The Tipping Point

Nasty, ugly racism. Out of the closet and in our faces.

Racism is as American as apple pie, and now the KKK's poster child has has crawled once again out of his stinking, rotten hidey hole to spout his nonsense and embolden other scum like him. And the others of his party are complicit in their silence.

I can't count how many times on these pages I have written, "As if things can't get more outrageous..." And yet...

A few days ago, 45 sent out a heinous tweet, below (click to see the whole thread of the tweet)

So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019

This one has hit a primal part in us. After this tweet, I've seen more people who are usually quiet on politics, speaking out against this. I'm gratified for people doing what is right.

"Go back where you came from" is a tired trope, and a transparent one. The tweet is a detestable, xenophobic, racist rant. This kind of rhetoric is reprehensible in our hearts, reprehensible in our heads, and reprehensible in our courts.

It doesn't matter that three of the four members of Congress that this was directed were born in the United States. That's beside the point. As Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) said in a tweet,

Only one of the Members of Congress pictured below was born outside the United States.

It’s me, also the only one who was not the subject of a racist tweet by the President today. All of us — including those like @Ilhan and me born elsewhere — are proud Americans. pic.twitter.com/EOUCCj7Ldx

— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) July 14, 2019

And in fact, 23 of the 435 duly-elected members of the House of Representatives (including Salud Carbajal, who represents me well) and five of the 100 members of the Senate were born outside the United States. We are a nation of immigrants, from North to South, from East to West, from the strawberry fields to the halls of Congress.

SCROTUS's tweet is racist, but more than that: it's misogynistic. He is threatened deeply by these strong, young, outspoken women who were elected in their districts as a direct response to his existence in our government. His most vicious attacks are on race and on gender.

We just cannot stand for a racist president. It's been more than obvious for years that he is racist to his core. We're all aware of plenty of examples.


His ugly racism was apparent before he was "elected":

1973: The United States Justice Department brought charges against the Trump Management Company alleging discrimination against black tenant applicants.

1989: He bought a full-page ad in all four major New York City newspapers, demanding "Bring back the death penalty" a couple weeks after the arrest of the "Central Park Five." The five black and Latino teenagers arrested for rape and later found to be falsely accused, after spending years in prison. Since then, he hasn't backed down, refusing to apologize and saying as late as a few weeks ago: "You have people on both sides of that."

1993: He had a disagreement with some Native American casinos that were in competition with his casinos, and he went off on a disgusting racist rant in front of the United States House Subcommittee investigating a modification of legislation surrounding Indian casinos (watch the video in that link). Among other things, he said, "They don't look like Indians to me." He and Roger Stone also concocted some hateful attack ads.

2004-2005: He treated African-American contestants on The Apprentice differently and even had the idea to do a season of white vs. black contestants. He allegedly used racist language to Michael Cohen about black contestants on his show, as well black voters being "too stupid" to vote.

2011: He started the odious birtherism claim that Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Here is an excellent summary from first-hand witnesses to his racist actions. Trump's Racism: An Oral History.

And there are so, so, so many examples after his election, with the whole world's cameras and Twitter feeds trained on him. Just a few below:

• Asserting that a "Mexican judge" (who happened to be born in the United States) could not rule fairly on his goddam wall
• Calling Mexicans "drug dealers, criminals, and rapists" 
• Wanting more immigrants from "countries like Finland" and not from "shithole countries," by which he meant Haiti and African nations
• Referring to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as "Pocahontas" ad nauseum
• The Muslim travel ban
• Using the term "the blacks"
• Embracing the KKK and calling them "very fine people" after the deadly violence in Charlottesville.
• Withholding aid to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and mocking them with his fake accent pronunciation
• Taking brown babies from their mothers and putting them in cages
• Saying over and over "I've got great genes" and even having the White House physician assert that as fact after his physical exam. "Great genes" is a white supremacist dog-whistle.
• Calling football player Colin Kaepernick "un-American" while ignoring the reasons for his one-knee protest

....and, most contemptible of all, this week's tweet. And doubling down on this tweet. And tripling down on this tweet.

And basking in his supporters' support of the tweet. At a rally in North Carolina, he railed on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for a full five minutes, whistling to his supporters with charged language, "If they don’t love it, tell them to leave it." And then he basked in their chants of "Send her back!" for at least 12 long seconds.

