#obama had your citizenship pulled

[beardedmrbean]

A woman who left Alabama to join the Islamic State in 2014 now says she regrets her actions and is hoping to return to the United States.

"If I need to sit in prison, and do my time, I will do it.… I won’t fight against it," Hoda Muthana, now 28, told The News Movement from the Roj detention camp in Syria, according to The Associated Press. "I’m hoping my government looks at me as someone young at the time and naive."

Muthana, who was born in New Jersey to Yemeni immigrants and was raised in Alabama, ran away from home at the age of 20 to join ISIS. Raised in a conservative Muslim household, she told her family she was going on a school trip but instead flew to Turkey and crossed into Syria using funds from secretly cashed tuition checks.

Once she arrived in Syria, Muthana says she was detained in a guest house reserved for unmarried women and children.

US-BORN ALABAMA WOMAN WHO JOINED ISIS IS NOT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, JUDGE RULES

"I’ve never seen that kind of filthiness in my life, like there was 100 women and twice as much kids, running around, too much noise, filthy beds," she recalled.

She said the only way out was to marry an ISIS fighter, and she eventually married three, giving birth to a child. Her first two husbands, including the father of her son, both died in combat. Muthana says she divorced the third.

But the former American now says she regrets everything except for the birth of her son and hopes to return to the U.S. and become an advocate against extremism, making the case that she was brainwashed by the terrorist group when she left Alabama in 2014.

The Islamic State at one time held swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria and at the height of their power became famous for brutal executions and terrorist attacks that they frequently boasted about on social media. During that time Muthana appeared to be a vocal supporter of the group in interviews with Buzzfeed News and on social media. Posts from 2015 on her Twitter account showed her encouraging more Americans to join the extremist group and carry out attacks at home, including drive-by shootings, vehicle rammings and targeting large gatherings on national holidays.

ISIS BRIDE CLAIMS SHE’D BE MODEL CITIZEN IF SHE'S ALLOWED TO RETURN TO US: ‘I DIDN’T HATE AMERICA’

She now claims that her phone was stolen from her and the posts were made by supporters of ISIS, but she would now use her experiences to speak out against extremism.

Muthana had her citizenship revoked in 2016 by the Obama administration, which argued her birthright citizenship could be canceled because her father was an accredited Yemeni diplomat at the time of her birth. That decision was maintained throughout the Trump administration, which continued to ban her from returning to the United States.

Attorneys representing Muthana have claimed the move was in error, arguing that her diplomatic accreditation ended before she was born. But U.S. courts have upheld the position of the government, while the Supreme Court declined her appeal to hear the case last year.

She now remains in a detention camp in northern Syria that houses thousands of widows of Islamic State fighters and their children. She continues to claim that she was a victim who will now advocate against extremism.

"Even here, right now, I can’t fully say everything I want to say. But once I do leave, I will. I will be an advocate against this," she said. "I wish I can help the victims of ISIS in the West understand that someone like me is not part of it, that I as well am a victim of ISIS."

Hassan Shibly, an attorney for Muthana’s family, argues it is "absolutely clear that she was brainwashed and taken advantage of." He added that the family believes she should be allowed back to repay her debt to society and help others from "falling into the dark path that she was led down."

"She was absolutely misguided, and no one is denying that. But again, she was a teenager who was the victim of a very sophisticated recruitment operation that focuses on taking advantage of the young, the vulnerable, the disenfranchised," he said.

[kelseyapperson]

Working up the courage to post for friends/family.

To my Trump supporters:

You know me. We are friends, family. You know who I am, you know that I am happily married to a woman, you know we've been together for 8 years.

You may know because I told you myself. I got some mixed reactions there. Some of you embraced me fully, thank you. Others, conditionally. You didn't agree, but loved me anyway. You wouldn't tell anyone, they wouldn't understand. But you loved me anyway. And I felt lucky, that somehow I was a worthy enough person to still have your love, even if I didn't have your acceptance.

Some of you learned less directly. It was an unspoken secret, a passing whisper. I remember the pit in my stomach at family gatherings, the anxiety at each coming out - whether I spoke the words or your eyes lingered on my plus-one. And still, some of you accepted me. Others ignored it. Some, outright denial, to this day calling my wife my "friend."

But, well, the bar was low. No one disowned me. No one told me it was a phase, or that I was confused. Of the coming-out stories I know, it wasn't terribly contentious. And so it felt like a relief, to be the secret. To be loved despite who I was. It felt like a victory.

I suppose it's on me that I've been so accommodating for so long. How could I expect anyone to know how I feel when I tolerate lukewarm support? How could I expect you to understand the ways you actively harm me and others like me with what you say, do, how you vote? 

I'm not writing this to start fights or guilt anyone. I'm writing it so that you know where I stand. And if you want to vote, support, speak in ways that harm me and my community, at least you'll be doing it intentionally, with a full understanding of how that feels, of how it affects me.

Before I get personal, here's a list of how Trump has harmed the LGBTQ community. This is pulled from the HRC, more details here: https://www.hrc.org/news/the-list-of-trumps-unprecedented-steps-for-the-lgbtq-community

-Opposition to the Equality Act 

-Appointed anti-LGBTQ judges 

-Joked about Pence’s desire to hang LGBTQ people 

In the Workplace

-Supported employment discrimination against LGBTQ people 

-Banned transgender service members from the military 

-Rolled back Obama-era non-discrimination protections 

-Issued rule to license discrimination 

-Kicked people living with HIV out of the military because of their status 

-Created a hostile work environment for LGBTQ federal employees 

In Health Care

-Undermine Section 1557 Rule 

-Advocated for the elimination of the entire Affordable Care Act 

-Created a Religious Discrimination Division 

-Proposed cutting over $1.35 billion from PEPFAR budget 

In Schools

-Harmful Guidance for Schools on Transgender Students 

-Rejected Complaints From Transgender Students 

-Suggested it is acceptable for schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students while accepting tax-payer funds 

-Made it harder for sexual assualt victims to receive justice 

-Eliminated language protecting LGBTQ children participating in the 4-H program 

-Used Title IX to discriminate against trans students 

In Housing

-Allowed emergency shelters to deny access to transgender and gender nonconforming people 

-Placed transgender incarcerated persons in the wrong prison 

In Families

-Allowed foster care programs to discriminate while accepting tax-payer funds 

-Refused visas to partners of diplomats 

-Changed rules to deny surrogate born children citizenship 

In Representation

-Erased transgender people 

-Eliminated information on LGBTQ rights, mentions, and representation on government websites

-Blocked questions regarding sexual orientation from consideration for the census 

Refused to recognize LGBTQ people in National AIDS day Address 

In the World

-Refusing LGBTQ asylum seekers fleeing violence 

-Ban Embassy Pride Flags 

-Refused to condemn attacks on LGBTQ people in Chechnya 

-Refused to condemn a law punishing LGBTQ people in Brunei

It's a long list. A long list of tangible policy (and lack of policy) that demonstrates the harm of this administration against my community. But we all know it's more than politics. Trump's presence in a position of power and his rhetoric have emboldened some less savory characters in our society. This has been overwhelming for the Black community, who have endured as white supremacy rears its ugly head again. But the hatred and discrimination that Trump has normalized affects all minorities. 

I've been incredibly fortunate in my experience. But this is the message I need you to understand. Hatred against people like me is real. Sometimes it's simple microaggressions. Other times it's assault. It ranges from personal to systemic. 

On election night in 2016, I sobbed in fear or what was ahead. We'd elected a homophobe as Vice President, and Trump wasn't much better.

Many told me it wouldn't be that bad for me. They brushed aside my concerns, I was being dramatic. And this is easy to say from a position of privilege. But for me, I thought of my experiences. 

I thought of coming out, and the reactions I received. I remember how a coworker at the time told me that people I didn't even know had talked about how I was a dyke, and she put them in their place by telling them I wasn't. 

I remember when my girlfriend and I were moving into an apartment and were asked if we were sisters. How many times we've confused people with our relationship. 

I remember a job interview where I was asked about my boyfriend, panicking when asked in a professional setting about my personal life because saying wife could go badly. 

I've come out over and over again, and it never gets easier. 

I remember the time I was at the movies and I dared to hold her hand. How someone dumped a cup of chew on her head. We don't go to the movies in our hometowns anymore. If we do, we sit in the back against the wall.

You don't know the fear that I felt then, when I saw all of these flash before me, knowing that things would get worse. 

Now, there are two justices who want to overturn my marriage. A third won't say what she'll do if confirmed.

I wasn't wrong. I wasn't being dramatic. This is my life. This is the lives of minorities in America. You can't ignore these experiences, as if they've never happened. 

You're free to vote for Trump. Of course. Just know that you're allowing this to happen. Know that you're choosing him over me, over my wife, over every Black man, woman and child, every queer person, every trans person, every immigrant...the list goes on, and on, and on.

Know the consequences of the decision. Not just for you, but for everyone.

[eerythingisshaka]

Wakanda Got Y’all Pt. 3

[Black Panther x Insecure Mashup]

Word Count: 2.5K

Part 1 Part 2

A/N:  I think I got one more chapter in me to close this little series out!  So enjoy this and the finale coming soon!

Issa and T’Challa met at the community center to begin their work with the neighborhood.  Today, with Issa’s help, they would start the recruitment process for their after-school program.  They unloaded boxes with brochures and fliers and applications onto their tables.

“You think you got enough to go around?”  Issa asked jokingly at the pile of papers in front of them.

T’Challa looked around slightly panicked, “Oh, do you think we may need more?  I could call up Nakia to go by the office-”

Issa waved her hands, “No, no!  I was kidding.  We probably have too many honestly.  People don’t usually show up to these things until school actually starts, you know, typical students.”

T’Challa clicks his tongue, “Well, if we get one, it would be an accomplishment.”

They take their seats at the table to wait for their future members.  The outside of the building was lined with signs and balloons announcing their grand opening, but as time passes, Issa began to wonder if she this was a waste of time.  

She pulls out her phone to look through her socials but sees a notification for a new text from Molly.  She is supposed to be seeing Erik tonight.

M: What do smart thug niggas look for in their girl?  Should I be professional lookin or a little thotty?

I: Uhh, I don’t think he would turn away thotty at all.  How much do you want from him?

M: You think I’m getting money from this nigga?  

I: No!  Like are you wanting to DTR or DTF?

M: Girrrrl, ain’t nobody tryna get in their feelings over here.  I could smell his intentions a mile away, it’s just a matter hosing down my garden.

Issa snorts, causing T’Challa to look at her confused.  “It’s just my friend…”  Issa says trailing off.  I: So our pussies require lawn work now?

M: Shieet, I already got my trim, bedazzled the shit, now all it needs is moisture!

I: Ok, I’m gonna throw up.  Peace.

“Is your friend the one from the bar?”  T”Challa asked.

“Oh, yeah, you seen her.  Molly.  Your cousin is supposed to be taking her out or something.”

T’Challa makes a noise.  “What?”  Issa asks.

“Ahh, it’s nothing.  Just...Erik is pretty known to be a ladies man, practically prides himself on it.”

Issa shrugs, “Oh she could tell that!  She has her list of guys too.  I mean, you know, she ain’t a hoe or nothing but, she’s a lawyer so she won’t be worked around I’m sure.”

T’Challa nods, “Good, sounds like they’ll have a good time.  Thank you again for welcoming us into your program.  I am glad that we can guarantee your roster of students as an option to take advantage of our amenities.”

“No problem, T’Challa!  It’ll be good for them to get a change of environment from what they are used to.”

A mother and two girls walk into the center.

Issa greets them happily.  “Hi!  Thanks for coming!  What brings you here to see us?”

