Democrat National Convention - Day One Reflections

Elections are always important, but this year's presidential election may be the most important election of my live time.  The stakes have never been higher and having ceased blogging to listen to all of the prime time speakers last night at the Democrat National Convention, the competing visions for the nation could not be starker.  Donald Trump and the Republicans offer fear, hate, division, discrimination and religious extremism that have become all the more frightening given Russia's apparent attempt to throw the election to Trump by undermining the Democrat Party and Hillary Clinton.  On the Democrat side, the vision is motivated by a desire for unity, tolerance of peoples' differences, and a government that works to protect its citizens and temper the abuses of capitalism. Stated another way, the Democrats do not view some citizens as disposable garbage whereas in Trump's world, the "losers" deserve, with much of what determines whether one is a loser being based on one's skin color, faith, national origin and/or sexual orientation. 

As noted in numerous posts, what I find so incredibly frightening is the inability or refusal of Trump supporters to recognize that Trump's campaign and some of his first promised actions mirror the tactics of Adolph Hitler in the early 1930's.  Trump may not be a new Hitler, but his utilization of hate, fear and division to gain power are beyond troubling and cannot lead to a good ending.  This reality was hit upon by a number of the speakers last night, but perhaps most eloquently by Michelle Obama who made the election a choice about what kind of future do we want to give to our children and grandchildren.  I for one do not want a future where white/heterosexual privilege is revived or a future where a madman like Trump has the nuclear codes in his possession as Elizabeth Warren so rightly pointed out.

As for Bernie Sanders, he sought to heal divisions and made the case to his supporters that a Trump victory was truly something to terrifying to ever allow to happen.  One can only hope that over the coming days of the convention Sanders supporters will realize that staying home on election day or voting for a third party with no chance of victory is not an option and will only serve to put Trump in the White House.  Despite Trump's disingenuous appeals to Sanders supporters, Trump is the antithesis of what Sanders wants for America.  

Last night made me proud to no longer be a Republican and to find myself ready to work all out to insure that Trump is defeated.  While we were watching the speakers last night, the husband made the remark that this election, we need to step things up and do more than we have ever done before.  He's right.  Quite literally the nation's future is on the line and we must make sure that it is not one ruled by Trump and his fellow fear mongers and haters. 

Melania Trump's Plagiarized Parts of Michelle Obama's 2008 Speech

For those who had hoped that Melania Trump might be different than her dishonest and disingenuous husband, last night did not auger for a good start.  In her speech deliver to the assembled Republican Party convention, Melania Trump plagiarized a portion of Michelle Obama's 2008 address to the Democrat Party convention almost word for word.   Sadly, both Trump's seem to believe that they can do whatever they want and think there should be never be any accountability.  One has to wonder who assisted Ms. Trump in preparing her remarks.  So much for the efforts of some pundits and commentators for trying to depict Melania as a woman of intelligence and substance.  CNN has details.  Here are highlights:

At least one passage in Melania Trump's speech Monday night at the Republican National Convention plagiarized from Michelle Obama's address to the Democratic National Convention in 2008.

Side-by-side comparisons of the transcripts show the text in Trump's address following, nearly to the word, the first lady's own from the first night of the Democratic convention in Denver nearly eight years ago.

The controversy quickly overshadowed the speech, which was to have been her introduction to voters. It focused on her immigration to the US and her love for her husband.

A Republican operative familiar with how the campaign was handling the speeches said a number of senior aides had a role, edited Melania's speech, suggested changes and provided guidance.

The Trump campaign released a statement on the speech after the similarities were uncovered, but the statement did not mention the plagiarism charge. 

Here is [Melania] Trump, on Monday:

"From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily lives. That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our son," Trump said.

And we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."

And here is Obama, on August 25, 2008:

"And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them.

And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and to pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children -- and all children in this nation -- to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."

The sad part is that I'm not even really surprised.  With Trump, it is par for the course.

Prince Harry Charm's Washington, D.C.

His last U.S. visit drew lots of headlines, but not the type that the British monarchy was looking for.  Especially his naked romp in Las Vegas.  Now, Prince Harry pictured above - yes, he is HOT - seems to be working hard to mend some fences as he charms Washington, D.C., including First Lady Michelle Obama.  A piece in The Daily Beast looks at his charm campaign.  Here are some highlights:

Prince Harry invoked the memory of his mother, Diana, last night as he gave a speech in support of anti-landmine charity the Halo Trust at a British embassy reception, saying Diana would be proud of him.

