#i know he is nationalized as an american and just has asian decency but it's going to be krnb to make it easier to find later and that's it

[ldhun]

keshi icons, pls like or reblog if you save 🥀

[audreydoeskaren]

In reference to your recent Hanfu questions you’ve received from people and cultural appropriation, I have a question: I genuinely want to know where the line is drawn between someone who has educated themselves on the cultural significance and taken time to ensure that they are wearing Chinese cultural clothing respectfully and for people who don’t, and how there will often be people (regardless of race, cultural identity, or national origin) who will take issue with someone who is white wearing said clothing, regardless of context. My partner of five years is Chinese, like, was born and raised in China, and I am a white woman from the USA. I speak Mandarin and have lived and studied in China. I never wore hanfu or qipaos before my boyfriend took me to a shop while in China and said he wanted to buy me one, that he had always wanted to see me in a qipao. Not once in China did anyone ever make a comment about me wearing my qipao when I was out with him on special occasions. The one time I wore it in the US, for an event he came with me to, I had people of multiple racial backgrounds get in my face and accuse me of appropriating Chinese culture just for wearing the dress, their reasoning being “it isn’t my culture” and “I’m not from China”. I read the additions to your recent analysis commenting on the role that racial tensions between countries play in this, and while racial tensions certainly exist and don’t help things, would that mean that even though I’ve taken extra care to wear a qipao (or other hanfu) appropriately and respectfully according to the advice of Chinese friends, family, and hanfu sellers in China before wearing it, that it would never appropriate for me as a white woman in the USA to wear a dress that my Chinese partner picked out for me just because other people are racist or prejudiced? I understand fully that cultural appropriation is a legitimate thing and that respect should always be shown to the culture or cultures involved, but there must be a line in the sand somewhere and I want to understand where so I can show respect at all times. Thank you.

tw racism

Hi, I think you could more or less piece the answer together from my previous replies, I'll just summarize here.

What you were doing doesn't sound like intentional cultural appropriation on your part, but it still came off as inappropriate to some people because of ethnic tensions in the US. I think a new conclusion I've come to in the past few days is that cultural appropriation is not just defined by what the person wearing the garment is doing, but also how it is observed (somewhat like quantum physics??); if nobody calls you out for it cultural appropriation isn't real but if somebody does, it is. There are myriad reasons as to why some Chinese people are not ok with white people wearing cheongsam, all of them are valid because of the legacy of colonialism and ongoing racism against Asians in the West. Never ever think that Asians are “too sensitive” for being offended and white people are entitled to wear cheongsam despite their complaints, it builds on a tradition of trivializing racism against Asians.

Since you've taken care to wear the garment properly, Chinese people within China wouldn't have a problem with it because 1) most people in China like it and are positively surprised when foreigners appreciate our culture 2) Han Chinese people are not oppressed in China by white people so there are no power dynamics involved. On top of that, a lot of people in China have never heard of the term cultural appropriation, so they don't have the words to describe something they might be potentially feeling.

However in the US it is a different context. Now, I don't know the ethnicities of the people who told you off for cultural appropriation, if none of them were of Chinese descent they had no right to lecture you on that?? They could point out to you that they felt like you were doing cultural appropriation, but at the end of the day if they were not Chinese they didn't have the power to decide whether it was ok. If some of them were Chinese however, you need to stop wearing cheongsam, at the very least not anymore in their presence. Respect for Chinese people always comes before respect for Chinese culture. Even though you had completely good intentions and just wanted to show appreciation for Chinese culture, it's always more worth it to honor the voices of local Chinese people than to defend yourself regarding cultural appropriation. It's not a matter of life and death for you if you don't wear a cheongsam, but it’s very detrimental to Chinese Americans if their opinions are dismissed; their complaints don't exist in a vacuum, but rather on top of a long history of oppression and abysmally bad representation of Chinese people in Western media.

So my two cents on your personal case is that you could wear cheongsam in China whenever you please since the locals are fine with it and you're also connected to Chinese culture via your studies and partner, but do refrain from wearing it in the US in a crowd that doesn’t just include your Chinese friends and family. You could try explaining to people that your partner is Chinese and encouraged you to wear it, but if they're still not sold on the idea, just wear something else next time, it's easier for everyone. This is not just about cultural appropriation but also human decency.

Oh and I forgot to add, it’s really adorable that your boyfriend picked out a cheongsam for you to wear. Blame colonialism and racism for ruining a sweet story :(

I think this is the last I will post on cultural appropriation because this is not what my blog is for. However my ask box and messages are always open if people need to vent about colonialism, Orientalism or racist shit in general :))

[songtoyou]

Mr. Evans and the Congresswoman - Part 2

Paring: Chris Evans x Politician Reader

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1,858

Warnings: Political topics such as Biden, Harris, our current White House occupant and the current administration. 

Description:  It is the week of the DNC and Chris is once again interviewing you for A Starting Point. 

A/N: The DNC inspired me to write a second part for this story.  This is pure fiction as I do not know what Chris believes when it comes to politics and policy issues. This is a complete work of fiction.

I do not permit my work to be to be posted on any other site without my permission.

Note: Updated for grammar and punctuation edits.

"Hi, Congresswoman Y/L/N?" Chris Evans asked with a smile.

He was once again interviewing you for ASP. This time it was during the week of the Democratic National Convention. Chris and Mark had already talked to other politicians such as Senator Cory Booker and Representatives Ro Khanna and Alma Adams. You were the last elected official he was slated to interview to wrap up the DNC week.

Truthfully, Chris was happy to get the chance to talk with you again. Your previous interview for ASP was such a hit that it garnered a lot of attention from fans and the media. However, it was not because you helped bring more legitimacy and attention for ASP, but instead, Chris found himself genuinely admiring you.

"Hi," you said to Chris, giving a small wave through the Zoom screen. "I told you to call me by my first name."

"I know, but I still want to show respect," Chris responded with a teasing smile. Was he mildly flirting with the congresswoman? Yes, but he had no shame in doing so. "How are you? You are looking well."

"I am doing well. Thank you. How about you?"

"Same. Just trying to stay sane through everything. I'm actually currently in London. Working on a project." Chris admitted.

"Uh oh. You better be staying safe and following the right procedures and protocols," you lightly reprimanded him.

"My fans ratted me out. They found where I was just by the hotel door. Can you believe that? That is some FBI-level investigating, right there. I'd be impressed if I weren't also terrified of the lengths some of these fans will go to scout my location," Chris ranted. He did not understand why he was sharing this with you, but a part of him felt comfortable doing so.

"That…is quite impressive, I must say. Creepy. Scary. But impressive. You need to learn how to put in a Zoom background. It would solve all of your problems," you suggested to him.

"I would, but I'm technology deficient. Maybe I should look up some Zoom tutorials on how to do it. Give it a try."

"There is no try…only do," you advised cheekily.

"Now you're quoting Yoda. A woman after my own heart," Chris replied. He knew he needed to refocus. "So, as you can tell, Mark won't be joining us for this interview. I'm going to hit record if that is okay?"

"Okay. I'm ready when you are," you said.

When the record notification appeared on screen, Chris introduced you and immediately went into the first question.

"How do you think the DNC is going so far, particularly how this year is more of a virtual setting rather than in-person due to COVID-19?"

"Despite not having the big in-person celebration/gathering, I think the virtual setting is working very well. Better than I expected, actually. It gives off a more inclusive and intimate vibe to the DNC that we haven't felt before. I like the whole documentary approach and feel to it," you replied honestly.

"Were you excited that Joe Biden chose Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate?" asked Chris.

"Oh my God! I was so happy that Vice President Biden chose Senator Harris as his running mate. Like, my staff and I were beyond ecstatic. There is no one better to be Biden's running mate than Harris. She is amazing. Such an inspiration. I'm not going to lie, but I'm really excited for the debate between her and Pence."

That made Chris laugh. "Yeah, me too. Senator Harris really knows how to pull all the punches. Her nomination as VP has been met with overall positive response. The Trump Administration and Republican pundits appear to have a hard time painting a negative image of Harris. Why do you think Trump and Fox News are struggling to provide a negative image for her?"

