Republican white supremacist Christmas

 

Take a good look at the picture to the left. See anything missing? The Republicans' idea of a "white" Christmas is literally white. Here is a post from AlterNet: "The Republican Party is soaked in white supremacy. But is it a hate group?"  To begin with, here are some things to think about...

"Guns, abortion, immigration – what binds these “hot button” issues together in the Republican mind? Well, white supremacy, obviously."

Each, GUNS, ABORTION and IMMIGRATION, has its explanation from John Stoehr of the AlterNet and I urge you to read his post, here. All three of these issues have one common denominator, fear. But does all this make them Republican hate groups? Southern Poverty Law Center’s Rachel Carroll Rivas asked, 'What’s the status of hate groups in America?' I have followed SPLC for years and find their research on hate groups the best.

Some of Rivas' comments...

"after the insurrection on January 6, 2021, the hard-right movement converged around a willingness to engage in political violence, inflict harm and deny legally-established rights.

"Honestly, these harmful ideas have become so commonplace 

that card-carrying membership is less and less necessary.

"We consider the hard right of today inherently anti-democratic.

"We documented 733 hate groups and 488 antigovernment groups in 2021. There are also 65 new groups listed in 2021."

With that said, many of the members of SPLC's hate groups are connected to Donald Trump, and Christian Picciolini who nearly 25 years ago was a leader in the skinhead movement defines who make up hate groups...

"It's the average American. It is our mechanics, it's our dentists, it's our teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses and unfortunately that's the way it's turned into the last 30 years."

Although not mentioned by name, there are member of the U.S. Congress who do support extremist groups...

"a small but vocal band of Republicans now serving in the House provided legitimacy and publicity to extremist groups and movements as they built toward their role in supporting Mr. Trump’s efforts to subvert the outcome of the 2020 election and the attack on Congress."

So, it suddenly becomes clear why Republicans are dreaming of a White Christmas. Their dream is indisputedly focused on the word "white."

 

Jan. 6 Committee...Best of statements

 

Posted yesterday my wife and I watched the Monday hearing of the Jan. 6 Commission and came to the conclusion the panel nailed Donald Trump. Following are some of the leading quotes from the meeting, compliments CNN...

1. “The Trump campaign legal team knew there was no legitimate argument…to overturn the election, and yet President Trump went forward with his plan for January 6 anyway.” – Wyoming GOP Rep. Liz Cheney 

2. “Mr. Trump decided before the election…that he would claim it was rigged.” – California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren 

3. “The mayor (Rudy Giuliani) was definitely intoxicated.” – former Trump adviser Jason Miller 

4. “I don’t know that I had a firm view of what he should say.” – Ivanka Trump 

5. “My recommendation was to say that ‘Votes were still being counted. It’s too early to tell, too early to call the race but we’re proud of the race we ran, and we think we’re in good position.’” – former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien

These are the first five and I urge you to go to the CNN article for the rest as well as more in-depth explanation. 

Jan. 6 Committee nails Donald Trump

 

My wife and I watched the last session of the January 6 Committee yesterday and the summary and wrap up was very convincing. Donald Trump is corrupt and an anarchist with solid proof from the Committee allowing them to refer prosecution of Trump to the Dept. of Justice on the following charges...

"to prosecute Trump for obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to make a false statement and incitement, rebellion or insurrection."

The Committee could also recommend ethics charges against 5 Republicans for refusing House subpoenas: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania. Of course, the GOP takes over the House in January 2023, but with the amount of chaos surrounding who will be Speaker, it looks like

there will be non-stop turmoil facing Congress.

If you watched, did you see the commitment and passion when Adam Kinzinger spoke? The U.S. Congress will lose a valuable asset when he retires, as well as Liz Cheney leaving due to losing her election. Cheney pledged herself and her career to get rid of Donald Trump, which culminated in the Jan. 6 Committee. Others on the panel were clear in their condemnation of Trump using clips from his administration to illustrate how he broke the law over and over.

There is talk that these prosecution referrals of Trump will face a number of obstacles when it gets to the DOJ. One is Merrick Garland's record of moving so slow in Donald Trump's prosecution, but it is hoped that the latest appointment of fireball prosecutor, Jack Smith, will move things along now. There is also the feeling that, if brought before a jury, a general public would be reluctant to convict

a former president, or a Trump minion would be on the jury.

