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Edited January 26Jan 26 by janea4old

8 minutes ago, janea4old said:

- duplicate

Can't see bad news often enough? 🙄😲😉🥴

29 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

It's baffling, isn't it? But, and correct me if I'm wrong since the bible isn't exactly my area of expertise, isn't there something in there about it being an abomination to lay with a man the same way as you do with a woman? That's the only reason I can think of.

It doesn't really explain the almost pathological hatred for LGBTQ that these people exhibit though.

It's in there, but as with everything else that's written in the Scriptures, it's open to interpretation.  (For one thing, that particular passage is in the Book of Leviticus, which is Old Testament, which we are NOT supposed to live under anymore, since the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ basically renders it null and void.)

The thing is, the Scriptures also tell us, in effect, to hate the sin and not the sinner.  So, even if you don't condone homosexuality, that doesn't give you license to persecute gay and transgender people simply for BEING gay and transgender, "for you are...

Anyways.

28 minutes ago, janea4old said:

The whole "birthright" executive order is Trump wanting to rescind the right of children born in the USA to be US citizens, if their parents weren't citizens
(big oversimplification of what the order says, but I'm not posting about the details here).

The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that if you were born in the USA, you're a citizen (and it says a lot more than that). 
This has been in place since 1868.  YES 1868.

So people are saying the executive order is unconstitutional and cannot be implemented, because it violates the Fourteenth Amendment.

However, my point is this: 
The original focus of the Fourteenth Amendment 
was to give citizenship to newly-freed enslaved persons.
From the details within the amendment -- laws regarding the birthrights of children of immigrants came to be.

 In my personal opinion (SPECULATION ONLY), I think this is intended as a psychological attack on the Fourteenth Amendment,
(with some fanatics wanting to overturn the Fourteenth Amendment, and others trying to undermine its influence).

I speculate that the whole faction behind this nonsense ultimately wants to undo Reconstruction.  I mean they can't legally, but they certainly want to undermine it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

There are also clauses in the Fourteen Amendment regarding indigenous tribes, and that's very complicated because some members of some Tribes regarded themselves as citizens of their own tribal nation and didn't want to lose that, and there are tons of essays and discussions that are beyond my skill to understand in full.   But I think the gist of it is that Native Americans are citizens of the USA because they were born here (well obviously since it was their land first, but anyhow). Legally they can be citizens if they want, but there are all sorts of tribal treaty issues that make the clauses in the Amendment difficult to understand.
I'm not even going to pretend that I follow all the legal nuances on that.

So first of all, I think the Project 2025 people want to unfree slaves, and uncitizen Native Americans, AND deny citizenship to immigrants. 

Perhaps their next goal (they wish! ) ... would be to deny women the right to vote?  I mean ... it's all part of the same pattern.  But that's not in the Fourteenth Amendment, so different topic.

MAGA: "People come into this country illegally - and take jobs and benefits away from REAL Americans - with the expressed hope of giving birth on American soil, so they cannot be deported!"

Khan: "And women of all stripes take back their outfits to the department stores and demand refunds, knowing good and well that they've worn them and put their stank in them.  What can you say?  As long as there's a system, someone's gonna figure out how to game it.  But that doesn't mean you punish the many for the selfishness of the few."

54 minutes ago, janea4old said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
I'm not even going to pretend that I follow all the legal nuances on that.

Oh well here, I found something from a legal scholar regarding Trump's order and the Fourteenth Amendment the US Constitution passed in 1868.

The professor mentions that this came from the 1860s when the Republicans were the party of Lincoln, and supported the end of slavery.  (how that party has changed).
 

by Evan Bernick ‪@evanbernick.bsky.social‬
Associate Prof at Northern Illinois University College of Law. Constitutional law, criminal law, abolition

 

‪Evan Bernick bluesky from January 21 
https://bsky.app/profile/evanbernick.bsky.social/post/3lgb35gaw322l

The opponents of birthright citizenship are liars. They have no good arguments. They hate Reconstruction and want to destroy its greatest achievements. Say that. Act like that.

— Evan Bernick, a finite mode with a resolute floof (@evanbernick.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 6:34 AM

 

The same professor has lots of details on his bluesky about the Constitution and Native American rights and citizenship.  Too much for me to quote here.

Edited January 26Jan 26 by janea4old

It astounds me that all of MAGA blame Democrats for the California fires, while the largest wildfire in Texas history (over a million acres) happened just 10 months ago. I point this out to them every time I get the chance, and ask them if Greg Abbott is to blame. 

A database detailing Jan 6 crimes and convictions has disappeared from the Department of Justice website. “This is a huge victory for J6ers..." www.cnn.com/2025/01/25/p...

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— Donie O’Sullivan (@donie.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 6:54 AM

 

As information out of the US government is increasingly corrupted by Trump and his cronies—facts removed, accounts distorted, lies promoted, etc.—it’s increasingly important for people/orgs outside govt to record and preserve factually accurate information. The war on truth is accelerating.

