It's not just sticks and stones--WORDS KILL. Oh, and THREE DOG NIGHT is AWESOME!!!!!
Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Righters, and Truth Crusaders!
I hope you all had a nice weekend! My dad and I did.
Two things for you today: first, what's pissing me off; then, something absolutely wonderful.
Here's what's pissing me off.
Remember the childhood mantra, "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never harm me"?
It's one of the biggest lies we tell our children.
Just look at the evil that religious words create and rejoice in.
In this country, fundamentalist Islam used an AR-15 to kill 49 people and injure 53 more in Orlando. Fundamentalist Christianity kills women and their healthcare providers and damages and destroys the clinics women need to survive cancer and give birth to healthy babies. Fundamentalist Islam and Christianity drive LGBTQ+ beatings, murders, and suicides, and they gleefully blame and shame women for rape and sexual violence. And these are small potatoes compared to the trail of death and destruction religion wreaks abroad...as Muslim fighters bomb and behead...as Catholic ministers promote AIDS over condoms...as Christian ministers promote anti-gay legislation worldwide, encouraging LGBTQ+ executions in the name of God...and as Christian End Times and entitlement poison the planet and create poor people and starve them to death. And that's just a taste of just Christianity and Islam. Look no farther than Palestine to see what the good Jews in Israel are doing in the name of genocide-loving Yahweh. You don't need me to tell you how much more religious hate, oppression, misogyny, and violence are out there, causing misery and death in their wake.
Back here at home, even ostensibly non-Christian Republican political words are dangerous.
Trump rallies foment hate for "other." Trump's hate rallies have already erupted in bloodshed--it makes me wonder whether it's just a matter of time before Trump's minions kill someone...that is, if they haven't already. Republican rhetoric blaming and shaming the poor--who often work multiple jobs--culminates in Trump, who has been invoked in a number of beatings of homeless people this past year.
So, yeah--sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can kill us, too.
Don't let it all desensitize you. Stay outraged and keep fighting. If we let ourselves go numb, evil wins. If we cede our power to the imaginary and the invisible, evil wins. It really is up to each of us to make this world a better, safer place for all of us--do what you can when you can. If we all do our parts, we CAN make a difference...and we all know from what we see in the news every day that we MUST at least try.
And now for something absolutely wonderful: I got to see Three Dog Night this weekend. In recent years, I've been seeing as many as possible of the bands who created the soundtrack of my youth. Three Dog Night was one of the biggies. Friends, let me tell you: if you get a chance to see them live, GO. They can sing like you would not believe--amazing soaring voices, nuanced phrasings, harmonies that will give you chills. And they are world-class musicians, too--the guitarist shreds it; the bass player shreds it; the keyboard player creates the most lush backdrop for the other instruments; the drummer punctuates it all...including just the right amount of cowbell (mah favorite). They will blow your mind! The co-inky-dink of seeing them when I did is that, just last week, I pulled up an old post of Dot Calm's: the lyrics to "Black and White," a song I grew up singing, and I got to hear Three Dog Night sing it and many other wonderful, happy songs from my childhood LIVE. Stay tuned...mebbe I found something awesome of theirs on YouTube and posted it in today's Movies...!
Don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:
Daily Kos
AlterNet
Democracy Now!
Slate
Vox
BuzzFeed
Conservatives are Destroying our Future
Conservative Clown Car
Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian(TM)
God, the Good Lord Above
Americans Against the Republican Party
Americans Against the Tea Party
Please keep supporting Bernie--send him a buck o' five if you can. Please also support Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Democratic primary opponent, Tim Canova, on Bernie's behalf--because it took me so long to get around tuit, I sent $25 instead of $15. Schultz needs to GO!
Thanks for reading, and thanks for being good to yourself and your loved ones. Thanks for continuing to love and support the dear, delightful never-been-"normal" people in your life. And thanks for keeping up the fight to make this world better and safer for everyone. Thanks for doing what you can when you can!
Thanks also if you
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL
PRIDE EVENTS!
If we all fly our freak flags, we'll show those pesky "normal" people that there are more of us than there are of them...and they can't get us all, ha! Maybe they'll see how much fun we are having and decide to join us instead of condemning us. How joyful life would be if we could eradicate religious hate and teaching that we are all broken and filthy, created that way by a "just" and "loving" God...what a wonderful world it could be if we all learned to live in the skins we're in and love ourselves just as we are, beautiful and whole...!