He also disparaged seven other women in his speech. He hates women. He hates people of color. He detests women of color, especially if they have power. He fears them.

In defense of his garbage, he has said "A lot of people love it." And that, my friend, is the problem.

There was of course widespread condemnation his comments around the country. The Democrat-majority House of Representatives promptly voted to condemn the remarks.

The Republican response?

Crickets.

Defense.

And this. This outrageous statement from Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA): "I'm a person of color. I'm white."


45 is pandering to his base, which is obviously more and more abhorrent. My attitude and words in an open letter to Trump supporters right after the election were: "I, like most of us on the Left, don’t think that all of you on the Right are racist, homophobic, or misogynist as individuals. I don’t think you are a racist...."

But now, in their overt support of blatant and overbearing racism and misogyny, I have to say today: Yes. Yes, you are racist and misogynist if you support this man. The Republicans in their silence and their complicity have demonstrated that they are the Racist Party. There is absolutely no white-washing (pun intended) it now. They've earned the nickname ROP. Racist Old Party.

What gives me hope: The majority of Americans are not racist and they are not Republican. We hear cries of condemnation from all corners. The majority of Americans will NOT stand for it, and that shall be borne out now and on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.


Lastly, here is Stephen Colbert, in his witty, truthful, brutal way, to explain it all to you.












"A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Stand up, speak out, take a stand. It's up to each of us.

#Resist!

Atrocities at the border: who is profiting?

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them." – George Orwell


Atrocities. Hear me: The United States is committing atrocities at the border. And perhaps the worst part: people are profiting from them. Perhaps even you and me.

Let's reach back into my blog-hopper. I've had this topic as a draft since June, 2018. This was the article that caught my eye a year ago, when we were in the midst of learning about children ripped from mothers' arms and put in cages. Someone is making money here.

You've recently heard about us taxpayers – every one of us – paying $750 per day, per bed for holding children in cages without soap or toothbrushes. Is this true or just overblown snowflake bullshit? It's true. Your family of four? A cool $90,000 per month. What the hell is happening here?

Private prisons and immigration detention centers is a multi-billion (with a "B") dollar industry. Corporations are profiting from holding people and not letting them leave, at the behest of the United States Government.

The story of for-profit detention is long and complex. It isn't new by any means. For-profit immigrant detention started with for-profit prisons, which is a whole 'nother topic, disturbing in itself, and one that you can -- and should -- explore by watching the Netflix documentary "13th" about the 13th Amendment and the American criminal criminal justice system. No, that's not a typo. Our criminal justice system is criminal. So much wrong, and perhaps I'll tackle that topic someday.

Yes, it's a long and sordid story, and one that has me overwhelmed in bringing this piece to you. I'm not an investigative journalist; I'm just trying to make sense of the things that will never make sense in our Orwellian world. And this one is tough. It's complex, and it's emotionally wrenching.

The for-profit immigrant detention centers were established in the 1980s, and have now reached crisis numbers of detainees, held in crowded conditions for longer and longer periods of time. Here is a disturbing set of data about them. We have a complex web of detention centers, medical services, transportation services, and food services, all for-profit and all working at the government's expense to increase their bottom line. Their mission is money, NOT providing an appropriate level of care for the detainees. When you have "customers" who are powerless to complain, murky standards, few inspections, and a government that just doesn't care, it is a recipe for Atrocity.

There are various and many facilities for adults, for families, for unaccompanied minors, and for young children separated from their families, which, by the way, is still happening today.

There are a few companies that run and profit from the detention centers. Caliburn International, the parent company of Comprehensive Health Services, operates a huge "temporary" (read: tent city) detention site in Homestead, Florida. Caliburn runs the only for-profit operator of youth migrant centers. Ex-TЯUMP chief of staff John Kelly sits on the board of Caliburn, and before he joined the administration, he sat on the board of the private equity firm that owns Caliburn. Homestead is one of the most heinous of the facilities, and has continued to collect millions of federal dollars, in quiet agreements as late as two months ago.

Two others own facilities at the border. One is CoreCivic, previously known as Corrections Corporation of America, has its roots in private prisons and has a dark past.

