All purpose news and politics thread part VII: News & Politics Total Landscaping

[aja_christopher]

“These groups see gay rights, immigration, interracial contact, and especially the birth of interracial children, feminism as all being a problem because they believe that those things will undermine the white birthrate. And that means that for these activists, they see those as apocalyptic threats that are somewhat interchangeable in a larger project of protecting and preserving whiteness itself and advocating for a antidemocratic, white ethno-state, which is what they're doing.

RASCOE: So this is separate and apart from, like, the KKK, you know, after reconstruction and things like that. You look at these as different movements?

BELEW: Sort of. So there's two different things that happened. In 1979, the Klan joins together with a whole bunch of other people for the first time in American history. They join together with neo-Nazis, skinheads, later with militiamen, radical tax resisters, people in white supremacist religious groups. That amalgamated group - that sort of coming together - that's the white power movement. So it includes the Klan, but it's not just the Klan.

RASCOE: It seems like targeting LGBTQ people could be a way to talk about an issue on somewhat mainstream outlets in a way that you cannot do so much when it comes to, like, targeting, like, Black people or even Hispanic people. If you just outright say, I don't think my kids should be around Black people, it seems like that might make some people uncomfortable.

But if you say, I don't want my kids - I'm worried about my kids being around gay people or around drag performers, there's this whole kind of movement that allows that type of conversation to happen or feels like this kind of conversation is OK to happen.”

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/19/11061...g-lgbtq-groups

[aja_christopher]

White nationalism is the open secret of the Republican Party.

It speaks volumes that conservatives like Mets do their best to address everything but the obvious.

[Malvolio]

Would it kill Mets to admit he was wrong about the Party he's been a member of for so long? I mean seriously, is the fact that being a Republican is so much a part of his identity all that it is? If so, that is just sad.

[aja_christopher]

Would it kill Mets to admit he was wrong about the Party he's been a member of for so long?

Can’t see where he would admit that if he agrees with Republican policies.

It’s the lack of objective debate over said policies and corresponding evidence that prevents any real progress — the repeated denial of facts shows that it is more about proving others wrong than reaching reasonable consensus.

Which is understandable when there is no common ground to be found in accepting bigotry.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

First They Came – by Pastor Martin Niemöller




Here is an update version by me for anyone who is at the bottom of the list:

First they came for the LGBTQ+
And I did not speak out
Because I was not LGBTQ+
Then they came for the Migrants
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Migrant
Then they came for Women
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Woman
Then they came for the Books
And I did not speak out
Because I do not/can not read
Then they came for the Educators
And I did not speak out
Because I was not an educator
Then they came for the Election/Poll Workers
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Election/Poll Worker
Then they came for the Medical Professionals
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Medical Professional
Then they came for the Liberals/Democrats
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Liberal or a Democrat
Then they came for the Blacks and Browns
And I did not speak out
Because I was White
Then they came for the Career Civil Servants
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Civil Servant
Then they came for the Journalists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Journalist
Then they came for the Asians
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Asian
Then they came for the Muslims and Arabs
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Muslim or Arab
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

All too true! We're watching this nightmare unfold in real time. Of course, certain members who post here will scoff and say we're "exaggerating" and "overreacting".

[CaptainEurope]

[WestPhillyPunisher]

We're talking Obama tan suit level scandalous here, people! Shocking! Positively shocking!

[comictimes]

I wonder if Putin had those in the 13 percent pushed out of a high window by accident or just had them shot...

He'd rather call Bibi so he can bomb them, much more efficient.

[Dalak]

Pranksters dupe Tucker Carlson into believing they edited Princess of Wales photo

This gave me a chuckle.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-nomin...200002143.html

The GOP is a full on freak show at this point, but the NC GOP is definitely trying to take the lead.

This did not.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03...e-lgbtq-bills/

https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2023-...-what-theyd-do

While FL isn't much better, TX always has to do things up big.

White nationalism is the open secret of the Republican Party.

It speaks volumes that conservatives like Mets do their best to address everything but the obvious.

From the highest positions in the US to local constituencies, the blinders necessary to ignore it are mighty biased and far from 'moderate'.

