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Monday, September 16, 2024

Trump Campaign's Racist Attempt To Smear Haitian Immigrants

If you are a member of the Trump cult, it's really time to wake up. His campaign has made clear that it really is appealing to our dark sides as opposed to the "better angels of our nature." I speak specifically of recent comments made by Donald Trump, Jr, about Haitians, that can only be described as racist. I also allude to JD Vance's insistence on recirculating debunked smears about Haitian immigrants. Knowing that they are false, he still insists on promoting them. 

Let's start with Donald Trump, Jr., who is one of his father's biggest campaign surrogates. At a program broadcast by Charlie Kirk for Real Clear Politics, he had this to say about Haitians: "You look at Haiti, you look at the demographic makeup, you look at the average IQ, if you import the Third World into your country, you're going to become the Third World. That's not racist. That's just fact."

It's racist and not factual at all. It's what is known as pseudoscience and has long been used to justify false claims about the racial superiority or inferiority. Nazis used pseudoscience like eugenics to justify the murder of Jews, blacks, Poles, etc. Now Trump Jr. is using it to dehumanize Haitian immigrants who are in this country legally. 

Then there's VP candidate J.D. Vance, who has continued to circulate stories about Haitians eating dogs and cats even though we all know by now that they are false. As George Orwell would say, "The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." 

Vance admitted yesterday that he had to "create stories" to get the media's attention. If his goal was to continue to vilify Haitians, he has succeeded.  Springfield, Ohio is now the subject of bomb threats that have resulted in the closure of schools and city hall. But if his goal was to present legal immigrants in a bad light, he has failed. If anything, I now feel far more sympathetic to them than I did before these false stories. 

According to Governing, empty downtowns continue to deplete local coffers. This trend is primarily the result of empty office buildings. Many of our industries left long before, including in Springfield, Ohio. That changed in 2017, when Topre, a Japanese auto parts manufacturer, picked the old International Harvester site in which to do business. Other companies like Dole, and of course a few warehouses, followed.  A city that had been in decline was revitalized. That brought an influx of legal immigrants who work hard and pay their taxes. 

Unfortunately, the nativism and racism displayed by the Trump campaign is nothing new. The Know Nothing Movement, also known as the American Party, was a reaction to a sudden influx of Irish Catholics escaping the Famine. 

The MAGA movement, like the Know Nothings before them, is just the latest iteration of nativism, xenophobia and, in the case of Haitians, racism.  Both rely on fear and dehumanization.

We can do better, don't you think? 

72 comments:

  1. So much for progress. You would have hoped that the fear-mongering re immigrants was left back in the l800's and early 1900's. Remember those nasty names for Italians, Slavs, and Irish for example? The Red Scare and the Palmer Raids that started the career of J. Edgar Hoover? Trump and his ilk want the U.S. to be mired in its ugly past by promoting fear of the "other". They conveniently forget that if it weren't for those "filthy" immigrants, the U.S. would not have become the economic behemoth that it is today.

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  2. Truth hurts the democrat leaders and the fake media are at it again coverup and lies. that is what you type of people do.

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  3. You're a riot Bernie, a regular riot. LOLOL

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  4. You are causing unhinged people to attempt assignation of President Trump. You make up stories and you lie about him You left wing lunatics are crazy people who are anti American.

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    1. Nah. I'm left wing but also extremely pro-America. Think about Trump's slogan. It's right there in his MAGA acronym on all those ugly red hats. Trump suggests America isn't great all day every day. So who is bashing the country? If you think Russia and Hungary are better, get going... bye bye!

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    2. Assignation: an appointment made in secret to meet someone; typically made by lovers. You MAGAts are such fuckn' bafoons.

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  5. Meanwhile, in the real world, another "apparent" assassination attempt on Trump, this time by a bona fide lefty looney spouting the same talking points as "mainstream" Democrats. Guess what, the "unbiased" media are already blaming Trump's "hateful rhetoric" for the "apparent" attempt. Convenient.

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    1. Come on. He is a Haley supporter with an assault rifle. Go figure.

