June 12, 2016

Out of all of tRump's hideous tweets, the one about the Pulse mass murder was the worst.

It's not like his being a textbook narcissist is exactly news, but that tweet actually shocked me as well as disgusted me. Just when you think nothing he could do would be shocking, he tweets that shit. Not one mention of the scores dead and injured, not a microscopic speck of empathy. Just me, me, me.



https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/742034549232766976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Donald Trump Faces Backlash For Tweets About Orlando Shooting

http://time.com/4365411/orlando-shooting-donald-trump-tweet-congrats/

June 12, 2016

ISIS Announced Florida Threat 3 Days Ago: "We Will Attack Florida"

CBS12 reported on June 8th, ISIS Muslim terrorists released a statement on their plan to attack Florida, and even put out a list with the names of people in Florida that they plan on killing.

“A pro-Isis group has released a hit list with the names of more than 8,000 people mostly Americans.”

The “United Cyber Caliphate” that hacked U.S. Central Command, 54,000 Twitter accounts and threatened President Barack Obama is the same pro-Isis group that’s reportedly created a “kill list” with the names, addresses and emails of thousands of civilian Americans.

Reports of the list came to light online when Vocativ reported the list was shared via the encrypted app, Telegram, and called on supporters to kill.

Former FBI agent-turned lawyer Stuart Kaplan says the threat is especially alarming, because the people on this list are civilians who don’t have the security necessary to protect themselves.

“It’s going to create some hysteria,” he said.

Kaplan believes civilians from our community are on the list.

“I would suspect a head of a hospital or, perhaps, a local community leader. Those are the individuals that may appear on the list–or just a local banker or local school teacher–someone who, for some reason, was in the public eye.”

Kaplan is concerned the list will inspire “lone wolf” style attacks.

<snip>

http://lawofficer.com/2016/06/isis-announced-florida-threat-3-days-ago-we-will-attack-florida/

June 12, 2016

Orlando shooting suspect’s father hosted a political TV show, voiced support for Taliban

The father of Omar Mateen, identified by police as the man behind the carnage at an Orlando nightclub early Sunday morning, is an Afghan man who holds strong political views, including support for the Afghan Taliban.

Seddique Mateen, who has been referred to as Mir Seddique in early news reports, hosted the “Durand Jirga Show” on a channel called Payam-e-Afghan, which broadcasts from California. In it, the elder Mateen speaks in the Dari language on a variety of political subjects. Dozens of videos are posted on a channel under Seddique Mateen's name on YouTube. A phone number and post office box that are displayed on the show were traced back to the Mateen home in Florida. Mateen also owns a nonprofit organization under the name Durand Jirga, which is registered in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

In one video, Mateen expresses gratitude toward the Afghan Taliban, while denouncing the Pakistani government.

<snip>
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/12/orlando-shooting-suspects-father-hosted-a-political-tv-show-and-even-tried-to-run-for-the-afghan-presidency/

June 12, 2016

Gunman 'pledged allegiance to ISIS' on 911 call- report

<snip>

NBC’s Pete Williams is reporting that Omar Mateen called 911 before the attack and when the operator answered, “swore his allegiance to [Abu Bakr al-]Baghdadi”, the leader of terror group Isis.


Williams cites unnamed law enforcement sources for his report.

Earlier today Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat leader of the House intelligence committee, said he had heard a similar account from sources.

Like many other authorities, Schiff urged caution and repeated that the investigation is an extremely early stage to be drawing any conclusions.


<snip>

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jun/12/florida-nightclub-shooting-terrorism-suspect-updates

June 12, 2016

Here is a link to a Guardian article with rolling updates. President Obama will address the nation

President Barack Obama has announced that he will make a speech from the White House at 1.30pm ET.

He will speak from the Brady Room, the same place he emotionally pleaded with Congress “we can’t wait” to act on gun violence earlier this year.

Vice-president Joe Biden has also released a statement through a spokesperson.



