Watched the Meidastouch brothers broadcast this morning and I was fired up. Your rants about these anti Americans running our government is exactly the way I feel. These losers are traitors. Due Process is the most important part of our democracy. They are trying to eliminate our rights. The recent deportations of the al…
Watched the Meidastouch brothers broadcast this morning and I was fired up. Your rants about these anti Americans running our government is exactly the way I feel. These losers are traitors. Due Process is the most important part of our democracy. They are trying to eliminate our rights. The recent deportations of the almost 300 to El Salvador without due process is a violation of our constitution is the Canary in the Coal Mine. Trump and his billionaires prove that money can’t buy happiness.
Agreed 100%. I can’t wait for the day. The Marshalls office or someone that’s willing to take the authority steps in and arrest all of them. Put them where they need to be. In jail.
Problem: it's the president of the US who's the commander in chief of the US Marshalls... . All he has to do, after a judge sends them to jail him or any other traitor, is to order them to stand down. And it's obviously to make sure that they will that there's a purge going on, eliminating anyone who is clearly anti-Trump...
It also states. To protect and defend. Foreign and domestic.. that’s what the officers on January 6th did, some, lost their lives. Look it’s a common sense things. If you know it is wrong. You cannot sit idly. You must use what is there meaning the judges that are finally starting to open up and say no to Trump.
And move forward from there . You have to move wisely and cautiously within the parameters of the law and the constitution. So they can’t come back and state. It was illegal.
Meantime, those are the very things Trump is doing But I applaud with the Midas touch Brothers are doing here. They speak the truth..
Correct. They should have received gold medals. Because Trump is a beast he acknowledges nothing--not even mentioning or honoring the Secret Service agents who carried his bloated a** off the podium after the first assassination attempt. Disgraceful.
A man died. Another suffered a GSW. Had the shooter been skilled the target wouldn’t have been missed. Consider the accuracy of what happened in Dallas where not a hair on the head of the first lady was touched. There are extraordinary talents among us and there are extraordinary secrets known only to the rich and powerful.
Never forget that all of those ICE employees breaking laws left and right were NOT hired after Jan 20. What the group 3% has been saying for year that they have members in every Law Enforcement Organization from local to state and federal, including all of the branches of our military. The new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs was wearing a MAGA hat the first time he met trump. From what I have seen over the last 10 years, there are more than a few General Officers, both active and retired who are members of 3% or other far rights organizations. About 25 years ago I moved to San Antonio, home to several military bases, both USAF and Army along with a very large VA Hospital. Every TV in the Army and AF Hospital clinics along with the ones in the VA hospital clinics were tuned to Fox News until less than 10 years ago they all switched to HGTV. I have to wonder if violence does break out, will the Military sit it out, or join in on trumps side?
Unless, of course, the US Marshalls decide to mutiny. His orders are the orders of a madman. At some point he's going to have his butt handed to him, and not a moment too soon. He should have been arrested on JAN6
Were it not for Wray slow-walking he would not be in the WH. He would be where he belongs in prison.
The judges in the cases didn't have an easy time putting him into prison, and if he'd been detained at Ryker's with no provision for his bodily needs, and an accident happened, there would've been white people riots. This was not an easy situation by any means in trying Trump for his crimes.
Points well taken, however, that was then. This is now. As he continues to struggle his support continues to decline. Not one person in his entourage is willing to take the rap for his stupidity. Everything he touches turns to a turd—including his own diaper-wearing hind parts.
The Marshal service are bound by the Constitution to defend against all enemies foreign and domestic. They are not obligated to follow an unlawful order. The same thing goes for the armed forces. The Declaration of Independence clearly states that we have the right to overthrow a tyrannical government just like we did before.
In cases of civil contempt can the courts deputize others to make arrests, should the US Marshalls go rogue. But, I don't think they can do that in cases of criminal contempt.
Well there is citizen’s arrest…If allowed wouldn’t it be great to march to the White House and announce Citizens Arrest even if they wouldn’t let us in…
New Movie on Netflix. The story teller is asked if violence is ever purposeful. He answer yes. I would agree. No, I’m not a violent person, but then again, these are violent times.
