I Fucking Hate You

Can I restate how much I hate this country?

I'm not sure there is a depth of low or hate to which these people won't descend. 

FFS, just show up to chambers clad with white hoods already. It's the only thing missing at this point. 

HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE 

This doesn't even scrapes the surface of my distain. 

There won't be a time in my life where ANY of this damage is repaired. 

Song by: G-dsmack

Monkey Wrench

Ugh - if I'm to maintain this 'blog post per day' thing, it means I need to write daily. 

I do love it when I have a lot of things, and I draft 3-4 things in one day and then don't write for 3-4 days. It's kind of nice. 

And I'm a little behind on this only because I didn't want to address it. 

The BLOTUS 'meme' of the Obamas as apes. The White House response - justifying it. As that cunt Leavitt would. You knew she would. 

BTW - aren't memes supposed to be kind of viral?  If so - exactly what "Lion King meme" is / was going around that BLOTUS jumped on the bandwagon? 

Did anyone ask that? I know I haven't seen any memes with the Lion King. Have you?

Oh - and did no one point out to Leavitt that there are no apes in the Lion King? 

My absolute favourite part of it all was the very very very temporary outrage where people insisted he apologize. 

Has ANYONE been paying attention?  

This isn't rhetorical, I'm asking:  has he EVER apologized for anything??? Once???  If so, I need references. Dates, Circumstances. 

I don't actually expect to see any reply to this - as I'm fairly certain 'sorry' isn't in his lexicon. He is a fucking sociopath. Leavitt might actually be worse. 

But seriously - where are the Black leaders?  Where are the Black GOP leaders (if there are any now that Ben Carson isn't around) who have publicly said anything???

Granted, I'm not reading the news so maybe it's happened, but not loud enough where it has seeped through past papers. 

But no - he's not racist. 

Fuck. 

But I'd be remiss if I didn't post someone's response to his post. 

Song by: Foo Fighters

Efecto

Let's give it up for Mr. Bunny !!!!

Or Señor Bunny, as it were. 

I know of Bad Bunny, of course. I've seen him host SNL - you know, via clips the next day on Instagram, like a respectable older man who has a 21:30 bed time. 

I know of his music, but I don't know his music. 

Fuck Chingar - I know like 14 words in Spanish as it is. Most of them probably from hearing Dora the Explorer on in the background - or from me needing to find a rest room whilst in Mexico. Or asking for more tequila, por favor. 

The important phrases!

Suffice to say, I didn't understand a word Bad Bunny sang - and that was, and wasn't, the point. 

His performance and execution seemed flawless. It was a celebration, where weeks and months leading up to it, could have just as easily been a protest performance, and rightfully so. 

The U.S. has an extremely large Hispanic population - the most of them not being "illegals". The best they've gotten at representation at something like this was a J.Lo / Shakira double-bill - and that's just sad. That this administration would like to ignore that fact - and actually cleanse it - a performance like this was essential. 

Bad Bunny showed nothing but love and inclusion, even if not singing in English. It showed in every move he and his performers made.  Right down to his last move. 

.....and you know why it was well intentioned, those MAGAts who did not tune into the 'alternative' halftime show took it as a 'fuck you' to them. 

Two things can be true. 

Yeah - I could have done without Lady Gaga. For being a Latin-themed performance, they could have gotten a non-Italian female singer to have been included. Ricky Martin was a nice touch - as most everything he releases is Spanish language. 

Yes, we made a point to watch the half-time show. I wanted those ratings to go up - and it looked like roughly140 million people watched, which was about 132 million people more than who viewed Kid Rock lip synch!  (or so I heard.)

We also watched the game. Well, until I had to go to bed. 

I'm glad a female owned team who gave $0 to BLOTUS won.  .....Robert Kraft of the Patriots, well...........lots of $$ to BLOTUS and no shock, a sexual predator, or the very best adjacent. But yeah, he likes under aged Asian women "massaging" him in strip mall businesses. 

So yay for Bad Bunny. Months ago I couldn't have told you if he was a good choice or not, but it paid off on every level. I'm happy for him. 

