The demonstration, protest, and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday shamed our nation. A large number of racists, white supremacists, and skinheads rioted, and one of them used his car as a weapon to kill a woman and injure many others in his path.
Trump’s spineless response to acts of domestic terrorism was disgraceful. He blamed the violence on “many sides.” He could not bring himself to say the words “domestic terrorism,” “neo-Nazis,” “white supremacists.” KKK leader David Duke sent his thanks to Trump. It was Trump’s people who perpetrated the violence and brought chaos to the streets of Charlottesville. He could not denounce his base.
Many other Republican leaders, to their credit, did exactly that. They named the terrorists and white supremacists. Will they now acknowledge that this immoral, unethical man is not one of them? Will they denounce him for his craven response, for sending “best regards” to those who were mowed down by the terrorist car?
On Twitter at 6:02 pm, Soledad O’Brien posted a comment by the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer praising Trump.
The quote:
“Trump comments were good. He didn’t attack us. He just said the nation should come together. Nothing specific against us.
“He said we need to study why people are so angry, and implied that there was hate…on both sides!
“So he implied the Anita are haters.
“There was virtually no counter-signaling of us at all.
“He said he loves us all.
“Also refused to answer a question about White Nationalists supporting him.
“No condemnation at all.
“When asked to condemn, he just walked out of the room.
“Really, really good.
“God bless him”
Now Jeff Sessions will investigate. This is a nightmare. There is no end in sight. Time to get up and join the resistance. Keep your eyes on 2018. Then 2020. And pray we are not in a nuclear war before then.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Time for Congress to cut their losses and impeach. They got Gorsuch and should consider that their win. Now it is time to save their country.
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Yesterday’s terrorism is a reminder of the 60s in the South, and of the Kent State massacre when police joined in the terror with water hosing and police dog attacks on student demonstrators.
Trump has devolved our nation more than enough…IMPEACH NOW or USE THE 25TH AMENDMENT to Dump Trump.
California Congressman Ted Lieu has offered a bill to insure that Congress must be the only source of initiating war, both changing and enforcing war powers…and that Trump’s singular fingers MUST be taken off the nuclear football.
Everyone should contact their Congressional representatives NOW to support Ted Lieu.
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agreed
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Thank you for an excellent and important post!
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I like what Richard Painter says on MSNBC. If Trump doesn’t get rid of Gorka, Bannon and the other Alt-Right neo-Nazis who he has allowed to infest the White House, he needs to be impeached. Trump’s milquetoast speech yesterday was shameful and downright disgusting.
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Mamie, agreed. I noticed on Twitter that the alt right people have a hand signal that Trump often uses. Index finger to thumb.
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…and the remaining 3 fingers held up to form a W. WP, White Power. Stephen Miller was photographed showing this gang symbol.
http://www.snopes.com/stephen-miller-white-power-hand-sign/
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Thanks for this Snopes, Christine. It is new info for me. Drumpf has surrounded himself with so many nuts and wannabe despots. Never thought I would rather have Generals in DC. So worried about our own Arab Spring disaster.
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“I cannot condemn strongly enough the violent actions wrought by the neo-nazi, white supremacist groups who seek to divide this country. I will use whatever powers I have to bring justice to bear on these anti-American terrorist groups.”
Are words you’ll never hear out of Trump’s mouth.
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Yes. And it starts with cleaning his own house.
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““So he implied the Anita are haters.” Shouldn’t “Anita” be “Antifa”?
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Well, at least Jared and Ivanka came out strongly against these acts of hatred.
Yeah, right.
Crickets
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Wait, I missed Ivanka’s tweet from an hour ago condemning neo-nazis and white supremacists. I stand corrected.
Wonder how the conversation goes when she, Jared, Bannon, Miller, and Gorka all end up on the same elevator
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For years, the KKK has come to Pulaski, TN to celebrate their birthplace. This is sort of true, although you could argue that they were born in modern days in the wake of the silent film “Birth of a Nation”. The little town has never been proud of this heritage, and has chosen to ignore their marches so as not to stir their base. I used to think that was the best ploy. Let all the old folks die off with their anachronistic ideology. Like medieval flagelation, it will go away.
