thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Statue Of Abolitionist Frederick Douglass Vandalized In New York Park

A statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was ripped from its base in an upstate New York park over the weekend , authorities said , prompting concerns that the act may have been revenge for the nation ’ s ongoing removal of Confederate monuments .
The vandalism in Rochester ’ s Maplewood Park took place sometime on Sunday , police said .
The day marked the 168th anniversary that Douglass , speaking in Rochester , gave one of his most famous speeches condemning slavery .
The statue was found at the brink of the Genesee River gorge , approximately 50 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Its base and left hand were damaged , and there was no graffiti or any other markings left by the perpetrators , who remained at large as of Monday afternoon .
The statue ’ s removal came as anti-racism protesters across the country have toppled or petitioned for the removal of statues and other memorabilia that commemorates the former Confederacy .
In Rochester on July 5 , 1852 , he delivered one of his most famous speeches , “ What to the Slave is the Fourth of July ?
” which called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when there were still slaves among them .
“ What , to the American slave , is your Fourth of July ?
I answer : a day that reveals to him , more than all other days in the year , the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim , ” Douglass proclaimed .
The statue in Maplewood Park was one of 13 in Rochester that honored Douglass ’ life and long-time residence in the city .
The Maplewood Park holds its own historical significance , as it often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slaves on the Underground Railroad , the secret network of routes and safe houses that slaves used to reach free states and Canada , according to the National Park Service .
Carvin Eison , a leader of the project that brought the Douglass statue to the park , told the Democrat and Chronicle that the statue ’ s damage is beyond repair but that another will take its place .
He questioned whether the destruction may be related to the removal of other monuments across the country , in a possible act of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over this monument , they could go topple over all of them , this monument will still stand because the ideas behind it are bigger than the monument , ” he told local news station WROC .
Rev .
Julius D Jackson Jr. , whose historically Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha led a march to Douglass ’ gravesite in Rochester on Sunday , also said he wouldn ’ t be surprised if the act was done out of retaliation .
“ We ’ ve been down this road before , ” Jackson told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another Douglass statue in the city .
“ I would like to believe it ’ s not that , it was just some kids .
But it wouldn ’ t surprise me if it ’ s some retaliatory , something going on .
”

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A statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was ripped from its base in an upstate New York park over the weekend, authorities said, prompting concerns that the act may have been revenge for the nation’s ongoing removal of Confederate monuments.
The vandalism in Rochester’s Maplewood Park took place sometime on Sunday, police said. The day marked the 168th anniversary that Douglass, speaking in Rochester, gave one of his most famous speeches condemning slavery.
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The statue was found at the brink of the Genesee River gorge, approximately 50 feet from the pedestal where it had stood. Its base and left hand were damaged, and there was no graffiti or any other markings left by the perpetrators, who remained at large as of Monday afternoon.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, police told HuffPost.
The remnants of a Frederick Douglass statue that was ripped from its base at a park in Rochester, New York. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The statue’s removal came as anti-racism protesters across the country have toppled or petitioned for the removal of statues and other memorabilia that commemorates the former Confederacy.
The motive for removing Douglass’ statue was not immediately clear, however.
Douglass was born a slave in Maryland and, after securing his freedom, dedicated his life to abolitionism and social reforms.
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In Rochester on July 5, 1852, he delivered one of his most famous speeches, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” which called out the hypocrisy in Americans celebrating independence when there were still slaves among them.
“What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim,” Douglass proclaimed.
Douglass delivered a famous speech — “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" — in Rochester in 1852. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The statue in Maplewood Park was one of 13 in Rochester that honored Douglass’ life and long-time residence in the city. The Maplewood Park holds its own historical significance, as it often served as the final stop for escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad, the secret network of routes and safe houses that slaves used to reach free states and Canada, according to the National Park Service.
Carvin Eison, a leader of the project that brought the Douglass statue to the park, told the Democrat and Chronicle that the statue’s damage is beyond repair but that another will take its place.
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He questioned whether the destruction may be related to the removal of other monuments across the country, in a possible act of “retaliation.”
Including the vandalized statue, which will be replaced, there are 13 statues of Douglass in Rochester. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“They can topple over this monument, they could go topple over all of them, this monument will still stand because the ideas behind it are bigger than the monument,” he told local news station WROC.
Rev. Julius D Jackson Jr., whose historically Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha led a march to Douglass’ gravesite in Rochester on Sunday, also said he wouldn’t be surprised if the act was done out of retaliation.
“We’ve been down this road before,” Jackson told WROC, citing the 2018 vandalism of another Douglass statue in the city. “I would like to believe it’s not that, it was just some kids. But it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s some retaliatory, something going on.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Amy Cooper, White Woman Who Called Cops On Black Man In Central Park, Is Being Prosecuted

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - A white woman who called police and falsely accused an African-American man of threatening her life after he asked her to leash her dog in New York ’ s Central Park is being criminally charged over the incident , Manhattan ’ s district attorney said on Monday .
Amy Cooper , 41 , whose actions on May 25 were recorded on a video that went viral and touched off discussions about “ white privilege , ” is being charged with filing a false report , a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cy Vance said Cooper is expected to be arraigned on Oct. 14 .
“ We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable , ” Vance said in a statement .
It occurred a few hours before George Floyd died in Minneapolis after a police officer there pinned his neck .
Cooper had been walking her dog in an area of Central Park known as the Ramble when she encountered Christian Cooper , a Black man and avid bird-watcher .
Christian Cooper , who is not related to Amy Cooper , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when she refused offered the dog treats .
The video showed Amy Cooper telling him she would tell the police an African-American man was threatening her life , which was false , and then calling 911 , where she used “ African-American ” to describe Cooper .
Amy Cooper was fired from her job at Franklin Templeton a day after the incident , when she also publicly apologized .

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - A white woman who called police and falsely accused an African-American man of threatening her life after he asked her to leash her dog in New York’s Central Park is being criminally charged over the incident, Manhattan’s district attorney said on Monday.
Amy Cooper, 41, whose actions on May 25 were recorded on a video that went viral and touched off discussions about “white privilege,” is being charged with filing a false report, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
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Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said Cooper is expected to be arraigned on Oct. 14.
“We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable,” Vance said in a statement.
A lawyer for Cooper could not immediately be identified.
The incident stirred widespread conversations about racism and how white people treat Black people.
It occurred a few hours before George Floyd died in Minneapolis after a police officer there pinned his neck.
Cooper had been walking her dog in an area of Central Park known as the Ramble when she encountered Christian Cooper, a Black man and avid bird-watcher.
Christian Cooper, who is not related to Amy Cooper, asked her to leash her dog, and when she refused offered the dog treats.
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The video showed Amy Cooper telling him she would tell the police an African-American man was threatening her life, which was false, and then calling 911, where she used “African-American” to describe Cooper.
Amy Cooper was fired from her job at Franklin Templeton a day after the incident, when she also publicly apologized.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--I Got A Medical Tourist Visa To Give Birth In Another Country

Photo Courtesy of Elen Turner The three of us at our temporary home in Bangkok just a few days after my daughter 's birth .
I had been living in Kathmandu for about a year when I got pregnant with my then-boyfriend ( now husband ) , a local man .
Kathmandu was home .
The intense air pollution , gridlocked traffic , and frequent power cuts and water shortages did make life there challenging at times , but they usually didn ’ t overshadow the many good things : the ancient culture and architecture , the strong sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the thriving but intimate arts scene , the incredible travel opportunities within the country , and the highest mountains in the world , lying just beyond the northern rim of the Kathmandu Valley .
Nepal ’ s medical system is limited , and while several clinics in Kathmandu offer high-quality care ( for a high fee ) , my doctor couldn ’ t recommend any birth services .
In particular , she warned about the unavailability of certain drugs and a general lack of a pro-woman outlook on birth .
Cesareans are performed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization recommends , and cases of mistreatment of women in labor are frighteningly common .
I knew other foreign women in Nepal who ’ d left to give birth .
Some had gone home , some to other neighboring countries .
I also knew of wealthier Nepali women who had done the same .
The only foreign women I knew who hadn ’ t left to give birth weren ’ t in a financial position to do so .
The women who left had a similar refrain : “ I knew I wouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if something happened to my baby in Nepal that could have been prevented if we ’ d left.
” This plan would require traveling from Nepal to New Zealand in the second trimester of pregnancy , as doctors generally won ’ t clear women to fly long-haul in their third trimester , and airlines won ’ t take them without medical clearance .
First , we ’ d need to get my soon-to-be-husband a New Zealand visa .
Since he was my genuine partner , and we had a baby on the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I figured wrong .
There ’ s nothing straightforward about getting a Nepali passport holder a visa to any Western country , under any circumstances .
I had sorely underestimated the amount of documentation we had to supply .
His visa application was declined on the grounds that there wasn ’ t enough proof we were actually a couple .
Receiving that email a few days after our wedding was a punch in the gut .
My doctor advised traveling to nearby countries with better medical facilities than Nepal .
The only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only cities that a ) had good facilities , b ) would let both me and my partner stay there for around two months , and c ) were less than a four-hour direct flight from Kathmandu .
A couple of weeks before we planned to travel , confident we ’ d get my doctor ’ s approval to fly , we booked tickets and an apartment in Bangkok , and got a tourist visa for my partner and a medical visa for myself .
A few days before the flight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show the airline , and we were off .
As much as I love Kathmandu , the stifling heat , dust , pollution and humidity of the pre-monsoon months were really taxing during the last weeks of my pregnancy .
Road construction near my apartment meant that stepping outside was like running a muddy obstacle course ― a challenge for anyone , let alone a heavily pregnant woman .
For several days we were without running water , power or internet because of the roadworks .
At least it was mango season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering one of the reasons I ’ d left Nepal was to avoid an unnecessary cesarean birth .
But I wasn ’ t against them in principle , and I don ’ t believe the cesarean was unnecessary in my case .
I ’ ve wondered whether , if we ’ d stayed in Nepal , the complications that prompted the cesarean would have been caught in time .
I ’ ll never know , but I ’ m confident that going to Bangkok was the right choice .
With a Nepali father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizenship , but Nepal doesn ’ t allow dual citizenship , so we decided not to get her a Nepali passport .
As it ’ s one of the weakest passports in the world , it didn ’ t make sense to choose Nepali citizenship for her , above the other options .
I ’ m a dual British and New Zealand citizen , and now my daughter is too .
I ’ m more connected to New Zealand , so it was most important to get her that passport first .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Bangkok , so we had to apply online and await a DHL delivery .
We didn ’ t know how long this would take , and although the guidelines suggested two to three weeks , this timeline wasn ’ t guaranteed .
Because our daughter was born two weeks early , we had a bit more time up our sleeves .
But since my husband was Nepali , his tourist visa couldn ’ t be extended beyond two months , under any circumstances .
My medical visa could be , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a newborn , still recovering from having my abdomen cut open , while waiting for her passport to arrive .