So is Elmo......

And since this administration has cut off funding for the Children's Television Workshop, they can't fuck with Elmo anymore. 

Song by: Bad Bunny 

Hang 'em High

I've kind of ignored political posting for a while.  2-5 weeks, depending on what you consider "political". 

I do not think I have any MAGA followers, but if so, I would certainly (and legitimately) like their take on the GOPs constant - and no longer even cloaked - hate of Jews, Persons of Color and Women. 

Is there anyone - ANYONE - who thinks Hegseth's name card is even remotely an "accident"?

Not me. Not for one second did it cross my mind that it might be. I swear "they" do it to see if anyone even notices. And if they do - if they care. 

They do. And they don't. Respectively.  

Kind of myself included. It's just expected. It's not a shock. It's not a surprise. It's who they are. They've shown it time and again in other ways. It is just so fucking blatant now.

Knowing I don't read news, I was with Morty this weekend when he told me that the National Parks have free admission on Federal holidays. Except the BLOTUS administration has rolled back two of those. Morty wondered if I could guess which ones. It took me all of 4 seconds to say "MLK Day" and "Juneteenth". 

Shocking. 

If there is one Black supporter of BLOTUS and they see this blatant racism and they're ok with it - well...we are just fucked as a nation. 

Morty then told me they did add one additional day for free admission:  BLOTUS' Birthday. 

Swear to fucking g-d. 

It's just all so sickening. 

But while using a restroom at a record store (yes, an honest to g-d record store - it. was. heaven!!!!) the other day, I saw this and was so uplifted for a bit. 

I'm wondering where I can post it without the Secret Service or ICE escorting me off this planet. 

Song by: the Dropkick Murphys

Charlie

I know I'm a horrible person - so be it. 

I was telling our little ever-friend group yesterday, I'll show as much compassion and caring about Charlie Kirk being shot as the GOP showed to the people Kyle Rittenhouse killed. 

None. 

Since it was a GOP lover who got shot, it won't be about mental health issues. It certainly won't be about gun issues. It will be about hate and retaliation. 

So. Be. It. 

710 said he thought the GOP would weaponize this event. Fine. Good even. And the fucking Dems better TRULY start doing the same thing. Holy fuck, the Dems don't even really try to introduce, let alone pass, bills on guns and violence. They bemoan. They don't even politicize it the way the GOP is about to - which is why they are where they are. 

Thoughts and Prayers. 

Or as the saying goes, "Hope in one hand and shit in the other. See which one fills up first!"

And they're all shits. Both sides of the aisle. 

A quick look at Kirk's wiki page and his "activism" is filled with "Kirk falsely claimed......".  One after another. How he got a platform is beyond me, but as we've seen with the Right, it doesn't seem to take much. I'm not sure why the Left can't seem to truly grab onto this concept. 

But if you tell the lies enough, people are eventually bound to believe you. 

Here's one: I believe he's dead and I'm good with it.  Maybe Ben Shapiro will be next. Oh wait - that's not a lie. It's a wish. 

The shooting was in Utah, so chances of it being a person of colour are slim to none.  

Becky was hoping it wasn't a trans person - but I don't know I truly agree. I get the downside politically but honestly, how much more down can they be?  Even homeless folks can use public restrooms. Part of me is: "they're" afraid of trans people now for no real reason - fuck, let's give them a reason. Bet you start seeing gun laws aimed (no pun truly intended) at trans folks wanting to buy guns. 

Kirk hated just about anything and anyone who wasn't white, male, Christian and US born.  And he was vehement about his hate. Going to Utah was hardly a stretch for white supremacy. It's the fucking whitest place on earth. 

So, that someone hated him - many someones in fact - I'm fine with. I don't feel bad for is wife or his kids. Not one iota of sympathy goes their way from me. To be knowingly married to a man like that speaks as much about her character as it does his. 

While I truly don't condone violence, no one in the GOP cares when it's a democratic member of anything (see multiple murders in MN earlier this summer). So that it gets one of them this time, boo-fucking-hoo. 

