Stonepounder
Stonepounder's JournalTrump 'seriously considering' a pardon for Joe Arpaio.
So much of what has been written about the 'possible pardon' has been along the lines of 'this will be a shout out to the alt-Right'. Or that it will be a signal that you are above the law if you are on Trump's side.
But, my opinion, is that it would be much worse than that. It would be a signal to the entire court system that Trump doesn't care about them and will overrule them whenever he, and he alone, thinks they are wrong, regardless of law or evidence. Remember that Arpaio was convicted of Criminal Contempt of court. What message would a pardon send to the judicial system, when Trump is willing to pardon Criminal Contempt - for perjury and refusing to obey a court order? It would be an absolute slap in the face to the entire judicial system. Perjury? No problem. Refusing to obey a judicial order? Never mind.
Trump has decimated the State Department, appointed the most singularly unprepared Cabinet, and in a number of cases appointed people who are actually opposed to the mission of the department they are supposed to be running. He is actively attacking members of his own party, attacking the press, attacking anyone who doesn't 'bend a knee' to King Trumpsie.
Now with the Phoenix 'rally' coming up, is Trump actually trying to start a national 'civil war' between the left and the alt-right? A upswing in violence to the point that he felt he could declare Martial Law? With the number of generals in the White House advising Trump, how far are we from a military 'take over' - whether via Martial Law, or an actual coup where the generals and the military deem it a necessity to take over the White House until they can 'restore order'?
I am afraid. I am very afraid.
CNN: Jared and Ivanka are failing a basic moral test
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/19/opinions/jared-and-ivanka-failing-moral-test-opinion-golinkin/index.htmlI first heard the silence late Tuesday night, while pecking at my phone, waiting for Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump to denounce President Donald Trump's latest comments on neo-Nazis after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the death and mayhem that resulted.
After the President tried to compare neo-Nazis to what he described as the "alt-left," saying "I think there is blame on both sides," there was still no outcry from Jared or Ivanka.
Slowly, as the hours ticked away, the silence descended.
Many think of silence as the absence of noise, but that's only one type of silence. There is a different, darker variety, one Jews and African-Americans have gotten to know well over the centuries. This silence doesn't suppress sound -- it amplifies it. It is the boom of the MS St. Louis departing for Nazi-threatened Europe after being denied entry by port after port. It's the whisk-whisk of Southern belles fanning themselves at the slave auction. It's the presence of apathy amid injustice and horror.
.....
But the silence emanating from Jared and Ivanka was exponentially more powerful than any I'd heard before. To me, as a Jew, seeing nothing but two tweets from Ivanka brought the kind of pain I'm sure is echoed by African-Americans anytime Ben Carson defends the President, and Asian-Americans in the wake of Elaine Chao's and Nikki Haley's equivocations: condemning hate in general terms while carefully avoiding criticizing the very administration they're part of.
Read the entire opinion at link above. Powerful. Makes you want to cry, scream, your breath catches in your throat, and it shows, once again, how bereft of any moral compass or conscience that any Trump has.
Post Nation Jerry Lewis, comedian who became one of the most unforgettable entertainers of his time,
Source: Washington Post
Few comedians have been so beloved and so derided as Jerry Lewis, who amassed devoted fans and stunningly hostile reviews from critics. Few have been so accomplished as humanitarians — his annual muscular dystrophy telethons had raised almost $1.5 billion by the late 2000s — or so polarizing as personalities. Lewis appeared in more than 50 films during a career marked by dizzying summits and desperate lows.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/20/jerry-lewis-comedian-who-became-one-of-the-most-unforgettable-entertainers-of-his-time-dies-at-91/?pushid=5999ccf1a1ccab1d00000034&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.a6ab72fefa13
Another great comedian gone.
Woman Protects Trump Supporters From Crowd, Showing Us How To Combat Hate
Source: Huffington Post
A woman demonstrated perfectly how best to tackle hate, as she helped supporters of President Donald Trump navigate through a crowd that was yelling and spitting at them during a rally in Boston Saturday.
The woman, a 19-year-old named Imani from Connecticut, told the Boston Globe she couldn’t think of a better way to counter much of the hate that’s bubbled to the surface in America than helping people with whom she disagreed.
“You know, I don’t believe in this right-wing narrative of the alt-left and how we are crazed and looking to get nonviolent,” she told the Globe. “What better way to show them they are wrong?”
Imani, who is black, told the Globe she didn’t think white supremacists would give her the same kind of help she gave on Saturday, but that didn’t matter. “I couldn’t get through a KKK rally with the same treatment,” she said. “But we shouldn’t be like them.”
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/woman-protects-trump-supporters_us_599888c6e4b0a2608a6cabd9?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
This is how you do it!
This is who we are!
Fund raising for demonstrations in Boston
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/boston-rally_us_59963564e4b0e8cc855cbb42Black Lives Matter Boston ― one of many groups of counterprotesters that helped organize the “Fight Supremacy” group ― said in a statement to HuffPost that they were attending the rally to “stand in defiance” of white supremacy and “amplify the voices and truths of the marginalized.”