The three of us at our temporary home in Bangkok just a few days after my daughter's birth. Photo Courtesy of Elen Turner
The phrase “medical tourism” might make you think of getting dental surgery in Mexico or plastic surgery in the Dominican Republic, where the procedures are cheaper than at home. Traveling abroad to give birth? Probably not the first thing that comes to mind. But that’s exactly what I did.
Three years ago, armed with a medical tourist visa and a letter of clearance to fly from my doctor, I traveled from my home in Kathmandu, Nepal, to Bangkok at 36 weeks pregnant, to give birth.
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Unlike some medical tourists, I wasn’t flying to another country to save money or to get an elective procedure unavailable at home. I chose to give birth in Thailand because, given my circumstances, it was the safest option.
I had been living in Kathmandu for about a year when I got pregnant with my then-boyfriend (now husband), a local man. Kathmandu was home. The intense air pollution, gridlocked traffic, and frequent power cuts and water shortages did make life there challenging at times, but they usually didn’t overshadow the many good things: the ancient culture and architecture, the strong sense of community among locals and expats alike, the thriving but intimate arts scene, the incredible travel opportunities within the country, and the highest mountains in the world, lying just beyond the northern rim of the Kathmandu Valley.
That’s all to say: I loved living in Kathmandu. I wasn’t nervous about being pregnant there. Not even when my doctor laid out my birth options at one of my earliest pregnancy checkups: “I advise every woman who has the means to leave Nepal for the birth to do so.”
Nepal’s medical system is limited, and while several clinics in Kathmandu offer high-quality care (for a high fee), my doctor couldn’t recommend any birth services. In particular, she warned about the unavailability of certain drugs and a general lack of a pro-woman outlook on birth. Cesareans are performed much more often than the World Health Organization recommends, and cases of mistreatment of women in labor are frighteningly common.
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My partner’s mother had given birth to five kids in a village without electricity, and she and the kids were all fine. I didn’t want to be a spoiled expat who thought she deserved a different level of care than the local people. But my doctor’s advice gave me pause.
I knew other foreign women in Nepal who’d left to give birth. Some had gone home, some to other neighboring countries. I also knew of wealthier Nepali women who had done the same. The only foreign women I knew who hadn’t left to give birth weren’t in a financial position to do so. The women who left had a similar refrain: “I knew I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something happened to my baby in Nepal that could have been prevented if we’d left.”
Ultimately, I did have the means to leave. I was a couple of years into a freelance writing and editing career, and while I certainly wasn’t rolling in money, I had good medical insurance and some savings.
Returning home is the obvious option for many women (except Americans I knew, who would be uninsured). As a New Zealander, I could access birth services there for free. My dad had a large house, and was more than happy for us to stay with him for as long as necessary.
This plan would require traveling from Nepal to New Zealand in the second trimester of pregnancy, as doctors generally won’t clear women to fly long-haul in their third trimester, and airlines won’t take them without medical clearance. First, we’d need to get my soon-to-be-husband a New Zealand visa. Since he was my genuine partner, and we had a baby on the way, I figured this would be straightforward.
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I figured wrong. There’s nothing straightforward about getting a Nepali passport holder a visa to any Western country, under any circumstances. I had sorely underestimated the amount of documentation we had to supply. His visa application was declined on the grounds that there wasn’t enough proof we were actually a couple. Receiving that email a few days after our wedding was a punch in the gut.
I was five months pregnant by that point, so there was no time to put together a more robust application, try again, and still be able to travel in the second trimester. Cue plan B.
My doctor advised traveling to nearby countries with better medical facilities than Nepal. The only real options were Delhi and Bangkok, the only cities that a) had good facilities, b) would let both me and my partner stay there for around two months, and c) were less than a four-hour direct flight from Kathmandu.
Assuming my unborn baby and I remained healthy, we’d be cleared to fly short-haul in the third trimester. Pushing too close to the due date was risky, because many babies are born before full term. But going too early would mean unnecessary waiting around. My doctor recommended traveling at 36 weeks, a month before my due date.
My pregnancy had been easy and low-risk, so I wasn’t overly concerned about my baby coming early, but I had to accept that if she came before 36 weeks, she’d be born in Kathmandu.
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A couple of weeks before we planned to travel, confident we’d get my doctor’s approval to fly, we booked tickets and an apartment in Bangkok, and got a tourist visa for my partner and a medical visa for myself. A few days before the flight, I got the approval from my doctor to show the airline, and we were off.
As much as I love Kathmandu, the stifling heat, dust, pollution and humidity of the pre-monsoon months were really taxing during the last weeks of my pregnancy. Road construction near my apartment meant that stepping outside was like running a muddy obstacle course ― a challenge for anyone, let alone a heavily pregnant woman. For several days we were without running water, power or internet because of the roadworks. At least it was mango season.
It was a relief to arrive in glittering Bangkok, where we stayed in an air-conditioned apartment with a pool. The private hospital I’d selected (and that my expat health insurance paid for) was like a hotel with medical facilities, and I felt good about the decision to come here.
We thought we had at least four weeks to await our daughter’s arrival, but she came two weeks early. I ended up needing an emergency cesarean after some last-minute complications showed up on an ultrasound.
That was a bit ironic, considering one of the reasons I’d left Nepal was to avoid an unnecessary cesarean birth. But I wasn’t against them in principle, and I don’t believe the cesarean was unnecessary in my case. I’ve wondered whether, if we’d stayed in Nepal, the complications that prompted the cesarean would have been caught in time. I’ll never know, but I’m confident that going to Bangkok was the right choice.
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The surgery and my recovery afterward were textbook successes, and our little family retreated to the comforts of our small Bangkok apartment after the birth. But the headache of international logistics wasn’t over yet.
When I tell people my daughter was born in Bangkok, I’m usually asked whether that means she has a Thai passport. No, it doesn’t. Only the children of Thai nationals can get Thai passports. She has a Thai birth certificate, but she’s not a Thai citizen.
With a Nepali father, she’s eligible for Nepali citizenship, but Nepal doesn’t allow dual citizenship, so we decided not to get her a Nepali passport. As it’s one of the weakest passports in the world, it didn’t make sense to choose Nepali citizenship for her, above the other options. I’m a dual British and New Zealand citizen, and now my daughter is too.
I’m more connected to New Zealand, so it was most important to get her that passport first. But New Zealand can’t supply these from Bangkok, so we had to apply online and await a DHL delivery. We didn’t know how long this would take, and although the guidelines suggested two to three weeks, this timeline wasn’t guaranteed.
Because our daughter was born two weeks early, we had a bit more time up our sleeves. But since my husband was Nepali, his tourist visa couldn’t be extended beyond two months, under any circumstances. My medical visa could be, but that would leave me alone in Bangkok with a newborn, still recovering from having my abdomen cut open, while waiting for her passport to arrive.
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If she had been born on time or late, there would have been a very real risk that my partner would have to leave us there. Fortunately, her passport arrived even quicker than we expected. We returned to Nepal, together, when she was 4 weeks old.
My daughter wasn't as excited as I was to receive her New Zealand passport by mail while living in Thailand. Photo Courtesy of Elen Turner
I wouldn’t wish the complicated logistics of my pregnancy on any woman, but being a birth tourist in Bangkok was a great experience. I wish every pregnant woman had access to such reassuring care. I wouldn’t hesitate to travel to Bangkok on a medical visa again, but perhaps I’ll keep it simple next time. Dental work sounds good.
Do you have a compelling personal story you’d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we’re looking for here and send us a pitch!


