1. ¨All Russians will be hated.¨ No. Just as I don't hate all Americans because of Trump, McConnell and the others who are our Putin and his thugs.
2. ¨...a population in Russia gradually coming to realize they have fallen under the iron hand of a dictator as the government cracks down on dissent.¨ This is how I view Amer…
1. ¨All Russians will be hated.¨ No. Just as I don't hate all Americans because of Trump, McConnell and the others who are our Putin and his thugs.
2. ¨...a population in Russia gradually coming to realize they have fallen under the iron hand of a dictator as the government cracks down on dissent.¨ This is how I view Americans who refuse to see what the Republicans have become. It will be too late by the time they realize.
3. What an insight into the lives of Russians who have never felt that they have been under a dictator. They have ¨nice, good, warm, comfortable, cozy things¨. We tend to think that the people of Russia and China have miserable lives.
4. I wake up every morning thinking of all of the dead and displaced Ukrainians. One morning they kissed their children good bye to go to school. Their husbands and wives went to work. They had plans for the weekend. And. Just. Like. That. Their world ended because of one man. Anyone who thinks it can't happen here Just. Like. That. needs to wake up.
It happened. And the Republican Party led by a cabal organized a coup. That coup is ongoing. Its leaders and followers are in plain view. The congress is implicated. Black lying SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas married to an obese white fascist woman who directed the COS at the White House is deep into the coup. She thinks she’s running the coup with the Chief of Staff. Her best friend is Justice Thomas. He should be impeached. The American public must learn detail of January 6th, before, during and after.
A republic if you can keep it. It’s Midnight in DC. Chairman Adam Schiff did the book. We nearly lost our democracy and the peaceful transfer of power, and the GOP in the senate is complicit right down to toothy gutless Senator Ben Sasse, the college president terrified of his own shadow.
And what’s driving this coup? White racism, a national disease that was ignored by out white male slave owning founders, the tribal element led by Thomas Jefferson who was loving his Negro slave Sally Hemings and making babies with her here and in France, in plain view, and all knew it. He drafted the constitution and observed its words in the breach - and supported our national crime nightly. Some 400,000 Negro slaves were bought and sold, their children were bought and sold, and emancipation meant more of the same in plain view. We lynched them, we photographed the lynchings and sold postcards with those images. Land of the free was the first Big Lie.
Today’s Big Lie is Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Lindsay Graham and more savaging Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, their intellectual and moral superior as she smiles patiently and calls them senator, not fascist.
Correct. Jefferson drafted we the people... Monroe and others drafted the first draft. Amendments and other parts had many contributors. Our third president was among our most brilliant. He loved a slave. I do not judge him. I might have done the same. Lincoln was our most impressive. And may have been our most stressed and depressed. Biden is heroic and good. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is Biden’s best decision.
Maybe you should read "The 1619 Project" to be more informed about Jefferson. The Bible clearly provides that all men are created equal. Yet Jefferson & the slave owners drafted a Constitution in contravention of the Bible. Moreover, Republicans today are "originalists" but claim America was founded as a "Christian" nation. There is NO consistency to their arguments..
Where does the Bible "clearly provide that all men are created equal"?? The Bible, both Testaments, includes plenty of inequality, especially when women are included in the mix. And Jefferson and most of his cohorts weren't biblical literalists by any stretch of the imagination. IIRC The Bible, esp. the New Testament, does assert that all men are equal *in the eyes of God*. It's also pretty big on distinguishing what's owed to God and what's owed to secular authorities ("render unto Caesar . . .").
Paul in Galatians 3:28 for instance. We are all children of God, & God's greatest commandment is to love our neighbor, which is anyone in need. God suffers, when you treat his children as slaves, like the Egyptians treated the Jews. I suggest that you read "Christians Against Christianity" by Biblical scholar Obery Hendricks. You should also read "The 1619 Project" which provides the history of "cheap grace theology" in America.
If you look closely at the Constitution, you'll see that it provides checks and balances for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and between the federal government and the states, but it says very little about economic power coming from outside the government. That's because big business as it developed through the 19th century barely existed; the U.S. at the beginning was a mostly agrarian country. Originalism isn't just about race. It's about letting big business do what it wants with minimal regulation and restraint. In fact, a persuasive argument could be made that "traditional family values" (aka Christian white male supremacy) are a way to enlist popular support for "Big Business über alles," which isn't in its naked form all that attractive to most voters.
Agree. The consistency is found in the GOP inconsistency, their abject fear of color and those different, in differences, their hatreds, and their inconsiderate inconsistencies.
Correct, but "all men" simply meant all WHITE MEN. Not black or Native men, or any women, and certainly not enslaved men, just White men, and only those who owned property.
Some may want to read Abigail Adam's letter to her husband, John, in March 1776, in which she writes:
"Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could."
I believe her letter and historical precedent validates your opinion, Susan.
Thank you! My point was that women, black and indigenous men, and enslaved people were NOT considered equal to white property owning men. They were not permitted to vote, own property, or even control their own finances. In fact, it wasn't until nearly 200 years later that women could even obtain credit or purchase birth control without a man's permission. Equal means equal.
Of course you are right, Susan. I was thinking of the Declaration of Independence, the document, and the intentions of Jefferson and others who helped him draft it. You have stuck to the reality, which is in some respects worse than it was in 1776.
If some Americans have their way, it’ll be back to a “verkrampte” version of South Africa in 1950: no “miscegenation”, women as chattels and non-whites as unpersons. The “improvement”? In place of citizens, consumers.
I'm not so sure of that, Susan. How you can possibly be so sure of it?
We all know the ingrained prejudices of many, far too many, from the 18th century down to this day. But could you not merely be echoing some of our own contemporary counter-prejudices?
Pace the so-called “originalists”, how can we really know all that was on Jefferson's mind?
That is why I wrote of “contradictions”, perhaps I should have written “paradoxes”.
That said, we do know something about Jefferson’s relationships, in particular that with Sally Hemings. Now link this up with Jefferson’s personal acquaintance with the great French philosopher Condorcet and the latter’s determined championship of women’s rights and, above all, the abolition of African slavery.
“Of all the philosophes, Condorcet alone came out unequivocally
against almost all forms of discrimination. As he put it near the start
of his On the Admission of Women to Voting Rights (1790), ‘he who
votes against the right of another, whatever be his religion, color, or
sex, has from that moment on adjured his own rights’.”
In this conviction, he was continuing and developing the thought of his great predecessor Montesquieu (1689-1755) who wrote a scathingly ironic passage on the matter in De l’esprit des lois :
“If I had to justify our right to enslave negroes, this is what I would say:
Once the peoples of Europe had wiped out the people of America, they were obliged to enslave the peoples of Africa, because they needed someone to clear the land in America.
Sugar would be too expensive if there were no slaves to cultivate the plant it comes from.”
AND
“It is impossible to believe that these people are human beings, for, if we did believe them to be human beings, we would have to wonder whether we ourselves are Christians.”
With all this, Jefferson will have become familiar during the years he spent as America’s Minister to France, right up to the storming of the Bastille:
Here is an extract from a letter written by Jefferson to the French philosopher on August 30th 1791:
“I am happy to be able to inform you that we have now in the United States a negro, the son of a black man born in Africa, and of a black woman born in the United States, who is a very respectable Mathematician. I procured him to be employed under one of our chief directors in laying out the new federal city on the Patowmac, and in the intervals of his leisure, while on that work, he made an Almanac for the next year, which he sent me in his own handwriting, and which I inclose to you. I have seen very elegant solutions of Geometrical problems by him. Add to this that he is a very worthy and respectable member of society. He is a free man. I shall be delighted to see these instances of moral eminence so multiplied as to prove that the want of talents observed in them is merely the effect of their degraded condition, and not proceeding from any difference in the structure of the parts on which intellect depends.”
Horrors—look who had a hand in the design of Washington DC…
Plainly, if what now calls itself “the Republican Party” comes to power, we shall soon have book burnings, to include such subversive “woke” literature as Montesquieu, Condorcet and, no doubt, the outdated maunderings of Thomas Jefferson.
You are right Susan. When Ben was in London as the Agent of the Pennsylvania Assembly, per Marcia Baliscciano, the Director of the Ben Franklin House at 36 Craven Street in London, Ben brought only 3 people with him, his son, William and two (2) enslaved men ( names not stated). I saw a short PBS clip fron the Ben Franklin Series which starts tomorrow at 9 pm ET.
Thank you Peter, Ben Franklin is is often attributed with the phrase, "... with certain unalienable Rights ...*, See also, Ben's prescient "Albany Plan" of 1754. Hopefully, both historical facts will be explored in depth on a upcoming public Television documentary aimed at a National audience.
If we could learn his secret to being so curious and self motivated to learn maybe our capitalistic society could some how market it and inadvertently cause their own extinction. I love reading about Franklin. From Wikipedia: “Franklin's father wanted him to attend school with the clergy but only had enough money to send him to school for two years. He attended Boston Latin School but did not graduate; he continued his education through voracious reading. Although "his parents talked of the church as a career"[17] for Franklin, his schooling ended when he was ten. He worked for his father for a time, and at 12 he became an apprentice to his brother James, a printer, who taught Ben the printing trade.”
I never forgot his comments on his beer-swilling colleagues in England...
They were probably more lucid than their boozed-up descendants, especially the jumped-up journalist -- shades of Mussolini -- who presides over Downing Street junketing.
Meanwhile, America's geriatric Caligula's a teetotaller,
And then there was that Fuehrer whose speeches said geriatric Caligula is reported to have listened to as bedtime stories.
Thank you for stating the raw truth about how central racism is to America’s dilemmas. It’s too bad that people can’t see the role racism has played since America’s “founding”. It was 4 million enslaved people (not 400,000). The atrocities committed by Americans are rarely acknowledged or discussed. There’s a concerted effort even now to keep people from the truth (e.g bans on CRT, 1619 project).
The Republicans enjoy support because white people think they will keep people of color in their place-Trump has told them he is their savior to protect the real Americans. The majority of white people are all in with him.
Race has been an effective tool for their divide and conquer strategy. If people knew the historical truth about slavery and racism maybe we could move toward a more perfect union.
From reading Bell Hooks, I came to see racism as a real problem, but it’s real goal is political and social division. Racism is a manipulation tool of power to maintain classicism. Continued racism is an insurance policy for those with power and resources.
Yup! So of course the QOP wants to ban Critical Race Theory and dismiss history like the 1619 project. When people learn, ignorance is replaced with truth and knowledge, then all that left is compassion.
