319 Comments

We won’t go back (we must not). Harris-Walz 2024.

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Partner with FT 6 to make it a blue tsunami.

https://www.fieldteam6.org/all-volunteer-ops

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Daniel, I partnered up with FT6. Just finished another 50 postcards. I'm bragging, here!

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I am doing free texting on the bring your own phone plan with Field Team 6. It’s easy free and a must if you want a democracy after next January.

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Shawna, this is so exciting! Thank you! Anybody else want to help? I love FT 6: https://www.mobilize.us/ptp

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Brava

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Thanks, Bill. I wish everyone knew how easy and rewarding it is. I make it fun, too: lots of bright-colored pens, good tunes in the background, and a little bowl of M&Ms for a treat :-)

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I have 40 some odd to go. Mine are going to Nevada but don’t need to be sent til late next month.

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I’m almost finished with 100 going to Arizona.

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You're a Rock Star, Gammyjill!

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Me, too.

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We totally rock, Marsha!!!

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This is why, in addition to getting as many people as I can to register to vote (I do so at work at the clinic, and I'm up to #64), I have volunteered to knock on doors in the predominantly republican town where I work. In no way do I want to revert to the '60's. We must never go back.

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As an “eastern coastal” liberal I was in the Deep South for the first time this summer on a Civil Rights trip with a group of educators. It was revelatory to see what have become sacred spaces where innocent people lost their lives simply because of the color of their skin and the determination to keep alive the myth of white supremacy. It is mind boggling (or maybe not at all) that we are still fighting this battle of hatred of the “other.” As Harris-Waltz say: we’re not going back. And as Joyce says every day: we’re in this together. Have a plan, write letters, canvas, phone, “do something!”

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I really wish that the haters who try to keep "others" down, would actually meet and talk with some of them. They would find out that they had more in common than not. There is so much good in other cultures, so much we could learn from them. I know that these people would refuse to open their minds to any "others". It's very sad to me that they are so insecure about who they are.

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I was listening to an On Point episode that I found really interesting in terms of fine tuning the discussion about race, with Coleman Hughes. He said there will always be racism, just like there will always be murder. That point stuck out for me. There will always be hatred. But it should never, ever reside in leadership offices in this country.

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That is the critical issue: that it not exist in leadership - corporate, association, local, state or Federal govt, military, police, etc. It does. It does in religious leadership where one hopes it really wouldn’t. It seems when people know others as individuals the walls of hate begin to fall. Until those in such as the MAGA Party find a way to incite it. I despair while working to change it.

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WE ARE NOT GOING BACK! Those beautiful, intelligent looking young girls who passed on September 15 1963, they are one reason we are not going back - and also for millions of hatefully, wrongfully persecuted people world-over.

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Thank you, Joyce 💟

Vote out this ruinous, hate-filled creature🌊💙🇺🇸🌊💙🇺🇸🌊💙🇺🇸

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Domestic terrorists should be held accountable. Bottom line. I don't care who they are. No one should live in fear of their life.

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How many innocent people’s lives need to be ruined by this MAGA cult before we make it stop? Why are some people still battling for their rights 60 years on? I’m praying for us to “turn the page”!! Vote for Freedom. Vote for Harris/walz. Thank you Joyce 🙏🏼

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I agree. Doesn’t this fall into the category of hate speech? Why is this not prosecuted?

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Good question. Ken White in an oldie but goodie podcast called Make No Law provides a good answer (discussing a SCOTUS decision that, coincidentally, specifically protected the speech of klansmen in Ohio a mere year after the murders at issue in Joyce's post):

https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/make-no-law/2020/10/imminent-lawless-action/

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“ I HEAR THAT….” This is the phrase that Trump has learned to use in his rallies to spew out the most venomous and vicious slanders and lies believing that he can always claim that he can’t vouch for their veracity, thereby protecting him from defamation law suits, and insisting that he’s only passing along to his cult followers what he heard on the grapevine.

“I hear that the Haitian immigrants are eating your cats and dogs…” “ I hear that Kamala got all the questions before the debate…” “ I hear that Kamala had an earpiece during the debate that she used to get told what to say …”

Trump has absolutely no moral guardrails and no ability to distinguish between right and wrong. He is a walking pollutant of putrefaction in which no villainy is beneath him.

We can only imagine the extent of evil that he could inflict upon Americans and the world, having the Supreme Court bestow upon him absolute immunity for anything and everything he does, including murder.

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Frequently Trump uses the weasel phrase “I HEAR” before speaking of Haitians in Springfield eating cats and dogs or that millions of people are freed from jails and mental hospitals so that they can immigrate to the United States.

I HEAR that Trump is a fornicating felon who had a traitorous bromance with Putin.

I HEAR that Trump has spent over $150,000,000 (of other people’s $$$) to avoid being tried in federal and state courts, while threatening judicial revenge to his political opponents, were he to slither back in the White House.

I HEAR that Trump swore an oath to support the Constitution and then trashed it and got over 140 security officers killed and wounded.

