thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Biden Filling Top White House Team With Campaign Veterans

ATLANTA ( AP ) — President-elect Joe Biden announced a raft of top White House staff positions on Tuesday , drawing from the senior ranks of his campaign and some of his closest confidants to fill out an increasingly diverse White House leadership team .
Biden confirmed that former campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon will serve as a deputy chief of staff , while campaign co-chair Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond and campaign adviser Steve Ricchetti will play senior roles in the new administration .
Richmond will leave his Louisiana congressional seat to fill the White House job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a longtime Biden confidant , will serve as a senior advisor ; Dana Remus , the campaign ’ s current general counsel , will be counselor to the president ; Julie Chavez Rodriguez , who was one of Biden ’ s deputy campaign managers , will serve as director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs ; and Annie Tomasini , who is currently Biden ’ s traveling chief of staff , will serve as the director of Oval Office operations .
Anthony Bernal will serve as a senior adviser to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief of staff on the campaign , and Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon , a former Obama Ambassador to Uruguay , as her chief of staff .
The new hires represent an initial wave of what will ultimately be hundreds of new White House aides hired in the coming weeks as Biden builds out an administration to execute his governing vision .
The Democrat will be inaugurated Jan. 20 .
“ America faces great challenges , and they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to tackling these challenges and emerging on the other side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden said in a statement .
O ’ Malley Dillon , 44 , was the first woman to manage a successful Democratic presidential campaign .
She is a veteran political operative who worked on both of Barack Obama ’ s White House bids .
Rodriguez , granddaughter of the late farmworker union leader César Chávez , was national political director on Sen. Kamala Harris ’ 2016 presidential team before coming to the Biden campaign , and served in the Obama administration .
Richmond , a 47-year-old African American , will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the White House Office of Public Engagement , the role Valerie Jarrett filled in the Obama administration .
He ’ s expected to engage with Congress and focus on the Black community and other minority groups .
President-elect Joe Biden ( right ) has selected Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond ( left ) to serve as a senior adviser and the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement .
( AP Photo/Andrew Harnik ) A former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus , Richmond was among Biden ’ s earliest high-profile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Richmond has scheduled a Tuesday news conference in which he ’ s expected to announce that he ’ s leaving his congressional seat .
Richetti , Donilon , Tomasini and Bernal all have longstanding relationships with the Biden family .
Ricchetti was Biden ’ s chief of staff during Obama ’ s second term , while Donilon has advised him in various roles since 1981 , and Tomasini served in communications roles for Biden when he was still a senator .
Bernal worked for Jill Biden during the 2008 Obama-Biden campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both terms of the Obama administration .
Less clear is the shape of Biden ’ s Cabinet , which will be subject to Senate confirmation .
Since winning the election earlier this month , the president-elect has been hunkered down with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris near his home in Delaware preparing for the business of governing .

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ATLANTA (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden announced a raft of top White House staff positions on Tuesday, drawing from the senior ranks of his campaign and some of his closest confidants to fill out an increasingly diverse White House leadership team.
Biden confirmed that former campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon will serve as a deputy chief of staff, while campaign co-chair Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond and campaign adviser Steve Ricchetti will play senior roles in the new administration. Richmond will leave his Louisiana congressional seat to fill the White House job.
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The president-elect also announced that Mike Donilon, a longtime Biden confidant, will serve as a senior advisor; Dana Remus, the campaign’s current general counsel, will be counselor to the president; Julie Chavez Rodriguez, who was one of Biden’s deputy campaign managers, will serve as director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; and Annie Tomasini, who is currently Biden’s traveling chief of staff, will serve as the director of Oval Office operations.
Former Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon will serve as the deputy chief of staff in Biden's White House. The Washington Post via Getty Images
Anthony Bernal will serve as a senior adviser to Jill Biden, after he was her chief of staff on the campaign, and Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon, a former Obama Ambassador to Uruguay, as her chief of staff.
The new hires represent an initial wave of what will ultimately be hundreds of new White House aides hired in the coming weeks as Biden builds out an administration to execute his governing vision. The Democrat will be inaugurated Jan. 20.
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Late last week, Biden tapped former senior campaign adviser Ron Klain to serve as his chief of staff.
The latest round reflects Biden’s stated commitment to diversity in his staff — the team includes four people of color and five women.
“America faces great challenges, and they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to tackling these challenges and emerging on the other side a stronger, more united nation,” Biden said in a statement.
O’Malley Dillon, 44, was the first woman to manage a successful Democratic presidential campaign. She is a veteran political operative who worked on both of Barack Obama’s White House bids.
Rodriguez, granddaughter of the late farmworker union leader César Chávez, was national political director on Sen. Kamala Harris’ 2016 presidential team before coming to the Biden campaign, and served in the Obama administration.
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Richmond, a 47-year-old African American, will be a senior adviser to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, the role Valerie Jarrett filled in the Obama administration. He’s expected to engage with Congress and focus on the Black community and other minority groups.
President-elect Joe Biden (right) has selected Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond (left) to serve as a senior adviser and the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) ASSOCIATED PRESS
A former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Richmond was among Biden’s earliest high-profile supporters and served as his campaign co-chair. Richmond has scheduled a Tuesday news conference in which he’s expected to announce that he’s leaving his congressional seat.
Richetti, Donilon, Tomasini and Bernal all have longstanding relationships with the Biden family. Ricchetti was Biden’s chief of staff during Obama’s second term, while Donilon has advised him in various roles since 1981, and Tomasini served in communications roles for Biden when he was still a senator. Bernal worked for Jill Biden during the 2008 Obama-Biden campaign, and in various roles for her during both terms of the Obama administration.
Less clear is the shape of Biden’s Cabinet, which will be subject to Senate confirmation. Since winning the election earlier this month, the president-elect has been hunkered down with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris near his home in Delaware preparing for the business of governing.
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Biden will begin rolling out his higher-profile Cabinet picks in the coming weeks.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Trump To Cut Troop Levels To 2,500 In Afghanistan and Iraq

