I’m writing for tomorrow, day 166. I’m pretty tired, because I had to be up early for an O2 delivery. After it came, I took an hour break and sat outside in the sun. Before long the webbing between my toes will grow back for the Oregon winter, and I’ll forget what the sun is.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:55 (average 4:58). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: …Dear white racists and your fragile fee-fees:
Relax, I’m white, too. Look, I can do the secret handshake and nudge-nudge, wink-wink. Lemme whitesplain something to you, fellow white men: no one buys your bullshit.
That’s because your bullshit runs like this: For historically- and presently-oppressed black people to be treated decently, they must carefully avoid doing anything that could be remotely twisted into behaving like a white racist, even if you’re squinting and looking at it from five hundred meters away in a thick fog. Because that would be racist, and therefore hypocritical, and if that’s the case, they deserve to continue to be oppressed.
Here’s the thing you thick-headed assholes totally fail to get: NO ONE DESERVES TO BE OPPRESSED, PERIOD. You can talk all you want about how it’s okay for black people to be mistreated if— but get this, there is no "if". It’s not okay, ever. That’s why we call it mistreatment. Your error is to think that it’s ever justified, and your active misdeed is to constantly search for a justification. Black people, collectively, are not guilty of anything. In fact, a basic principle of civil society is that we reject the notion of collective guilt.
Some individual black people, like individual white people, have done bad things, and in those cases, may deserve judicial punishments. But even those people don’t deserve mistreatment from some random white guy on the street. And black people in general don’t owe anyone anything as a prerequisite for being treated decently. No one does…
Click Through for the rest of this excellent piece, which should begin, "Dear Republicans."
From NY Times: The Supreme Court on Thursday added 11 cases to its docket, including ones on redistricting, judicial elections and discrimination in housing and employment.
The court, which will return to the bench on Monday, took no action on seven petitions urging it to hear cases on same-sex marriage. The cases it did agree to hear will be argued this winter and are likely to be decided by the end of June.
The court will continue to add cases in coming weeks and remains likely to accept one or more same-sex marriage cases.
Click through for more info on the cases that SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) have decided to here. They will have ample opportunities to further undermine the Constitution, democracy and human rights.
From Bill Moyers: We’re still posting a new chart on the current state of income inequality every day over the next week. Yesterday’s looked at how the top 1 percent of Americans have captured half of all income.
Today, let’s talk taxes. In the past few years, we’ve heard a lot about overtaxed “job creators” and freeloading “takers.” But consider this: As the income rates for the wealthiest have plunged, their incomes have shot up.
You can’t argue with those numbers. We need all three branches of government to BEGIN to undo the damage, and 2016 has all the earmarks of being a banner year. But first, we need to survive 2014. Get out the VOTE!!
Cartoon:
I was nine at the time, but I knew to be afraid from the way my family and neighbors reacted to the news.
20 Responses to “Open Thread–10/4/2014”
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I do hope your O2 bottles were actually all full this time TC – was it last time or the time before when they weren't? I am still amazed and horrified that such a potentially dangerous mistake could happen.
Daily Kos – I do agree, and yes, it should begin 'Dear Republicans…' – some of us white people aren't racist!
.NY Times – every time I hear ot such cases I think of the excellent BBC series about the Strictest Parents in the world – who also turn out to be the most loving )albeit strict at the beginning as they need to be, as they are given two tearaways to deal with) – and of a couple of cases where the parents were in same sex marriages and they were the best parents you could wish to have – loving, responsible, caring, devoted, intelligent, understanding, principled and caring of others too, doing volunteer work as well as responsible jobs. I keep thinking that if only the prejudiced could see those families perhaps they would realise that they are good families – but then I realise that people are prejudiced because they won't listen to reason at all.
God bless Bill Moyers forever – and all like him! Get out the vote!
Just want to be sure that no one missed this little tidbit …
A right-wing Colorado Board of Education member who objects to the AP History course material points out an example of American Exceptionalism that is NOT being taught in that class:
America ended slavery VOLUNTARILY! Yep – you read that right. The Civil War thing? Didn't happen – didn't even HAVE to happen because we just gave up slavery on our own – and at "great sacrifice" too. Boy, those Southern states just give and give and give!
http://www.coloradoindependent.com/149589/state-board-of-ed-member-u-s-ended-slavery-voluntarily
Then again, she also believes the Nazis VOLUNTARILY shut down their death camps, too.
