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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
November 2, 2022
(Detroit Free Press) As book-banning debates continue to take the stage and the election nears, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wrote a letter to Michigan school districts encouraging them to protect students' First Amendment rights.
"In addition to threatening the First Amendment rights of all students, this wave of book-banning is an attack on LGTBQ+ children and their families, and it must be stopped," said Jay Kaplan, ACLU of Michigan LGBTQ+ Rights Project staff attorney, in a Tuesday news release. "For countless youth who face bullying, isolation, and depression, access to LGBTQ+ representation or information in books and literature can be a refuge — and in some cases lifesaving. School libraries are places where young people should be able to learn about themselves and people who are different from themselves, not denied access to the diverse perspectives that books and literature offer us all.”
In the past, book banning focused on themes including race, gender, and sexuality. The bans can further marginalize underrepresented communities, critics say.
Proponents of the bans are saying the books contain content they deem inappropriate, citing the emotional and social toll such topics have on their children.
Dearborn in particular is in the national spotlight as candidates and protesters voice their support for and against banning books focusing on LGBTQ+ characters. At some school board meetings, LGBTQ+ public commenters have been booed by a large crowd. ...........(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/11/02/book-bans-aclu-letter-michigan-schools/69610614007/
'It must be stopped': ACLU issues warning on book bans in Michigan schools
(Detroit Free Press) As book-banning debates continue to take the stage and the election nears, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wrote a letter to Michigan school districts encouraging them to protect students' First Amendment rights.
"In addition to threatening the First Amendment rights of all students, this wave of book-banning is an attack on LGTBQ+ children and their families, and it must be stopped," said Jay Kaplan, ACLU of Michigan LGBTQ+ Rights Project staff attorney, in a Tuesday news release. "For countless youth who face bullying, isolation, and depression, access to LGBTQ+ representation or information in books and literature can be a refuge — and in some cases lifesaving. School libraries are places where young people should be able to learn about themselves and people who are different from themselves, not denied access to the diverse perspectives that books and literature offer us all.”
In the past, book banning focused on themes including race, gender, and sexuality. The bans can further marginalize underrepresented communities, critics say.
Proponents of the bans are saying the books contain content they deem inappropriate, citing the emotional and social toll such topics have on their children.
Dearborn in particular is in the national spotlight as candidates and protesters voice their support for and against banning books focusing on LGBTQ+ characters. At some school board meetings, LGBTQ+ public commenters have been booed by a large crowd. ...........(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/11/02/book-bans-aclu-letter-michigan-schools/69610614007/
November 2, 2022
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced in a video the Silver Line Extension will open for service on Nov. 15. The video shows various WMATA employees welcoming riders and sharing the same message, “We’re Ready,” before ending with an audio clip from Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” song – a recognition of the wait customers have endured.
WMATA took control of the Silver Line Extension from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which oversaw construction of the project, after the project achieved its Operational Readiness Date (ORD) on June 23, 2022. WMATA has spent the past 18 weeks testing equipment and infrastructure, training staff and performing safety certification efforts in preparation of the line’s opening. In mid-October, WMATA said the Silver Line Extension could be ready before Thanksgiving, dependent on approval by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) of the safety certification report of the Silver Line extension, and the 7000-series return to service plan.
“We appreciate our partners at MWAA, [Federal Transit Administration], WMSC, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties who have worked collaboratively with us for several years to reach this moment,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke.
The Silver Line Extension adds 11.4 miles to the first phase of the project, which opened in 2014 and brought Metrorail service from East Falls Church to the eastern edge of Reston. The second phase of the Silver Line extends from the first phase terminus at Wiehle-Reston East to Loudoun County, Va., and fulfills a vision of bringing a rail connection to Washington Dulles International Airport that goes back to 1962. ...............(more)
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/article/21285739/wmata-says-were-ready-to-open-silver-line-on-nov-15
DC/MD/VA: WMATA says "We're Ready" to open Silver Line Extension on Nov. 15
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced in a video the Silver Line Extension will open for service on Nov. 15. The video shows various WMATA employees welcoming riders and sharing the same message, “We’re Ready,” before ending with an audio clip from Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” song – a recognition of the wait customers have endured.
