Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

We still have time to mess this up!

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

You cannot shame the shameless.

After roe, women are no longer free.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

The revolution will be supervised.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

I was promised a recession.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

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

Republicans in disarray!

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Hail to the Hairpiece / Open Thread: Quick Takes from the Thousand Thug March

Open Thread: Quick Takes from the Thousand Thug March

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118Comments

  6. 6.

    Mnemosyne

    I see that Weigel Serwer and Ioffe have the same question I do: why did the cops in Charlottesville seemed to be so drastically underprepared for a series of rallies that were so well-publicized, AirBnB was refusing rooms to the Nazis?

  7. 7.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Donald J. TrumpVerified account @ realDonaldTrump
    Condolences to the family of the young woman killed today, and best regards to all of those injured, in Charlottesville, Virginia. So sad!

    Josh Barro‏Verified account @ jbarro 11m11 minutes ago
    “best regards”

    I’ll underline “So sad!”. And it took him half an hour after tweeting about the police killed to mention the victim of the Nazi symp. I believe the helicopter crash happened an hour after the young woman’s death was announced.

  13. 13.

    Mnemosyne

    Also, too, the Nazi assholes who got maced and tear-gassed should have been paying better attention to Ferguson — I know from following those protests that you need milk to dilute tear gas, not water.

  15. 15.

    Elizabelle

    Quick cruise of CNN website. They have dropped the usual “both sides” shit. This is serious.

    Their headlines, under the screaming big one:

    TERROR IN VIRGINIA. 3 KILLED ON DAY OF WHITE NATIONALIST RALLY.

    Speeding car rams crowd of counterprotesters after street fights erupt in Charlottesville
    Videos show car crash into counterprotesters
    Trump — once again — fails to condemn the ‘alt-right,’ white supremacists
    Cillizza: It’s hard to imagine a less presidential statement
    Navarro: ‘Damn it Donald Trump, call a spade a spade’
    ‘Blood and soil’: Protesters chant Nazi slogan in Charlottesville
    Detroit Red Wings to white supremacist group: Stop using our logo

  17. 17.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Could someone please give me a clue about “Baked Alaska”? I think I must be missing something obvious.

  18. 18.

    Elizabelle

    Some sub-headlines from the Los Angeles Times, under their huge “Violence in Virginia” banner.

    Three dead, dozens hurt after Virginia white nationalist rally; Trump blames ‘many sides’

    Critics hit Trump for condemning Charlottesville violence without mentioning white supremacists
    Trump says blame belongs ‘on many sides’ amid deadly Klan violence in Virginia
    After criticism for his silence, Trump tweets against ‘hate,’ but doesn’t mention KKK violence
    Detroit Red Wings denounce use of logo at white nationalist rally in Virginia

    Trump has stepped in it but good.

    ETA: That “many sides” is the equivalent of “heck of a job, Brownie.” We can see what’s going on. He will not.

  19. 19.

    MisterForkbeard

    All these people seem… dare I say it, Deplorable? Huh. If only somebody mentioned this during the campaign, just like the Trump Nuclear War thing and the Russian thing.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  20. 20.

    Keith P.

    @Elizabelle: The beauty of it is its symmetry, given that Trump was on the front lines of “RADICAL…ISLAMIC….TERROR. You *must* say these three words to defeat it.” It is getting thrown back in his face with a quickness.

  21. 21.

    ArchTeryx

    I can’t keep up. I pretty much figured the Charlottesville cops were collaborators in this whole disaster, by turning a blind eye at the armed terrorists taking over their city’s public square. Now I hear they suffered losses as well? What the hell is going ON down there?

    I lived in C’ville for 2 years and these racist fucks always made me nervous – step outside the city limits and they were EVERYWHERE. I didn’t feel particularly safe in that city and now I know why.

  22. 22.

    Elizabelle

    @SiubhanDuinne: No idea. Still represents a delicious dessert, to me.

    First they came for “Freedom.” Then they appropriated “Liberty.” And now, they’re going after elegant desserts.

  24. 24.

    andy

    These fuckers. I remember reading of past BLM protests, like the one that shut down I-35W here in Minnesota, and there were always some right wing assholes commenting that they would have “run ’em down if I was there”. Well, now one of them has for all to see, and yeah, it probably happened because the guy in the car was one of them. Next we’ll have a squad of of these Oath Keepers open carrying throw down in a big noisy public way and kill a bunch of people in broad daylight- because that’s another line item on the blowhard checklist. And all the while this is happening we have trump squatting in the White House very much incentivized to keep them stirred up- because right now one of the things that is keeping his ass planted in the big chair is a stirred up base.