Wonder if there was a transaction for them to take them? Likely for the right price or better price they would oblige! M hopefully Elonqwill stay out of it! But seriously how did functional is it when it requires folks like us to fix the mess? How about them?? Border czar? Donald! Oh yeah!
The interesting thing is that when you read some of those neofascist tech billionaires (Thiel (and his disciple, venture capitalist Vance), etc.), they realized early on that indeed, money can't buy happiness. It's precisely what made them turn toward politics in the first place. Quite some of them were left-leaning libertarians before becoming neofascists (just like some of the most important neocon ideologues were Marxists first...). As nerds (and probably libertarians), they suffered from a strong sense of "not belonging". Their experience at university campuses often made it worse (and here, I do believe that we have the many violent and counterproductive forms of "DEI trainings" and their cancel culture to blame...). So they decided to try to feel as if they finally belong by working day and night to build the next tech start-up. Then they succeeded.
Problem: they STILL didn't feel as if they belonged. So what now? THAT is when they became fascists. They projected their sense of not belonging onto the uneducated, imagining that these people (who often opposed DEI trainings too) must have the same problem and that it proves that democracy and left-wing "progress" are totalitarian and violent in nature. Once you feel as if it's democracy and progressivism that is the cause of all your suffering and that of most "ordinary people", the solution becomes clear: buy political power, install a dictatorship, and impose ONE homogeneous culture onto the entire country. That mythical "American culture" WILL make it possible for everyone to belong, they think...
Next step: promote the same neofascism all over the world and try to destroy as many democracies as possible. Start with being pro-Putin and anti-Ukraine and Europe and Canada. Then try to expand the US territory, taking over smaller countries one by one. That's how they'll finally achieve happiness, they imagine.
What's wrong with this approach (apart from the fact that fascism never works, of course)? Real happiness cannot be found outside, more and more scientific studies show. It consists of installing a specific relationship or connection with YOURSELF, learning to be with all your thunderous emotions rather than judging yourself for having them, and learning to see that deep down, you ARE more than good enough already. It's basically what emotional intelligence trainings do (quite the opposite of DEI trainings and their tendency to blame "the other" for one's emotions). But you also find it at the very heart of MLK Jr.'s approach to political activism...
It's more complicated than that. Look at how many Russians support Putin in Ukraine, all based on false information and a mythical "Russian nation". So the real question here is: IF you forget that a real, stable sense of belonging comes from being entirely connected to your own "inner landscape", in a non-judgmental way, and assume that it has to come from external validation for a moment, what political regime leads to the highest number of people getting that external validation, a democracy or a dictatorship?
My guess (to be verified!): it's still a democracy, but NOT when universities give up truly studying the classics, so give up on their mission of "transmission" and instead focus on telling students that they're okay as they are BECAUSE of what opinions they happen to have and that studying is all about "self-expression"... combined with violent DEI strategies that force especially young white male to shut up rather than being invited at the table and participate in real, respectful debates.
Sure. I'll use a training I personally had to undergo, but many participants in that training (from all over the country) told me later on that they had similar experiences in previous DEI trainings, which shows that it wasn't limited to this one only. To understand why and how progressive "thinking" about social and racial justice became so utterly superficial and violent, see the excellent book "The Coddling of the American Mind" by professor Jonathan Haidt (himself a progressive). Or see the books that Columbia linguistics professor (Black and progressive) wrote about race in America.
