Sweet Home Alabama

Online letter to The Honorable Kay Ivey, Will Ainsworth, Greg Reed, Anthony Daniels, Gary Palmer, Mike Rogers and Dale Strong
August 22, 2023
Re: Special Capitol Journal from Point Clear this past Friday
Dear Gov. Ivey, Lt. Gov. Ainsworth, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, House Minority Leader Daniels, and Representatives Palmer, Rogers and Strong:
This letter relates to last week's Business Council of Alabama’s Government Affairs Conference, which was covered by the special edition of Capitol Journal at https://twitter.com/ALDailyNews/status/1693669378812686573.
This email follows up on the email I sent to BCA CEO Helena Duncan, also related to the BCA conferenc, that appears immediately above this online letter.
The emphasis of the BCA's Government Affairs Conference on Alabama's economic development is understandable.
My email to Ms. Duncan quotes Mr. Jimmy Rane as saying, “If the citizens of a state, or a city or a county or a country are not concerned enough about their government, and the laws that their government are going to enact, to get involved and ensure that they are sending qualified, competent, honest, serious people to do the government’s work, then they deserve what they get.”
My email to Ms. Duncan then said that "[i]t seems that, for the next 15 months, politics and acts of governance in the United States will be subordinated to resolving the Donald Trump situation."
Do you agree that for the next 15 months, politics and acts of governance in the United States will be subordinated to resolving the Donald Trump situation?
In my lowly citizen capacity, I am working on trying to resolve the Donald Trump situation. Particularly, I am focused on the recently announced American Bar Association "Task Force for American Democracy," such efforts being indicated at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/08/american-bar-association-task-force-for.html.
Acting on a belief that "[o]ur American democracy is under threat", the American Bar Association published a Task Force Mission Statement that appears at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/overview/.
The Mission Statement particularly cites sobering facts that:

1. In a recent Pew study, 51% of Americans said they are dissatisfied with how democracy is working and 46% said they are open to other forms of government, including rule by a strong leader.
2. Less than one third of Millennials consider it essential to live in a democracy.
3. According to a 2022 Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey, 25% of US adults can name only 1 of the 3 branches of government and more than 20% can't name any branch of government.
4. Against all available evidence, many Americans believe the 2020 election was stolen and question the integrity of our election system. Some even say they are prepared to resort to violence if their desired candidate does not win the next election.

The Mission Statement further says:

"The strains on our democracy culminated on January 6, 2021, when an insurrectionist mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent attempt to stop the constitutionally prescribed process for the election of the next President. There is also evidence of related plots to subvert the 2020 presidential election results at the state level. State election officials and workers have faced scorn and physical threats simply for doing their jobs and refusing to bend to political pressure to do otherwise."

Saying that "[c]learly, our American democracy is not as strong as we once thought and there are those who seem determined to push it to the breaking point [and] [t]he time for answers and action is now," the Mission Statement lists nine things the Task Force will consider and address, related to protecting our democracy and elections.
The Mission Statement says the Task Force will solicit the views of a wide array of state election officials, present and former elected officials, academics, think tanks, public interest and other stakeholder organizations, and everyday voters.
You are elected officials in Alabama. Possibly the ABA Task Force will solicit your views. Whether or not it does, I, as an Alabama citizen, urge you to formulate your views related to what the Task Force is doing and submit the same to the Task Force.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck

Mountain Brook 

Email to The Honorable R. William Ide III, Vice Chair, American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy

From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: bill.ide@akerman.com <bill.ide@akerman.com>
Cc: terri.lovell@alabar.org <terri.lovell@alabar.org>; wbrewbak@law.ua.edu <wbrewbak@law.ua.edu>; dburch1@samford.edu <dburch1@samford.edu>; bryant.welbourne@ua.edu <bryant.welbourne@ua.edu>; dcole@bcatoday.org <dcole@bcatoday.org>; cfranklin@bcatoday.org <cfranklin@bcatoday.org>; wnewman@bcatoday.org <wnewman@bcatoday.org>; Wes.Allen@sos.alabama.gov <wes.allen@sos.alabama.gov>; ed@edpackard.com <ed@edpackard.com>; Robert Garris <rgarris@leeco.us>; john@johnhmerrill.com <john@johnhmerrill.com>; dianeken333@yahoo.com <dianeken333@yahoo.com>; michelle.thomason@bellsouth.net <michelle.thomason@bellsouth.net>; britneymgarner@gmail.com <britneymgarner@gmail.com>; snewmanhsv@gmail.com <snewmanhsv@gmail.com>; bchoat@trussville.org <bchoat@trussville.org>; pcook@trussville.org <pcook@trussville.org>; janderson@trussville.org <janderson@trussville.org>; lbright@trussville.org <lbright@trussville.org>; bshort@trussville.org <bshort@trussville.org>; ataylor@trussville.org <ataylor@trussville.org>; hduncan@bcatoday.org <hduncan@bcatoday.org>; todd@aldailynews.com <todd@aldailynews.com>; News@TrussvilleTribune.com <news@trussvilletribune.com>; tim.gallagher@chlaw.com <news@trussvilletribune.com>; cpii.law@gmail.com <cpii.law@gmail.com>; gbutrus@balch.com <gbutrus@balch.com>; juliana.dean@dcnr.alabama.gov <juliana.dean@dcnr.alabama.gov>; cryan@uasystem.edu <cryan@uasystem.edu>; jhayes@princelaw.net <jhayes@princelaw.net>; fhelmsing@mcdowellknight.com <fhelmsing@mcdowellknight.com>; darylbailey@mc-ala.org <darylbailey@mc-ala.org>
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2023 at 03:23:27 PM CDT
Subject: In Alabama, I'm very serious about ABA Task Force for American Democracy
The Honorable R. William Ide III
Vice Chair
American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy
Dear Mr. Ide:
In Alabama, I am very serious about the mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy.
Please read what I have done thus far at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/08/american-bar-association-task-force-for.html.
If there is a contact at the ABA Task Force to whom I can send future communications, that would be much appreciated.
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL

