#he's a member of the nra

[odinsblog]

Can we please get something straight here??

Mitch McConnell has supported Donald Trump and will support him again if Trump wins the Republican nomination. I have never supported Trump and I never will.

Mitch McConnell has been a willing tool of the NRA and helped pass countless stand-your-ground laws, he has helped pave the way for laws like permitless carry, and he has helped make guns easier for anyone to get. I have not.

Mitch McConnell has helped pass laws that intentionally suppress the votes of millions and millions Black people. I have not.

Mitch McConnell has helped write or pass laws that deny millions of women access to reproductive health care. I have not.

Mitch McConnell has helped write or pass laws that deny basic healthcare and living wages to millions of poor people. I have not.

I AM NOW AND I WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER than Mitch McConnell and Republicans, because my wishes do not have any material impact on anyone, unlike the myriad of hateful draconian laws that Mitch McConnell has helped to pass.

I could continue, but hopefully I’ve made my point: people sending Mitch McConnell “ill wishes” IS NOT being “just the same” as Mitch McConnell and Republicans, and it doesn’t make anyone “as bad as” McConnell and the GOP.

Are you fucking kidding me??

Saying that my wishes = McConnell’s actions is a false equivalence. It’s false, it’s offensive and it’s gaslighting.

Mitch McConnell is an elected politician who has a very long history of using his political power to actively harm the poor, marginalized communities, women, LGBTQ people, and non-Christian, non-white people. If you cannot differentiate between the words and the unenforceable “wishes” of the oppressed vs. the actions of an oppressor, then you have some serious problems to unpack.

I could ~almost~ see it if there was some chance that a Republican would go, “Oh wow, those progressives are being nice to Mitch McConnell, maybe I’ll stop being a racist and vote for a Democrat now.” But that almost never ever happens, does it??

You are not going to win over a Republican by being kind. Their entire ideology is based on racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and cruelty.

Look, I’m not tryna write a dissertation here, but please believe me when I say that this neoliberal knee jerk Pollyanna reaction of, “turn the other cheek” and “be kinder to your oppressors” is very much rooted in Christofascism + white supremacy. It’s a weaponization of the “hate breeds hate” trope and the “forgiveness narrative” meant to tame slaves, and I refuse to fall for it.

I absolutely positively do not wish Mitch McConnell well, and HELL NO, I am not being a bad person for hoping that a racist, evil, old white man suffers a fraction of the pain he has inflicted on others for decades and decades.

I am a proud member of the #MitchMcConnellDieChallenge community.

That all said, at the very least, Mitch McConnell has unintentionally provided us with a teachable moment: please learn to spot the warning signs of someone having a stroke

#politics #mitch mcconnell #republicans #stroke prevention #false equivalencies #mitch mcconnell die challenge #hate breeds hate #forgiveness narrative #neoliberalism

[saywhat-politics]

Former President Donald Trump bragged at the NRA Presidential Forum on Friday that he “did nothing” about guns during his term in the White House despite “great pressure.”

Speaking at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Trump – an NRA Life Member – boasted:

You have a right to self-defense, you’ve always had that right, and during my four years, nothing happened, and there was great pressure on me having to do with guns. We did nothing. We didn’t yield. And once you yield a little bit, that’s just the beginning. That’s the avalanche begins. Four more years of Joe Biden means four more years of anti-gun communists running the ATF. They’re gonna run it, they’re already– they’re running it now, just in case you have any questions. But it means hundreds of more radical left judges waging a crusade against law-abiding gun owners, and four more years of Joe Biden means a non-stop war on gun manufacturers, dealers, and sellers designed to put the entire industry right out of business. They want to put it out of business.

Trump then praised his relationship with the NRA, before adding, “I don’t know what they’re doing in May, but I understand they’re having a very big event in May. They better endorse me, that’s the only thing I can say.”

#former president #donald trump #national rifle association #guns

[octuscle]

hey Chronivac Support! i'm a skinny, sort of feminine younger guy having trouble finding a job in a pretty rural area, is there anything you could do to help?

I have a job for you. How long have you been working as a mechanic? Eight years I think… Wait, didn't you want to be a hairdresser, or a makeup artist. Or do something with flowers? Bullshit! You've got motor oil in your blood. Trucks are your passion. Ever since you flunked out of high school at 17. So you must be 25 now. And not 18. Your facial features become more masculine. You're growing a strong beard. And your brain is filled with memories of years of hunting, fishing, fixing trucks and endless hours at the gym.

What's that about the gym? To pilates or to yoga? Hell, there are no classes like that for sissies here at the Gym. Here, iron is lifted. And lots of it. Your muscles swell up like balloons. And at the same time, there's a funny stench in the air. Your stench. The stench of sweat from hard training. And hard work. Fuck the interview. If you don't get the job because you reek like a man, you don't want the job. Same goes if your new boss has something against tattoos. But why should he. Real fellows around here are all inked. Maybe not as much as you. And not as awesome as you.

Fuck, you hate tattoos! You're afraid of needles… Wait. What a bullshit! You got your first tattoo in high school. That was one of the reasons you got kicked out of high school. And when your interview begins, you are immediately reassured. Your interviewer is no stranger to the tattoo parlor. You're both fans of the same football team. You're both members of the NRA. And fuck, you both like dicks!

Before you even have a signed contract, you've already given your new boss a blowjob. Promising! But fellows like you always find a job here!

#male tf #muscle tf #reality change #chronivac #inked man #male transformation #muscle transformation #redneck tf

[ymaohoh]

Max's relationship with Eddie and Chrissy headcanons?

This is a GREAT prompt. Thank you!

One of my favourite Hellcheer fic/prompts to read are the ones coming from other character perspectives (POV's). I've seen a few from Max's viewpoint and they are KILLER.

(I want to quickly link two fics in particular which stole my heart: 'still awake, playing chase with the sunrise' a oneshot by @cyraclove and 'she said to me forget what you thought' multi-chapter by @majicmarker)

So my thoughts (and this follows the 'Chrissy Lives AU idea')

Max initially minds her own business about Eddie and Chrissy's flirting because why should she give a rat's ass about the way he clearly goes all gooey and soft for her, and the way she gets all silly and pink and giggly? Dustin and the others LOVE it and drag Eddie to filth for his antics but Max is more reserved. She's got her own stuff going on, you know?

But she's good at observing. She's the first one who twigs Eddie's made up excuses to walk past Chrissy's locker a hundred times a day (which is NOT on his route) and the way his eyes are glued to a certain table in the lunchroom. She notices Chrissy peering at Eddie over Carver's shoulder and the way she giggles into her hand when he says something weird and wacky. She doesn't share these observations with the group because it's not her business but she rolls her eyes when they finally piece it together - 'idiots', she thinks, looking at Lucas fondly.

Max knows Chrissy speaks to Ms Kelley too but she never brings it up, nor does Chrissy. Following Chrissy's first encounter with Vecna, the party try and figure out connections between the victims but Max stays totally silent when they ask. That's Chrissy's business and she's sure as hell not ratting her out. Chrissy appreciates this and they share a knowing look before they both spill the beans that yeah, their lives suck.

When they realise how important music is to keeping them grounded (literally) and how it helps against Vecna's visions, they sit down together and create 'happy playlists'. Their music tastes are way different but it's an oddly fun way to spend an afternoon. She's kinda' glad someone else is going crazy too - makes her feel less alone.

Chrissy is right off the bat keen to be nice to everyone and show she wants to help (they don't expect much initially but she proves them wrong after demonstrating a killer dropkick and she's a crack shot - her dad's a member of the NRA). Max is reluctant at first - she doesn't trust easy - but Chrissy is persistent and Max finds herself opening up. It's nice to have another girl around and Chrissy is kind and honest and sweet. If she ever had a big sister - she'd want her to be like Chrissy, you know? She listens when Max talks.

(Chrissy wins El round too which helps. Max learns she can enjoy the odd girly moment and not have it diminish her 'tough girl' exterior - Chrissy paints El's nails bright purple and shows Max how to bluff at poker. Sometimes they team up with Nancy and Robin too).

Max gravitates towards Eddie more than Steve or Nancy (or the other 'adults'). Maybe because he's from the same crappy background or because he doesn't care about shitty family drama and require a million answers. She likes his Uncle Wayne too and his accent when he calls her 'Red'.

Max is (unfortunately in her view) the one who witnesses Eddie and Chrissy taking their...whatever it is...to the next step. She's hanging outside her trailer when she sees them hurrying out of Eddie's van. Eddie's hands are ALL over Chrissy as he practically carries her inside. Eddie spots her though, and later asks (with the cockiest smile ever seen) if she can keep it hush hush until Eddie and Chrissy figure out what this means exactly, but Max responds flatly, "cat's out of the bag, dipshit. Everyone knows already." Eddie flushes bright red but she doesn't think it's from embarrassment at being caught - he looks so crazy fucking happy.

But she thinks they're good together. She watches as they progress (quickly) from friends with feelings, to sucking face, to becoming honest-to-god soulmates. They work well together. Eddie brings Chrissy out of her shell and installs some of his notorious confidence in her, and Chrissy cares for Eddie and makes him stand taller. Max thinks that's what relationships should be like.

(she finds Chrissy upset at school when the cheerleaders ditch her after finding out about Eddie and Hellfire, and she tells Chrissy bluntly they suck and helps her dab at her spoiled make up. Those phonies don't matter - she's got real friends now. It's the first time she calls Chrissy a friend).

She's never seen Eddie look so serious as when it comes to Chrissy and her safety - which is different from his usual goofy dramatic self. When Steve suggests using Chrissy as bait (a Daphne, if you will) Eddie gets a real hard look in his eyes and tells him to think of something else before Chrissy says bravely yes "if it'll help". Eddie watches her, makes sure her ammo vest (which is way too big) is strapped on tight, and Max see's him fucking lose it when Chrissy comes this close to danger. When she gets back, safe, Eddie holds onto her hand like it's a lifeline. ('synchronized denial' by empress of snark inspired this one).

(Chrissy screams like a banshee when she sees Eddie being attacked by demobats. Max spots real fire in her eyes as she swings at it with her baseball bat).

She's never believed in soulmates (thought it was a gimmick for movies and love-sick tweens) but when she looks at Chrissy and Eddie embracing after Vecna is finally defeated? (the soft look on Eddie's face, the way Chrissy nuzzles into the crook of his neck), she understands Eddie and Chrissy are just meant to be together and would be in any alternative universe or dimension. Fucking Star-Crossed Lovers. She doesn't know if she and Lucas will ever be like that (she's still a kid, okay?) but maybe one day.