"That is an excellent question. The public's overwhelming response to Harris' nomination is because 1.) she is the first black and south Asian woman to be on a major presidential ticket, and 2.) she is likable and charming. She has this exuberant energy that attracts people to her. You know, black and brown women and girls finally have someone that looks like them running for the second-highest office in the land. That is huge!

"I also have to wonder if people have smartened up in the last four years and won't tolerate the…hypocrisy, sexism, and misogyny…in this case misogynoir that is thrown towards Senator Harris from the media, political pundits, social media bots, etc. So, what we are seeing with Trump and Fox News struggling to attack her is because…well…they just aren't smart. All we have seen from Trump in his attacks against her is that she was mean to Kavanaugh when questioning him during his nomination process. But none of what Trump says holds up because we all know that smart, confident women intimidate him," you finished off your point.

"There is also the left…or more of the progressive left who are unhappy with Biden choosing Harris," Chris spoke up and continued, "They say she is a cop and put people away for weed. That she took kids away from parents when the kid didn't show up for school. That Harris is too conservative. What do you say to that?"

"All of that is…you know…. Senator Harris one of the most policy progressive senators we have. Her voting record is more progressive than Bernie Sanders. All people have to do is research her time as a district attorney and Attorney General for California to find out what she actually did concerning policy. But as we both know, people nowadays don't know how to critically think, which scares me. Progressives need to look at the overall big picture. This election in November is crucial. We are in the fight for our democracy, for our country, and for our lives…literally."

"I talk with my brother, Scott, all the time about certain political issues," mentioned Chris. "He is a tad more progressive than I am. I can admit that I tend to be more centrist. The district you represent is a mix of blue and red areas; how do you balance opposing views from your constituents?" 

You took in a deep breath before you answered. That was a loaded question. Representing a district that was not solely red, or blue could be difficult from time to time. You wanted to be respectful of the different viewpoints from constituents, but maintaining a neutral balance was hard and frustrating at times. 

"The majority of Americans are centrist/moderates. You need a balance of both liberal and conservative policies. Bipartisanship is crucially important when developing and passing laws. We are currently seeing an overt of one-sidedness while sabotaging the other side, which is detrimental to our country's growth. It is important to reach across the aisle to talk with those who may have opposing views than you. At the end of the day, people just want to feel that their concerns are heard and valued. We all want to feel that way. So, as an elected official, I make sure to take the time to talk with those in rural areas, along with urban areas, about their issues and concerns," you shared.

"Do you ever get any pushback from Trump supporters in the red areas?" Chris inquired.

"Well, it is important to note that not all residents in rural areas are Trump supporters. They just tend to keep that to themselves. I have actually talked to Trump supporters in blue areas. We can never and should never assume that one area has this type of person and vice versa. I learned that the hard way when I was campaigning for city council early in my career," you revealed to Chris with a small chuckle. "But overall, my constituents will talk with me and have been respectful. Some of the concerns that have been shared with me do fall under the QAnon conspiracy theories, which do disturb me, I'll be honest. Um…when being confronted with someone who has that extreme of ideals, it is important to remain calm and not to come off combative. Meaning that I have to remind myself that I am not quite dealing with a rational person. The only thing that I can do is calmly talk to the person and respond back with facts. Either they listen or brush me off and call me a radical lefty."

"The majority of people are good, like you said," Chris reminded you.

"That's right. It's a good mantra to live by. I think the American people are tired and have been tired for the past four years with this Administration. We need a sense of normalcy and decency. Compassion and empathy, which were two of the big themes during the DNC. This week was a nice reminder that we, as a country, can have that again."

"I agree. Very well said. You always end on a positive. I appreciate that. Thank you, Congresswoman Y/L/N, for taking the time to talk with me. You always provide great insight into the world of politics and your experience as an elected official," said Chris and ended the recording. "That was really great, Y/N. I know Mark, and I really appreciate you taken the time to do these interviews for ASP," Chris added.

"Oh, it is no problem. Like I said before, I like what you both are doing with the site. Are you happy with how everything turned out?" you asked him.

"Yeah… it's…it took a while to just get the website up and running. I know there is still work that needs to be done. Some areas need to be fixed, but with a project like this, we can adjust. There is more room for improvement and growth," Chris communicated to you.

You nodded in agreement. "Politics is a whole different ballgame. Not many people are willing to venture into the field. It can cause a lot of annoyances and headaches. So, hats off to you, my friend," you said, giving Chris a salute.

"Thank you. Well, I better let you go. I know you must have a million things on your plate."

"Ah yes, I have to go and save the United States Postal Service from corruption. Talk to you later, Chris. Take care," you waved goodbye and signed off.

Chris had to admit, he was in awe of you. There was something about you that fascinated him. None of the elected officials he and Mark talked to for ASP had the liveliness you had. You were not jaded or defeated by the system, at least not yet, since you were still considered a junior member of congress. Chris hoped that the energy and enthusiasm you had for politics and helping people would not diminish. When his Uncle Mike was still a congressman, he shared with Chris that D.C. can cause a lot of strain on a person's values and beliefs. "I have seen too many of my colleagues succumb to the pressures of dirty politics," Uncle Mike once said.

Chris just hoped that you would not succumb to those pressures.

[confusedbyinterface]

Let me take this opportunity to say a word to the millions of people who supported my campaign this year and in 2016. My friends, thank you for your trust, your support, and the love you showed Jane, me, and our family.

Together, we have moved this country in a bold new direction, showing that all of us, black and white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, native born and immigrant yearn for a nation based on the principles of justice, love, and compassion.

Our campaign ended several months ago, but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day. Many of the ideas we fought for that just a few years ago were considered radical are now mainstream.

But let us be clear, if Donald Trump is reelected, all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy.

At its most basic, this election is about preserving our democracy. During this president’s term, the unthinkable has become normal. He has tried to prevent people from voting, undermine the US Postal Service, deployed the military and federal agents against peaceful protestors, threatened to delay the election, and suggested that he will not leave office if he loses.

This is not normal and we must never treat it like it is.

Under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in country. I and my family, and many of yours, know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy, decency, and humanity. As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, with moderates, and yes, with conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.

This president is not just a threat to our democracy, but by rejecting science, he has put our lives and health in jeopardy. Trump has attacked doctors and scientists trying to protect us from the pandemic while refusing to take strong action to produce the masks, gowns, and gloves our healthcare workers desperately need.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs.

His actions fanned this pandemic resulting in over 170,000 deaths and a nation still unprepared to protect its people.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

July 5, 2021

Heather Cox Richardson

Last night, in a speech to honor Independence Day, President Joe Biden used his administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic to defend democracy.

Biden urged people to remember where we were just a year ago, and to “think about how far we’ve come.” “From… silent streets to crowded parade routes lined with people waving American flags; from empty stadiums and arenas to fans back to their seats cheering together again; from families pressing hands against a window to grandparents hugging their grandchildren once again. We’re back traveling again. We’re back seeing one another again. Businesses are opening and hiring again. We’re seeing record job creation and record economic growth—the best in four decades and, I might add, the best in the world.”

The president was referring, in part, to the jobs report that came out on Friday, showing that the nation added a robust 850,000 non-farm jobs in June.

But he was also talking about how the United States of America took on the problem of the pandemic. Coming after two generations of lawmakers who refused to use federal power to help ordinary Americans, Biden used the pandemic to prove to Americans that the federal government could, indeed, work for everyone.

The former president downplayed the pandemic and flip-flopped on basic public health measures like masking and distancing. Unlike most European and Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, the Trump Administration sidelined the country's public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, considered to be the top national public health agency in the world. Trump downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus out of fear of hurting the stock market, and turned over to states the process of dealing with this unprecedented crisis. The U.S. led the world in COVID-19 deaths. More than 603,000 Americans have died so far.

