News And Opinion About The Republican War On Women And Issues Important To Women
Monday, November 5, 2018
It’s a Right-Wing Cover-Up: Trump Was a Big Inspiration for the Synagogue Slaughter in Pittsburgh
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/10/30/its-right-wing-cover-trump-was-big-inspiration-synagogue-slaughter-pittsburgh?fbclid=IwAR3DiF_kJY3KjeT7P3DQGJ5K040RyzoEvWG89z_RDxuaWsT2kbk8P3hqyCw
"It’s a straight line—through Fox and right-wing hate radio—from Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants to the terrorist himself."
"It’s a straight line—through Fox and right-wing hate radio—from Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants to the terrorist himself."
What Has Trump Done To Us, America?
https://forward.com/opinion/412816/what-has-trump-done-to-us-america/?attribution=home-hero-item-text-2&fbclid=IwAR0JhE6oxRNjN4grOWlNFzKSKVxTh3L7hs0iUem3BqFmT4_MbE53TQJzeEQ
"We have become the nation of immigrants that is turning its back on immigrants, throwing them away from the border, separating families, locking up their children, and portraying them as satanic creatures ready to invade rather than ordinary people fleeing untenable circumstances. So is it any wonder that Robert Bowers, the man arrested for shooting eight people dead this morning at Etz Chaim synagogue in the heavily Jewish Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, was obsessed with HIAS, the legendary immigrant aid society that has helped Jews and non-Jews for more than a century? “HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people,” he wrote on a social media post that has since been deleted. “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.” We have become a nation where even the sacred space of worship no longer offers protection against raging white men with guns. (And they are almost always white men with guns.) Etz Chaim in Pittsburgh will now join the ignoble list of religious sanctuaries splattered with blood. Southerland Springs, Texas in 2017 (26 people dead.) Antioch, Tennessee in 2017 (one dead, many wounded.) Charleston, South Carolina in 2015 (nine dead.) The list really can go on. But very worst of all, we are a nation with a president who stokes this anger — against immigrants, against minorities, against anyone who disagrees with him at any moment — and then, when violence and death stain the landscape, blames the victims for not protecting themselves enough, as if that were the reason for the bloodshed. It’s time for the Jewish community in all its many facets to confront the complicity of the man in the White House, and all who support him — with money, votes, political expertise and moral cover. Because if you excuse the radical divisiveness spawned by this man, you are part of the problem. If you ignore his hateful tweets because you like his policies on Israel, you are part of the problem."
"We have become the nation of immigrants that is turning its back on immigrants, throwing them away from the border, separating families, locking up their children, and portraying them as satanic creatures ready to invade rather than ordinary people fleeing untenable circumstances. So is it any wonder that Robert Bowers, the man arrested for shooting eight people dead this morning at Etz Chaim synagogue in the heavily Jewish Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, was obsessed with HIAS, the legendary immigrant aid society that has helped Jews and non-Jews for more than a century? “HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people,” he wrote on a social media post that has since been deleted. “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.” We have become a nation where even the sacred space of worship no longer offers protection against raging white men with guns. (And they are almost always white men with guns.) Etz Chaim in Pittsburgh will now join the ignoble list of religious sanctuaries splattered with blood. Southerland Springs, Texas in 2017 (26 people dead.) Antioch, Tennessee in 2017 (one dead, many wounded.) Charleston, South Carolina in 2015 (nine dead.) The list really can go on. But very worst of all, we are a nation with a president who stokes this anger — against immigrants, against minorities, against anyone who disagrees with him at any moment — and then, when violence and death stain the landscape, blames the victims for not protecting themselves enough, as if that were the reason for the bloodshed. It’s time for the Jewish community in all its many facets to confront the complicity of the man in the White House, and all who support him — with money, votes, political expertise and moral cover. Because if you excuse the radical divisiveness spawned by this man, you are part of the problem. If you ignore his hateful tweets because you like his policies on Israel, you are part of the problem."
The President Refuses to Take a Shred of Responsibility. His Propagandists Are Working Overtime.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a24397525/president-trump-pittsburgh-shooting-democrats-bombings-cnn/?fbclid=IwAR2RWQq_MkpPxjDVVH1w7Ut_DOjMPDXlPXPrMYBQN5UVIcSjigAAlD2Gxb0
"These shameless liars will say anything. And Fox's programming in general has gone on as if the spasm of violent bloodshed last week never happened. Remember that the Pittsburgh shooter specifically cited unfounded conspiracies about The Caravan? Here's Fox and Friends' coverage this morning. The immigrants are bringing disease now? This is fascist propaganda. There is not a shred of evidence to support it—not unlike Brian Kilmeade's earlier statement that many migrant children will become MS-13 members in his neighborhood. But it's yet another attempt to dehumanize the supposed invaders coming for the southern border. In reality, the people in "The Caravan" are a thousand miles away, and those that make it to the border will present themselves to American immigration authorities in the hopes of getting an asylum hearing, as is their right under international law and treaties to which the United States is a signatory. In saner times, we might call them "refugees." But not in these times. The idea the migrants in The Caravan are vermin carrying disease is now apparently one of the stock tropes at Fox"
"These shameless liars will say anything. And Fox's programming in general has gone on as if the spasm of violent bloodshed last week never happened. Remember that the Pittsburgh shooter specifically cited unfounded conspiracies about The Caravan? Here's Fox and Friends' coverage this morning. The immigrants are bringing disease now? This is fascist propaganda. There is not a shred of evidence to support it—not unlike Brian Kilmeade's earlier statement that many migrant children will become MS-13 members in his neighborhood. But it's yet another attempt to dehumanize the supposed invaders coming for the southern border. In reality, the people in "The Caravan" are a thousand miles away, and those that make it to the border will present themselves to American immigration authorities in the hopes of getting an asylum hearing, as is their right under international law and treaties to which the United States is a signatory. In saner times, we might call them "refugees." But not in these times. The idea the migrants in The Caravan are vermin carrying disease is now apparently one of the stock tropes at Fox"
This is Trump’s America: Slaughter in Pittsburgh, racist killings at Kroger and the MAGAbomber
https://www.salon.com/2018/10/29/this-is-trumps-america-slaughter-in-pittsburgh-racist-killings-at-kroger-and-the-magabomber/?fbclid=IwAR0eVJSKLG67t3oZzlJjJVQ8ReoU9yKtKehrYCXXpKeMdmZdZZrYiJj2M-4
"Trump and his administration have defunded programs targeting right-wing domestic terrorists. He and other Republican leaders have chosen to overlook the dire threat to public safety posed by members of the white-supremacist right, a threat senior American law enforcement officials have described as being greater than that posed by radical Islam."