The mother plops down in a chair in front of them, looking exhausted.  “Yeah, what’s your hours for the after school stuff?”

T’Challa hands a brochure to her, “From 4-7pm.  Are these your daughters?”

The mother takes the brochure to fan with, “One is mine, the other is my niece.”

They both talk to each other in low voices and cackle.

T’Challa asks, “How old are you all?”

“I’m this many.”  one with afro puffs holds her hand out, fingers balled together.

T’Challa looks at her hand intently, “I don’t understand…”

Issa sees it and instantly rolls her eyes, “Come on, y’all.”

“GOTTI!”  the girls exclaim, high fiving each other.

Issa turns a smile back on, turning to them, “What grades are you all in?”

Afro puffs crosses her arms, “I’m in 7th.”

One with a struggle ponytail says, “I’m going into eighth.”

T’Challa asks, “What are your favorite subjects?”

Afro puffs looks T’Challa up and down, “Sex ed.”

T’Challa looks at her horrified.  “Uh…”

The mother/aunt pops her. “Girl, shut yo ass up!  Quit being rude!  Sorry, she got her mama’s fast ways.”

“Oh, so she is your niece?”  Issa asks.

She looks at Issa like she is crazy, “No, that’s my daughter.”

Issa shakes her head shooketh as T’Challa cuts in, “Well, we don’t offer that right now…”

“...or ever.”  Issa adds.

T’Challa clear his throat, “Right, but we specialize in the sciences, math, history…”

Struggle pony asks, “What kind of history do you teach?  I don’t know nothin bout Africa.”

T’Challa chuckles, “No, we would stick with American, but we do have African american studies tutor if you need that.”

Afro puffs simulates a hair flip.  “I’m plenty Black, Prince Joffer.  But history might not be on your side.”

Issa whispers, “What do you know about ‘Coming to America’?”

“You’re talking too much, little girl.”  The mother/aunt cuts in on afro puffs.

T’Challa questions, “What do you mean, little miss?”

“You shoulda came here when Obama was President man, getcho citizenship.”

Struggle pony adds, “Mhm, this is Trump’s America now.  No matter your papers, you gettin kicked out.”

“AND you Black?  Pssh, if the police don’t get you first, you’d be lucky.”

Issa butts in once more, “Well you girls really know your stuff on current events, so you probably won’t need anything but proofreading your reports.”

“You sayin my babies can’t read?”  the mother/aunt asks offended.

Issa stammers with anxiety.  This was not a smooth start.  “No, not at all, but everyone could use some editing help for grammar and punctuation on papers-”

“Uh huh, come on.  I don’t know what someone who’s first language isn’t english can teach my kids.”

“English was my sixth language, to be specific.”  T’Challa adds for shade.

“Well, whatever the hell!  I don’t get why some African had to come in to help a community he ain’t knowin shit about!”  She turns on her hills walking out.

“Bye Mr. Joffer!”  Struggle pony exclaims flirtily.

“Niggatrynafucksayswhat?”  Afro puffs says while backing away.

T’Challa looks at her leaning his ear, “I’m sorry, wha-”

Issa slaps her hand over T’Challa’s mouth, “Have a good day girls!”

Taking your hand away, T’Challa wipes his mouth, “What was that for?”

Issa sighs.  The best and brightest really came to show out for you all “Listen, these kids will play some weird ass tricks on you, because of fun.  Torture is their pastime, right?  So you have got to stay more alert and less trusting with their ways, T’Challa.”

He nods, “I have a jokester for a sister so I understand young people and their games.  But I couldn’t grasp what they were even talking about.”

“Welcome to being an elder millennial!  These gen Z kids are going to burn the world to the ground, I swear.”

You and T’Challa had sat there for a couple more hours and saw a handful of less colorful folk.  It was finally time to break things down.

T’Challa helped Issa with the table.  “So, what got you into this kind of work?”

“Well, although I don’t make much, I needed the paycheck after college and it was open and hiring at the time.”

T’Challa nods, “Nothing wrong with that for a start.”

“But I also wanted to help people too.  I think I found that out as I got into it.  These kids are crazy a lot of the time.  Disrespectful, ignorant, smelly-”

“But?”  T’Challa asks with a smile to move you along.

“Right!  BUT, they are basically all me.  No one cared about kids from my side of town.  We didn’t get great field trips or outstanding class options.  I remember every time we had a debate team or math league enter a tournament, we could never get further than the first round because culture shock!  Their schools were bigger with vending machine that had school supplies and full sandwiches, we didn’t know how to act!  So, I just hope that our program can expose them to the best, so they can work to build that and maintain it for themselves.”

T’Challa looked at Issa in awe, “That is a beautiful sentiment, Issa.  Very well put.  I knew we had a good thing going when I met you.”

Issa smiled, “Yeah?  Me?”

T’Challa nodded, “Of course!  You have been nothing but professional, and getting to know you more in your element leaves me quite starstruck.”

Issa felt light with his compliments, so genuine.  “That is possibly the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, especially on the job.”

T’Challa laughs, “You deserve it and more.  Are you through for the day after this?”

Issa thought to herself, “Uh, yeah, I think so.  Probably just goin to do some chores or whatever.”  Issa know she didn’t wanna clean.

“Maybe we should catch a movie or something?  Blow off some steam for a job well done.”

Issa said excitedly, “That sounds great!”  Issa hoped this was a step closer to getting with him.  He was so fine and nice, no way she would fuck this up.

--

Molly sat in a booth at the Waffle House with Erik, kekeing the night away.  Erik told her all kinds of stuff about his college years and time in the military.  She learned he was even an amateur pilot in his spare time.

“I need to take you around sometime.”  Erik said after snapping into a sausage link.

Molly screwed her face up, uh uh.  Those are the planes you always here engulfing in flames and crashing, an engine breaking down and crashing, the pilot was high and crashed it-”

Erik laughs, “Well you ain’t gotta worry about alladat, ma.  I’m good, just gotta put a little trust in me….like I’m tryna put a little trust in you…”

“Tsk, is your dick named Trust?”  Molly inquired.

Erik paused, “Nah, but my tongue never lies.”  He says with a wink.

“Ok, nigga!  You swear!”  Molly joshed him but loved every minute of it.  Even though they were in a regular degular spot, she loved it.  It felt like college again and you got the finest Alpha in line to ask you out.

The bell at the front door rings as it opens.  You hear a loud familiar cackle.

“Kellie?  What the hell you doin here, girl?”  Molly asks surprised.  

Kellie walks in under the arm of M’Baku with a slight limp.  “Ooh, hey girl.  Can we pop a squat with you all a sec?”

Molly nods as Erik greets them.  “Wassup, Bak?  You and ol’ girl still hanging?”

M’Baku beams as he holds Kellie’s hand.  “Yes, very much so.”

Molly leans over Kellie, “Whatchu got a limp for, girl?  You fall or sumthin?”

Kellie nods sticking out her lip pitifully, “Mhm, you ever try to come off the dick too fast, before you figure out your hip flexors ain’t quite relaxed yet?  Yeah, I pulled somethin girl, talk about cow tippin!!”  Kellie cackled, tongue all out.  M’Baku was very entertained by his woman’s antics, elbowing an annoyed Erik.

”Moooo, bitch, get out my hay!  Get out my hay bitch, get out my hay!”

Molly chuckled at her friend as the waiter came by for their orders.

“So Erik, what are your intentions for my friend here?  I see you have expensive taste, I don’t want her to feel too spoiled now.”  Kellie says smiling into her water cup.

Erik shakes his head, “Nah, I do this as a test.  You don’t rock with the House, you don’t rock with me.”

“Hell, do the House rock for us?  Wasn’t we supposed to be boycottin them or somethin?”  Kellie asked.

“Yeah, but I mean, the cheap prices are kinda like reparations, so we’ll let it rock for now.”  Erik adds.

Kellie and M’Baku’s food arrive.  M’Baku takes a sausage and holds it up.  Kellie freezes in place.

“Are you hungry?”  M’Baku asks in a deep tone.

“No...but I could eat.”  Kellie asks seductively.

“You know the rule: closed mouths don’t get fed.”  M’Baku licks his lips sinisterly.

Kellie scoffs, “Since when am I keeping my mouth closed.  Gimme that damn meat, Baku!”

M’Baku clicks his tongue, “Is that how we ask?”  

Kellie tucks her chin into her chest, “No...I’m bein bad.”

“And I know you are a good girl, aren’t you?”

Kellie nods.

Molly and Erik are looking at them with horrified expressions.  “Kellie, what the hell-”

“Open up for me.”  M’Baku demands, Kellie obliges.  “Wider.”  Kellie follows.  “You know this meat is plentiful, make room for it.”  Kellie stretches her mouth to its widest.

“Nigga!  Give her the damn food before I fuckin lose what I paid for all over this damn table!  Nasty asses.”  Erik exclaims.

M’Baku finally feeds Kellie who chews on it happily as they giggle in each other’s faces.  M’Baku inhales sharply all of a sudden,  “Yes, you are a good girl, always a people pleaser.”

“What can I say?  My man wants what he wants!”

M’Baku bites his lip gripping the table as he growls under his breath looking at Kellie as she licks her lips.  Erik shakes his head, giving Molly the signal as he lays cash out on the table.

“Ok y’all, we gotta go.  Let us through.”

“Oh, hell naw, Molly.”  M’Baku grunts.

“Come on, Bak!  We gotta go!”  Erik says pushing him.

“Don’t touch me right now, I’m close.”

“Dafuq you mean??”  Erik’s voice raises an octave.

Kellie taps Molly to say, “Girl, climb the booth.  This ain’t goin nowhere.”

Molly rolls her eyes as she gets up to straddle the back of the booth.  Erik follows behind.  

Molly looks back to say goodbye and finds the culprit of their problem:  Kellie was footing M’Baku’s crotch under the table.

“Woooow, my boy a real freak huh?”  Erik laughs out loud as they walk out.

“That’s your boy alright.”  Molly says shaking the image from her head.

Erik beeps his car to unlock, “Let’s get you home, ma.  I know you busy and shit.”

Molly sucks her teeth as she gets in, “I ain’t that busy.  It’s a weekend after all.”

Erik starts the car up, “Lawyers get days off?  You sure you ain’t slackin?”

“Boy!  Ain’t nuthin slack about me!  Whatchu talkin bout!  I’m tight son!”  Molly says with a B-boy pose.

Erik shakes his head laughing, “You brazy girl.”

Pulling up to Molly’s spot, Erik turns off the engine.  “Why you turning the car off?”

Erik has his car keys in hand, getting out, “I gotta walk you to your door.”

Molly looks after him suspiciously before getting out.

As they walk to her door, Molly says, “Ok, this is me right here.”

Erik puts his hands in his pockets biting his lip, “Ok, no doubt.”

Molly stands there looking around nervously.  “Isn’t this it?  You go back to your car.”

“Pssh, come on, I know you been eyein my mouth since you met me, so I’m just giving you the option.”  Erik says all cocky.

“Nigga, what have you done for me to warrant a kiss?”  Molly asks defiantly.

“We just got back from Waffle!  Plus I got you the fresh squeezed orange juice!”

“Please, buying me a drink ain’t appeasing, believe me!  And they lied to you, shit was Sunny D.”

Erik cursed under his breath, “Ok, well, what about, I had a damn good time with you and it would be dope of you felt the same way.”

Molly thought on it.  She did have a real good time today with him and the night was still young.

She sighed heavily getting her keys out, “You can come in, but for a quick minute!  Just to wind down, but you out after that!”

Erik smiled big, golds glimmering, “That’s all I need, ma.”

