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The time has come for my annual short Thanksgiving/Christmas fund drive for Behind The Black. I must do this every year in order to make sure I have earned enough money to pay my bills.

 

For this two-week campaign, I am offering a special deal to encourage donations. Donations of $200 will get a free autographed copy of the new paperback edition of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, while donations of $250 will get a free autographed copy of the new hardback edition. If you desire a copy, make sure you provide me your address with your donation.

 

As I noted in July, the support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.

 

Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.

 

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Blacklists are back and the Democrats have got ’em

The Bill of Rights, cancelled

They’re coming for you next: Oh boy, it’s the 1950s again and its time for witchhunts from Congress and big corporations.

Unlike the 1950s, however, the question will not be whether you have ever been a member of the Communist Party. No, now the question will be much more effective and to the point. It will be “Have you ever been conservative or a member of the Republican Party?”

And as always, today’s progressive Democratic Party is on the ball! Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has revealed members of the House are planning to form a commission to “rein in” conservative media, to prevent them from “spewing disinformation and misinformation.”

During a lengthy Instagram Live on Tuesday evening where she revealed that she feared for her life during the siege, the “Squad” member accused the mainstream media of “spewing disinformation” ahead of the deadly riot in which five people died.

“There’s absolutely a commission that’s being discussed but it seems to be more investigating in style rather than truth and reconciliation,” she said. “I do think that several members of Congress in some of my discussions have brought up media literacy because that is part of what happened here,” Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) went on. “We’re going to have to figure out how we rein in our media environment so you can’t just spew disinformation and misinformation,” she said.

Hey, Alexandria, I’ve got the perfect name for your congressional commission. Why not call it the House Un-American Activities Committee? You could subpoena right-wing writers and journalists to testify against their will in Congress, demanding to know their party affiliations. You could also set up lists of these proven conservatives so that businesses nationwide can blacklist them and keep them from working.

In fact, many of big corporations, their boards dominated by Democrats, are already ahead of the curve, cutting off all donations to all Republicans who simply wanted to find out if there was election fraud in the 2020 election. Other businesses in turn have begun firing anyone who worked for Trump.

It is obvious, Alexandra, that the work will be rewarding and productive. Get that committee going. Send out those subpoenas. Harass those witnesses.

We can’t have those evil Republicans poisoning our glorious socialist paradise, can we?

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

23 comments

  • wayne

    William Mandel testifies before HUAC
    May 1960
    (in San Francisco….)
    https://youtu.be/UM8uP565hzI
    1:23
    ” If you think that I am going to cooperate with this collection of Judases, of men who sit there in violation of the United States Constitution, if you think I will cooperate with you in any way, you are insane! “

  • Chris

    I think we have to block and counter attack in at least two ways.

    WE are still half of the electorate. We need to demand things from our government, representatives and the companies that we spend our dollars at.
    Cancel your Facebook, Twitter, …etc
    Cancel your Amazon – order directly after using the Amazon “tool”
    Demand your ISP drop Facebook, Twitter…etc.
    Drop your MasterCard or AMEX and switch to another, Let them know why you switched.
    Be vocal and unapologetic.

    Second we have two years until the mid-terms. In this time we need to pester, cajole, petition, become a real pain-in-the-ass toward our state representatives. We need to have election reform where we can. As an example this needs to include:
    – all computation and ballot equipment shall be open source HW & SW and paper ballots. HASH coding for load verification ..etc..
    – Harsh penalties for election corruption and banning for life from any participation in election fraud.
    – banning all mail in voting except for individually approved absentee balloting
    There are many more steps to this reform and many in this group and others can improve this list. We need these steps to become the subject of every conversation. Refuse and diversion to other subjects such as Orange Man bad —- no election machinery questionable – fix it.
    We need to petition our reps on this AND make it known to any talk radio that will hear us 0 and scream at those who don’t. This subject needs to be mantra until it is changed.

    This approach is hard and requires determination – if we do not we lose. We are still 1/2 of the country – block and counter.