"Trump and his administration have defunded programs targeting right-wing domestic terrorists. He and other Republican leaders have chosen to overlook the dire threat to public safety posed by members of the white-supremacist right, a threat senior American law enforcement officials have described as being greater than that posed by radical Islam."
The President Is Pushing the Exact Conspiracies Cited by the Pittsburgh Shooter 5 Days After the Attack
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a24509738/president-trump-conspiracy-theories-pittsburgh-shooter/?fbclid=IwAR2en7c6gjcrvH_sLPpPfKO6v2Vdp6qml-jLN1ARnUoENQ6_Y_BOA0CowPo
"This is a quintessential example of outright propaganda, directly from the president."
"This is a quintessential example of outright propaganda, directly from the president."
Trump’s Amorality Is Spreading Throughout the GOP
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-shooting-response-748320/?fbclid=IwAR1wPmsE4anv6lLCUH31iPFvMVSCc8LgtL31j7sxe-LbvrakP7hazJ-kta0
"The man who shot up the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh had railed against the “invaders” in the migrant caravan the president has propped up as his key talking point leading into the midterms. The shooter criticized the president for not being harsh enough on the Jewish people, although it’s hard to argue that Trump’s actions since taking office — from praising the “fine people” protesting the presence of Jews in America last year in Charlottesville, to his repeated denigrations of “globalists,” to his laughing last Friday at the idea of George Soros being jailed — hasn’t emboldened anyone with antisemitic views. White nationalist Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is so confident he will win reelection next week that he’s been in eastern Europe rubbing elbows with far-right groups like the anti-immigrant, Nazi-founded Freedom Party in Austria. “If they were in America pushing the platform that they push, they would be Republicans,” Kind said, according to the Washington Post. On Monday morning, the president echoed the shooter’s language by referring to the migrant caravan as an “invasion.” But Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders doesn’t see the president as having anything to do with any of this, implying that the attack on Saturday was carried out despite the president’s love of the Jewish people. The Jewish community in Pittsburgh disagrees. Jewish leaders in the city on Sunday penned an open letter to the president, writing that he is not welcome in Pittsburgh until he denounced white nationalism. “For the past three years your words and your policies have emboldened a growing white nationalist movement,” they wrote. “You yourself called the murderer evil, but yesterday’s violence is the direct culmination of your influence.” They added that Trump has “also deliberately undermined the safety of people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities” and that Saturday’s “massacre is not the first act of terror you incited against a minority group in our country"."
"The man who shot up the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh had railed against the “invaders” in the migrant caravan the president has propped up as his key talking point leading into the midterms. The shooter criticized the president for not being harsh enough on the Jewish people, although it’s hard to argue that Trump’s actions since taking office — from praising the “fine people” protesting the presence of Jews in America last year in Charlottesville, to his repeated denigrations of “globalists,” to his laughing last Friday at the idea of George Soros being jailed — hasn’t emboldened anyone with antisemitic views. White nationalist Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is so confident he will win reelection next week that he’s been in eastern Europe rubbing elbows with far-right groups like the anti-immigrant, Nazi-founded Freedom Party in Austria. “If they were in America pushing the platform that they push, they would be Republicans,” Kind said, according to the Washington Post. On Monday morning, the president echoed the shooter’s language by referring to the migrant caravan as an “invasion.” But Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders doesn’t see the president as having anything to do with any of this, implying that the attack on Saturday was carried out despite the president’s love of the Jewish people. The Jewish community in Pittsburgh disagrees. Jewish leaders in the city on Sunday penned an open letter to the president, writing that he is not welcome in Pittsburgh until he denounced white nationalism. “For the past three years your words and your policies have emboldened a growing white nationalist movement,” they wrote. “You yourself called the murderer evil, but yesterday’s violence is the direct culmination of your influence.” They added that Trump has “also deliberately undermined the safety of people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities” and that Saturday’s “massacre is not the first act of terror you incited against a minority group in our country"."
