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Today’s blacklisted Americans: Catholic students kicked out of Air & Space museum for wearing pro-life hats

The evil hat that Air & Space banned
The evil hat that Air & Space officials banned

They’re coming for you next: A dozen Catholic students, having just attended the March for Life event on January 20, 2023 in Washington, found themselves being chased from the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum because they were all wearing hats with a pro-life message.

According to their lawyer,

Once in the museum, they were accosted several times and told they would be forced to leave unless they removed their pro-life hats. The group all wore the same blue hat that simply said, “Rosary PRO-LIFE.” Other individuals in the museum were wearing hats of all kinds without issue.

The museum staff mocked the students, called them expletives, and made comments that the museum was a “neutral zone” where they could not express such statements. The employee who ultimately forced the students to leave the museum was rubbing his hands together in glee as they exited the building.

According to the students and their parents, the kids were all wearing the same hats in order to find each other in the crowds.

When asked by the press about this incident, the museum responded as follows:

Asking visitors to remove hats and clothing is not in keeping with our policy or protocols. We provided immediate training to prevent a re-occurrence of this kind of incident, and have determine steps to ensure this does not happen again,” said Alison Wood, the museum’s deputy director of communications.

Really? Was anyone punished? Were any of these staff members fired? Suspended? Was the museum going to require these badly behaving employees to at least apologize to these students, either by phone, zoom, or in person?

Nah. The museum has issued its vague correction, and that’s the end of the story.

Well, it shouldn’t be the end of the story, and it appears it won’t be. The mother of two of the students is now apparently suing the museum.

Kudos to her. I think an even better response, however, would be to gather about a hundred people, have them all wear pro-life hats and t-shirts and arrive at the museum at the same time. They should do nothing but walk around and enjoy the exhibits. No chanting, no demonstrations, no disturbances. They should simply be there to find out if the museum really meant it when it claimed it had fixed the problem.

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 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.


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"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

31 comments

  • David Ross

    That’s an excellent way to pull in a flashmob of antifa to the museum, and start a riot.

  • David Ross: So let’s all cower in our homes, allowing these thugs to bully us, merely because we are afraid of the possibility they might show up sometimes.

    You remind me of the many Jews in Germany who pleaded with their fellow Jews, “Don’t make trouble! If we just behave and are quiet they will leave us alone!”

  • pzatchok

    Her lawsuit could either force the museum to hide and defend the offenders or to release their names to the public.
    Either way its a win for justice.
    The government supervisors who sanctioned this behavior get fired or the perpetrators of this indignity can have protests at their own homes.

    Either way this teaches other government workers to keep their own personal politics out of the work place. If they can not work with and around ALL of the people of this nation then they do not need to be working in the type of job that requires interacting with the public.

  • Cotour

    Related:

    A very interesting vote took place in Congress today:

    “GOP Anti-Socialism Resolution Prevails Despite Democratic Opposition” https://youtu.be/w6JKdXjKojo

    It passed 328 yea, 86 nay, 14 present, 6 no votes.

    There are more of us both Republicans AND Democrats then there are of them.

  • sippin_bourbon

    The employees were “re-trained”.
    They should have been suspended, without pay.

    Sadly, this lawsuit will likely go no where. It will probably have to be filed in DC.
    The federal judges in DC lean way left. They will look at this and say “well, they could have just taken the hats off, so, we are going to dismiss”. Or find some other way to claim they do not have standing (another common deflection tactic).

    On the flip side, the father of one of the 3 that Kyle Rittenhouse shot in Kenosha has filed a wrongful death civil suit in a case where the shooter had clear self defense. The federal judge ruled the case can proceed. The city and Rittenhouse are both targets of the suit. The plaintiff is the father of Huber, the one that chased and hit Rittenhouse with a skateboard.

  • Icepilot

    “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”
    Move to an un-trafficked area & sit. Perhaps pray.
    As this “nothing to see here” outcome demonstrates, thugs must be forced to act like jack-booted thugs. Take pictures.

  • GWB

    sippin_bourbon
    February 2, 2023 at 2:07 pm
    On the flip side, the father of one of the 3 that Kyle Rittenhouse shot in Kenosha has filed a wrongful death civil suit in a case where the shooter had clear self defense.

    Oh my. Given the legal case’s result, someone is getting very bad legal advice. And I – were I Kyle – would make sure to counter-sue in order to collect all costs of defending myself (consider it a legal self-defense move).