When he took office, Biden had already begun to use the government response to coronavirus as a way to show that democracy could rise to the occasion of protecting its people. The day before his inauguration, President Biden held a memorial for the 400,000 who had, to that date, died of COVID-19. He put Dr. Rochelle Walensky, a renowned infectious disease expert, at the head of the CDC and reinstated the CDC at the head of the public health response to the pandemic. And he made vaccines accessible to all Americans. Fifty-eight percent of American adults have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus; 67% have had at least one shot. The U.S. has one of the highest vaccine rates in the world and is helping to vaccinate those in other countries, as well.

Biden recalled that the United States of America was based not on religion or hereditary monarchy, but on an idea: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all people are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights—among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

We have never lived up to that ideal, of course, but we have never abandoned it, either. Those principles, he said, “continue to animate us, and they remind us what, at our best, we as Americans believe: We, Americans—we believe in honesty and decency, in treating everyone with dignity and respect, giving everyone a fair shot, demonizing no one, giving hate no safe harbor, and leaving no one behind.”

But, he said, democracy isn’t top down. “Each day, we’re reminded there’s nothing guaranteed about our democracy, nothing guaranteed about our way of life,” he said. “We have to fight for it, defend it, earn it…. It’s up to all of us to protect the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; the right to equal justice under the law; the right to vote and have that vote counted; the right.... to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and know that our children and grandchildren will be safe on this planet for generations to come… the right to rise in the world as far as your God-given [talent] can take you, unlimited by barriers of privilege or power.”

Biden’s speech recalled that of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 5, 1944, upon the fall of Rome during World War II. It was Italian leader Benito Mussolini who articulated the ideals of fascism after World War I, envisioning a hierarchical world in which economic and political leaders worked together to lead the masses forward by welding them into a nationalistic, militaristic force.

In his 1944 speech, FDR was careful to explain to Americans how they were different from the Italian fascists. He talked about “Nazi overlords” and “fascist puppets.” Then, in contrast to the fascists’ racial hierarchies, FDR made a point of calling Americans’ attention to the fact that the men who defeated the Italian fascists were Americans from every walk of life.

And then he turned to how fascism treated its people. “In Italy, the people have lived so long under the corrupt rule of Mussolini that in spite of the tinsel at the top—you have seen the pictures of it—their economic conditions have grown steadily worse. Our troops have found starvation, malnutrition, disease, a deteriorating education, a lower public health, all byproducts of the fascist misrule.”

To rebuild Italy, FDR said, the troops had to start from the bottom. “[W]e have had to give them bread to replace that which was stolen out of their mouths,” he said. “We have had to make it possible for the Italians to raise and use their local crops. We have had to help them cleanse their schools of fascist trappings….”

He outlined how Americans had anticipated the need to relieve the people starved by the fascists, and had made plans to ship food grown by the “magnificent ability and energy of the American people,” in ships they had constructed, over thousands of miles of water. Some of us may let our thoughts run to the financial cost of it,” he said, but “we hope that this relief will be an investment for the future, an investment that will pay dividends by eliminating fascism, by ending any Italian desires to start another war of aggression in the future….”

FDR was emphasizing the power of the people, of democracy, to combat fascism not only abroad but also at home, where it had attracted Americans frustrated by the seeming inability of democracy to counter the Depression. They longed for a single strong leader to fix everything. Other Americans, horrified by FDR’s use of the government to regulate business, provide a basic social safety net, and promote infrastructure, wanted to take the nation back to the 1920s and in so doing had begun to flirt with fascism as well.

As he celebrated the triumph over democracy in Italy, he was also urging Americans to value and protect it at home.

Biden, too, is focusing on how efficient his administration has been in combating the coronavirus to combat authoritarianism both abroad and at home. With its support for the Big Lie; congress members like Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ), who openly associates with white nationalists; and its attack on voting rights, the modern-day Republican Party is moving rapidly toward authoritarianism. But the former president botched the most fundamental task of government: protecting its people from death. In contrast, more than 60% of Americans approve of how Biden has managed the coronavirus pandemic, with 95% of Democrats approving but only 33% of Republicans in favor.

Biden’s approach appears to be helping to solidify support for democracy. A recent PBS Newshour/NPR/Marist poll showed that two thirds of Americans believe democracy is under threat, but 47%— the highest number in 12 years—believe the country is moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, that number, too, reflects a difference by party. While 87 percent of Democrats say the country is improving, 87 percent of Republicans say the opposite.

Biden conjured up our success over the coronavirus to celebrate democracy: “[H]istory tells us that when we stand together, when we unite in common cause, when we see ourselves not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans, then there’s simply no limit to what we can achieve.”

—-

Notes:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/05/remarks-by-president-biden-celebrating-independence-day-and-independence-from-covid-19/

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/02/june-jobs-unemployment-shortage/

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-deaths

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/561513-67-percent-of-adults-have-received-at-least-one-shot-of-covid-19-vaccine

https://docs.google.com/document/d/162VvK8TyM_3xNJbZtd0vLcNiLuK1bzpV0zqcD8o0TuM/edit

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/2-out-of-3-americans-believe-u-s-democracy-is-under-threat

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LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[jj-lynn21]

Joe Biden’s speech Nov 7, 2020

My fellow Americans, the people of this nation have spoken.They have delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory. A victory for “We the People.”We have won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of this nation -- 74 million.I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me.I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide, but to unify. Who doesn’t see Red and Blue states, but a United States. And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people.For that is what America is about: The people. And that is what our Administration will be about.I sought this office to restore the soul of America. To rebuild the backbone of the nation -- the middle class. To make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home.It is the honor of my lifetime that so many millions of Americans have voted for this vision. And now the work of making this vision real is the task of our time.As I said many times before, I’m Jill’s husband. I would not be here without the love and tireless support of my wife, Jill, Hunter, Ashley, all of our grandchildren and their spouses, and all our family. They are my heart.Jill’s a mom -- a military mom -- and an educator. She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn’t just what she does -- it’s who she is. For America’s educators, this is a great day: You’re going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great First Lady.And I will be honored to be serving with a fantastic vice president -- Kamala Harris -- who will make history as the first woman, first Black woman, first woman of South Asian descent, and first daughter of immigrants ever elected to national office in this country.It’s long overdue, and we’re reminded tonight of all those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen. But once again, America has bent the arc of the moral universe towards justice.Kamala, Doug -- like it or not -- you’re family. You’ve become honorary Bidens.To all those who volunteered, worked the polls, local election officials -- you deserve a special thanks from this nation. To my campaign team, to all the volunteers, to all those who gave so much of themselves to make this moment possible, I thank you for everything. And to all those who supported us: I am proud of the campaign we built and ran. I am proud of the coalition we built, the broadest and most diverse in history.Democrats and Republicans and Independents. Progressives, moderates and conservatives. Young and old. Urban, suburban and rural. Gay, straight, transgender. White. Latino. Asian. Native American.And especially for those moments when this campaign was at its lowest -- the African American community.I said from the outset I wanted a campaign that represented America, and I think we did that.And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple of elections myself.But now, let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. To lower the temperature. To see each other again. To listen to each other again. To make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy. We are not enemies. We are Americans.The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season -- a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal.This is that time for America. A time to heal.Now that the campaign is over -- what is the people’s will? What is our mandate?I believe it is this: Americans have called on us to marshal the forces of decency and the forces of fairness. To marshal the forces of science and the forces of hope in the great battles of our time.The battle to control the virus. The battle to build prosperity. The battle to secure your family’s health care. The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country. The battle to save the climate. The battle to restore decency, defend democracy, and give everybody in this country a fair shot.Our work begins with getting COVID under control.We cannot repair our economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments -- hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us -- until we get this virus under control.On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as Transition Advisors to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that starts on January 20th, 2021.That plan will be built on a bedrock of science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy, and concern. I will spare no effort -- or commitment -- to turn this pandemic around.I ran as a proud Democrat. I will now be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me -- as I will for those who did.Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end -- here and now.The refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not due to some mysterious force beyond our control. It’s a decision. It’s a choice we make.And if we can decide not to cooperate, then we can decide to cooperate. And I believe that is part of the mandate from the American people. They want us to cooperate.That’s the choice I’ll make. And I call on the Congress -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- to make that choice with me.America’s story is about the slow, yet steady widening of opportunity. Make no mistake: Too many dreams have been deferred for too long. We must make the promise of the country real for everybody -- no matter their race, their identity, their ethnicity, their faith.America has always been shaped by inflection points -- by moments in time where we’ve made hard decisions about who we are and what we want to be.Lincoln in 1860 -- coming to save the Union. FDR in 1932 -- promising a beleaguered country a New Deal. JFK in 1960 -- pledging a New Frontier.And twelve years ago -- when Barack Obama made history -- and told us, “Yes, we can.”We stand again at an inflection point. We have the opportunity to defeat despair and to build a nation of prosperity and purpose. We can do it. I know we can.I’ve long talked about the battle for the soul of America. Now we must restore the soul of America.Our nation is shaped by the constant battle between our better angels and our darkest impulses. It is time for our better angels to prevail.Tonight, the whole world is watching. I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe. And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: Possibilities.That in America everyone should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them.You see, I believe in the possibility of this country. We’re always looking ahead. Ahead to an America that’s freer and more just. Ahead to an America that creates jobs with dignity and respect. Ahead to an America that cures disease -- like cancer and Alzheimers. Ahead to an America that never leaves anyone behind. Ahead to an America that never gives up.This is a great nation. And we are a good people. This is the United States of America. And there has never been anything we haven’t been able to do when we’ve done it together.In the last days of the campaign, I’ve been thinking about a hymn that means a lot to me and to my family. It captures the faith that sustains me and which I believe sustains America.And I hope it can provide some comfort and solace to the more than 230,000 families who have lost a loved one to this terrible virus this year. My heart goes out to each and every one of you.“And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,Bear you on the breath of dawn,Make you to shine like the sun,And hold you in the palm of His Hand.”And now, together -- on eagle’s wings -- we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do.With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with a love of country -- and a thirst for justice -- let us be the nation that we know we can be.A nation united. A nation strengthened. A nation healed.God bless you. And may God protect our troops.