Sully: 'As A Former Republican, I've Already Voted. And I Voted For Democrats.
https://crooksandliars.com/2018/11/sully-former-republican-ive-already-voted?fbclid=IwAR2wm7G23eaxNU0RLMJwqnLpi33yuFcSHntqVmBQaXN4p8dTc07PhigtN-I
"Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who has been a registered Republican for decades. But this election cycle, he sees things not in red vs. blue but in terms of American vs. Un-American"
"Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who has been a registered Republican for decades. But this election cycle, he sees things not in red vs. blue but in terms of American vs. Un-American"
Trump’s Judges Imperil Our Rights for Decades
https://truthout.org/articles/trumps-judges-imperil-our-rights-for-decades/?fbclid=IwAR18Hw1SwHi6yj_8PW1HsIoovxHp1NIvNih3MmtvcXKRBgDMxSmhoNN--U4
"Trump has been systematically packing the federal circuit courts of appeals with conservative judges who are already slashing the rights of workers, immigrants, women, LGBTQ people, consumers, voters, the environment, people accused of crime and whistleblowers."
"Trump has been systematically packing the federal circuit courts of appeals with conservative judges who are already slashing the rights of workers, immigrants, women, LGBTQ people, consumers, voters, the environment, people accused of crime and whistleblowers."
The Constitution Is on the Ballot
The Constitution Is on the Ballot:
"This is a tipping-point election. The choice is between representational democracy and neo-fascism."
"This is a tipping-point election. The choice is between representational democracy and neo-fascism."
Believe Republicans When They Say They’re Coming After Your Health Care
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/republicans-health-care-obamacare-medicare-medicaid_us_5bd72b78e4b055bc948eb3d9?fbclid=IwAR2uPTYrkTOZzlTRJmZHzSb3sTKGzg2ZdKN4coofLkCYO0oglALg5FjZQE8
"It’s not just the lies about pre-existing conditions. The GOP still wants to go after Obamacare, Medicaid and Medicare."
"It’s not just the lies about pre-existing conditions. The GOP still wants to go after Obamacare, Medicaid and Medicare."
Republicans Are Afraid Of Democracy, So They’re Dismantling It
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-trump-gop-voter-suppression-georgia_us_5bd88ba6e4b017e5bfd694a1?fbclid=IwAR2rFvLd-OJXcBHXrl4rVfEm4_ey0WaIauheDgWEfO4Tq4lypOEL6N9DLtg
"Today, in the midst of another election fight, the unearthly fear of democracy is once again terrorizing conservative politicians. And the state, led by President Donald Trump, is once again embracing white nationalism. As early as 2012, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham warned that his party was “not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term,” and an “autopsy” of the GOP’s performance in that year’s elections confirmed the prognosis. The problem for Republicans is that as the party became increasingly racially and ideologically homogeneous, the electorate grew more and more diverse and comprised an ever larger share of potential voters. Even more chilling for the GOP, despite rampant voter suppression, which it has applied with “almost surgical precision,” black voter turnout has skyrocketed. Fueled in large measure by the work of civil society and African Americans’ disdain for Trump, black turnout in the 2017 Alabama Senate special election was 25 percent higher than it was in the 2016 election. The hard-core demographic facts of the GOP have tied the party into a Gordian knot: Republicans must advocate for democracy, but because of the party’s right-wing policies, their only path to victory requires undermining that very democracy. For example, Brian Kemp, the Georgia secretary of state and Republican candidate for governor, recently voiced concerns that his Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams’ formidable voter registration efforts posed a considerable risk to his election ― “especially,” he remarked, “if everybody uses and exercises their right to vote.” He has done what he can ― purging voter rolls, putting tens of thousands of registrations in electoral limbo, shutting down polling places and opting not to update voting machines that are changing ballots cast for Abrams to votes for himself ― but he and Abrams are still in a statistical tie."
"Today, in the midst of another election fight, the unearthly fear of democracy is once again terrorizing conservative politicians. And the state, led by President Donald Trump, is once again embracing white nationalism. As early as 2012, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham warned that his party was “not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term,” and an “autopsy” of the GOP’s performance in that year’s elections confirmed the prognosis. The problem for Republicans is that as the party became increasingly racially and ideologically homogeneous, the electorate grew more and more diverse and comprised an ever larger share of potential voters. Even more chilling for the GOP, despite rampant voter suppression, which it has applied with “almost surgical precision,” black voter turnout has skyrocketed. Fueled in large measure by the work of civil society and African Americans’ disdain for Trump, black turnout in the 2017 Alabama Senate special election was 25 percent higher than it was in the 2016 election. The hard-core demographic facts of the GOP have tied the party into a Gordian knot: Republicans must advocate for democracy, but because of the party’s right-wing policies, their only path to victory requires undermining that very democracy. For example, Brian Kemp, the Georgia secretary of state and Republican candidate for governor, recently voiced concerns that his Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams’ formidable voter registration efforts posed a considerable risk to his election ― “especially,” he remarked, “if everybody uses and exercises their right to vote.” He has done what he can ― purging voter rolls, putting tens of thousands of registrations in electoral limbo, shutting down polling places and opting not to update voting machines that are changing ballots cast for Abrams to votes for himself ― but he and Abrams are still in a statistical tie."
Local Paper and Interfaith Leaders Blast Iowa Rep. Steve King: “Those Were Not Easy Words for Us to Write”
https://theintercept.com/2018/10/30/steve-king-tree-of-life/?fbclid=IwAR14yuEFS08zm5plHaQ_nbjJjl8F5GtfkXb_XfOzQ6vcSSFAiO8HiIPrKxk
"IOWA FAITH LEADERS are demanding that backers of white nationalist Rep. Steve King pull their financial support of his re-election bid, as his history of racist rhetoric faces heightened scrutiny following a massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue, and a wave of pipe bombs mailed to prominent critics of President Donald Trump. King’s Republican colleagues have long shrugged off his promotion of white supremacist ideology, but the recent attacks have renewed national outrage. Under intense pressure, at least three of his donors — dairy company Land O’Lakes, tech giant Intel, and Purina — have withdrawn their support."
