“Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”
Both Chairman Thompson and Rep. Cheney’s opening statements were brilliant. Tightly written, clear and direct, no equivocating. I especially admired Rep. Thompson’s connecting his Mississippi heritage with the evils of that state’s history to the actions of Lincoln and that famous unsent letter. This is where history serves its highest purpose - to connect us with our past in order to underscore both the uniqueness of the threat that Trump posed and continues to pose and to clearly delineate the through line of white supremacy and fascism that he so expertly tapped into and exploited to support his grab for power. While he may indeed someday be gone, those rivers will continue to run deep in our country. We must never let our guard down.
The Free-Press is crucial in confronting those rivers of white supremacy and fascism that flow through our country.
'...Walter Lippmann wrote in one of the most prescient articles ever, in a 1919 edition of The Atlantic::
'Men who have lost their grip upon the relevant facts of their environment are the inevitable victims of agitation and propaganda. The quack, the charlatan, the jingo, and the terrorist, can flourish only where the audience is deprived of independent access to information. But where all news comes at second-hand, where all the testimony is uncertain, men cease to respond to truths, and respond simply to opinions. The environment in which they act is not the realities themselves, but the pseudo-environment of reports, rumors, and guesses. The whole reference of thought comes to be what somebody asserts, not what actually is.'
'But Lippmann was living in a relative informational paradise compared to today. Sure, there were those in his day who would eagerly excite the passions of the masses for nefarious purposes. But there were multiple daily newspapers in virtually every major city; dozens in New York City if you count the foreign-language press. Most important, sources of deliberate disinformation were as ants to the elephants when compared to today’s Murdoch empire, the Koch network, just about all of talk radio, pretty much every one of Facebook’s most visited sites, and all of the various sources promoting racism, sexism, antisemitism, islamophobia, and so on, in the wake of Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party. Their purpose is to undermine truth specifically for the reasons laid out in Lippmann’s prophetic piece, with predictably deleterious results for what remains of our democracy.' (Prospect)
In regard to the death of newspapers, it occurred to me that one vital thing missing in our era is the voice of the newspaper editor, always one of our best-informed citizens in small and medium-size cities, calling out harmful political charlatans, reminding us of our common heritage and our duty. Maybe not always in our segregated South, but certainly in most of the country.
That voice of the local press has been replaced with the wonders of technology that we want to believe in. Who is on the other end, who is hiding? Who is telling the Truth? Who is purposely Lying? We trust these letters. We’ve met Heather Cox Richardson. She’s real. All depends on Trust. For the most part we know each other, the writers, through our words. Years ago, writing in high school and college and hometown newspapers we had by-lines and responsibility. Mostly. The Internet is another world.
Thanks for the Lippmann article. Piques my curiosity to learn exactly what was going on then, right after end of WWI, that prompted this prophetic response. Some things never change.
Andrea, America's identity was the basis of your comment. I often go to Madison, Jefferson -- the Founding Fathers -- Lincoln, they wrestled mightily with threats to the Republic and Democracy. Can we make some improvements to strengthen the country's institutions, the rule of law, its foundation and reckon with states' rights?
“Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”
Perfect. Liz is right on target. Explain to those repubs. who blindly agree to anything trump wants that the stand they take now will not be forgotten. It will be in the official U.S. records. Their family, friends, and fellow Americans will see their official stand forevermore. Is that the legacy they want to live with and also leave behind after they die?
I had the same feeling when that Georgia congressman said last year that the January 6 insurrection was just "a normal tourist visit." Beyond the absurdity of his answer, I thought, "Do you really want your family, friends, neighbors, and descendants to read such ridiculous quotes from you?" I guess he just didn't/doesn't care.
"We took some photographs on the east side of the Capitol, and then we went for lunch. We went for tacos" – Nick Quested, Filmmaker
That statement by Quested during last night's testimony reflects just how confident the Proud Boys were that Trump would have a mob whipped into a frenzy and ready to storm the Capitol that afternoon. They knew before lunchtime that the Capitol was drastically underprotected and an easy target. They thought shutting down the electoral vote count and handing Trump the presidency would be a snap. They never imagined Officer Caroline Edwards and the other officers on duty would commit to defending the Capitol and the lawmakers inside. So they went to lunch.
Sincere gratitude to every officer who stood against the mob on January 6, 2021. They are heroes.