(Chrissy doesn't live)

Max doesn't know Chrissy personally but she knows she speaks - spoke (goddamn it) - to Ms Kelley too. Knew she was vulnerable and she was hurting. When the party are talking about connections between victims, Max remains silent (again). Fuck that. She's not giving up Chrissy's secrets even if she's no longer here. Chrissy deserves better than to be discussed like a throw-away character in some dumb horror movie.

As she grows closer to Eddie and the others, she notices the weight around Eddie's shoulders and the haunted look he gets when he mentions Chrissy and what happened in his trailer. He flinches every time her name is uttered. She wonders if there was more to their relationship then just a brief moment in the woods?

Thanks 'nonny

#chrissy x eddie #edssy #hellcheer #eddie munson #eddie x chrissy #eddissy #hellcheer headcanons #hellcheer fanfic #ymaohoh #chrissy cunningham x eddie munson #chrissy cunningham #chrissy and eddie #max mayfield #chrissy and max friendship #stranger things #eddissy headcannons

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

Scumbag will either run for president again or live off the hundreds of millions he has in secret offshore accounts that he jokes about. This man acquired his wealth by busting unions, shutting down massive companies, and leaving tens of thousands without jobs and lost pensions.

Don’t ever think he’s a moderate or on our side because he had a personal squabble with Trunt. This clown was paying undocumented migrants less than 2$ an hour to clean his mansions and landscape their grounds. He was once called out by the press for paying less in taxes than the secretaries in his businesses and his response was to laugh hysterically. He also had no idea what a loaf of bread or a gallon of gas costs. When asked what charities he donated to he said none and his wife interjected that he once gave some old clothes to a member of his Mormon parish.

He won the governorship of Massachusetts while his residence was in Salt Lake City and later joked about that as well. He spent nearly his whole time as governor out of state on the right-wing lecture circuit trashing what he liked to call “the People’s Republic of Massachusetts” in preparation for his failed presidential campaign against Obama. During that campaign he became the largest all-time recipient of NRA money. He votes MAGA 100% of the time except for voting to impeach Trunt out of spite because Trunt mocked him. He still laughs and brags about not having to pay taxes on the hundreds of millions sitting in those shadowy offshore accounts.

He’s no great businessman either. More than half of his dealings have lost money. The few that were successful however massively overshadowed the numerous lesser failings. He may not be as crass as most MAGAts but he’s one of their most heinous politicians of all time and an oligarch with a long history of cheating the system and exploiting the vulnerable masses.

Eff him!

🖕

[howlingday]

Tai 2.0 Part 7

Part 6

---------------------------------------------------

Summer: (Frying bacon) So then he walks in, wearing a skirt, and Qrow shouts "Surprise!"

Blake: (Preparing gravy) That sounds annoying.

Summer: Well, we all have that one team member who just loves their practical jokes.

Blake: Until someone gets them.

Summer: So, any funny stories you'd like to share?

Blake: Um...

Yang: (In her memory) Weiss, I think she's concussed!

Ruby: (In her memory) The floor is lava!

Weiss: (In her memory) Who put honey in my lotion bottle? Now I'm all sticky~!

Blake: (Blushing) Uh, n-no, not really...

---------------------------------------------------

Jaune: Watch this. (Scoots back a bit)

Ruby: (Taps Jaune's back, Jumps onto him)

Pyrrha: ...That is adorable.

---------------------------------------------------

Nora: (In bed) Oh, Ren~.

Nora: Here CUMS your morning blowjob alarm~.

Nora: Say nothing if you want me to good ahead~.

Ren: (From the bathroom, Brushing his teeth) Goo mrning, Nra. (Spits into the sink) Apologies, I was brushing my teeth.

Nora: (Looks between Ren and pillow decoy) HOW AND WHAT?!

---------------------------------------------------

Yang: (Turns water on and off, Sighs) No.

Yang: (Turns water on and off) No.

Yang: (Turns water on and off) No.

---------------------------------------------------

Weiss: (Sits up, Stretches) Mm~! What a beautiful morning! (Looks at the diary) Hm... Maybe one more chapter wouldn't hurt?

#rwby #armored rosebush dragonslayer #lancaster #dragonslayer #summer knight #arkos #renora #monochrome #summer rose #jaune arc #ruby rose #yang xiao long #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #nora valkyrie #lie ren #pyrrha nikos

[beardedmrbean]

Wait

The Native Americans are fighting against the wokies?

It not surprising because how problematic they see things as. Fuck the recent Predator movie Prey did more to preserve the Comanche language it’s was also fully dub into it

But seriously I seen it in black media, notice how 95% of black media only focus on blm stuff or how many black historical figures are often erased by white wokies? Like black peopke can’t thrive in capitalism…please ignore that restaurant owner that inspire the Disney Princess Tiana

But back to the natives, yeah they would attack you guys. The left can barely understand Japanese POP CULTURE much as native historical stuff.

Good luck natives…tbh I think I know more about the Iroquois playing via playing a fictional historical game more than what leftist learn about native Americans in college.