With love to Orlando and in solidarity with my LGBTQ+ brothers, sisters, and everything in between around the world...not to mention the $50 I donated through my office, which they matched, to help the victims and their families...I remain
- Dot Calm's shadow
(P.S.--consider the standard Blogger-random-formatting disclaimer to be still in effect. Grrrrr!)
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MAKE AMERICA
GAY AGAIN
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Mailbag
From Daily Kos--denounce Trump's misogynist rhetoric
"Women. You have to treat 'em like shit." - Donald Trump, 1992
We can't afford for him to be our next President. Add your name and help us elect pro-choice Democratic women.
From the quote above to calling women "fat pigs," "bimbos," and "disgusting animals" on the campaign trail, Trump's attitude towards women has remained toxic and insulting over the years.
This sexist, demeaning language would be wrong coming from anyone -- but from someone running for President, it's inexcusable.
If you agree, add your name here and stand with EMILY's List.
And it's not just the Whtie House we have to worry about. Across the country, Republican candidates are lining up to support him.
We need pro-choice Democratic women as candidates to fight back against these attacks on women.
Will you stand with us?
Keep fighting,
"Women. You have to treat 'em like shit." - Donald Trump, 1992
We can't afford for him to be our next President. Add your name and help us elect pro-choice Democratic women.
From the quote above to calling women "fat pigs," "bimbos," and "disgusting animals" on the campaign trail, Trump's attitude towards women has remained toxic and insulting over the years.
This sexist, demeaning language would be wrong coming from anyone -- but from someone running for President, it's inexcusable.
If you agree, add your name here and stand with EMILY's List.
And it's not just the Whtie House we have to worry about. Across the country, Republican candidates are lining up to support him.
We need pro-choice Democratic women as candidates to fight back against these attacks on women.
Will you stand with us?
Keep fighting,
Carissa Miller, Daily Kos
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| The fight for gay equality isn’t over | |
| The petition to Congress reads:
"Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have achieved marriage equality but still face discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Pass the Equality Act and extend all civil rights protections to all Americans.”
Add your name:
|
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There are over 8 million veterans enrolled to receive a wide range of
services through the Veterans Administration. In 2013 alone, the VA
accommodated almost 90 million outpatient visits; that's an average of
almost 250,000 appointments every day.
Those numbers should help explain why for-profit hospitals and people
like the Koch Brothers are fighting so hard to privatize veterans'
health care.
I served two tours in Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and I get
great care from the VA. And while we should always strive to decrease
wait times, I am not alone. According to independent polls, over 90% of
veterans approve of their inpatient and outpatient care through the VA.
In 2014 after the VA crisis, Congress passed a large veterans health
care bill that authorized funds to hire more doctors and nurses to keep
up with the influx of veterans recently returned from two new wars
overseas. But the legislation also called for a commission to develop
recommendations for improving veterans' health care (The Commission on
Care). And I am sad to tell you, a number of members of the commission
are trying to phase out all VA hospitals and clinics over the next two
decades.
We can stop them.
Privatizing the system would severely under-fund the department, leaving
many veterans with service-connected injuries out in the cold. Often
times, VA centers are equipped to deal with specialized care,
amputations and traumatic brain injuries, in a way a local doctor or
hospital may not be.
For veterans in need of specialized care, both physical and mental, they may not have a caregiver to turn to in their area.
But more to the point, as a RAND study recently indicated, "the quality
of care provided by the VA health system generally was as good as or
better than other health systems on most quality measures."
This is not only a very real legislative issue, but it will also be an
election issue. The Koch Brothers, who have an employee on the
"Commission on Care," are going to spend untold millions on the
presidential and senate races through their shell organization,
Concerned Veterans for America.
That is why it is so important we stand together to make our voices heard.
All my best,
Rick Hegdahl
Iraq War Veteran
VoteVets
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Will you sign our petition today calling on the Democratic National Committee to amend the rules at the convention to end the undemocratic superdelegate process?
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| Stop heartless Republican policies restricting food stamps for the hungry | |
| Petition to Congress:
"Do not restrict help for the hungry, and those experiencing poverty, by allowing states to impose ineffective and cumbersome drug tests on Americans who need food assistance."
Add your name:
|
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Chuck Schumer writes:
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley are the two
Republicans most responsible for obstructing Judge Garland’s nomination.
That’s why today, I’m joining my friend Patty Judge, who is challenging
Chuck Grassley for his Senate seat in Iowa, and we’re putting the
pressure on Senate Republicans to give Judge Garland the hearing he
deserves.
