From Pine View Farm

Culture Warriors category archive

“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0

Michael in Norfolk listens to the Trump maladministration and hears a rhyme:

All of this . . . traces back to Richard Nixon and his “Southern Strategy” . . . .

Follow the link for his parsing of the poesy.

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*Mark Twain.

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Indoctrination Nation, Republican Thought Police Dept. 0

If you don’t like historical fact, why, just teach students historical fiction.

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American Stasi 0

Truth, justice, and the American way have nothing to do with it.

They have a quota to fill.

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“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0

At AL.com, John Archibald hears a rhyme from a long ago time. Here’s how he opens his article:

The words of the notorious John B. Knox come to mind.

“And what is it that we do want to do?” he asked. “Why, it is, within the limits imposed by the Federal Constitution, to establish white supremacy in this State.”

It was May of 1901, 125 years ago this month if it sounds like yesterday . . . .

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*Mark Twain.

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American Stasi 0

Another family’s story.

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Mongers of Hate, Misdirection Play Dept. 0

Thom discusses the normalization of political violence and what may be behind it and offers some possible solutions.

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A Tune for the Times 0

From the Youtube page:

Several U.S. states are passing laws to incorporate the Bible into public schools, focusing on teaching it as “historical or literature content” rather than doctrine. Key initiatives include Utah requiring Bible instruction in grades 3-12, Oklahoma directing its inclusion in curriculum, and Louisiana mandating the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

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Establishmentarians 0

When Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” I somehow don’t think that this is quite what He had in mind.

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Still Rising Again after All These Years, Reprise 0

The Rude One argues that the Supreme Supremacist Court has traded in their robes of black for the gray.

(Warning: Rudeness.)

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Still Rising Again after All These Years 0

Gene Nichol is fed up with originalist sin. Here’s a bit of his article about the recent Supreme Supremacist Court decision gutting the Voting Rights Act. A snippet:

Of course this is the pattern of Republican originalist forgetfulness. The UNC admissions case, the Shelby County case (also voting rights), the Sebelius case (Affordable Care Act), Citizens United – all turn their backs on history to favor Republican political preference. And, my word, Trump v United States – the absolute immunity decision – is the least tethered ruling to constitutional text, framers’ intention and historical practice in American judicial history. Alito’s originalism only limits the claims of his adversaries; never his own. It is stunning he can be sanctimonious about it.

Go read the full article for context.

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American Stasi 0

One family’s story.

It would appear that mean for the sake of mean is a Republican family value.

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A Tune for the Times 0

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Still Rising Again after All These Years 0

In a much longer post about the many flaws in the Trump maladministration’s suit against the Southern Poverty Law Center, Above the Law’s Joe Patrice offers a theory as to the purpose of said performance artlessness:

It (the Trump maladministration–ed.) already got most of what it came for once the administration’s fellow traveler hate groups knew they had moles and the SPLC lost its ability to pay or even recruit future informants.

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American Stasi 0

Thom is not sanguine about the course IDE is taking.

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Real Big Men 0

Words fail me.

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American Stasi 0

Uncle Sam:  We are not running concentration camps.  Lady Liberty:  By the dictionary definition we are.  Uncle Sam:  But . . . we're not committing mass murder.  Lady Liberty:  Dozens killed so far . . . isn't that a start?  (Uncle Sam simmers)  Uncle Sam:  No trains!  No ovens!  Show me a single oven.

Click for the original image.

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Hoist on Her Own Petard 0

A Trump voter is surprised to find that she got what she voted for.

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Still Rising Again after All These Years 0

John Young argues that it’s obvious why Donald Trump broke precedent to attend the Supreme Court arguments over the Trump maladministration’s effforts to get rid of birthright citizenship as guaranteed in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. A snippet; follow the link for his reasoning.

It’s because hatred of “others,” in this case newcomers who lack a preferred color, is the life force of MAGA, which for now is the life force of the Republican Party.

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American Stasi 0

Via SFgate, I caught a long article by Los Angeles Times writer Sonja Sharp, in which she addresses the Department of Justice’s failure to comply with court orders regarding immigrants (and non-immigrants) caught in the Trump maladministration’s round-up of persons who, in their opinion, don’t look white enough.

One paragraph caught my eye. It emphasizes the indiscriminate, willful sadism masquerading as “law enforcement.”

Court filings show many California cases involve longtime U.S. residents unexpectedly hauled off to jail after routine check-ins with immigration officials. One was an Afghan who’d helped the American war effort. Another a Cambodian grandmother of eight who fled Pol Pot’s killing fields as a girl nearly 50 years ago.

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False Idols 0

The editorial board of the Las Vegas Sun sees a disturbing trend.

In recent months, President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and imagery have taken on an increasingly religious and even overtly messianic tone, pointing to a man and an administration seeking deification to justify violence and oppression against perceived enemies both at home and abroad.

I commend the entire piece to hour attention.

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