Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Truest statement of the week

The bottom line of all these stories is denial. There is denial that black people have any reasons to be angry, which is a denial of our history. Of course it follows that there is denial of white racist reaction, too. NBC news says that videos showing racist treatment of black people “go viral” only because of “Russian linked” twitter accounts. They don’t say what makes an account Russian-linked or how they can prove the allegation. More importantly they deny that images of oppression have any impact on the lives of millions of people. Watching a gentrifying white woman claim that she was “sexually assaulted by a nine-year old” black child is enough to make all but the lowest Uncle Tom very angry. 
In the absence of empowerment, social media becomes the vehicle for redress. Obviously the immediacy of the internet makes it quite easy for videos to spread quickly. Claiming that foreign individuals or a government are responsible makes the outrage null and void, erases the racism that black people face and also the determination to make the oppression known. 

-- Margaret Kimberley, "Freedom Rider: No Racism, Just Russians" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).





Truest statement of the week II

The New York Times and the rest of the major media are particularly anxious and unhappy because their version of Epstein’s demise is broadly disbelieved. In fact, there is pervasive skepticism about the authorities’ explanations for nearly every significant disaster, social or natural.
The grave danger for the ruling class is that wide layers of the population no longer trust the officially sponsored “gatekeepers” in the major newspapers and television networks. They have begun to see through the highly paid toadies who fill up the Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and the television news programs. And that is an entirely healthy development.

-- David Walsh, "US media continues to downplay suspicions about Jeffrey Epstein’s death" (WSWS).


A note to our readers

Hey --

Wednesday night.


Let's thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:





The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen, Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.


And what did we come up with?


Another truest for Margaret Kimberley.
David Walsh gets a truest.
The Iraq War.  Over the weekend, 2 Americans were killed.  One a Marine whose name has been made public, the other a military contractor whose name may never be known to the world.
Ava and C.I. wrote this quickly.  We were worried.  Their attitude was, "Don't bother us until you're ready to publish."  Will they be ready?  "Yes."  And?  "Big boy hair."  Big boy hair?  "You'll see when we write it."  And we do.  BH90210.  
We're planning to do this again next time if we get good feedback.  If not, we'll probably drop it.
I wrote this.  The plan was for Dona, Ty and me to cover streaming.  Dona may do it next edition but she didn't have time this go round.
Ty wrote a very strong and very funny piece.  I love this.  Great job, Ty.
Margaret Kimberley reTweeted this.
This is why Bernie's a great candidate.  It's basic and he breaks it down and then you wonder, "How the hell did this ever happen?"

WSWS.
What we listened to while writing.
A repost of Mike.
A repost of C.I.
Some Green Party coverage.
Mike and the gang wrote this and we thank them for it.
See you next week.


Peace,


-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.



Editorial: It hasn't ended





My heart is with the family of Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer, who was killed in Iraq last week. We honor his service and sacrifice.

 
Tulsi Gabbard may have lost interest in even talking about the Iraq War in the debates last month but the Iraq War does continue.  It claims lives every day -- Iraqi lives so it's 'over there' and the media works hard to make sure that no one cares.





  • Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer was killed in Iraq on Saturday. He was Marine Special Operator of the Year in 2018 for his role that ‘directly contributed to the defeat of ISIS forces in northern Iraq'. The Gunny leaves behind a wife and two children.
  • My heart is with the family of Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer, who was killed in Iraq last week. We honor his service and sacrifice.
  • On behalf of the commander and the command, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, a critical skills operator with 2nd Marine Raider Battalion who suffered fatal wounds during combat operations Aug. 10.
  • Take a moment today to remember Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer who was killed Aug. 10 in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense offers our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and fellow Marines.
  • Honoring Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, from Mancos, Colo., killed in action in Iraq Saturday supporting local forces, survived by his wife and two children
  • Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, of Mancos, Colorado, died Saturday "after being engaged by enemy small arms fire while conducting combat operations.” “REST EASY MARINE”
  • Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
  • Marine Raider Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, died after sustaining injuries from combat action in Iraq, Aug. 10, 2019. He is survived by his wife and two children. 🇺🇸
  • U.S. military officials have identified a Marine who died Saturday in Iraq as 35-year-old Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer of Mancos, Colorado.
  • Gunnery Sgt. Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, a US Marine from Colorado who had been serving in Iraq was killed in combat over the weekend — just days after the Pentagon warned of an “ISIS resurgence,” according to defense officials.


  • Tulsi's loss of interest didn't stop the Iraq War.


    The US Marine Corps. issued the following:

    DOD Identifies Marine Casualty
    14 Aug 2019


    The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

    Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, of Mancos, Colorado, died August 10, 2019, in Iraq, after suffering fatal wounds while supporting Iraqi Security Forces. This incident is under investigation.

    Koppenhafer was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

    For more information regarding Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, media may contact Maj. Kristin Tortorici, MARSOC Communication Strategy and Operations Officer, at kristin.tortorici@socom.mil


    Maj. Kristin Tortorici

    Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command




    It's a shame that Tulsi refused to call for an end to the endless wars or to attack the lies and liars who started it.  Instead, she played dumb in the debate and then spent the following days defending War Hawk Joe Biden.

    Neither Tulsi nor Joe bothered to Tweet about the death.  They apparently believe that if they ignore it, it just didn't happen.  Like the late Barbara Bush, they don't want actual deaths to mar their "beautiful mind."


    Joe's running for president and thinks he can blame his Iraq War cheerleading and support on Bully Boy Bush tricking him -- if he's that stupid, he shouldn't be president.  He started the war and he didn't work to end it.  It has continued.  He was a US senator when it started, he went on to become a US vice president for eight years, and he did not end the Iraq War.

    What you gonna' do now, Joe?  Tell us you've got a plan -- finally -- to end the Iraq War?

    No one should be dying in the Iraq War.  It should have ended forever ago.