Glenn Kirschner – Georgia DA Willis files 22-page smackdown of Trump’s motion to quash/throw out grand jury report
The Lincoln Project – Wrongump
Thom Hartmann – Hate or Fascism: Which Came First? History Of Fascist Hate Revealed
Randy Rainbow – Welcome to DeSantis!
This Baby Goat Is Smaller Than A Cat
Beau – Let’s talk about the SCOTUS shadow docket case that could make waves….
Yesterday, I had a chance to read the story from Friday about charges having been dropped against Courtney and Nicole Mallery, the black ranchers in the county I live in who were charged with – something – essentially for being the victims of deliberate and premeditated harassment. It took too long, but it has finally happened. I thought y’all would want to know.
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Daily Beast – The Texas Mall Shooter’s Radicalization Is No Surprise
Quote – This past Saturday, May 6, a gunman opened fire outside of a mall in Texas, slaughtering eight people, including children. (The shooter was killed by police at the scene.) The sheer brutality of this massacre was captured profoundly in the statement of a witness who tried to find a pulse on a little girl—only to turn her over and reveal that she had no face. This time the shooter wasn’t white. He was a 33-year-old man of Hispanic heritage, which immediately allowed some far-right pundits to play off any suspicions that this might again be related to white supremacist rhetoric. But as should be obvious by now, white supremacy can be upheld by non-white people (just as white nationalists can be superfans of someone who practices Orthodox Judaism, like Ben Shapiro).
Click through for full opinion. He goes back to 2017 (Canada) and examines the phenomenon of non-white white nationalists. The line between delusion and self-hatred is evidently perilously thin.
Southern Poverty Law Center – Buffalo Massacre: A Year Later, White Supremacist Propaganda Continues to Spur Violence
Quote – The “great replacement” theory is a central tenet of white nationalism. Steeped in racist and antisemitic narratives, it falsely asserts there is a concerted and covert effort to replace white populations in white-majority countries with immigrants of color. The conspiracy theory has inspired many other attacks carried out by white extremists against people of color, immigrants, Jewish people and Muslims. Once a fringe idea propagated by hate groups and other extremists – frequently in online message boards – the “great replacement” theory and ideas akin to it have been normalized and dragged into the mainstream, in part, with the help of conservative political figures, media personalities, lawmakers and lobbying groups.
Clicl through for retrospective. To paraphrase Chesterton, sometimes it isn’t news we need so much as to be reminded.
Food For Thought
Yesterday, I found out that ProPublica’s project on stillbirth (remember the first short take from last Friday) ia a finalist for this year’s Pulitzer Prize in explanatory reporting. I did say it was important, but even I didn’t grasp that it’s this important. Kudos to ProPublica, and may they win! Also, the Carroll II v. Trump** verdict came out – Guilty of Sexual Assault and Defamation, roughly $5 million in various damages, broken up into chunks as big as $1.7 million and as small as $20,000. And – oh, my, this didn’t take long – Care2 already has a petition up to put him on the national sex offender register (I would hope the New York State one as well.) And then, just to cap the day,the feds in New York have indicted George Santos. Don’t know for what yet – the indictment is still under seal – but whoopee! Joyce vance speculates here.
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The 19th – Just 37 members of Congress are mothers with minor children
Quote – The report found a number of barriers that stagnate mothers’ representation in office: unpredictable work hours, including votes during late nights and weekends; expectations for near constant fundraising, especially for first-time candidates; and cultural and political expectations that members’ children remain residents of their respective districts instead of moving to Washington, D.C., creating long commutes for members to see their children.
Click through for full article. The 19th is anticipating Mothers Day – as they should – with some reality. Yes, mothers of monir children are underrepresented – and some of the representation they do have is worthless (looking at you, Lauren.)