Another corporation is GEO Group, which runs immigration detention centers as well as prisons and community reentry facilities in Texas and throughout the United States, to the tune of 96,000 beds.

And not only are these corporations making billions of dollars from us tax-payers, GEO Group, for one, is using the detainees as cheap labor and charging them outrageous sums for basic necessities.


The corporations and their shareholders are not the only ones profiting from imprisoning people seeking a better life. GEO Group was recently found to have donated to Texas congressmen for their election campaigns. During the last election cycle, plenty of Members of Congress have received money from these corporations. Here is a 2015 exposé that outlines the money from for-profit prisons making its way into congresspeople's pockets.

Plenty of Wall Street biggies are profiting, too.

And I hate to break it to you, but you and I may be profiting as well. If you have a 401(k), there is a good chance that one of your funds is invested in these corporations. According to The Baffler, "The fund that owns the most private prison stock is innocuously called the Vanguard REIT Index Fund. As of the end of May it owned 7.5 percent of CoreCivic’s market value and 7.4 percent of GEO Group’s." What you can do: look into the funds that your 401(k) has invested in. Write letters to the fund manager, to your company's HR department. Bring it to light and insist on divestment. If you have your own mutual funds, look at their stocks and divest. Invest in more socially conscious funds.

Oversight? What oversight? I'm in healthcare, and Medicare dollars indirectly pay my salary. You can bet that there are frequent surveys and inspections and tons of rules and regulations that Medicare requires of facilities and agencies to ensure that their money is well spent and the patients are getting the care they require. Didn't cross a "t" or dot an "i"? Medicare will take its money back. I could find very little information on the regulations, oversight, and accountability in these detention facilities. It's because there is very little accountability. And we all know what happens when there is no oversight to a situation when there is a lot of money to be had and greed rears its ugly head. It's a story as old as time. When human beings are at their mercy? Even worse. Atrocity.

It's only now, when there are found to be ATROCIOUS conditions, and children especially are hurting, that we even beginning to think about it.

So let's think about it. What is happening inside these private detention centers?

Here is a 2011 investigative piece by NPR about GEO Group's private prisons, which was quite concerning back then (Part 2 here). Things weren't improving by 2016, when an audit by Obama's Department of Justice found several alarming conditions. Since then, things have gotten worse, particularly in the immigration detention facilities. The population in the immigration detention facilities has soared, from about 6,800 in 1994 to more than 52,000 today.

Several of GEO Group's immigration detention facilities throughout the country were inspected over a few months late 2018 - mid 2019. They were found to have major deficiencies in many areas, including food safety, sanitation, and health safety. Read the report by the Inspector General's office, published last month.

What is most upsetting is the abuse that the children have seen. A year ago, we learned of 45's policy of "zero tolerance" whereby children were taken from their families. When it was brought to light, an injunction was placed. But GEO Group continued to commit family separations after the injunction. The "temporary" shelter at Homestead, where government regulations under the Flores agreement require releasing or placing a child within 20 days, has been holding children for as long as five months. It's ugly at Homestead.

Simply being separated from their parents wreaks havoc on a child's developing brain. And the children continue to be traumatized to this day, not only by being separated, not only by not having the basic necessities, but by having cruel rules imposed upon them, such as a rule against hugging each other or even touching each other. Even family members are prohibited from hugging each other. This alone is extremely dangerous to a growing child. The psychological trauma continues when they have to sleep over-crowded on the floor with flimsy mylar blankets with the lights on at all times. They aren't allowed to bathe, they have no clean clothes, they don't have toothbrushes, they are inadequately fed. They aren't being educated, and they don't get to go outside to play. The abuse goes on and on. We must not turn away from the atrocities that the little children are facing.

There have been deaths. Twenty-four adult immigrants have died in U.S. custody in the last two years as well as six migrant children. Is this ok with you?

What is being done? And what can we do as citizens?

We've had animal facilities more swiftly raided and dismantled for inhumane conditions. Right now, there are still hardly any inspections or oversight, but this is slowly changing.

Awareness is being raised, which is the first step. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and now that the stink of this multi-billion-dollar human detention business has been brought to light, there is more action coming.