So with that, here we go:
- I was presented with a list of ten things not to do
- these "things not to do" were presented as slogans, with no further explanation as to what they meant or why they would lead to more equity and inclusion (let alone scientific studies to back up those claims)
- most of them had to do with words and speech (the "social justice" pillar of second-wave anti-discrimination (MLK Jr.) was entirely gone from the list)
- whenever a white or straight person would use any of these words, we were were told that we were adopting "violent speech", had to apologize to anyone of color or not straight for having had such a violent impact on them, and we're asked to apologize and tell them we'll never do it again
- any attempt to question those rules was also immediately and severely rejected as "violent speech" and questioning the authority of the teacher (authority that, as soon as that teacher self-identifies as belonging to a minority, was assumed to be self-evident)
- words that were censored included the word "we" (in ALL contexts)
- we were asked to only speak in the first person as a way to never ever suggest that what we think or feel MAY be the experience of another person too (suggesting something like that was ALSO "violent" and by definition "excluding" the possibility that some others might have different thoughts or feelings)
- whenever a person belonging to a minority (not mathematically defined... moreover) had a negative emotion after someone who had fewer "minority" identity labels, the training forced people to blame the person who said something that triggered that emotion for the "suffering" inflicted, rather than teaching people to take responsibility for their own emotions (a key dimension of all emotional intelligence training)
- whenever that happened, people were taught to never ever try to explain what they actually meant, after they saw how the other interpreted their words; "good intentions" were considered to be utterly irrelevant, only the "violent impact" on the other is taken into account (obviously, since language is by nature ambiguous, this led to tons of misunderstandings which were never clarified, so - as more and more scientific studies show today - this was just one of the many causes of HIGHER tensions and a higher sense of loneliness and feeling isolated for EACH member of the group)
- whenever teachers blamed someone of "violent speech", the rule that the speaker is responsible for the impact was no longer valid; in other words, whenever a teacher said something that caused negative emotions in a student, the teacher was NOT held accountable for it (especially if you're white and/or straight). In that case, students were asked to do some serious "introspection" and that was it
- the idea of a "common humanity" that creates common ground between all individuals, way beyond no matter what identity label society may put on us, was also rejected as "violent speech".
These are just a few examples. The result was a real reign of terror, with soon no one daring to say anything anymore.
Now keep in mind that I'm a progressive and longtime activist. Imagine how this would impact people who grew up in conservative circles and tend to have real political and moral differences with whatever progressives propose, and you can begin to understand how utterly shocking this approach can be for them. Then compare what what was lying at the very heart of MLK's approach: "love your enemies". It couldn't be more opposite.
In the early 90's I was sent by SSA to attend a diversity program. Had tremendous speakers representing Blacks, Hispanics, women et al. In one of the breakout sessios we were asked to share experiences with diversity. I told them about the Hmong people who I first met in Vietnam and later adjudicated many of their SSA cases after they were relocated by treaty to the US, The didn't have a written language, but we worked out a lexicon....
Although they were completely illiterate, and antisocial, many became wealthy and their grandkids got scholarships to Berkeley, other UC universities.
So sorry to hear that... . Unfortunately, that's exactly my experience too. In one of my groups, we had a few non-Americans who were white but belonging to a historically suppressed minority in their own (Western) countries. Simply because of their color of skin, their experience was violently rejected. When one of them started sharing about the discrimination his people had to undergo in his home country, the teacher replied with a blunt "What are you trying to say?". No empathy AT ALL. Later, another teacher clarified that sharing your OWN experience, as a white person, means suggesting that what you underwent was "as bad" as what certain people of color have to undergo today in the US so... it was once again "violent speech"... .
Today, Elon Musk imagines that Western democracies suffer from "weaponizing empathy". BOTH those "progressive" DEI trainings and the hollowed-out anti-empathy Evangelical and tech billionaire movements show how the exact opposite is going on: America is going through a real empathy crisis (LACK of empathy), not an empathy "surplus"... . And that is precisely what made the installation of neofascism in DC possible, imho.
For more info (aside from the books that I already mentioned) see Susan Neiman's "Left ≠ woke", which shows how DEI is fundamentally going against everything the left has always stood for.
I certain't cant agree with that! There a big difference that most people don't understand about DEI. Affirmative actoin, theoretically only appleies as a remedy when an organization has been adjudicated as discriminatory.
Some people get carried away...
But in some agencies like mine, people were tested, experience was evaluated, and a "best qualified" list of candidates was created through a process that includes background checks, and an examination by a committee. In foreign service only a small percentage pass on the basis of the test.
Most of the objection a pretext because our jobs are offered to party hacks through the spoils sysyem. The spoils system was first addressed in the 1870's -- vial civil service.
