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This year has been a challenging one, to say the least.

The killing of George Floyd in Minnesota last week is just the latest in what seems to be a series of terrible events happening in the United States and around the world. The George Floyd killing set off a frenzy of protests around the nation, including in Virginia, that transformed into riots.

This comes on top of the first days of Gov. Ralph Northams mask order and the chaotic at best rollout and enforcement of the mandate.

There is no doubt that what happened to George Floyd was horrific and wrong there is no excuse for it. The vast, overwhelming majority of law enforcement truly stand to protect and serve. The few who abuse the power of their badge should be punished to the full extent of the law. In the midst of this, we cannot forget the valuable service our police officers provide every day by putting themselves in harms way.

Peaceful protest is not only allowed, but is welcomed in the Commonwealth of Virginia and across our nation. Americans have every right and justification for being on the streets peacefully protesting the death of George Floyd. Arson is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Vandalism is not protesting. It is tragic to see these protests hijacked by outside groups and Antifa troublemakers who want to play at anarchy.

As Republicans have pointed out many times since January, the right of the people to peacefully assemble and petition their government for the remedy of grievances is a fundamental Constitutional right.

It is telling that Governor Northam waited for two days of arson and rioting before declaring a state of emergency. When faced with a peaceful Second Amendment protest in January, he declared a state of emergency that started two days before the rally even began and before the first person ever arrived on Capitol Square.

Governor Northams reactions to both the riots and the coronavirus have been a lesson in how not to lead during a crisis.

As we look at the news, how heartbreaking it is to see the unrest and rioting that is going on in major cities across our land and for the third successive night in our own capital city of Richmond.

Where is the peace? Peace can only come when there is the peace of God in our hearts. The devil is playing havoc with us and we all must resist his ploys. Pray for peace, for God to shed his grace upon us and grant us peace. Help us to be unified regardless of the color of our skin. With God as our Father, brothers all are we.

Del. Tommy Wright can be reached via email at DelTWright@house.virginia.gov or (804) 698-1061.

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Where is the peace? - Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch - Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch

Utah National Guard soldiers stand on a police line near the White House. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Some former and current military leaders seem genuinely concerned about the President declaring he would use the active duty military to dominate protesters.

Democrats, of course, quickly joined that criticism; but the question Im hearing is why more Republicans havent spoken out on this. Republicans abhor big government so why stay silent on this?

Well, I dont know whats in their hearts, but I know what youll find on conservative websites.

Theres an essay at The Federalist and it doesnt get more conservative than that titled, How The Second Amendment Prevents Tyranny.

The essay says our nations founders opted to rely for our defense primarily on an armed citizenry that can be called up as a militia.

If the people themselves are the military power of the state, then that power cannot be used against the people, it continues.

Thats why the Second Amendment is a bedrock conservative principle.

And that, I believe, is why most Republicans are silent. They dont see a problem here because were the President to go too far, the solution is built in. Its the militia today we call it the National Guard which would make sure that federal military power could not be used against the American people.

Unfortunately, when you think about it, the scenarios get pretty ugly, right? It could mean anything from general mutiny to civil war.

Which might be another reason for the silence.

Listen to Seattles Morning News weekday mornings from 5 9 a.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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Ross: Why the GOP doesnt mind using military to quell protests - MyNorthwest.com

A future spike in coronavirus infections is bound to lead to another wave of emergency orders that set restrictions on the way Americans live, work, and play. Individuals and groups opposed to state and local efforts which are designed to blunt the renewed spread of the pandemic will be ready with legal challenges. States, in defending the next round of orders, will be able to point to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Roberts appended a concurring opinion to the Supreme Court denial of an injunction in the case of South Bay United Pentecostal Church versus Gavin Newsom. It concerned a California emergency order that placed a temporary numerical restriction on public gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. State guidelines at the time had restricted large public gatherings of people in close proximity for extended periods of time, including music concerts, university lectures, movie screenings, spectator sports, theater performances, and places of worship.

In his opinion, Roberts explained that the First Amendment posed no bar to the emergency order because the state subjected similar secular and sectarian activities to identical restrictions, placing no particular burden on religious gatherings. Roberts recognized that governors are facing an unprecedented public health crisis, a situation poorly suited to second guesses by federal judges who lack the background, competence, and expertise to assess efforts to address the emergency situation.