There have been some inspections. A quasi-inspection allowed to journalists had the facility in tip-top condition in a carefully staged visit after an earlier visit by lawyers and a pediatrician. But under the shiny veneer, hints of the stink arose.

I mentioned the Inspector General's report on adult facilities above, but even more shocking were the inspections of facilities holding families. Most alarming is the Office of the Inspector General's report from July 2, 2019. The report includes some shocking photos. Below are some of the U.S. Government's official photos of the conditions at the facilities:

Some Members of Congress have been allowed in to inspect. Last year, they were refused entry and left standing at the gates. Think about it. Members of the United States Congress -- disallowed entry into a government facility, a facility accused of housing babies in cages. Finally, a couple weeks ago, several members of Congress toured two Border Patrol facilities and found horrible conditions, which were no doubt an improvement over the usual conditions, given the stature of the planned visitors. Please read that link. There is no way for me to summarize what the members of Congress experienced.

Breaking: just today Vice President Mike Pence visited a detention facility in Texas. It's the first time video cameras have been allowed in. Report on his visit starts at about 1:19.




Pence said later that conditions are "unacceptable" and asked Congress to pass a bill to send billions to Customs and Border Protection to stop the inflow. This makes me cheer and moan. Yes, he is right that it is unacceptable, and the right needs to hear that from him to believe it. But how about forcing the companies who already have our billions to account for the $750 per child per day and shape up? How about calling on Congress to pass some regulatory bills? How about organizing a task force to figure out real solutions right NOW for the people who are hurting?

Democratic presidential candidates are making it a core issue. Several candidates have visited facilities and have called for the outright abolishment of for-profit detention.

Last year, Mexico asked the United Nations to step in. And just last last week, the New York Times reported the the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile, was "shocked" at the reported conditions at the facilities holding children. Such shame upon us that the U.N. has to become involved in policing our treatment of human beings. Do we need other countries to step in and do the job we should do? If this were in another country, would the U.S. step in? Should we expect action from other countries?

These Kansas children sold lemonade as a humanitarian act to send money to the border to help their fellow children. Where is our government?

Controversy arose after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called the detention centers "concentration camps." The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum took offense to that charged label. Others disagree. Over 300 Holocaust scholars say that we should not stop comparing these facilities to concentration camps, writing in an open letter, "the very core of Holocaust education is to alert the public to dangerous developments that facilitate human rights violations and pain and suffering; pointing to similarities across time and space is essential for this task." I agree with them, and I agree with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg who wrote, "‘Never again’ means nothing if Holocaust analogies are always off limits." Former CIA Director Michael Hayden also asserted last month that there are similarities between the Nazi camps and SCROTUS's policies.

Many corporations are cutting ties with the prison corporations, including many major banks, Bank of America among them, and other businesses such as American Airlines. Some hotel chains, including Marriott and Choice, have stated that they will no longer act as back-up detention facilities. The city of Adelanto, CA cut ties -- and thus a layer of oversight -- with GEO Group and ICE. Other cities have similarly rocky relationships in their awkward go-between role.

Change may be coming. Some children have been moved from the abhorrent conditions at one Texas facility. But we must all act to change this system.

What we can do. Here is a great resource guide for what to do next. There are links there pointing us to action by protesting, donating, sharing information, boycotting, volunteering, writing to Congress, and supporting candidates who share your views. Please look at this excellent list, pick one – just one – and act. You have good ideas. Put them into motion.

We must not stand for these atrocities!


For you visual people, here are some good reports from the Southern Poverty Law Center:






And here is an interactive map to explore all the known Custom and Border Protection facilities in southern border states.

Resist! With all your might. #RESIST!

"Don't one of you fire until you see the whites of the landing lights!"

Last week on Independence Day at the "Salute to Me America" event on the National Mall, the president* proudly talked about the American Revolution, retelling the story of the great 1775 battle when, "Our Army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over the airports, it did everything it had to do...."

You didn't know the Army took over the airports during the Revolution, didja? Yes. Yes it did.  View 45's remarks here.

....And then there was Twitter. There sprouted the hashtag to end all hashtags: #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories.

