Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:31:28 -0700WeeblySun, 26 Apr 2026 17:49:42 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/now-will-they-focus-on-gun-violenceThe attempted attack by a potential shooter to kill people at last night’s White House Correspondents Association dinner is just the latest example of violence in our country.

School shootings, church shootings, mass shootings, attempted assassinations of presidents and other public figures – we all are almost desensitized to them.

This one, with no one seriously injured, should be looked at differently, though.

In attendance were media elites and working stiffs, the President, Vice President and a lot of the Cabinet, media corporate bigwigs, House and Senate members and others.

So, journalists and their powerful guests have now experienced a potential mass shooting from the “other side,” as potential targets of such violence which, one hopes, has to affect the way they cover these events going forward. One thing to be an  observer detached from a story, another to be in the story.

As the days go by, we’ll learn more about possible motives of the alleged shooter, of arrangements for such events, and more. We need to learn lessons from it all.

To try, finally, to avoid or at least limit, it happening again.

Having been in that ballroom many times, for this event and others, and knowing the layout of the Washington Hilton, while the alleged shooter clearly planned out his attack, if he had gotten into the ballroom, getting to the President or the front of the room would have been next to impossible with the number of people and tables in the way. Would he have killed people? Most definitely, but he wouldn’t have gotten a shot at the dais, in my opinion.

Early reports are he wanted to harm the President and his administration’s representatives.  Logistically, he likely would killed and wounded others though before he was stopped.

Our society has become violent. We have been desensitized to that violence. Reporters cover the tragedies and then move on to the next big story.

Politicians from all sides leverage the events to push their own favorite gun control, gun decontrol or whatever issues.

It’s a pattern that needs changing.

Talking heads this morning took familiar positions. Trump supporters blamed a violent “left wing.” Non-supporters said it’s a problem on both sides of the political spectrum.

Nothing new there – none were calling for calm and a stop to the finger-pointing at the extremes on both sides.

The truth is such violence knows no single home. It comes from all angles.

President Trump’s reactions to the shooting last night covered the gamut. From saying the right things (honoring the Constitution, bringing people together) and all the wrong things (immediately focusing on his White House ballroom, on how “impactful” presidents become targets for assassination, designating himself as “impactful”).

But let’s not forget the shock those in the hall and those of us watching on television felt. Because that’s what we must take from these events. And where we must demand something be done, finally.

Now the most powerful people in our country and the reporters who cover them have felt what it’s like to be under the attack of a person who is, clearly, mentally disturbed, motivated … and armed. The same way so many mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers and others have been affected over the decades.

The President asked the event be rescheduled. A nice idea but probably not practical. Certainly not at the level it’s been held for the last 100-plus years.  

Still, the purpose of the dinner – the true purpose – is to honor the First Amendment and to award scholarships to students. Those scholarships, that day in the limelight, is something those students earned and deserve. 

Many executives plan trips to DC for months to attend the event, and folks in DC manage their schedules around attending.

Not to mention the millions of dollars the association spends and will have to pay for last night’s cancelled event. The Association doesn’t have a chest of money waiting to be spent. The ticket costs typically pay most of the expenses and scholarships each year.

So, I expect a smaller celebration will be planned.

The President’s immediate focus on the White House ballroom, to me, was inappropriate in addition to being false. For one thing the White House, this one and likely future ones, won’t be renting out that ballroom to private groups, such as the correspondents’ association.

And, even if it found a reason to do so, it won’t be big enough to accommodate them. But it fit Trump’s narrative to direct attention and “need” to his "secure" ballroom. As planned, the new ballroom would seat 650-999 people. Last night’s event attracted a few thousand people. It was a fund-raiser. You don’t skimp on seats if you're raising money. You pack the room.

(By the way, personally I don’t oppose having a larger venue for the White House to hold events, but I don’t like just nonchalantly knocking down the East Wing in the effective dead of night with no notice or adherence to the official, legal process that exists to make changes to the White House.)