  • GWB

    As to these young folks….
    Did NO ONE learn from the Nick Sandmann incident? Sheesh.

    Also, parents (and conservative school leaders) need to learn a few things, and teach them to their children:
    1. Video everything. All the time. If unable to video, make audio recordings anytime someone confronts you. Aside from evidence for a lawsuit, there’s the court of public opinion in which to win.
    2. Always politely ask for names, badge numbers (or employee numbers), position titles. And, unless they are claiming some imminent danger, don’t budge until you get it, or you get a supervisor’s name, position, badge number, etc. Make sure they spell it out for you (while you’re recording).
    3. Always politely insist on a more complete explanation for their demand you leave a public space. “It’s incendiary” is inadequate. “In what way is this ‘incendiary’? What policy requires me to remove ‘incendiary’ clothing articles? What element specifically makes these hats ‘incendiary’?” This gives you a better basis for any necessary lawsuit.
    4. Always travel in small (or large) groups so you have a minimum of two witnesses to any confrontation. Make sure there’s never the possibility of a he=said-she-said. (And leaders should always use two-deep-leadership for similar reasons.)

  • Philip L horner

    Be sure not to carry a pocket knife or even a lighter to avoid catching a weapons charge.

  • pzatchok

    In America I could carry a machine gun and not get a weapons charge.

  • GWB

    pzatchok
    February 3, 2023 at 8:26 am

    In America I could carry a machine gun and not get a weapons charge.
    Only if you’re not in DC, not in a “sensitive area”, and not being “aggressive” with the person throwing you out. Oh, and you obtained your NFA tax chit for $200 and it meets the pre-ban requirements.

  • sippin_bourbon

    And on firing range. You cannot just carry a loaded, fully automatic weapon around. Ever. I know of no state that permits this.

  • sippin_bourbon

    GWB

    “Did NO ONE learn from the Nick Sandmann incident? ”

    Nope.
    The right did not learn, because they quickly forget how there will be an attempt to cancel, them. Too many still assume that the left is playing by the same ruled of decorum.
    And no, the left did not learn. They feel justified in their actions. Always. No matter what.

  • GWB

    sippin_bourbon
    February 3, 2023 at 9:29 am

    And on firing range. You cannot just carry a loaded, fully automatic weapon around. Ever. I know of no state that permits this.
    I don’t know of any state that prohibits it, unless it prohibits open carry in general. Can you give an example of a state statute that prohibits open carry of NFA items while not prohibiting open carry of pistols and rifles?

  • Cotour

    Perception really is reality.

    Just like the perception of some who think its a good idea via law to carry a fully auto weapon in public for the symbolism, I suppose it has its usefulness at times. To some who believe that their perception about healthcare and “The science” and attempting to force others to adhere to that perception is absolute.

    The truth and reality usually lies somewhere in the reasonable middle rather than at the extremes.

    And at the point where or when perceptions and realities clash is where change either good or bad and potential court appearances happens quickly.

    How do we fight political warfare in America?

    Lawyers, courts and money!

  • pzatchok

    There are very few firearms restricted areas in the US. Government offices, public transportation areas like airports, public schools. State and federal parks are all legal carry areas. Along with all public access areas like roads.

    All others are only restricted by request of the private owner. If I am found to be on the property with a firearm all the owner could do is ask me to leave, if I do not I can be charged with trespassing. But not with having a firearm.
    Some places do not allow open carry, Some do not allow concealed carry. But know your local laws first.

    As long as I am legally allowed to carry the weapon I am good to go.

  • GWB

    pzatchok
    February 3, 2023 at 12:11 pm

    There are very few firearms restricted areas in the US.
    Have you been paying any attention to the current issue of “sensitive places”? There are LOTS of places I’m forbidden to carry – openly or concealed – based on state law. A big one is bars; in some states churches are included. A lot of states prohibit carry of any sort in state or municipal parks. School grounds (and their associated ‘zones’) is another big one.

    And you didn’t answer my query as to where and in what way you are limited in carry of legal fully automatic firearms. I know of only a few states that fully restrict NFA items which would allow some carry but not those items (like fully automatic firearms). Are there places which allow carry of, say a concealed firearm (not merely a pistol) or open carry of a longarm that would have a problem if the said firearm legally had a giggle switch instead of being semi-auto only?

    And this is WAY off-topic from the original post, so if this doesn’t get answered I won’t worry.