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said Tuesday the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan by mid-January , asserting that the decision fulfills President Donald Trump ’ s pledge to bring forces home from America ’ s long wars even as Republicans and U.S. allies warn of the dangers of withdrawing before conditions are right .
The plan will accelerate troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan in Trump ’ s final days in office , despite arguments from senior military officials in favor of a slower , more methodical pullout to preserve hard-fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden , who takes office Jan. 20 , just five days after the troop withdrawals are to finish .
Miller , who refused to take questions from reporters after reading a prepared statement before TV cameras at the Pentagon , said the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500 , and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500 .
Speaking a week after taking over for former Defense Secretary Mark Esper , who was fired by Trump , Miller notably did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been recommended or endorsed by Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , or by other senior military officers .
He said only that military commanders had agreed to execute it .
In Afghanistan , in particular , military and defense leaders have consistently said the Taliban has not yet met requirements to reduce violent attacks against Afghan government forces .
Some have worried that too-fast troop reductions would strengthen the negotiating hand of the Taliban and weaken the position of an already-weak Afghan government .
“ I believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist areas are a mistake , ” said Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas , who is the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee .
He said the Taliban , whose hold on power in Kabul was destroyed when U.S. troops invaded the country in October 2001 , have “ done nothing — met no condition — that would justify this cut.
” “ Our primary goal has been , and continues to be , the prevention of transnational terrorists from launching an attack against the United States from Afghanistan , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain the terrorist threat as we draw down our troop levels , it is critical that we coordinate the drawdown closely with our allies , as well as our partners in the Afghan government , to protect our interests and those of our allies in Afghanistan.
” “ We now face a difficult decision .
We have been in Afghanistan for almost 20 years , and no NATO ally wants to stay any longer than necessary .
But at the same time , the price for leaving too soon or in an uncoordinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stoltenberg said in a statement .
A ceremony held for the delivery of the armored vehicles , logistics and other military supplies sent by the U.S. for the 14th and 16th Infantry Brigade of the Peshmerga forces in Erbil , Iraq on Nov. 10 , 2020 .
Trump ’ s national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien said the president is keeping his promise to the American people to get U.S. troops out of war zones .
“ By May , it is President Trump ’ s hope that they will all come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” O ’ Brien told reporters at the White House shortly after Miller made the announcement at the Pentagon .
Trump has said , however , that his decisions about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan would be based on conditions on the ground , not on the calendar .
He has accused his predecessor , Barack Obama , of setting a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan that worked against the achievement of military goals .
Now , however , Trump is openly declaring a timetable for troop reductions in both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Afghanistan .
The accelerated withdrawal goes against the longstanding advice of Trump ’ s military leadership , including Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie , top U.S. commander for the Middle East .
But officials suggested that commanders will be able to live with the partial pullout , which allows them to keep counterterrorism troops in Afghanistan and gives them time to remove critical equipment .
McKenzie and others have repeatedly argued that a hasty withdrawal could undercut negotiations to finalize ongoing peace negotiations between the Taliban and representatives of Afghan society , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warn that U.S. forces should remain in the country to keep Islamic State militants in check .
Biden has sounded less absolute about troop withdrawal .
He has said some troops could stay in Afghanistan to focus on the counterterrorism mission .
In response to a questionnaire before the election , he said : “ Americans are rightly weary of our longest war ; I am , too .
But we must end the war responsibly , in a manner that ensures we both guard against threats to our homeland and never have @ @ @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said Tuesday the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan by mid-January, asserting that the decision fulfills President Donald Trump’s pledge to bring forces home from America’s long wars even as Republicans and U.S. allies warn of the dangers of withdrawing before conditions are right.
The plan will accelerate troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan in Trump’s final days in office, despite arguments from senior military officials in favor of a slower, more methodical pullout to preserve hard-fought gains. Trump has refused to concede his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, who takes office Jan. 20, just five days after the troop withdrawals are to finish.
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Miller, who refused to take questions from reporters after reading a prepared statement before TV cameras at the Pentagon, said the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500, and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500.
Speaking a week after taking over for former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who was fired by Trump, Miller notably did not say that the drawdown plan had been recommended or endorsed by Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or by other senior military officers. He said only that military commanders had agreed to execute it.
Miller said the U.S. remains ready to respond if conditions in Afghanistan or Iraq deteriorate.
“If the forces of terror, instability, division, and hate begin a deliberate campaign to disrupt our efforts, we stand ready to apply the capabilities required to thwart them,” he said in a roughly eight-minute statement — his first extended public remarks since taking office.
The withdrawal plan falls short of Trump’s oft-repeated vow to end America’s long wars. It also runs counter to his guidance that troop withdrawals be based on the conditions on the ground, not a date on the calendar.
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In this Oct. 17, 2018, photo, Afghan National Army soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP Photo/Rahmat Gul
In Afghanistan, in particular, military and defense leaders have consistently said the Taliban has not yet met requirements to reduce violent attacks against Afghan government forces. Some have worried that too-fast troop reductions would strengthen the negotiating hand of the Taliban and weaken the position of an already-weak Afghan government.
The decision has already received a cool reception from some Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, and a somewhat uncharacteristically blunt critique from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
“I believe these additional reductions of American troops from terrorist areas are a mistake,” said Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, who is the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. He said the Taliban, whose hold on power in Kabul was destroyed when U.S. troops invaded the country in October 2001, have “done nothing — met no condition — that would justify this cut.”
Rep. Adam Smith, a Washington Democrat and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, endorsed the Trump decision.
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“Our primary goal has been, and continues to be, the prevention of transnational terrorists from launching an attack against the United States from Afghanistan,” Smith said. “In order to contain the terrorist threat as we draw down our troop levels, it is critical that we coordinate the drawdown closely with our allies, as well as our partners in the Afghan government, to protect our interests and those of our allies in Afghanistan.”
Stoltenberg earlier Tuesday warned that NATO could pay a heavy price for leaving Afghanistan too early.
NATO has fewer than 12,000 troops from dozens of nations helping to train and advise the Afghan national security forces. The 30-nation alliance relies heavily on the United States armed forces for transport, logistics and other support.
“We now face a difficult decision. We have been in Afghanistan for almost 20 years, and no NATO ally wants to stay any longer than necessary. But at the same time, the price for leaving too soon or in an uncoordinated way could be very high,” Stoltenberg said in a statement.
A ceremony held for the delivery of the armored vehicles, logistics and other military supplies sent by the U.S. for the 14th and 16th Infantry Brigade of the Peshmerga forces in Erbil, Iraq on Nov. 10, 2020. Yunus Keles/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Trump’s national security adviser Robert O’Brien said the president is keeping his promise to the American people to get U.S. troops out of war zones. “By May, it is President Trump’s hope that they will all come home safely and in their entirety,” O’Brien told reporters at the White House shortly after Miller made the announcement at the Pentagon.
“I want to reiterate that this policy is not new,” O’Brien said. “This has been the president’s policy since he took office.”
Trump has said, however, that his decisions about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan would be based on conditions on the ground, not on the calendar. He has accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of setting a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan that worked against the achievement of military goals. Now, however, Trump is openly declaring a timetable for troop reductions in both countries, even as violence remains high in Afghanistan.
The accelerated withdrawal goes against the longstanding advice of Trump’s military leadership, including Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, top U.S. commander for the Middle East. But officials suggested that commanders will be able to live with the partial pullout, which allows them to keep counterterrorism troops in Afghanistan and gives them time to remove critical equipment.
McKenzie and others have repeatedly argued that a hasty withdrawal could undercut negotiations to finalize ongoing peace negotiations between the Taliban and representatives of Afghan society, including the Afghan government. And they also warn that U.S. forces should remain in the country to keep Islamic State militants in check.
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Biden has sounded less absolute about troop withdrawal. He has said some troops could stay in Afghanistan to focus on the counterterrorism mission. In response to a questionnaire before the election, he said: “Americans are rightly weary of our longest war; I am, too. But we must end the war responsibly, in a manner that ensures we both guard against threats to our homeland and never have to go back.”
____


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Prosecutors Charge 5 People Over Vandalism Of Controversial Saint's Statue

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco , who has been leading his fellow Catholic bishops in the state in vocally defending Serra ’ s complicated legacy , called Marin County prosecutors ’ decision to file felony vandalism charges last Thursday a “ breakthrough moment for Catholics.
” “ In a diverse society we may debate and disagree about many things , including St. Junípero Serra ’ s legacy .
But mobs do not get to trespass on other people ’ s holy grounds to destroy their sacred symbols , ” Cordileone wrote in a statement last Friday .
Cordileone said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his archdiocese supported his call to prosecute the suspects in the Oct. 12 incident in San Rafael , California .
He said this was the first time amid a wave of public attacks on Serra statues that anyone had been charged for attacking such a monument or related acts of vandalism on Catholic Church property in California .
Native American groups have long criticized the Catholic Church ’ s celebration of Serra , an 18th-century Roman Catholic missionary whose legacy is inextricably tied to Spain ’ s colonization of California .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who pressed Spanish authorities to act as benevolent conquerors , Native groups say the Spanish missions he helped construct brutalized Indigenous peoples and their cultures .
A bronze statue of St. Junípero Serra , located at the entrance to the Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang , California , is surrounded by a chainlink fence to protect it on Nov. 2 , 2020 .
This spring , as racial justice protests across the country reenergized calls for the removal of Confederate statues and symbols , Native Americans in California renewed demonstrations against monuments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the saint in San Francisco and Los Angeles , and at least one other city demoted a Serra statue from its pedestal outside City Hall to a nonpublic location .
Organizers with the Coast Miwok , a Native group indigenous to Marin County , planned a protest of a Serra statue at Mission San Rafael Arcángel for Indigenous Peoples ’ Day ( also known as Columbus Day ) , according to Fox affiliate KTVU .
Some members of the crowd defaced the statue with red paint and pulled it down , video footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told KTVU that while they did not ask supporters to physically remove the statue on that day , they were glad it happened .
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone ( center ) arrives to conduct an exorcism in San Rafael , California , on Oct. 17 , 2020 , on the spot where a statue of St. Junípero Serra was toppled during a protest five days earlier .
Five days after the protest , Cordileone held an exorcism at the site , asking God to purify the area of “ evil spirits ” and purify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this blasphemy.
” It was the second time the archbishop had performed an exorcism related to protests against Serra .
Cordileone had originally called for hate crime charges against the five individuals as well , claiming that the defacement and removal of the statue amounted to “ an attack on Catholics as a people.
” “ Whether you agree or disagree with the historic record of St. Junípero , no one has a right to trespass on a faith community ’ s sacred grounds to destroy property and even more importantly the symbols @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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California prosecutors have charged five people for their alleged roles in toppling a statue of controversial Catholic saint Junípero Serra at a Spanish mission last month on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, who has been leading his fellow Catholic bishops in the state in vocally defending Serra’s complicated legacy, called Marin County prosecutors’ decision to file felony vandalism charges last Thursday a “breakthrough moment for Catholics.”
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“In a diverse society we may debate and disagree about many things, including St. Junípero Serra’s legacy. But mobs do not get to trespass on other people’s holy grounds to destroy their sacred symbols,” Cordileone wrote in a statement last Friday.
Cordileone said that “hundreds” of Catholics in his archdiocese supported his call to prosecute the suspects in the Oct. 12 incident in San Rafael, California. He said this was the first time amid a wave of public attacks on Serra statues that anyone had been charged for attacking such a monument or related acts of vandalism on Catholic Church property in California.
Protesters pull down a statue of St. Junípero Serra at Mission San Rafael Arcángel in San Rafael, California, on Oct. 12, 2020. Screenshot from CBS-Los Angeles
The five people charged are Melissa Aguilar, Mayorgi Nadieska Delgadillo, Victoria Eva Montano Pena, Moira Van De Walker and Andrew Lester Mendle, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by HuffPost.
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Native American groups have long criticized the Catholic Church’s celebration of Serra, an 18th-century Roman Catholic missionary whose legacy is inextricably tied to Spain’s colonization of California. While the church defends Serra as a charitable figure who pressed Spanish authorities to act as benevolent conquerors, Native groups say the Spanish missions he helped construct brutalized Indigenous peoples and their cultures.
Pope Francis canonized Serra in 2015, over the protests of Native groups.
A bronze statue of St. Junípero Serra, located at the entrance to the Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang, California, is surrounded by a chainlink fence to protect it on Nov. 2, 2020. George Rose via Getty Images
This spring, as racial justice protests across the country reenergized calls for the removal of Confederate statues and symbols, Native Americans in California renewed demonstrations against monuments to Serra. Protesters toppled statues of the saint in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and at least one other city demoted a Serra statue from its pedestal outside City Hall to a nonpublic location.
Organizers with the Coast Miwok, a Native group indigenous to Marin County, planned a protest of a Serra statue at Mission San Rafael Arcángel for Indigenous Peoples’ Day (also known as Columbus Day), according to Fox affiliate KTVU. Some members of the crowd defaced the statue with red paint and pulled it down, video footage captured by KTVU shows.
Protest organizers told KTVU that while they did not ask supporters to physically remove the statue on that day, they were glad it happened.
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Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (center) arrives to conduct an exorcism in San Rafael, California, on Oct. 17, 2020, on the spot where a statue of St. Junípero Serra was toppled during a protest five days earlier. Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Five days after the protest, Cordileone held an exorcism at the site, asking God to purify the area of “evil spirits” and purify “the hearts of those who perpetrated this blasphemy.” It was the second time the archbishop had performed an exorcism related to protests against Serra.
According to last week’s legal complaint, damage to the statue is estimated to cost at least $10,000.
Cordileone had originally called for hate crime charges against the five individuals as well, claiming that the defacement and removal of the statue amounted to “an attack on Catholics as a people.”
San Rafael Police Chief Diana Bishop had also recommended hate crime charges. She told Mercury News this week that prosecutors informed her they didn’t have the evidence to pursue such charges.
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Rev. Luello Palacpac, the pastor of the church located at Mission San Rafael Arcángel, said his church members “enthusiastically” supported the prosecution.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--The Historic Number Of GOP Women Elected To Congress Has Left Some Feminists Torn