Nameless, thanks for the publicity. Of course that is why students and teachers have been protesting and striking. http://www.cpr.org/news/story/despite-protests-jeffco-moves-forward-compromise-curriculum-review-plan About half way down are links to related stories. No need for me to really say that in this case "compromise" stands for "load of BS" since the story makes it pretty clear (while avoiding defamation, a neat trick).
Thanks for the link.
I must have missed the part of American history class where the states voluntarily gave up slavery! There is enough bullshit in that to have come from an entire herd of male bovines!
She may have a point about one or two Nazi death camps . . . but it is the reason behind the `voluntary` closures . . . the Nazis did not want to get caught `blood red handed` with the evidence of their evil.
This person is a sorry excuse for a human being and needs to be thrown off the Colorado Board of Education. She is nothing more than a Republicanus/Teabagger rube.
That was going to be a Short Take. 🙂
4:59 One second over the earlier average and one second under the new one. How average can you get?
Daily Kos – He addresses this letter to "white RACISTS," not just to "whites." I think the address is appropriate. Unfortunately one doesn't have to be a Republican to be unaware of the toxic effects of white privilege. Privilege is normally invisible to those who have it. It takes discipline and dedication to keep it in sight. I agree that the Republicans are louder and more blatant, and more Republoican racists are in power, but if all Democrats were clear-signted about privilege, we wouldn't have all this nonsesne about "color blind" and "post racist" because we would have successfully defended affirmative action when we had a chance.
NY Times – Cases like these, while they certainly need addressing, I am sorry to have coming before the current Supreme Court. They will make more and more nmess and it will take longer and longer to clean up. You know, another way this court is an abomination besides the ways we all know about, is that it tempts me daily to wish one or more of them dead. That is a negative effect on me personally which I am sure I am far from alone in suffering.
Bill Moyers – the saddest news of I don't know how long was his announcement this week that he is going away for good in January. There is no one to take his place.
Cartoon – I was 12 myself. It was certainly a lot of fuss about pretty much nothing, wasn't it?
Excellent Open Thread Tom!
3:28 I won't geet the gold on this puzzle.
3:31 I slipped off the sea wall. Good thing I like the water.
3:31 I went totally to the dogs on this one!
Wooo Hooo!! That dawg was delicious! {{{burp}}}
Daily Kos ~ This letter could be addressed to "dear Bigots" with some of the wording changed subtly.
NY Times ~ Why even hear the cases. They already know their decisions. Speaking of SCROTUS, did you read about Scalia saying the Constitutions guarantees Freedom of Religion, not Freedom from Religion.
Bill Moyers ~ VOTE!
Cartoon ~ We were all afraid. The Reds had "an eye in the sky". But what did I know ? I was 7.
Glad you got to enjoy the sun, we had relentless rain yesterday, then frost warnings last night. We were wearing shorts yesterday, needed sweat shirts today. No climate change" Right
Daily Kos: Any racist who reads this will be furious, believing he or she is not guilty.
NY Times: I clicked through and it looks like Scrotus will have ample opportunity to do harm.
Bill Moyers: This chart is exactly what the Republicans want. The one percent having all the income and the rest of us serfs.
Cartoon: I remember that day well, but I was not afraid because a boy in class that I thought was pretty smart talked about the potential of man on the moon. I was actually pretty excited about it.
Puzzle — 3:31 I went totally to the dogs on this one!
Daily Kos — I found myself cheering for the writer as I read through and agreeing with everything he said. I am not American, I am Canadian. But there is white privilege here but I don't think to the same degree. White privilege exists when being white provides advantages over others . . . over African Americans, over First Nations, over Hispanic peoples, over . . . you get the picture I'm sure.
As the author says, "White privilege is especially the responsibility of white people to fix, not because we're all racist schlubs like you are, but because white privilege itself means that we're the ones who have the power to change it."
Over the last while, I have found myself thinking about my own white privilege and how it can distort my world if I am not aware of it.
