The Illusion of Racism and The Intellect of God.

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Ginni Thomas, tea partier and wife of Clarence Thomas, recently hosted noted conservative bigot Jesse Lee Peterson, where they had a lovely chat about how evil Black Lives Matter is, and that race is just an illusion. Imagine that! I had no idea.

“Who are the race hustlers?” Thomas asked. “Who’s in the business of keeping blacks angry?”

“The race hustlers,” Peterson replied, “are people like Jesse Jackson, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, Louis Farrakhan—the so-called civil rights leaders—many of the black preachers, Barack Obama, they’re all into keeping black Americans angry and demoralized for power and wealth for themselves. And you have to demoralize a person or a people in order to control them, you cannot control a moral people so they keep them in a state of anger and confusion so that they can use them for their personal gain.”

Peterson then told Thomas about his theory that he explains in a recent book positing that because President Obama “grew up without a father in the home,” he only feels “anger” and not “love,” and that’s why he’s sympathetic to Black Lives Matter.

“Those people are evil, they’re wicked, they’re an agitating group, they’re worse than the KKK,” he said. “If Black Lives Matter was a white organization and doing exactly what they’re doing now, America would not accept them, they would not. But because they are black and white people are afraid, and then they have the support of the president, they’re allowed to bring on destruction in this country.”

Erm, white organizations do exist, Rev., and they are allowed to do pretty much whatever they want to do, including the KKK and other white supremacist organizations hosting counter protests which are full of truly abominable sentiments which are racist in nature. Some people, like yourself, are all upsetty because for once, black people are standing up for themselves, and sending the classic message of we’re angry as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore. I’m all the way behind that, my people are doing a similar thing right now, because they face great discrimination, oppression, and marginalization too. We’ve all had generation after generation after generation who has remained trodden down, told over and over to assimilate, to be the best white person you can be, be polite, smile, be submissive. In this so called land of the free, a court has ruled that it is perfectly okay for people to discriminate against and not hire anyone who dares to have natural hair, or a specifically cultural hair style. Fuck that, and fuck you, Reverend.

Claiming that Obama sees the killing of police officers as “no big deal,” Peterson went on to repeat his exhortation to white people to “stand up for themselves” against the Black Lives Matter movement.

“There’s no such thing as racism,” he concluded. “It doesn’t exist. It’s an illusion. It has been made up by the race hustlers in order to intimidate and control to get that power.”

Okay, I would really like to know just when it was that black people had control and power in this country. Anyone know? I’m pretty sure that black people aren’t looking to lord it over the precious white people, Rev. They would like it if they were treated as people, y’know, human beings, with the full rights thereof. They would like some respect. They’d like it if they could go one day without being under constant suspicion of something or other. They would like it if they could live without a constant fear of white people. They would like it if cops would stop murdering black people with impunity. The list goes on. My people (Lakota) have a similar list. So do all other indigenous peoples. I’m pretty sure Hispanic and Latino peoples also have a similar list. Well, pretty much everyone who isn’t white.  Going by the Reverend’s logic, slavery was the apex of black people in America.

After that lovely little chat neatly disposing of racism, the Reverend went on to rail and moan about intellectuals and drag queens in foxholes.

Right-wing activist Jesse Lee Peterson recently delivered a sermon in which he warned his congregation not to become intellectuals because intellectualism is responsible for foisting things like gay marriage upon America.

“I notice that the people who are really into the intellect are nutcases,” Peterson said. “Absolute nutcases. Because of this intellectual thing taking over and the people rule us, we now have so-called same-sex marriage. That wouldn’t happen if we weren’t into the intellect. Common sense would dictate that is not going to happen and common sense wouldn’t care what you thought about it because we would know that that’s wrong.”

Intellectuals are also responsible for the fact that “we now have drag queens running around in the military,” Peterson added.