American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy

Email to Alabama State Bar re ABA Task Force for American Democracy

To: terri.lovell@alabar.org <terri.lovell@alabar.org>S

ent: Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 06:23:49 PM CDT
Subject: Will ASB undertake supportive activity in Alabama re ABA Task Force for American Democracy
Dear Terri,
I am an inactive member of the Alabama State Bar.
Yesterday, American Bar Association president Mary Smith announced the creation of an ABA-sponsored Task Force for American Democracy, which announcement was accompanied by the Mission Statement that appears at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/overview/.
I think the Alabama State Bar should undertake supportive activity in Alabama that follows along that which is laid out in the the ABA Task Force's Mission Statement, appropriately limited to and tailored for Alabama.
If the ASB undertakes any such supportive activity, I would like to participate in the same.
I think you are aware that I personally have been considering matters that the Mission Statement lists for addressing by the ABA Task Force, such as at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/05/weaponization-of-justice-system.html.
Please let me know if the ASB makes a decision to undertake supportive activity in Alabama in connection with what the ABA Task Force will be doing, and whether I may participate in the ASB's supportive activity.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck

Email to University of Alabama and Cumberland law school deans re ABA Task Force
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: wbrewbak@law.ua.edu <wbrewbak@law.ua.edu>; dburch1@samford.edu <dburch1@samford.edu>
Cc: terri.lovell@alabar.org <terri.lovell@alabar.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 04:11:07 PM CDT
Subject: American Bar Association's Task Force for American Democracy - supportive activities of Alabama law schools
Dear Dean Brewbaker and Dean Hudson (c/o Deborah Clayton):
This week the American Bar Association created a "Task Force for American Democracy" and published a Task Force Mission Statement that appears at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/overview/.
I think the Alabama State Bar should undertake supportive activity in Alabama that follows along that which is laid out in the the ABA Task Force Mission Statement, appropriately limited to and tailored for Alabama. I sent the Alabama State Bar the below email urging same.
I think the University of Alabama law school and the Cumberland law school also should undertake supportive activities, which I urge on you as well.
If your law schools decide to undertake such supportive activities, and if there is anything I can do to help out regarding the same, please let me know.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook

Email to Alabama Broadcasters Association re ABA Task Force
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: bryant.welbourne@ua.edu <bryant.welbourne@ua.edu>
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 05:37:02 PM CDT
Subject: Alabama broadcasters and American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy
Dear Dr. Welbourne:
I am emailing you in your capacity as Educational Advisor to the Alabama Broadcasters Association.
This week the American Bar Association created a "Task Force for American Democracy" and published a Task Force Mission Statement that appears at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/overview/.
As a predicate for the Task Force, the Mission Statement says:

"Our American democracy is under threat. . .. Clearly, our American democracy is not as strong as we once thought and there are those who seem determined to push it to the breaking point. The time for answers and action is now."

The Mission Statement lists nine things the Task Force will consider and address. These nine things are:

1. Education of our citizenry on the importance of an inclusive, strong, and enduring democracy;
2. Ways to maximize voter confidence and participation in our democratic process;
3. Ways to dis-incentivize irresponsible and extremist rhetoric and positions among elected officials and candidates for elective office;
4. Ways to ensure the administration of elections remains nonpartisan;
5. Ways for ensuring the integrity and the safety of state election officials and workers across the country;
6. Ways in which the press and social media can and should contribute to the promotion and avoid denigration of our democracy;
7. The role cyberspace can play in either promoting or corrupting the American democratic process;
8. Anti-democratic weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the existing manner in which candidates for federal office are elected in this country; and
9. Potential changes in federal, state, and local practices, laws, and constitutions to meet these ends.

I am a retired lawyer and I have sent to the Alabama State Bar an email urging it to undertake supportive activities in Alabama regarding what the American Bar Association Task Force is doing. My email to the Alabama State Bar is set forth below.
I think the broadcaster members of the Alabama Broadcasters Association can help in Alabama regarding what the American Bar Association Task Force is trying to accomplish.
I hope you agree and you will press upon the Alabama Broadcasters Association and its broadcaster members how, in the threat to our democracy: "The time for answers and action is now."
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL

Email to Business Council of Alabama re ABA Task Force
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: dcole@bcatoday.org <dcole@bcatoday.org>; cfranklin@bcatoday.org <cfranklin@bcatoday.org>; wnewman@bcatoday.org <wnewman@bcatoday.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 06:01:04 PM CDT
Subject: Business Council of Alabama and American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy
Dear David, Caroline and William:
You and the BCA have received many emails from me, and I hope this one provides more of a response.
This week the American Bar Association created a "Task Force for American Democracy" and published a Task Force Mission Statement that appears at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/overview/.
As a predicate for the Task Force, the Mission Statement says:

"Our American democracy is under threat. . .. Clearly, our American democracy is not as strong as we once thought and there are those who seem determined to push it to the breaking point. The time for answers and action is now."

