On Whose Side Will You Stand?

Question of the Day

How could anyone, anyone, anywhere think it's somehow bizarrely okay if a rogue police officer ends up killing another American citizen who is only SUSPECTED of having passed a counterfeit $20 bill?

How and where does that make ANY sense? #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd

A Timely Must-Read

Sunday's New York Times Magazine had a magnificent, even important article I think it's safe to say all adult Americans should read.

America’s Enduring Caste System

Our founding ideals promise liberty and equality for all. 

Our reality is an enduring racial hierarchy that has persisted for centuries.

We heard the man on the ground pleading with the man above him, saw the terror in his face, heard his gasps for air, heard the anguished cries of an unseen chorus, begging the lighter man to stop. But the lighter man, the dominant man, looked straight at the bystanders, into the camera, and thus at all of us around the world who would later bear witness and, instead of heeding the cries of the chorus, pressed his knee deeper into the darker man’s neck as was the perceived right granted him in the hierarchy. The man on the ground went silent, drained of breath. A clear liquid crept down the pavement. We saw a man die before our very eyes.

What we did not see, not immediately anyway, was the invisible scaffolding, a caste system with ancient rules and assumptions that made such a horror possible, that held each actor in that scene in its grip...

Examples of How and Why America Needs to Change

Just looking at the facts of a few situations here in America point out what, exactly, and how we need to change here in America, regarding race, specifically for blacks and African-Americans.

Number one:

From the "What Never Happens to White People" file.

Philando Castile Was Pulled Over 49 Times in 13 Years, Often for Minor Infractions

Not Minneapolis but the other Twin City, St. Paul, 4 years ago.

"On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African American man, was stopped while driving--apparently for a cracked tail light-- then fatally shot by Jeronimo Yanez, a 29-year-old Hispanic-American police officer from St. Anthony, Minnesota.

Castile was driving with his partner Diamond Reynolds and her four-year-old daughter when at 9:00 p.m. their vehicle was pulled over by Yanez and another officer in Falcon Heights, a suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota. After being asked for his license and registration, Castile told Officer Yanez that he had a firearm (Castile was licensed to carry) to which Yanez replied, 'Don't reach for it then', and Castile said 'I'm, I, I was reaching for...' Yanez said 'Don't pull it out', Castile replied 'I'm not pulling it out', and Reynolds said 'He's not...' Yanez repeated 'Don't pull it out' and then shot at Castile at close range seven times, hitting him five times. Castile died at 9:37 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center, about 20 minutes after being shot."
Dead.

Because of a possible cracked tail light.

Next up:

"I can't breathe": Death of black man in Tacoma police custody ruled a homicide

"Manuel Ellis...died on March 3 (this year) in handcuffs while being restrained on the ground by Tacoma police.,,At one point, Ellis can be heard saying, 'I can't breathe.'"

Sound familiar?
Third:

This Is The Toy Gun That Got Tamir Rice Killed

On 22 November 2014 Tamir Rice, a 12-year old boy, was fatally shot in Cleveland, Ohio by Timothy Loehmann, a 26-year-old police officer. Rice was carrying a replica toy Airsoft gun; Loehmann shot him almost immediately after arriving on the scene.
The police officer shot and killed 12 year old Tamir Rice within 3-1/2 seconds after arriving on the scene in his police car.

3-1/2 seconds.

Dead.

For a toy gun.

Fourth:

Breonna Taylor killing: 

FBI opens investigation

A young woman.
26 years old
An EMT.
Alone.
At home.
In her bed.
Killed.
By police
March 13.
No knock search warrant.
Wrong address.
Middle of the night.

FBI is now opening an investigation. June 4. And they're likely only just now opening this investigation because of the George Floyd protests. Who knows what would have happened, if anything, and when it might have taken place without these protests.

Finally, his one broke yesterday. It's stunning.

Bills QB Jake Fromm apologizes after saying guns should be expensive so only 'elite white people' can buy them

How do you face your fellow teammates after saying something so deeply ignorant, racist, stupid and offensive?

Sadly, maddeningly, even, there are far more than just this brief list, too. This photo shows far more and it's just a fraction of the tragedies and horrors---murders--that have taken place in our nation's history.

   (Click on picture for easier reading. And please do read it all).

