Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The revolution will be supervised.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

After roe, women are no longer free.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

If you are still in the GOP, you are an extremist.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

“Squeaker” McCarthy

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

Second rate reporter says what?

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Today In Domestic Terrorism and Stochastic Violence: Insufficient Responses

Today In Domestic Terrorism and Stochastic Violence: Insufficient Responses

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For happily the Government of the United States gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support. — President Washington’s Letter to the Jewish Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island

In yesterday’s post on this subject I referenced that 98 US Senators had signed onto a letter decrying anti-Semitism.

Today all 100 Senators have now signed on.

Yesterday White House Spokesman Sean Spicer made the following statement at his press conference:

“I want to acknowledge that there’s been an additional wave of threats to Jewish community centers and Anti-Defamation League offices,” Spicer told reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday.

“I share the president’s thoughts that he vehemently hopes that we don’t continue to have to share these reports with you. But as long as they do continue, we’ll continue to condemn them and look at ways in which we can stop them,” he said.

Today the Jewish Community Center Association of North America called on Attorney General Sessions to:

“We are frustrated with the progress in resolving this situation,” the letter reads in part. “We insist that all relevant federal agencies, including your own, apply all the resources available to identify and bring the perpetrator or perpetrators, who are trying to instill anxiety and fear in communities across the country, to justice.”

“JCCs have demonstrated incredible resilience over the past several weeks, relying on long-practiced measures to ensure that we can safely and effectively serve communities across the continent. We will not allow anti-Semitism to get in the way of our providing our invaluable programs, and we urge Attorney General Sessions to be an even stronger partner to us.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

While the letter signed by all 100 Senators, Democratic and Republican, and the White House statement are appropriate, they are, frankly, insufficient. They are insufficient because this is not just an issue of harassment and violence directed at Jewish Americans. There has been an increase in attacks against religious and ethnic minorities, as well as LGBTQ Americans of all religions and ethnicities since the election. Churches with predominantly Hispanic and LatinX or immigrant congregants are being targeted. As we’ve documented here several times, Indian Americans – whether Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, or Christian – are being targeted. LGBTQ Americans are being targeted.

A man shouting antigay slurs attacked two men at a restaurant in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of New York City in the early morning hours on Sunday, leaving one man stabbed and the other with a slashed face.

Gothamist said that police are looking for the suspect, whose face was briefly caught on surveillance video before he attacked the other men and fled.

The New York City Police Department said that the unidentified suspect entered Crown Fried Chicken at about 5 a.m. on Sunday and attacked a 34-year-old man with “a cutting instrument” while shouting antigay slurs.

After slashing the man’s face, the suspect stabbed a second man in the torso and slashed his shoulder, still hurling insults and homophobic invective.

Here’s the surveillance video (does not include violence) of the alleged perpetrator (h/t RawStory)

The response is also insufficient because the only significant change over the past several months is the election and inauguration of the President. There hasn’t been a spike in unemployment. The stock market hasn’t crashed. There hasn’t been a major national disaster with effects that could possibly be correlated with these incidents. There hasn’t been a foreign inspired/orchestrated attack on Americans within the US. The US and its coalition partners are winning the fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. Every possible indicator we would even conceivably consider as an explanatory variable to explain the increase in hate crimes, stochastic violence, and to be very precise in the terminology, domestic terrorism* is the election and the inauguration.

Now I want to be very, very, very, very clear: I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind. And that’s why the letter signed by all 100 Senators and Sean Spicer’s statements are insufficient. It is insufficient because it doesn’t matter at all whether the President or anyone who works for him and with him are any of these things. The leadership and much of the membership of the various Klan, neo-NAZI, white supremacist, white nationalist, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim (Islamophobic), anti-immigrant (legal and/or undocumented) groups and organizations have all come out in support of the President and his agenda. Many of them, both leaders and members, have stated that the President’s message speaks directly to them. That he has been the biggest boon to their recruiting and activities in decades. That what he says and what he is proposing doing/is doing is what they both think needs to be done and what they want to see done in the US.