Attention also needs to be better paid to the line of succession and who attends what events together. Seems like that President and Vice President needn’t be in the same room (off the White House campus) as often as we’ve seen, for example. At least four of the top five office-holders in the line of succession attended last night.

Let's not end without singing the praises of the Secret Service and law enforcement for the job they did last night. No one was injured in the ball room, the alleged shooter never even got to the door to enter the ballroom.

While the hotel writ large wasn’t secure, a perimeter was established widely enough around the ballroom to provide a tragedy from being a disaster. And the Secret Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is not even being paid right now because of political budget disputes on the Hill.

Those men and women performed bravely and unselfishly to protect the President and the hundreds of others in that ballroom.

Let’s hope the rest of the government sees that as a message for how they should perform – putting personal positioning aside for the country’s good.

]]>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:14:03 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/is-he-just-lying-mad-or-delusional
It’s finally happened, to the Nth degree.

President Trump says we have a deal with Iran. Iran says we don’t.

And, I honestly have no clue whether to believe the President of the United States or the leadership of one of our biggest enemies.

Do you?

Trump “Truth-ed” seven times in an hour claims about where we are in talks with Iran, about ending the war and their efforts to develop a nuclear bomb.

Iran said all seven claims were false.

Iran “completely opened” the Strait of Hormuz” and then said no it didn’t.
Has President Trump finally worn out any sense that he can be honest at least about the state of war – about our women and men being in harm’s way? Does he consult with advisors at all before he punches the buttons on his phone?

Or is he - and I’m just being serious here - truly out of his mind, senile, or riddled with false understandings of his power?

Does he really believe that meme he published of himself as Jesus Christ was a selfie? Or that he was a doctor tending to the sick?

That one, that lie about that meme, led me to think he just thinks “we” are that stupid. A couple of days later, with his claims of Iran accepting all of our conditions to end the war, I wonder if - and I’m being serious here again - if he truly has lost his mind.

Next thing he’ll claims that ending the war with Iran is the 11th time he ended another war and he still can’t get a Nobel.

Yes, he may say he settled the war he started.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.
]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:31:41 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/hocus-pocus-theyll-lose-their-focusPresident Donald J. Trump’s bravado act is beyond stale.

His first of his second term prime-time speech last night was not just a snoozer, it was full of lies, half truths and, well, bravado as his polling numbers continue to sink, whether he accepts that fact or not.

Most everyone expected a speech that would give a timeline for the war in Iran to end. The best we got was his standard “two weeks or so” prediction. He’s in charge, he can end it today if he wanted to.

Instead, we are watching even more troops being sent to the region as we hear rumors of special operations that could go (on the ground) after Iran’s uranium stash or Kharg Island.

Trump laid out the time lines we’ve experienced for world wars and other “conflicts” – Vietnam, Iraq -- over the years trying to put his month-old war into a context, that he didn’t enter another quagmire.

But none of those commanders-in-chief thought that’s what they were doing either.

What will happen? Tune in next week, or the week after!

Trump is running the country like it’s his old weekly game show on TV: Build the drama, watch the audience reaction, shift gears without saying you’re shifting gears.

Hocus pocus., they’ll lose their focus!

Likely, though, not this time.

At least for that “base” that voted for someone else plus that slice of swing voters who went his way in 2024 but are peeling off after just a year of his second presidency. Young people, Latinos, people unhappy with the Democratic Party's results.

No predictions here on the mid-terms – it’s too early – but at this moment, it’s not looking good for the President’s team. The good news for them is that the opponent is the Democratic Party and they could blow an election at any time as quickly as you need to blow your nose.

Stay tuned!!!

Trump already was forced to switch up some of his immigration battle in Minnesota and, finally, ditched Kristi Noem at the Department of Homeland Security because he either realized she was the disaster most people anticipated or that she was starring in her own multi-million-dollar ads campaign instead of focusing them completely on Donald J. Trump.

Goodbye Kristi, hello MarkWayne!