WMATA took control of the Silver Line Extension from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which oversaw construction of the project, after the project achieved its Operational Readiness Date (ORD) on June 23, 2022. WMATA has spent the past 18 weeks testing equipment and infrastructure, training staff and performing safety certification efforts in preparation of the line’s opening. In mid-October, WMATA said the Silver Line Extension could be ready before Thanksgiving, dependent on approval by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) of the safety certification report of the Silver Line extension, and the 7000-series return to service plan.
“We appreciate our partners at MWAA, [Federal Transit Administration], WMSC, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties who have worked collaboratively with us for several years to reach this moment,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke.
The Silver Line Extension adds 11.4 miles to the first phase of the project, which opened in 2014 and brought Metrorail service from East Falls Church to the eastern edge of Reston. The second phase of the Silver Line extends from the first phase terminus at Wiehle-Reston East to Loudoun County, Va., and fulfills a vision of bringing a rail connection to Washington Dulles International Airport that goes back to 1962. ...............(more)
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/article/21285739/wmata-says-were-ready-to-open-silver-line-on-nov-15
November 2, 2022
After the Pelosi attack, Republicans have quit pretending they oppose political violence
Even after Jan. 6, Republicans waited a while before rolling out the jokes, memes and conspiracy theories. No more
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2, 2022 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) There are ever so many ways Republicans can admit they were delighted by the attempted assassination of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which resulted in severe injuries to her husband, who had the misfortune of being home when apparent right-wing nut David DePape broke into the couple's San Francisco home. They can pretend to condemn the attack while promoting conspiracy theories denying that it was right-wing political violence, as did Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk. They can make jokes about it in public appearances, the classy path pioneered by Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. They can do both at the same time, as Donald Trump Jr. did. They can share vicious memes mocking the victim, as a Facebook page did that is evidently owned by Pennsylania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. Or they can deflect blame by casting the villains as the victims, as Tucker Carlson did in a Fox News segment equating criticism of hate speech with censorship.
OK, it's true that so far no Republican leaders (to my knowledge) have directly congratulated the would-be assassin for his attempt on Pelosi's life, or openly expressed regret that he didn't succeed. Establishing plausible deniability is still a priority within the GOP ranks, although to a diminishing extent. But make no mistake: Any effort to minimize the violence or deflect blame for the attack on Pelosi or her husband is a tacit endorsement. It's certainly received that way by the Republican base, which has spent the past two years, ever since Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, ramping themselves up to support a fascist — and therefore inherently violent — campaign to seize power against the will of a clear majority.
How rapidly the GOP jokes and conspiracy theories began to emerge was especially alarming, as that represents a shift in attitudes toward fascist violence in the past couple of years. Contrast this with the aftermath of the insurrection of Jan. 6, when even the biggest jackasses among elected Republicans, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, took their time before starting to signal explicit approval of the riot. The PR stunt when those two declared that those arrested for the attack were "political prisoners," for example, came a full six months after the assault.
Paul Pelosi is still in the hospital, and the attack was so severe that DePape will be charged with attempted murder, among numerous other crimes. Cavalier Republican attitudes about this can't be chalked up to any legitimate sense that the event has been blown out of proportion. Rather, what has changed is that little to no political price was paid for increasingly supportive messaging about the Jan. 6 insurrection. If anything, those who most brazenly wink at the violence, like Greene, have become superstars in GOP politics. The only Republicans to feel real blowback from their voters are those who have criticized the Jan. 6 rioters — as well as the then-president who incited them — like Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who lost to a Republican primary opponent largely because she served on the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack. Even Ted Cruz, who has been cravenly supportive of anti-democratic forces overall, got into hot water after describing Jan. 6 a "terrorist attack." He ended up feeling compelled to apologize to the people who ransacked the Capitol and defecated in the hallways. So Republican leaders aren't wrong to conclude that they must implicitly sanction violence to avoid the rage of their own voters, even as they make disingenuous noises of denunciation. .............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/11/02/after-the-pelosi-attack-have-quit-pretending-they-oppose-political-violence/
After the Pelosi attack, Republicans have quit pretending they oppose political violence
After the Pelosi attack, Republicans have quit pretending they oppose political violence
Even after Jan. 6, Republicans waited a while before rolling out the jokes, memes and conspiracy theories. No more
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2, 2022 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) There are ever so many ways Republicans can admit they were delighted by the attempted assassination of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which resulted in severe injuries to her husband, who had the misfortune of being home when apparent right-wing nut David DePape broke into the couple's San Francisco home. They can pretend to condemn the attack while promoting conspiracy theories denying that it was right-wing political violence, as did Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk. They can make jokes about it in public appearances, the classy path pioneered by Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. They can do both at the same time, as Donald Trump Jr. did. They can share vicious memes mocking the victim, as a Facebook page did that is evidently owned by Pennsylania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. Or they can deflect blame by casting the villains as the victims, as Tucker Carlson did in a Fox News segment equating criticism of hate speech with censorship.