"IOWA FAITH LEADERS are demanding that backers of white nationalist Rep. Steve King pull their financial support of his re-election bid, as his history of racist rhetoric faces heightened scrutiny following a massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue, and a wave of pipe bombs mailed to prominent critics of President Donald Trump. King’s Republican colleagues have long shrugged off his promotion of white supremacist ideology, but the recent attacks have renewed national outrage. Under intense pressure, at least three of his donors — dairy company Land O’Lakes, tech giant Intel, and Purina — have withdrawn their support."
Trump’s Love Affair With Violence in the Age of Fascist Nihilism
https://truthout.org/articles/trumps-love-affair-with-violence-in-the-age-of-fascist-nihilism/?fbclid=IwAR11OOmSgOlz4MT99oXPVvTd0yF1Hmk17FkhzQGIho6HwSDJt4XwraM0StU
"Fascism first begins with linguistic violence and then gains momentum as an organizing force for shaping a culture that legitimates indiscriminate violence against entire groups — Black people, immigrants, Jews, Muslims and others considered “disposable.” In this vein, Trump portrays his critics as “villains” and “enemies,” describes immigrants as “losers” and “criminals,” and has become a national mouthpiece for violent nationalists and a myriad of extremists who trade in hate and violence. Using a rhetoric of hate as a performance strategy to whip up his base, Trump employs endless rhetorical tropes of hate and demonization that set the tone for real violence."
"Fascism first begins with linguistic violence and then gains momentum as an organizing force for shaping a culture that legitimates indiscriminate violence against entire groups — Black people, immigrants, Jews, Muslims and others considered “disposable.” In this vein, Trump portrays his critics as “villains” and “enemies,” describes immigrants as “losers” and “criminals,” and has become a national mouthpiece for violent nationalists and a myriad of extremists who trade in hate and violence. Using a rhetoric of hate as a performance strategy to whip up his base, Trump employs endless rhetorical tropes of hate and demonization that set the tone for real violence."
How Fox & Friends Warps the News for Its Most Powerful Viewer
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/fox-and-friends-synagogue-shooting-trump.html?fbclid=IwAR3Icv3PC4CNLDSZwDExfexMxi1pqbRgVYx_eUP8e8SUrAk3dzcqkryEI-8
"Fox & Friends isn’t so much a news program as it is a daily televised support group for early-rising xenophobes. Foremost among these is, of course, Trump himself. Fox & Friends enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the president, who watches the show regularly and often tweets in response to its segments. The Fox & Friends hosts know very well that Trump is tuning in, and it is clear that they are often speaking to him directly, praising his actions and belittling his critics, like courtiers flattering a patron or indulgent parents coddling an insecure child."
"Fox & Friends isn’t so much a news program as it is a daily televised support group for early-rising xenophobes. Foremost among these is, of course, Trump himself. Fox & Friends enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the president, who watches the show regularly and often tweets in response to its segments. The Fox & Friends hosts know very well that Trump is tuning in, and it is clear that they are often speaking to him directly, praising his actions and belittling his critics, like courtiers flattering a patron or indulgent parents coddling an insecure child."
Minnesota GOP Senate Candidate Says People With Pre-Existing Conditions Are ‘Wealthier’
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/karin-housley-pre-existing-conditions_us_5bd8e577e4b01abe6a192135?fbclid=IwAR3u1M0Ck6LObsNtA3cNdom2WQT3_b6ZmN0Nw7n8cvCsAP0kA-3rpybDF-E
"Housley’s claim that she supports coverage for people with pre-existing conditions is dubious."
"Housley’s claim that she supports coverage for people with pre-existing conditions is dubious."
Taylor Swift announces vote for Democrat Phil Bredesen in Tennessee Senate race
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/taylor-swift-announces-vote-democrat-phil-bredesen-tennessee-senate-race-n926321?fbclid=IwAR2c1l9s62hbv_JN8nLspp_cs-wM7CfhQbD0hwwzVtgcdiNyW29busajoGE
"Taylor Swift announced on Instagram Tuesday that she cast an early vote for Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen in Tennessee, and urged others in the state to do the same."
"Taylor Swift announced on Instagram Tuesday that she cast an early vote for Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen in Tennessee, and urged others in the state to do the same."
Saturday, October 27, 2018
After the arrest in Florida, Trump’s guilt is clearer than ever: But will anything change?
https://www.salon.com/2018/10/26/after-the-arrest-in-florida-trumps-guilt-is-clearer-than-ever-but-will-anything-change/?fbclid=IwAR1djFqNVNH5zY9tP17oucPkBiIZYR4LT93QsliCCSTgmMsPKpWGiLbDGoQ
"Donald Trump presents a unique problem. He has repeatedly and publicly chosen to ally himself with a foreign adversary, Russian President Vladimir Putin, against the safety and security of the United States and the American people. He has encouraged violence and usurped America's democratic norms and institutions, as well as the rule of law. He has evident contempt for the U.S. Constitution and offers aid and comfort to white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and others who reject America's multiracial democracy and are willing to use violence to overthrow it. In total, this makes Donald Trump a domestic enemy, and makes the entire Republican Party complicit. Its leaders have chosen power over patriotism."