Diana became the most famous advocate of the charity when she was pictured wearing a clear plastic face mask at a minefield being cleared by the trust in Angola in 1997, shortly before her death.

"My mother, who believed passionately in this cause, would be proud of my association with Halo. In her special way, she adopted it as her own. She would join me, along with all of you, I'm sure, in praising Halo for the amazing work that it has done over the past quarter century, and in hoping that one day soon its humanitarian work will be done.

Harry's speech was the final engagement on an action packed day which saw him wow the Capitol and have a surprise visit with First Lady Michelle Obama.

The First Lady welcomed the 28-year-old prince who was said to be a 'surprise guest' to her home on Thursday afternoon for a reception in honor of military mothers and their children.

Mrs Obama said: "As you all may know, Prince Harry is a captain in the Army Air Corps in the British Armed Forces," and added, “He wanted to be here to thank you for your service.”

Accompanied by Sen. John McCain, Harry visited Capitol Hill and viewed a photography exhibition staged by the anti-landmine organisation the Halo Trust which was closely associated with Diana.
Harry's arrival was marked by hundreds of screaming women, many of whom were said to be staffers.

Senator McCain said: 'He was kind of embarrassed [by the screaming], I think a normal reaction. I'm sure it's not the first time he has had that experience, but in all the years I've been coming here I've never seen such an unbalanced gender gap."

It is Harry's first return to the U.S. since being pictured naked during a game of strip billiards in a Las Vegas hotel.

The tour will give the Prince the chance to show that he has matured enough to take on a senior role in the royal family, as his grandmother cuts back on her workload.   Ahead of this latest trip, the prince's private secretary said Harry wanted to highlight "once again the extraordinary commitment and sacrifice of our injured servicemen and women—-our wounded warriors."

HRH Prince Harry (L), stands with first lady Michelle Obama during an event to honor military families at the White House (Mark Wilson / Getty Images)

More Spittle Fleck Craziness from The Christianists

It seems no one goes out of their way looking for insults and a reason to spew batshitery that the Christofascists.  Especially when the source of outrage can be directed at the Obama White House and/or Hollywood.  Michelle Obama's surprise appearance at last night's Academy Awards is one source of flying spittle - especially given her apparent reference to gay rights.  The other source of outrage among the hate group crowd is a storyline on CBS's Criminal Minds, which featured an "ex-gay" serial killer who'd undergone abusive "sexual conversion therapy."Linda Harvey and ex-gay for pay Greg Quilan are simply beside themselves and vented profusely on World Net Daily, a/k/a Wing Nut Daily.  Here's a sampling of the spittle flecked hysteria:

Sparking the comments was a recent episode of “Criminal Minds” that featured a team of FBI profilers that investigates serial killers. In the Feb. 20 episode, titled “Broken,” a serial killer is murdering women and homosexual men in what appears to be a series of sex crimes.

The episode makes a startling claim as the killer is a person who received conversion therapy as a young man to overcome homosexual attractions. According to the characters in the show, the therapy caused him to believe that acting on his same-sex attraction is wrong. This belief causes him to violently attack people, because he is conflicted about his sexual orientation.

“This man can’t accept his same-sex desires, but he can’t fight them either,” one of the profilers explains. “He’s most likely been repressing all sexual urges for some time.   “He is trapped in a scenario with an impossible outcome. He can’t force himself to like women, so when he is unable to get aroused he becomes depressed again and lashes out in anger to the people he blames for his impotence.”

The show portrays members of the ex-”gay” community as ticking time bombs who are potential serial killers. In one scene, a computer screen shot features a report portraying “The Ex-Gay Movement.” The description states that cautioning children to not have homosexual thoughts was harmful and that individuals merely claimed they had changed their same-sex attraction.

Linda Harvey, founder of Mission America, says the episode is plain and simple discrimination.
“There is absolutely no evidence behind the premise of the show. It is total and complete propaganda,” Harvey said. “Not only is it discriminating against these individuals, they slam everyone who is attempting to overcome these feelings even though there is no evidence that these feelings are inborn and say your opinions on the issue don’t matter.”


