a bunch of ignorant, tin-foil-hat-wearing lunatics who are extending the pandemic and the suffering it has caused for everyone <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and then shrug when a bunch of teachers refuse to get vaccinated<\/span><\/em>.<\/span>&#8221; &#8211; Jay Caruso, commenting on the fact fully 40% of NYC teachers REMAIN UNVACCINATED.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>There is no question WHATSOEVER this entire &#8220;pandemic&#8221; is about <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>power<\/em><\/span>, NOT protecting people.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If further proof were needed, one need only look as far as the following headline courtesy of <em>FOX<\/em> via George Lawlor, which certainly doesn&#8217;t serve to lessen our skepticism of its seriousness and severity:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"headline\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/texas-police-covid-illegal-immigrants-whataburger\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600; text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #008080; text-decoration: underline;\">Texas police learn COVID-positive illegal immigrants sent to local hotels by Catholic charity without informing local authorities<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n<h3 class=\"sub-headline speakable\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/texas-police-covid-illegal-immigrants-whataburger\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #800080; text-decoration: underline;\">Authorities became aware of the matter after a migrant group was seen exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 inside Whataburger<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hv8qu.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95909\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hv8qu.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hv8qu.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hv8qu-300x187.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s the juice: You can draw only one of two conclusions from this incident.\u00a0 First, this whole thing is indeed a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>scam<\/em><\/span>demic, and the lockdown, mask mandates <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>and every other aspect<\/em><\/span> of the vast, invasive government bureaucracy&#8217;s reaction to the Wuhan virus&#8230;which that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>same<\/em><\/span> government bureaucracy <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>helped birth<\/em><\/span>&#8230;was intended to take down The Donald and gain powers citizens heretofore would not cede it.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Or<\/em><\/span>, the pandemic <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>is<\/em><\/span> real, the Wuhan virus a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>genuine threat<\/em><\/span>\u00a0(though not as great as represented), <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>but<\/em><\/span> the Progressive powers-that-be <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">place a greater value on overrunning the country with potential supporters<\/span><\/em> than <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>protecting the lives of law-abiding U.S. citizens<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0 After all&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3eYPSmHUkzU?start=52&amp;end=54&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Keep in mind, these ill illegals are being transported, at <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>your<\/em><\/span> expense, to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>every corner of the country<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0 Put in one place, they would constitute a population larger than nine existing states.\u00a0 Their dispersal is undoubtedly intended to dilute Republican dominance in key congressional districts and states.\u00a0 After all, these are Socialists, many more appropriately Communists, indiscernible from their Chinese, Cuban and Soviet comrades.\u00a0 And as we all know&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FIjnTKr8FS0?start=15&amp;end=18&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>And like their Communist comrades, nothing strikes fear in the heart of would-be dictators than an educated, informed citizen, as demonstrated in this video clip from Speed:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fC1QZatpoqw\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>We for one have concluded&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/T7tdEVVfG2k?start=69&amp;end=71&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, here&#8217;s <em>The Gouge<\/em>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>First up, <em>NRO<\/em>&#8216;s Jack Crowe reports Mike Pompeo stated for the record&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"article-header__title\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><a style=\"color: #800080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/news\/pompeo-fauci-should-no-longer-be-serving-in-american-government\/?utm_source=email&amp;utm_medium=breaking&amp;utm_campaign=newstrack&amp;utm_term=24590056\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Fauci \u2018Should No Longer Be Serving in American Government<\/span><\/a>\u2019<\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/E3Ea9ITXEAo1ANQ.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95945\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/E3Ea9ITXEAo1ANQ.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/E3Ea9ITXEAo1ANQ.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/E3Ea9ITXEAo1ANQ-300x214.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;&#8230;<span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>Fauci insisted he\u2019s never lied to Congress and said the Wuhan research \u201cwas judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain of function,\u201d citing\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.phe.gov\/s3\/dualuse\/Documents\/P3CO.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the extremely narrow gain-of-function definition<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/span>\u00a0developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>rather than the one commonly used by virologists<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">But the specific label is beside the point, according to Pompeo.