“Can you imagine jumping down in a foxhole, running from bin Laden, and there is a man in there with a dress and lipstick on? It would shock you. You would rather be out with bin Laden,” Peterson stated, apparently so dedicated to being anti-intellectual that he’s totally unaware that Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011.

People simply need to rely “on the intellect of God,” he recommended, because human intellect is a tool of the devil, which is why “all intellectual people are insecure people … because their father is weak, their father Satan is a deceiver.”

Y’know, if you’re going to buy into that whole creationism business, and that we’re created in El Shaddai’s image and all that, fine, but what does that say about your god? That he’s an idiot? Or just his standard sociopathic sadism at work, giving people a brain to use, in order to punish us for using it. That’s probably about right. Oh, yes, and I almost forgot, that evil intellect stuff is Eve’s fault, ennit? Right, so once again it’s the evil of women at fault.

As for dresses and lipstick in foxholes, I’m not sure how you missed this one, Rev, but the military provides uniforms, and people are expected to wear them. Personally, if I found myself in the middle of a war zone, trying not to piss myself in a foxhole, I wouldn’t care if a whole regiment of drag queens showed up, as long as they got me out alive, and they’d have my undying thanks.

Via Right Wing Watch, here and here.

Trump & Santorum, One Bad Mixture.

AP photo.

AP photo.

Trump’s pandering to the religious right has gotten worse. He’s now brought on Santorum, in a bid to protect Catholics from the big, bad wolf of something or other.

Trump has hired the former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum, as an advisor for his Catholic Advisory Council.

Santorum, who ended his campaign for president in February, is one of 35 people slated for the council. In a press release announcing the council, Trump included a list of “issues of importance to Catholics.” The topics on the list include religious liberty, pro-life, judicial nominations, education, healthcare, jobs and taxation, and safety and security.

In June, Santorum signed an antigay “pledge in solidarity to defend marriage,” that claims marriage should only exist “between one man and one woman.” Santorum has also said he would reinstate the ban on ‘don’t ask don’t tell.’ The former U.S. Senator has also defended ‘religious liberty’ in the past, and it is something that Trump comments on, in his list of “issues of importance to Catholics.”

On the topic of religious liberty, Trump said, “Religious liberty is enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution. It is our first liberty and provides the most important protection in that it protects our right of conscience. Activist judges and executive orders issued by Presidents who have no regard for the Constitution have put these protections in jeopardy. If I am elected president and Congress passes the First Amendment Defense Act, I will sign it to protect the deeply held religious beliefs of Catholics and the beliefs of Americans of all faiths. The Little Sisters of the Poor, or any religious order for that matter, will always have their religious liberty protected on my watch and will not have to face bullying from the government because of their religious beliefs.”

Nothing like announcing you plan to go backwards, as far and as fast as you can go.

The Advocate has the story.

University of North Dakota: How To Be A Racist Ass.

More University of North Dakota students wear blackface (Photo: Facebook).

More University of North Dakota students wear blackface (Photo: Facebook).

Just what in the fuck is being taught at UND? How to be the very best racist you can be?

The University of North Dakota is investigating another racially-charged photo that was posted to social media. This time, the photo contains four white people wearing black facial masks with the caption “Black Lives Matter”.

A facebook user posted the picture on her page, tagging UND saying “the problem is growing worse here at UND.”

UND spokesperson tells Valley News Live that police and administration were notified Wednesday about the picture and they are investigating. The spokesperson tells us the students in the picture attend UND.

This picture comes just 24 hours after another one. The first picture was posted on snapchat. It showed three white students smiling and holding up a peace sign with the caption of “locked the black b*tch out.

UND President Mark Kennedy sent out statement on Thursday saying he is appalled that within 48 hours two photos have been taken and that the university has much work to do.

Nice you think so, Mr. Kennedy. I’d say you haven’t been paying much attention to what’s happening right under your nose. I’m really not sure why you’re all of a sudden appalled, as you do live Ndakota, and surely you must be aware of the rampant racism problem here, first and foremost against us Prairie ni**ers (Indians), then anyone else who isn’t a lovely shade of pasty white.