But this year , there ’ s a complicating factor : The biggest shift is in Republican women , with a record-breaking 17 new female GOP lawmakers set to be sworn in next year .
Most of these women oppose feminist policies like abortion rights , paid family leave and equal pay .
Some back QAnon conspiracies and racist policies .
“ It is important to elect more women ― on face value , I agree with that .
But I think the reason it ’ s important is because of women ’ s lived experiences , ” said Amanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Run For Something , a national nonprofit that recruits and supports young progressives of diverse backgrounds running for office .
“ If the women we ’ re electing are not going to govern with that lived experience ― where does the value add come from ?
” Most of the women in Congress are Democrats , and that will continue to be true next year .
Democrats elected 105 women to Congress , whereas Republicans elected at least 36 .
But that result was still big for the GOP , breaking the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected to Congress in 2006 .
Republicans funneled money into women ’ s campaigns and primaries ― an obstacle for many GOP women , who historically have had trouble winning primaries .
They face bigger challenges than their Democratic counterparts , including that they ’ re usually less conservative than their Republican male counterparts .
And even when they ’ re not , they ’ re often perceived as more liberal than their male counterparts , according to research from political scientist Danielle M. Thomsen .
This year , many of the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include : Colorado ’ s Lauren Boebert , who owns a gun-themed open-carry restaurant and rose to prominence after defying COVID-19 shutdowns ; Texas ’ Beth Van Duyne , best known for supporting a conspiracy theory that Muslims were plotting to take over the U.S. and enforce sharia law ; and Georgia ’ s Marjorie Taylor Greene , an openly racist QAnon conspiracy theorist who has already vowed to “ end every gun-free zone ” in the country .
All three GOP politicians are anti-abortion and support repealing the Affordable Care Act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of women .
“ Is it progress for women ’ s equity and women ’ s rights in general to elect people who are going to chip away at those rights ?
That ’ s not what I spend my days doing .
I spend my days fighting for people who will fight for both of those things , ” said Christina Reynolds , vice president of communications at EMILY ’ s List , a national organization that supports pro-choice , Democratic female candidates .
That ’ s not to say there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in both major parties .
Early exit polls show that 42 % of women voted for President Donald Trump .
Women make up 51 % of the U.S. population , yet only one-quarter of Congress .
“ I truly believe that we can not thrive as a country unless we have women represented on both sides of the aisle , ” said Erin Loos Cutraro , founder and CEO of She Should Run , a nonpartisan nonprofit working to get more women into politics .
“ Women are not monolithic .
There isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a woman , ” she added .
“ We don ’ t expect all men to vote the same way , yet there is this expectation that every woman is going to show up the same way on certain issues.
” Women on both sides of the aisle tend to work more collaboratively , are more open to working on bipartisan issues and tend to be more results-oriented than their male counterparts , according to research from the Center for American Women and Politics .
“ Having more women in Congress means that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break at least some of the partisan gridlock , which is crucial , ” said Jean Sinzdak , associate director at the Center for American Women and Politics .
Republican women are not immune to the sexism found within their party ― and that internalized sexism could impact their effectiveness as candidates , argued Erin Vilardi , founder of Vote Run Lead , a nonpartisan organization that helps train women of all parties to run for office .
“ Subscribing to an anti-woman agenda does not make them any safer in their seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ riding with the boys , ’ ” she said .
“ A deeply rooted sexism exists , and these leaders should be wary about what this could mean for their legacy and opportunities.
” After all , all the women who ran successfully this year were able to do so thanks to the hard work of the feminists who came before them ― those who fought for women ’ s right to vote , women ’ s right to choose what to do with their bodies , women ’ s right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so much more .

Lauren Boebert, who recently won Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, rose to prominence after defying COVID-19 shutdowns. JASON CONNOLLY via Getty Images
Feminists have been working for decades to get more women into politics. And it’s working ― a historic number of women are heading to Congress in January.
But this year, there’s a complicating factor: The biggest shift is in Republican women, with a record-breaking 17 new female GOP lawmakers set to be sworn in next year. Most of these women oppose feminist policies like abortion rights, paid family leave and equal pay. Some back QAnon conspiracies and racist policies.
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For feminists, women winning office isn’t a victory on its own. Those women need to back policies that help other women, too.
“It is important to elect more women ― on face value, I agree with that. But I think the reason it’s important is because of women’s lived experiences,” said Amanda Litman, co-founder and executive director at Run For Something, a national nonprofit that recruits and supports young progressives of diverse backgrounds running for office. “If the women we’re electing are not going to govern with that lived experience ― where does the value add come from?”
Most of the women in Congress are Democrats, and that will continue to be true next year. Democrats elected 105 women to Congress, whereas Republicans elected at least 36. But that result was still big for the GOP, breaking the party’s record of 30 Republican women elected to Congress in 2006.
Republicans funneled money into women’s campaigns and primaries ― an obstacle for many GOP women, who historically have had trouble winning primaries. They face bigger challenges than their Democratic counterparts, including that they’re usually less conservative than their Republican male counterparts. And even when they’re not, they’re often perceived as more liberal than their male counterparts, according to research from political scientist Danielle M. Thomsen.
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This year, many of the Republican women elected are extremely conservative. They include: Colorado’s Lauren Boebert, who owns a gun-themed open-carry restaurant and rose to prominence after defying COVID-19 shutdowns; Texas’ Beth Van Duyne, best known for supporting a conspiracy theory that Muslims were plotting to take over the U.S. and enforce sharia law; and Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, an openly racist QAnon conspiracy theorist who has already vowed to “end every gun-free zone” in the country. All three GOP politicians are anti-abortion and support repealing the Affordable Care Act, which covers reproductive health services for millions of women.
Some women’s rights advocates worry that people will conflate gender equality with gender parity when looking at these female Republican politicians.
“Is it progress for women’s equity and women’s rights in general to elect people who are going to chip away at those rights? That’s not what I spend my days doing. I spend my days fighting for people who will fight for both of those things,” said Christina Reynolds, vice president of communications at EMILY’s List, a national organization that supports pro-choice, Democratic female candidates.
“Is it progress for women’s equity and women’s rights in general to elect people who are going to chip away at those rights?” - Christina Reynolds, vice president of communications at EMILY's List
That’s not to say there’s no value in having women represented in both major parties. Early exit polls show that 42% of women voted for President Donald Trump. Women make up 51% of the U.S. population, yet only one-quarter of Congress.
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“I truly believe that we cannot thrive as a country unless we have women represented on both sides of the aisle,” said Erin Loos Cutraro, founder and CEO of She Should Run, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to get more women into politics.
“Women are not monolithic. There isn’t one way to lead as a woman,” she added. “We don’t expect all men to vote the same way, yet there is this expectation that every woman is going to show up the same way on certain issues.”
Women on both sides of the aisle tend to work more collaboratively, are more open to working on bipartisan issues and tend to be more results-oriented than their male counterparts, according to research from the Center for American Women and Politics. “Having more women in Congress means that perhaps we might be more likely to break at least some of the partisan gridlock, which is crucial,” said Jean Sinzdak, associate director at the Center for American Women and Politics.
Republican women are not immune to the sexism found within their party ― and that internalized sexism could impact their effectiveness as candidates, argued Erin Vilardi, founder of Vote Run Lead, a nonpartisan organization that helps train women of all parties to run for office.
“Subscribing to an anti-woman agenda does not make them any safer in their seats, despite that they’ve been ‘riding with the boys,’” she said. “A deeply rooted sexism exists, and these leaders should be wary about what this could mean for their legacy and opportunities.”
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After all, all the women who ran successfully this year were able to do so thanks to the hard work of the feminists who came before them ― those who fought for women’s right to vote, women’s right to choose what to do with their bodies, women’s right to access birth control and family planning, and so much more.
Feminists hope these Republican female politicians will bear that in mind and do what they can to help other women succeed.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--New York Plans To Offer 'X' Gender Option On Driver's Licenses