Harvey said the episode is part of a larger movement to portray conversion therapy as hateful while portraying ex-”gays” as unstable people who are a threat to everyone around them.  “The homosexual lobby and its supporters are now deciding there is a desperate need to discredit people who want to partake in conversion therapy,” Harvey said.

The people who are desperate are, in my opinion, the mentally ill individuals like Quinlan and Harvey who make a living attacking gays and homosexuality.  They see the larger public realizing that they and their "ministries" are quacks - Harvey has ZERO credentials to qualify heras credible on issues of sexual orientation - and snake oil.  But for being "ex-gay," Qunilan has no marketable skills or talents. 

As for Michelle Obama, her cardinal sin last night - other than, of course being black - is that she made a positive reference to the gay community.  Joe Jervis summarizes as follows:

 

The First Lady was the surprise final presenter at the Oscars, announcing the Best Picture winner via live video from the White House. In her presentation, Obama gave a nod to the gay community.

"These nine movies took us back in time and all around the world they made us laugh, they made us weep and they made us grip our armrests just a little tighter. They taught us that love can endure against all odds and transform our lives in the most surprising ways, and they reminded us that we can overcome any obstacle if we dig deep enough and fight hard enough and find the courage to believe in ourselves. These lessons apply to all of us no matter who we are or what we look like or where we come from or who we love."

 Needless to say, the wing nuts have gone berserk.
 

Quote of the Day: the Chilling Malice of the Far Right

While most commentators have either praised Michelle Obama's speech or at least been polite, such hasn't been the case in the swampland of the far right.  After reviewing various blog comments, Bob Felton of Civil Commotion notes:

There has always been a dark fringe sickness in American politics, an unquenchable malice — but not until now has it controlled one of the major political parties. The country has a long and ugly time in front of it, no matter who wins the election.

Note that Michelle Obama wasn't the only target.  Malice is indeed the best description of the principal undercurrent of today's GOP.  Like my self, Bob has a history of supporting the GOP.  But given what has become of the Republican Party he has likewise fled the insanity.  Here are the comments that set the stage for his statement:

Click Image to Enlarge

Michelle Obama's Devatating Speech

Last night, Michelle Obama's speech did a masterful job of highlighting the difference between the GOP and Democrat Party views of social justice and moving the country and all Americans forward.  What was masterful was the way that she repeatedly slammed to GOP and Mitt Romney without ever uttering Romney's name.  By the end of her speech, it was obvious how out of touch Mitt Romney - and Ann Romney - and Paul Ryan are coming from wealthy families and that the GOP wants to take the country back to a time when a handful of the very wealthy lived like kings and most everyone else struggled to merely survive.  A Washington Post column lays out how her speech was so effective.  Here are highlights:

The most devastating attack on Mitt Romney at Tuesday’s Democratic Convention came from Michelle Obama, who did not mention Romney’s name and said not a single cross thing about him.

She devastated him by implication. If Romney was the son of privilege, she and her husband were anything but. What she said directly is that Barack Obama understands people who are struggling. What she didn’t have to say is Mitt Romney doesn’t.

As a general matter, her speech was a big hit: good enough that even Fox News was kind to her. But the specific stories — about her father working through the pain of multiple sclerosis, about the debts she and her husband accumulated from college — served a powerful campaign purpose. A speech that was thoroughly apolitical on the surface carried multiple political messages, linking a very traditional message about parenting with a call for social justice.

Among the many messages here: Her dad was awesome; he was also a traditional father; and, more broadly, people who receive government aid can be, usually are, very responsible citizens.

Oh yes, and she also said that for husband, “success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” Did any other presidential candidate come to mind as perhaps having a contrasting approach? Michelle Obama was much too polite to say. She didn’t have to.

Another Washington Post carried a similar theme.  Here are a few excerpts: 

It’s not that Michelle Obama said anything about Mitt Romney. She didn’t even mention his name. Not once. But in one section of her lively and well-delivered primetime speech to the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night, line after line was weighted with biting implications about Romney’s character – and his suitability to serve as president.

