The
NAACP will not invite President Donald Trump to its national convention
this year — the first time in the civil rights organization’s 116-year
history that it has excluded a sitting president — citing what it
described as his attacks on American democracy.
“The
president has signed unconstitutional executive orders to oppress
voters and undo federal civil rights protections; he has illegally
turned the military on our communities, and he continually undermines
every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and to
personally benefit from the U.S. government,” NAACP President and CEO
Derrick Johnson said Monday, announcing the group’s decision.
Good.
Too
many people and groups have worked to normalize the Convicted Felon.
Good to know the NAACP won't play that game. If more people had spines,
that would have been a check on this despot who thinks he can break the
law and ignore the Constitution and who works only for a tiny segment of
America and that segment is not Black people.
The report notes:
The
NAACP convention will be held July 12-16 in Charlotte. This year’s
theme is “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” reflecting the political divisions
and threats to civil rights.
The move is the
latest flash point between the Trump administration and the nation’s
largest civil rights organization, which is leading legal battles,
including those against efforts to dismantle the Department of Education
and changes to voting regulations.
Uncle
Tom Harrison Fields is then quote -- he's one of the few House slaves
allowed into the White House and he can't stop singing Massah Donald's
praises.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Donald Chump spreads hate and killings ensue --
that is the pattern and it must be the plan or he would stop spreading
hate. The tourism industry in the US continues to tank. You might be
able to ignore it right now but by end of summer the money lost will not
be something the country can ignore. Randi and other idiots who think
this is the time to attack Democrats need to leave the party
immediately, and much more.
What does
it say about the presidency and our country when the occupant of the
Oval Office sounds just like a crazed killer? Donald Chump sounds like
killer Vance Boelter who sounded like Chump because the two are
intertwined in mind. Klaus Marre (WHO WHAT WHY) notes Chump's social media posts from Sunday:
“These
Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually
want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it!
There is something wrong with them,” Trump added about 48 hours after a
man who, according to his friend, is a staunch supporter of the
president, assassinated one Democrat (and her husband), wounded another,
and had a target list of many more.
Posting this is the height of irresponsibility. It is essentially an incitement to violence.
For
good measure, the president also explains to his followers what is at
stake by stating that Democrats want “open borders, transgender for
everybody, and men playing in women’s sports” – just so they understand
that it is more important to take over Democratic cities than deporting
the undocumented immigrants in the communities where Trump voters
actually live.
They’ll believe him, of course.
And
that brings us back to those GOP lawmakers who will have to answer
questions tomorrow like “Do you agree with President Trump when he says
that Democrats are sick and hate our country, and do you think that this
was the right moment to tweet something like this in light of the
events of this weekend?”
What do you say to
that? How do you defend the rantings of a nutjob who can end your career
(and possibly endanger your family) with a social media post?
Friends
and former colleagues interviewed by AP described Boelter as a devout
Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign
rallies for President Donald Trump. Records show Boelter registered to
vote as a Republican while living in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to
Minnesota where voters don’t list party affiliation.
Near
the scene at Hortman’s home, authorities say they found an SUV made to
look like those used by law enforcement. Inside they found fliers for a
local anti-Trump “No Kings” rally scheduled for Saturday and a notebook
with names of other lawmakers. The list also included the names of
abortion rights advocates and health care officials, according to two
law enforcement officials who could not discuss details of the ongoing
investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Both Hortman and Hoffman were defenders of abortion rights at the state legislature.
Boelter
is a Christian who voted for President Donald Trump and opposes
abortion and LGBTQ rights, according to interviews with his childhood
friend and videos of his sermons posted online. A list of potential
targets — including Hoffman and Hortman — included abortion providers
and other Democratic elected officials from Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The
attack, which has shocked Minnesotans and the nation, comes amid rising
political violence since the emergence of President Donald Trump, who
has made repeated threats of violence against his political enemies and
praised his supporters who, for instance, attacked officers while
storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He later pardoned all of them. He
survived two assassination attempts in 2024.
How
is that any different from what Chump posted on social media Sunday
night or from the hate he spews nonstop? It's not different at all. It
is exactly the same. And that's why so many of us have been so
bothered by Chump's violent rhetoric. And we realized when he got shot
last July that he'd brought it on himself with violent remarks. You get
what you put out and that's always been known better as "you reap what
you sow."
Until he was named the suspect in the shootings last Saturday morning,
Vance Boelter seemed like just another member of the MAGA universe. He
was a registered Republican and a Trump supporter. He was also an
evangelical minister who ran a security business.
Boelter is alleged to have shown up at the home of Minnesota state Rep.
Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband Mark Hortman early Saturday morning,
impersonating a police officer. He shot and killed both. He used the
same ruse at the home of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his
wife, Yvette Hoffman, critically injuring both. Boelter was arrested
yesterday.
Both Hortman and Hoffman were supporters of the LGBTQ community. As
speaker of the House in 2023, Hortman was instrumental in shepherding
through trans rights protections, including a “trans refugee” bill that
prohibits other states from interfering with gender-affirming health
care in Minnesota.
Following a shootout with police, Boelter escaped. Police found in
his car a list of 70 people that Boelter allegedly marked for
assassination. The list included politicians and abortion rights
activists.
“There’s people, especially in America, they don’t know what sex they
are. They don’t know their sexual orientation. They’re confused,” he
said. “The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.” (Not
surprisingly, the anti-LGBTQ+ legal group Alliance Defending Freedom
was among the groups “liked” by Boelter on social media.)
This is the hate that they have sewn. Do not mistake
it for anything else. Chump gives permission to attack LGBTQ+ members,
he encourages it. There is no difference between his incitement and the
actions of the shooter. Daniel Villarreal (LGBTQ NATION) reports:
A federal judge has ruled against President Donald Trump’s decision
to freeze $2.4 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants
allocated to research on gender identity and other fields tied to
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The judge said the
Trump administration must immediately restore the grants, but he didn’t
officially rule on whether Trump’s anti-DEI orders are illegal — the
case under the judge remains ongoing and could eventually result in an
important ruling against Trump’s anti-DEI crusade.
“This [freezing of NIH grants] represents racial discrimination and
discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community,” said Judge William
Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, an
appointee of President Ronald Reagan. “Any discrimination by our
government is so wrong that it requires the court to enjoin it and at an
appropriate time, I’m going to do it,” he added, promising a possibly
more sweeping future ruling on the grants and Trump’s orders, NBC News reported.
[. . .]
Ports read an NIH statement
which said DEI-related studies “are often used to support unlawful
discrimination.” However, in response, Young said, “I see no evidence of
that.”