Daily Beast – ‘RWDS’: What the Patch Found on the Texas Gunman’s Chest Stands For
Quote – The suspected gunman, identified as a 33-year-old man named Mauricio Garcia, has no prior criminal record. But, according to FBI records obtained by Rolling Stone, his social media accounts contained “hundreds of postings and images to include writings with racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist rhetoric, including neo-Nazi materials and material espousing the supremacy of the white race.” The outlet also reported that Garcia may have had ties to a local neo-Nazi group
Click through for details. These people are not exactly calling themselves “pro-life.”
Food For Thought
Yesterday, I managed to get trash and recyclables out to the carts, and then the carts out to the curb, all before sunset. Of course sunset is later now than it has been the last few times I didn’t manage to get everything out until after dark, but I still impressed myself. A note about the first short take – I could have put it in the video thread, but wanted to make sure Pat saw it – and wanted to use this particular FFT with it. And there is transcript, so if the video doesn’t work for you, you’ll still get the facts.
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democratic Undergroud (In It to Win It) – Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday just destroyed Republican talking points that attacked …
Quote – Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday just destroyed Republican talking points that attacked a non-binary Navy Officer who was proud that they had the chance to read a poem to their crew mates on an LGBTQ spoken-word night.
Click through. Tommy Tuberville is the Senator whom Alabama was – unfortunate – enough to put in instead of Doug Jones.
Daily Beast – Trump’s Fake Georgia Electors Are Now Ratting on Each Other
Quote – According to the memo, prosecutors in July last year dangled immunity deals for “alternate electors” who were willing to cooperate with the investigation—but their defense lawyer is now accused of never telling them about the potential deal. Following a special purpose grand jury recommendation in December that the DA seek indictments against some people involved in the fraudulent scheme, investigators have turned up the pressure. It turns out, these Republican officials and political operatives are now starting to squirm, identifying illegal behavior by their colleagues while trying to save their own skin—a sudden pivot that came when Willis’ investigators met with these fake electors last week.
Click through for details. Good.
Food For Thought
Yesterday, I received a “Damn-Giver Dispatch” email from John Pavlovitz. Some of y’all probably did also. But, in case you didn’t, or in case you did but missed this column, I want to link to it: “Yes, I’m A ‘Hateful’ Human Being.” I really like the way he turns things around. It’s the closest we can come to holding a mirror up to the deluded. Some, of course, will never see anything but what they want to see. But – sometimes – we have to try.
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Daily Beast – Black Teen Shot in the Head After Ringing the Wrong Doorbell: Family
Quote – The alleged gunman, who has not been identified [to the media], was taken into custody and brought to a police station to give a statement. Placed on a 24-hour hold, he was released pending further investigation, something the chief of the Kansas City Police Department spent much of a short Sunday press conference justifying. “The vast majority of cases to include violent crime involve the suspect being released pending further investigation,” Chief Stacey Graves said. “In this case, the prosecutor requires more information from investigators that would take more than 24 hours to compile throughout the weekend.”
Click through for story. You may have seen it. The killer opened the main door, and there was a glass door which he shot through. There is video of him calmly sweeping up the broken glass. The “right” house was one block over, on a street with the same name except “Terrace” instead of “Street.” The victim is still alive, miraculously. Virgil was 21 when he survived major head injuries (from a car crash). No one ever fully gets back everything lost from injuries like that.
The 19th – A Black Texas couple chose their midwife’s care over a hospital. Now their newborn is in foster care.
Quote – A custody case currently unfolding in Texas has separated a newborn from her parents and highlighted two systemic realities in the United States: the policing of Black families by child welfare systems and the disregard of midwifery expertise by many doctors. It has been 20 days since infant Mila Jackson was taken from her parents by Child Protective Services in Texas after they sought guidance from their licensed midwife to treat a common infant condition rather than following a directive from their pediatrician. Now a court will decide if she’ll be returned to their custody.
Click through for details. With good prenatal care and no complications, a trained midwife is at least as competent as a doctor. Women were having babies assisted by midwives for centuries while doctors thought it was a waste of time to wash their hands between patients and were killing people thereby. Some of these child welfare people need to be tied down and forced to watch all the seasons of PBS’s “Call the Midwife.”
