thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Trump Lashes Out After Mitch McConnell Congratulates Biden: 'Too Soon To Give Up'

President Donald Trump called out Sen. Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) in a frenzied tweet on Wednesday , one day after the Senate majority leader finally acknowledged the victory of President-elect Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election .
In his tweet , Trump shared a report from The Daily Mail detailing how some of his supporters — like former aide Sebastian Gorka and right-wing broadcaster Nick Fuentes — criticized McConnell for congratulating Biden .
The president stressed that he had received 75 million votes , said it was “ too soon to give up ” and added that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight.
” Trump actually received about 74.2 million votes , with Biden surpassing him to hit 81.2 million .
Trump has alleged without evidence that many of these votes were “ fraudulently or illegally obtained.
” Trump 's allies slam Mitch McConnell for congratulating Biden https : //t.co/ak9nu6420L via @ MailOnline .
Mitch , 75,000,000 VOTES , a record for a sitting President ( by a lot ) .
Too soon to give up .
Republican Party must finally learn to fight .
People are angry !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially refused to acknowledge Biden ’ s victory , but publicly congratulated the president-elect and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Tuesday — a full 42 days after the election — after the Electoral College made their wins official one day prior .
“ Our system of government has processes to determine who will be sworn in on January the 20 .
The Electoral College has spoken , ” McConnell said at the time , acknowledging Biden ’ s and Harris ’ previous experience with the Senate as well as Harris ’ status as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell said that Trump was “ 100 % within his rights ” to challenge “ major irregularities ” in the election results .
His slow acknowledgement of Biden and Harris ’ victory drew particularly pointed criticism from CNN host Anderson Cooper on Tuesday , who said that McConnell ’ s congratulations was nothing more than the “ bare minimum .
”

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President Donald Trump called out Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in a frenzied tweet on Wednesday, one day after the Senate majority leader finally acknowledged the victory of President-elect Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election.
In his tweet, Trump shared a report from The Daily Mail detailing how some of his supporters — like former aide Sebastian Gorka and right-wing broadcaster Nick Fuentes — criticized McConnell for congratulating Biden. The president stressed that he had received 75 million votes, said it was “too soon to give up” and added that the “Republican Party must finally learn to fight.”
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Trump actually received about 74.2 million votes, with Biden surpassing him to hit 81.2 million. Trump has alleged without evidence that many of these votes were “fraudulently or illegally obtained.”
Trump's allies slam Mitch McConnell for congratulating Biden https://t.co/ak9nu6420L via @MailOnline. Mitch, 75,000,000 VOTES, a record for a sitting President (by a lot). Too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2020
McConnell initially refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory, but publicly congratulated the president-elect and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Tuesday — a full 42 days after the election — after the Electoral College made their wins official one day prior.
“Our system of government has processes to determine who will be sworn in on January the 20. The Electoral College has spoken,” McConnell said at the time, acknowledging Biden’s and Harris’ previous experience with the Senate as well as Harris’ status as the first female vice-president.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Twitter Users Mock Trump For Griping About 'Endless Negative' Ads On Fox News

Donald Trump ’ s relationship with Fox News ― once the cable network so dear to his heart ― continued to deteriorate on Wednesday , as the president railed against what he termed its “ endless negative and unedited commercials.
” Although it ’ s unknown exactly which ads so annoyed him , it ’ s become crystal clear he doesn ’ t appreciate the willingness of at least some of the network ’ s journalists and commentators to recognize that Joe Biden defeated him in November ’ s election .
Trump and his minions became especially irritated with Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Biden the winner of Arizona ― a projection other outlets hesitated to make for several days but that ultimately proved correct .
The president gave further vent to his anger with his Wednesday tweet that , per usual , was over the top ( Fox News is nowhere near dead ) .
Can ’ t believe how badly @ FoxNews is doing in the ratings .
They played right into the hands of the Radical Left Democrats , & now are floating in limboland .
Hiring fired @ donnabraziIe , and far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercials .
@ FoxNews is dead .
Really Sad !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 16 , 2020 Regardless of the merits of his post , many Twitter users thought the president ― even with his days in office nearing an end ― might have other priorities than the ratings of a cable network or the content of its commercials .
3,000 Americans died of covid-19 yesterday , the same number as were killed on September 11th .
Congress is nearing a $ 900 billion relief bill to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hungry or face eviction .
Trump is focused TV ratings .
What a pathetic , small man .
https : //t.co/LSU2OFWotb — Brian Klaas ( @ brianklaas ) December 16 , 2020 People are dying at a rate of 1-2 every 30 seconds right now .
People are lined up in miles-long lines around the country so their kids do n't go hungry .
People are going homeless daily .
All while we are the richest country & Trump is talking about freaking ratings .
Really Sad !
https : //t.co/pougDfgC6B — Russell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 16 , 2020 Some pointed out the irony of a lame duck president declaring something is past its prime .
It is sad to watch in real time how unhinged @ realdonaldtrump is now - to even people like myself who are not fans of his .
It is also said to watch his obvious grift and pre production efforts to set up Trump TV - in which he attacks Fox News and almost everyone else .
https : //t.co/0k9yEabjjo — Dougie Kass ( @ DougKass ) December 16 , 2020 We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the election .
The lowest opinion ratings of any president and then he allowed Covid to kill a third of a million people .
His legacy is a mound of bodies higher than Mount Rushmore # MountRushmoreBodyMound https : //t.co/K74RKHYAaP https : //t.co/tYYGf3rwiY — Will Black ( @ WillBlackWriter ) December 16 , 2020 Many people were confused by Trump ’ s rant against the network ’ s ads .
I do n't normally do this so forgive me when I ask , what 's an `` unedited commercial '' ?
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably the most edited thing on TV .
https : //t.co/c37rt1ydDG — Nathan Martin ( @ Editwithmouse ) December 16 , 2020 But one man needed only three words to deftly sum up the gist of Trump ’ s tweet .

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Donald Trump’s relationship with Fox News ― once the cable network so dear to his heart ― continued to deteriorate on Wednesday, as the president railed against what he termed its “endless negative and unedited commercials.”
Although it’s unknown exactly which ads so annoyed him, it’s become crystal clear he doesn’t appreciate the willingness of at least some of the network’s journalists and commentators to recognize that Joe Biden defeated him in November’s election.
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Trump and his minions became especially irritated with Fox News on election night when its prognosticators called Biden the winner of Arizona ― a projection other outlets hesitated to make for several days but that ultimately proved correct.
The president gave further vent to his anger with his Wednesday tweet that, per usual, was over the top (Fox News is nowhere near dead).
Can’t believe how badly @FoxNews is doing in the ratings. They played right into the hands of the Radical Left Democrats, & now are floating in limboland. Hiring fired @donnabraziIe, and far worse, allowing endless negative and unedited commercials. @FoxNews is dead. Really Sad! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2020
Regardless of the merits of his post, many Twitter users thought the president ― even with his days in office nearing an end ― might have other priorities than the ratings of a cable network or the content of its commercials.
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3,000 Americans died of covid-19 yesterday, the same number as were killed on September 11th. Congress is nearing a $900 billion relief bill to help the millions of Americans who are going hungry or face eviction. Trump is focused TV ratings. What a pathetic, small man. https://t.co/LSU2OFWotb — Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) December 16, 2020
People are dying at a rate of 1-2 every 30 seconds right now.
People are lined up in miles-long lines around the country so their kids don't go hungry.
People are going homeless daily.
All while we are the richest country & Trump is talking about freaking ratings. Really Sad! https://t.co/pougDfgC6B — Russell Foster for Texas (@RussellFosterTX) December 16, 2020
Some pointed out the irony of a lame duck president declaring something is past its prime.
It is sad to watch in real time how unhinged @realdonaldtrump is now - to even people like myself who are not fans of his.
It is also said to watch his obvious grift and pre production efforts to set up Trump TV - in which he attacks Fox News and almost everyone else. https://t.co/0k9yEabjjo — Dougie Kass (@DougKass) December 16, 2020
We can believe how badly Donald Trump did in the election. The lowest opinion ratings of any president and then he allowed Covid to kill a third of a million people.
His legacy is a mound of bodies higher than Mount Rushmore #MountRushmoreBodyMound https://t.co/K74RKHYAaP https://t.co/tYYGf3rwiY — Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) December 16, 2020
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Many people were confused by Trump’s rant against the network’s ads.
I don't normally do this so forgive me when I ask,
what's an "unedited commercial"?
Because as an editor, a commercial is probably the most edited thing on TV. https://t.co/c37rt1ydDG — Nathan Martin (@Editwithmouse) December 16, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Lawmakers Near Deal On COVID-19 Relief, Including Stimulus Checks

