I know you haven't read all my posts. I also know that from your first entry into this thread you resorted to personal attacks, suggesting the topic and news items were unfounded, or from unreliable sources, and that it was "hysteria" on my part. Then when I invited you to actually READ the news items and discussions you said you couldn't be bothered to read through 200 plus pages of it.
Besides, IMO, whataboutisms likening anti-FASCISTS and feminists (you've mentioned them before) don't exactly amount to a "concession" or even a direct acknowledgement of the DOCUMENTED rise in hate, acts of hate and terrorism, racist supremacist rhetoric, and similar ideology, as DOCUMENTED herein - with LINKS, and directly attributable to Trump and his right winged cohorts' words, actions, and deeds.
Yes, it was there before Trump. Was cultivated for decades by the GOP. Became more evident via racist references, rhetoric, and animosity toward Barack Obama, whose presidency the right FURTHER used to stoke the HATE.
But it was Trump who outwardly and unapologetically PLAYED UPON it, played it to the hilt, brought it into the open and made it fashionable... even SANCTIONED, by virtue of what he said and who he defended and even MORE so, by what and who he FAILED to condemn.
He literally brought supremacists and racists into their OWN, emboldening them like never before in recent memory, and even David Duke (among other noted supremacists) has said as much. And even the intelligence community and the FBI have warned of this rise in hate based sentiment, supremacists, and potential acts of domestic terrorism.
MUCH of it in documented in these pages you couldn't be bothered to read. And no, law enforcement and the intelligence community weren't talking about feminists nor anti-fascists.
For instance, I don't recall acts of domestic terrorism like the mailing of pipe bombs, a Wal-Mart massacre, a synagogue shooting, the plot of a coast guard service member to start a race war, armed militia in state capitol buildings being inspired by feminists.
That was TRUMP'S doing. It wasn't antifascists who phoned in of death threats to elected officials to the extent that they had to close government offices,
Feminists didn't call a young black NFL player a "son-of-a-bitch" for quietly protesting police misconduct. Nor told American born women of color to "go back" to some other country. They didn't call neo-Nazi's and white supremacists, one of whom drove a vehicle through a crowd of people, killing a young woman, "very fine people."
It's TRUMP who employs and works with people connected to supremacists. It's TRUMP who roused his "2nd Amendment people to arm themselves and take to the streets... who suggested they might do something about Hillary.
And it's TRUMP who ignored the warnings of a deadly pandemic, tried to call it a Democratic hoax, attempted to stifle and silence the medical advice of doctors and experts in the field, then suggested people drink bleach and take a potentially deadly drug, and is now risking the lives of tens of thousands MORE - by forcing states to reopen and inciting an armed rebellion in the streets of America.
Now, of course, it is your right to ignore all of that, to dispute it, to refuse to accept it, to deny it, or whatever. I don't care because I don't NEED your "concessions."
But if you're looking for some "concession" from me - that my/OUR alarm at what is happening to MY/OUR country is "UNREASONABLE," (my understanding is you don't live here)
then I'm afraid you're going to be DISAPPOINTED.
For further reading:
SALUTE TO BC!
I am going to defend b.c. Not that he really needs my help. He does magnificently on his own.
The length and breadth of his postings leave me spell bound. b.c. is very well read and comprehends what he reads.
I find myself reading the sources he shares with us. I have not found a single source that I had any concern that it might not be factual or spot on.
I happen to be white whose ancestors came here hundreds of years ago primarily from the United Kingdom.
I am a retired teacher. I certainly am not rich. I do have a good retirement.
I have been blessed in life.
b.c is an African American. Consider his viewpoint of American history and culture.
His ancestors were considered equal to cattle and were property of others.
Lincoln was going to make that all better, but Lincoln was assassinated before he could do much except keep the nation intact and help end legal slavery.
The South entered a new phase called share cropping. Both poor whites and African Americans were share croppers. The farms had a farm store with credit. The farmers made sure that none of the share croppers had their debts to the store paid off. That way if any of them were to try to escape the sheriff would go and bring them back until they paid off their debts. which, of course, they would never be able to do!
Over time the poor whites were allowed to raise their economic situation. Not so for most of the African Americans.
The stories of African Americans strung up on a tree and executed by the white mob were plentiful in post Civil War South.
It wasn't until the mechanism of farming that saw an improvement for African Americans.
Then came JFK and LBJ who gave African Americans a chance.
How would you feel if you had a president who wanted to return to the days of lunching of African Americans without a trial; return to African Americans not being able to vote.
I can go on and on. I am describing Trump's racist hatred of all except other Republicans and he hates some of those.
I hope the point is taken. The African American community has a valid reason and a valid right to be angry with Trump and the Republican Party.
Make America Great Again means returning to the South from 1872 - 1964.
I stand with b.c. As a Christian, I believe that we should treat our fellow man with respect and yes we should love each other. That is what Jesus commanded his disciples to do.
Even if you don't consider Jesus to be the Son of God, you have to admit that his moral compass was with those that have down trod!
Trump is the opposite of the life style Jesus. Jesus asked his disciples to love his fellow man. Have you heard that thought coming from Trump?
I live in a rural area of the South. Since it is a small town we all know each other.
I have visited with African American friends whose children were at the top tier of the class both in high school and university. Every day they fear that one of their children will be gunned down by a white supremacist for now reason except they are African American. Trump says that these supremacists are good people.
Our African American youth should not have to walk the streets knowing that at any moment that some neo nazi will come out of the shadows and take them out.
So yes, b.c. is a very concerned.
And I worry every day. I taught those young people. I love them dearly. It would break my heart if they were harmed by racists.
I loved all my students. They were MY students!
b.c. there is not much most of us can do. However, it is not only our duty, but a privileged to fight racism where I cross we from time to time. Our little town is far above what many small Southern towns are in race relations. We have a strong African American middle class.
I read some years ago that the real test of ending segregation si when segregation ended in the churches.
I am happy to say that all the main churches in my town are now integrated. This has come about in the last ten years.
The battle is not over. But, if we can survive Trump our nation can get to the business of everyone becoming first class Americans regardless of wealth, birth, culture, race and any other markers we can use.
This idea of having second class American citizens needs to have ended yesterday and not allowed to reinfect American society.
Old South America Never Was That Great!
There was some greatness, but the share cropper system is a smudge on our history that is close to the smudge of slavery itself.
b.c. is on a mission to do just that - see that all Americans get to the Promised Land. I applaud him and I hope he sees the good fruit of his mission that there won't be any more second class citizens in America within his lifetime!
This dream can happen if everyone who believes in it takes each day at a time and does what each of us can that day to help make this dream come true not only now, but for the future.
