thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--Biden Hints At A Mostly Virtual Inauguration Ceremony: 'The Key Is Keeping People Safe'

President-elect Joe Biden — who received the most votes in presidential election history — may also end up having the quietest inauguration in recent memory .
Biden hinted at a toned-down ceremony devoid of the usual galas and balls that usually accompany presidential inaugurations in a Friday news conference in Wilmington , Delaware .
“ The first and foremost thing is we ’ re going to follow again the science and the recommendations of the experts on keeping people safe , ” Biden said , adding that specific details were still being hammered out .
“ So it is highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people on the [ National ] Mall going all the way down to the [ Lincoln ] Memorial .
...
But I think you ’ re going to see something that ’ s closer to what the convention was like than the typical inauguration.
” The Democratic National Convention in August was nearly entirely virtual aside from Biden ’ s accepting the presidential nomination in person in Milwaukee .
“ My guess is there probably will not be a gigantic inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue .
But my guess is you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states all across America , engaging even more people than before , ” Biden said .
The president-elect also stressed that he couldn ’ t do “ a super version of the president ’ s announcement in the Rose Garden nationwide , ” a reference to an October White House event for Amy Coney Barrett ’ s Supreme Court nomination that led to multiple COVID-19 cases within President Donald Trump ’ s administration .
Biden speculated that holding more events virtually might be an intentional choice by his party in the future .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be more imaginative , ... but I think the convention we put on really opened up avenues that we never thought existed , and I doubt there will be ... another Democratic Convention that ’ ll be straight like it always has been , ” Biden said .
“ I think we can include more people.
” The president-elect told CNN on Thursday that he hoped Trump would put his pride aside and attend the inauguration to ensure “ a peaceful transfer of power.
” But he added that it was Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no personal consequence ” to him .

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President-elect Joe Biden — who received the most votes in presidential election history — may also end up having the quietest inauguration in recent memory.
Biden hinted at a toned-down ceremony devoid of the usual galas and balls that usually accompany presidential inaugurations in a Friday news conference in Wilmington, Delaware.
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“The first and foremost thing is we’re going to follow again the science and the recommendations of the experts on keeping people safe,” Biden said, adding that specific details were still being hammered out. “So it is highly unlikely there’ll be a million people on the [National] Mall going all the way down to the [Lincoln] Memorial. ... But I think you’re going to see something that’s closer to what the convention was like than the typical inauguration.”
The Democratic National Convention in August was nearly entirely virtual aside from Biden’s accepting the presidential nomination in person in Milwaukee.
“My guess is there probably will not be a gigantic inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. But my guess is you’ll see a lot of virtual activity in states all across America, engaging even more people than before,” Biden said.
The president-elect also stressed that he couldn’t do “a super version of the president’s announcement in the Rose Garden nationwide,” a reference to an October White House event for Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination that led to multiple COVID-19 cases within President Donald Trump’s administration.
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Biden speculated that holding more events virtually might be an intentional choice by his party in the future.
“It’s going to have to be more imaginative, ... but I think the convention we put on really opened up avenues that we never thought existed, and I doubt there will be ... another Democratic Convention that’ll be straight like it always has been,” Biden said. “I think we can include more people.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--Ever Wonder How A Governor With COVID-19 Signs Bills?

Politics may be messy , but for a brief minute on Thursday afternoon , the process was at least a little bit more sterile .
Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis ( D ) tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday , just two days before a special legislative session he ’ d called to respond to the pandemic was set to start .
The special session adjourned Wednesday , leaving Polis with 10 high-priority , COVID-19-related bills to sign .
But how does one go about signing time-sensitive legislation in quarantine ?
After fumigating the bills , Polis says he handled them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trooper to courier them to the state capitol .
The governor ’ s office didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the specifics of Polis ’ process .
That means questions like , “ Could he have just signed these digitally ?
” , “ Could he have used an autopen ?
” and “ Why not wear a mask and gloves while signing them ?
” went unanswered .
( We ’ ll update this story if we hear back . )
While spreading the virus via contaminated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touches a contaminated surface and then touches their eyes , nose or mouth afterward , current research suggests the primary vector for COVID-19 is respiratory droplets spread from person to person .
So while Polis ’ lemon-scented performance may be justified given the circumstances , there ’ s no need to employ similar efforts if you ’ re COVID-19-negative and are going about your daily life .
Practicing good hygiene ― washing your hands , disinfecting high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and phones ― should suffice .
And wear a mask .
For more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be disinfecting , check out our guide here .

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Politics may be messy, but for a brief minute on Thursday afternoon, the process was at least a little bit more sterile.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday, just two days before a special legislative session he’d called to respond to the pandemic was set to start.
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The special session adjourned Wednesday, leaving Polis with 10 high-priority, COVID-19-related bills to sign. But how does one go about signing time-sensitive legislation in quarantine?
As Polis phrased it, “Bill signing, COVID style.”
Translation: Lots and lots of Lysol.
Signed a bill today that supports the state’s ongoing efforts to combat the pandemic by providing critical resources for our disaster response to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/Ns0UsRLvk3 — Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) December 3, 2020
After fumigating the bills, Polis says he handled them with gloves and arranged for a state trooper to courier them to the state capitol.
The governor’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the specifics of Polis’ process.
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That means questions like, “Could he have just signed these digitally?”, “Could he have used an autopen?” and “Why not wear a mask and gloves while signing them?” went unanswered. (We’ll update this story if we hear back.)
While spreading the virus via contaminated surfaces is possible, especially if one touches a contaminated surface and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth afterward, current research suggests the primary vector for COVID-19 is respiratory droplets spread from person to person.
So while Polis’ lemon-scented performance may be justified given the circumstances, there’s no need to employ similar efforts if you’re COVID-19-negative and are going about your daily life.
Practicing good hygiene ― washing your hands, disinfecting high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and phones ― should suffice. And wear a mask.
For more on what you still should and shouldn’t be disinfecting, check out our guide here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--Obama Says Georgia Senate Runoffs Will Determine Course Of Biden's Presidency

Former President Barack Obama urged Georgians to vote in upcoming runoff Senate races , saying the outcomes will “ determine ultimately the course of the Biden presidency.
” “ You are now once again the center of our civic universe , ” Obama told Georgia residents Friday during a virtual rally for Democratic Senate candidates Rev .
Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff .
Both candidates are in high-stakes runoff races for seats that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate for at least the next two years .
In the runoff , set for Jan. 5 , Warnock and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , respectively .
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be working with a GOP majority in the Senate unless Democrats win both their races in Georgia .
“ I know something about the importance of the U.S. Senate , ” Obama said .
When he was in office , Republican lawmakers repeatedly sought to obstruct legislation key to his agenda , including on immigration reform and expanding access to health care .
Obama also said he had been frustrated by many of his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed as if they felt like they didn ’ t need to do anything after the presidential election because “ we got Barack there.
” “ This is not just about Georgia .
This is about America , and this is about the world , ” he said .
“ And it ’ s in your power to have an impact.
” The Democratic-led House passed a major coronavirus relief bill , the Heroes Act , in May , but it stalled in the Republican-led Senate .
The pandemic has only worsened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Congress hasn ’ t passed another relief package since the spring .
This week , the U.S. hit two grim milestones : A record 100,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 , and the U.S. saw its highest single-day death toll from the virus , with over 2,800 people dying Wednesday .
Former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams , who also spoke during the virtual rally , thanked volunteers for knocking on doors and registering people to vote ahead of the runoff .
The deadline for registering to vote for the January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We did something no one expected : We turned Georgia blue , ” Abrams said .
Get-out-the-vote efforts from Abrams and other Black women have been widely credited with helping to flip the red state in last month ’ s presidential election .
“ The vote is an expression that what each of us does matters , ” Obama said , adding that Americans are too often given the message that they need to be wealthy to have power .
“ But the premise of our nation is all people have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a government of , by and for the people .
”

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Former President Barack Obama urged Georgians to vote in upcoming runoff Senate races, saying the outcomes will “determine ultimately the course of the Biden presidency.”
“You are now once again the center of our civic universe,” Obama told Georgia residents Friday during a virtual rally for Democratic Senate candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
Advertisement
Both candidates are in high-stakes runoff races for seats that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate for at least the next two years. In the runoff, set for Jan. 5, Warnock and Ossoff are running against Republican incumbent Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, respectively.
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be working with a GOP majority in the Senate unless Democrats win both their races in Georgia.
“I know something about the importance of the U.S. Senate,” Obama said. When he was in office, Republican lawmakers repeatedly sought to obstruct legislation key to his agenda, including on immigration reform and expanding access to health care.
Obama also said he had been frustrated by many of his own supporters while in office, saying it seemed as if they felt like they didn’t need to do anything after the presidential election because “we got Barack there.”
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“This is not just about Georgia. This is about America, and this is about the world,” he said. “And it’s in your power to have an impact.”
Former President Barack Obama and Stacey Abrams (top left) speak with candidates Jon Ossoff (top right) and Raphael Warnock (bottom left) about their upcoming runoff races for Senate seats in Georgia. Georgia Democrats
Obama said a Senate led by the GOP could obstruct attempts to “deal with the aftermath of the pandemic.”
The Democratic-led House passed a major coronavirus relief bill, the Heroes Act, in May, but it stalled in the Republican-led Senate. The pandemic has only worsened, with cases and deaths skyrocketing nationwide, but Congress hasn’t passed another relief package since the spring.
This week, the U.S. hit two grim milestones: A record 100,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, and the U.S. saw its highest single-day death toll from the virus, with over 2,800 people dying Wednesday.
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Former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams, who also spoke during the virtual rally, thanked volunteers for knocking on doors and registering people to vote ahead of the runoff. The deadline for registering to vote for the January elections in Georgia is Dec. 7.
“We did something no one expected: We turned Georgia blue,” Abrams said. Get-out-the-vote efforts from Abrams and other Black women have been widely credited with helping to flip the red state in last month’s presidential election.
Obama similarly sent “a message from the nation that we sure are proud of Georgia.”
“The vote is an expression that what each of us does matters,” Obama said, adding that Americans are too often given the message that they need to be wealthy to have power.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--California Certifies Its Electoral Votes, Officially Securing Biden's Victory

