How the U.S. helped create another huge humanitarian crisis
Submitted by gjohnsit on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 2:41pmThe headline says it all: Fears of mass killings as IS advances in Syria's Deir Ezzor
New Williams Institute study
Submitted by Robyn on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 2:18pmThe Williams Institute is a think tank on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy located at UCLA School of Law.
America's Answer to Itself: Let's Keep Talking
Submitted by Heathen3B on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 1:23pmWith the Trump coronation near at hand, the question of his “legitimacy” as POTUS 45 continue to dominate the news, and those silly Russians still don’t get off stage!
It is not apparent what legitimacy means in this context. Is Trump the benevolent standard bearer of the PEOPLE (the 95%) of America and the of the world? Of course not. (And I don’t see the comedy in the arrogant CEO’s off-the-cuff insults and one-liners.)
The Death of Progressivism
Submitted by Strife Delivery on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 1:05pmTo begin, I apologize. This essay will mostly just be a stream of consciousness rant, so any contradictions or irregularities...well they will just be baked into the cake.
The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them
Philip K. Dick
It has to be said: Progressive is dead.
Yes, it is.
Standing Rock: Army Corps Files “Notice of Intent” for Environmental Impact Statement
Submitted by blazinAZ on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 11:11amThis is big news. We heard yesterday that the official filing for the “Notice of Intent” was being considered, and today Energy Transfer Partners (the owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline) is in court trying to stop the Environmental Impact Statement investigation from proceeding. Among the things ETP wanted was for the Army Corps of Engineers to not officially publish the document in the Federal Register. We don’t know the outcome of the court hearing yet, but the official publication has happened. This is a significant victory in the struggle to stop the DAPL.
The folks who currently own the Democratic Party are busy "taking it back"
Submitted by Cassiodorus on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 9:56amThe big news this week is apparently that while all the nice liberals were busy planning protests against a President who won't have done anything yet, the nice people whose campaign blunders gave us this President have been very busy keeping the Democratic Party in their own hands.
So for instance we have this piece, from Counterpunch:
Why No One Should Protest the Inauguration on Friday
Submitted by Cant Stop the M... on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 5:00am
Gravitas. Light them up! Keep shooting!
Submitted by Pricknick on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 12:30amIt's not hard to see who commits murder as a nation.
Sometimes all it takes is a video. Say thanks to Chelsea Manning.
Never forget the whistleblowers. And never forget those who prosecuted them.
Thanks Obama.
***Warning*** Video is repulsive.***
[video:https://youtu.be/5rXPrfnU3G0]
'poorsplaining'
Submitted by Dragonfli on Tue, 01/17/2017 - 9:16pmI often resist the urge to poorsplain’ to the obviously financially secure people that keep telling us how well we are all doing, how we are in recovery, how we are on the right track. What about access to not worrying about your electricity being cut off because you are juggling bills?
What about access to not worrying about going homeless if you drop a pin while juggling?
What about access to medical care when you are flat broke, insured at gunpoint or not?
What about access to a dignified, well-funded mass transit system?
What about access to education and opportunity?
What about an old age plan that does not involve severe poverty but dignity instead?
What about a justice system that works for all not one where the poor are below the law and the rich are above it?
What about the fact that such questions are too numerous to list them all?
Are questions I ask on a daily basis, and what might shock some of the cheerleaders of established politicians is that those are the most common thoughts to enter the minds of the average American in this day and age.
Standing Rock: Cops and ND Legislature Behaving Badly
Submitted by blazinAZ on Tue, 01/17/2017 - 6:08pmOn Martin Luther King Day at Standing Rock, there were actions both at Turtle Island (the small hill where ancestors are buried) and the Highway 1806 bridge, which is a public road that is still illegally blockaded by the forces protecting the pipeline company. In both locations, the cops, mercenaries, and National Guard attacked the water protectors with mace and teargas, and fired rubber bullets at point-blank range directly at people who were only a few yards away from them.
