Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: School shooting] Goddammit: "Two children have been injured at a shooting in a South Carolina elementary school Wednesday afternoon, according to local reports. Greenville News reports that the shooting took place at Townville Elementary School in Townville, South Carolina, and that the school has been evacuated. A suspect is in custody, according to local authorities." There is very little additional information at this time. I am just so sad and so angry.
Michelle Obama hit the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia and was typically awesome. She also appears in a new Clinton ad.
[CN: Queerphobia] Meanwhile, Clinton campaigned in North Carolina, where she sharply criticized HB2: "Think about everything that's at stake in this election. The very mean-spirited wrong-headed decision by your legislature and governor to pass and sign House Bill 2 has hurt this state. But more than that it has hurt people. It has sent a message to so many people that you're not really wanted. You're not part of us. I think the American dream is big enough for everybody."
Heads-up, trans voters: The National Center for Transgender Equality has updated its Voting While Trans checklist.
[CN: Police brutality; racism] Serena Williams has spoken out about police killings of Black people in a moving Facebook post, which ends: "I. Won't. Be. Silent."
[CN: Lead contamination] An appalling update on the lead contamination crisis in East Chicago, Indiana.
[CN: Abuse] "10 Emotional Abuse Tactics That Trump Blatantly Used in the First Debate." Followed by ten metric fucktons of gaslighting.
[CN: Fat-shaming] And finally: FYI.
What have you been reading?
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"I need to pee."
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.
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[Image description: Photo from Monday night's debate of Hillary Clinton standing in front of the backdrop which features text from the Declaration of Independence. I have circled three bits of text reading: 1. All men are created equal; 2. Governments are instituted among Men; 3. Mankind are more disposed.]
I just felt really overwhelmed by that when I saw it. Those words were written 227 years ago, and Hillary Clinton is the first woman to stand in front of them. Blub.
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[Content Note: Police brutality; racism; death. Video may autoplay at link.]
In El Cajon, near San Diego, a Black man, whose name has not been released who has been identified as Alfred Olango, was fatally shot by officers who were called to the scene after reports there was a man behaving erratically. This is the police version of events:
The man, 30, who has not been identified, was first reported to be walking in and out of traffic in the middle of the street and "not acting like himself," when a woman police believe may be the man's sister called officers for help just after 1 p.m. Tuesday.
El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said that when officers arrived on scene and located the man he "refused multiple instructions by the first officer on the scene," and put his hands in his pants pocket.
He allegedly pulled an object and held it out "like he would be firing a gun," Davis said during a press conference on Tuesday night.
"At one point the male rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together on it, and extended it rapidly toward the officer taking what appeared to be a shooting stance putting the object in the officer's face," Davis said.
...Shortly after the shooting, a witness came forward and told officers she had video footage of the incident, Davis said. The witness "voluntarily provided" the cell phone video to the department and gave written consent for officers to use it.
And how have they used it? To release a single still image that seems to confirm their story that the man was pointing something at him. We of course have no idea whether that screenshot has been taken out of context, e.g. in the middle of a continuous action of moving his arms, because the police won't release the entire video "as it is part of an ongoing investigation."
That is some bullshit, right there. They won't release the whole video, but have already released a single still image from it that, at a casual glance, seems to confirm their version of events.
And maybe the whole video
would confirm their version of events! But we don't know, because they won't release the whole video.
In a familiar turn of events, witness accounts differ from the police account:
Meantime, other videos quickly surfaced showing the aftermath, according to the AP. In one posted to Facebook, an unidentified woman is heard telling police at the scene that the man was ordered to take his hand out of his pocket.
"I said: 'Take your hand out your pocket, baby, or they're going to shoot you.' He said 'no, no, no,'" the woman said. "When he lifted his hand out ... he did have something in his hand but it wasn't no gun, and that's when they shot him."
My condolences to the man's family, friends, and community. My solidarity with them as they try to get answers. Goddammit.
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[Content Note: Video may autoplay at link.]
Hillary Clinton has picked up another big endorsement, this time from The Arizona Republic editorial board. Their endorsement begins thus:
Since The Arizona Republic began publication in 1890, we have never endorsed a Democrat over a Republican for president. Never. This reflects a deep philosophical appreciation for conservative ideals and Republican principles.
This year is different.
The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified.
That’s why, for the first time in our history, The Arizona Republic will support a Democrat for president.
Terrific! But I will also say for the one millionth time: It's not just that Trump is a bad candidate; it's that Clinton is a great candidate.
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[Content Note: Terrorism.]
