Hillary Clinton

[swake]

Newt Gingrich, our likely new Secretary of State, said he wants a new House Committee on Un-American Activities to investigate Muslim communities.

Fascist acting like fascists. Shocking.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is calling for the creation of a new House Committee on Un-American Activities, invoking the infamous "Red Scare"-era congressional body as a blueprint for weeding out American ISIS adherents and sympathizers.

"We originally created the House Un-American Activities Committee to go after Nazis," he said during an appearance on "Fox and Friends" this week. "We passed several laws in 1938 and 1939 to go after Nazis and we made it illegal to help the Nazis. We're going to presently have to go take the similar steps here."

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/14/politics/newt-gingrich-house-un-american-activities-committee/index.html

[Conan71]

for someone that probably doesn't like being retaliated against, that felt like a fairly sloppy "you people"

And to make you happy, since it doesn't seem to happen often these days, then yes, by the narrow definition given above, they're racist.  But then again, you might want to read over the post again because I said that EVERYONE is racist.  Were I able to adjust my definition, I would say that you also need to take into consideration tone and history.  But I'm sure there are flaws there, too.  

I really wish that I lived in this fantasy world that everyone else lives in, but I see the makeup of our society crumbling like an Oklahoma bridge.  It may not go today, it may not go tomorrow.  But it's going to come down one of these days if we just keep patching potholes.

Here is why I busted your chops:

Calling people "racist" or "racists" is no better than hurling common racial epithets.  It is lazy-speak that is being used to homogenize people of differing political and cultural views now.  It is way, way over-used and it's really become an epithet toward white people.  No one ever once suggested the blacks who voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012 when he ran against white candidates were racist, even though they likely voted for him because he looks like them, now did they?  

There is a huge difference between racism and prejudice and I think you are mistaking that to a degree.  Everyone is prone to prejudice.  Everyone has life experience which has made them this way.  Allow me to illustrate:

You are walking through a mall parking lot and you see five or six teenage black males with their pants down around their thighs.  What is your first reaction?  They are looking for trouble or they are on fall break from Harvard?

Über skinny white guy who is rough around the edges, bald, neck tattoo wandering through the parking lot staring at you.  Do you assume he's a tweaker looking for someone to roll or is he someone who cleaned up his life and now works a productive job?

White overweight woman walking through the grocery store with a mobile canister of oxygen.  Is she on O2 because she is/was a heavy smoker and this was self-inflicted or she's a breast cancer patient and she needs the oxygen to breathe and the treatment she's been taking made her very bloated?

We ALL have preconceived notions and prejudice.  People have tribal tendencies to identify better with people who look or believe as they do, that is a part of our very nature.

Using the "R" word because someone is ideologically different, the color of their skin, or educational level shows every bit as much of a lack of respect, understanding, or tolerance as using the "N" word, "Aye-Rab", "Mooslim", "Chink", "Rag Head", etc.  It is being way over-used in an attempt to intimidate people for their beliefs on immigration or other policy which may be seated in real life experience or fear, not an abstract hatred of Hispanics, Blacks, or Middle Easterners.

Calling people out only increases the divide which exists.  We are becoming a divided nation because people are failing to recognize our similarities, choosing to focus on differences instead.  I guarantee, all of us could do a far better job of attempting to look for the similarities in our neighbors on an hourly or daily basis.

[RecycleMichael]

Calling people out only increases the divide which exists.  

Your kind always says that.

[Conan71]

Your kind always says that.

What's this "My kind" thing here? 

[Conan71]

A friend's post from facebook. This happened to her in Tulsa today. She's Jewish and has adopted two girls from Africa.
Another friend's post from facebook. He's gay and lives in Tulsa, this happened yesterday at DFW airport:

Are you suggesting these two instances happened because Trump was elected Tuesday?  Things like this happen because people are ignorant and indifferent to others, not because of whomever is the president.

Instead of promoting a message of despair and seeking to discredit a president-elect who hasn't been inaugurated as of yet here is my FB message of optimism in spite of or because of Tuesday's election:

If you do not read one more word of this post then please take this with you: It is beyond time for all of us to start looking at what makes us similar instead of what our differences are!! I've never seen so many ungracious winners and sour grapes from people who "lost". People- your lives are far bigger than whomever is president or your new state senator. You live in a community. Communities have differences, but they are changed by dynamic people willing to lend a few hours a week helping in schools, getting involved in civic or advocacy groups, etc. You CAN make a difference in your community without ever holding office. If you don't like the results from Tuesday- get involved and be the difference. If your guy or gal won- great don't be a prick about it. If your guy or gal lost- don't act like the world is coming to an end because it isn't. We had state questions which really did not fully address our issues and problems. Don't waste your energy griping on social media- engage your representatives directly, that is why they are there. Make them do the tough work and make difficult decisions. They don't spend all day cruising FB, Twitter, or Instagram gathering input for legislation. If you don't like what they tell you or you feel blown off- run against them. I guarantee you the system will never work properly if all you do is add your vote every few years and gripe on social media the rest of the time. You CAN be that change!

You can continue to be a part of the problem or a part of the solution.  Do things which make a difference.

[rebound]

Are you suggesting these two instances happened because Trump was elected Tuesday?  Things like this happen because people are ignorant and indifferent to others, not because of whomever is the president.