Now I question this. I sit so solidly in the middle of the road politically, that I have been accused of being amoral by both sides. But I have watched as my country has moved so far right of center that extremism looks normal. It is time to,enforce laws that protect some from speech that hurts. When Marat called for heads in the French Revolution, he was stepping over the line. Some speech cannot be acceptable if we are to maintain society.
It is time for church. I must go. God help us.
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At least we have an answer to those that claim we are in a “post racism” society. Trump and his reprehensible cronies have emboldened these deplorables. Racism is still with us. The response to our first black president reminded us of that. These violent acts should wake us up to the reality of racism among too many of our people.
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I can give the approximate percentage of racist voters 33-37% .
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Yes Trump and his crew of racists and Neo Nazis are revolting . The fact that they are in the White House is a sign of how far we have gone in tolerating the culture of right wing hate.
Make no mistake that if that demonstration was a leftest demonstration . If it was Black lives matters . If it was occupy Wall Street . If they showed up armed with assault riffles to a Demonstration,we would have seen a completely different outcome .
The streets leading to the demonstration would have had a heavy police presence . The rifles were permitted by Virginia law ,no problem. The bats , clubs , brass knuckles probably were not. Not only would they be confiscated . Those possessing them would be arrested.
But more important at the sign of the first water bottle being thrown . The street would have been declared closed and an overwhelming police response would have moved in to end that demonstration .
“You are free to use signs at your event, but the Police Department does not want them affixed to wooden sticks or metal poles;”
“Police have also arrested photographers on the grounds that they’re blocking pedestrian traffic, a violation that falls under the heading of “disorderly conduct.”
Those guide lines applied to permitted Demonstrations in NYC . I assure you that they are pretty much uniform .
The crushing of Occupy was a coordinated effort by federal agencies . The abuses of civil liberties and the stifling of free speech were documented in successful
law suits covering the actions of the NYPD over a period of months . When the NYPD under the direction of Bloomberg /Obama decided to end the Demonstrations .To clear out Zuccotti park . Lower Manhattan was closed off in the middle of the night . Reporters and even City councilmen were assaulted trying to access the area .
Do we want to talk Seattle ,
“U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman had previously ruled that the arrests of roughly 200 people at Westlake Park between 6 a.m. and noon on Dec. 1, 1999, were made without probable cause because the police did not try to find out if each individual who was arrested was in violation of a city order barring protesters from the area.”
or
“Nearly 10 years after Madison Square Garden hosted the 2004 Republican National Convention, the city has agreed to pay $18 million to settle dozens of lawsuits brought by protesters and bystanders who claim they were wrongly arrested during the event ”
In other words arrest first and ask questions later.
But it is acceptable to use overwhelming police presence to stifle the free speech rights of those on the left . We have seen time and again, the same does not apply on the right. Have an armed insurgency invade federal parks property no problem. We will attempt to arrest the leaders on other charges after the demonstration is over . The demonstration the night before last should have been a warning of the events to come .
Had it been reversed there would have been an overwhelming National Guard presence in armored vehicles two stories tall , in full view of the Demonstrators .
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Joel…it was a similar assault to Occupiers in LA. Tony Villaraigosa, then Mayor and now Would Be Governor (and puppet of Eli Broad), ordered a great force of police to pour out of City Hall to disperse the mainly young protestors in the middle of the night. They did so with expedient and determined violence. This former Mayor had met with other Mayors, and he learned form Bloomberg how to use the huge show of force to shut down the entire movement.
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Actually coordinated with federal authorities and the Banks
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/dec/29/fbi-coordinated-crackdown-occupy
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Very troublesome times and those that care about Democracy must begin to pay attention!
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The Nazi/Confederacy lovers are a disgrace to our nation and to humanity. The election of Trump is a huge disgrace of monumental proportions. This incompetent maniac is fomenting a war with North Korea and he’s even threatening military action against Venezuela! I can’t even imagine where we will be by 2020. Why do we as a nation keep electing these incompetent malignant boobs to the White House? I’m especially thinking of people like Trump, Bush the dumba$$ and the racist Reagan. But Trump is by far the worst of the bunch.
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I am no fan of of Fareed Zakaria, the left left wing populist that I am ..