It is this sad, unfortunate reality that makes the official Senatorial and Administration responses insufficient. A sufficient response would include the President giving a prime time address denouncing all of the increase in hate crimes, stochastic violence, and low level domestic terrorism* directed at American religious and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ Americans, immigrants, and visitors to America in no uncertain terms. Additionally he should make it clear in such an address that these types of activities are un-American and are intolerable to Americans of good conscience regardless of political party affiliation, ideology, religion, and ethnicity. Finally, he should create a Federal Law Enforcement Task Force to investigate and prosecute the sharp increase in hate crimes, stochastic violence, and low level domestic terrorism since his election and inauguration. This would be sufficient. Every other response is simply fluff.

* Domestic terrorism is defined in 18 U.S. Code § 2331. The relevant part has been emphasized.

(5) the term “domestic terrorism” means activities that—

(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended—
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
(Added Pub. L. 102–572, title X, § 1003(a)(3), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4521; amended Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 802(a), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 376.)

 

 

Reader Interactions

107Comments

  1. 1.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    O.T.

    Adam, what is your opinion on Snowden being involved in the recent CIA leaks.

  3. 3.

    Davis X. Machina

    Many of them, both leaders and members, have stated that the President’s message speaks directly to them.

    I am tired, come to think of it, of being told to get in the oven, and what-not, on various social media.

  4. 4.

    efgoldman

    I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    I don’t know, Adam. If it walks like a duck….

  5. 5.

    Adam L Silverman

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: My understanding from the reporting I’ve seen (up through 4 PM today when I went to the gym – haven’t seen anything since then), is that all of this stuff was stolen to recently to have been part of what Snowden took. Until Reuters reported earlier today that they are looking for a contractor who worked for the CIA, my assumption is this was part of what was taken by the other NSA contractor that was arrested last fall. Here’s the Reuters’ link and the whole report:
    http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN16F2CZ?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social

    U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials told Reuters on Wednesday they have been aware of a CIA security breach, which led to the latest Wikileaks dump since late last year.

    The two officials said they were focusing on contractors as the likeliest source of the leak.

  6. 6.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Davis X. Machina: Especially as that demonstrates their historic ignorance. To be accurate it should be to get in the showers. Only dead bodies went into the ovens. They were used solely for crematory purposes of disposal of dead Jews and other victims of the NAZIS (homosexuals, the disabled, Slavs/Eastern Europeans, political and religious dissenters, the Romany, etc).

  8. 8.

    Adam L Silverman

    @efgoldman: It simply doesn’t matter. The actual, demonstrable, self identifying anti-Semites, racists, bigots, anti-Muslims (Islamophobes), anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrants (legal and undocumented), etc believe he is and what he’s doing is in line with their beliefs and priorities. And that right there is the problem.

  9. 9.

    efgoldman

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Especially as that demonstrates their historic ignorance.

    Most of the klowns (including Cantaloupe Caligula and his merry band) can’t even spell “history”, let alone read and absorb it.

  10. 10.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Adam L Silverman: If I were DNI, I’d take a long hard look at the reliance on contractors as opposed to employees.

    But what the fuck do I know, I’m just some random dude commenting on a minor blog.

  13. 13.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Now I want to be very, very, very, very clear: I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    Okay, I’ll do it

  14. 14.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Adam L Silverman: In random coincidence, I found out today that the first prisoners sent to Mauthausen were Spanish Civil War refugees who were captured in Occupied France.

  17. 17.

    LAO

    @Adam L Silverman: I think, also, there is an element of when you actively stoke fear of others, Muslims and Immigrants in Trump’s case; it is impossible to control the hatred and vitriol that’s unleashed.

  19. 19.

    geg6

    The Mennonites are joining protests. Because of the racism and discrimination that is rearing its ugly head. The fucking Mennonites. Who don’t get involved in politics. The Mennonites. If that isn’t a huge goddamn canary in the coal mine, I don’t know what would be.

  20. 20.

    rikyrah

    Now I want to be very, very, very, very clear: I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    Ok, you won’t. But, I will.

    He is a racist muthaphucka. Through and through.

    He’s also an Anti-Semite. Period.

    You wanna tapdance around it.

    I won’t.