<\/span> \u201cMy wife and I always taught our son, you tell the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>whole truth<\/em><\/span>, you <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>don\u2019t quibble<\/em><\/span>,\u201d Pompeo said during a Monday night interview. <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">\u201cHe is at best playing some sophisticated word game for his elitist doctor buddies.<\/span> I don\u2019t know the purpose of it <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>but it\u2019s dangerous<\/em><\/span>.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Fauci <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>defended<\/em><\/span> the NIH\u2019s partnership with the Wuhan lab <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">as recently as Sunday<\/span><\/em>, and suggested that the agency <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>has no plans to cut off funding<\/em><\/span> for the kind of research which<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2021\/07\/no-evidence-of-the-lab-leak-is-not-a-mirage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mounting circumstantial evidence<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">suggests <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>sparked<\/em><\/span> the pandemic.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8230;<\/span><strong>Putting aside the question of whether U.S.-funded research caused the pandemic, Pompeo argued that Fauci should be removed over his <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>refusal to adjust his thinking<\/em><\/span> on the question of funding Chinese virology labs after witnessing the havoc of the last year.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><strong>\u201cThat\u2019s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>crazy<\/em><\/span>,\u201d Pompeo said of Fauci\u2019s desire to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>continue funding<\/em><\/span> dangerous research on bat coronaviruses in poorly run Chinese labs<\/strong><\/span>&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>We&#8217;ll go one further than Mike Pompeo and suggest not only should Dr. Faux Chi no longer be serving in government, he should <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>forfeit his entire pension<\/em><\/span> and spend <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>the rest<\/em><\/span> of his misspent, miserable life <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>behind bars<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0 Harsh but heartfelt, as this man <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/05\/28\/fauci-once-argued-viral-experiments-worth-the-risk-of-pandemic\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>committed to paper<\/em><\/span><\/a>\u00a0his belief the risks of a new-and-far-more-lethal virus variant escaping from a sub-standard ChiCom lab were worth the potential advancement in science.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sorry, but when you make calls like that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>without<\/em><\/span> informing the population at large, and are proven <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>wrong<\/em><\/span>\u00a0by events, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>your<\/em> <em>life<\/em><\/span> should be relinquished.\u00a0 So jail time&#8217;s a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>gift<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Continuing our COVID coverage, writing at\u00a0<em>Townhall.com<\/em>, Kurt Schlichter asks us to&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"headline\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/kurtschlichter\/2021\/07\/29\/imagine-if-they-hadnt-lied-to-us-for-the-last-18-months-n2593208\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Imagine If They Hadn\u2019t Lied To Us For The Last 18 Months<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-30.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95949\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-30.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-30.png 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-30-300x194.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;&#8230;<span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Let\u2019s try a thought experiment.<\/span> Let\u2019s imagine our ruling class <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>was not<\/em><\/span> as utterly corrupt, dishonest, incompetent and downright stupid as it manifestly is. <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">I know that\u2019s hard, but go with me.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>This weird new virus appears and starts spreading. <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Instead<\/em><\/span> of leveraging it to take down Trump, the Democrats appear with the Republican president and GOP leadership to announce they are <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">working together to solve the problem<\/span><\/em>.<\/span> Imagine that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>instead<\/em><\/span> of shaming people, first about wearing masks, then about not wearing masks, then about not wearing two masks, then no masks, then masks again, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>they went with transparency<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">\u201cWe are not sure how much, if at all, masks work.<\/span> We\u2019re running test trials to see and we\u2019ll tell you what we find as soon as we have the data.<span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"> In the meantime, let\u2019s all wear them just in case.\u201d<\/span> And then, when they ran the studies, they would tell us the answer.\u00a0<i class=\"fa fa-arrow-circle-right\"><\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Have you seen any studies about masks?<\/span> We get a lot of that fascist gnome and others telling us to wear masks (after initially telling us they were useless \u2013 remember that memory-holed narrative?) but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>where\u2019s the actual science<\/em><\/span>?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">See, you have to believe the science, and believe them when they tell you what it is yet won\u2019t show you.<\/span> <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Obey<\/span><\/em>!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">But trust is earned, and these people act like it is their right to have our trust, that we owe them to take it on faith that whatever these people say is the Gospel.<\/span> Except they are wrong all the time, and instead of owning up to it, they treat you like some sort of idiot for noticing. <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">When you <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>don\u2019t trust<\/em><\/span> people who are perpetually wrong <span style=\"color: #008000;\">(<em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> repeatedly and continuously LIE to you!!!