OK, it's true that so far no Republican leaders (to my knowledge) have directly congratulated the would-be assassin for his attempt on Pelosi's life, or openly expressed regret that he didn't succeed. Establishing plausible deniability is still a priority within the GOP ranks, although to a diminishing extent. But make no mistake: Any effort to minimize the violence or deflect blame for the attack on Pelosi or her husband is a tacit endorsement. It's certainly received that way by the Republican base, which has spent the past two years, ever since Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, ramping themselves up to support a fascist — and therefore inherently violent — campaign to seize power against the will of a clear majority.
How rapidly the GOP jokes and conspiracy theories began to emerge was especially alarming, as that represents a shift in attitudes toward fascist violence in the past couple of years. Contrast this with the aftermath of the insurrection of Jan. 6, when even the biggest jackasses among elected Republicans, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, took their time before starting to signal explicit approval of the riot. The PR stunt when those two declared that those arrested for the attack were "political prisoners," for example, came a full six months after the assault.
Paul Pelosi is still in the hospital, and the attack was so severe that DePape will be charged with attempted murder, among numerous other crimes. Cavalier Republican attitudes about this can't be chalked up to any legitimate sense that the event has been blown out of proportion. Rather, what has changed is that little to no political price was paid for increasingly supportive messaging about the Jan. 6 insurrection. If anything, those who most brazenly wink at the violence, like Greene, have become superstars in GOP politics. The only Republicans to feel real blowback from their voters are those who have criticized the Jan. 6 rioters — as well as the then-president who incited them — like Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who lost to a Republican primary opponent largely because she served on the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack. Even Ted Cruz, who has been cravenly supportive of anti-democratic forces overall, got into hot water after describing Jan. 6 a "terrorist attack." He ended up feeling compelled to apologize to the people who ransacked the Capitol and defecated in the hallways. So Republican leaders aren't wrong to conclude that they must implicitly sanction violence to avoid the rage of their own voters, even as they make disingenuous noises of denunciation. .............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/11/02/after-the-pelosi-attack-have-quit-pretending-they-oppose-political-violence/
November 1, 2022
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select a pool of contracting teams that can demonstrate the ability to design and build the mainline infrastructure and stations portion of the Red Line Extension (RLE) project.
CTA will invite potential bidders to submit proposals during the Request for Proposals (RFP) portion of the procurement process. CTA expected an RFP to be issued to a finalized pool of teams in mid-2023 and notes proposals will be considered on a variety of criteria, including experience, price and other factors.
“The Red Line Extension is more than just a transit project, it is a long-overdue investment for Chicago’s Far South Side that will provide benefits that extend to all corners of the city,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “There’s never been a better time than now to advance such a project, which is why we are full-steam ahead and beginning the lengthy process of seeking out qualified contractors for this complex project so that we can stay on course with the project timeline. The sooner we can award a contract, the sooner we are able to start extending contracting opportunities to small, disadvantaged local businesses and creating good paying jobs for Chicagoans.”
The 5.6-mile planned extension would bring CTA’s Red Line south from its existing terminal at 95th Street to 130th Street and include four accessible rail stations, as well as a modern, efficient railcar storage yard and maintenance facility that the authority says will benefit the entire line. ...............(more)
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/article/21285556/cta-issues-rfq-for-red-line-extension-project
Chicago: CTA issues RFQ for Red Line Extension project
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select a pool of contracting teams that can demonstrate the ability to design and build the mainline infrastructure and stations portion of the Red Line Extension (RLE) project.