  21. 21.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Gin & Tonic: No argument here. Unfortunately, because of the GOP’s and movement conservatism’s view of Federal employees, the only way to staff these jobs is through contractors. Its not cost effective for anything other than pilot programs and programs of less than a year because the fees and percentages and charges that go to the companies that accompany the salaries and benefits that go to the actual contractor makes them cost ineffective. Especially for senior personnel/expert personnel. The larger problem was that Congress passed a law to privatize the clearance investigators on the DOD side, which has 17 out of our 18 intelligence agencies and a huge chunk of uniformed and civil servants that all have to be cleared. So all of them, under the supervision of the Department of Security Services at OPM are contractors. And that program is underfunded. So despite the law stating that clearances and renewals (Periodic Renewal/PR) are to be done in 4 to 6 months, they are running no less than 18 months and closer to 2 years. So you’ve got a backlog of both initial clearances and PRs. I’ve been a contractor. I’m one now. I work for a great, small company. But this is no way to run a superpower.

  27. 27.

    Adam L Silverman

    @geg6: One if by Land, two if by Buggy! The Mennonites are coming! The Mennonites are coming!
    (what?)

  28. 28.

    Adam L Silverman

    @rikyrah: Not tapdancing. It simply doesn’t matter because those who are, and who are quite open about it, believe he is and what he’s doing is inline with their beliefs, preferences, and priorities.

  31. 31.

    hovercraft

    @Adam L Silverman: @efgoldman:

    I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    I don’t know, Adam. If it walks like a duck….

    Don’t worry Adam, we’ll do it for you, he’s a racist, anti-Semitic, misogynist, bigot, he tolerates the “good ones” from these groups, and celebrates their “exceptionalism”. We all have our uses, Jews, money and lawyering, blacks, entertainment and as cover for him to say and do racist shit, Mexicans, (who can tell the difference), the help, and so on and so on.

  34. 34.

    efgoldman

    @hovercraft:

    We all have our uses, Jews, money and lawyering,

    The money tree somehow never grew in my yard. I guess I’m a disgrace to my people, or something.

  36. 36.

    debbie

    You want to know who isn’t decrying anti-Semitism? Those members of the Jewish community who support Trump. Very little reaction when Jews weren’t mentioned in the Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation. Very muted responses to each of the cemetery desecrations. Now some are beginning to speak up, and they are blaming the Muslims. Apparently to them, there are no White supremacists in the GOP. Bastards.

  37. 37.

    geg6

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Based on the local news outlets, the Amish are too busy fighting amongst themselves. I was just gobsmacked to see that Mennonites are joining protests. Having lived in proximity to them and the Amish my whole life, I can’t even articulate how surprising this is. They are so adamant about separation of church and state that many don’t vote at all. Very unusual for them to step up like this. Neither I nor any of my FB friends throughout the state (PA) have ever seen or heard of such a thing.

  40. 40.

    kindness

    We all agree with you Adam, but I’m not holding my breath for that bunch of nutz.

    In the same vein, you know the news today where they revealed that the Mercers owned most of Breitbart? I thought the Mercers were Jewish. How could a Jewish family own a Nazi support group like Breitbart? Strangely I hope I’m wrong and they aren’t Jewish.

  43. 43.

    rikyrah

    Jim Acosta‏Verified account @Acosta

    Trump told Tea Party groups at WH if GOP health care plan dies, he will let Obamacare fail and let Dems take the blame, I’m told.

  44. 44.

    Adam L Silverman

    @delk: Thanks for finding that. I was looking for that and misplaced the link. My intention had been to include it up top in the post.

  46. 46.

    debbie

    @Adam L Silverman:

    It’s amazing and appalling what people will overlook in order to pursue their own interests. I’ve got family members in this group and I remember them bitching about the Germans who did nothing while Jewish persecution spread. Hello, pot?

  47. 47.

    efgoldman

    @randy khan:

    it sounds like the Dems had some fun at the House Energy and Commerce committee meeting

    It’s much more difficult to obstruct in the house than in the senate.
    Good on them!

  48. 48.

    rikyrah

    PHUCK OUTTA HERE

    Mediaite‏Verified account @Mediaite

    Meghan McCain: Obama’s Going to Be ‘The Most Bitter Ex-President That We’ve Ever Had’

  50. 50.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    @debbie:

    Don’t forget during the campaign when he blamed “the international bankers” for something or other.