Here is a link to transcript with regard to Quested's statement about tacos You are going to have to scroll through to find it. This is not time stamped and lifted from CNN's broadcast. A complete transcript has not yet been released by the Committee. There are other partial transcript sources as well. C Span's uncorrected transcript from closed captioning actually says tapas.
Yes, Daria, every officer is a hero. I found myself looking away (again) as the video went on and on. So much violence against those defending the Capitol, by a bunch of thugs urged on by a narcissistic psychopath. We can only hope that these men and women will finally see justice served when tRump is led away in cuffs and ankle shackles.
But the whole system has devolved into that. You should see my inbox Gimme gimme gimme
Thanks to our illustrious myopic Supremes ( what a misnomer) and their incomprehensible decision that a corporation has the same free speech rights as an individual and should be treated as such.
(Nevermind that the REASON for a person to incorporate is to get oneself off the financial hook that he/she would face as an individual PERSON.)
Money has corrupted the whole system
Maybe some of the finances behind Jan 6 will come to light as well
I agree about our inboxes. So, I've given to about a half dozen campaigns. Heaven have mercy, there are at least a dozen requests daily, now. Some are from ad hoc causes...to someone's private wallet?
Exactly. Four full years of respectability for whites having power. The Trump presidency was the wet dream of all racists, sexists, antisemites, and gay haters, and a nightmare for all of us, the majority.
Not "whites having power," Roland. For "white heterosexual males of means having power." No white women, white LGBTCQs, white immigrants, white Muslims/Hindus/Jews/Buddhists/etc, and certainly no whites who are below the poverty line, need apply. Granted, there is some advantage to "whiteness," in that some of the undesirables can "pass" if they're smart enough to keep their mouths shut and go along, but for the most part, it's all about white heterosexual men of means.
Yes, that was a jarring remark until I remembered that death star has given carte blanche to every thug in the country who has the same poison in his soul. What was interesting to me was that the Proud Boys were already at the Capitol complex by 10:30 casing it and never listened to the speech. I admire Officer Edwards both for her courage that day and her compelling testimony last night. I am very happy that the leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers are charged with seditious conspiracy.
The rally at the ellipse was a decoy. The evidence they showed proves that DFG, PB and OK planned it all in advance. It wasn't reconnaissance , they knew in advance from those inside the WH how poorly defended the Capital would be. They went to those entry points in advance and would lead the roiled up rallyers from the ellipse to breach the Capital. A well thought out plan. TREASON
Spot on Doreen. Ellipse feint was a visible rally point for the most radical leaders, ie., PB's, OK's - and the White House. Planning, logistics, etc., were all a done deal far in advance - before what was noted as a December affair. More to come...
They skipped the speech, because they were conducting reconnaissance, and were first in line to breach the largely unprotected Capitol. Once they saw that it would be an easy task, they were ready for tacos.
Funny, when the videographer said "tacos," I thought he had said, "Tuckers!" Wish they would have eaten tucker up! That did hit my funny bone this morning!
Trump gave the deplorables a society where they felt comfortable. Remember what it was like, living in a Trump administration, when the racists and sexists felt comfortable to be themselves, openly?
Deplorable is “Trump for President.” Despicable is “Let’s Go Brandon.“
I saw a Let’s Go Brandon flag mounted to the rear of a pick-up truck once on leaving my trucking overnighter hotel. I have also seen a Fuck Joe Biden car window sticker. I admit, they both got a reaction out of me. They did not endear me to the occupants of those vehicles, and I was having pictures of damaging those vehicles.
You drive down a street, and some of the houses have Trump flags on them. Some of the houses have rainbow flags and wordy signs that begin with “Hate has no home here…”
The Trump support is deplorable. I wouldn’t call it despicable, unless the homeowners display images of assault weapons, or they display flags or images of proud boys or 3%ers et al. “Despicable” is active abuse of people who are not white or male or heterosexual. Active persecution.
Deplorables are still members of society. Despicables are criminals.
Look at it from their point of view not yours. Jon Margolis has it right. Then add in his trashing of elites and the effect on his opponents of nicknames. In their view he gave them recognition and more.
Please do not use that appellation of the former guy. The derriere was a very important development in the evolution of H. sapiens. It's what enables us to run (no other primate has one), along with achilles tendons and the nuchal ligament, which holds our heads steady when we run. As Danny Lieberman at Harvard has written, in hunter gatherer days, humans ran long distances in pursuit of prey, that lacked the stamina of human runners even though they could run far faster for short distances, and who lacked the advantage for running of hairlessness and efficient sweat glands.