Today, rumors are all over that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be the next to go. Why? Not because she isn’t doing things she’s there to do for the American people but because she’s failing Trump’s agenda when it comes to the (shhh) Epstein Files and getting indictments against Trump’s enemies, both of which were the charge given her by the President.

Not to make America great, but to satisfy his selfish goals of punishing his “enemies” and apparently hiding some of his secrets.

Speaking of which, the President will soon be clearly viewing the Supreme Court as even more of an enemy, despite his appointing what gave conservatives what they thought was a super majority. While he’s kinda-sorta won some support at the court (through semi-but-not-really court decisions) even his presence in the court yesterday couldn’t stop the justices from pointedly questioning his executive order to end birthright citizenship which has a century-and-a-half of precedence in the country.

Trump has succeeded in creating so much activity and chaos in the country and world that people aren’t even remembering that today is the anniversary of his “Liberation Day,” when he began issuing tariffs against friends and foes to better Americans' life, supposedly to improve our  quality and cost of living.

A year later, prices, as predicted by most legitimate economists on both the right and left, are up, and that was before his war of choice in Iran which has sent gas prices soaring. That has created problems not just for people who need to commute to work but just as the warmer, travel months are arriving. (Not that taking out Iran's leadership and nukes isn't a fine goal but, as with  Trump on most things, his execution was horrible.)

His promises of a return to manufacturing? Manufacturing jobs are down. And that is during his term, not because of Joe Biden, whatever his faults might have been. His inflated claims of, now, $18 trillion dollars in announced potential investment in the USA? Even his own people say the announced promises amount to half of that and even if the $18 trillion was true, you wouldn’t see a job created by that investment for years.

Bravado. Lies. Fantasy. Gaslighting.

That’s what we’re getting from the Trump presidency. Not to mention higher prices, war, and Cabinet members chosen for their appearance (men and women) rather than for their competence.

Chief Justice John Roberts put things in some perspective yesterday when he said, “it’s a new world, but the same Constitution.”

That seemingly off-the-cuff comment came during the birthright citizenship case yesterday and one hopes is also the view of the entire court as we look to survive another three years of bravado and lies.

A President is elected to protect that Constitution not to walk on it.
 
]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:43:31 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/impressive-bunny-good-seahawks-worst-game-patriotsThe Super Bowl featured great defense (Seattle Seahawks), the worst game of their year (New England Patriots) and a gob-smacking half time, show (Bad Bunny).

The halftime show was incredible from its complicated setup of the field, to its music (all, except for Lady Gaga in Spanish) to its message. It was fast-paced, a well put together production (from setup to story line to music to camera work) and a true story of a proud American – Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio (Bad Bunny).

It also apparently featured, unseen, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, as a viewer and who tweeted as the show ended:

“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying...”

In fact, the halftime showcased the greatness of America, its opportunity for success and our standards, creativity and excellence. The President just chooses not to get it.

Earlier yesterday Trump “Truthed” that American Olympian freestyle skier Hunter Hess, who said he had mixed emotions because he doesn’t agree with everything going on in his home country, “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

Okay, as they say on TV let’s “unpack” that a bit.

We have a Puerto Rican producing a halftime show at the biggest athletic event in the country that talks proudly about his heritage, how hard Puerto Ricans work and contribute to the USA, points out the uniquely Puerto Rican and festive culture of the Puerto Rican people and delivers a message about not just this but that “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

Hess, who worked his life to reach his Olympic dream and represent his country – with all the personal and family sacrifices that go with that – answered a question, honestly, that, as an American, he doesn’t agree with everything his government is doing and the President of the United States criticizes him for speaking truth in a country founded and respected globally as the place where you have freedom of speech and expression.

So, what’s wrong with this picture? These two young men – proud of their homeland and their huge accomplishments – and Trump, leader of their country, criticizes them because he’s offended they love their country but not him and have the audacity to use their right of free expression to say so.

Pointedly, neither attacked Trump in their comments.

Pointedly, Trump chose to attack them, by name.