Again, I get it. I'm a horrible guy. But so was he.  May he fucking rot in hell. 

Song by: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Mississippi

I almost did a I'm not posting today post. I just didn't think I had it in me - as it is very close to my bedtime. 

But what the hey. Hay? 

I started out the first part of the year strong on reading. A book a week for the first three months and then it kind of squealed to a halt for a while. Maybe I burned out. Or my mental health just had me lose focus. Both things can be true. 

Like movies, I don't really read book reviews until after I finish the tome. And like movies, that is for good reason. I like to make up my own mind. 

So I started the year with Huckleberry Finn. 

As I mentioned it to others, it is a book you read because you have to. I don't think that many would willingly select it. My opinion: it's not a great book. The story is ok. The writing is fair (sorry Twain). The dialect, while I get it, is difficult at best. ....and that doesn't even touch on THE word - which is used like 14,501 times. 

I read it because I didn't have to in high school, but I wanted to read the 2024 pseudo companion piece James, which is supposed to be the similar story told by Jim, the slave. I thought that could be extremely interesting. 

To do that though, I had to slog through Finn. 

BTW, this is not a book review of James, and technically not Finn either. 

I made the grave grave grave mistake of going to amazon and reading the reviews of Finn after completing it and James. 

Ohhhhhhhh Boy. 

I could flood this blog with some questionable reviews - at best.  But I do think I found the "best" one. 

Yes, the Arthur should have known better. 

THIS folks. This one review is what this country is dealing with in overall education, tolerance, bigotry and racism. I'm sure I'm leaving out some others too. 

Wisely, years ago, amazon took out comments on reviews. Of course, I so wanted to post something, but it wasn't enough for me to actually post a review of Finn. 

So, thanks C. klauber for showing us the real 'murica. 

Song by: Paula Cole

Milk

My plan for June wasn't to do a post on Pride daily, but I'm not sure how the next 25 days are gonna go. 

Alcoholic and State Secret Revealer, Peter Hegseth has ordered the USS Harvey Milk to be renamed. 

I suppose this shouldn't be shocking, but it kind of hit like a gut punch. 

Since he is a dick, Hegseth, not Milk, he could have chosen to do this at any time - months ago, or months from now.

Waiting until Pride I'm sure was well planned out. 

But - that's not all. I mean, of course it isn't. 

Since their white male egos are so incredibly fucking fragile, other vessels named after prominent leaders are also on the Navy's renaming "recommended list." 

Among them are the USNS Thurgood Marshall, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, USNS Harriet Tubman, USNS Dolores Huerta, USNS Lucy Stone, USNS Cesar Chavez and USNS Medgar Evers.

Let's see: Black Male. Jewish Female. Black Female. Hispanic Female. Equal Rights Female. Hispanic Male. Black Male. 

Not a white dude amongst them. SHOCKING!

I'll assume they'll all be renamed after BLOTUS, Oliver North, Robert E Lee, John Wilkes Booth and the likes. I'm sure Jeffrey Epstein is on the short list too. 

710 said he waits for the day someone will change these all back. But that's the thing. They won't. Should there be another election and should someone with half a brain get the job, all of this shit that has been done will stay that way. New leadership will move forward with some things, but decimated / eliminated departments will stay that way. Naval ship names aren't going back. 

Someone said something about 'thank g-d Elon is gone' (I don't know if that is actually true or not), but even if he is, the damage he has done isn't gone and isn't going anywhere. That will remain in place the rest of my physical life. 

And if I have to post shit like this over the next 25 days, that life is gonna be short. 

Song by: the 1975

Hate (I Really Don't Like You)

I was hoping not to have to address Kansas City Chiefs kicker, Harrison Buttkick Butker, but as his teammate's girlfriend sang, "a hater's gonna hate" - and should be called out for it. 

At this point, many have you heard he gave a commencement address at some bullshit Catholic university - and a well prepared one at that. These are not in-the-moment comments he made. 

“I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” he said. “How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.

Zoiks!

At least he didn't take away their footwear or relegate them only to the kitchen, though I assume that was implied. 