“But it’s real goal is political and social division.” Exactly. And thank you for bringing me back to see that. Squabblers don’t unite and remain controllable. Enter Facebook & Twitter stage Right.
In addition to "The 1619 Project", read "The Flag + The Cross" by Philip Gorski which describes the threat of white "Christian " Nationalism to our democratic republic.
You're right Nancy. I totally agree. My ill conceived comment was meant to highlight talking about women's appearances as opposed to men's. But it's not something we should talk about or judge anyone by. Thank you!
I believe the hatred mentioned was because he is a devious scoundrel that must be removed from his seat because he lies, cheats, is himself a racist hypocrite, and can not be trusted!
That may very well be true, Sandy, but it isn't applicable to what we are discussing here. Many women have a poor self image. This isn't even a part of the reason she's a terrible, horrible human.
In response... thanks for the comment. I am in agreement.. to a point: Obesity is a national ailment or disease, mostly caused by behavior, often leads to type 2 diabetes, drug cost, heart disease, different cancers - that burdens health care. Ginny Thomas is a societal problem, she misused her role as spouse of a justice, she is intolerant, she violated the law with her point of view urged on the White House - her husband’s votes are influenced by her - last, she and Clarence are emotionally disturbed and dangerous. Her obesity and his may be viewed as part of a bigger picture and problem, setting a bad example.
I know addiction first hand. I've never been addicted to an illegal substance. But I have been addicted to alcohol and food. Both are marketed heavily to young people with no warnings about their addictive properties. I got sober 11/15/2018. It has been significantly more difficult to get over my sugar addiction. Companies spend millions on the complicated science involved in making their products addictive. And just like alcohol, not everyone will become addicted. Because of the ignorance of people who believe what you believe, it is even more difficult for people to break their food addiction. Your comments are cruel and willfully ignorant. You don't belong here. You make this forum worse. Change or leave.
Dred Scott v. Sandford,[a] 60 U.S. (19 How.) 393 (1857), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court in which the Court held that the United States Constitution was not meant to include American citizenship for people of African descent, regardless of whether they were enslaved or free, and so the rights and privileges that the Constitution confers upon American citizens could not apply to them.[3][4] The Supreme Court's decision has been widely denounced, both for how overtly racist the decision was and its crucial role in the start of the Civil War four years later.[5] Legal scholar Bernard Schwartz said that it "stands first in any list of the worst Supreme Court decisions." Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes called it the Court's greatest self-inflicted wound."[6] Historian Junius P. Rodriguez said that it is "universally condemned as the U.S. Supreme Court's worst decision."[7] Historian David Thomas Konig said that it was "unquestionably, our court's worst decision ever."[8]
And number two on that list of the worst decisions ever is the Supreme Court's decision of accepting as worthy justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett because of McConnell's clandestine methodology sneaking them in through the back door of corruption's den of thieves!
Well, I'd say number 2 is giving George W. Bush the presidency, without which those three probably never would have been on the court. But I'll take it as #3.
I don't agree with the part about white racism, although there's plenty of that to go around. The coup starts with Trump's megalomania and rides on a bunch of his acolytes who want to hold onto power at all costs. But I agree with the rest.
Gailee, you’re right. Our world came terrifyingly close to ending because of complacency and still could because of disinformation. People believed a demagogue because he talked like a buddy rather than talking like a teacher.
He gave them (and gives them) an example of someone who sounds like them who appears to be very successful in the business world. He addresses their concerns about a shifting social culture. He gives them a number of groups of “others” to fear or blame for their woes and warns them that only he can fix it (he only needs more time).
Mary, anyone who believed him because he "talks like a buddy" or because he appeared to be successful apparently didn't have access to a newspaper for the last 40 years. He had been fodder for news reports that spelled out his numerous bankruptcies; his base lack of character was evident when he evicted elderly tenants from his properties; his many divorces were examples of his total lack of morals; his lack of intellect was obvious because he was unable to string together a coherent sentence. The idea that anyone thought he could be successful as the most powerful man in the world is ludicrous. Those who voted for him, deserved him. The rest of us are suffering from this debacle, and his sycophants are allowing it to continue.
Nancy, same here -- never watched a single episode. A small fragment from time to time, but not by choice. Other people's homes, waiting rooms, etc. Growing up across the river from him, I could easily see the difference between the actual man and the script-reading character.
I was blindsided. I visited Germany during the campaign in 2016, and someone in Munich commented that he thought Trump would win. I laughed, and said "not a chance." I've been depressed and outraged ever since. Of course, initially I thought there would be guardrails . . . . wrong on all of it.🤢
There’s a great New Yorker article by Dorothy Wickendon from 2019 about Mark Burnett. One reveal: He entered the US illegally when, as a British merchant marine, he jumped ship in LA and then worked as a nanny. Doesn’t tfg just hate illegal immigrants? Oh yeah, only if they’re brown.
Most people don’t read the New York Times, the New York Post or the Washington Post. Trump was pilloried in these papers and the criticism deepened his inferiority complex. But he has explained to his minions that the press is elitist and they believe him. I don’t know if it’s stupidity so much as poor education lacking in critical thinking skills.
Barbara, I read about most of it in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, so hooray that Atlanta at least has that source. It also was on television. He's crafty, but I don't think that can be counted as intelligence. I'm also convinced that he was supported by Putin and our own oligarchs, who pointed him in the direction of the "elites." Lack of critical thinking skills is, indeed, an affliction that affects many.
Nancy and Barbara, I agree. Feral cunning not directly related to or indicative of higher reasoning. I also believe that poor or no critical reasoning skills are a significant factor in the pliable gullibility of the republican base. How on earth do we fight against that?
We lead with logic and reason, they lead with needs and emotion, impossible to have a productive discussion between the two.
I believe the only course left is to stop trying to change closed minds, and concentrate on activating democrats and independents to overwhelm at the polls; and fight in D.C. with legislation and DOJ -- and the states with litigation. Put all of our energies into strategies that are working, instead of base arguing with base.
Nancy, I don’t recall reading about anything other than gossip and ridicule about trump before 2015. I doubt the San Francisco Chronicle, my regional paper, covered him.
It might have been that the East Coast is far from SF, and I doubt that anyone ever envisioned what his future would be. I'm originally from Boston, and probably became aware of him there, many years ago. Before he bought the Atlantic City casinos, I read about his abuse of tenants in apartments that his father had developed and was appalled at his disgusting behavior. There were always rumors of his refusing to pay contractors and unethical political scheming. After that, then the bankruptcies of the casinos, his comment about Marla Maples getting only $1 million in their divorce because she came from "a backwater in Georgia, and had never seen that much money," cemented my disgust. I cannot think of one redeeming quality that he possesses.
Nancy, In 2015, there were only 35 million newspapers sold daily and The Apprentice audiences were 7 million per week. I can attest to the fact that there was very little about Donald Trump in our local newspaper other than the success of The Apprentice until he ran for office. There has never been anything about his evicting people or his bankruptcies. There was no coverage of his marriages or Stormy Daniels in the paper until 2018. I understand that people in the New York City area were aware of his shortcomings, but not in Texas.
Mary, I'm probably a good bit older than you, and the tales of his evicting elderly and his many bankruptcies took place in the '70s and '80s, so I understand that many are not aware of his antics (as a Democrat, by the way). Stormy Daniels' story never was revealed until 2018. Still, his behavior during the 2015 campaign should have given a whiff of the stench surrounding him and his total lack of character and intelligence. Hillary was correct about The Deplorables.
Mary, I agree with your analysis. When young Donald accompanied his father to construction sites, he learned how those guys talk and think. Many people deeply disliked school and teachers (mostly women, right?). The Apprentice did wonders for him. New Yorkers knew his history of stiffing contractors, etc., but people wouldn’t trust their advice because “coastal elites” became a group to despise along with the rest of the “others.”
Gailee, You. Said. It. I rarely catch a longer post from you (I am never able to read all of the daily comments, only maybe a third, max), but whenever you open up and let it fly, I stop and pay close attention to what you have to say. Thank you! Please write more....
Gailee, I grieve for the Ukrainians as well, they are never out of my mind or my prayers. I am SO glad that our President is doing the maximum to help them without crossing that invisible line that endangers the rest of the world as well — although it may yet come to that....
President Biden is not doing the maximum. And President Putin’s nuclear bluff is total nonsense. We are watching Ukraine be destroyed. A Ukrainian citizen force has whipped the mighty Russian bear - as Ukraine is being destroyed. Europe and Australia and many help, but the help is insufficient. President Zelenskyy begs for what he needs. The fearful cowardly allies blink.
This is Poland 1939. Italy and Germany are rolling. China is smiling as his nearest enemy is hated.
Who cares about Ukraine?
Think about King Leopold and the Congo. He cut off their hands to make rubber. When the newly hatched war photographers published, Leopold was sent packing.
Putin needs a kick in the ass.
Putin will roll through Ukraine to Poland and the Baltics. He wants the Atlantic Ocean.
We have WW III. Ukraine is WW III.
We blew Vietnam. We blew Iraq. We are blowing Ukraine.
Nato is great. But Nato is not us. America needs to export Tucker with his friends to GITMO for a week of therapy. We need to offer then passage to Siberia.
Zelenskyy declined the ride we offered. He asked for the means.
Pull out the stops.
War is not war when ambivalence rules. It’s losing as we did in Korea with armistice, in Saigon with 58,000 dead and America changed.
Ukraine is the ballgame. We can learn about the value of freedom from Zelenskyy and Ukrainians.
Sandy. I feel the same on an emotional level. But on a practical and risk based level, I ask you to review your statements.
1. Putin has shown his disregard for human life and the planet itself. If a tactical nuclear weapon would gain him an advantage, he would use it. This is not a bluff.
2. NATO is indeed us.
3. "Pull out the stops"? Escalate? Russia has a history of conflict that casually results in millions of deaths. And Putin is another Stalin. A madman. Clever, but totally unbalanced. (Sounds familiar, eh?)
I agree that "we blew Vietnam and Iraq". We should not have been in either country. And local resistance was more powerful than our "superior" forces. They beat us because they were motivated - just like Ukrainians.
Korea? Please. I think we can make the case for justification there. If all of Korea were like North Korea, Earth's hell would be larger. But we were out manned. The Chinese were coming over the hill faster than we could shoot them. And there were millions more behind them. Should we have escalated that war as well and bombed major Chinese cities?
I share your anger and frustration. But Biden is handling this situation very well. We ARE assisting by providing all manner of weaponry. And we just entered into a process where we can help NATO send Russian tanks (that the Ukrainians know how to use) to aid in the fight.