<\/em>)<\/span>, that\u2019s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>not denying<\/em><\/span> science.<\/span> That\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>is<\/em><\/span>\u00a0science \u2013 you are <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">making observations, and drawing reasonable conclusions<\/span><\/em>. <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">In <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>this<\/em><\/span> case, the observation is that <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">our establishment sucks<\/span><\/em>, and that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>it can\u2019t be trusted<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which is the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>only correct<\/em><\/span> conclusion.\u00a0 For as this clip from a recent <em>Tucker Carlson Tonight<\/em> demonstrates, they <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>did<\/em><\/span> lie, <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/lTdsXqtIxHE\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>repeatedly and continually<\/em><\/span><\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d26rtf5tjjU?start=518&amp;end=1053&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tucker&#8217;s complete commentary can be viewed <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/d26rtf5tjjU\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>here<\/em><\/span><\/a>; trust us, it&#8217;s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>well<\/em><\/span> worth your time.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Speaking of those no longer deserving of trust, Kurt Schlichter offers this missive penned by a Navy officer who understandably prefers anonymity, as he&#8230;or she&#8230;details&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"headline\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/kurtschlichter\/2021\/07\/27\/the-generals-new-clothes-transgender-policy-and-the-willful-demoralization-of-the-american-military-n2593166\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The General\u2019s New Clothes: Transgender Policy and the Willful Demoralization of the American Military<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><strong><em>The following is from @WhyWherever, aka Melqu\u00edades, a serving member of the military who, for obvious and sad reasons, cannot risk stating these views publicly. It is based on a powerful Twitter thread that highlights what our Navy has become under the woke leadership currently in place.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hzq25.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95947\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hzq25.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"138\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hzq25.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hzq25-300x99.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;&#8230;<span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>We\u2019ve long expected that sort of chicanery from our politicians, but the leaders of our military were a different story. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">We took them at their word when they swore an oath to the Constitution and we cherish our apolitical fighting force.<\/span> \u00a0Unfortunately, it\u2019s time for greater scrutiny.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>For those of you in the civilian world, it really is hard to explain the magnitude of god-like fear, awe, and respect these men command, to say nothing of the material rewards. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">If you don&#8217;t think those are powerful hooks sunk deep into their skin, think again.<\/span> They&#8217;ve spent lifetimes scraping and sweating to get where they are, and they&#8217;re <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>not eager to see it disturbed<\/em><\/span>.<i class=\"fa fa-arrow-circle-right\"><\/i><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">So when policies like those recently issued by the DoD demanding everyone play along with the delusions of the mentally ill are issued \u2013 preferred pronouns and all \u2013 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>none of them says a word<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> Worse yet, they&#8217;ve been trained to pretend they agree. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">What began with an oath to &#8220;support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic&#8221; has become a luxuriant career that makes them wealthy, stages them for yet more lucrative follow-on careers, and stokes their egos into bonfires.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>Or do you believe that every one of these 50 and 60-year-old men <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>suddenly realized<\/em><\/span> that they&#8217;d been <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>wrong all along<\/em><\/span>? <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">That Bradley Manning <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>isn&#8217;t<\/em><\/span> a traitor and that Chelsea Manning <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>is<\/em><\/span> a civil rights hero?<\/span> \u00a0Be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>serious<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>The only thing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>worse<\/em><\/span> than men <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>crazy enough to believe this nonsense<\/em><\/span> is men <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>cowardly enough to pretend they do<\/em><\/span>. <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">And that&#8217;s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>precisely what they&#8217;re doing<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> They&#8217;re <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>pretending<\/em><\/span> in order to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>protect<\/em><em> the careers<\/em><\/span> they <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>love so dearly<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Let&#8217;s be clear: if you believe a man can become a woman, you suffer from a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>psychological disorder<\/em><\/span> on par with those in the throes of gender dysphoria, only <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>you<\/em><\/span> have <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>no excuse<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>They<\/em><\/span> are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>genuinely unwell<\/em><\/span>; <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>you<\/em><\/span> have merely <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">been deceived<\/span><\/em>. <span style=\"color: #008000;\">(<em>Or are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">willfully ignoring<\/span> what you know to be true<\/em>.)