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  6. Were you in Florida yesterday? Your pro-war, pro-neonazi Ukraine rhetoric led me to think of you. I'm sure you were hoping Trump was dead - again. But here you are .... uh .... racism! My grandmother used to say, "What do you expect from a pig but a grunt." Yep. I hear your grunting. Trump will win the majority of the Haitian vote, by the way. They can't stand what their worst have done to this country.

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    1. 6:59, I certainly do stand with Israel and Ukraine, but no, I was not happy to hear that someone with an assault-style rifle and scope was apparently setting up to kill a Presidential candidate.

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    2. You're not believable. You've long abandoned reasonable discourse in favor of unhinged craziness. You simply hate that you're being pointed at as the one of the problems.

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  7. Hey Bernie,
    Instead of reporting from your Norco ivory tower... take a ride to Springfield and find the truth.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZADwzk5D2U

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    1. 7:49, I watched that guy, and he has the same credibility as an anonymous poster. I will believe a city manager, police chief and the person who started this false story over him.

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  8. KH reminds me of Christmas - Ho, Ho, Ho

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    1. This has got to be a Russian troll.

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  9. Bernie you liberal democrats are the worse people on the face of this earth you are untruthful and unrealistic in everything you do. You people are trying to make Nitka Khruschev look good -he said America will do itself in. and you are trying very hard to accomplish that goal.

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  10. "Donald Trump is a genuine threat to this nation. He's a threat to our freedom. He's a threat to our democracy. He's literally a threat to everything America stands for."
    Joe Biden, June 29, 2024 (two assassination attempts have occurred since).

    Biden's statement is relatively mild compared to your unhinged madness. You are the problem; not illegal Haitians and Congolese stealing and cooking family pets.

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  11. 2nd assassination attempt. Boy - some people really want him gone. Scary how you think these days, Bernie. You still are wearing those blue colored glasses. I don’t want to live in communism. You, apparently, do.

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    1. Is the communism in the room with us now, 9:19?

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  12. The question should be how the hell does 20 thousand “migrants” end up in one town. Maybe the next 20k dump should be in Nazareth at Bernie’s door.

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    1. 9:24, 20,000 legal migrants were not "dumped" in Springfield. They came for jobs, work hard and pay taxes. What drew them are companies that needed a workforce that a shrinking city was unable to provide.

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    2. Bernie, you’re full of sh*t. That Ohio town never had nearly enough unfilled jobs to support a 40% increase in their population. The majority of Haitians in that city are living day to day on taxpayer money. They are a burden to that town, its people and its resources, not because they’re black or Haitian.

      It’s because they are a part of the mass immigration problem in this country exasperated by political ideologies and candidates who you support.

      Coming from a man who lives safely and comfortably in one of the most segregated and whitest municipalities in the state (Nazareth Borough), ……..ahh…..honestly, what’s the use in trying to reason with you.

      You always have the last word and censor when proven wrong.

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    3. The guy is an unhinged left wing propagandist now. Trump drove off the rails lol.

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    4. STFU yourself. And you’re wrong about them putting “a strain” on the local economy because the stipulation has always been to have them come to this country legally to contribute to the local workforce, and 99% of them are doing just that. I wouldn’t listen to Fox News about this imaginary border crisis because just this weekend, I heard the REPUBLICAN Governor of Ohio say that they have welcomed the Haitian immigrants and that Trump is an asshole for making up stories about them. You have a problem with these “types” of immigrants because they’re black. I’m sure if they were white refugees from Ukraine or Syria, we’d hear nothing from your racist ass.

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  13. Bernie Boy do you make up good lies.

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  14. I volunteered at the Forks Township Democrat tent this past weekend and the amount of Republicans coming up to us being abusive, aggressive, and instigating was obnoxious. The police had to intervene so often that they just stayed next to our tent protecting us. A man in his 80’s acted like he didn’t know who he would vote for and then proceeded to say he didn’t know if he could vote for a slut. He probably is impotent and just frustrated. Who knows, but grow up dude. Trump’s sexual history has caused him to be a felon and a rapist! Maybe you should consider that when you vote.
    So many people who came up to our tent wanted to take bumper stickers and signs, but were scared they would be targeted and that their cars and homes would be vandalized. The Republican Party is nothing more than thugs. Remember when they were conservative with class? Now they are conspiracy spreading liars who actually believe it all. It truly is a cult.
    The Republicans have no platform except aggression, intimidation, and “concepts”. I can’t wait for Kamala to win and we finally kick Trump to the curb. Let’s get back to being classy and stop acting like we are a third world country.