After two rounds of negotiations Tuesday , House and Senate leaders are near a deal on a big COVID-19 relief bill that would include another round of stimulus checks and an extra $ 300 per week in unemployment benefits .
The possible deal is a huge breakthrough in Washington , after what has been half a year of stalemate between lawmakers and President Donald Trump ’ s administration over how to give Americans financial relief during the pandemic .
The outline includes direct payments to Americans , but likely less than the $ 1,200 checks sent out over the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the talks .
The compromise also omits the “ liability shield , ” a ban on personal injury lawsuits related to coronavirus exposure that had been sought by Republicans , and cuts the pot of money to help state and local governments make up projected tax revenue shortfalls caused by the pandemic recession , which Democrats had insisted on until now .
“ We made major headway toward hammering out a targeted pandemic relief package that would be able to pass both chambers with bipartisan majorities , ” McConnell said on the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t leave Washington until they pass the legislation .
Negotiations over coronavirus aid were reinvigorated early this month when a bipartisan group of lawmakers , led by Sens .
Joe Manchin ( D-W.V . )
and Susan Collins ( R-Maine ) , among others , unveiled a proposal that allocated $ 908 billion toward the relief effort , but notably did not include another round of the extremely popular $ 1,200 direct payment checks .
The deal between congressional leaders does not include exactly the same unemployment proposal that the original bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A third source with knowledge of the agreement said it would include the extra $ 300 per week in unemployment benefits that the group had negotiated , but the extra money would last only for three months — one month less than the original compromise proposal had suggested .
The $ 300 is far less than the $ 600 addition that was passed in the spring , but still more than the federal government has ever added to benefits before 2020 .
The previous deal would have reauthorized federal programs for gig workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it would also have provided an additional 16 weeks of eligibility for people who use up their state and federal benefits , as 4 million workers already have .
But the new agreement would continue federal programs for just three months , the source said , to offset the cost of another round of stimulus checks .
“ There ’ s no reason whatsoever to pay for relief checks by cutting the incomes of jobless workers , ” Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , the top Democrat on the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We obviously wouldn ’ t set an arbitrary date to cut off access to the vaccine while COVID is still raging , so why does Mitch McConnell get to sabotage the economic recovery by cutting support for working people and setting arbitrary expirations ?
” “ You can ’ t tell me you can ’ t find $ 300 billion for working families .
You just can ’ t tell me that isn ’ t possible , ” Hawley told reporters last week .
The first round of $ 1,200 stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion .
“ It ’ s irresponsible and reckless that Schumer wants to take money from American taxpayers and use it to save liberal politicians like Governor Cuomo from the consequences of their poor budget choices , ” Sen. Rick Scott ( R-Fla. ) said in a statement over the summer .
“ Survival payments are incredible , and wouldn ’ t have been possible without progressives , But basic services in cities across the country can ’ t survive without local aid.
” said Bill Neidhardt , New York City Mayor Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus that ignores cities and states is a stimulus that ignores the pain of the working class who depend , more than ever , on the services we provide .
”

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After two rounds of negotiations Tuesday, House and Senate leaders are near a deal on a big COVID-19 relief bill that would include another round of stimulus checks and an extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits.
The possible deal is a huge breakthrough in Washington, after what has been half a year of stalemate between lawmakers and President Donald Trump’s administration over how to give Americans financial relief during the pandemic.
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The outline includes direct payments to Americans, but likely less than the $1,200 checks sent out over the summer, according to two sources familiar with the talks. The compromise also omits the “liability shield,” a ban on personal injury lawsuits related to coronavirus exposure that had been sought by Republicans, and cuts the pot of money to help state and local governments make up projected tax revenue shortfalls caused by the pandemic recession, which Democrats had insisted on until now.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) met Tuesday evening with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to hammer out the deal, the first meeting of the “four corners” on pandemic relief after months of stalemate.
“We made major headway toward hammering out a targeted pandemic relief package that would be able to pass both chambers with bipartisan majorities,” McConnell said on the Senate Floor Wednesday, adding that lawmakers wouldn’t leave Washington until they pass the legislation.
Negotiations over coronavirus aid were reinvigorated early this month when a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), among others, unveiled a proposal that allocated $908 billion toward the relief effort, but notably did not include another round of the extremely popular $1,200 direct payment checks.
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) met Tuesday with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to hammer out the deal, the first meeting of the “four corners” on pandemic relief after months of stalemate. Hannah Mckay/Reuters
The deal between congressional leaders does not include exactly the same unemployment proposal that the original bipartisan group of lawmakers had hammered out. A third source with knowledge of the agreement said it would include the extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits that the group had negotiated, but the extra money would last only for three months — one month less than the original compromise proposal had suggested. The $300 is far less than the $600 addition that was passed in the spring, but still more than the federal government has ever added to benefits before 2020.
The previous deal would have reauthorized federal programs for gig workers and the long-term jobless for four months, and it would also have provided an additional 16 weeks of eligibility for people who use up their state and federal benefits, as 4 million workers already have. But the new agreement would continue federal programs for just three months, the source said, to offset the cost of another round of stimulus checks.
“There’s no reason whatsoever to pay for relief checks by cutting the incomes of jobless workers,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement. “We obviously wouldn’t set an arbitrary date to cut off access to the vaccine while COVID is still raging, so why does Mitch McConnell get to sabotage the economic recovery by cutting support for working people and setting arbitrary expirations?”
The addition of another round of direct payments followed intense lobbying from progressive lawmakers, and one Republican, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Hawley partnered with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to propose adding direct payments to the original $908 billion compromise proposal.
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“You can’t tell me you can’t find $300 billion for working families. You just can’t tell me that isn’t possible,” Hawley told reporters last week. The first round of $1,200 stimulus checks cost the government roughly $280 billion.
The Trump administration did support adding in $600 in stimulus checks last week, but Democrats rejected the offer because of the administration’s failure to include a supplemental federal unemployment benefit.
Besides shortening the supplement federal unemployment benefits, congressional leaders used $180 billion in missing state and local aid to offset the cost of stimulus checks. Conservative lawmakers have long decried the funding as a “bailout” for blue states.
“It’s irresponsible and reckless that Schumer wants to take money from American taxpayers and use it to save liberal politicians like Governor Cuomo from the consequences of their poor budget choices,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said in a statement over the summer.
State and local governments are already voicing their concerns about Congress’ decision to leave out that aid.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Nancy Pelosi Gives Biden Her Blessing To Pick Deb Haaland For Interior Secretary

Under that scenario , the maximum amount of time from her resignation to a special election would be roughly three months .
There would be a single election ( no primaries ) between candidates chosen by each of the state ’ s political parties .
And New Mexico ’ s 1st Congressional District , which Haaland represents , is solidly Democratic : Biden won it by 23 percentage points in November .
Pelosi ’ s latest statement suggests that whatever obstacle she and House Democratic leaders may have presented to Biden picking Haaland is gone .
If Haaland is chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ d be the first Native American Cabinet secretary .
She would bring her experience as chairwoman of a House Natural Resources subcommittee with oversight authority for the Interior Department .
Her selection would also reflect the will of tribes all over the country , who have been privately and publicly urging Biden to nominate her .
On a Wednesday call with reporters , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-Md . )
strongly pushed back on the idea that he had been advising Biden ’ s team against tapping Haaland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not talked to one single person in the administration about Deb Haaland , ” Hoyer said .
“ I am a very close and dear friend of Deb Haaland ’ s .
I think she is a wonderful , smart , effective leader .
And I think she would be an excellent pick .
... Any assertion that I have spoken to the administration about any one of the candidates [ for Cabinet posts ] is incorrect .
False .
Made up .
”

Under that scenario, the maximum amount of time from her resignation to a special election would be roughly three months. There would be a single election (no primaries) between candidates chosen by each of the state’s political parties. And New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, which Haaland represents, is solidly Democratic: Biden won it by 23 percentage points in November.
Pelosi’s latest statement suggests that whatever obstacle she and House Democratic leaders may have presented to Biden picking Haaland is gone.
If Haaland is chosen and confirmed, it would be historic. She’d be the first Native American Cabinet secretary. She would bring her experience as chairwoman of a House Natural Resources subcommittee with oversight authority for the Interior Department. Her selection would also reflect the will of tribes all over the country, who have been privately and publicly urging Biden to nominate her. On a Wednesday call with reporters, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) strongly pushed back on the idea that he had been advising Biden’s team against tapping Haaland for the job.
“I have not talked to one single person in the administration about Deb Haaland,” Hoyer said. “I am a very close and dear friend of Deb Haaland’s. I think she is a wonderful, smart, effective leader. And I think she would be an excellent pick. ... Any assertion that I have spoken to the administration about any one of the candidates [for Cabinet posts] is incorrect. False. Made up.”
He added, “Is that pretty definitive?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--FDA Says Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Vials Could Have 2 Extra Doses In Them

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday vials of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine may contain up to 40 % more doses than originally thought , meaning medical officials could potentially use the limited supplies on hand to inoculate many more people against the coronavirus .
Politico first reported the news as thousands of Americans around the U.S. began receiving the first doses of Pfizer ’ s vaccine , a landmark step in the fight against the ongoing pandemic that has already infected millions .
The vials of the treatment are manufactured to hold five doses , but some may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or seventh dose .
“ At this time , given the public health emergency , FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable ( the sixth , or possibly even a seventh ) from each vial , pending resolution of the issue , ” a spokesperson for the FDA said .
“ However , since the vials are preservative free , it is critical to note that any further remaining product that does not constitute a full dose should not be pooled from multiple vials to create one.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports the vials had extra doses in them , but stressed each additional dose must meet a minimum level before it could be administered .
Lois Moore , a registered nurse and community resource manager with the Mississippi State Department of Health immunization program , loads up a syringe with the first round of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination this week .
“ At this time , we can not provide a recommendation on the use of the remaining amount of vaccine from each vial , ” the company said .
“ Vaccinators need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the use of multidose vials.
” The news comes amid a bleak period in the fight against COVID-19 .
More than 16 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus and more than 300,000 have now died .
Medical officials began vaccinating scores of health care officials on the front lines of the pandemic this week , as well as millions of elderly people in long-term care facilities .
A second vaccine , made by Moderna , was deemed by the FDA to be highly effective at preventing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soon as Friday .
Six million doses of that vaccine would be sent out in the days after .
The New York Times reports that at least 40 million doses of the two vaccines should be available by the end of the year , with much more coming in 2021 .
That figure is only enough for 20 million Americans , as each vaccine requires two injections to work .