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Furthermore, if you <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>genuinely believe<\/em><\/span> that men and women can mutilate their genitals, change their clothes, and become the opposite sex, you are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>unfit<\/em><\/span> for military service.<\/span> \u00a0At <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>any rank<\/em><\/span>, in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>any position<\/em><\/span>. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Full stop.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><strong>But these men <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>don&#8217;t really<\/em><\/span> believe it. <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">They are motivated by varying combinations of a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>desire to get promoted and a fear of getting fired<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> \u00a0These are the men paid lavishly to defend our nation in time of war. <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">Men who <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">don&#8217;t have the spine to speak an obvious yet suddenly unspeakable truth<\/span><\/em>.<\/span> Men who will <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>force out of service<\/em><\/span> everyone who <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>isn&#8217;t<\/em><\/span> also a coward in order to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>maintain uniformity<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span>&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s a second supersized shot of the juice: The Socialists&#8217; goal in remaking our Armed Forces is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>simple<\/em><\/span>: A Military <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>ready, willing and able<\/em><\/span> to turn their weapons on their fellow citizens <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>when<\/em><\/span> their Socialist overlords deem it necessary to maintain power, or at the least <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>unwilling to oppose<\/em><\/span> the overthrow of the Constitution.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Not<\/em><\/span> conjecture, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>not<\/em><\/span> a conspiracy theory&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9j1qkorFszY?start=8\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Truly an uncomfortable truth, but truth nonetheless.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Next, we offer a sextet of specially-selected items certain to pique the curiosity of inquiring Conservative minds:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(1).\u00a0So, why the mask mandate for children? <a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/katiepavlich\/2021\/07\/28\/oh-so-thats-why-the-cdc-wants-to-mask-kids-n2593232\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>Look no further than the teachers unions, who have been lobbying the CDC to issue mask guidelines for students<\/em><\/span><\/a>. In May, when the CDC repealed mask guidelines for the vaccinated, which they reversed this week, the country&#8217;s largest teacher&#8217;s unions\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/nations-largest-teachers-union-will-still-push-masks-schools-despite-new-cdc-guidance-1591542\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">insisted kids<\/a>\u00a0still wear them.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072921dAPR20210729044503.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95950\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072921dAPR20210729044503.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072921dAPR20210729044503.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072921dAPR20210729044503-300x214.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(2). In a related item, as\u00a0<em>NRO<\/em>&#8216;s Charlie Cooke astutely observes,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2021\/07\/covid-19-has-given-us-progressivism-unleashed\/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=NR%20Daily%20Monday%20through%20Friday%202021-07-29&amp;utm_term=NRDaily-Smart\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>COVID-19 Has Given Us Progressivism Unleashed<\/em><\/span><\/a>, and &#8220;Thankfully, if history is any guide, the backlash will last a lot longer than the pandemic.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(3). Turns out the\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2021\/07\/27\/teary-capitol-police-officer-who-testified-about-january-6-previously-defended-violent-george-floyd-riots-in-kenosha\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">teary-eyed\u00a0 Capitol Police officer who testified about his traumatic experience during the peaceful January 6th protest previously defended the violent riots In Kenosha<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hvah3.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95911\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hvah3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hvah3.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hvah3-300x261.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>This is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>precisely<\/em><\/span>&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Image-7-28-21-at-7.40-AM.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95915\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Image-7-28-21-at-7.40-AM.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Image-7-28-21-at-7.40-AM.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Image-7-28-21-at-7.40-AM-300x254.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As for his claims to have been called the &#8220;N&#8221; word by someone in the crowd, sorry, but that&#8217;s the same patent, unverified\u00a0 bullsh*t <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/story\/tea-party-protesters-dispute-reports-of-slurs-spitting-against-dem-lawmakers\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>John Lewis tried back in 2010<\/em><\/span><\/a>, except that time it was Tea Partiers.