Over the July 4th weekend 2025 at least 55 people were shot in Chicago, including eight killed. 18 of those shot and four of the deaths occurred in association with a party for a “rapper” named Mello Buckzz. The mayor’s statements included “Shootings like these are a tragic reminder of how far we still have to go as a city,” “This tragedy that we are working through today, again, this does not define us as a city,” but he optimistically added, “This is still the top destination for people around the globe.”
According to police in Milwaukee, WI (June 2025) murders have increased by 15%. On Christmas Day, 2024 two people were murdered, perhaps in association with a drug buy, on the city’s South side. Local Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa released a statement on the shooting, declaring they are “outraged and heartbroken to hear of this terrible news, and my thoughts are with those grieving this loss.” and “Violence of this nature is always unacceptable, but I am especially outraged that this happened on Christmas morning.”
On June 7th, 2025 Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and community groups demanded an end to gun violence. June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, and on Saturday’s “Wear Orange Weekend” there were resounding calls to end the gun violence epidemic plaguing Milwaukee and the nation."Enough is enough," said Mayor Johnson, as he proclaimed this weekend "Gun Violence Awareness Day". The mayor added, in response to six shot, two killed the previous day, “...some folks decided to be irresponsible with guns... that is totally totally unacceptable."
Year after year there are a recurrent themes espoused by Democrat mayors in regards to murder- “this is not who we are,” “there is no place for senseless violence (as compared to the violence that apparently makes sense),” and often, when it comes to violence involving guns, the acts are committed by guns, not those pulling the triggers. What the city leaders consistently choose to ignore are the significant racial implications of murder. Statistics vary over time, but the following has been fairly steady: keeping in mind that black people represent about 13% of the US population of 2,000 murders, for example, roughly 1050 of the victims are black and almost 1,000 of the killers are also black. This is a tragic reality, but meaningless words are have become a substitute for dealing with reality, at the expense especially of black people.
In regards to “colonization”
For the post-modern leftist elite, one of the greatest challenges is how to never diminish their lifestyles- 5,000 sq ft houses on two-acre lots, two German SUVs and an EV, elegant parties with the uber-sophisticated- while convincing themselves (and others) that they really care about the wretched and oppressed masses. In other words, assuaging their guilt without giving up anything. The last few years provided an answer to their prayers as cultural and political changes demonized people heretofore considered reasonable and responsible and transferred authority to the perpetually aggrieved and outraged. Under the banner of “social justice,”endless neologisms suddenly appeared: black lives matter, critical race theory, “pride,” LGBTQIA+SB, 2SLGBTQQIPAA, diversity, equity, inclusion, welcoming, BIPOC. It was ever-expending and contained almost mythical power: all one had to do was chant, scream, or otherwise regurgitate these words, slogans, or associated acronyms and their wonderfulness was on full display.
A relative latecomer to the linguistic pantheon has been acknowledgment statements, in which the rich and privileged express their shame for what they have in terms of land wealth, the concern being that what they blithely now possess previously belonged to others. Here is an example from the Club Wyndham corporation: Club Wyndham South Pacific (luxury time share condos) acknowledges the traditional custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them, their culture and to the Elders past, present and emerging. The annual compensation of the Wyndham CEO is about $14,000,000, all of it guilt free: they not only have an acknowledgment statement but embrace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging!
Yale University has an endowment of $41 billion and charges $90,000 for tuition and room and board. They also have an acknowledgment statement: Yale University acknowledges that indigenous peoples and nations, including Mohegan,Mashantucket Pequot,Eastern Pequot, Schaghticote, Golden Hill Paugussett, Niantic, and the Quinnipiac and other Algonquian speaking peoples, have stewarded through generations the lands and waterways of what is now the state of Connecticut. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and nations and this land. Somehow they didn’t conclude the statement with, "Therefore, to clearly demonstrate our honor and respect, we have decided to dissolve the University and give all of our land, buildings, money- our net total assets- to the descendants/members of these peoples and nations."
Misc. Meaningless Words
There is financial and insurance company (USAA) that at one time was the premier such company in the world. Their descent to the level of No Cash, No Credit, No Problem at Honest John’s Used Cars was surprisingly rapid and seemed to coincide with endless claims of dedication to its members. The most recent version is prefacing communications with in “We’re committed to our core values of service, loyalty, and integrity. It’s a commitment we share with those we serve.” I most recently saw this in a letter with the subject Credit Card Fee Penalty Reminder. The depth of their greed, disingenuousness, and exploitation of their customers is execrable, but thank goodness for their “core values.”