CTA will invite potential bidders to submit proposals during the Request for Proposals (RFP) portion of the procurement process. CTA expected an RFP to be issued to a finalized pool of teams in mid-2023 and notes proposals will be considered on a variety of criteria, including experience, price and other factors.
“The Red Line Extension is more than just a transit project, it is a long-overdue investment for Chicago’s Far South Side that will provide benefits that extend to all corners of the city,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “There’s never been a better time than now to advance such a project, which is why we are full-steam ahead and beginning the lengthy process of seeking out qualified contractors for this complex project so that we can stay on course with the project timeline. The sooner we can award a contract, the sooner we are able to start extending contracting opportunities to small, disadvantaged local businesses and creating good paying jobs for Chicagoans.”
The 5.6-mile planned extension would bring CTA’s Red Line south from its existing terminal at 95th Street to 130th Street and include four accessible rail stations, as well as a modern, efficient railcar storage yard and maintenance facility that the authority says will benefit the entire line. ...............(more)
https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/article/21285556/cta-issues-rfq-for-red-line-extension-project
November 1, 2022
(Detroit Free Press) Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois residents will be able to explore all three states through a non-motorized bike path along the south shore of Lake Michigan — The Marquette Greenway Trail.
The new trail, largely funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation through a $17.8 million grant, will span 58 miles, connecting Michigan's downtown New Buffalo to Chicago's southeast side and providing safe access to a variety of lakefront destinations.
The trail will increase the quality of life and attract residents and visitors to the area, said Deputy Executive Director of the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission Marcy Hamilton. The Michigan portion of the trail is nearly four miles, from the Indiana State Line to downtown New Buffalo.
"Southwest Michigan is very dependent on tourism and so having a trail connecting Chicago and New Buffalo will definitely help with that and be a destination type trail that I think folks from all over would want to ride," Hamilton said. The trail will also benefit "the residents of southwest Michigan in terms of having a recreational facility long distance trail available to them. We don't have very many trails in Berrien County." ................(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/11/01/bike-new-buffalo-chicago-trail-linking-3-states/69605173007/
Lake Michigan bike path connects Illinois to Indiana and the Mitten
(Detroit Free Press) Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois residents will be able to explore all three states through a non-motorized bike path along the south shore of Lake Michigan — The Marquette Greenway Trail.
The new trail, largely funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation through a $17.8 million grant, will span 58 miles, connecting Michigan's downtown New Buffalo to Chicago's southeast side and providing safe access to a variety of lakefront destinations.
The trail will increase the quality of life and attract residents and visitors to the area, said Deputy Executive Director of the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission Marcy Hamilton. The Michigan portion of the trail is nearly four miles, from the Indiana State Line to downtown New Buffalo.
"Southwest Michigan is very dependent on tourism and so having a trail connecting Chicago and New Buffalo will definitely help with that and be a destination type trail that I think folks from all over would want to ride," Hamilton said. The trail will also benefit "the residents of southwest Michigan in terms of having a recreational facility long distance trail available to them. We don't have very many trails in Berrien County." ................(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/11/01/bike-new-buffalo-chicago-trail-linking-3-states/69605173007/
November 1, 2022
Elon Musk's epic bumbling is a daily reminder that America is not a meritocracy
As the Supreme Court considers affirmative action, Musk's antics show exactly how white privilege works
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 1, 2022 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) "He really is the living embodiment of the Dunning-Kruger effect," a friend responded in a group text over the weekend. We had been sharing stories about the bouts of dumbassery on display, as Elon Musk starts his ill-advised reign of Twitter. And hoo boy, there was plenty to share. Did you see the one about Musk telling software engineers to print out 30 days of code, only to tell them to shred it when he likely realized this exposed how he doesn't know what he's doing? Or how he plans to take a bazooka to the content moderation team, even though doing so will likely send advertisers packing? Or how he thought carrying a sink around was a hilarious joke? Or how he tweeted an asinine conspiracy theory about the Paul Pelosi attack, only to delete it hours later?
None of this should be surprising. From day one, this entire saga has been a story of a man with far more money than brains. After all, this all started when Musk stupidly offered to buy Twitter at a price way over its valuation, for no other reason than a fit of trollish pique. It was only after he realized what a foolish idea it was to set $44 billion on fire that he started coming up with disingenuous excuses to escape the deal, only to discover that it was too late, legally, to back out.