Part 4

RagTag

@hbicprettyprincess @kimianostalgia@afraiddreamingandloving @chaneajoyyy@myfavemarvelfanfics @nys30

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[nobszone]

A midterm night’s dream

So as my American followers know, we have an election tomorrow. Rather exciting isn’t it? I can say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the run up to this one, though it took a while to really get going.

Anyway, before we all go to the polls, I’d like to share a rather...interesting experience I had last week.

(Also a thousand apologies to Jonathan Pie, whose writings this story is ripping off inspired by).

The story begins last week, November the 1st. It had been a busy day. It was the day after Halloween which meant everyone was rushing to put away the pumpkins and deck the halls, gamers everywhere were getting ready for the start of Blizzcon the next day (only to be inevitably disappointed when Blizzard pulled a Konami) and the entire internet had learned what I had known for years; the most powerful Smasher was The Pink Nightmare.

But it had also been a very busy few months. The Midterm Elections had been circled on many an American’s calendar ever since January 20, 2017. A lot of things had been happening in the American political sphere this year, and there was a palpable sense of anticipation for the Midterms, and for good reason. This was, in many ways, the first major referendum on the job performance of Donald Trump. 

So as you can imagine, this particular election was being framed as “The Most Important Election Ever.” But seeing as how the same thing had been said about the last several elections, I knew that for better or worse it would most likely be back to business as usual once it was over (for what passes as “usual” these days).

So on that day I had returned home from work, and when I opened my mailbox I was delighted to see my absentee ballot inside. Truth be told, I don’t really care much for standing in line at the polls and given that my ballot this year had quite a lot of things on it to consider, I really didn’t feel like standing in a voting booth for a good 30 minutes. 

Even so, ever since I turned 18 I’ve never missed a chance to participate in our democratic process, and I wasn’t going to start now.

Now I know what you’re all thinking. How did I intend to vote? Well, this was a bit of a tricky proposition for me. I try my best to be an informed voter, reading up on the candidates and their stances on the issues and deciding for myself who’s platform I agree with more.

But this time I was going purely on instinct, and my instinct was to vote straight-ticket Democrat. Which really felt strange because, historically, my instinct has always been to do the opposite of whatever Michael Moore tells me to do.

I parked my car and opened the door to my house, with a spring in my step and my ballot in my hand. I was confident in my conviction that, despite some reservations, voting for the Dems in this election was the only sensible choice to make. And I knew it was the right choice, because my Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr feeds had been saying the same for months. Anyone who was anyone was telling me that only a racist, idiot or Russian spy would vote for the GOP in this election, so it must be true.

And besides, I had conjured up a fantasy in my head of Trump being so irate at a Democratic controlled house that he instantly resigned the Presidency out of spite.

This was going to be easy.

Well, it had been a long day at work, and it’s not a good idea to vote when your mind is fatigued. So I decided a quick nap was in order; and afterwards I would be refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to do my civic duty as a citizen of the Republic.

I set the ballot down on the counter and sprawled out on the couch and closed my eyes. I was home alone, and thus I felt no particular reservations about napping in the living room.

And then, something happened.

A voice began to speak to me. I became apprehensive and frightened. Who was it that was speaking? Was it my conscience? Was it God? Was it the first signs of schizophrenia?

Either way, I instantly knew who was addressing me. 

It was the voice...of Princess Luna.

Now, don’t be alarmed. As long time followers know, I am an OG Brony. And as such, I occasionally experience visitations from the denizens of Equestria during times of emotional distress. Whether it’s Twilight Sparkle giving me encouragement before finals, Rainbow Dash assuring me that neither the last launch of the Space Shuttle nor the 2017 Solar Eclipse will be clouded out, or Vinyl Scratch giving me some companionship on those cold Winter nights, I’ve just gotten used to it.

But this was the first time I’d been visited by Princess Luna. The lunar regent herself! The only pony who’s presence in a dream actually made sense!

Time slowed, I sat up on the couch, rubbing my eyes blearily. But Luna remained standing in front of me, having adopted a humanoid form for a variety of Freudian reasons. Once again she began to speak.

“My friend, what troubles you?”

I sighed.

“I’m confused.”

An expression of sympathy crossed her face as she put a hand on her chest.

“Of course you’re confused. How can you not be? Everyone is confused. Because the only thing the media is talking about is what this means for Donald Trump.

“But there’s something missing. Information. How can you possibly make a decision if you’re not properly informed?”

She sat down beside me, taking my hand in hers.

“You and your fellow citizens have a tough choice to make. The GOP’s stance on immigration has been reprehensible, and Trump’s wish to mobilize troops is practically a Kent State-style situation waiting to happen. But despite his overtones, those migrants are not turning around. What happens to them when they get to the border? What happens if Trump ends birthright citizenship? And what about legal immigrants?  If you sustain immigration at its current levels, what will happen to public services? Will Medicaid be able to cope?

“The economy is doing rather nice. Historically speaking, a good economy bodes well for the ruling party. But what about Trump’s trade war with China? Or the tax bill? Trump has often used the stock market as an indicator of how the economy is doing, but it lost nearly $2 trillion last month alone!

“And there’s so many other issues to consider as well. Will LGBT rights continue to be protected? Will your foreign policy change? Will gun rights be protected? There’s a lot to consider here.”

I held up a hand. “I know all these things, Luna. Why are you telling me this?”

“Because, you know the Republicans plans for these things. But, tell me my friend, have you heard anything from the Democrats about how they plan to handle issues?”

I paused. I thought about her question and realized she was right. I’ve heard how my local candidates would approach those issues, but in terms of a unified strategy from the Democrats? 

I’d heard nothing. 

Other than-

“All you’ve heard from the Democrats is that you need to vote for them so they can stop Trump. And yes, that very well could happen, but to what end?” Luna asked, finishing my thought.

She stood up and faced me.

“The real problem is nobody wants to admit that they don’t know what will happen if things stay as they are for two more years, let alone what will happen if there’s significant opposition to the President. Your country has never had a President like this before.

“The GOP says that they’ll advocate for Conservative views and values instead of constantly kissing Trump’s ring. But recent history tells us that’s not going to happen. Furthermore, the GOP has traditionally been in favor of a smaller government and a weaker executive branch, and now you’re in a position where the traditional Republican argument is being made by Democrats. And because everyone thinks that the GOP is a bunch of racists, Libertarians like yourself are scared of being labeled Pro-Trump by default!”

Luna began to pace around the room as she started to talk of fear. “This whole debate, if you can call it a debate, has been about causing fear!” she cried. And every time she said the word “fear”, she spoke in her Royal Canterlot Voice.

“The Democrats say that your democracy will be undermined by Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. Fear. 

“Trump says that America will be overrun by caravans of migrants and masses of illegal aliens if the Republicans lose. Fear.

“Barack Obama says the character of your country is on the ballot. Fear.

“The GOP is not only ramping up the threat of illegals, but that a Democratic majority would wreck the economy. Fear or fear? Would you like some fear with your fear?!”

Luna paused. I sat upright, riveted to my seat.

“The level of debate during this process has been terrifying! It has exposed everything that is wrong with modern political discourse. Jane Fonda compared Trump to Hitler, as if that comparison has never been made about any politician since 1945, yet Fox News claims that liberal donors would rather the Democrats start a nuclear war, if that was the case then why would anyone vote for a party who could potentially destroy the planet? 

“Emma Gonzalez says that the lives of high school students depend on who is elected, and Trump says a vote for Democrats is a vote for MS-13 to run wild. I always thought school shootings and MS-13′s criminal activities would happen regardless of who was in office, but no, silly me, apparently the GOP is allowing people to gun down kids, while paradoxically MS-13 supports more gun control legislation! Once again, a national political debate has descended into FARCE! ”

Luna’s voice reached a fever pitch. It felt like the entire world shook with the reverberation of each syllable.

“The right has completely abandoned its principles in favor of supporting a man with an ego the size of a planet and the intelligence of a gnat! And the left has made it all about personality over politics, emotion over logic, which is a laugh seeing as their candidate in the last election lacked both of those things!”

“This is the choice your country faces!” Luna exclaimed, her eyes burrowing into my soul and her voice shattering every molecule of air around me. “Vote for Democrats and you’re supporting Identity Politics! Vote for Republicans and you’re supporting Statism! IDENTITY POLITICS OR STATISM! FUCK ME, WHAT A CHOICE! YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE STUCK BETWEEN THE WEHRMACHT AND THE RED ARMY!”

The silence was nearly as deafening as the voice it succeeded. I sat there, looking Luna square in the eye, her face seemingly frozen in an intense glare.

And then I could look no more. I put my face into my hands and I wept.

She was correct. For all my enthusiasm and patriotism, we were at a morton’s fork yet again. My hope was that once the 2016 election was over, the polarization would die down as both parties sought to get on with the job. Instead it never ended. The GOP sold out to Trump and the Dems learned nothing from Clinton’s defeat.

“What do I do?” I managed to choke out. “What can I do?”

It was at this point that I felt Luna embrace me. Her arms wrapping around my back, gently rubbing like a mother soothing an upset child. Her head rested on my shoulder, her snout buried in the crook of my neck as she did her best to bring my emotions back to a more reasonable level.

“It’s alright, my friend.” She whispered to me. “You know what you must do...you always have.”

And then I opened my eyes. I was awake, and she was gone.

Even now, nearly a week later, I still can’t get my head around what happened. Sure enough when I woke up, I felt refreshed and in the correct mindset to cast my ballot.

But following the advice of the lunar regent, I abandoned my original plan and instead I took some time to brush up on the candidates and their platforms once more. Then I voted for the candidates that I felt would do the best job.

And I honestly can’t work out how I would’ve voted if I hadn’t taken that nap.

And now it’s your turn. Despite all the polls and predictions, we still have no idea how today is going to turn out. This time however, both sides share blame for the uncertainty. 

What it comes down to is this. We’re nearly 2 years into Donald Trump’s attempt to “Make America Great Again”, but we still don’t know what that means. Maybe I’m being factitious though, because Trump and his hardcore base seems to know what it means. It means an America with walls on the borders and divisions among the populace, an America where you can’t trust anyone (especially any TV channel that isn’t Fox News), an America where potential interference from a hostile power is not only tolerated, but perhaps encouraged.

Doesn’t sound that great to me, but of course you’re free to disagree with that.

But the Democrats aren’t much better. What the hell is their plan for America? Have they thought of anything besides “Impeach Trump?” And what if the Mueller probe comes back and it turns out that even if Russia was running an operation to harm our country and people Trump knew were involved but Trump himself wasn’t, what happens then? Hope he invites a porn star to the Oval Office and do re-enactment the Lewinsky affair?

The problem is no one knows what the Democrat’s plans are, because they have no plan after “Impeach Trump.” In a related story, no one knows what “Make America Great Again” means because no one ever knew what it meant.

And, like it or not, this all falls at the feet of Donald Trump.

We were never supposed to vote for Donald Trump.

You know it, I know it, we all know it. No one thought we would vote for Trump. Even people that voted for Trump didn’t think we’d vote for Trump. That’s why the Democrats were so eager for him to get the nomination and didn’t particularly care that they screwed over Bernie Sanders for an utterly unelectable candidate in Hillary Clinton; they assumed an election against Trump wouldn’t mean a Trump win, but it did and instead we got the single biggest embarrassment of the Democrats since 1968.

Fast forward two years later, and really nothing has changed.

For the last two years, the level of debate has been appalling from both sides of the aisle. Both sides have to take responsibility for this. There haven’t been any facts. There’s been no debate about policy, proposals, nothing. It’s all been about who can say the most alarmist thing or pull off the sneakiest trick and get away with it.