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(4).\u00a0<\/strong><strong>San Francisco shoplifting: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/san-francisco-shoplifting-retail-cvs-pharmacy-video\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Women caught on video allegedly bolting from CVS with bags full of stolen goods<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(5). Courtesy of the The Boss, the <em>WSJ<\/em>&#8216;s Dan Henninger wonders <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/joe-biden-approval-rating-covid-border-crime-progressives-spending-11627498020?mod=opinion_featst_pos3\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">IS 46* sinking in the polls<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">,<\/span>\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and<\/span> <a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/joe-biden-approval-rating-covid-border-crime-progressives-spending-11627498020?mod=opinion_featst_pos3\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">how\u00a0long will the president\u2019s old pals, the MODERATE Democrats, hang on for the descent<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/span>?\u00a0 While Dan, as usual, makes some excellent points, the title of his commentary brought two thoughts immediately to mind: First, the question isn&#8217;t whether 46* IS sinking in the polls, rather at what rate his descent is accelerating; and second, we cannot think of a single &#8220;old pal&#8221; of\u00a0 Joe&#8217;s still extent&#8230;other than possibly Corn Pop&#8230;and the only &#8220;moderate&#8221; Dimocrat who comes to mind, Kyrsten Sinema, doesn&#8217;t know The Groper from Adam.\u00a0 Nor, given his proclivities, is she likely anxious to better their acquaintance.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>(6). And since we&#8217;re on the subject of senators,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-inflation-taxes-11627575599?mod=opinion_lead_pos7\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>Rob Portman is a dissimulating douche pump<\/em><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/a-not-so-grand-infrastructure-deal-senate-democrats-republicans-11627597534?mod=opinion_lead_pos1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>the Editorial Board at the Journal<\/em> notes<\/span><\/a>&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">&#8220;<strong>Senate Republicans, or at least <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>some<\/em><\/span> of them, are taking a victory lap for striking a $<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>1 trillion infrastructure deal<\/em><\/span> with the White House. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Hurrah<\/em><\/span>! They can <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">now retreat to the sidelines<\/span><\/em> and let Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders negotiate a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>partisan<\/em><em> multi-trillion dollar entitlement expansion<\/em><\/span> that they have made <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>easier to pass<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong>&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>&#8230;adding,\u00a0<\/strong><strong>&#8220;The GOP gets roads and bridges, Democrats a green bonanza <em>and more<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 Yeah,\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>MUCH<\/em><\/span> more.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4D7cPH7DHgA?start=164&amp;end=167&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>P.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/jan-6-house-select-committee-capitol-hill-riot-trump-11627594907?mod=opinion_featst_pos1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #0000ff;\"><em>Peggy Noonan spews even greater volumes of vinegar and water<\/em><\/span><\/a> than Portman.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Which\u00a0<\/strong><strong>brings us, appropriately enough to <em>The Lighter Side<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072821dAPR20210728054504.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95912\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072821dAPR20210728054504.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072821dAPR20210728054504.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/afb072821dAPR20210728054504-300x214.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-14.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95951\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-14.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-14.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-14-300x205.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-13.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95913\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-13.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-13.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bbb-13-300x214.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cb072821dAPR20210727064505.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95926\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cb072821dAPR20210727064505.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cb072821dAPR20210727064505.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cb072821dAPR20210727064505-300x227.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MC_Spaceballs_web20210728015311.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95925\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MC_Spaceballs_web20210728015311.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MC_Spaceballs_web20210728015311.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MC_Spaceballs_web20210728015311-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-29.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95914\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-29.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/aaa-29-300x213.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Then there&#8217;s these from the lovely Shannon&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95903\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon1.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon1-300x300.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon2-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95904\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon2-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon2-1.