Secretary of State Alex Padilla ’ s formal approval of Biden ’ s win in the state brought his tally of pledged electors so far to 279 , according to a tally by The Associated Press .
That ’ s just over the 270 threshold for victory .
These steps in the election are often ignored formalities .
But the hidden mechanics of electing a U.S. president have drawn new scrutiny this year as President Donald Trump continues to deny Biden ’ s victory and pursues increasingly specious legal strategies aimed at overturning the results before they are finalized .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks that Biden won the presidential election , his accrual of more than 270 electors is the first step toward the White House , said Edward B. Foley , a law professor at Ohio State University .
“ It is a legal milestone and the first milestone that has that status , ” Foley said .
“ Everything prior to that was premised on what we call projections.
” The electors named Friday will meet Dec. 14 , along with counterparts in each state , to formally vote for the next president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the winner of the popular vote in their state , measures that were upheld by a Supreme Court decision this year .
There have been no suggestions that any of Biden ’ s pledged electors would contemplate not voting for him .
Results of the Electoral College vote are due to be received , and typically approved , by Congress on Jan. 6 .
Although lawmakers can object to accepting the electors ’ votes , it would be almost impossible for Biden to be blocked at that point .
The Democratic-controlled House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resolve any disputes .
One already has arisen from Pennsylvania , where 75 Republican lawmakers signed a statement on Friday urging Congress to block the state ’ s electoral votes from being cast for Biden .
But the state ’ s Republican U.S. senator , Pat Toomey , said soon afterward that he would not be objecting to Pennsylvania ’ s slate of electors , underscoring the difficulty in trying to change the election results through Congress .
That was clear in the days after the election , when the count of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had won victories in enough states to win the Electoral College .
It became even more apparent in late November , when every swing state won by Biden certified him as the winner of its elections and appointed his electors to the Electoral College .
Trump has fruitlessly tried to stop those states from certifying Biden as the winner and appointing electors for the former vice president .
He made no effort in deeply Democratic California , the most populous state in the nation and the trove of its largest number of electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden — Colorado , Hawaii and New Jersey — have not yet certified their results .
When they do , Biden will have 306 Electoral College votes to Trump ’ s 232 .
Trump and his allies have brought at least 50 legal cases trying to overturn the results in the swing states Biden won — mainly Arizona , Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
More than 30 have been rejected or dropped , according to an AP tally .
But state Republican leaders have rejected that approach , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to federal law , both chambers of Congress would need to vote to accept a competing slate of electors .
If they don ’ t , the electors appointed by the states ’ governors — all pledged to Biden in these cases — must be used .
This tactic has been tried — a handful of congressional Democrats in 2000 , 2004 and 2016 objected to officially making both George W. Bush and Trump president .
But the numbers were not enough to block the two men from taking office .

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California certified its presidential election Friday and appointed 55 electors pledged to vote for Democrat Joe Biden, officially handing him the Electoral College majority needed to win the White House.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s formal approval of Biden’s win in the state brought his tally of pledged electors so far to 279, according to a tally by The Associated Press. That’s just over the 270 threshold for victory.
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These steps in the election are often ignored formalities. But the hidden mechanics of electing a U.S. president have drawn new scrutiny this year as President Donald Trump continues to deny Biden’s victory and pursues increasingly specious legal strategies aimed at overturning the results before they are finalized.
Although it’s been apparent for weeks that Biden won the presidential election, his accrual of more than 270 electors is the first step toward the White House, said Edward B. Foley, a law professor at Ohio State University.
“It is a legal milestone and the first milestone that has that status,” Foley said. “Everything prior to that was premised on what we call projections.”
The electors named Friday will meet Dec. 14, along with counterparts in each state, to formally vote for the next president. Most states have laws binding their electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state, measures that were upheld by a Supreme Court decision this year. There have been no suggestions that any of Biden’s pledged electors would contemplate not voting for him.
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Results of the Electoral College vote are due to be received, and typically approved, by Congress on Jan. 6. Although lawmakers can object to accepting the electors’ votes, it would be almost impossible for Biden to be blocked at that point.
The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate would both vote separately to resolve any disputes. One already has arisen from Pennsylvania, where 75 Republican lawmakers signed a statement on Friday urging Congress to block the state’s electoral votes from being cast for Biden. But the state’s Republican U.S. senator, Pat Toomey, said soon afterward that he would not be objecting to Pennsylvania’s slate of electors, underscoring the difficulty in trying to change the election results through Congress.
“As a practical matter, we know that Joe Biden is going to be inaugurated on Jan. 20,” Foley said.
That was clear in the days after the election, when the count of mail ballots gradually made clear that Biden had won victories in enough states to win the Electoral College. It became even more apparent in late November, when every swing state won by Biden certified him as the winner of its elections and appointed his electors to the Electoral College. Trump has fruitlessly tried to stop those states from certifying Biden as the winner and appointing electors for the former vice president.
He made no effort in deeply Democratic California, the most populous state in the nation and the trove of its largest number of electoral votes. Three more states won by Biden — Colorado, Hawaii and New Jersey — have not yet certified their results. When they do, Biden will have 306 Electoral College votes to Trump’s 232.
Trump and his allies have brought at least 50 legal cases trying to overturn the results in the swing states Biden won — mainly Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. More than 30 have been rejected or dropped, according to an AP tally.
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Trump and his allies have also raised the far-fetched notion that Republican state legislatures in those states could appoint a rival set of electors pledged to Trump.
But state Republican leaders have rejected that approach, and it would likely be futile in any case. According to federal law, both chambers of Congress would need to vote to accept a competing slate of electors. If they don’t, the electors appointed by the states’ governors — all pledged to Biden in these cases — must be used.
The last remaining move to block the election would be the quixotic effort to vote down the electors in Congress.
This tactic has been tried — a handful of congressional Democrats in 2000, 2004 and 2016 objected to officially making both George W. Bush and Trump president. But the numbers were not enough to block the two men from taking office.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--13 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week

13 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week

We ’ re highlighting exceptional photos from around the world for the week just ended .
Check them out below @ @ @ @ @ flies in front of the full moon during a penumbral lunar eclipse over Shenyang , @ @ @ @ @

We’re highlighting exceptional photos from around the world for the week just ended. Check them out below.
Above: An airplane flies in front of the full moon during a penumbral lunar eclipse over Shenyang, China, on Monday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--I Began Taking Prozac. Here's What It Taught My Conservative Family About Mental Health.

In May I found myself curled up on the kitchen floor ― numb and crying .
My mom stood beside me begging for me to stop .
Eventually , when she realized I wouldn ’ t respond , she got down on the floor and molded her body to mine and just held me .
We stayed like this for a while ― a very sad version of spooning .
At some point , I was too worn-out to cry any longer and my hip started hurting from the linoleum , so I got up and went to bed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ episode was not the one that finally prompted my parents to decide that their teenage daughter needed outside intervention for depression .
Many more followed and included combinations of intense crying spells , panic attacks and catatonia , all of which left me depleted .
Finally , after what seemed like months of struggling , my mom and I decided to schedule a telehealth appointment with our family doctor .
It was a brief session of no more than 15 minutes , after which I was prescribed a 10-mg daily dose of Prozac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular in the 1990s and is currently one of the only drugs of its kind to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for child and teen use .
Similar to what Elizabeth Wurtzel recalled in her memoir “ Prozac Nation , ” I found the effects of the medication to be astonishing ― and not in a hyperbolic way .
But what was even more surprising to me was just how long it took to get to a point where my parents and I realized that I needed help ― not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving for a while by then , but what felt like an invasive chemical treatment .
My family ’ s views on mental health ― like many of our other views ― were generally conservative .
We looked at it from a detached perspective and thought issues related to it wer something that happened to other people , but surely not us .
So , my parents and I largely avoided the topic in daily discussions and became visibly uncomfortable with stories of friends ’ or acquaintances ’ mental health issues .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has learned to celebrate mental health and destigmatize mental disorders , I absorbed my family ’ s outlook without question .
This caused me to dismiss my own bouts of sadness or anxious behavior as temporary and capable of being eliminated simply by willpower .
Any time I felt sad , I would blame myself for being ungrateful , for not finding joy and contentment in what was right in front of me ― as if sadness and gratefulness were mutually exclusive .
As if sadness was always a choice .
My breakdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wake-up call .
It unearthed a suspicion I ’ ve always harbored despite my family ’ s views : that mental illness can happen to anyone , and when it does , it is a ruthless , savage beast .
My parents also became more open-minded about mental health issues ( from who can be affected to options for addressing them ) after witnessing their daughter struggle so much ― and become so much better thanks to a medicinal treatment .
Since I started taking an antidepressant , we ’ ve talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily fears , worries , excitement or melancholy that would arise in each of us , often without warning .
During the summer , my parents and I even decided to start spending time together sitting around our fire pit and sharing these reflections .
Through our conversations , we became more empathetic toward each other and more understanding of all of our friends and acquaintances who have gone through or are going through similar experiences .
It felt like a release .
All in all , Prozac changed my life by helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive outlook .
My family ’ s new transparency and willingness to discuss mental health has also been a driving force behind my recovery .
But my story is just one out of many , and there is certainly no one-size-fits-all treatment for mental illness .
Antidepressants are not for everyone , and sometimes it takes a while for a person to find one that works .
Some people might even bypass them altogether , discovering that therapy is just as ( if not more ) effective .
Others find that their depression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments .
For me , therapy provided only incremental improvements and didn ’ t do much to prevent my most acute mental issues , which is why my family and I decided on medication .
According to a study from the University of Michigan , about 1 in 7 children and teens in the U.S. suffered from at least one treatable mental illness in 2016 .
Roughly half of these kids and teens , however , did not receive the treatment or counseling that their condition demanded .
More recent statistics are no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the American Psychological Association revealed that Gen Zers are the most stressed-out age group , pointing to a teen mental health crisis that has the potential to only get worse .
It ’ s possible to interpret these findings ― especially the number of young people whose mental illnesses persist untreated ― as being related to challenges like steep health care prices or limited diagnostic tools to detect mental disorders .
But what if another culprit is simply the avoidance of the topic of mental illness in family homes across the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a year ago , might be uncomfortable starting conversations with their kids about mental health , and that can make it more likely for problems to go unnoticed for too long .
When it comes to discussions about mental health , especially at a time like this , when young adults are increasingly finding themselves confined to their homes ( and the beliefs of those they live with ) , families need to make the conscious choice of honesty , transparency and vulnerability .
Stacia Datskovska is a 17-year-old college student who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passions are writing and cooking , and she hopes to have a career at the intersection of the two as a food journalist .
When she ’ s not studying or working as a tutor , you can find her outdoors , exercising or taking spontaneous trips to D.C. with her mom .
Stacia ’ s work has also been published in USA Today , The Baltimore Sun , POPSUGAR , Thrive Global and more .