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— Nicholas Grossman (@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 7:05 AM

Statement from United Farm Workers
"We are in scary times with immigration sweeps, executive orders & farmworkers laboring in thick wildfire smoke. We're scrambling to do everything at once & our resources are stretched thin." 
Full statement at this link:
https://act.seiu.org/a/scarytimes 

(They appeal for donations; but even if you are disinterested in donating, I found it interesting to read all the things they are dealing with right now)

Edited January 26Jan 26 by janea4old

This isn't 1777, when it took months for citizens from one state to find out what had happened in another.  Trump and his cronies can erase J6 all they like from the history books - they can even ban all mentions of it on social media! - but it's much, much harder now to hide such events from recorded history.

8 hours ago, Khan said:

This isn't 1777, when it took months for citizens from one state to find out what had happened in another.  Trump and his cronies can erase J6 all they like from the history books - they can even ban all mentions of it on social media! - but it's much, much harder now to hide such events from recorded history.

I guess they can try to erase it in the US, but the rest of the world was watching it unfold in real time as well, and their attempts at whitewashing it won't work.

Members of the Navajo Nation (tribe) taken in immigration raids
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2025/01/24/navajo-nation-leaders-address-reports-of-ice-detaining-tribal-citizens/77911978007/

Acting Navajo Nation Deputy Attorney General Kris Beecher recommended that tribal members carry their Certificate of Indian Blood along with other forms of identification.

State Sen. Theresa Hatathlie informed the council about a Navajo citizen who was detained for nine hours, underscoring the urgent need for emergency protocols. She emphasized that many tribal members face challenges with documentation. She said despite having Certificates of Indian Blood and state-issued IDs, several individuals have been detained or questioned by ICE agents who fail to recognize these documents as valid proof of citizenship, according to the Navajo Nation Council's news release.

"I agree with having your CIB on your phone. That's not a bad idea. These are good things to have with you," he [Beecher] said.

The Navajo identification card was launched under the leadership of the late former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly, who collaborated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Of the approximately 400,000 enrolled Navajo members, only 8,000 tribal identification cards have been issued since their introduction in 2012.

Concerns for unsheltered tribal members in urban areas
 

In a statement from Navajo President Buu Nygren on Wednesday night, he said his office had fielded concerns and unconfirmed reports that urban Diné relatives were being questioned and detained by immigration officials.

(Diné is the Navajo name for themselves)

For their safety, he urged Navajo tribal members to be aware of their surroundings and carry valid forms of identification, such as a Certificate of Indian Birth or state-issued driver’s license.

Edited January 27Jan 27 by janea4old

That only proves our point: it isn't JUST the Hispanics and Latinos from outside the U.S. whom they want gone.  They want to round up and take out anyone who "doesn't look white."

We're fast reaching a critical point, ladies and gentlemen.  As @marceline said many moons ago, this is going to end in bloodshed.

Edited January 27Jan 27 by Khan

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/27/air-force-teaches-tuskegee-airmen-wasps-dei/77967487007/

On 1/24/2025 at 3:03 PM, janea4old said:

January 2025: Costco defends its diversity policies
(the Costco board and the Costco shareholders)
Some thinktank wanted Costco to rollback/end DEI, The board said no,
and at the shareholders meeting yesterday 98% of the shareholders agreed to vote against the rollback of diversity (in other words, the shareholders voted to support diversity)
https://apnews.com/article/costco-shareholder-proposal-diversity-dei-0330f448741b35f2f788a36948ff3f95

 

ICYMI — Sharpton led a buy-in to support Costco after they didn’t back down on DEI

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— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) January 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM

 

Edited January 27Jan 27 by janea4old

The truth is, no matter your feelings about DEI initiatives, they're just smart business at the end of the day.

I think we need to stop letting them get away with calling it DEI, and make them use the full name. 

I want to see some GOP donkey say that “diversity, equity, and inclusion” is bad for business.  Or, make the CEO of Target get on TV and say that “diversity, equity, and inclusion” is tearing the culture apart.  They would sound like fools.

We let them get away with saying BLM, rather than Black Lives Matter and CRT rather than Critical Race Theory.  So, this time, rather than boycotting for two months, or some other performative gesture, when a billionaire tries to vilify the idea, let's make them say the words so they sound as idiotic as their beliefs.

Imagine the next time VP Vance is on a Sunday news show and tries to repeat his statement, “The DEI agenda is a destructive ideology that breeds hatred and racial division” and in response Margaret Brennan just repeated back, “so, you think ideas of diversity, equity, and inclusion cause racial division?”  It would be absurd.  Make them spew their racist beliefs out loud, and don't allow them to hide behind acronyms.

Edited January 28Jan 28 by j swift