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The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday vials of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine may contain up to 40% more doses than originally thought, meaning medical officials could potentially use the limited supplies on hand to inoculate many more people against the coronavirus.
Politico first reported the news as thousands of Americans around the U.S. began receiving the first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, a landmark step in the fight against the ongoing pandemic that has already infected millions. The vials of the treatment are manufactured to hold five doses, but some may have enough additional vaccine for a sixth or seventh dose.
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“At this time, given the public health emergency, FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable (the sixth, or possibly even a seventh) from each vial, pending resolution of the issue,” a spokesperson for the FDA said. “However, since the vials are preservative free, it is critical to note that any further remaining product that does not constitute a full dose should not be pooled from multiple vials to create one.”
Pfizer confirmed it was aware of reports the vials had extra doses in them, but stressed each additional dose must meet a minimum level before it could be administered.
Lois Moore, a registered nurse and community resource manager with the Mississippi State Department of Health immunization program, loads up a syringe with the first round of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination this week. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
“At this time, we cannot provide a recommendation on the use of the remaining amount of vaccine from each vial,” the company said. “Vaccinators need to consult their institution’s policies for the use of multidose vials.”
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The news comes amid a bleak period in the fight against COVID-19. More than 16 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus and more than 300,000 have now died.
Medical officials began vaccinating scores of health care officials on the front lines of the pandemic this week, as well as millions of elderly people in long-term care facilities.
A second vaccine, made by Moderna, was deemed by the FDA to be highly effective at preventing the coronavirus and could receive emergency use authorization as soon as Friday. Six million doses of that vaccine would be sent out in the days after.
The New York Times reports that at least 40 million doses of the two vaccines should be available by the end of the year, with much more coming in 2021. That figure is only enough for 20 million Americans, as each vaccine requires two injections to work.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--LGBTQ-Owned Kilt Company Slams Proud Boys For Appropriating Their Designs

A Virginia-based kilt retailer has expressed anger and disgust after members of a white supremacist , extremist street gang wore one of the company ’ s designs at the rally that backers of President Donald Trump held last weekend in Washington ― a gathering that at times turned violent .
Photos showing self-proclaimed Proud Boys in the yellow-and-black kilts appeared in national and international news outlets and on social media .
Members of the group , designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group , were among those at the Saturday rally that supported Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ rigged ” and that he actually won it .
At various points during the rally , several of the Proud Boys lifted up their kilts to moon the crowd , which revealed that they ’ d written “ Fuck Antifa ” on their butts in black marker .
It didn ’ t take long for Verillas , a Fredericksburg , Virginia-based retailer focused on “ embracing the kilt as a primary force in menswear , ” spotted the images .
By Saturday afternoon , company officials said they were “ disgusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their designs .
To offset the purchases the Proud Boys had made , Verillas announced it was making a $ 1,000 donation to the NAACP .
“ We ’ re LGBTQIA+ owned , operated , designed and lived , ” the company wrote on Twitter .
“ We ’ re against everything they stand for , ” referring to the Proud Boys .
Disgusted to see members of `` Proud Boys '' a fascist terrorist org wearing our products .
We 're LGBTQIA+ owned , operated , designed and lived .
We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see $ 750 of our gear in the picture - I just gave $ 1000 to the NAACP to redirect hate to love .
pic.twitter.com/eMdwW8Azrj — Verillas ( @ Verillas ) December 12 , 2020 In an interview with the BBC , Verillas owner Allister Greenbrier said he was “ appalled , angry and frustrated ” after seeing the company ’ s products embraced by the Proud Boys , who are prone to violence .
The men had identified themselves to Verillas staffers as a metal band when they came in to purchase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the brand ’ s Warmetal line , he said .
“ I can ’ t control who buys my product , ” Greenbrier , who is of Scottish descent , said .
“ But if they ’ re buying our product , they ’ re putting their money towards a good cause and I think they won ’ t be too happy when they find out they accidentally bought from a company that ’ s really fighting for the opposite of what they believe in.
” The yellow-and-black option of the Warmetal line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greenbrier said .
Customers who previously purchased the pattern and don ’ t want to be associated with the Proud Boys are entitled to a free exchange .
Founded in 2014 , Verillas has been unveiling special LGBTQ Pride-themed designs annually since 2018 .
The company has vowed to reintroduce the yellow-and-black Warmetal pattern with a slightly refreshed look “ in a way that can enhance our defiance .
”

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A Virginia-based kilt retailer has expressed anger and disgust after members of a white supremacist, extremist street gang wore one of the company’s designs at the rally that backers of President Donald Trump held last weekend in Washington ― a gathering that at times turned violent.
Photos showing self-proclaimed Proud Boys in the yellow-and-black kilts appeared in national and international news outlets and on social media. Members of the gang, designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group, were among those at the Saturday rally that supported Trump’s false claims that November’s election was “rigged” and that he actually won it.
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Proud Boys in kilts. Dozens of them gathering downtown now for today’s March for Trump. pic.twitter.com/BTJWmGC6Yp — Hannah Allam (@HannahAllam) December 12, 2020
At various points during the rally, several of the Proud Boys lifted up their kilts to moon the crowd, which revealed that they’d written “Fuck Antifa” on their butts in black marker.
Washington DC:
These “Proud Boys” wrote “fuck Antifa” on their asses today.
So many jokes...pic.twitter.com/OZm4UYRYWq — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) December 13, 2020
It didn’t take long for Verillas, a Fredericksburg, Virginia-based retailer focused on “embracing the kilt as a primary force in menswear,” spotted the images. By Saturday afternoon, company officials said they were “disgusted” to see the Proud Boys wearing their designs.
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To offset the purchases the Proud Boys had made, Verillas announced it was making a $1,000 donation to the NAACP.
“We’re LGBTQIA+ owned, operated, designed and lived,” the company wrote on Twitter. “We’re against everything they stand for,” referring to the Proud Boys.
Disgusted to see members of "Proud Boys" a fascist terrorist org wearing our products. We're LGBTQIA+ owned, operated, designed and lived. We're against everything they stand for. I see $750 of our gear in the picture - I just gave $1000 to the NAACP to redirect hate to love. pic.twitter.com/eMdwW8Azrj — Verillas (@Verillas) December 12, 2020
In an interview with the BBC, Verillas owner Allister Greenbrier said he was “appalled, angry and frustrated” after seeing the company’s products embraced by the Proud Boys, who are prone to violence. The men had identified themselves to Verillas staffers as a metal band when they came in to purchase the kilts, which were part of the brand’s Warmetal line, he said.
“I can’t control who buys my product,” Greenbrier, who is of Scottish descent, said. “But if they’re buying our product, they’re putting their money towards a good cause and I think they won’t be too happy when they find out they accidentally bought from a company that’s really fighting for the opposite of what they believe in.”
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The yellow-and-black option of the Warmetal line has since been removed from sale, Greenbrier said. Customers who previously purchased the pattern and don’t want to be associated with the Proud Boys are entitled to a free exchange.
“We want to turn hate into love,” he added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Kayleigh McEnany Says Trump 'Supports Life,' And It Didn't Go So Well

Trump 2004 - pitching to abort @ TiffanyATrump Marla said : Darling , I ` m so happy we ` @ @ @ @ @ child .
I said , excuse me , I didn ` t know about this @ @ @ @ @ the time it was like , excuse me , what happened & then I said @ @ @ @ @ we going to do about this ?
pic.twitter.com/cJbVbX8tzv

Trump 2004 - pitching to abort @TiffanyATrump
Marla said: Darling, I`m so happy we`re about to have a child. I said, excuse me, I didn`t know about this
But you know, at the time it was like, excuse me, what happened & then I said, well, what are we going to do about this? pic.twitter.com/cJbVbX8tzv


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--The Cleveland Indians Will Change Their Name. The Braves, Chiefs And Blackhawks Are Next.

