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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
I won't pretend to know you, but in these few messages, I can glimpse you as you were before your world turned upside down. A normal kid, who liked tech, basketball, photography, running the school news, surfing...
But even then, there were hints of the man you would grow to be.
I call you a man, because that is what you are now, forced into the role well before your time.
An aspiring Eagle Scout, socially conscious, concerned for refugees, who released a viral video even before this tragedy, and most tellingly to me, shot this photo of a #WWII veteran.
You were fond of quotations, once citing Marcus Aurelius, "The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury."
As well as Jack Canfield, writing "Everything you want is on the other side of fear."
Why do I draw your attention to this now, a past that is so close yet so irretreivably distant? Because I want the man you are to remember the boy you were: his values, his passion, his honest zeal.
When you wander into the unknown, remember him.
In moments of confusion, and self-doubt, remember him. He'll know what to do. And you'll know how to do it.
Remember you haven't lost your bearings. You've simply wandered into uncharted territory.
And as for the bots and trolls tormenting you... You have certainly faced far worse. But you shouldn't have to face that in addition.
If you're still interested in learning to code, we'll be available. But in the meantime, we pulled this data so we can take care of those bots.
You've done more in weeks of your young life than most can dream of accomplishing in decades. Others will be jealous or threatened because you challenge the status quo. Don't let them scare you for a moment.
If you ever need us... We'll be watching out for you here.
Now I've got work to do. And so do you.
May we one day meet again under better circumstances. We're all tremendously proud. Good luck.
The Data will be published eventually, and will be turned over to Twitter.
edited 1st Apr '18 9:11:27 AM by megaeliz
Trump Tweeted out that he's no longer interested in a DACA deal (big surprise) and he's threatening Mexico via NAFTA if they don't clamp down on immigration. He also wants the GOP to go nuclear in the Senate.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/01/politics/trump-no-more-daca-deal/index.html
Busy morning I see. Maybe he's agitated about something?
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.Raging lunatic and former contender for Worst American Alive, Ann Coulter, sat down for an interview with the NY Times, where she says specifically that without the border wall, she and many other Americans will not vote Trump again. Full article text
And speaking of Republicans denying the existence of reality, an article about how the EPA is leading the charge in refusing to accept balanced, unbiased scientific research. Full article text
That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
On the one hand, more people not voting for Trump can only be a good thing (and more people actually A. getting their asses to the polls and B. voting for the f*cking Democratic candidate, would be even better, but I digress)
On the other, this kinda seems like Right for the Wrong Reasons
Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.The best part of this is that it is impossible for the Wall promise to be fulfilled by 2020. Even with total cooperation and full funding (starting today), the logistics mean that not much visible work will be done by then.
The hardcore Trump voters who went with him because of his immigration stances would never vote Democrat, or them staying home or voting Libertarian or Constitution is best possible option. You won't win those types over (nor should you want to, unless they do a 180 on a host of political stances), these aren't the Obama-Trump types.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.A thought that just came to me. Any possibility that this might become something of a reminder that the office of President isn't the end-all be-all?
It's always been something of the face of the nation in general and the President's party in particular. That's why Trump does so much harm. But I'm wondering if more people, than just Trump himself, had a much different idea of what being President allowed one to do. I would think Obama would've been proof of that, but even if he wasn't, this is a President who shares his party with the congressional majority and, as I've said before, their only big achievements are either already blowing up in their faces (the tax bill) or were achieved solely through Screw the Rules, I Make Them! (Supreme Court)
edited 1st Apr '18 9:53:25 AM by sgamer82
Well, he can't split three interdependent economies (even if he put up massive tariffs, it would just cause damage but the free trade genie is out of the bottle), but the legal case for him eliminating NAFTA unilaterally is unclear. Some think he can, others think he needs Congressional approval (which would never happen).
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.I'd give Obama a pass on the whole "the Presidency ain't all it was cracked up to be" thing. I don't think anyone predicted how obstructionist the Republicans were going to be as a response to his election - or at least I don't remember any warning signs.
Now however - I think both sides are aware of the limitations of the Presidency. That said, we have all thought at least a few times this year about things Trump could do that we really wish he couldn't, simply because "there ain't no rule / we thought it went without saying" was in effect. Someone really does need to go through with a fine tooth comb and close all the loopholes that Trump made apparent through his unprecedented self-serving attitude.
Tough one really - it depends on the nature of the loophole.
If it is down to an interpretation of something written in the constitution - yup, don't want to touch that with a fifty foot barge pole.
If however it is an omission from the constitution then there might be a chance - as long as it is initiated from the executive branch. We've seen legislators wring their hands over protecting Muller, because they would see such an action as a constitutional overreach by the legislature on an executive branch function. (It also conveniently allows them to do nothing, trusting in Donald Trump's better insticts.) If however the executive initiated a rule protecting the independence of a special prosecutor and asked Congress to ratify it through legislation then surely that could be justified as it is the executive branch willingly tieing it's own hands.
I just found out my awesome, goofy, fun, uncle, also believes that the San Bernadino, Parkland, and Sandy Hook were faked, and that the Parkland Kids were actors. As he was working on his OH model train layout, he completely seriously told me about how it was all a drill, and people were faking it, but it always gets taken off the Internet really quickly, in the same goofy way as normal.
We talk about things like Q Annon, and other conspiracy that are outright unconnected from reality, and the obvious conspiracy nuts, but this is something more subtle, and more insidious. Instead, it's inserting Disinformation narratives into seemingly "objective" reporting, rather than making it up wholesale.
edited 1st Apr '18 5:31:14 PM by megaeliz

In this case, it was supposedly a "joke". At least that's what the idiot's lawyer claimed.
Disgusted, but not surprised