  • Phill O

    Chris Do you think there are 50% conservatives? People I have talked to indicate 60-70% voted for Trump. My bet is 55%

  • James Street

    Even more thankful for your blog this morning, Robert. Thomas Lifson just disabled comments on his American Thinker blog because of the purge.

    Why AT comments are disabled
    By Thomas Lifson
    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/01/why_at_comments_are_disabled.html

  • wayne

    Mr. Z.,
    3rd paragraph — ‘Ocasio-Cortex’

    Ronald Radosh –
    Reagan and Communism in Hollywood
    Hillsdale College
    https://youtu.be/uuNeq9K5hxI
    1:02:20

  • eddie willers

    Seen elsewhere on the net:

    “First President to be impeached twice.

    Both times, for calling for an investigation into the crimes committed by Democrats.”

  • Alton

    Three Cheers Eddie

    Well Stated….

  • Alton

    And The Purge Continues—–

    The Verge › salesforce-stop-rnc…
    Salesforce says it has taken action against the RNC, but won’t say …
    3 days ago — Salesforce has “ taken action” to stop the Republication National Committee (RNC) from sending emails that

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2021/1/11/22225936/salesforce-stop-rnc-sending-emails-incite-violence

  • Dean Hurt

    Seems Americans learned nothing from our experience with NAZI Germany, USSR, or PRC! Totalitarianism is alive and well in the Democrat Party. They should change the name to Soviet Socialist Democrat Party.

  • Edward

    Robert asked: “Why not call it the House Un-American Activities Committee?

    An excellent choice, with historical significance. “Ministry of Truth” is another possibility, with significance from literature. Or better yet, one of each, the first investigative and the second regulatory.

  • Jeff Fauva

    Robert –

    For the sake of argument, let’s say I’m right and you’re wrong. Let’s say that your covid takes are not just wrong, but damaging to the health of the country. Your election fraud takes are poisoning the minds of your readers. Let’s also assume that this contributes in some small way to 1000’s of people storming the US capitol, and – just spitballing here – 4,000 deaths every day from covid. Let’s also say – for the argument mind you – that you refuse to walk-back or take-down and apologize for any of this damaging information, and there are 1000’s of outlets like yours all over the country.

    What’s the remedy?

  • janyuary

    I don’t know doodly about the physics of space exploration. I come here for insight from folks who do.

    The working physicist learns fixed vs. dynamic properties and principles in his material world, and uses the knowledge to fulfill a need. The working writer learns the same about language to fulfill a need. I DO know the “physics” of how language manipulates people.

    The professional writer who persuades people to be afraid, draw a particular conclusion, or buy a product, is an expert in language like the aerospace engineer is an expert in physics.

    The “hack” or journalist or propagandist (all different from each other) aiming for the moon who dismisses the counsel of the engineer, will remain terrestrial.

    The left will control the narrative as long as the concept that government’s job is to care for people, is labeled “Progressive.” The left will control the narrative as long as the right adopts for itself words such as “conservative” that by definition puts it in a permanently defensive position.

    JUST SAYIN’, folks.Please consider it seriously.

    Will you use the power of language, or be used by it?

  • janyuary

    Robert, I really hope you and all who want to keep and expand their liberty, read my post above with a curious and open mind looking for ways to do so. So far no one has ever responded to the nut: How is it smart to call government-nanny principles “progressive”? HOW??? So why participate with that use of language? Wailing that you can’t do anything about it?? Really???? It is how and why the left controls the narrative. When the right controls the narrative, it will also dominate news media, for better or worse. Idealistic news reporters will always want to be considered “progressive.” When that means “progress toward limited government and self ownership,” that is how they will perceive and report the news.

  • David

    Breaking news… the Democratic Party has extremists like AOC who lack a grasp on what large swaths of the country care about! Or what freedom means to them.

    And just now, more breaking news this morning… the Republican Party has extremists like who lack a grasp on what large swaths of the country care about! Or what freedom means to them.