For now , at least , the three holdouts have all pledged to keep their names , much as the owners of Cleveland ’ s baseball club and Washington ’ s football team had for years .
And their defenders , including President Donald Trump , are clinging to the same old arguments : that the names honor the people they depict , that there is too much history behind these arbitrarily chosen appellations to simply adopt new ones , and that any effort to change them is the latest incidence of cancel culture run amok .
Loeffler and Perdue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate , such that there is or should be one .
Still , the statement lays bare the emptiness of the claims on which the continued use of these mascots and team names rests , and gives away the ending to this particular story .
The franchise kept the moniker through a move to Milwaukee in 1953 and relocation to Atlanta 13 years later , but “ the Braves ” did not become “ an American institution , ” as Loeffler and Perdue assert they are , until the 1990s , when then-owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games on his TBS Superstation , allowing national audiences to watch Atlanta baseball each night .
They became popular across the South , and then across the country , thanks to geography , accessibility , and their “ Team of the ’ 90s ” success ― the name was merely an attachment loved because the team was adored first .
That ’ s not to say no one cared .
While it ’ s convenient for defenders of these names to pretend the controversy around them is a new product of “ cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the ’ 90s coincided with a resurgence of activism against Native mascots .
Protests and federal lawsuits against Washington ’ s football team soaked up most of the attention , but Atlanta and Cleveland also faced nightly demonstrations when they met in the 1995 World Series .
( “ We ’ re the only race of people that has sports mascots and sports teams named after them , ” Ken Rhyne , a co-director of the American Indian Movement , told Reuters at the time .
“ If it was the Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation like that , the stadium would be burned down overnight.
” ) Since then , Cleveland ’ s baseball club and the Washington Football Team have dominated the discussion about such mascots , largely because Washington ’ s name and Cleveland ’ s “ Chief Wahoo ” logo were self-evidently racist .
The former was a “ dictionary-defined racial slur , ” as activists called it .
The latter is a caricature no team would get away with adopting today , especially if it depicted any other racial or ethnic group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indians , the nation ’ s largest tribal organization and a longtime opponent of such names , has made in its campaigns against Chief Wahoo .
Cleveland owner Paul Dolan acknowledged that when he ruled out renaming his baseball team “ The Tribe ” in an interview with the Associated Press on Monday , and there is little need to re-litigate that argument in the cases of the other franchises .
Atlanta , Kansas City and Chicago have already tacitly admitted as much themselves .
This summer , as the debate kicked up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta said it would take steps to limit Tomahawk-related imagery and signage at Truist Park , the team ’ s stadium .
It also launched a study into whether the “ Tomahawk Chop ” was indeed everything Helsley ( and a generation of Native American activists ) had already said it was .
Chicago ’ s hockey team , meanwhile , said this summer that it would ban fans from wearing headdresses at its games , and that it would commit to investing in a Native American-owned cultural center in Illinois .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do more to educate fans about Native American culture and achievements that “ are not limited to history books and museums but thriving right now within our military , business , the arts and more.
” None of these teams deserve credit for the meager steps they have taken , and all three stopped short of the ultimate change : Kansas City said it would keep the “ Chiefs ” name ; Atlanta ’ s corporate owners said the team would “ always be known as the Atlanta Braves ; ” and Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the team ’ s name was meant to symbolize “ an important and historic person ” ― a member of the Sac and Fox Nation ― and that the use of the name fell on the right side of “ a fine line between respect and disrespect.
” The NHL 's Chicago Blackhawks have said they will keep their name , in the belief that it falls on the right side of “ a fine line between respect and disrespect.
” It 's an argument similar to those Washington 's NFL team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to justify their own inaction .
This , though , is the process playing out as it always has .
Cleveland ’ s baseball team and the Washington Football Team long argued ( dubiously , most likely ) that their names were originally chosen to honor specific Native Americans , and that as such they were signs of respect , rather than harmful caricatures .
They conducted “ studies ” meant to discover what Native Americans had already told them .
They posited that minimal financial contributions to tribal organizations and causes — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever-so-slightly less offensive — would make up for their refusal to meet the simplest of demands .
“ It was a learning process for me and I think when fair-minded , open-minded people really look at it , think about it and maybe even spend some time studying it , I like to think they would come to the same conclusion : It ’ s a name that had its time , but this is not the time now , and certainly going forward , the name is no longer acceptable in our @ @ @ @ @ @

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Now that the MLB’s Cleveland Indians have joined the NFL franchise formerly known as the Washington Redskins in dropping a racist team name that caricatures Native Americans, the pressure to join them has naturally shifted to the three other professional sports franchises that use similar monikers: the MLB’s Atlanta Braves, the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.
For now, at least, the three holdouts have all pledged to keep their names, much as the owners of Cleveland’s baseball club and Washington’s football team had for years. And their defenders, including President Donald Trump, are clinging to the same old arguments: that the names honor the people they depict, that there is too much history behind these arbitrarily chosen appellations to simply adopt new ones, and that any effort to change them is the latest incidence of cancel culture run amok.
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“We adamantly oppose any effort to rename the Atlanta Braves,” Georgia Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, both Republicans who are facing tough special election battles next month, wrote in a joint statement released Monday evening, before invoking the same trite defenses Washington, Cleveland and other franchises leaned on until they couldn’t anymore.
“Not only are the Braves a Georgia institution ... They’re an American institution,” the senators wrote. “The Braves’ name honors our nation’s Native American heritage, which should not be erased ― and under no circumstances should one of the most celebrated teams in sports cave to the demands of the cancel culture and the radical left.”
A man wears a shirt calling on Cleveland's baseball franchise to change its logo and name at a 2018 protest outside the team's stadium. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Loeffler and Perdue are far from honest participants in this debate, such that there is or should be one. Still, the statement lays bare the emptiness of the claims on which the continued use of these mascots and team names rests, and gives away the ending to this particular story.
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The team known as the Atlanta Braves adopted the name in 1912, while it still played in Boston. The Boston Braves, in a coincidental twist, were at least part of the inspiration for the name the Washington Football Team abandoned six months ago.
The franchise kept the moniker through a move to Milwaukee in 1953 and relocation to Atlanta 13 years later, but “the Braves” did not become “an American institution,” as Loeffler and Perdue assert they are, until the 1990s, when then-owner Ted Turner put the team’s games on his TBS Superstation, allowing national audiences to watch Atlanta baseball each night. They became popular across the South, and then across the country, thanks to geography, accessibility, and their “Team of the ’90s” success ― the name was merely an attachment loved because the team was adored first.
That’s not to say no one cared. While it’s convenient for defenders of these names to pretend the controversy around them is a new product of “cancel culture,” Atlanta’s success in the ’90s coincided with a resurgence of activism against Native mascots. Protests and federal lawsuits against Washington’s football team soaked up most of the attention, but Atlanta and Cleveland also faced nightly demonstrations when they met in the 1995 World Series. (“We’re the only race of people that has sports mascots and sports teams named after them,” Ken Rhyne, a co-director of the American Indian Movement, told Reuters at the time. “If it was the Atlanta Negros, the Atlanta Hispanics, any situation like that, the stadium would be burned down overnight.”)
The racist "Tomahawk Chop" was until recently a staple of Atlanta Braves home games. In 2019, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Helsley, who is a member of the Cherokee Nation, called the chant "disrespectful" and "a misrepresentation of the Cherokee people or Native Americans in general." (AP Photo/John Amis)
Since then, Cleveland’s baseball club and the Washington Football Team have dominated the discussion about such mascots, largely because Washington’s name and Cleveland’s “Chief Wahoo” logo were self-evidently racist. The former was a “dictionary-defined racial slur,” as activists called it. The latter is a caricature no team would get away with adopting today, especially if it depicted any other racial or ethnic group, a point the National Congress of American Indians, the nation’s largest tribal organization and a longtime opponent of such names, has made in its campaigns against Chief Wahoo.
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But the same basic arguments apply to names like “Braves,” “Blackhawks” and “Chiefs.” Native American activists, tribal organizations, students, academic studies, and leading psychological and sociological associations have for decades presented evidence that the use of tribal mascots and imagery has harmful effects on the people they caricature, even when they aren’t based on outright slurs or cartoonish depictions.
Cleveland owner Paul Dolan acknowledged that when he ruled out renaming his baseball team “The Tribe” in an interview with the Associated Press on Monday, and there is little need to re-litigate that argument in the cases of the other franchises. Atlanta, Kansas City and Chicago have already tacitly admitted as much themselves.
During the 2019 MLB playoffs, Atlanta said it would limit the playing of the prompt for its grotesque and racist “Tomahawk Chop” chant after St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Helsley, a member of the Cherokee Nation, criticized it. The change was a small and largely empty gesture, but it was nevertheless an acknowledgment that a problem existed.
This summer, as the debate kicked up again after Washington changed its name, Atlanta said it would take steps to limit Tomahawk-related imagery and signage at Truist Park, the team’s stadium. It also launched a study into whether the “Tomahawk Chop” was indeed everything Helsley (and a generation of Native American activists) had already said it was.
Chicago’s hockey team, meanwhile, said this summer that it would ban fans from wearing headdresses at its games, and that it would commit to investing in a Native American-owned cultural center in Illinois. The team, it said, wanted to do more to educate fans about Native American culture and achievements that “are not limited to history books and museums but thriving right now within our military, business, the arts and more.”
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Kansas City’s football franchise also barred headdresses in its stadium, said it would prohibit fans from painting their faces in a manner meant to depict Native American culture, and said it would review its version of Atlanta’s chant, the “Arrowhead Chop.”
None of these teams deserve credit for the meager steps they have taken, and all three stopped short of the ultimate change: Kansas City said it would keep the “Chiefs” name; Atlanta’s corporate owners said the team would “always be known as the Atlanta Braves;” and Chicago’s ownership said in a statement that the team’s name was meant to symbolize “an important and historic person” ― a member of the Sac and Fox Nation ― and that the use of the name fell on the right side of “a fine line between respect and disrespect.”
The NHL's Chicago Blackhawks have said they will keep their name, in the belief that it falls on the right side of “a fine line between respect and disrespect.” It's an argument similar to those Washington's NFL team and Cleveland's baseball team long made to justify their own inaction. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
This, though, is the process playing out as it always has. Cleveland’s baseball team and the Washington Football Team long argued (dubiously, most likely) that their names were originally chosen to honor specific Native Americans, and that as such they were signs of respect, rather than harmful caricatures. They conducted “studies” meant to discover what Native Americans had already told them. They posited that minimal financial contributions to tribal organizations and causes — or half-hearted measures to make their teams ever-so-slightly less offensive — would make up for their refusal to meet the simplest of demands.
And they both eventually changed their names, joining more than 1,000 colleges, universities, high schools and pro sports teams that did the same decades ago, and the increasing number that are doing so now.
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It’s a shockingly easy conclusion to reach once the people in charge simply listen to what critics of these mascots and names have been saying all along, as Dolan, the Cleveland owner, admitted to the AP on Monday.
“It was a learning process for me and I think when fair-minded, open-minded people really look at it, think about it and maybe even spend some time studying it, I like to think they would come to the same conclusion: It’s a name that had its time, but this is not the time now, and certainly going forward, the name is no longer acceptable in our world,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--CNN's Don Lemon Has Just A Few Words Left For Kayleigh McEnany: 'Girl, Bye'