The Mission Statement lists nine things the Task Force will consider and address. These nine things are:

1. Education of our citizenry on the importance of an inclusive, strong, and enduring democracy;

2. Ways to maximize voter confidence and participation in our democratic process;

3. Ways to dis-incentivize irresponsible and extremist rhetoric and positions among elected officials and candidates for elective office;

4. Ways to ensure the administration of elections remains nonpartisan;

5. Ways for ensuring the integrity and the safety of state election officials and workers across the country;

6. Ways in which the press and social media can and should contribute to the promotion and avoid denigration of our democracy;

7. The role cyberspace can play in either promoting or corrupting the American democratic process;

8. Anti-democratic weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the existing manner in which candidates for federal office are elected in this country; and

9. Potential changes in federal, state, and local practices, laws, and constitutions to meet these ends.

I am a retired lawyer and I have sent to the Alabama State Bar an email urging it to undertake supportive activities in Alabama regarding what the American Bar Association Task Force is doing. My email to the Alabama State Bar is set forth below.
I think the Business Council of Alabama can help in Alabama regarding what the American Bar Association Task Force is trying to accomplish.
I hope you agree and you will press for the BCA to respond to the threat to our democracy, as to which: "The time for answers and action is now."
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook

Email to Samford University
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: Amcewan@samford.edu <amcewan@samford.edu>; mwithers@samford.edu <mwithers@samford.edu>; jcobia@samford.edu <jcobia@samford.edu>
Cc: dburch1@samford.edu <dburch1@samford.edu>; denisonian@denison.edu <denisonian@denison.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 2, 2023 at 09:23:50 AM CDT
Subject: "Listening, Speaking and Teaching" at Samford; American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy
Dear Dr. Ewan, Dr. Witherspoon, and Dr. Cobia:
I am sending you this email in follow up to the below August 12th email I sent to Cumberland Law School Dean Hudson (c/o Deborah Clayton) relative to the American Bar Association's recently created "Task Force for American Democracy" and its Mission Statement that appears at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/overview/.
I have not heard from Dean Hudson and do not know what his thinking is about what I have suggested.
The ABA Task Force says, during the coming year, it will reach out beyond lawyers, as it needs do given its mission, and I am doing that in Alabama, including to the business community, the university academic community and the news broadcasting community.
My efforts are indicated at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/08/american-bar-association-task-force-for.html.
I am sending you this follow up email because of your involvement in the "Listening, Speaking and Teaching" event at Samford earlier this year, reported at https://www.samford.edu/education/news/2023/Listening-Speaking-and-Teaching-the-Subject-of-2023-Diversity-Forum?image
Do you think a " "Listening, Speaking and Teaching" event relative to
the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy and its Mission Statement can be organized at Samford?
As encouragement regarding the scope and mode of such a "Listening, Speaking and Teaching" event, I cite you Denison University's Debates and Discourse Program reported at https://denisonian.com/2023/09/news/college-debates-and-discourse-program-partners-with-denison/
If there is anyone else at Samford to whom this email would be better directed, please tell me.
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook

Did Trump know he lost the 2020 election?

Trump lost the 2020 election and tried (probably criminally) to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power. In below video, compare Trump to Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Nixon, and other Presidential candidates who lost their elections.https://t.co/zyRcnB6txP via @msnbc

— Blogging Eagle (@BloggingEagle) August 4, 2023

It should be emphasized that Trump is being criminally prosecuted for exercising his free speech rights to tell lies as part of a conspiracy to obstruct the transfer of power to Biden.https://t.co/e2BSSM2odl@toddcstacy @CapitolJournal #alpolitics https://t.co/ranyGjw5St

