After the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, the Trump Administration was finally prodded to make a public statement about rising anti-Semitism. Last month, they said next to nothing about a mosque shooting in Canada that killed six people. And this week, while the whole clown brigade has been talking about Sweden for who-knows-what fucking reason, they’ve barely said a thing about the shooting of two Indian-born engineers in Kansas, which has rattled one of our strongest allies. Trump, and a lot of the people he’s surrounded himself with, have taken the white ‘Christian’ persecution complex to a new level, to where it’s difficult for them even to acknowledge that other groups can be victims as well. This isn’t a white-supremacy worldview as much as an extreme white-victimhood one.
And while it’s not as if those two worldviews are separated by a wide gap, the distinction did play out at CPAC, where unabashed white supremacist Richard Spencer was shown the door while Wayne LaPierre ranted about ‘violent liberals‘ and attendees scooped up books warning of the dire threats of Islam and immigration. This is Trump conservatism, a belief that whites are under siege at home by an oppressive multiculturalism, while America is getting ripped off by a world that has swindled us into a myriad of unfair alliances and obligations. It’s a self-serving fantasyland that requires constant bullshit to fertilize the faithful.
One of those faithful, finding himself on the front lines of this dangerous war while watching basketball at a Kansas bar, shot and killed an Indian-born engineer and wounded his friend and another guy who tried to intervene. Somehow, this man with 51 years of life experiences behind him believed the men were ‘Middle Eastern’ and therefore acceptable to kill. He then drove about an hour or so into rural southwest Missouri and confessed to a bartender. We still don’t know whether this ignoramus just sobered up enough on the drive to confess his heinous act or if he thought the bartender would give him a fucking medal. The bartender called the police.
The widow of the killed engineer spoke about whether or not Indian-Americans belong here. As someone who’s worked in high-tech jobs for nearly 25 years alongside dozens of brilliant, wonderful Indian-born professionals, I’m paralyzed with frustration to hear this. It’s impossible to imagine an immigration bloc less threatening and more beneficial than the pipeline of talented people who come here from top Indian universities to help build so much of the technology we use every day. Even back before the election, I spoke with state Rep Roger Goodman, who represents large numbers of Indian-Americans in the 45th district. He was already hearing some of this wariness as he knocked on doors last summer and fall. And this was when most people didn’t even think Trump would win. This question becomes much harder to answer when you have a President who isn’t even moved to speak out about a tragedy unless it fits within the narrative of white Americans being under siege.
What remains to be seen is how this mentality of the Trump administration will fully play out on the world stage. So much of diplomacy is about being able to convince your counterparts that you and they can find common ground and interests. This becomes impossible to do if it’s on full display that you’re convinced that the rest of the world is taking advantage of you and that you’re owed something for it. This is how you delude yourself into thinking that Mexico will not only accept a border wall, but also pay for it. After all, Mexico should recognize how much they’ve been taking advantage of the poor downtrodden USA, right? Outside of America’s right-wing media bubble and their fringe European fellow travellers, portraying America and western culture as the world’s most aggrieved victim is a remarkable absurdity and there’s no path forward for the Trump Administration to act on any of it without it blowing up in our faces.
Lee nice writing. I enjoy reading your posts. Truly a scary situation right now. I have a friend that wasn’t a big Obama fan but didn’t dislike him and he claims that he is an independent. He didn’t vote for Drumpf. He criticisizes Democrats more than Republicans. He is more concerned with what is going on right now than I show. I guess I have less concern because what do I have to lose? My freedom.
I’m less concerned with Drumpf but more disappointed with the majority of Republican politicians who are not speaking up more than they should be. Oh well, I’m sure that suits Boob very well, that’s all that matters
@1
Thanks, I think a lot of people are discovering new fears that didn’t really apply to them before. This is particularly true relative to the kinds of powers we give government never thinking that we could potentially become victimized by those powers ourselves. Scary times, and this era will redefine American politics for a long time coming.
People hate what they fear. And they fear what they don’t understand. If you start with an effort to understand, or to help others understand. where you come from,with love and respect for them, without preconceived notions and prejudices, we will make the planet a better place for all our children. Our differences are small compared to what we have in common. The actions of a few hateful people should not define the many. Because if you let that happen, hate consumes us all. I know the real battle is one that has been waged by many cultures over many thousands of years for reasons of biological imperatives. It’s a part of an unconcious survival
How are President’s Trumps actions any different from any conservative who if President would do? Most argue that the man or woman who is President is not the crier in chief as that diminishes the office. There are another set of politicians who should be more attuned to these events and those folks are called Representatives. What are those people saying, as they more than President are our Representatives. They are the ones who should be concerned if gravestones are being knocked over, contractors killed, ect. Where are the Representatives and Congress on all these incidents that you are referring to. And yes there are fears in the white community, and that community can still make or break politicians careers in the majority of districts. And it’s votes that matter to Representatives.