Hess, who crashed a few months before the 2022 Olympic qualifiers and failed to qualify came back and made the 2026 team, carefully spoke his (free speech protected) mind at this year’s Games.

Bad Bunny, a name he adopted because of the way he looked in a bunny outfit and a grumpy expression on his face when he was a child, just 10 years ago was working at an Econo supermarket in Puerto Rico. Today he is pop music’s most popular performer – worldwide.

Seems to most of us (I hope all of us) that they achieved their dreams thanks to the culture and values and freedoms our country was founded on and is admired for.

Congratulations to them both!

]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:41:11 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/how-does-fascism-happenWhen you look back at fascists, you see patterns of behavior that, while they are happening, don’t seem so nefarious individually. But when you add them up, a different story appears. For example:

Neutering the parliament/Congress
Emasculating the courts
Limiting press freedom slowly
Raiding journalists’ homes
Appointing only true loyalists
Banishing from their government anyone who doesn’t toe the line
Employing spokesmen who ignore questions and attack the questioner for a lack of patriotism
Employing spokesman who tell the public that it didn’t see what it saw
Investigating and charging perceived political enemies
Pardoning people convicted and/or confessing to crimes for no seeming reason
Threatening to cancel elections
Claiming a lost election is a rigged election
Redrawing political maps out to maintain control
Manipulating information to match their version of the truth
Lying
Bullying
Intimidating
Going around traditional institutions and creating their own
Unilaterally defunding programs they don’t agree with
Unilaterally changing laws without going through the traditional process
Taking down monuments of those they don’t agree with
Building monuments to yourself
Employing a masked police force

The list, unfortunately, goes on until someone stops it.
 

]]>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:05:54 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/as-in-life-focus-political-attention-on-what-you-can-controlGiving a pep talk to his Republican House majority this week President Trump told them that if they lose the mid-term elections, “we’ll lose our country.”

As with many of his public proclamations, Trump is projecting.

This year the country truly could be lost if the midterms don’t give Democrats a majority in, at least, the House of Representatives. But it will be lost to one man – Trump – who believes he is the all-powerful Oz.

As he told his House members, he could be impeached if the Democrats regain control of the House.

And that is what’s important to Donald Trump.

Not losing a majority he can depend on for his policies, but a majority he can depend on not to impeach him.

 Has the President committed impeachable actions? Probably.

At barest minimum he is violating the law a nearly unanimous Congress passed ordering his Administration to release the Epstein files. And that’s likely the least of his unconstitutional sins.

But let’s not go there right now.

The most important event this year is the mid-term elections. Do not let the President distract you from what’s at stake in this election.

With a Democrat-majority House, the Congress again will assert its Constitutional responsibility for oversight of the Executive Branch. The current weak Speaker of the House is just an extension of the White House.  He is so ingrained in protecting this President and ignoring his Constitutional responsibilities, he may as well be a Cabinet member.

So, the goal:

Focus on the mid-terms and elect a Democratic majority in the House.

Controlling what this president does or says is not in your control. Don’t be distracted by it.

What is in your control: Your vote and support for candidates for election.

In our almost perfectly gerrymandered age, if you live in a district that is a foregone Democratic win, definitely support the Democratic candidate to be sure he or she wins. AND, send money or support of some kind into a contested district to boost the Democrat’s chances there.

The balance of power in the House is just a few votes. It won’t take a tsunami to take control. It will take focus, though.

I’m no supporter of the Democratic Party. But I am definitely a political opponent of this President and his unconstitutional ways.

Is he the legally elected President? Yes.

It wasn’t by a landslide, as he likes to say, but he did win. Just as Joe Biden won in 2020.  I trust our elections.

His selfish manner -- his “me, me, me” approach to the presidency -- is the exact opposite of what we want or need in our leader. We want him more concerned about us, not whether he wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

Of course, do what it takes to win that prize. That’s what we want our presidents to do. Heck, that’s what the world wants the American president to do.

But do it because it’s the right thing to do. If the Prize comes along, good on you. (Fact: Only four U.S. presidents have won the Peace Prize, three while in office).