Maybe the women in attendance were shocked, as I didn't hear one "boo" or "fuck you".  Or maybe, as it is a Catholic university, they were like, "yup, that's us!".  Either way, I'm disappointed 

He goes on to say how his wife is a "homemaker". And it's a great thing, since she can stay at home on his $20MM contracted salary. Most households will need both incomes.............dick. 

BTW, what does your mother - a medical physicist at Emory University think of this. Better yet, what the fuck does he think of his mom? Sounds like embarrassed she has a job outside the home!

The problem is bigger of course. Everyone is focusing on the women's portion, but no worries - he got in LGBTQI+ digs in too: 

• Butker encouraged graduates to have Catholic pride, but “not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it.”

• He criticized President Joe Biden, who is Catholic, and other unnamed Catholic leaders for “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America” — an apparent reference to transgender rights.

• Butker also waded into the DEI debate, saying, “The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Diversity?  Huh Harrison (btw.....GAY name!). I cannot wait for training camp to start with a team that mostly made up of minorities whose right have been squashed for centuries - right down to BLM, which the NFL does not support - no matter what they say. 

Yeah Yeah - the NFL is "distancing" themselves from Buttkick's comments and say they don't reflect their views, but they kind of do - except for all the female viewers who have flocked to watch football, whether due to Taylor Swift or not. The NFL still wants that cash. 

But here's hoping your locker room experience going forward isn't a good one. Let's hope the "diverse" team doesn't "include" you - you fucking racist, sexist, homophobic pussy. 

I don't even want him walking back his statements. They'd be untrue - and lying is a sin Harrison. 

Song by: Plain White T's

Small Town

I feel I need to write about Jason Aldean - but I don't wanna. 

He's an artist I've heard of, but never heard. 

There are like 53 people across from Mandalay Bay who are now lucky enough they don't have to hear him. 

Yes - a mass shooting joke that is too soon. Or is it?  But it was at his concert, so maybe the guy just missed his target and hit 53 people who weren't on stage at the time. 

Yes, CMT pulled (not banned) song about, basically threatening anyone in a small town who doesn't act like they're from a small town. Country motherfuckers are up in arms over CMT's actions. 

Now think back to 2003, when the Chicks said they were embarrassed the president was from Texas. That's it. Not about the subtle art of saying "lynching" without saying "lynching" like Aldean does.  CMT did ban the Chicks. Still do, btw 

So, these country hayseeds don't get it - the irony, they hypocrisy, the stupidity or general understanding of the two instances. They certainly don't get "you can't ban our music; but we will ban books'. 

Maybe they do get it - and just don't care that they look stupid as fuck.

It's another exhausting link in the chain of the anchor that is dragging us all down to the depths of the Titan sub. I just want them all to implode. 

Song by: John Mellencamp

Not That Funny

Dibert is dead.  Long not live Dilbert. 

You may or may not know (I did not) that Dilbert creator went off on a fucking racist rant and has been 86'd by our paper. 

Effective immediately. 

I've never thought higher of the Plain Dealer.  I mean, that's a sad statement, however true. 

Adams was a douche with which to begin. Yes, being a science denying, election denying, faux voter fraud liar and MAGA fan and participant make you a douche. Being a racist is just part of their starter-package. 

I'd say "it's science", but what good would that do?

One of Adams' rants was:  "the best advice I'd give to white people is to get the hell away from black people". 

The Plain Dealer defended their move - which they said was not difficult - by addressing "cancel culture".  They said the paper is not a home for those who espouse racism and that they will not provide them financial support. 

BINGO. 

That won't stop people writing into the paper. And I so fucking hope they do, sign their name and get their letter printed exposing themselves as racists - or at very 'best' condoning racists and racism. 

I also hope that every other paper drop the bastard. I mean, sure southern states won't.  You know.....racists. And yes, I'm generalizing, but no state in the north has a lynching museum. But it they want to get him where it hurts - Hallmark stores (and the likes) have to stop carrying mugs, calendars, cards, etc with the comic strip crew. 