ALBANY , N.Y. ( AP ) — New York intends to offer driver ’ s licenses with a nonbinary gender identity marker of “ X , ” but it could take more than a year before Department of Motor Vehicles computers will be able to automatically handle the option , state officials said in court filings .
Officials made the disclosure in papers filed in a federal lawsuit brought against them by Sander Saba , who is challenging the state policy of limiting gender identity on licenses to either “ male ” or “ female.
” Saba , a nonbinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal this summer that the policy is discriminatory .
The state recently moved to dismiss the lawsuit against Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and the DMV commissioner as moot .
State lawyers argued in court papers that officials late last year had begun planning to “ permit New Yorkers to receive a driver ’ s license that bears an ‘ X ’ gender identification marker through an automated application process.
” But first , the DMV needs to modify its computer system so it can create internal license @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The agency expects that to happen in the fourth quarter of 2021 , or later , Gregory Kline , the DMV ’ s deputy commissioner for administration , said in court filings .
A Lambda attorney on Tuesday welcomed the development , but said New York needed to do more .
`` Every day that a person is denied accurate identity documents is a day in which their rights are unconstitutionally deprived , and in which they suffer harm .
We will continue to prosecute our case on behalf of Mx .
Saba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have accurate state identification that they need without undue delay , ” attorney Carl Charles said in a prepared statement .
A DMV spokesperson said New York has taken a number of steps to protect and advance the civil rights of New Yorkers who are transgender or gender nonconforming .
`` The DMV understands the importance of this issue for so many New Yorkers but can not comment further as this relates to pending litigation , ” Lisa Koumjian said in an email .
New York City and New York state permit nonbinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ X ” gender marker .
And more than a dozen states offer “ X ” gender markers for driver 's licenses , according to Lambda .
Saba already has two identity documents with an “ X ” marker : a New York City birth certificate and an earlier driver ’ s license from Pennsylvania .
But Saba wanted to exchange the Pennsylvania license for a New York license .
In arguing to dismiss the lawsuit , the state invited Saba to come into a DMV office and go through a manual application @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bearing an “ X ” marker .
It was not clear if Saba intended to take up the DMV on its offer .

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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York intends to offer driver’s licenses with a nonbinary gender identity marker of “X,” but it could take more than a year before Department of Motor Vehicles computers will be able to automatically handle the option, state officials said in court filings.
Officials made the disclosure in papers filed in a federal lawsuit brought against them by Sander Saba, who is challenging the state policy of limiting gender identity on licenses to either “male” or “female.” Saba, a nonbinary transgender New York City resident, said in the lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal this summer that the policy is discriminatory.
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The state recently moved to dismiss the lawsuit against Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the DMV commissioner as moot. State lawyers argued in court papers that officials late last year had begun planning to “permit New Yorkers to receive a driver’s license that bears an ‘X’ gender identification marker through an automated application process.”
But first, the DMV needs to modify its computer system so it can create internal license records without a binary gender selection. The agency expects that to happen in the fourth quarter of 2021, or later, Gregory Kline, the DMV’s deputy commissioner for administration, said in court filings.
A Lambda attorney on Tuesday welcomed the development, but said New York needed to do more.
"Every day that a person is denied accurate identity documents is a day in which their rights are unconstitutionally deprived, and in which they suffer harm. We will continue to prosecute our case on behalf of Mx. Saba so that all nonbinary New Yorkers can have accurate state identification that they need without undue delay,” attorney Carl Charles said in a prepared statement.
A DMV spokesperson said New York has taken a number of steps to protect and advance the civil rights of New Yorkers who are transgender or gender nonconforming.
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"The DMV understands the importance of this issue for so many New Yorkers but cannot comment further as this relates to pending litigation,” Lisa Koumjian said in an email.
New York City and New York state permit nonbinary people to obtain birth certificates with an “X” gender marker. And more than a dozen states offer “X” gender markers for driver's licenses, according to Lambda.
Saba already has two identity documents with an “X” marker: a New York City birth certificate and an earlier driver’s license from Pennsylvania. But Saba wanted to exchange the Pennsylvania license for a New York license.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--'Dueling Dinosaurs' Fossils Donated To North Carolina Museum

RALEIGH , N.C. ( AP ) — The fossil skeletons of two dinosaurs intertwined in what looks like a final death match have been donated to a North Carolina museum .
The nonprofit organization Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences said in a statement Tuesday that it acquired the fossilized animals with private funds .
The skeletons will be gifted to the Raleigh museum ’ s vertebrate paleontology collection .
The Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops horridus known as the dueling dinosaurs were buried together 67 million years ago .
Their fossils were discovered on a Montana hillside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were found .
The nonprofit said the distinct preservation will give museum paleontologists an unprecedented opportunity for research and education .
The skeletons are worth millions of dollars and were the subject of a court battle over who owned them after their discovery in 2006 .
In June , a U.S. appeals court ruled the fossils belong to the owners of the land ’ s surface rights , not the owners of the mineral rights .
FILE - In this Nov.14 , 2013 , file photo , one of two `` dueling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York .
In an ongoing court case over the ownership of the fossils , a divided Montana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday , May 20 , 2020 that under state law , fossils are part of a property 's surface estate in the case of split ownership .
The court 's decision answers a question posed by the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals , which will then re-hear arguments over the ownership of millions of dollars of fossils unearthed on an eastern Montana ranch .
( AP Photo/Seth Weinig , File )

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The fossil skeletons of two dinosaurs intertwined in what looks like a final death match have been donated to a North Carolina museum.
The nonprofit organization Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences said in a statement Tuesday that it acquired the fossilized animals with private funds. The skeletons will be gifted to the Raleigh museum’s vertebrate paleontology collection.
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The Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops horridus known as the dueling dinosaurs were buried together 67 million years ago.
Their fossils were discovered on a Montana hillside and remain entombed within the sediment where they were found. The nonprofit said the distinct preservation will give museum paleontologists an unprecedented opportunity for research and education.
The skeletons are worth millions of dollars and were the subject of a court battle over who owned them after their discovery in 2006. In June, a U.S. appeals court ruled the fossils belong to the owners of the land’s surface rights, not the owners of the mineral rights.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Michigan GOPers Try To Steal Election For Trump, Change Minds At The Last Minute

But they suddenly reversed their decision after hours of phone calls from the public lambasting them for trying to exclude predominantly Black Detroit from the certification .
The board first deadlocked at 2-2 with the Republicans voting against certifying the results and Democrats voting to certify .
It would have been an unprecedented move by a local board to refuse to certify an election result as part of a scheme to overturn the outcome .
This ultimately aborted move came as Trump continues to falsely claim that voter fraud cost him the election without providing any evidence or specific , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed over 20 lawsuits challenging the election results , with disastrous results so far .
He has repeatedly lost in court because he can present no evidence of fraud .
The two Republican board members ― Monica Palmer and William Hartmann ― initially stated that their refusal to certify Wayne County ’ s results was due to minor discrepancies in absentee poll book matches , according to The Detroit News .
Similar minor discrepancies have never stopped the local board from certifying elections in the past .
“ There is no reason under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certified this election , ” Board Vice Chairman Jonathan Kinloch , one of the board ’ s two Democrats , said .
“ I believe that politics made its presence known here today.
” After the initial vote , the board of canvassers heard from angry members of the public , who accused the two Republicans of racism for trying to exclude votes from Detroit , which is approximately 80 % Black .
Palmer , one of the Republicans on the Wayne County board , initially suggested that she would only certify “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the county — suburbs that are predominantly white .
“ As the process moves to the state level , eligible Black voters and others across Wayne County , who overcame tremendous obstacles to vote this season , are being rendered , second-class citizens , ” Kristen Clarke , president of the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , said in a statement .
“ In refusing to approve the results of the election in Wayne County , the two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers have placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certify the election results , ” Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D-Mich. ) said in a statement Tuesday night .
After hearing from the public , Palmer and Hartmann reversed their votes and the board unanimously certified the county ’ s election results while also calling on Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson ( D ) to conduct a review of poll book discrepancies .
While this episode ultimately ended with the votes upheld , it demonstrates a Republican Party , from the president on down to local officials , willing to discard the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , specifically by invalidating votes cast by Black Americans .
The initial action by the GOP board of canvassers members was part of a scheme , promoted by Trump ’ s campaign , involving local and state-level Republicans on local canvassing and elections boards refusing to certify election results in jurisdictions where Biden won .
In doing so , they believe , they could throw the certification decision to Republican-controlled state legislatures that could then choose Trump as the winner , even though he lost the popular vote to Biden by almost 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , said that they will play no role in the theft of the election .