As a viewer of “liberal MSM” through YouTube, I was very disappointed yesterday by the day long emphasis on two relatively minor scandals of MAGA incompetence , which reminded me of the description of thematic day programming at Fox under Robert Aisles. Where are the exemplary human interest stories that can make a point and create passion to right the MAGA regime’s wrongs against good Americans, environment, or allies that deserve our collective empathy? Making other people despair seems to be the road to happiness for this MAGA cult.
These monsters are narcissistic sociopaths. They don't consider how others feel at all. They destroy democracy so they have all the power and money, so they can rule and have slaves.
It's all about money and power. They divide and conquer. They've started with immigrants bc Americans wanted a closed border, so they could get further along without the masses protesting too much. Everyday is a test to see how far they can go. They underestimate the goodness of human nature.
Thank you EUWDTB ~ Here! Here! Beautifully stated ... let's all do our level best to not sink into the ocean of muck and the mire being demonstrated by the dark forces rising to the surface now:
"Real happiness ... It consists of installing a specific relationship or connection with YOURSELF, learning to be with all your thunderous emotions rather than judging yourself for having them, and learning to see that deep down, you ARE more than good enough already. It's basically what emotional intelligence trainings do ..."
Absolutely. Thank you for your strong words. And Donna, thank you for recognizing EUWDTB. Yes thunderous emotions definitely. This is what our group needs people that are passionate about our lives and all those that live around us whether we’ve met them or not our city County state and our country.
What we see now is a is unison for this country. Unstoppable yes that’s what’s scaring GOP.
Trump and Musk can take all the ketamine drugs they want that’s why they’re up tweet at 3 o’clock in the morning when everybody that that’s normal is asleep. And more than likely that’s why they have a vegetated look during the day. Perfect example Trump said he never signed even with an auto pen. And then he contradicts himself constantly. He says one thing turns around and says another. Very unstable.
Last week some Congressional Republicans objected to US NATO policy, Besides Mike Rogers and Roger Wicker, many other Congressional Replublicans have called out Trump on national security. Mike Turner R Ohio and many others in essence call Trump a liar re Putin and Ukraine.
What do Rogers, Wicker and Turner say this week?
We only need a few to have shared government -- without Trump/Vance.
Besides national security, consituents and donors have to be pissed about Musk/DOGE. The entire cattle industry is in panic and so should about 20 Republican senators and dozens of House members in cow country. Every car dealer and the big three should be pissed about Trump's Tesla infrormercial. Everyone whon receives any govenment benefit od any kind should be concerned. Anyone who does business with Canada and Mexico.
Along with farmers. Example: Kansas farmers, who mostly voted for trump and sell their crops to USAID are really hurting. The trump sheeple are saying "But but I never thought he would really do what he said"
Good Morning Ben,
Watched the Meidastouch brothers broadcast this morning and I was fired up. Your rants about these anti Americans running our government is exactly the way I feel. These losers are traitors. Due Process is the most important part of our democracy. They are trying to eliminate our rights. The recent deportations of the almost 300 to El Salvador without due process is a violation of our constitution is the Canary in the Coal Mine. Trump and his billionaires prove that money can’t buy happiness.
Agreed 100%. I can’t wait for the day. The Marshalls office or someone that’s willing to take the authority steps in and arrest all of them. Put them where they need to be. In jail.
From what I understand Federal judges are allowed to use US Marshalls or whoever they deem fit to make the arrests.
Problem: it's the president of the US who's the commander in chief of the US Marshalls... . All he has to do, after a judge sends them to jail him or any other traitor, is to order them to stand down. And it's obviously to make sure that they will that there's a purge going on, eliminating anyone who is clearly anti-Trump...
It also states. To protect and defend. Foreign and domestic.. that’s what the officers on January 6th did, some, lost their lives. Look it’s a common sense things. If you know it is wrong. You cannot sit idly. You must use what is there meaning the judges that are finally starting to open up and say no to Trump.
And move forward from there . You have to move wisely and cautiously within the parameters of the law and the constitution. So they can’t come back and state. It was illegal.
Meantime, those are the very things Trump is doing But I applaud with the Midas touch Brothers are doing here. They speak the truth..