“I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government
racial discrimination like this,” Young said during oral arguments,
referring to Trump’s anti-DEI orders. “Is it true of our society as a
whole? Have we fallen so low? Have we no shame?”
The shooter didn't have any shame.
Chump doesn't have any shame.
This
hate speech is not just words. It puts people at risk. There's no
defense of it. People need to stop pretending and acting like this is
just opinion. People are getting killed from this 'opinion.' It is
hate speech and there is no place for it in the United States, certainly
not in the White House.
But Chump uses it, He spreads the hate. He uses it to target veterans. He uses it to scapegoat. MB Mack (LATIN TIMES) reports:
New
guidelines implemented under an executive order by President Donald
Trump now allow VA hospital staff to refuse healthcare to veterans based
on political affiliation and marital status, prompting concerns that
Democratic and unmarried veterans may be denied treatment.
On
January 30, Trump signed an executive order titled "Defending Women
from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the
Federal Government." While its primary aim was to curtail federal
protections for transgender individuals, the order also triggered
sweeping changes within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),
according to the Guardian.
The
VA, which serves over 9 million veterans across more than 170 hospitals
and 1,000 clinics, revised its internal bylaws to strip longstanding
protections against discrimination based on political party, marital
status, sexual orientation and national origin.
The
updated policies allow doctors, psychologists, dentists and other
healthcare workers at VA hospitals to refuse treatment to veterans based
on characteristics not explicitly protected by federal law. While
veterans are still legally entitled to care, there is now no rule
preventing staff from declining service to individuals based on their
political beliefs or whether they are unmarried.
Internal
documents reviewed by the outlet confirm that the changes are already
in effect at some VA centers. The VA's press secretary confirmed the
revisions were made to align with Trump's executive order but did not
clarify what federal law required such shifts.
He's
attacking veterans care. I hope we grasp that. He attempted to use
the military on Saturday. He even saluted a group of veterans of the
Vietnam War -- this despite his getting five deferments that Daddy
bought so Chump wouldn't have to serve in that war. He has no respect
for veterans and he makes that clear with his latest attack o them. Anna Carlson (THE MIRROR) adds:
Meanwhile,
VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz maintained that the updated
guidelines are aligned with an executive order issued by Trump, yet he
fell short of clarifying which federal statutes necessitated such
revisions.
"All eligible veterans
will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and
services they've earned under the law," he claimed, emphasizing that the
shift is merely procedural.
In
interviews, veterans said the impact of the new policy would probably
fall hardest on female veterans, LGBTQ+ veterans and those who live in
rural areas where there are fewer doctors overall. “I’m lucky. I have my
choice of three clinics,” said Tia Christopher, a navy veteran who
reported being raped in service in 2000.
Based
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Christopher advocates on behalf of
military sexual trauma survivors throughout the country. Under the new
policy, some may have to register at a hospital in another region and
travel more than a hundred miles to see a doctor. It “could have a huge
ripple effect”, she said.
As
concerned as they were about the new policies themselves, medical
experts were equally worried about the way they came about. Sources at
multiple VA hospitals, speaking on condition of anonymity because of
fear of retaliation, told the Guardian that the rule changes were
imposed without consultation with the system’s doctors – a
characterization the VA’s Kasperowicz did not dispute.
Such
a move would run counter to standards established by the Joint
Commission, a non-profit organization that accredits hospitals.
Kasperowicz said the agency worked with the Joint Commission “to ensure
these changes would have no impact on VA’s accreditation”.
At
its annual convention in Chicago this week, the American Medical
Association’s 733-member policymaking body passed a resolution
reaffirming “its commitment to medical staff self-governance … and urges
all healthcare institutions, including the US Department of Veterans
Affairs, to ensure that any amendments to medical staff bylaws are
subject to approval by medical staff in accordance with Joint Commission
standards”.
If you watch THE 11TH HOUR WITH STEPHANIE RUHLE on MSNBC regularly you know that Leigh Ann Caldwell is now with PUCK.
Leigh Ann is often a panelist on Stephanie's show. So for KPFA
listeners, Aaron's now with THE GUARDIAN and Leigh Ann is now with
PUCK.
Senator Patty Murray's office issued the following on Chump's latest attack on veterans:
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray
(D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs
Committee, released the following statement on new U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital guidelines from the Trump administration explicitly eliminating
language requiring healthcare professionals to care for veterans
regardless of their politics and marital status, and allowing doctors
and other medical staff to be barred from working at VA hospitals based
on their marital status, political party affiliation or union activity:
“Health care isn’t just a special privilege Trump gets to
dole out to veterans who agree with the President—it’s a moral
obligation our country owes to every single man and woman who serves in
uniform. Anyone who doesn’t understand that has no business leading our
armed forces in any way.
“It’s outrageous that President Trump and Secretary Collins
are effectively green-lighting discrimination against wide swaths of our
veteran population and the doctors who serve them. Under Trump’s new
rules, veterans can be blocked from getting care, and doctors can be
barred from working at VA hospitals for the sole reason that they may be
unmarried, belong to a union, are registered
Democrats, or identify as gay or trans—it’s appalling and un-American.
Servicemembers defend our country in uniform whether they’re Democrat or
Republican, married or unmarried, they have already proven they are
worthy of VA care. They shouldn’t have to fight again when they’re home
to get benefits they have earned.
“President Trump is going out of his way to
discriminate against veterans and ripping up the sacred contract we make
with our veterans that we will take care of them when they come home,
and that they are entitled to the best health care our nation has to
offer. This is bigotry, plain and simple, and it cannot be allowed to
stand—and I sincerely hope my Republican colleagues would agree.
“It’s disgusting that this policy was ever allowed to go into
effect, and I will not let it fly under the radar. This policy must be
rescinded immediately—this administration is not immune to public
pressure and now is the time for everyone to speak out.”
Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’
Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the
daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their
families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray
has been a leading voice in the Senate speaking out forcefully against President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firing of VA employees and VA researchers across the country and Elon Musk and DOGE’s infiltration of the VA, including accessing veterans’ sensitive personal information.
Last week at a hearing on veterans’ mental health, Senator Murray
pressed administration officials on the importance of transparency and
communication with Congress and how the Trump administration’s mass
firings might undermine care for veterans who have dealt with sexual
trauma. In February, Murray grilled Trump’s then-nominee for VA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Paul Lawrence, on the mass firings of VA employees and VA researchers. After pressing Doug Collins on
EHR and protecting women’s access to VA health care, including
lifesaving abortion care, at his nomination hearing, Senator Murray
voted against Doug Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary in early
February, sounding the alarm over
Elon Musk and DOGE’s activities at the VA and making clear that the
Trump administration’s lawlessness is putting our national security and
our veterans at risk.