— Rob Shattuck (@RobShattuckAL06) August 7, 2023

A burden has been lifted from me

My work re Maryland gun violence; Maine mass shootings

January 29th mass shooting in Baltimore of 4 people including 2 year old

From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: CouncilPresident@baltimorecity.gov, Zeke.Cohen@baltimorecity.gov, Danielle.McCray@baltimorecity.gov, Ryan.Dorsey@baltimorecity.gov, Mark.Conway@baltimorecity.gov, Isaac.Schleifer@baltimorecity.gov, Sharon.Middleton@baltimorecity.gov, James.Torrence@baltimorecity.gov, Kristerfer.Burnett@baltimorecity.gov, John.Bullock@baltimorecity.gov, Phylicia.Porter@baltimorecity.gov, Eric.Costello@baltimorecity.gov, Robert.Stokes@baltimorecity.gov, Antonio.Glover@baltimorecity.gov, Odette.Ramos@baltimorecity.gov,
Cc: clinton.woods@birminghamal.gov, hunter.williams@birminghamal.gov, valerie.abbott@birminghamal.gov, jonathan.moore2@birminghamal.gov, Darrell.OQuinn@birminghamal.gov, crystal.smitherman@birminghamal.gov, wardine.alexander@birminghamal.gov, carol.clarke@birminghamal.gov, latonya.tate@birminghamal.gov, tysons@jccal.org, stephensj@jccal.org, KnightJoe@jccal.org, ammonss@jccal.org, scalesl@jccal.org,
Sent: Fri, Feb 3, 2023 7:02 pm
Subject: #GunsForSelfDefenseOnly in Alabama
Dear Baltimore City Council Members:
In Alabama I am pushing the mantra #GunsForSelfDefenseOnly for use in shaping, advocating for, and defending in the courts, common sense solutions for reducing gun violence. This has included emailing numerous Alabama city councilors and county commissioners. See https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/12/mayors-letter-to-schumer-mcconnell-re.html.
In Alabama, the GOP controlled state legislature has statewide control over gun laws and gun regulation and it is opposed to common sense solutions for reducing gun violence. Alabama local governments are powerless as to guns in the face of the GOP state legislature control.
Maryland is auspicious for the mantra #GunsForSelfDefenseOnly getting used in shaping, advocating for, and defending in the courts, common sense solutions for reducing gun violence in Maryland.
I hope you will consider the same.
For what it is worth, I am copying my Birmingham City Councilors and Jefferson County (AL) county commissioners on this email.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL

Email to Maryland constitutional law professors
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: rboldt@law.umaryland.edu <rboldt@law.umaryland.edu>; mmeyerson@ubalt.edu <mmeyerson@ubalt.edu>; higginbotham@ubalt.edu <higginbotham@ubalt.edu>; mstearns@law.umaryland.edu <mstearns@law.umaryland.edu>
Cc: dmsmolin@samford.edu <dmsmolin@samford.edu>; phorwitz@law.ua.edu <phorwitz@law.ua.edu>; mbrandon@law.ua.edu <mbrandon@law.ua.edu>; aolree@faulkner.edu <aolree@faulkner.edu>; fvars@law.ua.edu <fvars@law.ua.edu>; jvance@law.ua.edu <jvance@law.ua.edu>
Sent: Tue, Feb 14, 2023 10:25 am
Subject: #GunsForSelfDefenseOnly in Alabama
Dear Professors Boldt, Meyerson, Higginbotham and Stearns:
I sent the below email to the Baltimore City Council members in connection with the January 29th mass shooting in Baltimore that is reported at 2-year-old among 4 people shot in Baltimore - ABC7 New York (abc7ny.com).
My email urged the use of the mantra #GunsForSelfDefenseOnly for shaping, advocating for, and defending in the courts, common sense solutions for reducing gun violence.
Such mantra needs supporting opinion about what the Second Amendment protects and does not protect.
In Alabama, I have solicited such opinion from Alabama constitutional law professors (whom I have copied on this email).
I am sending this email to you as Maryland constitutional law professors for whatever assistance you may be moved to provide, relative to my urging the Baltimore City Council to take up the mantra #GunsForSelfDefenseOnly for reducing gun violence in Maryland.
Thank you for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL

July 4th weekend mass shooting in Baltimore
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: CouncilPresident@baltimorecity.gov <councilpresident@baltimorecity.gov>; Zeke.Cohen@baltimorecity.gov <zeke.cohen@baltimorecity.gov>; Danielle.McCray@baltimorecity.gov <danielle.mccray@baltimorecity.gov>; Ryan.Dorsey@baltimorecity.gov <ryan.dorsey@baltimorecity.gov>; Mark.Conway@baltimorecity.gov <mark.conway@baltimorecity.gov>; Isaac.Schleifer@baltimorecity.gov <isaac.schleifer@baltimorecity.gov>; Sharon.Middleton@baltimorecity.gov <sharon.middleton@baltimorecity.gov>; James.Torrence@baltimorecity.gov <james.torrence@baltimorecity.gov>; Kristerfer.Burnett@baltimorecity.gov <kristerfer.burnett@baltimorecity.gov>; John.Bullock@baltimorecity.gov <john.bullock@baltimorecity.gov>; Phylicia.Porter@baltimorecity.gov <phylicia.porter@baltimorecity.gov>; Eric.Costello@baltimorecity.gov <eric.costello@baltimorecity.gov>; Robert.Stokes@baltimorecity.gov <robert.stokes@baltimorecity.gov>; Antonio.Glover@baltimorecity.gov <antonio.glover@baltimorecity.gov>; Odette.Ramos@baltimorecity.gov <odette.ramos@baltimorecity.gov>
Cc: clinton.woods@birminghamal.gov <clinton.woods@birminghamal.gov>; hunter.williams@birminghamal.gov <hunter.williams@birminghamal.gov>; valerie.abbott@birminghamal.gov <valerie.abbott@birminghamal.gov>; jonathan.moore2@birminghamal.gov <jonathan.moore2@birminghamal.gov>; Darrell.OQuinn@birminghamal.gov <darrell.oquinn@birminghamal.gov>; crystal.smitherman@birminghamal.gov <crystal.smitherman@birminghamal.gov>; wardine.alexander@birminghamal.gov <wardine.alexander@birminghamal.gov>; carol.clarke@birminghamal.gov <carol.clarke@birminghamal.gov>; latonya.tate@birminghamal.gov <latonya.tate@birminghamal.gov>; tysons@jccal.org <tysons@jccal.org>; stephensj@jccal.org <stephensj@jccal.org>; KnightJoe@jccal.org <knightjoe@jccal.org>; ammonss@jccal.org <ammonss@jccal.org>; scalesl@jccal.org <scalesl@jccal.org>; Moms Demand Action Alabama <alabama@momschapterleaders.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at 08:11:18 AM CDT
Subject: Baltimore Mayor Scott: "We need all of Congress to get on board and enact real gun law changes."
Dear Baltimore City Council members:
What is ever going to get Congress "to get on board and enact real gun law changes," as Mayor Scott has cried for after this weekend's mass shooting in Baltimore (https://news.yahoo.com/baltimore-mayor-calls-real-gun-125850226.html)?
I believe building as much as possible public opinion for real gun law changes is critical.
In Alabama I am working at the city council level to get city councils to lead against the gun violence culture in Alabama by passing a declaratory resolution along the lines of the "Declaration of public officials for gun violence prevention" set out https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/09/declaration-of-public-officials-for-gun.html.
For more information about this, please read https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/05/working-to-grow-alabama-public-opinion.html.
Please consider whether it would be helpful for the Baltimore city council to pass such as a resolution.
Thank you.
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL
P.S. FYI, I previously wrote the below email to you in connection with the mass shooting in Baltimore at the end of January.