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--How To Stop Using Exercise As Punishment For What You Eat

This particular journey is one that Dani Tsukerman knows all too well .
The fitness trainer and owner of Very Personal Training , a body-positive fitness center in Brooklyn , New York , has struggled with eating disorders since childhood and now aims to help others reframe the way they view exercise and their bodies .
“ When it comes to movement and exercise , I encourage my clients to ask themselves , ‘ What do I really like to do ?
’ ” King said .
“ Maybe you really love nature , so perhaps your form of movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s important to question this because we spend so much time absorbing information about how our bodies are ‘ supposed ’ to look or what we ’ re ‘ supposed ’ to eat , and we lose touch with what we actually want and what we desire.
” Maintain a healthy mindset before , during and after your workout .
“ Sit in a comfortable position on the floor and relax your neck , shoulders , hips and anywhere else you hold tension , ” she said .
“ Breathe in for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and then breathe out for five .
Repeat as many times as you need .
Once you feel more relaxed , set an intention for your workout.
” “ Approach each workout by checking in with your body and see how you ’ re feeling that day , ” Tsukerman said .
“ Feeling energized and like you can conquer anything ?
Do some kickboxing or total body workouts .
Feeling achy ?
Work on your flexibility and mobility .
Feeling tired ?
Try a rebalancing yoga flow .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing the workout that will make you feel fulfilled inside.
” Know that it might take time to fully untangle food and exercise .
“ If we intend to gain strength , improve cardiovascular conditioning , and get those feel-good endorphins from exercise , we need to fuel our bodies adequately and consistently , ” Haggerty said .
“ If we ’ re just exercising to ‘ burn ’ or ‘ earn ’ our food , we ’ re going to be left depleted , both physically and mentally .
Think about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move , not move to eat.
” The fitness industry has work to do , too .
“ A lot of people get into fitness with the idea that the goal of moving your body is to manipulate or shrink your body , ” she said .
“ As people in the industry , we have to start detaching those things .
Because in actuality , that doesn ’ t have to be the goal at all.
” This story is part of Don ’ t Sweat It , a HuffPost Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re giving you a guide to the latest thinking on exercise and why we ’ ve been conditioned to hate it in the past .
Mental health and body-positive fitness experts will also offer guidance and show you how to find a routine that works for you .
Find all of our coverage here .

Illustration: HuffPost/Photo: Getty Images Unlinking exercise from food can have a profound effect on mental health, including helping to heal eating disorders.
For many people, exercise and weight loss are seen as intrinsically linked. Between fitness industry messaging and the pervasive diet culture, it’s no surprise that we’ve developed a harmful connection between what we eat and how much we need to work out.
According to a 2018 study reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of American adults attempted to lose weight between 2013 and 2016. Almost 63% of those people chose exercise as a means to achieve that goal — along with consuming less food.
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The desire to lose weight begins at a startlingly young age: The National Eating Disorders Association reports that 40% to 60% of elementary school girls are concerned about their body and weight — a concern that might endure throughout life.
Meanwhile, the fitness industry has long connected working out and losing weight, spreading the harmful belief that exercise is intended to reshape one’s body. Together, these messages can lead to a myriad of unhealthy behaviors, including exercise addiction or compulsive exercise.
The eating disorders association notes there’s a strong link between compulsive exercise and various forms of eating disorders: Between 40% and 80% of anorexia nervosa patients are prone to excessive exercise, and an estimated 90% to 95% of college students with an eating disorder belong to a fitness facility.
Recovery from any eating disorder or even just unhealthy habits can be an ongoing process, and one that often isn’t linear. But if you’ve struggled with exercise in the past, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a healthy relationship with fitness in the future.
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This particular journey is one that Dani Tsukerman knows all too well. The fitness trainer and owner of Very Personal Training, a body-positive fitness center in Brooklyn, New York, has struggled with eating disorders since childhood and now aims to help others reframe the way they view exercise and their bodies.
“It’s so important to remember that working out is not a punishment,” Tsukerman told HuffPost. “It is a celebration of what your body can do. It’s an opportunity to achieve, feel strong and grow.”
Carving out a new perspective can be challenging even if you’ve never dealt with an eating disorder. While there’s no universal approach, there are some concrete steps you can take to view fitness as a celebration of your body instead of a punishment.
HuffPost talked with a few experts about ways to reduce anxiety surrounding food and exercise, how to seek joy in movement, and why the fitness industry needs to become more body-positive.
Cavan Images via Getty Images
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Choose a workout you’ll truly enjoy.
Restructuring your mindset should begin before your actual workout. When developing a new exercise regimen, for instance, you might want to avoid types of movement you focused on in the past.
“It’s helpful to think about restructuring the environments that lend themselves to exercising compulsively,” said Jessi Haggerty, a Massachusetts-based registered dietitian, intuitive-eating counselor and certified personal trainer. “For example, if running was your primary form of compulsive exercise, try taking a dance class or yoga class and limit running as you reintroduce exercise.”
In addition to avoiding exercises that might be triggering or simply not engaging, think about what you genuinely find fun. Milwaukee-based personal trainer Chrissy King emphasizes the importance of joy within movement.
“We spend so much time absorbing information about how our bodies are ‘supposed’ to look or what we’re ‘supposed’ to eat, and we lose touch with what we actually want and what we desire.” - Chrissy King, personal trainer
“When it comes to movement and exercise, I encourage my clients to ask themselves, ‘What do I really like to do?’” King said. “Maybe you really love nature, so perhaps your form of movement is hiking or swimming. It’s important to question this because we spend so much time absorbing information about how our bodies are ‘supposed’ to look or what we’re ‘supposed’ to eat, and we lose touch with what we actually want and what we desire.”
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For folks who have struggled with an eating disorder in the past, reframing your mindset before exercise might also mean talking with a medical professional.
“For individuals with a history of an eating disorder that included unhealthy exercise behaviors, it’s important to work with a treatment team who can provide recommendations and guidelines for reincorporating exercise into your life,” said Elisha Contner Wilkins, executive director of Veritas Collaborative, a national eating disorder recovery center for children, adolescents and adults. “Know your limits and set boundaries.”
Maintain a healthy mindset before, during and after your workout.
To get into the right headspace prior to exercise, Tsukerman suggests beginning each workout with a mindfulness practice of deep breathing, which can help unite your body and mind.
“Sit in a comfortable position on the floor and relax your neck, shoulders, hips and anywhere else you hold tension,” she said. “Breathe in for a count of five, hold for seven, and then breathe out for five. Repeat as many times as you need. Once you feel more relaxed, set an intention for your workout.”
“Approach each workout by checking in with your body and see how you’re feeling that day.” - Dani Tsukerman, fitness trainer
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Tsukerman added that it’s helpful to know your triggers so you can be on the lookout for them during exercise.
“For some people, setting any kind of goals can be triggering, so if that makes you anxious, just focus on slowing down your breathing so you can be present for your workout,” she said.
“You can even keep a log to jot down what kind of workout you did and rate your feelings,” she said, adding that any such record should be about your emotions and not a workout log.
Wilkins noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way people exercise, leading to a heightened state of anxiety for some folks.
“Changes in movement and daily activities can cause an increase in anxiety around exercise in particular, and isolation, news and social media can fuel this anxiety as well,” she said. Wilkins recommends that you implement coping strategies such as journaling, creating art, using mindfulness apps and keeping the lines of communication open with loved ones.
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It’s also crucial to listen to your body. Pick a workout based on your body’s needs that day, rather than what you “planned” to do or feel like you “should” do.
“Approach each workout by checking in with your body and see how you’re feeling that day,” Tsukerman said. “Feeling energized and like you can conquer anything? Do some kickboxing or total body workouts. Feeling achy? Work on your flexibility and mobility. Feeling tired? Try a rebalancing yoga flow. It’s all about listening to your body and doing the workout that will make you feel fulfilled inside.”
Oscar Wong via Getty Images
Know that it might take time to fully untangle food and exercise.
This connection has been burned into our minds for years; unlearning it will likely require some work.
“We need to reframe how eating and exercise are linked in our brains,” Haggerty said, noting that fitness trackers and weight loss apps make it seem as if our bodies are “like bank accounts.” The reality is quite different.
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“If we intend to gain strength, improve cardiovascular conditioning, and get those feel-good endorphins from exercise, we need to fuel our bodies adequately and consistently,” Haggerty said. “If we’re just exercising to ‘burn’ or ‘earn’ our food, we’re going to be left depleted, both physically and mentally. Think about it like this: We need to eat to move, not move to eat.”
Think about food as a source of energy, rather than something to be “rid of” after working out.
“We need to eat to exercise,” Wilkins said. “We need to provide fuel ... for the activity, just as we would provide fuel for a car.”
“If we’re just exercising to ‘burn’ or ‘earn’ our food, we’re going to be left depleted, both physically and mentally. Think about it like this: We need to eat to move, not move to eat.” - Jessi Haggerty, registered dietitian
For folks with an eating disorder history, Wilkins emphasized the importance of using recovery-focused techniques, such as journaling or talking with a friend, to cope with anxiety surrounding food and meals.
Of course, food can be much more than fuel. As King put it, “Food is community. Food has cultural meaning. Food reminds us of our families.”
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King said that thinking of food purely as energy might take the enjoyment out of it — and it’s OK to give ourselves permission to simply enjoy food. “Food helps us survive, but it can be enjoyable too because it means so much more than that. It’s how we have experiences, it’s how we share love,” she said.
The fitness industry has work to do, too.
Ultimately, this isn’t something individuals must change alone. The fitness industry has continuously perpetuated the idea that exercise should lead to weight loss, when in reality, exercise is meant for all bodies.
“There is still a high percentage of exercise professionals with weight bias,” Wilkins said. “Many exercise-related activities are now beginning to include body-positive affirmations as a part of the routine, but there is still a long way to go.”
King agreed that the fitness industry has an important role to play in how people approach working out.
“A lot of people get into fitness with the idea that the goal of moving your body is to manipulate or shrink your body,” she said. “As people in the industry, we have to start detaching those things. Because in actuality, that doesn’t have to be the goal at all.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--As Florida COVID-19 Cases Skyrocket, State Orders All Schools To Reopen Next Month

Florida ’ s education commissioner on Monday ordered schools to reopen for in-person instruction in August , even as coronavirus cases jam hospitals in the state .
According to an “ emergency order ” signed by Commissioner Richard Corcoran , public school districts and charter school boards must open all kindergarten through 12th-grade schools for at least five days a week .
Although schools may also offer remote learning , parents must have the option to send their children to a brick and mortar school .
The order will only apply to the fall semester and may change if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials can override the commissioner ’ s order as well and close schools in emergencies .
A statement from the Classroom Teachers Association accused Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) of pushing a political and economic agenda over the safety and well-being of students , teachers and school employees .
“ While we know that face-to-face learning is optimal , CTA will not support a reopening plan that could expose students , teachers or their families to illness , hospitalization or death , ” the organization stated .
“ Lost academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― a life can not .
” To date , Florida has registered more than 206,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,778 deaths .