Lemon discussed the White House press briefing held by McEnany earlier that day , in which she sidestepped questions on whether President Donald Trump would acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect .
Biden officially secured enough electoral votes on Monday to become America ’ s 46th president on Jan. 20 .
McEnany repeatedly deferred those questions to Trump ’ s campaign ― for which she at times has spoken for ― and noted more than once that the president was pursuing “ ongoing litigation.
” Lemon said on “ CNN Tonight ” that McEnany was acting like “ the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like she ’ s not about to be out of a job.
” “ Do you know she also works for ― ” Lemon said , before cutting himself off to say the popular phrase , “ Girl , bye.
” He then condemned McEnany for her propensity ― on display Tuesday ― to attack the media .
Lemon noted that she is a former CNN commentator ( in that role , she occasionally had been critical of Trump ) .
“ Talks about what the media is doing , criticizes the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be covering , ’ ” Lemon said , parroting McEnany .
“ I think we got this .
You used to sit here on the set with us , I think we got it .
When you sat here with us you thought we had it .
You were happy to be here but now we don ’ t know what we ’ re doing ?
Girl , bye.
” During Tuesday ’ s press briefing , McEnany criticized the way news organizations have covered the incoming president ’ s son , Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal prosecutors in Delaware over tax issues .
“ Really interesting turn of events and good for those who covered what was a story all along and not Russia disinformation , ” McEnany said at the end of the briefing .
Following the recent revelation of the probe of the younger Biden ’ s finances , Trump and his allies have harshly criticized the media for not having focused more attention on him before the November election .
Jim Acosta , CNN ’ s chief White House correspondent , responded to McEnany ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walked away from the podium : “ Is it hypocritical to accuse others of spreading disinformation when you spread it every day ?
”

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CNN’s Don Lemon expressed his frustration Tuesday night with White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who he criticized for continually spreading disinformation: “Girl, bye.”
Lemon discussed the White House press briefing held by McEnany earlier that day, in which she sidestepped questions on whether President Donald Trump would acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect. Biden officially secured enough electoral votes on Monday to become America’s 46th president on Jan. 20.
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McEnany repeatedly deferred those questions to Trump’s campaign ― for which she at times has spoken for ― and noted more than once that the president was pursuing “ongoing litigation.”
Lemon said on “CNN Tonight” that McEnany was acting like “the election didn’t even happen... acting like she’s not about to be out of a job.”
“Do you know she also works for ―” Lemon said, before cutting himself off to say the popular phrase, “Girl, bye.”
“Girl, bye,” he repeated, as seen in clips widely shared on Twitter. “Buh-bye.”
“So much disinformation coming from the podium... it’s every day... comes out, reads propaganda,” Lemon continued.
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He then condemned McEnany for her propensity ― on display Tuesday ― to attack the media. Lemon noted that she is a former CNN commentator (in that role, she occasionally had been critical of Trump).
“Talks about what the media is doing, criticizes the media, ‘This is what you should be covering,’” Lemon said, parroting McEnany. “I think we got this. You used to sit here on the set with us, I think we got it. When you sat here with us you thought we had it. You were happy to be here but now we don’t know what we’re doing? Girl, bye.”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany at the press briefing she held on Tuesday that sparked critical commentary from CNN's Don Lemon. Alex Wong via Getty Images
During Tuesday’s press briefing, McEnany criticized the way news organizations have covered the incoming president’s son, Hunter Biden, who is being investigated by federal prosecutors in Delaware over tax issues.
“Really interesting turn of events and good for those who covered what was a story all along and not Russia disinformation,” McEnany said at the end of the briefing.
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Following the recent revelation of the probe of the younger Biden’s finances, Trump and his allies have harshly criticized the media for not having focused more attention on him before the November election.
Jim Acosta, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, responded to McEnany’s criticism, asking her as she walked away from the podium: “Is it hypocritical to accuse others of spreading disinformation when you spread it every day?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Kamala Harris Defends Jill Biden Over Wall Street Journal Op-Ed

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris defended Jill Biden ’ s accomplishments in an interview with “ Good Morning America , ” expressing disappointment that an editorial published by The Wall Street Journal had scolded her for using the title “ doctor.
” “ I was deeply disappointed that in 2020 , that kind of approach would be given any legitimacy , ” Harris said to anchor Robin Roberts in the interview , which aired on Wednesday .
The editorial — written by columnist Joseph Epstein — called Biden “ kiddo ” and insisted that it was “ fraudulent , even comic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refer to herself as “ Dr .
Jill Biden ” when her doctorate degree was in education , rather than medicine .
After its publication , the article immediately received flak from Biden spokesman Michael LaRosa , who called it sexist .
Biden received her doctorate from the University of Delaware in 2007 at the age of 55 after working for 15 years and raising three children .
After the editorial was published , Biden tweeted that one day , “ we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris said that belittling Biden ’ s accomplishments was unpatriotic : “ She worked hard .
She raised her kids .
She went to night school .
She got degrees .
She earned everything she has .
That ’ s the American way ; that ’ s the American spirit .
So , when there ’ s anyone who tries to diminish the significance of people who work hard , I think it ’ s just not the American way , frankly.
” The vice president-elect also spoke about her husband , Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week in a tweet , arguing that The Wall Street Journal ’ s “ story would never have been written about a man.
” Harris said that he too , was challenging gender norms as the first second gentleman of the U.S. “ He ’ s very excited about it , ” Harris said .
“ ...
He has this sweatshirt that says ‘ Girl Dad ’ that ’ s almost in tatters .
He is very proud to be the father of a daughter , and of course proud to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s aware that we still have so much work to do to remind our children of every gender that they should not be confined by the limited perception that some might have of who they are and what they can be .
”

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Vice President-elect Kamala Harris defended Jill Biden’s accomplishments in an interview with “Good Morning America,” expressing disappointment that an editorial published by The Wall Street Journal had scolded her for using the title “doctor.”
“I was deeply disappointed that in 2020, that kind of approach would be given any legitimacy,” Harris said to anchor Robin Roberts in the interview, which aired on Wednesday.
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The editorial — written by columnist Joseph Epstein — called Biden “kiddo” and insisted that it was “fraudulent, even comic” for the upcoming first lady to refer to herself as “Dr. Jill Biden” when her doctorate degree was in education, rather than medicine. After its publication, the article immediately received flak from Biden spokesman Michael LaRosa, who called it sexist.
Biden received her doctorate from the University of Delaware in 2007 at the age of 55 after working for 15 years and raising three children. After the editorial was published, Biden tweeted that one day, “we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished.”
Harris said that belittling Biden’s accomplishments was unpatriotic: “She worked hard. She raised her kids. She went to night school. She got degrees. She earned everything she has. That’s the American way; that’s the American spirit. So, when there’s anyone who tries to diminish the significance of people who work hard, I think it’s just not the American way, frankly.”
The vice president-elect also spoke about her husband, Doug Emhoff, who also defended Biden last week in a tweet, arguing that The Wall Street Journal’s “story would never have been written about a man.” Harris said that he too, was challenging gender norms as the first second gentleman of the U.S.
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“He’s very excited about it,” Harris said. “ ... He has this sweatshirt that says ‘Girl Dad’ that’s almost in tatters. He is very proud to be the father of a daughter, and of course proud to be the father of a son. But he’s aware that we still have so much work to do to remind our children of every gender that they should not be confined by the limited perception that some might have of who they are and what they can be.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Hindu Activists Denounce India's Jailing Of Muslim Who Prayed At Hindu Temple