    Seriously, unless one resides in AOC’s district, I don’t see why some in Conservative circles hang on every word that comes out of her head.

    When she starts chairing committees in the House or ascends into leadership of her party then yes, that’s a different animal. Till then she’s just one voice representing her district.

    The multitude of 24/7 news outfits, a ever growing galaxy of outlets for people to gather and freely exchange thoughts, and the subsequent resulting nationalization of what was local or state politics is a matter that should concern us all. I don’t want my representative or my senators doing anything other than remembering why they’re sent to D.C. And that’s to serve the district or state that sent them there.

  • wayne

    janyuary
    –our so called cultural elites basically own the language, you betcha. “Lies, intentionally designed to enslave you.”
    see:
    Hans Hermann-hoppe
    Absurdistan
    https://youtu.be/8CvbDOJT1ro
    4:33

    David-
    –tangentially, what say you, on repealing the 17th Amendment? (direct election of State senators. That was sold to everyone during the ‘progressive era,’ as being more democratic.)

  • Mack Jones

    2021 McCarthyism

    Also
    Interesting take on 1/6/21 here:
    This Was No Insurrection
    Just People Complaining About Their Government

  • Mack Jones

    Forgot link

    This Was No Insurrection
    Just People Complaining About Their Government

    https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/this-was-no-insurrection

  • withheld

    My first and possibly only visit here, if only because I read way too many blogs already.

    Just want to address anyone who believes this:

    >> Breaking news… the Democratic Party has extremists like AOC

    AOC supports the regime, which is a combination of the MIC and wealthy that control a nearly global empire. AOC is not an “extremist”. At least not in a “left” way. That’s false marketing. This false marketing is employed to confuse R voters as well as D voters.

    The D’s and the R’s work more together and against the interests of the USA citizens because, as long as you’re not so starving or upset that you cause problems with their military affairs, what’s good for you often isn’t good for the wealthy or the MIC.

    Fundamental political change won’t happen until rank and file D’s and R’s become sufficiently aware of how they’re being played. Every time you show up to vote for a D or R, it tells the regime their divide-and-conquer games continue to work well enough and that the regime need not do more for you.

    How can I prove this to people who don’t already believe it? Not in one comment. Not in a thousand. Why my pessimism? I grew up as brainwashed as anyone. It took years to peel back many lies to get to this level of awareness.

    If you want to [deleted] your brain, I suggest reading:
    – leftist journalists like Jimmy Dore who never got TDS and spent most of his time pointing out the D’s deceit and repeated betrayal of their supporters
    – rightist journalists like Ron Paul who often criticize the R’s
    – people like James Corbett or anyone else who falls in the “anarchist” bottom half of the “political compass.org” chart.

    Do not rely on journalists or sources that ultimately steer you to supporting the D/R duopoly. (This includes almost everything that isn’t just one or two people running their operation out of their house. But, that’s not the test. The test is really about the content: Do they sheepdog you into supporting candidates from the status quo parties?)

    The country has been going downhill for 40-50 years. Learn more from people outside the D/R ecosystem. Vote for people outside the D/R ecosystem or don’t vote at all.

  • withheld: You obviously can’t read rules that are very clearly there right above the reply box. I have deleted the curse word in you post. Next time, assuming there is one, I will ban you for a week.

  • Jeff Wright

    Down With Big Sister!

  • Grim Leaper

    The real problem will start when the leftist filth begin pressuring service providers to cut off the home and business Internet connections of outspoken Republicans. Another tactic that will inevitably arise is pressuring any and all co-location providers to refuse to host the independently owned and maintained servers of companies like Parler or even of individual Republicans. The leftist vermin are just vicious like that. And the illegitimate Gropey Joe/Heels-Up Ho administration will do exactly zilch to fight this kind of active, widespread, coordinated suppression of Republicans by the murderous Marxist shock troops.

  • janyuary

    wayne, YUP! But nobody owns language. It is a tool, like a stick or stone and as powerful at times, that we all wield.

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