Correct. They should have received gold medals. Because Trump is a beast he acknowledges nothing--not even mentioning or honoring the Secret Service agents who carried his bloated a** off the podium after the first assassination attempt. Disgraceful.
"Suspected" assasination attempt...
A man died. Another suffered a GSW. Had the shooter been skilled the target wouldn’t have been missed. Consider the accuracy of what happened in Dallas where not a hair on the head of the first lady was touched. There are extraordinary talents among us and there are extraordinary secrets known only to the rich and powerful.
Never forget that all of those ICE employees breaking laws left and right were NOT hired after Jan 20. What the group 3% has been saying for year that they have members in every Law Enforcement Organization from local to state and federal, including all of the branches of our military. The new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs was wearing a MAGA hat the first time he met trump. From what I have seen over the last 10 years, there are more than a few General Officers, both active and retired who are members of 3% or other far rights organizations. About 25 years ago I moved to San Antonio, home to several military bases, both USAF and Army along with a very large VA Hospital. Every TV in the Army and AF Hospital clinics along with the ones in the VA hospital clinics were tuned to Fox News until less than 10 years ago they all switched to HGTV. I have to wonder if violence does break out, will the Military sit it out, or join in on trumps side?
I didn't know they had switched to HGTV. I'm so glad to hear that-maybe it will make a difference as Fox's influence is diluted.
Unless, of course, the US Marshalls decide to mutiny. His orders are the orders of a madman. At some point he's going to have his butt handed to him, and not a moment too soon. He should have been arrested on JAN6
Were it not for Wray slow-walking he would not be in the WH. He would be where he belongs in prison.
.
Exactly!..I make it a point I don't watch FOX!
The judges in the cases didn't have an easy time putting him into prison, and if he'd been detained at Ryker's with no provision for his bodily needs, and an accident happened, there would've been white people riots. This was not an easy situation by any means in trying Trump for his crimes.
Anyway, the American emoprogressive (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Emo%20Progressive )left have to acknowledge their part in getting Trump elected twice, IMHO, and this article sums it up well:
https://skygilbert.blogspot.com/2024/11/what-just-happened.html
Points well taken, however, that was then. This is now. As he continues to struggle his support continues to decline. Not one person in his entourage is willing to take the rap for his stupidity. Everything he touches turns to a turd—including his own diaper-wearing hind parts.
Ed, the past is prologue to the present (and/or the future); the extremist foolishness and stupidity of the emoprogs in not knowing how to use the system that exists to get what they want (as shown in these articles: https://cendax.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/politics-101-for-the-left-revisited/ | https://cendax.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/progressives-dont-expect-your-issues-to-be-my-issues/ |https://cendax.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/no-true-progressive-or-wheres-the-goalpost-now/ |https://cendax.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/politics-300-the-horse-goes-before-the-cart/ , plus similar ones), and they pissed people off with what they did, resulting in what happened. I didn't post what I posted previously and in this response to be full of it, but merely to show why it's now so. I'll shut up about it from here on it, don't worry.
No worries. Carry on.
The Marshal service are bound by the Constitution to defend against all enemies foreign and domestic. They are not obligated to follow an unlawful order. The same thing goes for the armed forces. The Declaration of Independence clearly states that we have the right to overthrow a tyrannical government just like we did before.
Stand down will only work if you continue and you pledge allegiance to what is wrong.
That’s something that is understood when you take that oath . Even though the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
IS WRONG HE CAN BE STILL ARREST ARRESTED.
In cases of civil contempt can the courts deputize others to make arrests, should the US Marshalls go rogue. But, I don't think they can do that in cases of criminal contempt.
Well there is citizen’s arrest…If allowed wouldn’t it be great to march to the White House and announce Citizens Arrest even if they wouldn’t let us in…
They can deputize! Attorneys even Hill Folk like me I think? :-)
Citizens arrest sounds good 👍
New Movie on Netflix. The story teller is asked if violence is ever purposeful. He answer yes. I would agree. No, I’m not a violent person, but then again, these are violent times.