Recently, Senator Murray released a report on
how Trump’s mass firings at VA are already hurting veterans’ services
and health care in Washington state and across the country. Senator
Murray and her colleagues have demanded that VA swiftly reverse moves to cut VA researchers, and have sent multipleletters pressing
Secretary Collins to sever Elon Musk and DOGE’s access to any VA or
other government system with information about veterans, and protect
veterans, their families, and VA staff from unprecedented access to
sensitive information.
Last month, Senator Murray grilled Secretary Collins
on how the Trump administration’s mass firing of VA employes is hurting
veterans’ ability to get the health care they need—from jeopardizing VA
research, to creating new risks around the deployment of the Electronic
Health Record (EHR) system to additional VA Medical Centers, which the
Trump administration is insisting on moving ahead with despite
persistent and unresolved issues at the sites where it is currently
deployed. Murray also pressed Secretary Collins on new policies the
Trump administration recently rolled out that severely limit
Congressional engagement with veterans and VA for no legitimate reason.
You’ve
probably heard whispers that tourism is “down a bit” in America this
year, but the reality is far more dramatic than most are willing to
admit. While industry leaders cautiously mention “temporary adjustments”
and “market corrections,” the numbers tell a harsher truth: the United
States is losing international visitors at an unprecedented rate.
According
to the World Travel & Tourism Council, America is the only major
destination among 184 global economies projected to see a decline in
international tourism revenue in 2025, with a $12.5 billion shortfall
already expected.
As the world turns away from
the U.S., it’s not just vacations being canceled. The very idea of
America as a welcoming destination is slipping, and the consequences are
adding up fast.
Canada’s quiet boycott of American
travel has turned into a full-blown economic rupture. Between February
and March 2025, Canadian visits to the U.S. fell 23% by land and 4% by
air. Flights? Down by as much as 76%. The reasons go beyond politics or
tariffs.
A growing number of Canadians now
view the U.S. not as a friendly backyard escape, but as unwelcoming
territory. Travel agencies report U.S. bookings are down 40%, with that
$20.5 billion in spending heading to Europe, Mexico, or closer to home. A
once-effortless relationship between two nations has chilled, and the
emotional distance may prove harder to fix than any policy dispute.
European
travelers are backing away too, and fast. March 2025 saw visits from
Western Europe drop 17%, with Germany, Spain, and Ireland leading the
retreat. These are Visa Waiver Program countries, but the real issue
isn’t bureaucracy, it’s perception. Stories of tourists being detained,
professors canceling trips, and travelers denied entry over political
views have flooded European media.
Official
travel warnings from countries like Germany and the UK have only added
weight. For many Europeans, America now feels risky, unpredictable, and
unwelcome. When lifelong dream vacations are being scrapped over
conscience, the U.S. isn’t just losing tourism. It’s losing hearts and
minds.
Khaby Lame’s detention at a Las Vegas
airport was more than a celebrity mishap, it was a global turning point.
With 160 million TikTok followers, his forced removal lit up social
media and stoked fears worldwide. The alleged tip from a pro-Trump
influencer made it even more volatile.
Platforms
turned one moment into a viral storm, and soon every visa denial, every
airport horror story was gaining traction. Algorithms fed the fear, and
perception became reality. If a mega-celebrity isn’t safe in America,
what about everyday travelers? Social media didn’t just echo the
problem,it magnified it into a worldwide warning.
People
don't want to grasp how important tourism is to the US economy. Take
Florida. In 2024, it was responsible for over 2 million jobs and, in
2023, brought in $127,700,000,000 to the Florida economy -- that's 127
billion dollars. But Chump has destroyed the tourist industry. People
don't want to come to a country where they might be arrested and sent
off to El Salvador or Guantanamo. People don't want to come to a
country run by a hate monger.
Like maple syrup and lakeside lounging, an annual influx of
Canadians tourists has long been a part of life for the border-hugging
New York region known as “North Country.”
“I don’t ever remember a summer where I wasn’t at the beach,
hearing the French language and seeing Quebec license plates,” said
Kristy Kennedy, who grew up in the area.
But Kennedy, now vice president of marketing and business
development for the North Country Chamber of Commerce, has seen (and
heard) far fewer Canadian visitors in recent months, as travel has
dipped amid international tensions.
Reservations are down at hotels and campgrounds, she said;
local marinas, which depend on Canadian boaters, have watched bookings
slow.
“There’s definitely a decline,” she said. For the rural
area, such losses could mean economic pain. “Our leisure travel market
is about 70% Canadians — it’s a very large part of what we do.”
Business is down 30% this spring, said Paul Dame, owner of Bluff Point Golf Resort in Plattsburg, New York, in a recent interview with CBC, and pinned the “disheartening” decline on the political situation.
That's just New York.
This
is the year the US hosts the World Cup. It's not a time to scare
people from traveling to this country. But that is what Chump is
doing. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher (FORBES) notes:
FIFA’s projections that World Cup 2026 will drive $30.5 billion in
economic output in the U.S., according to an analysis from FIFA and
OpenEconomics (OE), is predicated on the assumption the U.S. will see an
“influx of visitors” from foreign countries to fill stadiums and
hotels. Philadelphia projects the six matches it hosts next summer will
draw 500,000 visitors who will fill more than 100,000 hotel rooms and
drive $305 million in direct tourism spending and $770 million in total
economic impact, Meg Kane, chief executive of Philadelphia’s World Cup
organizing committee, told Forbes. Kansas City is also hosting six
matches—four group stage matches, a round of 32, and then a quarter
final, “which is really important from both a tourism standpoint and a
global visibility standpoint,” Pam Kramer, chief executive officer of
KC2026, the nonprofit organization leading the city’s World Cup
planning, told Forbes. Kramer said Kansas City is expecting to draw
650,000 visitors over the course of the tournament and an estimated $653
million in direct event impact. The other nine U.S.-based World Cup
host cities are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York/New Jersey, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.
Jade Wilson (SKIFT) observes, "The tourism industry argues that international visitors are crucial to
the U.S. economy, typically spending more per trip than domestic
travelers. Before the pandemic, international visitors contributed
roughly $240 billion a year to the U.S. economy."
The
number of Republicans who "strongly" approve of President Donald Trump
has declined in recent months, according to a new poll.
Republicans
were 5 percentage points less likely to say that they strongly approve
of the president compared to April, according to the latest poll from
NBC News Decision Desk and SurveyMonkey.
