Right Wing Blowhards Need To Put A Sock In It About Protests

Some of the thousands making voices heard in Denver last night

Almost on cue, the right wing, authoritarian blowhards in their assorted blogs were issuing threats and warnings to the "left wing brats, libtard punks and apes" disrupting cities across the nation. This was in the wake of the Trump electoral coup d'état.   From assorted "alt-Right" bloggers we have now beheld warnings to the effect that once Trump assumes power in January "these rat-faced apes" can expect to be hauled into behavior modification "boot camps" and "taught a lesson". What can they expect? "Mild water boarding alternating with sleep deprivation, to start" - then being force -read all of Trump's books.  Jeezus Peace, sounds almost like Chairman Mao's   "re-education camps" during the Cultural Revolution.. I guess it takes a tyrant to know one and use a former one's methods, eh?

The funny thing about these Rush Limbaugh-lubbing, cigar chomping characters is while they cherish their 2nd amendment rights - to carry and collect as many weapons as they choose-  they have no use for any other amendments - especially the first and the fourth. I have news for these alt-Right folks, you're going to see a lot more protests especially on inauguration day.

These energized citizens, like in Denver last night - who came about by the thousands to march - aren't just protesting for the hell of it or to act like "spoiled brats".  They feel under threat by a grade A asshole, whose stark racism attracted enough red state bumpkins and others to vote for a crass pig billionaire who has no use for them or theirs.  They could as well be members of 'Black Lives Matter' for all Trump cares.  He only channeled their stupid rage to get them to cast ballots for him.

The thousands who came out last night in Denver managed to block vehicular  intersections around downtown backing up traffic for blocks  to exercise their first amendment rights. Drivers were patient, as the Denver Post reported, understanding that and also delivering thumbs ups and peace signs. The protestors themselves covered a vast sampling from across the demographic spectrum including  LGBTQ couples, Hispanics, blacks,  poor homeless whites as well as college kids who now fear Trump and his denizens will allow student loan rates to spike (see my previous post).

Kayla Styles, 25, of Metropolitan State University, spoke for many when she said (quoted in today's Denver Post):

"I'm here because I fear my rights will be taken away and my loved ones' rights. "

She added that she is petrified the Trump administration will not only trample on the rights of people of color but also the LGBTQ community. She  has good reason to fear, because already news reports have come through of hate crimes across the nation committed by pro-Trump baboons wearing the signature red Trump caps.

Denver attorney David Lane, also quoted by the Post, nailed it when he said:

"I am witnessing the first amendment at its best. Thousands and thousands have taken to the streets to protest the election of a racist, misogynist, xenophobic man".

One 80 -year old woman who "survived World War II" - escaping from a death camp-  was also part of the protest. She noted she'd seen similar events before and now expressed fear of what may happen again..  She has good reason to fear when you see and hear Trump supporters blustering about taking protestors and objectors to "camps"  after Trump is sworn in.  Will we all stand by and watch as a re-enactment of the Hitler-spawned Reichstag fire takes place? Will we wait to see a repeat of the "Enabling Act" that abolished the German constitution and citizen rights?

She and the other protesters then headed past the Pepsi Center and the Denver Nuggets game, disrupting a bit of traffic, before heading to I-25 where they entered the highway and blocked traffic. Note here, by the way, that when spontaneous (unplanned) marches occur traffic blockage is often a byproduct because of the large masses of people involved. It is not intentional but rather a consequence of the act of protest itself and most citizens caught up in it understand that though a number of Trump supporters didn't. Like our innominate blogger they issued threats of what will happen after Trump gets in and starts fouling his White House nest.

At the end, community activists assembled and articulated their fight against bigotry and hatred.  They railed against Trump - the man they said "had made intolerance, racism and misogyny acceptable to much of the electorate."

Doug GoodFeather, a representative of the American Indian Community, summed up the night's events:

"I'm just a pebble but a pebble can be very irritating in a shoe. Let's all be pebbles."

Let us indeed be "pebbles" and ensure the Trumpies every footfall en route to authoritarian fascism is rendered excruciatingly painful.