But he nailed it the other night on Bill Mahr . I will paraphrase
“For years you control two thirds of the State Legislatures . The House of representatives , the Senate and now the White House and some how the liberal coastal elites are your problem ”
I will add the States you live in have had right wing, now Republican right wing Governments for years and liberal policy solutions like Unions are your problem. You just cant help stupid !!!!!!!!! And if that is an elitist statement from a coastal elite Blue Collar worker, bring it on. We don’t need less ridicule of stupid !!!!!!! We need more.. Trump connected with them because he speaks their language . Hillary, as if anyone who voted for Trump was ever going to vote for her, could not even stand by the mellow statement deplorable .. That should have been deplorable morons till it sunk in .
Lofgren pointed out 6 years ago, that Democrats are incapable of using language .He , I think that is because they are conflicted as to who they represent . You cant tell a worker that Wall Street and the Republicans are screwing you when your Donors are on Wall Street. . Instead you promise training programs for non existent jobs . Or you expand medicaid to reach the working poor to make up for putting the American worker in competition with the lowest paid workers in the world, .encouraging employers to cut healthcare and pension bennifits.
Eighty five years ago we understood that wages needed a floor under them. We interfered in Markets and created the minimum wage . We got dragged into empowering the labor movement with the NLRA by left wing radical unions in the great depression. Almost a decade before that states and then the federal government decided to create a minimum wage for construction based on the existing standard of living in a locality . Decided that employers would not be allowed to either employ workers from out of state or in state at wages below the prevailing wage in a jurisdiction. Yet today we hear this is a global economy and you have to compete . Of course Pharma does not have to compete , Bill Gates or Apple does not have to compete and Amazon was given over a decade.to compete with up to an 8.5% advantage of no sales tax as is in NY …. ….. ..
I have stated that this vote was not economic. But as one of the threads somewhere pointed out . Blacks and other ,others are scapegoated to these morons as some how hopping the line to get Government assistance or advantage that they don’t have. Giving cover to the oligarchs like the Walton’s or Blankfein’s for their economic terrorism..
Terrorism that keeps the flames of racism burning strong.. .
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He had Bill Maher on his Sunday AM show today and they discussed the degradation of freedom in America. Maher was excellent and spoke real truth to power.
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I had to go back and look at the courageous and eloquent speech Elie Wiesel gave just before President Reagan made his controversial trip to the cemetery in Bitburg, Germany -a place where Nazi SS soldiers were buried. Wiesel looked the president in the eye and said: “Forty years ago, a young man awoke, and he found himself an orphan in an orphaned world. What have I learned in the last 40 years — small things. I learned the perils of language and those of silence. I learned that in extreme situations when human lives and dignity are at stake, neutrality is a sin. It helps the killers not the victims.” http://www.pbs.org/eliewiesel/resources/reagan.html
Trump’s mealy-mouthed, cowardly reaction yesterday to the white terrorists in Charlottesville is a disgrace to our nation.
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I think it is also time to buy a firearm safe, then buy firearms, then learn how to use them properly, and start to stockpile bullets.
Gandi tactics will not work with the Trumpists. They will laugh at anyone that uses Gandi tactics and then mow them down with cars, bullets, and bombs.
Haters, who are insane, do not respect anything or anyone even other haters. If you are not willing to meet their violence with equal violence or worse, then they think you deserve what they will do to you.
Costco sells a really good firearm safe, but you will have to buy your firearms elsewhere. Big 5 sells them.
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Lloyd, I understand what you are saying but coming from you it is incredibly disheartening.
I believe if it came down to it, I would rather be shot and killed than be the shooter and killer. This pervasive hate in our society is beyond my grasp and sadly I think it will continue to fester and grow. To what end?!? Ours.
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“I would rather be shot and killed than be the shooter and killer.”
How you decide to live your life is up to you. Me, I’m a former U.S. Marine and combat vet that was born into poverty. I grew up in a rough and tumble environment and then spent thirty years of my life teaching children from an even rougher environment dominated by multi-generational, violent street gangs.
The Marines trained me to fight, and that old saying that “Once a Marine always a Marine” is true for most if not all active and former Marines. Even if we don’t have a firearm or knife, most of us will willingly go down fighting to the end. In boot camp, we were trained to use our bodies as weapons too. We were actually taught how to use the jagged bone sticking out of a broken arm to slash and cut. I hope I never find out if that one works.