And we are sending more American NATO troops to those countries that might be threatened by a Russian expansion.
Putin is losing the war. Slaughtering his way in retreat. Russians will not put up with Putin forever. All of this will take much too long, of course. But it beats the speed of a nuclear explosion. And the impact on the rest of the world? Nuclear fallout drifting with the winds...
And now, back to the other front of the war on freedom. The fascist attempted coup of the USA.
Bill Alstrom, of course. Perfect sense. MAD risks nuclear war. So does ambivalence. Afghanistan. Cuba. Unthinkable. But real. My wife’s Opa was ‘25 Nobel James Franck. Close to the kind Albert Einstein, close to the heavy handed pianist Edward Teller. Close to Lise Meitner, brightest of all. Study The Franck Report, ignored by Harry S Truman. Franck dropped physics, took up photosynthesis.
We know the Russians and our CIA operatives. The logic is not always clear. Stalin was certifiable. A sick man. Demented. Sick. Bluffing Nikita Kruschev was not. Andropov was very sane. Like soccer. Mr. Gorbachev was perfectly sane and in love. Putin is nasty, cunning, psychotic, cruel, psychopathic, but not suicidal. He’s a coward. He will not initiate thermonuclear war. He likes his sex life in Switzerland. He is immensely wealthy. He will retire rich like Leopold II. When they threaten, it’s a bluff. Worry about the silent. America must not tolerate Syria, MBS, Kim in N. Korea - where armistice is a state of war for China’s proxy. We must worry about China and fresh water and our own fascists - where racial intolerance rules and the incredible pain persists - ignored here.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is a God send. Watch her. She is the light. The love of America.
Viewing what Russia is doing in Ukraine, and also what the Republican leadership did in attempting to depose democracy right here, from that "practical and risk based level" you suggest, means doing little more than debating issues. There is a time to be 'practical' and a time to take risks in Ukraine and at home. Manhattan prosecutor Bragg chose the 'practical' course and the defeated former president is gloating. President Biden and Attorney-General Garland have decisions to make which will affect democracy right here and in the rest of the world as well.
Jack Lippman - I was raised by Bruno Bettelheim. He experienced Dachau and Buchenwald. He said in 1955 that I - Sandy Lewis - would live to experience Nazi type slaughter in my lifetime. I was 15.
Bill, thanks for being a voice of reason. Sandy, you say, “We blew Vietnam. We blew Iraq.” to support your argument for the US to join the war in Ukraine. Are you saying we should send American troops to Ukraine? Sending troops to Vietnam and Iraq is how we “blew it” in those countries. I agree with Bill, Biden has handled a complex, dangerous situation very well. And I am far from convinced that a cornered, desperate Putin won’t use nuclear weapons.
I like and voted for Biden, I supported Obama and helped him with NYT, supported, helped and knew George McGovern, redrafted his economic plan from MIT, knew Tom Eagleton, took him to The Orthogenic School, he was a house guest, I was a guest with him and Barbara, we knew R. Sargent Shriver, I knew Fritz Mondale, Jimmy Carter very slightly, dad knew Jack Javitz well, we worked on immigration, we knew Nelson A. Rockefeller very well, I know and detest George Elmer Pataki - et cetera.... but we start with the law. Wars must be declared. Exception: nuclear response to incoming missiles and base protection in our worldwide operations. We must give the commander in chief the power to react. This does not justify Kuwait with 550,000 involved with GHWB ... or what followed with W. The lines of authority slide in nuclear with missiles. But congress must declare and the Draft was obliterated by congress because Nobel Milton Friedman wanted to free the president and congress to fight without a draft... fearing a reluctant citizenry. In Ukraine, we must act... but only with congressional approval... bipartisan support is essential. If genocide does not matter, we will have genocide - as we see in many areas of the globe. In Ukraine, we see a democracy resisting a dictatorship... and the Security Council is helpless. We should act. I do not believe thermonuclear war will result. Putin wants to live.
Sandy, you’ve found your tribe here. We don’t think you’re crazy. You resonate with most of us. Keep sharing, my friend. I just read the NYT piece about you and cried and laughed and appreciated Barbara as being such a find for you and her because of course you’re difficult to live with and she does it and we’re all better off for her keeping you alive. Because you’re not done yet. And you’ve found your tribe now, too. Ethics and brains. My head is spinning. You are not alone here. You are appreciated.
I think you are commenting outside your circle of competence. I trust the wisdom of moral & Christian just war theory. War should always be the last resort. We have learned from the mistakes of Iraq.
Congress declaring war is a ship that sailed long ago. Congress is dysfunctional and has abdicated its role in such matters. Many Presidents ago. "Bi-partisan support?" Another ship over the horizon. Biden is doing a very delicate dance. I am grateful. More weapons, more aid is on its way.
American and/or NATO boots on the ground in Ukraine would do nothing to improve the lot of the Ukrainians. Just ask all the other nations we have tried to "aid". Can we and will we do more to enable the Ukrainians? Yes and yes. But no US boots, no US planes. The repercussions would be immense. There are millions of naive, misinformed Russian draftees who would be ready to run into the slaughter. It's a Russian tradition.
As horrific as the genocide is in Ukraine, I, for one, do not think NATO can achieve our goals by directly initiating combat with Russian forces. That will lead to an even greater carnage and give Putin the reasons he needs to move into Poland or Finland. Of course, if he took that step, the entire "free world" would be engaged. WW III. We would be lighting a match over the puddle of gasoline.
But reasons to be optimistic. Russian forces are performing poorly. They are not the army Putin thought he had. They are losing ground and giving back territory. There is dissension in the ranks and in Moscow. Heads are rolling. The pain of the Russian people has just begun. Putin is a short timer. Not quick enough. But it's inevitable.
I think we should consider the idea that we have limited control over the events of the world. What is happening in Ukraine is not "fixable" by just "getting tough". And haven't we shown a lot of sympathy to Europeans in this situation and done very little for Rwanda or Yemen or Sudan? Interesting, I think.
As much as I admire the Ukrainians and respect their desire for freedom and independence, we are not powerful enough to be the guarantor of such in all 193 countries on the Earth.
And please consider this. Not very long ago Ukraine had nuclear missiles - aimed at us. Their interest in democracy is quite new. No excuse for what Putin is doing. But Ukraine is not Canada.
Should we do every possible thing in terms of providing weapons, ammunition, and technology as well as assistance to the civilian population? Yes.
I don't think Putin is concerned with anything other than his legacy along with Stalin. "Make Russia great again" no matter the costs.
You say "We should act. I do not believe thermonuclear war will result. Putin wants to live." But there are ways Putin could employ dirty bombs and/or chemical agents that would not qualify as a missile strike. How would we respond to that?
If we handle this correctly, Putin will find an off ramp before his people slip him some novichok. Then we'll be looking at reparations from Russia. It will be a multi-generational story with no satisfying ending.
But hey, when that big ice shelf breaks off, we'll be worried about some even bigger problems.
Bill, I would submit that were Putin determined to escalate, he would invent a pretext for doing so. Meanwhile, short of putting American and NATO troops on the ground or in the air, I believe that 1) continuing to resupply Ukraine with much needed munitions and 2) providing the air power Ukraine requires to enforce its own no-fly zone are Ukraine’s best shots, in my view, at maintaining a stalemate and moving both parties towards a negotiated settlement. I, further, would note it is my understanding that, currently, Zelensky is requesting no more and no less.
Putin has already decided whether or not he will unleash nuclear or chemical weapons. It is left for him to decide only what he will use as an excuse. What are the reasons he may be withdrawing many Russian troops? And training fresh young troops?
Past the most effective time we could have given Ukraine the arms they requested. We need to send them immediately, if not sooner.
Bill Alstrom, we are witnessing pure GENOCIDE. The good Andrei Kozyrev former Russian foreign minister, gets it. He understands Putin. He’s right. Putin will not use nuclear weapons. Period.
I agree with Bill, war should always be the last resort. Since Ukraine is not a member of NATO, this is a UN problem. The UN must be reformed to prevent future Ukranian humanitarian crises. For now, Biden must continue to lead NATO & strategically supply Ukraine. He should seek further assistance from China.
We need a strong UN and UN needs strong democracies to grow it’s strength. Putin has long been in the making. The time to intervene was decades ago. We are way behind the 8 ball now with autocracies rising around the world and monsters like Putin with the nuclear power to take all of us out with him. The world leader in democracy fell asleep at the wheel and let the monsters in their front door.
Perchance, the knots may unravel in that line keeping a great evil in check.
I too greatly admire Mr Biden’s strategy, thinking it the right thing to do instead of applying a pretext-driven military reflex. At the same time I share the angst, the fear, that honoring a principle of never again can come at too high a cost for humanity and democracy, as Sandy suggests.
I appreciate the discussion here as I see parallels on the international stage as to how laws interpreted are used to maintain the status quo, effectively blocking growth in democracy achieved within this American theater.
When? When our CIA and the intel operations of our NATO partners determine that the Russian people, their military, and their oligarchs will not do the job themselves. Acting decisively ourselves before that point can strengthen his hold on these groups, painting our actions as Western 'picking on Russia.'
Sandy, did you ask Bruno Bettelheim how he knew you would see genocide in your lifetime? Did you ask him what causes such madness? Did you ask what can be done to prevent it? Did you understand his answer? I’m not meaning to disrespect you, a man that appears to have way above average intellect and the motivation to be self taught. However I am extremely grateful that a man of Biden’s composure, grace, and experience in the matters of world governments and leaders is making such decisions and not an emotional and reactive though very intelligent Sandy Lewis. Peace ☮️
How many more people will be slaughtered before the Russians 'will not put up with Putin forever?' (Bill Alstrom, quote)
There is more than one channel, Bill, that some human beings can pay attention to:
'Scenes of horror in Bucha spark outcry'
‘Scenes of horror and devastation emerged as Russian troops withdrew from towns they had seized in the opening days of the invasion of Ukraine. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told The Washington Post that about 270 residents had been buried in two graves. He estimated that 40 bodies were on the streets’.
‘Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian attack on his nation amounted to a genocide.’
‘ODESSA, Ukraine — Explosions rocked Odessa early Sunday as Russia said its missiles struck an oil refinery and fuel storage facilities — sending thick dark plumes of smoke into the sky in the first major strikes on the strategic Black Sea port city’s downtown.’ (WAPO)
‘As the days and weeks went by, food became scarce and any good will from the soldiers vanished, too. Residents boiled snow for water and lived off what they had stored from their small gardens. Russian soldiers, without a proper logistics pipeline, began looting people’s homes, shops and even the local chocolate factory. One butcher spray painted “ALREADY LOOTED” on his shop so the soldiers would not break in. On another store, another deterrence: “EVERYTHING IS TAKEN, NOTHING LEFT.”
