Still processing, still reeling, still angry...
Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Righters, and Truth Crusaders!
I'm still dealing with the Orlando blood bath, as I'm sure you all still are.
Before I say anything else, let me clarify remarks in my last post regarding what we "knew"--namely, that Omar Mateen's current wife drove him to the club and tried to talk him out of the shooting. Yeah, I was trying to be clever in my wording, and, yeah, I assumed that the media I'd "consumed" was being accurate and honest (BTW, it was CNN, which happened to be on in our break-room at work. I know enough to fact-check them, but, in my haste, I forgot...mea culpa).
The next morning, I heard on "Democracy Now!" that Mateen's widow claims that everything the media have been saying about her is a lie--she claims she did not know Omar's intentions; nor did she drive him to the Pulse:
This comes as a federal grand jury is reportedly considering whether to indict Omar Mateen’s wife, Noor Salman, on criminal charges related to the attack. Multiple news outlets, citing unnamed sources, have reported Salman knew about the planned attack ahead of time and even drove Mateen to the Pulse club one night. But other reporters have cast doubt on these claims. Sam Husseini of the Institute for Public Accuracy reports one of Noor Salman’s close friends says Salman is saying that she knew nothing of her husband’s plans and never drove her husband to the club. Husseini writes, "She is apparently telling people around her that virtually everything you’re hearing about her is a lie."
Obviously, she has a lot of really good reasons to distance herself from the slaughter. But there is still suspicion that she may have had a role, according to the Salon article excerpted below, which reports a somewhat softened stance from CNN now:
Salman, Mateen’s widow, has meanwhile come under scrutiny for what if any role she played in the events. The New York Post made its thoughts clear with a Wednesday cover photo of Salman with the headline, “She could have saved them all: Killer’s wife knew — but did nothing.” Oh whew, thank God we found a woman to blame. CNN now reports that “A U.S. attorney plans to bring evidence before a federal grand jury to determine whether charges will be brought” against Salman. Law enforcement sources tell CNN that she admits “Mateen told her he had interest in carrying out a jihadist attack” and that she had suspicions when he left the house Saturday he might “do something violent,” but she says she knew of no specific plan. She reportedly urged him not to do anything, but did not alert authorities. CBS News reports, however, that she is believed to have accompanied him earlier to buy ammunition and to case Pulse, the nightclub where he later opened fire.
Note to self: don't try to be clever if it means sacrificing accuracy. Sorry about that, Chief!
That said, there's still more to say about Omar Mateen's widow.
First and foremost, based on all current information, Omar Mateen's widow is not the one who bought the guns and committed mass murder. Neither is Omar Mateen's ex-wife. Omar Mateen is. He is the one who is responsible. Let's not forget that, no matter what it turns out that Mateen's widow's actual role was.
Salon reminds us not to jump to judge the woman--by which, of course, they mean "condemn." Americans lurve pointing the finger of blame, especially at women, because Eve and all that shit. Women only are to blame for sex; women only are to blame for unwanted pregnancies; and, of course, women only are to blame for the fact that we're not all just damn skippy, prancing around the Garden of Eden. Blerch. No wonder fundamentalist Christians and Muslims take out their frustrations on women with such relish.
But I digress.
Getting back to Mateen's widow, remember that Mateen's ex-wife described being routinely physically and emotionally abused by Mateen--enough to drive her to divorce the man. In the Salon article, Mateen's ex-wife reports having a strong, supportive family who were concerned for her and who "saved her from death." She was only involved with him for about a year. But what about Salman, Mateen's widow? According to the Salon article, she wasn't as fortunate:
Significantly, a longtime neighbor also told CBS that growing up, “Noor never played in the street, and the girls were never allowed to drive,” and that after she married Mateen, her husband tried to prevent her from coming home to visit her family, even when her father was ill. Imagine what living under those circumstances might do to one’s sense of free will. Just try.
Could Salman have truly “saved them all?” Was she a silent co-conspirator in his violence? It’s possible. But based on what’s been revealed thus far about Mateen and his wives, it sounds like they were rigorously monitored and physically intimidated. More significantly, it sure sounds like they’d endured enough psychological abuse to undermine their autonomy and decision making. Sustained abuse often pushes victims past the point of feeling they deserve to not be abused. It imposes a blanket of silence and shame over them. Writing in the Times this week, Amanda Taub observed that “Domestic violence can be seen as a psychological training ground for someone like Mr. Mateen to commit a mass attack.” And it’s a training ground that teaches its victims, too. Often, what it teaches them is how to be silent.