Joe Biden

[diaryofanangryasianguy]

Im not deeply knowledgeable about all these political ideologies like socialism, communism, etc but I keep noticing that americans who are against AOC, bernie, and progressive democracy tend to argue that it’s “socialism” or variants of it. People who are against the ideas and values that AOC and Bernie push forward seem to equate progressive democracy and socialism as something bad like communism. (cont)

I think these folks will hate any ideologies they deem “foreign”, not american enough. I’ve heard (in person) an american saying “Fuck bernie and his socialism! he wants us to be like European states! We will not be like Europe!” and then there’s people like “bernie and/or AOC with their soon-to-be communist ideas! They want a China nation!” (cont.)

and im just like ??? what the fuck is wrong with you??? These people speak with such strong racist and xenophobic-driven fears! I bet that at least half these folks hating AOC and Bernie for being “too socialist or communist” dont even really know socialist or communist principles. They are haters familiar with versions of socialism and communism twisted by propaganda and xenophobia. (cont.)

I find this hate ironic cuz America fundamentally incorporated a lot of European lines of thinking in the creation of american politics, democracy, and values. I can only think of arrogance as a reason so deluding that these people continuously and self-righteously hate “imported” and “foreign” thoughts. (end)

also, im not saying progressive democracy or socialism or communism is better than one or another in any sense. Just wanted to share an observation.

It is arrogance and also because conservatives have been brainwashed by capitalism and think every single thing (even living things) should be bought or has commercial value. If conservatives could charge people for breathing, they would.

Many conservatives are actually poor themselves but would rather side with corporations and capitalism than they would with anyone or anything that would even suggest something being “free.” This is how brainwashed and obsessed they are with capitalism. They would willingly sacrifice the quality of their well-being or even their life itself so long as everything continues to have a price.

The things they cry about being “socialist” aren’t even socialist at all. A person having the right to healthcare for example is about human decency. There’s no political agenda behind people having free healthcare. It’s just so that people can be healthy and live longer. How can you hate the idea of people being healthy and living a longer life lmao. Like wtf is wrong with these people??

And you’re right. Communism and socialism are seen as “foreign” and that taps into the how xenophobic people here are. That’s why whenever conservatives try to argue against socialism or communism, they’ll bring up China, Venezuela, or North Korea. They’ll never bring up the fact that the reason why they enjoy many rights in the US right now is because of socialist and other leftist movements that have been fighting for them all throughout history.

Socialism and communism aren’t foreign ideas, they’re mixed right in here. Conservatives are just racist and xenophobic like you said.

Personally I don’t really care about all these ideologies though. As long as people are free, safe, happy, healthy, and aren’t harming others, that’s all I really care about. Whatever things or people that will move our society to that point, I’m for it.

Angry Asian Guy

[tcfkag]

Why your ancestors didn’t come to the US “the Right Way”

 So, we all have that one Uncle, cousin, in-law, or high school friend who insists that the migrants and refugees being detained at the border under Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy - or just any undocumented immigrant really - should “go back where they came from” and “do it the right way”. 

You know, like their Great-Great-Great-Aunt Angela (and her Ashes probably) did.

Except, that is total bullshit. For now, let’s put aside the question of why undocumented immigrants don’t “just” get in line to get their citizenship, either while staying here or “going back where they came from”. (Hint, they can’t...unless they have money of course).

Instead, let’s talk about all the reasons why Great-Great-Great-Aunt Angela would be no more “legal”* under today’s laws than the children in cages or families in deportation camps right now. (*Note: No Human is Legal or Illegal*). Angela didn’t do it “the right way” because for the vast majority of American history, there was no wrong way (well, so long as you were white and European). 

“ALL POSSIBLE RESPONSES TO “THEY SHOULD GET IN LINE AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, THE WAY MY FAMILY DID,” WITH CITATIONS (ALSO JOKES)” (that’s the actual title of the article - so this was supposed to be just a simple summary of this article but it sort of grew a life of it’s own - but all thanks to the article writer for the structure - I have massively quoted from it with additions of my own notes and reference materials). 

Seriously, go bookmark this article and review it before Thanksgiving, Christmas, family reunions, or whenever else you’re likely to be exposed to (as usual mostly white) people who justify their own presence in this “Nation of Immigrants Colonizers” while also justifying “zero tolerance”  violations of international treaties and basic human decency by deporting refugees, migrants, people who have lived here longer then they’ve been alive, and the Dreamers. 

It breaks it down by era, with citations so you can be specific when you slap down Tiffani from high school on Facebook. 

Some highlights:

·         “Did your family do it before 1776? They didn’t “immigrate,” they colonized.” 

·        “Did your family do it before 1875? The federal government wasn’t actually regulating immigration at before that year. The states were each trying to do it their own way, it was a mess.” [My note: that also means that depending what state your ancestor immigrated TO, the laws governing the naturalization process and thus their status may have varied. My own home states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, now two of the most Catholic states in the country, swept the Know-Nothings Party into power in 1856 - their efforts to make naturalization more onerous for Catholics was one of the driving forces behind the passage of the first federal immigration legislation, the Page Act, in 1875. Good job New England /s]

·        Did your family do it before 1882? If they were Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or from another East Asian country there was no “right way” for them as of 1882. The Chinese Exclusion Act would officially keep those nationalities from immigration and/or gaining citizenship until (on the books at least) 1952.” [My note: Yup, you’re reading that right, the federal government passed the first federal immigration and naturalization law in 1875 at least in part to regularlize naturalization policies for all states...but only for white people. Literally, the first federal immigration law protected white people and also specifically and intentionally excluded East Asian immigrants from immigrating and barred the 200,000 immigrants already here from naturalization, essentially making them permanent second-class non-citizens and if they left the country for any reason, they would not be allowed to return. This is useful to know the next time you see someone say that the Muslim Ban isn’t “their” America.]  