‘Elections in Hungary and Serbia looked set to extend the rule of Europe’s two most Kremlin-friendly leaders.’ (NYTimes)
Note: President V. Putin claims to be very religious, and he has the allegiance of the top Russian prelate, the head of Greek Orthodox or Russian Church that split from Rome back when: no real surprise. So, Pope Francis is now thinking: should The Holy Father Pope Francis question the strange credibility of the Russian Orthodox leader that’s supporting genocide - and add yet another controversy to the Big Lie Tribal folks of Fox Fix? Clearly the Vatican in Rome is inching towards questioning Putin’s brutal killing of civilians.
Fern and Sandy. You both accurately describe the situation. The horrors unfolding. But what specific actions do you think the US should take now in response - other than providing weapons, technology, intelligence and humanitarian aid. And should that "whatever" be in concert with NATO? How should we "flex" or act more aggressively?
I completely agree. If ever there was a just war, this is it. Ukraine can defend itself if we provide the equipment and intelligence. Give them what they need, all of it, including planes. If we don’t stop Putin and his henchmen in Ukraine, history proves they will continue invading and destroying other nations. Every inch they gain emboldens them.
The nuclear threat hangs over our heads regardless, it’s no excuse to abandon an ally.
I agree, Diane. Give them all the equipment they need and have requested including planes. Maybe the gut wrenching photos shown this morning after the Ukrainians went back and discovered the bodies in the street, hands tied behind their backs, will finally be the tipping point.
Glad to have Sandy here, makes for a more interesting comments section. BTW, “Liar’s Poker” is the best expose of Wall St I’ve read. I believe Sandy was a source for the book. (Correction, Sandy was a source for "House of Cards", another expose of Wall St - jr).
I was not a source for Michael Lewis’ first Wall Street book. Salomon syndicate brilliant partner John H. Gutfreund was quoted and ridiculed. I had departed SB&H by that time. Michael Lewis (not related) was accurate. Gutfreund was trapped.
I would tend to agree with you. I feel if he wants to peruse nuclear war or cyber attacks he will do it no matter. I don’t think Zelenski is asking for anything he shouldn't have right now.
You may want to read today's WAPO Mag article/interview w retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. I agree with him that this is the most important win of the century. He makes a very strong case as former Director of Russian Affairs for the NSC and was born in Ukraine. The interview was conducted on March 8, 2022.
"Alexander Vindman discusses the invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and the dangers ahead -" The Washington Post
Small point: Col. Vindman and his equally distinguished twin brother may have been born in Ukraine (then part of the USSR), but they are 100% American.
It’s worth mentioning that Vindman was the person who exposed Trump’s “perfect phone call” attempt to blackmail Ukraine, which led to his first impeachment. Trump fired him.
Most here are likely aware of Lt. Col. Vindman's book "Here, Right Matters". If not or you haven't yet read it, I recommend it. It's not classy literary writing but pretty straightforward and provides, in the first person, who he is and how he became such a dedicated American.
I find the comments of the Russian that was interviewed in Finland to exactly mirror the situation of American Trumpistas.
“The problem is that there are many Russians who cannot admit our mistakes, cannot realize that we are trapped in a nightmare,” an art director told Doyle. “It’s much easier to watch TV and absorb the government propaganda. It’s easier to not think…. You have this vast country with many people who are poor and who have never travelled abroad. They are very isolated, with no communication, only their television. They work hard all day, come home exhausted and the TV is their only source.”
If anyone had any questions about how people could vote against their own interests, here is the answer. And I am sorry, but the answer is not that they are “deplorable”. Understand that our language is also propaganda and we need to make sure that our propaganda remains truthful rather than vindictive.
Wow Patricia, thanks for your very constructive thoughts. I totally agree with you! The only thing I would add is the social media choices of the folks we are talking about. Very difficult to penetrate or change the resulting alternate reality of both TV and mobile device.
Very well said, Gailee. Your point #2 is particularly poignant. I devoutly hope that it is not too late for them to "realize" where they have taken us.
Agree Ally. I believe the spiritual realm of the universe always provides a time line and scenarios for mere humans to look and wonder about. That it had to be the decimation of Ukraine and cruel regard for its people, on top of the clear picture that emerges from Jan 6th committee and clear perceptive reporting from authors such as HCR and TC…..it’s pretty much in the face of every American…really every human on the planet. Free to live, love, create. Or, subjugated to a political philosophy which does not honor the collective good.
I tremble to think what more needs to be shown to humans to open their minds to the Light instead of cringing and creeping in darkness.
It's hard for me not to hate all republicans because they can't see what's happening to our democracy. They can't see what they are ALLOWING to happen.
The R's can clearly see what is happening, being enslaved by the Great Deceiver, they have created the origination of the dismantling of American Democracy.
HOW?
By their clandestine brotherhood of old rich bigoted lying, cheating, dark room existence of both complicit silence combined with bribery on the grandest of scale transforming ALL R's into their fervent allegiance to insatiable greed & power.
Not "Allowing"...
By the R's SELF-AGGRANDIZMENT ON THE GRANDEST OF SCALE!
I confess to smiling at biblical references, especially by us “liberals”. I long ago decided the religious right does not read the book they claim to love. Perhaps you can appreciate my weird humor at thinking about their love affair with Russia being tied to the statement in Revelation that a bear will help the Beast for a while at least (that’s a paraphrase of the text). If I were a betting man (which I am not :-)) They are misreading that part of the book too.
I do appreciate your humor of intermingling a juxtaposition of Russia's evilness Putin’s, (bear), and the Beast as set out in the book of Revelation in our Holy Bible.
I believe you may be referencing the book of Revelation and indeed they are misreading that part of the book also.
To wit:
Revelation 13:17, KJV:
“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
An interesting side bar note:
There is the long held conjecture that reference to the phrase "...number of his name...", is 666, (the Evil One, the False Prophet, the Anti-Christ, the Devil...A rose by any other name smells just the same).
The verse 13:17 describes the False Prophet's implementation of the ‘mark of the beast.’
This comes from a Greek word, charagma, which is used to describe the branding of livestock.
The purpose of this mark is to identify the bearer as one loyal to the Antichrist, e.g. the Beast.
Other statements in the book of Revelation make it clear that true believers will reject this mark (Revelation 20:4), and those who take it are knowingly rejecting God and His gospel (Revelation 14:9–11).
In other words, the mark is not something "innocent" people will be tricked into accepting.
Evidently some seem not so innocent and have already been tricked into accepting the Beast as their god, Eh!?
My caveat to you is the fact that every person contemplatively reading Holy Scripture is immediately interpreting the meaning of their reading based upon their collective experiences up to that moment of reading.
Or.
Actually hearing the voice of GOD based upon the blessing of HIS inspiration HE is giving to the reader to understand GOD's particular message to that reader at that moment of reading.
Right on. But given that we are talking about at least one-third of the American population we are not dealing with a mere cult or faction. This is much bigger. There appears to me only one way out of this for Russia and the U.S. Start over, as in our case drastically change the Constitution (which may involve creating two countries here). Actually, we have a second option: give the Democrats a super majority in the House and Senate so there is a 60-40 power base to get rid of gridlock. How likely is either? I wouldn't want the Las Vegas oddsmakers to tell us. Enjoy life while we can.
My reactions to:
1. ¨All Russians will be hated.¨ No. Just as I don't hate all Americans because of Trump, McConnell and the others who are our Putin and his thugs.
2. ¨...a population in Russia gradually coming to realize they have fallen under the iron hand of a dictator as the government cracks down on dissent.¨ This is how I view Americans who refuse to see what the Republicans have become. It will be too late by the time they realize.
3. What an insight into the lives of Russians who have never felt that they have been under a dictator. They have ¨nice, good, warm, comfortable, cozy things¨. We tend to think that the people of Russia and China have miserable lives.
4. I wake up every morning thinking of all of the dead and displaced Ukrainians. One morning they kissed their children good bye to go to school. Their husbands and wives went to work. They had plans for the weekend. And. Just. Like. That. Their world ended because of one man. Anyone who thinks it can't happen here Just. Like. That. needs to wake up.
4.
It happened. And the Republican Party led by a cabal organized a coup. That coup is ongoing. Its leaders and followers are in plain view. The congress is implicated. Black lying SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas married to an obese white fascist woman who directed the COS at the White House is deep into the coup. She thinks she’s running the coup with the Chief of Staff. Her best friend is Justice Thomas. He should be impeached. The American public must learn detail of January 6th, before, during and after.
A republic if you can keep it. It’s Midnight in DC. Chairman Adam Schiff did the book. We nearly lost our democracy and the peaceful transfer of power, and the GOP in the senate is complicit right down to toothy gutless Senator Ben Sasse, the college president terrified of his own shadow.
And what’s driving this coup? White racism, a national disease that was ignored by out white male slave owning founders, the tribal element led by Thomas Jefferson who was loving his Negro slave Sally Hemings and making babies with her here and in France, in plain view, and all knew it. He drafted the constitution and observed its words in the breach - and supported our national crime nightly. Some 400,000 Negro slaves were bought and sold, their children were bought and sold, and emancipation meant more of the same in plain view. We lynched them, we photographed the lynchings and sold postcards with those images. Land of the free was the first Big Lie.
Today’s Big Lie is Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Lindsay Graham and more savaging Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, their intellectual and moral superior as she smiles patiently and calls them senator, not fascist.
Which is what they are.
Sandy, Jefferson did not draft the Constitution but the Declaration of Independence.
The words "All men are created equal" draw attention to an even deeper contradiction.
Apart from that detail, I'm with you.
Correct. Jefferson drafted we the people... Monroe and others drafted the first draft. Amendments and other parts had many contributors. Our third president was among our most brilliant. He loved a slave. I do not judge him. I might have done the same. Lincoln was our most impressive. And may have been our most stressed and depressed. Biden is heroic and good. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is Biden’s best decision.
Maybe you should read "The 1619 Project" to be more informed about Jefferson. The Bible clearly provides that all men are created equal. Yet Jefferson & the slave owners drafted a Constitution in contravention of the Bible. Moreover, Republicans today are "originalists" but claim America was founded as a "Christian" nation. There is NO consistency to their arguments..