  26. 26.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    best regards to all of those injured, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

    Whut now?

    Of a piece with his message in the Yad Vashem visitors’ book: “IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF MY FRIENDS — SO AMAZING & WILL NEVER FORGET!”

  30. 30.

    MaryRC

    @SiubhanDuinne: Baked Alaska is a guy named Tim Gionet who has an alt-right blog and Twitter account. I believe he chose the nickname Baked Alaska when he was trying to become a musician.

  33. 33.

    Karen

    Was just thinking how pleased the former governor George Wallace would have been, “his” people marching without hoods and with weapons.

  34. 34.

    Smiling Mortician

    So. Tomorrow I’m going with my husband to a matinee performance of Seattle Opera’s Madame Butterfly, followed by dinner at our favorite Lebanese restaurant and a night spent at a quirky little boutique hotel in Queen Anne. Then, Monday morning, he takes me to the hospital for major surgery. The kind that maybe doesn’t end so well. The kind that has required me to spend the past couple of weeks “getting my affairs in order” even though we’re several years from retirement and so we weren’t prepared and . . . anyway. I love my husband. I love our son. I love my friends. I love (many but not all aspects of) my job. I am looking forward to the production of my most recent play — still in revisions ahead of September auditions — this coming November.

    But I’m also oddly . . . ambivalent . . . about the outcome of my surgery. Because I do not recognize my country any more. My heart is broken. I am unsure about how to cope — if I come out the other side OK — how to cope with trying to recover physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, and humanly. Seems like maybe too much.

    What the fucking fuck is wrong with people? My god.

  36. 36.

    Tom

    @Karen: Truly the young George Wallace would have. However, after he was shot and paralyzed while running for President, he had something of a “come to Jesus” conversion where he came to regret his previous stances and behavior. Not excusing what he was in his early years, but he became a better person after his personal tragedy.

  40. 40.

    Keith P.

    So, this is Trump’s Katrina, right? Well, one of them (and it’s still the middle of hurricane season, so we’ll probably get a real Trump Katrina)

  43. 43.

    James Hare

    Do not question for a moment — the Commonwealth of Virginia will bring the full force of law against this domestic terrorist. They will pay for this breach of the peace.

  48. 48.

    A Ghost to Most

    @Tom:
    Sitting here listening to ‘The Three Great Alabama Icons’ by DBT. According to Patterson Hood, Wallace is in hell not because he was a racist, but because he was a political opportunist willing to use racism to get elected.

  51. 51.

    Shalimar

    Of 85 terrorism incidents since 9/11, rightwing extremists responsible for 62, Islamic extremists for 23, leftwing including BLM activists for 0.

    Yet you still don’t see the same confrontational attitude from police towards fucking Nazis that they show to any demonstration by minorities.

  52. 52.

    Elizabelle

    @Smiling Mortician: My first response was kind of flip so —

    take care of your health, and you need to regain it. It does matter that you are in the world, but you need not concern yourself with all things Trump or what has been forced upon our beautiful country.

    Stay strong, recover, and maybe use the occasion to step away from current events. They will still be there, when you are in improved health and spirits.

    I hope it is just the nervousness about surgery talking.

  56. 56.

    lamh36

    @BarackObama 14m14 minutes ago
    More
    “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion…”

    “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love…”

    …For love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Mandela

  58. 58.

    CarolPW

    @Smiling Mortician: Been there on the medical, but not in during a national shitstorm like this one. I think (when you come out on the other side) you need to disconnect to the outside world particularly now. I have found, even during more normal eras, that it is still very helpful to disconnect while you are healing. Video games, or take a deep dive into reading scifi, romance, mystery, or get a fish tank, something that keeps your mind busy and close to home. We can all take over your share of the opposition and worry while you take care of yourself and yours.

  61. 61.

    Eural Joiner

    @Shalimar:
    I’ve seen this stat on twitter – do you have any idea where the data comes from? I want to reshare it but also be able to support it’s accuracy.

  62. 62.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    “You’ve got to be taught
    To hate and fear,
    You’ve got to be taught
    From year to year,
    It’s got to be drummed
    In your dear little ear,
    You’ve got to be carefully taught.

    You’ve got to be taught
    Before it’s too late,
    Before you are six, or seven, or eight,
    To hate all the people your relatives hate,
    You’ve got to be carefully taught.
    You’ve got to be carefully taught.”

  63. 63.

