May 10, 2022

The mind of some Trumpers. . .

Saw this on a different site. The story wasn't even political but the first post in this little screen capture was, of course, appalling.




So, to this person's way of thinking, not voting for a sitting president, (or is it just her preferred president?) is, in itself, an act of treason? No wonder the January 6 storming of the Capital doesn't register as a criminal act.

I realize that I am preaching to the choir here, but if it is treason to vote for a candidate other than the one who is already in office, then why the fuck do we have elections anyway?

May 9, 2022

In the "Laugh Through the Pain (and Rage)" category. . .

This Onion headline captures not one, but two oppression tropes.


Police Officer Plants Aborted Fetus on Black Suspect

May 7, 2022

The Idea Of Leaving Abortion Rights "Up to the States". . .

. . . Isn't just gas lighting bullshit, it's the antitheist of the American identity.

It's one thing for a state to decide that undercoating has to be included in the features of a newly sold car in, say, Michigan, while California might pass a law requiring dealerships to let buyers opt out of that feature. Those states have different climates that impact people's lives and material goods in specific ways. Similarly, building codes and fireworks availability can vary from state-to-state because of differences in not only climate and terrain but also ease of access to public services like fire departments and the like.

There are times and circumstances when states should have the final say in the laws that serve their distinct populations. But not when it comes to the central rights afforded to the people. We already went through the insanity of thinking that human beings could be owned as property in some states across this country but not in others. We endured the stupidity of allowing some states to pretend that two people of the same sex could have a legal wedding somewhere else in the country but somehow not be married while in their particular state.

The notion that one state can not only ban abortions but somehow tell a person that they can't travel to another state to have a medical procedure that is legal in that other state is beyond ridiculous. Do Texas and Oklahoma et al OWN the women who live within their borders? Are they somehow allowed to tell people where and when they can move? Are they going to require pregnancy tests for breeding age women heading over the state line for job interviews?

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness--which includes bodily autonomy--are the absolute bedrock of our founding principles as a nation. No state legislature can interfere with these rights and have any claim to be true to American principles. This is not a free country if people can have rights that disappear when traveling from one state to another.

May 5, 2022

When Amber speaks, I laugh. . . Or, I learn.

Obviously, posting this here at DU amounts to preaching to the choir. It is still worth watching, however, because it can help White allies to clarify their thinking on the subject and strengthen anyone's talking points when discussing this issue.

I had a former housemate, (not my choice), who responded to the BLM protests after George Floyd's death by declaring, "Seems to me, if you keep your mouth shut and do what you're told, you won't have any problems." Talk of politics is strongly discouraged by the homeowners here, which may have been for the best. I was sick with rage at his statement, and had to leave the room. And this was before I listened to Amber Ruffin's run of stories about her personal experiences with the police on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

One time, he was trying to make innocuous conversation and I couldn't hold it in any more when he asked if something was bothering me. "You know that I don't like you!" I blurted. Not my finest hour, but I was trying to give him credit for having enough intelligence to realize that his conversation attempts were pointless and couldn't we just nod to each other in passing? While trying to make that point, he went ahead and addressed me as a "Fucking Pig Cunt" several times, with a little addendum each time. "Fucking Pig Cunt, nobody likes you!" "Fucking Pig Cunt, you don't know anything!" Honestly, his lack of variation in expletives became boring.

Naturally, this exchange raised my blood pressure, but it honestly didn't make me as angry as his other statements on police treatment of Black people, illegal immigrants and rape. ( He told this joke three times: "I'm thinking of suing the Catholic Church. I was never molested--now I don't feel pretty." )

Happily, this person no longer lives in the house where I rent. Now, you may be wondering why I am writing out this lengthy essay in a post that begins with an excellent video discussing the critical issue of police brutality towards Blacks. Typical White woman--making it about her, would not be an unreasonable thought. Well, the video above forces me to think about awful things that happen in the world which deepens my depression. Sometimes I can cope by viewing other online content that is cute or funny.

Or, sometimes, I revisit things that upset me greatly and that I got through in some way. It's a method of processing ugly reality that makes me feel a little bit less powerless. There is so much sheer awfulness going on everywhere right now that threatens to send me down the rabbit hole of thought that has led me to be hospitalized twice. It may be the world's weirdest coping mechanism, but letting myself disappear down a slightly less dangerous rabbit hole seems to help.

Of course, I hope this video offers valuable food for thought. With any luck, my ramblings may also help someone to process some of their own pain.