I’m happy to say that this month marks 19 years as a vegetarian, yet I recall my carnivore days and how I wanted to nevertheless convey my affection and compassion for animals while eating them. One common means was to, in the presence of like-minded people (those who exhorted kindness for our animal brothers and sisters while chewing and swallowing them), deplore and ridicule people who hunt: How awful those vile people who murder innocent deer!
Were there a competition for the most meaningless and vacuous words used in our current society, anything dealing with “welcoming” and “belonging” would be contenders: Maryville College’s mission, purpose, and principles call us to strive toward a welcoming and diverse community of belonging for all. Maryville is an extreme progressive college associated with the psuedo-Christian Presbyterian Church, USA. I doubt if a student said, “I don’t feel welcome because you charge me $55,000 a year to attend” they would reply, “No problem, you don’t have to pay anything.” What about the 35% of applicants that are rejected...do they feel welcome? Then there was the 80 year-old lady who a few years ago who was permanently banned from a local YMCA because she complained there was an adult male in the women’s locker room watching little girls undress; she was accused of “being discriminatory.” In other words, everyone is welcome unless you don’t also welcome everyone, and then you are not welcome.
Meaningless words remain meaningless without a receptive audience. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who like what they’re hearing: the lonely young woman who is told by a sleazy guy, “I really feel we’re connecting.” Or the progressive Democrat mayor who jumped on the defund the police bandwagon, but after a few years of chaos and bodies piling up in the “bipoc “communities suddenly expresses concern for the violence that was the direct result of their policies. Meaningless words are an excellent way for the shallow and greedy elite to make them feel good about their privilege, power, and wealth, which they know probably isn’t justified. More ominously, they are excellent tools for the bad and truly evil to gain control over gullible people.
Alfred Finocchiaro
If these inclusive policies worked we see the evidence. The down trodden would be lifted, the poor would be enriched.... Reid, you are spot on again... Why would anyone actually do anything when they can just virtue signal? (and keep all that money)
Carole Ann Milljour
Great article, Reid. You certainly do find a lot of interesting topics to cover! ...and I am always so happy to read your followers comments.
My big thing too is that it isn’t just a matter of greed and corruption that spins their wheels it is the idea that they lie to pacify individuals as a means to get what they want. There are no measures some won’t take in order to accomplish their lust for power, control, money, etc. etc. while still trying to look decent while doing it. It is all a ploy and people sometimes aren’t smart enough to see through it, let alone understand it. Follow the crowd, they must be right, sounds good, looks good, why not???!!!!! There certainly are more sheep than honest, caring and decent leaders.
When you listen to some news outlets that bash the right constantly, you would think their listeners would question how that portrayal could be considered newsworthy. I don’t know, there are so many people that don’t know what’s going on; some of which don’t seem to care to know, while others don’t have the time to bother because they are too caught up in their own lives and problems. Those are the ones that corrupt individuals seem to depend on and certainly do target. Makes them look good I guess. They do have followers, and that’s where sheep come in. It’s easier to think these individuals or outlets are righteous and be done with it, then to question what they are really saying and doing.
I don’t get it, really, you can’t take it with you and if you aren’t worthy of anything, then you don’t leave much of a legacy to family or friends to admire or replicate. Those types of individuals don’t set a good example for the next generation? ...and I do feel sorry for the next generation.
I guess we each have a role to play in our lives and in others’ as well. I try to help when I can and I try to give when I can. I’m not perfect and I certainly don’t pretend to be. But I do try to make a difference not only in my life but in the people I end up connecting with every day.
We are only allotted so much time. I try not to waste mine and I certainly do try to understand the world we live in. What I fail to understand is how anyone can sit back and not say or do something that would make a positive affect on every day situations. The world has not changed so much, there has always been evil in the world and there always will be. So now, in our lifetimes, we are experiencing the evil we see and feel. While others in past generations have had to deal with their share, now we are faced with having to deal with ours.
What can we do? We have a choice, we can either do good, or do bad or do nothing! Unfortunately, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. However, you can set an example in your own time and space and hopefully the good in life will always out power the bad. I see a lot of good in the world, and I know things will get better to some degree, but it will never be a perfect world.
In God we trust is on our money and hopefully in more hearts than not.