Where does the Bible "clearly provide that all men are created equal"?? The Bible, both Testaments, includes plenty of inequality, especially when women are included in the mix. And Jefferson and most of his cohorts weren't biblical literalists by any stretch of the imagination. IIRC The Bible, esp. the New Testament, does assert that all men are equal *in the eyes of God*. It's also pretty big on distinguishing what's owed to God and what's owed to secular authorities ("render unto Caesar . . .").
Paul in Galatians 3:28 for instance. We are all children of God, & God's greatest commandment is to love our neighbor, which is anyone in need. God suffers, when you treat his children as slaves, like the Egyptians treated the Jews. I suggest that you read "Christians Against Christianity" by Biblical scholar Obery Hendricks. You should also read "The 1619 Project" which provides the history of "cheap grace theology" in America.
So ... if we take the current GOP as "originalists", it therefore means that they want to return to "slavery times".
If you look closely at the Constitution, you'll see that it provides checks and balances for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and between the federal government and the states, but it says very little about economic power coming from outside the government. That's because big business as it developed through the 19th century barely existed; the U.S. at the beginning was a mostly agrarian country. Originalism isn't just about race. It's about letting big business do what it wants with minimal regulation and restraint. In fact, a persuasive argument could be made that "traditional family values" (aka Christian white male supremacy) are a way to enlist popular support for "Big Business über alles," which isn't in its naked form all that attractive to most voters.
Agree. The consistency is found in the GOP inconsistency, their abject fear of color and those different, in differences, their hatreds, and their inconsiderate inconsistencies.
PS: they are not Christian. More to the point, who is, and what is a Christain, today?
Get to the point: make your points.
I claim no expertise. Jefferson fathered with Sally. I have the numbers as published.
Correct, but "all men" simply meant all WHITE MEN. Not black or Native men, or any women, and certainly not enslaved men, just White men, and only those who owned property.
Some may want to read Abigail Adam's letter to her husband, John, in March 1776, in which she writes:
"Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could."
I believe her letter and historical precedent validates your opinion, Susan.
Thank you! My point was that women, black and indigenous men, and enslaved people were NOT considered equal to white property owning men. They were not permitted to vote, own property, or even control their own finances. In fact, it wasn't until nearly 200 years later that women could even obtain credit or purchase birth control without a man's permission. Equal means equal.
Of course you are right, Susan. I was thinking of the Declaration of Independence, the document, and the intentions of Jefferson and others who helped him draft it. You have stuck to the reality, which is in some respects worse than it was in 1776.
If some Americans have their way, it’ll be back to a “verkrampte” version of South Africa in 1950: no “miscegenation”, women as chattels and non-whites as unpersons. The “improvement”? In place of citizens, consumers.
I'm not so sure of that, Susan. How you can possibly be so sure of it?
We all know the ingrained prejudices of many, far too many, from the 18th century down to this day. But could you not merely be echoing some of our own contemporary counter-prejudices?
Pace the so-called “originalists”, how can we really know all that was on Jefferson's mind?
That is why I wrote of “contradictions”, perhaps I should have written “paradoxes”.
That said, we do know something about Jefferson’s relationships, in particular that with Sally Hemings. Now link this up with Jefferson’s personal acquaintance with the great French philosopher Condorcet and the latter’s determined championship of women’s rights and, above all, the abolition of African slavery.
Now, take a good look at this essay, Condorcet, Abolitionist: https://brill.com/previewpdf/book/9789004246713/B9789004246713-s005.xml
In particular this passage:
“Of all the philosophes, Condorcet alone came out unequivocally
against almost all forms of discrimination. As he put it near the start
of his On the Admission of Women to Voting Rights (1790), ‘he who
votes against the right of another, whatever be his religion, color, or
sex, has from that moment on adjured his own rights’.”
In this conviction, he was continuing and developing the thought of his great predecessor Montesquieu (1689-1755) who wrote a scathingly ironic passage on the matter in De l’esprit des lois :
https://books.openedition.org/obp/2956?lang=en
Excerpts :
“If I had to justify our right to enslave negroes, this is what I would say:
Once the peoples of Europe had wiped out the people of America, they were obliged to enslave the peoples of Africa, because they needed someone to clear the land in America.
Sugar would be too expensive if there were no slaves to cultivate the plant it comes from.”
AND
“It is impossible to believe that these people are human beings, for, if we did believe them to be human beings, we would have to wonder whether we ourselves are Christians.”
With all this, Jefferson will have become familiar during the years he spent as America’s Minister to France, right up to the storming of the Bastille:
https://ugapress.manifoldapp.org/read/the-french-enlightenment-in-america-essays-on-the-times-of-the-founding-fathers/section/d18e63db-06fc-4084-83e0-783d451cf0b2
Here is an extract from a letter written by Jefferson to the French philosopher on August 30th 1791:
“I am happy to be able to inform you that we have now in the United States a negro, the son of a black man born in Africa, and of a black woman born in the United States, who is a very respectable Mathematician. I procured him to be employed under one of our chief directors in laying out the new federal city on the Patowmac, and in the intervals of his leisure, while on that work, he made an Almanac for the next year, which he sent me in his own handwriting, and which I inclose to you. I have seen very elegant solutions of Geometrical problems by him. Add to this that he is a very worthy and respectable member of society. He is a free man. I shall be delighted to see these instances of moral eminence so multiplied as to prove that the want of talents observed in them is merely the effect of their degraded condition, and not proceeding from any difference in the structure of the parts on which intellect depends.”
Horrors—look who had a hand in the design of Washington DC…
Plainly, if what now calls itself “the Republican Party” comes to power, we shall soon have book burnings, to include such subversive “woke” literature as Montesquieu, Condorcet and, no doubt, the outdated maunderings of Thomas Jefferson.
❤️
No idea why I can’t ❤️ your post by clicking on the icon, but here it is: ❤️❤️❤️
You are right Susan. When Ben was in London as the Agent of the Pennsylvania Assembly, per Marcia Baliscciano, the Director of the Ben Franklin House at 36 Craven Street in London, Ben brought only 3 people with him, his son, William and two (2) enslaved men ( names not stated). I saw a short PBS clip fron the Ben Franklin Series which starts tomorrow at 9 pm ET.
Property: slaves.
Thank you Peter, Ben Franklin is is often attributed with the phrase, "... with certain unalienable Rights ...*, See also, Ben's prescient "Albany Plan" of 1754. Hopefully, both historical facts will be explored in depth on a upcoming public Television documentary aimed at a National audience.
And thank you, Bryan, for drawing attention to the influence of Ben Franklin -- I hope that many here will take due note.
His down-to-earth sanity is a balm in times of insanity.
PBS is airing a Ken Burns film about Benjamin Franklin, starting tomorrow (April 4). I’m looking forward to it.
My TIVO is already programmed.
Awesome! ❤️ I’ll look for it! Thanks for the heads up. 🙏
If we could learn his secret to being so curious and self motivated to learn maybe our capitalistic society could some how market it and inadvertently cause their own extinction. I love reading about Franklin. From Wikipedia: “Franklin's father wanted him to attend school with the clergy but only had enough money to send him to school for two years. He attended Boston Latin School but did not graduate; he continued his education through voracious reading. Although "his parents talked of the church as a career"[17] for Franklin, his schooling ended when he was ten. He worked for his father for a time, and at 12 he became an apprentice to his brother James, a printer, who taught Ben the printing trade.”
And, Ben was a darn good young printer & journaliist tight with his Community.
I never forgot his comments on his beer-swilling colleagues in England...
They were probably more lucid than their boozed-up descendants, especially the jumped-up journalist -- shades of Mussolini -- who presides over Downing Street junketing.
Meanwhile, America's geriatric Caligula's a teetotaller,
And then there was that Fuehrer whose speeches said geriatric Caligula is reported to have listened to as bedtime stories.
What was it someone called him?
A vegetarian Tamerlane?
Ken Burns documentary on Ben Franklin coming up on PBS. Starts this Monday, tomorrow, I believe.
We agree
Thank you for stating the raw truth about how central racism is to America’s dilemmas. It’s too bad that people can’t see the role racism has played since America’s “founding”. It was 4 million enslaved people (not 400,000). The atrocities committed by Americans are rarely acknowledged or discussed. There’s a concerted effort even now to keep people from the truth (e.g bans on CRT, 1619 project).
The Republicans enjoy support because white people think they will keep people of color in their place-Trump has told them he is their savior to protect the real Americans. The majority of white people are all in with him.
Race has been an effective tool for their divide and conquer strategy. If people knew the historical truth about slavery and racism maybe we could move toward a more perfect union.
From reading Bell Hooks, I came to see racism as a real problem, but it’s real goal is political and social division. Racism is a manipulation tool of power to maintain classicism. Continued racism is an insurance policy for those with power and resources.
YES! bell hooks is right on with her analysis, Ted. And for the seditionists, any ism can be made a tool for division.
Yup! So of course the QOP wants to ban Critical Race Theory and dismiss history like the 1619 project. When people learn, ignorance is replaced with truth and knowledge, then all that left is compassion.
“But it’s real goal is political and social division.” Exactly. And thank you for bringing me back to see that. Squabblers don’t unite and remain controllable. Enter Facebook & Twitter stage Right.
In addition to "The 1619 Project", read "The Flag + The Cross" by Philip Gorski which describes the threat of white "Christian " Nationalism to our democratic republic.
Truth in every word
Justice Thomas is obese too.
Kim and Sandy - Stop this. Obesity is not a personality trait, a belief system, or a reason to hate anyone.
Thankyou, Nancy. I'm also an obese white woman but that does not make me evil.
You're right Nancy. I totally agree. My ill conceived comment was meant to highlight talking about women's appearances as opposed to men's. But it's not something we should talk about or judge anyone by. Thank you!
I believe the hatred mentioned was because he is a devious scoundrel that must be removed from his seat because he lies, cheats, is himself a racist hypocrite, and can not be trusted!
Trump calls out people for being obese too. Don't be like Trump.
Income enhanced by darker money constantly fattens his piggy bank, Eh!?
She’s enormous. Poor self image.
That may very well be true, Sandy, but it isn't applicable to what we are discussing here. Many women have a poor self image. This isn't even a part of the reason she's a terrible, horrible human.
He is domed to enjoying his exclusion from the "Club" in disgrace, without benefits!
See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3MCAeLsfY
Trump calls out people for being obese. You are better than that, Sandy. I forgive you, but be better, please.
In response... thanks for the comment. I am in agreement.. to a point: Obesity is a national ailment or disease, mostly caused by behavior, often leads to type 2 diabetes, drug cost, heart disease, different cancers - that burdens health care. Ginny Thomas is a societal problem, she misused her role as spouse of a justice, she is intolerant, she violated the law with her point of view urged on the White House - her husband’s votes are influenced by her - last, she and Clarence are emotionally disturbed and dangerous. Her obesity and his may be viewed as part of a bigger picture and problem, setting a bad example.