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon2-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon2-1-300x300.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95905\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon3.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shannon3-300x300.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;Speed&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/speed-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95930\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/speed-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/speed-2.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/speed-2-300x226.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;Balls Cotton&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-3.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95952\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-3.jpeg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-3-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-3-300x300.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95953\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-1.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image000000-1-300x288.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;Ed Hickey&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image011.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95955\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image011.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image011.jpg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/image011-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8230;and last, but certainly never least, James Patrick:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95938\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley.jpg 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley-300x245.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95939\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley2.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley2-300x206.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95940\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley3.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley3-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95941\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley4.png 462w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/crilley4-300x297.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Finally, we&#8217;ll call it a month with the <span style=\"color: #003300;\"><em>Sports Section<\/em><\/span>, and a dispassionate look at a most unexpected, and indeed, rarely paralleled event, as <em>Townhall.com<\/em>&#8216;s Mark Davis bravely broaches what&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 class=\"headline\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/townhall.com\/columnists\/markdavis\/2021\/07\/28\/the-simone-biles-moment-reveals-our-softened-world-n2593215\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff6600;\"><span style=\"color: #800000; text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #003300; text-decoration: underline;\">The Simone Biles Moment Reveals Our Softened World<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hxnx0.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-95929\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hxnx0.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"420\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hxnx0.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5hxnx0-300x169.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;<span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong>Athletes regularly say it is mental strength that allows the uppermost zeniths of performance. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">Countless human bodies are capable of staying in good shape and practicing diligently\u2014that\u2019s a work ethic.<\/span> \u00a0But to be Muhammad Ali, Tom Brady, Serena Williams, or others who have achieved unequaled greatness\u2014that calls on the ethereal world of the mind. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">These athletes find something undefinable that brings their talents to a level other mortals just can\u2019t reach.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong>And the thing is, Simone Biles displayed precisely that quality for years. <span style=\"color: #800000;\">So what happened?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong>Apparently <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>no one gets to ask<\/em><\/span>, and we have <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>learned quickly<\/em><\/span> that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>only the approved reactions are acceptable<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">If Brady had thrown three interceptions in the first half of the last Super Bowl, he would have faced numerous questions about such a massive performance hiccup.<\/span> \u00a0Curiosity would have properly surrounded both his arm and his mental focus. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">And there is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>no universe<\/em><\/span> in which <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>he<\/em><\/span> would have <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>handed the ball to the backup quarterback and opted out of the second half<\/em><\/span> because he <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>wasn\u2019t in \u201cthe right head space<\/em><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong>No comparison will be exact. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">There is nothing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>precisely like<\/em><\/span> the pressure on an individual gymnast in an Olympic team rotation.<\/span> \u00a0Does it exceed any pressure on any athlete in any other setting? \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">I don\u2019t know.<\/span> \u00a0I <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>do know<\/em><\/span> that she has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>excelled<\/em><\/span> under that pressure <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>in the past<\/em><\/span>, revealing a grit that has written her name on the tablet of our greatest Olympians.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Since <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>no one knows why<\/em><\/span> that well ran dry Tuesday, the air filled with speculation, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>all<\/em><\/span> of it by definition <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>underinformed<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> \u00a0I <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">can\u2019t know<\/span><\/em> what it was like for her as she called on her characteristic inner strength and found it lacking.