Florida’s education commissioner on Monday ordered schools to reopen for in-person instruction in August, even as coronavirus cases jam hospitals in the state.
According to an “emergency order” signed by Commissioner Richard Corcoran, public school districts and charter school boards must open all kindergarten through 12th-grade schools for at least five days a week. Although schools may also offer remote learning, parents must have the option to send their children to a brick and mortar school.
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The order will only apply to the fall semester and may change if the pandemic becomes even more severe. Local health officials can override the commissioner’s order as well and close schools in emergencies.
A statement from the Classroom Teachers Association accused Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) of pushing a political and economic agenda over the safety and well-being of students, teachers and school employees.
“While we know that face-to-face learning is optimal, CTA will not support a reopening plan that could expose students, teachers or their families to illness, hospitalization or death,” the organization stated. “Lost academic time and lessons can be made up ― a life cannot.”
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To date, Florida has registered more than 206,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,778 deaths.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--GOP Congressman’s Argument Against Mandated Masks, Vaccinations Goes Awry

Given that the Founders saw many epidemics in their lifetimes , I would imagine that telling them they could stop @ @ @ @ @ as wearing a mask would have been seen as some kind of miracle .
Can @ @ @ @ @ snowflakes surviving Valley Forge ?
https : //t.co/PLRBPtEOuq

Given that the Founders saw many epidemics in their lifetimes, I would imagine that telling them they could stop disease by something as simple as wearing a mask would have been seen as some kind of miracle.
Can you imagine any of these snowflakes surviving Valley Forge? https://t.co/PLRBPtEOuq


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Tammy Duckworth Unloads On Tucker Carlson Over His Ugly Attack On Democrats

Sen. Tammy Duckworth ( D-Ill. ) is calling out Tucker Carlson , who escalated his rhetoric yet again on Monday when he claimed that Democrats hate America .
The Fox News host also reserved some extra vitriol for Duckworth , a decorated combat veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq when the helicopter she was piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004 .
“ You ’ re not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military , ” Carlson said .
“ Most people just ignore her.
” Carlson described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” then questioned her patriotism and the patriotism of other Democrats .
“ These people actually hate America , ” Carlson said .
“ There ’ s no longer a question about that .
And yet , paradoxically , at the same time , they desperately want to control America more than anything .
And that leads to the most basic of all questions : Can you really lead a country that you hate ?
” Does @ TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tammy Duckworth ( @ SenDuckworth ) July 7 , 2020 Although Carlson ’ s ratings have jumped to record levels in recent weeks , his increasingly racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric has caused major advertisers to flee .
Disney , T-Mobile , Papa John ’ s and others have all pulled their spots from the show .
Carlson has one consistent supporter : MyPillow .
CNN ’ s Brian Stelter said the pillow company is spending far more on Carlson ’ s show than any other advertiser : My Pillow props up @ TuckerCarlson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tucker 's show `` nearly 10x more than the next-largest brand by spend , '' according to @ ispottv data .
pic.twitter.com/c0Pwz0I0NZ — Brian Stelter ( @ brianstelter ) July 6 , 2020

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Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) is calling out Tucker Carlson, who escalated his rhetoric yet again on Monday when he claimed that Democrats hate America. The Fox News host also reserved some extra vitriol for Duckworth, a decorated combat veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq when the helicopter she was piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004.
“You’re not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military,” Carlson said. “Most people just ignore her.”
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Carlson described Duckworth as “deeply silly and unimpressive,” then questioned her patriotism and the patriotism of other Democrats.
“These people actually hate America,” Carlson said. “There’s no longer a question about that. And yet, paradoxically, at the same time, they desperately want to control America more than anything. And that leads to the most basic of all questions: Can you really lead a country that you hate?”
The senator fired back on Twitter:
Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America? — Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) July 7, 2020
Although Carlson’s ratings have jumped to record levels in recent weeks, his increasingly racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric has caused major advertisers to flee. Disney, T-Mobile, Papa John’s and others have all pulled their spots from the show.
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Carlson has one consistent supporter: MyPillow. CNN’s Brian Stelter said the pillow company is spending far more on Carlson’s show than any other advertiser:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Report: Longtime Melania Trump Insider To Release ‘Explosive’ Tell-All Book

A longtime confidante to Melania Trump who helped to plan the inauguration of President Donald Trump is reportedly set to release a book with “ explosive ” revelations based on her 15-year relationship with the first lady .
The Daily Beast said Stephanie Winston Wolkoff ’ s “ Melania and Me , ” scheduled for Sept. 1 , is “ largely negative ” and “ heavily trashes the first lady.
” A blurb describing the book cited by Vanity Fair says it will detail the friendship between the two through the years as well as her “ abrupt and very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Daily Beast notes that Wolkoff signed a nondisclosure agreement , which could lead to legal action over the book .
Wolkoff worked as an unpaid senior advisor to the first lady for the first year of the presidency .
However , the White House cut ties to Wolkoff in early 2018 after revelations that her company was paid nearly $ 26 million by the inauguration committee to plan events related to the ceremony .
Wolkoff herself received $ 1.62 million , The New York Times reported in 2018 .
Committee officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her firm was used to pay other vendors , subcontractors and workers .
Despite the dismissal , Wolkoff told the Times in 2018 that she expected “ to remain a trusted source for advice and support on an informal basis.
” By last year , she seemed to have changed her tune .
“ Was I fired ?
No , ” Wolkoff said in the statement to the Times .
“ Did I personally receive $ 26 million or $ 1.6 million ?
No .
Was I thrown under the bus ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest a long line of works by former Trump insiders who are now critical of the president .
Last month , former national security advisor John Bolton released his White House tell-all .
And next week , Mary Trump ― the president ’ s niece ― will be out with her own account of “ the world ’ s most dangerous man.
” It will also be the second major release of the summer to focus on the first lady .
Last month ’ s The Art of Her Deal , by Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first lady renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with the president in the early months of the presidency , when she did not immediately move to the White House .

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A longtime confidante to Melania Trump who helped to plan the inauguration of President Donald Trump is reportedly set to release a book with “explosive” revelations based on her 15-year relationship with the first lady.
The Daily Beast said Stephanie Winston Wolkoff’s “Melania and Me,” scheduled for Sept. 1, is “largely negative” and “heavily trashes the first lady.”
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A blurb describing the book cited by Vanity Fair says it will detail the friendship between the two through the years as well as her “abrupt and very public departure” from the White House.
The Daily Beast notes that Wolkoff signed a nondisclosure agreement, which could lead to legal action over the book.
Wolkoff worked as an unpaid senior advisor to the first lady for the first year of the presidency.
However, the White House cut ties to Wolkoff in early 2018 after revelations that her company was paid nearly $26 million by the inauguration committee to plan events related to the ceremony.
Wolkoff herself received $1.62 million, The New York Times reported in 2018. Committee officials told the newspaper that money to her and her firm was used to pay other vendors, subcontractors and workers.
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Despite the dismissal, Wolkoff told the Times in 2018 that she expected “to remain a trusted source for advice and support on an informal basis.”
By last year, she seemed to have changed her tune.
“Was I fired? No,” Wolkoff said in the statement to the Times. “Did I personally receive $26 million or $1.6 million? No. Was I thrown under the bus? Yes.”
Her book would be the latest a long line of works by former Trump insiders who are now critical of the president. Last month, former national security advisor John Bolton released his White House tell-all. And next week, Mary Trump ― the president’s niece ― will be out with her own account of “the world’s most dangerous man.”
It will also be the second major release of the summer to focus on the first lady.
Last month’s The Art of Her Deal, by Washington Post reporter Mary Jordan, claimed that the first lady renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with the president in the early months of the presidency, when she did not immediately move to the White House.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Botched Trump Campaign Ad Vows To 'Protect' Statue -- In Brazil