There's
a lot of talk about polling and mainly from people who honestly
shouldn't be writing about polling. If you haven't taken a
research & methodology course, for example, you shouldn't write
about polling -- especially not political polling. Rahman, for
example, misses the point. As a general rule, when you lose a section
of your supporters, you have lost them. They are not coming back. You
can lose more -- and usually will -- but you do not gain. Chump is a
known quantity. If he's losing support that is how the polling should
trend over the next months and years.
Some
presidents could do a temporary reversal. How? Declaring a war. But
that really won't work for Chump because he's billed himself as the
anti-war candidate. He's already having spit fights with Mother Tucker
Carlson over that issue and he will lose even more if he actually sends
the US to war.
There is a YOU GOV-CBS NEWS poll that's been reduced in headlines to say that the majority of Americans approve of Chump's deportations:
Views
of the Trump administration's deportation program headed into this
weekend with positive net approval from Americans, including continued
strong backing from the Republican base — but also heavily shaped by
contrasting views about which people, and how many, are being targeted
for deportation.
A slight majority feel the
administration's deportation efforts are prioritizing people they
believe are dangerous criminals. Those who say this are very supportive
of the program, and feel the program is making people in the U.S.
safer.
But if people don't think it is dangerous criminals who are the focus of the deportation effort, support drops dramatically.
The survey was completed just prior to Saturday's protests and events in Los Angeles.
In terms of how many people the administration is trying to deport, more is not necessarily better in the public mind.
I'd
argue that's not what it says and would do so as someone who (a) holds
degrees in poli sci and (b) grasps polls and what they actually mean. I
would further point out that in our 21 year history here, when we're
talking about polling on issues, I've called it ahead of the so-called
experts starting with when the country turned on the Iraq War.
The margin of error renders the two sides very close in the YOU GOV-CBS NEWS poll.
Most important with regards to this issue there is the messaging.
Barack Obama Tweeted the following yesterday:
Thirteen years ago, my administration acted to protect young people who were American in every single way but one: on paper.
DACA
was an example of how we can be a nation of immigrants and a nation of
laws. And it’s an example worth remembering today, when families with
similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their
communities, are being demonized and treated as enemies.
We
can fix our broken immigration system while still recognizing our
common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect. In
fact, it’s the only way we ever will.
Joe
Biden has health issues to deal with. The Democratic Party has a large
number of useless people in office. There is no Barack in office
championing immigrants. Barack may start leading on this and it would
be great if he did. But, in 2025, Democrats have been cowardly as a
collective group on the issue of immigration. Yes, there is Senator
Alex Padilla and Senator Patty Murray to name two. There is US House
Rep Dan Goldman. But as a group they don't want to touch immigration
because some have labeled it a "losing issue." It is not a losing
issue. Not if you fight on it. And, by the way, that's what the poll
actually finds.
With no
real national leadership on this issue, it's not polling poorly. But if
this was a real national dialogue, it would be polling much better.
And the thing there is? It's becoming a national issue because of the
people. We The People are seeing the reality of what's going on and we
are speaking out and we'll continue to do so. This is not a static
issue and anyone with a poli sci background would grasp that. At US NEWS & WORLD REPORTS, Oliver Knox writes:
It’s
one thing to send someone who murdered an American to El Salvador,
which the U.S. is paying to lock up hundreds of immigrants in a prison
notorious for alleged human rights abuses.
Or
to go after elementary schoolchildren. (The Department of Homeland
Security says its agents were conducting a wellness check. The local
school superintendent says the agents lied about having been given
permission to speak to the kids by the parents.)
Or send heavily armed agents to arrest a father with no criminal record who had been doing regular required check-ins with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Or detain a man in the final stages of obtaining his permanent legal resident status.
Members
of Congress, like news outlets, are stuck responding to so much and
still can't do everything. No one can. But if Barack or someone else
would come out as the designated heavy hitter on this issue, it would
help tremendously. And we shouldn't forget the DNC.
We've
had to endure weeks of whiny Hogglette. Now that he's finally shut up
we've got whiner Randi Weingarten taking up oxygen. FOX "NEWS"
couldn't shut up about her yesterday and how she'd just left the DNC and how Ken Martin, DNC chair, is out of step and --
Shut up, Randi, just shut up.
Ken
Martin is from Minnesota and he was the chair of that state's
Democratic Party before, at the start of this year, becoming head of the
DNC.
I'm not
understanding how Randi thinks she's helping anyone. Ken's not
only dealing with the DNC issues, he's also got a personal stake in the
tragic shootings on Saturday. He knew the people who got shot. I
really don't know how a selfish fat ass like Randi thinks she's helping
as she grumbles (and is then quoted as "unnamed sources" in media
reports)? I also don't know who she thought she was helping before this
past week because I didn't hear her out there defending immigrants or
any targeted population.
I don't like Randi and never have. But I did defend her in December when MTG was carrying out her homophobic attacks on Randi.
And
I'm sure she appreciated being defended by so many people but it's
equally true that she herself defends no one. (That includes the
Palestinian people.) So let's stop acting like she had anything of
value to give and let's just tell her to shut her fat lip because we
don't need to hear her.
And that's honestly my attitude to anyone who's working to divide the party.
You
want to criticize the party? Do so. I just did. I called them out on
their collective silence when it comes to immigrants. And someone will
step forward. I believe that. But right now, nope and I called them
out.
I am not, however,
trashing them and offering some ridiculous statement such as, "And this
is why we must vote Green!" To save our country, we must vote Democrat
in the mid-terms. That's reality and if you can't grasp that, your name
just might be Rashida Tlaib. But the rest of us do grasp reality.
And realize how important this moment is.
I
also realize, again, that the violence on Saturday has hit Ken Martin
hard and I question anyone who knows him that choose this moment in time
to stab him in the back.
Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:
Warren calls on Republicans to join Democrats in demanding investigation into the incident
“If this is how federal
agents treat a United States senator who peacefully asks questions of
this administration, then we all have to ask: how far will they go? How
violent will they get?”
Washington, D.C. — Following the violent assault on
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke
out on the Senate Floor.
“This is a horrifying moment in our nation’s history,” said Senator Warren.
During Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference,
Senator Padilla identified himself, saying, “I am Senator Padilla. I
have questions for the Secretary.” In response, he was shoved to the
ground and eventually pinned down and handcuffed.
Senator Warren called out ICE’s recent excessive use of force and
aggressive detention tactics, saying “what happened to Senator Padilla,
today, is happening every day all across this country, every day. DHS
agents are throwing people to the ground and violently handcuffing them
while they are not resisting, detaining them for exercising their First
Amendment rights of free speech.”