"Donald Trump presents a unique problem. He has repeatedly and publicly chosen to ally himself with a foreign adversary, Russian President Vladimir Putin, against the safety and security of the United States and the American people. He has encouraged violence and usurped America's democratic norms and institutions, as well as the rule of law. He has evident contempt for the U.S. Constitution and offers aid and comfort to white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and others who reject America's multiracial democracy and are willing to use violence to overthrow it. In total, this makes Donald Trump a domestic enemy, and makes the entire Republican Party complicit. Its leaders have chosen power over patriotism."
Mail Bombings Suspect Appeared To Promote Trump, Conspiracies On Social Media
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/florida-bomb-suspect-social-media-pro-trump-far-right-conspiracies?fbclid=IwAR2PN3Tki528-oT5WbEjigNoJk0cSviMV0TKP8UBaIPPJhKUQM3NlJHbtaM
"The posts are full of misspellings, run-on sentences, and bizarre stream-of-consciousness word vomit."
"The posts are full of misspellings, run-on sentences, and bizarre stream-of-consciousness word vomit."
Cesar Sayoc Jr., Alleged Mail Bomber, Threatened Democrats on Twitter
https://www.thedailybeast.com/cesar-sayoc-jr-alleged-mail-bomber-threatened-democrats-on-twitter?source=twitter&via=desktop&fbclid=IwAR0ZSgRK7f-zZkwoCGXLGVu2i44PuP01uLKudKlFElW1mvTOSjiyVgJcAbg
"He appears to have repeatedly tweeted about George Soros, the liberal billionaire philanthropist who has long been the target of far-right, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. At one point, Sayoc purportedly wrote “you will vanish” in a tweet aimed at the billionaire. Soros received a suspicious package at his Westchester County home on Monday—the first of at least 12 mailed to liberal public figures this week. Other tweets falsely claimed the February 2018 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was a false-flag operation orchestrated by Soros and his liberal allies. The account also frequently posted angry messages about Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose name was listed as the return address on the mailed pipe bombs. Other prominent liberal activists—including Parkland survivor David Hogg and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick—are targeted in his tweets."
"He appears to have repeatedly tweeted about George Soros, the liberal billionaire philanthropist who has long been the target of far-right, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. At one point, Sayoc purportedly wrote “you will vanish” in a tweet aimed at the billionaire. Soros received a suspicious package at his Westchester County home on Monday—the first of at least 12 mailed to liberal public figures this week. Other tweets falsely claimed the February 2018 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was a false-flag operation orchestrated by Soros and his liberal allies. The account also frequently posted angry messages about Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose name was listed as the return address on the mailed pipe bombs. Other prominent liberal activists—including Parkland survivor David Hogg and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick—are targeted in his tweets."
Far Right Urging of Jailing of Political Rivals Linked in History With Bombings
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/10/26/far-right-urging-jailing-political-rivals-linked-history-bombings?fbclid=IwAR3xzSz7ZoSxDg8Lftml2a-qWAV3CiK1-nOULFkxN8xQBKufaBGadsRnTgk
"The mass right wing parties of Europe in the 1920s and 1930s were led by charismatic leaders who whipped up the hatreds of mobs by denouncing immigrants and ethnic and religious groups as threats to the nation and as terrorists and saboteurs. Somehow when politicians set such a tone, in which alternative political leaders and movements are not just seen as a legitimate loyal opposition, but are depicted as criminal traitors who must be locked up, one thing that happens is that bombs start to go off, planted by members of the far Right parties. If you don’t believe me about the connection, consider a few news articles from the 1920s and early 1930s, as the Fascists came to power in Italy and increasingly agitated in Germany"
"The mass right wing parties of Europe in the 1920s and 1930s were led by charismatic leaders who whipped up the hatreds of mobs by denouncing immigrants and ethnic and religious groups as threats to the nation and as terrorists and saboteurs. Somehow when politicians set such a tone, in which alternative political leaders and movements are not just seen as a legitimate loyal opposition, but are depicted as criminal traitors who must be locked up, one thing that happens is that bombs start to go off, planted by members of the far Right parties. If you don’t believe me about the connection, consider a few news articles from the 1920s and early 1930s, as the Fascists came to power in Italy and increasingly agitated in Germany"
As Trump continues attack on CNN, network receives another ‘suspicious package’
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-attacks-cnn-mail-bomb-james-clapper-aef423e14580/?fbclid=IwAR1hwmUOEFPTaJbsDtpLwqpl58xzuv5I-6mMrXrNy-mktfjm9s4XZQxUNdQ
"Hours after President Trump posted a tweet at 3:14 a.m. on Friday lambasting CNN, the network was targeted by another “suspicious package.” NBC reports that the package — which was sent to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper but addressed to the network where he serves as a contributor — is believed to be a bomb. The Clapper package marks the second time this week that CNN has received an explosive device in the mail."
"Hours after President Trump posted a tweet at 3:14 a.m. on Friday lambasting CNN, the network was targeted by another “suspicious package.” NBC reports that the package — which was sent to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper but addressed to the network where he serves as a contributor — is believed to be a bomb. The Clapper package marks the second time this week that CNN has received an explosive device in the mail."
Fox News Didn’t Know How to Politicize the Pipe Bomb Story
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/fox-news-pipe-bombs-caravan-coverage.html?fbclid=IwAR1GPEp536gN_GzYWwfCPqovKCSg31Tu7Wa1o074EzkrteuZisjL-qCWH0U
"The network was set for a day of fear-stoking caravan coverage—until breaking news disrupted its efficient propaganda machine."
"The network was set for a day of fear-stoking caravan coverage—until breaking news disrupted its efficient propaganda machine."