President Donald Trump ’ s recent obsession with statues took a turn for the strange this week when his campaign released an ad vowing to protect one ― in Brazil .
“ We will protect this , ” the social media ad , which ran under both Trump ’ s name and the name of Vice President Mike Pence stated .
Just one problem : The ad used an image of the instantly recognizable Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , as spotted by The Daily Beast : Trump campaign ads over the weekend vowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Redeemer '' in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil https : //t.co/8BdKz6kdfe pic.twitter.com/iFob0uSRl3 — Lachlan Markay ( @ lachlan ) July 6 , 2020 Trump has vowed to protect statues of the Confederate generals who killed Americans in a doomed effort to support slavery .
He has also claimed that people want to remove statues of Jesus Christ .
Until now , anyway , his focus has been on U.S. statues .
[ 50k people get diagnosed with COVID-19 every day ] As your president , It 's my duty to protect [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 so far ] the most sacred of American monuments , [ there 's no plan in place moving forward ] Brazil 's `` Christ the Redeemer '' statue https : //t.co/rrvYJyY6Mr — Parker Molloy ( @ ParkerMolloy ) July 6 , 2020 There will never be a cure for the Idiotavirus .
https : //t.co/uycOjpxC5y — George Conway ( @ gtconway3d ) July 6 , 2020 Is one really more ridiculous than the other ?
pic.twitter.com/l4bpuYwWcM — John Iadarola ( @ johniadarola ) July 6 , 2020 More than 130K people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ *checks notes* protecting statues in the only country with a similarly inept response https : //t.co/21cG8aUJHg — Don Moynihan ( @ donmoyn ) July 6 , 2020 In case any of you miscreants were thinking of tearing down the 125 ' tall , 635 metric ton Christ the Redeemer statue on top of a mountain in Rio de Janeiro .
pic.twitter.com/uvOcJuBQPr — Julie Lynn ( @ bellafortunate ) July 6 , 2020 In fairness , Christ the Redeemer is the first result when you search Google for `` Christ statue '' ... you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign .
— Pé ( @ 4everNeverTrump ) July 6 , 2020

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President Donald Trump’s recent obsession with statues took a turn for the strange this week when his campaign released an ad vowing to protect one ― in Brazil.
“We will protect this,” the social media ad, which ran under both Trump’s name and the name of Vice President Mike Pence stated.
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Just one problem: The ad used an image of the instantly recognizable Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as spotted by The Daily Beast:
Trump campaign ads over the weekend vowed to protect a new statue: "Christ the Redeemer" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil https://t.co/8BdKz6kdfe pic.twitter.com/iFob0uSRl3 — Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) July 6, 2020
Trump has vowed to protect statues of the Confederate generals who killed Americans in a doomed effort to support slavery. He has also claimed that people want to remove statues of Jesus Christ.
Until now, anyway, his focus has been on U.S. statues.
Trump’s critics on Twitter offered up a geography lesson:
[50k people get diagnosed with COVID-19 every day]
As your president, It's my duty to protect
[130k people in the US have died from COVID-19 so far]
the most sacred of American monuments,
[there's no plan in place moving forward]
Brazil's "Christ the Redeemer" statue https://t.co/rrvYJyY6Mr — Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) July 6, 2020
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There will never be a cure for the Idiotavirus. https://t.co/uycOjpxC5y — George Conway (@gtconway3d) July 6, 2020
Is one really more ridiculous than the other? pic.twitter.com/l4bpuYwWcM — John Iadarola (@johniadarola) July 6, 2020
WE WILL PROTECT THIS pic.twitter.com/mZ40Nxe1Qi — Jack (@QuinZee33) July 6, 2020
More than 130K people dead and the President is laser-focused on *checks notes* protecting statues in the only country with a similarly inept response https://t.co/21cG8aUJHg — Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) July 6, 2020
Trump's new and improved Christ the Redeemer, God of War... pic.twitter.com/FJpHsQ0flv — Jake Turk (@71djt) July 6, 2020
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In case any of you miscreants were thinking of tearing down the 125' tall, 635 metric ton Christ the Redeemer statue on top of a mountain in Rio de Janeiro. pic.twitter.com/uvOcJuBQPr — Julie Lynn (@bellafortunate) July 6, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Conservative Columnist Shows How Trump Could Undermine Election, Stay In Office

Washington Post columnist Max Boot said President Donald Trump could try to create a chaotic situation after the election to undermine the results and ultimately throw the decision to the Supreme Court .
Once there , a conservative majority could give him the win .
In his latest column Boot wrote that he took part in a “ war game ” scenario in which Biden had narrowly won the Electoral College , 278-260 .
He was part of the hypothetical Trump team for the scenario “ and , needless to say , we did not concede defeat .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unscrupulously , utilizing every ounce of power at our disposal , to secure the 10 electoral college votes to swing the election.
” In the scenario , the GOP filed suit to block the certification of results in key states , bombarded the airwaves with claims of electoral fraud and even had Attorney General Bill Barr accuse China and Antifa of trying to steal the election .
Boot ’ s team focused on Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania , three states expected which Trump won in 2016 ; while all three have Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Normally , the governor certifies the election results , ” Boot wrote .
“ But there is nothing to prevent the legislature from certifying a different election outcome.
” The team ’ s goal , he said , was to send the election to the Republican-controlled Supreme Court .
“ Unless Biden wins by an Electoral College margin that no one can credibly dispute , our democracy may be imperiled as never before , ” Boot wrote .
“ We had better start thinking now about how we would handle such @ @ @ @ @

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Washington Post columnist Max Boot said President Donald Trump could try to create a chaotic situation after the election to undermine the results and ultimately throw the decision to the Supreme Court. Once there, a conservative majority could give him the win.
In his latest column Boot wrote that he took part in a “war game” scenario in which Biden had narrowly won the Electoral College, 278-260. He was part of the hypothetical Trump team for the scenario “and, needless to say, we did not concede defeat. Instead, we went to work, ruthlessly and unscrupulously, utilizing every ounce of power at our disposal, to secure the 10 electoral college votes to swing the election.”
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In the scenario, the GOP filed suit to block the certification of results in key states, bombarded the airwaves with claims of electoral fraud and even had Attorney General Bill Barr accuse China and Antifa of trying to steal the election.
Boot’s team focused on Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, three states expected which Trump won in 2016; while all three have Democratic governors, they also have GOP-controlled legislatures.
“Normally, the governor certifies the election results,” Boot wrote. “But there is nothing to prevent the legislature from certifying a different election outcome.”
The team’s goal, he said, was to send the election to the Republican-controlled Supreme Court.
“Unless Biden wins by an Electoral College margin that no one can credibly dispute, our democracy may be imperiled as never before,” Boot wrote. “We had better start thinking now about how we would handle such an electoral crisis.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-06--Trump Has No Election Strategy, Just 'White Grievance,' Says New York Times Reporter

President Donald Trump is flailing this campaign because he has no strategy — only a “ white grievance ” message that is dramatically out of step with America today , New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman said Monday .
Haberman responded : “ I want to reject two things that you just said ... One is ‘ now become , ’ and the other is ‘ strategy.
’ This isn ’ t a strategy .
This is what the president prefers doing and what he wants to talk about — and what he has consistently talked about for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades.
” But Trump ’ s message stands out now because it ’ s “ so out of step with where the rest of the country is in this movement , ” Haberman added .
She called anti-racism protests that have swept the nation “ one of the biggest civil rights movements in decades ... against systemic racism in policing [ and ] in other areas of American life.
” Trump is instead “ choosing to talk about the Confederate flag , he is choosing to demand an apology from the one Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , Trump called on NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace to apologize for what the president falsely described as a “ hoax ” involving a noose in Wallace ’ s racetrack garage .
The FBI determined last month that the rope had been hanging on the garage door since last year to pull down the door — before Wallace was using the stall — and was not a racist message , but also never said the noose was planted as part of a hoax .
“ He is playing into white grievance politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... he thinks this will help him again .
This is a very different election , ” Haberman said .

President Donald Trump is flailing this campaign because he has no strategy — only a “white grievance” message that is dramatically out of step with America today, New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman said Monday.
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer asked Haberman if “stoking racial division” has “now become part of the president’s re-election strategy?”
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Haberman responded: “I want to reject two things that you just said ... One is ‘now become,’ and the other is ‘strategy.’ This isn’t a strategy. This is what the president prefers doing and what he wants to talk about — and what he has consistently talked about for several years, in fact, several decades.”
But Trump’s message stands out now because it’s “so out of step with where the rest of the country is in this movement,” Haberman added. She called anti-racism protests that have swept the nation “one of the biggest civil rights movements in decades ... against systemic racism in policing [and] in other areas of American life.”
Trump is instead “choosing to talk about the Confederate flag, he is choosing to demand an apology from the one Black NASCAR driver,” she added.
On Monday, Trump called on NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace to apologize for what the president falsely described as a “hoax” involving a noose in Wallace’s racetrack garage. The FBI determined last month that the rope had been hanging on the garage door since last year to pull down the door — before Wallace was using the stall — and was not a racist message, but also never said the noose was planted as part of a hoax.
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Trump has recently called the message “Black Lives Matter” a “symbol of hate” and anti-racism protesters “angry mobs.”
“He is playing into white grievance politics that did get him elected in 2016 ... he thinks this will help him again. This is a very different election,” Haberman said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Paul Krugman Pinpoints The Day America Started Losing War Against Coronavirus