Yes! Or they can deputies attorneys! Maybe us here too?? :-) Fed Marshals may have a problem with trumps head of the DOJ!?
My sentiments exactly.
I read that there is a group of Venezuelan lawyers who have petitioned to have the people in El Salvador released. I am so happy about this.
I SO hope this is happening….
So glad!
I hope that's true-someone needs to do something for them!!
Ya if the government releases the names
Wonder if there was a transaction for them to take them? Likely for the right price or better price they would oblige! M hopefully Elonqwill stay out of it! But seriously how did functional is it when it requires folks like us to fix the mess? How about them?? Border czar? Donald! Oh yeah!
U.S. government is paying 6 million dollars for those men to be tortured and 😪
The interesting thing is that when you read some of those neofascist tech billionaires (Thiel (and his disciple, venture capitalist Vance), etc.), they realized early on that indeed, money can't buy happiness. It's precisely what made them turn toward politics in the first place. Quite some of them were left-leaning libertarians before becoming neofascists (just like some of the most important neocon ideologues were Marxists first...). As nerds (and probably libertarians), they suffered from a strong sense of "not belonging". Their experience at university campuses often made it worse (and here, I do believe that we have the many violent and counterproductive forms of "DEI trainings" and their cancel culture to blame...). So they decided to try to feel as if they finally belong by working day and night to build the next tech start-up. Then they succeeded.
Problem: they STILL didn't feel as if they belonged. So what now? THAT is when they became fascists. They projected their sense of not belonging onto the uneducated, imagining that these people (who often opposed DEI trainings too) must have the same problem and that it proves that democracy and left-wing "progress" are totalitarian and violent in nature. Once you feel as if it's democracy and progressivism that is the cause of all your suffering and that of most "ordinary people", the solution becomes clear: buy political power, install a dictatorship, and impose ONE homogeneous culture onto the entire country. That mythical "American culture" WILL make it possible for everyone to belong, they think...
Next step: promote the same neofascism all over the world and try to destroy as many democracies as possible. Start with being pro-Putin and anti-Ukraine and Europe and Canada. Then try to expand the US territory, taking over smaller countries one by one. That's how they'll finally achieve happiness, they imagine.
What's wrong with this approach (apart from the fact that fascism never works, of course)? Real happiness cannot be found outside, more and more scientific studies show. It consists of installing a specific relationship or connection with YOURSELF, learning to be with all your thunderous emotions rather than judging yourself for having them, and learning to see that deep down, you ARE more than good enough already. It's basically what emotional intelligence trainings do (quite the opposite of DEI trainings and their tendency to blame "the other" for one's emotions). But you also find it at the very heart of MLK Jr.'s approach to political activism...
“Everyone” will never belong, only the ones these neo-fascists believe deserve to belong. They probably look a lot like SecDef.
It's more complicated than that. Look at how many Russians support Putin in Ukraine, all based on false information and a mythical "Russian nation". So the real question here is: IF you forget that a real, stable sense of belonging comes from being entirely connected to your own "inner landscape", in a non-judgmental way, and assume that it has to come from external validation for a moment, what political regime leads to the highest number of people getting that external validation, a democracy or a dictatorship?
My guess (to be verified!): it's still a democracy, but NOT when universities give up truly studying the classics, so give up on their mission of "transmission" and instead focus on telling students that they're okay as they are BECAUSE of what opinions they happen to have and that studying is all about "self-expression"... combined with violent DEI strategies that force especially young white male to shut up rather than being invited at the table and participate in real, respectful debates.
Can you please provide some concrete examples of violent DEI training? I am serious.
Sure. I'll use a training I personally had to undergo, but many participants in that training (from all over the country) told me later on that they had similar experiences in previous DEI trainings, which shows that it wasn't limited to this one only. To understand why and how progressive "thinking" about social and racial justice became so utterly superficial and violent, see the excellent book "The Coddling of the American Mind" by professor Jonathan Haidt (himself a progressive). Or see the books that Columbia linguistics professor (Black and progressive) wrote about race in America.