This has gone on for too long. I've spent
the past 100 days calling on my colleagues to do their jobs and consider
Merrick Garland. Yet Republican Senators have done everything in their
power to ensure that our Supreme Court cannot function as intended. And
many are pledging to hold up this process for over a year, through the
remainder of President Obama's term.
This is dangerous. This is wrong. This isn't how our democratic process should work.
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Did you see Raúl’s email? I really
hope you’ll take a minute to add your name in support of the CPC’s
resolution to switch to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050.
Fourteen of the hottest
years on record have occurred in the last 15 years, and we’re on track
to set yet another record in 2016. Climate change is real and it is
caused by human activity.
Thank you,
Keith Ellison
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“The time to act is now. We will be silent no more. The time for silence is over.”
Those words were spoken this week by Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), one of the Members of Congress who led a sit-in on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, demanding Congress take a vote on gun violence measures in the aftermath of the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando – the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.
From calls to ban people on the terrorist watchlist from being able to purchase guns, to demands that the Centers for Disease Control be given funding to study the issue of gun violence on communities, hundreds of thousands of people are taking action on gun control.
If you’re inspired by Rep. Lewis’ words and want to take deeper action to confront the epidemic of gun violence in the U.S., here are a few ways you can add your voice.
- Check out Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s decision-maker response on this petition to fund gun violence research. Leave a comment letting Sen. Gillibrand know your thoughts about her response, or share her response on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #NoBillNoBreak.
- Sign the petition to lift the ban on gun violence research. Sarah Clements’ mother taught second grade at Sandy Hook Elementary School when six of her colleagues and 20 first graders were killed by a gunman in 2012. Since then, Sarah has fought for Congress to end a ban on research into gun violence by the Centers for Disease Control.
- Start your own petition. With our national conversation dominated by the issue, you can start your own campaign to confront gun violence. As Rep. Lewis said, “The time to act is now.”
The Change.org Team
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| |
| Tell the House: Stand up for survivors of sexual assault | |
| The petition to the House reads:
“Pass the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act.”
Add your name:
|
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Sign now to tell your Representative: support the WATER Act and fix our aging water systems!
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Tammy Duckworth via AlterNet--stop gun violence...sign it for Dot Calm!
Dear Friend,
Earlier this week, Tammy Duckworth got out of her wheelchair to sit on the House floor and demand action on gun violence.
Tammy comes from a family of outdoorsmen and marksmen. But as a combat Veteran, she knows that assault rifles like the AR-15 are weapons of war designed to rip through human beings.
Add your name to support Tammy’s effort to push forward legislation to end gun violence.
90% of Americans support background checks on gun purchases, but instead of listening to the Democratic effort to vote on important gun legislation, Republican congressional leaders turned off the cameras. Then, they tried to interrupt the Democratic sit-in in order to undermine retirement savings for our seniors. Their priorities are completely out of order
Congress’ failure to act is shameful. In the face of inaction, our best hope for progress on gun violence is to elect a congressional majority that is ready to pass meaningful gun legislation. That’s why Tammy is running for U.S. Senate.
Do your part: Add your name to help Tammy fight to end gun violence in the U.S. Senate.
Thank you for taking action,
Team Duckworth
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If you've ever served or lived on or near a military installation, you know there is no shortage of short-term payday-type lending options in the area. General David Petraeus said they gather "like bears on a trout stream" looking to take advantage of veterans' guaranteed pay.
And because of clause in the fine print of these contracts known as
"forced arbitration," veterans and their families have little to no
recourse or legal protection, trapping them in an unbearable spiral of
debt.
So when we heard the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was considering taking action that would do away with "forced arbitration"
and hold accountable some of the unscrupulous lenders who have been
ripping off veterans and their families for decades, we knew we had to
act.
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And now...a bit of good news: SCOTUS ruled AGAINST Texas's abortion ban
Donate to NARAL to celebrate!
| DONATE NOW |
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And now...something funny from BuzzFeed: 27 Brexit tweets guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, or probably both
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21.
25.
Robin Edds is editor-at-large at BuzzFeed UK and is based in London.
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Democracy Now!
Stories |
Between
2009 and 2011, Shane Bauer spent nearly two years locked up in an
Iranian prison as one of the jailed American hikers. Last year, he went
back to jail—this time ... Read More →
|
Britain
remains in a widening crisis days after voters chose to leave the
European Union. British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his
resignation. Labour leader ... Read More →
|
Global
stock markets have plummeted in the days since Britain voted to leave
the European Union. More than $2 trillion was wiped off global equity
markets on Friday in the ... Read More →
|
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Daily Kos
- Supreme Court rejects Texas abortion law
- The Republican War on Women continues -- this time with new subpoenas targeting fetal tissue researchers. Help NARAL end this irresponsible witch hunt. sponsored
- Trucker saves victim of torture at a PILOT station after recognizing the signs of sex trafficking
- George Will leaves the Republican Party
- Brexit brings out the Bregrets
- Former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer calls President Obama "offensive." Yeah, that happened.
