Key West Lou / USE OF TEAR GAS DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Tear gas affects the lungs. Breathing becomes difficult. Coronavirus victims similarly suffer. Breathing a major problem.

Makes me think there is another major problem. U.S. citizens using tear gas to quell their fellow American citizens at a time when coronavirus is rampant in the U.S.

Confusion and interest exists re the legality of the use of tear gas. Many believe it is prohibited by the Geneva Protocol of 1925.

The Geneva Protocol prohibited the use of “asphyxiating gas, or any other kind of gas, liquids, substances or similar materials.”

The Protocol was not structured properly. It failed to spell out/identify to some degree the chemicals banned.

The U.S. accepted The Protocol, reserving however the right to use tear gas, etc. as risk control agents.

Banned in war, ok to use in quelling domestic disturbances.

The CDC defines tear gas, or riot control agents, as “chemical compounds that temporarily make people unable to function by causing irritation to the eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, and skin.”

In 1997, a Chemical Weapon Convention issued a new protocol which made definite the chemicals prohibited. Specifically, it banned riot control agents in war, but still made their use legal for law enforcement purposes.

The Senate approved. Passed the new document controlling use of tear gas, etc. Twenty nine Republicans and 45 Democrats voted in favor.

Interesting is the identity of those Senators who voted in support of an instrument that banned riot control agents in war, but permitted their use in quelling riot situations in the U.S.

The New York Times 4/25/97 listed the Senators voting for and against. Some are still Senators. Others, no longer.

I list by name those Republicans I consider significant member of the Senate who voted in support at the time: Collins, McCain, McConnell, Murkowski, Specter, and Warner. Democrats: Biden, Daschle, Durbin, Glenn, Inouye, Kennedy, Kerrey, Moynihan, Rockefeller, and Wyden.

Two significant Democrats voting yes: Biden and Wyden.

Does Biden have any concern with his vote? Should he? I don’t know.

Wyden is the yes voter who amuses me. He is still one of the Senators from Oregon. He has been on TV lately complaining of the terrible things being done by the “federales” sent into Portland by Trump. He describes them as “thugs,” claims Oregon has been invaded, and complains about the “tear gassing.”

Wyden voted for it. His people now reap the sad winds it has brought.

Trump’s recent actions with his personal military reminds me of Willie Nelson. “He’s on the road again!”

Trump announced yesterday he is returning to Seattle this weekend. He is sending in what is known as a “Special Response Team.” Part of U.S. Border and Protection.

BORTAC part of U.S. Border and Protection, also.

Why is Trump sending in a different group? It would make sense to return BORTAC who have some experience in Seattle. Does Trump want the “Special Response Team” to get some boots on the ground experience?

Trump in effect invaded Seattle with non-identifiable secret police. My suspicion is he observed what Putin did in Crimea in 2014 and he wanted to copy his hero’s modus operandi.

Luke Harding wrote an interesting book which was published in 2017: “COLLUSION: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money. and How Russia Helped Donald Trump Win.”

I read the book when it was published. I was looking through my slew of books yesterday for a particular one. Instead I came across COLLUSION. I recalled a passage in the book that fits recent happenings in Portland.

At page 154, “Putin’s response was to seize Crimea and declare that the uprising in Ukraine was a ‘fascist’ coup.’ He pledged to defend the ethnic Russians whom Manafort had previously targeted as election fodder. Soon after Putin started a war in eastern Ukraine–albeit a covert one, done with undercover troops and clandestine agents. The conflict that gripped Ukraine in 2014 wasn’t, as Moscow claimed, a civil war. In reality it was a Frankenstein-like conflict, artificially created by the Russian government and given life by the external brute shock of military force and invasion.”

I am sick of Trump repeated telling the American people how smart he is. Especially when it is obvious he is not.

Trump continues relying on the cognitive test he took. The 3 animal thing.

Not a test for brilliance. A simple test to measure memory loss, if any. Problems like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Schizophrenia.

I have taken the test every year for the past 15 years. Part of my annual physical. Be aware, I always identify the elephant, etc. correctly.

Trump says the last few questions are “hard” My recollection is they include: What year is this? What is today’s date? What day is today?

Respectfully, a bullshit artist at his best.

Trump dd his third briefing last night. I have watched all 3.

They are a waste of time. He is using them to show that he is in charge. We all know that. No question about it. That is why everything is screwed up.

The shows are absurd.

Two things especially bothered me yesterday.

First, Trump took credit for getting the virus under control in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Galling! The whole world knows it was Andrew Cuomo.

If Trump ever decides to approach the coronavirus problem as Cuomo did, we would definitely get out of it. Sooner than Trump ever will, if he can.

The other item that bothered me was Trump’s claim that the country was doing “great” re the pandemic.

Real great! Over 4 million infected, with 1000 a day dying.

U.S./China tensions are getting worse. Forcing consulates to close is increasing tensions.

A Chinese representative said yesterday that the U.S. was “breaking down the friendship bridge.”

Are U.S. relations better today with China than when Trump took office? Is the U.S. better off today as regards China than when Trump took office? Finally, are the American farmers and certain manufacturers better off today than when Trump took office?

Trump says we are at war with coronavirus. I agree. Is Trump aware we are losing it badly?

The 2020 Summer Olympics were to have opened this week in Tokyo. Cancelled because of coronavirus. The games have been rescheduled to next summer.

It has been raining for 3 weeks. Heavy. Real heavy.

Not complaining. This is the rainy season. Don’t recall it ever being so consistent, however.

Yesterday was a monsoon!

This morning the Key West Citizen ran 2 front page pictures of the resultant flooding.

The intersection of Eaton and White Streets. Always gets flooded. Yesterday about 3 feet.

On 2 occasions over the years, I saw tourists swimming in the intersection.

Then there is the intersection of Duval and Front Streets. Another always flooded intersection. Yesterday, abut 1 foot.

Never saw anyone swimming in the intersection. Did see someone kyacking once.

Cocktails at 7 tonight. Looking forward to it.

Enjoy your day!

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