    Smiling Mortician

    Oops. I’m in moderation because I linked back to too many people who said nice things to me. As problems go, that’s a pretty good one, I guess.

    Anyway, in case that comment never makes it out of purgatory: thank you all for the kind words. I do love this place.

  64. 64.

    Karen

    @Tom: I still remember his speech against segregation, and never really trusted his “come to jesus” conversion.

  65. 65.

    FlipYrWhig

    That “many sides” bullshit looked like Trump ad-libbing to me. I think it was like the “fire and fury” thing. In both incidents it looked like he practiced the written statement (“fire and fury,” “egregious”) but then freaked a little because he thought it didn’t sound like he was using his own words and felt like he had to throw in a little something extra (“frankly, power,” “on many sides, on many sides,” followed by the not Trump, not Obama part). Remember that he’s a stupid man who doesn’t read or see particularly well.

  68. 68.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Smiling Mortician:

    Will be thinking of you with love and optimism. We need you in this fight. Wishing you the best possible outcome from your surgery, and looking forward to your first post-surgical BJ comment.

  69. 69.

    Alain the site fixer

    @Smiling Mortician: take care, be strong, and know that so many of us will keep you and your family in our hearts and minds. Prayers, good thoughts, and hopefully some inspiration to keep fighting these evil currents. It happens one person at a time, talking and sharing, helping others to open their eyes and call Nazis nazis. So even in the hospital, your witness can make a difference to those around you! Enjoy the opera, sounds like a divine night.

  70. 70.

    Fair Economist

    @Smiling Mortician: Your husband has a great plan. Enjoy your vacation and all the best wishes for your surgery.

    Don’t worry too much about the world. There have been very bad times in the past and there will be more in the future, but MLK had it right: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”. Justice, truth, fairness – these are not just lying around but are created by humanity. On the whole, we have more as time goes on.

  71. 71.

    Another Scott

    @Smiling Mortician: It is disheartening, the political direction in Washington. But remember it was only by a fluke that they won. We can and will turn the ship of state around.

    Hang in there.

    Best of luck with your surgery. We’ll be waiting for you when you get back!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  72. 72.

    Miss Bianca

    @SiubhanDuinne: I remember my dad – my dad, of all people – who, while not a stone cold racist was still a shining example of unexamined white male privilege – telling me about how much shit Rogers and Hammerstein got for putting that song in, and how much pressure they had to withstand from people who hated it and wanted them to pull it from the show. Guess it must have struck a nerve, eh?

  73. 73.

    Smiling Mortician

    @SiubhanDuinne: Thank you. I asked my husband to change the password for my work email so that I cannot possibly email any of my administrative supervisors while I’m still on hardcore pain meds next week . . . but he’s not going to mess with my personal passwords, so it’s possible I’ll post something very loopy here in the next several days. Hey, at least you guys can’t fire me.

  74. 74.

    Shalimar

    @Tom: I knew George Wallace in his later years. He was a narcissist. He cared about what was best for George Wallace. That means he was never as racist as his average supporter, but his conversion also really wasn’t as thorough as he wanted people to believe. His goal was always the next election, and it worked just as well in 1982 as it had in his racist leader days.

  75. 75.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @A Ghost to Most: During the 60s I read that Wallace claimed when he first ran for office he appealed to the common concerns of blacks and poor whites. He said he never again allowed himself to be ‘out ni**ered.’

  78. 78.

    Smiling Mortician

    I’ve learned my lesson about trying to link to all of you, but seriously. You all are just fucking awesome, and I needed your kind and hopeful words. Thank you so much.

  81. 81.

    Kay

    Donald J. Trump‏Verified account
    @realDonaldTrump
    Follow
    More
    Condolences to the family of the young woman killed today, and best regards to all of those injured, in Charlottesville, Virginia. So sad!

    “Best regards”. Jesus. Put the emergency replacement in. There’s a first time for everything. Bill Clinton loved being President and he was fairly good at it. He’d do it. You know he would.

    Most people would be like “oh, thank GOD”. Just a ONE TIME exception.

  83. 83.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @SiubhanDuinne: This song was very impressive in the spring of 56 in OK when my HS performed South Pacific. (It was my junior year. The city schools were desegregated the next year.)

  85. 85.

    Elie

    @Smiling Mortician:

    I send you every good vibration to a strong recovery. I know how you feel however, and my heart is also broken. We are learning something important here again — that we cannot take our freedom and justice for granted and that the fight is NEVER OVER.