This reasoning should prevail in most cases where individuals seek to use constitutional rights protections as a means to undermine the efficacy of emergency orders aimed at halting the spread of a disease for which, as Roberts noted, we have no known cure, vaccine, or effective treatment. His lesson for governors, for whom it is not too early to be thinking of a next potential wave of the pandemic, is to draft emergency restrictions that treat constitutional rights protections the same as others.

The current medical thinking is that the disease spreads most readily the more time people are indoors, close together, and with someone who is infected. It follows that states should seek to limit gatherings at places and situations where people are likely to be together for long periods of time, regardless of the nature of the event. The coronavirus, after all, will not discriminate between music concerts and church services.

If the government treats all places and situations in the same way, then individuals cannot claim the state discriminates against constitutional interests as a wedge to undermine emergency orders. If Massachusetts had the benefit of the opinion of Roberts in the case of South Bay United Pentecostal Church when the state defended its emergency order which treats gun shops the same as all similar nonessential businesses in federal district court, perhaps the court would not have concluded that the order had imposed an improper burden on the Second Amendment rights of citizens who were seeking to buy firearms and ammunition.

There is little doubt that treating gun shops as nonessential businesses served to promote the key public interest in the health of Massachusetts residents. When the court had finally held a hearing on the request for an injunction, thousands of Massachusetts residents were infected and the coronavirus had claimed more than 4,000 lives. To flatten the curve and slow the spread, the state had to reduce potential vectors where it could. Even conditions the court ultimately approved, such as masks and social distancing, could not eliminate gun shops as vectors in the same way as preventing contact, as with other nonessential businesses.

At the end of the day, the concurring opinion by the chief justice in the case of South Bay United Pentecostal Church suggests an important role for the federal judiciary in the midst of the pandemic that today seems to be imbued as it is with modesty and appropriate deference to state and local officials who must, under the constitutional system in this country, bear the responsibility for keeping citizens safe and healthy.

Lawrence Friedman is a professor at New England Law in Boston, where he teaches constitutional law. He is the author of Modern Constitutional Law.

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Justice Roberts assists states with second wave of emergency orders | TheHill - The Hill

Two newcomers will face off in the fall general election for a southside state legislator spot.

John Jacob and Angela Elliott won the Republican and Democrat primary races, respectively, for Indiana House District 93. Jacob faced incumbent Dollyne Sherman in a close race, winning narrowly with 51% of the total votes, which werent all tallied until Friday due to a delay in counting more than 100,000 mail-in ballots in Marion County. In Johnson County, he received 52% of the votes.

Jacob was moved to tears by the support he received during the election, he said, adding that he originally felt like an underdog in the race against Sherman.

"The support at the doors at the voting sites was just overwhelming," Jacob said. "I was so touched by some of the things people said to me."

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This loss for Sherman comes after spending just one term in office. She was elected to the District 93 post last year in a Republican caucus to replace David Frizzell, who retired after nearly three decades in office.

In the Democrat race, Elliott faced Andy Miller and Abdul-Aziz Yamobi, earning 66% of the total votes between Johnson and Marion counties, and 78% in Johnson County.

She and her team are grateful to have won the Democratic nomination, but know they still have work to do leading up to the fall, she said Wednesday.

"Well take a brief moment to celebrate, but were not going to stand still for long because theres a lot of work still to do to take on the next leg of this race," Elliott said.

Elliott will now face Jacob in the fall general election.

This was Jacobs first time running for a public office. Hes lived on the southside of Indianapolis his whole life, and previously worked as an auditor for the Indiana State Board of Accounts before starting a design firm with his wife a few years ago.

Jacob is also involved in Christian ministry with his wife, including marriage mentoring, street evangelism, ministering international students and completing mission trips. He had said his faith compelled him to run for office.

His platforms include ending abortion in Indiana and preventing government overreach, he said.

Im not wanting to regulate abortion, I want to end abortion completely, totally in Indiana, Jacob said. I think the government overreaches peoples religious freedoms are being violated. Our second amendment rights are being violated across the nation.