[My other note: Also remember that, for example, Texas was annexed into the United States in 1845 before which it was part of Mexico. But even though many Mexican Tejanos now lived in the United States, whether they wanted to or not, they were not allowed to become naturalized citizens until 1896 when a federal court ruled that a law from 1872 that limited citizenship to white or black people (which is confusing but it must have been a precursor to the Chinese Exclusion Act) did not exclude Tejanos from citizenship because Tejanos were protected by the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship to all “regardless of color or race”...except apparently Asian people. Because no one has ever claimed America’s legal or racial history makes actual SENSE.]

Skipping ahead a bit (though fun fact, since no federal immigration records were kept before 1906, if you were a white European, you could generally go before a judge and get naturalized in an hour or two for years thereafter by just saying that you had been here for the right amount of time.)

·        “Did your family do it before 1921? Hey, mine too! [My note: me too] And it’s a good thing they did because that’s when national origins quotas were introduced for the first time. Again, to be clear: we didn’t have any limits whatsoever on how many people from most of the world* could come to the United States before then.” (My note: Guise, just assume every time you see an asterisk that we’re talking about white Europeans here).

·        “Did your family do it before 1924?” Again, lucky for them because this was the first year that Visas were even required to immigrate. This was also the year Ellis Island closed and Border Patrol was created, sort of. Essentially this was the end of America’s completely open borders for white Europeans. [My note: When your uncle clutches his pearls about the idea of Democrats wanting OPEN BORDERS, remind them that your ancestors literally took advantage of open borders to move here.]

·        “Did your family do it before 1929?” Despite the “closing” of the Border, “[t]his was also the first of several times that Congress would pass a “registry” provision — the earliest and simplest form of “amnesty” which simply allowed anyone who couldn’t account for their immigration status but could prove lawful presence for since 1921 to come forward and receive lawful permanent residence.” So, again many, many Americans who oppose “amnesty” may very well owe their citizenship TO amnesty if they couldn’t produce the documentation necessary to prove their status...i.e. they were literally undocumented.  

Skipping ahead again because boy is this getting long and there is a perfectly nice article you could just reference....

·        “Did your family do it before 1965? Congratulations, your family made it in before the creation of the modern American immigration system. It was essentially open borders to other nations in the Western Hemisphere before then, and not all that difficult from Europe either. Until the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, there was a fairly free flow of migrant labor back and forth across the southern border to meet the demands of the agricultural and service industries. After 1965, the concept of “undocumented” immigrants was drawn much more sharply, and many more of them were created as Western Hemisphere visas (especially from Mexico) suddenly went from being an unlimited to a far more scarce resource overnight and the border was no longer permeableAfter 1965, the system changed over from a generalized “take a number and wait in line” visa system to one which heavily favored immediate family ties and some (but not most) employment. [My note: Yup, you’re reading that right, it is distinctly likely that your racist Uncle Al is actually older than the “modern” conception of “illegal” migrant labor. He probably grew up eating produce picked by migrants here either legally or semi-legally. Those jobs were never “American jobs” to be stolen in the first place.]

·        “Did your family do it before 1997?” If your family immigrated after 1996, you’re basically fucked. Because in 1996, William fucking Jefferson Clinton in all his wisdom desire to appeal to white voters signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act which basically created the broken and inhumane system that we still have today (and is what Trump means when he talks about “the Democrat law” even though that’s completely wrong. IRIRA was written by Republicans and was massively popular at the time. the political pressure on Clinton to sign it was enormous...but still. It’s a travesty of a bill). Just go read the article linked above. Democrats have since strongly shifted against the bill and have worked to soften some of its impacts, but the damage was done. 

·        But most importantly, it essentially eliminated any pathways to citizenship for undocumented persons and those pathways have only gotten narrower since then. The reason your Uncle is so sure that “illegals” should just “get in line like everyone else” is that before 1996, there were actually ways to get in line. And what more, the 1996 legislation also essentially eliminated marriage or close family relationship as a path to naturalization; if an undocumented immigrant is in the United States without authorization for more than six months, they must leave the US for three years before they can apply for a Visa. If they are here without authorization for more than a year, they must leave the US for ten years before they can apply again. And even after they serve their “time”, so to speak, they are not guaranteed that they will be given permission to return...even if they have a spouse or close family member in who is a US citizen. 

·        And finally, IRIRA and the closing of the border with Mexico to migrant labor meant that the 90′s also saw a massive spike in the numbers of immigrants considered undocumented or “illegal” in the US. People who had previously traveled back and forth seasonally could now no longer risk the trips back and forth so they stayed put...meaning they regularly went over the six months to a year limitation...so when they got caught they could immediately be placed in deportation proceedings. Add to that the creation of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security under Bush and the numbers of deportations exploded. And to top it all off, if you have been deported for any reason - even just overstaying a visa - you are barred from even applying for reentry for five, ten, twenty years or permanently, depending on the reason. (This is why many immigrants in removal proceedings will "request voluntary departure” which is almost like taking a plea bargain in criminal court. Voluntary departure means you are not subject to the 5/10/20 bars, though as mentioned above, they will frequently still be subject to the 3/10 year bars if they have been here longer than six months or one year. And with the extremely limited visas available in lottery in most countries and other barriers to entry, even voluntary departure does not guarantee that an immigrant would be able to get a legal entry visa no matter how long they “wait in line.”

TL;DR? If you are white or of European ancestry, your relatives almost certainly did not enter this country “the right way” by any modern standard, especially the post-1996 standard. And when you hear people say undocumented immigrants and migrants should just “get in line” and “do it the right way”, the person is probably basing their beliefs on outdated immigration laws. THERE IS NO PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED.

WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM NOW. WE NEED AMNESTY. AND FUCK THE BORDER WALL, DON’T LET REPUBLICANS CONVINCE YOU THAT SECURITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE’S LIVES AND FAMILIES.

[newstfionline]

Pence and the US Agenda in the Pacific

By Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, Nov. 16, 2018

The week began with President Trump lashing out after another rancorous trip to Europe. But it ended with Trump’s deputy assuming a more poised role in Asia.

Vice President Pence spent the week touring the Asia-Pacific region, meeting with numerous leaders and dignitaries. After swinging through Japan, Pence went to Singapore for the annual confab of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN). That included an awkward meeting with Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, during which Pence pressed Suu Kyi on her government’s role in last year’s massacres of Rohingya Muslims and the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists who covered them.

Pence now heads to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this weekend in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. He’ll be joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other statesmen from around the Pacific Rim.

Conspicuously absent here is Trump. He declined the opportunity to make the trip, a move some analysts saw as a worrying sign for Washington’s Asian agenda. Russian President Vladimir Putin made a first-ever state visit to Singapore this week in a bid to boost Moscow’s clout in the region. Starting in 2011, Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, made a habit of attending ASEAN meetings; he missed only one, in 2013, when Washington was in the middle of a government shutdown.

Trump--who, according to one account, has “retreated into a cocoon of bitterness and resentment” over the Mueller investigation and his party’s midterm election losses--chose to buck the trend. That’s not likely to go down well across the Pacific.

“Every country in Southeast Asia is trying to forge a close relationship with the U.S.--they don’t want to live in a region that’s dominated by China. They want options, and they want balance,” Brian Harding of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington said to The Post’s Shibani Mahtani. “It doesn’t send a good signal [of U.S. commitment] that the president doesn’t want to attend the one summit he’s supposed to in Southeast Asia.”

“Optics are very, very important--and statements and symbolisms. Who comes, what’s on the table, what’s on the agenda,” said Alex Capri, a visiting fellow at the National University of Singapore, to CNBC. “If Trump were to come out I think it would have been a much more symbolic that ... this was more important.”

But perhaps, given Trump’s recent overseas performances, his no-show isn’t such a bad thing. According to my colleagues, Trump was infuriated by French President Emmanuel Macron’s rebuke of his nationalist politics as the two leaders shared a stage in Paris over the weekend. The angry tweets he later aimed at Macron prompted a French government official to accuse the American president of lacking “common decency.”

“He’s just a bull carrying his own china shop with him when­ever he travels the world,” said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley to The Post.