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman thinks he knows the exact date the United States began losing its war against the coronavirus .
In his latest editorial for The New York Times published Monday , Krugman argued Apr .
17 was the critical moment ― when President Donald Trump “ declared White House support for protesters demanding an end to the lockdowns governors had instituted to bring Covid-19 under control ” with these tweets : Krugman noted how “ the Democratic governors Trump was targeting ” in the posts “ stood firm ” but their GOP counterparts “ in Arizona , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their cues from the president to lift stay-at-home orders , largely without enforcing measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 .
“ Trump ’ s willingness to trade deaths for jobs and political gain has backfired , ” suggested Krugman .
America ’ s defeat “ at the hands of the coronavirus didn ’ t happen because victory was impossible , ” he added .
“ Nor was it because we as a nation were incapable of responding.
” “ No , we lost because Trump and those around him decided that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let the virus run wild , ” Krugman concluded .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
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Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman thinks he knows the exact date the United States began losing its war against the coronavirus.
In his latest editorial for The New York Times published Monday, Krugman argued April 17 was the critical moment ― when President Donald Trump “declared White House support for protesters demanding an end to the lockdowns governors had instituted to bring Covid-19 under control” with these tweets:
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LIBERATE MINNESOTA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
LIBERATE MICHIGAN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
Krugman noted how “the Democratic governors Trump was targeting” in the posts “stood firm” but their GOP counterparts “in Arizona, Florida, Texas and elsewhere” took their cues from the president to lift stay-at-home orders, largely without enforcing measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
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“Trump’s willingness to trade deaths for jobs and political gain has backfired,” suggested Krugman.
America’s defeat “at the hands of the coronavirus didn’t happen because victory was impossible,” he added. “Nor was it because we as a nation were incapable of responding.”
“No, we lost because Trump and those around him decided that it was in their political interests to let the virus run wild,” Krugman concluded.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Chris Cuomo Debunks Mike Pence's Claim Of ‘Whole Of Government Approach’ To Coronavirus

CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo on Monday debunked one of Vice President Mike Pence ’ s most repeated claims about the United States ’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Pence , who leads the White House coronavirus task force , has said on multiple occasions that a “ whole of government approach ” is being used to tackle the public health crisis .
“ That would mean HHS handing down national guidelines for both diagnostic and antibody testing , ” said the news anchor .
“ It would mean a strategy for how to monitor hot spots and defining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re at it , it would mean the VA secretary showing up to answer how the hell he ’ s taking care of the people that we promised to do the best by , ” Cuomo continued .
“ A labor secretary insisting on protections for workers , who have to be in dangerous places like meat processing plants .
The HUD secretary defending fair housing rules at a time that so many are hurting.
” “ In other words , it means do your damn job , ” Cuomo concluded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the reality .
What is your reality ?
Why are you there ?
And if you ’ re not going to help people , get the hell out and let somebody else do it .
There are plenty who want to do the right thing in this country .
”

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CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Monday debunked one of Vice President Mike Pence’s most repeated claims about the United States’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus task force, has said on multiple occasions that a “whole of government approach” is being used to tackle the public health crisis.
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But Cuomo explained why that simply isn’t true.
“That would mean HHS handing down national guidelines for both diagnostic and antibody testing,” the news anchor said. “It would mean a strategy for how to monitor hot spots and defining national reporting standards.”
“While we’re at it, it would mean the VA secretary showing up to answer how the hell he’s taking care of the people that we promised to do the best by,” he continued. “A labor secretary insisting on protections for workers, who have to be in dangerous places like meat processing plants. The HUD secretary defending fair housing rules at a time that so many are hurting.”
“In other words, it means do your damn job,” Cuomo concluded. “I know he doesn’t like the reality. What is your reality? Why are you there? And if you’re not going to help people, get the hell out and let somebody else do it. There are plenty who want to do the right thing in this country.”
Check out Cuomo’s full monologue here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--‘Depravity’ Of Trump’s Fourth of July Speeches Laid Bare In Washington Post Editorial

President Donald Trump “ plumbed new depths of depravity ” with the two speeches he gave over the Fourth of July holiday weekend , the editorial board at The Washington Post said in its new column Monday .
“ On a day when presidents typically extol the values that bring Americans together , Mr. Trump launched an unhinged attack on the movement for racial and social justice that has surged in the past month , ” wrote the newspaper ’ s board .
Trump ranted about “ far-left fascism ” during the Independence Day celebration at the Mount Rushmore National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he railed against “ the radical left ” in his “ Salute to America ” speech from the White House .
The president ’ s “ renewed attempt to polarize the country along racial and cultural lines is despicable , ” said the board .
“ Mr .
Trump claimed his opponents would ‘ tear down the beliefs , culture and identity that have made America the most vibrant and tolerant society in the history of the Earth , ’ ” it concluded .
“ In fact , in describing his political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to racial animus , it is this president who poses the greatest threat to American democratic values .
”

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President Donald Trump “plumbed new depths of depravity” with the two speeches he gave over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, The Washington Post editorial board said Monday.
“On a day when presidents typically extol the values that bring Americans together, Mr. Trump launched an unhinged attack on the movement for racial and social justice that has surged in the past month,” wrote the newspaper’s board.
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Trump ranted about “far-left fascism” during the Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore on Friday night. The next day, he railed against “the radical left” in his “Salute to America” speech from the White House.
The president’s “renewed attempt to polarize the country along racial and cultural lines is despicable,” said the board.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Foreign College Students Must Take In-Person Classes Or Face Deportation, ICE Says

International students studying in the U.S. must leave the country or switch schools if they attend a university that will hold classes entirely online this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic , government officials said Monday .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the measure as cases of the virus continue to surge in most states around the country and many colleges and universities are still figuring out how or if they can reopen for the fall term .
“ Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person instruction to remain in lawful status , ” the agency said Monday , noting the shift applies to F-1 and M-1 visa holders .
“ If not , they may face immigration consequences including , but not limited to , the initiation of removal proceedings.
” The change will not impact international students who take classes in person , but students at online-only schools that fail to leave or transfer may be deported .
It ’ s unclear how many students the change could impact , or at what schools .
Harvard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all course instruction for the 2020-21 academic year would be conducted online , although some students will be allowed to live on campus .
The Verge reports schools must notify the Student and Exchange Visitor Program by July 15 if they will go entirely online , or by August 1 if they plan to use a hybrid model of online and in-person teaching .
International students at hybrid schools can remain in the country as long as they have a certain number of in-person classes .
NBC News notes international students make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or about 1.1 million students .
Many schools rely on the fees paid by foreign students , who often pay full tuition .
The Trump administration has continued to limit legal immigration and access to visas during the pandemic .
The White House has moved to raise the bar for asylum seekers hoping to seek protection in the U.S. and also banned many categories of foreign workers through the end of the year .
Many technology companies railed against Trump ’ s decision to restrict work visas last month , saying they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skilled workers that come to the U.S. each year for specialized jobs .
“ President Trump ’ s latest proclamation uses the COVID-19 pandemic as justification for limiting immigration , ” Facebook said last month .
“ In reality , the move to keep highly skilled talent out of the U.S. will make our country ’ s recovery even more difficult .
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International students studying in the U.S. must leave the country or switch schools if they attend a university that will hold classes entirely online this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, government officials said Monday.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the measure as cases of the virus continue to surge in most states around the country and many colleges and universities are still figuring out how or if they can reopen for the fall term.
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“Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status,” the agency said Monday, noting the shift applies to F-1 and M-1 visa holders. “If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.”
The change will not impact international students who take classes in person, but students at online-only schools that fail to leave or transfer may be deported.
It’s unclear how many students the change could impact, or at what schools. Harvard made headlines this week after it said all course instruction for the 2020-21 academic year would be conducted online, although some students will be allowed to live on campus. The Verge reports schools must notify the Student and Exchange Visitor Program by July 15 if they will go entirely online, or by August 1 if they plan to use a hybrid model of online and in-person teaching.
International students at hybrid schools can remain in the country as long as they have a certain number of in-person classes.
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NBC News notes international students make up 5.5 percent of the higher education population, or about 1.1 million students. Many schools rely on the fees paid by foreign students, who often pay full tuition.
The Trump administration has continued to limit legal immigration and access to visas during the pandemic. The White House has moved to raise the bar for asylum seekers hoping to seek protection in the U.S. and also banned many categories of foreign workers through the end of the year.
Many technology companies railed against Trump’s decision to restrict work visas last month, saying they will have difficulty hiring the thousands of skilled workers that come to the U.S. each year for specialized jobs.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Chris Hayes Highlights Donald Trump’s Major Problem With The Pandemic

The host of MSNBC ’ s “ All In ” noted how none of the “ totally sociopathic ” tricks @ @ @ @ @ “ con his way through ” the business world can be used on tackling the @ @ @ @ @ “ So , he ’ s left to try to tell us all to ‘ @ @ @ @ @ .
Don ’ t worry .
Just accept the death and the misery and the @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” Hayes added , citing a report in The Washington Post that said White @ @ @ @ @ Americans will grow numb to the escalating death toll and learn to accept tens of @ @ @ @ @ day .
”

The host of MSNBC ’s “All In” noted how none of the “totally sociopathic” tricks that Trump has used to “con his way through” the business world can be used on tackling the nationwide spread of COVID-19.
“So, he’s left to try to tell us all to ‘just get used to it. Don’t worry. Just accept the death and the misery and the illness and the failure,’” Hayes added, citing a report in The Washington Post that said White House officials now “hope Americans will grow numb to the escalating death toll and learn to accept tens of thousands of new cases a day.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley Bails On RNC 'Because Of The Virus Situation'

Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) said he will skip this summer ’ s 2020 Republican National Convention because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I ’ m not going to go .
And I ’ m not going to go because of the virus situation.
” Grassley , 86 , told journalists on a call Monday , per The Des Moines Register .
Grassley said he ’ d attended every previous Republican convention throughout his 40-year career in the Senate , reported the Register .
The GOP ’ s 2020 convention was initially slated to take place at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27 .
Republicans moved the majority of the event to Jacksonville , Florida , after North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper ( D ) and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles ( D ) refused to relax social distancing measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus that ’ s now killed more than 130,000 in the U.S .
However , record numbers of people in Florida have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week and Jacksonville has been forced to toughen its public safety measures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A scaled-back version of the Democratic National Convention will take place from Aug. 17 to Aug. 20 in Milwaukee .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said he will skip this summer’s 2020 Republican National Convention because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m not going to go. And I’m not going to go because of the virus situation.” Grassley, 86, told journalists on a call Monday, per The Des Moines Register.
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Grassley said he’d attended every previous Republican convention throughout his 40-year career in the Senate, reported the Register.
The GOP’s 2020 convention was initially slated to take place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27.
Republicans moved the majority of the event to Jacksonville, Florida, after North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles (D) refused to relax social distancing measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus that’s now killed more than 130,000 in the U.S.
However, record numbers of people in Florida have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week and Jacksonville has been forced to toughen its public safety measures, mandating people to wear masks in public.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-07--Is This The Beginning Of The End Of White-Centric Identity Politics In America?