Food For Thought
Yesterday, a new transaction came out in the Clarence Thomas scandal. Harlan Crow purchsed some property from Thomas. Per ProPublica – “The sale netted the GOP megadonor two vacant lots and the house where Thomas’ mother was living.” You’ve heard the expression “He’d sell his own mother…” Well, here’s someone who actually did. That sale made her a tenant of Harlan Crow. Apparently Crow remodeled and repaired the place – butshe is still his tenant (assuming she’s still alive) and therefore owes him rent shold he decide to demand any.
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Daily Beast – How Ron DeSantis Is Taking a Page Out of Nixon’s Playbook
Quote – [Steven] Jarvis, who has tracked disinformation campaigns and conspiracy theories as an off-duty hobby since the 2016 election, said he’s developed a thick skin. But seeing pro-DeSantis accounts, and other apparent bot networks, accusing him of being a pedophile—and posting details of his marriage that could only have been gleaned from direct messages on Facebook, Jarvis said—shattered the barrier between his compartmentalized worlds. It wasn’t an isolated incident. For some who criticize the Florida governor and likely 2024 presidential candidate, a pattern appears to be emerging: attack DeSantis publicly, and risk your personal information posted online by pro-DeSantis accounts.
Click through for specifics. Just what I would expect from a man who laughs at his murder victims as they are dying.
The Bulwark – Jim Jordan Takes His Clown Show on the Road
Quote – Now Jordan has announced that he’s packing up the tent and hitting the road: Next week, the committee will be taking a taxpayer-funded field trip to New York. Why New York? To go after Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, whom Donald Trump, in his patented racist style, has called an “animal” and about whom Trump has screeched that “THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TOTALLY WEAPONIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COUNTRY . . . TO INTERFERE WITH OUR ALREADY UNDER SIEGE ELECTIONS!”
Click through for details. Maybe he’ll do somethiing illegal and get arrested We can hope.
Food For Thought
The Law, paking ticket, Trump indictment, arraignment, history, NYPD, political cartoon
Yesterday, I made a couple of cartoons. I don’t need all that many, but I did need two for the first week. I won’t need another before the 20th, so that gives me some slack. And did y’all see the breaking news comment in yesterday’s OT? Or did you get the news elsewhere? Are the able bodied among you dancing in the streets?
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The Conversation – This course uses science fiction to understand politics
Quote – What does the course explore? We explore issues of racism, gender, anarchy and the end of civilization. I chose books that encourage students to focus on the political aspects of each work. At the beginning of the course, I ask students how closely they connect science fiction and politics. At the end of the course, students have the opportunity to revisit and revise their response to that question. By that point, students have participated in discussions, written papers and completed short assignments that ask them to explore and articulate political themes in each book.
Click through for details. If Beau sees this, he’ll be tickled. He’s a big fan of using science fiction to understand, not just politics, but much of the human codition.
The Atlantic (no paywall) – My 6-Year-Old Son Died. Then the Anti-vaxxers Found Out.
Quote – My grief is profound, ragged, desperate. I cannot imagine how anything could feel worse But vaccine opponents on the internet, who somehow assumed that a COVID shot was responsible for my son’s death, thought my family’s pain was funny. “Lol. Yay for the jab. Right? Right?” wrote one person on Twitter. “Your decision to vaccinate your son resulted in his death,” wrote another. “This is all on YOU.” “Murder in the first.”
Click through for full story. This is no way to run a civilization. This kind of harassment needs to be made a felony in all states and all territories (and, as I think I may have said before, there will be plenty of room in prisons if we just release all those convicted of personal use drug possession and breathing while black.)
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Jim Jordan tries to interfere in Trump’s NY case, DA Alvin Bragg SCHOOLS Jordan on the Constitution!
Politics Girl – Trump Arrest
MSNBC – Judge rules Trump lawyer must testify in special counsel probe of classified documents
TYT – Georgia Rep. Completely CRUSHES Republicans (hanky alert?)
Reasons My Cat Wouldn’t Survive In The Wild
Beau – Let’s talk about the GOP getting news from the budget office….