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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
I suggested to my parents mailing and calling our representatives' offices to help prevent Bannon from taking office. They're both very left leaning, and hate what's been going on, but when I mentioned doing something even as simple as that, they seemed highly reluctant. My mom is afraid of ending up on a mailing list, and doesn't think it would effect anything anyway.
My parents are also seriously considering moving to Canada. My mom's side has some ancestry there anyway. I'm kind of disappointed in the way they're acting, but I'm beginning to understand why. We live in Tennessee, where only Nashville, Memphis, and one other district went blue. I saw a few Trump signs and bumper stickers around, and before that guys mounting Confederate flags on their trucks when that was banned from official buildings. My parents are afraid of getting targeted. We share links on facebook, but only make them visible to friends, not public.
Fact is, it's hard to do any real good in this world if you don't put yourself in danger and are willing to make some kind of sacrifice. You can't stand with the downtrodden without risk of also putting yourself in the cross-hairs of oppressors. My parents are old, and they're already dealing with their own siblings who did vote for Trump. I can't really blame them for how they feel, but I know this is how a lot of people are feeling right now. With all the acts of violence from emboldened nationalists, people don't want to stick their necks out.
I had a lot more to say, which I may post later, but I'll sum it up. Giving a shit isn't easy. Sometimes it really takes balls to give a shit and not back down. A lot of people become really resentful towards those who do, maybe because it makes them feel envious, or just because they don't want to feel responsible for something that's not relevant to them, regardless of their actual views. Because, like I said, giving a shit is difficult, so how dare someone try to make you give one? No one wants to admit they may do bad things and may be responsible. I think this is one of those times when people really need to find their courage and be willing to face some conflict.
edited 16th Nov '16 5:16:32 PM by StarOutlaw
I think in all likely hood I alone am going to end up calling. I'll keep it brief and to the point, and I don't expect I'll end up arguing with whoever answers.
Also, I found out the person who reps my district is a leader of Trump's anti-abortion coalition. So, yeah, best I can hope for is that at the very least they disagree with white supremacy.
edited 16th Nov '16 5:26:04 PM by StarOutlaw
From what I've read about my Congressman, he seems like he'd be in line with a lot of Trump's stuff.
That said, I don't know how he feels about Bannon, but I wouldn't be voting for him anyway, so I'm not sure if I'd really have an impact...
That said, my dad did vote for him, and is a registered Republican to boot, but he hates Trump, and from what I understand doesn't like Bannon at all. Maybe I could convince him to do something here...
Oh God! Natural light!On the subject of contacting congresspeople about Bannon, this
popped up on my Twitter earlier today, one of NY's senators is collecting objections. I'm currently without a working phone but I know there are other NY people in the thread.
On one hand, I understand why people don't like how other people are doing all the rallies and riots against Trump now, seemingly fighting against the democratic process, but on the other hand... get ready for a lot of this shit in the next 4-8 years.
The alt-right sees this as a victory (and in many regards it is), the far-left regards this as a defeat (and in many regards it is), but I see it as the first decisive blows in what is shaping up to be a long cultural struggle that extends far beyond the banner of politics, or even the banner of media and entertainment. The middle ground's dead and buried, so you're either with us or against us, and we're cranking shit up to overdrive.
Anyone know if it's legit? Seems so but I can't find anything on it via Google.
Edit: Hmm seems like the line is dead. And so is calling the DC line in the comments below. The number itself seems legit but takes me to her voicemail. Guess it has to be done during work hours.
edited 16th Nov '16 5:56:55 PM by AlleyOop
Donald Trump's team 'discussing plans for Muslim registration system'
: "Donald Trump’s policy advisers are discussing plans to establish a registry for Muslim immigrants in the US, a man believed to be a key member of the President-elect's transition team has revealed.
Kris Kobach, the secretary of state for Kansas, said the President-elect’s advisers were looking at how to implement a proposal suggested by the billionaire businessman that would force immigrants from Muslim countries to register on a database.
Mr Kobach, who helped devise tough immigration laws in a number of US states and claims to have participated in regular conference calls with Mr Trump’s immigration advisers, also said the Trump administration could push ahead rapidly on construction of a US-Mexico border wall without seeking immediate congressional approval."
Guys, this doesn't sound too good.
Hugging a Vanillite will give you frostbite.It will take organization and people with legal experience able and willing to donate their time to raise the challenge. The court can't make a ruling without a complaint being brought. It is possible though. Also, except for extraordinary cases, the Supreme Court strictly an appeals court and getting a case there can take years (unless a suit is brought against the government directly).. The first step would probably involve getting an injunction against registration issued by lower courts in as many places as possible.
edited 16th Nov '16 6:02:48 PM by Elle
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Ugh, it's only a matter of time before they start putting Muslim citizens in camps. Camps that are concentrated.
I hope Red State Texas enjoys having a useless massive wall built in their state.
Suffice to say, this isn't making me feel any more inclined to give Trump a "chance".
edited 16th Nov '16 6:05:30 PM by M84
Disgusted, but not surprised
I just know that anyone who tries to openly argue the parallels between this and Jews in Nazi Germany is going to be countered with some bullshit like "The Jews weren't terrorists, this is different, we're not like the Nazis." Assuming these same people aren't Holocaust deniers and/or white supremacists.
Many of them probably are.
Even if they weren't, willful ignorance is a powerful thing. Keep in mind that apparently most Germans didn't know about the concentration camps until that regime broke down. If there really are concentration camps, I don't know that they're really gonna be able to keep the worst of their activities there secret because this isn't the 1940's anymore.
Re: Bringing back earmarks: I can't help but laugh at the second paragraph of that article
@In An Odder Way:
edited 16th Nov '16 6:17:40 PM by Balmung
I don't know how people bought into Trump draining the swamp anyways. The guy very demonstrably doesn't give a shit about anyone or anything, he only cares about fueling his own ego and greed and nothing more. He has no reason to give a shit about the common man, he treats all of his "inferiors" like dogshit.

In the end of the day. climate is a big, complex interconnected system. You don't get to change a few variables in one part without effecting everything else in some way. And it is hard to know precisely everything that this would entail. This is literally where the term "butterfly effect" came from, after all.
edited 16th Nov '16 5:12:25 PM by Heatth