But seriously I seen it in black media, notice how 95% of black media only focus on blm stuff or how many black historical figures are often erased by white wokies? Like black peopke can’t thrive in capitalism…please ignore that restaurant owner that inspire the Disney Princess Tiana

Admittedly it got shit on pretty hard in the Tulsa Race Riots, but "black wall street" was a thing and there were many thriving former slaves and children of former slaves at that point. Would have been nice if they'd managed to rebuild I will admit the cards were not just stacked against them, there was bulldozers pushing those cards too, few still managed.

Would have been nice if they could have been more able to defend themselves properly, trying to find NRA activity for southern Black folks post reconstruction/Jim crow era not much popping up other than.

Begin Tangent

This guy who just popped on to my radar.

Born in North Carolina in 1925, Williams’ experience mirrors that of many African-Americans of his generation. He moved to Detroit as part of the Second Great Migration, where he was privy to race rioting over jobs. He served in the then-segregated United States Marine Corps for a year and a half after being drafted in 1944. Upon returning to his North Carolina hometown, Williams found a moribund chapter of the NAACP. With only six members and little opposition, he used his USMC training to commandeer the local branch and turn it in a decidedly more military direction. The local chapter soon had over 200 members under Williams’ leadership. If nothing else, his leadership was effective at building the movement from the ground up.

An early incident is particularly instructive in how effective these new tactics were. The KKK was very active in Monroe, with an estimated 7,500 members in a town of 12,000. After hearing rumors that the Klan intended to attack NAACP chapter Vice President Dr. Albert Perry’s house, Williams and members of the Black Armed Guard surrounded the doctor’s house with sandbags and showed up with rifles. Klansman fired on the house from a moving vehicle and the Guard returned fire. Soon after, the Klan required a special permit from the city’s police chief to meet. One incident of self-defense did more to move the goalposts than all previous legislative pressure had.

Monroe’s Black Armed Guard wasn’t a subsidiary of the Communist Party, nor an independent organization like the Black Panther Party that would use similar tactics of arming their members later. In fact, “Black Armed Guard” was nothing more than a fancy name for an officially chartered National Rifle Association chapter.

He got a bit more militant later on, I will blame a good deal of that on the fbi doing what the fbi did to black people that stood up for other black people. Not gonna call him a hero just yet because I haven't looked far enough into him to have a full picture, but this stuff is pretty damn heroic. Remember gun control has frequently been used as a tool to keep minorities in check, and will continue to be used as so until more people put their foot down.

End tangent __________________

Ya we went over this before with Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben among others, removing minority representation in order to not offend white leftists who will just find something else to be offended about anyhow so just please ignore them and ask the people you're supposedly doing it for, I will say I'm glad that the "latinx" debate is over, only took most of Latin America and the royal Spanish society both saying it's stupid and insulting to get it killed.

Also don't try to turn it around on white people because

_____________________

We eat this shit up, fighting whites one went on sale, sold out really fast and the money went to a scholarship program for indigenous students I think, it's in the link and they should make them again if you ask me.

#zoomer huey anon

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Right-wing commentator Mike Huckabee is coming under heavy criticism after warning of “bullets” in future elections should Donald Trump lose in 2024 due to his mounting legal woes.

Over the weekend, Huckabee accused President Joe Biden of trying to “destroy Trump” via legal actions in the courthouse rather than at the ballot box via an election.

“Here’s the problem: If these tactics end up working to keep Trump from winning or even running in 2024, it is going to be the last American election that will be decided by ballots rather than bullets,” he said during his monologue on his TBN show “Huckabee.”

Trump is facing a combined 91 felony charges in four different cases, including charges related to the mishandling of classified information, his attempts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election, and his efforts to overturn the election results in Georgia.

But Huckabee compared the proceedings to those that go on in “banana republics and communist regimes,” where political opponents are imprisoned or exiled for “made-up crimes.”

“Joe Biden is using exactly those tactics to make sure that Donald Trump is not his opponent in 2024,” he declared:

Huckabee is a former Governor of Arkansas and father of current Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was a White House press secretary under Trump.

His comments over the weekend are the latest in a line of inflammatory statements from figures aligned with the former President.

Last week, Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore told former Trump strategist Steve Bannon that he wanted to defund Fani Willis, the district attorney prosecuting Trump in the state, and warned of dire consequences if she’s allowed to proceed with the case.

“We need to be taking action right now. Because if we don’t, our constituencies are gonna be fighting it in the streets. Do you want a civil war?” he said, according to Salon. “I don’t want a civil war. I don’t want to have to draw my rifle. I want to make this problem go away with my legislative means of doing so.”

Last month, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin alluded to a civil war and urged Trump supporters to “rise up and take our country back.”

Last year, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake also issued a thinly veiled threat to Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland and special counsel Jack Smith.

“If you want to get to President Trump, you are going to have to go through me, and you are going to have to go through 75 million Americans just like me,” she said, The New York Times reported. “And I’m going to tell you, most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA.”

She said it wasn’t a threat but “a public service announcement.”

On X, formerly Twitter, critics called Huckabee out for his extremist rhetoric:

#us politics #news #republicans #donald trump #conservatives #tweet #twitter #x #2023 #mike huckabee #alt right #domestic terrorism #2024 elections #Colton Moore #Sarah Palin #kari lake #The New York Times #salon #huffington post #Youtube

[soberscientistlife]

January 23, 2023

Remember, the mass shooter didn’t act alone.

He was assisted by 49 Senators, 222 House members, and the NRA.