Nothing that has happened over the last two years has been reasonable political debate. It’s more like a dream you have after you’ve done a fifth of Vodka and a No Mercy run on Undertale.

One involving Princess Luna perhaps?

[teafortwo29]

Once Reluctant to Speak Out, an Energized Obama Now Calls Out His Successor

Former President Barack Obama has leveled many attacks on President Trump heading into the 2018 midterm elections. These sharp rebukes, though, are a departure from how past leaders used their post-presidential campaign stops. Published on Nov. 1, 2018, Credit Scott McIntyre for The New York Times

By Peter Baker Nov. 2, 2018

MIAMI — Former President Barack Obama’s voice has a way of lifting into a high-pitched tone of astonishment when he talks about his successor, almost as if he still cannot believe that the Executive Mansion he occupied for eight years is now the home of President Trump.

For most of the last two years, he stewed about it in private, only occasionally speaking out. But as he hit the campaign trail this fall, Mr. Obama has vented his exasperation loud and often, assailing his successor in a sharper, more systematic way arguably than any former president has done in three-quarters of a century.

Although some admirers believe he remains too restrained in an era of Trumpian bombast, Mr. Obama has excoriated the incumbent for “lying” and “fear-mongering” and pulling “a political stunt” by sending troops to the border. As he opened a final weekend of campaigning before Tuesday’s midterm elections, Mr. Obama has re-emerged as the Democrats’ most prominent face, pitting president versus president over the future of the country.

In a fiery speech in Miami on Friday afternoon before heading to Georgia for another rally, Mr. Obama said that even conservatives should be disturbed by Mr. Trump’s disregard for the Constitution and basic decency. “I know there are sincere conservatives who are compassionate and must think there is nothing compassionate about ripping immigrant children from the arms of their mothers at the border,” he said.

“I am assuming that they recognize that a president doesn’t get to decide on his own who’s an American citizen and who’s not,” he continued, referring to Mr. Trump’s vow to sign an executive order canceling birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants. “That’s not how the Constitution of the United States works. That’s not how the Bill of Rights works. That’s not how our democracy works.”

“I’m assuming people must get upset,” he went on, “when they see folks who spend all their time vilifying others, questioning their patriotism, calling them enemies of the people and then suddenly pretending they’re concerned about civility.”

The current president fired back later in the afternoon. Mr. Trump, who has made more than 6,400 false or misleading statements since taking office, according to a count by The Washington Post, said his predecessor had lied by telling Americans they could keep their doctor under his health care plan, which ultimately turned out not to be the case.

“Twenty-eight times he said you can keep your doctor if you like your doctor,” he told a small crowd at a West Virginia airport hangar. “They were all lies. Used it to pass a terrible health care plan we are decimating strike by strike.”

He also criticized Mr. Obama’s trade policies and treatment of the news media. “Lie after lie,” Mr. Trump said. “Broken promise after broken promise. Unlike President Obama, we live under a different mantra. It’s called promises made, promises kept.”

Since leaving office, Mr. Obama has risen in the esteem of many Americans, as former presidents often do. A poll by CNN this year found that 66 percent had a favorable view of him, far more than those who approve of Mr. Trump’s performance in office.

When he left the White House in January 2017, Mr. Obama said he intended to follow the tradition of his predecessors by staying out of the spotlight unless he perceived what he considered broader threats to American values. Advisers said Mr. Trump’s performance in office has qualified, justifying his decision to abandon restraint this fall.

“He cares very deeply,” said Valerie Jarrett, his longtime friend, and adviser. “His language has been very direct and he’s made an appeal to citizens across our country that now’s the time to stand up for our core ideals.”

He has issued 350 endorsements that candidates then trumpeted on social media and he has helped raise millions of dollars for Democrats. A video op-ed he taped generated 17 million views and a voter registration video drove nearly 700,000 viewers to Vote.org, according to his team. He is taping dozens of recorded telephone messages that will be sent out this weekend.

Mr. Obama’s red-meat speech on Friday delighted the crowd at the Ice Palace Film Studios in Miami. But if he has become the Democrats’ “forever president,” as Andrew Gillum, the party’s candidate for governor of Florida, called him, there are trade-offs for an opposition party trying to groom a new generation of leaders as the start of the 2020 presidential election approaches.

“President Obama wants to make room for the next generation of Democratic leaders to step up, which is why he’s largely stayed out of the day-to-day fray over the past two years,” said Eric Schultz, a senior adviser to the former president. “But too much is at stake in these midterms and this moment is too consequential to sit out.”

To Republicans, Mr. Obama’s decision to directly take on his successor smacks of violating norms just as he accuses Mr. Trump of doing.

“I was taken aback by the amount of space in President Obama’s speeches that are devoted to a full frontal assault on Donald J. Trump and his administration,” said Karl Rove, the political strategist for former President George W. Bush. “He spends a considerable amount of his time to get up there and trash Trump.”

Ron Kaufman, who was White House political director for the first President George Bush, said Mr. Obama’s language had been strikingly harsh from one president about another. “If you go back and dig up some of the pretty nasty things President Obama has said, I think you would be a bit surprised,” he said. “He gets away with it because of his style.”

Not since Theodore Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover has a president hit the campaign trail after leaving office to actively take on his successor in quite the way Mr. Obama has. Roosevelt actually mounted a comeback against his handpicked replacement, William Howard Taft, while Hoover castigated Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program as “despotism” at the Republican convention in 1936.

Other former presidents have been critical of their successors, too. Jimmy Carter became a vocal opponent of George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, calling his administration the “worst in history.” But with Mr. Carter and others, these were one-off comments in interviews or other public settings, not a systematic indictment on the campaign trail.

Until this cycle, Bill Clinton has been a regular campaigner for fellow Democrats, not least his wife, but even as he assailed Republican ideas, he generally refrained from directly attacking his successors. As in previous years, the younger Mr. Bush has been out on the trail this fall but has largely kept his post-White House campaigning to closed-door fund-raisers and studiously avoided criticizing either Mr. Obama or Mr. Trump.

Mr. Obama’s criticism of Mr. Trump reflects a deep antipathy he feels for his successor, whom he called a “con man” and a “know nothing” during the 2016 campaign. Mr. Trump was the leading promoter of the lie that Mr. Obama was not born in the United States, a conspiracy theory that irritated the 44th president.

Mr. Obama has never been effective at translating his own popularity to other Democrats — the party lost all three elections while he was president when his name was not on the ballot — but he seems liberated as he finally unloads on Mr. Trump. “He wants to be in the game and he’s really energized doing it,” said Bill Burton, a former aide who caught up with Mr. Obama at a campaign stop in California.

Now 57, Mr. Obama has turned even grayer on top but has otherwise not changed much. For rallies, he still doffs coat and tie for his trademark white collared shirt with rolled up sleeves. He has dispensed with the professorial history lessons that slowed his stump speech down at the beginning of the fall and sharpened his argument into an animated, finger-pointing, crowd-riling indictment of his successor.

While he did not use Mr. Trump’s name in Miami on Friday, Mr. Obama left no doubt who he was talking about. He pointed to Mr. Trump’s use of a cellphone that advisers have told him is being monitored by foreign powers, contrasting that with the Republican criticism of Hillary Clinton’s use of an unsecure email server.

“You know they don’t care about that because if they did, they’d be worrying about the current president talking on his cell phone while the Chinese are listening in,” Mr. Obama said. “They didn’t care about it. They said it to get folks angry and ginned up.”

“Now in 2018, they’re telling you the vestigial threat to America is a bunch of poor refugees a thousand miles away,” he added, referring to a migrant caravan in Mexico. “They’re even taking our brave troops away from their families for a political stunt at the border. And the men and women of our military deserve better than that.”

In just a few days, he will find out whether voters see it his way or Mr. Trump’s.

Michael D. Shear contributed reporting from Huntington, W.Va., and Alan Blinder from Atlanta.

Follow Peter Baker on Twitter: @peterbakernyt.

[vagabondretired]

Remember this? It burns my chaps that our current president---an animated blob of mutant-DNA-infused transfat with legs (and, some say, hand-like appendages, although that’s in dispute)---acts like he rode to the rescue of the economy on a white horse and saved us from the smoking economic carnage President Obama left in his wake. Bullshit. Fake news. What a dick. Trump, I mean. Remember this graph created by Calculated Risk? The one charting the worst jobs plunge since the Great Depression that was left at Obama’s doorstep by Republican George W. Bush? Remember how horrifying it was? Remember how Republicans did nothing to help him pull the country out of that tailspin? Here, let me refresh your memory. Eleven recessions are charted here, and the one Obama was handed is the monstrosity in red: We watched the glacial pace of our emergence from the Great Bush Recession month after painful month via that "saggy butt graph." Despite the anvils Republicans tied to our collective ankles (once again, putting party over country), the news arrived four years ago this week that we’d finally broken through the surface. President Obama worked his ass off---with intelligence, optimism, and courage---to save the country from economic ruin while Republicans sat on the sidelines questioning his citizenship and photoshopping bones through his nose. Then King Goldenshower stumbles into the job while the Obama economy is roaring to life, and pretends he inherited a mess. The only mess he’s ever had to deal with, hands-on, is the one he has to glue in place every morning on top of his giant spray-painted head so people won’t confuse him with Riff Raff. In conclusion: Thank you, Obama. Fuck you, Trump.

[didanawisgi]

Naomi Wolf, author, political journalist and cofounder of DailyClout: ‘Trump didn’t do this. You did this. Your own inaction brought us exactly here’

The first 100 days of President Donald Trump: how has my life changed? First of all, there was the mourning period. Not for me, but for my fellow citizens. I was just mad. And I wasn’t even maddest at the Trump voters. I understood that the critical battle lines now are not left versus right, but the 1% neoliberal globalisers making off with all of the loot and disembowelling the middle class. So when I saw the campaign, I knew that in the US, just as in the UK, a candidate who said anything at all about people forgotten in the neoliberal race would have a solid chance.

No – I was mad at my own leftwing tribe. All of January, people on the left would confront me with dazed, grief-stricken expressions, as if they had just emerged from a multi-car pileup on a foggy highway. “How could this have happened? What will we do?” I couldn’t even bear to participate in those conversations. Finally I started explaining my rage to my closest friends.

I had been screaming about the possibility of this very moment for eight years, since I published a piece in the Guardian titled “Fascist America in 10 Easy Steps” and wrote a book based on it, called The End of America (2007). Under George Bush Jr, the left had been very receptive to the book’s message about how democracies are undermined by the classic tactics of would-be authoritarians.

But once Obama was elected – “one of ours” – I had to spend the next eight years yelling like a haunted Cassandra, to a room the left had abandoned. I had yelled myself hoarse for eight years under Obama about what it would mean for us to sit still while Obama sent drones in to take out US citizens in extrajudicial killings; what it would mean for us to sit still while he passed the 2012 National Defence Authorisation Act that let any president hold citizens for ever without charge or trial; what it would mean for us to sit still while he allowed NSA surveillance, allowed Guantánamo to stay open, and allowed hyped terrorism stories to hijack the constitution and turn the US into what finally even Robert F Kennedy Jr was calling a national security surveillance state.

For eight years, under Obama, my audiences were libertarian cowboys and red-state truckers; members of the military and police forces, who were appalled by what they were witnessing; and even conservatives, worried about our legacy of freedom. My usual audience, the shoppers at Whole Foods and drivers of hybrid cars, the educated left, my people, sat smugly at home while the very pillars of American democracy were being systematically chipped away. They were watching Downton Abbey and tending their heirloom tomato patches on weekends in the Hudson Valley, because everything was OK; yeah, he may OK drone strikes, but they can’t be that bad, since he was one of “ours” – a handsome, eloquent African American, a former community organiser – in the Oval Office. Seduced by the image of a charming black man on Air Force One who talked about “change” – a white woman in a pantsuit (though highly paid by Goldman Sachs) talking about “that highest, hardest glass ceiling” – the left slumbered while US democracy was undone brick by brick by brick.