As far as your take on foreign policy you state a point of view not shared by all. It was not a point of view shared by President Jefferson when dealing with the Barbary pirates. Old Ironsides guns shook Tripoli harbor. Where the Marine Hymn gets: “From the Shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma.” We Americans have been active players on the stage of the world. That being active has been much more effective than just getting along. As we also used to believe if you don’t like me drinking rum well you can just leave me alone.
Yes Democrats may get a few more votes and seats in Congress for crying fake alligator tears. Then again it all backfire if the current administration handles these events as the crimes they are and prosecutes the perpetrators, or local government does. Damn fool shooting those contractors deserves, and will likely get a long sentence in prison. Or did you want Dirty Harry to deal with the perpetrator with the most powerful handgun in the world?
Or are you trying to push Charlie’s race war and give him a good sending off?
While it’s wonderful that we can attract the brightest and the best from India, and all across the world why are we not here in Washington state insisting we educate our best and brightest to all the way up to PHD’s. Why are we not willing to pay for that, or insist that Corporations like Microsoft pay the appropriate taxes so the folks they need are educated and trained right here in Washington state, something Microsoft has called for for decades. Why aren’t we able to do this. Why are we dependent on all this foreign talent?
So we bring in brown people to shovel cow shit (an honorable profession American’s are capable of, and to keep the elites businesses going,. There is on connection between the two these businesses are not paying full price for the honest labor. So when is the Democratic party going to get to basics and support the working man and woman, as frankly the article skips over this part of the story, and concentrates on that which won’t sell in Allentown.
why are we not here in Washington state insisting we educate our best and brightest to all the way up to PHD’s. Why are we not willing to pay for that
What do you mean “we”, hillbilly?
Since you are so interested in conspiracies involving pedophiles, I have a better one for you. One with ample genuine evidence, starting with a woman who claims she was raped at age 13 by a certain rich and powerful man, and refused to bring the case to trial because received thousands of death threats. The same man responsible has proudly and very publicly claimed he would go to the beauty pageants he sponsored, open the door of the dressing room full of underage girls, many being very young, in order to sneak a peek. This same individual has repeatedly made horribly incestuous comments about one of his own daughters going back to when she was 10 years old.
The most interesting bit of information about this sick puppy is that most of the people crying ‘pizzagate’ VOTED for that same man and elected him president.
How can I freely worship while thinking about the birth control my employees are accessing through their health insurance?
If my employees aren’t free to follow my definition of the faith and none other then I am not free to follow Jesus either.
I’m under attack for forcing my faith on all the people of America and that diminishes my freedom.
“After the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis”
If it wasn’t for Muslims, Jews would still top the right-wing hate list.
“Dozens Of Headstones Broken, Overturned At Jewish Cemetery In PA”
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/l.....nnsylvania
Drama queens.
Missed seeing you here, Lee! Hope to see more of you.
Meanwhile the great bait and switch has taken place so it is looking like there will be little cleaning of house in the Democratic party, so more of the same. So if all this protest doesn’t have a self life and can make it to 2018 it will be to little effect.
Here is why:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN0DlQvdOQQ
WE already have a party of Wall Street. Do we have 2? Me too ism? No Democrats need to be the party of Main Street. Of you and me. More party of Roosevelt. Who would know how to use the crowds to tell the rich you will pay higher taxes and you will like it as you need those extra millions.
@2 You mean like the new way Arizona is thinking of applying organized crime laws to organized protestors. Well people when it was passed said the act was unconstitutional, and it would be misused in this manner as it gives government too much power. Well it finally did get rid of the Gambino family. Only they got replaced.
@6 Well why are we not insisting the most highly educated fucking hillbillies right here in Washington state? Get your checkout out and send some cash to the state earmarked for education. An uneducated hillbilly is a waste. And there ain’t noting funnier than discussing the Illiad and the Odyessy than with someone with that lovely country twang. Why don’t you take a trip up the Skagit to Concrete and visit the library there. Or visit Hamilton or Lyman. Those kids there deserve the best education that Washington state can provide. So pay up mother fucker.
14,
Get your checkout out and send some cash to the
statehillbillies earmarked for education.Highly affluent, educated, healthy Coastal Elites already do.