But Pence cuts a more circumspect figure, even while he’s enacting Trump’s agenda.

In Tokyo, he offered standard Washington talking points. “We seek an Indo-Pacific where every nation … is free to follow its own path and pursue its own interests, where the seas and skies are open to all engaged in peaceful activity, and where sovereign nations grow stronger together,” Pence said at a news conference. “Authoritarianism and aggression have no place in the Indo-Pacific. And I know this vision is shared by the United States and Japan.”

In an interview with The Post’s Josh Rogin, Pence talked tough on China and said that Beijing must significantly change its behavior on multiple fronts. The looming trade war between the world’s two largest economies probably will dominate headlines ahead of the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires at the end of this month, when Trump and Xi are expected to meet.

“In addition to trade, Pence said China must offer concessions on several issues, including but not limited to its rampant intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, restricted access to Chinese markets, respect for international rules and norms, efforts to limit freedom of navigation in international waters and Chinese Communist Party interference in the politics of Western countries,” Rogin noted.

Many countries in Southeast Asia, accustomed to balancing great-power rivalries, will welcome American efforts. But for all of Pence’s bravado, the Trump administration still has plenty of doubters in the region.

“If Asia matters to America, why is your leader President Trump not here?” Tommy Koh, a senior Singaporean diplomat, asked in the South China Morning Post. He added that Washington’s overzealous confrontation with Beijing would damage its broader engagement with Asia given that China is the biggest trade partner of virtually every country in the region. “Is the strategic intent of this concept targeted at excluding China from the family?” Koh asked. “If so we are not comfortable.”

[buscandoelparaiso]

@nocontrol​ I am not going to apologise for something I didnt say because you can’t read. As I already stated I was talking about specific STALKERS AND MOBBERS that did what they did to Harry in the videos i saw last night which i suggest you watch before talking because if you condone that kind of behaviour then again you are also part of the problem of stalking and mobbing and assaulting culture surrounding harry and celebrities in general. and again they are mexican, italian, french, american, asian, EVERY COUNTRY in which this happened has their faults and THE PEOPLE that did this to Harry in every country he visited where this happened are people who deserve to be banned and called out. it's CLEARLY not a general discourse about all the people living in the country where mobbing happens, it’s very stupid of you to presume so just because i am white and you think every white person on the planet talk about people of colour only to insult them when this clearly wasnt the case and i would never do that. the problem here is all about people who treated harry like a TOY just because they felt like it and entitled to do without NO respect. if you behave like then you behave like an animal with no decency nor rules. it doesn’t matter where you are from. you clearly don’t follow my blog and you didn’t read the posts i made when people in FRANCE (the majority of those stalkers are white since we are putting everything on this plan for some reason when it’s clearly isnt the case and nationality doesnt matter) mobbed him very dangerously at the station last year, or italian people when the boys/harry were in milan, or australian people, or asian people, or american people even chinese people when he was papped for the VS fashion show or every fan at any event he (or his bandmates or any celebrity i follow) go. If you think this is about being mexican or black or white then again its your problem and this wrong typical tumblr mentality that shouldnt be applied in real life. I wasnt saying what you think I was saying and it’s pretty obvious from my posts . Stop making everything a political issue when it isn’t the case and take two seconds to UNDERSTAND what the context is instead of judging people you don’t know just because tumblr taught you so. with this said please stay away from my blog if you think i am a racist cause clearly i am not and please understand what REAL racism is. me calling out stalkers from all around the world every time these awful and dangerous scenes happen is not racism because it’s about the specific PEOPLE that did what they did and not the entire nation. I find truly absurd that this needs to be specifiec. to even think this is what i was talking about is pretty asinine.

Anyway I am not going to discuss this further so please don’t hijack my posts if you don’t understand what i am talking about. Thanks. 

[glitterypeanutmugnickel]

July 5, 2021

Heather Cox Richardson

Jul 6

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Last night, in a speech to honor Independence Day, President Joe Biden used his administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic to defend democracy.

Biden urged people to remember where we were just a year ago, and to “think about how far we’ve come.” “From… silent streets to crowded parade routes lined with people waving American flags; from empty stadiums and arenas to fans back to their seats cheering together again; from families pressing hands against a window to grandparents hugging their grandchildren once again. We’re back traveling again. We’re back seeing one another again. Businesses are opening and hiring again. We’re seeing record job creation and record economic growth—the best in four decades and, I might add, the best in the world.”

The president was referring, in part, to the jobs report that came out on Friday, showing that the nation added a robust 850,000 non-farm jobs in June.

But he was also talking about how the United States of America took on the problem of the pandemic. Coming after two generations of lawmakers who refused to use federal power to help ordinary Americans, Biden used the pandemic to prove to Americans that the federal government could, indeed, work for everyone.

The former president downplayed the pandemic and flip-flopped on basic public health measures like masking and distancing. Unlike most European and Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, the Trump Administration sidelined the country's public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, considered to be the top national public health agency in the world. Trump downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus out of fear of hurting the stock market, and turned over to states the process of dealing with this unprecedented crisis. The U.S. led the world in COVID-19 deaths. More than 603,000 Americans have died so far.

When he took office, Biden had already begun to use the government response to coronavirus as a way to show that democracy could rise to the occasion of protecting its people. The day before his inauguration, President Biden held a memorial for the 400,000 who had, to that date, died of COVID-19. He put Dr. Rochelle Walensky, a renowned infectious disease expert, at the head of the CDC and reinstated the CDC at the head of the public health response to the pandemic. And he made vaccines accessible to all Americans. Fifty-eight percent of American adults have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus; 67% have had at least one shot. The U.S. has one of the highest vaccine rates in the world and is helping to vaccinate those in other countries, as well.

Biden recalled that the United States of America was based not on religion or hereditary monarchy, but on an idea: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all people are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights—among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

We have never lived up to that ideal, of course, but we have never abandoned it, either. Those principles, he said, “continue to animate us, and they remind us what, at our best, we as Americans believe: We, Americans—we believe in honesty and decency, in treating everyone with dignity and respect, giving everyone a fair shot, demonizing no one, giving hate no safe harbor, and leaving no one behind.”

But, he said, democracy isn’t top down. “Each day, we’re reminded there’s nothing guaranteed about our democracy, nothing guaranteed about our way of life,” he said. “We have to fight for it, defend it, earn it…. It’s up to all of us to protect the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; the right to equal justice under the law; the right to vote and have that vote counted; the right.... to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and know that our children and grandchildren will be safe on this planet for generations to come… the right to rise in the world as far as your God-given [talent] can take you, unlimited by barriers of privilege or power.”

Biden’s speech recalled that of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on June 5, 1944, upon the fall of Rome during World War II. It was Italian leader Benito Mussolini who articulated the ideals of fascism after World War I, envisioning a hierarchical world in which economic and political leaders worked together to lead the masses forward by welding them into a nationalistic, militaristic force.

In his 1944 speech, FDR was careful to explain to Americans how they were different from the Italian fascists. He talked about “Nazi overlords” and “fascist puppets.” Then, in contrast to the fascists’ racial hierarchies, FDR made a point of calling Americans’ attention to the fact that the men who defeated the Italian fascists were Americans from every walk of life.

And then he turned to how fascism treated its people. “In Italy, the people have lived so long under the corrupt rule of Mussolini that in spite of the tinsel at the top—you have seen the pictures of it—their economic conditions have grown steadily worse. Our troops have found starvation, malnutrition, disease, a deteriorating education, a lower public health, all byproducts of the fascist misrule.”

To rebuild Italy, FDR said, the troops had to start from the bottom. “[W]e have had to give them bread to replace that which was stolen out of their mouths,” he said. “We have had to make it possible for the Italians to raise and use their local crops. We have had to help them cleanse their schools of fascist trappings….”

He outlined how Americans had anticipated the need to relieve the people starved by the fascists, and had made plans to ship food grown by the “magnificent ability and energy of the American people,” in ships they had constructed, over thousands of miles of water. Some of us may let our thoughts run to the financial cost of it,” he said, but “we hope that this relief will be an investment for the future, an investment that will pay dividends by eliminating fascism, by ending any Italian desires to start another war of aggression in the future….”

