This week it is my privilege to respond to two letters, from Kelly Scoles, and from a new resident of Fillmore, Pat Collins. Thank you both.

I'm also pleased that both take exception to last week's Realities. During the 34 years I have published the Gazette I have encouraged readers to express their opinions, signed or anonymous, especially if they strongly disagree with the publisher. Without visceral negative reactions to my column, I wouldn't write it. So, thank you both again.

Out of respect for a new voice, I will answer Pat's letter first - and with equal respect, my friend Kelly's, second.
Hi Pat. Great to hear from you. The Gazette is a rare thing to be sure; I believe it's the last traditional small town weekly newspaper in southern California. When we began publication in 1989 there were eight web newspaper presses in Ventura County; today there are none. The Gutenberg-like breakthrough of computers and the internet, ironically, has killed thousands of newspapers, big, small, and nano, like the Gazette. Hard to tell which may turn to dust first, the Gazette or its publisher. But, as a wise old actor once said, we endeavor to persevere!

You should not be disheartened over last week's column (I hope you're sitting down), before I reveal the Gazette's unique character - she's authentically conservative in a meaningful, traditional way. Always has been, always will be. To those Americans who take pride in American freedom and independence (like you, I'm sure) this fact should stir an appetite for vigorous discussion, as I have engaged with my liberal friend Kelly Scoles for several years now. While I have the greatest personal respect for Kelly, we strongly clash in our opinions most of the time. She, for example, regards Hunter's laptop as unimportant, while I think Biden should be impeached, convicted, and imprisoned for treason. Slightly different takes making for healthy, respectful debate.

Last example, Pat; they falsely accuse Donald Trump of instigating "insurrection" at the Capitol on January 6. Liberals (very obviously) lie about this short (4-hour) incident. Typical example: "The heavily armed, Trump-incited mob attack of Jan. 6, 2021, was an attack not just on the U.S. Capitol building, but also on democracy and the rule of law." This is a typical, liberal Democrat "opinion" disguised as news. A truthful, factual report should have stated there were NO "heavily armed" citizens there, no fires, no damage to statuary, leisurely walk invited through building. Fisticuffs outside, but in fact peaceful inside, compared to all 2020 BLM riots in hundreds of cities, costing, in insured damage, $2 billion, and described by media as "mostly peaceful".

At least 25 Americans (civilians) were killed during protests and political unrest in 2020. "Violence raged at US protests in at least 140 cities. More than 2,000 law enforcement officers were injured in the first weeks of protests over the summer following the police killing of George Floyd", compared to one person killed at the Jan. 6 "insurrection" by a grossly negligent Capitol policeman, exonerated.

Arrests, convictions, and imprisonment following this true 2020 insurrection: Virtually none. Total insured property losses incurred during the George Floyd riots come in at "At least 25 Americans were killed during protests and political unrest in 2020 ... Nine of the people killed during protests were demonstrators .."

But for the 4-hour Capitol riot: "Approximately 749 federal defendants have had their cases adjudicated and received sentences for their criminal activity on Jan. 6". The persecution continues. "But over 95% of Antifa and BLM rioters charges were dropped," While, (CNN) years after the January 6 insurrection, the Justice Department continues to press forward on the biggest investigation in FBI history, with 700 people already arrested and hundreds more offenders still at large and several more years of prosecutions ahead. And continuing to falsely call it an "insurrection".

Pat, I endeavor to discipline my statements by confining them to facts, always open to scrutiny.

As for those (9-million) "attempting to come to this great country of ours", I only oppose those coming unlawfully. I'm all for law and order, and this total disorder may bankrupt our nation and invites our fanatical enemies to have their way. Our nation's largesse should never be under duress. And the "welfare of [your] children are directly threatened by this flood of illegal immigration at every level. How many more of the world's 8-billion should we invite to our teeming shore?" Your "huddled masses" are sinking the ship of state; better to assist them in their own countries.

While you are certainly not "anointed" to make decisions for others, loyal American citizens like yourself are free to educate yourself, debate, persuade, and vote, just as Kelly and I do each week. That's a duty of citizenship. The immigration bill is an abomination which only perpetuates the broken borders crisis. Like the border, support for Ukraine and Israel are separate, urgent necessities. We must assist each of them, quickly, regardless of cost, or soon pay with our freedom. We could do this easily if we had not been such spendthrifts for so many years. Now we have no viable alternative.
Again, welcome to the forum, Pat.

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Hi Kelly. Sorry I'm so far off base this week (about 500 words). I need to practice more discipline like Pat suggests!
About my "vile statement " concerning Biden and his radical liberal cronies being "evil". "Evil" is just an extreme form of "bad." And I believe good and evil are irreconcilable. Biden is evil because he habitually does evil things; it's his and his family's nature. Evidence of his evil can be found in the infamous Hunter laptop which reveals Joe's ravenous appetite for other people's money through shakedowns, and his bartering of the nations' policies. No time to open this fact up, again.

We conservatives do lament the passing of Rush, an honest genius and spectacular teacher.
You question "Trump's mental, emotional, and legal decay?" I'm astonished you would mention these things after enduring three years of Joe Biden' involuntary cerebral antics.

The man must fart more succinctly than he speaks. He is a walking threat to climate change. As to "Trump's lack of morality, integrity," etc. If Biden is your moral standard here it's no wonder you ignore the truckloads of felonious self-enrichment he has secured during his gigs as Senator, Vice President and Commander in Chief.

(note): I apologize for writing this long column. I didn't have time to write a short one.