The author. Courtesy of Stacia Datskovska
In May I found myself curled up on the kitchen floor ― numb and crying. My mom stood beside me begging for me to stop. Eventually, when she realized I wouldn’t respond, she got down on the floor and molded her body to mine and just held me. We stayed like this for a while ― a very sad version of spooning. At some point, I was too worn-out to cry any longer and my hip started hurting from the linoleum, so I got up and went to bed. It was just 2:00 p.m.
This episode was not the one that finally prompted my parents to decide that their teenage daughter needed outside intervention for depression. Many more followed and included combinations of intense crying spells, panic attacks and catatonia, all of which left me depleted. Finally, after what seemed like months of struggling, my mom and I decided to schedule a telehealth appointment with our family doctor. It was a brief session of no more than 15 minutes, after which I was prescribed a 10-mg daily dose of Prozac.
Advertisement
Prozac is an antidepressant that became popular in the 1990s and is currently one of the only drugs of its kind to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for child and teen use. Similar to what Elizabeth Wurtzel recalled in her memoir “Prozac Nation,” I found the effects of the medication to be astonishing ― and not in a hyperbolic way. But what was even more surprising to me was just how long it took to get to a point where my parents and I realized that I needed help ― not just teletherapy, which I had been receiving for a while by then, but what felt like an invasive chemical treatment.
My family’s views on mental health ― like many of our other views ― were generally conservative. We looked at it from a detached perspective and thought issues related to it wer something that happened to other people, but surely not us. So, my parents and I largely avoided the topic in daily discussions and became visibly uncomfortable with stories of friends’ or acquaintances’ mental health issues.
The author holding her Prozac prescription, which she started taking during the peak of the pandemic and continues to take to this day. Courtesy of Stacia Datskovska
Despite coming of age in a culture that has learned to celebrate mental health and destigmatize mental disorders, I absorbed my family’s outlook without question. This caused me to dismiss my own bouts of sadness or anxious behavior as temporary and capable of being eliminated simply by willpower. Any time I felt sad, I would blame myself for being ungrateful, for not finding joy and contentment in what was right in front of me ― as if sadness and gratefulness were mutually exclusive. As if sadness was always a choice.
Advertisement
My breakdown in the middle of the pandemic was a wake-up call. It unearthed a suspicion I’ve always harbored despite my family’s views: that mental illness can happen to anyone, and when it does, it is a ruthless, savage beast. My parents also became more open-minded about mental health issues (from who can be affected to options for addressing them) after witnessing their daughter struggle so much ― and become so much better thanks to a medicinal treatment.
Since I started taking an antidepressant, we’ve talked more candidly about our emotions: the daily fears, worries, excitement or melancholy that would arise in each of us, often without warning. During the summer, my parents and I even decided to start spending time together sitting around our fire pit and sharing these reflections. Through our conversations, we became more empathetic toward each other and more understanding of all of our friends and acquaintances who have gone through or are going through similar experiences. It felt like a release.
All in all, Prozac changed my life by helping me stabilize my moods and maintain a positive outlook. My family’s new transparency and willingness to discuss mental health has also been a driving force behind my recovery. But my story is just one out of many, and there is certainly no one-size-fits-all treatment for mental illness.
Antidepressants are not for everyone, and sometimes it takes a while for a person to find one that works. Some people might even bypass them altogether, discovering that therapy is just as (if not more) effective. Others find that their depression is best remedied through a combination of treatments. For me, therapy provided only incremental improvements and didn’t do much to prevent my most acute mental issues, which is why my family and I decided on medication.
The author (right) with her parents in early March, on her mother's birthday. Stacia Datskovska
Advertisement
While the effects of various treatment plans for mental health issues are highly individual, it is safe to say that mental illness itself is becoming alarmingly more common ― especially among young people.
According to a study from the University of Michigan, about 1 in 7 children and teens in the U.S. suffered from at least one treatable mental illness in 2016. Roughly half of these kids and teens, however, did not receive the treatment or counseling that their condition demanded. More recent statistics are no more comforting: A 2020 annual survey by the American Psychological Association revealed that Gen Zers are the most stressed-out age group, pointing to a teen mental health crisis that has the potential to only get worse.
It’s possible to interpret these findings ― especially the number of young people whose mental illnesses persist untreated ― as being related to challenges like steep health care prices or limited diagnostic tools to detect mental disorders. But what if another culprit is simply the avoidance of the topic of mental illness in family homes across the U.S.? Many parents, much like mine just a year ago, might be uncomfortable starting conversations with their kids about mental health, and that can make it more likely for problems to go unnoticed for too long.
When it comes to discussions about mental health, especially at a time like this, when young adults are increasingly finding themselves confined to their homes (and the beliefs of those they live with), families need to make the conscious choice of honesty, transparency and vulnerability.
I’m so glad my own family was able to make this choice. Because of it, I am now ― and we all are ― happier and healthier than ever.
Advertisement
Stacia Datskovska is a 17-year-old college student who lives in Northern Virginia. Her biggest passions are writing and cooking, and she hopes to have a career at the intersection of the two as a food journalist. When she’s not studying or working as a tutor, you can find her outdoors, exercising or taking spontaneous trips to D.C. with her mom. Stacia’s work has also been published in USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, POPSUGAR, Thrive Global and more.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Oregon Doc's Medical License Suspended After Boast He And His Staff Never Wear Masks

Oregon ’ s Medical Board voted Thursday to suspend a physician ’ s license indefinitely after he boasted that he and his staff have “ not once ” worn masks in his clinic to help stem the spread of COVID-19 .
The board issued an “ emergency ” order to immediately suspend Dr. Steven LaTulippe ’ s medical license “ due to the board ’ s concern for the safety and welfare of licensee ’ s current and future patients , ” according to a statement on the board ’ s website .
LaTulippe , who owns the family practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , southwest of Portland , dismissed the importance of masks in a Nov. 7 speech at a “ Stop the Steal ” rally in Salem last month after the presidential election .
“ I want to expose what I call corona mania , ” LaTulippe declared in the video at the rally in a videotape posted to YouTube by a local Republican Party .
He called on people to “ take off the mask of shame.
” “ I hate to tell you this , I might scare you , but I and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once wore a mask in my clinic , ” he added to cheers from the crowd .
“ And how many problems did we have in our clinic from that ?
Zero.
” He claimed that his clinic had treated 75 people with COVID-19 .
LaTulippe told the crowd : “ We have been utterly duped .
I want you to know that this is insanity , and the purpose was only to shut down the American people .
This is a threat to your freedom , a threat to our Constitution.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does ask patients who believe they have COVID-19 and have symptoms to wear a mask in his clinic .
LaTulippe said he treats them in a “ back room ” that ’ s disinfected .
“ I ’ m very interested in sound medical practice , and I ’ m interested in good science , ” he told NBC .
“ When science and medicine become perverted with corrupt politics , then I ’ m up for a fight , and that ’ s what made me go to that rally and say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he allegedly told a patient seeking guidance about COVID-19 in July that asymptomatic people should not get tested , that a mask does not prevent transmission , and not to self-isolate because exposure to others would develop immunity to the coronavirus .
Infectious disease experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend face masks as one of the most basic and effective protections against the transmission of COVID-19 .

