“So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here — a lynching. But we will WIN!”
Still working (with surprisingly little effort) to maintain his role as ASSHOLE-in-Chief, Trump once again uses racist terminology to elicit sympathy from his brainless followers.
To put the concept of lynching back into historical perspective, the above photo was taken shortly before the lynching death of Henry Smith in Paris, Texas, in 1893 that was viewed by a crowd of 10,000 as a public spectacle. An estimated 4,000 people have been lynched in the U.S. since the end of the Civil War, even as late as the 1960s; mostly Black, but also Native American, Hispanic and even some Whites. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
“We want people to know that it exists, and they can join it.”
– Pastor Doug Pagitt, founder of a left-leaning religious organization called “Vote Common Good”, about obliterating the myth that leftist or liberal-minded people can’t also be religious.
Dallas author and co-founder of PEN Dallas/Fort Worth Sanderia Faye.
I’m excited to announce that a global literary and free speech organization, PEN International, has established a new chapter in Dallas, Texas. Founded in London in 1921, PEN International has a very simple mission: preserve literature in all its forms and ensure everyone can engage in free speech and freedom of expression. These are core elements in any truly democratic society, but they are constantly being challenged and even threatened by self-appointed guardians of writing, journalism and speech; people who seem to think they have the right and the power to determine what the rest of us can say and read. It’s a never-ending battle and, sadly, it never will be won. Those of us who advocate for a free press and free speech will always have to confront the oligarchical bullies who feel they – and only they – are blessed with inalienable rights to speech and literature.
Pen International felt the need to
establish the Dallas / Fort Worth chapter in the wake of the fraudulent 2016
U.S. presidential election, which has given us an arrogant, foul-mouthed,
womanizing, reality TV star in the White House.
“At a time of exceptional threats to
free expression and open discourse, our chapters will bring years of
mobilization, activism and organizing among writing communities across the
country to the next level,” PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement.
The Dallas/Fort Worth chapter, as well
as others around the U.S. will be vehicles for “pushing back against the
breakdown of civil discourse, the marginalization of vital voices, and
encroachments on press freedom.”
This shouldn’t be a surprised to anyone
familiar with U.S. politics. I’ve noticed
over the years that, any time a conservative Republican lands in the White
House, free speech and freedom of the press come under attack. They have no problems loosening gun laws and
sending our military to fight stupid wars (as if there’s such a thing as a “smart”
war). But, when it comes to education,
health care and even voting, conservatives suddenly feel the need to debate the
matter.
Regardless of how hard we have to fight
to ensure the rights to free speech and freedom of the press, we will always
take up the torch of liberty and justice.
Everyone has a story and everyone needs to
be heard.
“Get over it. There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.”
– Mick Mulvaney, Acting White House Chief of Staff, admitting Faux-President Trump expected concessions from Ukraine in exchange for financial aid
I’m starting to realize it’s actually possible Trump’s own staff will make the impeachment inquiry proceed more quickly, as the rest of us watch in shock and awe.
“There is a conflict between the politics of Jesus and the politics of Trump. Racial bigotry is a deal breaker for the Gospel. White nationalism, which Donald Trump embraces and champions, isn’t just racist — it’s anti-Christ. Dehumanizing immigrants isn’t just racist — it’s anti-Christ. Demeaning women isn’t just sexist — it’s anti-Christ. At some point, Christians have to ask themselves: Are the teachings of Christ going to be followed or not?”
– Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of “Sojourners” magazine and Sojourners Community
“If Turkey does anything that I, in my
great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy
and obliterate the Economy of Turkey. I’ve
done before!”
“Contraception is seen as harming the
gifts God gave us. You can’t put in
physical barriers like condoms or chemical substances that are going to
obstruct the natural design of the ovaries.”
With a global population fast approaching 8 billion, I actually see the idea of contraception as humanity’s gift to itself. And the fewer devoutly religious people we have in our midst, the better!
“Although I understand that I served
at the pleasure of the President, I was nevertheless incredulous that the US
government chose to remove an ambassador based, as best as I can tell, on
unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives.”
– Marie Yovanovitch, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, in testimony today in front of the U.S. House Congress, as part of the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump
“I would think that if they were honest about it, they’d start a major investigation into the Bidens. It’s a very simple answer. They should investigate the Bidens because how does a company that’s newly-formed and all these companies, if you look at – and by the way, likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens. Because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with – uh – with Ukraine.”
– Faux President Donald Trump, in response to a reporter’s question about the Ukraine and former Vice-President Joe Biden.
– Brandt Jean, 18-year-old brother of shooting victim Botham Jean, during his victim impact statement after the conviction of former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger.