Focused Read, Thought & Action in 4-5 minutes
"Thousand Oaks shooter joins list of white men rampaging in Pittsburgh and Tallahassee. So where were they radicalized?
Gun violence in America is getting so bad that survivors of mass attacks are now getting killed later, in subsequent shootings.
(By Qasim Rashid)
Privilege is when, in a two-week span, white men kill 11 Jews in Pennsylvania, two black people in Kentucky grocery store, two women in a Florida yoga studio and 12 people in a California bar, yet no one calls to ban, deport, or profile white men — or asks, “Where were they radicalized?”
Imagine, for a moment, if the suspects were from a minority demographic like Muslims or immigrants. We would probably send in the military, and many people would demand the minority demographic hold their own members accountable.
Does this happen when the suspects are white men?
But in fact, we don't have to wonder — we can simply look at the actions of the Trump administration.
It took far less for the government to send in the military to counter brown immigrants. Despite the fact that the allegedly dangerous migrant caravan has killed no Americans, the White House literally sent thousands of troops to block them, even initially suggesting American soldiers should have the right to shoot migrants who throw rocks.
Meanwhile, gun violence has killed over 12,500 people in 2018 alone. The only real response from the White House have been strongly worded “thoughts and prayers.”
Worse, the White House still refuses to take meaningful action on gun control and has cut funding to counter right-wing terrorism, despite the epidemic and generational impact of white supremacists.
For example, at least five of the 11 victims of what is believed to be the single worst attack on American Jews in history were born before 1945 — which means they were alive during the Holocaust. ...
But the Pittsburgh attack was far from an isolated occurrence of anti-Semitic violence:
In 2017, America saw nearly a 60 percent increase in anti-Semitic violence over the previous year — the single largest increase in one year since 1979 when such data tracking began.
“Many just see this an attack on the Jewish community,” said Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers.
“It's not. It was an attack on America.”
The rabbi’s wisdom is deep.
In 2011, a white nationalist — not unlike the man who attacked the Tree of Life synagogue — attacked a Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six Sikh Americans, thinking they were Muslim.
In 2015, another white nationalist attacked the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine black Christians in what he described as an attempt to start a race war.
In 2017, yet another white nationalist attacked a Quebec, Canada mosque, killing six Muslims during prayer. Meanwhile, in 2016, the FBI caught three white nationalists in Kansas as they plotted to bomb an apartment complex and mosque largely comprised of Somali Muslim refugees.
Since the beginning of 2017, the Anti-Defamation league has tracked more than an astounding 900 incidents of white supremacist violence and propaganda incidents.
... Apathy, disunity, and America’s lax gun laws embolden these terrorists.
Indeed, even Islamic State terrorists push their radicals to exploit America’s weak gun laws.
Gun violence in America is getting so bad that survivors of other attacks are now getting killed later, in subsequent shootings.
Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks, California wasn’t just any bar.
Some of the survivors of the Las Vegas shooting met for solace there after the Oct. 1, 2017 attack — by a white man — that left 58 dead.
Telemachus Orfanos survived that Vegas attack, and was killed in the November 8 Borderline shooting.
The solution, therefore, is purposeful action, a return to morality and a focus on unity.
Purposeful action mandates commonsense legislation that ensures human rights are more important than gun rights.
In a shocking interview regarding the Borderline shooting, Tennessee Senator-elect Marsha Blackburn remarked, “What we do is say how do we make certain that we protect the Second Amendment."
Her focus was on gun rights over human life. Notably, the NRA contributed $1.25 million to her campaign.
What Blackburn fails to understand is that commonsense reform does not mean we strip guns from law abiding citizens, it means we make it more difficult for people incapable of safe gun use from acquiring them.
A return to morality mandates we recognize the root causes of mass violence, such as domestic violence. We know that many of the men who commit mass shootings have a history of domestic violence. ...
And a focus on unity means that when one of us falls, we all help the fallen stand. ...
This also means we resist outrage fatigue, a tall order as America’s 2018 mass shooting count has surpassed 300, according to organizations that track it.
We must keep talking about these crucial events by remembering the victims, organizing for change and supporting leaders who push back against such violence and racism. ... "
Focused Point of Interest in 2-3 minutes
In case it's too hard to read:
" ... The letter called on Members to “take all necessary steps to help ensure that Mr. Whitaker is removed from overseeing the Mueller investigation.”
The letter also stated that the Mueller investigation “must be protected from any interference and allowed to proceed to its full and appropriate conclusion.”
The letter called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to “allow the Senate to act on the bipartisan legislation reported out in April 2018 by the Senate Judiciary Committee to protect the Mueller investigation.” ... "
"29 National Organizations & Ethics Experts Urge Members of Congress to Ensure Whitaker Recusal & Mueller Protections
29 national organizations and ethics experts sent a letter to Senators and Representatives today expressing deep concern about the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as Acting Attorney General.
The letter urged Members to help ensure that Whitaker is removed from overseeing the Mueller investigation and that the Mueller investigation is protected from any interference. ...
According to the letter, “Mr. Whitaker has repeatedly demonstrated his bias and hostility to the Mueller investigation.” The letter stated:
As a result of his numerous attacks on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker has an irreparable conflict of interest in his role as overseer of the investigation, and is incapable of making publicly credible decisions in that capacity.
The letter stated:
It appears that President Trump appointed Mr. Whitaker in order to take control of the Mueller investigation, which involves both the President and his son. Mr. Whitaker, previously described as the “eyes and ears” of the White House in the Justice Department, apparently has been placed in his new position to serve the interests of President Trump, and not the interests of the Justice Department or the American people.
The letter called on Members to “take all necessary steps to help ensure that Mr. Whitaker is removed from overseeing the Mueller investigation.”