My Shareblue colleague Tommy Christopher has a great piece on Trump's Top Secret Plan Which Definitely Exists to defeat ISIS. As Tommy notes, if Trump really had a foolproof plan to defeat ISIS, refusing to disclose it is costing countless lives.
Trump's claim has been he won't disclose it because he doesn't want to tip his hand to the terrorists, but Tommy found an interview in which Trump makes this incredible admission:
I know a way that would absolutely give us guaranteed victory. I’m going to say it, I guess I’ll be forced to say it at some time, but I hate to say it. Because as soon as you say it, they’re going to be – it’s an idea that in my opinion is foolproof. And I’m not talking about dropping bombs, I’m not talking about dropping the big nuke, I’m talking about something that would be unbelievable as an idea. The problem is, then everybody is going to take the idea, run with it, and then number one, people forget where it came from.
Emphasis mine.
Trump is literally admitting his own ego is more important to him than countless lives. Which has long been evident, but it's rather stunning to see him just flatly admit it, as if it isn't even controversial.
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[I have to wrap up a little early today, because I've got some stuff to do later. I'll see you back here tomorrow!]
Suggested by Shaker austxgal: "What is your favorite cocktail?" Virgin cocktails count, too, natch!
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Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: Bombing; terrorism; self-harm; injury and death] Fucking hell: "Three blasts killed at least 17 people and wounded more than 50 in predominantly Shi'ite Muslim districts of Baghdad on Tuesday, police and medical sources said. A suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest in a commercial street in the eastern Baghdad al-Jadida area of the Iraqi capital, killing nine people and wounding more than 30, they said. Another suicide attack hit a commercial street of Bayaa in western Baghdad, killing six and wounding 22, the sources said. A roadside bomb exploded near a gathering of cattle herders and merchants in al-Radhwaniya, also in western Baghdad, killing two people, they said." The Islamic State has already taken credit for two of the bombings. My condolences to the people of Baghdad. I am so angry, and I take up space in solidarity with Iraqis who are just trying to live their lives in peace.
[CN: Homophobia; violence] Goddammit: "Neil Frias and Jeff White, two New Yorkers who were visiting San Francisco over the weekend for the annual Folsom Street Fair, say they were attacked with pepper spray at the intersection of Golden Gate and Fillmore Streets in the city’s Western Addition neighborhood. ...[F]ive men pulled up in a blue minivan. 'They were saying, 'You fags are destroying family values,'' Frias said. ...'The thing that was the most remarkable about the situation is how unprovoked it was,' White said, still reeling from the encounter Sunday morning. 'I was literally tying my shoe when they came at me. It's mind-boggling.'" There is no behavior that could provoke a violent, homophobic attack. None.
[CN: Class warfare] Of course: "Republican officials nationwide want to stop enforcement of new overtime rules that make millions of people who work eligible for overtime pay."
I don't know how I feel about this! "The world's first baby to be born from a new procedure that combines the DNA of three people appears to be healthy, according to doctors in the US who oversaw the treatment."
[CN: Police brutality] Will definitely watch: "Add 'interview host' to Mary J. Blige's resume. The R&B icon has a new Apple Music show, appropriately titled 'The 411,' and her first guest is none other than Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton."
This forever: "Did anybody see that debate last night? [laughs heartily] Ohhhhh yes! One down; two to go!"
"
Russian Photographer Captures the Cutest Squirrel Photo Session Ever." As advertised!
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[Content Note: Misogyny; assault; fat hatred.]
I've got a new piece at Shareblue about the debate last night, and the stark difference made evident once again between the two candidates on issues of concern to women (and anyone who doesn't hold women in contempt):
Monday's presidential debate opened with a question about jobs. Hillary Clinton was the first to answer. She spoke about jobs, and then she spoke about equal pay for women. And about paid family leave. And about affordable childcare. Because an economy that works for women includes all of these things, not just a job.
Donald Trump launched into one of his typically grim rants about how America is losing, failing, collapsing. And then he promised to cut taxes, asserting that would create job growth, which is a favorite fairy tale of conservatives, no matter that it has been resoundingly discredited. He didn't mention women at all, nor employment policies that support families.
And so it went.
...Trump's only policy proposal for women still seems to be "treat them like sh*t."
There is simply no question that Hillary Clinton, who has spent her career advocating for women and children, has designed and proposed better policy for women than her opponent — which itself should be enough evidence that she also has more respect for women than her opponent.
But, as if to make it abundantly clear, Trump spent the debate repeatedly interrupting Clinton, and his worst moment of the evening came after the debate, when he grabbed the wrist of a female reporter asking him a question about young women who are nervous about voting for him.
The reporter, Alexi McCammond, wrote about the incident, describing what happened and noting: "So Trump never verbally answered my question about how he would respond to women who are nervous to vote for him, but I got the answer I needed."