  • Lee S

    Firstly, let me say I fully support these kids right to wear those hats… I disagree with the message, but agree with their right to wear hats with ( almost ) whatever they want emblazoned upon. ( Outright profanity and GENUINELY abusive text can have its place, but perhaps a museum is not one. That said, this message is neither)

    Secondly, ( and I know this is an unpopular opinion around here..) do you have any idea how bat-poop crazy it seems that you are discussing where it is ok to carry a machine gun?

    I don’t just speak for myself, I speak for the vast majority of the rest of the world. I don’t think it would even be possible to close your Pandora’s box of freedom to carry arms, but the fact someone thinks it’s a good thing, in this day and age, to be able to openly walk around carrying a deadly weapon is ( if your not American ) absolutely ludicrous.

    It won’t help you overthrow an overreaching government, statistics prove that arms carrying citizens very rarely help a situation, and your epidemic of mass shootings compared to countries with arms control prove that more guns = more deaths.

    I know that no one here really cares what I or the rest of the world thinks, but I am not able to just bite my tongue. I cannot sit back and be silent in the face of stupidity.

  • Lee S

    I will now slowly retreat to my bunker and await the attack ;-)

  • Cotour

    Lee S:

    ” The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

    That simple concept being stated, I generally agree with at least some of what you say.

    And that being said, and as crazy as it may be the vast majority of the rest of the world continues to want to be America in many ways.

    Go figure, and there is your conundrum.

    Then you must ask: Why is that?

    Then you are right back at the Second Amendment. The one fosters the other.

    PS: If the potential for death is the ultimate metric, then stay tuned on that as the Covid / mRNA shot event plays itself out over the next couple of years delivered to you via government. Do you prefer your absolute control fast or slow?

    And that being said if there exists NO avenue for those who become politically empowered who may be compromised and may not be acting in ways that they are empowered to act and in the actual interests of their people, then what?

    And once again you are back at your conundrum, the Second Amendment and what it is in its essence designed to attempt to counter, the abuse of power.

    Is it perfect? No, no it is not but it is there for a reason of real world affecting consequence.

    Hope all is well with you.

  • Cotour

    A little bit more, the American government (Radical *D*) creeping in to further attempt to steal the people’s Rights as per the Constitution. (Why does that Right exist? Can you answer the question yet?)

    https://youtu.be/E7ncSq6dINE

    It is the nature of the beast, and the beast is what it is and cannot be anything other than it is.

    Lee S, your entire world depends on America remaining as founded along with the Second Amendment.

    And God help us all if ever the extreme Left is ever so successful that you see what I propose that is invisible to you at the moment. May you stay happily blind and ignorant related to the subject at hand.

    What could only be better is for the light bulb to go off in your head and you see what must be seen and understood.

  • pzatchok

    I live in Ohio.

    I am allowed to carry anything that is legal for me to carry, be it an RPG and launcher or a handgun.

    I can carry them into bars also. As long as I am not drinking.

    In this state I can carry into a church. If they allow me.

    As for open carry, How do you hunt? Ohio actually had to answer these questions because one prosecutor wanted to know if it was legal for someone to carry openly from their house to their car. Or is having the gun in a closed case counted as concealed carry. Or if hunters were allowed to carry a side arm while hunting or did they need a CCW.


    But back to the original reason for this thread.
    The group was perfectly inside their right to openly show the hats. The employees are not allowed to regulate what someone wares. Unless they are willing to go to court and prove its vulgar.
    If the the hat said “right to choose” would the employee have had the right to order the removal of said hats? They would not and in fact they more than likely would have been happy to put one on themselves.

  • Mutatis Mutandis

    If the kids’ mom needs to crowdfund her suit, please let us know. Thanks!

  • Lee S

    @Cotour “the vast majority of the rest of the world continues to want to be America in many ways.”…

    I think that is flattering yourself a little… Decades and decades ago this may have been true, but I can assure you it is no longer the case.

    And as a means of defence against an over reaching government, let’s be honest. The second amendment is totally redundant. Americans like their guns, and your rabid refusal to contemplate any form of gun control has absolutely nothing to do with the intent on the amendment.

    @pzatchok, are you really pleased you are allowed to carry a bazooka on the street? This is a part of the lunacy of which I speak. There is no reason on earth that outside a hunt, target shooting ( schools don’t count!) and the theatre of war, that Joe Bloggs needs to walk around with a weapon of any kind. This logic works very well for the rest of the world, not so much in the US.