I know addiction first hand. I've never been addicted to an illegal substance. But I have been addicted to alcohol and food. Both are marketed heavily to young people with no warnings about their addictive properties. I got sober 11/15/2018. It has been significantly more difficult to get over my sugar addiction. Companies spend millions on the complicated science involved in making their products addictive. And just like alcohol, not everyone will become addicted. Because of the ignorance of people who believe what you believe, it is even more difficult for people to break their food addiction. Your comments are cruel and willfully ignorant. You don't belong here. You make this forum worse. Change or leave.
MONEY GRUBBING WHORE SLAVES TO THE PIMP OF PIMPS.
GEORGE!
Study the Senate GOP today.. and this decision:
Dred Scott v. Sandford,[a] 60 U.S. (19 How.) 393 (1857), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court in which the Court held that the United States Constitution was not meant to include American citizenship for people of African descent, regardless of whether they were enslaved or free, and so the rights and privileges that the Constitution confers upon American citizens could not apply to them.[3][4] The Supreme Court's decision has been widely denounced, both for how overtly racist the decision was and its crucial role in the start of the Civil War four years later.[5] Legal scholar Bernard Schwartz said that it "stands first in any list of the worst Supreme Court decisions." Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes called it the Court's greatest self-inflicted wound."[6] Historian Junius P. Rodriguez said that it is "universally condemned as the U.S. Supreme Court's worst decision."[7] Historian David Thomas Konig said that it was "unquestionably, our court's worst decision ever."[8]
And number two on that list of the worst decisions ever is the Supreme Court's decision of accepting as worthy justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett because of McConnell's clandestine methodology sneaking them in through the back door of corruption's den of thieves!
Well, I'd say number 2 is giving George W. Bush the presidency, without which those three probably never would have been on the court. But I'll take it as #3.
I don't agree with the part about white racism, although there's plenty of that to go around. The coup starts with Trump's megalomania and rides on a bunch of his acolytes who want to hold onto power at all costs. But I agree with the rest.
Quite right.
Gailee, you’re right. Our world came terrifyingly close to ending because of complacency and still could because of disinformation. People believed a demagogue because he talked like a buddy rather than talking like a teacher.
https://youtu.be/phsU1vVHOQI
He gave them (and gives them) an example of someone who sounds like them who appears to be very successful in the business world. He addresses their concerns about a shifting social culture. He gives them a number of groups of “others” to fear or blame for their woes and warns them that only he can fix it (he only needs more time).
Mary, anyone who believed him because he "talks like a buddy" or because he appeared to be successful apparently didn't have access to a newspaper for the last 40 years. He had been fodder for news reports that spelled out his numerous bankruptcies; his base lack of character was evident when he evicted elderly tenants from his properties; his many divorces were examples of his total lack of morals; his lack of intellect was obvious because he was unable to string together a coherent sentence. The idea that anyone thought he could be successful as the most powerful man in the world is ludicrous. Those who voted for him, deserved him. The rest of us are suffering from this debacle, and his sycophants are allowing it to continue.
We have Mark Burnett and The Apprentice to thank for creating the “successful businessman” false narrative.
I never watched a single episode of The Apprentice. I knew what he was, although I was stunned by his winning the election, even with Putin's help.
Nancy, same here -- never watched a single episode. A small fragment from time to time, but not by choice. Other people's homes, waiting rooms, etc. Growing up across the river from him, I could easily see the difference between the actual man and the script-reading character.
Once a wretch, always a wretch, Gus.
Nor did I. How could so many have been sucked into his world of make believe? The damage done...
I was blindsided. I visited Germany during the campaign in 2016, and someone in Munich commented that he thought Trump would win. I laughed, and said "not a chance." I've been depressed and outraged ever since. Of course, initially I thought there would be guardrails . . . . wrong on all of it.🤢
There’s a great New Yorker article by Dorothy Wickendon from 2019 about Mark Burnett. One reveal: He entered the US illegally when, as a British merchant marine, he jumped ship in LA and then worked as a nanny. Doesn’t tfg just hate illegal immigrants? Oh yeah, only if they’re brown.
Most people don’t read the New York Times, the New York Post or the Washington Post. Trump was pilloried in these papers and the criticism deepened his inferiority complex. But he has explained to his minions that the press is elitist and they believe him. I don’t know if it’s stupidity so much as poor education lacking in critical thinking skills.
Barbara, I read about most of it in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, so hooray that Atlanta at least has that source. It also was on television. He's crafty, but I don't think that can be counted as intelligence. I'm also convinced that he was supported by Putin and our own oligarchs, who pointed him in the direction of the "elites." Lack of critical thinking skills is, indeed, an affliction that affects many.
Nancy and Barbara, I agree. Feral cunning not directly related to or indicative of higher reasoning. I also believe that poor or no critical reasoning skills are a significant factor in the pliable gullibility of the republican base. How on earth do we fight against that?
We lead with logic and reason, they lead with needs and emotion, impossible to have a productive discussion between the two.
I believe the only course left is to stop trying to change closed minds, and concentrate on activating democrats and independents to overwhelm at the polls; and fight in D.C. with legislation and DOJ -- and the states with litigation. Put all of our energies into strategies that are working, instead of base arguing with base.
Nancy, I don’t recall reading about anything other than gossip and ridicule about trump before 2015. I doubt the San Francisco Chronicle, my regional paper, covered him.
It might have been that the East Coast is far from SF, and I doubt that anyone ever envisioned what his future would be. I'm originally from Boston, and probably became aware of him there, many years ago. Before he bought the Atlantic City casinos, I read about his abuse of tenants in apartments that his father had developed and was appalled at his disgusting behavior. There were always rumors of his refusing to pay contractors and unethical political scheming. After that, then the bankruptcies of the casinos, his comment about Marla Maples getting only $1 million in their divorce because she came from "a backwater in Georgia, and had never seen that much money," cemented my disgust. I cannot think of one redeeming quality that he possesses.
Yes, TFG was and is the perfect tool.
“I don’t know if it’s stupidity so much as poor education lacking in critical thinking skills.”
All of that.
Nancy, In 2015, there were only 35 million newspapers sold daily and The Apprentice audiences were 7 million per week. I can attest to the fact that there was very little about Donald Trump in our local newspaper other than the success of The Apprentice until he ran for office. There has never been anything about his evicting people or his bankruptcies. There was no coverage of his marriages or Stormy Daniels in the paper until 2018. I understand that people in the New York City area were aware of his shortcomings, but not in Texas.
Mary, I'm probably a good bit older than you, and the tales of his evicting elderly and his many bankruptcies took place in the '70s and '80s, so I understand that many are not aware of his antics (as a Democrat, by the way). Stormy Daniels' story never was revealed until 2018. Still, his behavior during the 2015 campaign should have given a whiff of the stench surrounding him and his total lack of character and intelligence. Hillary was correct about The Deplorables.
Yes, and I heard about them in Texas.
Mary, I agree with your analysis. When young Donald accompanied his father to construction sites, he learned how those guys talk and think. Many people deeply disliked school and teachers (mostly women, right?). The Apprentice did wonders for him. New Yorkers knew his history of stiffing contractors, etc., but people wouldn’t trust their advice because “coastal elites” became a group to despise along with the rest of the “others.”
"Very successful in the business world"??
"who appears to be"...
Gailee, You. Said. It. I rarely catch a longer post from you (I am never able to read all of the daily comments, only maybe a third, max), but whenever you open up and let it fly, I stop and pay close attention to what you have to say. Thank you! Please write more....
Gailee, I grieve for the Ukrainians as well, they are never out of my mind or my prayers. I am SO glad that our President is doing the maximum to help them without crossing that invisible line that endangers the rest of the world as well — although it may yet come to that....
President Biden is not doing the maximum. And President Putin’s nuclear bluff is total nonsense. We are watching Ukraine be destroyed. A Ukrainian citizen force has whipped the mighty Russian bear - as Ukraine is being destroyed. Europe and Australia and many help, but the help is insufficient. President Zelenskyy begs for what he needs. The fearful cowardly allies blink.
This is Poland 1939. Italy and Germany are rolling. China is smiling as his nearest enemy is hated.
Who cares about Ukraine?
Think about King Leopold and the Congo. He cut off their hands to make rubber. When the newly hatched war photographers published, Leopold was sent packing.
Putin needs a kick in the ass.
Putin will roll through Ukraine to Poland and the Baltics. He wants the Atlantic Ocean.
We have WW III. Ukraine is WW III.
We blew Vietnam. We blew Iraq. We are blowing Ukraine.
Nato is great. But Nato is not us. America needs to export Tucker with his friends to GITMO for a week of therapy. We need to offer then passage to Siberia.
Zelenskyy declined the ride we offered. He asked for the means.
Pull out the stops.
War is not war when ambivalence rules. It’s losing as we did in Korea with armistice, in Saigon with 58,000 dead and America changed.
Ukraine is the ballgame. We can learn about the value of freedom from Zelenskyy and Ukrainians.
Let’s give Zelenskyy what he needs.
Sandy. I feel the same on an emotional level. But on a practical and risk based level, I ask you to review your statements.
1. Putin has shown his disregard for human life and the planet itself. If a tactical nuclear weapon would gain him an advantage, he would use it. This is not a bluff.
2. NATO is indeed us.
3. "Pull out the stops"? Escalate? Russia has a history of conflict that casually results in millions of deaths. And Putin is another Stalin. A madman. Clever, but totally unbalanced. (Sounds familiar, eh?)
I agree that "we blew Vietnam and Iraq". We should not have been in either country. And local resistance was more powerful than our "superior" forces. They beat us because they were motivated - just like Ukrainians.
Korea? Please. I think we can make the case for justification there. If all of Korea were like North Korea, Earth's hell would be larger. But we were out manned. The Chinese were coming over the hill faster than we could shoot them. And there were millions more behind them. Should we have escalated that war as well and bombed major Chinese cities?
I share your anger and frustration. But Biden is handling this situation very well. We ARE assisting by providing all manner of weaponry. And we just entered into a process where we can help NATO send Russian tanks (that the Ukrainians know how to use) to aid in the fight.
And we are sending more American NATO troops to those countries that might be threatened by a Russian expansion.
Putin is losing the war. Slaughtering his way in retreat. Russians will not put up with Putin forever. All of this will take much too long, of course. But it beats the speed of a nuclear explosion. And the impact on the rest of the world? Nuclear fallout drifting with the winds...