The following statement is from UND President Mark Kennedy:

I am appalled that within 48 hours two photos with racially-charged messages have been posted on social media and associated with the UND campus community. It is abundantly clear that we have much work to do at the University of North Dakota in educating our students, and the entire University community on issues related to diversity, inclusion, and respect for others.

The UND Police Department and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities are going through their processes in investigating these two incidences. We are moving as fast as we can. I understand that we all would like a swift resolution. However, our society, our legal system, and campus conduct processes are predicated on due process. We must maintain the integrity of our policies and procedures by following due process.

I have been disappointed to learn that we have people in our university community who don’t know that the kind of behavior and messaging demonstrated in these two photos is not ok, and that, in fact, it is inexcusable.

Our mission is educational in nature. Our student conduct process is educational in nature. This is our opportunity to provide an education to all members of our campus community, especially those who may not understand the gravity of their actions. Based upon my conversations with students and others, I can assure you that the messages of the two photos are painful to many individuals.

I have heard from many within our campus community, as well as alums and individuals not directly connected to the University, who are encouraging us to use this situation as an opportunity to address what some see as long standing issues within our community and across the country.

We must demand better of ourselves and our university community. I am directing my team to explore best practices for diversity education amongst premier institutions and will work collaboratively with the AVP for Diversity and Inclusion and University Senate to bring it to reality at UND.

As I have said before, we value diversity and inclusion and take seriously respect for others as well as the exchange of different thoughts and ideas. To achieve the vision of One UND, we must take steps to demonstrate these values across our university community.

You really want to do something, Mr. Kennedy? First, dump the UND cops. There isn’t a cop shop anywhere in Ndakota that isn’t a hotbed of bigots. Next, lose the mealy-mouthed, “well, we must investigate for a really long time” bullshit, because what that says is that you’re going to use that line until this conveniently blows over, assuming more open bigotry doesn’t pop up on student social media. For once, stand up, tell the truth, and fucking do something, because you have a bigger problem than you think – not only are you rife with white students who are asshole bigots, they appear to be quite fucking stupid, too. At the very least, you may wish to seriously up the standards for white students, just to insure minimal intelligence.

Via KYFR.

Sacred Burial Ground Sold to Dakota Access.

Courtesy LandofDakota.com Cannonball Ranch, which is full of sacred burial sites and artifacts, was sold on September 22 to Dakota Access LLC.

Courtesy LandofDakota.com
Cannonball Ranch, which is full of sacred burial sites and artifacts, was sold on September 22 to Dakota Access LLC.

No words. None. Okay, a few. If the owners, who reside in Flasher, were all that concerned about liability, why didn’t they offer the land for sale to Standing Rock? I smell shit. A whole lot of bullshit.

Cannonball Ranch in North Dakota has been sold to Dakota Access LLC. The ranch is not the site of the Standing Rock Camp where protectors are taking a stand against the Dakota Access pipeline, but the ranch has hundreds of burials and artifacts.

MyNDNow reports the land was sold by David and Brenda Meyer on September 22 for liability reasons. David Meyer told MyNDNow that there were just too many people on the property.

“It’s a beautiful ranch, but I just wanted out,” he said.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman David Archambault II made a statement at the Protecting Native Land and Resources, Rejecting North Dakota Pipeline Forum:

“Recently, they purchased the Cannonball Ranch, yesterday the transaction was final, the documents are signed and recorded with the county and the money was transferred. So the owner of the Cannonball Ranch, where we’re demonstrating, what we’re protecting, has now been sold to the pipeline company so it’s really disturbing to me because the intention is all wrong. Without having any further review and without understanding what the process was… it’s not fair. It’s not right and the company is going to try to move forward without any consideration of tribes. I am not asking that you stop this pipeline, I’m asking that you do a full EIS [Environmental Impact Statement].”