I HEAR that Trump has an unresolved 2010 tax matter still pending with the IRS, while he seeks to offer fat cats and corporations further none-fair-tax-freebies.

I HEAR that cats and dogs are raining on Trump because of his buddy noVANCEage.

I HEAR that Trump despises nasty Black women.

I KNOW that all of the above is true and verified by non-Fox sources.

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So who are the people giving him the money? Right. They’ve been identified. Let’s interview them and let’s do a way with citizens United. Once we win. Because we will win. There are more of us than them. We won last time with an old experienced and gracious white guy. And now we have the youth on our side and a fierce warrior as our next leader.

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Citizens United has to go, but the only way that can happen is with a Democratic trifecta in November. Your first idea smacks of the intimidation tactics DeSatan is employing in Florida re the abortion petition. I haven't followed that too closely, but I wonder if anyone has been arrested for telling the "jack-booted thugs" to go bleep themselves. That would be a nice story to run in advance of the election.

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Funny how trump doubles and triples down on Haitians eating people’s pets despite the originator’s recantation and the harm it’s causing but no mention of a white US governor shooting her puppy to death….

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"No ability to distinguish between right and wrong" is the definition of a sociopath. Even knowing that, it's difficult for me to grasp that there is no villainy beneath him.

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And in his being baited by his idolized “strongmen” when the stakes are even greater on the world. Flattery from them is as easy bait as pointing out his flawed views by Kamala and others.

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Warren Buffet once commented that "Honesty is a very expensive gift; don't expect it from cheap people." This personifies what is going on in the American political arena at present. Cheap people, for whom the truth is only a transactional occurence to be bartered, sold, and traded traffic in lies and reveal only enough of the truth to lure the rubes into their web of deceit.

Felonious Trump has become the poster child for future zealot and cult leader wannabes. Racism, xenophobia, fascism, islamopohia, anti-semitism, no problem. Step right up and he'll teach you how to divide and conquer. One only needs to look at his guest list at Mar-A-Lago...Laura Loomer, Nick Fuentes, David Duke, et al to begin to understand what comforts felonious Trump. To vote for such a bent person defys logic.

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Today’s WaPo has an article about the Taliban making it even more horrific for women there. What the MAGAts - local, state, Federal - want to do is similar: ban books and teaching many lessons, cross check women getting abortions or care for miscarriages, imprison doctors who provide emergency pregnancy care should it result in the death of a fertilized egg* and on and in. A Theocracy is a greater fear in the US.

*Not answered, in addition to how he’d pay for to deport millions of people, now including immigrants here LEGALLY or how his tariffs would pay landlords and companies and communities for no workers or their taxed incomes and the ripping apart of families, are the IVF for all and the resulting fertilized egg storage.

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What a reminder of what and who we are facing! The hate is so despicable and yet my good religious neighbors have kept their Trump signs in place.

Do they hate “others” as Trump suggests? I’m ashamed!

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I know that through the ages hate has been part of the fabric of organized religions--hate, intimidation, torture, and ruin. For a while, I was puzzled at why someone today could call themselves Christian and support the hate that flows from DT and his followers; but then as I thought back through history, that's been the stance of those who committed some of the worst atrocities--under the banner of religion. Maybe we shouldn't be surprised any longer.

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I think you are absolutely correct, Nancy. The inquisitions and the like, prove it. And the fact that (as I understand it) that these "christians" base everything on the Old Testament, which includes "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", makes them make more sense, although I can't believe that God would ever have wanted his people to be haters, like these people are.

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If you solely believe/follow the Old Testament, how can you call yourself a Christian when that time was before the birth of Christ???

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Exactly! My understanding of today's churches in our country is that they are based, appropriately, on the New Testament. However, it seems like when you get into the mega-churches, they end up going the way of their power hungry pastor. It's clear to me that quite a few churches have gotten into being hateful and xenophobic, and are therefore totally unrelated to Christianity. I will say that I am sure that in the part I quoted above, it was about justice, albeit a primitive form of justice, not about hating. To my mind hating comes from deep-seated feelings of insecurity.

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Has anybody heard of Thomas Paine and his book The Age of Reason?

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I've heard of it, but never read it. Your point is??

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They must. His followers justify their beliefs. In a PBSNewsHour an interview with a young-looking grandmother she said she was a Christian and believed Trump was the most Christian of the candidates. One must believe as he does that to hate is divine to support him. I despair with you.

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I live in a city that's 80% Latino (Mexican), and I have a neighbor who I'm pretty sure is of that heritage, and yet she has trump/vance signs out, along with signs for other republican candidates (like Ted Cruz for Texas - are you kidding me? He is?). She has seemed nice enough when I've talked to her, but she has surveillance signs on her iron fence, a welcome sign on her garage, and a metal structure around her front door that has no doorbell. Talk about mixed messages! I pass her house every day on my exercise walk, and I never cease to be amazed at the mixed messages she sends.

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“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity” -- Hanlon's razor.