“Every day Donald Trump is making this nation look more and more like a fascist state,” Senator Warren continued.
Senator Warren called for Republicans to join Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the incident.
Transcript: Floor Speech on Assault on Senator Alex Padilla U.S. Senate Floor June 12, 2025
As Delivered
Senator Elizabeth Warren: This a horrifying moment
in our nation's history. Today, United States Senator Alex Padilla was
violently removed from a public briefing for asking questions on behalf
of the people he represents. People in California who deserve answers
about the brutal crackdown on protesters.
I've watched the video, as many of you have as well. Let me just describe what it shows.
Officers pushed Senator Padilla backwards out of the room as he said
the words, “I am Senator Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary.”
He was then shoved to the ground. When the Senator complied with the
officers and went on his knees, he was forcibly pinned onto his stomach.
He was ordered to put his hands behind his back. He can be heard on the
video saying he is trying to comply with their orders. Officers then
put handcuffs on the senator while he was lying on the ground. His staff
was then told to stop recording the handcuffing.
He was put in handcuffs for asking a simple question.
He was put in handcuffs for doing his job as a United States Senator.
He was put in handcuffs for standing up for the Constitution of the United States.
He was put in handcuffs for representing the people of California.
Now, if you're not yet convinced that President Trump and his
administration are trying to suppress free speech, then just watch the
video. Watch the video.
If you are not yet convinced that President Trump and his
administration are trying to undermine the foundations of our democracy.
Watch the video.
If you are not yet convinced that President Trump and his
administration are hell bent on punishing people with differing opinions
than those of the President, then watch the video.
And here is the really chilling part.
Make no mistake, what happened to Senator Padilla, today, is happening every day all across this country, every day.
DHS agents are throwing people to the ground and violently
handcuffing them while they are not resisting, detaining them for
exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech.
Every day Donald Trump is making this nation look more and more like a fascist state.
If this is how federal agents treat a United States senator who
peacefully asks questions of this administration, then we all have to
ask: How far will they go? How violent will they get?
I know my Republican colleagues can see what happened today was
wrong. But will any Republican senator speak up for our democracy?
They know Senator Padilla's character.
They know that Senator Padilla is a kind man. A man who is concerned
for his children. A man who is concerned for his home. A man who has
dedicated his life to public service. A man who is a patriot.
Where are our Republican colleagues?
Where is the Republican Senate?
Where are you? Stand up and speak out.
This is a continuation of what we've been seeing, intimidate every other check on presidential power in this country.
Fire the civil service.
Get rid of those people.
Threaten to imprison judges.
Criminally charge House members who try to visit an ICE facility.
Arrest senators who ask questions.
This is not a drill. This is an assault on our democracy.
I am calling on my Republican colleagues to join us in demanding a bipartisan investigation into this incident.
What happened at this press conference was disgraceful. It was
un-American. And every member of the United States Senate should condemn
it and condemn it now.
There has been a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ content on Meta’s platforms since the company weakened its hate speech moderation policies in January, according to a new GLAAD study.
In
a survey of about 7,000 users, “we found stark evidence of increased
harmful content, decreased freedom of expression, and increased
(self-)censorship,” says an executive summary of the report, released Monday.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced the changes to its moderation policies January 7. These included “allowing anti-LGBTQ hate speech, such as stating that LGBTQ
people are ‘abnormal’ and ‘mentally ill,’ as well as Meta’s own use of
anti-LGBTQ language (referring to LGBTQ people using the terms
‘homosexuality’ and ‘transgenderism’ in its updated hate speech
policy),” a GLAAD press release notes. It also ended third-party fact checking in the U.S. Some observers have called this a “MAGA makeover,” with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg seeking Donald Trump’s favor.
Since Meta hasn’t provided data on hate speech, GLAAD conducted its
survey in partnership with UltraViolet and All Out. The users they
surveyed come from 86 countries and were recruited through email and social media outreach.
One
in six respondents reported experiencing some type of gender-based or
sexual violence on Meta platforms. Ninety-two percent said they are
concerned about harmful content increasing since the rollbacks, and the
same percentage said they feel less protected from being exposed to or
targeted by harmful content.
At a time when the country is reeling from Saturday's shooting carried out by a homophobe and a transphobe, we really can't afford Zuckerberg and his hate promoting.
Monday, June 16, 2025. The fright wing shoots politicians, shoots and
aims cars at protesters and nver forgt who has egged the mon from the
start: Sourpuss whose birthday celebration bombed.
A little nobody in Utah wants to be somebody on the national stage and just knew a lie was the way to garner applause. Isabel van Brugen (NEWSWEEK) reports:
Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, is facing widespread backlash following posts about the targeted shooting of two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses in Minnesota.
The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter,
was arrested late Sunday following a nearly two-day statewide search.
The Saturday morning shootings left State Representative Melissa Hortman
and her husband, Mark, dead, and wounded State Senator John Hoffman and
his wife, Yvette.
"This is what happens...When
Marxists don't get their way," Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter),
sharing a photo of Boelter wearing what appears to be a latex face mask.
Mike
Lee is a liar. On Saturday, a Chump supporter went beyond the constant
talk of violence to go on a shooting spree targeting Democratic Party
officials in Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz issued the following:
“Today Minnesota lost a
great leader, and I lost a friend. A formidable public servant and a
fixture of the state Capitol, Melissa Hortman woke up every day
determined to make our state a better place. She served the people of
Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness. Minnesota’s thoughts
are with her loved ones, and my prayers are with Senator John Hoffman
and his wife Yvette, who were shot and wounded and are being treated.
“We are not a country
that settles our differences at gunpoint. We have demonstrated again and
again in our state that it is possible to peacefully disagree, that our
state is strengthened by civil public debate. We must stand united
against all forms of violence – and I call on everyone to join me in
that commitment.
“To the responding
officers, thank you for your bravery and your swift action. A state
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation is underway, and we will
spare no resource in bringing those responsible to justice. We will not
let fear win.”
The shooter,
identified as Vance Boelter, shot dead Democratic politician Melissa
Hortman and Mark
Hortman her husband and Vance Boelter also shot Democratic state
Senator
John Hoffman and his wife Yvette on Saturday who appear to hopefully
have survived. Following the arrest of the shooter, Governor Walz
issued another statement which included:
“As a country we cannot
become numb to this violence. We are a deeply divided nation. That has
become even more clear over the last two days. The way we move forward
and solve the problems facing our nation is not through hate. It is not
through violence. It is through humility, and grace, and civility.
“To Melissa and Mark’s
family: I cannot fathom your pain, your grief. Let us take solace in
their memory, in Melissa’s legacy of selfless, pragmatic, gentle public
service. The state of Minnesota grieves with you.