The Vice President was briefed this morning by his national security advisor on the heinous attack that took place overnight at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Vice President Biden offered his prayers for all those killed and injured in the shooting and sends his condolences to all the families and loved ones of the victims. He is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to receive regular updates as we know more.



8m ago
12:02


Florida senator: officials 'believe link to Isis'


Intelligence officials “believe that there is some link to Isis”, Florida senator Bill Nelson has just told reporters at a press conference.

He cautioned repeatedly that the information is tentative.

<snip>

heguardian.com/world/live/2016/jun/12/florida-nightclub-shooting-terrorism-suspect-updates?page=with:block-575d7e43e4b00f7e4b177d2d#block-575d7e43e4b00f7e4b177d2d

June 12, 2016

For those who died, for those huddled in fear as bullets flew

For those desperately calling and searching for sons and daughters, friends and partners. For those who will live in the shadow of this horrendous act of hate and cowardice; for all those, I have nothing but my compassion and empathy. And my pledge, small as it may be to fight for real gun control.

For the NRA, for those defending unfettered gun "rights", for the idiots rushing out to buy more weapons, for the manufacturers of guns meant for nothing but killing other humans, I have nothing to offer but my steadfast opposition and contempt- and my pledge to fight for real gun control.

June 12, 2016

I don't give a flying fuck if the murderer was an Islamist Jihadist or an xian nutcase

It's not a fucking competition between the left and the right about who the bad guy is and if he belongs to the group hated most by either the left or the right.

I deplore these conversations that always pop up here when something this horrific occurs. They are so cruel and meaningless and meant to gain political advantage in the crudest and cruelest of ways.

What matters beyond, of course, the victims and those grieving them, is addressing the ease with which murderous fuckwads can access certain guns.

I'm not a crier. But I've been weeping all morning. I don't know why this particular horror has struck me so, but it has.

June 12, 2016

A revolution in the sense Bernie refers to it, isn't instant oatmeal.

And historically it never has been. Clearly Bernie is referring to a non-violent revolution, one I think is better referred to as building a movement for real, substantive change.

It's something that takes time, dedication, direction, leadership and dogged determination.

Will it take hold? I feel hopeful that that it will. I hate to refer to the tea party or make comparisons with such an odious movement, but there can be no doubt that it transformed the republican party- for the worse. But the millions of Bernie voters despite the largely bullshit meme about Bernie bros, overwhelmingly support racial equality, women's rights, economic reform and other issues that have been staples of democratic politics for decades- before the big money interests gained such purchase within the democratic party.

It doesn't matter who leads the movement nearly as much as the involvement of people who support the goals voiced by Bernie and others.

You can support Hillary Clinton wholeheartedly and still believe we need serious election finance reform and other issues such as reducing college loan debt and providing opportunities for the far too many impoverished children that live in this country. One can support Hillary wholeheartedly and still believe in raising the Social Security cap. One can support her and still believe in limiting, not expanding fracking.

The eagerness of the establishment and MSM to pronounce Bernie's revolution dead and to bury it with haste is premature as all hell.

Only time will tell.

June 12, 2016

Trump is a hot mess. He's never been anything but a hot mess.

Look, I didn't like Romney one bit. I thought he'd be a horrible president. I certainly had no use for John McCain. But those guys, abhorrent as I may have found their governing and political philosophies, were legitimate candidates in a way that Joker Trump is not.

So what is the responsibility of the news media? Should they treat (and are they doing so) trump differently from past candidates and nominees?

The media treated Dennis Kucinich as more of a joke and less legitimate a candidate than Trump. And he never got anywhere near the Presidency and he had a reputable career in politics.

The blunt truth is that trump is not someone who should be treated as a legitimate choice.

June 12, 2016

At least 20 people shot dead in attack on gay club in Orlando

horrible news.

here's a link. And please, can we stay away from the Florida jokes.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families friends and yes, the first responders.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/gunman-opens-fire-orlando-gay-club-report-article-1.2670322

Edited to remove reference to there being 2 gunmen. Too much confusion. Too much unknown.