King's Call

Pro Life?

Interesting article at Slate - The Real Reason North Carolina’s GOP Is Proposing the Most Radical Anti-Abortion Bill Yet. 

Hard to believe, let alone stomach, but a proposed new bill that would permit vigilante killings of abortion providers.

Another anti-abortion abolitionist proposal has been in the news. This time, conservative lawmakers in North Carolina have asked voters to approve a state constitutional amendment recognizing the personhood of embryos and establishing that anyone who ends an embryonic life is guilty of first-degree murder. Those penalties might also apply to people pursuing in vitro fertilization or using some contraceptives, given that abortion foes sometimes view either as requiring the taking of unborn life. And that’s the most ordinary part of the proposal: The bill also provides that private individuals have a right to use deadly force to prevent “the willful destruction of life.” House Bill 1232 isn’t clear about exactly who could exercise this constitutional right to vigilante violence. Would it just be available to those seeking to kill abortion providers and patients? Or might it apply even more broadly to those seen to aid them?

Cowboy's dilemma

 Rudy sent this along...

KMA

Brewer and Shipley

New Lee Highway Blues

6/1/2026

The son of a sabra, I am hesitant to condemn Israel. My father was born there, my grandfather's bones are buried there. They live amongst many enemies that have sworn to destroy them.  It is hard for me to tell them how they should react to what they regard as an existential threat to their existence, living so many thousands of miles away.

Having said that, I honestly hate their leader, both for his affinity for an American President that I despise and for his policies towards Palestinians. I hate how they have given impetus to an Israeli right wing and dare I say evangelical settler's movement that treats the people on the West Bank and Gaza like animals, harasses children and uproots olive trees. I have lived through a couple wars there and it has definitely changed in time and become an apartheid state. 

The response to the horrific October seventh attacks was so disproportionate that it was unrecognizable to me that my people could indiscriminately kill their neighbors like they were, in their own words, "mowing the grass."

I love most jews but I don't have a lot of love for Israelis at the moment, especially when I hear them utter things like, destroy ten buildings in Beirut for every Israeli child hurt or fifty to one, I have heard both from them.

I hate that Israel seems to have joined the Trump, Putin, North Korea wing and only paid lip service to Ukraine. It reinforces my belief that I may stand with Jewry but I don't stand in lockstep with Netanyahu and his supporters and I never will.

Two weeks ago Israeli Ambassador Leiter said this in condemning J- Street, the Jewish Pro - Peace organization; 

“But when you come and say in such a two-faced manner, ‘We’re pro-Israel, we’re pro democracy,’ there’s a democratically elected government in Israel,” Leiter continued. “You don’t like Netanyahu, make aliyah, vote in the next election and express yourself. Don’t say you’re ‘pro-democracy’ and decry and defy the position of the democratic government of Israel.”

Leiter is saying something very interesting here. If you are a jew, you can't criticize Israel. Your only option is to become an Israeli and vote if you don't like us but keep your mouth shut.

To this, I say, go fuck yourself. Israel is not my kingdom, Netanyahu is not my king. I find the concept of a Jewish state as unlivable and torturous as a Christian state or muslim state. Israel's orthodox rabbis have recently derided reform jews as monkeys, they can kiss my ass too.

I believe in humanity and people in general, I don't have an overriding tribal fealty although I do have a love for them as I try to love the entire world. But they get no special dispensation. That is what it means for me to be a jew.

And if Israel is committing unspeakable acts it is my duty to condemn them as I condemn Hamas, Hezbollah, Putin and the Iranians. 

Israel, try to be better than that.

Peter Green

Last week...

Well, where do I start? It has been a long tiring week. 

I guess it started off with a car show last Sunday.

 

Ran down Main Ave, more cars than ever.  

I am glad I am no longer judging the Fallbrook Vintage Car Show, this one would have wiped me out.

I saw a lot of friends in both the Shafters and the 5150 Ratrod Clubs. 

This is a picture of the Rat Bastard of the Rat Rod Club, Jim Ramsey, and Tom, another rat rodder, along with Dr. Neon and the legendary Wink Eller. 

Wink is the guy with the long beard, a fascinating character and holder of over 60 Bonneville land speed records that still exist today. 

Spent a long time in the hospital after a crackup. 

More about Wink here.

This is a very rare motorcycle that was parked next to the jewelry store.

Quite beautiful.

*

I got a great call Monday morning that allowed me to buy a really good painting at a really good price. 

I made up my mind that no matter what happened the rest of the week I would be happy and feel blessed. 

Of course, those promises to yourself are tough to keep, especially when you are sitting on your hands at the show and the people around you are raking in money.

Later Monday Leslie and I went to a great Memorial Day barbecue at Dr. Neon's. Saw a lot of old friends and mishpucha.

*

As I mentioned in the last post, Palos Verdes started off with a whimper and then was fairly dead the rest of the way until an old client came by to rescue me from the doldrums.

I did buy a nice early painting of Diamond Head by the National Academy painter Carl Brandien (1886-1965.)

Here are some shots of my booth.

And as always, a lively cast of characters.

I bought a black petunia at the garden sale, will try to keep it alive.

I don't think I have ever seen one.

We all went out to dinner at one of our favorite Chinese seafood joints, Seashore.

Had a great meal and exceptional lobster. 

It is nice to break bread with your comrades once in a while, lots of good vibes flowed at this meal.

Saturday was a brutal three hour packout and drive home. 

Parking at the church is scarce and I was totally whipped.

*

Yesterday I had to get up first thing and judge another car show at Pauma Casino. 

I would have liked to cancel but I was a sponsor.

My sciatica and leg pain was firing at every tendon and joint and I had to sit down a couple times.

Luckily my two judge comrades carried my sorry ass when I petered out. 

The show was cool, first car show I ever judged with shade, the cars fitting nicely under the solar panels. Again a lot of cars. I must be slowing down because it killed me.

Saw my friends Debbie and Harry there.

Paul Randle, Bill, Truman, Wagman, Jeff Waldron, lot of good folks showed up.

Loved this hood mount on a rat rod.

It was a good show but I was too tired and busy judging to take pictures and I went home and slept as soon as I could.

Supposedly I will have this month off but I may need to drive to Oregon to pick up a couple paintings, we will see...