    I am just returning from 3 weeks travel in Cuba. So much to process — a populist movement that got lost into a personality cult. The people now pay through the experience of oppression —thought they are well educated overall and would be able to rock the Caribbean and South America if allowed their economic and social freedom.

    We must re-dedicate ourselves to what is important. YOU must dedicate yourself to a good recovery. Envision all the people who love you and all the good work you still need to do on this planet. You are in good hands and the people who care for you both medically and emotionally will be there and will be strong for you…

  86. 86.

    MomSense

    @Smiling Mortician:

    I’ll be thinking of you. Enjoy your date with your husband. There is more beauty and love in the world – it’s just quieter. We will all be rooting for you.

  88. 88.

    Felonius Monk

    @Tom:

    but he became a better person after his personal tragedy.

    Well now, there’s the answer. Maybe all these assholes need is to suffer a George Wallace-type personal tragedy and then they can join civilized society.

  89. 89.

    Sherparick

    @MisterForkbeard: …but her fucking emails. This is in neck of the woods. I am so mad, not just Trump, but the Media Village & their MBA masters who have used “both sides” & nostalgia for white supremacy the last 40 years so to get lower taxes.

  93. 93.

    Chris

    I think this sentence deserves particular attention (from the back of the guy’s T-shirt in the OP’s pictures):

    “Those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live.”

    Yes, the shirt says “Adolf Hitler.” But this is bog-standard Republican ideology, even before you account for the racism and the violence. Life is struggle; life is competition; life is dog-eat-dog; you need to live it accordingly. If you “lose” at life, then you’re not my problem, and you deserve to be left to die on the side of the street; it’s what you get for not trying hard enough. And if you “lose” at life, then you shouldn’t worry about those who didn’t, for the same reasons.

    This right here is the reason why libertarianism and “respectable” modern conservatism mesh so well with Nazism and other racist ideologies. Despite all the supposed differences, both of them believe in a world where the strong rule and the weak are ground underfoot, and both of them view this as a positive good, which if anything we need more, not less, of. And the definitions of “strong” and “weak” may differ in theory, but in practice there’s so much overlap that of course they’re going to end up fellow travelers at the very least.

  95. 95.

    Smiling Mortician

    And just one more time before leaving the Internets for a while . . . you all are very good people and I am grateful for every beautiful word you’ve typed. I’m feeling less ambivalent now, and more feisty, owing to you pack of snarling jackals.

  96. 96.

    Chris

    @Elie:

    I am just returning from 3 weeks travel in Cuba. So much to process — a populist movement that got lost into a personality cult. The people now pay through the experience of oppression —thought they are well educated overall and would be able to rock the Caribbean and South America if allowed their economic and social freedom.

    I visited the place four times about a decade ago – I had a parent posted at the embassy there back when it wasn’t officially an embassy. I assume it’s already changed quite a bit, would love to go back some day and see just how.

  97. 97.

    Elie

    @Chris:

    It is complicated and wonderful and terrible. One small thing is how the viejos will be care for…. the demographics are terrible with a rapidly aging population. When the Russians pulled out in the early 90’s, people starved and cut way back on children. They continue to have a very low birth rate. In Havana, there are all these dysfunctional high rises with non functioning elevators. People lower baskets to haul up food and provisions or their families walk up. Seniors who cannot walk on their own, are more or less trapped in any walk up — whether 3 stories or 10. Yet you see people doing it… I have no idea how.

    I will not speak of the animals — particularly the dogs, right now. Folks need to know cause we need to help. I don’t think its that much different from lots of places in the world, but I have images burned into my brain that I will not forget. The heat index while we were there was about 103 —

    Its not all bad — in fact the people are warm and welcoming and so open to life….. Too much to unpack in this note…

  98. 98.

    Mel

    @Juice Box: Please be kind to yourself, and let all those who love you take care of you as well. Do whatever you need to keep yourself under as little stress as possible so that you can heal. It’s okay, and sometimes essential, to detach from outside stressors.

    I hope you have a beautiful night at the opera, and just know that we will all be holding your hand long-distance on your surgery day, and looking forward to hearing from you when you feel like posting in the days afterwards. Loopy posts are just fine!

  100. 100.

    Chris

    @Shalimar:

    Well, clearly, I never knew the guy – but if I had to guess, that’s what I would’ve guessed. The fact that George Wallace had already flip-flopped from civil rights supporter to diehard segregationist kind of supports the theory that his conversion back to civil rights supporter was also just opportunistic.

  102. 102.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    @Smiling Mortician: Good thoughts for you and a successful outcome following ab=n uneventful procedure. I’m looking forward to a loopy post from you.