The derriere is also a secondary sex characteristic, and quite an attractive one, and doesn't deserve to be associated with bad people. And finally, there is something seemingly juvenile about that version of that name, which deflates efforts to use cold hard facts to put him in the bad light he deserves.
I still have serious questions about the command and control from a law enforcement perspective. How is it that the local agencies were so overwhelmed, without equipment necessary, and no real contingency plan. The individual heroism (and I do not use that term lightly) is what saved our congress and our country; where was the command planning and control?
I question the fact that they were understaffed and under equipped as well. Ally, you know far better than most of us what kind of law enforcement is required during demonstrations that may become violent. The fact that there was a mere skeleton crew assigned to the Capitol on that day is more than troubling. Once that question is answered I think other truths will be revealed as well.
You've raised a critical question that must be addressed. Trump had no control over the Capitol police. And it was hardly a secret among law enforcement and intelligence agencies that major trouble was brewing.
Sorry. I did not take “it” to mean the police. I thought you meant the insurrection itself. Yes, they keep insisting the Speaker of the House commands the Capitol police. I hope the hearings straighten that out as to real chain of command. It would help if DC became a voting state or district attached to a state or something less fungible .
Ann. This time I was referencing the discussion pertaining to the Capitol Police. Many people wonder why they weren't better manned and equipped and forewarned. The Republicans (in order to deflect any blame) are blaming Pelosi.
My remark wasn't about Clinton and the misogyny (although that is always running in this Country) but focused on the blame game of the Capitol Police questions.
Not only do they know something, they're having a serious bout of SSS — Scared Sh*tless Syndrome. Last night's hearing triggered some serious intestinal churning.
When the Mayor of D. C. annnounced early on the morning of January 6th that they had "6,000 Capitol Police officers on standby" I screamed at the TV, "You need 60,000!! AND The National Guard!" For those of us who had friends with front row seats for the Lansing, Michigan Capitol dress rehearsal by these militant hoodlums, it was clear this was war. Even at 7 a.m. it was clear this was going to be a coup with restrictions put on The Guard and the military responses. I look forward to the findings by the January 6th Comittee on just how tRump and his merry band of traitors undermined, blocked and endangered our law enforcement that day. Benedict Arnold's punishment would be too lenient.
everyone i spoke to ahead of time thought that there would be big trouble. then the proud boys, etc., case the joint, and still no response. i know it sounds like blaming the victims, but why weren't they ready? my best guess is that they thought right wingers would respect the police. in the minds of those attempting the coup, of course, these were not police, they were security, pretend police, like weekend warriors compared to active duty troops, not deserving of respect. the capitol police earned their stripes that day, tho.
We may find out as these hearings continue although the tweet and other public uttering by certain people should have alerted them. I ended up with the utmost admiration for that young officer.
I wonder the same thing, and also hope that we'll eventually find out the truth about what happened at the Pentagon, with Flynn's brother. It would be difficult to convince me that he wasn't involved in this hideous affair.
I believe, Ally, there will be an astounding resounding answer to that question. And that the answer will clearly name the former commander-in-chief of his most heinous of crimes, knowingly failing to protect the people he took an oath to protect. The American people.
Thank you, Daria, for pointing out the relevant and important takeaways. I continue to think about and remain in such gratitude and awe towards the efforts of the Capitol police that day. Heroes and patriots. They saved democracy that day so that we the people have the chance to do it now.
We still don’t know who placed bombs at the DNC and elsewhere close to the Capital, that was a tactical diversion, aimed at Capital Police’s leadership at a key moment. Distracted by an immediate lethal threat, the opportunity of awareness of what else was happening and to harden Capital defenses was lost. What if those bombs had exploded and killed people at later key moment?
Sure hope so. I think that was missing yesterday, that’s why I mention it. If the bomber was acting alone, but also a member of one of the many gangs… then it helps to add it to the narrative.
