Flag Daze, Reprise 0
At AL.com, John Goodman remarks on NASCAR’s recent decision to ban the Confederate battle ensign from its events and properties (while wondering how said ban will be enforced), but notes that we should not forget that NASCAR waged a long and enthusiastic campaign over many decades to associate itself with said flag. Here’s a bit:
When South Carolina senator Strom Thurmond and his Dixiecrats started waving the Confederate battle flag to associate it with their pro-segregation politics, Thurmond used NASCAR to advance his agenda. NASCAR was happy to help because it was a profitable partnership.
Fly the Fiendly Skies 0
You’ll journey to new Frontiers of customer service.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
The editorial board of The Roanoke Times channels George Santayana.
Stray Thought 0
I’ve started to reread The Lord of the Rings.
For some reason, it seems appropriate to these times.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Ensure that your automotive conveyance is replete with politeness.
Guns and stupid, guns and stupid,
They go together like love and Cupid.
Let me tell you, brother,
You can’t have one without the other.
Another Mask Marauder 0
The stupid. It burns infects.
When Mueller attempted to walk into the business, an employee instructed her she “needs a mask to shop at the store per store policy.” Mueller then “quarreled briefly” with the worker before grabbing the man’s face and pulling his mask down.
Details at the link.
“Like a Man Besieged” 0
SeattlePI reports on Donald Trump’s latest twitfest, in which he has attacked retired military officials and two Republican Senators for having the temerity to take issue with his (mostly) words and (few) actions (because, frankly, he doesn’t seem to do much besides tweet, watch television, and play at golf). A snippet (emphasis added):
(snip)
Trump is blasting back like a man besieged.
(snip)
The President is slamming individuals of indisputable integrity, three of them generals who served America in wars, in contrast to a president who ducked Vietnam service with the questionable claim of bone spurs. Trump seems unable to exercise self-control, making dissenters’ words go viral, especially those in the Republican Party.
Flag Daze 0
In Delaware, where I used to live, there is a NASCAR race track. If you ever drove by a NASCAR track on race day, you likely saw more Confederate battle ensigns than were at Gettysburg.
My brother told me–this was probably 15 years ago at time when NASCAR was trying to broaden its audience and especially attempting to attract more minorities–that my nephew had asked (I don’t remember his exact words), “How are do they expect to do that with all those Confederate flags in the parking lots?”
I guess that push has come to shove.
NASCAR has banned Confederate flags.
H/T to my brother for giving me a heads-up on this story.
“That Conversation about Race” 0
In a particularly timely post at Psychology Today Blogs, Camille S. Johnson explores why it is so difficult for some of us white folks to have that conversation about race.
I’m not going to spoil it by attempting excerpt it or summarize it. Just give it a read.
A Taxonomy of Trumpettes 0
Thom discusses the sorts of folks who support Donald Trump.
Afterthought:
I know someone who has bought into the Bill Gates theory that Thom mentions.
This person is skeptical of news that appears in our local rag, which has spent a century and a half trying (and admittedly sometimes failing) to report truth, but quickly becomes a proponent of any loony conspiracy theory posted on Youtube by random nutbags.