And now, back to the other front of the war on freedom. The fascist attempted coup of the USA.
Bill Alstrom, of course. Perfect sense. MAD risks nuclear war. So does ambivalence. Afghanistan. Cuba. Unthinkable. But real. My wife’s Opa was ‘25 Nobel James Franck. Close to the kind Albert Einstein, close to the heavy handed pianist Edward Teller. Close to Lise Meitner, brightest of all. Study The Franck Report, ignored by Harry S Truman. Franck dropped physics, took up photosynthesis.
We know the Russians and our CIA operatives. The logic is not always clear. Stalin was certifiable. A sick man. Demented. Sick. Bluffing Nikita Kruschev was not. Andropov was very sane. Like soccer. Mr. Gorbachev was perfectly sane and in love. Putin is nasty, cunning, psychotic, cruel, psychopathic, but not suicidal. He’s a coward. He will not initiate thermonuclear war. He likes his sex life in Switzerland. He is immensely wealthy. He will retire rich like Leopold II. When they threaten, it’s a bluff. Worry about the silent. America must not tolerate Syria, MBS, Kim in N. Korea - where armistice is a state of war for China’s proxy. We must worry about China and fresh water and our own fascists - where racial intolerance rules and the incredible pain persists - ignored here.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is a God send. Watch her. She is the light. The love of America.
There is hope with judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
God likes us. 
'Ambivalence' is dangerous.
'The lying and the truth'
By, Timothy Snyder (fully copied from the historian's newsletter 'Thinking about....' 2 April 2022')
The lying
that there is no Ukraine
that there is no nation
that there is no state
The war to make the lies true
The lying about the war
The shelling of Kyiv
The shelling of Kharkiv
The shelling of Chernihiv
The old beautiful cities
The shelling everywhere
The bombing everywhere
The ghastly siege of Mariupol
The attacks on refugees from Mariupol
The bombing of children in Mariupol
The lying about Mariupol
The attacks on refugees from everywhere
The reporters
The truth of seeing
The abducted
The deported
The millions in flight
The schools Those bombed schools
The hospitals Those bombed hospitals
The archives burned
The lying about the schools and the hospitals
The lying on Russian television
The lying at Russian funerals
The lying about death that enables
The killing for a lie
The future lying enabled by the burning of records about the past
The truth under everything
The rubble, the bodies
The volunteers
The truth of solidarity
The mass murder at Irpin, the bodies under tanks
The mass murder at Bucha, the hands behind backs
The mass murder at Trostyanets, the desecration of corpses
The cities, the towns, the villages, the countryside
The murders everywhere
The truth
(Copied in full from Timothy Snyder's newsletter, 'Thinking about...')
🌿❤️
I am also a fan of Timothy Snyder.
Viewing what Russia is doing in Ukraine, and also what the Republican leadership did in attempting to depose democracy right here, from that "practical and risk based level" you suggest, means doing little more than debating issues. There is a time to be 'practical' and a time to take risks in Ukraine and at home. Manhattan prosecutor Bragg chose the 'practical' course and the defeated former president is gloating. President Biden and Attorney-General Garland have decisions to make which will affect democracy right here and in the rest of the world as well.
Jack Lippman - I was raised by Bruno Bettelheim. He experienced Dachau and Buchenwald. He said in 1955 that I - Sandy Lewis - would live to experience Nazi type slaughter in my lifetime. I was 15.
Never Again is NOW.
Bill, thanks for being a voice of reason. Sandy, you say, “We blew Vietnam. We blew Iraq.” to support your argument for the US to join the war in Ukraine. Are you saying we should send American troops to Ukraine? Sending troops to Vietnam and Iraq is how we “blew it” in those countries. I agree with Bill, Biden has handled a complex, dangerous situation very well. And I am far from convinced that a cornered, desperate Putin won’t use nuclear weapons.
JR The heart doesn't work.
I like and voted for Biden, I supported Obama and helped him with NYT, supported, helped and knew George McGovern, redrafted his economic plan from MIT, knew Tom Eagleton, took him to The Orthogenic School, he was a house guest, I was a guest with him and Barbara, we knew R. Sargent Shriver, I knew Fritz Mondale, Jimmy Carter very slightly, dad knew Jack Javitz well, we worked on immigration, we knew Nelson A. Rockefeller very well, I know and detest George Elmer Pataki - et cetera.... but we start with the law. Wars must be declared. Exception: nuclear response to incoming missiles and base protection in our worldwide operations. We must give the commander in chief the power to react. This does not justify Kuwait with 550,000 involved with GHWB ... or what followed with W. The lines of authority slide in nuclear with missiles. But congress must declare and the Draft was obliterated by congress because Nobel Milton Friedman wanted to free the president and congress to fight without a draft... fearing a reluctant citizenry. In Ukraine, we must act... but only with congressional approval... bipartisan support is essential. If genocide does not matter, we will have genocide - as we see in many areas of the globe. In Ukraine, we see a democracy resisting a dictatorship... and the Security Council is helpless. We should act. I do not believe thermonuclear war will result. Putin wants to live.
Sandy, you’ve found your tribe here. We don’t think you’re crazy. You resonate with most of us. Keep sharing, my friend. I just read the NYT piece about you and cried and laughed and appreciated Barbara as being such a find for you and her because of course you’re difficult to live with and she does it and we’re all better off for her keeping you alive. Because you’re not done yet. And you’ve found your tribe now, too. Ethics and brains. My head is spinning. You are not alone here. You are appreciated.
I think you are commenting outside your circle of competence. I trust the wisdom of moral & Christian just war theory. War should always be the last resort. We have learned from the mistakes of Iraq.
Congress declaring war is a ship that sailed long ago. Congress is dysfunctional and has abdicated its role in such matters. Many Presidents ago. "Bi-partisan support?" Another ship over the horizon. Biden is doing a very delicate dance. I am grateful. More weapons, more aid is on its way.
American and/or NATO boots on the ground in Ukraine would do nothing to improve the lot of the Ukrainians. Just ask all the other nations we have tried to "aid". Can we and will we do more to enable the Ukrainians? Yes and yes. But no US boots, no US planes. The repercussions would be immense. There are millions of naive, misinformed Russian draftees who would be ready to run into the slaughter. It's a Russian tradition.
As horrific as the genocide is in Ukraine, I, for one, do not think NATO can achieve our goals by directly initiating combat with Russian forces. That will lead to an even greater carnage and give Putin the reasons he needs to move into Poland or Finland. Of course, if he took that step, the entire "free world" would be engaged. WW III. We would be lighting a match over the puddle of gasoline.
But reasons to be optimistic. Russian forces are performing poorly. They are not the army Putin thought he had. They are losing ground and giving back territory. There is dissension in the ranks and in Moscow. Heads are rolling. The pain of the Russian people has just begun. Putin is a short timer. Not quick enough. But it's inevitable.
I think we should consider the idea that we have limited control over the events of the world. What is happening in Ukraine is not "fixable" by just "getting tough". And haven't we shown a lot of sympathy to Europeans in this situation and done very little for Rwanda or Yemen or Sudan? Interesting, I think.
As much as I admire the Ukrainians and respect their desire for freedom and independence, we are not powerful enough to be the guarantor of such in all 193 countries on the Earth.
And please consider this. Not very long ago Ukraine had nuclear missiles - aimed at us. Their interest in democracy is quite new. No excuse for what Putin is doing. But Ukraine is not Canada.
Should we do every possible thing in terms of providing weapons, ammunition, and technology as well as assistance to the civilian population? Yes.
I don't think Putin is concerned with anything other than his legacy along with Stalin. "Make Russia great again" no matter the costs.
You say "We should act. I do not believe thermonuclear war will result. Putin wants to live." But there are ways Putin could employ dirty bombs and/or chemical agents that would not qualify as a missile strike. How would we respond to that?
If we handle this correctly, Putin will find an off ramp before his people slip him some novichok. Then we'll be looking at reparations from Russia. It will be a multi-generational story with no satisfying ending.
But hey, when that big ice shelf breaks off, we'll be worried about some even bigger problems.
Javits.
Bill, I would submit that were Putin determined to escalate, he would invent a pretext for doing so. Meanwhile, short of putting American and NATO troops on the ground or in the air, I believe that 1) continuing to resupply Ukraine with much needed munitions and 2) providing the air power Ukraine requires to enforce its own no-fly zone are Ukraine’s best shots, in my view, at maintaining a stalemate and moving both parties towards a negotiated settlement. I, further, would note it is my understanding that, currently, Zelensky is requesting no more and no less.
Putin has already decided whether or not he will unleash nuclear or chemical weapons. It is left for him to decide only what he will use as an excuse. What are the reasons he may be withdrawing many Russian troops? And training fresh young troops?
Past the most effective time we could have given Ukraine the arms they requested. We need to send them immediately, if not sooner.
Bill Alstrom, we are witnessing pure GENOCIDE. The good Andrei Kozyrev former Russian foreign minister, gets it. He understands Putin. He’s right. Putin will not use nuclear weapons. Period.
I agree with Bill, war should always be the last resort. Since Ukraine is not a member of NATO, this is a UN problem. The UN must be reformed to prevent future Ukranian humanitarian crises. For now, Biden must continue to lead NATO & strategically supply Ukraine. He should seek further assistance from China.
UN problem????? No, this is a worldwide problem that involves every human on earth.
We need a strong UN and UN needs strong democracies to grow it’s strength. Putin has long been in the making. The time to intervene was decades ago. We are way behind the 8 ball now with autocracies rising around the world and monsters like Putin with the nuclear power to take all of us out with him. The world leader in democracy fell asleep at the wheel and let the monsters in their front door.
If we don’t stop Putin now, when?
If not here, where?
If not now, when?
If not when, how?
If not, what ends?
Perchance, the knots may unravel in that line keeping a great evil in check.
I too greatly admire Mr Biden’s strategy, thinking it the right thing to do instead of applying a pretext-driven military reflex. At the same time I share the angst, the fear, that honoring a principle of never again can come at too high a cost for humanity and democracy, as Sandy suggests.
I appreciate the discussion here as I see parallels on the international stage as to how laws interpreted are used to maintain the status quo, effectively blocking growth in democracy achieved within this American theater.
When? When our CIA and the intel operations of our NATO partners determine that the Russian people, their military, and their oligarchs will not do the job themselves. Acting decisively ourselves before that point can strengthen his hold on these groups, painting our actions as Western 'picking on Russia.'
We have fear itself to fear.