Read his full statement on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Facebook page.

On the same day as the Cannonball Ranch sale, more than 1,200 archaeologists and museums sent a letter to President Barack Obama, the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urging a full Environmental Impact Statement be completed as well as a survey of cultural resources along the pipeline’s route.

“The destruction of these sacred sites adds yet another injury to the Lakota, Dakota, and other Indigenous Peoples who bear the impacts of fossil fuel extraction and transportation. If constructed, this pipeline will continue to encourage oil consumption that causes climate change, all the while harming those populations who contributed little to this crisis,” reads part of the letter.

Via ICTMN.  See comments for additional info.

A Cop’s Accidental Discharge.

Reynier Miranda at his home in Southwest Miami-Dade on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. (Photo: Roberto Koltun rkoltun@elnuevoherald.com).

Reynier Miranda at his home in Southwest Miami-Dade on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. (Photo: Roberto Koltun [email protected]).

MIAMI — Raynier Miranda had committed no crime. He was no threat. And he was in the hallway of his building when he was shot by a cop — who had no idea she’d shot him.

Now the South Miami-Dade maintenance worker is recovering at home after surgery and Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Wanda Roman has been suspended.

Last week, the South Miami-Dade maintenance worker was cleaning the hallway at the West Kendall apartment complex where he also lives. At the same time, Roman was inside her apartment cleaning her revolver. The gun went off.

The bullet went through the front door and struck the unsuspecting cleaning man. It wasn’t until he reached the hospital that Miranda learned he’d been shot — the bullet piercing the aortic artery in his left arm and passing through his chest half an inch from his heart.

“I had no idea what happened. I didn’t see anybody around. I had no idea,” Miranda said Thursday, speaking in Spanish. “I was bleeding. I saw a lady coming and I started yelling for help.”

Miami-Dade police had little to say about the shooting, calling it an open investigation. They did say Roman is a 10-year veteran and has been suspended with pay pending a criminal investigation into the shooting. Her personnel file wasn’t available Thursday.

A source familiar with the investigation, however, said Roman wasn’t suspended because of the accidental discharge. She was relieved of duty because she delayed telling her supervisor that her gun went off. That happened, the source said, because Roman had no idea Miranda had been shot until the incident was investigated.

Okay, hands up, who believes this load of nonsense? An open investigation. I should hope so. Cops are supposed to be trained in weapons safety. Pretty sure that includes unloading any ammunition prior to cleaning, buuuut that’s not what gets Ms. Roman in trouble, no. And she delayed mentioning this (translation: wasn’t going to say anything about it at all) because she had no idea she shot someone. Let’s see, if I’m cleaning a loaded weapon, and if that weapon fires, I can hear and see that happening. Pretty sure I’d notice a hole in my door, too. Not being a complete asshole, I’d rush to the door to make sure there wasn’t anyone in the hall at that time, because my first thoughts would be along the lines of “oh fuck, please don’t let anyone be outside, please don’t let anyone be outside, oh gods, what if I killed someone?” We’re expected to believe she just carried on, with no curiosity whatsoever about shooting through her door? This sounds like an episode of Keystone Kops.

The bullet that hit Miranda passed through his body and came out his back. He underwent surgery to close the artery in his arm and is now recovering at home. A sling holds up his left arm. Stitches run through his chest.

[…]

Married and the father of a 2-year-old, Miranda has been working at the apartment complex where he lives for three years. He moved to Miami from Cuba about five years ago. He has no plans to move because of the Sept. 15 incident and said he intends on returning to work after he recovers.

Miranda said he only knows Roman from exchanging pleasantries when they pass in the hallway. He said Roman hasn’t spoken with him since the shooting. If she did, Miranda said, he wouldn’t know what to say.

“I’m very frustrated. She’s caused me a lot of frustration,” he said. “It was very bad. I was in a lot of pain.”