So my feeling, the first inaugural month of 2017, as the left sat shiva, was: now you are worried? Now you want action? Now that the separation of powers is a joke and the constitution has collapsed around your ears, you point a finger at Trump and say, “Sudden Catastrophe?”

He didn’t do this. You did this.

Your own inaction and willingness to be seduced by two-bit identity politics labels, without actually doing the hard work of being patriots and defending the actual constitution – brought us exactly, exactly here.

I had sought for eight years to explain to my own people, to no avail, this: it is not that important who sits in the White House if the structures of democracy are strong. If the structures of democracy are strong – you can have a madman or madwoman for four years or even eight, and then he or she is gone, and the nation’s freedoms live.

But if you take an eight-year nap snoozing through a systematic dismantling of the structures of democracy – freedoms of speech; independence of the press; separation of powers; fourth amendment rights to privacy; and allow the suspension of due process under the guise of “fighting the war on terror” – hell yeah, some day you will wake up and there will be a crazy man or a strongman in the White House and then nothing you do or say will make a difference any more.

So yeah, Month One: I had nightly glasses of red wine to dull my rage at my own feeble delusional kind, and avoided the collective liberal “mourning conversation”.

There are still shocking days – missiles to Syria, gunboats to North Korea – but we stay focused

Month Two: February was the month of OMG! Or else, WTF! I was part of it too, as Pres Trump’s new-to-us-all methods of exploding Twitter bombs, engaging in scary political theatre, committing daily acts of apparent, um, economic treason, and doing it all at a bewilderingly fast pace, demanded a learning curve from us all. It was a sense of chaos, destabilisation. OMG! He issued a travel ban. OMG! People are held en masse at Newark – New York City taxi drivers are boycotting the airport because of the ban! OMG, Uber is profiting on picking up those rides! OMG, now we have to boycott Uber! WTF! He is rounding up immigrants! OMG – he is separating families at the border! WTF – did Kellyanne Conway just promote Ivanka Trump’s clothing line? Isn’t that illegal? WTF! Are Chinese influence-mongers really lining up at Mar-a-Lago to ingratiate themselves with the president’s son-in-law? WTF – stripping the EPA of any budget to keep the air and water clean? OMG – did he just say he doesn’t believe in global warming? There was a stream of statelier edits from Congress, as the nation’s “WTF?” reaction evolved into: can he really do that? Ben Cardin, the Democratic senator for Maryland, proposed a Senate resolution that Pres Trump obey the emoluments clause of the constitution, which forbids bribery (Trump had refused to put his holdings in a blind trust). States began to pass laws, such as those protection sanctuary cities, to fight back against measures that Trump was taking federally. My day-to-day life was spent at our tech company, DailyClout, training a group of young people to write about legislation, Congress and statehouses, and putting out news stories, blogs and opinion pieces following these developments. DailyClout is incubated in a cool space in Manhattan called Civic Hall, which is funded by Microsoft, Google and Omidyar Networks, where we are surrounded by others – mostly idealistic millennials – who are also building exciting new tools for new kinds of civic engagement.

Month Three: in March, we all began to see a massive grassroots “resistance”. I personally don’t like that term, because you use that term to fight a completed fascist takeover; it gives democracy’s opponents too much power; right now we have a battered democracy on life support that needs defending from those who wish to pull the plug.

March was the month that dozens of new entities devoted to mobilising citizen action emerged from the collective shock. There were so many forms of new organising and funding: online candidate training seminars to Knight Foundationgrants for new tools to get public and municipal records to people. Existing “civic tech” sites such as PopVox and Countable were joined in March by a slew of new tools and sites put together by this powerful wave of activism. Our collective missions got boosted with jet fuel by the huge burst in ordinary citizens wanting and needing to take action. New platforms ranged from 5 Calls – which came out of the experience of volunteers in the Clinton campaign and which sends you political action steps to take in five phone calls – to DailyAction, a similar service, which emerged out of Creative Majority, a Pac that supports Democratic candidates, and USAFacts, set up by Steve Ballmer, formerly of Microsoft, which compiles and crunches federal, state and local data from government sources. My own life mission didn’t reorient, since I had cofounded DailyClout’s platform in 2010. But use of our civic engagement tools skyrocketed. Our first product, called BillCam, lets you search a database of live state and federal bills, then pop a live bill into your blog or news articles; it lets you interact with the bills in real time and share them socially. We also created RSS feeds to stream live state and federal legislation right into the websites of local, regional and national news sites, and the websites of elected officials. In March we boosted our blog stream and videos covering new state and federal legislation, and started to report on what people could do locally to push forward their issues. Our sites on social media grew by triple and quadruple digits.

I presented these tools in March to news outlets and candidates and campaigns around the country – from Maine to Ohio to Oregon. I felt as if I was rediscovering my own nation, as the people in it were rediscovering belatedly how precious and fragile democracy was, and how much it depends on an informed citizenship. We were invited to demo it in a senate office; we visited Congress too, for our first exclusive interview, with Representative French Hill of Arkansas; I had never before been inside the Senate office building, or the Congress’s Longworth House Office Building. It was uplifting and moving to me. I also saw that elected officials worried about democracy, and wanting to empower real citizens, existed on both sides of the aisle.

We got our widget embedding live bills into news outlets totalling 160 million readers. In Q1 of 2017, 113,000 people searched BillCam to look at bills that would affect them – that they could now affect in turn. There are still shocking days – missiles to Syria, gunboats to North Korea – but we stay focused.

An amazing thing happened in March. The distinguished technologist George Polisner –who quit his senior-level role at Oracle in a public letter, covered widely in the US press, in which he demurred from Oracle’s CEO’s intention of “working with President Trump” – had started “ Civ.Works, a social platform, privacy protected so citizens can organise without fear of a corporate-buyout Big Brother. Polisner and DailyClout joined forces in March. We’re working to combine Civ.Works’ power of organising with the power of DailyClout’s streaming digital updates via RSS feeds, blogs and video, about local and federal legislation. No wonder I feel excited about the future.

Am I happy about the present? I feel incredibly energised, hopeful and certain that if enough citizens, in our democracy and worldwide, wake up (as they are) and are able to get hold of real tools to use democracy – and those best-case tools are now digital and link to social and digital media – we can indeed be in the midst of what another president called “a new birth of freedom”. Where I live, every day, on the frontlines of this digital revolution, there is every reason to feel in spired. That doesn’t mean I am “happy” about where the nation is – I am extremely scared, just as I am scared about the future of Europe in a parallel assault on its democracies.

But the biggest threat in the US or the UK isn’t one political party or candidate. It is people’s ignorance about their own democracies and their till-now lack of real-life tools to protect them. DailyClout UK and DailyClout EU are next on our list of planned launches: the UK legislative database is totally unsearchable, and the UK Parliament’s own website ends in dead links when you try to find actual legislation. The EU website tells you with difficulty what bills have passed but doesn’t show you what is coming up, when you might possibly take action – it offers a feed of pointless press releases instead. This lack of legislative transparency and usability had a lot to do, I believe, with the Brexit vote.

Months Four, Five and Six will see more and more of these tools – from dozens of T-shirt-clad bespectacled tech revolutionaries, coming online. Geeks are the new patriots, and code is the new “shot heard round the world”.

Naomi Wolf recently finished a PhD at the University of Oxford and is CEO of DailyClout.io

[ignorantsanonymous]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-failures-erasing-memory-american-091802006.html

Article is copied below in full:

Trump's Failures Are Erasing the Memory of American Greatness, —Mike Barnicle, July 18, 2020

"It seems easier every day to wonder if America has lost its memory. And it seems even easier to believe that what many of us thought and felt about our country 42 months ago is different today as we sit in July of an election year.

Growing up, a lot of us took it for granted that we lived in the greatest country on Earth. It was an automatic—didn’t the Greatest Generation survive the Great Depression, defeat Japan and Hitler’s Germany, and leave Europe without claiming any territory? We came home, implemented the Marshall Plan, rebuilt whole nations, passed the G.I. Bill, signed a national highway act that opened up the country, helped create suburbs, defeated polio, matched Sputnik, went to the moon, applauded Elvis, said hello to The Beatles and good-bye to JFK, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy while so many had so much dignity stolen from them in places like Birmingham, Alabama, Mississippi, and Massachusetts, and as too many lives and part of our soul disappeared in Vietnam.

We got through Nixon, Watergate, gas lines and huge inflation. Reagan, Bush, the first Gulf War; Clinton “never had sex with that woman” and never explained why he pardoned Marc Rich. The Supreme Court elected George W. Bush and we nearly elected John F. Kerry.

We witnessed a cloud of fear covering a perfect blue sky on September 11th with a president acting like a leader in that moment as he stood in the smoking embers only to turn and light up the Middle East where the fires still burn. We saw Barack Obama arrive carrying a gift of hope that remains largely unopened. We have been eyewitnesses to Russia, a sworn enemy, seeking to disrupt our elections and we go through the days as spectators on the sideline as the dead keep coming home to Dover, Delaware, in flag-draped steel caskets to tears and questions.

Trump Has Been Making 9/11 All About Himself Since 9/11

Through all of it—the good, bad, the memorable and the instantly forgotten—America has bumped along while millions of our citizens were left without equal access to pieces of their citizenship we take for granted: the right to vote, to be pulled over for a traffic stop without fear, to stroll around a supermarket or a department store without being followed, to expect children to learn in a safe environment, to walk a city street without being stared at, to never be hungry.

We were never a perfect nation but a lot of the time we tried. And failed. But then kept on trying.

We were and are an imperfect nation, an imperfect people, living in this huge, sprawling, multi-colored, open, free land called America. No matter the built-in defects placed in our story by our own hand and our own history it’s remained a land of opportunity, one that’s always in the process of re-working, re-making, re-defining itself hopefully for the better. And no matter what tragedy or inequity occurred, no matter how shocking, terrible or unfair it was, the sun kept coming up in the morning, optimism always emerged from the shade, the darkness and the embers.

Until now.

Here’s What The Trumpists Don’t Understand About American Greatness

Until our memory of who we really are, what we have done and what we have meant in the world around us—the good, the bad, all of it—and who we really want to be was lost, crushed by a man who looks at a global epidemic, more than three and a half million infections, well over 100,000 deaths, millions more unemployed with rents and mortgages due, with furlough being a simple word for no future job like the one you just lost, looks at all that and feels sorry only for himself.

He talks, rambles actually, about grievance not governance. His whole life has been a litany of lies. He is always the victim and is so blinded by the swollen size of his ego that he can not see and does not recognize the casualties left behind behind: America, the presidency itself, the nation’s citizens who at a minimum expected protection, defense and a calming, competent hand against enemies medical and military seeking to harm our democracy.

He is a failure. An incompetent simply not up to the job. And for those who claim he is a master at marketing, promoting, identifying and picking at the scabs of resentment formed on the beliefs of so many voters, his “base”, his election in 2016 is proof that while he knows how to tap into fear he has little idea about and less interest in the lives of 328 million Americans.

What he does not realize is that there has always been one dominant emotion that has bound every American to one another. It is called loss. Every normal person is familiar with it, has experienced it at some level, losing a job, a paycheck, a house, health insurance, admission to a college, a roster spot on a Little League team. Losing hope. Losing a spouse, a child. Pride. Dignity. Self-respect. Losing a sense of place in your own small universe.