    My jaw, it dropped when I heard that… right outta Munich, 1936…

    As far as whut’s going on in the WH, probably worth pointing out that Steve Bannon’s always right there… and statements like the one about ‘Hillary meeting in secret international bankers’ didn’t start turning up in Trump’s speeches until AFTER Bannon came on board… just sayin’…

  51. 51.

    amk

    @rikyrah: Just projecting her never gonna be prezinent forever bitter, forever angry loser daddy. Love it how Obama lives in these bigots’ minds fer free. ODS forever.

  52. 52.

    Timurid

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Now I want to be very, very, very, very clear: I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    Why so coy? He’s all of those things.

  53. 53.

    Adam L Silverman

    @glory b: I hear you. I can only report what is accurate in terms of the official US definition of domestic terrorism. Why it is never applied, except to certain religious and ethnic minorities, is something we can recognize, disagree with, and speculate about.

  54. 54.

    Villago Delenda Est

    President Trump, there is a cancer on your presidency.

    The cancer is called Bannon.

    Cut the cancer out.

  55. 55.

    Adam L Silverman

    @rikyrah: Good luck with that. He just through both the House and Senate GOP caucuses reelection chances under the bus.

  56. 56.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    @rikyrah: Well… can’t say much about that…

    However, I do feel I’m on safe ground calling Trump The Most Bitter Current President We’ll Ever Have…

  59. 59.

    hovercraft

    @Adam L Silverman:
    Speaking of contractors, I stumbled across this article in the Atlantic from last August this afternoon.
    America’s Addiction to Mercenaries
    Washington’s reliance on private contractors to fight its wars has mutated into a strategic vulnerability.

    SEAN MCFATE AUG 12, 2016

    Twitler must not be aware of this, he’s all about America First, and he’s very against outsourcing, when it doesn’t interfere with his own bottom line.
    I knew it was a GOP priority, I was shocked to see how big it’s grown and the percentage of foreigners fighting for us.

  61. 61.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    @rikyrah:

    Trump told Tea Party groups at WH if GOP health care plan dies, he will let Obamacare fail and let Dems take the blame, I’m told.

    Ah yes… one more characteristic Trump has in common w/ you know who, in addition to a gift for insane, inflammatory rhetoric… strategic brilliance…

  63. 63.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    He’s boring and pompous, but it does make me chuckle to see George Will is now apparently and “MSNBC contributor”

  66. 66.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    @chris:

    And that they won’t lend him money…

    That’s what Russian bankers are for… I wonder what the vig on those loans is…

  72. 72.

    Another Scott

    @rikyrah: Of course he will try to do that. That’s what he does – blame others for his failures. He said “Obamacare is a disaster” in 2015.

    Of course, since the GOP owns Trumpcare all by its lonesome, and they have the majorities in the House and Senate and the White House, nobody who doesn’t read Breitbart is going to believe that them blowing up the ACA the Democrats fault.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  73. 73.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @rikyrah: if there were an award for lack of self-awareness, it would be named the “Meghan” after the unemployable Budweiser Princess

  74. 74.

    hovercraft

    @rikyrah:
    Obama’s chillin, havin fun hanging out with Michelle and these mofos just can’t let it go, he ran circles around the lot of you, you presented a united front of opposition and still he accomplished more in government than you idiots have in 40 years. It really is time for them to Let It Go. At this point they should start charging Obama rent, McCain and Twitler can’t seem to exorcise him, and he’s taking up a lot of room in their heads.

  75. 75.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Adam L Silverman: Back in the days of Carter/Reagan, it took me a full year to get a TS approved, so I could be put on an NRAS roster. As it turns out, I was transferred out of my first unit to a unit that didn’t need any NRAS personnel by the time the approval came down.

    Of course, this all bit me in the ass years later when I got assigned to a DIVARTY HQ.

  77. 77.

    efgoldman

    @Thru the Looking Glass…:

    I’m on safe ground calling Trump The Most Bitter Current President We’ll Ever Have…

    I dunno’. Tricksie Dicksie Nixie wasn’t as public about it, but he was pretty bitter. He let it come out after he lost the ’62 election for California governor: “You won’t have Dick Nixon to kick around any more.”