Sandy, did you ask Bruno Bettelheim how he knew you would see genocide in your lifetime? Did you ask him what causes such madness? Did you ask what can be done to prevent it? Did you understand his answer? I’m not meaning to disrespect you, a man that appears to have way above average intellect and the motivation to be self taught. However I am extremely grateful that a man of Biden’s composure, grace, and experience in the matters of world governments and leaders is making such decisions and not an emotional and reactive though very intelligent Sandy Lewis. Peace ☮️
Well said. thanks.
How many more people will be slaughtered before the Russians 'will not put up with Putin forever?' (Bill Alstrom, quote)
There is more than one channel, Bill, that some human beings can pay attention to:
'Scenes of horror in Bucha spark outcry'
‘Scenes of horror and devastation emerged as Russian troops withdrew from towns they had seized in the opening days of the invasion of Ukraine. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told The Washington Post that about 270 residents had been buried in two graves. He estimated that 40 bodies were on the streets’.
‘Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian attack on his nation amounted to a genocide.’
‘ODESSA, Ukraine — Explosions rocked Odessa early Sunday as Russia said its missiles struck an oil refinery and fuel storage facilities — sending thick dark plumes of smoke into the sky in the first major strikes on the strategic Black Sea port city’s downtown.’ (WAPO)
‘As the days and weeks went by, food became scarce and any good will from the soldiers vanished, too. Residents boiled snow for water and lived off what they had stored from their small gardens. Russian soldiers, without a proper logistics pipeline, began looting people’s homes, shops and even the local chocolate factory. One butcher spray painted “ALREADY LOOTED” on his shop so the soldiers would not break in. On another store, another deterrence: “EVERYTHING IS TAKEN, NOTHING LEFT.”
‘Elections in Hungary and Serbia looked set to extend the rule of Europe’s two most Kremlin-friendly leaders.’ (NYTimes)
Note: President V. Putin claims to be very religious, and he has the allegiance of the top Russian prelate, the head of Greek Orthodox or Russian Church that split from Rome back when: no real surprise. So, Pope Francis is now thinking: should The Holy Father Pope Francis question the strange credibility of the Russian Orthodox leader that’s supporting genocide - and add yet another controversy to the Big Lie Tribal folks of Fox Fix? Clearly the Vatican in Rome is inching towards questioning Putin’s brutal killing of civilians.
Russians of conscience are silent or ignorant or both. We can correct ignorance.
Fern and Sandy. You both accurately describe the situation. The horrors unfolding. But what specific actions do you think the US should take now in response - other than providing weapons, technology, intelligence and humanitarian aid. And should that "whatever" be in concert with NATO? How should we "flex" or act more aggressively?
If America fails to flex on this Russian sponsored genocide, Never Again will mean nothing.
We agree.
Thanks for this!
I completely agree. If ever there was a just war, this is it. Ukraine can defend itself if we provide the equipment and intelligence. Give them what they need, all of it, including planes. If we don’t stop Putin and his henchmen in Ukraine, history proves they will continue invading and destroying other nations. Every inch they gain emboldens them.
The nuclear threat hangs over our heads regardless, it’s no excuse to abandon an ally.
I agree, Diane. Give them all the equipment they need and have requested including planes. Maybe the gut wrenching photos shown this morning after the Ukrainians went back and discovered the bodies in the street, hands tied behind their backs, will finally be the tipping point.
Correct!
❤️
Is this you? https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/nyregion/the-lonely-redemption-of-sandy-lewis-wall-street-provocateur.html
Also, this, I think. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/former-wall-street-maverick-sandy-lewis-is-an-adirondack-agitator/Content?oid=18420897
Glad to have Sandy here, makes for a more interesting comments section. BTW, “Liar’s Poker” is the best expose of Wall St I’ve read. I believe Sandy was a source for the book. (Correction, Sandy was a source for "House of Cards", another expose of Wall St - jr).
Agreed. Sandy is a welcome irritant who makes us all think, not the troll we originally suspected he was....
I was not a source for Michael Lewis’ first Wall Street book. Salomon syndicate brilliant partner John H. Gutfreund was quoted and ridiculed. I had departed SB&H by that time. Michael Lewis (not related) was accurate. Gutfreund was trapped.
Yes, Gailee, it is the same Sandy Lewis
WOW! Thanks for the link.
Thanks for finding this article, Gailee.
I would tend to agree with you. I feel if he wants to peruse nuclear war or cyber attacks he will do it no matter. I don’t think Zelenski is asking for anything he shouldn't have right now.
“Peace for our time”?
Neville Chamberlain
You may want to read today's WAPO Mag article/interview w retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. I agree with him that this is the most important win of the century. He makes a very strong case as former Director of Russian Affairs for the NSC and was born in Ukraine. The interview was conducted on March 8, 2022.
"Alexander Vindman discusses the invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and the dangers ahead -" The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/03/23/ukraine-russia-putin-war-alexander-vindman/
Small point: Col. Vindman and his equally distinguished twin brother may have been born in Ukraine (then part of the USSR), but they are 100% American.
Good point, Jon, thx!
It’s worth mentioning that Vindman was the person who exposed Trump’s “perfect phone call” attempt to blackmail Ukraine, which led to his first impeachment. Trump fired him.
Most here are likely aware of Lt. Col. Vindman's book "Here, Right Matters". If not or you haven't yet read it, I recommend it. It's not classy literary writing but pretty straightforward and provides, in the first person, who he is and how he became such a dedicated American.
Another small point: The article is dated March 23, 2022. But thanks for finding and sharing it, smv1540.
I neglected to say the interview was conducted March 7, 2022, thanks Mim. Article is in the 4-3-22 WAPO Sunday magazine.
Thank you.
💕🌻
I find the comments of the Russian that was interviewed in Finland to exactly mirror the situation of American Trumpistas.
“The problem is that there are many Russians who cannot admit our mistakes, cannot realize that we are trapped in a nightmare,” an art director told Doyle. “It’s much easier to watch TV and absorb the government propaganda. It’s easier to not think…. You have this vast country with many people who are poor and who have never travelled abroad. They are very isolated, with no communication, only their television. They work hard all day, come home exhausted and the TV is their only source.”
If anyone had any questions about how people could vote against their own interests, here is the answer. And I am sorry, but the answer is not that they are “deplorable”. Understand that our language is also propaganda and we need to make sure that our propaganda remains truthful rather than vindictive.
Wow Patricia, thanks for your very constructive thoughts. I totally agree with you! The only thing I would add is the social media choices of the folks we are talking about. Very difficult to penetrate or change the resulting alternate reality of both TV and mobile device.
Thank you Patricia, I was thinking along those very lines, how much Russian TV watchers have in common with people who vote Republican.
Very well said, Gailee. Your point #2 is particularly poignant. I devoutly hope that it is not too late for them to "realize" where they have taken us.
Agree Ally. I believe the spiritual realm of the universe always provides a time line and scenarios for mere humans to look and wonder about. That it had to be the decimation of Ukraine and cruel regard for its people, on top of the clear picture that emerges from Jan 6th committee and clear perceptive reporting from authors such as HCR and TC…..it’s pretty much in the face of every American…really every human on the planet. Free to live, love, create. Or, subjugated to a political philosophy which does not honor the collective good.
I tremble to think what more needs to be shown to humans to open their minds to the Light instead of cringing and creeping in darkness.
I see you, Ally. Salud!
“I tremble to think what more needs to be shown to humans to open their minds to the Light . . .”
I am quoting just one segment of your lovely piece, Christine, but know that I absolutely love all of it.
It's hard for me not to hate all republicans because they can't see what's happening to our democracy. They can't see what they are ALLOWING to happen.
"ALLOWING"
The R's can clearly see what is happening, being enslaved by the Great Deceiver, they have created the origination of the dismantling of American Democracy.
HOW?
By their clandestine brotherhood of old rich bigoted lying, cheating, dark room existence of both complicit silence combined with bribery on the grandest of scale transforming ALL R's into their fervent allegiance to insatiable greed & power.
Not "Allowing"...
By the R's SELF-AGGRANDIZMENT ON THE GRANDEST OF SCALE!
My mother's parents are turning in their graves - there was a time people of that political persuasion were decent and kind hearted ....
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on HIM the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
I confess to smiling at biblical references, especially by us “liberals”. I long ago decided the religious right does not read the book they claim to love. Perhaps you can appreciate my weird humor at thinking about their love affair with Russia being tied to the statement in Revelation that a bear will help the Beast for a while at least (that’s a paraphrase of the text). If I were a betting man (which I am not :-)) They are misreading that part of the book too.
Patricia Andrews (WA)
Yes.
I do appreciate your humor of intermingling a juxtaposition of Russia's evilness Putin’s, (bear), and the Beast as set out in the book of Revelation in our Holy Bible.
I believe you may be referencing the book of Revelation and indeed they are misreading that part of the book also.
To wit:
Revelation 13:17, KJV:
“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
An interesting side bar note:
There is the long held conjecture that reference to the phrase "...number of his name...", is 666, (the Evil One, the False Prophet, the Anti-Christ, the Devil...A rose by any other name smells just the same).
The verse 13:17 describes the False Prophet's implementation of the ‘mark of the beast.’
This comes from a Greek word, charagma, which is used to describe the branding of livestock.
The purpose of this mark is to identify the bearer as one loyal to the Antichrist, e.g. the Beast.
Other statements in the book of Revelation make it clear that true believers will reject this mark (Revelation 20:4), and those who take it are knowingly rejecting God and His gospel (Revelation 14:9–11).
In other words, the mark is not something "innocent" people will be tricked into accepting.
Evidently some seem not so innocent and have already been tricked into accepting the Beast as their god, Eh!?
My caveat to you is the fact that every person contemplatively reading Holy Scripture is immediately interpreting the meaning of their reading based upon their collective experiences up to that moment of reading.
Or.
Actually hearing the voice of GOD based upon the blessing of HIS inspiration HE is giving to the reader to understand GOD's particular message to that reader at that moment of reading.
Right on. But given that we are talking about at least one-third of the American population we are not dealing with a mere cult or faction. This is much bigger. There appears to me only one way out of this for Russia and the U.S. Start over, as in our case drastically change the Constitution (which may involve creating two countries here). Actually, we have a second option: give the Democrats a super majority in the House and Senate so there is a 60-40 power base to get rid of gridlock. How likely is either? I wouldn't want the Las Vegas oddsmakers to tell us. Enjoy life while we can.
VOTE INTELLIGENTLY and help your neighbors to become educated about the issues, candidates, incumbents... bar-b-Q pot luck gatherings etc.
DO IT!
Isaiah 53:6