There is much, much more
at the link. And just not about why Donald Trump is terrible, but about why Hillary Clinton is great: "Clinton, as usual, had to be extraordinary and make it look effortless. It's a ridiculously tall order, and yet: She did it."
She did it.
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"Get your tail out of my face!"
(A thing I say one million times a day.)
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.
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Well. She mopped the floor with him. I don't really have much more to say besides that. I did some tweeting during the debate, and
I've Storified those tweets for anyone who wants to read them. But basically, it comes down to this:
Lester Holt did a good job of generally just staying out of the way and being a traffic cop and letting the candidates be themselves, which is what a moderator
should do. People may feel like he could have done more instant fact-checking, or held the candidates more firmly to their allotted time, or whatever, but, for me, I thought he found a decent balance of asserting himself without inserting himself. Which allowed viewers to get
very clear pictures of who each of these candidates are as people.
And that certainly didn't do Trump any favors.
Congratulations, Hillary Clinton. You were carrying a lot on your shoulders; being the first woman in the nation's history in this position, being the standard bearer for women and the envoy of millions of people's hopes to stop Trump. That was a hell of a lot of pressure, and, as always, you rose you to the occasion. Wow. And thank you.
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Well, it's finally here! The first presidential debate between the most qualified presidential candidate in the nation's history and the most unqualified presidential candidate in the nation's history. A history-making candidate and a legendary bigot. The first woman to inhabit this space and the galaxy's biggest misogynist.
IT'S A REAL TOSS-UP!
Here's an open thread to discuss the debate—before, during, and after. I'll just be over here, biting my nails.
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[Content Note: Shooting; guns; Nazi reference and imagery.]
Don't tell me one thing has nothing to do with the other. Donald Trump's campaign of white nationalism has breathed legitimacy and
feelings of safety into movements that we had successfully relegated to the margins for a very long time. That is not to say that white supremacy was not still active and present and harmful. It has always been deeply woven into the fabric of this country. But they are emboldened by a presidential candidate who has taken their messages of hate mainstream.
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LOVE.
NBD. Just Sally Field (Norma fucking Rae!) at a Clinton campaign event.
[
Photo One: Michael Davidson for Hillary for America in Houston, Texas.
Photo Two: Adam Schultz for Hillary for America in Youngstown, Ohio.]
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Here is some stuff in the news today...
[Content Note: Mass shooting; death; domestic violence; racism] Twenty-year-old Arcan Cetin is in custody after fatally shooting five people at a mall in Burlington, Washington, and fleeing the scene. He has a history of domestic violence. Every. Damn. Time. And, once again, it's amazing that a non-Black man who committed a deadly mass shooting could be taken into custody alive, and yet Keith Lamont Scott, Terence Crutcher, Tyree King, and so many others are dead.
[CN: Images and descriptions of animal harm] This is so fascinating, mostly because of the man at the center of the story, whose efforts to figure out how to make this work are truly inspiring: "An Organic Chicken Farm in Georgia Has Become an Endless Buffet for Bald Eagles."
This is just a real headline in the world: "Jennifer Aniston Gets a Massage and Holds Hands With Husband Justin Theroux Amid Brangelina Divorce News." GOOD GRIEF.
RIP Bill Nunn: "Bill Nunn, a versatile actor best known for playing the role of Radio Raheem, the boombox-toting neighborhood philosopher killed by police officers in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do the Right Thing, died on Saturday in Pittsburgh. He was 63. ...Radio Raheem sits at the moral heart of the film, delivering a soliloquy directly to the camera on the ceaseless contest between love and hate, symbolized by the four-finger rings he wears on each hand."
[CN: Video autoplays at link] RIP Jose Fernandez: "Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident in Florida early Sunday morning. Spokesman Lorenzo Veloz of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a news conference Sunday that Fernandez, 24, was one of three men killed in the accident. ...Fernandez emigrated to the United States from Cuba in 2008 after three failed defection attempts, settling in Tampa, Florida. He became a United States citizen last year."
RIP Arnold Palmer: "Arnold Palmer, one of the greatest players in the history of golf, has died at the age of 87, a source close to the family confirmed to magazine Golfweek. It was reported he died on Sunday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ...The son of a country club greenskeeper was also a trailblazer off the course... With his common touch and everyman persona, Palmer was also credited with breaking down the class barriers and democratising an elitist sport, introducing golf to a blue collar audience and sparking the popularity of the game amongst a legion of new fans who'd previously been shut out. 'If it wasn't for Arnold, golf wouldn't be as popular as it is now,' Tiger Woods said in 2004."
What have you been reading?
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