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    1. Here here! Kick Trump to the curb. Trump people are dragging us all down. Too much division and anger and tough-guy stupidity. Just vote who you're going to vote for, and when Harris wins and the House goes blue, recruit some better candidates and develop some policies that are actually popular.

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    2. I know this isn't a true determination on winning an election, but my job has me traveling throughout Upper Bucks, Northampton, Lehigh and Lower Carbon Counties, which are heavily populated, rural Republican area.

      In 2016, Trump signs seemed to outnumber Clinton signs 80-20%. In 2020, Trump signs seemed to outnumber Biden signs 60-40%. Driving these areas today, Harris signs seem to outnumber Trump signs 60-40%. Also, most of the Trump signs and flags seem to be still in place from 2016. Many signs read "Trump/Pence".

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    3. Thoe thugs are Trump's brownshirts.

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    4. 10:14AM I want to make sure I got this straight. The party that wants to take guns away and reallocate money from the police was protected by a police officer with a gun.

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    5. I was nearby the Democratic tent and the constant snarky remarks were not so pretty either. Think some people need to drink less beer, pay more attention to their dress and personal hygiene before they represent a political party. Ever hear of the concept of presenting a party platform? It is possible to disagree and not be disagreeable. Somehow the Democratic tent was missing some of that "class" you were talking about. If a Republican had said what you just said about your experience working at the Democratic tent I would have said the same to them. I am not sure either side added to the event.

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  15. 58000 people I read in Springfield. I imagine the 20000 are in addition to that. So a significant percentage of new residents to existing. Put that in proportion to Allentown or Bethlehem. How would we handle that influx?

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    1. I grew up in Allentown in the late 70's and 80's, and we had at that time a large influx of refugees into town from Viet Nam. Some were political refugees because their side lost while fighting communism with us and could no longer live in their home country, and many were economic migrants seeking a better life in the USA. This was in the days when Beth Steel was gasping its' last breaths and Mack Trucks was moving its' operation to South Carolina. The new immigrants looked different, talked different and certainly ate different foods, and there was hostility, fights and name-calling. Forty years later, and those folks are now fully integrated into the community, doing all kinds of jobs and contributing to our melting pot. Plus banh mi sandwiches!!!

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    2. Concerned Citizen at 11:07, My grandson is from one of those Viet families that fled Saigon after it fell and the US left. Dat's grandmother and her family were among the "boat people" who eventually lived in a refugee camp before being allowed to live in the US. They at first were hosted by a family that was unable to feed them and actually spent winter days picking up the hard corn in farmers' fields. They all got jobs and began working their asses off.

      I have seen the prejudice hurled at them, especially Dat's grandmother. That appears to be diminishing as they have assimilated and have been productive members of society.

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  16. 2nd attempt on Trump's life in 2 months, and this is what you decide to write. You should change the name of this blog to DNC Ramblings. A recent study by Media Research found Harris with 100% positive press, and Trump with 93% negative press. She should be mopping the floor with him, but she's less authentic than Hillary.

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    1. 10:53, "Media Research Center" , by its own admission, is "countering left-wing bias in news media and popular culture, revealing the left’s agenda to undermine traditional values, restrict individual liberty, and stifle private enterprise. Alongside this effort, MRC champions free speech by taking on Big Tech companies that aim to suppress conservative voices." Hardly what I would call unbiased, despite the lofty sounding name.

      Wake up!

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    2. Not surprising Trump has 93% negative press because he's a bigot, felon and liar who has no plans beyond corporate tax cuts and revenge on his GOP detractors. He's going to go on Hannity tonight and spout more of the same old tired garbage to try to capture a news cycle... I'm sure you'll be watching with your pants unzipped, so you can report back tomorrow. ;)

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    3. @10:53

      Crazy stuff. I wonder why people would be so mad at him…

      I wonder…

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  17. When Trump win Bernie it will be time for you to retire because all your bullshit about trunp will be for noyhing

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  18. Eight plus years of vicious, unhinged posts calling Trump a racist and xenophobic and worse than Hitler. Take some responsibility for your rhetoric. The would-be assasin holds exactly your same views on the Ukraine. It's just a matter of time before you get one of our local candidates, or even your religious conservative brother, who haven't secret service protection, shot. You seem so comfortable and cavalier with death and violence. God help us.