Even if you didn't grow up in such an oppressive home, physical and emotional abuse can tear you down with shocking swiftness--especially if your abuser is able to isolate you from anyone who could or would support you, and especially if you are completely dependent on that person for your daily survival. Even worse is if you have self-esteem issues to start with. Someone in that situation just is not thinking straight--by design of his or her abuser--and likely feels powerless to help him or herself, let alone others. (Like strangers in a nightclub.)
Having survived abusive relationships, I speak from experience here. I was "lucky" that the abuse wasn't physical and that I was strong enough and independent enough to extricate myself once I'd had enough, but verbal and emotional abuse definitely take a toll on your sanity and your physical health...and it only takes a matter of months, even if you are strong in your sense of self and independent enough to get out. The longer you stay, the worse it gets. Abuse causes stress; stress kills. Mateen's ex-wife is not exaggerating when she says that her family saved her life by rescuing her from Mateen.
All of that said, I do still stand by remarks I made in my last post regarding the dangers of religion, not only for Mateen--who was reportedly gay and who seems to have turned the religious homophobic rage he felt for himself into the slaughter of the innocents the Pulse--but also his widow.
What's interesting about Mateen's Muslim faith is that he reportedly did not understand Islam except at a very shallow level. Nor did he seem to understand the various terror groups he seemed to have wanted to be part of--who are at each other's throats because they disagree so violently on the tenets of their religion. Even so, he did seem to base his actions on his beliefs--just as Christians do who claim to believe the Bible literally but who don't even know what's really in it or who deliberately dismiss obvious biblical falsehoods, like bat = bird, coneys (rabbits and hares) chew cud, outer space = water rather than vacuum, flat earth, hard sky, etc.
Suppose for the sake of argument that Salman did know Mateen's intentions and did not call the police. It sounds from her upbringing like she grew up in a devout, fundamentalist Muslim home. That would open her up to religious magical thinking, which could have led her to rationalize doing nothing...for example, resorting to prayer instead of calling the authorities, or convincing herself "maybe he won't do it" or a million other things she knew deep down were not true. Again, as a devout fundamentalist Muslim, she would believe that Mateen's actions were not evil but godly--that killing the gays is an act of compassion, according to one imam speaking in Orlando.
No matter how you slice it--either by virtue of her oppressed upbringing or her abuse at the hands of Mateen--fundamental Islam played a role in Salman's situation and actions, victimizing her repeatedly. I hope she is able to find the strength, support, and resources to heal--after what she's been through, she has a long road ahead of her.
It's also kinda wild that Mateen's ex-wife claims that the FBI instructed her not to tell the media about Mateen's homosexuality so they could play up the "Muslim terrorist" angle." Hmmm.
Again, as I said last time, it isn't just the fundamentalist Muslims celebrating the slaughter of 49 beautiful, joyful human beings (who just happened to have been LGBTQ) and the wounding of 53 more...it is also the fundamentalist Christians. Here's a short list of 7 examples of Christian "love" in response to the Orlando massacre from Raw Story:
Having survived abusive relationships, I speak from experience here. I was "lucky" that the abuse wasn't physical and that I was strong enough and independent enough to extricate myself once I'd had enough, but verbal and emotional abuse definitely take a toll on your sanity and your physical health...and it only takes a matter of months, even if you are strong in your sense of self and independent enough to get out. The longer you stay, the worse it gets. Abuse causes stress; stress kills. Mateen's ex-wife is not exaggerating when she says that her family saved her life by rescuing her from Mateen.
All of that said, I do still stand by remarks I made in my last post regarding the dangers of religion, not only for Mateen--who was reportedly gay and who seems to have turned the religious homophobic rage he felt for himself into the slaughter of the innocents the Pulse--but also his widow.