Hopefully our time has come, America.

Berkely Professor Robert Reich made a great proposal.

Robert Reich @RBReich

"What if — and hear me out here — we invested in Black communities rather than mass incarceration and the police?"

And that, actually really would be a fantastic and intelligent, very real solution, especially given how much we imprison people.

The US incarcerates more than any other country

We need to be over this. We need to be over the racism. We need to put this all behind us. We need to never have these senseless murders take place again. Think of it. We have a FRACTION of the population of either China or India but we incarcerate more, far more, than any other nation. Additionally, of those incarcerated, a far higher percentage of those are African-Americans.

Black Americans incarcerated five times more 

than white

We can do this. We have to. We must.

Let's do this.

Quote of the Day -- Constitutional Threat Edition

"Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children."

--General James Mattis, retired United States Marine Corps General, also served as 26th US Secretary of Defense under this President

From the article: 

James Mattis Denounces President Trump, Describes Him as a Threat to the Constitution

Thanks, Republicans!

Quotes of the Day -- Clueless, Shameful, Shameless Presidential Edition

From the article:

'The Bible is not a prop': 

Religious leaders, lawmakers outraged over Trump church visit

The Rev. James Martin, a prominent Jesuit priest and author, said in a statement,

"Using the Bible as a prop while talking about sending in the military, bragging about how your country is the greatest in the world, and publicly mocking people on a daily basis, is pretty much the opposite of all Jesus stood for."

He added: 

"Let me be clear. This is revolting. The Bible is not a prop. A church is not a photo op. Religion is not a political tool. And God is not a plaything."

Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, said in a statement Monday, 

"Seeing President Trump stand in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church while holding a Bible in response to calls for racial justice — right after using military force to clear peaceful protesters out of the area — is one of the most flagrant misuses of religion I have ever seen. This only underscores the president's complete lack of compassion for Black Americans and the lethal consequences of racism."

Additional link:

REPORTER: "Is that your Bible?" 
TRUMP: "It's A Bible."

Having defamed an Episcopal church, 
 Trump decides to violate the sanctity of Catholic shrine

Shameless.

The man is shameless.

Thanks, Republicans.

#VOTEBLUE

Quote of the Day -- Timely, Protest, Riot Version

"Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are."

--Benjamin Franklin

The Donald Trump Presidency

What it's like having Donald Trump "steering", leading---if you can call it that--the nation.


The good news?

We haven't crashed yet.

Well, not completely crashed, anyway.

Yet.

God help us.

No Justice. No Peace

God
It's my face man
I didn't do nothing serious man
please
please
please I can't breathe
please man
please somebody
please man
I can't breathe
I can't breathe
please
(inaudible)
man can't breathe my face
just get up
I can't breathe
please (inaudible)
I can't breath sh*t
I will
I can't move
Mama
Mama
I can't
my knee
my nuts
I'm through
I'm through
I'm claustrophobic
my stomach hurt
my neck hurts
everything hurts
some water or something
please
please
I can't breath officer
don't kill me
they gonna kill me man
come on man
I cannot breathe
I cannot breathe
they gon kill me
they gon kill me
I can't breathe
I can't breathe
please sir
please
please
please I can't breathe

This President Has Now Become Dangerous, Part II

Further proof, if you haven 't already seen or heard it, that this Republican Party President, Donald Trump, is, in face, beyond his now-usual reckless but become dangerous, no overstatement.

Trump’s ‘LIBERATE MICHIGAN!’ tweets incite insurrection.

Federal law bans advocating the overthrow of government

What he did yesterday.

President Trump incited insurrection Friday against the duly elected governors of the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia. Just a day after issuing guidance for re-opening America that clearly deferred decision-making to state officials — as it must under our Constitutional order — the president undercut his own guidance by calling for criminal acts against the governors for not opening fast enough.

Trump tweeted, “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” followed immediately by “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and then “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!” This follows Wednesday’s demonstration in Michigan, in which armed protestors surrounded the state capitol building in Lansing chanting “Lock her up!” in reference to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and “We will not comply,” in reference to her extension of the state’s coronavirus-related stay-at-home order. Much smaller and less-armed groups had on Thursday protested on the state capitol grounds in Richmond, Va., and outside the governor’s mansion in St. Paul, Minn.