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">But I <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>do know<\/em><\/span> this: \u00a0if <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Brady<\/em><\/span> had thrown those three picks, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>he<\/em><\/span> would have <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>failed to do what was expected<\/em><\/span>.<\/span> \u00a0And I\u2019m guessing Hell\u2019s fury <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>would not<\/em><\/span> have awaited anyone saying so<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">&#8230;<span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">So to conclude, I wish nothing but the best for Simone Biles, for the rest of these Olympics, for the rest of her remarkable life.<\/span> \u00a0But I have wishes for our society as well. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">I want it to be permissible to tell people to fight through tough moments, to dig down and find whatever is necessary to find the right \u201chead space\u201d to do what is required of a given moment.<\/span> \u00a0Sometimes it will be in sports, sometimes in battle, <em>sometimes<\/em> in family life, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>sometimes<\/em><\/span> in personal struggles.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">If we do not value such toughness enough to call for it from each other, our collective and individual strengths will ebb.<\/span> \u00a0We should <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>maintain<\/em><\/span> high expectations <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>not<\/em><\/span> so we can <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>berate<\/em><\/span> people when they are not met, but so we can <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>inspire them to do better next time<\/em><\/span>. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #800000;\">We don\u2019t want countless young athletes across America to start cultivating \u201chead space\u201d justifications, and we surely don\u2019t want this to become any more common in other walks of life.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #003300;\"><strong>Empathy is always a kind instinct, but we cannot allow it to devour what used to be a high value placed on <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>doing whatever is necessary to fight through tough times and do what is expected<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/span>&#8220;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The nearest parallel upon which we can draw is the infamous &#8220;No mas, no mas&#8221; moment which was the unfortunate finish to the otherwise brilliant boxing career of Roberto\u00a0Dur\u00e1n:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5tq6b_hDvUA?start=10\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dur\u00e1n, whose the legendary\u00a0&#8220;Manos de Piedra&#8221; (&#8220;Hands of Stone&#8221;) enabled him to beat Leonard in their first meeting, was roundly criticized, even ridiculed for quitting in their rematch.\u00a0\u00a0The difference is, Roberto was then, Simone is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>now<\/em><\/span>, where\u00a0we&#8217;re living in a woke society and she&#8217;s a female of color.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>BTW, TLJ just informed us the Biles camp is claiming she withdrew from competition owing to a loss of equilibrium.\u00a0 Maybe&#8230;maybe not.\u00a0 The point is, we&#8217;re not slamming Simon Biles, <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">whatever<\/span> <\/em>her reasons for withdrawing.\u00a0 Rather we&#8217;re calling out <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>the culture<\/em><\/span> which prevents anyone\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>even asking<\/em><\/span>\u00a0pertinent, legitimate questions of a very celebrated athlete and public figure <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>in the wake of a most rare and curious occurrence<\/em><\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Magoo<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>P.S. On an administrative note, having tested negative for the Wuhan virus, TLJ and I will be winging our way to Africa Friday evening.\u00a0 And while we&#8217;d love to think we might publish an issue or two whilst abroad, odds are we&#8217;ll be radio silent until either Wednesday August 18th or Friday August 20th.\u00a0 So &#8217;til then&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GLUNypEfrFQ?start=86&amp;end=88&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>P.S.S. We covet your prayers for a safe trip and return home.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em><strong>Video of the Day<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tucker and Brit highlight the hypocrisy of the sham hearing currently underway on Capitol Hill.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qZqh95BCoCk?start=0&amp;end=233&amp;\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em>Tales of The Bewildered<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>46*: He&#8217;s going&#8230;going&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3pstedKqeHg\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em>On the Insensate Side<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>GONE!\u00a0 Sorry, but this bumbling, stumbling a*sclown has TOTALLY lost it!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_QEv0Ex3gzM\" width=\"420\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s Friday, July 30th, 2021&#8230;but before we begin, we offer two other citations we considered for our Quote of the Day\u00a0immediately above: &#8220;So the vaccines work, the only people getting sick are the unvaccinated, but the vaccinated still have to wear masks. Why is that?\u00a0You just read it. Quote: &#8220;Public health leaders in our administration [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1988,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1988"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=95960"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96109,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95960\/revisions\/96109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=95960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=95960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedailygouge.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=95960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}