Oregon’s state medical board voted Thursday to suspend a physician’s license indefinitely after he boasted that he and his staff have “not once” worn masks in his clinic to help stem the spread of COVID-19.
The board issued an “emergency” order to immediately suspend Dr. Steven LaTulippe’s medical license, “due to the Board’s concern for the safety and welfare” of his “current and future patients,” according to a statement on the board’s website.
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LaTulippe, who owns the family practice clinic South View Medical Arts in Dallas, southwest of Portland, dismissed the importance of masks in a Nov. 7 speech at a “Stop the Steal” rally in Salem.
“I want to expose what I call corona mania,” LaTulippe declared at the rally, as seen in a video posted to YouTube by the group Multnomah County Republicans. He called on people to “take off the mask of shame.”
“I hate to tell you this, I might scare you, but I and my staff, none of us, once wore a mask in my clinic,” he added to cheers from the crowd. “And how many problems did we have in our clinic from that? Zero.” He claimed that his clinic had treated about 75 people with COVID-19.
LaTulippe told the crowd: “We have been utterly duped, and I want you to know that this is insanity, and the purpose was only to shut down the American people. This is a threat to your freedom, a threat to our Constitution.”
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LaTulippe erroneously equated the coronavirus to a “common cold” virus. More than 279,000 Americans have died of COVID-19.
He told NBC News Wednesday that he does ask patients who believe they have COVID-19, or who have symptoms, to wear a mask in his clinic. LaTulippe said he treats them in a “back room” that’s disinfected, according to NBC.
“I’m very interested in sound medical practice, and I’m interested in good science,” he said. “When science and medicine become perverted with corrupt politics, then I’m up for a fight, and that’s what made me go to that rally and say what I said.”
State board online documents obtained by NBC News noted that LaTulippe’s license was suspended for engaging in “unprofessional conduct or dishonorable conduct.”
The documents noted that he allegedly told a patient seeking guidance about COVID-19 in July that asymptomatic people should not get tested and that a mask does not prevent transmission. According to NBC, LaTulippe allegedly told the patient not to self-isolate because exposure to others would somehow “provide immunity” to the coronavirus.
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Infectious disease experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend face masks as one of the most basic and effective protections against the transmission of COVID-19.
The indefinite suspension of LaTulippe’s medical license bars him from practicing medicine anywhere in the state.
HuffPost could not immediately reach LaTulippe for comment.
Check out LaTulippe’s boast about not wearing a mask in his clinic in the video up top. His comments about COVID-19 begin at 0:55.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--Biden Predicts 'Bleak Future' If Congress Doesn't Act On COVID-19 Aid

He also expressed concern that so far he ’ s seen “ no detailed plan ” from the Trump administration on how to distribute an approved coronavirus vaccine , but said he and his team are working on their own proposal to fill in the gaps .
Biden delivered remarks Friday afternoon reacting to November ’ s national jobs report , which showed a sharp decrease in U.S. hiring even as the country is about 10 million jobs below pre-pandemic levels .
The Democrat called the report “ dire ” and said it “ shows the economy is stalling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress can halt some of the damage .
Surging cases of the virus have led states and municipalities to roll back their reopening plans .
And more restrictions may be on the way as lower temperatures and holiday travel lead to records for confirmed cases and deaths .
Biden has said that while he doesn ’ t support a nationwide lockdown , he plans to ask Americans to commit to 100 days of mask-wearing to help combat the virus as one of his first acts as president .
But one of his major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic will be distributing a vaccine .
While the Trump administration has undertaken some planning around vaccine distribution , Biden said Friday that their proposal lacks significant details .
“ There is no detailed plan — that we ’ ve seen , anyway — as to how you get a vaccine out of a container , into an injection syringe , into someone ’ s arm , ” he said .
The president-elect said that while his team agrees with some of the priorities the Trump administration has laid out in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be done .
One of the major questions , Biden added , is how to get the vaccine to minority communities , which are disproportionately affected by the virus .
He is working on an “ overall plan , ” and he asked government infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci to be part of his COVID-19 team to help with that planning .
Biden said the distribution alone was a “ very expensive proposition.
” While he ’ s thrown his support behind a bipartisan economic relief bill of about $ 900 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ down payment ” and has said much more will be needed once he takes office next year .
On Friday , he said he and his team have been consulting with labor leaders , CEOs , mayors and governors in crafting their own coronavirus aid bill , which will be his first legislative priority as president .
Biden expressed optimism that he ’ ll be able to cut a deal with Republicans when he takes office , but he ’ s certain to face a heavy lift in navigating any bill through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have been deadlocked on a coronavirus aid bill for months , with Republicans opposed to a previous , more expensive bill that passed the House .
Biden said Friday that he plans to ask Congress for funding for expanded testing , vaccine distribution , jobless aid and help for those at risk of eviction .
He said it will be important to work together with Congress to pass additional aid because “ the country ’ s going to be in dire , dire , dire straits if they don ’ t. ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ He knows I ’ m as straight as an arrow when I negotiate .
He knows I keep commitments and never try to embarrass the opposition.
” The coronavirus pandemic will affect more than just Biden ’ s legislative focus when he takes office .
He said Friday that it ’ s also certain to affect his Jan. 20 inauguration and that public health concerns mean he ’ ll have to skip some of the traditional festivities that go along with the event .
He said there likely won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” down Pennsylvania Avenue or “ a million people on the Mall ” to watch his swearing-in .
He predicted it would look more like the Democratic National Convention , which was largely virtual and broadcast on television and online .

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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is predicting a “bleak future” if Congress doesn’t take speedy action on a coronavirus aid bill amid a nationwide spike in the virus that’s hampering the country’s economic recovery.
He also expressed concern that so far he’s seen “no detailed plan” from the Trump administration on how to distribute an approved coronavirus vaccine, but said he and his team are working on their own proposal to fill in the gaps.
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Biden delivered remarks Friday afternoon reacting to November’s national jobs report, which showed a sharp decrease in U.S. hiring even as the country is about 10 million jobs below pre-pandemic levels. The Democrat called the report “dire” and said it “shows the economy is stalling,” but he said quick action from Congress can halt some of the damage.
“If we act now — I mean now — we can begin to regain momentum and start to build back a better future,” he said. “There’s no time to lose.”
Surging cases of the virus have led states and municipalities to roll back their reopening plans. And more restrictions may be on the way as lower temperatures and holiday travel lead to records for confirmed cases and deaths. Biden has said that while he doesn’t support a nationwide lockdown, he plans to ask Americans to commit to 100 days of mask-wearing to help combat the virus as one of his first acts as president.
But one of his major challenges in turning the tide of the coronavirus pandemic will be distributing a vaccine. While the Trump administration has undertaken some planning around vaccine distribution, Biden said Friday that their proposal lacks significant details.
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“There is no detailed plan — that we’ve seen, anyway — as to how you get a vaccine out of a container, into an injection syringe, into someone’s arm,” he said.
The president-elect said that while his team agrees with some of the priorities the Trump administration has laid out in its vaccine distribution plan, more work needs to be done.
One of the major questions, Biden added, is how to get the vaccine to minority communities, which are disproportionately affected by the virus. He is working on an “overall plan,” and he asked government infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci to be part of his COVID-19 team to help with that planning. Biden said the distribution alone was a “very expensive proposition.”
That’s part of the reason the president-elect has issued calls for Congress to take action on a coronavirus relief bill now.
While he’s thrown his support behind a bipartisan economic relief bill of about $900 billion, Biden has called it just a “down payment” and has said much more will be needed once he takes office next year.
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On Friday, he said he and his team have been consulting with labor leaders, CEOs, mayors and governors in crafting their own coronavirus aid bill, which will be his first legislative priority as president.
“The fight against COVID won’t be won in January alone,” he said.
Biden expressed optimism that he’ll be able to cut a deal with Republicans when he takes office, but he’s certain to face a heavy lift in navigating any bill through a closely divided Senate. Democrats and Republicans have been deadlocked on a coronavirus aid bill for months, with Republicans opposed to a previous, more expensive bill that passed the House.
Biden said Friday that he plans to ask Congress for funding for expanded testing, vaccine distribution, jobless aid and help for those at risk of eviction. He said it will be important to work together with Congress to pass additional aid because “the country’s going to be in dire, dire, dire straits if they don’t.”
He also cited his long-standing relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as evidence for his optimism.
“He knows me,” Biden said. “He knows I’m as straight as an arrow when I negotiate. He knows I keep commitments and never try to embarrass the opposition.”
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The coronavirus pandemic will affect more than just Biden’s legislative focus when he takes office. He said Friday that it’s also certain to affect his Jan. 20 inauguration and that public health concerns mean he’ll have to skip some of the traditional festivities that go along with the event.
He said there likely won’t be “a gigantic inaugural parade” down Pennsylvania Avenue or “a million people on the Mall” to watch his swearing-in. He predicted it would look more like the Democratic National Convention, which was largely virtual and broadcast on television and online.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--CNBC's Controversial Rick Santelli Pitches A Fit Over Coronavirus Safety Measures

In an astoundingly emotional on-air tirade Friday , CNBC personality Rick Santelli sputtered and railed against the need to restrict restaurant outings and to wear face masks to help stem the surging tide of COVID-19 cases .
He was disputed repeatedly in a face-off with “ Squawk Box ” co-host and New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin , who warned Santelli that he was harming public health with his wrong-headed screed .
Santelli argued that it wasn ’ t rational to shut down restaurants when parking lots at big-box retailers were packed with cars .
Sorkin jumped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health and public service announcement for the audience ... the difference between a big-box retailer and a restaurant or , frankly , even a church , are so different it ’ s unbelievable.
” Sorkin noted that experts agree that dining indoors at restaurants , where patrons have to take off their masks to eat and drink , presents a much higher risk of coronavirus transmission than shopping at a retail store , where customers and workers are usually required to keep masks over their faces .
The two began interrupting one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I disagree .
I disagree .
I disagree !
You can have your thoughts , and I can have mine.
” “ It ’ s not science !
” Santelli yelled .
“ Five hundred people in a Lowe ’ s aren ’ t any safer than 150 people in a restaurant that holds 600 .
I don ’ t believe it.
” Sorkin shot back : “ You don ’ t have to believe it .
You ’ re doing a disservice to the viewer .
You are .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our viewers as healthy as humanly possible .
The idea of packing people into restaurants ... ” “ I think our viewers are smart enough to make part of those decisions on their own , ” Santelli retorted .
That ’ s when CNBC ’ s Steve Liesman piped up : “ How ’ s that working out for you , Rick ?
Look at the numbers.
” The U.S. is seeing record numbers of daily COVID-19 deaths .
The toll is edging close to 3,000 deaths a day .
In March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ d just be better off if we gave it [ COVID-19 ] to everybody , and then in a month it would be over.
” Even Tucker Carlson got in on the action on Fox News later Friday , replaying the confrontation and hailing Santelli as “ one of the good guys.
” Critics on Twitter have repeatedly called on CNBC to fire Santelli , whose 2009 diatribe on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange against President Barack Obama ’ s proposed bailout for homeowners reportedly inspired the launch of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overstate how much Rick Santelli sucks and how much damage he has done with these rage-filled one man shows .
Glad that @ andrewrsorkin tried to reel it back in .
https : //t.co/t65fn11MZt — Tommy Vietor ( @ TVietor08 ) December 4 , 2020