The hillbillies blow the money on covered elementary school football stadiums, high school girl’s tractor pull teams, abstinence education and middle school infant daycare.
Why don’t you take a trip up the Skagit to Concrete and visit the library there.
Don’t be ridiculous. That’s how people catch diseases.
Also, punctuation?
Well, at least you can fix a tractor engine. That’s something.
@7 All this proves is you are a water carrier who likes to repeat what you have heard and like to sling mud. None of what you have put in there is provable. There was much more truth about President Clinton and Monica than anything you have in this mess. Caligula probably did a lot of bad things and would chuckle at what your saying here. Please a Cartesian getting some? Why not throw in a authentic act of Leda and the Swan, with an appropriately aged actress? That would make even juicier. Only don’t tell Emperor Justinian his wife used to be the Cartesian on stage with the Swan.
@16 Chicken. Buc Buc Buc. Chicken!!! Or did you fool around with some good old boys wife, daughter or boy and you know he’s got a shot gun?
Besides don’t you know you gotta have at least a two year degree in diesel mechanics to work on a modern tractor. Even the ones made in Russia or China.
@8 Doesn’t sound like you have any employees performing under you. Or do you? If so that bill will cost you a lot more than an abortion or letting them have birth control.
Guess since you are spending all this time worrying about your employees you have neglected your wife or husband, and well you know them could like to twiddle some of them employees of yours.
And your employees should be free to tell you where to get off and your employees should have at least one representatives on the board to tell you this bullshit of yours is just that. Even better when it’s your personal secretary giving it to you. You might actually listen. You would be a damn fool not as that person knows where the skeletons are buried. After all the women who built the west were for the most part fallen angels, and some of them would like to have a word or two with you right now. They will tell you to get off your splendid pulpit in a hurry.
the new way Arizona is thinking of applying organized crime laws to organized protestors
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
No law. None. Zero. Not any. Nada. Keiner. Niets. Niente. Ingen. Nihil. Zaden. Gornit. Fugedaboudit.
Have they got one of those for crime? I don’t think so.
@15 I can’t help it if the highest paid public employee is Washington state is a football coach. Seems that sets the priorities. What you going to do about that. Shouldn’t the highest paid public employee be the Governor in this state? Doesn’t it strike you as odd and wrong that any other public employee makes more and for it to be several football couches seem to suggest elite Democrats are just fine with that priority and are happy with where their tax dollars are going. So you are really happy with this, right? You like them Huskies or Cougars. Well WWU may have done the right thing by getting rid of the football team altogether. Not saying there aren’t some coach there paid more than the Governor. Still all those salaries are political so you written to your state rep or senator in defense or in opposition of these high salaries?
Besides don’t you know you gotta have at least a two year degree in diesel mechanics to work on a modern tractor.
Good to know. I’ll pass that along to the MIT grad I work with who grows wine grapes. Do you think the tractor police will show leniency if he turns himself in? Or should he go underground and live a life on the run, always looking over his shoulder?
@20 Hey RICO has been used in many different ways. Probably more than a few fundamentalists have been bugged under suspicion of being an organized crime. FBI or other law enforcement wants people to be chatty over the phone, internet, ect when they do a RICO, they want you to fully exercise your right of speech.
@22 If he’s an MIT grad and can’t figure out he needs the proper mechanic to repair his tractor, unless he got himself one of them Soviet specials (yep the Soviet Union was the leading manufacturer of tractors for decades). Or I suppose your MIT guy may think he can do it himself, which is fine though economically that might not be the best solution. It’s his money if he wastes it by having some unqualified person work on his tractor he can go for it. That is the American way. After that he will scream for the non existent tractor police.
So is MIT giving a degree in making wine these days? Or is he not using what he learned at MIT or is he resting on his laurels. Sounds like a chap that can afford to pay more in taxes so we have more qualified tractor repairers for when he needs one.
So yes go chat with him.
Criminal speech has never been held to be protected by the Court. Overtly and explicitly political speech almost* always has. Fuck Donald Trump is overtly and explicitly political speech.
Try again.
Really, don’t. You’re terrible at this.
*You gotta go back at least seventy years (and therefor through a pretty diverse judicial lineup) to find any examples.
My experience with my two children, both in their thirties, leads me to conclude that scientists and technicians are undervalued. One of the kids now works in a biochemical lab in Italy working for the EU and the other works in Seattle where even well paid techs can’t afford to live and raise a family.
My experience with my two children, both in their thirties, leads me to conclude that scientists and technicians are undervalued. One of the kids now works in a biochemical lab in Italy working for the EU and the other works in Seattle where even well paid techs can’t afford to live and raise a family.