By Matthew Hayward  Organizations that strive to combat hatred and bigotry are essential in our complex and polarized world. These institutions can act as watchdogs, spotlighting society's dark corners and helping us understand and combat extremist ideologies. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is one such organization that has been at the forefront of this fight, with a long and esteemed history of combating racial injustice and hate in the United States. However, as with any entity, there is a need for self-awareness and a steadfast commitment to truth, transparency, and fairness. We risk causing more harm than good when we drift from these principles. I've noticed a concerning trend with the SPLC. While their mission is fundamentally noble, their approach has become less discerning, less objective, and more politically motivated . There's a growing sense that the SPLC is straying from its original mandate and instead being weaponized as a tool for political warfare....

By Matthew Hayward  In the digital age, the concept of warfare has evolved beyond traditional battlegrounds. Our minds have become the front lines, and the weapons deployed are information, disinformation, and manipulation. We are now in an era of 5th Generation Warfare (5GW) , where the battle isn't for land or resources but for thoughts, emotions, and perceptions. Coupled with this, we see the rise of what has been termed the "Imperial Administrative State" and the "Uniparty" - power is being consolidated within a small group of elites who are allegedly manipulating political, commercial, and social systems to advance their own agendas. This is often framed as " The Great Reset ." One of the tools in their arsenal is "Swarm Consensus," a form of decision-making in the digital sphere where a "swarm" of opinions converge to form a consensus. However, accountability often gets lost in this process and can be manipulated to shape publ...

By Matthew Hayward If America functioned similarly to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), it would likely be a society based on a decentralized, self-governing model, where decisions are made locally by consensus-based decision-making processes. One potential consequence of such a model is that there would be less emphasis on central government authority and more focus on local community-driven initiatives. This could result in a society where people are more engaged in their communities and where there is a greater sense of shared responsibility for the well-being of the community as a whole. Another possible outcome of an AA-like model in America is that there may be less emphasis on individualism and more focus on group accountability. In AA, individuals are held accountable to their peers, and decisions are made based on the collective good of the group. Similarly, in a society that functioned on an AA-like model, individuals may be more accountable to their communities, and decisions would...

By Matthew Hayward In the realm of classified information leaks, it is important to differentiate between three distinct categories: accidental negligent leaks, deliberate acts of espionage by true traitors, and whistleblowers. As a civil libertarian, understanding these distinctions is crucial to maintain national security and civil liberties. Accidental negligent leaks occur when individuals inadvertently expose classified information without malicious intent. While such leaks can potentially harm national security, the lack of intent to cause damage should be considered when determining the appropriate punishment. An example of this type of leak is the recent case of Jack Teixeira , a young Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents. Teixeira's actions are more in line with reckless behavior rather than a deliberate attempt to expose government wrongdoing or engage in espionage. In contrast, true traitors are individuals who deliberately sell classified infor...

By Matthew Hayward Patriotism is often defined as love for one's country and a willingness to serve and defend it. However, when the government of that country is being run by people who ignore and disrespect the Constitution and founding documents and intentions laid down by the founders, the definition of patriotism becomes more complicated. In such situations, standing against one's own government can be seen as the most patriotic action. The founders wrote the Constitution and founding documents to establish a government that would protect the rights and freedoms of its citizens. They recognized that unchecked government power can lead to tyranny , and they designed a system of checks and balances to prevent such abuses of power. The Constitution outlines the government's structure, defines each branch's powers, and sets limits on what the government can and cannot do. It also includes the Bill of Rights, which is integral to the Constitution, specifically enumerate...

By Matthew Hayward To paraphrase George Orwell, “All unionized teachers are equal; it’s just that some are more equal than others.” Once upon a time, teachers’ unions were established with the noble goal of protecting the rights of educators by advocating for higher pay and working conditions. The sales pitch also included heartfelt assurances that improved compensation for teachers would attract better-qualified candidates and produce better education outcomes. Over time, the unintended consequence for teachers is that, as the union grows, it becomes less transparent and less responsive to its members. Unions in general, and teachers’ unions in particular, eventually become more concerned with their own self-preservation and the accumulation of power than the well-being of their members, let alone satisfying students or their parents. And some teachers have become more equal than others. Union leaders often use their influence to protect the interests of veteran teachers who’ve been r...

If you're frustrated by the response to COVID in Washington State, there are two important things to remember. First, Governor Inslee hopefully will not be running for reelection in 2024. While this may offer some hope for change, it's not a guarantee. Second, the Democratic majority in the legislature had the power to challenge the governor's policies but failed to take action. They could have held hearings with public comment and expert testimony and passed more thoughtful laws that would have kept our elected officials accountable. Instead, they chose to remain passive, knowing they couldn't continue supporting the governor's policies and remaining in office. This is a betrayal of their duty to represent their constituents and uphold our Republican form of government. It's important to recognize that our democratic representatives have been undermining the very principles of our Republic with their inaction. They talk about democracy, yet they enable a dictat...

By Matthew Hayward Under current law, Washington’s governor can engage in secret, closed-door contract negotiations with more than 25 unions whose impact on taxpayers equals hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer expenses. The problem is these same unions contributed to the governor’s campaign to $5.8 million dollars. There is clearly a conflict of interest in allowing elected officials to negotiate how to spend tax dollars with their campaign contributors, especially during secret meetings. Notwithstanding the fact our current governor promised salary increases even before negotiations ever started, what kind of negotiating is that? In 2002 , a law passed under Gov. Gary Locke that exempts state negotiating sessions from the Open Public Meetings Act. This means state-level collective bargaining is not required to be done in public. On the other hand, nothing is saying they couldn't be. It’s time to turn on the cameras and microphones and hold our representative...