In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Police brutality; racism; death] "A judge acquitted a Baltimore police officer of manslaughter and other charges Monday in the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who was critically injured in a police transport van. It was the fourth straight trial prosecutors have failed to win in the case. Lt. Brian Rice, the highest-ranking of six officers charged in the case, faced charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office." I'm not surprised, but I am nonetheless very, very angry.

[CN: Abuse] The ghostwriter of Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal, Tony Schwartz. says he regrets his role in creating the myth of Trump in an extraordinary new interview with The New Yorker. If you just want to read the highlights, Peter Daou has pulled out the most remarkable quotes.

[CN: Targeting of police; violence] I don't even know what to say: "Following the killing of three Baton Rouge police officers on Sunday, President Obama gave a news conference where he offered his full-throated support for law enforcement and urged Americans to 'focus on words and actions that can unite this country rather than divide it further.' On Monday morning's edition of Fox & Friends, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump reacted to Obama's remarks by suggesting the president wasn't being sincere and has a secret anti-police agenda. 'I watch the president and sometimes the words are okay, but you just look at the body language, there's something going on,' Trump said. 'Look, there's something going on. And, the words are not often okay, by the way.'"

[CN: Police brutality; racism; death] My heart. "Samaria Rice has one message for Donald Trump, the tycoon who is in Cleveland this week to be anointed as the Republican party's candidate for president: 'I wish he wasn't coming here. Donald Trump doesn't really care about the murders of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and other young men,' Rice said, sitting on a bench close to the spot where, in November 2014, her 12-year-old son was shot dead by a white Cleveland police officer as he played with a plastic pellet gun. 'I don't really think that he has a need to care, because I don't believe that he cares for African American people anyway,' she said." I don't know if Samaria Rice is a huggy person, but if she is, I would just want to give her the biggest, squeeziest hug.

[CN: Video may autoplay at link] Confessions of a Republican. Wow.

[CN: White privilege] Welp: "Paul Ryan shared this selfie to Instagram on Sunday and it got a lot of attention, but not for its 'record number of #CapitolHill interns.' Take a quick survey of the crowd and you'll see a sea of very white faces." I mean. There are a lot of reasons for that, not least of which is that white grads are disproportionately likely to come from families who can support them while they complete internships.

[CN: Rape culture; trauma] "Ignacio Rivera—a child sexual abuse survivor as well as a 'transgender, Two-Spirit, Black-Boricua Taíno and queer activist, writer, educator and artist'—has dedicated their life to breaking silences. With their new HEAL (Hidden Encounters Altered Lives) Project, Rivera is using theater, social media campaigns and sex education for parents and guardians to interrupt the cycle of this often buried form of abuse." I'm not a parent, but I really appreciate that Rivera is also breaking the silence on what it can mean to be fearful to parent as a survivor of sexual abuse.

[CN: Rape culture; sexual violence; descriptions of attack] Rage seethe boil: "There has been outrage in India after a student was allegedly gang-raped by five men who had also raped her three years ago. Police are yet to make any arrests although the 21-year-old was attacked last week in Rohtak town in the northern state of Haryana. She had been pursuing a case in court against the five men, when she was attacked on Wednesday. The woman said she was forced inside a car and the men tried to strangle her. She was seriously injured and left for dead in the bushes. A passerby saw her and took her to the hospital." I can't even fucking imagine. I take up space in solidarity with her.

In Ghostbusters news...

Donald Trump doesn't like lady Ghostbusters. Sad!

"So thankful men will *finally* have a 'Sexy Ghostbuster' costume option for Halloween." LOL!

[CN: Rape culture] This review by Noah Berlatsky, comparing this version with the original Ghostbusters is really terrific.

And finally! [CN: Ghostbusters spoilers] Chris Hemsworth kept up with the comedy ladies in the improv department, to magnificent result!