They have surveillance of the bomber to and from DNC Headquarters, leaving the backpack bomb. He is wearing a hoodie, hat, shades, pandemic mask, and distinctive sneakers. They must other surveillance of him tracking him around the city to a vehicle, a parking garage, a hotel, or something. But we haven't heard of this yet. This makes me suspicious that the bomber had plan, a route, and some tradecraft to shield his identity such as his body weight and build, hair color, eye color, ethnicity, from cameras. Somewhere along his to and from route, he must have known where there were no cameras to switch identities to throw off the FBI. But that can also help track another suspect(s).
Good catch! Baggie clothes to hide gender. Even wearing men's sneakers. It wouldn't surprise me. The crowd had a lot of radicalized women too. If there was an Ashley Babbitt willing to crawl through broken glass window while Capital Police told her not to or they would shoot, well....that is enough for anyone to suspect a female was/is capable of placing a bomb. For some reason, that makes me think it was a plot, not a loner. How many women know hot to make bombs? And combine that with a disguise and ability to avoid surveillance/counter insurgency playbook. This is all organized tradecraft of terrorists ( and our military teaches this as "counterinsurgency").
Yes. You're right. I remember that video. You're right, too, about "changing identities, I think. The bomber must have had insight and knowledge about what was where. Identifying that individual publicly could be a pivotal element against Trump and fellow insurrectionists.
How would an out of town bomber show up in DC, leave their hotel or vehicle in a parking garage, in a disguise, to walk to DNC HQ leave a bomb and then just disappear? Right?
Its impossible without some inside knowledge of DC traffic camera's, & numerous security camera's. ( there is a series of traffic camera's everywhere in DC and every major city. Every government building has camera's and almost every business has a security camera.
The FBI should be able to track this person by putting all these camera's together and link them to a vehicle, a hotel, or a residence, or at least another person or disguise.
The tradecraft says something to me. Either the suspect is from law enforcement and/or military with counterinsurgency training. The person has been professionally trained to hide identity, and to know where surveillance is and how to avoid it. "Blue by day, white by night" kind of a suspect.
Both Chairman Thompson and Rep. Cheney’s opening statements were brilliant. Tightly written, clear and direct, no equivocating. I especially admired Rep. Thompson’s connecting his Mississippi heritage with the evils of that state’s history to the actions of Lincoln and that famous unsent letter. This is where history serves its highest purpose - to connect us with our past in order to underscore both the uniqueness of the threat that Trump posed and continues to pose and to clearly delineate the through line of white supremacy and fascism that he so expertly tapped into and exploited to support his grab for power. While he may indeed someday be gone, those rivers will continue to run deep in our country. We must never let our guard down.
The Free-Press is crucial in confronting those rivers of white supremacy and fascism that flow through our country.
'...Walter Lippmann wrote in one of the most prescient articles ever, in a 1919 edition of The Atlantic::
'Men who have lost their grip upon the relevant facts of their environment are the inevitable victims of agitation and propaganda. The quack, the charlatan, the jingo, and the terrorist, can flourish only where the audience is deprived of independent access to information. But where all news comes at second-hand, where all the testimony is uncertain, men cease to respond to truths, and respond simply to opinions. The environment in which they act is not the realities themselves, but the pseudo-environment of reports, rumors, and guesses. The whole reference of thought comes to be what somebody asserts, not what actually is.'
'But Lippmann was living in a relative informational paradise compared to today. Sure, there were those in his day who would eagerly excite the passions of the masses for nefarious purposes. But there were multiple daily newspapers in virtually every major city; dozens in New York City if you count the foreign-language press. Most important, sources of deliberate disinformation were as ants to the elephants when compared to today’s Murdoch empire, the Koch network, just about all of talk radio, pretty much every one of Facebook’s most visited sites, and all of the various sources promoting racism, sexism, antisemitism, islamophobia, and so on, in the wake of Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party. Their purpose is to undermine truth specifically for the reasons laid out in Lippmann’s prophetic piece, with predictably deleterious results for what remains of our democracy.' (Prospect)
https://prospect.org/politics/altercation-what-the-death-of-newspapers-really-means/
Yes, thanks Fern! And I got goose bumps listening to Elton John's duo with Aretha Franklin on his "Border song." Free-Press and Free-Music!
https://youtu.be/UoTzWvqPNrk
Holy Moses I have been removed
I have seen the spectre he has been here too
Distant cousin from down the line
Brand of people who ain't my kind
Holy Moses I have been removed
Holy Moses I have been deceived
Now the wind has changed direction and I'll have to leave
Won't you please excuse my frankness but it's not my cup of tea
Holy Moses I have been deceived
I'm going back to the border
Where my affairs, my affairs ain't abused
I can't take any more bad water
Been poisoned from my head down to my shoes
Holy Moses I have been deceived
Holy Moses let us live in peace
Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease
There's a man over there
What's his colour I don't care
He's my brother let us live in peace
He's my brother let us live in peace
He's my brother let us live in peace
Writer/s: Bernie Taupin, Elton John
The best Taupin/John song, so poignant and prescient not only when it was first written and recorded but more so now.
