Greetings! A big no thanks to Tom Hanks. The alumni group of the West Point Military Academy deep-sixed an awards ceremony honoring Tom Hanks, the venerable Hollywood star of such films as “Saving Private Ryan.” He was also the  executive producer of the lauded miniseries “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.” The show biz icon has been a tireless advocate for veterans, and was set to receive the West Point alumni organization’s prestigious Sylvanus Thayer Award later this month.  The ceremony was canceled without explanation. The Washington Post, which broke the story over the weekend, speculated that the cause of the cancellation was that the fest “appears to have run headlong into Trump-era politics.” You think? The WaPo highlighted Hanks’ past support for Joe Biden’s 2020 White House run. Hanks was all in for Kamala Harris in her 2024 bid too. Naturally, this morning The Donald  posted this Truth Social barb: “We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!!” Worth noting: over the weekend Breitbart called Hanks “one of Hollywood’s arch Trump haters”... Love this Wall Street Journal op-ed  headline: RFK Jr. Has Turned Health Services into a Goat Rodeo.  The editorial goes on to say, “HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has married ineptitude to pet obsessions, producing a goat rodeo for the ages. New week, new mess: purgings, resignations, policy reversals, conflicts of interest, elimination of transparency”...Trump  showed up at the men's final of the U.S. Open yesterday. Joe Hoft of The Gateway Pundit complained that Trump  was ignored by mainstream media covering the  tennis tournament.  In part, Hoft was peeved because cameras focused too much on “elites” like Bruce Springsteen and Spike Lee and kept POTUS out of the spotlight....If you keep reading, I’ll keep Righting. Howard

Greetings.  Commenting today from Florida, a place I love, yet saddens me because it’s ground zero for the nation’s anti-vax movement. Still, upon my arrival in the Sunshine State last night, I was pleased to read the Wall Street Journal editorial that shredded Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. for his unhinged testimony during a Senate hearing yesterday.  The WSJ editorial board  rightly called him out for his lie-laden defense of his undermining of his department and other government agencies, such as the CDC, entrusted with the public’s health. “Is Robert Kennedy suffering from Covid,” they asked cheekily.  “His memory was foggy”... Chicago University political science professor Robert Pape wrote a must-read NY Times op-ed  describing the Windy City as a “powder keg” because of the impending occupation by federal troops. Among Dr. Pape’s reasons for his fears: (1) The occupying forces don’t call their incursion an occupation; (2) The occupation is often extended longer than intended; (3) Protests often occur leading to suppression; (4) The purpose of the occupation often changes beyond its original purpose...The Department of Justice is considering a gun ban for transgenders to “prevent mentally unstable individuals from committing an act of violence.” (Daily Wire)...The Daily Caller says it’s time for those on the right to stop  underestimating Gavin Newsom...Weekend Watch (retro edition): I’m more than a decade late to this TV tea party, but I just became completely hooked on Downton Abbey, the 52-episode British historical drama that debuted in 2011. The brilliant upstairs/downstairs drama, chronicles the travails of an aristocratic British  family between 1912 and 1926.   If you haven’t watched it yet, brew a cuppa tea, munch a biscuit and settle in for a treat on Peacock...If you keep reading, I’ll keep Righting. Howard