No matter what, the Jan. 6 Committee has done an excellent job in bringing Donald Trump to justice for his transgressions. We can only hope that the DOJ will do their job now.

One homeless person in a wealthy America is too much

 

My wife and I were shopping at Costco recently and when we left after shopping, there was a homeless man at the exit with a sign indicating his plight. Don't care what people say, we keep a number of five-dollar-bills in the car for the homeless. My wife rolled the window down and gave the man $5.00. He was so grateful, thanked us for the money, but then said, "Have a happy holiday." Here's a man on the street, wrapped in a blanket (cold in Phoenix) and he wishes us a happy holiday.

I was totally taken aback by this kind and sincere wish from someone who had no place to live and probably no idea where his next meal would come from. Added to this, Phoenix was forecast to have a low in the 30s that night. I haven't been able to forget him and can only wish that more people around the country would have a similar experience and demand something be done about the homeless now. That's when I thought of the headline above to shame those in charge to do something.

And this is what shelters are asking for in the Phoenix metro area...

• Coats/jackets
• Sweaters/sweatshirts
• Sweatpants
• Hats/Beanies
• New socks and underwear 

If this is what is required in Phoenix, can you imagine what is needed in New York and New England where tens of thousands are without power from a powerful snowstorm. The Right to Shower homeless group says, "For most of us, winter means holidays, family gatherings, and gift-giving." However...

"for people experiencing homelessness, winter is a brutal challenge. The cold weather makes life on the street even more dangerous than usual, and the societal focus on togetherness and holiday cheer can create a sense of even greater isolation."

What's behind rising homelessness in America?

Here are some of their suggestions for helping...

"Donate warm clothes, socks, and blankets. Cleaning house for the cold season? Taking stock of your family’s winter wardrobe? Don’t let those coats and hats go to the trash. Shelters and individuals will be grateful for your gently used items, especially socks and blankets, which are even more necessary during the cold months."

Donate food, including leftovers. All shelters and soup kitchens will be grateful for donations during the holiday months, and if you over-prepare for an office party or gathering among friends, don’t let those leftovers go to waste. Rescuing Leftover Cuisine is one organization that helps redirect potential food waste to those who need it.

"Call 311 (non-emergency services) when you see someone in danger. The colder it gets, the more dangerous it is for people to live unsheltered. If you see a person outside on a cold night, contact 311 to access local services and potentially save a life. Many cities have their own cold-weather homeless-serving hotlines and 211 is another common line for essential community services. If you meet an unsheltered person who is also a veteran, they can find help through 1-877-4AID-VET, while homeless teens can call the National Runaway Safeline at 1-800-RUNAWAY."

In closing, I cannot understand why some millionaire or billionaire hasn't stepped

forward to organize a consortiun that would deal directly with this problem. Yes, there are numerous charities that do their best but there are still over a half-million homeless on the street with around 11,000 shelters in the U.S. 

Unfortunately, the displaced folks are not evenly distributed around the country so that is why a centrally controlled plan is necessary. So far band aids are being used where there should be a major bandaging of the problem. I just don't understand why millionaires and billionaires can't spare a few bucks to help those down on their luck. What good Samaritan will commit to this worthy project?

Have a happy holiday to our homeless friend at Costco and the same for all your peers. May you all find shelter and good fortune in the near future.

Pets should not be given as presents

 

The Jacksonville, Arkansas animal shelter says it right: "Getting a dog is a lifetime commitment, not a Christmas gift." But hundreds of animals will be given this year at Christmas and hundreds will end up in shelters in 2023. Here are some numbers from PETA...

• A shelter in Fargo, North Dakota, reports that in its area, more than 700 animals are turned over to shelters right after the holidays every year.
• An adoption group in tiny Edinburg, Texas, gets more than 400 animals. It says that the surrenders normally start with a phone call from someone saying, “I got this [animal] for Christmas…and I can’t take care of it.”
• A humane society in Reading, Pennsylvania, says that most of its post-Christmas drop-offs are puppies and kittens. They’re dumped soon after the holiday when training them requires too much time.
• By January 4 last year, one Georgia animal shelter was posting on Facebook begging for adopters because of the onslaught of returned dogs it was bombarded with.
  