Donald Trump is all about Donald Trump. That’s not news.

Donald Trump lies. That’s not news.

Even in his “pep talk” to his House majority he told his party to moderate its most closely held stand – abortion – to win the election.

You don’t need to be told but here goes: One of the Republican Party’s longest held and most sacred official stands is anti-abortion. That’s not just their politics, it literally is religion to many. Some people are pro-choice Republicans, harkening back to the “Big Tent” days of the late former national Chairman Lee Atwater who saw abortion as a difference-maker in elections.

But their party’s president just told a huge part of his base – Christian Republicans (about 75 percent of the GOP base) – to moderate this most closely held belief.

In another age (actually just a few years ago), that would never have been even a thought on a Republican president’s mind, let alone to speak it out loud. But that’s how important this mid-term is to Donald Trump.

It must be equally important to those who oppose Trump’s unconstitutional approach to the presidency.

Focus on what you can do something about.
 
 

]]>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:56:33 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/trump-cant-even-jump-over-his-own-low-barFor nearly 10 years, I’ve written posts about Donald J. Trump. Always, I’ve tried to take the approach of the journalist I was once, the political strategist/spokesman I once was and the human being I hope I am.

I’ve pointed out what I think are his faults, what my non-trained clinician self thinks are his personality flaws but reported based on what experts say, and my reactions to his behavior, comments and policies. I have tried not to react only instinctively to his many crazy comments because I do think there are personality disorders at play and, now, even distinct signs of an aging mind losing its battles with reality.

Those days are over.

It is past time that those closest to Trump spill their guts and tell the citizens of this country – who put their faith, trust and lives in his hands – what the hell is going on with him.

The time is well past for being politically loyal, for saying only things that Trump will like -- but know you're lying through your teeth.

He had an MRI. I’ve had them too, because doctors were trying to diagnose issues I’ve had with TIAs (mini-strokes) and stroke. There was always a diagnostic reason for my many MRIs. And, trust me, unlike Trump’s public claims – I always knew why they were putting me through the MRI machine. That's serious business.

That blemish on his hands? What the heck is that about? His people claim it’s from him shaking so many hands. This is a germophobe who probably has shaken fewer hands than any President in history. It could be as simple as psoriasis or eczema or an age spot or marks made by an infusion port.

When you’re the President of the United States and having MRIs or obvious medical issues – the people of the country have the absolute right to know what’s going on.

Toss in personality disorders or, more importantly, signs of dementia – the people of this country have a right and a need to know.

The President’s Cabinet and the congressional leadership, at minimum -- those folks ought to be demanding to know because they have an obligation to know and, if serious, do something about it.

Trump today blamed the brutal murder of Rob Reiner and his wife on Reiner himself and his Trump-diagnosed “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Trump's post struck a new low even for the low bar he set for himself.  His post today:

“A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS. He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!”

The Reiners’ son was arrested today in connection with the murders – a tragic story.

If Trump won’t release honest information on his MRIs and health condition, the Republican leadership should be demanding it.

I know, I know, they’re too afraid of a Trump-ordered primary against them to do anything.

It’s one thing not to quit a job because you can’t lose the money to support your family, the position many Americans with jobs are in.

It’s another thing to be afraid to lose a job simply because you’re afraid to lose that job.

How is that a job worth  having?



]]>Fri, 07 Nov 2025 17:58:01 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/noblesse-oblige-arc-de-trump-hunger-in-americaThe President of the United States literally is playing with the lives of the country that elected him.

From withholding food assistance to the 42 million people who need it, to forcing airlines to cancel flights because air controllers are working without the promise of pay, to murdering people in boats, to threatening war with Nigeria and Venezuela, to putting untrained immigration enforcement people and troops on the streets of American cities, to roughing up even American citizens (am I leaving anything out?), more American lives are at risk today than the day he was sworn in. 

I don’t think that’s how our democracy is supposed to work.

