If you are someone who still listens to the news or reads the newspapers you will have noticed the rise in attacks on Asian-Americans in the United States. As the pandemic rages on they have been made the scapegoat. Sadly, this is not new, this has happened before. To our country's shame.
Fear is nothing new. Nor is blaming those who have absolutely nothing to do with the circumstances in which we find ourselves. For Japanese Americans during World War II it meant displacement from their homes into internment camps.
But this is not just the fault of those who have perpetrated these attacks, it is also the fault of those who have encouraged them, and those who have stood by and said nothing. While our ideals are admirable the behavior of some of our fellow Americans is not. It is, or should be, a source of shame for all of us who do really believe in our democracy. Patriotism is not just about flying a flag from the back of your pickup. It is about living up to the ideals our country was created for.
Listen to what true patriotism means.
19 comments:
Off topic: Two questions crossed my mind this morning.
1. If Trump runs for President again in 2024 does he pick Mike Pence again to be his veep?
2. Would Mike Pence accept?
And now, back to your regularly scheduled morning programming.
He won't ask and Mike Pence wouldn't accept. Not if his wife had anything to say about it.
Joe Biden is holding his first Presidential Press Conference today. I've not been in any real hurry to hear from him personally, but the Washington press corps' been champing at the bit for it.
(Also Biden's dogs get to come back to the White House after receiving special training on the need to tolerate Secret Service guys)
Yes, the press has been making a big deal about the press conference. I haven't been too concerned about not hearing from him at one of those either. It's been very pleasant, actually, not to constantly hear from a President. I can see, though, where the press would want the opportunity to ask questions.
The immigration issue on the border is getting a lot of attention. I feel sorry for the children being sent across alone. I hope they manage to organize some more humane response.
(Bad dogs, very bad dogs. Haven't they been there before?)
There have been a number of people contracting Covid after receiving the vaccine. I think the number was 89 here in Minnesota. We did know that the vaccine wasn't 100% effective against Covid, so not surprising.
An interesting side effect that I don't think anyone expected was the effect the vaccine has had on some "long haulers". There have been some cases where their symptoms have dissipated after getting the vaccine. Not all, but some. Some very lucky people.
I note that the Georgia House has passed the rather restrictive voting law that had been proposed.
Btw, did you notice that Putin seemed a little perturbed that Biden confirmed he thought he was a killer?
"Yes, the press has been making a big deal about the press
conference."
Jack Schafer says that's at least partly because (so far) the Biden White House does∙not∙leak, in contrast to the Trump White House, which leaked like a sieve from day one.
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"Bad dogs…"
Maybe not. May be that the dog thought it was his job to protect ol' Joe (even from Secret Service agents who might forget to adapt to the notion that their charge now has his own guard dogs). The older dog might have been through that system before, but the young one's only three years old, so it's new to him. And he's the one who nipped the agent.
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I note that the Georgia House has passed the rather restrictive
voting law that had been proposed."
Given Georgia's strongly gerrymandered Republican majority in the state legislature, that was almost a given.
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"Btw, did you notice that Putin seemed a little perturbed…"
Yeah, and I thought that was a rather curious response. I thought the point of using a proprietary nerve toxin was to make it known (deniable, but let it be known…) that he was behind the hits.
Could be his perturbation was just for show.
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I caught just the end of Biden's press conference. I clicked the tube back on and Biden was answering a question (which I didn't catch), and then he was done, and he said something along the lines of "We're done now; I'm outta here." and that was it. He headed for the door, and the reporters were left yelling questions towards the back of his head, to no avail--he never missed a step--right on out the door. End of show.
Somebody mentioned in an article the other day that Joe Biden was missing. He was referring to the rather awkward gaffe prone Joe Biden. Since occupying the oval office Joe Biden seems to have changed. He seems more, well, presidential. More serious.
Perhaps he, unlike another former occupant of the office, really is trying to do a good job for us, not himself.
"Somebody mentioned in an article the other day that Joe
Biden was missing."
I don't see it myself. He seems to me to be the same ol' Joe Biden ('cept older, and we're all gettin' older 'cept those who've stopped gettin' older)
I do suspect he's had an unreported facelift this past year, during the early campaign season. He was outta sight for prolonged periods during the pandemic, and once when he reappeared after a few weeks he had a new "surprised Biden" look about his face--kinda reminded me of Kenny Rogers when he got his last facelift. He's had something of that same look ever since, although it seems to be fading back into the more normal Joe Biden look. (Tightened skin relaxing back is my guess.)
But, "the rather awkward gaffe prone Joe Biden" has always shared double billing with the guy who was generally well liked and fairly widely respected as intelligent and knowledgeable inside the Senate (residual stuttering problem notwithstanding).
The difference I do see is more a matter of volume and exposure than of substance and style. He no longer does his work in public. He's not the chairman (or ranking member) of important senate committees. Consequently, he doesn't have to do as much of his job in public, nor defend nor explain his work on a fairly daily basis. (Which change has kinda pissed off the White House press corps these last 65 days.)
He's not the go-between for Obama to the Congress either--so that fairly public role is relieved of him as well.
He's in a position to let the product speak for his performance, and, considering that residual stutter of his, he seems more eloquent for that change. But, other than that, he seems to me to be the same ol' Joe Biden.
"…more a matter of volume and exposure…"
I should probably clarify that comment. It's not the public who sees less of Joe Biden these days; it's the Washington press corps.
Perhaps you are right and it is simply a matter of exposure. Or perhaps I am still enjoying the absence of Trump's constant exposure. So I forgive Biden's novelty.
"…perhaps I am still enjoying the absence of Trump's constant
exposure."
Well, there is that too. Juxtaposition to Trump is bound to improve one's relative image for stability and dignity. (For most folks anyway, can't see it's been beneficial for Rudy Guiliani nor Lindsey Graham.)
Given Georgia's strongly gerrymandered Republican majority in the state legislature, that was almost a given.
Getting back to Georgia for a moment. So now they have arrested a representative who knocked on the door of that bill signing merely to ask to witness it. it wasn't a pounding, but a polite tapping. Nothing untoward, yet she was arrested anyway. Needless to say she is a woman of color.
it is quite obvious what they are doing, Biden is correct. You didn't even need the water and food clause to give it away. There is some speculation that this will backfire on the Georgia GOP resulting in more black voter turnout. What say you, what are the odds that will be the case? And if Stacy Abrams were to run for Governor again would she maybe cross that finish line this time?
Regarding Putin...
Yeah, and I thought that was a rather curious response.
That was my reaction too. I thought he rather enjoyed that reputation.
"What say you, what are the odds that will be the case?"
Chances of a blacklash are pretty damn good. Successful voter suppression generally needs to be done quietly, or with overwhelming force. (Lee C. @ Mon Mar 08, 08:56:00 pm)
Just heard that the trial of Derek Chauvin is being carried live in its entirety in Minnesota (wasn't clear if that was OTA or cable).
Yes, they are televising it. It looks like it is on Court TV and CourtTV.com.
I would like to see some of it.
CourtTV.com
I just listened to the opening statement by the defense. I will listen to the prosecution tonight.
I think I will make a post with the link so that anyone who would like to see the trial can easily find it.
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