Yet, somehow, much of this still feels surprising. The idea that Musk is "smart" has persisted through years of very public evidence to the contrary. Even now, many of his critics offer pre-emptive caveats that they don't think he's stupid, before explaining why the latest of his endless string of idiotic choices is a bad one. This notion of Musk's intelligence clings to the discourse around him for one simple reason: He is very, very rich.
The myth of the American meritocracy is a stubborn one. Americans can't help but believe that someone as rich as Musk must have something going on for him beyond dumb luck. To imagine otherwise is too unsettling. So many people block out what should be an obvious truth: You probably would have never heard of Elon Musk if he wasn't a white man from a wealthy family that literally owned an emerald mine in South Africa. .............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/11/01/elon-musks-epic-bumbling-is-a-daily-reminder-that-america-is-not-a-meritocracy/
Elon Musk's epic bumbling is a daily reminder that America is not a meritocracy
Elon Musk's epic bumbling is a daily reminder that America is not a meritocracy
As the Supreme Court considers affirmative action, Musk's antics show exactly how white privilege works
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 1, 2022 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) "He really is the living embodiment of the Dunning-Kruger effect," a friend responded in a group text over the weekend. We had been sharing stories about the bouts of dumbassery on display, as Elon Musk starts his ill-advised reign of Twitter. And hoo boy, there was plenty to share. Did you see the one about Musk telling software engineers to print out 30 days of code, only to tell them to shred it when he likely realized this exposed how he doesn't know what he's doing? Or how he plans to take a bazooka to the content moderation team, even though doing so will likely send advertisers packing? Or how he thought carrying a sink around was a hilarious joke? Or how he tweeted an asinine conspiracy theory about the Paul Pelosi attack, only to delete it hours later?
None of this should be surprising. From day one, this entire saga has been a story of a man with far more money than brains. After all, this all started when Musk stupidly offered to buy Twitter at a price way over its valuation, for no other reason than a fit of trollish pique. It was only after he realized what a foolish idea it was to set $44 billion on fire that he started coming up with disingenuous excuses to escape the deal, only to discover that it was too late, legally, to back out.
Yet, somehow, much of this still feels surprising. The idea that Musk is "smart" has persisted through years of very public evidence to the contrary. Even now, many of his critics offer pre-emptive caveats that they don't think he's stupid, before explaining why the latest of his endless string of idiotic choices is a bad one. This notion of Musk's intelligence clings to the discourse around him for one simple reason: He is very, very rich.
The myth of the American meritocracy is a stubborn one. Americans can't help but believe that someone as rich as Musk must have something going on for him beyond dumb luck. To imagine otherwise is too unsettling. So many people block out what should be an obvious truth: You probably would have never heard of Elon Musk if he wasn't a white man from a wealthy family that literally owned an emerald mine in South Africa. .............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/11/01/elon-musks-epic-bumbling-is-a-daily-reminder-that-america-is-not-a-meritocracy/
November 1, 2022
by Robert Reich
(Guardian UK) Just three days after Elon Musk bought Twitter, he posted a tweet promoting the baseless allegation that Paul Pelosi, the husband of the speaker of the House, who was assaulted on Friday at the couple’s home, had been drunk and in a fight with a male prostitute.
The police found Paul Pelosi, 82, attacked with a hammer inside his home by a man, David DePape, who had entered through the back door, seeking the speaker.
Musk’s tweet, later deleted, came in response to a tweet posted on Saturday by Hillary Clinton, attacking Republicans for spreading “hate and deranged conspiracy theories” that she said had emboldened the man who attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband.
In a reply to Clinton’s post, Musk wrote: “There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye” and then shared a link to an article in a faux newspaper, the Santa Monica Observer, in which the gonzo allegation about Paul Pelosi appeared.
....(snip)....
If Musk’s tweet doesn’t raise bright red warning signs all over the world about his judgment and character, just days after he took over one of the planet’s largest and most influential media machines, I don’t know what will. ..........(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/31/elon-musk-paul-pelosi-tweet-twitter
Robert Reich: Elon Musk's Paul Pelosi tweet proves he has no business running Twitter
by Robert Reich
(Guardian UK) Just three days after Elon Musk bought Twitter, he posted a tweet promoting the baseless allegation that Paul Pelosi, the husband of the speaker of the House, who was assaulted on Friday at the couple’s home, had been drunk and in a fight with a male prostitute.