Reply from Baltimore City Councilwoman Odette Ramos
From: Ramos, Odette (City Council) <odette.ramos@baltimorecity.gov>
To: 'Rob Shattuck' <rdshatt@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 8, 2023 at 01:24:59 PM CDT
Subject: RE: Baltimore Mayor Scott: "We need all of Congress to get on board and enact real gun law changes."
Hi Rob
Did anyone answer you?
What is in the City Council’s power is a non-binding resolution urging congress to act. Although I have to say, it is more than just Congress here. While our state has the toughest gun laws in the country, we need help from other states to get on board as well, since Congress is at a deadlock and won’t even act when children are getting killed.
I’ll be happy to discuss further.
Odette
Odette Ramos
Baltimore City Councilwoman
District 14
Office: 410-396-4814
Mobile: 443-801-8137
Odette.ramos@baltimorecity.gov
www.odetteramos.com

Email to Councilwoman Ramos
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: Ramos, Odette (City Council) <odette.ramos@baltimorecity.gov>
Cc: Moms Demand Action Alabama <alabama@momschapterleaders.org>
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2023 at 06:15:42 PM CDT
Subject: Re: Baltimore Mayor Scott: "We need all of Congress to get on board and enact real gun law changes."
Dear Councilwoman Ramos,
Thank you very much for replying to me.
Of all the city councilpersons who are shown on my emails that are posted at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/05/working-to-grow-alabama-public-opinion.html, you are the only councilperson who has answered me.
A non-binding city council resolution urging Congress to act would be fine form.
In contrast to Maryland, my state Alabama has weak gun laws and it may be impossible to get Alabama "on board." I am nonetheless trying hard.
Getting city councils and county commissions around the country to pass resolutions as suggested will, I think, help build the public opinion for gun law changes that is needed to break the Congressional deadlock and get the changes.
If you can get other Baltimore city councilpersons and others in Maryland working on behalf of this, that would be great.
I will keep you informed of any progress I make in Alabama (or elsewhere).
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck

Morgan State University and Tuskegee University
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: barbara.burnett@morgan.edu <barbara.burnett@morgan.edu>; cjames@tuskegee.edu <cjames@tuskegee.edu>
Cc: ewhopebirmingham@gmail.com <ewhopebirmingham@gmail.com>; "newhopebirmingham@gmail.com" <newhopebirmingham@gmail.com>; pastortb@nrschurch.org <pastortb@nrschurch.org>; onoyemi@fiaal.org <onoyemi@fiaal.org>; fbcensley@gmail.com <fbcensley@gmail.com>; dgreen@mtcfc.org <dgreen@mtcfc.org>; officestaff@faithchapel.net <officestaff@faithchapel.net>; katy@churchofthehighlands.com <katy@churchofthehighlands.com>; ashfaq.taufique@bisweb.org <ashfaq.taufique@bisweb.org>; daniel@fiaal.org <daniel@fiaal.org>; Rev. Julie Conrady <minister@uucbham.org>; Moms Demand Action Alabama <alabama@momschapterleaders.org>; Dana Ellis <danaellis865@gmail.com>; Melissa Bailey <melissa.bailey.al@gmail.com>; contact@evechurch.org <contact@evechurch.org>; wgonsoulin@jefcoed.com <wgonsoulin@jefcoed.com>; ddgreen@uab.edu <ddgreen@uab.edu>; dhudson@bhm.k12.al.us <dhudson@bhm.k12.al.us>; cwalker3@bhm.k12.al.us <cwalker3@bhm.k12.al.us>; msullivan@bhm.k12.al.us <msullivan@bhm.k12.al.us>; sammons@birminghambusinessalliance.com <sammons@birminghambusinessalliance.com>; Sheree Kennon <shereekennon@yahoo.com>; Keaira G. Turner <keaira.turner@birminghamal.gov>; moneyj@jccal.org <moneyj@jccal.org>
Sent: Friday, October 6, 2023 at 07:19:19 AM CDT
Subject: Morgan State University gun violence; Tuskegee University gun violence
Dear Morgan State President Wilson (c/o barbara.burnett@morgan.edu) and Tuskegee President Morris (c/o cjames@tuskegee.edu):
I live in Birmingham.
Maryland has stricter gun laws than Alabama's gun laws.
Without Congress passing stricter national gun laws, Maryland's gun laws are inadequate for protecting Maryland residents from gun violence.
American public opinion is in favor of stricter gun laws, but Congress currently will not pass stricter gun laws. To get Congress to pass stricter national gun laws, the public opinion in favor of stricter gun laws needs to grow more.
In Alabama, I am trying to grow Alabama public opinion in favor of stricter gun laws by means of getting mayors, city councils, county commissions, police departments and county sheriff's offices to make declarations and pass resolutions along the lines of the "Declaration of public officials for gun violence prevention" set out at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/09/declaration-of-public-officials-for-gun.html
Currently I am focusing my efforts on the Birmingham City Council, the Jefferson County Commission, the Birmingham Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff's office as indicated at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/09/draft-statement-to-birmingham-city.html.
I previously sent President Morris the below email.
I am sending this email as part of trying to create connections between Maryland and Alabama on behalf of their shared objectives of getting stricter gun laws nationally and getting stricter gun laws in Alabama.
Thank you for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL

MAINE MASS SHOOTINGS

Email to University of Maine Law President and Dean Saufley

From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: leigh.saufley@maine.edu <leigh.saufley@maine.edu>
Cc: dmsmolin@samford.edu <dmsmolin@samford.edu>; phorwitz@law.ua.edu <phorwitz@law.ua.edu>; mbrandon@law.ua.edu <mbrandon@law.ua.edu>; aolree@faulkner.edu <aolree@faulkner.edu>; fvars@law.ua.edu <fvars@law.ua.edu>; jvance@law.ua.edu <jvance@law.ua.edu>; rboldt@law.umaryland.edu <rboldt@law.umaryland.edu>; michael.lawrence@law.msu.edu <michael.lawrence@law.msu.edu>; eboddie@umich.edu <eboddie@umich.edu>; caminker@umich.edu <caminker@umich.edu>; samerman@umich.edu <samerman@umich.edu>; rdfrdman@umich.edu <rdfrdman@umich.edu>; dhalber@umich.edu <dhalber@umich.edu>; dherzog@umich.edu <dherzog@umich.edu>; mmeyerson@ubalt.edu <mmeyerson@ubalt.edu>; higginbotham@ubalt.edu <higginbotham@ubalt.edu>; mstearns@law.umaryland.edu <mstearns@law.umaryland.edu>
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2023 at 09:55:19 AM CDT
Subject: Does Second Amendment prohibit assault weapons bans?
Dear Maine Law President and Dean Saufley,
I am a retired lawyer in Alabama.
For some time I have been trying to purvey the mantra "guns for self-defense only." See https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/12/gunsforselfdefenseonly-contd.html and https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2022/11/gunsforselfdefenseonly.html
Right now in Alabama, I am proceeding as indicated at https://al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com/2023/09/draft-statement-to-birmingham-city.html.
In the course of my work I have written to constitutional law professors in Alabama and elsewhere (see my February 14, 2023 email to Maryland constitutional law professors and my February 24, 2023 email to Michigan constitutional law professors posted in the first link above), soliciting them to express themselves about what I was advocating and to lend assistance in messaging lawmakers and citizens about the Second Amendment.
Does what I am doing appeal to you and other Maine Law professors for doing in Maine?
If it does appeal to you, please let me know.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook AL
205-967-5586

Essay for 50th college reunion

The below email sets forth an "essay" I submitted in 2018 for my  50th college reunion and for the "book" of classmates' essays that were solicited, compiled and distributed in connection with the 50th reunion event.

From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: davidmpc@mac.com
Sent: Wed, Sep 5, 2018 2:41 pm
Subject: Final version of Rob's Shattuck's essay

Rob Shattuck

September 5, 2018

rdshatt@aol.com

How much during one's lifetime does one dwell on the question of "what am I"? 

Or on the corollary question of "what is the universe"?

How many Dartmouth '69's doing their essays in their 8th decade of life have those questions on their mind?

It is such questions I choose (or am compelled) to discuss in my essay.

More than a half century ago I learned Descartes "I think; therefore I am." 

I translated, and continue to translate, that as, "I am a thinking thing," with the added refinement, "I am a self-aware thinking thing."

Defining myself as a "self-aware thinking thing," I have been a lifetime watcher of what goes on in my head. 

To give a current flavor, I ran across the below on Facebook recently:

Brain at 3 am:

I see you're trying to sleep, so I would like to offer you

a selection of every memory, unresolved issue, 

or things you should have done today, or in the past 40 years!

I experience that a lot during my nights. I ask my  wife about her experience. She doesn't really say. I wonder out loud, "Do you think X, Y, or Z (men we know in their 60's and 70's) have the middle of the night stuff." My wife and I don't know. Maybe at some point I'll ask them.