Not even a “Oh hey, so sorry I almost killed you.” Apparently, Ms. Roman either does not care in the least, or is the most oblivious, unthinking, and uninquisitive person on the planet. If I had come that close to killing a young man, leaving his partner and child alone, I’d be crushed by guilt, sorrow, and regret. A terrific example of those who are supposed to protect and serve. At the very least, I hope to hell someone took Ms. Roman’s gun[s] away.

Via Raw Story.

Oh, There’s An Idea. A Really Bad One.

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Audience Member: I had a question about, there’s been a lot of violence in the black community – I want to know, what would you do to help stop that violence, you know, black-on-black crime…

Trump: Right, well, one of the things I’d do, Ricardo, is I would do stop-and-frisk. I think you have to. We did it in New York, it worked incredibly well and you have to be proactive and, you know, you really help people sort of change their mind automatically, you understand, you have to have, in my opinion, I see what’s going on in Chicago, I think stop-and-frisk. In New York city it was so incredible, the way it worked. Now, we had a very good mayor, but New York City was incredible, the way it worked, so I think that could be one step you could do.

Alexandra Jaffe: Trump will propose nationwide stop-and-frisk to address violence in black community 2nite on Hannity.

Trump will be yakking on tonight about instituting Stop ‘n’ Frisks, citing the disastrous, unconstitutional mess that took place in New York. He seems to think that’s just an incredibly brilliant idea, and that’s going to “cure” all that black violence, and of course, it will make black people vote for him. Yep.

Via Twitter and Raw Story.

Brother Dean Busted.

Dean Frederick Saxton, who made a name for himself by telling women they 'deserve' rape (Screen cap).

Dean Frederick Saxton, who made a name for himself by telling women they ‘deserve’ rape (Screen cap).

Finally, this asshole has been arrested. It’s about damn time. Unfortunately, this plague on the UofA campus saw a slap given, banning Saxton from the campus for one year, and he has 10 days to contest this. Why not go for a permanent ban, UofA? How about letting your students know they are most important, rather than supplying targets for Saxton’s brand of hatred and harm? Grow a bloody spine, and ban this asshole forever, take out a restraining order, whatever you have to do, because do you really want to be known as the adult leaders who thought it was okay to have a man on campus, yelling at students that they deserved to be raped? How about all the students who agree with him, and might take this as encouragement to act?

bro

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) –

A controversial street preacher known as Brother Dean has been accused of assaulting a University of Arizona student, authorities said.

Rene Hernandez, a spokesperson for the University of Arizona Police Department, said Dean Frederick Saxton was arrested around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20.

Saxton has been accused of kicking a woman in the chest and has been banned from the UA campus for one year.

Sgt. Filbert Barrera, spokesman for the UAPD, said Saxon was given an one-year exclusionary order and has 10 days to contest it.

Saxton was booked into the Pima County Jail on an assault charge. Bond was set at $641 and he is expected to appear in court.

Via Tucson News Now.

“Locked the Black Bitch Out”

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I’m so livid!! We all know Racism is alive and well (whether you like to admit it or not). When said acts of racism happen at your school, it is infuriating and heart breaking. My friend left her phone in her room and the three kids pictured below took her phone and took the snapchat pictured below. The captioned it “locked the black bitch out”. My friend was not aware that they had done this and didn’t even realize they had put this on her snapchat story until another friend of ours pointed it out. The University of North Dakota needs to take action against these students for this blatant act of racism.

Once again, Ndakota demonstrates its jolly spirit of racism and sexism. Hey, girls – that’s not a joke. That’s not a prank. It’s rank racism and the vile stench is now wafting across the internet. Supposedly, you’re in university to learn something, not be caught up in toxic arrested development. Supposedly, you’re women now, and you should be forging chains of solidarity with other women. But no, you chose the racist, sexist idiot route. Thanks ever for making the place I live even worse.