[ironheartcloud]

Modern Day TF2 Team

My idea for a modern-day team of mercenaries in the Team Fortress universe.

Scout (Real Name: Jake Williams): A Gen-Z Californian with a penchant for absurd memes and Fortnite dances, Jake's annoying demeanor belies his agility and quick reflexes. At 24, he's the youngest but brings a youthful flair to the team.

Soldier (Real Name: Dwight "Tex" Thompson): A Texan NRA member at 46, Tex is slightly insane, with a controlled madness beneath his beard and sunglasses. His military background and love for explosions make him a formidable force on the battlefield.

Demoman (Real Name: Duncan DeGroot): The grandson of the original Demo, Duncan, reluctantly embraces his explosive destiny at 23. Despite his reservations, he proves to be a natural in the art of mayhem.

Pyro (Real Name: Ji-Min Lee): A former Korean firefighter turned mercenary, Ji-Min's violent past has mellowed since joining the team at 32. In a relationship with Engie, she brings a fiery touch to both the battlefield and the team dynamics.

Engie (Real Name: Hiroshi Tanaka): The overworked Japanese engineer at 35, Hiroshi upgraded the original Engie's schematics. Juggling between gadgets and a romantic relationship with Pyro, he keeps the team's machinery in top shape.

Medic (Real Name: Dr. Reginald Price): A British former field medic turned addict at 42, Dr. Price's promising career took a dark turn. Court-martialed for his drug addiction, he now channels his medical expertise into keeping the team alive, albeit with questionable methods.

Heavy (Real Name: Nikolai Morin): A former Canadian bodybuilder turned mercenary at 37, Nikolai joined the team for money and to escape a prison sentence. Despite his imposing size, he's surprisingly gentle when not in combat.

Sniper (Real Name: Yuri Sokolov): A drunk narcoleptic Russian with post-Soviet depression, Yuri, at 47, carries a glimmer of hope for his country's future. His sharpshooting skills are unmatched, even in his inebriated state.

Spy (Real Name: Alejandro Navarro): A black-suited CIA operative from Mexico at 30, Alejandro investigates Mann Co. but finds himself entangled in more than he bargained for. His suave demeanor and espionage skills make him a mysterious asset to the team.

#tf2 #team fortress 2 #team fortress two #team fortress scout #team fortress medic #tf2 spy #tf2 sniper #tf2 soldier #tf2 pyro #tf2 engineer #tf2 heavy #tf2 demoman

[farmerbrown]

COLUMBINE STUDENT'S FATHER 12 YEARS LATER !! Guess our national leaders didn't expect this. On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness.. The following is a portion of the transcript: "Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. "The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. "In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent. I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question "Why?" You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! "Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. "As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!" - Darrell Scott Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech. Please send this out to everyone you can. God Bless ~Charles

[geekgirl78]

Green Day in Simplon, Groningen 2nd January 1992

“Ton van der Werf lived in the Lewenborg district of the city. He had many contacts and was busy booking concerts here and there.' 'He got a call from a band from America asking if he could arrange something. That turned out to be Green Day. They came this way and were going to visit Groningen first.'

Van der Werf remembers it well. In the early nineties he was studying in Groningen when the American band came his way through that one phone call. “They were 17, 18 years old and they were on an 11-week European tour,” he says. 'Now, but also at that time, that was bizarrely long. Normally it is a round of four to five weeks. With a super rickety bus that broke down in Leeuwarden. I think a key was broken off.'

The band members stayed the night in Lewenborg pending the bookings that Van der Werf could arrange. 'There was never any money. They had a maximum of 250 Guilders left over from the Simplon show. For example, if I put on a little show in a squat-place, they would sleep at my house. So did Green Day. They were three nice boys. The drummer was already hyper and a bit crazy then.'

'On stage you saw fresh guys with a nice show and interaction with the audience. That's important to break through. At the time nobody was surprised that they broke through.' Well, no one? Van der Werf has a different view about the concert. “They were very rickety. In Simplon it was funny, nothing more. Their album Dookie was released in 1994. I went to Belgium with a band NRA and that's where we came across Green Day. There they said: yes, it's going well, we've just sold 1 million records in America.'

“We were really suprised by that. You know them as a rickety band that can just hold a guitar and three years later they have sold a million records. When they started playing, I got it. It was a well-oiled machine. They toured Europe eight to nine months a year, then you become a good band.'

A short review was written in Simplon Magazine about Green Day's show. ‘What an opener of the new year in the cafe! Three boys from San Francisco who swear by primal melodic punk pop and a good dose of enthusiasm; the always working recipe for a very pleasant evening. With borrowed instruments here and there, there was a nice pounding, and the full house couldn't get enough of it. Also note the lp 39 smooth.

source

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Found this little article about the time Green Day played in Simplon in 1992 in my city. I got into them 2 years later, so sadly i wasn’t at that tiny show, but i still like to read about it and had fun reading this one. Written from the words of a man that booked shows in Groningen etc. I’ve seen many bands at this bar and everytime i go there, i’m like “i can’t believe the boys were in this bar so many years ago”, cause it’s kinda special to me. Reading how they stayed over at this guy’s place, the area he lived in and i’m like “damn, can’t believe gd have been in that area of my city”. I know it sounds silly, but i don’t care, it just means something to me. Anyway, i copied some bits i liked from the article and translated them to English. These things just put a smile on my face. Also, love how he thought they were 17/18 years old, i mean, yeah, they looked very young, i mean look at that cute picture of little billie at the show XD