“We encourage individuals intent on combating white supremacy to be deliberate and purposeful in supporting those who are most affected,” BLM Boston said. “This means following the direction of Black and Indigenous leadership — including and especially Black queer and femme leadership.”
As of Friday night, the “Fight Supremacy” group had raised more than $34,000.
The “Boston Free Speech” group, meanwhile, asked on its Facebook page for donations to purchase an audio system for the event. A link to its fundraising website showed just two people had made donations totaling $9. The page was later taken down.
Long article in Huffington, but this part, way down in the article is inspiring!
Trump Says Sun Equally to Blame for Blocking Moon (Borowitz)
https://tinyurl.com/ychws6yfWASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Attacking the media for its “very unfair” coverage of Monday’s solar eclipse, Donald J. Trump said on Saturday that the sun was equally to blame for blocking the moon.
“The fake news is covering the eclipse from the sun’s side instead of the moon’s side, but if you look at it from the moon’s side the sun is blocking the moon’s side,” he said. “There are so many sides you can’t count all the sides.”
Additionally, Trump tore into the sun itself, calling it a “showboat” for its role in the solar eclipse.
“The sun thinks the world revolves around it,” Trump said. “Sad.”
Full article at link.
Jackson Library Sit-In site dedicated today on Mississippi Freedom Trial
https://www.mississippi.org/general/jackson-library-sit-in-marker-dedicated-on-mississippi-freedom-trail/Jackson, Mississippi — August 17, 2017 — A Mississippi Freedom Trail marker memorializing the 1961 Jackson Municipal Library Sit-In was dedicated today in Jackson. This is the state’s 25th marker on the trail.
“The Mississippi Freedom Trail tells an important part of our story as a people,” said Visit Mississippi Director Craig Ray. “The courage shown by these college students in pursuit of their education and equal rights for all continues to inspire more than 50 years later.”
Nine Tougaloo College students entered Jackson Municipal Library on March 27, 1961, to research books unavailable at the segregated Carver Library. Soon afterward, police arrested Meredith Anding, Jr., James “Sammy” Bradford, Alfred Cook, Geraldine Edwards, Janice Jackson, Joseph Jackson, Jr., Albert Lassiter, Gloria Pierce and Ethel Sawyer on charges of breach of peace.
Support for the students spread quickly. By 7 p.m., nearly 700 people joined NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers for a prayer meeting outside the library. The next day, Jackson State University students rallied and marched toward the city jail. They were met by police resistance and force including clubs, tear gas and dogs. Although the Tougaloo students were initially convicted, fined and given 30-day suspended sentences, a judge threw out the case on appeal.
“The non-violent actions of these brave students inspired young African Americans across the state to integrate public parks, swimming pools, stores and movie theaters,” said Dr. Leslie-Burl McLemore, chairman of the Mississippi Freedom Trail Task Force. “By illuminating this chapter in our history, we honor their contributions to advancing the civil rights cause.”
For all the turmoil surrounding Charlottesville and Bannon, there are other really good things going on in the US.
Controversy over Confederate Statues Inspires Betsy DeVos to Google Civil War (Borowitz)
bit.ly/2fTsvRP
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—The raging controversy over Confederate statues has impelled Betsy DeVos to Google the Civil War, the Education Secretary confirmed on Thursday.
“People have been going on and on about the Civil War, and I was like, Betsy, what the heck are they talking about, exactly?” DeVos told reporters. “After a certain point, I decided I just had to Google it.”
DeVos said that she was glad that she Googled the Civil War, calling it “an extremely fascinating chapter in American history that people need to find out about. Like President Trump has been saying, the Civil War had sides to it,” she said. “Although I don’t think it had many sides. I only counted two.”
.....
“I guess you might say I’ve gotten bitten by the history bug,” DeVos said, adding that she was about to Google Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and George Washington.
Daydreams the sometimes rattle around my head.
Pence is coming back early and cancelling events.
Haven't heard from Trump much today.
Backlash is building.
Maybe, Trump is overwhelmed by the backlash and close to a nervous breakdown.
Pence is coming back to start getting the Cabinet to put the 25th Amendment in play.
Republicans are ecstatic, since it shields them and gets Trump outta here.
Like I say, day dreams. But .... maybe?
DOJ demand for info regarding visitors to anti-Trump website goes to court.
TruthOut has an article regarding the suit and countersuit over release of ALL info about everyone who visited a particular web site that helped coordinate anti-Trump demonstrations.
Department of Justice's Demand for Information on Dissenters Goes to Court
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/41629-department-of-justice-s-demand-for-information-on-dissenters-goes-to-court
Interesting post and no paywall. I would quote from the article, except for the following at the end of the article:
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
So, not wanting to run afoul of copyright issues, I am not including any quotes except for the article title, but if you are interested, follow the link.
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