It’s almost time for me to leave for my blood test. There probably won’t be time to post this before I return this afternoon.
I’m back. I’m done. I’m so tired I hear Lona calling from my pillow,.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:02 (average 5:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Media Matters: Fox’s Geraldo Rivera Shames Orlando Victims For Not Fighting Back
Barf Bag Alert!!
Isn’t it just like the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, to blame the victims?
From Daily Kos: Though the outcomes of the legislative votes are far from sure, the filibuster begun by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy has succeeded in bringing Republicans to the table for a pair of votes.
Senate Democrats ended a nearly 15-hour filibuster early Thursday after Republican Party leaders reportedly agreed to allow votes on two proposed gun control measures.
The votes will supposedly include a proposal to provide universal background checks, and another to prevent those on the no-fly list from obtaining weapons. The second bill apparently addresses the no-fly list, not the much larger terrorist watch list. These are both positions that have wide, bipartisan support in the public, but which Republicans have either blocked from a vote or voted down in the past.
As wonderful as this sounds, Senate Republicans caved in, while secure in the knowledge that House Republicans will never allow either bill to come to the floor.
From NY Times: A member of Parliament was gunned down outside a library in northern England as she was wrapping up a meeting with constituents on Thursday afternoon, a rare act of gun violence in a nation that strictly regulates firearms.
The lawmaker, Jo Cox, 41, who was considered a rising star in the opposition Labour Party and a passionate advocate for victims of the civil war in Syria, was shot in Birstall, a town about six miles southwest of the city of Leeds. A 77-year-old man was slightly injured in the attack.
A 52-year-old man was arrested in Ms. Cox’s killing, and the police said they were not looking for any other suspects. No motive has been established, officials said.
The suspect was identified in the British news media as Thomas Mair.
On Thursday night, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported on its website that Mr. Mair was a “dedicated supporter” of the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi organization in the United States. The center, which tracks hate groups, said Mr. Mair bought a manual from the alliance in 1999 that included instructions on how to build a pistol. It based its reporting on invoices it said it had obtained, copies of which were published on its website…
Please offer Prayers and condolences to the family and loved ones of Jo Cox, who may well be the first UK victim of terrorism by a Republican-supporting fascist.
Cartoon:
19 Responses to “Open Thread – 6/17/2016”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
MM: Geraldo Rivera needs to shut up and drop out of sight. Video is a definite barf bag alert!
KOS: Rachel Maddow discusses Senator Chris Murphy's two proposed gun control measures. Whether the two measures pass or not remains to be seen:
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/sen-murphy-surprises-by-getting-senate-to-act-707306051778
NY Times: Jo Cox, member of Parliament, is discussed on Amy Goodman's Show, Democracy Now. Text & Video (CC): http://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/17/as_britain_mourns_mp_jo_cox
.
7:07 (5:11) Looks good enough to eat – if the eggs weren't blown.
MM – OMG.
DKos – Of course the House will not let it come to the floor (unless we can get 218 signature on a discharge petition – OK, we'ew trying.) And, should any of this come to the floor in either house, it will not pass. What it WILL do is get every legislator's position on record. And that can be used in campaigning. That's really this point.
NY Times – She seems to have been beautiful inside and out. And he, apparently, unable to buy a gun under UK law (or for whatever reason), built the one he used. And also used a knife. Speechless.
Cartoon – Now THERE's a day thay SHOULD live in infamy.
PS, petition on Care2 in memory of Jo – http://www.thepetitionsite.com/296/376/414/in-memory-of-jo-cox/
Thank you. Signed.
Petition signed.
MM: Geraldo just needs to stop talking, and go away. Far.
DK: The Repugs have a chance to get this right, and they won't. (Of course).
NYT: What a tragedy about Ms. Cox. Seems to go on and on…very, very sad.
Signed, thank you, Joanne.
Cartoon: Downright pitiful.
Hope that you get some much needed rest. Enjoy your evening, and take good care. Thanks, Tom.
While still in mourning for the Orlando terrorist/hate crime victims, we should also remember that today marks the sad one-year anniversary for the victims of the Charleston terrorist/hate crime murders by Dylan Roof.at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Excellent point noted.
Victim blaming is always horrid.
May Jo get justice.
Media Matters: Geraldo needs to shut up. He makes a fool out of himself every time he talks, why is he still on tv?
Daily Kos: You are probably right, the Republicans will never let it get to a vote.