In an astoundingly emotional on-air tirade Friday, CNBC personality Rick Santelli sputtered and railed against the need to restrict restaurant outings and to wear face masks to help stem the surging tide of COVID-19 cases.
He was disputed repeatedly in a face-off with “Squawk Box” co-host and New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, who warned Santelli that he was harming public health with his wrong-headed screed.
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Santelli argued that it wasn’t rational to shut down restaurants when parking lots at big-box retailers were packed with cars.
Sorkin jumped in: “Rick, just as a public health and public service announcement for the audience ... the difference between a big-box retailer and a restaurant or, frankly, even a church, are so different it’s unbelievable.”
Sorkin noted that experts agree that dining indoors at restaurants, where patrons have to take off their masks to eat and drink, presents a much higher risk of coronavirus transmission than shopping at a retail store, where customers and workers are usually required to keep masks over their faces.
The two began interrupting one another, with Santelli shouting, “I disagree. I disagree. I disagree! You can have your thoughts, and I can have mine.”
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Sorkin returned: “You’re required to wear a mask. It’s science. I’m sorry, it’s science.”
“It’s not science!” Santelli yelled. “Five hundred people in a Lowe’s aren’t any safer than 150 people in a restaurant that holds 600. I don’t believe it.”
Sorkin shot back: “You don’t have to believe it. You’re doing a disservice to the viewer. You are. I’m sorry, I would like to keep our viewers as healthy as humanly possible. The idea of packing people into restaurants ...”
“I think our viewers are smart enough to make part of those decisions on their own,” Santelli retorted.
That’s when CNBC’s Steve Liesman piped up: “How’s that working out for you, Rick? Look at the numbers.”
Santelli responded: “It’s working out fine.”
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In March, Santelli suggested on air that “maybe we’d just be better off if we gave it [COVID-19] to everybody, and then in a month it would be over.”
Even Tucker Carlson got in on the action on Fox News later Friday, replaying the confrontation and hailing Santelli as “one of the good guys.”
“Rick Santelli, one of the good guys..” pic.twitter.com/QMJFBqGCR4 — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) December 5, 2020
Critics on Twitter have repeatedly called on CNBC to fire Santelli, whose 2009 diatribe on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange against President Barack Obama’s proposed bailout for homeowners reportedly inspired the launch of the tea party movement.
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Hard to overstate how much Rick Santelli sucks and how much damage he has done with these rage-filled one man shows. Glad that @andrewrsorkin tried to reel it back in. https://t.co/t65fn11MZt — Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) December 4, 2020
Check out the video clip of the confrontation up top.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Lara Trump Hit With The Cold, Hard Truth After Latest Reality-Denying Election Claim

Lara Trump made a similar claim to Fox News host Martha MacCallum on Monday as the president and his allies @ @ @ @ @ voter fraud , the election was rigged and that he ’ d actually won .
@ @ @ @ @ the president will get four more years in office , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ the next four years because this thing is far from over.
” MacCallum shot down @ @ @ @ @ then , and Twitter users took her to task Friday over her latest comments .
@ @ @ @ @ the black knight scene from 1975 movie “ Monty Python and the Holy Grail .
@

Lara Trump made a similar claim to Fox News host Martha MacCallum on Monday as the president and his allies continued to baselessly claim that because of purported mass voter fraud, the election was rigged and Donald Trump actually won. (Again: He did not.)
“I still think that the president will get four more years in office,” she said. “I think it will be the next four years because this thing is far from over.”
MacCallum shot down Lara Trump’s suggestion then, and Twitter users took her to task Friday over her latest comments. Some even likened them to the famous Black Knight scene from 1975 movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--People Think Jim Jordan’s Weird Tweet About Fauci And Christmas Is A Spoof. It’s Not.

Rep. Jim Jordan ( R-Ohio ) attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious diseases expert , on Twitter Friday with a post that many critics mockingly suggested could be a parody .
Fauci has warned that Americans should “ avoid travel and avoid congregate settings ” over the holidays in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus , which is raging across the country and has killed more than 275,000 Americans .
Jordan ’ s response : “ What will he cancel next ?
Saying Merry Christmas ?
” Dr. Fauci says Americans should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What will he cancel next ?
Saying Merry Christmas ?
— Rep. Jim Jordan ( @ Jim_Jordan ) December 4 , 2020 Jordan ’ s effort to turn a piece of public health guidance into a salvo in the so-called “ war on Christmas ” stunned many .
Critics reminded Jordan that the daily case counts , hospitalizations and death toll associated with COVID-19 are all still rising .
This past Wednesday alone , nearly as many Americans died of COVID-19 as died in the Sept. 11 attacks .
Public health experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after data suggested many people did not really abstain from traveling over Thanksgiving .
The Republicans have achieved some sort of singularity where a parody Republican account and an actual Republican account have become indistinguishable .
https : //t.co/XlbPVNphmV — Elie Mystal ( @ ElieNYC ) December 5 , 2020 My dentist says to floss , what ’ s next , me not being allowed to eat food ?
— Brendel ( @ Brendelbored ) December 5 , 2020 Why would avoiding travel mean canceling Christmas & not celebrating ?
A serious question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If a blizzard had you homebound on Christmas Day , you 'd make do , & enjoy the day .
Well , we 're in a viral blizzard .
This is why you are laughed at by many .
— Michelangelo Signorile ( @ MSignorile ) December 5 , 2020 Fucking hell .
A vaccine is literally *days* away from being approved ; one 's already been approved in the UK !
Just fucking put off your travel for a few months .
Is that so fucking hard ?
Apparently , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selfish self-centered assholes .
— Pé ( @ 4everNeverTrump ) December 5 , 2020 It 's hard to imagine there 's a congressman stupider than Louie Gohmert and Matt Gaetz put together , but here we are .
— Benjamin Dreyer ( @ BCDreyer ) December 5 , 2020 Do n't worry Jim .
If you and your GOP friends have your way ... ... there will be significantly less people to say Merry Christmas to because they 'll either be on ventilators or be dead .
https : //t.co/hwC8drYkex — Steve Marmel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 About 8,400 Americans died from COVID over the last three days and this clown is still doing the War on Christmas bullshit https : //t.co/IVpMjzKtZC — Don Moynihan ( @ donmoyn ) December 5 , 2020 It 's completely wild to me that this guy is an elected official .
https : //t.co/av43ZoZAJS — Sara Amato ( @ saamato ) December 4 , 2020 Only if you say it really loud , while coughing , directly into someone else 's face .
https : //t.co/Y4nsLlefEn — Jonah Blank ( @ JonahBlank ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not canceling anything .
The leading infectious disease expert in our nation is recommending that folks not travel this holiday season because of the pandemic that ’ s killing as many people each day as the attack on Pearl Harbor .
Honestly , Gym , keep up .
https : //t.co/CO291dMuDp — Aaron Mahnke ( @ amahnke ) December 4 , 2020 The `` war on Christmas '' is one of the strangest things that a segment of the population just seems to latch on to every year around this time .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that does n't even remotely exist 🤷🏽♂ https : //t.co/HzkMnfbCKO — Saad Yousuf ( @ SaadYousuf126 ) December 5 , 2020 Yeah , cuz saying `` Merry Christmas '' can totally kill you , your grandmother or health care workers , not to mention cause us to run out of hospital space .
https : //t.co/TLsjDCcNsP — Randi Mayem Singer ( @ rmayemsinger ) December 5 , 2020