Supreme Leader Trump Brushes Off Terrorist Plot to Murder His Political Adversaries
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-pipe-bombs-746945/?fbclid=IwAR1mVT6At8K9UL6if1L4hdYsn4tbE52-xqjW9bby1q_eajvX7SXWnUVvJJQ
"These are the people Republican politicians fear will vote them out of office, which is why they have mostly refrained from acknowledging Trump’s role in dividing the nation and inciting violence. To them, both sides are to blame, and the bombing attempts are no different from a restaurant refusing to serve Sarah Huckabee Sanders. As a result, a terrorist plot to murder two ex-presidents, other current and former Democratic politicians, a billionaire philanthropist and employees of a news network will be conveniently flushed out of the news cycle in a matter of days."
"These are the people Republican politicians fear will vote them out of office, which is why they have mostly refrained from acknowledging Trump’s role in dividing the nation and inciting violence. To them, both sides are to blame, and the bombing attempts are no different from a restaurant refusing to serve Sarah Huckabee Sanders. As a result, a terrorist plot to murder two ex-presidents, other current and former Democratic politicians, a billionaire philanthropist and employees of a news network will be conveniently flushed out of the news cycle in a matter of days."
The Problem Isn’t Incivility. It’s Trump’s Belief the Media Can’t Criticize Him.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/10/trumps-pipe-bombs-mainstream-media-clean-up-act.html?fbclid=IwAR36N6fIHwD7AAB25Yky-ALByPn3AVMiN5A1fZSau0ULLdoahbbGxsQv8DU
"Trump persisted in manipulating the media to build his image as a brilliant deal maker by publishing lies so wild the reporters he used couldn’t fathom them. (Reporter Jonathan Greenberg later recounted one such episode, in which Trump lied his way onto the Forbes 400.) Eventually almost all of Trump’s deals collapsed, and his one remaining marketable asset was the media-created perception that he was a brilliant businessman. The corollary to Trump’s expectation that the news media unquestioningly transmit his lies is his demand that it refrain from criticism of any kind. He was fanatical about intimidating reporters with legal threats. He would wring apologies out of any skeptics, or even get them fired — not despite the fact the criticism was true but because it was true. In his incarnation as a political candidate, Trump has mostly lost his ability to intimidate the media with legal threats. (Politicians have a prohibitively high standard for libel in the United States.) But his expectation and worldview are the same. Any news outlet not controlled by his loyalists is “fake news” and an “enemy of the people.” It must “clean up its act” — or else. Trump can’t literally attack reporters, though he can praise allies who do. The mail-bomb threats are the leverage he craves. They are the threat that can make good on his demand, the consequence facing the media for failing to submit to his orders. It is a supreme irony that Trump used his speech last night to delegitimize criticism. “No one should carelessly compare political opponents to historical villains.” But the issue is that Trump, in his psychological makeup and aspirations, is precisely such a historical villain."
"Trump persisted in manipulating the media to build his image as a brilliant deal maker by publishing lies so wild the reporters he used couldn’t fathom them. (Reporter Jonathan Greenberg later recounted one such episode, in which Trump lied his way onto the Forbes 400.) Eventually almost all of Trump’s deals collapsed, and his one remaining marketable asset was the media-created perception that he was a brilliant businessman. The corollary to Trump’s expectation that the news media unquestioningly transmit his lies is his demand that it refrain from criticism of any kind. He was fanatical about intimidating reporters with legal threats. He would wring apologies out of any skeptics, or even get them fired — not despite the fact the criticism was true but because it was true. In his incarnation as a political candidate, Trump has mostly lost his ability to intimidate the media with legal threats. (Politicians have a prohibitively high standard for libel in the United States.) But his expectation and worldview are the same. Any news outlet not controlled by his loyalists is “fake news” and an “enemy of the people.” It must “clean up its act” — or else. Trump can’t literally attack reporters, though he can praise allies who do. The mail-bomb threats are the leverage he craves. They are the threat that can make good on his demand, the consequence facing the media for failing to submit to his orders. It is a supreme irony that Trump used his speech last night to delegitimize criticism. “No one should carelessly compare political opponents to historical villains.” But the issue is that Trump, in his psychological makeup and aspirations, is precisely such a historical villain."
Someone Sent CNN a Bomb. The President Called for Civility—Then Attacked the Media.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a24213739/cnn-bomb-president-trump-attack-media/?fbclid=IwAR0NoUsS6w8azkvXhlLNMsjIXwAAV9ouWUgtU5FHivhQvce8zNzkC2TMAmg
"Again, someone tried to bomb CNN earlier that day. And now the person who unleashes more invective against the media in general and CNN in particular than anyone else in public life is demanding civility from those who were just physically attacked. The number one dispenser of false information in our society is demanding others stop their "false attacks." It's enough to make you wonder whether Donald Trump, American president, is capable of taking responsibility for anything at all. After all, the president is not merely the most "uncivil" figure in our politics, whose viciousness and blatant disregard for the truth have trickled down to permeate all of our discourse. In this homestretch of the 2018 midterms in particular, it is Donald Trump who is ratcheting up the rhetoric to dangerous new levels This is reality. This is what's happening. The president is banging on about how his political opponents want to allow hordes of faceless criminal brown people to pour into the country through the southern border, and continually suggests the Mainstream Media is aiding and abetting that effort. He has categorized not just CNN and other media outlets, but Democrats, too, as enemies of the state. He has been doing so for some time, but as the election approaches and Republicans' prospects—particularly in the House—have not improved, the president and his allies have turned to a loud and sprawling campaign of outright propaganda. And all the while, he pretends that continually casting his political opponents and the free press as enemies of the American people who are endangering you and your family has no effect on his supporters or the wider political system. He pretends he is not contributing to this "atmosphere" of increasingly violent hostility, even as he embraces political violence from the podium, praising an ally for physically assaulting a reporter. A proto-brownshirt group supporting him went on a violent spree in the streets of New York less than two weeks ago."