FDR was emphasizing the power of the people, of democracy, to combat fascism not only abroad but also at home, where it had attracted Americans frustrated by the seeming inability of democracy to counter the Depression. They longed for a single strong leader to fix everything. Other Americans, horrified by FDR’s use of the government to regulate business, provide a basic social safety net, and promote infrastructure, wanted to take the nation back to the 1920s and in so doing had begun to flirt with fascism as well.

As he celebrated the triumph over democracy in Italy, he was also urging Americans to value and protect it at home.

Biden, too, is focusing on how efficient his administration has been in combating the coronavirus to combat authoritarianism both abroad and at home. With its support for the Big Lie; congress members like Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ), who openly associates with white nationalists; and its attack on voting rights, the modern-day Republican Party is moving rapidly toward authoritarianism. But the former president botched the most fundamental task of government: protecting its people from death. In contrast, more than 60% of Americans approve of how Biden has managed the coronavirus pandemic, with 95% of Democrats approving but only 33% of Republicans in favor.

Biden’s approach appears to be helping to solidify support for democracy. A recent PBS Newshour/NPR/Marist poll showed that two thirds of Americans believe democracy is under threat, but 47%— the highest number in 12 years—believe the country is moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, that number, too, reflects a difference by party. While 87 percent of Democrats say the country is improving, 87 percent of Republicans say the opposite.

Biden conjured up our success over the coronavirus to celebrate democracy: “[H]istory tells us that when we stand together, when we unite in common cause, when we see ourselves not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans, then there’s simply no limit to what we can achieve.”

[dispatchesfrom2020]

2020

Week 45: November 7

A few thousand ballots in Philadelphia finally tip the scales, putting Pennsylvania firmly and irreversibly in Biden’s favour. Leading by over half-a-percent, the state’s vote is no longer in re-count territory. All eyes were on Nevada, but it was Pennsylvania that pulled across the finish-line.

At 11:24 the media begins calling the election. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr will be the United States’ 46th President. 

Times Square, October 7. After days of anticipation and tightly pent up hope, Biden supporters celebrated their candidate’s victory. They take to the streets in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington DC. It feels like relief - Chang W. Lee/The New York Times.

The day also gave us joy in another unexpected form: a truly sensational gaffe by President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Set to deliver a press conference alleging the election was being stolen by widespread fraud, the Trump campaign booked a news conference at the Four Seasons. The Fours Seasons landscaping, that is. Yes, instead of the Four Season Hotel, which is located five blocks away from the vote coutning centre at the heart of the fraud allegations, they’ve booked themselves a briefing in front of a garage door in an industrial neighbourhood of Philly. Interns, I presume, set up a wall of Trump/Pence posters on the landscaping company’s garage door, nestled between a crematorium and a sex shop. Just moments after Giuliani steps to the mike to discuss Trump’s plans to challenge the ballot-counting process, the news agencies begin to call the election. You could write sitcoms for forty fucking years and not produce anything close to this fucking funny.

I wanna know so much more about the enterprising landscaping employee who picked up the phone and said ‘yes’ to holding a press conference in front of their tractor bay - Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Trump, meanwhile, has spent Saturday morning golfing at his club in Virginia - he arrives back in the capital to a night of celebrations as revellers flock to the White House to celebrate the election results. 92% of the city’s population voted for the sitting president’s Democratic rival, Joe Biden. Washingtonians suffer no fools.

They also chanted “loser” at him and jeered as the motorcade pulled up to the White House after a morning of golf. The president spent 308 days of his term hitting the links - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP

Vice-President elect Harris finds out during a jog with her husband Doug Emhoff - her joyful call to Biden is broadcast on instagram (“We did it Joe!”). Harris is a hat trick of firsts - she is set to become the first Black, South-Asian and first woman Vice President. 

Biden and his vice-president-elect Kamala Harris addressed the nation at a drive-in rally in Delaware after the media made their long-anticipated projection that the pair had won the White House - Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Kamala Harris: “To the American people who make up our beautiful country, thank you for turning out in record numbers to make your voices heard. And I know times have been challenging, especially the last several months. The grief, sorrow and pain. The worries and the struggles. But we have also witnessed your courage, your resilience and the generosity of your spirit. For four years you marched and organized for equality and justice, for our lives and for our planet, and then you voted. And you delivered a clear message. You chose hope and unity, decency, science and, yes, truth. You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America.”

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ big blended families join them on stage to celebrate their electoral win with fireworks. Coldplay’s “Sky Full of Stars” played - an homage to Biden’s son Beau who died of brain cancer. The song was one of Beau’s favourites - and was performed at his funeral by singer Chris Martin - Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool

[shannybasar]

Still smiling.

Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris:

So, Congressman John Lewis, Congressman John Lewis, before his passing, wrote: “Democracy is not a state. It is an act.” And what he meant was that America’s democracy is not guaranteed.

It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it, to guard it and never take it for granted. And protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes sacrifice. But there is joy in it and there is progress. Because we the people have the power to build a better future.

And when our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, with the very soul of America at stake, and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America.

We are so grateful to Joe and Jill for welcoming our family into theirs on this incredible journey. And to the woman most responsible for my presence here today — my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who is always in our hearts.

When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn’t quite imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible. So, I’m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black women, Asian, white, Latina, and Native American women throughout our nation’s history who have paved the way for this moment tonight.

But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message:

Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they’ve never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way.

President-elect Joe Biden:

And I’ll have the honour of serving with a fantastic vice president who you just heard from — Kamala Harris — who makes history as the first woman, first Black woman, the first woman from South Asian descent, the first daughter of immigrants ever elected in this country.

Don’t tell me it’s not possible in the United States. It’s long overdue, and we’re reminded tonight of those who fought so hard for so many years to make this happen. But once again, America has bent the arc of the moral universe more toward justice.

For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple of times myself. But now, let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. They are Americans. They are Americans.

The Bible tells us to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap and a time to sow and a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America.

Now this campaign is over — what is the will of the people? What is our mandate?

I believe it’s this: Americans have called upon us to marshal the forces of decency and the forces of fairness. To marshal the forces of science and the forces of hope in the great battles of our time: The battle to control the virus. The battle to build prosperity. The battle to secure your family’s health care. The battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism in this country. And the battle to save our planet by getting climate under control. The battle to restore decency, defend democracy and give everybody in this country a fair shot. That’s all they’re asking for — a fair shot.

[stanandcharleyandfriends]

American astronaut Leland Melvin is as famous for this photo with his dogs as he is for his courage in space.  He also briefly played football in the NFL, and weighs in on the current controversy there:

***

To Donald Trump, by Leland Melvin

I believe in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of this country even though at the time they were drafted, their tenets of life, liberty justice for all and eventual freedom of speech, religion, assembly, press and petition amendment ratified in Dec 1791, only applied to a select group of people and not ones that looked like me.

Donald Trump, I listened to your Alabama rally rant and could not believe how easily you say what you say.

We have become numb to your outlandish acts, tweets and recent retweet of you knocking down Hillary Clinton with a golf ball that you hit.

Donald Trump, your boorish and disgusting actions are not funny. They actually promote violence against women especially when your followers act out what you say.

I used to walk the grounds of UVA in Charlottesville, VA as a graduate student only to watch in horror as those same grounds became a battlefield being trod by Nazi and anti-Semitic worshippers armed with assault style weapons ready to fight to make America White again. (their words). You actually said there were nice people on both sides. People armed and ready to kill other Americans for the purpose of eradicating Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, Mexicans, Asians, Latinas and even the first real Americans, Native Americans to make America Great Again were “nice people”?

Comparing this to what you say in condemnation of an unarmed black man peacefully protesting by exercising his constitutional First Amendment rights by silently taking a knee is appalling, unnerving and reprehensible.

Today, you called Colin Kaepernick “a son-of-a-bitch.”

You said he should be fired.

You are calling his white mother a bitch.