“To John and Yvette:
we’re excited to see you at the Capitol, and the bravery you and your
daughter Hope showed saved countless lives and will not be forgotten.
“To our law enforcement officers: thank you for your courage, your service, and your professionalism. You have saved lives.
“As we heal, we will not
let fear win. We must now move forward in Melissa’s honor with
understanding, service, and above all, a sense of one other’s humanity.”
As
Utah trash Mike Lee made clear, he's too busy lying to help anyone
heal. The shooter is MAGA. And this MAGA member was egged on by the
violent statements of Chump and others. Trina covered this Saturday night and noted the report from Religious News Service:
Boelter identified himself on LinkedIn
and other websites as the CEO and president of two security services
companies, Praetorian Guard Security Services and Red Lion Group, the
latter based in Congo, in western Africa. On his LinkedIn page, which
shows that he worked as a general manager at 7-11 in Minneapolis until
2021, he lists himself as open to work.
But in a video
dated February 2023, Boelter is seen preaching at La Borne Matadi, an
evangelical church in Matadi, near the southern border in Congo. In one
sermon he tells the audience that “people don’t know what sex they are”
because the devil “has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.”
In another sermon at the church, one of three he gave from 2021 to 2023,
according to Wired, Boelter said, “They don’t know abortion is wrong,
many churches,” he told the audience. “They don’t have the gifts
flowing. God gives the body gifts. To keep balance. Because when the
body starts moving in the wrong direction, when they’re one, and
accepting the gifts, God will raise an apostle or prophet to correct
their course.
He was a hate merchant spewing
hate and people like Chump and Vance and the entire administration has
been spewing and sewing this hate. They're responsible and they need to
be held accountable for their statements. To try to avoid that
happening, Mike Lee shows up to lie and distract.
It
didn’t take long for the conjecture to begin after the fatal shootings
of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as the
non-fatal shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, hit
the headlines.
In
regards to Hortman, right-wing conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich
wondered aloud on X, “Did [Minnesota Governor] Tim Walz have her
executed to send a message?”
Fellow fabulist Alex Jones, meanwhile, used a Saturday broadcast
to make a variety of unfounded implications, including that Hortman was
killed because she was considering switching parties and joining
Republicans, and that suspect Boelter was a “high-level” Walz appointee
and “No Kings” protest organizer.
Jones
capped off the a misinformation session by reading from a social media
post from a seemingly random, pseudonymous account that called the
shooting a “professional hit.”
Such claims reached thousands of people, even as they defied common
sense and all evidence that eventually became available about the
shootings.
It's never about what actually happened
with these losers. It's about them trying to put into some sort of
propaganda model that pushes their lies and justifies their ugly
behavior.
They're liars, idiots and damn fools. Don't try to
spare their egos. We've given these nut jobs far too many participation
trophies for the nonsense they've added to the public discourse.
Reality and facts are beyond their comprehension so they need to go back
to dealing with nothing more important than Saturday morning cartoons.
Instead of advancing hatred and lies, Utah's Mike Lee might try observing the death of 39 year old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo who was shot dead in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
You can check his Twitter feed, you can check is press releases, you
will find that while Mike Lee made time to spread lies about Minnesota,
he never once took a moment to note his own constituent Arthur Folasa Ah
Loo who was shot dead Saturday. That tells you everything you need to
know about Mike Lee's priorities.
The nation made clear their
priorities on Saturday. You could attend Chump's
Oh-come-let-us-adore-me military birthday celebration in DC or you could
gather around the country at one of the many No Kings protests.
A few thousands showed up for Chump's birthday. Dementia Donald saw about 10,000 people show up for his parade and
b-day celebration. "This was probably the most humiliating day in
Donald Trump's whole life," Ben Meidas observes in the video below.
The
elderly man, even with his dementia getting worse, was able to grasp
that the country turned their back on him and he was left looking like
he was about to break out in tears.
No Kings was so popular that it's now said to be the largest single day protest in the United States ever. James Powel (USA TODAY) notes:
The American Civil Liberties Union, a part of the
coalition that put on the demonstrations, said in a late Saturday, June
14 statement that more than five million people participated in over 2,100 rallies and protests.
Political organizing group Move On, who was a partner in the "No Kings" rallies, echoed the 5 million person estimate in a fundraising email.
Will Neal (DAILY BEAST) also notes the four to six million turnout for the No Kings protests across the country. It was hugely successful.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Indianapolis Saturday as
protests and pride collided. The annual Indy Pride celebration and the
‘No Kings’ protest were held back to back and people showed up.
Attendees with signs, costumes, and megaphones at both events chanted “This is what democracy looks like”.
Indy Pride is celebrating 30 years in Indianapolis. The city was also one of roughly 2,000
across the country to mark ‘No Kings Day’ day with protests planned in
response to the Trump administration’s military parade in Washington,
D.C.
But Indiana 50501 Organizer Scott Johnson said the movement is bigger
than that. “This is a generalized protest that is around the idea that
what is going on in America today is wrong,” he said.
Johnson, who started by marching in Indy Pride before heading to the statehouse, said the combination of both was important.
"Pride is celebrating this particular avenue of American rights," he said. "50501 is about all the rest of it."
PBS' THE NEWSHOUR reported on the millions turning out today across the nation.
AP offers a photo essay here and NPR has a photo essay here.
They turned out in Nashville. Cynthia Abrams (WPLN) explains,
"Thousands gathered at Bicentennial Mall before dispersing to Jefferson
Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard, holding signs and chanting
call-and-response phrases like 'What do we want? Democracy! When do we
want it? Now!'" Sara Streigel tells Abrams, "I came out today because I
am just terrified for our country. Seeing the way that ICE is being
used to oppress our immigrants and the way that it’s not safe to be a
person of color. As a brown woman and a child of immigrants, it’s
terrifying to think that the rule of law is no longer in place."
Waving American flags and carrying
homemade signs, thousands of people took part in a “No Kings Day”
protest Saturday afternoon at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.
The crowd covered the Capitol steps,
filled the section of Jefferson Street in front of the building and
stretched deep and wide throughout nearby Cecil D. Andrus Park as people
chanted “No more kings” and “Love, not hate, makes Idaho great.”
Tammie Baker was one of thousands who
attended the protest. She carried a homemade sign that read “I prefer
my ICE crushed” and said her concern over the Trump administration’s
policies motivated her to attend her first political protest since the
1970s.
“There is only one reason,” Baker said. “ Enough is enough of everything. This is out of control.”