"Again, someone tried to bomb CNN earlier that day. And now the person who unleashes more invective against the media in general and CNN in particular than anyone else in public life is demanding civility from those who were just physically attacked. The number one dispenser of false information in our society is demanding others stop their "false attacks." It's enough to make you wonder whether Donald Trump, American president, is capable of taking responsibility for anything at all. After all, the president is not merely the most "uncivil" figure in our politics, whose viciousness and blatant disregard for the truth have trickled down to permeate all of our discourse. In this homestretch of the 2018 midterms in particular, it is Donald Trump who is ratcheting up the rhetoric to dangerous new levels This is reality. This is what's happening. The president is banging on about how his political opponents want to allow hordes of faceless criminal brown people to pour into the country through the southern border, and continually suggests the Mainstream Media is aiding and abetting that effort. He has categorized not just CNN and other media outlets, but Democrats, too, as enemies of the state. He has been doing so for some time, but as the election approaches and Republicans' prospects—particularly in the House—have not improved, the president and his allies have turned to a loud and sprawling campaign of outright propaganda. And all the while, he pretends that continually casting his political opponents and the free press as enemies of the American people who are endangering you and your family has no effect on his supporters or the wider political system. He pretends he is not contributing to this "atmosphere" of increasingly violent hostility, even as he embraces political violence from the podium, praising an ally for physically assaulting a reporter. A proto-brownshirt group supporting him went on a violent spree in the streets of New York less than two weeks ago."
The conservative mainstream is embracing conspiracy theories
https://thinkprogress.org/conspiracy-theories-now-conservative-mainstream-attempted-bombings-fcb2a7d3d66b/?fbclid=IwAR3FKQQmPzrPCvZa6JHVsQTs5K_4G3UYP2gjzwoV8GxTA0p_SJbAFFYgYNs
"What makes the spread of this theory so depressing is that it has moved into mainstream conservative conversation despite being the exact same theory that is currently being propagated by neo-Nazis like Andrew Anglin at the Daily Stormer and conspiracy theorists like Laura Loomer. The fringe internet to Fox News pipeline has proved increasingly successful in recent months."
"What makes the spread of this theory so depressing is that it has moved into mainstream conservative conversation despite being the exact same theory that is currently being propagated by neo-Nazis like Andrew Anglin at the Daily Stormer and conspiracy theorists like Laura Loomer. The fringe internet to Fox News pipeline has proved increasingly successful in recent months."
As Trump Gaslights Entire Nation About Package Bombs, This 'Will Go Down in History' as Clear Moment 'American Democracy Truly at Risk'
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/10/25/trump-gaslights-entire-nation-about-package-bombs-will-go-down-history-clear-moment?fbclid=IwAR14IM6rZOqaZdWhz5HM1_Oya8zaHcMq2HFQTrOSuKcXZnM1trYa1AzKmls
"Trump's tweet and the swift backlash came just hours after over 200 retired journalists signed an open letter (pdf) condemning the president's continued attacks on the free press, highlighting as just one example his remarks last week praising Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) for body-slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. "Trump's condoning of political violence is part of a sustained pattern of attack on a free press--which includes labeling any reportage he doesn't like as 'fake news' and barring reporters and news organizations whom he wishes to punish from press briefings and events," the former journalists wrote. "The president... is actively working not simply to undermine the press, but to incite violence against it as well"."
"Trump's tweet and the swift backlash came just hours after over 200 retired journalists signed an open letter (pdf) condemning the president's continued attacks on the free press, highlighting as just one example his remarks last week praising Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) for body-slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. "Trump's condoning of political violence is part of a sustained pattern of attack on a free press--which includes labeling any reportage he doesn't like as 'fake news' and barring reporters and news organizations whom he wishes to punish from press briefings and events," the former journalists wrote. "The president... is actively working not simply to undermine the press, but to incite violence against it as well"."
Terror from the Right
https://www.splcenter.org/20180723/terror-right?fbclid=IwAR3XKbH7a_F3J1-dBZzKMxFfda5TRzwR_zcfLmHp_bR5beCGoxJ4VXZBZyk
"What follows is a detailed listing of major terrorist plots and racist rampages that have emerged from the American radical right in the years since Oklahoma City. These have included plans to bomb government buildings, banks, refineries, utilities, clinics, synagogues, mosques, memorials and bridges; to assassinate police officers, judges, politicians, civil rights figures and others; to rob banks, armored cars and other criminals; and to amass illegal machine guns, missiles, explosives and biological and chemical weapons. [Each of these plots aimed to make changes in America through the use of political violence.] Most contemplated the deaths of large numbers of people — in one case, as many as 30,000, or 10 times the number murdered on Sept. 11, 2001. Here are the stories of plots, conspiracies and racist rampages since 1995 — plots and violence waged against a democratic America."
