Will no one think of the poor racists?

by Ugh

It's 2017, do you know where your neo-Nazis are America?  

Meanwhile, the NYTimes is showing us their terrific editorial balance on the issue by letting Erick Fncking Erickson write an op-ed on yesterday's events. Erick. Fncking. Erickson.  Not gonna link.

Both sides, people, both sides. 

U! S! A!

Jesus.

Open Thread. 

Comments

[Doctor Science]

You can find a rally or vigil near you here.

[formerly known as cleek]

many sides. many many sides.

in the Age Of Trump, "conservatives" now champion moral equivalency with the fervor they once championed "family values". and with as deep a conviction, i suspect.

[hairshirthedonist]

The real problem is all those participation-trophy kids and their college safe places. The left is out of control.

[formerly known as cleek]

in case anyone missed it...

the driver was an active participant in fascist cosplay.

[Girl from the North Country]

Meanwhile, just heard the Mooch on the news criticising the President he professed to love so much for not condemning the fascists. Oh the eddies of resentment and treachery we are now to be witness to...

It couldn't happen to more deserving people, but I've long given up hope of it having any practical effect, at least in the short term. Still, it's fun watching sharks turning and rending each other as soon as there's blood in the water.

[Marty]

Same story, a year later, still a racist and a coward. It is the worst two ways he represents American. It is why Sessions isnt fired, another racist probably couldnt get through the Senate.

http://www.factcheck.org/2016/03/trumps-david-duke-amnesia/

[russell]

the dudes wih the tiki lamps are part of our history, culture, and society. since before day 1. nothing new.

we have to keep drawing the same line in the sand and not giving an inch, every freaking time they crawl out of the woodwork.

i'll work for common ground, or at least a friendly agreement to disagree, with almost anyone. not with racial supremacists, fascists, and nazis.

frightened little punk-ass losers. put down the nazi regalia and army cosplay BS and get some counseling.

or, you know, go play in traffic. your choice.

it ain't your planet. people who aren't like you live here, and they're not going away. get used to it.

[wj]

How deep into the right can condemnation go? Now, Ted Cruz calls for a Justice Department investigation, saying in part:

"The Nazis, the KKK, and white supremacists are repulsive and evil, and all of us have a moral obligation to speak out against the lies, bigotry, ant-semitism, and hatred that they propagate,"

The question might be, if people like Cruz, Ryan, and Rubio can be unequivocalin their condemnation, where is . . . Pence? So far, I haven't seen anything from him except quoting Trump -- admittedly without the "on both sides", but that ain't much.

[wj]

And yes, even Sessions, when announcing a Justice Department investigation, said:

The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.”

Even Sessions. I'm not sure he believes it, but even he knows he has to say it.

[Countme-A -Demon]

That Erickson and his red state operatives who recruited hate into the Republican Party (had a census worker or Republican Judge Souter been physically assaulted or killed by right-wing vermin Erickson could have been fingered for ordering the hit, but it's not like the republican wasn't already well on it's way already to becoming a savage presence in American life) were not dealt with years ago is one of many root causes for the horror of this presidency and its attendant radical acts among the crazy vein of the American hate zeitgeist, always there awaiting demagogues to mine it and set it upon all who they hate.

He fancies himself a man of Jesus. I refer you to my remarks on the bankrupt venomous American Christianity.

Many of my family, particularly from the generation of my grandparents, held a steadfast faith in God and Christ. They were capitalists.

This present-day malign perversion of the two American spiritual and economic Faith's is not in any way American or decent or even approximately human. It is alien life come to kill.

If there is to be nuclear war, and you will know it is near when Mattis and McMaster resign or are fired, the killers in South Korea mustn't be its sole victims.

The alien life form infesting America must be destroyed as well.

Now, my sister would say that's just crazy talk, but if the craziest talk is coming from the Oval Office and made the currency by the off-the-rails shitfuck right wing, then all of us had better learn the lingo and act accordingly and exponentially more crazy in order to live to see sanity return.

My Bitcoin two cents.

Today, my son and I will take the subway to lower Manhatten to find a
Mmusemm (yeah, that's the spelling spellcheck so back off) of everyday New York City objects situated in an abandoned freight elevator in TriBeCa.

Then back uptown to Yankee stadium. If nuclear Holocaust comes tonight, I'll have had a good day, but will regret not taking out every conservative personally the world over before they took me out.

Hate is the new Love.

I was thinking that yesterday as I stood on the sidewalk at the Dakota gate where an NRA-armed jagoff blew away a Beatle.

All we need is hate in order to love again. Give hate a chance and live to see love again.

[Girl from the North Country]

Hard to know which thread to put this in, but since Brexit let our own fascists out to play, and since (to my fury) I can no longer link articles for you from the Guardian website, thus denying you many of the best pieces which you, in the US, might not otherwise see, I am going to copy type, for the first time in decades. This is from an excellent piece by David Milliband in today's Observer, about Brexit. He's joining in an increasing chorus of reasonable types putting forward other ways to approach Brexit.