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Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, on Twitter Friday with a post that many critics mockingly suggested could be a parody.
Fauci has warned that Americans should “avoid travel and avoid congregate settings” over the holidays in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which is raging across the country and has killed more than 275,000 Americans.
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Jordan’s response: “What will he cancel next? Saying Merry Christmas?”
Dr. Fauci says Americans should “avoid travel” over the holidays.
What will he cancel next?
Saying Merry Christmas? — Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) December 4, 2020
Jordan’s effort to turn a piece of public health guidance into a salvo in the so-called “war on Christmas” stunned many.
Critics reminded Jordan that the daily case counts, hospitalizations and death toll associated with COVID-19 are all still rising. This past Wednesday alone, nearly as many Americans died of COVID-19 as died in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Public health experts fear another dire surge in the figures after data suggested many people did not really abstain from traveling over Thanksgiving.
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“It’s like a right-wing mad libs,” author John DeVore wrote of Jordan’s post.
The Republicans have achieved some sort of singularity where a parody Republican account and an actual Republican account have become indistinguishable. https://t.co/XlbPVNphmV — Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) December 5, 2020
My dentist says to floss, what’s next, me not being allowed to eat food? — Brendel (@Brendelbored) December 5, 2020
Why would avoiding travel mean canceling Christmas & not celebrating? A serious question. You can celebrate no matter what.
If a blizzard had you homebound on Christmas Day, you'd make do, & enjoy the day. Well, we're in a viral blizzard.
This is why you are laughed at by many. — Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) December 5, 2020
Fucking hell.
A vaccine is literally *days* away from being approved; one's already been approved in the UK! Just fucking put off your travel for a few months. Is that so fucking hard?
Apparently, it is... because people like you are selfish self-centered assholes. — Pé (@4everNeverTrump) December 5, 2020
It's hard to imagine there's a congressman stupider than Louie Gohmert and Matt Gaetz put together, but here we are. — Benjamin Dreyer (@BCDreyer) December 5, 2020
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I cant believe you're an elected official. — David Weissman (@davidmweissman) December 4, 2020
Don't worry Jim.
If you and your GOP friends have your way...
... there will be significantly less people to say Merry Christmas to because they'll either be on ventilators or be dead. https://t.co/hwC8drYkex — Steve Marmel (@Marmel) December 5, 2020
About 8,400 Americans died from COVID over the last three days and this clown is still doing the War on Christmas bullshit https://t.co/IVpMjzKtZC — Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) December 5, 2020
The Idiocracy won't disappear when Trump leaves office. https://t.co/CwUb3NY6RE — David Knowles (@writerknowles) December 5, 2020
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it's like a right-wing mad libs https://t.co/1DYcXLvrcf — John DeVore (@JohnDeVore) December 5, 2020
It's completely wild to me that this guy is an elected official. https://t.co/av43ZoZAJS — Sara Amato (@saamato) December 4, 2020
Only if you say it really loud, while coughing, directly into someone else's face. https://t.co/Y4nsLlefEn — Jonah Blank (@JonahBlank) December 5, 2020
He’s not canceling anything.
The leading infectious disease expert in our nation is recommending that folks not travel this holiday season because of the pandemic that’s killing as many people each day as the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Honestly, Gym, keep up. https://t.co/CO291dMuDp — Aaron Mahnke (@amahnke) December 4, 2020
The "war on Christmas" is one of the strangest things that a segment of the population just seems to latch on to every year around this time. So weird how people try to ride something that doesn't even remotely exist 🤷🏽♂ https://t.co/HzkMnfbCKO — Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) December 5, 2020
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Yeah, cuz saying "Merry Christmas" can totally kill you, your grandmother or health care workers, not to mention cause us to run out of hospital space. https://t.co/TLsjDCcNsP — Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) December 5, 2020
Here are hospitalizations in Ohio—before any coming surge from Thanksgiving https://t.co/o8OTWFiFvD https://t.co/QiMFZL5NS0 pic.twitter.com/CRXfSro9Zc — Carl Zimmer (@carlzimmer) December 5, 2020
During a pandemic, listen to doctors, not wrestling coaches.
Sincerely,
Your dad who wants you to live. https://t.co/rYWo9OyB5M — Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@WajahatAli) December 5, 2020
This tweet will be in history books. https://t.co/ZLitLIYyCm — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) December 5, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Twitter Users Have Some Mocking Title Ideas For Melania Trump's Reported Memoir

First lady Melania Trump is reportedly in talks to write a memoir about her time in the White House .
@ @ @ @ @ as they have done previously with President Donald Trump ’ s son , Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders , have thrown out some mocking title suggestions .
@ @ @ @ @ s speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention , in which she appeared to plagiarize @ @ @ @ @ Michelle Obama ’ s address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention .
Others used their @ @ @ @ @ husband , the president .
# TitlesForMelaniasMemoir I Still Really Do n't Care , Do @ @ @ @ @ St. Yves ( @ KatalinaMelody ) December 4 , 2020 # TitlesForMelaniasMemoir How to Be @ @ @ @ @ — Bleeding Heart Liberal Marine ( @ BleedingMarine ) December 4 , 2020

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First lady Melania Trump is reportedly in talks to write a memoir about her time in the White House.
And Twitter users ― just as they did previously with President Donald Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders ― have thrown out some mocking title suggestions.
The #TitlesForMelaniasMemoir hashtag trended nationally late Friday into Saturday.
Some people referenced Trump’s speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention, in which she appeared to plagiarize parts of former first lady Michelle Obama’s address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
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Others used their suggestions to call out her husband, the president.
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I Never Promised You A Rose Garden #TitlesForMelaniasMemoir pic.twitter.com/YJfeJsp0Fa — Mister Race Bannon (@MrRaceBannon) December 4, 2020
I Don’t Care Why the Caged Child Cries #TitlesForMelaniasMemoir pic.twitter.com/VmTSCp44Xd — 😷 Tara Dublin #Biden46 😷 (@taradublinrocks) December 5, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Georgia GOP Senators Get The Grinch Treatment In Damning New Attack Ad

Georgia Republican Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are transformed into Grinches in a new animated attack ad from the progressive PAC MeidasTouch .
Loeffler will face Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock and Perdue will face Jon Ossoff in hotly contested runoff elections on Jan. 5 .
The results of the elections will determine who will eventually control the Senate , which will be tied 50-50 if both Democratic candidates win the seats , meaning Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would have the tie-breaking vote .
Warnock last month pre-empted what he believed would be a slew of negative ads from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he declared : “ By The Way , I Love Puppies.
” Trump is even joining the fray in a bid to boost Republican turnout with a planned rally in Georgia on Saturday .
MeidasTouch said it planned to air its ad “ on TV multiple times around the Georgia Senate debate on Sunday , ” which Perdue has refused to attend .
Its video racked up more than 1.2 million views in its first 10 hours on Twitter and caused the hashtag # GrinchesOfGeorgia to trend nationally .
The PAC , founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brothers , released dozens of anti-Trump ads before the election .
Many of the slickly-edited commercials garnered millions of views each , but it ’ s still not clear what effect they and others of their genre actually had on swing voters , if any at all .

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Georgia Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are transformed into Grinches in a new animated attack ad from the progressive PAC MeidasTouch.
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Watch the ad here:
Loeffler and Perdue are expected to face Democratic challengers Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, respectively, in hotly contested runoff elections on Jan. 5.
The results of those elections will determine which party eventually controls the Senate. Democrats and Republicans would have a 50-50 tie in the chamber if Warnock and Ossoff both win, meaning Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would have the tie-breaking vote.
Warnock last month pre-empted what he believed would be a slew of negative ads from Loeffler with a spoof spot in which he declared: “By the way, I love puppies.” Trump is even joining the fray in a bid to boost Republican turnout with a planned rally in Georgia on Saturday.
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MeidasTouch said it plans to air its ad “on TV multiple times around the Georgia Senate debate on Sunday,” which Perdue has refused to attend. Its video racked up more than 1.2 million views in its first 10 hours on Twitter and caused the hashtag #GrinchesOfGeorgia to trend nationally.
The PAC, founded by attorney Ben Meiselas and his two brothers, released dozens of anti-Trump ads before the election. Many of the slickly edited commercials garnered millions of views each, but it’s still not clear what effect they and others of their genre actually had on swing voters, if any at all.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Trump Reportedly Called Kemp A 'Moron' And A 'Nut Job' In Phone Call To Aides

The increasingly ugly attacks on Kemp by Trump are heightening fears that the president could threaten the chances of Georgia Republican Senate candidates in the upcoming runoff election .
Nerves are especially frayed with Trump ’ s planned rally Saturday in Georgia amid concerns about what might come out of his mouth .
CNN journalist Jeremy Diamond reported Friday on Jake Tapper ’ s “ The Lead ” about Trump ’ s latest Kemp blast .
Trump last Sunday said he was disappointed that Kemp did “ absolutely nothing ” to overturn presidential election results that Trump has baselessly claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ashamed I endorsed ” Kemp , the president said angrily on Fox News .
An irritated Trump reportedly also wondered in his recent phone call why Republican candidate Sen. Kelly Loeffler wasn ’ t able to win outright instead of having to now face a runoff Jan. 5 .
Republicans are “ on edge ” that more of these kinds of attacks “ could do more harm than good ” and depress a GOP voter turnout , Diamond noted .
Tapper characterized the situation as “ madness , absolute madness.
” ( Check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The conflict comes as fringe attorneys Lin Wood and Sidney Powell , recently embraced , now shunned , by Trump ’ s campaign , have even urged Republicans to boycott the Senate vote unless there ’ s a full-scale investigation into the presidential election .
Democrats are clearly eagerly getting in on the action on Twitter and also calling on Republican voters to boycott .
That could create an easier path to victory for the Democratic candidates , and possible Democratic control of the Senate .
According to ongoing conspiracy theories being devoured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Republican Senate candidates — Sen. David Perdue along with Loeffler — are letting Georgia ’ s alleged electoral fraud slide .
There ’ s absolutely no evidence of any fraud , nor is there proof that Perdue and Loeffler had anything to do with the nonexistent fraud .
Let ’ s speak truth about @ SenLoeffler & @ sendavidperdue .
Why are they doing little or nothing to support efforts by GA citizens to address unlawful election & need for @ BrianKempGA to order special session of legislature ?
If not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GA runoff .
Will you ?
— Lin Wood ( @ LLinWood ) November 21 , 2020

Trump’s increasingly ugly attacks on Kemp are heightening fears within the GOP that the president could threaten the chances of Georgia’s two Republican Senate candidates in the state’s upcoming runoff election. Trump has a rally planned for Saturday in Valdosta, Georgia, and nerves are especially frayed over concerns about what might come out of his mouth.
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CNN journalist Jeremy Diamond reported Friday on Jake Tapper’s “The Lead” about Trump’s latest Kemp blast. Trump last Sunday said he was disappointed that Kemp did “absolutely nothing” to overturn presidential election results that Trump has baselessly claimed were rigged. “I’m ashamed that I endorsed him,” the president angrily said of Kemp on Fox News.
An irritated Trump reportedly also wondered in his recent phone call why Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler wasn’t able to win re-election outright, instead of now having to face a runoff on Jan. 5.
Republicans are “on edge” that more of these kinds of attacks “could do more harm than good” and depress GOP voter turnout, Diamond noted.
Tapper characterized the situation as “madness, absolute madness.” (Check out the video up top.)
Fringe attorneys Lin Wood and Sidney Powell ― formerly embraced, but now shunned, by Trump’s campaign ― have even urged Republicans to boycott the Senate vote unless there’s a full-scale investigation into the presidential election. Democrats are eagerly getting in on the action on Twitter and also calling on Republican voters to boycott. That could create an easier path to victory for Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, possibly resulting in Democratic control of the Senate.
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According to ongoing conspiracy theories being devoured by some Make America Great Again disciples, the Republican Senate candidates — Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue — are letting Georgia’s alleged electoral fraud slide. In reality, there’s absolutely no evidence of any such fraud, nor is there proof that Perdue and Loeffler had anything to do with the fraud, which, again, has not been shown to exist.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Trump Campaign Committees Spent $1.1 Million On Trump Properties In Last Weeks: Report