Hundreds of people
lined up near this border city’s federal courthouse Saturday, waving
American flags and holding signs criticizing President Donald Trump and
Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
It was a loud
scene as anti-Trump chants were often drowned out by drivers honking to
show support for the protesters’ cause. Protests, marches and rallies
are happening across Texas and the country Saturday in condemnation of
the Trump administration’s policies, including its aggressive immigration enforcement, and what many participants consider to be authoritarian actions.
Angeline Garza, a
36-year-old elementary school teacher from Mission, said the protest
was a way for her to advocate for the undocumented children and the kids
of undocumented parents.
“Now more than
ever, [deportations] are affecting a lot of people and they are seeing
what the Trump administration wanted to do from the beginning, that it
was not just about deporting criminals,” she said.
Thousands of people packed downtown Houston Saturday as part of nationwide ‘"No Kings" protests.
Houston City Hall transformed into a sea of signs and chants. From
immigration fears to cuts in federal aid and Medicare and SNAP,
protesters rallied against policies they say are hurting working
families.
The chants echoed through downtown Houston as a massive, peaceful show of resistance.
Organizers say 26,000 people filled the steps and streets around City Hall.
“So my sign says ‘El pueblo unido jamás será vencido’” said protestor
Jacob Torres. “It means if we’re all united, we won’t get defeated.”
Torres came to speak for someone who couldn’t.
“Most of my family is undocumented, especially my mom, and that’s who
I’m here for,” he said. “People who can’t stand up for themselves.”
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, CEO of immigration law firm Lincoln-Goldfinch Law, gave the crowd an update on deportations in Texas.
“State troopers are pulling over immigrants and colluding with ICE to
disappear people from their families,” the attorney said. “They want to
drive immigrants further underground.”
The children of one of her clients joined her at the podium.
“Their father was taken in a surprise attack,” she said. “They will spend tomorrow (Father’s Day) missing him.”
A chant of “F— ICE” rose from the crowd in response.
Nichole, one of the children, spoke next. She gave a message to the
crowd and another message in Spanish, directed to her father.
Melody
Tremallo, transgender woman and HOCTX lead organizer, spoke. She
referred to herself as “a canary in a coal mine” who is “actively
dying.”
“When they came after immigrants and trans kids,
there was hardly any push back,” she said. “Fascism withers when we
stand up together. We should have stopped them when they were at their
weakest, before they could eat the least among us.”
She asked if the crowd would stand up for transgender rights. The crowd cheered back “Yes!”
Tremallo estimated the crowd at 20,000 in her speech.
“This response is the most patriotic thing we can do,” Fuentes said.
“In America, we don’t believe in dictators, we don’t believe in
authoritarianism.”
After Fuentes, Vela and Velásquez both spoke.
A UT Austin student spoke, followed by a veteran involved with grassroots group Common Defense.
“Marines are being used as political tools while our leaders cut
funding for Veterans’ Affairs,” the veteran said. A veteran and Native
American spoke next.
Organizers estimated there were between 5,000 and 8,000 in Concord for the peaceful protest.
"I'm hoping that they understand throughout the nation. None of us want
this, but none of us wants the chaos," said Elly Henderson.
For hours, up and down Main Street in Concord and on the state house
lawn, signs were up in the air, flags were waved and chants echoed in
the air, "enough is enough."
People said they are against mass
deportations, against attacks on civil rights and don't want to see the
military being used against its own people.
Hundreds of people gathered at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on Saturday
morning to protest the Trump administration by forming a massive human
banner.
The banner read, “NO KING!” in reference to the “No Kings” protests
taking place on Saturday across the country. The protests coincide with
both President Donald Trump’s birthday and his approximately $45
million military parade taking place in Washington, D.C. The parade has
been billed as part of a 250th birthday celebration for the Army, though it also fulfills a desire Trump has had since his first term to parade American military might through city streets.
A day of peaceful protests in downtown Los Angeles took a turn late
Saturday afternoon when law enforcement began ordering the thousands of
demonstrators to disperse from the area surrounding the L.A. Federal
Building complex.
Officers deployed flashbangs and tear gas, and Sky5 captured the
moment officers on foot and horseback moved into the large crowd. The
L.A. Police Department reported that some protesters were “becoming
increasingly unruly” and that people were throwing rocks, bricks,
bottles, and other objects.
The dispersal order covered Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple,
and Los Angeles Street between Aliso and Temple. Additionally, the LAPD
stated that all on- and off-ramps of the 101 Freeway would remain closed
between Alameda Street and the 110 Freeway.
As thousands of demonstrators descended upon Long Beach on Saturday
to denounce President Donald Trump’s policies as part of a nationwide
movement dubbed the “No Kings” protests, a local family is left reeling
after being directly impacted by the president’s administration.
Loved ones of Rosario Gonzalez, 50, say they’re heartbroken after the
family patriarch was detained by immigration officers during a raid
outside a Home Depot in Whittier. Going against his family’s wishes,
Gonzalez went to the Home Depot in search of work since he is the main
provider for his family. He was one of several individuals who were
detained during the raid.
“I just want to say I love him, and I hope he comes back,” Yamilet
Gonzalez, Rosario’s 18-year-old daughter, said. “I know he will, and
that we are all waiting for him to be here.”
A tearful Yamilet said if she could, she would reassure her father of
the family’s resilience and wellbeing as they navigate through his
absence.
“I would tell him I am fine, and that I know once he’ll come back, I
will tell him about how my day went and about how my graduation was,”
the man’s daughter said. “And I’ll tell him I took a lot of videos so he
could feel like he was there, even though he couldn’t be.”
Protests
labeled "No Kings" rallies are taking place across metro Atlanta as
part of a national day of action against the Trump administration.
Other
Georgia cities participating include Tucker, McDonough, Fayetteville,
Athens, Valdosta, and Woodstock, with events organized by Indivisible,
50501 Movement, and Stand Up America.
Most
rallies were peaceful around the metro, according to FOX 5 crews, but
police used tear gas to break up one protest in Doraville. 8 people were
arrested there after an "unlawful assembly" was declared by police.
Minutes after Atlanta’s “No Kings” protest began Saturday outside the
state Capitol, organizers announced that the venue’s 5,000-person
capacity had been reached.
[, , ,]
“It fills my heart. I’m so glad that people are here,” said Adam
Zarett, an IT professional from Atlanta. “I’m glad to see so many people
here standing up for our constitutional rights, making our voices
heard. Like John Lewis, good trouble.”
Zarett said he wasn’t much for protests until recently.
“I didn’t even care about politics before Trump came into office the
first time, and it stung then, and it is so much worse now,” he said.