I feel that it is so cool that I share a birthday with those 2 icons, Aretha exactly 10 years older, Elton, exactly 5 years older than me!
COOL!!
In regard to the death of newspapers, it occurred to me that one vital thing missing in our era is the voice of the newspaper editor, always one of our best-informed citizens in small and medium-size cities, calling out harmful political charlatans, reminding us of our common heritage and our duty. Maybe not always in our segregated South, but certainly in most of the country.
That voice of the local press has been replaced with the wonders of technology that we want to believe in. Who is on the other end, who is hiding? Who is telling the Truth? Who is purposely Lying? We trust these letters. We’ve met Heather Cox Richardson. She’s real. All depends on Trust. For the most part we know each other, the writers, through our words. Years ago, writing in high school and college and hometown newspapers we had by-lines and responsibility. Mostly. The Internet is another world.
Thanks for the Lippmann article. Piques my curiosity to learn exactly what was going on then, right after end of WWI, that prompted this prophetic response. Some things never change.
It was the "Red Scare." the so-called Palmer riots, finding "communists" everywhere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmer_Raids#:~:text=The%20Palmer%20Raids%20were%20a%20series%20of%20raids,communists%2C%20and%20deport%20them%20from%20the%20United%20States.
Ah, thank you.
How about that Fox news coverage, Eh!? Riveting candor!
George, you're back and with a sense of humor, eh!
Yup...We were made for each other, Eh!?
Thank you for sharing this, Fern. Walter Lippmann was indeed prescient, chillingly so. The question for our age is - can we rise to the challenge?
Andrea, America's identity was the basis of your comment. I often go to Madison, Jefferson -- the Founding Fathers -- Lincoln, they wrestled mightily with threats to the Republic and Democracy. Can we make some improvements to strengthen the country's institutions, the rule of law, its foundation and reckon with states' rights?
Yes; you nailed it. Thanks.
👌🏼
“Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”
Perfect. Liz is right on target. Explain to those repubs. who blindly agree to anything trump wants that the stand they take now will not be forgotten. It will be in the official U.S. records. Their family, friends, and fellow Americans will see their official stand forevermore. Is that the legacy they want to live with and also leave behind after they die?
I had the same feeling when that Georgia congressman said last year that the January 6 insurrection was just "a normal tourist visit." Beyond the absurdity of his answer, I thought, "Do you really want your family, friends, neighbors, and descendants to read such ridiculous quotes from you?" I guess he just didn't/doesn't care.
I started watching a bit late and missed Chairman Thompson's opening statement. I'm going to try to see if I can find it.
"We took some photographs on the east side of the Capitol, and then we went for lunch. We went for tacos" – Nick Quested, Filmmaker
That statement by Quested during last night's testimony reflects just how confident the Proud Boys were that Trump would have a mob whipped into a frenzy and ready to storm the Capitol that afternoon. They knew before lunchtime that the Capitol was drastically underprotected and an easy target. They thought shutting down the electoral vote count and handing Trump the presidency would be a snap. They never imagined Officer Caroline Edwards and the other officers on duty would commit to defending the Capitol and the lawmakers inside. So they went to lunch.
Sincere gratitude to every officer who stood against the mob on January 6, 2021. They are heroes.
Here is a link to transcript with regard to Quested's statement about tacos You are going to have to scroll through to find it. This is not time stamped and lifted from CNN's broadcast. A complete transcript has not yet been released by the Committee. There are other partial transcript sources as well. C Span's uncorrected transcript from closed captioning actually says tapas.
https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/se/date/2022-06-09/segment/03
Yes, Daria, every officer is a hero. I found myself looking away (again) as the video went on and on. So much violence against those defending the Capitol, by a bunch of thugs urged on by a narcissistic psychopath. We can only hope that these men and women will finally see justice served when tRump is led away in cuffs and ankle shackles.