I was never a real fan of Dilbert. I get it's view of cube life, but it was fairly one-note. Honestly, save Bizarro and Speed Bump, I don't read any comics anymore. 

So now, for the time being, there is a grey box where Adams strip used to reside. Good riddance. 

Song by: Fleetwood Mac

Calling it Quits

I should be ok with the head coach of the Oakland Los Angeles Las Vegas Raiders resigning from his job after multiple instances of bigotry, racism, misogyny and homophobia.  Deep down, I'm a little pissed that the organization and the NFL didn't fire him. 

THAT sends a message. 

Allowing him to faux apologize and probably resign with his benefits and golden parachute is bullshit and says all the wrong things to the others in the NFL. 

Jon Gruden called Roger Goodell a 'faggot' and a 'pussy'. At least in email, if not to his face. I'm sure he meant 'a bundle of sticks' and a 'kitty cat', right? 

He said the head of the NFL union, who is black, that his lips were the size of Michelin Tires. 

He denounced any protesting by kneeling and made homophobic comments about the NFL trying to be inclusive by drafting Michael Sam, who would have been the first out player. 

There were comments about women too, of course.  Female refs?  

While, clearly, all of that is horrible, I think I was way way way more offended that he thought the league was too safety conscious. 

Yes, clear medical indications of playing literally turns a players brains to mush, but the league is being pussies about protection. And not just NFL, but down to pee-wee. 

This guy clearly had issues not performing well enough for his father as a tot - and grew up to be one big asshole.  But an asshole who got to leave - more or less - on his own terms. 

Once again, the NFL holds almost no one accountable for anything.  

Song by: Aimee Mann

Rough Justice

I won't lie - this is a photo array I've been waiting to see.....and make. 

I got a text from CB, who lives in Minneapolis - home of the George Floyd murder - who told me the verdict was in.  Luckily, it was a crapfest work day, and close to the end of it, at that, so I couldn't fret too much that the jury wouldn't "do the right thing".  And I didn't hear when the verdict would be read. So I went about my day. 

Morty is the one who texted me / us:

I am not excusing Chauvin for what he did - not just to Floyd, but to a nation. I have several thoughts on that last statement: 

For not excusing him: at some point this bullshit of police literally getting away with every murder of every black person they've killed was going to have to come to an end at some point. One cop was not just not going to get away with it - they were also going to get it for every other cop who did. 

This happened to be Chauvin. 

Hopefully he was convicted on his own (de)merits and not those of the dozens of other cops who've killed hundreds of other black people who MIGHT have been guilty of nothing. I mean, he did kneel on a man's neck for 9+  minutes......on video. He easily got convicted on his own actions. 

But it's important to remember, cops are not judge and jury - just executioner it seems.  Their job isn't to kill people being arrested. It's not. They're not even supposed to kill people guilty of crimes. 

As for the nation comment:  It was a horrible, and yet enlightening, few months in 2020 - the murder and the protests. 

It truly truly truly lets us expose this country's racism. I mean, it was somewhat well cloaked before BLOTUS, but the blinder came off when he took office.  But the degree to which it surfaced - meaning, it was always there - was just astounding. 

No one wants to pick up the rock to see what's under it, but in a way, thank g-d someone did. It's ugly and needs to be dealt with. How is another question - to which I have no answer. 

So, Derek Chauvin is going to prison. Possibly up to 40 years.  I'd be surprised if he makes it 40 days* before someone kneels on his neck for 9+ minutes. 

*doubtful he'll be in the general population anytime soon, if ever, but...........tick tick tick.........

Song by: Bananarama

In My Defense

I dunno - the Derek Chauvin trial seemed to go a little too quickly for my liking. 

I think the prosecution put on a decent show. The defense went awfully quick. And I think their witnesses were more than biased and lame. 

Honestly, if I were the prosecution, I might have asked one question of every single one of their witnesses:  "do you think George Floyd deserved to have his neck kneeled on for over nine minutes by the defendant, and die?"

Honestly, do we think any of them are going to say "yes"?  But it would keep bringing up the defendant killed a man no one thinks deserved to die. 