  103. 103.

    Ruckus

    @Smiling Mortician:
    Best of luck with the surgery.
    @Smiling Mortician:
    Been gone all afternoon and just typed the above to your first post. Didn’t know what to say further till I read this one. We got your virtual back here. A lot of us have gone or are going through medical issues and we know how tough it can be. My docs have been working on a neuro issue for 3-4 yrs that I have and I saw a new doc yesterday. He had no idea what my symptoms mean. Those were his words. I get a report about my cancer progress in 9 days. Living can be just passing time from one thing you don’t want to hear to the next. But we all need to be as strong as we can because that’s what we have. Keep fighting every day. I write this, not to show where I am but to show you that you aren’t alone.

  104. 104.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    @Ruckus: Great words. Thanks for those – it’s often reassuring to know we’re not alone – and good thoughts for a good progress report w/r/t the ca. As well as for a spontaneous resolution of the unidentified neuro issues.

  106. 106.

    satby

    @Smiling Mortician: The very best wishes for an uneventful and successful surgery and recovery. We’ll hold up your piece of the resistance while you recover and look forward to welcoming you back when you’re ready! Big hug!

  108. 108.

    J R in WV

    @Smiling Mortician:

    Have a great time tomorrow!

    And realize that medical progress is amazing. I took my wife to the ER one afternoon because she was confused – turns out she had pneumonia, which caused septic shock. Our family doctor told me the odds were against her. But she made it, with great medical care.

    We got back from Italy last May, so people do get over terrible medical crises. Best of luck with your surgery and recovery. Do what the therapists tell you to do, work hard, good luck!!!

  109. 109.

    Ruckus

    @Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho:
    Nice to see you. Haven’t been noticing you commenting all that much. Hope you are OK.
    I find that some days I just can’t read another word about our country and where it’s at today. That of course is a part of the plan of those who want to destroy it. But still, my level of fight is much lower than it used to be. And not even that many years ago. I used to read a lot of political blogs and news. Now I find that just coming here, to listen to and discus issues and yes argue with friends can be more than I can stand on any given day. Yesterday I was asked by my doc to remember 3 words. They do this all the time to check on me, as there is a strong family history of Alzheimer’s and yesterday was the first time I drew a complete blank on the third word. Normally I just rattle them off no problem. But not yesterday. I couldn’t remember the word history. 20 minutes, gone, nothing. This getting old shit is not nearly as much fun as I’ve been led to believe.

  112. 112.

    Ruckus

    @satby:
    Thanks. Doing my best, trying to take my own advice. Sometimes it just hits you though, not much you can do about that except keep moving on, one foot after the other, get some sleep and start another day. It will get better, it will get worse and you never know when, how or which. But that’s life. I know people who have it a lot worse than me, and people who have it better. I’m just looking for a few of the latter days and fewer of the former.

  113. 113.

    MJS

    @Smiling Mortician: This is a big world. With a lot of great countries. When you come through your surgery with flying colors, think of those places and, if necessary for your peace of mind, move to one of them. The fact is, this country has been pretty fucked up from the get go, but we’ve all been brainwashed to believe in the American exceptionalism bullshit. We’ve pretty much been living off of WWII- not a whole lot else to point to that makes us any better than a bunch of other countries. That’s how I’m thinking about this. I don’t have any health issues, but I do have 4 years to retirement. If this place hasn’t turned it around by then, I’ll be gone.

    Long way of saying best wishes for a successful surgery, speedy recovery, and many more years of happiness, wherever you find it.

  114. 114.

    a thousand flouncing lurkers (was fidelio)

    @Smiling Mortician: ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

    I’m glad you have such pleasant weekend plans, I hope your surgery goes well, and I hope a miracle happens, and Americans get their shit together.

  116. 116.

    Smiling Mortician

    @MJS: Yes. Although I’m a lifelong US citizen, my husband carries both US and EU citizenship. We have been planning to retire to Europe in 4-5 years, but the recent diagnosis and whirlwind of scary medical stuff have made us . . . well, up in the air about all of it, I guess.

    Anyway. It’s been quick — exactly 29 days from “Hey, there’s something weird and totally unexpected in your CT scan” to major surgery. I am hopeful, actually. More about me (because yes, JR in WV, I have a kick-ass medical team at UW Medical Center) than about the country at this point, sadly.

    But one more time before I sign off of this pretty-much dead thread: I cannot thank all of you enough for how kind and generous and just plain GOOD you all are. Why can’t the rest of the country/world be more like y’all?

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