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  19. DNC Ramblings. I like it! It’s pretty much what it is these days. The rhetoric BO posts is contributing to all this political violence.

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  20. Bernie is bringing out cult and racist in one article! You can almost smell the fear and desperation coming off him. A clear sign a lefty has no legitimate argument is they start calling the right racist and cultists. Hear that sound, Bernie? It's the Trump train coming for ya! TRUMP 2024

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  21. Bernie, that was a very well-written article. Thank you.

    For some reason, your site really attracts the Trump cultists. Their defining characteristic is that they believe whatever they want to believe, regardless of evidence and facts, even if blatantly false. For example, one commenter (9:24) stated that there are 20,000 immigrants in Springfield Ohio, whereas the true number is about 2000.

    Hermann Goering, the infamous Nazi, said that controlling people to do what you want them to do is easy. You just have to instill fear and "it works the same way in any country". Trump's fear-mongering shows that he follows this path.

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    1. Actually the number of Haitians living in Springfield is estimated at between 12,000-20,000. This sudden increase in population has stretched city resources and increased the cost of living for long-time residents. But they should not be blamed for going there to work and contribute to society,, as they have. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/why-thousands-of-haitians-have-settled-in-springfield-ohio/

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    2. Bernie, the population of Springfield has not increased, maybe decreased a little. From about 60,000 in 2014 to 58,000 in 2022. There is no evidence that I can find that immigrant population increased by 12,000 to 20,000 while non-immigrant population decreased by that amount.

      https://jabberwocking.com/how-many-haitian-immigrants-really-live-in-springfield-maybe-2000/

      "This gibes with decennial census data. Between 2010 and 2020 it records a drop of 5,000 white residents, no major change in Black or Hispanic residents, and an increase of 2,500 in multiracial and "other." That puts a hard cap of 2,500 on the number of new immigrants through 2020, and the real number is probably a good bit lower. Obviously there are Haitian immigrants in Springfield. But how many? I'd be surprised if it was much over 2,000, with possibly some more living outside city limits."

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  22. 11:59AM You're still invoking the Nazi analogies? How many additional assassination attempts are you trying to incite?

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  23. And also 11:59...where did you get the 2000 number?

    "the city's Haitian population has increased to 15,000-20,000 in recent years."

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/11/springfield-ohio-haitians-respond-to-jd-vance/75171696007/

    It appears you've hit the "liberal daily-double," smug AND wrong.

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    1. Thanks for the USA today article. I don't know how the City Manager of Springfield knows that the Haitian immigrant population increased by 15,000. (See my reply to Bernie). But if you believe him on this, then why wouldn't you believe him when he says there is no record of immigrants eating pets, as Trump falsely claims.

      The rest of the article illustrates that, as Bernie states, the large majority of immigrants are hard-working, likely doing jobs that Americans shun. I recommend that all Trump cultists read this article.

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    2. 11:59/2:46 etc. Nice try at a cheap deflection, but the comment you were replying to had nothing to do with eating pets. It was a simple comment related to a widely reported and accepted number, which you responded to with a number culled from some outlier “analysis” by some guy who couldn’t even hold down a job at Mother Jones. It’s very easy…repeat after me…”I’m sorry, I was wrong.” And let me anticipate your next “clever” cheap deflection, the “I” here means YOU.

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  24. There are to many liberals running around with rifles. I think they should be banned lol.

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  25. To those that have an open mind I refer you to this guy. He is very active in cyber security, fact checking social engineered manipulation including social media or government propaganda and other such things. He will evaluate rumors, photos or videos to determine their authenticity. His posts are apolitical with just the facts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0dPRxxqs-c

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  26. Comrade Bernie, Anytime a democrat uses a word that ends in ist or phobe you have lost the argument because it's an old talking point and it doesn't work anymore because that hand has been overplayed a million times. Next you will have a post that says "Republicans want to cut medicare" Again old and tired.