That ’ s why [ the Trump administration ] puts out photos of all-male meetings , and when they have press conferences , there ’ s [ often ] only white men standing up there .
All of that is a signal to a certain segment of our society that is very uncomfortable with the changing demographics .
Change is scary , so I understand that .
But it ’ s scarier to be impacted by racism , it ’ s scarier to actually fear you or your family member could be killed by the police and that no one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I understand white men who have been at the top of this thing want that security and they want to be at the top .
But , I ’ m sorry , your time is up .
Women and people of color are running for office and , yes , they ’ re going to take your job , and hopefully do a better job .
I also talk about Pete Buttigieg in the book .
In this current moment , as people assess the women on the shortlist for [ Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some people will form their mouth to say , “ So and so doesn ’ t have enough experience.
” But three months ago before we were in quarantine , you were telling me with a straight face that I should take the mayor of South Bend , Indiana , seriously for president of the United States .
One of the moments I talk about in the book was a town hall where Mayor Pete said , “ I ’ ll tell you what my policy goals are later , ” and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ I ’ m going to focus on what my values are and allow people to get to know me.
” That ’ s great if you have the privilege to be able to do that .
But women do not have that privilege .
We can ’ t show up and tell you what we ’ re going to do later .
I grew up in Millburn , New Jersey .
I was the only Black person in my grade until high school .
And when I graduated high school , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my grade who were Black .
So I ’ ve been the only Black person in most spaces .
Michelle Obama says in the “ Becoming ” documentary , when you get into the room with the people who make all the decisions , one of the things you realize is that these people are not that smart .
They are not smarter than me , they are not smarter than you .
I think part of the problem is the people in the room are so used to seeing other people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the electorate is diverse , your staff should reflect that .
Otherwise , you ’ re doing it wrong .
I think the answer to that is yes , and the key would be to defeat [ Senate Majority Leader ] Mitch McConnell [ the Republican up for reelection in Kentucky ] .
But I do think that every single time we get closer in Texas , or we get closer in Georgia , it demonstrates that Democrats need to invest heavily in these states on the front end .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re seeing now , for me what it demonstrates is that people are really hungry for change .
Our experiences in the pandemic weren ’ t equal , but I do think that the experience of having to go into quarantine , unless you ’ re an essential worker , was basically the great equalizer .
It cut off the distractions that were preventing the people from seeing the changes that we needed .
I think that , going forward , Mitch McConnell is a major obstacle to all of our progressive wishlist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of your daily focus could be on that , that would do a lot .
All we can do is wake up every day and try to be better .
Sometimes it ’ s overwhelming to think about all of the problems at the same time .
We have a responsibility to leave [ the world ] a little bit better than when we got here .
I fundamentally believe that .
I don ’ t know if that ’ s because I have activists in my family , but my mom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to acknowledge them as valid and important .
We can argue about “ Medicare for All , ” but we [ progressives ] have to get along and not tear each other down in order to move forward .
That ’ s just completely ineffective and I think counterproductive long-term .