President Donald Trump ’ s campaign committees spent more than $ 1.1 million at his own properties in the final weeks of the presidential race , The Washington Post reported Friday .
That makes an astonishing total of $ 6.7 million in campaign donations that have been poured into the coffers of Trump ’ s own businesses , according to campaign finance reports , the Post noted .
Trump Victory — a fundraising committee managed by the Republican National Committee and Trump ’ s campaign — spent $ 1.06 million at Trump properties in September , October and the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s own campaign spent an additional $ 66,000 .
The filings were short on details , but many expenditures were for overnight stays or facility rentals and catering at a number of venues .
Trump visited his own properties nine times in the campaign homestretch and held a number of fundraisers at the sites , according to the Post .
The money have boosted the bottom line for the president ’ s properties as they have struggled amid the COVID-19 pandemic to fill rooms and restaurants .
Check out the entire @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump’s campaign committees spent more than $1.1 million at his own properties in the final weeks of the presidential race, The Washington Post reported Friday.
That makes an astonishing total of $6.7 million in campaign donations that have been poured into the coffers of Trump’s own businesses, according to campaign finance reports, the Post noted.
Trump Victory — a fundraising committee managed by the Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign — spent $1.06 million at Trump properties in September, October and the start of November, the Post found. Trump’s own campaign spent an additional $66,000.
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The filings were short on details, but many expenditures were for overnight stays or facility rentals and catering at a number of venues.
Trump visited his own properties nine times in the campaign homestretch and held a number of fundraisers at the sites, according to the Post. The money have boosted the bottom line for the president’s properties as they have struggled amid the COVID-19 pandemic to fill rooms and restaurants.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-04--White Evangelical Leaders Pledge Seminaries Will Not Teach Key Theory On Systemic Racism

Critical race theory is complex , and its boundaries and lineage are heavily debated even in scholarly circles that subscribe to this framework for approaching racism , according to Robert Jones , CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute and the author of “ White Too Long : The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity.
” The way the presidents are wielding the term shows a lack of understanding of how scholarship works , Jones said .
He suspects the presidents don ’ t have one cohesive definition for the theory .
“ It is the clearest and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how fealty to Trump is molding not just white evangelical politics but even theology and the training of a new generation of clergy in his image , ” Jones said .
Critical race theory began coalescing in the 1970s as legal scholars contended with the fact that the civil rights victories of the previous decade had not eradicated racism .
Racial epithets were no longer socially acceptable , and public facilities and schools weren ’ t legally allowed to be segregated ― and yet racism pervaded many facets of American life .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the scholars argued , they needed a new approach .
Although critical race theory has expanded as it has moved from the legal field into other disciplines , three central themes have emerged from this framework , according to Duane T. Loynes Sr. , a scholar of race and religion at Rhodes College : that white supremacy has been built into American policies and institutions , that current inequities can ’ t be divorced from past discrimination , and that the voices and stories of people of color should be lifted up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ire , intersectionality , emerged from debates about critical race theory .
It is an analytical tool that recognizes that people can be affected by multiple , overlapping systems of oppression , such as when a Black woman suffers discrimination based on her gender and on her race .
The Southern Baptist Convention has a long , troubled history with racism .
The denomination was formed in 1845 by a breakaway group of Baptists in the South who believed it was moral for Christian missionaries to own slaves .
It took 150 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the denomination ’ s support of slavery .
Although there has been some recent growth in the number of predominantly Black congregations in the SBC , the vast majority of Southern Baptists are white and Republican .
Southern Baptists often view racism as a personal sin , something that occurs when an individual acts in racist ways toward others .
Like other white evangelicals , they have a much harder time seeing how racism influences structures and institutions ― and how it could require collective accountability .
J.D .
Greear , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , affirmed the seminary presidents ’ statement when it came out on Monday .
Later in the week , Greear acknowledged on Twitter that “ some in our ranks inappropriately use the label of ‘ CRT !
’ to avoid legitimate questions or as a cudgel to dismiss any discussion of discrimination.
” Nevertheless , he echoed the seminary presidents ’ core argument that the gospel “ gives a better analysis of the problem and a better answer ” for racism than a secular theory like CRT .
“ I would contend that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter , Critical Race Theory , etc.
, have arisen in the vacuum largely created by the Church abdicating its role to pursue justice , ” Loynes wrote .
“ Instead , the SBC — as King states — is standing as a taillight commenting on other ( secular ) groups that are doing the hard work of fighting for racial equity .
”

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The presidents of all six Southern Baptist seminaries have roundly condemned a key method that scholars have developed to examine how systemic racism persists in America.
The leaders, whose seminaries educate the next generation of clergy within the country’s largest Protestant denomination, agreed in a statement Monday that “Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality and any version of Critical Theory” is incompatible with their denomination’s core beliefs.
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Critical race theory (CRT) is a lens through which some academics seek to understand how racism operates and continues to affect people of color. The theory grapples with the pervasiveness of white supremacy and white privilege in society.
The seminary leaders didn’t offer a definition of critical race theory in their statement, published by the official news service for the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). They didn’t acknowledge that the analytical tools CRT has developed can be helpful in some instances, as fellow Southern Baptists affirmed in a denomination-wide resolution in 2019.
Instead, they decided to sweep the entire framework aside.
“No unbiblical ideology can solve the social issues that confront us,” said Daniel L. Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and current chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Council of Seminary Presidents.
Daniel L. Akin, president of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and the chairman of the Council of Seminary Presidents, declared: “No unbiblical ideology can solve the social issues that confront us.” Bob Levey/Associated Press
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Professors at Southern Baptist seminaries are expected to abide by the Baptist Faith & Message (BFM), a statement of faith that summarizes the denomination’s core religious beliefs. It’s unclear how the presidents’ insistence that critical race theory is incompatible with the BFM would affect professors’ ability to teach their students about systemic racism.
It’s also unclear if Black Southern Baptists were involved in composing or reviewing the statement. All the signatories were white men.
A representative of Akin told HuffPost that he was unavailable to answer questions.
The seminary presidents’ stance has drawn criticism, including from William Dwight McKissic, a Black pastor who leads an SBC-affiliated church in Texas. McKissic suggested on Twitter that the presidents are denying the reality of “systemic injustice.”
He also pointed out the denomination’s leaders didn’t respond with a clear condemnation of President Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric.
It’s quite telling that the SBC has no problem with DJT, but is throwing a hissy fit over, CRT. DJT preferred Norwegians immigrants over Africans. SBC? silent. He called NFL players, SOB’s. SBC? silence. “Africa” ‘s’hole country. SBC? silence. Sad. Sinful. Shameful. — Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) December 1, 2020
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"By highlighting [Critical Race Theory] as particularly acute threats to Southern Baptist orthodoxy, the seminary presidents take aim at virtually anyone who advocates for racial justice beyond hugs, handshakes, and symbolic statements."https://t.co/DwzMUxn86t — Jemar Tisby (@JemarTisby) December 2, 2020
Critical race theory is complex, and its boundaries and lineage are heavily debated even in scholarly circles that subscribe to this framework for approaching racism, according to Robert Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute and the author of “White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity.” The way the presidents are wielding the term shows a lack of understanding of how scholarship works, Jones said. He suspects the presidents don’t have one cohesive definition for the theory.
“You might expect a facile use of the term from someone like Trump who is not an academic, but such intellectual clumsiness is shocking coming from presidents of academic institutions,” Jones told HuffPost.
Jones, who grew up Southern Baptist, believes the seminary presidents’ statement on the theory was motivated by a desire to align themselves and their institutions with Trump, who publicly denounced the theory during the 2020 presidential campaign.
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“It is the clearest and most appalling case I’ve seen for how fealty to Trump is molding not just white evangelical politics but even theology and the training of a new generation of clergy in his image,” Jones said.
Vice President Mike Pence was among the speakers at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting on June 13, 2018, in Dallas. Leaders of the denomination have failed to condemn racist rhetoric from President Trump even as they have pushed aside efforts to end racial injustice. Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Getty Images)
Critical race theory began coalescing in the 1970s as legal scholars contended with the fact that the civil rights victories of the previous decade had not eradicated racism. Racial epithets were no longer socially acceptable, and public facilities and schools weren’t legally allowed to be segregated ― and yet racism pervaded many facets of American life. In order to adequately understand and uproot racism, the scholars argued, they needed a new approach.
Although critical race theory has expanded as it has moved from the legal field into other disciplines, three central themes have emerged from this framework, according to Duane T. Loynes Sr., a scholar of race and religion at Rhodes College: that white supremacy has been built into American policies and institutions, that current inequities can’t be divorced from past discrimination, and that the voices and stories of people of color should be lifted up.
“Therefore, what is needed for true racial equity is not a putatively ‘impartial’ enforcement of already-poisoned laws but the transformation of U.S. society itself. In this regard, CRT functions not just as a framework but as a methodological commitment to eradicating white supremacy,” Loynes told HuffPost.
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Another target of the seminary presidents’ ire, intersectionality, emerged from debates about critical race theory. It is an analytical tool that recognizes that people can be affected by multiple, overlapping systems of oppression, such as when a Black woman suffers discrimination based on her gender and on her race.
Most people who do racial justice work today would probably affirm the core principles of critical race theory, even if they do so implicitly, Loynes said.
Southern Baptists convene at the 2018 annual meeting in Dallas. The formation of the Southern Baptist Convention was motivated by racism. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
The Southern Baptist Convention has a long, troubled history with racism. The denomination was formed in 1845 by a breakaway group of Baptists in the South who believed it was moral for Christian missionaries to own slaves. It took 150 years for SBC leadership to formally apologize for the denomination’s support of slavery. Although there has been some recent growth in the number of predominantly Black congregations in the SBC, the vast majority of Southern Baptists are white and Republican.
Southern Baptists often view racism as a personal sin, something that occurs when an individual acts in racist ways toward others. Like other white evangelicals, they have a much harder time seeing how racism influences structures and institutions ― and how it could require collective accountability.
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“For someone to say sinful humans can construct unsinful or nonsinful structures and systems of government, politics, education, so on, that’s nonsense,” Akin told Religion News Service earlier this year.
This has real implications for how Southern Baptists approach efforts toward racial justice. In 2018, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, released a report detailing how its founders had “defended the righteousness of slaveholding.” But critics claimed the report didn’t promise substantive, structural changes. The school’s president, R. Albert Mohler Jr., denied a request from local interracial ministers for financial reparations.
After the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Southern Baptist leaders issued a statement grieving his death and lamenting how “some” officers “misuse” their authority ― failing to acknowledge that Floyd’s death could be part of a broader pattern of law enforcement officers disproportionately targeting Black Americans.
J.D. Greear, the Southern Baptist Convention’s current president, affirmed the seminary presidents’ statement when it came out on Monday. Later in the week, Greear acknowledged on Twitter that “some in our ranks inappropriately use the label of ‘CRT!’ to avoid legitimate questions or as a cudgel to dismiss any discussion of discrimination.” Nevertheless, he echoed the seminary presidents’ core argument that the gospel “gives a better analysis of the problem and a better answer” for racism than a secular theory like CRT.
The gospel, because it starts with an accurate view of man, gives a better analysis of the problem and a better answer than CRT ever can. We don’t need any manmade system because we have the Bible, which is sufficient in addressing these sinful legacies. (7/9) — J.D. Greear (@jdgreear) December 3, 2020
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Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear speaks to the denomination's executive committee in Nashville, Tennessee, on February 18, 2019. Mark Humphrey/Associated Press
But what is biblical or not biblical often depends on who is drawing the line. Loynes isn’t buying Southern Baptist leaders’ argument that critical race theory should be rejected because it is a “secular” ideology — since Southern Baptists like Akin have also rejected liberation theology, a movement that draws from the Bible to call for justice for the oppressed.
The seminary presidents’ condemnation of critical race theory and intersectionality reminded Loynes of a letter written by eight white Alabama clergymen in 1963 who didn’t like that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his fellow activists were engaging in civil disobedience. The critique prompted King’s famous “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” in which the civil rights leader expressed disappointment with white church leaders who were committed to the status quo and “standing as a tail-light behind other community agencies rather than a headlight leading men to higher levels of justice.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--RNC Reportedly Dropped $300,000 To Buy Donald Trump Jr.'s Latest Book