#green day #simplon #groningen

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Rob Rogers

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 16, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 17, 2023

A few quick notes tonight about some ongoing stories: There is more news about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his misreporting of his financial connections. This morning, Shawn Boburg and Emma Brown of the Washington Post reported that for twenty years, Thomas has reported rental income totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a real estate firm that was shut down in 2006. The misstatement might be dismissed as a problem with paperwork, the authors note. “But it is among a series of errors and omissions that Thomas has made on required annual financial disclosure forms over the past several decades, a review of those records shows. Together, they have raised questions about how seriously Thomas views his responsibility to accurately report details about his finances to the public.” The cascade of stories about Thomas threatens to continue to undermine the legitimacy of this Supreme Court. Last night, the nation suffered one mass shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, that killed four people and wounded twenty-eight others, and another in Louisville, Kentucky, that killed two and wounded four. On Friday, Republican hopefuls for the 2024 presidential nomination courted members of the National Rifle Association, the NRA, at the organization’s 2023 annual convention, promising looser gun laws. South Dakota governor Kristi Noem complained about liberals who “want to take our guns,” and boasted that her granddaughter, who is not yet two, has a shotgun and a rifle. Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to focus on rebalancing the Indo-Pacific to counter China. Just two weeks after the fiftieth anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam and nearly thirty years after the restoration of diplomatic ties in 1995, the U.S. has broken ground on a new $1.2 billion embassy compound in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh yesterday and vowed to “broaden and deepen” relations between the two countries. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power, and members of Congress have all visited Vietnam recently as part of a long-term strategy to help area friends and allies counterbalance China in the Indo-Pacific region. Yesterday, Blinken emphasized how the U.S. and Vietnam, working together, “can advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, one that is at peace and grounded in respect for the rules-based international order.” But, as Vietnam has a one-party communist government, he explained, “When we talk about ‘free and open,’ we mean countries being free to choose their own path and their own partners and that problems will be dealt with openly; rules will be reached transparently and applied fairly; and goods, ideas, and people will flow freely across land, the seas, the skies, and cyberspace.” Vice President Harris spoke yesterday at a march for reproductive rights in Los Angeles, where she emphasized how deeply our international standing depends on our commitment to freedom at home. “I’ve been traveling around the world as your Vice President,” she said. “When we, as Americans, walk in those rooms around the world, we have traditionally walked in those rooms, shoulders back, chin up, having some authority to talk about the importance of rule of law, human rights. “But here’s the thing we all know about what it means to be a role model: People watch what you do to see if it matches what you say. So let us understand that what is happening in our nation right now, by extension, can impact people around the world who dare to say, ‘I want my country to be like the United States and protect rights.’ And those autocrats and those dictators might look at those folks and say, ‘What are you pointing to as the example?’” “We are seeing, around the country, in a myriad of ways, those who would dare to attack fundamental rights and, by extension, attack our democracy,” Harris said. “Around our country, supposed so-called extremist leaders…dare to silence the voices of the people.” “A United States Supreme Court, the highest court in our land, that took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America. “We have seen attacks on voting rights; attacks on fundamental rights to love and marry the people that you love; attacks on the ability of people to be themselves and be proud of who they are. “And so, this is a moment that history will show required each of us, based on our collective love of our country, to stand up and fight for and protect our ideals…. [W]e have been called upon to be the next generation of the people who will help lead and fight in this movement for freedom and liberty based on our love of our country…. [W]e stand for our democracy. And we stand for foundational and fundamental principles that have everything to do with freedom, liberty, and equality for all people.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#Letters From An American #Heather Cox Richardson #gun violence #Corrupt SCOTUS #Corrupt GOP #NRA #China #Kamala Harris #Women's rights #reproductive rights #constitutional rights

[canichangemyblogname]

It’s so fucking wild how weird people act about not voting for incumbents. Y’all gotta stop uncritically calling people fascist for not voting for incumbents. Try voting for the candidate based in what they do for you rather than blind party loyalty.

An Example:

My local state rep is a dem. She has a 100% score from Personal PAC and the Illinois Environmental Council. She also has an F rating from the NRA and an A rating from the Humane Society. She also has an A/100% from the Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities. I like what she does. I like the bills she supports and has introduced. I like the way I ALWAYS see her in the community. I like how she makes an effort to reach out. I will vote for her. Why? Because I like what she does.

I do not, however, like my local mayor/president. I think he’s a tool. He doesn’t want to build affordable housing in the area because he doesn’t want “Chicago riff-raff” in his town (hi 👋, I’m riff-raff). He passed an ordinance that made it illegal/fineable to run a business out of your home just to spite his neighbor. He doesn’t want to bring more businesses into our town/neighborhood because he essentially wants to turn it into one large single family housing development. He’s been actively driving business out of town. I dislike him very much. I have never voted for him.

Every year, he runs unopposed and scrapes by with just barely enough % of votes to qualify. And every year the community tries to run someone against him and they just can’t outspend him. Nor can the candidate keep up (like… a school teacher or SAHM will try to run or something and just face too many barriers to entry).