The strong contrast in language for a black man and a Nazi is very telling. Do you have any sense of decency or shame in what you say to the American people that are part of your duty to serve respectfully with dignity, presidentially?

Our National Anthem  has been edited to try not to offend, because when Francis Scott Key penned the song he watched freed slaves fighting for the British and wrote this stanza:

“And where is that band who so vauntingly swore, That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion A home and a Country should leave us no more? Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

I guess if I were a slave back then I probably would have done anything to obtain freedom from my American oppressors who were whipping, killing, raping, dismembering, hanging or releasing the dogs on people like me all under our Constitution.

In 1814 former slaves fought with the British for their freedom from their American enslavers.

Key witnessed a battle from a ship off the Maryland shore at Fort McHenry, which inspired him to write what became our National Anthem.

I served my country not in the military, but as 1 of 362 American Astronauts that have explored the universe to help advance our civilization. Not just Americans, but all humans. I also was briefly in the NFL and stood for the National Anthem with my hand over my heart. What makes us great is our differences and respecting that we are all created equally even if not always treated that way.

Looking back at our planet from space really helps one get a bigger perspective on how petty and divisive we can be. Donald Trump, maybe you should ask your good friend Mr. Putin to give you a ride on a Soyuz rocket to our International Space Station and see what it’s like to work together with people we used to fight against, where your life depends on it. See the world and get a greater sense of what it means to be part of the human race, we call it the Orbital Perspective.

Donald Trump, please know that you are supposed to be a unifier and a compassionate and empathetic leader. If you can’t do the job then please step down and let someone else try. I pray that you do the right thing.

May God bless you.

Sincerely,

Leland Melvin Former Astronaut and NFL Player

(source)

[6dogs9cats]

To Donald Trump I believe in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of this country even though at the time they were drafted, their tenets of life, liberty justice for all and eventual freedom of speech, religion, assembly, press and petition amendment ratified in Dec 1791, only applied to a select group of people and not ones that looked like me. Donald Trump, I listened to your Alabama rally rant and could not believe how easily you say what you say. We have become numb to your outlandish acts, tweets and recent retweet of you knocking down Hillary Clinton with a golf ball that you hit. Donald Trump, your boorish and disgusting actions are not funny. They actually promote violence against women especially when your followers act out what you say. I used to walk the grounds of UVA in Charlottesville, VA as a graduate student only to watch in horror as those same grounds became a battlefield being trod by Nazi and anti-Semitic worshippers armed with assault style weapons ready to fight to make America White again. (their words). You actually said there were nice people on both sides. People armed and ready to kill other Americans for the purpose of eradicating Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, Mexicans, Asians, Latinas and even the first real Americans, Native Americans to make America Great Again were “nice people”? Comparing this to what you say in condemnation of an unarmed black man peacefully protesting by exercising his constitutional First Amendment rights by silently taking a knee is appalling, unnerving and reprehensible. Today, you called Colin Kaepernick “a son-of-a-bitch.” You said he should be fired. You are calling his white mother a bitch. The strong contrast in language for a black man and a Nazi is very telling. Do you have any sense of decency or shame in what you say to the American people that are part of your duty to serve respectfully with dignity, presidentially? Our National Anthem has been edited to try not to offend, because when Francis Scott Key penned the song he watched freed slaves fighting for the British and wrote this stanza: “And where is that band who so vauntingly swore, That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion A home and a Country should leave us no more? Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” I guess if I were a slave back then I probably would have done anything to obtain freedom from my American oppressors who were whipping, killing, raping, dismembering, hanging or releasing the dogs on people like me all under our Constitution. In 1814 former slaves fought with the British for their freedom from their American enslavers. Key witnessed a battle from a ship off the Maryland shore at Fort McHenry, which inspired him to write what became our National Anthem. I served my country not in the military, but as 1 of 362 American Astronauts that have explored the universe to help advance our civilization. Not just Americans, but all humans. I also was briefly in the NFL and stood for the National Anthem with my hand over my heart. What makes us great is our differences and respecting that we are all created equally even if not always treated that way. Looking back at our planet from space really helps one get a bigger perspective on how petty and divisive we can be. Donald Trump, maybe you should ask your good friend Mr. Putin to give you a ride on a Soyuz rocket to our International Space Station and see what it’s like to work together with people we used to fight against, where your life depends on it. See the world and get a greater sense of what it means to be part of the human race, we call it the Orbital Perspective. Donald Trump, please know that you are supposed to be a unifier and a compassionate and empathetic leader. If you can’t do the job then please step down and let someone else try. I pray that you do the right thing. May God bless you. Sincerely, Leland Melvin Former Astronaut and NFL Player

[misfitwashere]

Mollie Tibbetts’ Father

Let’s just be perfectly clear:

Ten days ago, we learned that Mollie would not be coming home. Shattered, my family set out to celebrate Mollie’s extraordinary life and chose to share our sorrow in private. At the outset, politicians and pundits used Mollie’s death to promote various political agendas. We appealed to them and they graciously stopped. For that, we are grateful.

Sadly, others have ignored our request. They have instead chosen to callously distort and corrupt Mollie’s tragic death to advance a cause she vehemently opposed. I encourage the debate on immigration; there is great merit in its reasonable outcome. But do not appropriate Mollie’s soul in advancing views she believed were profoundly racist. The act grievously extends the crime that stole Mollie from our family and is, to quote Donald Trump Jr., “heartless" and "despicable.”

Make no mistake, Mollie was my daughter and my best friend. At her eulogy, I said Mollie was nobody’s victim. Nor is she a pawn in others’ debate. She may not be able to speak for herself, but I can and will. Please leave us out of your debate. Allow us to grieve in privacy and with dignity. At long last, show some decency. On behalf of my family and Mollie’s memory, I’m imploring you to stop.

Throughout this ordeal I’ve asked myself, “What would Mollie do?” As I write this, I am watching Sen. John McCain lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda and know that evil will succeed only if good people do nothing. Both Mollie and Senator McCain were good people. I know that both would stand up now and do something.

The person who is accused of taking Mollie’s life is no more a reflection of the Hispanic community as white supremacists are of all white people. To suggest otherwise is a lie. Justice in my America is blind. This person will receive a fair trial, as it should be. If convicted, he will face the consequences society has set. Beyond that, he deserves no more attention.  

To the Hispanic community, my family stands with you and offers its heartfelt apology. That you’ve been beset by the circumstances of Mollie’s death is wrong. We treasure the contribution you bring to the American tapestry in all its color and melody. And yes, we love your food.

My stepdaughter, whom Mollie loved so dearly, is Latina. Her sons — Mollie’s cherished nephews and my grandchildren — are Latino. That means I am Hispanic. I am African. I am Asian. I am European. My blood runs from every corner of the Earth because I am American. As an American, I have one tenet: to respect every citizen of the world and actively engage in the ongoing pursuit to form a more perfect union.

Given that, to knowingly foment discord among races is a disgrace to our flag. It incites fear in innocent communities and lends legitimacy to the darkest, most hate-filled corners of the American soul. It is the opposite of leadership. It is the opposite of humanity. It is heartless. It is despicable. It is shameful.

We have the opportunity now to take heed of the lessons that Mollie, John McCain and Aretha Franklin taught — humanity, fairness and courage. For most of the summer, the search for Mollie brought this nation together like no other pursuit. There was a common national will that did transcend opinion, race, gender and geography. Let’s not lose sight of that miracle. Let’s not lose sight of Mollie.

Instead, let’s turn against racism in all its ugly manifestations both subtle and overt. Let’s turn toward each other with all the compassion we gave Mollie. Let’s listen, not shout. Let’s build bridges, not walls. Let’s celebrate our diversity rather than argue over our differences. I can tell you, when you’ve lost your best friend, differences are petty and meaningless.

My family remains eternally grateful to all those who adopted Mollie so completely and showered us with so much care, compassion and generosity. Please accept our desire to remain private as we share our loss. We love Mollie with all our hearts and miss her terribly. We need time.

Rob Tibbetts in the Des Moines Register - Sept 1, 2018