The Morning Briefing: Burning the Flag with Hope of a 'World Without America'

Good Friday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president and first lady depart for Bedminster, New Jersey

Communists burn flag outside White House on the Fourth, stopped by Marine

A couple of firebug clowns were arrested for “burning an American flag outside the limits of a permit that had been issued by the National Park Service.” They were positioned outside the White House. Creeps.

The Secret Service told The Hill that one person was arrested for felony assault on a police officer and for malicious burning, and the other was arrested for obstructing a police investigation and resisting arrest. One person was transported to a hospital for minor injuries, and two Secret Service officers were also transported to a local hospital for treatment.

USA Today reported that a group calling themselves the Revolutionary Communist Party burned the flag and posted video showing protesters pushing and shoving each other after the flames died down.

Flag burner Gregory “Joey” Johnson along with the Communist Party burned two flags outside the White House on the Fourth of July, calling for “a world without America.”

I wish one of our Pulitzer-winning type “journalists” had asked the Communists which Democrat candidate they endorse for president. Alas.

CNN described the “clash” as one between “the far-right Proud Boys group, not long before Trump took the stage for his ‘Salute to America.'” CNN also wants you to know that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Proud Boys as a hate group.

Johnson said in a release before the burning event, “I’m going to be speaking to the people of the world letting them know that there are people inside the borders of this country who stand with the people of the world.” What does this mean exactly? Is the “world” on board with this “world without America” crap?

As the Communists were burning the flag, a Marine interfered to stop the burning.

As the flag erupted in flames, a man wearing a sleeveless “Make America Great Again” shirt and a MARPAT (Marine pattern) bucket hat charged the group and grabbed the burning flag with his bare hands. He whipped it away from the protesters and attempted to put out the fire.

Someone asked the man if he was a veteran, and he pointed to the USMC tattoo on his shoulder, responding simply, “Yes! Semper fi.”

Other Fourth of July happenings:

Police: 3 stabbed, several trampled after Chicago fireworks

Trump sings praises of American exceptionalism in elaborate July 4 salute

Trump praises ICE, Border Patrol in ‘Salute to America’ address

Police evacuate Capitol lawn due to lightning strikes

ICYMI Watch Trump’s “Salute to America”

Many in the corporate media worried that Trump was going to put on a giant MAGA rally, but that’s not what happened. Apologies will be forthcoming any minute now. You watch below if you missed it yesterday.

https://youtu.be/Mieu57c0Fc0

Americans love their fireworks

When I was a little girl, we would always set fireworks off in our backyard, but now there are so many regulations and restrictions that I don’t bother. Also, I’m afraid of fire and setting things on fire.

Other folks aren’t deterred.

Americans shoot off almost 1 pound of fireworks each year for every adult.

And this figure has grown rapidly in recent years, from half a pound per adult in 2000. In 1976, the United States’ bicentennial, the figure was just one-sixth of a pound annually.

A reason for the big increase is the steady reduction in state prohibitions against individuals using fireworks. Today only Massachusetts completely prohibits individuals from owning and using any type of fireworks. The other states all allow usage in some form.

And while a large number of fireworks are used professionally, private use of fireworks is growing since restrictions have lightened up.

Because states are now permitting individuals to purchase and possess fireworks, there has been a large shift from professional to amateur use. Back in 2000, roughly one-third of all fireworks were set off during professional displays, the kind that light the skies of cities around the world on holidays like New Year’s Eve and national celebrations. By 2017, professional displays made up less than 10 percent.

And here’s something for those of you concerned with gender disparities: most fireworks-related injuries are suffered by men. “Men experienced about 70 percent of fireworks-related injuries for the one-month period from June 18 to July 18, 2017.” Sounds like sexism to me.

Hillary Clinton out as keynote at cybersecurity event

There’s a part of me that thinks this whole thing was one big punk. Who on earth thinks Hillary should appear at a cybersecurity event as anything other than a case study?

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton withdrew from the cybersecurity conference where she was scheduled to be the keynote speaker, citing an “unforeseen circumstance,” according to an email from the FireEye Cyber Defense Summit.

An email from FireEye sent Tuesday said “Due to an unforeseen circumstance, Secretary Clinton will no longer be able to participate in this year’s conference. Additional speakers will be announced as confirmed. We look forward to hosting attendees in October with a comprehensive program at our 10th annual event.”

“Unforeseen circumstances,” eh?

ICYMI @PJ Media

Democratic Debates: Did Russia Pay These Candidates to Throw the Election to Trump?

Florida Prosecutes Abused Wife Who Turned Her Husband’s Guns Over to Police

The 1776 Flag Isn’t the Problem. Anti-American Leftists Are

Bye Justin. Congressman Justin Amash Leaves Republican Party, Declares Himself an Independent

CBP Tweets Video Tour of Detention Facility to ‘Dispel… Misinformation’

Is Mad Magazine The Latest Victim of PC Culture?

Other morsels:

France moves to make companies block hate speech online

CrowdStrikeOut: Mueller’s Own Report Undercuts Its Core Russia-Meddling Claims

Border Patrol agents forced migrant to hold sign that said ‘I like men’: report