Saturday, November 12, 2016

Just Because You Do Not Take An Interest In Politics...


...doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.  -- Pericles

I have never gone wrong betting on the racism and arrogant ignorance of the Right: I've only erred occasionally on the point spread. -- driftglass


Dear liberal white people whom I often love ... I’m all about you processing your Feelings. There are a lot of us up in our Feelings right now. But spare me the advertisement of just how shocking it all is. Don’t tell me you “just can’t imagine” because some of us — my little black and Indigenous ass — have a real big imagination when it comes to the racism and bigotry that has ruled our country for hundreds of years. We are not aghast that Presidents who say bogus shit dance their way into office. We are not paralyzed by the injustice of it all, proclaiming “oh the humanity” and all that mess. We have seen this before.  -- The Bullshitist

10 comments:

Jimbo said...

I have an adopted daughter who is "of color" (she's Javanese). This was her first election and the result has terrified her. The ordinary people who make federal government agencies work (I work in DC) are deeply depressed by the prospect ratfcking wingnuts becoming their boss, especailly the young workers that have only known the Obama Administration. In some ways, Trump himself may not be the main problem (though a problem nevertheless) since he has no discipline and ability to focus but rather the criminals and raid ideologues he brings into government, not to mention Congress.

The public lands of the West almost certainly will be seized by militias and trashed. Our environmental laws and climate change regulations will be trashed. Bankers will go crazy with the repeal of Dodd-Frank. And so much else. But, more sinister, the GOP has realized that voter suppression laws really do work (though not saying they were decisive in this election) and so we can expect these to spread with no pushback from the Courts or (needless to say) a Trump Justice dept. So, yeah, good times!

SadButTrue said...

“If I seem to take part in politics, it is only because politics encircles us today like the coil of a snake from which one cannot get out, no matter how much one tries. I wish therefore to wrestle with the snake.”
~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

Neo Tuxedo said...

That quote from Rev. Dr. King, though:

And when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide, he ate Jim Crow, a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was, at least he was a white man, better than the black man. And he ate Jim Crow. And when his undernourished children cried out for the necessities that his low wages could not provide, he showed them the Jim Crow signs on the buses and in the stores, on the streets and in the public buildings. And his children, too, learned to feed upon Jim Crow, their last outpost of psychological oblivion.

That is Davis' Law without the curtain rods.

Mike Lumish said...

I find it interesting that the very same people who were screaming "YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO SCARE US INTO VOTING FOR THAT NEOLIBERAL WARHAWK!" are the ones today wailing the loudest about how awful it's going to be.

It's like we were trying to warn them about a looming danger, or something.

D. said...

That scene has given me the shivers every time I've seen it.

And that "Still think you can control them?"

Those who do not learn the lessons of the past ...

jim said...

Like I always tell my no-kids: skipping History will never EVER result in History skipping you ... & sorry but she's got germ bombs & SLCMs in her toolbox now so your future birthday supply pretty much depends on you being able to stay in class, listen carefully & take notes, ya little twerps.

Unknown said...

Its going to get very Fascii around here..

bluicebank said...

It shoukld be pointed out, though, that many of us yelling "oh the humanity" are not surprised at the tenor and implications of the election results ... just on the scale.

I'm sure you all know that to fuck with the environment today is far more problematic than, say clearing forests (except for the hanging trees) way back. Think tipping point.

As Drift pointed out just yesterday, this nation got through 1812 just fine. But what he didn't point out is that if those events happened today, the scale of blowback would be fucking enormous. If France marched to Moscow today, it would involve the entire world. Especially if Great Britain and the U.S. decided to get into a pointless war at the same time. Because this isn't 1812, where shit could happen and the center was still cemented to itself.

Robt said...

Hey everyone,
It is time to go out and buy guns and ammunition before Trump bans liberals from owning them.
I heard in the news at some fellers web thingy that this dude Trump is goina to come for the guns of libs. Stock up? And the NRA seems more concerned that people on no fly lists can have them even if you are liberal.
So get yer self on the no fly list and buy guns and ammo.

I guess we can hold out until Canada or someone invades us and gives us freedom.

But tell me, When do you think most of the Jewish folks in Germany decided to flee? I mean, what exactly was the final decision maker?

Unknown said...

To those who don't belong to a sub-group of Americans that hasn't been targeted by the late 20th/early 21st century version of institutionalized "this land ain't your land," those who have welcome you.

While you process those feelings, think of the things you do that are inspiring, uplifting, empowering, joyous and loving. Then go out there and do them in abundance. This is how we start building the road back.