If elected in the fall, Jacob would also focus on cutting taxes and passing a constitutional carry law in Indiana, which would allow residents to own firearms without government restrictions.

Elliott has lived in Johnson County for 25 years and was the only Democrat candidate from the county running opposed in a primary. Elliott, an independent business consultant, previously worked in information technology at Eli Lilly for more than two decades.

She is one of the 25 Women for 2020, a statewide organization with a mission to get more women involved in the Indiana legislature.

"We need women who are competent and caring and ready to do the job to step up and run for these offices," Elliott said.

If elected to the Statehouse in the fall, Elliott would focus on the "Four Es" of her platform: education, employment, environment and equality for all.

She would work to raise teacher salaries and take a look at the bigger policies that have negatively impacted education in Indiana. She also wants to bring more jobs to Indiana and focus on combating environmental and contamination issues across the state.

State lawmakers author and vote on bills that come before the Indiana General Assembly, as well as approve the states bi-annual budget. District 93 includes much of Perry Township in Marion County, and a portion of White River Township in Johnson County.

Republican: Indiana House District 93

John Jacob;51%

Dollyne Sherman;49%

Democrat: Indiana House District 93

Angela Elliott;66%

Andy Miller;25%

Abdul-Aziz Yamobi;9%

Excerpt from:
Two newcomers win tickets to General Election in District 93 race - Daily Journal

More than 450 people assembled at Gough Park on Thursday evening for a Black Lives Matter demonstration in memory of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man killed in police custody last week. The event began with a prayer and speeches from the gazebo, after which the crowd moved to the west side of the park, lining up alongside Pope Street with signs, and kneeling and chanting.(Press Staff Photo byDean Thompson)

By The Daily Press Staff

Chants of I cant breathe! and Say their names! reverberated through a crowd of at least 400 gathered at Gough Park on Thursday evening, as protesters honored the life of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man killed in police custody last week.

The Silver City protest follows many other marches and protests nationwide in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Floyds death at the hands of police reenergized many groups across the country, which, in the wake of the deaths of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, has seen many communities rise up in protest of discrimination. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday that more than 500 protests had taken place just in New Mexico.

The group began to assemble at the park around 6 p.m., when the organizers spoke briefly to the crowd and led a prayer for those who have fallen victim to police brutality. Organizers encouraged attendees to protest peacefully before the crowd made their way to line the sidewalk of Pope Street.

Las Cruces-based boxer Austin Trout was in the park Thursday for the protest, and lauded the rural turnout for social justice.

For a smaller town, this is a great turnout, Trout said. We really packed this park and by we, I mean you guys. We really packed this park, and I was proud to be a part of it. I am so happy that the community came out to show support for this national movement.

A small group of personnel from the Silver City Police Department and the Grant County Sheriffs Department kept a watchful eye over the event to ensure that all participants and onlookers remained safe. Sheriff Frank Gomez said that event organizers had asked him to attend in order to keep the peace.

I was happy to do it, Gomez said. I called up [Silver City Police] Chief Fred Portillo, and he had already heard about it. We both put together a group of guys to come out and make sure everyone stays safe.

Continuing to chant, hold up power fists, and wave homemade signs, the group garnered honks of support from passing vehicles.

After about an hour of protest along Pope Street, protesters moved to their vehicles to engage in a memorial drive. A rainbow of cars lined Pope Street and all the way down Bullard Street, with protesters holding signs out of windows and standing in truck beds. The cacophony of car horns and chanting echoed throughout downtown. By 9 p.m., most of the crowd had dispersed.

Despite posts to the contrary on social media throughout the day Thursday, the Gough Park protest looked to be almost entirely made up of participants from the area. An advertised counterprotest didnt materialize, but a few men in cowboy hats watched the demonstrators from a distance.

I was going to go ask the promoter of the protest if I could walk with them, a man who had a sidearm on his hip said. I support their First Amendment. I also support my Second Amendment. I fully support them and their cause, as long as they dont try to break windows or get violent. We may not fully agree with each other on everything, but I was willing to walk with them in support of their First Amendment.

Portillo said organizers plan to hold another protest in Gough Park today at 4 p.m.

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Peace breaks out at protest as hundreds line Pope Street - Silver City Daily Press and Independent