This President has been a lot of things these past 3 years, most of them reckless, ill-advised, wrong, impetuous---a lot of things. But with this, as with, as I wrote here earlier, his call to de-fund the World Health Organization during this most deadly pandemic in the last 100 years, with this he has now become dangerous. 

Literally dangerous.

At least we have this from yesterday.

Trump's Gallup approval rating sees the sharpest decline of his presidency

And this, today. Even this Republican Governor agrees with us.

GOP Gov. Hogan: Trump’s ‘LIBERATE’ tweets about coronavirus lockdowns aren’t helpful

He's never been popular, overall, period but at least we have this.  He doesn't know it but he does damage to himself.

Some hope.

Be well. Stay safe. Stay home.

Interesting Data On How States Are For and To Women

There's an article out this week that ranks the best and worst states for women.

2018’s Best & Worst States for Women

Let's take a look at the highs and lows.

First up is neighboring Arkansas, next to worst at 50.

Also neighboring Oklahoma down there, too, at 48.

Here's where it gets more local and interesting yet.

Missouri?

37     The bottom, worst half

37. Missouri

Total score: 50.85th
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 36
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 38th

Missouri landed in the mid-30s in other Wallet Hub rankings as well, coming in at 38 out of 51 on the list of best states for working moms and 37 out of 51 for best states to have a baby.

Then there's Kansas.

Still in the bottom, bad half, at 28 but at least they’re more in the middle, than the low, low worst ¼

.
28. Kansas

Total score: 56.21
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 33rd
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 25th

Kansas performs better in the category of women’s health and safety than it does when it comes to women’s economic and social well-being.

Texas, still in the bottom, worst half at 42. Shame on you, Texas.

Neighboring Nebraska, in the far more respectable top half

17. Nebraska

Total score: 64.82
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 19th
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 14th

Nebraska shares the distinction of having the lowest unemployment rate for women with four other states.
Going the other way, next door Illinois ranks far higher and better.

11. Illinois

Total score: 69.07
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 7th
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 20th

Only two states have a lower homicide rate for women than Illinois, which also boasts the fourth-highest median earnings for female workers.

Now, to the North? Iowa In the top 10.

9. Iowa

Total score: 69.11
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 10th
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 9th

Iowa boasts the fifth-highest high-school graduation rate for young women.

No. 1 position??

I’m very proud and happy to say my daughter’s adopted state of Minnesota is number 1! Fantastic!

1. Minnesota

Total score: 78.22
Ranking for women’s economic and social well-being: 1st
Ranking for women’s health and safety: 3rd

Minnesota, hats off to you! The Land of 10,000 Lakes topped the list of best states for women by three points. It’s easy to see why — and tough to find a positive economic marker this state doesn’t possess. Minnesota has the third-highest life expectancy rate for women, the fifth-lowest rate of women without insurance, the fourth-highest women’s high-school graduation rate, the fifth-lowest percentage of women in poverty and the second-highest median earnings for working women. Go, Gophers!

One interesting side note, North Dakota came down at an extremely respectable 4 on the list while neighboring South Dakota was far tougher on women at 24.

The conclusion?

Missouri and these other low-ranking states would do well to look around and see just what, precisely these other, higher-ranking states are doing to get these results. Not only is this for 1/2 of our population but it's for our mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, all. 

It's not like we have to go far for the answers, after all.

Worst State Tax Rates for Retirees?

There is an analysis out today on GoBankingRates.com that evaluates the tax rates of all 50 states, showing best and worst for retirees.

The Most (and Least) Tax-Friendly States for Retirees

What it shows:

Nebraska, worst, worst, last place, of the 50 states followed far too closely by Kansas at 47th place and Missouri, next, at 46. Neighboring Iowa at 38. Arkansas, too, in the bottom, worse half, at 32. Oklahoma, 29.

Way to go, Midwestern states.

You don’t have mountains, you don’t have an ocean and you also don’t have good tax policies for retirees.

Besides less traffic and hopefully cleaner skies, what do you have?

Note to retirees: Check out the states that have both no income tax and no tax on Social Security.

In the #1 best spot on the list for most friendly to retirees?

Alaska.

Check out that map.

Worst tax rates for retirees, right in the center of the nation.