    I am absolutely allowed to own a long gun here in Sweden, as long as I have a license, store it in a locked cabinet, and only transport it to the hunt, or to sell or service it. (I also own a fairly powerful air pistol which I use for target shooting with the kids. Legal as long as it is not used in areas where the public are likely to be at risk.)

    The massive majority of death by shooting in Sweden are suicide. ( The cold dark winters are pretty depressing ), and mass shootings are unknown. Go figure.

    Back to the topic at hand… After giving the subject some thought, the question arose to me, was the museum public or privately owned?

    If public, then they definitely had no right to impose the “hat ban”, if private then much as I disagree with the owners decision, I guess they have every right to impose whatever rules they want. Freedom is sometimes hard to define, and sometimes even harder to implement. To ban an owner of a private establishment from implementing whatever rules they want ( excluding obviously racist/sexist policy) is a slippery slope. The whole cake maker who refused to make a cake for a gay wedding thing, and was hung out to dry by YOUR left is a perfect mirror image.

    One day we will return to a world where people can have there own opinions, and don’t get butt hurt, or cause butt hurt because of them. I’ve stated many times the pendulum will swing back, it’s just taking a little longer than even I would like.

  • Lee S

    I guess I should add a spot of context here…

    I spent several years as a publican ( bar manager ) when I still lived in the UK, in 3 different venues, my accommodation was above the venues, and I had the legal right to ask anyone to leave without having to give a reason. In principle they were in my home.

    If ( which was never the case ) a pattern of refusing black, or homosexual etc, customers could be proved, then I could have been subjected to investigation by the local authorities, and if found to be some form of “ist” I could have had my license to sell alcohol revoked.

    I only ever barred idiots, so never encountered this procedure, but in general I was happy it was there.
    I was generally free to pick and choose my clientele.

  • Cotour

    Lee S:

    Like it or not, good, bad or otherwise the world as a general rule over the past 100 plus years has adopted more and more “Americanisms”, in language, dress, music, innovation, science, technology, culture, architecture, business and economics etc. and concepts in governance and justice. That is just a recognition of fact.

    You want to call it, self-flattery? You can call it whatever you like.

    It has in fact been so strong and so formidable that the radical / Leftist / Socialist (D) / WEF powers that be have a deep need to fundamentally destroy that model which is based in the concepts of the Constitution and capitalism. “IT” is the only thing that stands in their way to of their Global / Socialist utopian domination and control model. And you would be wise to better understand that.

    And that is essentially what we are all witness to in the turmoil within America itself. America being an open society we invite all of these enemies in and say have at it. And that long term view and factual basis for my opinion is my ongoing point to you. Who and what owns the future? Stay tuned on that because the battle rages on and you might think about who wins that battle and your and your children’s future.

    Remember, it’s all about the kids.

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/ten-reasons-we-cant-and-shouldnt-be-nordic/

    1) The Nordic system kills innovation, and the United States’ adopting it would have dire consequences for the world economy.

    2) Most of what American progressives envy about the Scandinavian countries existed before they expanded their welfare state, and America’s voices on the left are mixing up correlation with causation.

    3) At its biggest, most far-reaching, and invasive form in the late 20th century, the Nordic model crushed startups and the growth of new companies. “As of 2000,” Johan Norberg writes, “just one of the 50 biggest Swedish companies had been founded after 1970.

  • wayne

    U.S. Constitution
    2nd Amendment:

    “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

  • Cotour

    Lee S:

    Do you own your home in Sweden?

    Sweden is in the EU correct?

    Is it an older inefficient building?

    https://youtu.be/AMv26K8BASE

    You will comply.

    Remember, in the future you will own nothing, and you will be happy.

    So be happy :)

  • sippin_bourbon

    pzatchok
    You over simplify. You cannot carry those things anywhere. There are restrictions.
    And in my opinion, open carry is for idiots. Open carry of class 3 is…. Something I cannot say on this site.

  • wayne

    Ref: Kyle….

    The Interview: Kyle Rittenhouse
    Rekieta Law (January 25, 2023)
    https://rumble.com/v26zheq-the-interview-kyle-rittenhouse.html
    (3:45:47)

    Live with Kyle Rittenhouse!
    Viva Frei (February 3, 2023)
    https://rumble.com/v2841zy-live-with-kyle-rittenhouse-viva-frei-live.html
    (1:09:59)

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