The Eu represents a vision of society and politics, not just economics. We need to fight on this ground too.

The Europe of Emmanuel Macron and Angela merkel stands for pluralsim, minority rights, the rule of law, international co-operation - and not just a single market. In fact, the real truth about the single market has been lost in translation.

It is not just a market. It is a vision of the good society. Rights (and holidays) for employees, limits on oligopolies, standards for the environment are there to serve the vision. The single market stands against a market society.

This is all the more important in a world where autocratic leadership is on the march. This is not just about China or Russia. The democratic world is itself splitting into authoritarian and pluralist camps. We can see Venezuela has taken a repressive turn. Within the EU there is a battle to hold Hungary and Poland to their commitments, and Brexit weakens that effort.

And the US is not immune. John Cassidy of the New Yorker has coined the notion of "democratic erosion" - gerrymandered congressional districts, voter supression and atacks on the media. Half of Republican voters say they would support the decision if President Trump postponed the next election.

The EU is not just a group of neighbouring countries It is a coalition of democratic states which pledge to advance human rights, the rule of law and democratic rules. That is not a threat to Britain; it is the team we should be in.

So Britain's choice about its institutional future is not just about pounds and pence. I favour the closest possible relationship with the EU, not only for economic reasons. The EEA does not just make business sense. Europe represents a vital and historic alliance of democracies, founded on the idea that social, economic and political rights go together and that countries best defend them in unison, not isolation.

History makes the point. The post-second world war commitments to rights for individuals have their immediate political origins in the Atlantic Charter, agreed between Churchill and Roosevelt in Newfoundland in 1941. It set out the terms of postwar peace - notably human rights, national self-determination and international co-operation. It was called the "birth certificate of the west" by the former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer

That is the part which I think has resonance for both our countries, and for everyone interested in a civilised, democratic future.

[wj]

I don't know if it will work for you with the Guardian. But with some sites I have found that I can use an "incognito tab" to get past the barrier. As long as they will allow even one read (e.g. per month), it seems to do the job.

[Pro Bono]

This is David Miliband's article. And this is the article about the article.

[Girl from the North Country]

Goddamnit, Pro Bono, I did all that copytyping for nothing!

Actually, I've just tried, and I can now access it without problem, whereas yesterday whatever I did I came up against the paywall. After a search, I find an article in the Telegraph on July 25th saying the Guardian are considering a paywall, but would rather not do it. So maybe yesterday was a test run? In any case, I hope they don't do it, because links to them in the past have provided you all with much interesting stuff, and that copytyping (and proofreading) was most annoying!

[wonkie]

Since this is an open thread...complete change of subject...
I read the Goblin Kingdom and liked it. NOt enough to reread it every year but I will read it again. I think the reason I will not reread it over an over is...I dont really want to gravel im my mind to that time or place. But the chareacters are wonderful and he writing is deft and vivid. Thank you for the recommendation.

My dog Izzy died, but I dont want to write about that. I have a new dog. I am having trouble loving him poor doggie because he is not Izzy. However I will do my best to make him happy because he is an unadoptable mess. He's old, nearly blind, incontinent and partially bald. I expect to be able to cure the baldness and he will wear diapers in the house for the incessant peeing.

He's the sole survivor of a horrible situation. He person was a paranoid schizophrenic. She ahd several dogs adn lived in unimaginable aqualor. Then she died. Since no one liked her, no one went to check on her property after her death. That left the three dogs on their own.

Willie stuck it out for six weeks. Then driven probably by thrist he set out down the driveway and out to the road where a neighbor found him The oher dos disappeared.

He's a shih tuz. I do not like shih tus and never wanted one. In fact, afer my experiences with a pug and a Maltese I ahd made up my mind that I wanted no more flat faced dogs (the pug) or dogs with high maintenance fur (the Maltese). So now I have a shih tuz who i sboth flat fced and will have high maintenance fur when he gets over being bald.

And he stinks. Its a yeast infection, so will clear up with medicated baths.

But he is very loving. Poor little guy,

[JakeB]

Bless your good heart for taking care of that stinky bald incontinent dog, wonkie.

My cousin, who loves bichon frises, is "fostering" a second one, having "fostered" a first one (i.e. deciding to adopt it after about a week). We tell her if you're going to foster a dog you need to take a breed you don't actually like. Will she listen? Ha. I just hope she doesn't keep it up till she has 20 of them.

[Yama]

Oh Wonkie you are such a great person for this. We take in a lot of strays, but I do not think I could do go that far.

OTOH, our last rescue hound (RIP, best friend I ever had), was a yeasty beast as well. It kind of grew on me. I nursed her though incontinence as well, doubt I could handle that again.

We have an extremely needy rescued Kelpie now. She is smarter than we are. It is a challenge, we are used to dumbass hounds and pitbulls.

[wonkie]

I dont think I am especially special. I live in an area where lots ans lots of people have foster or rescue dogs. I do not think I could handle a kelpie. I do not want a dog taht is smarter than me and has emtional problems. So I admisre you for having the patience to deal with that! I am much better at coping with health problems than emotional ones.