  79. 79.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Villago Delenda Est: Right now they have the contractors on a completely separate track from uniformed personnel and civil servants. The contractor stuff has slowed way, way down. Its gotten to be such a huge problem on renewals that OPM Department of Security Services actually changed the guidelines at the end of December/beginning of January. They were so backed up that they adjusted the length of time that a clearance is good for because it was both impacting the ability to get contractors into new billets – the minute they were read off where they were they would be out of scope if their PR wasn’t yet complete – and the ability of companies to make money. Whether you agree with the reliance on contractors or not.

  80. 80.

    Yarrow

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    He’s boring and pompous, but it does make me chuckle to see George Will is now apparently and “MSNBC contributor”

    Really? I thought he was at Fox. It was kind of a big deal when he left–okay, was it ABC or CBS?–and went to Fox. When did he leave there?

  81. 81.

    hovercraft

    @efgoldman:

    The money tree somehow never grew in my yard. I guess I’m a disgrace to my people, or something.

    I meant it in the way he means it, down in Atlantic City he was quoted as saying that he only wanted Jews to handle his money, because everyone knows they’re good with money, they always pulled all the black and brown croupiers off the floor when he was in the house. Nothing racist about that or anything, same with lawyers, something something Shyster. He is the least racist person you will ever meet.

    Take heart, everyone knows that there are exceptions to every rule, you must be the one poor one ;-)

  82. 82.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Yarrow: Fox fired him after the election and before the inauguration. The belief/assumption is that it was because he NeverTrump. Fox refused to renew his contract.

  83. 83.

    Another Scott

    @chris: The Democrats will have plenty to run on, and I’m sure the ACA will be a big part of it – no matter what Donnie and his minions end up doing (or not doing). Drum makes a good point:

    Thing the third:

    This is just a bit of a ramble that’s on my mind. I’ve been trying to figure out how to respond to the Republican health care plan, but nothing seems quite right. I’ve written plenty about the details, and so have others, but none of this really gets the true story across.

    Here’s the thing: anyone with even a cursory knowledge of health care knows that the Republican plan isn’t serious. Paul Ryan knows it. Mitch McConnell knows it. Mike Pence knows it. Mick Mulvaney knows it. Everyone knows it. It’s just a cynical joke. It will cover virtually no one, and will quite possibly destroy the individual insurance market in the process. Its only purpose is to repeal about $600 billion in taxes on the rich.

    Yup, but it’s not really a mystery. That is indeed the main point. Throwing people off government enabled insurance is just a side benefit, but an important one, because it reinforces the toxic idea that government can’t do anything right (except give contracts to private companies, and make expensive military complexes and weapons systems that we (mostly) all hope will never be used).

    It was clear in the Ways and Means hearing today. One of the Democrats pointed out that the #1 item in the Ryan bill was cutting the tax paid by people making over $500,000 a year. He noted that nobody on the GOP side said anything about it in their testimony, but it’s the #1 thing in the bill. And it’s clear they’re all going to vote for it. But none of them are willing to say why it’s needed – especially at the cost of cutting health care access to 20-30M people – and why they will vote for it.

    All the Teabaggers care about is reinforcing their memes to the people who support them. They don’t care about sensible policy or making things better.

    We need to show them the Teabaggers the folly of that approach by voting them out of office, and salting the earth where their failed and dangerous ideology takes root, also too.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  84. 84.

    Lyrebird (on new device)

    @Adam L Silverman: The other reason (sorry to be late to the party) not to bother putting labels on folks in this Republican administration is that talking about what someone DID that was racist and/or discriminatory and/or inciting of violence is more to the point. Or so says Jay Smooth. (Rikyrah, you probably know him and everything, and everyone has a right to disagree…). I have found his video (can’t link from here, but Jay Smooth How to tell someone what he said was racist will get the URL) helpful for students, and I love his line about whether someone IS a racist being the Bermuda Triangle of conversations…

  85. 85.

