Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
At AL.com, John Archibald takes issue with Donald Trump’s recent claims that white persons were badly treated after the passage of the Civil Rights Act. A snippet:
Or to believe it.
Because the Civil Rights Act – the Movement itself – didn’t just make life better for Black people. It made life better for poor white people too, no matter what the anger mongers might say. It gave them voice in elections and the tools to compete in the marketplace. It broke down walls and made America better. Particularly in places like my home.
His entire article is worth the few moments it will take you to read it.
Aside:
Trump’s remark provides another bit of evidence that Richard Nixon’s southern strategy has come full circle and consumed the Republican Party.
Foxy Shady 0
Sam and the crew delight in a Fox News interview that goes absolutely not how Fox wanted it to go.
American Stasi 0
He’s an American citizen, but he looked as if he might just possibly could be of Hispanic descent, so ICE agents rammed his car.
The Rule of Lawless, Republican Thought Police Dept. 0
Via The Charlotte Observer, Robin Abcarian notices a pattern. Here’s a tiny bit from her article.
I think you can draw a line between Wednesday’s killing in Minneapolis and the Jan. 6 riot: People who do Trump’s bidding know they have nothing to fear from the justice system, and may even be rewarded for their behavior.
Republican Thought Police 0
In a longer article in which he details Republican efforts to squelch disssenting voices and curtain freedom of speech, Brit “Red” Schulte reminds us that
Afterthought:
I didn’t realize it until now, but I my father must have been antifa. After all, he fought Nazi Germany in WWII.
I wonder if Trump would jail him now, were he still with ut.
American Stasi 0
Farron demolishes J. D. Vance’s claim that ICE has “absolute immunity” to kill whomever they want.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Another “responsible gun owner.”
Another portable phallus exposed to a child.
Another child sacrificed to the NRA’s leaden idol.
Another day in NRA Paradise.
Republican Thought Police 0
If you don’t talk about it, then, natch, it never happened.
Stray Thought 0
We now have a government of the Trump, by the Trump, and for the Trump.
And, as First Daughter recently pointed out, we did it to ourselves.
A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
The “Battle Hymn of the Republic” is an iconic American song, drawing on lots of roots and precursors, but pulled into its most famous shape by abolitionist Julia Ward Howe. During the American Civil War it became a signature marching song for the Union Army, linked to patriotism and faith, and has since become part of the canon of American national music. We do not attempt or treat it lightly, but our version reflects on how the first week of 2026 has already seen Trump’s troops advancing his domestic and foreign policy agendas. Every marching step is another step away from the principles and traditions embedded in the song: we have seen the transgression of international law in Venezuela, the murder of unarmed Americans in Minneapolis (and its defence by the administration), the US’s withdrawal from multiple international organisations, and explicit threats issued to other sovereign powers and polities, including Greenland.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much? 0
Your BFF? At Psychology Today Blogs, Paul Thagard reminds us that AI bots can’t be our fiends because (my words, not his) they’re freaking machines playing a pre-programmed part for Pete’s sake.
Here’s his summary of his argument; follow the link for a detailed exploration of each point.
1. Caring is an emotional response.
2. Emotions are, in part, physiological reactions to situations.
3. AI models have none of these physiological reactions.
4. So AI models lack emotions.
5. So AI models are incapable of caring.
Speaking of Gaslighting . . . . 0
Trudy Rubin notes that
I commend her entire piece to your attention.
American Stasi 0
Mary Trump shines a light on the gaslighting.