One of the PB’s said, “he did so much for us, and only asked us for two things.” And PB membership tripled! He did so much???
My thought was, he asked for a third thing: Your money - lots of it.
My exact comment when I heard that! People have no idea when they’re being conned.
So true Trump was a big $$ raiser
But the whole system has devolved into that. You should see my inbox Gimme gimme gimme
Thanks to our illustrious myopic Supremes ( what a misnomer) and their incomprehensible decision that a corporation has the same free speech rights as an individual and should be treated as such.
(Nevermind that the REASON for a person to incorporate is to get oneself off the financial hook that he/she would face as an individual PERSON.)
Money has corrupted the whole system
Maybe some of the finances behind Jan 6 will come to light as well
I agree about our inboxes. So, I've given to about a half dozen campaigns. Heaven have mercy, there are at least a dozen requests daily, now. Some are from ad hoc causes...to someone's private wallet?
Yes, he did. He made racism, white supremacy and “Christian” nationalism, not to mention fascism, “respectable” again.
Exactly. Four full years of respectability for whites having power. The Trump presidency was the wet dream of all racists, sexists, antisemites, and gay haters, and a nightmare for all of us, the majority.
Not "whites having power," Roland. For "white heterosexual males of means having power." No white women, white LGBTCQs, white immigrants, white Muslims/Hindus/Jews/Buddhists/etc, and certainly no whites who are below the poverty line, need apply. Granted, there is some advantage to "whiteness," in that some of the undesirables can "pass" if they're smart enough to keep their mouths shut and go along, but for the most part, it's all about white heterosexual men of means.
Yes of course. Perfectly stated. Thank you for spelling it all out in detail, ML.
Wrapped with a red bow!
Yes, that was a jarring remark until I remembered that death star has given carte blanche to every thug in the country who has the same poison in his soul. What was interesting to me was that the Proud Boys were already at the Capitol complex by 10:30 casing it and never listened to the speech. I admire Officer Edwards both for her courage that day and her compelling testimony last night. I am very happy that the leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers are charged with seditious conspiracy.
The rally at the ellipse was a decoy. The evidence they showed proves that DFG, PB and OK planned it all in advance. It wasn't reconnaissance , they knew in advance from those inside the WH how poorly defended the Capital would be. They went to those entry points in advance and would lead the roiled up rallyers from the ellipse to breach the Capital. A well thought out plan. TREASON
Yes, certainly help from the inside. The speech was to stir up a large crowd while the those already there led people in. Yes, treason.
Spot on Doreen. Ellipse feint was a visible rally point for the most radical leaders, ie., PB's, OK's - and the White House. Planning, logistics, etc., were all a done deal far in advance - before what was noted as a December affair. More to come...
They skipped the speech, because they were conducting reconnaissance, and were first in line to breach the largely unprotected Capitol. Once they saw that it would be an easy task, they were ready for tacos.
Funny, when the videographer said "tacos," I thought he had said, "Tuckers!" Wish they would have eaten tucker up! That did hit my funny bone this morning!
He did use the word tucker when referring to the lunch. I thought it was a British word.
That was the one comment that stood out to me. WHAT did he ever do for them?
He made them feel like they were seen, personally, by him. Topmost narcissist.
Exactly. Which makes me wonder how much America is failing unproud boys and oath losers.
The Confederacy lost, but they did not disappear. Unfortunately.
Trump gave the deplorables a society where they felt comfortable. Remember what it was like, living in a Trump administration, when the racists and sexists felt comfortable to be themselves, openly?
Is deplorable a milder or harsher term for despicable?
Deplorable is “Trump for President.” Despicable is “Let’s Go Brandon.“
I saw a Let’s Go Brandon flag mounted to the rear of a pick-up truck once on leaving my trucking overnighter hotel. I have also seen a Fuck Joe Biden car window sticker. I admit, they both got a reaction out of me. They did not endear me to the occupants of those vehicles, and I was having pictures of damaging those vehicles.
You drive down a street, and some of the houses have Trump flags on them. Some of the houses have rainbow flags and wordy signs that begin with “Hate has no home here…”
The Trump support is deplorable. I wouldn’t call it despicable, unless the homeowners display images of assault weapons, or they display flags or images of proud boys or 3%ers et al. “Despicable” is active abuse of people who are not white or male or heterosexual. Active persecution.