Having given the foregoing current flavoring, I will discuss certain thinking that has happened in my brain.

In doing this, I have not revisited Descartes for exactly where he took "I think; therefore I am." This essay indicates where I have taken "I think; therefore I am."

I go to sleep, wake up, and sense that I am the same thinking thing as before I went to sleep. After I wake, I don't sense that my self-aware brain was functioning the same as when I am awake. Maybe that is a disconnect between my waking brain and my sleeping brain. I am inclined to think something in my brain turns off while I am asleep.

I am conscious of voluminous data that gets inputted into my brain through my senses. I acknowledge there are innate things (genetics) that don't come in through my senses. My brain is not able to discern and organize that which comes from genetics, compared to the way my brain discerns and organizes the great amount of data that comes in through my senses.

I add to "I think; therefore I am"  that my brain has the attribute of memory.

The attribute of my memory preserves data that comes into my brain through my senses, and that data can be summoned up by the memory faculty of my my brain., 

The accumulation of sensory data in my brain that comes into my brain in a sequence, that gets preserved in memory, and that gets recalled, give rise to my brain having a sense of time and of the passage of time. 

The sensory data that comes into my brain includes lived personal experiences and much information about many things that are not personal to me, such as history, current events and human activities. 

Philosophy has wrestled with the question of what is the nature of that which is external to the thinking brain, what correspondence exists between something that is external to the brain and the sensory data that registers in the brain, and even whether there is anything external. 

It seems to me it is incontrovertible that I think and that I have thoughts. This leads me to say I know that I think and Iknow that I have thoughts. I don't feel I need to water that down and say only that I believe I think and or only believe that I have thoughts.

As to what is external to my brain, my choice is to use the word "believe" rather than the word "know."

I believe there is an external world, in which there is, among other things, history that has happened. 

I further believe there are other thinking things like me that exist independently of me. I do not believe I am the only thinking thing, and I don't believe all the sensory data (including for example history) that is in my brain was generated internally by my brain.

Moving on in this discussion, I have the observation that my brain at the time of my birth was not developed the way it is now and was not at the time equipped with language, thinking abilities, and consciousness of memory.  

Language, logic, personality and modes of thought that have developed in me shape and limit how I am able to answer to the question of "what am I". I am a thinking thing,I have no memory of having a developed brain when I was born, I have a developed brain now, and I have recollection and data indicating there was development over time.  

Further, data input into my head and lived experience have created belief that people are born, live, and die, and many people (with brains in them) have come before me.  The data input I get from history and science books includes that previously the Earth was believed to be the center of the universe and the Earth was previously believed to be a few thousand years old.  Since then scientific knowledge has grown enormously in what it says about the universe. Science now says that the universe is 14 billion years old (and had some sort of creation) and the Earth is an infinitesimal  speck in the universe.

I don't know what ideas scientists have about what there was before the creation they now believe took place, or about the nature of the creating force that brought about the creation. They may have no ideas about what came before because the domain of investigation of scientists is limited to the universe after it was created, and what was before is outside their domain of knowledge.  

As to the creation, I am lacking in comprehension of what scientists comprehend that leads them to believe there was a moment of creation of the universe. Accepting what scientists say about there having been a moment of creation, I profess ignorance of what was before the creation and ignorance about what the creating force was.  In answering the "what am I" question, I frankly am not affected in reaching my answer (such as I can) by whether there was a moment of creation or whether the universe had no moment of creation and has infinite existence in time.   

Back to what is in my head: nothing in my head gives me any sense that there was anything of me for the 14 billion years that preceded my birth, i.e., I was non-existent, a nullity, during such time. Contemplating that non-existence before I was born leads me to contemplate that I will have the same non-existence after I am dead.

In answering the question of "what am I," my Cartesian "I think therefore I am" does not lead to believing in any "cosmic"purpose of my existence. (As I have gone along, I have developed limited purposes, such as a purpose to provide for a family, but such are not a "cosmic" purpose.)

Christian religion provides a "cosmic" purpose under the Biblical God and gives gives a fulsome answer to the question of what a human being is. That "cosmic" purpose is psychologically and spiritually comforting.

Lack of "cosmic" purpose is psychologically and spiritually painful.

To be blunt, I think science and one's sensory data are dead set against the Christian Biblical God. Many have argued the case about the existence of the Christian Biblical God on both sides. The purpose of this essay is not to be any further statement of the case against the Christian Biblical God. Rather, what I have said in this essay (and this concludes my essay) merely embodies what I am moved to say in my eighth decade of life and have appear for me in our Dartmouth 69 fiftieth reunion Book. 

Appeal for house meetups

I think the physical condition of the planet Earth is dismal.

I think the geopolitical conditions around the world are dismal.

I think the political, cultural and social polarized conditions in the United States are dismal.

I am not optimistic about the future for the United States.

If one is a peon and asks one's self "what can one do about the current dismal conditions", it is easy to conclude "nothing", and adopt a head in the sand "let's eat, drink and be merry" attitude is understandable

While one as a peon can do nothing, there are persons in positions of power in the United States who can do something, or at least try to do something.

The United States Congress is primary for that.

In the political, cultural and social polarized conditions in the United States, Congress is paralyzed.