Supporters of Faisal Khan say he visited the temple in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in late October to encourage communal harmony during a period of heightened inter-religious tension .
They also contend that , after a cordial exchange , the temple ’ s priest invited Khan to pray at the back of the temple complex .
Sunita Viswanath , a New Yorker and progressive Hindu who has been raising awareness about the arrest , describes Khan as an activist whose devotion to nonviolence and interfaith unity follows in the footsteps of Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how Hindutva ― an ideology that underpins Hindu nationalism ― has produced a “ version of Hinduism that I neither recognize nor accept , ” she told HuffPost .
“ As a Hindu , I can not accept that there is any problem if someone , anyone , prays inside a temple , ” Viswanath said in an email , pointing to a verse from the Bhagavad Gita where the Hindu deity Lord Krishna says he accepts offerings given by those with love and devotion in their hearts .
“ There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khan ’ s arrest was due to the fact that a person who is Muslim , who devotes [ his efforts ] to an India which sees no difference between different communities , is not welcome in today ’ s Hindutva India , ” Viswanath added .
Khan is an activist from Uttar Pradesh who is seeking to revive the Khudai Khidmatgars , a nonviolent , anti-colonialist resistance movement that arose in the 1930s and had close ties to Gandhi .
Its modern-day counterpart , which launched in 2011 , addresses social and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attracted people from diverse religious traditions .
Haimanti Roy , a historian at the University of Dayton , is cautious about comparing Khan to Gandhi and the Khudai Khidmatgars , given their completely different historical context .
But when it comes to Hindu-Muslim relations , Roy said in an email that Khan is “ very Gandhian in his approach , ” seeking communal harmony and thinking of secularism as Gandhi would have ― with an eye toward the equality of all religions .
Roy said she believes Khan ’ s imprisonment is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Uttar Pradesh .
State authorities have been targeting Muslims with “ superficial and unfounded ” charges of eating beef and forcing people to convert to Islam , Roy said .
Last month , state legislators approved a law aimed at curbing interfaith marriage .
Khan visited Mathura ’ s Nand Baba Temple on Oct. 29 , as part of a pilgrimage to several Hindu temples .
Video captured by Khan ’ s supporters shows the activist engaging in interfaith dialogue with the priest , quoting Hindu scriptures and finding commonalities between Hindu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video also shows the priest inviting Khan to eat at the temple .
When Khan realized it was time for Islam ’ s daily prayers , he offered to go outside , but the priest told Khan that was not necessary and that he could pray at the back of the temple complex , Khan ’ s supporters say .
“ I feel convinced that the priest was genuinely moved by Faisal Khan , and saw no need for him to go outside to pray , ” Viswanath said .
“ However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of inclusivity , people aligned with Hindutva , to the extent that he himself filed the FIR ( police complaint ) .
” The debate around Khan ’ s arrest is part of a broader , ongoing struggle over what it means to be a Hindu , according to Anantanand Rambachan , a religion professor at Minnesota ’ s St. Olaf College .
In reportedly inviting Khan to pray in the temple complex , Rambachan said , the priest at Nand Baba Temple was drawing on ancient Hindu insight about the oneness of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many names .

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Interfaith advocates in India and the United States are rallying around a Muslim peace activist who has been jailed by Indian authorities after praying at a Hindu temple.
Supporters of Faisal Khan say he visited the temple in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in late October to encourage communal harmony during a period of heightened inter-religious tension. They also contend that, after a cordial exchange, the temple’s priest invited Khan to pray at the back of the temple complex.
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Days later, after a photo of Khan and an associate praying in the temple went viral online, the same priest filed a complaint with local police accusing Khan of a slew of charges ― including promoting enmity between religious groups and defiling a place of worship.
Khan was arrested on Nov. 2 and remains jailed without bail in the city of Mathura.
Sunita Viswanath, a New Yorker and progressive Hindu who has been raising awareness about the arrest, describes Khan as an activist whose devotion to nonviolence and interfaith unity follows in the footsteps of Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi. Khan’s arrest is another example of how Hindutva ― an ideology that underpins Hindu nationalism ― has produced a “version of Hinduism that I neither recognize nor accept,” she told HuffPost.
“As a Hindu, I cannot accept that there is any problem if someone, anyone, prays inside a temple,” Viswanath said in an email, pointing to a verse from the Bhagavad Gita where the Hindu deity Lord Krishna says he accepts offerings given by those with love and devotion in their hearts.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Faisal Khan’s arrest was due to the fact that a person who is Muslim, who devotes [his efforts] to an India which sees no difference between different communities, is not welcome in today’s Hindutva India,” Viswanath added.
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Muslim peace activist Faisal Khan (right) speaks with Hindus for Human Rights co-founder Deepak Gupta in Delhi, India, in December 2019. Courtesy of Hindus for Human Rights
Khan is an activist from Uttar Pradesh who is seeking to revive the Khudai Khidmatgars, a nonviolent, anti-colonialist resistance movement that arose in the 1930s and had close ties to Gandhi. Its modern-day counterpart, which launched in 2011, addresses social and educational inequalities in India and has reportedly attracted people from diverse religious traditions.
“[Khan] is interested in love and unity rather than politics. He sees no difference in the God of the Muslims and the God of the Hindus,” Viswanath said.
Khan also sits on the advisory board of Hindus for Human Rights, a U.S.-based advocacy organization that Viswanath co-founded to promote religious pluralism in America and India.
Haimanti Roy, a historian at the University of Dayton, is cautious about comparing Khan to Gandhi and the Khudai Khidmatgars, given their completely different historical context. But when it comes to Hindu-Muslim relations, Roy said in an email that Khan is “very Gandhian in his approach,” seeking communal harmony and thinking of secularism as Gandhi would have ― with an eye toward the equality of all religions.
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Roy said she believes Khan’s imprisonment is the result of growing right-wing and anti-Muslim sentiment in Uttar Pradesh. State authorities have been targeting Muslims with “superficial and unfounded” charges of eating beef and forcing people to convert to Islam, Roy said. Last month, state legislators approved a law aimed at curbing interfaith marriage.
Human rights groups have warned that the Indian government in recent years has been cracking down on journalists, activists and students who criticize the government.
Khan’s arrest is “an unjust detainment and yet another example of the Indian state aggressively pursuing something that is at best nothing and at worst a local matter,” Roy said.
“The squashing of dissent in any form, even as innocuous (in my view) as offering prayers, is deeply concerning,” she added.
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Khan visited Mathura’s Nand Baba Temple on Oct. 29, as part of a pilgrimage to several Hindu temples. Video captured by Khan’s supporters shows the activist engaging in interfaith dialogue with the priest, quoting Hindu scriptures and finding commonalities between Hindu and Muslim theology on love. The video also shows the priest inviting Khan to eat at the temple.
When Khan realized it was time for Islam’s daily prayers, he offered to go outside, but the priest told Khan that was not necessary and that he could pray at the back of the temple complex, Khan’s supporters say.
But days later, the priest filed a complaint with local police. He told the Times of India that he wasn’t aware the activist had offered prayers inside the temple compound.
“I feel convinced that the priest was genuinely moved by Faisal Khan, and saw no need for him to go outside to pray,” Viswanath said. “However, he must have been pressured by opponents of inclusivity, people aligned with Hindutva, to the extent that he himself filed the FIR (police complaint).”
Khan (left) is seeking to revive the Khudai Khidmatgars, a nonviolent resistance movement from the 1930s. Courtesy of Hindus for Human Rights
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The Indian American Muslim Council, Amnesty International-USA, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Indian Catholic interfaith activist Rev. Anand Mathew, and Rajmohan Gandhi, a grandson of Mohandas Gandhi, have also spoken up in Khan’s defense.
Khan’s critics have argued that Hindu worshippers may be barred from praying in Indian mosques. But for Viswanath, that’s beside the point.
“Even if not a single mosque in the world would allow aarti [Hindu worship], I would still ask that Hindu temples remain open to all,” she wrote.
The debate around Khan’s arrest is part of a broader, ongoing struggle over what it means to be a Hindu, according to Anantanand Rambachan, a religion professor at Minnesota’s St. Olaf College. In reportedly inviting Khan to pray in the temple complex, Rambachan said, the priest at Nand Baba Temple was drawing on ancient Hindu insight about the oneness of God, even though God is known by many names.
“These are acts of great religious [inclusivity] that deserve to be celebrated and not to be punished,” Rambachan said at a press conference about Khan’s case on Thursday.
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Hindus’ deepest commitment should not be to a nation but to the “values of non-injury, truth and compassion that are the heart of the Hindu tradition,” he argued.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Kangaroos Can Learn To Communicate With Humans, Researchers Say

SYDNEY , Dec 16 ( Reuters ) - Kangaroos can learn to communicate with humans similar to how domesticated dogs do , by using their gaze to “ point ” and ask for help , researchers said in a study published on Wednesday .
The study involved 11 kangaroos that lived in captivity but had not been domesticated .
Ten of the 11 marsupials intently gazed at researchers when they were unable to open a box with food , according to the report .
Nine alternately looked at the human and at the container , as a way of pointing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We interpreted this as a deliberate form of communication , a request for help , ” Alan McElligott , the Irish researcher who led the study , told Reuters in a call from Hong Kong .
“ Wild species are not really expected to behave as those subjects were , and that ’ s why it is surprising.
” The findings challenge the notion that only domesticated animals such as dogs , horses or goats communicate with humans , and suggests many more animals could grasp how to convey meaning to humans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve previously thought only domesticated animals try to ask for help with a problem .
But kangaroos do it too , ” concluded co-researcher Alexandra Green from the University of Sydney .
“ It ’ s more likely to be a learned behavior when the environment is right .
”

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SYDNEY, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Kangaroos can learn to communicate with humans similar to how domesticated dogs do, by using their gaze to “point” and ask for help, researchers said in a study published on Wednesday.
The study involved 11 kangaroos that lived in captivity but had not been domesticated. Ten of the 11 marsupials intently gazed at researchers when they were unable to open a box with food, according to the report. Nine alternately looked at the human and at the container, as a way of pointing or gesturing toward the object.
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“We interpreted this as a deliberate form of communication, a request for help,” Alan McElligott, the Irish researcher who led the study, told Reuters in a call from Hong Kong.
“Wild species are not really expected to behave as those subjects were, and that’s why it is surprising.”
The findings challenge the notion that only domesticated animals such as dogs, horses or goats communicate with humans, and suggests many more animals could grasp how to convey meaning to humans, the paper asserts.
“We’ve previously thought only domesticated animals try to ask for help with a problem. But kangaroos do it too,” concluded co-researcher Alexandra Green from the University of Sydney.
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“It’s more likely to be a learned behavior when the environment is right.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Chicago's Top Prosecutor Blasts Mayor Over Suit To Block Bodycam Video Of Botched Raid