What's interesting about Mateen's Muslim faith is that he reportedly did not understand Islam except at a very shallow level. Nor did he seem to understand the various terror groups he seemed to have wanted to be part of--who are at each other's throats because they disagree so violently on the tenets of their religion. Even so, he did seem to base his actions on his beliefs--just as Christians do who claim to believe the Bible literally but who don't even know what's really in it or who deliberately dismiss obvious biblical falsehoods, like bat = bird, coneys (rabbits and hares) chew cud, outer space = water rather than vacuum, flat earth, hard sky, etc.
Suppose for the sake of argument that Salman did know Mateen's intentions and did not call the police. It sounds from her upbringing like she grew up in a devout, fundamentalist Muslim home. That would open her up to religious magical thinking, which could have led her to rationalize doing nothing...for example, resorting to prayer instead of calling the authorities, or convincing herself "maybe he won't do it" or a million other things she knew deep down were not true. Again, as a devout fundamentalist Muslim, she would believe that Mateen's actions were not evil but godly--that killing the gays is an act of compassion, according to one imam speaking in Orlando.
No matter how you slice it--either by virtue of her oppressed upbringing or her abuse at the hands of Mateen--fundamental Islam played a role in Salman's situation and actions, victimizing her repeatedly. I hope she is able to find the strength, support, and resources to heal--after what she's been through, she has a long road ahead of her.
It's also kinda wild that Mateen's ex-wife claims that the FBI instructed her not to tell the media about Mateen's homosexuality so they could play up the "Muslim terrorist" angle." Hmmm.
Again, as I said last time, it isn't just the fundamentalist Muslims celebrating the slaughter of 49 beautiful, joyful human beings (who just happened to have been LGBTQ) and the wounding of 53 more...it is also the fundamentalist Christians. Here's a short list of 7 examples of Christian "love" in response to the Orlando massacre from Raw Story:
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There are family members that still haven’t been told if their loved ones are alive or dead after the shooting in Orlando Sunday. Yet, these so-called Christian leaders thought it would be a great time to talk about homosexual sin or cheer on the deaths of LGBTQ people.
1. There are “50 less pedophiles in this world.”
Hate leader and pastor Steven Anderson had some bigotry to spread Sunday afternoon and again Sunday night about the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. In his first video, Anderson said there are “50 less pedophiles in this world.” His second video, he criticized any Christians who showed empathy for those killed in the massacre.
Hate leader and pastor Steven Anderson had some bigotry to spread Sunday afternoon and again Sunday night about the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. In his first video, Anderson said there are “50 less pedophiles in this world.” His second video, he criticized any Christians who showed empathy for those killed in the massacre.
2. Westboro Baptist Church
The Westboro Baptist Church celebrated the deaths of the 50 people killed in Orlando in the same way they celebrated the deaths of those on 9/11 and the soldiers who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They blamed the victims for their own murders, claiming the attack was the result of their own homosexuality and that “God sent the shooter” to kill them.
The Westboro Baptist Church celebrated the deaths of the 50 people killed in Orlando in the same way they celebrated the deaths of those on 9/11 and the soldiers who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They blamed the victims for their own murders, claiming the attack was the result of their own homosexuality and that “God sent the shooter” to kill them.
#PulseNightClub
So now we ask again, does God love those gunned down while revelling in their sin? Gal 5pic.twitter.com/xYxGcAaqIh@StephCrass
We'd be honored to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ outside any funerals of #Pulse victims or Mateen's@hemantmehta
#LGBTQ has hands DRIPPING with #Pulse#shooting blood w/their "God loves me how I am" lie.bit.ly/WeRWhoParody
3. Sacramento Baptist Pastor applauds the Orlando shooting
“Hey, are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today? No … I think that’s great. I think that helps society. I think Orlando, Florida’s a little safer tonight,” he said to his flock. “It is unnatural for a man to be attracted to another man. The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die.”
“Hey, are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today? No … I think that’s great. I think that helps society. I think Orlando, Florida’s a little safer tonight,” he said to his flock. “It is unnatural for a man to be attracted to another man. The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die.”
4. Pastor Perry Noble of NewSpring Church in South Carolina
“I don’t think this is a gun control issue, I don’t think this is a gay issues,” Noble said as quoted in the Christian Post. “I don’t think even if you really want to boil it down, this is a religious issue. I think this is a heart issue. I think the biggest problem in our world today isn’t anything that we can legislate or pass a law against,” Noble said.