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The two Republicans on Michigan’s Wayne County Board of Canvassers initially refused on Tuesday to certify the county’s election results, which show former Vice President Joe Biden defeating President Donald Trump.
But they suddenly reversed their decision after hours of phone calls from the public lambasting them for trying to exclude predominantly Black Detroit from the certification.
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The board first deadlocked at 2-2 with the Republicans voting against certifying the results and Democrats voting to certify. It would have been an unprecedented move by a local board to refuse to certify an election result as part of a scheme to overturn the outcome.
This ultimately aborted move came as Trump continues to falsely claim that voter fraud cost him the election without providing any evidence or specific, provable allegations of fraud. Trump has filed over 20 lawsuits challenging the election results, with disastrous results so far. He has repeatedly lost in court because he can present no evidence of fraud.
The two Republican board members ― Monica Palmer and William Hartmann ― initially stated that their refusal to certify Wayne County’s results was due to minor discrepancies in absentee poll book matches, according to The Detroit News. Similar minor discrepancies have never stopped the local board from certifying elections in the past.
“There is no reason under the sun for us to have not certified this election,” Board Vice Chairman Jonathan Kinloch, one of the board’s two Democrats, said. “I believe that politics made its presence known here today.”
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After the initial vote, the board of canvassers heard from angry members of the public, who accused the two Republicans of racism for trying to exclude votes from Detroit, which is approximately 80% Black.
Palmer, one of the Republicans on the Wayne County board, initially suggested that she would only certify “communities other than Detroit” that are within the county — suburbs that are predominantly white.
Hartmann, meanwhile, has shared racist memes, including about Detroit residents, and has promoted Trump’s disproven conspiracies about voter fraud on his social media accounts.
Did a cruise through Wayne County Canvassing Board member William Hartmann's public Facebook posts. He's a Republican, so not a surprise he is a BIG Trump supporter
I'll let you judge a sample of posts I pulled from 2010. He voted not to certify Wayne County's ballots. pic.twitter.com/vGZt8mGeCF — Del Quentin Wilber (@DelWilber) November 18, 2020
“As the process moves to the state level, eligible Black voters and others across Wayne County, who overcame tremendous obstacles to vote this season, are being rendered, second-class citizens,” Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement.
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Leading Michigan Democrats denounced the Republicans’ initial refusal to certify the results before they changed their votes.
“In refusing to approve the results of the election in Wayne County, the two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers have placed partisan politics above their legal duty to certify the election results,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) said in a statement Tuesday night.
It’s plain and simple, folks. The Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers put politics above their duty to our residents. Suggesting that all of Wayne County can be certified, EXCEPT for Detroit, is horrifying racist and a subversion of our democracy. — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 17, 2020
After hearing from the public, Palmer and Hartmann reversed their votes and the board unanimously certified the county’s election results while also calling on Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) to conduct a review of poll book discrepancies.
While this episode ultimately ended with the votes upheld, it demonstrates a Republican Party, from the president on down to local officials, willing to discard the election results and steal the 2020 election, specifically by invalidating votes cast by Black Americans.
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The initial action by the GOP board of canvassers members was part of a scheme, promoted by Trump’s campaign, involving local and state-level Republicans on local canvassing and elections boards refusing to certify election results in jurisdictions where Biden won. In doing so, they believe, they could throw the certification decision to Republican-controlled state legislatures that could then choose Trump as the winner, even though he lost the popular vote to Biden by almost 3%. Republican legislative leaders have, however, said that they will play no role in the theft of the election.
Trump praised the initial refusal to certify the Wayne County results in an inaccurate tweet claiming that the certification for statewide Michigan results had been refused.
“Wow!” Trump tweeted. “Michigan just refused to certify the election results! Having courage is a beautiful thing. The USA stands proud!”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Karlie Kloss Reveals She And Husband Joshua Kushner Are Expecting

“ I fall more in love with you every day , ” Kloss wrote at the time .
In his @ @ @ @ @ “ I pinch myself every day .
”

“I fall more in love with you every day,” Kloss wrote at the time.
In his own post, he said “I pinch myself every day.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--'The View' Shreds Trump COVID-19 Adviser's Baffling Thanksgiving Advice

Co-hosts of “ The View ” were appalled on Tuesday by advice from one of President Donald Trump ’ s top COVID-19 advisers about putting vulnerable family members at risk during the holidays .
Dr. Scott Atlas , a neuroradiologist with no background in epidemiology or infectious diseases , suggested Monday on Fox News that senior family members should be invited to Thanksgiving gatherings ― despite being at higher risk of severe infection or death from the virus amid a nationwide surge in cases ― because it might be their last time .
“ This kind of isolation is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who are now being told ‘ Don ’ t see your family at Thanksgiving , ’ ” said Atlas , who has faced backlash for his controversial views since joining Trump ’ s White House coronavirus task force in August .
“ For many people , this is their final Thanksgiving , believe it or not , ” he added .
Goldberg posed a question for Atlas : “ Which of your elderly family members are you willing to sacrifice just to see if you ’ re right ?
” “ Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s their last Thanksgiving , and other people ’ s , if you continue to expose people to this , ” Haines said .
“ We can all do our part now and not celebrate Thanksgiving together .
Do it remotely .
Do it by Zoom .
Consider it your duty to this country right now to stay at home .
Nobody ’ s telling you you can ’ t have turkey , ” she said .
Behar , 78 , had the strongest rebuke : “ As the unofficial spokesperson for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Dr. Atlas , this is not my last Thanksgiving , you embarrassing quack.
” Atlas ’ s views have been widely criticized by members of the scientific community .
He has discounted the effectiveness of many of the protocols issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stem the pandemic , including the use of face coverings .
Just a day before this controversy , he prompted another outcry when he urged Michiganders to “ rise up ” against new COVID-19 safety restrictions imposed by Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stanford University ’ s conservative Hoover Institution before taking on his White House role .
Stanford released a statement Sunday saying Atlas “ expressed views that are inconsistent with the university ’ s approach in response to the pandemic.
” “ Stanford ’ s position on managing the pandemic in our community is clear .
We support using masks , social distancing , and conducting surveillance and diagnostic testing .
We also believe in the importance of strictly following the guidance of local and state health authorities , ” the statement said .

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Co-hosts of “The View” were appalled on Tuesday by advice from one of President Donald Trump’s top COVID-19 advisers about putting vulnerable family members at risk during the holidays.
Dr. Scott Atlas, a neuroradiologist with no background in epidemiology or infectious diseases, suggested Monday on Fox News that senior family members should be invited to Thanksgiving gatherings ― despite being at higher risk of severe infection or death from the virus amid a nationwide surge in cases ― because it might be their last time.
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“This kind of isolation is one of the unspoken tragedies of the elderly, who are now being told ‘Don’t see your family at Thanksgiving,’” said Atlas, who has faced backlash for his controversial views since joining Trump’s White House coronavirus task force in August.
“For many people, this is their final Thanksgiving, believe it or not,” he added.
“The View” moderator Whoopi Goldberg and co-hosts Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines and Joy Behar unanimously condemned Atlas’s comments.
Goldberg posed a question for Atlas: “Which of your elderly family members are you willing to sacrifice just to see if you’re right?”
“Well, you might be ensuring it’s their last Thanksgiving, and other people’s, if you continue to expose people to this,” Haines said.
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Haines noted that for military families, skipping holidays and major life events was a regular occurrence.
“We can all do our part now and not celebrate Thanksgiving together. Do it remotely. Do it by Zoom. Consider it your duty to this country right now to stay at home. Nobody’s telling you you can’t have turkey,” she said.
CANCELING THANKSGIVING AN OPTION? Dr. Scott Atlas, a controversial member of Pres. Trump’s coronavirus task force, faced heavy criticism over his comments encouraging Thanksgiving gatherings amid spikes in cases – the co-hosts react. https://t.co/4adyiZfCy1 pic.twitter.com/vSL0GcW7cy — The View (@TheView) November 17, 2020
Behar, 78, had the strongest rebuke: “As the unofficial spokesperson for the Social Security crowd, let me say to Dr. Atlas, this is not my last Thanksgiving, you embarrassing quack.”
“Don’t listen to a radiologist when it comes to a virus, please,” Behar added.
Atlas’s views have been widely criticized by members of the scientific community. He has discounted the effectiveness of many of the protocols issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stem the pandemic, including the use of face coverings.
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Just a day before this controversy, he prompted another outcry when he urged Michiganders to “rise up” against new COVID-19 safety restrictions imposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Atlas was a senior fellow at Stanford University’s conservative Hoover Institution before taking on his White House role. Stanford released a statement Sunday saying Atlas “expressed views that are inconsistent with the university’s approach in response to the pandemic.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Lil Wayne Charged With Federal Gun Offense In Florida

ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. ( AP ) — Rapper Lil Wayne was charged Tuesday in Florida with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon , a federal offense that carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison .
Documents filed in Miami federal court say the rapper , whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. , had a gun and ammunition on Dec. 23 of last year despite knowing he had the previous felony on his record .
Authorities said the 38-year-old rapper acknowledged owning the gold-plated handgun after his luggage was searched upon arriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A search warrant , first reported by the Miami Herald at the time , said Carter told investigators the gun was a Father ’ s Day gift .
Carter ’ s attorney , Howard Srebnick , said in an email that there are legal questions about whether mere possession of a weapon by a felon not judged to be dangerous fits the definition of a crime .
“ Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on a private plane .
There is no allegation that he ever fired it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened to use it , ” Srebnick said .
“ There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person.
” Investigators also reported finding suspected illegal drugs in the luggage , but Carter has not been charged with a drug offense .
An initial court date on the weapons charge is set for Dec. 11 in Miami federal court .
The charge stems from a weapons conviction of Carter in New York more than a decade ago , for which he was sentenced to eight months in prison .
Convicted felons are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As Lil Wayne , Carter has sold over 120 million records , has won five Grammys and numerous other music awards .
He owns a home in Miami Beach and is CEO of his own record label , Young Money Entertainment .