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  27. 10:14 - that's because you're either Kelly Keegan or she was working the booth you.

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    1. I thought it was Ms, Keegan too in the 10:14 comment.

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  28. Comments about the latest assassination attempt on Trump are off topic. I did accept a few, but they are irrelevant to this story. So I am accepting no more of these OT comments.

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  29. The same thing happened to Hazleton PA 20 years ago. The city was changed forever. Some of it good, but a lot bad also. The point is the fabric of that community has been changed over night.

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  30. Bottom line is Harris will make a terrible President.

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  31. You call those people racist. How would you feel if thousands of newcomers come. They overwhelm your public services. Your taxes go up. The people that pay the freight are no longer getting services because they’re tied up dealing with all the migrants. All of a sudden your child’s school is overwhelmed with non English speakers that take up all the teachers time. It’s not a matter of being racist as it a burden on a community that isn’t prepared for this.

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    1. Your burdens are imaginary, fueled by a staunch hatred for people who don’t look like you. Own it.

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    2. What’s race got to do with it? If it were white non English speakers it would create the same problems. There isn’t a racist behind every tree like you’ve been brainwashed to believe. A community simple can’t support that kind of influx without massive new spending for additional schools, police, and medical services. Generally when the response is “you’re a racist” it means I’m winning the debate. How bout a counter argument or proposal to help a community that experiences this?

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  32. I love when someone calls me comrade. You people are such window licking douchebags. Fuck you and your conspiracy theories, your cult, your rapist convict felon, your nastiness, your faux patriotism, your stupidity and ignorance. We are going to beat your piece of shit leader in the polls and send him right to jail. It’s going to be so refreshing and joyful!!!

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    1. And they say democrats are more educated. .nice language

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    2. Geez, take your bouncy ball and go home. Your mommy has supper ready.

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    3. Ok comrade I’m with you.

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    4. Sir, you are exactly right.

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  33. Just left work heard a new ad on my radio when I wanted to hear music. Endorsed by Harris. All lies. So fair is fair to discuss lies on both sides. Can't remember it all as I was rather shocked...included revenge, no funding of schools. Project 2025. Etc etc. a very extreme ad that I can't believe anyone believes. Trump was in office for four years and nothing he did was extreme. So maybe one day Bernie do a blog on her ad. Was on 99.9

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  34. The new look for the Republican Party is a brown uniform with a Republican arm band. By the way, is the Chamber of Commerce still backing Trump? In past elections members of "The Chamber" wanted to lick his boots.

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  35. All of this constant “He’s racist, She’s racist, etc.” is so predictable and tedious. That’s been so overplayed it no longer has the same sting it once did. Whenever the charge makes its way at my direction, I get this “OK, whatever” feeling and then move on to others with greater intellectual capacity for discussion.

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    1. I’m sorry that your white comfort that triggered by being called a racist. Imagine being the victim of racism. Imagine being discriminated against for being black or brown. Imagine being killed by a police officer because he was threatened by the color of one’s skin. I’m sorry that this ONE word offends you that much, because fortunately for you, this type of violence is it perpetuated against you on a daily basis. So the best you can say is, “ I don’t like the way that word makes me feel.”

      Hey, it’s like they say, if it doesn’t apply, let it fly.

      So what’s your excuse?

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  36. I heard ad too - all lies. I'm not a MAGA guy, but my business never did better when Trump was in office.

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  37. We had our own March on Rome on January 6th. I’m more concerned about the next one because he’s looking at (well-deserved) jail time. It doesn’t take an army of propagandists for me to put this together - it’s based on the words that came out of his own mouth and the things he has already done publicly. Too many deranged people are dreaming of death squads. Too much acceptance and encouragement of this crap from Orange Jesus. Americans should know better and it’s a damned shame. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater over abortion. The assassins are dead wrong - Trump needs to lose for real (again). But he’s already shown us that he won’t accept defeat and he cares not for the will of the people or the constitution. So yeah. I wish more of the Americans around me started acting like it.

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You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.