My diagnosis is that the extremes on the two political sides are in control of United States politics and political discourse, and they basically will not agree on anything.

This results in a substantial majority in the middle, who would be amenable to many compromises and agreements that the extremes will not countenance and about which they will not even talk to each other, being disregarded by Congress.

Ultimately, the two extremes act the way they do to obtain and keep power.

Regardless of what happens in the midterms, it is reasonable to project that the President and Congress will remain paralyzed, and they will fail the substantial majority of Americans who are in the center.

Only peons in the center can battle against the situation.

The peons in the center should at least understand the situation in connection with adopting a head in the sand "let's eat, drink and be merry" attitude.

I wish for house meetups in Eagles Mere to talk about this.

Are EM Republicans discussing the role of politics in their lives and their hopes for overcoming divisions?https://t.co/MOePpMdCBT
"Iowa Republicans discuss role of politics in their lives, hopes for overcoming divisions" https://t.co/Gp1wUie9RW

— Blogging Eagle (@BloggingEagle) July 22, 2023

EM'ers who wish to try to help bridge the widening partisan divide should gather together, watch the below video and discuss. https://t.co/MOePpMdCBT… https://t.co/7BtAHFLx2X…

— Blogging Eagle (@BloggingEagle) July 24, 2023

Email to Betsy Beaugard
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: betsy.beaugard@gmail.com <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2023 at 06:04:07 PM CDT
Subject: Brain/Food, Braver Angels and depolarizing conversation 
Dear Betsy,
While I passed on EM this summer, I wish to push for awareness in the EM community of the Braver Angels organization.
This morning I posted on my Blogging Eagle Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005793705094) the announcement by Braver Angels of its Rise for America” campaign "to Bring America Together". (Also, two of my July 5 Facebook posts regard Braver Angels.)
I quote the following from the Braver Angels "Rise for America" campaign announcement:
We realize that the future of America is in our hands. It is up to us to get involved and be active, engaged citizens. With respectful dialogue, deep listening, and creative thinking, we CAN resolve the conflicts that divide us. We CAN build connections across the political divide that will change relationships and institutions, strengthening our democratic republic.
If you are amenable to doing so, it would be great if there is a way for you to pass on to Brain/Food people information about Braver Angels.
Thanks, Betsy, for your consideration of this.
Sincerely,
Rob

Email to Eagles Mere Friends of the Arts
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: emfainfo@gmail.com <emfainfo@gmail.com>
Cc: betsy.beaugard@gmail.com <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2023 at 06:49:50 PM CDT
Subject: Patriotic EM'ers should talk to each other to bridge the widening partisan divide
Dear Eagles Mere Friends of the Arts:
I have been a longtime summer renter. I have passed on Eagles Mere for this summer.
In 2022 I sought for house meetups to take place for there to be conversations between the two sides.
See Treetop Diaries of The Blogging Eagle: Appeal for house meetups (bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com). Unhappily I got nowhere on this last summer.
I am trying for this remotely this summer.
Because I have been a Brain/Food attendee in past years, I wrote the below email to Betsy Beaugard, who is overseeing Brain/Food this summer.
Betsy has not replied, and I have no idea what her feelings are about what I have asked.
Regardless, I am of the view that regular American citizens have a patriotic duty to endeavor to overcome the widening partisan divide, which partisan divide almost all of those Americans who are in positions of leadership and authority are working to exploit and increase.
Please receive this for consideration by you of what you think are the merits of what I am trying to do remotely (from Alabama) and to be supportive or not as you decide.
Thanks very much.
Rob Shattuck

[referenced "below email to Betsy Beaugard" is above email to Betsy Beaugard]

Email to Betsy Beaugard
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: Betsy Beaugard <betsy.beaugard@gmail.com>
Cc: Leo Sewell <leosewell45@gmail.com>; barbsewell@gmail.com <barbsewell@gmail.com>; Fiona Shattuck <fmshattuck@aol.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 07:18:41 AM CDT
Subject: Re: Rules of Civility book discussion on Thursday, July 27th
Good morning, Betsy.
Given the national trauma of incivility that our country is experiencing, tomorrow night's Brain/Food and the Rules of Civility book title very much caught my interest.
The Goodreads description of Rules of Civility (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10054335-rules-of-civility) says:

This sophisticated and entertaining first novel presents the story of a young woman whose life is on the brink of transformation. On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker, happens to sit down at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on a year-long journey into the upper echelons of New York society—where she will have little to rely upon other than a bracing wit and her own brand of cool nerve. With its sparkling depiction of New York’s social strata, its intricate imagery and themes, and its immensely appealing characters, Rules of Civility won the hearts of readers and critics alike.

It is hard to tell from the description whether there is any takeaway from the novel relative to the national trauma of incivility we are experiencing.
If I may, I submit this question remotely to be posed to the group tomorrow:

"Is there any instruction or other takeaway to be gleaned from Rules of Civility relative to the national trauma of incivility that the United States is currently experiencing?"

Thanks, Betsy.
Sincerely,
Rob

3/4/24 Continued at "And now, the summer of the 2024 elections" https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/2024/03/and-now-summer-of-2024-elections.html. 

See also "Dear Richard Johnson" https://bloggingeagle1.blogspot.com/2023/10/dear-richard-johnson.html