When, not if, the U.S. explodes into a balkanized Civil War, I will fight if given the chance. I will not willingly allow someone else to shoot and kill me without being ready to shoot back.
Actually, I should get my survival backpack ready so I can slip it on and take off when the Civil War explodes around us. Unless you are a member of an organized and trained military or militia, you will be easy pickings, and the U.S. has a lot of former members of the military out there and not all of them support #FakePresident Trump. From what I’ve read, about half voted for him, but no one knows how many would fight to support Trump. Many in the military voted against Hillary and not for Trump.
When the campaign got rolling with the debates, I only knew what most people thought about Hillary. But then I started to dig historical facts out about each candidate and discovered most of what people think about Hillary is based on alleged conspiracy theories without any valid evidence to support them, and she also has a long history supporting women and children. She also introduced and/or co-signed a bill for campaign finance reform that passed but was nullified by the Supreme Court in the Citizens United ruling.
The only history #FakePresdient Trump has is one of fraud, lies, bankruptcies, cheating on his wives and even his mistresses, and racism.
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I don’t own any guns and I don’t want to own any guns. I sometimes have temper tantrums just cooking and wrestling with a clove of garlic. And I love garlic. I’m not a pacifist, I would defend myself if pushed against the wall but for now, I’m for peaceful demonstrations and peaceful resolutions to our problems. The Nazis and confederacy lovers would like to inflict another civil war upon us because they think they would win the war. They are stupid and delusional, they will never win but they are capable of causing massive pain and suffering.
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Lloyd, Thank you for your response. I also thank you for your service to our country and our children. My parents both served during WWII, my Dad was at Hickam Field December 7, 1941. At 17 I was fundraising for Bobby Kennedy. Trump has no place in a civilized society. Maybe we aren’t civilized anymore.
Hillary was shafted. I believe that history will show a far reaching conspiracy of immense depth. I share your concern for the future of our country. I just finished a new novel, American War by Omar El Akkad. It echos your predictions of a civil war. It is especially frightening because of its plausibility.
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Unfortunately then you will find out who your friends are or are not. Ask the Black Panther Party how that worked out.
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I’d rather avoid any extremist group, left or right, and ask them nothing.
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DUMP THAT DUMP! He is totally CRAZY. He is a dimwitted psycho and should be impeached.
I hope a sink hole swallows up him and his fascist people. He is a danger to democracy.
My reality:
I keep wondering what those 6 people I know who voted for that DUMP think. One is even an immigrant from Germany born right after WWII. You’d think at least this person would “GET” FASCISM. But nope! It’s depressing.
And 3 are BORN AGAIN. This is for real, How can those who are sooooo religious be a DUMP fan? I don’t understand this at all.
One thing they ALL have in common is this fact: They ALL “hate” Bill and Hillary for various reasons. The DNC missed this one.
One couple lives in Temperance, MI. And the husband is a Nam Vet, who was a Marine (not a lifer).
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Too many Nazis immigrated from Germany after World War II.
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I know other former Marines that support Trump. Once I know they are ignorant and deplorable, I avoid talking to them. When I can’t avoid it, it feels like you’re listening to a foaming-at-the-mouth mad dog not open to any other thinking. About half of military veterans voted for Trump so they are out there and it isn’t easy to avoid them.
Let’s not forget that in the 1st U.S. Civil War, Robert E. Lee and Grant were friends and served in the same army and fought in some of the same conflicts before the U.S. fractured and split.
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Nor should we forget that Grant presided over the return of the south to a military style racist society in which thousands of Africans were lynched summarily. It was because he and his northern constituency could not have cared less for poor people, no matter their color. When populist Tom Watson rose in the south to unite poor blacks and whites, the race card came out and the solid south was born, the one that lasted until the civil rights movement. The race card is still on the national table.
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Grant was an alcoholic. He was drowning in whiskey during his presidency. Heck, he was drowning in whiskey when he was leading the North’s armies to victory.