Here are some of my favorites. (Thanks also to my sister resisters Pagrs and BobBIE for some of the other memes)

“I perceive the necessity... the necessity for haste.” - George “Maverick” Washington #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/zVqMmvTSV3

— Ryan Chapline (@ryanchapline) July 5, 2019

Little known fact: An immense fog that rolled in off the Atlantic grounded all flights at Logan. Otherwise, Paul Revere would have been able to implement his original plan:#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/Gg7T3EbMxC

— cosmo (@agpennypckr) July 5, 2019

George Jefferson. Who famously rammed the ramparts at the battle of LaGuardia International at Gettysburg. #4thofJuly #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/sourin13P5

— Liisa Lee 🦋 (@Liisabelle) July 5, 2019

We hold these truths to be self evident: that all seats must be returned to their original upright and locked position, and that your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories

— Cheeto Meltdown (@tomjuarez) July 5, 2019

“Give me Liberty, or give me a larger bag of peanuts.” - Patrick Henry #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/jB3cNglV2e

— Rick (@DidntSayRichard) July 5, 2019

This one brilliantly worked in the #unwantedivanka meme:

Ivanka discussing maintaining control of the airports w our founding fathers#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories#UninvitedIvanka pic.twitter.com/adrjkjATEI

— David Weiss (@WeissyDOT) July 5, 2019

That tea will be 6.99, credit card only. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/CHzLA1qpgw

— Mandy Kubik (@NDsweetheart) July 5, 2019

As the Red Coats advanced through the terminal, we knew our time was running short. Morale was depleted, boarding began in mere minutes. “Hold them at the Hudson [News]!” Washington commanded. The battle of Logan Intl had begun. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories

— Mark Riffenburg (@ItsJustMarkNV) July 5, 2019

Will my Emotional Support Animal require an extra seat? #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/ihgZ6A0Rca

— LionO*s_Jungle (@jungle_os) July 5, 2019

Attention Passengers:
Due to the recent government shutdown, our in-flight entertainment has been downgraded to two drummers and a fifer. Our flight attendants will be coming through the cabin shortly with a selection of hardtack and rum. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/kigvnQfxST

— Laura E. Hess (@LauraEHess2) July 5, 2019

#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories "One if by sea, Two if by land and Three if by AIR"

— M A K (@MAK7591) July 5, 2019

And finally: the real story.

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." – Mark Twain

Here we are, on our most patriotic holiday, our hallowed Independence Day, when we not only celebrate the founding of our country, but all the freedoms that our founding fathers set forth. Last year, friends were quite broken-hearted, finding it hard to be patriotic in the face of the news that children were being separated from their families and held in cages. On these pages a year ago, I asked you to maintain your patriotism and optimism.

Now it's a year later. Children within our borders are still in cages. Crowded cages. Dirty, squalid cages. And we have the Ego-in-Chief planning an expensive, taxpayer-funded "Salute to Me America" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. We suspect that it will turn into a re-election rally, violating all kinds of laws and principles. America's supposed might will be on display in the form of tanks and jet fighters. Echos of communist China and the Soviet Union, revived more recently in Russia by Vladimir Putin. Such displays have not been desired or needed by proud Americans. It feels artificial, dictator-y, transparent. It feels like nationalism more than patriotism. In short, a military parade feels Un-American. This year, it's harder than ever to feel patriotic. Indeed, a Gallup poll this week found that American pride has hit a new low.

Bill Bramhall

I ask you again, please, dig deep and find your patriotism. Find that kind of patriotism that means supporting the country's ideals, its potential, its best. We know that over the last 243 years, we've made great progress. We have more progress to make, and we can't give up now. As James Bryce said, "Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong."

Patriotism means hope.
Patriotism means optimism.
Patriotism means participation.
Patriotism means effort.
Patriotism means resilience.
Patriotism means resistance.


What does patriotism mean to you?

As Adlai Stevenson II said, "Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." And so, let us be steadily patriotic today, and tomorrow, and the day after that. Let us support the country all the time, even when the government doesn't deserve it. It is our patriotism that WILL save the United States of America.

Engage in meaningful celebrations today. Do not watch the EgoFest. Do some self-care. Spend time with friends and family. Fly your flag today for the potential it holds. You know....

Ann Telnaes