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You made me laugh. Trump made me laugh, too. I laughed out loud when I heard Trump invoke Viktor Orban in a nationally-televised presidential debate. I couldn't believe he could be so stupid as to admit that he wants what Orban has (see

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/donald-trump-viktor-orban-praise-20240911.html).

In politics, stupidity and malice too often are inseparable. Dismissing malice as mere stupidity is dangerous when considering what moves masses. Hate makes great (rallies and ratings). It is a tried and true political formula.

When Trump rants and raves about stupid things (including about rally sizes), don't laugh. He's not being merely stupid or petty. He's telling us who he is. More importantly, he's telling us who he wants to be and what he's willing to do to get there. He's doing the same by spreading stories to inspire hate against people who look or think different from Trump's base. Trump evidently would sell his soul--some would say he has sold his soul--to secure rallies the size of someone Trump clearly considers a role model.

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It's not just Trump who likes Orban. There are some MAGA congressmen/women who think his illiberal democracy is just hunky dory. He spoke at CPAC to a cheering crowd of MAGA fools. MAGA (former) Republicans are fans of Orban and Putin. They are unAmerican and the farthest thing from patriots.

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The good news is that the Hungarians are fed up after 14 years of rule by their illiberal prime minister and his sidekicks. To wit, a legitimate and sizable opposition party, The Tisza, has emerged, led by Peter Magyar, an intelligent, good-looking young politician who was once a member of Victor Orban's FIDESZ Party and knows where the regime's soft spots are. There are MANY. The challenger is building a movement that plans to sweep the FIDESZ from power come the 2026 national elections.

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I personally don't think trump is adequately explained by stupidity. He is stupid, yes, but what he does also comes across as malice. In truth, though, what he does is all about promoting himself in whatever way he thinks will work, so it may not actually be malice - I think malice is usually intentional, and the only thing intentional about trump is using whatever he can to "win".

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The two are not mutually exclusive.

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I agree with you.

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Thanks for the attribution. I have used that quote myself without knowing its origin.

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Clearly Trump has crossed a line with his despicable rant against the Haitian community in Ohio. My question is whether he has crossed a legal line with unprotected speech, much like his conduct on Jan. 6. I would love your opinion on this. Certainly the Haitian community could file a defamation case against Trump and ask for injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages. But could the justice department also file a criminal complaint under the Civil Rights Act of 1968? If so, where is Merrick Garland?

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And the immigrants in Aurora, CO, who he has denigrated and threatened with “bloody removal”. He said he’d send the Haitians “back to” Venezuela. Will those from that country be sent to Haiti? Geography and kindness are not his strong suits.

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Other than hate and manipulation, what is his strong suit? The guy has none. He’s a fumbling idiot. He doesn’t even know what’s in the constitution. What’s in the first amendment? Someone should ask him.

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Good question. Ken White in an oldie but goodie podcast called Make No Law provides a good answer regarding the potential for government prosecution (discussing a SCOTUS decision that, coincidentally, specifically protected the speech of klansmen in Ohio a mere year after the murders at issue in Joyce's post):

https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/make-no-law/2020/10/imminent-lawless-action/

But one thing worth keeping in mind is that the purported concept of "unprotected speech" is a misconception. The Constitution protects all speech and speakers with due process of law under the 5th or 14th Amendment. If the government wants to prove someone committed a crime with speech, the government must prove each material fact beyond a reasonable doubt. If someone wants to sue for, e.g., defamatory speech, they must prove each material fact with evidence that is clear and convincing.

In New York Times Co. v. Sullivan in 1964, SCOTUS emphasized that it doesn’t matter what “label” anyone slaps on any speech (e.g., defamation, obscenity, threat, hate speech). No mere label can make any speech or speaker unprotected by due process of law.

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I wish there were a way to show appreciation without the 'like' button😢

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I agree! I wanted to agree with the "Brown Shirts are here" comment, but I didn't want to "like" it!

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🇺🇸💙🇺🇸💙

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You like because you agree with the comments not the ideology

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Agree.

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Can one change the text next to the heart to "AGREE"?

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Classic scapegoating right out of the Fascist playbook. The Brown Shirts are here.

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Trump and JD Vance are the head of a terrorist group

They are also traitors to our nation. They need to be treated as such.

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Exactly.

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Joyce,

So true. Legacy of hate is easy to renew. Trump will always take the easy way. Kamala and Tim are working 24/7. Blinded by the light and spectacle of broadcast lies, willing racists and followers are drawn to hate. Opening yourself up to question how our democracy works, or voter suppression works, or racism works, takes real effort and courage. It is much easier to shade your eyes and ears from hateful accusations, baseless smears, and follow along. We are in this together.

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I have found myself drawn to books like The 1619 Project, and Caste. My brain really appreciates learning the truth and reality, even though they are sometimes difficult. I can't imagine following baseless smears and hatefulness. And I'm grateful for that.

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I agree. These two books are eye opening. Reading them made me ashamed. It is beyond time to change

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I agree, Sheri. If you haven't read it, The Warmth of Other Suns, also by Isabel Wilkerson - her first book - is well worth reading, too.

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