Naturally, UND made some understated noises, all of which amounted to “in the process of gathering information.” Not much different from “well, we need to investigate.”  Christ on a stick, I’m tired of those bloody shopworn phrases. I’ll hope something is done, but it will be a small hope. After all, this is Ndakota, where racism is considered a lively and cherished sport.

This was UND’s response:

Have a care reading the comments, because there’s a healthy amount of racist stupid on display:

Oh look, once again we see anything a white student does being relegated to a harmless mistake. FFS.

Via Raw Story.

Facebook, Oh Facebook VIII.

State Sen. Jason Rapert (Facebook).

State Sen. Jason Rapert (Facebook).

Arkansas Senator Jason Rapert went on another screedfest on facebook, had his posts removed, and the Bully of Bigelow proceeded to whine about it so much that FB restored his nasty bigotry rants. Mr. Rapert isn’t like very much by his constituents, who appear disgusted but not in the least surprised.

Arkansas Times reports that Rapert is claiming vindication after Facebook has decided to restore posts he wrote over the weekend where he declared his support for rounding up and deporting not just Muslim extremists, but “every single Muslim extremist sympathizer and other anti-American crazies.”

“Regardless of who is responsible for these events today – we need to round up every single Muslim extremist sympathizer and other anti-American crazies and detain them or deport them,” wrote Rapert in response to the mass stabbing that occurred in a Minnesota mall and the dumpster bombing in Manhattan. “And for goodness sake – stop bringing more Muslims into this nation.”

Rapert also said that Muslims “wait for every opportunity to convert Americans to Islam or kill the infidels — that is what their holy book the Koran instructs them to do.”

I can’t even work up an eyeroll for this isht anymore. Just what does your bible tell you to do, Mr. Rapert? It wouldn’t have anything at all to do with converting people, preaching that gospel, saving souls or constantly committing genocide on people who were somewhat different (or had something “god’s people” wanted). It’s the same fucking religion, you idiot! Same god! Oh, and I’m fairly sure the Quran doesn’t specifically mention America, anymore than any version of the bible, you flaming idiot.

Well, in the end, FB caved to this genocidally minded puffbag of idiocy. Shame, that, because I think these posts are terror-focused. They are certainly filled with hate and the desire to harm.

Via Arkansas Times, Arkansas Online, and Raw Story.

Facebook, Oh Facebook VII

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Dell Rapids- A firefighter from Dell Rapids Fire Rescue was fired this weekend for racist comments he posted on Facebook.

Those posts sparked outrage in the community and abroad.

“You’re a public servant and your putting stuff like that on Facebook, that’s not good,” said resident of Dell Rapids, William Dezee.

Many people in Dell Rapids were shocked when they learned one of their firefighters posted racists comments on Facebook.

Several say it’s disturbing that the remarks were made by someone who is supposed to come to their rescue during an emergency.

“There’s enough problems going on, we don’t need racial slurs or people wearing masks or saying something that’s what 160 years old, leave it alone. That’s the way it should be,” added Dezee.

The comment was posted to the Facebook account of a Kansas State student.

The girl was expelled after posting a racist photo.

Dell Rapids fire rescue took to Facebook to announce their decision to terminate john Nygaard.

“John is no longer a member of our volunteer organization. Dell Rapids fire would like to apologize on behalf of our former member for his insensitive and narrow minded comments on Facebook. This is something we take very seriously and this type of thinking will not be tolerated by our members.”

[Read more…]

Cop Unions, What Are They Good For?

Colin Kaepernick.

Colin Kaepernick.

Actually, that should be: Cop Unions, What in the Fuck Are They Good For? It would appear that they simply sit around, twiddling their thumbs until someone manages to hurt their collective feelings. “Woe is us” goes the shout, whereupon they start acting like tiny aggrieved children on the brink of a tantrum. They moan. They whine. They spill crocodile tears. They extort.