Meantime, despite promising to lower prices on Day One, food and other daily costs are increasing while the President is building homages to himself (an arc de Trump?). He’s cut the legs out from under one of the great performing arts centers in the world. He is gilding the People’s House in gold, building a ballroom that everyday Americans will never be inside for events. He’s whining about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize he hasn’t earned while he threatens violence against other countries and wants to start nuclear testing again (so, maybe he gets it next year?).

Does anyone think he's really solved the Middle East problem except him?

Rather than demonstrating leadership as the country goes through the longest government shutdown in history, he proposes the Senate does away with its filibuster so a simple majority can adopt his desires to force more spending cuts, to stop our free elections.

Instead of providing leadership to solve the shutdown he wants to change the rules so he can win.

Same as he wants to change the election laws, how redistricting is done and, even today, is hinting (I'm being nice) that Ukraine cannot win its war with Russia, rather than having solved it in less than 24 hours, as he promised.

He, therefore, wants to face life as he has for the last roughly 80 years – with a sliver spoon in his mouth, getting his way by force of threat. He wants his easy life to continue as he “leads” what has been the most important country in history.

This week he experienced an election where he was rebuffed by voters from the East to the West. Swing voters shifted back against him. Not that it bothers him – he isn’t running again. But you’ll witness the chill among House and Senate members who see their elections not automatic anymore, as voters exercise free will and vote in their best interests, not the President’s best interest.

The bully tactics don’t work in a free society forever. Only as long as life is good or at least tolerable for the people the government is supposed to serve.

People going hungry in the USA? Unheard of.

But it’s beginning as the President fights against them as he ignores and appeals court orders that leave those who need help not knowing where or how their next meal is coming from as SNAP goes on hiatus and food kitchens will suffer lack of stock shortly.

The President can, until he’s gold in the face, bluster that prices are down but they aren’t. And we all know that because we pay the bills. He doesn’t, nor does he even care that there are people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from or if they can pay their energy bill, mortgage or rent.

It can’t even really be called noblesse oblige. The President just doesn’t care. A guest fainted during a presidential press conference yesterday. What was the President’s reaction? He stood there. Did nothing. Didn’t even call for help.

Because he doesn’t know how to show care or empathy for anyone other than himself.

Or to provide needed help.

]]>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:20:31 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/cease-fire-nice-work-peace-not-so-fastPresident Trump rightfully is getting credit for the cease fire and return of hostages in the Middle East. Period, full stop.

Are the “3000 years” of conflict over? Not so fast.

Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkoff made the right call to split negotiations in two parts – that got us to a cease fire and hostage/prisoner exchange, not an easy task.

The more difficult work is the second half, especially getting Hamas to disarm and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to agree to some type of governance in Gaza that isn’t Israeli-dominant.

Trump said, among other things yesterday, “Like the USA right now, it will be the golden age of Israel and the golden age of the Middle East.”

Spoken like the true showman he is.

Trump is, as he likes to say, a deal-maker. A guy who is transactional -- someone who views interactions as a series of exchanges, expecting a tangible or immediate return for his contributions – sees everything as a deal. You get something, I get something. Has to be of equal value to each side, or at least of more value to his side.

That isn’t necessarily how you make peace, or win a Nobel Peace Prize.

President Trump, we must never forget, is a narcissist, a man who thinks primarily (only) about himself. He also thinks like a television producer – in 30-minute episodes. How will the pictures look? What’s the narrative? How do I look my best?

On to the next episode, new plot, new expectations.

He was greeted in the Middle East yesterday as a hero. And in many ways, he deserved that. But it cannot be equated with total success in the Middle East. Yes, the hostages are home, thank goodness. The visuals of the families greeting their loved ones indeed are priceless.

President Trump may have been the only recent president to be able to hold Netanyahu to account as he did. The only one who could bomb Iran as he did and get away with it. Those are among the steps it took to get to a cease fire and get the Arab world mostly on his side for this deal, a ceasee fire with potential for more.