I'm going to nit pick this part.   I do think that, at least temporarily, this segment of society has been emboldened.  We are discussing and pontificating on this forum, and for the most part we all try to take high ground.  But there are those that championed Trump that have desires and directions that most would not agree with.   And of course there are the idiots that are using the election as an excuse to act out.  I think (hope?) that this will all settle out once everyone realizes that campaign rhetoric and how things actually work are never same.  I do hope though that no one is actually physically hurt by any of this in the near-term.

[Conan71]

I'm going to nit pick this part.   I do think that, at least temporarily, this segment of society has been emboldened.  We are discussing and pontificating on this forum, and for the most part we all try to take high ground.  But there are those that championed Trump that have desires and directions that most would not agree with.   And of course there are the idiots that are using the election as an excuse to act out.  I think (hope?) that this will all settle out once everyone realizes that campaign rhetoric and how things actually work are never same.  I do hope though that no one is actually physically hurt by any of this in the near-term.

It's funny, I never really think about that possibility because I refuse to associate with people like that so it wouldn't register with me that someone would feel emboldened to be a bully suddenly by an election outcome.

[Bamboo World]

Instead of promoting a message of despair and seeking to discredit a president-elect who hasn't been inaugurated as of yet here is my FB message of optimism in spite of or because of Tuesday's election:

...Communities have differences, but they are changed by dynamic people willing to lend a few hours a week helping in schools, getting involved in civic or advocacy groups, etc.  You CAN make a difference in your community without ever holding office.  If you don't like the results from Tuesday- get involved and be the difference.  If your guy or gal won- great don't be a prick about it.  If your guy or gal lost- don't act like the world is coming to an end because it isn't...

...Don't waste your energy griping on social media- engage your representatives directly, that is why they are there...

...I guarantee you the system will never work properly if all you do is add your vote every few years and gripe on social media the rest of the time.  You CAN be that change!

You can continue to be a part of the problem or a part of the solution.  Do things which make a difference.

Good attitude, Conan.  I happened to see a Tulsa World article this afternoon, a few minutes after I read your Facebook message.

There's a connection, in spirit, to the FB post you shared:

"Tulsa County Democrats say they're motivated by election results," by Randy Krehbiel

[RecycleMichael]

What's this "My kind" thing here? 

You are right. I shouldn't put all barbarians in the same boat.

[Conan71]

You are right. I shouldn't put all barbarians in the same boat.

You do that and there's a very good chance it will sink with all that chain mail, battle axes, and such.

[Ed W]

You do that and there's a very good chance it will sink with all that chain mail, battle axes, and such.

Can we have codpieces along with the.chain mail?

[davideinstein]

Associating guilt to people from the actions of others?  Serious?  So if I didn't publicly condemn the shooter of the five Dallas cops last summer:  I condoned it, and committed those acts myself.

Wow!

Where do you people get this stuff?

I don't hear anyone condemning Van Jones for calling Trump's win a "Whitelash".  I also didn't hear President Obama, Jones' prior employer condemning those remarks either.  That definitely makes Obama a racist bigot, in your books right?

Why would I condemn him for speaking the truth?

[erfalf]

Why would I condemn him for speaking the truth?

Dude, white's elect (edit: play a huge part in the election of) every president. Because they picked the other guy doesn't necessarily mean there was some kind of revolt. Come back in four years and validate your claim.

If anything the "white vote" is the lease racist vote their is. It seems pretty evenly divided with minor shifts every four years. Seems pretty open minded to me.

[Cats Cats Cats]

Are you suggesting these two instances happened because Trump was elected Tuesday?  Things like this happen because people are ignorant and indifferent to others, not because of whomever is the president.

Instead of promoting a message of despair and seeking to discredit a president-elect who hasn't been inaugurated as of yet here is my FB message of optimism in spite of or because of Tuesday's election:

You can continue to be a part of the problem or a part of the solution.  Do things which make a difference.

Yes, those happened because Trump got elected President. Just like the protests are because Trump got elected Tuesday.  This is a time where people are acting based on the results. Trump is a symbol for racism.  He is a symbol for racism for immigrants ,minorities, much of Europe, liberals, and racists.  The last one is where the problem lies the rest could be considered unfair. The people are racists committing these acts were always racist.  But now they think that they are justified because "everybody" thinks like they do.  Everybody is right to a certain degree.  Trump isn't a symbol for racism for most of the people who voted for him.  But he is a symbol for racism to the minority of people who act out. Without the people acting out then the rest of the people yelling "racist" would have no merit.  This will last for another few weeks and hopefully people will go back to just being inwardly racist and the protests will stop.

[swake]

Yes, those happened because Trump got elected President. Just like the protests are because Trump got elected Tuesday.  This is a time where people are acting based on the results. Trump is a symbol for racism.  He is a symbol for racism for immigrants ,minorities, much of Europe, liberals, and racists.  The last one is where the problem lies the rest could be considered unfair. The people are racists committing these acts were always racist.  But now they think that they are justified because "everybody" thinks like they do.  Everybody is right to a certain degree.  Trump isn't a symbol for racism for most of the people who voted for him.  But he is a symbol for racism to the minority of people who act out. Without the people acting out then the rest of the people yelling "racist" would have no merit.  This will last for another few weeks and hopefully people will go back to just being inwardly racist and the protests will stop.

No, things aren't normal anymore.

Steve Bannon is now Donald Trump's top policy advisor. Actions are now meeting words, and those actions are scary.