The Republican National Committee paid $ 300,000 of donor money to a company owned by Donald Trump Jr. to buy copies of his latest book , the Daily Beast reported Friday .
It was the second time the GOP dumped a treasure chest of money to scoop up one of Trump Jr. ’ s books .
It also spent about $ 95,000 to buy his first book , “ Triggered , ” last year .
Last month , Trump Jr. ’ s new , self-published book , “ Liberal Privilege , ” was number 6,002 on Amazon ’ s seller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s big boost .
( On Friday , it was ranked 5,959th in sales ) .
He offered a 25 % discount on the book in November with the added perk of an autographed copy for the first 1,000 buyers .
Don ’ t forget to get your copy of Liberal Privilege , find out everything the media is hiding from you .
Black Friday sales starting now like getting your autographed copy for the price of the regular book .
https : //t.co/hDICwdgXwv pic.twitter.com/VqJfQapeVH — Donald Trump Jr. ( @ DonaldJTrumpJr ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his books in October and used them as a Trump fundraising party favor , with an autographed edition given to anyone who donated $ 50 to $ 100 to the party , a source told the Beast .
Books purchased by the RNC from well-known Republicans are often handed out as perks at fundraisers , but Trump Jr. raked in three times more this time around than the last time the GOP scooped up his first book , according to the Daily Beast .
The RNC ’ s payment — $ 303,892.47 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venture LLC .
Corporate records in Delaware list Donald Trump Jr. as its principal , according to the Daily Beast .
The GOP payment was listed as payment for “ donor mementos.
” The payment was the single largest payment ever listed by the party for “ donor mementos , ” the Beast reported .
Last time around , Trump Jr. gushed that his first book was a runaway bestseller , initially neglecting to point out the significant boost from his dad ’ s political party .
He was infuriated that his book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list was marked with a dagger symbol , indicating that a significant percentage of sales came from “ institutional , special interest , group , or bulk purchases.
” New FEC disclosures show a single large RNC payment of $ 94,800 to Books-a-Million in October , a few days before `` Triggered '' was released .
An RNC spokesman confirmed that the expenditure was connected to their promotion of Don Trump Jr. 's book .
pic.twitter.com/vsmmsgrYCp — Nick Confessore ( @ nickconfessore ) November 21 , 2019

The Republican National Committee paid $300,000 of donor money to a company owned by Donald Trump Jr. to buy copies of his latest book, the Daily Beast reported Friday.
It was the second time the GOP dumped a treasure chest of money to scoop up one of Trump Jr.’s books. It also spent about $95,000 to buy his first book, “Triggered,” last year.
Last month, Trump Jr.’s new, self-published book, “Liberal Privilege,” was number 6,002 on Amazon’s seller list — even with the GOP’s big boost. (On Friday, it was ranked 5,959th in sales). He offered a 25% discount on the book in November with the added perk of an autographed copy for the first 1,000 buyers.
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Don’t forget to get your copy of Liberal Privilege, find out everything the media is hiding from you.
Black Friday sales starting now like getting your autographed copy for the price of the regular book. https://t.co/hDICwdgXwv pic.twitter.com/VqJfQapeVH — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 14, 2020
The RNC purchased his books in October and used them as a Trump fundraising party favor, with an autographed edition given to anyone who donated $50 to $100 to the party, a source told the Beast.
Books purchased by the RNC from well-known Republicans are often handed out as perks at fundraisers, but Trump Jr. raked in three times more this time around than the last time the GOP scooped up his first book, according to the Daily Beast.
The RNC’s payment — $303,892.47 on Oct. 28 — was paid to Pursuit Venture LLC. Corporate records in Delaware list Donald Trump Jr. as its principal, according to the Daily Beast. The GOP payment was listed as payment for “donor mementos.”
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The payment was the single largest payment ever listed by the party for “donor mementos,” the Beast reported.
Pursuit Venture was also paid $11,000 in early October by the reelection campaign of President Trump supporter Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). That payment was listed as being for “supporter gifts” on campaign filings.
Last time around, Trump Jr. gushed that his first book was a runaway bestseller, initially neglecting to point out the significant boost from his dad’s political party.
He was infuriated that his book title on The New York Times bestseller list was marked with a dagger symbol, indicating that a significant percentage of sales came from “institutional, special interest, group, or bulk purchases.”
New FEC disclosures show a single large RNC payment of $94,800 to Books-a-Million in October, a few days before "Triggered" was released. An RNC spokesman confirmed that the expenditure was connected to their promotion of Don Trump Jr.'s book. pic.twitter.com/vsmmsgrYCp — Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) November 21, 2019


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-05--Barack Obama Has 1 Key Tip For Drake To Play Him In His Biopic

Barack Obama is down with Drake wanting to play him in the film about his life .
And on Friday ’ s broadcast of “ The Tonight Show , ” the former president shared a tip that could boost the Canadian rapper ’ s performance ( if it happens ) .
“ Well , apparently , based on all the people who do the imitations of me , the key is to talk really slowly , ” Obama told host Jimmy Fallon .
“ And… the… slower… the more… strange pauses there are… in your speech , ” he lightheartedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a movie about Obama ’ s life soon because I could play him , ” the musician told Paper .
“ That ’ s the goal .
I watch all the addresses .
Anytime I see him on TV , I don ’ t change the channel , I definitely pay attention and listen to the inflections of his voice .
If you ask anyone who knows me , I ’ m pretty good at impressions.
” Obama , in an interview with Complex News on Tuesday , described Drake as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have “ my household ’ s stamp of approval .
I suspect Malia and Sasha would be just fine with it .
”

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Barack Obama is down with Drake wanting to play him someday in a film about his life.
And on Friday’s broadcast of “The Tonight Show,” the former president shared a tip that could boost the Canadian rapper’s performance (if it ever happens).
“Well, apparently, based on all the people who do imitations of me, the key is to talk really... slowly,” Obama told host Jimmy Fallon.
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“And… the… slower… the more… strange pauses there are… in your speech,” he lightheartedly added.
Check out the video here. (The Drake comments start at about the 8:52 mark.)
Drake expressed his desire to play Obama back in 2010.
“I hope somebody makes a movie about Obama’s life soon because I could play him,” the musician told Paper. “That’s the goal.”
“I watch all the addresses,” he went on. “Anytime I see him on TV, I don’t change the channel, I definitely pay attention and listen to the inflections of his voice. If you ask anyone who knows me, I’m pretty good at impressions.”
Obama, in an interview with Complex News last month, described Drake as a “talented, talented brother” who would have “my household’s stamp of approval. I suspect Malia and Sasha would be just fine with it.”