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rapper Lil Wayne was charged Tuesday in Florida with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a federal offense that carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Documents filed in Miami federal court say the rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., had a gun and ammunition on Dec. 23 of last year despite knowing he had the previous felony on his record.
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Authorities said the 38-year-old rapper acknowledged owning the gold-plated handgun after his luggage was searched upon arriving in Miami on a private plane. A search warrant, first reported by the Miami Herald at the time, said Carter told investigators the gun was a Father’s Day gift.
Carter’s attorney, Howard Srebnick, said in an email that there are legal questions about whether mere possession of a weapon by a felon not judged to be dangerous fits the definition of a crime.
“Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on a private plane. There is no allegation that he ever fired it, brandished it, used it or threatened to use it,” Srebnick said. “There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person.”
Investigators also reported finding suspected illegal drugs in the luggage, but Carter has not been charged with a drug offense.
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An initial court date on the weapons charge is set for Dec. 11 in Miami federal court.
The charge stems from a weapons conviction of Carter in New York more than a decade ago, for which he was sentenced to eight months in prison. Convicted felons are barred under federal law from owning firearms.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Puerto Rico Policeman Accused Of Robbing Home Depot While In Uniform

Supplied A police officer has been charged with stealing more than $ 1,300 worth of goods from Home Depot while @ @ @ @ @ said Tuesday .
SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( AP ) — A police officer @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 1,300 worth of goods from Home Depot while wearing his uniform , @ @ @ @ @ officer was identified as 46-year-old Fernando León Berdecía .
It was not immediately known if @ @ @ @ @ Puerto Rico Police Chief Henry Escalera said León has been temporarily suspended from the department @

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Bill Gates Compares People Who Won't Wear Masks To 'Nudists'

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Monday questioned the logic behind some Americans ’ refusal to wear masks to protect against the spread of COVID-19 , jokingly comparing them to nudists on his new podcast .
On the first episode of “ Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions , ” a limited podcast series , Gates and Jones discussed the politicization of masks in America .
Gates called the backlash against them “ such a weird thing.
” “ I mean what are these , like , nudists ?
” asked Gates , who has committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through his foundation .
“ We ask you to wear pants and , you know , no American says — or very few Americans say — that that ’ s , like , some terrible thing.
” “ Right , ” said Jones .
“ If you want to get back to normal life any time sooner , wear a mask , or don ’ t wear a mask and stay at home .
... You kind of have to just deal with what it is.
” She went on to ask why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we thought masks were not effective ?
That ’ s what I don ’ t understand.
” “ The evidence ” that “ a simple mask for the masses ... including people who are spreading without knowing it ” was available as early as April , Gates responded .
“ Now it ’ s overwhelmingly clear that the upside is gigantic , ” he added , going on to reference an October study done by the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation .
The research “ actually shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , how many deaths we would avoid .
...
It ’ s over 100,000 deaths.
” Gates and Jones also spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease , who stressed that straightforward measures — like mask-wearing and social distancing — are what will be needed in moving toward a post-coronavirus world .
“ You absolutely have to do things that sound so simple that people think they ’ re maybe not relevant , ” Fauci said .
“ Wearing a mask , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being outdoors as much as you possibly can — weather permitted — and washing your hands .
We have seen what happens when you don ’ t do that by the very unfortunate experiences that have become very public now in the United States .
”

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Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Monday questioned the logic behind some Americans’ refusal to wear masks to protect against the spread of COVID-19, jokingly comparing them to nudists on his new podcast.
On the first episode of “Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions,” a limited podcast series, Gates and Jones discussed the politicization of masks in America. Gates called the backlash against them “such a weird thing.”
Advertisement
“I mean what are these, like, nudists?” asked Gates, who has committed millions of dollars to coronavirus vaccine research through his foundation. “We ask you to wear pants and, you know, no American says — or very few Americans say — that that’s, like, some terrible thing.”
“Right,” said Jones. “If you want to get back to normal life any time sooner, wear a mask, or don’t wear a mask and stay at home. ... You kind of have to just deal with what it is.”
She went on to ask why there was “ever a time when we thought masks were not effective? That’s what I don’t understand.”
“The evidence” that “a simple mask for the masses ... including people who are spreading without knowing it” was available as early as April, Gates responded.
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“Now it’s overwhelmingly clear that the upside is gigantic,” he added, going on to reference an October study done by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The research “actually shows a projection that, if everybody wore masks, how many deaths we would avoid. ... It’s over 100,000 deaths.”
Gates and Jones also spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, who stressed that straightforward measures — like mask-wearing and social distancing — are what will be needed in moving toward a post-coronavirus world.
“You absolutely have to do things that sound so simple that people think they’re maybe not relevant,” Fauci said. “Wearing a mask, keeping a distance, avoiding crowds, being outdoors as much as you possibly can — weather permitted — and washing your hands. We have seen what happens when you don’t do that by the very unfortunate experiences that have become very public now in the United States.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Ex-Harvard Fencing Coach, Parent Charged In $1.5 Million Admissions Bribery Scheme

Harvard University ’ s former head fencing coach was charged Monday along with a parent in an alleged $ 1.5 million bribery scheme to get the businessman ’ s sons into the school as fencing recruits .
Peter Brand , 67 , and Jie “ Jack ” Zhao , 61 , who is a telecommunication CEO in Maryland , were arrested Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery , the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office in Massachusetts announced .
Authorities say Zhao made multiple payments either directly to Brand or for his personal benefit in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prestigious Massachusetts school as fencing recruits .
Both of Zhao ’ s sons would go on to enroll at the school in 2014 and 2017 , respectively .
“ Zhao allegedly paid for Brand ’ s car , made college tuition payments for Brand ’ s son , paid the mortgage on Brand ’ s [ Massachusetts ] residence , and later purchased the residence for well above its market value , thus allowing Brand to purchase a more expensive residence in Cambridge that Zhao then paid to renovate , ” prosecutors said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclose details of the payments to Harvard during the recruitment of Zhao ’ s sons , prosecutors said .
“ Jack Zhao ’ s children were academic stars in high school and internationally competitive fencers who obtained admission to Harvard on their own merit , ” Zhao ’ s attorney Bill Weinreb told HuffPost in an email .
“ Both of them fenced for Harvard at the Division One level throughout their college careers .
Mr. Zhao adamantly denies these charges and will vigorously contest them in court.
” Brand 's former house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was purchased by Jack Zhao in 2016 for hundreds of thousands of dollars above its market value .
Suspicions about the men ’ s financial dealings arose in 2019 after The Boston Globe revealed that in 2016 Zhao purchased Brand ’ s home in Needham , Massachusetts , for nearly $ 1 million .
This price was hundreds of thousands of dollars above the home ’ s $ 549,300 assessed market value .
Roughly five months later , Zhao ’ s younger son received a letter from Harvard informing him that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recruit .
“ Makes no sense , ” the town ’ s top assessor wrote in his notes following the home ’ s sale , according to the Globe .
Prosecutors also began investigating the men ’ s affairs last year and determined that Zhao in February 2013 donated $ 1 million to a fencing charity that authorities said was operated by a co-conspirator .
Later that year , Zhao ’ s older son was admitted to Harvard as a fencing recruit .
The charity later passed $ 100,000 of its funds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a charitable entity established by Brand and his wife .