Deplorables are still members of society. Despicables are criminals.
Publicity which validated their existence.
My husband and I wondered the same thing. But, I see Rebecca's post and that makes sense.
Look at it from their point of view not yours. Jon Margolis has it right. Then add in his trashing of elites and the effect on his opponents of nicknames. In their view he gave them recognition and more.
You are spot on! And they are not going to go away or give up.
To a degree yes. But the leaders will spend many years in prison, a significant deterrent.
Hard to Heart that but, it is an incredibly devastating statement about our American people. Our own people.
I wondered the same thing. What did that monster do for anyone, even his ignorant lap dogs? Oh, wait, there was Putin. . .
And feeding the anger of the white supremacist groups?
He did SO MUCH Damage The guy left out "damage"
Pam, I hope to see them tried, convicted and sentenced to the max. Hand cuffs and shackles are not optional!
Please do not use that appellation of the former guy. The derriere was a very important development in the evolution of H. sapiens. It's what enables us to run (no other primate has one), along with achilles tendons and the nuchal ligament, which holds our heads steady when we run. As Danny Lieberman at Harvard has written, in hunter gatherer days, humans ran long distances in pursuit of prey, that lacked the stamina of human runners even though they could run far faster for short distances, and who lacked the advantage for running of hairlessness and efficient sweat glands.
The derriere is also a secondary sex characteristic, and quite an attractive one, and doesn't deserve to be associated with bad people. And finally, there is something seemingly juvenile about that version of that name, which deflates efforts to use cold hard facts to put him in the bad light he deserves.
I still have serious questions about the command and control from a law enforcement perspective. How is it that the local agencies were so overwhelmed, without equipment necessary, and no real contingency plan. The individual heroism (and I do not use that term lightly) is what saved our congress and our country; where was the command planning and control?
I question the fact that they were understaffed and under equipped as well. Ally, you know far better than most of us what kind of law enforcement is required during demonstrations that may become violent. The fact that there was a mere skeleton crew assigned to the Capitol on that day is more than troubling. Once that question is answered I think other truths will be revealed as well.
You've raised a critical question that must be addressed. Trump had no control over the Capitol police. And it was hardly a secret among law enforcement and intelligence agencies that major trouble was brewing.
Michael, I think we will be surprised by the number of people responsible and who they are.
Surprised? Not anymore. Expected is more accurate.
The Republicans keep blaming it on Pelosi which tells you they know something.
No, it doesn’t. They blame her and Hillary for everything, repeatedly. Now they can add Cheney to their misogynistic mix.
Sorry. I did not take “it” to mean the police. I thought you meant the insurrection itself. Yes, they keep insisting the Speaker of the House commands the Capitol police. I hope the hearings straighten that out as to real chain of command. It would help if DC became a voting state or district attached to a state or something less fungible .
Ann. This time I was referencing the discussion pertaining to the Capitol Police. Many people wonder why they weren't better manned and equipped and forewarned. The Republicans (in order to deflect any blame) are blaming Pelosi.
My remark wasn't about Clinton and the misogyny (although that is always running in this Country) but focused on the blame game of the Capitol Police questions.
Not only do they know something, they're having a serious bout of SSS — Scared Sh*tless Syndrome. Last night's hearing triggered some serious intestinal churning.
...And it will serve the purpose of providing more, forthcoming witness testimony.
I haven't had a chance to look at the news today. And yep. Some scared people today.
When the Mayor of D. C. annnounced early on the morning of January 6th that they had "6,000 Capitol Police officers on standby" I screamed at the TV, "You need 60,000!! AND The National Guard!" For those of us who had friends with front row seats for the Lansing, Michigan Capitol dress rehearsal by these militant hoodlums, it was clear this was war. Even at 7 a.m. it was clear this was going to be a coup with restrictions put on The Guard and the military responses. I look forward to the findings by the January 6th Comittee on just how tRump and his merry band of traitors undermined, blocked and endangered our law enforcement that day. Benedict Arnold's punishment would be too lenient.
everyone i spoke to ahead of time thought that there would be big trouble. then the proud boys, etc., case the joint, and still no response. i know it sounds like blaming the victims, but why weren't they ready? my best guess is that they thought right wingers would respect the police. in the minds of those attempting the coup, of course, these were not police, they were security, pretend police, like weekend warriors compared to active duty troops, not deserving of respect. the capitol police earned their stripes that day, tho.
