Becoming

 

Photo Credit: Mike Theiler / Reuters / The Atlantic

"Just above and behind him (the insurrectionist with the Confederate flag) is a painting of Charles Sumner, the ardent abolitionist senator from Massachusetts, (and) a portrait of John C. Calhoun, partially obscured by the rebel flag, senator from South Carolina and vice president under both John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, who wrote in 1837:

'I hold that in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two, is, instead of an evil, a good—a positive good.'”

Please go here for Clint Smith's story in The Atlantic about the portraits, the capitol, the rebel flag and the Trump insurrection connection.

America, we have a challenge we must now confront. 

The Trump initiated Capitol Hill Insurrection has forced us to choose to become the USA we pretend to be or remain the white racist society we deny we are.

Only the days ahead will reveal our choice.

What happens after the Capitol attacks? | Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), 13 Jan 2021

Congress must vote to impeach and remove Donald Trump.

This isn't a complicated vote. It's a matter of right or wrong.

You're either with the People or you're with that mob.

The Civil War Never ended... Hatreds and Fears

Tears of Gratitude

 

Officer Eugene Goodman alone between rioters and open Senate door.
Photo Credit: New York Times

Officer Eugene Goodman was and remains the right man in the right spot at the right time. He is a hero not just because he chose not to use deadly force, but because he courageously stood alone before a mob of Trumpist-rioters, then risked bodily harm and/or death while summoning-up his intelligence and experience to distract them away from the US Senate chamber’s open door.

Officer Goodman gave others precious seconds to close that open door and remove senators from harm’s way.

“Above and Beyond”... Officer Goodman; you are my hero. Your service in defense of our Constitution brings tears of gratitude to my eyes.  

Hero Officer Led Mob Away To Save Lives During Capitol Riot

TODAY, 11 Jan 2021

Not Soap Enough?

 

Ms. Powell with soap.

Lawsuits for defamation have been threat enough to incent FOX News, Fox Business host Lou Dobbs and Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, plus, “fellow right-wing cable channels OANN and Newsmax,” to debunk their false voting machine claims.

Interestingly, even Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, “…criticized Powell on air for failing to provide any evidence to back her claim.”

Still, I’m guessing, of course, but there is probably not enough soap in the world to cleanse away the garbage sown by Ms. Powell and other Trumpists and amplified by right-wing media mega horns.

Yet, some soap in Ms. Powell’s mouth is a good start.

Here's another mouth cleansing... but for a billion times more innocent reason....

Lifebuoy yuck! Ralphie, soap, A Christmas Story - 1983

Walking that Lonesome Valley

 

Finally, someone is calling BS what it is – BS – and seriously taking legal action to stop the propaganda/disinformation tactics which have become the money-making norm for several media organizations, commentators and, of course, Mr. Trump and his lackeys.

“On Monday, electronic voting system company Smartmatic took legal action against Fox News, Newsmax and One America News Network, demanding the outlets retract stories rife with “false and defamatory statements” about its role in the 2020 election.”

As reported in a recent Huffpost article, written by Ryan Grenoble, Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic said:

“Each outlet published ‘dozens of factually inaccurate statements,’ Smartmatic claimed in the legal notices, all of which could have easily been disproven with a minimal amount of effort.”

“Instead of conducting basic research, however, Smartmatic said the right-wing outlets engaged in what it characterized as a “disinformation campaign” intended to discredit the outcome of the election.”

“They have no evidence to support their attacks on Smartmatic because there is no evidence,” Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic said in a statement. “This campaign was designed to defame Smartmatic and undermine legitimately conducted elections.”

“Our efforts are more than just about Smartmatic or any other company,” Mugica continued. “This campaign is an attack on election systems and election workers in an effort to depress confidence in future elections and potentially counter the will of the voters, not just here, but in democracies around the world.”

It is way past time for this “Walk that Lonesome Valley” moment and I hope it is one of many more to follow. To begin to move forward our nation must call out and legally compel the propaganda/disinformation perpetrators and facilitators to pay for the damage they have caused to the people of the United States.

Pete Seeger/Arlo Guthrie - You gotta walk that lonesome valley

AOC is Cooking the Right Stuff

 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cooks while lecturing her viewers about politics. Photograph: AOC instagram

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - AOC.

AOC is talking about creating a society for the rest of us rather than for the American billionaires who have enriched themselves by than a $1 trillion during the COVID-10 epidemic; while more Americans have died of COVID than died in combat during WWII; while more than 40 million Americans are about to become homeless.

AOC is talking about making America a more humane society. Let’s join her and make change for the better happen for all of us today.

Whatever she is cooking… it is the right stuff.

Rep. AOC: "All these Republicans and all these folks who were anti-shutdown are the same people who weren't wearing masks who forced us to shut down in the first place." pic.twitter.com/85bW0lNefU

— The Hill (@thehill) December 11, 2020

We Needed This

Why it has to be Biden, The Economist, 29 Oct 2020. Art Credit: David Parkins

Below is the message we needed to hear from the President of the United States.
Thank You, Pres-Elect Biden.

Pres-Elect Biden Thanksgiving Address

25 Nov 2020

Alternative Truth Death is Still Death

 

Mr. Trump’s COVID-19 “Alternative Truths” have not worked out so “well” for more than 250,000 (and counting) Americans who have died of the uncontrolled virus.

Still, while the U.S.A. is now racking up 1,100 COVID deaths each day, many of his believers continue to proclaim the whole COVID thing a “hoax”.

Perhaps one day a few Trump-believer relatives might ask out loud, "Why did you follow that man into your grave?" 

After all, Mr. Trump's "Alternative Truths" death is still... well... just death.

 

A South Dakota ER nurse @JodiDoering says her Covid-19 patients often “don’t want to believe that Covid is real.”

“Their last dying words are, ‘This can’t be happening. It’s not real.’ And when they should be... Facetiming their families, they’re filled with anger and hatred.” pic.twitter.com/tgUgP6znAT

— New Day (@NewDay) November 16, 2020

Willful ignorance... pic.twitter.com/u9XV57hCcB

— Hugh G Merriman MD (@merriman_md) November 16, 2020