So, now I'm assuming closing arguments, deliberation, the verdict and then......................

I guess the 'then' depends on the verdict. 

If you didn't see last week's SNL cold-open - you should.  Here it is. It's amusing and not untrue. But it's a comedy show, so it doesn't really deal with the cold hard reality of what might be coming. 

Last May and June were horrific in reaction to Floyd's murder - and I am talking the police response to the protests. That is barely the scraping of the skin if Chauvin is acquitted. 

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. 

I'd like for the people of Minnesota to do the right thing this time around, but..............I'm also not counting on it. 

Song by: Freddie Mercury

I Am Woman

I'm not trying to see how many people can hate me with this post, but I'm not not trying to either.  And it's a little - or lottle - tongue in cheek. 

....so it seems that women can do anything a man can - including gunning down an unarmed black man....in Minnesota. 

Honestly, when I heard the news that a black man had been shot to death by the police, it never ever ever ever ever ever crossed my mind that it was a Charlie's Angels wanna be.  I was guilty of sexism on this count. 

But really, why not a woman?  Hate. Fear. Racism.  If the BLOTUS years has taught us anything - and I'm not sure it has - it's that isms and phobias are not gender specific. It's almost like they instill these things in every police training program everywhere. But clearly the graduate level classes are held in Minnesota.

And of course a woman can shoot black men!!  You know, it was probably that time of the month with hormones running high. I think we can all be thankful she wasn't the president with the nuclear codes or access to 'the button'. 

Still - gun vs taser. 

Oh, those silly broads, they don't know the difference between a Phlillips head or a flat head screwdriver. They certainly can't be expected to remember a mild shocking device compared to a deadly bullet machine shooter thingy. 

I suppose this is why they only get paid 73% of what male cops make. 

That said, Kim Potter made great strides for female cops everywhere. She taught the entire Fraternal (sexist much, police guys?) Order of Police that women cops can do anything a man cop can do. 

She's like the Elizabeth Cady Stanton of law enforcement........or something.  Yay Kim!?!

Song by: Helen Reddy

Racism

While I can't say I'm a fan of CNN, they are like the Verizon of cable news.  You see, I believe it was Consumer Reports that called Verizon the best of the worst when it came to cellular carriers. 

So it was disappointing, but not surprising, to see the featured story (to your left) on their website. 

Quick math will show you how systemic racism works - even at a network that concurrently was 'printing' stories about how Asian hate is a thing. 

Mathematically, let's break this down for CNN:

8  - Deaths

6 -  of those were Asian

2 - the number of victims featured in their story

0 -  the number of them who were Asian

I think the scary thing is - probably few even noticed. Certainly not their editors. 

This behaviour is so engrained and even tolerated that this comes across as acceptable. It is no wonder that police and the judicial system have (and probably will) let the the murderer get off with nary a slap. 

News has to be better than this - but we know they're not. Beholden to ratings and advertising dollars leaves little room for facts, integrity and the complete lack of investigational journalism. I think the last five years have confirmed that - though it was certainly a problem before BLOTUS. 

Let's hope things change. Because sure as hell, I sent that photo capture I snagged and sent it to CNN. 

Song by: Janet Jackson

Real Bad Day

What can one say about another mass shooting by another white domestic terrorist disturbed young man? 

Well, if you're the Atlanta police chief, you just say the poor wittle boy was just having a "really bad day". 

What. The. Actual. Fuck. 

If the suspect weren't white (shhhh......read: black!), he wouldn't even be arrested. He'd be dead. 

Also, you'd charge the shooting as a hate crime, not a sex one. 

There are special rules for white folk when it comes to "justice".  Ask RAPIST Brock Turner (oh yes, I'm saying his name, and linking his legal wiki, so every employer or potential date he ever has that Gooooogles him his sordid past shows up). 

I won't lie - I didn't the anti-Asian theory seriously at first. My initial thought was anti-female. I guess it doesn't have to be one or the other. And the last year has been very anti-Asian. Why don't you ask the same fucking Atlanta police chief...............