We may find out as these hearings continue although the tweet and other public uttering by certain people should have alerted them. I ended up with the utmost admiration for that young officer.
Something said last night makes me think we’ll hear more about this lack. And the police etc won’t be blamed for no planning.
I sure hope so...
I wonder the same thing, and also hope that we'll eventually find out the truth about what happened at the Pentagon, with Flynn's brother. It would be difficult to convince me that he wasn't involved in this hideous affair.
I believe, Ally, there will be an astounding resounding answer to that question. And that the answer will clearly name the former commander-in-chief of his most heinous of crimes, knowingly failing to protect the people he took an oath to protect. The American people.
UNITA.
Thank you, Daria, for pointing out the relevant and important takeaways. I continue to think about and remain in such gratitude and awe towards the efforts of the Capitol police that day. Heroes and patriots. They saved democracy that day so that we the people have the chance to do it now.
UNITA! 🗽
We still don’t know who placed bombs at the DNC and elsewhere close to the Capital, that was a tactical diversion, aimed at Capital Police’s leadership at a key moment. Distracted by an immediate lethal threat, the opportunity of awareness of what else was happening and to harden Capital defenses was lost. What if those bombs had exploded and killed people at later key moment?
Any chance the committee already knows and that's one "bombshell" they're waiting to drop?
Sure hope so. I think that was missing yesterday, that’s why I mention it. If the bomber was acting alone, but also a member of one of the many gangs… then it helps to add it to the narrative.
Five more hearings to go.
Wouldn't the FBI update the public if they had someone of interest or custody?
That's a good point. You can't tell me that there is not video surveillance available that points to the perpetrator(s).
They have surveillance of the bomber to and from DNC Headquarters, leaving the backpack bomb. He is wearing a hoodie, hat, shades, pandemic mask, and distinctive sneakers. They must other surveillance of him tracking him around the city to a vehicle, a parking garage, a hotel, or something. But we haven't heard of this yet. This makes me suspicious that the bomber had plan, a route, and some tradecraft to shield his identity such as his body weight and build, hair color, eye color, ethnicity, from cameras. Somewhere along his to and from route, he must have known where there were no cameras to switch identities to throw off the FBI. But that can also help track another suspect(s).
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2022/01/january-6-capitol-hill-pipe-bomb/621178/
I still think the person who planted the bomb was a female. The gait was a dead giveaway.
Good catch! Baggie clothes to hide gender. Even wearing men's sneakers. It wouldn't surprise me. The crowd had a lot of radicalized women too. If there was an Ashley Babbitt willing to crawl through broken glass window while Capital Police told her not to or they would shoot, well....that is enough for anyone to suspect a female was/is capable of placing a bomb. For some reason, that makes me think it was a plot, not a loner. How many women know hot to make bombs? And combine that with a disguise and ability to avoid surveillance/counter insurgency playbook. This is all organized tradecraft of terrorists ( and our military teaches this as "counterinsurgency").
Ha! I was thinking Marjorie Taylor Greene, putting some moxie into her frequent insinuations of violence.
Me, too.
I've seen the comparisons... we can only hope!
Yes. You're right. I remember that video. You're right, too, about "changing identities, I think. The bomber must have had insight and knowledge about what was where. Identifying that individual publicly could be a pivotal element against Trump and fellow insurrectionists.
How would an out of town bomber show up in DC, leave their hotel or vehicle in a parking garage, in a disguise, to walk to DNC HQ leave a bomb and then just disappear? Right?
Its impossible without some inside knowledge of DC traffic camera's, & numerous security camera's. ( there is a series of traffic camera's everywhere in DC and every major city. Every government building has camera's and almost every business has a security camera.
The FBI should be able to track this person by putting all these camera's together and link them to a vehicle, a hotel, or a residence, or at least another person or disguise.
The tradecraft says something to me. Either the suspect is from law enforcement and/or military with counterinsurgency training. The person has been professionally trained to hide identity, and to know where surveillance is and how to avoid it. "Blue by day, white by night" kind of a suspect.
Beautifully written. Thank You.
Tucker, not tacos. I think...
I just found the bit where Quested says "...we went for lunch, we went for tuckers..." https://www.answers.com/Q/What_does_tucker_mean_in_Australia
I don't understand.