"What follows is a detailed listing of major terrorist plots and racist rampages that have emerged from the American radical right in the years since Oklahoma City. These have included plans to bomb government buildings, banks, refineries, utilities, clinics, synagogues, mosques, memorials and bridges; to assassinate police officers, judges, politicians, civil rights figures and others; to rob banks, armored cars and other criminals; and to amass illegal machine guns, missiles, explosives and biological and chemical weapons. [Each of these plots aimed to make changes in America through the use of political violence.] Most contemplated the deaths of large numbers of people — in one case, as many as 30,000, or 10 times the number murdered on Sept. 11, 2001. Here are the stories of plots, conspiracies and racist rampages since 1995 — plots and violence waged against a democratic America."
Words into bombs: Donald Trump’s violent rhetoric has consequences
https://www.salon.com/2018/10/24/words-into-bombs-donald-trumps-violent-rhetoric-has-consequences/?fbclid=IwAR0oL0d2SETkukfzjzpj_i_ymzc65uFq7XQ8oac9MfJ94NpJCcEhCPLPylE
"Trump's constant rhetorical violence violence is an extension of his authoritarianism and the diseased country which elected him president. He frightens his supporters by referencing some kind of enemy, usually an ethnic or racial minority. Like other authoritarians and political strongmen, Trump then presents himself as the savior. Like the mafiosi he admires, and with whom he often consorted early in his career, Trump is running a political protection racket where he tells his supporters to give him money so that he will keep them safe."
"Trump's constant rhetorical violence violence is an extension of his authoritarianism and the diseased country which elected him president. He frightens his supporters by referencing some kind of enemy, usually an ethnic or racial minority. Like other authoritarians and political strongmen, Trump then presents himself as the savior. Like the mafiosi he admires, and with whom he often consorted early in his career, Trump is running a political protection racket where he tells his supporters to give him money so that he will keep them safe."
Trump Is Celebrating Violence and Nationalism at His Rallies
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/trump-nationalist-gop-violence.html?fbclid=IwAR0ISuWfmpHkHQlgrayBRdTP7Q43eTs-olvHA5uLeFkGVkwtb8syySn8H_A
"If he endorses violence, he puts people’s lives in danger. And if his party falls in line behind him, the ingredients for a catastrophe are in place. A day after Trump celebrated Gianforte’s assault on Jacobs, a Republican official in Montana called in to a radio show to say she would have gone further. “If that kid had done to me what he did to Greg, I would have shot him,” she said. Don’t pretend it can’t happen here. It’s happening."
"If he endorses violence, he puts people’s lives in danger. And if his party falls in line behind him, the ingredients for a catastrophe are in place. A day after Trump celebrated Gianforte’s assault on Jacobs, a Republican official in Montana called in to a radio show to say she would have gone further. “If that kid had done to me what he did to Greg, I would have shot him,” she said. Don’t pretend it can’t happen here. It’s happening."
Everything We Know About the String of Pipe Bombs Sent to Prominent Democrats
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/explosive-clinton-obama-soros.html?fbclid=IwAR0W_jCT191TK9m_dSBe5NcamSJsU8zi6Z6vh9cmUP_r36v4gggFAYrIrfE
"The Secret Service said it “has intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to Secret Service protectees,” Clinton and Obama, according to a statement. A Secret Service employee who screens Clinton’s mail found the device late on Tuesday in a package addressed to her in Westchester County, New York. The package meant for Obama’s home was found early on Wednesday by Secret Service agents in Washington. The Secret Service said it has launched a criminal investigation “that will leverage all available federal, state, and local resources” to find the person or people responsible, according to the statement. Later on Wednesday morning, the Broward County sheriff’s office confirmed that a suspicious package was found at the Florida office of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former Democratic National Committee chairwoman. NBC News has reported that the suspicious packages sent to Soros, Clinton, and Obama listed Wasserman Schultz for the return address. After CNN was evacuated from its New York offices Wednesday, officials said the explosive device was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan. These packages were found two days after a caretaker found the bomb mailed to Soros. A bomb squad on Monday detonated the device, which authorities described as a six-inch-long pipe filled with explosive powder and rigged with a detonator. Federal authorities said they believed the device was hand-delivered, according to the New York Times. Had someone been standing nearby when the device was detonated, that person could have been maimed or killed. The motive behind the attempted bombings are not known, but just as Clinton and Obama are vilified figures among the far right, Soros has been the focus of right-wing anger and conspiracy-mongering. The New York offices of the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are investigating the attempted bombing of Soros’ home, according to the Times."
"The Secret Service said it “has intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to Secret Service protectees,” Clinton and Obama, according to a statement. A Secret Service employee who screens Clinton’s mail found the device late on Tuesday in a package addressed to her in Westchester County, New York. The package meant for Obama’s home was found early on Wednesday by Secret Service agents in Washington. The Secret Service said it has launched a criminal investigation “that will leverage all available federal, state, and local resources” to find the person or people responsible, according to the statement. Later on Wednesday morning, the Broward County sheriff’s office confirmed that a suspicious package was found at the Florida office of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former Democratic National Committee chairwoman. NBC News has reported that the suspicious packages sent to Soros, Clinton, and Obama listed Wasserman Schultz for the return address. After CNN was evacuated from its New York offices Wednesday, officials said the explosive device was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan. These packages were found two days after a caretaker found the bomb mailed to Soros. A bomb squad on Monday detonated the device, which authorities described as a six-inch-long pipe filled with explosive powder and rigged with a detonator. Federal authorities said they believed the device was hand-delivered, according to the New York Times. Had someone been standing nearby when the device was detonated, that person could have been maimed or killed. The motive behind the attempted bombings are not known, but just as Clinton and Obama are vilified figures among the far right, Soros has been the focus of right-wing anger and conspiracy-mongering. The New York offices of the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are investigating the attempted bombing of Soros’ home, according to the Times."
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