Comprehending loss is beyond his grasp. He casts himself as a stranger to loss. Losing something, anything or anyone could mark you as a loser. Not him.

So this is what we have here in the middle of summer 2020: a man who turns a mask into a joke, who is incoherent and invisible in the heat of a lethal battle against a virus that is consuming our country, battering our confidence, bleeding our economy and provoking legitimate questions about who we are, where we are going and what has happened to the United States of America.

On November 3, 2020 we might find out."

[misskahlia-blog]

Not-so campaign friendly

My study this semester has really struggled due to my ongoing health issues... another story entirely. But a few weeks ago, during my Digital Communities media course we looked at Digital Citizenship Politics and Civil Cultures.  It sounded complicated! Anything that mentions politics scares me. If people asked me to choose left wing or right wing I’d ask them which side the sun was on and if I could have a window seat. Thankfully this unit didn’t ask me to pick a side, but look more in depth at the relationship between politics, politicians and media, plus social media campaigns.

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald, 2013, compared Australian MPs and former Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbotts social media pages. It was interesting to note that the pages where the men were more down to earth and posted more personal things were generally the more followed accounts. Do more likes equal more votes though? There is a big debate over whether all these new trends in political media are having a positive or negative impact (Young 2010). So how could media, which brings younger potential voters into the political world be a negative.

Politicians can spread their campaign to many more people, connect and communicate with individuals and give people a chance to have their own opinions and questions responded to. Well ask ALP candidate Peter Watson how his use of social media destroyed his political campaign, when posts he made as a 15yr old came to haunt him (Jericho 2012). In the wise words of Barack Obama ‘…be careful what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life”. In other words, our pollies are in a difficult situation, teetering between being human to connect with their voters, and tiptoeing around saying anything that could somehow be misconstrued.

Here is a link to a short YouTube film that shows how in the eye of the media it is quite easy for politicians to get themselves into trouble. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0qTjqBt3a8 Whether it be by not connecting emotionally to the audience, or looking less engaged than another politician. It’s very important for politicians to be their best selves when on camera.

Kara, Mitch, Izzy, Emily and Andrew from my online class created an awesome presentation about this week’s learning materials. They summarized digital citizenship perfectly for me on the first page! With a nifty little quote, I knew would be handy for everyone. It represents the “capacity, belonging, and the potential for political and economic engagement in society in the information age” ('Defining Digital Citizenship' 2006, p. 2). They also looked at a lot of statistics of voters and focused on the impact social media has had on Kevin Rudds campaign, and the 2016 US presidential campaign.

All in all, if you plan on having a career in politics…be careful what you do on social media and on camera!

References

'Defining Digital Citizenship' 2006, MIT Press, Chapter 1, p. 1 – 20, viewed 1 December 2017

Jericho, G 2012, 'How many votes are there on Twitter?', in The Rise of the Fifth Estate, Scribe, Victoria, Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald 2013, Social Media stakes: Rudd & Abbott, viewed 3 August 2016, <http://images.smh.com.au/file/2013/08/07/4640158/Web_ElectionSocial/>.

Young, S 2010, 'News, political reporting and the internet', in How Australia Decides, Cambridge University Press, Victoria, Australia.

[omfgtrump]

Trolls Are Us

For the last ten days I have been on vacation in Portugal. When I travel, I make a deal with my wife to refrain from writing about The Don. She needs a break and I admit I need one, too.

Of course, being an American, it is very difficult to completely avoid conversations about what is going on. When someone asks you where you are from and you reply, the U.S., you hear things like: “What is wrong with your country that you elected that man?” “America is becoming a fascist country; I never thought that could happen!”

Two delightful 30 year old women from Amsterdam, who we had the pleasure of sitting next to during an inspiring evening of traditional fish stew (Cataplana) and Fado (Portuguese folk music) told me that “most people in the Netherlands hate The Don.”

I sheepishly nodded my head in acknowledgement and shame. I had to own that this malignant narcissist, this criminal, this low-life wannabe dictator, who has no qualms about separating children from their families, views disparaging and denigrating people as sport and embraces unadulterated racist ideology and the politics of division, is my president. All I could think to say was: Waiter can we have another bottle of wine, please?

 During my trip, I toured the Algarve known for its charming villages and beautiful white sand beaches and traveled down to Sagres Point, the most southwestern point in continental Europe. The point was once considered the end of the known world by many and certainly maintains that feeling as you look out to the endless expanse. It is also the place where the idea that the earth was flat derived.

Last year, basketball star, Kyrie Irving, announced that, yes indeed, the world was flat. He received a lot of blow-back and immediately apologized claiming that he had been the victim of “going down the You Tube rabbit hole” and had been influenced by conspiracy theories.

As I was looking out in awe, mulling over Kyrie’s declaration, I chuckled to myself and thought: At least when confronted with the absurdity and pseudo-science of his response, he recanted. Rumor has it that The Don was disappointed by Kyrie’s retraction. “Never say you are wrong, Kyrie. Science is for fools; the truth is what you say it is.”

So where am I going with this you ask: Straight to the 2020 election.

The Don is an existential threat to our democracy. He needs to be soundly defeated and frankly, he and his clan, need to go to prison.

The Don and his Republican sycophants will launch the most vicious campaign we have ever seen. The Don has changed all the rules. His creed is to destroy anyone in his path and will use any means necessary to achieve that end. But it is not just what he will do, but also what his army of true believers will do, that is terrifying.

The Russians are coming. We already know that he is perfectly comfortable taking intel from a foreign government. We already know that his campaign willingly colluded with the Russians in their attempt to influence the 2016 election. Just last week at the G-20 summit, we witnessed him smiling while he told Putin to stay out of our elections.

But as much as the Russian bots and trolls are coming, so are the homegrown ones. In other words, as great as the Russian threat is, so is the army of trolls living among us.

We can expect to be bombarded for the next year and a half by anonymous and hard-to-trace digital messaging spread by sophisticated political operatives whose aim is to sow discord through deceit.

For instance, there is a website created by Patrick Mauldin a Republican political operative, that has created GIFs of Mr. Biden touching women and girls, blurbs about his less-than-liberal policy positions, including his opposition to court-ordered busing in the 1970s and his support for the Iraq war. It pulls quotes highlighting some of Biden’s more famous verbal gaffes, like his description of his future boss, Barack Obama, as “articulate and bright and clean.” The introductory text declares, “Uncle Joe is back and ready to take a hands-on approach to America’s problems!”

Mauldin makes videos and other digital content for President Trump’s re-election campaign. Mauldin claimed he created and paid for the website on his own, and not for the Trump campaign. But the campaign knows about the websites, raising the prospect that the president’s re-election effort condoned what is, in essence, a disinformation operation run by one of its own.

Other trolling went after Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.

“Elizabeth Warren for Chief” mocks her claim of Native American ancestry; and “Kamala Harris for Arresting the People” highlights her work as a prosecutor who, the site says, “put parents in jail for children skipping school — and laughed about it.”

Not far behind will be photos of Bernie Sanders with Vladimir Lenin or Joseph Stalin’s face photo shopped or Pete Buttigieg wearing women’s clothes.

In addition, the heated political discourse about the citizenship question we are beginning to see coordinated online efforts to undermine public trust in the census and to sow chaos and confusion. In fact, there was a recent post on a neo-Nazi website urging people to apply for a job going door to door for the Census Bureau so they could report suspected non-citizens to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Let’s face it folks: Trolling is in; and truth is; well, so yesterday- and so boring!

So as we celebrate our country’s independence we must band together in the pursuit of truth and recognize that we need to pledge our allegiance to “truth, liberty and justice for all” as only the “truth will set us free,” from the trolls that are us.

  from WordPress https://ift.tt/2XqHDLb via IFTTT

[oxfordclothdreams-blog]

Legalizing Living

“Every border implies the violence of its maintenance”

-       Ayesha Siddiqi

 In a world of laws, it is a hell of a thing to be illegal. There exists a well-intentioned push on the American left to rebrand “illegal immigrants” as “undocumented;” after all, no human is illegal. This is prescriptive, though, and not descriptive. No human should be illegal, and yet millions are born and die illegally, open-air prisoners of circumstance.

Consider the Rohingya of Myanmar. In the past two weeks alone, more than 164,000 of the Muslim minority have fled from Rakhine State across the border to Bangladesh, driven by the long knives of the Burmese military.[1] This is only the latest flare in a slow-burn ethnic cleaning campaign that most literally began at the hands of Buddhist mobs in 2012 but more realistically traces back to the 1982 Citizenship Law that excised the Rohingya from their share of the Burmese state. Ne Win and the Burma Socialist Programme Party government’s law designated the 135 ethnic groups allegedly present in the country before British invasion in 1823 as its rightful citizens.[2] The Rohingya were made into Bengali interlopers and excluded, in spite of hundreds of years of their own history in the lands named Burma. Now, penned and butchered in Myanmar, the Rohingya’s alternative are squalid Bangladeshi refugee camps or treacherous ocean journeys to Australia’s loveless beaches.[3] What description fits this compromised humanity more than “illegal”?

Consider too the Palestinians. As of 1948 – a year that marks Israeli independence for some and the nakba (catastrophe in Arabic) for others – some 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from the only place they had ever known.[4] Now, a staggering 5.4 million Palestinians live in the diaspora, a people who are born and die away from home. Recent Israeli laws have forbidden the Palestinian community from commemorating the nakba, an effort to make a people already without a home into a people without a history. Even in the West Bank, the last vestige of the land left to the Palestinians by the botched UN Partition Plan, they die because the Israeli military will not allow ambulances to save them.[5] To live as a Palestinian is more of a crime than to kill one.

For America’s undocumented immigrants, the difference is not of content but of degrees. When your life is illegal, everything is criminal. A father in New Hampshire may be sentenced to severance from his family and deportation to murderous Honduras for the act of asking for help with a flat tire.[6] A transgender woman in El Paso was arrested by ICE on the courtroom steps after leaving a domestic violence hearing against her abusive ex-boyfriend.[7] Countless undocumented immigrants languish like sharecroppers in the fields of California because they are unable to demand anything better. Surely this constitutes an illegal existence.

We can only hope that DACA, in its moment of peril at the hands of President Trump and his Republican cohort, will hold American attention on the issue. DREAMers – the beneficiaries of Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals – are perfectly-designed heroes for liberal respectability politics. DREAMers, by law, have committed no crimes other than their own existences. They were brought here as children, and like the Rohingya, know nowhere else. Their undocumented status means that there is no “spot in line” for legal immigration, never mind the multi-decade purgatory legal immigration entails. Alonso Guillen, a DREAMer in Houston, died trying to rescue fellow Houstonians stranded by Hurricane Harvey’s flood waters.[8] Another DREAMer, Jesus Contreras, worked through the storm as a paramedic, only for Trump to pull DACA out from under him.[9] Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in his speech announcing DACA’s end, omitted DREAMers from any Americanness.[10] No matter how perfect the lives DREAMers live, that they live at all makes them criminals.

DREAMers, amidst their cosmic misfortune, have the blessing of political popularity and organization. With bipartisan legislation in the works and constant, loud pressure from a large swath of the political spectrum, the DREAMers will likely get to stay. We must be vigilant, though, not to lose sight of why the DREAMers must get to stay, the same reasons why domestic violence survivors and fathers with flat tires must get to stay. The status quo is bad enough without Trump’s intervention, and we have a moral imperative to transcend Obama’s record-breaking deportation numbers or Hillary Clinton’s insistence that Central American child migrants be sent back to die at the hands of drug war-funded cartels.[11] [12] No human should be illegal, independent of their sanitized economic productivity numbers or squeaky-clean slates. The only crime, as in Burma and Palestine, is the drawing of borders and laws that could ever make life illegal.