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Harvard University’s former head fencing coach was charged Monday along with a parent in an alleged $1.5 million bribery scheme to get the businessman’s sons into the school as fencing recruits.
Peter Brand, 67, and Jie “Jack” Zhao, 61, who is a telecommunication CEO in Maryland, were arrested Monday on charges of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts announced.
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Authorities say Zhao made multiple payments either directly to Brand or for his personal benefit in exchange for his two sons’ admission to the prestigious Massachusetts school as fencing recruits. Both of Zhao’s sons would go on to enroll at the school in 2014 and 2017, respectively.
Former Harvard University fencing coach Peter Brand leaves a Boston courthouse on Monday after being arraigned and freed on bail. Boston Globe via Getty Images
“Zhao allegedly paid for Brand’s car, made college tuition payments for Brand’s son, paid the mortgage on Brand’s [Massachusetts] residence, and later purchased the residence for well above its market value, thus allowing Brand to purchase a more expensive residence in Cambridge that Zhao then paid to renovate,” prosecutors said in a release.
Brand did not disclose details of the payments to Harvard during the recruitment of Zhao’s sons, prosecutors said.
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Attorneys for both men, in statements to the media, denied the charges against them.
“Jack Zhao’s children were academic stars in high school and internationally competitive fencers who obtained admission to Harvard on their own merit,” Zhao’s attorney Bill Weinreb told HuffPost in an email. “Both of them fenced for Harvard at the Division One level throughout their college careers. Mr. Zhao adamantly denies these charges and will vigorously contest them in court.”
Brand's former house in Needham, Massachusetts, pictured, was purchased by Jack Zhao in 2016 for hundreds of thousands of dollars above its market value. Boston Globe via Getty Images
Suspicions about the men’s financial dealings arose in 2019 after The Boston Globe revealed that in 2016 Zhao purchased Brand’s home in Needham, Massachusetts, for nearly $1 million. This price was hundreds of thousands of dollars above the home’s $549,300 assessed market value. Roughly five months later, Zhao’s younger son received a letter from Harvard informing him that he was likely to be accepted as a fencing recruit.
“Makes no sense,” the town’s top assessor wrote in his notes following the home’s sale, according to the Globe.
The university launched an investigation shortly after the Globe’s report and dismissed Brand in June 2019 for violating the school’s conflict-of-interest policy.
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Brand, seen in March 2019, was dismissed by Harvard in June 2019 for violating the school’s conflict-of-interest policy. Jason Miller via Getty Images
Prosecutors also began investigating the men’s affairs last year and determined that Zhao in February 2013 donated $1 million to a fencing charity that authorities said was operated by a co-conspirator. Later that year, Zhao’s older son was admitted to Harvard as a fencing recruit. The charity later passed $100,000 of its funds to the Peter Brand Foundation, which is a charitable entity established by Brand and his wife.
The bribery conspiracy charge carries up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The charges against Zhao and Brand are separate from the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal, Operation Varsity Blues, which led to the conviction of multiple parents, including actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-17--Solar Companies Ask Biden To Reverse Trump’s Biggest Blow To The Industry

In January 2018 , President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on imported solar panels despite protests from much of the industry , sending jobs in one of the nation ’ s fastest-growing employment engines tumbling for the following two years .
Now the solar industry is asking President-elect Joe Biden to cut short what was widely seen as Trump ’ s biggest blow to solar energy during his single term .
The White House should have the legal authority to end the import fees unilaterally , despite the fact that courts blocked Trump ’ s efforts to amend his own tariffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , photovoltaics that harvest energy from the sun on both sides of the equipment .
“ We are asking the president-elect to remove those tariffs a year early because we don ’ t think it was having the policy objective at least our current president was looking for , ” she added .
Trump enacted the 30 % tariffs , which declined at a 5 % rate per year , as an opening shot in what became a larger trade war with China by the end of 2018 .
On the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving the small U.S. solar manufacturing sector a chance to compete against Asian rivals that enjoy lower labor costs and more generous government support .
Yet more than two dozen U.S. solar manufacturers publicly urged the Trump administration not to implement the tariffs .
Instead , the White House sided with the subsidiaries of two foreign-owned solar companies that had requested the tariffs ― Georgia-based Suniva , which was owned by a Chinese company , and SolarWorld , the Oregon-based division of a German panel manufacturer .
The effect of the tariffs was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up new solar module plants in the U.S. , but other factories closed , the trade publication GreenTechMedia reported .
In an industry where three-quarters of Americans work in installation and wholesale ― sectors bolstered by cheap imported panels ― the tariffs forfeited 62,000 jobs and $ 19 billion in investment , according to an analysis SEIA released last December .
“ We have had numerous conversations with the transition team about this , ” Hopper said of Biden officials .
“ It ’ s a thing we ’ ve raised and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been so impactful on our industry.
” Other concerns included in the nine-page wish list SEIA released Tuesday include appointing renewable-friendly commissioners to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission , increasing solar use at federal agencies and making it easier to permit solar projects on public lands .
We are asking the president-elect to remove those tariffs a year early because we don ’ t think it was having the policy objective at least our current president was looking for .
While the White House may have the authority to go it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s other top priority will require Congress .
SEIA is hoping Congress will extend the solar investment tax credit , the federal incentive that has long fueled the industry ’ s growth .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) , whose party looks likely to hold a narrow majority in the chamber next year , has signaled he won ’ t support including Democratic legislative priorities in the next stimulus bill to ward off a pandemic-induced economic depression .
But Hopper said extending the solar tax credit would likely garner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have that aren ’ t on the front page of a newspaper , there are many , many Republican senators who support solar , ” she said .
“ We have some concern , ” she said .
“ If something moves , we have a good chance of being in there , but there is obviously a pretty large divide as we sit here today on Nov. 17.
” Either way , the industry looks set to boom in the next decade .
Last month , the International Energy Agency declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” projecting that in the years to come , it would produce the cheapest power the world has ever seen .

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In January 2018, President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on imported solar panels despite protests from much of the industry, sending jobs in one of the nation’s fastest-growing employment engines tumbling for the following two years.
Now the solar industry is asking President-elect Joe Biden to cut short what was widely seen as Trump’s biggest blow to solar energy during his single term.
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On Tuesday, Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group representing more than 1,000 companies, said it wants the Biden administration to revoke the four-year tariffs a year early.
The White House should have the legal authority to end the import fees unilaterally, despite the fact that courts blocked Trump’s efforts to amend his own tariffs to remove an exemption for bifacial panels, photovoltaics that harvest energy from the sun on both sides of the equipment.
“Revoking an exclusion already granted and removing tariffs are two very different procedural policies,” Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and chief executive, said during a press call Tuesday morning.
“We are asking the president-elect to remove those tariffs a year early because we don’t think it was having the policy objective at least our current president was looking for,” she added.
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Luminalt solar installers Pam Quan and Walter Morales install solar panels on the roof of a home in San Francisco. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Trump enacted the 30% tariffs, which declined at a 5% rate per year, as an opening shot in what became a larger trade war with China by the end of 2018. On the face of it, his decision appeared aimed at giving the small U.S. solar manufacturing sector a chance to compete against Asian rivals that enjoy lower labor costs and more generous government support.
Yet more than two dozen U.S. solar manufacturers publicly urged the Trump administration not to implement the tariffs. Instead, the White House sided with the subsidiaries of two foreign-owned solar companies that had requested the tariffs ― Georgia-based Suniva, which was owned by a Chinese company, and SolarWorld, the Oregon-based division of a German panel manufacturer.
The effect of the tariffs was mixed. Roughly half a dozen companies set up new solar module plants in the U.S., but other factories closed, the trade publication GreenTechMedia reported. In an industry where three-quarters of Americans work in installation and wholesale ― sectors bolstered by cheap imported panels ― the tariffs forfeited 62,000 jobs and $19 billion in investment, according to an analysis SEIA released last December.
“We have had numerous conversations with the transition team about this,” Hopper said of Biden officials. “It’s a thing we’ve raised and continue to raise with them because it’s been so impactful on our industry.”
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Other concerns included in the nine-page wish list SEIA released Tuesday include appointing renewable-friendly commissioners to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, increasing solar use at federal agencies and making it easier to permit solar projects on public lands.
“We are asking the president-elect to remove those tariffs a year early because we don’t think it was having the policy objective at least our current president was looking for.” - Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association
While the White House may have the authority to go it alone on those issues, the industry’s other top priority will require Congress. SEIA is hoping Congress will extend the solar investment tax credit, the federal incentive that has long fueled the industry’s growth.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whose party looks likely to hold a narrow majority in the chamber next year, has signaled he won’t support including Democratic legislative priorities in the next stimulus bill to ward off a pandemic-induced economic depression. But Hopper said extending the solar tax credit would likely garner bipartisan support.
“In conversations that we have that aren’t on the front page of a newspaper, there are many, many Republican senators who support solar,” she said.
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Whether the tax credit is included in the stimulus bill, she said, depends on how broad the legislation will be.
“We have some concern,” she said. “If something moves, we have a good chance of being in there, but there is obviously a pretty large divide as we sit here today on Nov. 17.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--I Lost My Dad To COVID-19. I'm Begging You, Please Stay Home This Holiday Season.