It is no wonder he'd not going to go hard on a white, Asian-hating, woman-hating killer. At this point, I'm guessing the police chief is feeling down in the dumps because he didn't get to pull the trigger himself. On the women, that is - not the killer himself. 

I would love to say I hope the prosecutor is better at his job, but A. it's Georgia, so........ and B. history does not support actual (let alone, equal) justice for white males. 

Perhaps this the case that will turn the tide, but I don't see that happening - see A and B above. 

Song by: Taj Mahal

Knee Deep

 I couldn't decide to write about the 17 dipshit with a semi-automatic weapon that will hopefully be spending what little life he has behind bars. I'm hoping the constant rape pushes him to hang himself. 

Yes. I am THAT uncaring. At least of that turd. 

I'm also not here to give him any notoriety. 

I will give it up for the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Ok. Let's just get this out front. I didn't know Milwaukee had a fucking basketball team, let alone the name of one. I am not a total dolt when it comes to sports, but I'd have to run through a fuck of a lot of cities before ever assuming Milwaukee had a team that wasn't the Brewers.  

But good for the Bucks for boycotting game 5 of their play-offs. It's not every day that a team no one knew existed halts a season no one understands. 

But fuck - the ABA has BLACK LIVES MATTER on their temporary Orlando basketball courts. They sure as fuck had better halted their playoff games for what is going on in Kenosha.  I don't know they would have if the Bucks just hadn't said they weren't taking the court. 

I mean, my g-d, Roger Goodelle apologized to Colin Kaepernick this week. Sure, four years too late. Four years and being blackballed too late. But I suppose it's a start. 

And for historical sake, I will mention that this is all going on during the GOP convention, so you know they're loving this. ....but in all the wrong ways.  

Song by: George Clinton

Down on My Knees

My organization is a little behind the times. Just slightly. 

Last week, any number of large hospital systems did a support event for black lives - White Coats for Black Lives. 

UNC-Charlotte, Emory, THE Ohio State University Hospitals, NIH, etc. 

Docs, nurses, caregivers went to their probably one designated green area and knelt for eight minutes and forty-six seconds in silence - the same amount of time that George Floyd had a knee on his neck. 

I don't know how word got out to those other institutions, but ours didn't get the memo, or didn't act on it. Until yesterday that is. 

The day before, when they announced this, my medical director and I had a meeting scheduled during the event. She asked to see if I could get it moved, and if they refused, "tell them they're racist".  She made me laugh.  

I'm not a caregiver, but I went anyway. Honestly, I went to document it and hopefully get a few good pictures. That did and did not happen. 

I tried to get the high ground to get a better picture. I got two - both of which are here, as I combined them into one!!!  Ohhhhhh........sorcery !!!  And while there was an intro, I could hear nothing, and then all the sudden everyone was kneeling......................but me. 

Of course I took a knee. Quickly. 

On some kind of flagstone. 

For 8:46. 

I won't lie, it was uncomfortable. It was supposed to be. I mean, unless you were on the lawn. Still it should have been uncomfortable, right? 

I noticed many around me shifting their weight or switching knees. I get it. It hurt. In my mind, I was like: it's eight minutes and 46 seconds. It's not my life. It's not fearing for my life every time I walk down a street or into a park or into a store.

If people of colour can lose their life due to the colour of their skin, I can surely stay on one knees for that time period.  I did use a hand to brace myself on the ground. My head was up for the first half, but down the second, my face grimacing. This was nothing compared to what some people go through at the hands of some shitty police officers. 

Next to me was an older female physician who was African-American. She sat on a bench next to where I knelt. I'm making assumptions that due to her age, she might not be able to kneel, let alone for that period fo time.  I'd say about two-thirds of the way through she started trying to strike up a conversation with me - in a protest that was as much about silence as it was reflection. 

"You should have a cap on your head" (she wasn't wrong).  I whispered, assuring her I had 70 spf on my head. 

"That is a long time to kneel - does it hurt?".  I just shook my head a little. 

I didn't want to be rude and not acknowledge her, but I didn't want to be THE one person talking. Well, one of two people talking. 