“ The audacity that the city calculated its embarrassment over the release of the video , is a clear violation of Ms. Young ’ s body and autonomy , ” Foxx tweeted .
“ This was a complete and utter dismissal of her humanity .
Her humanity was , literally , stripped from her.
” WBBM-TV in Chicago released body camera footage on Monday of police barging into Young ’ s home almost two years ago .
The 50-year-old clinical social worker had just finished her shift at the hospital and was getting undressed when a group of male officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ram and entered with their guns drawn .
In the disturbing footage , Young can be seen fully naked looking scared and confused while being handcuffed .
She told the Chicago officers at least 43 times that they had the wrong information and were in the wrong house , but they wouldn ’ t believe her .
Police were looking for a known felon in his 20s who possessed guns and ammunition , according to the department ’ s search warrant obtained by WBBM .
It was only later that police were convinced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the wrong address , the news station said .
There ’ s no evidence that officers independently verified the informant ’ s claim , and the suspect ― who lived next door to Young ― was wearing an electronic monitoring device that would have made it even easier for police to locate him .
“ This disturbing video explicitly illustrates who the victim is , who deserves justice , and who holds the power , ” Foxx said .
“ Let ’ s be clear , this is her body and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Young experienced at the hands of those who were supposed to protect her is shameful.
” Young tried for nearly two years to obtain footage of the humiliating raid on her home , but the Chicago Police Department initially denied her Freedom of Information Act request .
A judge eventually ordered police to release parts of the footage to her after Young filed a FOIA lawsuit .
Hours before WBBM aired the bodycam footage on Monday , Lightfoot ’ s lawyers filed an emergency motion in federal court to stop the CBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanction Young , alleging she broke a confidentiality order by sharing the video of her own trauma with a news outlet .
The lawyers ’ filing , which was denied by a judge , argued that the video would be shared “ in a salacious and unfair manner designed to elicit a reactionary response.
” “ This is what ’ s wrong with our criminal justice system , this is why there is a lack of trust , ” Foxx tweeted .
“ I hope that Ms. Young is somehow able to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was deprived.
” “ All of that is horrifying to me .
If you can hear that my voice is hoarse , it is because I have been unsparing in my comments to all involved in this colossal mess , ” the mayor said .
“ Ms .
Young ’ s dignity , that she and all of us deserve , was taken from her in those moments , and this is simply inexcusable .
I ’ m sorry .
What you experienced should never have happened , period.
” Lightfoot has pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took office .
However , the city ’ s efforts to prevent the footage from being released have happened under her watch .
The mayor said Wednesday that she was “ blindsided ” by her law department ’ s emergency motion filing attempting to shut down a negative story and would have stopped it had she known .
She also leveled a personal attack on a Chicago Tribune reporter who asked about her law department ’ s filing .
Lightfoot denied at the press conference that the city was trying to withhold the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only learned about the incident on Tuesday .
But Young ’ s attorney , Keenan Saulter , said Young filed a FOIA request under her own name on Nov. 1 , 2019 , and was denied on Nov. 19 , 2019 .
“ In an effort to keep records about their own mistake and callous humiliation of Ms. Young from the public , CPD denied Ms. Young ’ s FOIA request relying on legal positions that have been repeatedly rejected in prior lawsuits , and later attempted , unsuccessfully , to obtain a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibit publication , ” stated Young ’ s December 2019 FOIA lawsuit obtained Wednesday by HuffPost .
“ Ms .
Young brings this suit to force CPD to release all of these records under FOIA and seeks a ruling from this Court that CPD ’ s refusal to release these records was a willful and sanctionable violation of FOIA.
” “ The reason provided was that there was an ongoing investigation , ” Saulter said .
“ It has now been 13 months since that denial , and based on our understanding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers who were involved in this incident .
That simply doesn ’ t seem like transparency .
”

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Chicago’s chief prosecutor, Kim Foxx, blasted the city and Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday for trying to block the public from seeing footage of police officers raiding the wrong home with guns drawn and handcuffing a naked Black woman.
The Cook County state’s attorney spoke out about the February 2019 assault on Anjanette Young and the city’s many steps to conceal the video.
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“The audacity that the city calculated its embarrassment over the release of the video, is a clear violation of Ms. Young’s body and autonomy,” Foxx tweeted. “This was a complete and utter dismissal of her humanity. Her humanity was, literally, stripped from her.”
The audacity that the city calculated its embarrassment over the release of the video, is a clear violation of Ms. Young’s body and autonomy. This was a complete and utter dismissal of her humanity. Her humanity was, literally, stripped from her. — Kim Foxx (@KimFoxxforSA) December 16, 2020
WBBM-TV in Chicago released body camera footage on Monday of police barging into Young’s home almost two years ago. The 50-year-old clinical social worker had just finished her shift at the hospital and was getting undressed when a group of male officers knocked down her door with a battering ram and entered with their guns drawn.
In the disturbing footage, Young can be seen fully naked looking scared and confused while being handcuffed. She told the Chicago officers at least 43 times that they had the wrong information and were in the wrong house, but they wouldn’t believe her.
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Police were looking for a known felon in his 20s who possessed guns and ammunition, according to the department’s search warrant obtained by WBBM. It was only later that police were convinced by a confidential informant that they were at the wrong address, the news station said.
There’s no evidence that officers independently verified the informant’s claim, and the suspect ― who lived next door to Young ― was wearing an electronic monitoring device that would have made it even easier for police to locate him.
“This disturbing video explicitly illustrates who the victim is, who deserves justice, and who holds the power,” Foxx said. “Let’s be clear, this is her body and this is her trauma. To imagine what Ms. Young experienced at the hands of those who were supposed to protect her is shameful.”
Young tried for nearly two years to obtain footage of the humiliating raid on her home, but the Chicago Police Department initially denied her Freedom of Information Act request. A judge eventually ordered police to release parts of the footage to her after Young filed a FOIA lawsuit.
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Hours before WBBM aired the bodycam footage on Monday, Lightfoot’s lawyers filed an emergency motion in federal court to stop the CBS station. The lawyers also wanted to sanction Young, alleging she broke a confidentiality order by sharing the video of her own trauma with a news outlet. The lawyers’ filing, which was denied by a judge, argued that the video would be shared “in a salacious and unfair manner designed to elicit a reactionary response.”
“This is what’s wrong with our criminal justice system, this is why there is a lack of trust,” Foxx tweeted. “I hope that Ms. Young is somehow able to move beyond this with the dignity that she was deprived.”
Lightfoot held a news conference on Wednesday in which she apologized to Young for the February 2019 incident, saying she “was completely and totally appalled” by the video.
“All of that is horrifying to me. If you can hear that my voice is hoarse, it is because I have been unsparing in my comments to all involved in this colossal mess,” the mayor said. “Ms. Young’s dignity, that she and all of us deserve, was taken from her in those moments, and this is simply inexcusable. I’m sorry. What you experienced should never have happened, period.”
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Lightfoot has pointed out that the incident happened before she took office. However, the city’s efforts to prevent the footage from being released have happened under her watch. The mayor said Wednesday that she was “blindsided” by her law department’s emergency motion filing attempting to shut down a negative story and would have stopped it had she known. She also leveled a personal attack on a Chicago Tribune reporter who asked about her law department’s filing.
Lightfoot denied at the press conference that the city was trying to withhold the bodycam video from Young, saying she only learned about the incident on Tuesday. But Young’s attorney, Keenan Saulter, said Young filed a FOIA request under her own name on Nov. 1, 2019, and was denied on Nov. 19, 2019.
Anjanette absolutely filed a FOIA request with CPD for the video. She showed it to me last year and I’m looking at it as we speak. @chicagosmayor https://t.co/1Fu4luxycl pic.twitter.com/Z3IpZ97EMD — Samah Assad (@SAssadNews) December 16, 2020
“In an effort to keep records about their own mistake and callous humiliation of Ms. Young from the public, CPD denied Ms. Young’s FOIA request relying on legal positions that have been repeatedly rejected in prior lawsuits, and later attempted, unsuccessfully, to obtain a prior-restraint injunction against the news media to prohibit publication,” stated Young’s December 2019 FOIA lawsuit obtained Wednesday by HuffPost.
“Ms. Young brings this suit to force CPD to release all of these records under FOIA and seeks a ruling from this Court that CPD’s refusal to release these records was a willful and sanctionable violation of FOIA.”
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Chicago police declined to talk about the incident, citing an ongoing investigation with the independent Civilian Office of Police Accountability. COPA launched its investigation nine months after the raid, when WBBM first broke the story.
Saulter told HuffPost that Young “is disappointed” Lightfoot would suggest the city never denied her request to obtain video of police mistreating her.
“The reason provided was that there was an ongoing investigation,” Saulter said. “It has now been 13 months since that denial, and based on our understanding, COPA has not interviewed any of the officers who were involved in this incident. That simply doesn’t seem like transparency.”
Young told WBBM-TV on Wednesday that she voted for Lightfoot, who campaigned heavily on police reform, and wanted accountability for the officers who were supposed to protect her.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--George Clooney's Expletive-Laden Missive To Anti-Maskers