The letter also stated that the Mueller investigation “must be protected from any interference and allowed to proceed to its full and appropriate conclusion.”
The letter called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to “allow the Senate to act on the bipartisan legislation reported out in April 2018 by the Senate Judiciary Committee to protect the Mueller investigation.” According to the letter:
We reject Senator McConnell’s unfounded speculation that the investigation is safe from interference and that therefore there is no need for this bipartisan legislation.”
We call on Senator McConnell not to partner with President Trump in his efforts to undermine and potentially kill the Mueller investigation.
The letter called on Members “to take all necessary steps to help ensure that the Mueller investigation is protected from any interference.” The letter stated:
President Trump has made a direct attack on the rule of law and on the norms of law enforcement in appointing to oversee the Mueller investigation an individual who has made clear he is biased against the investigation and who has a conflict of interest in overseeing the investigation.
This must not be allowed to stand.
The letter concluded by calling on Congress “to act to protect the Mueller investigation and to help ensure that Mr. Whitaker is removed from his role as overseer of the investigation.”
You can read more, including the letter and the names of the signers, here
*** This story was published prior to GOP Senator Majority Leader's blocked a vote on the floor to protect Mueller.
You can call &/or fax McConnell here if you'd like to share your thoughts on the matter with him. ( You can read more about it here )
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Focused Monthly Inspiration
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What's in the book:
→ Direct sources & resources for Democrats:
* ( Personal favored and most informative follows are also shared here with the understanding that readers will always apply their own critical thinking to any information provided anywhere by anyone. #StrongerTogether does not share sources of information lightly but -- no one is perfect! -- so always #DistrustAndVerify -- even if it's me. I am using a star rating that is strictly based on my situational experience with the work of the media personality specifically in relation to issues of interest to me. )
The Democratic Party Website
Also, NOT exactly a Democratic Party specific source under a GOP majority but a good place for to hear and to watch speeches & hearings directly C-SPAN
Democratic National Committee's Team Blue!
"The Blue Wave 
🌊 won't happen unless we all pitch in to help elect Democrats across the country. We've partnered with a number of organizations to make sure we're covering ground in every single community 👣. Join Team Blue to volunteer to get out the vote 
🗳️ in your community..."
🌊 won't happen unless we all pitch in to help elect Democrats across the country. We've partnered with a number of organizations to make sure we're covering ground in every single community 👣. Join Team Blue to volunteer to get out the vote 🗳️ in your community..."
You can email your two Senators and your Representative in Congress in one email here
"Postcards to Voters are friendly, handwritten reminders from volunteers to targeted voters giving Democrats a winning edge in close, key races coast to coast.
What started on March 11, 2017 with sharing 5 addresses apiece to 5 volunteers on Facebook...
Now, we consist of over 20,000+ volunteers in every state (including Alaska and Hawaii) who have written close to 3 million postcards to voters in over 100+ key, close elections."
You can find Postcards to Voters here
→ Some of my favorite, most active organizations -- some existing & some developing to elect Democrats:
Born from conversations between Governor Howard Dean and Secretary Hillary Clinton in the aftermath of the 2016 election, Onward Together was established to lend support to leaders — particularly young leaders — kicking off projects and founding new organizations to fight for our shared progressive values. here
Since #StandOnEveryCorner has grown, it’s become a stand by all of us to protect our democracy from corruption and treason...A stand not at your State Capitol, but in your own backyard. Not once every few months, but as often as you can here
→ Fact checking organizations courtesy of the Society of Professional Journalists
in alphabetical order...
→ Some of my favorite, most informative
follows on Twitter include:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ US Intelligence | Author | Navy Senior Chief | NBC/MSNBC
⭐⭐⭐ Federal Government Operations | Vanity Fair | Newsweek | MSNBC Contributor | Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Voting Rights/Voter Suppression | Author | Mother Jones
→ Some of my favorite, highly credible media -- at the moment:
📰📰📰 Mother Jones
📰📰📰📰 The Washington Post
→ Some of my favorite Talking Heads -- at the moment -- and their Twitter handles:
→ Some of my favorite media/panelists -- at the moment -- and their Twitter handles:
✅✅✅✅ Joan Walsh national affairs correspondent for The Nation; CNN political contributor
✅✅✅ Heidi Przybyla USA TODAY Senior Political Reporter
✅✅✅✅ Jennifer Rubin Conservative blogger at @ WashingtonPost's Right Turn,MSNBC contributor
✅✅✅ Natasha Bertrand Staff writer @ The Atlantic covering national security & the
intel community. @ NBCNews/@ MSNBC contributor
→ Some of my favorite Democrat Party Leaders to follow on Twitter, not in elected office but proving knowledge & experience are positives & not negatives are:
Former First Lady Michelle Obama
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Former Labor Secretary/Today's DNC Chair Tom Perez
Note: I rarely get involved in primary races -- outside of those in my own area and unless there is a glaring reason that can not be ignored, I support Democratic Party nominees in general elections. I don't support bashing Democrats.
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(Linked) "...is our 2016 platform...a declaration of how we plan to move America forward. Democrats believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls.
It’s a simple but powerful idea: We are stronger together."
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Owned, Created and Curated by Gail Mountain, this blog is often gently edited and/or excerpted for quick reading, with occasional personal commentary in the form of the written word and/or in the form of emphasis noted. Network For #StrongerTogether ! is not affiliated with The Democratic Party in any capacity. This is an independent blog and the hope is you will, at a glance, learn more about the Party and you will, with a click or two, also take action on its behalf as it is provided!
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Vote411 here
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g. (Unapologetic Democrat)
✊ Resisting "Fake News"
g. (Unapologetic Democrat)
✊ Resisting "Fake News"
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