“I don’t think this is a gun control issue, I don’t think this is a gay issues,” Noble said as quoted in the Christian Post. “I don’t think even if you really want to boil it down, this is a religious issue. I think this is a heart issue. I think the biggest problem in our world today isn’t anything that we can legislate or pass a law against,” Noble said.
5. Pat Robertson: Gays & Islamists are allies so ‘let them kill themselves’
There were multiple incorrect reports directly after the attack that Pat Robertson made offensive remarks about the victims of the shooting. While those reports were false, it didn’t take long for “The 700 Club” televangelist to continue his hate, Right Wing Watch reports.
There were multiple incorrect reports directly after the attack that Pat Robertson made offensive remarks about the victims of the shooting. While those reports were false, it didn’t take long for “The 700 Club” televangelist to continue his hate, Right Wing Watch reports.
“We’re looking at a favored group by the left, the homosexuals, and that in Islam is punishable by death or imprisonment or some sanction, so what are the left going to do?” Robertson asked rhetorically. “How are they going to describe it? And they don’t know quite what to do now. The fact that this Islamic gentleman opens fire in a gay nightclub and kills almost 50 homosexuals, that says something and tells the fact that Islam is against homosexuality, so the liberals are going to be scrambling to find some rationale, I think they’re going to have a hard time doing it.”
6. Religious Right activist “Coach” Dave Daubenmire
On his Monday show “Pass the Salt,” Daubenmire claimed that the people murdered in the Orlando shooting were sacrificed by the devil to advance his larger goal to implement gun control and prompting the government to attack Christians, Right Wing Watch reports.
On his Monday show “Pass the Salt,” Daubenmire claimed that the people murdered in the Orlando shooting were sacrificed by the devil to advance his larger goal to implement gun control and prompting the government to attack Christians, Right Wing Watch reports.
He continued, saying it’s not “gonna be the guys in the ghetto” killed due to gun control because “they’re already killing each other,” rather conservative Christians “bowing politically correct to Islam, politically correct to abortion, politically correct to homosexuality” who will die with gun control. Daubenmire said that he believes Islam is “the new religion” and “anybody who’s against this new religion, they’re going to get it.”
7. Pastor Bryan Fischer wants to “heal the gays.” I guess we should all be grateful he doesn’t want to shoot us?
We want homosexuals helped. Muslims want them dead.twitter.com/CareyHanlin/st…
6. Pastor Matt Barber of Liberty University hoped the homosexuals repented before they died.
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Seriously, isn't it time to stop organizing our lives around ancient superstitions and myths and start living in the even more beautiful and glorious (because true!) reality around us?If that doesn't chap your chops, there is something seriously wrong with you.
And if it's not enough to make smoke come out your ears, remember what I said last time about Repukes crying crocodile tears for the murdered LGBTQ but only for political expediency? Well, I wish I hadn't been right about that--the bastards didn't even let the dust settle or the bodies get cold before the House Get Obama Party blocked a vote on a gay-rights amendment, intended to ensure that federal contractors can’t discriminate against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identification, according to Vanity Fair.
"So much for solidarity," the author laments.
Can't say I'm surprised--can you?
One last remark from my last post that I have to repeat today just because I need to see it again (and in honor of Dot Calm, because it's something she might have written):
HEY, LaPIERRE, you stoopit phuquen prik
--which part of WELL-REGULATED MILITIA do you NOT understand?!?? Omar Mateen had been on terrorist watch lists, which alone should have disqualified him from being able to buy guns--yet YOU fought for HIM and other potential and actual terrorists to be able to buy weapons of war LEGALLY. Our LGBTQ brothers' and sisters' blood is on YOUR hands!!!!!
A little clarification: I know that Mateen had been on the watch list and had been removed prior to the shooting. Maybe this isn't rational on my part, but I think that that information should have been available and taken into consideration when he went to buy those guns--perhaps the seller would have refused him the weapons. There is also debate going on regarding denying gun sales to those on the no-fly list, which is less restrictive than the terrorist watch list. Hum, seems reasonable to me.
In all of this, however, there are a few feeble ray of sunshine that help restore my faith in my fellow Americans.