I’m not one to be terribly surprised by cop behaviour, but I’ll admit to surprise with the blatant move into extortion by cop unions over the tiniest hint that they might not be earth’s mightiest heroes. No, cops, you are not earth’s mightiest heroes. In this particular case, you aren’t San Francisco’s mightiest heroes, either. You might make the cut for San Francisco’s mightiest villains, if that makes you feel better. The SFPD has been exposed as corrupt, and racist as all hells. So, no one at all will be shocked that the SF cop union is issuing threats along with their extortion. (You can read the full letter here, scroll down.)

The union representing Santa Clara police threatened on Friday to boycott San Francisco 49ers games because of Colin Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality, KNTV-TV reported.

“The board of directors of the Santa Clara Police Officer’s Association has a duty to protect its members and work to make all of their workings environments free of harassing behavior,” the group said in a letter to the team, which plays its home games in that city.

If the team does not take action against the quarterback, the letter stated, “It could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities.”

So, now it’s harassment and a hostile work environment if one person sits during the anthem, or wears socks cops don’t like. Wow. Who knew a gigantic sportsball stadium could turn completely hostile by the actions of one person in a crowd of, what, thousands? Seems to me that private security could be hired for as much, or possibly less, than cops. Or, perhaps cops who don’t want to work the stadium don’t have to, and those who want to work can do so. Oh, but that would end up with the working cops being subjected to an actual hostile work environment, wouldn’t it? I sincerely hope the cops are given a polite fuck off, with private security hired, so they can go back to twiddling their thumbs while writing racist texts to one another, often about their own co-workers:

However, Kaepernick also took note of the findings regarding San Francisco officers’ tendency to send one another racist text messages. A panel of three judges also determined that the department showed “institutionalized bias” against communities of color.

“The SFPD has had a lot of issues,” Kaepernick said on Thursday, adding that the officers in question were “not only talking about the community, but talking about colleagues that work in the same department.”

Via KNTV and Raw Story.

Bullet Imagery Is Not Violent!

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The GOP leaders, however, are standing by the image, which they hand-delivered to Kirkpatrick’s campaign office and posted online. Matthew Specht with the Arizona Republican Party told the Arizona Daily Star that “no one” connected the poster’s bullet imagery with violence “until the Kirkpatrick campaign tried to use it as a way to distract the media from Ann Kirkpatrick’s absence from the campaign trail.”

Mmmhmm. Those bullet holes are just purely decorative, I’m sure.

Full story at Think Progress.

Drinking the Orange Kool-Aid.

Cult-of-Trump-4

Rebecca Nelson at GQ has a very good article up about the current ‘crazy for Trump’ going on, and Rick Alan Ross, a cult expert and republican was watching this all with distaste, until a bell rang, and rather loudly. What he’s watching is the rise of a cult leader. The article goes through a number of points:

Sign I: His campaign is fueled by charisma.

Sign II: He’s a raging narcissist.

Sign III: What he says is always right. Even when it’s not.

Drinking the Orange Kool-Aid.

What has long bothered (and scared) me is that no one who follows Trump is remotely interested in seeing him subject to the same things the other candidates are, it’s always “different” in Trump’s case. That did not, and does not read like enthusiastic political support. This is more “alright, we can finally set up a dictatorship and start killing all the ___! Yes!”

The final note from the GQ article:

Trump doesn’t consider all women his spiritual wives, like the Branch Davidians’ David Koresh. And we can reasonably assume that he does not have plans to kill his supporters by giving them cyanide-laced Kool-Aid, as the Rev. Jim Jones did at his Guyana compound in 1978. Still, his ascendency could very well start a nuclear war. “We’re not talking about a compound with a thousand people,” Ross says. “We’re talking about a nation with over 300 million people. So the consequences of Trumpism could affect us in a way Jim Jones never did.”

Especially if you don’t drink the Trump Kool-Aid™.

Full story here.