    Steve in the ATL

    Apropos of nothing, Minneapolis is a nice city but the forecast for tomorrow shows a low of 3. FML.

  88. 88.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Yarrow: I don’t know how close the relationship is, but I’ve seen him on the O’Donnell show a couple of times. Like I said, I find him pompous and boring, but he’s sure as shit less obnoxious than Hugh Hewitt

  90. 90.

    chris

    @Another Scott:

    We need to show them the Teabaggers the folly of that approach by voting them out of office, and salting the earth where their failed and dangerous ideology takes root, also too.

    This whole mess is inching towards revolution. Or worse IMHO.

    ETE: FYWP again

  91. 91.

    danielx

    Now I want to be very, very, very, very clear: I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    In the name of all that’s holy, why not? The man has publicly demonstrated his bigotry towards everyone who isn’t a (rich) white male on more occasions than I can recall off the top of my head. Muslims, Jews, blacks, hispanics, the disabled – oh, and let us not forget, women – you name it, he’s exhibited contempt towards all of them, not to mention his attitude towards political opponents. Then there are the various bigots, white supremacists and other swine who have also publicly stated that Trump is the best thing that’s happened in decades for their odious values and organizations.

    So why not call a spade a fucking shovel? I get that there may be career/job-related reasons why not, but pointing out that Trump is a bigot is about as controversial as remarking that the sun will come up tomorrow morning. If you’re not a denizen of Trumpworld, that is.

  92. 92.

    ruemara

    Now I want to be very, very, very, very clear: I am not accusing the President of being an anti-Semite. Or a racist. Or anti-Muslim. Or a bigot of any kind.

    I want to be completely clear. I am. I see him as all of that as well as a clear & present danger to the life of these United States of America as well as every other western nation on earth and possibly a danger to humankind on earth.

  97. 97.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    @efgoldman: True… but was he comparing his own intelligence people to Hitler before he even took office?

    Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to “leak” into the public. One last shot at me. Are we living in Nazi Germany*?

    Donald Trump, Jan 11, 2017

    *Strangely enough, we do seem to be getting, Donnie… in big part, due to you… the irony… it burns, it burns…

  98. 98.

    danielx

    @Thru the Looking Glass…:

    True… but was he comparing his own intelligence people to Hitler before he even took office?

    Could be; the Abwehr (collectively) was no particular friend to Hitler and his policies. Not something that I would expect the orange one to know, since his knowledge of Nazi Germany’s political and military history could probably be written on a postage stamp. Come to think of it, his knowledge of history in general could probably be written on a postage stamp.

  102. 102.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @danielx: This is why Himmler had his brain, Heydrich, working intel separately from the Abwehr because Canaris was not considered reliable enough.

  104. 104.

    BlueDWarrior

    @danielx: in thier eyes, liberals are literal sub humans who will ensure they will all die in the coming Race Wars (see the apocalyptic rhetoric around Surian refugees).

    So it should stand to reason that anyone outside the Republican tribe is seen as the enemy or a traitor. Look at how they are now stripping Democratic executive office holders of power when they have the legislature, how they silence Democrats when they have the executive.

    The Republican party will only stop when the left and the Democratic party surrender and allow them to rule without question or interference; for, as far as they are concerned, it is their divine right to.

  105. 105.

    Applejinx

    @kindness:

    In the same vein, you know the news today where they revealed that the Mercers owned most of Breitbart? I thought the Mercers were Jewish. How could a Jewish family own a Nazi support group like Breitbart? Strangely I hope I’m wrong and they aren’t Jewish.

    Money ‘trumps’ all other concerns. Even racism, at least in isolated cases. If you’re a wealthy black man and prepared to sell out the poor of all colors including the one you wear, then you’re A-OK. Jewish, big deal. Muslim? Nobody really cares, nobody will talk about it if you’re rich enough. It’s all and only about money at this point, and all the other forms of prejudice are wedge issues for distracting the people you’re slaughtering. Make ’em think it’s not going to be them, because hey! muslims! blacks! jews!

  106. 106.

    J R in WV

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Mennonites use power tools and drive cars. They dress like the Amish, and live on farms like the Amish, but aren’t removed from society nearly as much as the Amish are.

    But you knew that!

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