She argued that presidents makes hard calls by referring to their values, and Barack Obama has the ones you want. They also happen to be values that Romney isn’t widely reputed to hold,

Michelle Obama wasn’t just saying that her husband is like you. She was implying that Romney is not like you. 

Though this was just one section of a much larger address, the politics of this rhetorical ballet make some sense – polls show that one of the president’s greatest assets is that Americans like him personally, and that one of Romney’s greatest weaknesses is that Americans don’t like him so much.

Please don't think I am saying that Mitt and Ann Romney and Paul Ryan are bad people.  I just firmly believe that they are not the right people to be leading this nation.  Social mobility is dropping in America while increasing elsewhere, yet this individuals and their policies would make matters worse.  Millions of Americans are struggling and going without, yet their policies would take from the working poor and the middle class.  This isn't the America that I believe in.     Moreover, it's not consistent with the Gospel message, yet the GOP falsely wraps itself in religiosity.

Why the "Tea Party"?

In light of the preceding post, when I saw this image it was just too good to pass up.  Enjoy!

Quote of the Day - German Weekly Spiegel on Today's GOP

I get beat up frequently by readers who are still viewing themselves as Republicans and who don't like me speaking the truth - at least as I see it - on the foul and toxic state of today's Republican Party. I'm not by any means saying that Democrats are always right and I frequently take Democrat elected officials, the DNC and others to task over their spinelessness, broken campaign promises and a litany of other failings. But despite the Democrat failings, as a party the Democrats have not embraced ignorance - today's GOP revels in ignorance - and unvarnished bigotry be it against gays, immigrants and other minorities. Thus, I found solace in the fact that the German newsweekly Spiegel has launched into an indictment of what the Republican Party has become. Harper's has a translation of Spiegel's analysis. Here are highlights:

The German newsweekly Spiegel takes the latest disclosures concerning Herman Cain and the rise of Newt Gingrich as an opportunity to offer a foreign bird’s-eye view of the current Republican Party and the American media froth around it. My translation:

“Africa is a country. The Taliban rule in Libya. Muslims are terrorists. Immigrants are mostly criminals, Occupy Wall Street protesters are always dirty. And women who claim to have been sexually molested should kindly keep quiet.”

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Republican Party. Or rather: to the distorted world of its presidential campaign. For months it has coiled through the country like a traveling circus, from debate to debate, from scandal to scandal, contesting the mightiest office in the world — and nothing is ever too unfathomable for them… These eight presidential wannabes are happy enough not only to demolish their own reputations but also that of their party, the once worthy party of Abraham Lincoln. They are also ruining the reputation of the United States.

They lie, deceive, scuffle and speak every manner of idiocy. And they expose a political, economic, geographic and historical ignorance compared to which George W. Bush sounds like a scholar. Even the party’s boosters are horrified by the spectacle…

Platitudes in lieu of programs: in serious times that demand the smartest, these clowns offer blather that is an insult to the intelligence of all Americans. But as with all freak shows, it would be impossible without a stage, the U.S. media, which has been neutered by the demands of political correctness, and a welcoming audience, a party base that seems to have been lobotomized overnight. Notwithstanding the subterranean depths of the primary process, the press and broadcasters proclaim one clown after the next to be the new frontrunner, in predictable news cycles of forty-five days.

I truly could not have said it better.

Michelle Obama Praises Husband's Commitment to Homosexuals Update

UPDATE: CBN News also has a story going after Obama for supporting LGBT equality. Here are some highlights:

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Obama delivered another speech about faith Tuesday. He’s done a few of these concerning his faith and how it shapes his public policy. But Sunday his campaign and the Democratic Party were handing out pro-gay rights flyers at the Pride Festival in St. Louis. How is that going to play in the heartland? The Brody File has four flyers in its possession. You can view them by clicking here and here and here and here.

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Handing out pro-gay rights flyers while at the same time talking about your “Christian faith” is a MAJOR disconnect for not only conservative Evangelicals but for some of those Independent voting, moderate leaning working class folks in the rust belt. It doesn’t play well.

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Look, I understand that Obama is saying ALL people should be treated with respect. That’s not the issue. Evangelicals also believe ALL people should be treated respectfully.