First They Came – by Pastor Martin Niemöller

Here is an update version by me for anyone who is at the bottom of the list:

First they came for the LGBTQ+
And I did not speak out
Because I was not LGBTQ+
Then they came for the Migrants
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Migrant
Then they came for Women
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Woman
Then they came for the Books
And I did not speak out
Because I do not/can not read
Then they came for the Educators
And I did not speak out
Because I was not an educator
Then they came for the Election/Poll Workers
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Election/Poll Worker
Then they came for the Medical Professionals
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Medical Professional
Then they came for the Liberals/Democrats
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Liberal or a Democrat
Then they came for the Blacks and Browns
And I did not speak out
Because I was White
Then they came for the Career Civil Servants
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Civil Servant
Then they came for the Journalists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Journalist
Then they came for the Asians
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Asian
Then they came for the Muslims and Arabs
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Muslim or Arab
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

It seems valid to me.

Between Trump's shoes and Biden's, what's with the focus on footwear?

[Dalak]

You weren’t the only one to make that observation.

Is it “right” to support the policies of the political party that helped drive this individual towards suicide while turning a blind eye to Republican bigotry that led to that choice?

And to continue to show little to no concern for the victims of anti-LGBT violence?

From both a moral and an objective standpoint the answer clearly is “no”.

There is a stark difference between being right and ignoring and deflecting when one is wrong.

Pretty much the bolded, one doesn't get to be smug about being right if they refuse to admit when they are in the wrong . . at least without it being commented on.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/former-stu...100518284.html

A post that was carefully ignored when Mets decided to try and attack you for calling him out. It helps to avoid acknowledging things like this when trying to portray someone as attacking him without evidence.

I’ve often wondered if someone embraces the conservative ideology because they initially lack empathy or if that virtue is slowly eroded over time because their ego’s won’t allow them to ever admit to themselves they may have been wrong.
Probably both I guess.

Considering the last several replies, it seems that you are pretty close if not spot on.

Oh for fucks sake.

I mean, I've literally posted links to students talking about the climate of bullying non-gender-conforming kids in the same school as Nex, but sure, 'we don't know for sure', even though Nex made statements themselves that this is in fact why they were bullied.

FFS indeed.

I like that he suggests that standing up to bullies is the worst thing a victim can do. And that their suicide probably was more about getting attention than all the documented anti-trans bullying (provoked by ‘conservative’, ‘christian’ Republican talking heads and politicians and leaders) that they suffered.

Classy victim blaming. Opinions like this are why people are so ‘mean’ to conservatives, and why conservatives are so ‘oppressed’.

Claiming we don't know if Nex was bullied for being trans for sure means doubting all reports involving Nex . . except when they say that things might not be as bad for the Anti-Trans bigots.

All the talk of respecting facts and evidence is a clear lie — even when shown evidence he refuses to address provided documentation and continues attempting to deny the obvious.

And he has yet to show any evidence backing his argument — he just ignores the facts presented when they don’t suit his agenda.

Evidence has been repeatedly provided that this is the case and you have repeatedly ignored it.

You have provided no counter evidence and instead have gloated about being right about a suicide.

This is why many claim you don’t argue in good faith — with valid reason.

No evidence except for unrelated arguments. On the subject of questioning if Nex was actually bullied - None. As I said above, it really comes down to doubting everything else to assume such.

I have posted them, and I've posted about the culture of bullying and harassment in a state run by the party you want more than anything to protect.

So, you didn't read it at the time, or likely any of the links contained within to journalists that documented Chaya's rhetoric and what happens after, or the role it played in Oklahoma schools receiving bomb threats? Just being clear, here, we're dismissing all of that because they said it was a murder. Got it!

That's 1) not generally how DailyKos works, as other people posted when then news of the medical examiner's report broke. and 2) their point was that Chaya Raichik helped enable a culture of harssment and bullying in the school that helped make the bullying acceptable. Bullying that helped lead to a violent assault on a student, whose injuries were pretty severe for a 'school fight'.

Oh, are we now taking user *replies* to discount things?

Transphobia killed them.

Naw. You are a liar.

You lied: Most politicians with anti-trans views don't think they're hurting trans kids.

I think it's pretty obvious they know they're hurting them, and I think you know that too. At best, they believe it's for their own good. Believing it is for their own good doesn't make abuse less abusive, nor does it make ignoring a culture of abuse towards non gender conforming and trans students okay.