[cleek_with_a_fake_beard]

Jen Rubin burns it down.

The party of Lincoln is now the party of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Southern slave owners who decided to kill fellow Americans so that they could keep men, women and children enslaved. The Republican Party, in other words, has obliterated its entire historical legacy and become the party of the Enemies of Lincoln.

And let’s be clear: Republicans cannot say, “That’s not us — that’s just President Trump.” They supported him, they elected him, they defended him and they gave him the aura of a normal presidency. They cannot be the party of Lincoln and be the party of Trump. In that vein, we can dispense with Republicans’ “outrage,” “frustration,” “anger” and all other meaningless expressions of internal sentiment. Unless and until they are prepared to do something — not just send tweets — to politically disown Trump, the party is toast and none of its members should be elected or reelected.

[wj]

Jen Rubin: The party of Lincoln is now the party of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Southern slave owners

Rubin has been nailing it on the subject of Trump for a while now. Early and often, in fact.

It is interesting how regularly, and with what enormous determination, Trump's supporters roll out the line that the folks who brought us Jim Crow, fought the Civil Rights Act, etc. were all Democrats. It's like they almost know that their side is reprehensible, but since it's their side projection is an imperative.

[Ugh]

Is this the same Jen Rubin who is more Netanyahu than Netanyahu?

[wj]

Not sure of her position on Israeli political issues. But she is a long-standing conservative. (And, if memory serves, Jewish.) But she is real clear-eyed on Trump and the damage he is doing.

[cleek_with_a_fake_beard]

yep.

she hates Trump with a white-hot fury. and she's hilarious about it, too.

[cleek_with_a_fake_beard]

Daily Caller, January:

Here’s a compilation of liberal protesters getting pushed out of the way by cars and trucks. Study the technique; it may prove useful in the next four years.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/08/15/january_daily_caller_video_demonstrates_how_to_plow_through_protesters_with.html

[Ugh]

My recollection of her posts/columns during Obama's Presidency was that they were one step short of accusing him of advocating for wiping Israel off the map or something similar.

[bobbyp]

The party of Lincoln is now the party of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Southern slave owners who decided to kill fellow Americans so that they could keep men, women and children enslaved.

LBJ knew that would happen the minute he signed the Civil Rights Act. That this is not blindingly obvious to more people since at least Nixon is simply startling.

But you know we have ended racism and all that....so nothing to see here.

[wj]

Hey, there are still folks out there who insist that Nixon's Southern Strategy is entirely a myth, never happened, and has no basis in fact. Having lived thru that time, I somehow never find myself convinced.

[wj]

This
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2017/08/16/charlottesville-shakes-the-trump-presidency/?utm_term=.272b5e53e0e4
From someone who is an absolute partisan for the GOP and one of Trump's most reliable supporters. But not today, not even a little bit.

...because I am a white southern Republican, I appreciate how careful some politicians have to be when talking about race. You can’t give the biased media what they want. But Trump gave it to them by the shovel-full.
...
Like I have said before, “If a child asks what someone did that earned them a statue and the only possible answer is that he fought in the Civil War to defend slavery, then the statue should go.”
...
Whatever disaster occurs later today or tomorrow won’t make this disaster fade into the background. This one will linger. And it will be impossible for Republicans to completely disassociate themselves from it.

Charlottesville has shaken the Trump presidency. This one hurts.
-- Ed Rogers

At this point, the only folks finding it possible to defend Trump on this are exactly the white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Everybody else has abandon ship.

[cleek_with_a_fake_beard]

Time and again, Trump takes the bait offered by his media critics. He takes all the bait. Every time. The president must really like bait.

nice one.

[Pollo de muerte]

Hey, there are still folks out there who insist that Nixon's Southern Strategy is entirely a myth, never happened, and has no basis in fact. Having lived thru that time, I somehow never find myself convinced.

Posted by: wj | August 16, 2017 at 01:52 PM

I lived through the time and the region (born and raised in SC). It was real. To our collective shame, SC put a flag above the statehouse dome that had nothing to do with our state's heritage*. If you're going with "heritage, not hate" as your defense, then at least get the heritage part right. Of course the flag had nothing to do with the centennial as some claimed but was a naked FU reaction to the CRA.

I bring this up because it's revealing to look at the time and place that these monuments went up. They were often reactions to perceived jabs by the Feds or a victory lap for when whites took back control from reconstruction governments.

This is from someone who feels that when judged by the moral standards of his day, Lee was an honorable man. He also felt that there should not be any monuments to the Confederacy.

But I digress.

* The modern Confederate battle flag is really a little used Confederate Naval Jack that South Carolinians never fought under. It’s reminiscent of the battle flag of the army Northern Va (Lee’s army), but that flag was square. Again, other than Longstreet, South Carolinians didn’t fight under that flag either. It was, however, adopted by a Confederate Veterans group. For its part, SC continued to use the "stars and bars" throughout the war as best I can tell and didn't adopt those national Confederate flags that incorporated the battle flag of the army Northern Va. as part of a larger design.