The police found Paul Pelosi, 82, attacked with a hammer inside his home by a man, David DePape, who had entered through the back door, seeking the speaker.
Musk’s tweet, later deleted, came in response to a tweet posted on Saturday by Hillary Clinton, attacking Republicans for spreading “hate and deranged conspiracy theories” that she said had emboldened the man who attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband.
In a reply to Clinton’s post, Musk wrote: “There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye” and then shared a link to an article in a faux newspaper, the Santa Monica Observer, in which the gonzo allegation about Paul Pelosi appeared.
....(snip)....
If Musk’s tweet doesn’t raise bright red warning signs all over the world about his judgment and character, just days after he took over one of the planet’s largest and most influential media machines, I don’t know what will. ..........(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/31/elon-musk-paul-pelosi-tweet-twitter
November 1, 2022
Republicans wink and nod and spread grotesque memes. They only pretend to disapprove — because the tactic works
By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
Columnist
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 31, 2022 9:55AM (EDT)
(Salon) We've heard a lot about "gaslighting" over the past few years, and often the term doesn't really apply to whatever phenomenon is being discussed. But this past weekend we saw a perfect example, with Republicans and their media allies working overtime to convince Americans that political violence is found on "both sides" of the partisan divide. In the final week of a hard-fought midterm campaign, one might wish be generous and excuse them for bending the truth or being hyperbolic. But this wasn't an ordinary weekend.
In the wee hours of Friday morning, a man wielding a hammer broke into the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and confronted her 82-year-old husband, Paul, repeatedly asking, "Where's Nancy?" and threatening to tie up Paul Pelosi and wait for the speaker to return home. (She was thousands of miles away in Washington.) Pelosi covertly alerted police and when they arrived, the assailant hit Pelosi in the head with the hammer, fracturing his skull and seriously injuring his arm and hand.
It's obvious to all rational people that the assailant intended to abduct, injure or kill Nancy Pelosi, based on those facts alone. (CNN reported on Sunday night that the attacker was carrying zip ties in a plastic bag.) It's also reasonable to suspect the man had a political motive, since he was echoing the chants that rang through the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump's rampaging headed for Pelosi's office. It also turns out, unsurprisingly, that the alleged attacker, 42-year-old man David DePape, also left a long social media trail of unhinged right-wing conspiracy theories, racist and antisemitic rants, incel complaints, QAnon lunacy and more. (CBS News reported Monday morning that DePape had a list of other possible targets. We don't know who else was on it.)
....(snip)....
Honestly, that's nothing new. Last August, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., shared a chilling recording on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/1557428889902895104
....(snip)....
But let's not put the blame only on the delusional malcontents who are deep down the MAGA rabbit hole. How do we explain the cowardly behavior of the Republican leadership? Yes, we expect the fever swamp avatars to push disinformation. (Apparently the new boss of Twitter will also do that, as he did on Sunday. ) We can certainly expect the prime-time stars of Fox News to have a fully-formed alternate-universe theory of the Pelosi assault. (The seeds are already planted.) But once upon a time you might have expected more from actual elected officials, if only because they might feel some self-interested empathy for their fellow politicians: There but for the grace of God...
But Republicans believe they don't have to worry about this kind of stuff. They know the current spate of violence isn't aimed at them, don't they? (It's like Donald Trump telling the Secret Service at the Jan. 6 rally to let armed people in: "They're not here to hurt me." ) The response of prominent Republicans has been nothing short of stunning. Oh, sure: Mitch McConnell said the attack was "disgusting" and Kevin McCarthy said that "violence or threat of violence has no place in our society." And quite a few others sent the usual pro forma thoughts and prayers. But that's about it. ...................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/10/31/behind-the-gaslighting-over-pelosi-attack-they-know-it-wont-happen-to-them/
Behind the GOP gaslighting over Pelosi attack: They know it won't happen to them
Behind the GOP gaslighting over Pelosi attack: They know it won't happen to themRepublicans wink and nod and spread grotesque memes. They only pretend to disapprove — because the tactic works
By HEATHER DIGBY PARTON
Columnist
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 31, 2022 9:55AM (EDT)
(Salon) We've heard a lot about "gaslighting" over the past few years, and often the term doesn't really apply to whatever phenomenon is being discussed. But this past weekend we saw a perfect example, with Republicans and their media allies working overtime to convince Americans that political violence is found on "both sides" of the partisan divide. In the final week of a hard-fought midterm campaign, one might wish be generous and excuse them for bending the truth or being hyperbolic. But this wasn't an ordinary weekend.