“ This thought where everybody is like , ‘ Well , it ’ s my freedom.
’ It ’ s like , that ’ s not how this shit works , dumbass , ” the actor and director said .
“ Your freedom is this : You ’ re free to smoke until your lungs turn black , but you can ’ t do it on the bus .
And you ’ re free to drink until your liver comes out your ass , but you can ’ t drink and then get behind the wheel of a car.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some rules that the public must follow in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus .
“ Put on a fucking mask and we ’ ll get through this .
We ’ ve got vaccines coming — let ’ s save another 60,000 lives before the vaccines , ” he said .
Stern chimed in that he couldn ’ t understand why Donald Trump has not been more supportive of mask-wearing .
The president has seldom been seen in a mask and repeatedly mocked others for wearing them despite advice from public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopping the spread of COVID-19 .
Clooney , whose been critical of Trump in the past and told The Guardian recently that he used to see him on the New York party circuit in the 1990s , told Stern he recalled Trump as a “ dumb goofball.
” “ He was the guy that came up to us at the Stone Rose [ lounge in New York ] and sat at our table when he wasn ’ t invited and then would say , ‘ What ’ s the name of the waitress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his new sci-fi film , “ The Midnight Sky , ” which was released on Netflix over the weekend .

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George Clooney’s got a simple message for people resisting public health guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Just put a fucking mask on.”
“The Midnight Sky” star railed against anti-maskers during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Howard Stern Show” on Wednesday.
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“This thought where everybody is like, ‘Well, it’s my freedom.’ It’s like, that’s not how this shit works, dumbass,” the actor and director said.
“Your freedom is this: You’re free to smoke until your lungs turn black, but you can’t do it on the bus. And you’re free to drink until your liver comes out your ass, but you can’t drink and then get behind the wheel of a car.”
The 59-year-old also stressed that there are some rules that the public must follow in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
“Put on a fucking mask and we’ll get through this. We’ve got vaccines coming — let’s save another 60,000 lives before the vaccines,” he said.
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Stern chimed in that he couldn’t understand why Donald Trump has not been more supportive of mask-wearing. The president has seldom been seen in a mask and repeatedly mocked others for wearing them despite advice from public health experts that they are key to stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Clooney, who’s been critical of Trump in the past and told The Guardian recently that he used to see him on the New York party circuit in the 1990s, told Stern he recalled Trump as a “dumb goofball.”
“He was the guy that came up to us at the Stone Rose [lounge in New York] and sat at our table when he wasn’t invited and then would say, ‘What’s the name of the waitress?’”
Clooney has been promoting his new sci-fi film, “The Midnight Sky,” which was released on Netflix over the weekend.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Biden Expected To Get First Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine Next Week

President-elect Joe Biden is expected to get his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as next week , just days after thousands of Americans and frontline workers began receiving the shots amid the coronavirus pandemic .
CNN first reported the news , noting Biden will get his vaccination in a public setting in an effort to encourage eligible Americans to get vaccinated and to instill trust in the treatments .
“ We ’ re working on that right now , ” Biden said at an event Wednesday evening .
“ I don ’ t want to get ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take .
We ’ re working on that plan right now .
And when I do it , I ’ ll do it publicly.
” Health care officials began inoculating thousands of Americans this week with Pfizer ’ s vaccine after the treatment received an emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration .
A second candidate , made by Moderna , was deemed to be highly protective by the FDA this week and could get emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Millions of doses of that vaccine would be shipped almost immediately .
Both treatments require two doses to work , and the U.S. currently has limited supplies on hand , meaning health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic and elderly people in long-term care facilities are first in line to receive them .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said earlier this week that Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris should be vaccinated “ as soon as we possibly can , ” citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected as he enters the presidency in January , ” Fauci added .
“ So that would be my strong recommendation.
” Three former presidents , Bill Clinton , George W. Bush and Barack Obama , have all said they planned to get the vaccines and do so publicly in an effort to encourage fellow Americans to get vaccinated .

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President-elect Joe Biden is expected to get his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as next week, just days after thousands of Americans and frontline workers began receiving the shots amid the coronavirus pandemic.
CNN first reported the news, noting Biden will get his vaccination in a public setting in an effort to encourage eligible Americans to get vaccinated and to instill trust in the treatments.
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“We’re working on that right now,” Biden said at an event Wednesday evening. “I don’t want to get ahead of the line, but I want to make sure that we demonstrate to the American people that it is safe to take. We’re working on that plan right now. And when I do it, I’ll do it publicly.”
Health care officials began inoculating thousands of Americans this week with Pfizer’s vaccine after the treatment received an emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration. A second candidate, made by Moderna, was deemed to be highly protective by the FDA this week and could get emergency use authorization as soon as Friday. Millions of doses of that vaccine would be shipped almost immediately.
Both treatments require two doses to work, and the U.S. currently has limited supplies on hand, meaning health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic and elderly people in long-term care facilities are first in line to receive them.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said earlier this week that Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris should be vaccinated “as soon as we possibly can,” citing security reasons
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“We want him fully protected as he enters the presidency in January,” Fauci added. “So that would be my strong recommendation.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-16--Elon Musk Skewered For Tweet Complaining About Pronouns In Bios

Telsa founder Elon Musk was widely panned on social media Wednesday after he appeared to complain that displaying preferred pronouns in online bios is not visually appealing .
“ I absolutely support trans , but all these pronouns are an esthetic nightmare , ” the billionaire tweeted in response to an article on the technology news website CleanTechnica .
The article called out Musk for a recent tweet in which he mocked the practice of displaying personal pronouns , which is done in an effort to be more inclusive of and show allyship with transgender and nonbinary people who may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were assigned at birth .
Earlier this year , Musk faced a firestorm after he tweeted “ pronouns suck.
” Among his critics was his girlfriend and co-parent of his child , the Canadian musician Grimes , who later deleted her tweet .
After the birth of their baby , X Ӕ A-12 , in May , the couple said they would be following a gender-neutral parenting style in case their child does not identify with their birth gender .
Musk ’ s bizarre complaint was slammed online Wednesday , shooting his and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of Twitter ’ s trending topics .
He was also criticized for following up with a tweet boasting that Tesla scored well on the Human Rights Campaign ’ s LGBTQ corporate equality index in the past .
Activist and writer Charlotte Clymer , the former press secretary of the HRC , noted that comments like this from the company ’ s CEO could affect that score .
Hi , former HRC press secretary here .
Most of that score is based on 1 ) policies protecting against discrimination , such as respecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture , such as respecting pronouns .
Points can also be deducted for things like ... this tweet .
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳🌈 ( @ cmclymer ) December 16 , 2020

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Telsa founder Elon Musk was widely panned on social media Wednesday after he appeared to complain that displaying pronouns in online bios is not visually appealing.
“I absolutely support trans, but all these pronouns are an esthetic nightmare,” the billionaire tweeted in response to an article on the technology news website CleanTechnica.
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The article called out Musk for a recent tweet in which he mocked the practice of displaying personal pronouns, which is done in an effort to be more inclusive of and show allyship with transgender and nonbinary people who may use different pronouns than the ones they were assigned at birth.
Earlier this year, Musk faced a firestorm after he tweeted “pronouns suck.” Among his critics was his girlfriend and co-parent of his child, the Canadian musician Grimes, who later deleted her tweet.
After the birth of their baby, X Ӕ A-12, in May, the couple said they would be following a gender-neutral parenting style in case their child does not identify with their birth gender.
Musk’s bizarre complaint was slammed online Wednesday, shooting his and his child’s names to the top of Twitter’s trending topics.
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guy who named his kid X Æ A-12 cannot fathom using 3 different pronouns https://t.co/jhyaYq6Q9O — manny (@mannyfidel) December 16, 2020
Complaining about pronouns (that you likely never actually struggle with) is not supportive. https://t.co/EaUp5R5KaO — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) December 16, 2020
Dude you named your kid "X Æ A-12"https://t.co/luWiHqIlCZ — Jeff Yang (@originalspin) December 16, 2020
He was also criticized for following up with a tweet boasting that Tesla scored well on the Human Rights Campaign’s LGBTQ corporate equality index in the past.
Activist and writer Charlotte Clymer, the former press secretary of the HRC, noted that comments like this from the company’s CEO could affect that score.
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Hi, former HRC press secretary here. Most of that score is based on 1) policies protecting against discrimination, such as respecting pronouns and 2) maintaining an inclusive culture, such as respecting pronouns. Points can also be deducted for things like... this tweet. — Charlotte Clymer 🏳🌈 (@cmclymer) December 16, 2020
Here’s some of the other chat:
The nerve to use 'aesthetic nightmare' when this shit exists lmao pic.twitter.com/1UxbyOZQTz — PokyGem (@PokyGem023) December 16, 2020
aesthetic nightmare: “my pronouns are they/them”
non-aesthetic nightmare: “my child’s name is X Æ A-12” https://t.co/PU7xZyKNvl — shoe (@shoe0nhead) December 16, 2020
do people know that we already use pronouns lol that this is not like a new concept — manny (@mannyfidel) December 16, 2020
you named your kid a wifi password https://t.co/fc75nq8uy9 — Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) December 16, 2020