So with that, here we go:
- I was presented with a list of ten things not to do
- these "things not to do" were presented as slogans, with no further explanation as to what they meant or why they would lead to more equity and inclusion (let alone scientific studies to back up those claims)
- most of them had to do with words and speech (the "social justice" pillar of second-wave anti-discrimination (MLK Jr.) was entirely gone from the list)
- whenever a white or straight person would use any of these words, we were were told that we were adopting "violent speech", had to apologize to anyone of color or not straight for having had such a violent impact on them, and we're asked to apologize and tell them we'll never do it again
- any attempt to question those rules was also immediately and severely rejected as "violent speech" and questioning the authority of the teacher (authority that, as soon as that teacher self-identifies as belonging to a minority, was assumed to be self-evident)
- words that were censored included the word "we" (in ALL contexts)
- we were asked to only speak in the first person as a way to never ever suggest that what we think or feel MAY be the experience of another person too (suggesting something like that was ALSO "violent" and by definition "excluding" the possibility that some others might have different thoughts or feelings)
- whenever a person belonging to a minority (not mathematically defined... moreover) had a negative emotion after someone who had fewer "minority" identity labels, the training forced people to blame the person who said something that triggered that emotion for the "suffering" inflicted, rather than teaching people to take responsibility for their own emotions (a key dimension of all emotional intelligence training)
- whenever that happened, people were taught to never ever try to explain what they actually meant, after they saw how the other interpreted their words; "good intentions" were considered to be utterly irrelevant, only the "violent impact" on the other is taken into account (obviously, since language is by nature ambiguous, this led to tons of misunderstandings which were never clarified, so - as more and more scientific studies show today - this was just one of the many causes of HIGHER tensions and a higher sense of loneliness and feeling isolated for EACH member of the group)
- whenever teachers blamed someone of "violent speech", the rule that the speaker is responsible for the impact was no longer valid; in other words, whenever a teacher said something that caused negative emotions in a student, the teacher was NOT held accountable for it (especially if you're white and/or straight). In that case, students were asked to do some serious "introspection" and that was it
- the idea of a "common humanity" that creates common ground between all individuals, way beyond no matter what identity label society may put on us, was also rejected as "violent speech".
These are just a few examples. The result was a real reign of terror, with soon no one daring to say anything anymore.
Now keep in mind that I'm a progressive and longtime activist. Imagine how this would impact people who grew up in conservative circles and tend to have real political and moral differences with whatever progressives propose, and you can begin to understand how utterly shocking this approach can be for them. Then compare what what was lying at the very heart of MLK's approach: "love your enemies". It couldn't be more opposite.
In the early 90's I was sent by SSA to attend a diversity program. Had tremendous speakers representing Blacks, Hispanics, women et al. In one of the breakout sessios we were asked to share experiences with diversity. I told them about the Hmong people who I first met in Vietnam and later adjudicated many of their SSA cases after they were relocated by treaty to the US, The didn't have a written language, but we worked out a lexicon....
Although they were completely illiterate, and antisocial, many became wealthy and their grandkids got scholarships to Berkeley, other UC universities.
I was politely told to sit down and shut up.
So sorry to hear that... . Unfortunately, that's exactly my experience too. In one of my groups, we had a few non-Americans who were white but belonging to a historically suppressed minority in their own (Western) countries. Simply because of their color of skin, their experience was violently rejected. When one of them started sharing about the discrimination his people had to undergo in his home country, the teacher replied with a blunt "What are you trying to say?". No empathy AT ALL. Later, another teacher clarified that sharing your OWN experience, as a white person, means suggesting that what you underwent was "as bad" as what certain people of color have to undergo today in the US so... it was once again "violent speech"... .
Today, Elon Musk imagines that Western democracies suffer from "weaponizing empathy". BOTH those "progressive" DEI trainings and the hollowed-out anti-empathy Evangelical and tech billionaire movements show how the exact opposite is going on: America is going through a real empathy crisis (LACK of empathy), not an empathy "surplus"... . And that is precisely what made the installation of neofascism in DC possible, imho.
For more info (aside from the books that I already mentioned) see Susan Neiman's "Left ≠ woke", which shows how DEI is fundamentally going against everything the left has always stood for.