Yet… no one talks about the implications of wide-spread uncontested elections for democracy. Upwards of 70% of races go uncontested in the US. It’s as serious an issue as a lack of voter engagement. And no one really talks about this because no one wants to admit that the US is only a democracy on paper (if that). Without choice, true choice, you do not have a democracy, and most districts lack choice and true choice (think: gerrymandering and its illusion of choice).

Every year I abstain. And he scrapes by with— like— just over that threshold % of the vote. However, when I have mentioned this on the internet (TikTok, Twitter, FB), some chronically online fool will invariably accuse me of supporting fascism by abstaining. And that makes ZERO sense.

Another Example:

I also am not a big fan of my congress member. He’s taken $$ from Islamophobic nationalist groups. (Yes, he’s a democrat.) He did not oppose a rail merger that is now bringing 5 mi long oil freights straight through the middle of my town, right along our river (which is also our drinking water). I never see him in the community, except parades. The only thing he’s done that I support is bring $$ into the district to clean up our waterways (ironic, I know). But the thing is? Nearly any politician can do that for you, if you lobby and press them with a large and varied coalition. He’s not special for getting us money when he can be replaced and we can get some other dude to give us money instead. He’s not special. He’s just an incumbent.

But when I tell people I vote 3rd party (if and when available) for that race because he always wins his primary (usually uncontested) and there’s no way I’m voting for a Republican, people cannot be normal about it. They act like I voted for the reactionary and right-wing Republican candidate rather than actively voting for the candidate of my choice and a passively non-voting for neither the Dem or the Repub.

“But if the third party splits enough of the progressive vote, the Republican is bound to win.”

A third party progressive vote isn’t splitting the progressive vote. The progressives and socialists have been voting for the progressive/socialist candidates (and have for a while) while the moderates and conservatives have often been voting for the Dems, and the fascists and reactionaries have been voting for the Republicans.

Like… this man has never enjoyed my vote. I campaigned for his primary opponent last year. What do you mean ‘splitting’ when he never received that vote?

There are so many races where the third party candidate— usually Green or Independent (former Dem)— gets more votes than the Republican. Explain to me how a Republican with no more than *checks notes* 15% of the vote is going to win in those districts? They never even get enough to meet the threshold % of votes to hold office. If a 3rd party is “splitting votes” as you claim, that isn’t paving the way for the “other party” to win, its paving the way for (drumroll) *none* of the candidates to meet the first-past-the-post threshold.

This fear of not voting for the incumbents is… strange. You’re allowed to change your mind and threaten them with your vote and campaign against them. In fact, you should be. Be more politically active. Openly criticize your elected officials. Be loud. Be demanding. Campaign. Run. Fuck, upwards of 70% of elections go uncontested.

This fear lacks an on-the-ground nuance of how our political system is changing.

The republicans are an increasingly niche (and aging) authoritarian-right party desperately trying to hold on to relevancy and power through undemocratic means.

The democrats have far too large a coalition as they cover everyone from right to left, which have wildly different demands, desires, values, and ideologies, resulting in a party that most often seems spineless at worse and anemic at best.

Everyone left of center has been left without the same broad, mainstream representation that the right of the political spectrum has in the US.

There very well may come a time when the Republican Party fades into obscurity (if they don’t seize power via undemocratic means), the Democratic Party splinters (with conservatives following the Biden ideology), and a new progressive movement emerges.

This fear is also based on the idea every district is competitive up and down the ballot. Most races are not competitive. Keep in mind that 70% statistic. Also keep in mind that in 2020, 373 of the 394 House members who ran for reelection won (that’s 95%). Your fear of not voting for or of campaigning against an incumbent is based on the assumption that every district will flip Dem to Repub; that this is an either/or decision and a black-n-white system. Your assumption ignores gerrymandering, it ignores the incumbent advantage, it ignores that 70% stat, and it ignores how the second most competitive party in “partisan” districts— specifically, in smaller districts and local elections— is often a 3rd party. In those “stronghold” areas, the only competition (and thus the element keeping democracy alive in that race) is often an independent or 3rd party candidate. The “other party” (Dem or Repub) won’t even acquire enough votes to meet the threshold to take office.

Statistically, you aren’t talking to someone in a competitive district. Like… a grand total of 99 house seats (22%) were competitive in 2022.

But— shit— let’s say that a district hypothetically elects a 3rd party candidate successfully. I want you to really, critically think about their platform. I want you to think about the active 3rd parties. There are— like— 2x the number of left-wing 3rd parties as right-wing. Ask yourself: would a right-wing party truly win in a “blue stronghold”? And do you really think a fucking socialist or a green or a progressive is a Republican ally? No, you don’t. Yet here you are on your high horse telling predominately black and brown socialists that they’re signing their own death certificates by voting for an independent for Sheriff instead of the only other choice they have: some crusty Republican with a thin blue line flag and the tag “All Lives Matter” on his campaign Facebook page.

Your fear of 3rd parties is based on propaganda and the fact that, since you were a child, everyone told you that voting 3rd is acquiescence because they never have a chance at legitimacy. And I want you to critically ask yourself: how in the hell did the Democratic and Republican Party emerge in the first place? Thin air? Magic? Why aren’t we still electing Federalists and Whigs?