So, again: I have provided numerous links that show the influence of Libs of TikTok and the transphobic rhetoric from state officials. That Nex might've taken their own life by overdosing on their medication doesn't change that they endured months of harassment without sufficient protection from the people who were supposed to protect them, which I have repeatedly shown to be true and without contest from you.

As I said before: people don't generally update DailyKos posts unless it's still on their reccomended list and receiving feedback and discussion. Instead, new posts are written containing new opinions and information. This is how DailyKos works. I posted that article because it aggregated a lot of information on the climate created and emboldened by the people you're protecting here. Demanding that they change it to suit you before you'll take anything else written in something posted at the time more seriously is another example of you deciding you get to invent a standard and apply it to a site you don't use. Moreover, it changes nothing about what's contained within the diary in terms of sources for what it's mostly talking about: the climate of bullying, harassment, and prejudice created by Chaya Raichik and Ryan Walters, alongside the kind of people who would call bomb threats into schools or work to get more supporitve teachers fired.

Again, this changes literally nothing about what else is contained in the article, written by people not them in reputable newspapers, which you'd know if you bothered to look at anything beyond trying to find something to disagree with so you can ignore everything else. Like you do.

Oh, it's a t-shirt thing! Again, this is another example of you trying to find a minor thing you can then use to ignore all the other things there.

This seems very familiar, including the failure to read evidence, use of nitpicks to dismiss people/arguments outright, and an interesting new Double Standard - When a News Story doesn't update if they're wrong it's a sign that the publication is Trash . . unless it's The Week and then it's a sign that they are right instead of hobbyists online with factual evidence.

Ultimately, not arguing in good faith as usual.

Rather than being concerned that a child committed suicide due to documented anti-LGBT abuse promoted by the conservative political party that you support.

Again — don’t claim to care about facts and evidence if you are going to ignore them.

You can see it in the complete lack of concern for the victims of conservative policy.

The consolation is that this willful ignorance of racism and bigotry will be their downfall in an increasingly diverse nation — even Republicans themselves know this.

The only person Mets is fooling here is himself — ignoring factual evidence and arguing for morals and ethics while demanding none from those that he defends is so blatantly hypocritical that it’s clear that he sees it even if he won’t admit to it.

Attacking others for calling him out on this just verifies his lack of accountability.

You weren’t criticized for being “right” as others also made that same observation.

You are being criticized for your hypocrisy in ignoring racism and bigotry in the party you support.

You’ve provided no evidence that refutes the issue of blatant Republican bigotry while others have posted direct evidence about Republican anti-LGBT legislation and its effects on those it targets.

Given recent legislation and hate speech in Oklahoma, Nex clearly was one such individual.



More factual evidence for him to address — or likely ignore — regarding Republican bigotry.

Rather than repeatedly mischaracterizing the arguments of others in an attempt to deflect from actual conservative behavior and policy since that is his habit.

If he truly wanted to address these issues he would do so instead of criticizing other posters.

Every time he asks for more evidence, it shows the hypocrisy on display in ignoring so much other evidence.

Would it kill Mets to admit he was wrong about the Party he's been a member of for so long? I mean seriously, is the fact that being a Republican is so much a part of his identity all that it is? If so, that is just sad.

Can’t see where he would admit that if he agrees with Republican policies.

It’s the lack of objective debate over said policies and corresponding evidence that prevents any real progress — the repeated denial of facts shows that it is more about proving others wrong than reaching reasonable consensus.

Which is understandable when there is no common ground to be found in accepting bigotry.

Admitting he was wrong about this would undercut the position of authority that he sees himself in here, or at least that's my guess. He does seem to police our behavior and use our posts to dismiss actual news reports that argue differently than he feels things should be after all. That doesn't explain the times he's refused to admit he was wrong regarding minor things though.

[kidfresh512]

Supreme Court rejects appeal from parents who lost custody of trans teen

ASHINGTON − The Supreme Court on Monday declined to decide if an Indiana couple who believe children should be raised based on their sex at birth should have lost custody of their teenager, a transgender girl.