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Of course, the most disingenuous statement is that evangelicals believe people should be treated respectfully. I guess that's why they oppose hate crimes legislation, oppose employment non-discrimination legislation, oppose non-discrimination in housing, and so many other measures that would assure gays of being treated with respect and as equal citizens. The CBN reporter, David Brody, obviously does not understand what being treated with respect ought to entail, or is he just a lying hypocrite?

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As for Michelle Obama, the above is the headline on a story today on the Christianist Cybercast News Service and is illustrative of how the wingnuts will do all they can to demonize anyone who makes public statements supporting full citizenship rights for LGBT Americans. Per the Christianist mindset, only they and those who conform to their intolerant, hate-based religious views get to enjoy all the rights of being a U. S. citizen. Of course, being Caucasian is also an unspoken requirement to full legal rights as well in the eyes of Don Wildmon, Tony Perkins, James Dobson, et al. Blacks are only embraced when they can be duped into doing the bidding of the Christianists worked diligently to first keep blacks as slaves and then later to uphold segregation. While it is impossible to stop the fundies from putting out this type of trash, we all need to be mindful of what Obama and others who support LGBT rights can expect to receive from these wingnuts. Note too how judicial decisions are disparaged. The Christianists' idea of democracy is mob majority rule, something the courts have consistently limited in order to protect minority rights. Here are sample highlights:

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(CNSNews.com) - The wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told a crowd of homosexual activists last week that her husband wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and reverse the rule on homosexuals in the military. Michelle Obama also drew parallels with homosexual advocacy groups and the civil rights movement, referring to events "from Selma to Stonewall."

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Michelle Obama said her husband supports "a world where federal laws don't discriminate against same-sex relationships, including equal treatment for any relationship recognized under state law.""That is why he supports robust civil unions," she said. "That is why he has said the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide for themselves how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples -- whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union or a civil marriage."

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The absence of a federal law [DOMA] could mean that the more than 40 states that have bans -- either constitutional or in statute -- on same-sex marriage would be required to recognize a homosexual marriage license from another state as a legally binding contract. Sen. Obama's position paper was likely referencing the federal definition provision that would extend Social Security and other government benefits to same-sex couples, said Lynn Wardle, a law professor at Brigham Young University. Nonetheless, this could effectively nationalize same-sex marriage, Wardle said. "If a judge in San Francisco says 'for Social Security purposes, that's the law,' then a trial judge in San Francisco could affect the whole country," Wardle told Cybercast News Service.

Selective Feminism

The Washington Post has an op-ed column today that looks at a less than pretty side to feminism - the unequal support that black women seemed to receive from otherwise militant (or at least dedicated) feminists. What prompted the column is the silence of many feminists as Michelle Obama is finding herself subject to all kinds of bashing by minions of the far right who, truth be told, are anti-black as well as anti-anyone else who doesn't look just like them. Were Michelle Obama white, I suspect would have many main stream feminist up in arms and sceaming foul. Sadly, it is one more testament to the distance this nation still needs to cover before we have a society that is colorblind. Here are some highlights:

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Michelle Obama has become an issue in the presidential campaign even though she isn't running for anything. An educated, successful lawyer, devoted wife and caring mother has been labeled "angry" and unpatriotic and snidely referred to as Barack Obama's "baby mama." Democrats, Republicans, independents, everyone should be offended. And this black woman is wondering: Where are Obama's feminist defenders?

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What does Gloria Steinem think? She was out front with her support of Clinton, promoting the importance of a female president. She has even endorsed Barack Obama. What's her reaction now that the knives are out for another strong woman? How about Geraldine Ferraro, the former vice presidential nominee whose racially tinged denunciations of Barack Obama sparked a media firestorm? Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, has said: "We're going to keep watching because we think Michelle Obama will be the recipient of the same kind of attacks that Hillary was." A feminist ray of hope.

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I've long been frustrated, as a black woman and a feminist, with our national conversation. I didn't hear the cause speaking up for women of color or for women who have always worked in blue-collar or service jobs. Choice was not their issue. The woman who employed my educated mother to clean her house never quite saw her as a sister in the struggle for equality.

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But in America, there's seldom a cost for disrespecting black women. I'm waiting for feminists who speak of second-class citizenship and being pushed to the back of the bus to remember the civil rights movement that gave birth to those words. After all, it was a black woman, Rosa Parks, who took her seat up front and pulled others there, too.