NYTimes: I am so sorry the current hatred in the USA has crossed the pond.
Cartoon: Deja vu all over again, as they continue to do the same now.
One to enjoy:
Congratulations, Rep. Gwen Moore, for Shining a Light on Efforts to Stigmatize the Poor
http://www.chn.org/2016/06/17/congratulations-rep-gwen-moore-shining-light-efforts-stigmatize-poor/#.V2RW61UrIdU
She's got a GREAT idea – I say run with it!
If the goal of Rethuglicans in demanding drug-testing of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – commonly referred to as "food stamps") is weed out the incorrigibles to thereby reduce the financial deficit – than let's REALLY take it to heart and start drug-testing the 1 Per Centers to determine if THEY qualify for all their tax deductions.
No way will Rethuglicans balance a budget cutting SNAP participants.
Cutting 1 Per Centers tax deductions? Let’s give it a try!
Amen to that!
3:29 Pretty posies which definitely will not end up in Puddy Tat's salad!
Puzzle — 3:29 Pretty posies which definitely will not end up in Puddy Tat's salad!
Media Matters — What a load of bunkum! Faux Noise is ignoring all other facets of this shooting in order to stoke fear of Muslims.
From NBC News
First, ISIS is a Sunni Muslim group while Hezbollah is Shi'a. Sunni Islam (Saudi Arabia etc) is at odds with Shi'a Islam (mainly Iran) and has been for hundreds of years — it is a fundamental difference not unlike Protestants and Catholics in Christianity. Nobody would be part of both groups. Mateen, born in the US, appears to be confused about Islam.
Second, note that Mateen's father said he "in the past expressed an and the NRA ger at the sight of two men kissing". Some patrons of Pulse said they thought that they had seen Mateen proaganda in the club previously.
Third, Mateen has a history of spousal abuse and anger issues.
For Geraldo Rivera to flog the Islam angle is pure bunkum and irresponsible . . . manufacturing an opportunity for fear. But then what would we expect from Faux Noise and their propagandists like Rivera?
Daily Kos — I agree, the Senate Republicans caved because they knew the House would quash the bills. Let's face it, the gun manufacturers and the NRA have Republicans in their hip pockets. Senate Republicans risk nothing, not even their NRA rating because it is one of those "wink, wink" kind of deals.
NY Times — The UK has a diverse population which angers the far right wing in Britain. The current Brexit debate has brought out a lot of zealots, some advocating violence. I believe the vote as whether to leave the EU or not comes up on 24 June. Cox as a passionate supporter of refugees might well be a target of violence. Prayers for Cox, her family, and all Britain.
Cartoon — And Republicans haven't stopped screwing veterans since!
My, what strange bedfellows you keep, TomCat 😉 But all's well if you listened to my catnap's call and made it an early night. Take it easy this weekend and enjoy it.
MM: First this disgusting trio sounded like they were making a commercial for the NRA to boost the sale of even more guns (someone with a gun for every gathering of 12 or more people). Then the did an ad for the metal-detector industry by demanding a detector everywhere they went to protect them from all the guns they just sold to their viewers. And finally Rivera blamed the victims for not fighting back, with their bare hands, immediately after he showed an interview with a shacking and tearful guy telling how he didn't dare to raise a hand because the terrorist was literally finishing anyone off that moved. Geraldo insensitive? Inhuman more likely. I couldn't finish watching the clip.
DK: When I heard about it, it sounded like a rather hollow victory to me. The filibuster only made the Senate's Republicans cave in, but that doesn't mean that the House majority will allow a vote on it, nor does it imply either won't vote it down like the many times they did before with anything to do with gun control. I wouldn't get my hopes up for these bill to pass, no matter how sincere, rational and necessary they are.
NYT: As you can understand, this murder has claimed all headlines here for the past two days and has made all parties in the UK suspend their Brexit campaigns for some time even though the voting for the referendum is less than a week away, next Thursday on June 23rd. This neo-Nazi was apparently not taking any chances and both stabbed and shot Ms Cox and today "The accused killer of British MP Jo Cox gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain" in his first court appearance Saturday." Nasty piece of work. The last polls for the Brexit showed that it could go either way and this murder may tip the scale either way. I hope for Jo Cox's family and friends and for Britain's sake that the Brits decide to stay.
I know Republicans want the Brits to leave, Thdy want a retun to the special relationship, in which the US follows the US to wars for oil and conquet, like the Iraq War.
Thanks all. Very tired hugs!!