[1] https://www.yahoo.com/news/rohingya-shot-dead-myanmar-buried-bangladesh-000057521.html?soc_src=hl-viewer&soc_trk=tw

[2] https://www.csis.org/analysis/separating-fact-fiction-about-myanmar’s-rohingya

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/21/nope-nope-nope-tony-abbott-says-australia-will-take-no-rohingya-refugees

[4] http://www.merip.org/sites/default/files/Primer_on_Palestine-Israel(MERIP_February2014)final.pdf

[5] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-israel-woman/west-bank-woman-denied-ambulance-dies-palestinians-idUSL1572158220080215

[6] http://www.unionleader.com/Mark-Haywards-City-Matters:-Flat-tire-throws-Manchester-familys-world-off-course

[7] http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/03/ice-dhs-immigration-domestic-violence-protections/

[8] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/opinion/daca-trump-hurricane-harvey-.html

[9] https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/first-harvey-now-daca-peril-houston-area-dreamers-face-another-n798256

[10] https://www.nbcnews.com/video/sessions-announces-end-to-daca-immigration-program-1039679043735

[11] http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/obama-record-deportations-deporter-chief-or-not

[12] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-child-migrants_us_55d4a5c5e4b055a6dab24c2f

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/trump-court-defeat-on-asylum-policy-unfair-to-us/

Trump: Court defeat on asylum policy 'unfair to US'

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Mr Trump on Tuesday denied reports that his administration was planning to separate migrant families

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at a judge for blocking his policy of sending asylum seekers to Mexico to await court hearings in their cases.

“A 9th Circuit judge just ruled that Mexico is too dangerous for migrants,” he tweeted. “So unfair to the US.”

His policy would have returned migrants back over the border while they sought a legal right to stay in the US.

The legal defeat comes as migrant numbers at the US-Mexico border surged to their highest since 2008.

Mr Trump was said to be livid after US immigration officials estimated border apprehensions in March had topped 100,000.

The San Francisco ninth district judge’s order on Monday against the migrant policy is not due to go into effect until this Friday, giving US officials a chance to appeal.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which implements Mr Trump’s immigration directives, is in turmoil following a major shake-up.

DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen quit on Sunday after being summoned to the White House by the president.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley called on Mr Trump on Monday to halt the leadership purge at the agency.

The senior senator told the Washington Post he was “very, very concerned” about reports of possible further DHS dismissals.

“The president has to have some stability and particularly with the number one issue that he’s made for his campaign,” Mr Grassley said.

“He’s pulling the rug out from the very people that are trying to help him accomplish his goal.”

Last week Mr Trump rescinded his own nomination of Ronald Vitiello as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Speaking to Fox News on Monday, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said: “It’s time to do things a little differently.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionThe boy who risked his life for an American dream

“The president’s looking around to reshape his team so he can have the people in place to carry out his agenda.”

There are also reports that the president is preparing to toughen his stance on immigration.

According to the New York Times, Mr Trump is considering implementing further limits on asylum seekers, ending birthright citizenship, and closing ports of entry at the Mexican border.

But Mr Trump denied on Tuesday reports that his administration was planning once again to separate families caught crossing the border.

“We are not looking to do it,” he said.

He added: “Once you don’t have it [child separation], that’s why you see many more people coming. They’re coming like it’s a picnic because let’s go to Disneyland.”

Trump retreats on threat to close border

New border migrant separations revealed

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media caption‘I thought we would be treated differently in US’

More than 2,700 immigrant children were separated from their parents last year under a so-called zero tolerance US policy to prosecute anyone caught crossing the border illegally.

According to US media, the White House has recently been considering a “binary choice” policy.

This would give migrant parents awaiting immigration hearings two options: agree for their child to be held separately, or be detained together, possibly indefinitely, until their court date.

A 1997 court decision known as the Flores agreement states that immigrant children are only allowed to be held for 20 days.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Stephen Miller (centre) listens as President Trump speaks at a border security round-table discussion

The Trump administration has reportedly drafted a regulation to change these rules, an official told the Axios news website, so that the government could detain children for longer periods of time.

Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller is said to be encouraging the president to adopt an increasingly hardline stance on immigration.

Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Monday called Mr Miller “a white nationalist” on Twitter.

Mr Trump fired back at Ms Omar on Twitter, calling her criticism of Mr Miller, who is Jewish, anti-Semitic.

“‘What’s completely unacceptable is for Congresswoman Omar to target Jews, in this case Stephen Miller'”, Mr Trump wrote, citing a segment on Fox Business Network.

Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin also condemned Ms Omar for her comments.

“During my time in Congress before @IlhanOmar got here, I didn’t once witness another Member target Jewish people like this with the name calling & other personal attacks”, Mr Lee wrote. “For @IlhanOmar, this is just called Monday.”

The comments follow widespread condemnation of Ms Omar last month for her criticism of pro-Israel lobbyists in Washington DC.

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Former President Barack Obama speaks to young leaders from across Europe

Meanwhile, amid an ongoing debate about immigration on both sides of the Atlantic, former President Barack Obama told young people at a town hall meeting in Berlin, Germany: “We can’t label everybody disturbed by immigration as racist.”

He also said immigrants should be encouraged to learn the language of their adopted country.

[aslan744]

My dudes, I am going to rant about a topic that is talked about a lot in the media. It is a topic that concerns me, as a Latino and as an immigrant. Ya see, I live in a lovely place called Wisconsin. If ya don't know much about Wisconsin, then lemme tell ya. We got them farmers my dude. We got a shit ton of farms and cheese and cows and shit. We number 1 in cheese production but not milk, which is weird. We are second. California is first I believe. ANYWAYS. So since there is a lot of farms here, my good ol Hispanic ppl come here and work in farms. Cause most of us had unos pinches ranchos, ya know. Con las pinches vacas and shit. So we familiar with these farms. (Sort of. We good with working with the animals. The machinery is something that we don't normally do, but we learn to use it, in hopes of getting payed and helping our family be healthy and live in a nice home.) Now that we got that shit outta the way, lemme tell u bout the actual shit that's going on here. Today, there was a Day Without Latinxs, Immigrants, and Refugees march in Milwaukee. This march began cause of the county sheriff, David Clarke. Now my dudes. I don't know much about this dude, but this is what I found. This dude pledged to "crack down on undocumented immigrants." He wants to partner up with Immigration and Custom Enforcements (ICE). He wanna do dis so the local police force can have the same power as the ICE, to be able to arrest and detain undocumented people. This dude wants the POLICE FORCE to have this power. Like bro, no ty. Now, my friends. I know some of u might be like "yeAH GET RID OF THE FOOKIN SMELLY ASS TACO BREATHING MEXICANS U FILTHY SLUTS!" Now, whoever thinks this, gtfo my post. Get out. Didn't ask for yo damn opinion. Now. For the ones that are like "gimme a reason to side with u" then allow me to explain. Now you see, as a fellow Hispanic, Jennifer Estrada once said, "Immigrants are the backbone to the dairy industry in my area and without them, the economy would get worse for all of us. People should not be afraid of law enforcement, they should not live under the threat of their families being torn apart." Now. As she implied, many immigrants work in the dairy industry. In my area, there are several immigrants working in farms. A big farm company near my area, Holsum Elm Dairy, (I hope I spelled it right) they have so many immigrants working there. Like. I barely see any caucasians working there. There are a few but like I barely see them. And they are a very big company, lemme tell ya that. If we were to get rid of all those immigrants, then the company would go down my friends. They would have to try to find several people who want to work. (Now this is gonna me my input in this, this isn't accurate shit, but this is what I see and I'm going to state it cause I can) Now, white ppl seem very fookin picky to me. With a lot of things including jobs. A lot of white ppl I know would say stuff like "Ew! I ain't gon' work at a place full of filthy, disgusting cows that shit everywhere! That's gross! I can just go work at Starbucks or Subway or something." Now I know of some people who would be totally okay with it but there's barely any :') So if all the immigrants left, it would be really bad for the company and the economy. And it's not just farms my friend. In Milwaukee, there is a big market that is run by Hispanics and many people in that area go to shop there. So if the Hispanics were taken away, then there would be no market. Now my doods, we also got them authentic taco trucks, the little carts that sell corn on the cob, Mexican candy, and ice cream. And remember my doods, it's not just Hispanics who are in risk either. There's a bunch of other races and ethnics and all other shit. Now on the other shit. As my girl Jennifer Estrada also said, many people are in fear of being stripped from their families. Personally, I don't really care about this economy shit. This isn't my country. I came here because my parents wanted a better life and we wanted to escape poverty. My whole entire plan was to be here, make enough money to actually stay alive, and perhaps go back and live our nice and quiet lives. If I really wanted to, I could try and stay. So economy isn't really important and it's not my problem if the economy goes down. Y'all are the ones who allowed this to happen. We warned you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyways. The only thing that really, really scares me is the fact that families are being split. That is THE biggest fear most immigrants have. Lemme just put a picture in ur head my doods. Imagine just causally driving towards the grocery store with your mom and siblings. (Or dad. Or guardian. Or whatever. And if u don't have fookin siblings then friends and if u don't have friends then by ur fookin self ajdjwjjsj Ima stop here) So y'all going shopping and shit and then the police stops you. Why? Your mom was driving correctly and shit. She didn't do nothing wrong. But ya know, the po po just pulls her over and asks for documents. She says something like "I don't have them with me." And then the police says "you're under arrest ma'am for [some dumb shit that I dunno I'm not a cop jfc djjwjw]" So now. Your mom is arrested and you're never going to see her again. Cause she's being deported. And now. You're living in a foster care cause you don't got any other family member. That right there my friends. That is something that could happen to ME. THAT right there is my biggest fear. Having my mother deported. I lost my pops man, don't gotta get my mother taken away man. Now imagine all the kids that are being affected. Kids like me. I am only 15 years old. Going to high school. Got a sister that's almost a freshman. Having a loving mother who works her ass off to take care of me and my sister. I don't really know what is to happen to me and my sister. I have papers to be able to study here, but not my sister since she is not old enough to get them yet. And my mother doesn't have documents either. In this situation I am the only one who will probably stay here, but I'll be parted from my family. That is my biggest fear. And I'm not the only one dealing with this shit. Other families are living in fear. This is why the march started. Because the sheriff doesn't want just criminals removed. He wants ALL undocumented immigrants to be removed. Now I'm okay with criminals being removed. When I say criminals, I mean people who have broken the law SEVERAL TIMES or someone who did some really bad illegal shit besides being undocumented. NOT someone who has to use fake documents. Because listen here my doods, lots of us use fake documents. The lady from Arizona was deported because she used a fake social security number. A lot of people have those man, and that social security number was given to us by the DACA program or the DREAM program. (I don't know much about the DREAM program cri) Now people are deported yearly. Like all the fookin time, but they are usually criminals. Families are still being separated but like it's the persons fault for breaking the law several times and for not being careful. (Not tryna be rude but it's true) Now listen. We are not threats to your beloved country okay. Several refugees and immigrants help this economy. We do the jobs that other people don't want to do. We all have our own reasons for being here. Some of us have no reason to be here, but they still here helping ya know. This country was made by immigrants. LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THIS COUNTRY WAS MADE BECAUSE Y'ALL LEFT YO KING TO PRACTICE YOUR OWN RELIGION AND BE ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT FREELY. AND Y'ALL ALSO KICKED OUT NATIVE AMERICANS OF THE LAND THEY ALREADY OWNED AND LIKE Y'ALL RAPED AND KILLED THEM SO LIKE..... Anyways. This country btw, has no main language. It is not English. There just isn't one because there is so much diversity in this country. So like. Wake tf up. And realize that we aren't criminals and rapist. LOOK AT THE CHARTS AND INFO MY DOODS. MOST AMERICANS WERE KILLED BY AMERICANS. We barely did any killing my doods. We probably killed our own tbh. But like yeah. Also. I'm like okay with being deported. Like I can just go study in Mexico now like it's fine by me. Same sex marriage is legal in Mexico now and I, as a gender queer little lesbean, am totally okay with that. Except I don't wanna be deported just yet. Like. A bunch of drug lords are running around and killing each other in the streets of Mexico and it's crazy shit. I wanna at least finish schooling before I go back. Alright bitches. Lemme tell ya something. I love me some Barrack Obama. But lemme tell ya. He was one of the presidents who deported the most immigrants while he was in office. But he did this in a safe and sane matter. He got rid of the criminals. He still parted families but like, as I said before. The criminals decided to be pinches pendejos and like fuck shit up for themselves and they didn't watch themselves so they have a criminal record and then they got deported. Obama got rid of those criminals. HE DIDNT GET RID OF THOSE WITH FAKE DOCUMENTS. Why? Because he is the one who created DACA. He is the one who said something like "Alright, my fellow Americans. I'm gonna do a president thingy and make a program that allows the good immigrants that want to study and work here and make a living and shit. They allowed to apply for this good shit and take one step towards citizenship." And that's what my man Obama did. He helped us and warned us. He did some good reasonable shit unlike DONALD DUMP TRUCK. Also known as Donald Trump. Now. He needs to chill tf out. Like. Give him a beer. Take a fucking sip, babes Anyways. The point of this post is that I finished ranting and I hope I educated u guys and I hope y'all educate ur fellow white friends.