When I got up, she asked me to take her picture with a sign she was holding - I honestly couldn't take it in, mostly because of - ouch - my knee. 

There was once in my life, a gay man on his knees is no big deal. But I'm no longer a young man, and even at a young age, flagstone.........ouchy. 

I'm glad I did it. I have no idea if anyone in the media covered it.  I hope so. The more exposure the better. 

Song by: Trisha Yearwood

What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?

So, yesterday I was clearly in a mood. 

I still am.  I can't even start with BLOTUS, bible (ha!), church, refusing to smile Melanoma, Ivanka Twat's bible carrying $1,450 purse.....any of it. 

I can't even start with police union leaders. Or police leaders saying "it was out of towners".....when arrest records say exactly the opposite. 

The fucking police have an opportunity to do an about-face and work with and for the people, but instead, they're doubling down. Sure, not all of them, but enough of them.  

But still......this country. 

I mean, would you look at this headline. 

Rand Paul is a dickwad for sure, but that's not even my issue. 

IT IS 2020 AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANTI-LYNCHING LEGISLATION !!!!!

Honest to fucking g-d!

We wonder what is wrong with any number of levels of leadership, and yet here we are. It amazes me that it actually needs to be said, let alone spelled out:  DO NOT LYNCH. This is so depressing, it is beyond belief.

The sad fact it, putting it into words isn't going to stop it. If say, any law enforcement hasn't changed that behaviour over the last 60 years, something on the books isn't bound to reverse course. And honestly, if they do get something on the books, it's to placate. "See?  We're serious about change now!". 

It's all window dressing, but that it's still a discussion point almost 60 years after the civil rights act, is beyond the pale, and it is disingenuous. 

And it's depressing as fuck. 

Song by: the Monkees

Burning Down the House

I've been trying to avoid this post. 

I have too many words - and on the other hand, I have none. 

I am not sure I can coherently put into words how and what I feel.  Sure, there is anger, shock, sadness, disbelief, but it usually comes right back to anger. 

We had debated going to the Cleveland rally on Saturday. In the first paragraph, it was billed as a peaceful one. In the second, it mentioned writing an emergency contact on your arm; making provisions for work, family, pets, should you be in jail for 2-3 days. At that point, we opted out. 

Part of that decision was the volume of folks and the closeness of several thousand people and the potential for covid spread. That said, while looking at the videos of our protests, the majority of folks had on masks - be it to conceal their identify or for infection control. 

But like other cities, ours went violent. 

And I totally get it. 

How else does one get the attention of the white establishment? Break their shit. 

Voting hasn't worked.  Mediation hasn't worked. Peaceful protests weren't even allowed - not really.  

Let's not even talk about justice. Has any white cop actually been convicted of any killing of a black man? Not in Ohio they haven't.  How could any specific community continue to take this lying down?    

That Minneapolis cop is kind of fucked either way - not that I care. So many of these violations are not caught clearly on camera, if at all. We've all seen what he did.  His side will claim he cannot get a fair trial, which may or may not be true.  No matter the outcome, there will be protests. Should he be found guilty, the most he can get is 12 years - on one is going to see that as justice. Should he get acquitted, what we saw this last weekend will be a day at the park in comparison. 

That said, this week felt like something is about to break. Big time. 

Before there have been some upheavals, riots and protests. This feels different. It should. I hope it is. 

I do worry. BLOTUS is all but egging on the violence. He needs this discourse to re-re-re-re solidify his base. He needs the country to be in turmoil. Normally, you'd think that would get him voted out, but I don't believe that to be the case. We're already (ALREADY!) getting his 2020 ads playing every single night and multiple times. They are vile - and lies. Total lies. 

I don't know what these next few days or weeks will feel like. The riots have taken away from the video being played. That can't happen. 

As horrible as that video is, it needs to keep being shown. A distraction of violence will lessen the heinousness of the actual crime. 

Odd as it sounds, while my stomach has been in knots for the last week, I am not sure I want that uneasiness to go away. I think it's the hate fire that has to remain to keep change moving forward. It's going to be difficult on every level. 

Song by: Talking Heads