Peace in the Middle East will come at a higher cost. Rebuilding Gaza, using funds donated by wealthy Arab countries is another thing, too. As wealthy as they are, they aren’t going to donate billions without a higher payback than peace with Israel.

Hamas (full  name: Islamic Resistance movement) is not going to just lay down its arms.  And they haven't yet. That's part of the second half of negotiations, just as is full Israeli pullback from Gaza.

I hope I’m wrong. I hope this deal results in long-term peace for the Middle East. People there, on all sides, have suffered long enough.
Donald Trump the dealmaker got them to this point, and he deserves praise for that.

Getting to long-lasting peace is another is another deal altogether.
]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:57:05 GMThttp://www.bjaycooper.com/blog/1st-amendment-under-attackShould the government censor speech it doesn’t like? Of course not. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not have a roving mandate to police speech in the name of the public interest.

Words that I believe. But not my words.

That first paragraph is a quote from now FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. In fact, he posted it on Twitter in 2019 after a Democratic FCC commissioner called for a crackdown on electronic cigarette ads.

So, who is the real Brendan Carr? The one who believes in the First Amendment, as the first paragraph states, or the one who mob-talked ABC this week into suspending Jimmy Kimmel?

Mob-talked. Like the old mobster who used to walk into the neighborhood candy store and tell the owner, “Nice store you have here,” with the clear threat that we can make it not so nice if you don’t do what we want.

Carr told ABC in an interview, “we can do it the easy way, or the hard way,” implying FCC punishment if they didn’t keep their store “clean.”

I have watched the Kimmel shtick from the other night several times. Honestly, the MAGA angle, I did not find funny. But comics not being funny is not against the law, or the Constitution.

At the moment Kimmel told that joke, there were rumors reported that Charlie Kirk's murderer had beliefs similar to MAGA. As with most police investigations, rumors at the early stages often are wrong.

Comedy is timing, not only in how you tell a joke but when you tell a joke.

The part after that in Kimmel's monologue, even though the timing of it may have been wrong, was funny. He played a video of Trump being asked a day or two after Kirk was killed how he was doing dealing with the murder of his friend.

Trump’s answer: “I think very good and by the way right there where you see all the trucks, they just started construction of the new ball room for the White House.”

The camera shifted back to Kimmel who then deadpanned: “Yes, he’s at the fourth stage of grief, construction.”

To me, that was funny.

On the day of Kirk’s murder, though, Kimmel posted on X:

“Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”

That’s Jimmy Kimmel the human versus Jimmy Kimmel the not always funny comedian whose show was suspended.

It’s all important “only” because the First Amendment is first for a reason – it’s one major reason America exists and is admired around the world. Carr, though, not only threatened ABC, he now is threatening others (NBC?) who still have late show hosts on air.

And, Carr is reinforcing Trump grievances about the media being against him (by reporting news), and about comics making jokes about him (as they have about every President who preceded him).

Trump is pushing his “narrative” that it is Us vs.Them.

MAGA believers (I’m not sure how else to describe them – they are not conservative Republicans) want the murderer of Kirk to be a man who was acting on orders from “Them,” who I presume includes the Deep State and liberals with money who fund liberal organizations – all of whom apparently met to tell the murderer to shoot Kirk.

It’s ridiculous. That didn’t happen.

This country is not Us and Them. It’s a country that is deeply divided right now and is deeply split by leaders (led by Trump on the MAGA side) who want there to be, like authoritarians have done before him, an Us and a Them – an Us that is good and a Them that is evil.

It’s easier that way to split the country.

It’s simple. “They killed him,” some MAGA bloggers and others are saying. Rather than what is the truth – the 22-year-old pulled the trigger by himself in an act that is horrific, wrong, and a crime that removed a man from his wife and children, for no reason other than the 22-year old disagrees with him. 

Kirk had a right to have and voice his views, just as Jimmy Kimmel has a right and a voice to tell jokes. Bad jokes are protected by the Constitution just as political rhetoric is protected.

And that goes for all of us or it goes for none of us.
 

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