I certain't cant agree with that! There a big difference that most people don't understand about DEI. Affirmative actoin, theoretically only appleies as a remedy when an organization has been adjudicated as discriminatory.
Some people get carried away...
But in some agencies like mine, people were tested, experience was evaluated, and a "best qualified" list of candidates was created through a process that includes background checks, and an examination by a committee. In foreign service only a small percentage pass on the basis of the test.
Most of the objection a pretext because our jobs are offered to party hacks through the spoils sysyem. The spoils system was first addressed in the 1870's -- vial civil service.
You mentioned the Hmong people. I seldom, if ever, see them mentioned. I am worried about them and all the deportations.
Besides a driver's license or DMV identification what papers, if any, should they be carrying around with them just "in case"?
All what you said was mentioned in this article from 2015:
https://thedailybantercom.wpcomstaging.com/2015/03/23/the-world-isnt-a-safe-space/
As a viewer of “liberal MSM” through YouTube, I was very disappointed yesterday by the day long emphasis on two relatively minor scandals of MAGA incompetence , which reminded me of the description of thematic day programming at Fox under Robert Aisles. Where are the exemplary human interest stories that can make a point and create passion to right the MAGA regime’s wrongs against good Americans, environment, or allies that deserve our collective empathy? Making other people despair seems to be the road to happiness for this MAGA cult.
These monsters are narcissistic sociopaths. They don't consider how others feel at all. They destroy democracy so they have all the power and money, so they can rule and have slaves.
It's all about money and power. They divide and conquer. They've started with immigrants bc Americans wanted a closed border, so they could get further along without the masses protesting too much. Everyday is a test to see how far they can go. They underestimate the goodness of human nature.
Thank you EUWDTB ~ Here! Here! Beautifully stated ... let's all do our level best to not sink into the ocean of muck and the mire being demonstrated by the dark forces rising to the surface now:
"Real happiness ... It consists of installing a specific relationship or connection with YOURSELF, learning to be with all your thunderous emotions rather than judging yourself for having them, and learning to see that deep down, you ARE more than good enough already. It's basically what emotional intelligence trainings do ..."
Absolutely. Thank you for your strong words. And Donna, thank you for recognizing EUWDTB. Yes thunderous emotions definitely. This is what our group needs people that are passionate about our lives and all those that live around us whether we’ve met them or not our city County state and our country.
What we see now is a is unison for this country. Unstoppable yes that’s what’s scaring GOP.
Trump and Musk can take all the ketamine drugs they want that’s why they’re up tweet at 3 o’clock in the morning when everybody that that’s normal is asleep. And more than likely that’s why they have a vegetated look during the day. Perfect example Trump said he never signed even with an auto pen. And then he contradicts himself constantly. He says one thing turns around and says another. Very unstable.
well said!
Nice interesting analysis. I am innately curious into the mental workings of these people.
Ask Hitler and Musselini how fascism worked out
National security.
Last week some Congressional Republicans objected to US NATO policy, Besides Mike Rogers and Roger Wicker, many other Congressional Replublicans have called out Trump on national security. Mike Turner R Ohio and many others in essence call Trump a liar re Putin and Ukraine.
What do Rogers, Wicker and Turner say this week?
We only need a few to have shared government -- without Trump/Vance.
Besides national security, consituents and donors have to be pissed about Musk/DOGE. The entire cattle industry is in panic and so should about 20 Republican senators and dozens of House members in cow country. Every car dealer and the big three should be pissed about Trump's Tesla infrormercial. Everyone whon receives any govenment benefit od any kind should be concerned. Anyone who does business with Canada and Mexico.
Feathers of Hope. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/
Along with farmers. Example: Kansas farmers, who mostly voted for trump and sell their crops to USAID are really hurting. The trump sheeple are saying "But but I never thought he would really do what he said"
Not trump true believers OK R Senator Markwayne Mullin and R Sen James
Lankford[who claims to be a preacher]
Here’s another good writer, Jerry Weiss. Excellent articles.
Money can never buy happiness it is true. But it sure can rent a shit load of misery.