“It has just ignited a fire inside me that says you can’t just sit
behind a keyboard and complain on Facebook all day. That just doesn’t do
much. Sometimes it feels good, but it doesn’t do much.”
Now, Zarett says he’ll be back.
“I absolutely will. As many protests as there are, as many gatherings as there are, the people need to be heard,” he said.
Thousands
of demonstrators jammed sidewalks Saturday in downtown Anchorage,
chanting and waving signs in protest of President Donald Trump.
The
“No Kings” protest was one of many taking place across the U.S. on
Saturday, coalescing around frustration and anger with the Trump
administration. The demonstrations were planned the same day as the
president’s military parade in Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th
anniversary of the U.S. Army. June 14 is also Trump’s birthday.
Peaceful
protests — and counterprotests — were held in a number of other Alaska
communities Saturday, including Homer, Sitka, Seward, Fairbanks, Nome
and Palmer.
Thousands of Marylanders joined protesters across the country on Saturday, taking part in "No Kings Day."
Demonstrators
converged across Maryland, from the Patterson Park Observatory in
Baltimore, to Annapolis, Columbia, Catonsville, Bel Air and more, all in
opposition to President Donald Trump's administration.
"We're here specifically today to deliver a message to our
congressman, Andy Harris, that we tolerate no Kings in this country,"
said DeLane Lewis, who is president of Together We Will, a Harford
County organization that led the protest in Bel Air. "This country does
not tolerate kings, our individual voice matters, and that's why we are
here today, because every voice here matters."
The No Kings Protest in Patterson Park saw nearly 5,000 people, according to organizers.
Across
the U.S., including in the Portland metro area, thousands crowded to
peacefully protest President Donald Trump's administration in a
nationwide "No Kings" movement Saturday. "No Kings" organizers said millions participated in hundreds of events.
What appeared to be the largest Portland area demonstration at Tom McCall Waterfront Park highlighted recent detainments of asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants; women's and LGBTQ+ rights; the Ukraine-Russia War; Palestine; and Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security cuts as key issues.
Many who attended the Portland and Vancouver rallies spoke out
against the administration's treatment of immigrants. Carmen Solorio,
who moved from Los Angeles to Oregon, referenced the U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and protests happening back in Southern California, with Trump deploying the National Guard and U.S. Marines in response.
"It just hurt so much to see my hometown community going through that
struggle, and that’s why I knew I had to be here today," Solorio told
KGW at the Portland rally.
Pam Maldonado, who was visiting her kids from Florida and decided to join the Vancouver rally, had similar reasons.
“I know somebody personally who has been picked up and is about to be
deported there; he’s in a jail in a correction facility now in Arizona
and probably will be shipped out pretty soon," Maldonado said. "It’s
just the cruelty, the inhumanity... I mean, this is not who we are. I am
afraid it is who we’re becoming, but this is not the United States I
know.”
On Saturday, thousands of Iowans across several communities joined in on the nationwide "No Kings" protests.
Organizers
of the "No Kings" demonstrations, in opposition of President Donald
Trump, said millions had marched in hundreds of events nationwide.
Governors across the U.S. had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for
violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers
gathering. Confrontations were isolated.
[. . .]
Thousands of protestors gathered on the steps of
the Iowa State Capitol in downtown Des Moines. The crowd chanted and
gave speeches to express their dissatisfaction with the Trump
administration. Some people tell KCCI they specifically came out for
those who could not.
"We're here supporting our families that can't be here; that don't
have a voice," said Grace, a protester. "Mainly for my mother because I
am a proud daughter of immigrant parents. That's why I'm here today."
Peaceful protests apparently anger MAGA trash which is why one hate merchant attempted to run over and kill in Virginia.
Authorities in Virginia arrested a 21-year-old man
they said intentionally drove an SUV through the crowd at the town's
"No Kings" day event.
Culpeper police officers
arrested Joseph R. Checklick Jr., of Culpeper, on June 14, at the
conclusion of the demonstration. Participants were leaving the area and
crossing through a business's parking lot when an SUV drove "recklessly
through the crowd of pedestrians," the department said in a news release.
Culpeper
Police charged Checklick with reckless driving, according to the
release. He appeared before a magistrate and was ordered to be held
without bond at the Culpeper County Jail.
No
one wants to point out that Florida's governor was talking on TV about
running over protesters mere days ago. Ron DeSantis was saying it was
okay. Friday, NBC Miami noted:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on a podcast this week that drivers in
Florida who encounter protesters and feel threatened have a right to
hit them with their cars.
“If you are driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and
surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have a right to flee for
your safety, and so if you drive off and you hit one of these people,
that’s their fault for impinging on you," DeSantis said on an episode of
the Rubin Report podcast that aired on Wednesday night.
Gov.
Ron DeSantis said that drivers will not be at fault if they hit
protesters that block roadways in a clip that took social media by
storm. Interviewed on a Reuben Report podcast episode released
Wednesday, he said “you have a right to defend yourself in Florida.”
[. . .]
As
for Jones’ concern about drivers being able to legally mow down
protesters, that’s not the case, said Alana Greer, director of the
Community Justice Project. What the Legislature did was enable a driver
who hits someone during a riot to basically claim Stand Your Ground in a
civil lawsuit only.
People need to start being
held accountable when they promote violence. That would include Chump
and MAGA's inflammatory rhetoric that led a Chump supporter in Minnesota
to go on a shooting spree.
But I had to laugh darkly Saturday evening as I saw many conservatives on social media, prominent and not, try to locate an aha! moment in the fact that Vance Boelter, the Minnesota suspect, was appointed to a state advisory board by two Democratic governors. Please. He was targeting abortion providers. His neighbor said he was a Trump voter.
As for violence at the No Kings marches—there was a little. But the most notable instance was the man driving his car into a group of anti-Trump protesters
in Culpeper, Virginia. Gee, I seem to remember another man in Virginia
who drove his car into a phalanx of protesters, killing one of them. Which side was he on again?
“The
left,” very broadly defined, engages in some acts of violence. Sure.
But America’s culture of violence is driven by the right. And here’s the
important point. This broadly defined “left” includes people and groups
that despise the Democratic Party as much as or even more than they do
Republicans. Antifa activists weren’t racing to the polls to vote for
Kamala Harris, I assure you. Whereas on the right, the extremists
worship Trump. He is their avenger. No Democratic presidential candidate
would welcome the support of violent extremist groups (not that they
would even offer it). Trump has. Repeatedly. They were at the U.S.
Capitol for him on January 6, 2021, ready to administer a little street
justice to his vice president in his name and in order to keep him in
office illegally.