Kudos, Missouri, kudos, Kansas and Nebraska.

Way to chase people away.

Coldest Town in Missouri? Kansas?

Another "clickbait" article out on the interwebs this week. This one is kind of fun.

Coldest Town in Every State

In Alaska it’s Deadhorse.

Do you suppose it froze to death? 

Delaware? Bear. 

A polar bear. Of sorts.

Hawai’i, appropriately enough, it’s Kula. 

Minnesota? Embarrass. 

Embarrassingly cold?

New Hampshire is Colebrook. Also mis-named. Should be Coldbrook. Right? 

In Utah, it’s Coalville. 

Seems like that should be the warmest place in the state. At least indoors.

Kansas? No surprise. At all. At least no surprise to any of us who've paid attention to the region weather forecasts. 

Goodland. 

Talk about poorly named. Wow.

But Missouri? 

Bunker.

Wth is Bunker?

Sixteen Examples of What's Wrong

Go to this New York Times page and watch all 16 videos. See if you don't think something is wrong and that we need change, we need justice, for all, in our nation. Sixteen times an American was shot down and killed--or strangled, in the case of Eric Garner--without being arrested, charged and tried.

The Videos That Are Putting Race 

and Policing Into Sharp Relief

"Qui tacet consentit":

"Silence gives consent".

Yes, unequivocally, police have a tough job, no doubt about it. I'm the first to admit it.

But they, we, can't react only and immediately with guns, with shooting, first, any and every time they fear. We can't be tried and condemned, both, right on our streets, immediately.

They can't live like that.

Clearly, we Americans can't live like that.

Question On That Killing Last Night--For the NRA

On the shooting/killing of Philando Castile last evening in Minnesota.

See a Pattern Here?

What part of this is right?  What part of this is justice?

Last Night's Killing

Philando Castile.

32 years old.

No criminal record.

Licensed to carry.

Killed in front of his 4-year-old daughter.

For a minor traffic infraction.

More Screaming Hypocrisy From the "Small Government" Republicans

Republicans always scream about how they want "small government!" and lower government spending and less debt and deficit.

Sure they are.

But guess what states get the most money from Uncle Sugar.

Republican States Are More Dependent On Government

It's all based on this study:

2015's States Most & Least Dependent on the Federal Government

Seems the "red" states suck up most of the Federal dollar, hands down.  Or hands out, anyway:

And Kansas is number 5, out of 50, of course, for taking the most Federal money:

Rank(1 = least dependent)	State Name	Return on Taxpayer Investment(Category Rank)	Federal Funding as % of State Revenue(Category Rank)	Federal Employees Per Capita(Category Rank)	Number of Civilian Non-Defense Federal Employees per Capita(Category Rank)
1	New Jersey	$0.48 (4)	26.87% (10)	0.00382 (5)	0.00178 (2)
2	Delaware	$0.31 (1)	25.61% (7)	0.00768 (17)	0.00194 (3)
3	Illinois	$0.45 (3)	26.41% (8)	0.00550 (14)	0.00272 (11)
4	Minnesota	$0.54 (7)	26.88% (11)	0.00353 (4)	0.00295 (16)
5	Kansas	$0.54 (6)	25.22% (6)	0.01460 (37)	0.00342 (25)

It's bad enough they want to take money in the form of tax breaks and unemployment payments, etc., etc., away from the middle-, lower- and working-classes, that's bad.

On top of that, they have to keep working to give more and more money in the form of tax credits and deductions to the already-wealthy and corporations. 

Sure, that's all horrible and wicked and devious enough.

But to, on top of all that ugliness, scream and cry and complain about government spending and debt and deficit and then be the ones that suck up the most money, overall, out of all of us?

It would be funny if it weren't insulting.

And even immoral.

Adding even more irony--and hypocrisy--they're also the "Christians" of the bunch, too. Or say they insist.

It's painful.  Just painful.

On yet another, incredibly do-nothing Congress

The nation's economy is lackluster, the people need jobs, our nation needs infrastructure work.  It all begs the question:

At what point will we get a jobs/infrastructure bill from our Congress, legislators and government?

VIDEO: When a Bridge Falls

Jobs and infrastructure both possible for America

If only the Republican Congress would let it happen.