In the wee hours of Friday morning, a man wielding a hammer broke into the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and confronted her 82-year-old husband, Paul, repeatedly asking, "Where's Nancy?" and threatening to tie up Paul Pelosi and wait for the speaker to return home. (She was thousands of miles away in Washington.) Pelosi covertly alerted police and when they arrived, the assailant hit Pelosi in the head with the hammer, fracturing his skull and seriously injuring his arm and hand.
It's obvious to all rational people that the assailant intended to abduct, injure or kill Nancy Pelosi, based on those facts alone. (CNN reported on Sunday night that the attacker was carrying zip ties in a plastic bag.) It's also reasonable to suspect the man had a political motive, since he was echoing the chants that rang through the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Trump's rampaging headed for Pelosi's office. It also turns out, unsurprisingly, that the alleged attacker, 42-year-old man David DePape, also left a long social media trail of unhinged right-wing conspiracy theories, racist and antisemitic rants, incel complaints, QAnon lunacy and more. (CBS News reported Monday morning that DePape had a list of other possible targets. We don't know who else was on it.)
....(snip)....
Honestly, that's nothing new. Last August, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., shared a chilling recording on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/1557428889902895104
....(snip)....
But let's not put the blame only on the delusional malcontents who are deep down the MAGA rabbit hole. How do we explain the cowardly behavior of the Republican leadership? Yes, we expect the fever swamp avatars to push disinformation. (Apparently the new boss of Twitter will also do that, as he did on Sunday. ) We can certainly expect the prime-time stars of Fox News to have a fully-formed alternate-universe theory of the Pelosi assault. (The seeds are already planted.) But once upon a time you might have expected more from actual elected officials, if only because they might feel some self-interested empathy for their fellow politicians: There but for the grace of God...
But Republicans believe they don't have to worry about this kind of stuff. They know the current spate of violence isn't aimed at them, don't they? (It's like Donald Trump telling the Secret Service at the Jan. 6 rally to let armed people in: "They're not here to hurt me." ) The response of prominent Republicans has been nothing short of stunning. Oh, sure: Mitch McConnell said the attack was "disgusting" and Kevin McCarthy said that "violence or threat of violence has no place in our society." And quite a few others sent the usual pro forma thoughts and prayers. But that's about it. ...................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2022/10/31/behind-the-gaslighting-over-pelosi-attack-they-know-it-wont-happen-to-them/
October 31, 2022
(Detroit Metro Times) Siblings from St. Clair County face up to 10 years in prison after they were charged with storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Deborah Kuecken, 67, of Ira Township and Gary Smith, 71, of Casco Township are among 19 Michigan residents to be charged so far in connection with the insurrection.
The FBI began investigating the brother and sister in June 2021 after receiving a tip, the bureau said in its statement of facts.
Photos and videos show Kuecken and Casco inside and outside the U.S. Capitol on the day of the riot.
A federal search warrant of cell phone records showed that they utilized a tower servicing the inside of the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection. ..............(more)
https://www.metrotimes.com/news/st-clair-county-siblings-charged-with-entering-us-capitol-during-jan-6-riot-31479680
St. Clair County siblings charged with entering U.S. Capitol during Jan. 6 riot
(Detroit Metro Times) Siblings from St. Clair County face up to 10 years in prison after they were charged with storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Deborah Kuecken, 67, of Ira Township and Gary Smith, 71, of Casco Township are among 19 Michigan residents to be charged so far in connection with the insurrection.
The FBI began investigating the brother and sister in June 2021 after receiving a tip, the bureau said in its statement of facts.
Photos and videos show Kuecken and Casco inside and outside the U.S. Capitol on the day of the riot.