NY Times — I find the Arizona case interesting. The people, who the legislators are supposed to represent, voted for a commission to draw the congressional districts in hopes that the process would be less partisan. Each party chose 2 members each with the 5th being chosen by the other four. To me, this sounds quite fair. But true to form, the Republicanus/Teabaggers didn't like the result. In other words, their previous efforts to gerrymander the districts were being partially or completely undone creating what of course the GOP call a Democratic advantage. Now the GOP is yelling that this goes against the constitution, but they and Democrats set the plan in motion. In the minds of the GOP, they want the activist conservative Injustices of SCROTUS to bail them out by saying that the 2000 Arizona voters' commission is unconstitutional. Honouring the will of the people is the right thing to do, but my guess is the Injustices will apply the letter of the constitution and not the spirit of the constitution.
With these cases and more, it will be an interesting session. If these cases are supposed to establish Roberts' legacy, look out!
Bill Moyers — In a previous post, Thomas Picketty predicts that the income of the top 10% of Americans will rise to 60 percent by 2030. If the Republicanus/Teabaggers take complete control of the Congress, inequality will grow by leaps and bounds as they slash an already too low tax rate. Get out the vote!
Cartoon — I was 5 years old and don`t remember the launch of Sputnik. I did however become interested in the space race a year or so later. For me, it was the adventure, not the politics. At one point, my nickname became Sputnik because of my interest in space.
KOS: “NO ONE DESERVES TO BE OPPRESSED, PERIOD.” says it all for me.
Bill Moyers: Bill is retiring. A Great American. Bill does not get the coverage, support that he so richly deserves. Way too many Citizens of USA are missing out on Bill’s discussions of America.
NY Times: The case in Arizona, redistricting, gerrymandering, if decided by the SCROTUMS 5, may have serious implications for California if it is overturned by them. The Roberts’ legacy is also Bushy’s legacy as well
Cartoon: And so did the race for space began with the Sputnik. Nowadays, USA has taken itself out of space launchings and only Russia continues with the space program. USA cannot afford continuous wars around the globe and the space program at the same time. Where are the priorities…
Hey Jim, I read recently that the US wants to get back in the space saddle and is looking a couple of years down the road. Apparently the relationship with Putin is helping to keep the US out of using Russian launches. Can`t remember where I read this though.
Back to you, Lynn. I went ahead and decided to look up the US Space Program
“Former NASA Boss: Russia Has US Space Program in ‘Hostage Situation’”
“Political tensions between the two countries threaten this arrangement. The U.S. has taken an increasingly hard stance against Russia’s activity in Ukraine by imposing sanctions against various Russian companies and individuals. Russian officials have in turn indicated that they will not offer assistance in U.S. space endeavors.”
ARTICLE: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/07/former-nasa-boss-russia-has-us-space-program-in-hostage-situation/
Will the US ever have manned space program again?
“Each US astronaut heading to the ISS sits in a $71 million seat” with the assistance of Russia.
With its Space Launch System, NASA hopes to take a giant leap into deep space, but the US Government Accountability Office says that the space agency may not have enough money.
“According to a GAO estimate released Wednesday, NASA may be $400 million short to complete the project.”
“The first unmanned test flight of the SLS, which has manned and unmanned versions, is set for late 2017. If on schedule, development to achieve this initial launch is estimated to cost $12 billion.”
ARTICLE: http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0724/Will-the-US-ever-have-manned-space-program-again
Maybe the tax-payers can charge the GOP/TP the 24 billion dollars for the last government shut-down and collect on the bill, moneys owed, to help fund NASA and its space program. We really need to get out of the war for profit business.
Thanks all. Overslept. Hugs!
Ok..To start with…been absent quite awhile due to Cateracts..both eyes..have had surgery and can now mostly see. Vision will be better when I get my New glasses…then I will be able to axtually Read again…From all I have gathered..Repubs are making me Crazy and I've come tothe conclusion that was their intent. To give voters the notion "All is lost" give up the Gov. isn't going to change.. Koch are in control now so don't even bother voting..Well I say "Up Yours ..Kochs can't buy my Country and the only thing GOP has done for me is to Make damn sure I Vote Dem…..Thanks Tom Cat for all the hard work you do.