- The global economic impact of Brexit: A colossal blunder
- Actress Keira Knightley says 'cut'—Cameras keep rolling in this powerful Women's Aid video
- Sanders voters moving to Clinton much faster than Clinton voters moved to Obama
- Add your name if you agree with the Democratic Governors Association (DGA): We must stop Republican governors from legalizing LGBTQ hate. sponsored
- OPINION: Say it with me: "Vice President Al Franken"
- Trump gave 5-minute sales pitch about his resort, was surrounded by swastika golf balls (seriously)
- Supreme Court rejects Texas abortion law
- Hillary's surprise march at the Pride Parade in NYC. Photos and videos!
- Let's be clear about one uncontroversial thing that Sanders plainly got right, and Clinton did not.
- Google's top searches show Brits are frantically trying to figure out what the hell they just did
- Sign the petition: Take a stand against price-gouging for prescription drugs.
- Meanwhile in the Lone Star state, a secessionist #Texit campaign gains steam after the #Brexit vote
- Notice Trump's attacks haven't hurt Clinton at all?
- Live updates: Elizabeth Warren campaigns with Hillary Clinton in Ohio
- Mississippi House passes 'Jesus Take the Wheel Act'
- Texas town comes up with the best use for an old Walmart
- Cartoon: Paul Ryan’s publicity stunt
- Sign if you agree with NARAL: There's too much at stake for women's health to play politics with a Supreme Court vacancy. sponsored
- True story: Corn Flakes was invented to make you stop masturbating
- Cartoon: Hostage Situation
- Australian comedian tries to make sense of American gun laws—nailed it!
- Cartoon: Sexual assault platinum pass
- Cartoon: Armed and dangerous
- Sign if you agree with the League of Conservation Voters: We must stand up to Big Polluters' attacks on the EPA. sponsored
- Cartoon: Gun talk
- Cartoon: Finding Dory: The Republican story
- Cartoon: General election symptoms
- Cartoon: Gun control that doesn't fly
- Fifty years dead and gone, but these heroes will never be forgotten
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SOMOS ORLANDO
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AlterNet
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Dentist offices
must be made to conform
to ambulatory outpatient clinic standards.
Dentists
must be affiliated with
and have admission privileges
to hospitals.
There must be
a 72-hour waiting period
before all dental procedures.
You must watch a video
of the dental procedure you want.
You must listen to a speech
about how dental procedures
cause cancer (they don't),
insanity (no),
and infertility (nope, not that either).
What would Christians think
if we imposed such
fact-free,
unscientific
standards
on them
under the guise
of
(pretending we're)
only looking out for their "safety"?
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Movies
Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains the strawberry moon
Michael Moore spells out Obama's sad little legacy
Pat Robertson believes you'll go to jail for believing in God
Denmark McDonalds employees earn HOW much?
Slut-shaming pastor: yoga-pants-wearing women deserve rape...WTF?!??
The Bible Reloaded (very NSFW): Bible Study #109...being poor is AWESOME! - says King Solomon, the richest man EVAR.
A reporter freaks out at the horrors of a Trump hate rally
Jimmy Dore freaks out at a Trump hate rally, and you would, too
Woman scolds man for using food stamps
Totally not gay store owner wants you to know he's, like, REALLY REALLY anti-gay
Darkmatter2525: Unexpected God (#7 in the Power Corrupts series, if you're counting)
Putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 is "racist" and "sexist"...WTF?!
Anti-gay billboard EPIC FAIL
HOLY crap--pastor Mark Creech makes Pat Robertson look...smart?!??
CNN hires Trump's fired campaign thug...I read today that CNN's female staff are up in arms, as they should be. Srsly--did CNN REALLY feel the need to destroy what little was left of its credibility?
Kyle Kulinski answers questions, including why he hates Trump so much...as do I...as should you
From Cracked: the Trump campaign is just an elaborate prank..."It's gonna be SO funny when we tell them...SO funny...!" Hee hee...waah!!!
Three Dog Night sings Prayer of the Children and Joy to the World
Red Green shows you how to get better gas mileage
posted by Dot Calm @ 5:21 PM
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