A federal search warrant of cell phone records showed that they utilized a tower servicing the inside of the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection. ..............(more)
https://www.metrotimes.com/news/st-clair-county-siblings-charged-with-entering-us-capitol-during-jan-6-riot-31479680
October 31, 2022
(The Nation) On Tuesday, March 15, six months before the death of Queen Elizabeth II would reignite a conversation about the British crown’s colonial legacy, the chairman of Indian Creek, an Indigenous Maya village in southern Belize, received a call. A police officer told Sebastian Shol, the chairman, that the village would have to cut down the trees bordering a soccer field in the next few days, because a helicopter would be landing there. Despite being pressed by Shol, the officer refused to give any other information.
The next day, Shol received a call from a woman representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She apologized for not providing information sooner and told him that the visitors would be Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, who would be traveling to Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas the following week to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, marking her 70 years on the throne.
Although all three countries fought for their independence from the crown, they have not become republics like Barbados, Guyana, or Trinidad and Tobago; instead they remain, along with the majority of countries in the Caribbean, part of the British Commonwealth, with the British monarch as the head of state. Each country has a British High Commission in its capital and a governor-general who represents the monarch in “overseas territories” as a government executive.
Shol convened an emergency meeting during which the villagers decided to stage a protest. Their biggest concerns, he told me during a phone interview, were the fact that they were not consulted before the visit, the requirement that the villagers would have to stay 200 meters away from the royal couple at all times, and an ongoing land dispute with Flora Fauna International, a charity with connections to the royal family. Last year, 12,800 acres in Indian Creek were sold to FFI, but, according to the association of Maya villages in the region, the land—which includes the village school, the community center, and a couple hundred homes—was sold illegally.
On March 18, the day before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were set to arrive, dozens of people gathered at the soccer field carrying signs that read “Not Your Land / Not Your Decision,” “Prince William Leave Our Land,” and “Indian Creek Say No to FFI / Keep Out.” Not long after, the government of Belize told the Daily Mail that, because of “issues,” the visit to Indian Creek had been canceled and the royal couple would visit another village instead. A spokesperson from Kensington Palace confirmed the cancellation to the newspaper. ...................(more)
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/prince-william-kate-caribbean-reparations/
How a Royal Visit Helped Weaken the Crown's Grip on the Caribbean
(The Nation) On Tuesday, March 15, six months before the death of Queen Elizabeth II would reignite a conversation about the British crown’s colonial legacy, the chairman of Indian Creek, an Indigenous Maya village in southern Belize, received a call. A police officer told Sebastian Shol, the chairman, that the village would have to cut down the trees bordering a soccer field in the next few days, because a helicopter would be landing there. Despite being pressed by Shol, the officer refused to give any other information.
The next day, Shol received a call from a woman representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She apologized for not providing information sooner and told him that the visitors would be Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, who would be traveling to Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas the following week to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, marking her 70 years on the throne.
Although all three countries fought for their independence from the crown, they have not become republics like Barbados, Guyana, or Trinidad and Tobago; instead they remain, along with the majority of countries in the Caribbean, part of the British Commonwealth, with the British monarch as the head of state. Each country has a British High Commission in its capital and a governor-general who represents the monarch in “overseas territories” as a government executive.
Shol convened an emergency meeting during which the villagers decided to stage a protest. Their biggest concerns, he told me during a phone interview, were the fact that they were not consulted before the visit, the requirement that the villagers would have to stay 200 meters away from the royal couple at all times, and an ongoing land dispute with Flora Fauna International, a charity with connections to the royal family. Last year, 12,800 acres in Indian Creek were sold to FFI, but, according to the association of Maya villages in the region, the land—which includes the village school, the community center, and a couple hundred homes—was sold illegally.
On March 18, the day before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were set to arrive, dozens of people gathered at the soccer field carrying signs that read “Not Your Land / Not Your Decision,” “Prince William Leave Our Land,” and “Indian Creek Say No to FFI / Keep Out.” Not long after, the government of Belize told the Daily Mail that, because of “issues,” the visit to Indian Creek had been canceled and the royal couple would visit another village instead. A spokesperson from Kensington Palace confirmed the cancellation to the newspaper. ...................(more)
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/prince-william-kate-caribbean-reparations/
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