#So fucking tired of seeing this #‘This is a psyop’ but it’s literally just a black woman concerned that the Dems are too pro-police

[mariacallous]

The National Rifle Association is one of the most powerful interest groups in America, and has consistently managed to defeat or weaken proposed gun regulations—even despite widespread public support for stricter laws and the prevalence of mass shootings and gun-related deaths. Firepower provides an unprecedented look at how this controversial organization built its political power and deploys it on behalf of its pro-gun agenda.

Taking readers from the 1930s to the age of Donald Trump, Matthew Lacombe traces how the NRA’s immense influence on national politics arises from its ability to shape the political outlooks and actions of its followers. He draws on nearly a century of archival records and surveys to show how the organization has fashioned a distinct worldview around gun ownership and used it to mobilize its supporters. Lacombe reveals how the NRA’s cultivation of a large, unified, and active base has enabled it to build a resilient alliance with the Republican Party, and examines why the NRA and its members formed an important constituency that helped fuel Trump’s unlikely political rise.

Firepower sheds vital new light on how the NRA has grown powerful by mobilizing average Americans, and how it uses its GOP alliance to advance its objectives and shape the national agenda.

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

Without a mandated vaccine the military will be incapacitated by a massive number of Covid cases. That is what Russian oligarchs want, that is why they buy Republikkkan politicians.

When you join the military you are required to literally every vaccine known to humankind and then even more if you deploy out of the country. George Washington began the practice during the War for Independence.

Republikkkans are all about feeding red meat to the base and they don’t care how many suffer or die or what damage is done to the country by their reckless actions. Very few current Republikkkan politicians have ever served and with each passing generation fewer and fewer rural Confederates serve. Repubs and rednecks think they control the military but in fact it’s always been predominantly working class urban whites from the north until Vietnam in the 60’s and 70’s. Since Vietnam it’s been a mix of those blue collar urban whites and “minorities.” Non-whites serve in numbers far greater than their percentage of the population. Further it’s estimated that 75% of military members vote Democratic.

What we are seeing in regards to refusing Covid vaccinations isn’t going to end with just that disease. The deplorable MAGA’s are already refusing ALL vaccinations. There have been polio outbreaks and there currently is a large measles outbreak here in the US. Some of these may start with unvaccinated immigrants, as Repubs claim, but diseases are taking root with poor white southern and rural Republikkkan conspiracy theorists and ignorant MAGA’s. This all began in the UK in 1996 when that crackpot doctor started the vaccines create autism hoax. Even though it’s been debunked and he admitted he fabricated it, it has taken route with the poorly educated crowd. Again southern and rural communities have had their educational systems plundered for decades by Republikkkan politicians and billionaires with for profit charter schools (DeVos et al).

So many of us on the left never dig deeper than the surface, that is they choose politicians based on personality or identity politics, I’ll vote for the person who belongs to my group or is a strong ally of my group. When you scratch below the surface and begin doing opposition research you’ll find that the Republikkkans are running a highly effective and hierarchical political machine. The Republikkkan party or GOP is a tool of the top 2% and big multinational businesses. They have been running the most sophisticated and organized political organization since the late 70’s that the world has ever seen. Billionaires and corporations have a vast network of right-wing foundations that fund everything most of you are against. They panicked when Hillary try to exposed this “vast right-wing conspiracy” and labeled her nuts which eventually took root in the American psyche. Today there are articles, books, documentaries, and even college courses that examine this vast right-wing conspiracy.

Ted Cruz, MTG, BoBo, Graham, etc are secretly planning a campaign against you. They are literally given legislation to introduce into Congress by the Koch and Walton families to name a few. They are given daily talking points and daily targets. Their “celebrity personalities” and media outlets are telegraphing the exact same messages, often word for word, every single day. Koch, Walton, etc pay an army of conservative lawyers and scholars to write and disseminate things they want made into law or policy. For decades the NRA has been paying a small army of lawyers to create a base of litigation that can be called upon as case history in future cases in front of higher courts. Occasionally they give the base some culture war things like expanding access to guns or banning abortion but that is just to keep the masses voting for Republikkkans. Their ultimate goal is unrestrained capitalism with legislation that preserves, protects, and expands their ability to amass wealth and power. In a few decades they will remake America into a clone of Brazil where the wealthy live in luxury inside gated compounds while the rest of us are literal peasants living in poverty and disease in favelas on the outskirts of society.

Do your own research. You can begin by googling ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), the Federalist Society, and the Heritage Foundation to name a few. It’s a non-stop 24/7/365 war against Dems, unions, the poor, the middle class, the working class, people of color, lgbt, the handicapped, intellectuals, urban dwellers, coastal elites, immigrants, Jews/Catholics/Muslims and any non-evangelical or Protestant religion and many more groups.

This last part is a hard truth. While the Nazism, racism, discrimination, dominionism, and general bigotry and hatred is very real-it is not their ultimate agenda. Their ultimate goal is the accumulation of wealth and power at any cost. The bigotry and culture war nonsense are just tools to create an army of Republikkkan voters, foot soldiers for the right-wing. The Republikkkan politicians, deplorable racists, rural deploranles, militias, conspiracy theorists, and garden variety red state hicks are just pawns, tools, a means to an end. Multimillionaires, billionaires, and corporations only care about the color green. Don’t let them divide us with their lies and propaganda. Follow the money.

This is a war. We must defeat their pawns in elections, battle their foot soldiers in the streets, and most importantly prevent the oligarchs from buying our government.