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. HuffPost/Hachette Books
When political analyst Zerlina Maxwell agreed to be on a panel at Politicon 2018, she didn’t know it would lead her to an “aha” moment that would form the thesis for her book.
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During a discussion on “What’s Next, Liberals?” Maxwell was immediately labeled a corporate shill because she had been the director of progressive media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. The crowd booed when she said something as simple as “listen to Black women.” The experience — such vicious critiques from a sea of politically engaged, predominantly white, majority male, progressive people — was clarifying for Maxwell. It made her think about the myriad ways that identity plays out in politics, and how much identity has always mattered in U.S. politics. Specifically, white identity.
“We have always been doing white politics,” Maxwell told me over the phone last week, “but we just left off the word ‘white.’” She sees now as the time to be explicit about that reality, to confront what it has always meant to center whiteness on both the right and left of the nation’s politics.
I spoke with Maxwell about her new book, “The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide,” what the “white resistance” looks like in progressive circles, and why Democrats need to learn how to speak to Black women as we head into the final months of the 2020 presidential campaign.
“The future of the party looks like me,” Maxwell said. “Please learn how to speak to me and people who look like me.”
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Your book is titled “The End of White Politics.” How do you define “white politics”?
I think of it this way: We have always been doing white politics, but we just left off the word “white.” The way politicians talk about issues and communities, we tend to center “whiteness” and it needed to be called out. So, what I mean by the end of white politics is an acknowledgment that we’ve been doing white identity politics. And that that’s very limiting, particularly as a progressive.
Very early in the book, you write, “Identity matters in politics.” Why do you think there has been a reticence to admit that in certain political circles?
The conversation about identities makes some people uncomfortable. It makes folks have to confront the privileges that they have, and the significant harm [done] to people who are not like them as the result of policies.
Our country’s founding is based on the idea that white people are superior to other races of people, and subjugating Black and brown communities through legislation and policies and cultural norms. It leads us to the place that we are today, and I think that people are uncomfortable with confronting that history. But I’ve been thinking a lot in the past few days about how the pandemic has, in some ways, been a catalyst to people recognizing that sooner.
That’s really interesting. Can you expand on how the pandemic has impacted that process?
Based on Pew’s Research, by 2045, America will be majority nonwhite, meaning that white voters will be a minority of the electorate. Now, that doesn’t mean Black people will be a majority, that doesn’t mean brown people will be a majority, but the coalition of these different groups and the fact that Generation Z is much more diverse and progressive than previous generations, sets the stage for a really transformational shift.
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It’s pretty telling that during a global pandemic, the police were still killing unarmed Black people. I think it’s uniquely American that the backdrop of our global pandemic experience is political unrest because of police brutality. The catalyst of so much protest, but also progress, has been a response to police brutality against Black and brown bodies. When I see protests where suburban, white families are together and saying “Black lives matter,” that feels like a seismic shift from just six months ago. I see more white people in, not just allyship, but really being accomplices [in anti-racism] — actually putting their bodies in between police and protesters, really trying to educate themselves and do the work.
So do you think we’re beginning to see some white people really become partners in the dismantling of white politics?
Yes. I think people who really understand intersectional feminism understand that if you center the most marginalized, then everyone benefits. Policy doesn’t affect everybody the same way, and sometimes you have to have more precise ideas and a vision for particular groups who have had a history of legislative discrimination.
And we’ve just been focusing on white, working-class voters. We just assume the voters who flipped the three states [Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin] to Donald Trump that decided the electoral college are all white, working-class men. And that’s just not the case. We obsess about that group at the expense of the Black people who live in Milwaukee, Detroit, and Philadelphia — a million of whom did not vote. They stayed home. I think as we look forward, [Democrats] need to figure out [how to address those voters], not how to win back those voters who would vote for Donald Trump, because a person who would vote for Donald Trump is not your [Democratic] voter.
And so, who are your voters? Your voters are people of color, people who aren’t being spoken directly to. One of the things Stacey Abrams always says is that identity politics is essentially saying, “I see you.” And I think that that’s a really profound, new shift in the way that politicians are talking about policy. Rep. Ayanna Presley [D-Mass.] says, “The people closest to the pain need to be the closest to the power,” which is foundational in terms of how we move forward as a progressive movement. Because we need people who are in positions of power, who are representative of the experiences and the problems that we’re actually trying to solve.
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As you touched on a bit earlier, Donald Trump has harnessed white identity politics quite successfully without ever using the term “identity politics.” Can you talk a little bit about how we’ve seen white identity politics come into play over the last four years?
When he was running for office, his very first speech was racist. He came down the escalator and said Mexicans are rapists and criminals. He’s speaking to a particular audience when he says things like that — and it’s not people of color. He ran an entire campaign based on the notion that Barack Obama, the first Black president, and Hillary Clinton, the first woman nominee for president, represent a future that you, white men, do not want.
That’s why [the Trump administration] puts out photos of all-male meetings, and when they have press conferences, there’s [often] only white men standing up there. All of that is a signal to a certain segment of our society that is very uncomfortable with the changing demographics. Change is scary, so I understand that. But it’s scarier to be impacted by racism, it’s scarier to actually fear you or your family member could be killed by the police and that no one would get in trouble. And so, I understand white men who have been at the top of this thing want that security and they want to be at the top. But, I’m sorry, your time is up. Women and people of color are running for office and, yes, they’re going to take your job, and hopefully do a better job.
I think it’s fairly easy for white liberals and progressives to look at Trump’s explicitly white-nationalist, white-supremacist rhetoric and distance themselves from it. But what does the “white resistance,” as you term it in the book, look like within the left?
There are two things that come to mind. I talk a lot about Bernie Bros, which I say exist because I’m not going to pretend that the harassment that I have received personally or that other Black and brown people have received personally didn’t happen. It did. I think that there is a segment of Bernie Sanders’ support in 2016 and 2020 that were aggressive and displayed some of the worst traits that we see in Trump supporters. And so, I think, on the left, we have to confront our misogyny and our own racism and our own blindspots.
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I start the book out talking about a panel I was on [in 2018 at Politicon] and I think the reaction to me saying, “Listen to Black women,” was “boo.” I was just like, I don’t think booing me is representative of where you want the Democratic Party to go. I am the future. The future of the party looks like me. Please learn how to speak to me and people who look like me. I agree with Bernie Sanders’ policy goals. My question was, how are we going to get there? Black women need to know where we’re going. Harriet Tubman didn’t just say, “We’re running, we’re going.” She had a plan. [Black women], we’re big on plans.
I also talk about Pete Buttigieg in the book. In this current moment, as people assess the women on the shortlist for [Joe Biden’s] vice president, some people will form their mouth to say, “So and so doesn’t have enough experience.” But three months ago before we were in quarantine, you were telling me with a straight face that I should take the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, seriously for president of the United States. One of the moments I talk about in the book was a town hall where Mayor Pete said, “I’ll tell you what my policy goals are later,” and called it “minutiae,” and said, “I’m going to focus on what my values are and allow people to get to know me.” That’s great if you have the privilege to be able to do that. But women do not have that privilege. We can’t show up and tell you what we’re going to do later.
So I think that on our side we have to be serious about dismantling white supremacy. We [all] grew up in a racist society. So you have to shake what you have been taught. I think we’re all working through our biases, but also I think, on the left, we really don’t value the constituencies that make the difference enough. We’re sick of being talked at and told that we’re not really progressive. Or that black people in South Carolina really didn’t know what was good for them, and that’s why they voted for Joe Biden. No, they lived through 1968, they have thought it through probably more than you have.
So what does dismantling white politics require from white people?
You have to think about the party infrastructure; who the party is putting in charge, who is working on campaigns. So getting people into campaigns that look like America ― that’s number one.
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On the question of white voters specifically and white people generally, I think that what they can do is make sure they’re uplifting people who don’t look like them. The simplest thing you can do as a white human being, is when you’re in the presence of three or more people and they’re all white, ask yourself why that is. Maybe it’s your family. But if it’s a work function or a panel or some sort of senior staff meeting, and everyone in the room looks one particular way, or they all went to Yale, then you have work to do.
I grew up in Millburn, New Jersey. I was the only Black person in my grade until high school. And when I graduated high school, I was one of two students in my grade who were Black. So I’ve been the only Black person in most spaces. Michelle Obama says in the “Becoming” documentary, when you get into the room with the people who make all the decisions, one of the things you realize is that these people are not that smart. They are not smarter than me, they are not smarter than you. I think part of the problem is the people in the room are so used to seeing other people in the room who look just like them. If the electorate is diverse, your staff should reflect that. Otherwise, you’re doing it wrong.
You hammer this home in the book — with good reason — that Democrats really need to know how to speak directly to Black women. What steps are required for Democrats to recognize that Black women have long been at the core of the party?
Often Democrats will do this thing where they’ll go to church every Sunday and that’s their Black outreach. But there are lots of Black women not at church. Campaigns need to use more surrogates. Joe Biden can go to a hair salon. But that may not be the space to send Joe Biden to communicate the message. I think everybody is recognizing that in order to amplify a message you have to use voices that people trust and that they’re comfortable with. I think we need to see a lot more of that going forward.
I think part of the problem with party leadership is there’s just not a good pipeline of young, Black talent in terms of staff. One of the things about Hillary Clinton’s campaign that I was very proud of, [was that] the chief diversity officer, a Black man named Bernard Coleman, hired more Black women than any presidential campaign in history. We had our Black girl magic group chat and our brunches. It was just an incredible [spread] of women at all different levels of the campaign: The person who built the website and coded the backend was a Black woman; the person who created the I’m With Her moniker was a Black woman; one of the senior policy advisers, Maya Harris, was a Black woman. So I felt surrounded by Black girl magic. I think that’s one way the political establishment can work to change things. You want a Black girl magic set in your campaign.
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Something else that you touch on in the book is the mix of misogyny and racism that Black women face, obviously in life, but specifically within the political sphere. How have we seen that misogynoir play out during the 2020 race?
The treatment of Sen. Kamala Harris really bothered me. It was stealth, unless you were a Black woman, in which case it was pretty obvious. One of the things, in terms of misogyny that she faced, is that [some of it came] from Black men. The “Kamala the Cop” narrative was amplified by Russian trolls and bots and Bernie supporters. But also, it was amplified among many Black men who have large followings online.
The way the Black woman who was running for president was treated and the defense of her treatment was wholly different than when Barack Obama [was running]. We often are uncomfortable with women, and particularly Black women, when they are seeking positions of power. I think it made a lot of white male journalists uncomfortable to see a Black woman running to be president. When [Harris] showed up to the first presidential debate, everybody was like, “Oh my goodness, she just went at Joe Biden, oh my gosh.” Yes, because she was there to win the debate. Because she was trying to become the president.
I think there’s only so many times you can do that as a Black woman before getting pegged as too aggressive or too hostile. There was just a default skepticism of her as a viable candidate, and then a lack of context provided around why she might have been lagging in fundraising. I just think that it was a little bit more subtle than some of the blatant misogyny directed toward Hilary Clinton, for example, because she was running against Trump and [with Harris] we were in a primary. We’re a little bit more stealth with our biases [on the left], because they’re more implicit.
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I just don’t think that any of the women who ran for president were given a fair shake. And what I mean is their mistakes were weighted heavier than the men. If they made a misstep or a perceived misstep, it was weighted way heavier than the men. I think we can all admit that now. I don’t think I’m saying anything profound. But it’s interesting to me that the order with which candidates had to drop out; it was the feminist, the Black woman, the Latino man, the Black man, the white woman, and then you were left with two old white guys.
It’s fascinating to even think about what a different moment we are in now than when so much of the primary played out. We’re obviously in a pandemic, which as you touched on before, and in this recent wave of mass protests and a national dialogue about systemic racism and police brutality. Do you think that that combined with the fact that we had a decent amount of turnover in Congress in 2018 will lead to more concrete change?
I think the answer to that is yes, and the key would be to defeat [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell [the Republican up for reelection in Kentucky]. But I do think that every single time we get closer in Texas, or we get closer in Georgia, it demonstrates that Democrats need to invest heavily in these states on the front end. I think that the activism that we’re seeing now, for me what it demonstrates is that people are really hungry for change. Our experiences in the pandemic weren’t equal, but I do think that the experience of having to go into quarantine, unless you’re an essential worker, was basically the great equalizer. It cut off the distractions that were preventing the people from seeing the changes that we needed. I think that, going forward, Mitch McConnell is a major obstacle to all of our progressive wishlist items. So, if even 10% of your daily focus could be on that, that would do a lot.
I also think that people need to think beyond [federal] elections. We’re not just talking about presidential elections, we’re talking about Senate and congressional elections, and all the way down the ballot down to district attorney. Because you want to make sure that the D.A. is going to prosecute the police when they kill somebody. And many district attorneys are elected and they run unopposed. I think people are becoming more aware of that dynamic.
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The scariest thing for me at this moment is [the] vote. I think we’re all very eager to get through this election and hope that there’s no cheating or foreign interference. [And then] we’re going to have to grapple with the pandemic. Maybe that’s why Joe Biden is the perfect person to be the president in this moment, because I feel the weight of the collective trauma that our nation is experiencing and yet, we haven’t really taken a moment as a nation to process it or grieve. The scale of this tragedy is so great that I think that that will eventually be required. I’m hopeful we can make electoral change, but I know that there’s going to be more work that’s necessary. We’re going to need some therapists.
Another thing that we’ve seen come up a lot over the last four years is voter suppression; specifically in communities of color. What can people on the ground do to help ensure that everyone who wants to get out and vote is able to cast a ballot?
One thing they can do right now is they can contact their elected officials in Congress. Because there’s funding moving through Congress right now for mail-in voting. That all has to be scaled up. The president and Republicans have demonized mail-in ballot access because the numbers are not on their side. They know that if more people vote, they will lose. That is why Republicans do voter suppression. Because they know the demographics, now and going forward into the future, are not in their favor. I almost quoted “Hunger Games” there, but I resisted the impulse.
It’s really a layup.
Yeah, I know. I was like, I’m not going to do it though because I can’t deliver it right.
We’re in a moment of great national upheaval and transition — and also hope. I feel like there’s been more hope in all this trauma than we’d collectively felt in awhile. Where do we go from here?
All we can do is wake up every day and try to be better. Sometimes it’s overwhelming to think about all of the problems at the same time. We have a responsibility to leave [the world] a little bit better than when we got here. I fundamentally believe that. I don’t know if that’s because I have activists in my family, but my mom always taught me to see everyone and to acknowledge them as valid and important. We can argue about “Medicare for All,” but we [progressives] have to get along and not tear each other down in order to move forward. That’s just completely ineffective and I think counterproductive long-term.
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