For example, one heroic Marine used his training to rescue a dozen people from the shooter's wrath. He wasn't the only one helping: there was also a veteran police officer working security at the club, who shot at Mateen, despite what Dumbass Drumpf claimed to the contrary. (So much for Drumpf's "great idea" that everyone in the club should have had an AR-15 so they all could have shot Mateen and each other in an even bigger bloodbath. Seriously, who thinks that? But I digress.)
Also, despite the daily (on average) mass shootings in this country and the rest of the gun violence we read and hear about all day every day, the world is becoming more civilized and less violent, according to Steven Pinker in "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined." His statistics are corroborated and expanded on by Michael Schermer in "The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom." So it's good for us all to remind ourselves that the media love dirty laundry, but there's more to America as a society and us as a species than kill-kill-kill. Things are indeed looking up.
And if that's not enough for you, here's something to make you weep tears of joy: in response to the Orlando massacre, Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox offered the LGBTQ community one of the most heart-felt apologies I've ever heard (read his full speech here or listen on "Democracy Now!" linked below; you can also hear Seth Andrews read Cox's remarks if you scroll down to today's movies).
In all of the grief, anguish and anger, someone reminded me of a wonderful quotation from Fred Rogers of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" regarding his mother's advice during tragedies like this:
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."
Whew!
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's "revolution" back to the center. Send him a buck o' five if you can. At the very least, I'm gonna send $15 to Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Democratic primary opponent, Tim Canova, on Bernie's behalf (yup--ain't done it yet but still definitely planning to...I know, I know!). Schultz needs to GO!
Thanks for reading, and thanks for being good to yourself and your loved ones. Hug or call an LGBTQ friend today, please. I did.
With condolences for the victims in Orlando and their families and in solidarity with my LGBTQ brothers, sisters, and everything in between around the world, I remain
- Dot Calm's shadow
P.S.--Blogger is up to its usual random formatting tricks...grrr. Consider the Dot Calm's blog Blogger disclaimer to be in effect.
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MAKE AMERICA GAY AGAIN
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Mailbag
From Senator Chris Murphy
Friend --
I was the Congressman from Newtown, Connecticut when tragedy struck
Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14th, 2012. As long as I live,
I’ll never forget the scene at the firehouse when twenty-six families
were told they would not be reunited with their children and loved ones.
For years, Congress has failed those families and the victims of gun violence all across the country.
That is why yesterday, starting at 11:21 a.m., I decided to stand on the
Senate floor and talk for as long as I could about the need to prevent
gun violence. And with the help of more than 30 of my colleagues, we
demanded immediate action to make our communities safer from gun
violence:
I can tell you that as the hours progressed, my colleagues heard your
calls for change grow louder and louder. And after almost fifteen hours
of filibustering, I was proud to be able to announce that Republicans
had agreed to our demand for a vote on legislation that would keep guns
out of the hands of suspected terrorists and require comprehensive
background checks for gun purchases.
That is just one step, and our fight is far from over. But there are
millions of voices out there who believe like we do that now is the time
for action. And if we keep making ourselves heard, we will save lives.
Add your voice to Hillary Clinton’s and mine to demand Congress
take immediate action to make our communities safer from gun violence:
Whether it's shootings fueled by racism, rage against women,
homophobia, extremist ideologies, or severe mental illness, I shudder to
think what it says about us as a nation if we don't even attempt to
make a good faith effort to end this carnage. We need to re-think
whether or not that's something we are willing to allow. And like
President Obama said on Sunday, doing nothing is a choice, too.
So I am going to stand with Hillary Clinton and continue this fight
until Congress has done everything it can to make our communities safer
from gun violence.
Thank you for adding your voice to ours.
Chris Murphy
U.S. Senator, Connecticut
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From Daily Kos--stop the gun violence
Are you sickened by the amount of gun violence in the U.S. DUE TO CONGRESSIONAL inaction?
We are.
That's why we are urging Congress to use every Congressional procedure at their disposal to circumvent those who wish to stop gun control measures--just as Sen. Murphy used every tool at his disposal in the Senate by using the filibuster. We are calling on members of Congress to use a discharge petition to pass the assault weapons ban.