Just a few months earlier , we had placed my father in a nearby memory care facility because my mother could no longer handle his care at home herself .
Sunday night dinners now required a few extra planning steps : My mom would arrange to pick my dad up from his new home and .
bring him to the house they ’ d shared together , and we ’ d show up soon thereafter .
My kids would rush over to the toy cabinet in the family room and share books and games with their beloved “ Pop-Pop , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d make with his finger and mouth after giving one of his grandchildren a kiss .
After considering all the dinner options , we often agreed to order the dishes my dad wanted .
Sunday night dinners were filled with a new urgency , as we tried to savor the time while he still remembered all of us .
Given our close proximity to each other , the sharing of typical winter germs was inevitable , and my mom and I had both developed a cough at the end of February .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give my dad a kiss for fear of passing on anything unpleasant .
After giving him a quick hug , I shouted goodbye from the dining room as he put his coat on .
I can ’ t even remember if I told him I loved him .
My mother , who had been accustomed to visiting him every day , started to worry about what might happen inside the facility .
She called frequently to check on his status , wrote letters for staff members to read to him , and kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it back and forth until she realized she ought to stay home , too .
The crushing sadness that accompanied my dad ’ s death was compounded by the absence of normal rituals in grieving for him .
Every aspect of his death felt surreal : I said goodbye to him via FaceTime just hours before he died .
His graveside funeral was attended only by my mother , our rabbi , the funeral home and cemetery coordinators , and the gravediggers in full hazmat suits .
There was no celebration of life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits .
In the days and weeks that followed , I kept wondering , Did it really happen ?
Is he really gone ?
We were sick before most people in the country knew that the pandemic already had its foothold in several major metropolitan areas like ours .
We never imagined we might be passing on something that could be fatal to our most vulnerable family member .
We found out that other residents and staff members at the facility tested positive , and since safety protocols for nursing homes were evolving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely possible that staff brought it into the community and infected residents like my dad .
But the chance that I or my mom , or my husband and kids who showed no signs of illness at the time , could have been the catalyst in my dad ’ s illness has demonstrated how essential it is to adapt our actions as a family ― and as a greater human community ― to protect ourselves , our loved ones and everyone we come into contact with .
As a result of this surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more protective measures to flatten the curve , with some reinstating stay-at-home orders , shutdowns and partial shutdowns .
Indoor dining has been marked as a high-risk activity , with increased chance of transmitting the virus .
Regardless of the venue , spending time with family members and friends who are not members of your household and gathering in large groups are considered high-risk activities , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Despite all this , almost 40 % of people in the U.S. said they plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this holiday season , according to a survey from Ohio State University .
Many of them will be traveling to attend these gatherings , opening themselves up to exposure and transmission during their journeys , and potentially transporting the virus to or from their destinations .
We bypass these truths with emotional appeals like I really miss my mom and dad after being away at college or I ’ m not sure if I ’ ll get to see my grandma again .
But if we keep making excuses for our selfish desires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to rise .
When our own physical proximity to our families puts their lives at risk , that type of demonstrative love can not be justified .
If I had known that my illness possessed the potential to induce long-term health complications in my dad , much less cause his death , I would have stayed away .
I don ’ t want anyone else to wonder if they , or the gathering they attend this holiday season , is responsible for a loved one ’ s illness or death .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put our own wants and needs aside .
I know it has been such a long and isolating slog so far , rife with every kind of hardship imaginable .
It ’ s been depressing to have to cease so many activities that we enjoyed in our “ normal ” lives .
But the return to normal will be indefinitely prolonged if we act as if the pandemic isn ’ t happening .

The author and her dad, Norm, celebrating her grandmother's 90th birthday in Arizona in 2008. Courtesy of Katie Colt
Under normal circumstances, the holidays are a time for visiting family members to share special moments, celebrate cherished traditions and give gifts. But this holiday season, amid the sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., the best gift you can give your family and friends is to stay at home. You just may save their lives.
In early March of this year, my husband, two kids and I gathered at my parents’ house like we had a hundred times before, ordering Chinese food takeout and swapping stories from the week. We’ve been fortunate to live close to my parents for the last couple of years, moving back to the suburb I grew up in as my dad’s dementia progressed quickly.
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Just a few months earlier, we had placed my father in a nearby memory care facility because my mother could no longer handle his care at home herself. Sunday night dinners now required a few extra planning steps: My mom would arrange to pick my dad up from his new home and. bring him to the house they’d shared together, and we’d show up soon thereafter.
My kids would rush over to the toy cabinet in the family room and share books and games with their beloved “Pop-Pop,” nicknamed for the sound he’d make with his finger and mouth after giving one of his grandchildren a kiss. After considering all the dinner options, we often agreed to order the dishes my dad wanted. Sunday night dinners were filled with a new urgency, as we tried to savor the time while he still remembered all of us.
This visit was a bit different than usual. My husband, kids and I had been staying with my mom during a renovation project at our house, and my dad was confused about the fact that we’d be staying at his former house when he left it later that evening.
Given our close proximity to each other, the sharing of typical winter germs was inevitable, and my mom and I had both developed a cough at the end of February. Since my cough lingered, I declined to give my dad a kiss for fear of passing on anything unpleasant. After giving him a quick hug, I shouted goodbye from the dining room as he put his coat on. I can’t even remember if I told him I loved him.
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Mere days after that dinner together, life as we knew it began to change rapidly with news of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. My son’s preschool shut down, state health officials began talking of a stay-at-home order, and my dad’s memory care facility closed its doors to visitors.
My mother, who had been accustomed to visiting him every day, started to worry about what might happen inside the facility. She called frequently to check on his status, wrote letters for staff members to read to him, and kept doing his laundry at home and ferrying it back and forth until she realized she ought to stay home, too.
In early April, my mother received a call from the memory care facility that my dad had tested positive for COVID-19. Two weeks later, he was dead.
The crushing sadness that accompanied my dad’s death was compounded by the absence of normal rituals in grieving for him. Every aspect of his death felt surreal: I said goodbye to him via FaceTime just hours before he died. His graveside funeral was attended only by my mother, our rabbi, the funeral home and cemetery coordinators, and the gravediggers in full hazmat suits. There was no celebration of life, no gathering, no in-person condolence visits. In the days and weeks that followed, I kept wondering, Did it really happen? Is he really gone?
What I’ll never know — and what I’ll always wonder — is whether my mom and I were the unknowingly infectious COVID-19 carriers who led to my dad’s death.
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We were sick before most people in the country knew that the pandemic already had its foothold in several major metropolitan areas like ours. We never imagined we might be passing on something that could be fatal to our most vulnerable family member. We found out that other residents and staff members at the facility tested positive, and since safety protocols for nursing homes were evolving at the time, it’s entirely possible that staff brought it into the community and infected residents like my dad.
But the chance that I or my mom, or my husband and kids who showed no signs of illness at the time, could have been the catalyst in my dad’s illness has demonstrated how essential it is to adapt our actions as a family ― and as a greater human community ― to protect ourselves, our loved ones and everyone we come into contact with.
That is why we all should worry about spending time with loved ones this season. As more people share space indoors during colder months, the numbers of coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths have soared. Daily counts of new cases are at an all-time high, skyrocketing in nearly every place where people live in the U.S.
As a result of this surge, local and state governments are calling for more protective measures to flatten the curve, with some reinstating stay-at-home orders, shutdowns and partial shutdowns. Indoor dining has been marked as a high-risk activity, with increased chance of transmitting the virus. Regardless of the venue, spending time with family members and friends who are not members of your household and gathering in large groups are considered high-risk activities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Despite all this, almost 40% of people in the U.S. said they plan to attend family gatherings of 10 or more this holiday season, according to a survey from Ohio State University. Many of them will be traveling to attend these gatherings, opening themselves up to exposure and transmission during their journeys, and potentially transporting the virus to or from their destinations.
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The problem with sharing indoor space with ANYONE this season, let alone our nearest and dearest, is that there’s no 100% foolproof way to protect each other from sharing air, and therefore sharing the virus. It’s not socially distant if you’re sitting together inside, passing platters and bowls of food, breathing the same air that isn’t being efficiently replaced.
Even if you eat outside and wear masks at all other times, if you’re sleeping in the same house, using the same bathroom and touching the same surfaces, an incalculable risk of transmission still exists.
We bypass these truths with emotional appeals like I really miss my mom and dad after being away at college or I’m not sure if I’ll get to see my grandma again. But if we keep making excuses for our selfish desires, the rate of infection will just continue to rise. When our own physical proximity to our families puts their lives at risk, that type of demonstrative love cannot be justified.
If I had known that my illness possessed the potential to induce long-term health complications in my dad, much less cause his death, I would have stayed away. I don’t want anyone else to wonder if they, or the gathering they attend this holiday season, is responsible for a loved one’s illness or death.
My wish for everyone this season is to put our own wants and needs aside. I know it has been such a long and isolating slog so far, rife with every kind of hardship imaginable. It’s been depressing to have to cease so many activities that we enjoyed in our “normal” lives. But the return to normal will be indefinitely prolonged if we act as if the pandemic isn’t happening.
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When we do that, the virus continues to move silently among us — between family members, friends, restaurant employees and their diners, grocery store workers and their customers, airline pilots and stewards and their passengers — wreaking havoc on the bodies of those who were already vulnerable and those we had no idea would be.
My husband’s father and stepmother usually visit each summer for a few months, spending time with all of their grandchildren. But scared by the high test positivity rates in Chicago compared to their South Carolina town, and their own risk due to underlying health conditions, they opted to stay home this summer. A couple of weeks ago on a FaceTime call, however, they mentioned they were thinking of coming for Thanksgiving.
Please don’t come, my husband and I pleaded, mentioning the rising test positivity rate. We love you, which is why we need you to stay away this year.
If my dad were still alive, I wouldn’t be seeing him in person this holiday season either. We’d share memories over the phone; I’d write him festive letters and send him themed artwork from the kids. Maybe I’d even get to wave to him through the window of his room at the memory care facility. I’d keep my distance because my distance could protect our futures.
Since I no longer have a next year with my dad, but you might with your parents or family members, please do your part to protect those whom you love — and those whom you might not even know — and stay home.
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