I read that when Lincoln wanted to make Grant the commander-in-chief of all northern forces, someone on Lincoln’s staff pointed out Grant was an alcoholic and drunk most of the time, and Lincoln’s response was to find out Grant’s favorite whiskey and send him a case.
http://www.historynet.com/ulysses-s-grants-lifelong-struggle-with-alcohol.htm
I’m sure Grant had little to do with being a president, and that job was done by someone like Steve Bannon who was determined to punish the South.
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SILENT ELECTEDS GUILTY TOO
Any GOP (or other elected) who does not condemn the president’s silence and failure to call out the kkk, neo-nazis, and white nationalists have blood on their hands.
TWO CRISES – FLIPPED RESPONSES WOULD HAVE MADE HIM ‘presidential’
president would be in a whole different spot if he’d:
a. Said about North Korea there’s anger and dispute “on many sides” to figure out and
b. Said he’d go after the white nationalists with “fire and fury”
A PASTOR’S COMMENT this morning
“This president doesn’t mince words. He attacks other leaders; bashes critics; bullies. He knew what he was doing. He did not do any of that or call out the white nationalists.”
HE SHOULD HAVE SAID
“Yo – White nationalists – kkk – neo-nazis – David Duke – Stop invoking my name. I want no connection with you – and I’m coming after you.” – – – but he didn’t
Maybe the unions, lgbt groups, environmentalists, public education advocates et al should come out in support of him and see if accepts them too – or denounces the connection.
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yup
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On Thursday, Colbert featured a song by a relatively unknown artist, Zeshan B, who I hope will not remain unknown for long. I spent much of yesterday going through all his YouTube videos. His music and personal story are exactly what we should be celebrating as Americans. The timing of this broadcast, just two days before Charlottesville, makes it even more moving. I’ve watched this countless times since early Friday and I still can’t get through it without getting emotional. This could be the Charlottesville anthem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zVHk35XynI
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Trump was propelled to office by Jared Kushner and his brother, a Silicon Valley, mogul.
Both of them are practicing Jews!!
Who would have thought that our next NAZI leader would have been the leader of the “free world” propelled by practioners of the Jewish faith!!!
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Carla,
I think the Kushner boys were along for the ride. Donald propelled himself. I’m ashamed they are Jewish. It is ironic that he accepts support from anti-Semites.
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Calling the Kushners practitioners of the Jewish faith is as false as calling Falwell, Robertson, or any other of the religious hucksters out there Christian or pedophile priests Catholic. Just because one attends a particular institution says nothing about their faith, morals or ethics. Just because they contribute money to these institutions also says nothing about their faith, just check on the history of Martin Luther and his views of selling indulgences for just one precedent.
The sad, disgusting stories of about Kushner Sr. and racist practices of our Dear Leader’s father should indicate that these rotten apples didn’t fall far from their decrepit trees.
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Greg, thanks, you have relieved part of the shame I feel.
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dianeravitch
Perhaps I am overthinking this ,
Returning from the woman’s march were a group of Orthodox Jews returning from the inauguration. I felt like shoving a foot up ……. ….. . As a secular Jew it is not antisemitism.
So how does one explain it . Well over a decade ago right wing Israelis and their American Jewish supporters formed an alliance with End Times evangelicals and Christo fascists. So the Christo fascists see the Jews he despises as a means of bringing about End Times and the rt wing Israelis and ultra Zionist American Jews ignore the antisemitism focusing on the political support they receive as more important. The more outrageous Ultra Nationalist right wing settlers and the Netanyahu government are, the closer to end times . A symbiotic relationship of poisonous predators.
From Netanyahu’s stand point as a major Nuclear power he has nothing to lose and if American Jews flee the rising tide of Antisemitism, that is more settlers for the West bank or further expansion back into Gaza or back into South Lebanon if attacked .
Trumps anti Islamic (antisemitism ) like wise, is traded off against his perceived support for Israel. Trump being willing to accept the support of those that hate all Semitic People and people of color.
As I told a Black friend today, the American Zionist Orthodox Jewish community, perhaps got a wake up call yesterday. They would be smart to reevaluate its relationship with ultra right Christo fascists who hate Jews perhaps more than Blacks , because of their perceived economic power .Vs the Black community which is under the “Iron Heel “.
And hopefully the Black community that Cornell West describes as suffering from minority envy also got a wake up, to remember that persecuted minorities have far more in common than what separates them.
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