A discharge petition is a parliamentary procedure which requires the signature of 218 members of the House of Representatives to force a bill from committee to the floor for a vote. This process can circumvent stall tactics from committee members and House leadership, like Speaker Paul Ryan.
Right now, the assault weapons ban is languishing in committee. Congress can use a discharge petition to bring it to the floor for the vote. WE NEED YOU to help us build that pressure.
Add your name if you agree: Congress should bring the assault weapons ban up for a vote through a discharge petition.
Over the coming weeks, Daily Kos and allies, like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), will be mounting a campaign to push the assault weapons ban to a vote. This petition is only the first step in what will surely be a long and difficult process fighting the NRA and gun lobbyists.
We will urge House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi--and every member of the House of Representatives--to sign onto the discharge petition, forcing Speaker Ryan to bring a vote while placing every Republican on the record.
Republicans are erasing the fact that the attacker in Orlando targeted LGBTQ people--mostly people of color-- in an act of hate. This is no surprise, given their repeated demagoguery towards LGBTQ and Latino/as which contributes to deadly hatred.
These terrible murders cannot continue--we must take away the tools that enable this destruction of life.
Take the first step today. Sign the petition from Daily Kos and the PCCC to Congress urging the passage of the assault weapons ban through a discharge petition.
Here's where we stand:
- Currently, there are 135 co-sponsors of the assault weapons ban in the House of Representatives. Not one of them is a Republican.
- CBS just released a poll showing 57% of Americans support banning assault weapons and only 38% oppose it -- a net 25% surge in support since the Orlando attack. President Obama and Hillary Clinton have both called for an assault weapons ban in recent days.
- A vote on the assault weapons ban will force every member of Congress to show their hand--they will go on record siding with the NRA or the American public. Republicans will no longer be able to hide behind Speaker Ryan not holding a vote.
- This is not unprecedented. A discharge petition was successful in 2015. Additionally, in 1985 the NRA used a discharge petition on the Firearm Owners Protection Act (McClure-Volkmer) to scale back gun control measures and make it easier for gun shows to operate without oversight.
Sign the petition from Daily Kos and the PCCC: This Congressional procedure should be used to pass the assault weapons ban.
Keep fighting,
Rachel Colyer, Daily Kos
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| |
| Tell Senator Debbie Stabenow to reject Monsanto’s high-tech GMO labeling “compromise” | |
| The Senate is poised to resurrect the DARK Act - Deny
Americans the Right-to-Know Act - with an unacceptable QR code GMO
labeling compromise. We can help stop this dangerous bill again by
convincing the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee,
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, to reject this compromise scheme. Make a call
today.
Click below for a sample script and the number to call:
|
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From Watchdog.net--stop unlimited warrantless domestic spying!
This week we have the chance to ban the NSA’s warrantless surveillance of Americans for good. Tell your Representative: Vote YES on the Massie-Lofgren amendment!
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If Leviticus says to kill all the gays
and that their blood will be upon them,
then why does my Tea Party Christian friend,
who claims to believe the Bible literally,
think the Orlando massacre was wrong?
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Democracy Now!
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Daily Kos
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AlterNet
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Movies
Ken Burns rips Donald Trump a new one for seven minutes straight--very enjoyable
Kim Kardashian totally explains Donald Trump--really
How does that whole Christian "vicarious redemption" thing work, anyway...?
If you really understood God as portrayed in the Bible, would you vote for him? Then why would you want your country run that way?
Oldie but goodie--Bill Maher on how dumb we Americans are
Seth Andrews on the tragedy in Orlando--well worth listening to
Dot Calm loved Sam Seder's information but had a hard time listening to him. I can see why--the information is worth the effort, though.
Here's Secular Talk's take on Pat Robertson's repulsive comments on Orlando
The story of Jo Cox, the British MP assassinated by a right-winger with Nazi ties, will break your heart. Listen to the commentary: the U.K. was really shaken by what happened. Here in the good ol' U.S. of A., we're inured to such bloodshed.
After all that, I need a laugh...
Hehe--I'm going to have to loop this for a while. It gives me the giggles.
Relax and try to have a nice weekend, y'all.
See you Monday.
- Dot Calm's shadow
posted by Dot Calm @ 8:03 PM