Here's the scenario from Jamie Parker, supervisor of Jacksonville Animal Shelter...

"Some of them get adopted and they stay. But a lot of them end up coming back to us, and a lot of them find themselves back in the kennel with no one that can play with them all day."

PETA says you should never give animals as Christmas gifts. It does sound like a

good idea and the expectation of those faces when they receive their new pet makes the giver think they have done something great. Apparently they haven't...

"By January, many of those “present” animals will have joined the more than 6 million who enter shelters in the U.S. every year. Some animal shelters even get in on the craze, offering discounted or free adoptions and encouraging people to give animals away as gifts. Their intentions may be good, but they likely don’t realize that they’re exacerbating the homeless-animal crisis."

Other reasons not to do this include the fact the holidays are full of a lot of people having fun; a great deal of frivolity in the household; noise and commotion a new animal doesn't understand and most likely will be frightened of. The house is filled with strangers coming and going. But the worst thing are the things left around from gifts like ribbons, ornaments, electrical cords, and sweets as well as other foods and drinks.

PETA also warns...

"When shelters offer animals up for a pittance (or for free), they devalue them and encourage impulse adoptions by eager people who haven’t considered whether they or their gift recipients are ready to invest the substantial amount of money, commitment, and care that the animals will need. And animals can be acquired as cheap gifts by people who can’t afford to care for them. After the holidays, many of these “present” animals end up back at the shelter or, worse, sentenced to a life of isolation on a chain or in an outdoor pen or dumped on the street."

I, nor PETA, nor all the animal shelters and rescues nationwide don't want to discourage the public from adopting pets, at Christmas or the rest of the year. But you must want that animal to become a member of your family and realize the responsibility of caring for them. It's not easy but oh so rewarding. I know, my wife and I have taken in eleven rescues and we've had the time of our lives. Merry Christmas to you and your pets and to the rescue animals all over the world.

Barry Goldwater preceeded Donald Trump on RIGHT WING EXTREMISM

 

The American public was worried that Goldwater was a danger with his finger on the button. 

Goldwater lost in one of the largest landslides in history to Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

As the 1964 Republican convention approached, many political observers warned that right-wing extremists were about to take over the Grand Old Party. Barry Goldwater’s critics now see today’s Republican extremism in 1964.

But there is no comfort in knowing that Donald Trump was not the originalist on right wing extremism. And there is no doubt the Trump-borne extremism is much more severe than was Barry Goldwater's. At least Goldwater had the best for the country behind his beliefs.

Donald Trump's terrorism at work again...

 

Guess who opened the door to domestic terrorism resulting in activity in at least three states? Do I even have to say Donald Trump? He started with immigrants in his early administration calling them rapists, murderers and drug dealers. Then, during his run for president he called for barring all Muslims from entering the United States, then when in the Oval Office...

he signed an executive order titled 'Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States' which became better known as the muslim travel ban.

The new domestic terrorism acts started in North Carolina in Moore County where 45,000 utility customers lost power and local officials declared a state of emergency. Here's the scenario...

"The Homeland Security 'National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin' issued on Nov. 30 said individuals and groups motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and personal grievances 'continue to pose a persistent and lethal threat to the Homeland.'"

Trump labelled a 'domestic terrorist' by former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage...

 Since the perpetrators haven't been identified yet we can't definitely place the blame, but five will get you ten that there is some connection to Donald Trump and his followers. And then all the way across country in the northwest there were at least six attacks at electricity substations in Washington and Oregon. Current efforts are in place to determine who is doing this and why. Vox says that "Donald Trump is the accelerant" and everything points back to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots...

"At Trump’s behest, throngs of his supporters descended on Washington, DC, to dispute the results of the presidential election, climbing the steps of the Capitol and busting through its doors and windows. Throughout the day, Trump continued to falsely claim that the election was stolen without any evidence to support this unreality, further riling up his followers to “take the country back.” By mid-afternoon, the Capitol building was breached and one member of the mob had been shot and fatally wounded. Five people died."

Need I say more?