One last thing: It's really choice reading the blogs of these blowhards about how the "punks need to just accept reality and settle down"  when that is the last thing they would have done if Clinton had won. By now, if the election tables had been turned, they'd be fire -bombing black churches and synagogues and lynching or torturing any gays or Latinos they found wearing HRC apparel. But - IF they could have accepted Hillary without batting an eyelash-  then they have room to complain about the anti-Trump protests now. If not, they don't.


See also:

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/henry-giroux/69802/a-call-for-resistance-in-dark-times

Fascist Dictatorship in Michigan: Is ANYONE Paying Attention?

First, let me thank Rachel Maddow for drawing attention to this story on her MSNBC show two nights ago. (One wonders sometimes where we'd be without this national political resource). This concerns how a set of extreme fascist Teabaggers in Michigan have used bogus laws to seize control of the state - literally turning it into a One-party dictatorship and One -party state. Imagine then, if you can, The Republic of North Korea suddenly transferred in a nascent form to this country and you have what's been going on in Michigan the past year and a half under what they call "immediate effect" (I use the word 'nascent' because at the rate things are going, the concentration camps will soon be going up if something isn't done, and by that I mean overturning ALL 546 laws so far passed under "immediate effect")

If you are unfortunate enough to live in Michigan, then, you are now without a functioning democracy. Because of the way the Goop Nazis have used "immediate effect" the state Democrats have been effectively shut out from any voting. Because they've been shut out some of the most extreme fascist laws ever conceived in this nation have been passed, including the ability to use what's called "emergency managers" to actually take over Michigan towns, usurp local government and pass local edicts that tie the hands of all local elected officials - from school boards to Mayors. (Anyone recall this is what Chairman Mao did during his "Cultural Revolution" in China, in the 1960s?) It is as if there was a revolution via bastardized pseudo-lawmaking. These "emergency "managers even possess the power to issue edicts that prevent registered voters from exercising their franchise - as Rachel noted- hence what one has is no longer a state democracy but a plain dictatorship under Michigan Gubernator Rick Snider.

Readers who want to see the Rachel Maddow clip on what's going on, may access this link:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/46973330#46973330

Under Michigan Constitution, Article 4, Sec. 27, in general no act may become law until at least 90 days after the state legislative sesssion (at the end of the calendar year in which the laws were passed). However, later allowances, provisions were made for true emergencies (such as in disasters for which assistance couldn't wait) - and these exceptional provisions were under "immediate effect" but required a super-majority. In the Michigan House of Representatives, Maddow observes that this has meant at least 73 votes were needed to pass every immediate effect law.

But as Rachel documents, 546 laws of 566 have actually been passed (including the odious "emergency manager" laws) which permit designated Gooper storm troopers (e.g. "officials") to take over towns, that were done without the 73 needed votes. In effect, the Republicans who control Michigan’s House of Representatives have been accessing emergency powers by pretending to have a supermajority they don’t really possess- and denying vote counts for the 47 democrats.

This would be bad enough, outrageous, in any case where even nominal legislation was passed, but many of the 546 "laws" strike at the very heart of Michigan citizens' liberty - especially taking over their towns, overturning the authority of their elected officials, and even going so far as to threaten voting rights.

WHERE are all the liberty screechers now that were yelping about Obama being a "fascist" and "Nazi" when we have de facto Nazis (under Herr Obersturmführer Snider) governing a state in the lower 48 of the US of A. Why have we not dispatched our own military to take back Michigan's towns - such as Pontiac- now under seige and occupied by these extremists? If we are all about checking the actions of terrorists, then why not the actions of state terrorists in our own country?

Fortunately a Judge - Clinton Canady - has issued a temporary restraining order compelling House Republicans in the majority party to hold recorded roll call votes when at least 22 Democrats request one. More importantly, ALL of those 546 "laws" passed without the required super-majority need to be struck down.

Let us hope the 'pukes don't take over all 3 branches of government this November, because if they do the whole country may well be at risk from these sort of shenanigans. Romney and Paul Ryan leading a purge and Reich Wing "cultural revolution"? Don't laugh until you actually read what these guys have planned for us!