[aforfresh]

BARRACK OBAMA'S SAYS FAREWELL IN STYLE

The text of President Barack Obama’s farewell speech Tuesday night in Chicago, as prepared for delivery. ___ It’s good to be home. My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we’ve received over the past few weeks. But tonight it’s my turn to say thanks. Whether we’ve seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people – in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant outposts – are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going. Every day, I learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man. I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life. It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss. This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it. After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And it’s not just my belief. It’s the beating heart of our American idea – our bold experiment in self-government. It’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union. This is the great gift our Founders gave us. The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination – and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good. For 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. It’s what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. It’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to organize. It’s why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan – and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well. So that’s what we mean when we say America is exceptional. Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow. Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some. If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history . if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11 . if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens – you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that’s what we did. That’s what you did. You were the change. You answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started. In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next. I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me. Because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face. We have what we need to do so. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention mean that the future should be ours. But that potential will be realized only if our democracy works. Only if our politics reflects the decency of the people. Only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now. That’s what I want to focus on tonight – the state of our democracy. Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one. There have been moments throughout our history that threatened to rupture that solidarity. The beginning of this century has been one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism – these forces haven’t just tested our security and prosperity, but our democracy as well. And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland. In other words, it will determine our future. Our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. Today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again. The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low. The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years. And if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system – that covers as many people at less cost – I will publicly support it. That, after all, is why we serve – to make people’s lives better, not worse. But for all the real progress we’ve made, we know it’s not enough. Our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles. While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind – the laid-off factory worker; the waitress and health care worker who struggle to pay the bills – convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful – a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics. There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree that our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic dislocation won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete. And so we must forge a new social compact – to guarantee all our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from the new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country that’s made their success possible. We can argue about how to best achieve these goals. But we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come. There’s a second threat to our democracy – one as old as our nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. Such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. For race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago – you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum. But we’re not where we need to be. All of us have more work to do. After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children – because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America’s workforce. And our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women. Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination – in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. That’s what our Constitution and highest ideals require. But laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change. If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” For blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face – the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American, and also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he’s got all the advantages, but who’s seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change. For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ’60s; that when minority groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness; that when they wage peaceful protest, they’re not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our Founders promised. For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, Italians, and Poles. America wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation’s creed, and it was strengthened. So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own. None of this is easy. For too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste – all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that’s out there. This trend represents a third threat to our democracy. Politics is a battle of ideas; in the course of a healthy debate, we’ll prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we’ll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible. Isn’t that part of what makes politics so dispiriting? How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations? How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? It’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it’s self-defeating. Because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you. Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years, we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. But without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of climate change; they’ll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary. Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders. It’s that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse – the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket. It’s that spirit – a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but on principles – the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press. That order is now being challenged – first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right. Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although Boston and Orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We’ve taken out tens of thousands of terrorists – including Osama bin Laden. The global coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe. To all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief. But protecting our way of life requires more than our military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. That’s why, for the past eight years, I’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm legal footing. That’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, and reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. That’s why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans. That’s why we cannot withdraw from global fights – to expand democracy, and human rights, women’s rights, and LGBT rights – no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened. So let’s be vigilant, but not afraid. ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world – unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors. Which brings me to my final point – our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. When voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote. When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes. And all of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings. Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it’s really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power – with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured. In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken.to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;” that we should preserve it with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one. We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them. It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen. Ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere. Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes you’ll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America – and in Americans – will be confirmed. Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years, I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I’ve mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in Charleston church. I’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again. I’ve seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I’ve seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other. That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change – that faith has been rewarded in ways I couldn’t possibly have imagined. I hope yours has, too. Some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in 2012 – and maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off. You’re not the only ones. Michelle – for the past twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud. Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad. To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son: you were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the best. Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life. To my remarkable staff: For eight years – and for some of you, a whole lot more – I’ve drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism. I’ve watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we’ve done is the thought of all the remarkable things you’ll achieve from here. And to all of you out there – every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change – you are the best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and I will forever be grateful. Because yes, you changed the world. That’s why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than I was when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans – especially so many young people out there – to believe you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves. This generation coming up – unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – I’ve seen you in every corner of the country. You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America; you know that constant change has been America’s hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. You’ll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands. My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. I won’t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain. For now, whether you’re young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President – the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago. I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours. I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: Yes We Can. Yes We Did. Yes We Can. Thank you. God bless you. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

[lemonbombsfjl]

Obama's farewell speech

The text of President Barack Obama's farewell speech in Chicago (as prepared for delivery):

It's good to be home. My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we've received over the past few weeks. But tonight it's my turn to say thanks. Whether we've seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people - in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant outposts - are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going. Every day, I learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.

I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life. It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss. This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.

After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And it's not just my belief. It's the beating heart of our American idea - our bold experiment in self-government.

It's the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It's the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union.

This is the great gift our Founders gave us. The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination - and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good.

For 240 years, our nation's call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. It's what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. It's what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to organize. It's why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima; Iraq and Afghanistan - and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well.

So that's what we mean when we say America is exceptional. Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow.

Yes, our progress has been uneven. The work of democracy has always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody. For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some.

If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history . if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11 . if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens - you might have said our sights were set a little too high.

But that's what we did. That's what you did. You were the change. You answered people's hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.

In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy:  the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next. I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me. Because it's up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.

We have what we need to do so. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth. Our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention mean that the future should be ours.

But that potential will be realized only if our democracy works. Only if our politics reflects the decency of the people. Only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now.

That's what I want to focus on tonight - the state of our democracy.

Understand, democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same. But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity - the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one.

There have been moments throughout our history that threatened to rupture that solidarity. The beginning of this century has been one of those times. A shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism - these forces haven't just tested our security and prosperity, but our democracy as well. And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland.

In other words, it will determine our future.

Our democracy won't work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. Today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again. The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low. The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years. And if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we've made to our health care system - that covers as many people at less cost - I will publicly support it.

That, after all, is why we serve - to make people's lives better, not worse.

But for all the real progress we've made, we know it's not enough. Our economy doesn't work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class. But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles. While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind - the laid-off factory worker; the waitress and health care worker who struggle to pay the bills - convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful - a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.

There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. I agree that our trade should be fair and not just free. But the next wave of economic dislocation won't come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete.

And so we must forge a new social compact - to guarantee all our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from the new economy don't avoid their obligations to the country that's made their success possible. We can argue about how to best achieve these goals. But we can't be complacent about the goals themselves. For if we don't create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.

There's a second threat to our democracy - one as old as our nation itself. After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America. Such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. For race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. I've lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago - you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum.

But we're not where we need to be. All of us have more work to do. After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don't look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children - because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America's workforce. And our economy doesn't have to be a zero-sum game. Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.

Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination - in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. That's what our Constitution and highest ideals require. But laws alone won't be enough. Hearts must change. If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

For blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face - the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American, and also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he's got all the advantages, but who's seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change.

For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn't suddenly vanish in the '60s; that when minority groups voice discontent, they're not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness; that when they wage peaceful protest, they're not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our Founders promised.

For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, Italians, and Poles. America wasn't weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation's creed, and it was strengthened.

So regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own.

None of this is easy. For too many of us, it's become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste - all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that's out there.

This trend represents a third threat to our democracy. Politics is a battle of ideas; in the course of a healthy debate, we'll prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. But without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we'll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible.

Isn't that part of what makes politics so dispiriting?  How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we're cutting taxes for corporations?  How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing?  It's not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it's self-defeating. Because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you.

Take the challenge of climate change. In just eight years, we've halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. But without bolder action, our children won't have time to debate the existence of climate change; they'll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary.

Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem. But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders.

It's that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse - the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral; the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.

It's that spirit - a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but on principles - the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press.

That order is now being challenged - first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power. The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what's true and what's right.

Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although Boston and Orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. We've taken out tens of thousands of terrorists - including Osama bin Laden. The global coalition we're leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe. To all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief.

But protecting our way of life requires more than our military. Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. So just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. That's why, for the past eight years, I've worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm legal footing. That's why we've ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, and reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. That's why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans. That's why we cannot withdraw from global fights - to expand democracy, and human rights, women's rights, and LGBT rights - no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem. For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened.

So let's be vigilant, but not afraid. ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world - unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.

Which brings me to my final point - our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. When voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote. When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes.

And all of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings.

Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. But it's really just a piece of parchment. It has no power on its own. We, the people, give it power - with our participation, and the choices we make. Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. America is no fragile thing. But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.

In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but "from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken.to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;" that we should preserve it with "jealous anxiety;" that we should reject "the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties" that make us one.

We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service; so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent. We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them.

It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we've been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title:  Citizen.

Ultimately, that's what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there's an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere. Sometimes you'll win. Sometimes you'll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America - and in Americans - will be confirmed.

Mine sure has been. Over the course of these eight years, I've seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I've mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in Charleston church. I've seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again. I've seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I've seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other.

That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change - that faith has been rewarded in ways I couldn't possibly have imagined. I hope yours has, too. Some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in 2012 - and maybe you still can't believe we pulled this whole thing off.

You're not the only ones. Michelle - for the past twenty-five years, you've been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. You took on a role you didn't ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You've made me proud. You've made the country proud.

Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I've done in my life, I'm most proud to be your dad.

To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware's favorite son:  you were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the best. Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life.

To my remarkable staff:  For eight years - and for some of you, a whole lot more - I've drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism. I've watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own. Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you. The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we've done is the thought of all the remarkable things you'll achieve from here.

And to all of you out there - every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change - you are the best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and I will forever be grateful. Because yes, you changed the world.

That's why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than I was when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans - especially so many young people out there - to believe you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves. This generation coming up - unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic - I've seen you in every corner of the country. You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America; you know that constant change has been America's hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. You'll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands.

My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. I won't stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain. For now, whether you're young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President - the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago.

I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change - but in yours.

I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written:

Yes We Can.

Yes We Did.

Yes We Can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.