The court, without comment, rejected an appeal from the teen’s parents who’d warned that cases similar to theirs are likely to reoccur “due to developing conflicts between parents and their children concerning gender identity.”

“With increasing frequency, governments run roughshod over parents’ religious beliefs on gender identity, including removing children from parents, favoring certain beliefs in divorce custody disputes, and preventing adoptions,” lawyers for Mary and Jeremy Cox of Anderson, Ind., told the court in their unsuccessful appeal. “These cases are sure to proliferate.”

The state said the parents, self-described devout Christians, lost custody not because of their views but because of the medical necessity of addressing the teen’s severe eating disorder.

A provision of Indiana law that is similar to statutes in nearly every state allows government intervention in “a variety of situations in which even well-intentioned parent find themselves unable to prevent serious harm,” the state told the court.

Indiana also argued that the custody dispute is no longer relevant because the teen, who was 16 when removed from the home, is now an adult.

The case began in 2021 after the Indiana Department of Child Services received two reports of abuse or neglect, both related to teen’s transgender identity. One alleged that the parents were verbally and emotionally abusing their child because they did not accept that the teen was transgender, according to court records.
After hearings, a judge ordered the teen be removed from the parents’ custody, get treated for the eating disorder and participate in both individual and family therapy. The state dropped allegations of parental abuse or neglect but argued the teen’s eating disorder might worsen if the parents regained custody.

The parents were told not to discuss transgender issues with their child outside of the therapy sessions because of the connection between those conversations and the eating disorder.

Had not heard of this case previously. But, it sounds like this child was saved from being another suicide statistic. Hopefully can find the help and support to get control of the stress and eating disorder.

Sounds like without being harassed and stressed out by the religious parents maybe can find a way to a healthy and happy life.

[Dalak]

Supreme Court rejects appeal from parents who lost custody of trans teen

Had not heard of this case previously. But, it sounds like this child was saved from being another suicide statistic. Hopefully can find the help and support to get control of the stress and eating disorder.

Sounds like without being harassed and stressed out by the religious parents maybe can find a way to a healthy and happy life.

This quote from the story sums up my feelings on this case quite well: "The Parents have the right to exercise their religious beliefs,” the appeals court said, “but they do not have the right to exercise them in a manner that causes physical or emotional harm to Child.”

This applies to educators, politicians, doctors, and other individuals who have no business getting their religion/beliefs involved in someone else's life. I believe there is a constitutional amendment which enshrines that freedom, and we all know how important the constitution & the protection of children is to the GoP so they should have no problem with honoring . . yeah I can't even finish this sarcasm. We all know that the desire here is to control others through their beliefs, but the ones who could do something about it (Conservative voters) share in that unconstitutional desire.

[kidfresh512]

Trump Spurned by 30 Companies as He Seeks Bond in $454 Million Judgment

Donald J. Trump’s lawyers disclosed on Monday that he had failed to secure a roughly half-billion dollar bond in his civil fraud case in New York, arguing that doing so was “a practical impossibility.”

The filing, coming one week before the bond is due, raised the prospect that the former president might face a financial crisis unless an appeals court comes to his rescue. Mr. Trump has asked the appeals court to pause the $454 million judgment that a New York judge imposed on Mr. Trump last month, or accept a bond of only $100 million.

The former president has been unable to secure the full bond, his lawyers said in the court filing on Monday, despite “diligent efforts.” Those efforts included approaching about 30 companies, and yet, they said, he has encountered “insurmountable difficulties.”

He must post an appeal bond in excess of that amount — possibly more than $500 million to reflect the interest he will owe — to prevent Ms. James from seizing his assets on March 25.

Oh well sell assets!

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Trump Spurned by 30 Companies as He Seeks Bond in $454 Million Judgment





Oh well sell assets!

When Trump loses, brother, he loses BIGLY! So, would anyone be willing to piss half a billion down the toilet to help Dolt45, given his sketchy finances? I doubt even his most deep pocketed, dark money buddies would take that sort of risk. By the way, does anyone know how that GoFundMe to bail him out is coming along?

[Iron Maiden]

Trump Spurned by 30 Companies as He Seeks Bond in $454 Million Judgment





Oh well sell assets!

Considering how many small businesses Trump swindled out of their rightful payments back in the 1990s, this is just karma.