occupydemocrats--2020-06-03--Trump smears protesters with racist tropes then claims he’s done more for Blacks than Joe Biden

On Wednesday morning , President Trump unleashed a bizarre and reprehensible series of mixed messages to America ’ s Black community , smearing them with appalling racist tropes commonly found in white nationalist rhetoric while claiming that he had done more for the Black community than any President since Lincoln .
In successive tweets , Trump besmirched the protesters who have been expressing their justified anger over the brutal murder of George Floyd as “ killers , terrorists , arsonists , thugs , hoodlums , looters ” that are “ very bad for our country ” and attacked the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caricatures .
Just five minutes later , the president bragged that he had done more for Black Americans than any President in American history “ and it ’ s not even close.
” This is a statement that Trump has repeated several times over the past few days , as if it somehow nullifies all the appalling things he has said about black Americans and our nation ’ s first Black president , against whom he spearheaded the racist Birther conspiracy theory .
On top of that , the notion is preposterous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of competition in America ’ s short but intensely racist history for “ worst President for African Americans , ” it ’ s safe to say that the man who praised murderous white supremacists as “ very fine people , ” whose deliberate neglect allowed the spread of a pandemic that hit Black Americans the hardest , and who rolled back all of the Obama-era ’ s regulations and guidelines aimed at reducing police brutality did not do much for Black Americans .
Utterly divorced from reality , the president ’ s words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his rabid followers and balms for his own insecurities .
He ’ s going to find out the hard way what the Black community really thinks about him this November .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

On Wednesday morning, President Trump unleashed a bizarre and reprehensible series of mixed messages to America’s Black community, smearing them with appalling racist tropes commonly found in white nationalist rhetoric while claiming that he had done more for the Black community than any President since Lincoln.
In successive tweets, Trump besmirched the protesters who have been expressing their justified anger over the brutal murder of George Floyd as “killers, terrorists, arsonists, thugs, hoodlums, looters” that are “very bad for our country” and attacked the media for not holding them up as racist caricatures.
If you watch Fake News @CNN or MSDNC, you would think that the killers, terrorists, arsonists, anarchists, thugs, hoodlums, looters, ANTIFA & others, would be the nicest, kindest most wonderful people in the Whole Wide World. No, they are what they are – very bad for our Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020
Just five minutes later, the president bragged that he had done more for Black Americans than any President in American history “and it’s not even close.”
….the possible exception of another Republican President, the late, great, Abraham Lincoln…and it’s not even close. The Democrats know this, and so does the Fake News, but they refuse to write or say it because they are inherently corrupt! See “pinned” above. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020
This is a statement that Trump has repeated several times over the past few days, as if it somehow nullifies all the appalling things he has said about black Americans and our nation’s first Black president, against whom he spearheaded the racist Birther conspiracy theory.
On top of that, the notion is preposterous. While he sadly has a great deal of competition in America’s short but intensely racist history for “worst President for African Americans,” it’s safe to say that the man who praised murderous white supremacists as “very fine people,” whose deliberate neglect allowed the spread of a pandemic that hit Black Americans the hardest, and who rolled back all of the Obama-era’s regulations and guidelines aimed at reducing police brutality did not do much for Black Americans.
Utterly divorced from reality, the president’s words are nothing but a combination of dog-whistles to his rabid followers and balms for his own insecurities. He’s going to find out the hard way what the Black community really thinks about him this November.
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Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Trump trashes “most overrated general” Jim Mattis in childish response to Mattis’ condemnation

On Wednesday night , President Trump took to Twitter to disparage his former Secretary of Defense , James Mattis .
The retired Marine Corps General shared his frustrations with the president in a powerful piece published in the Atlantic , correctly describing him as a threat to the Constitution and formally denouncing him for dividing Americans with his appalling threats and insults towards the protesters that have rocked the nation over the past few days .
“ Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort .
We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership .
We can unite without him , drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society .
This will not be easy , as the past few days have shown , but we owe it to our fellow citizens ; to past generations that bled to defend our promise ; and to our children , ” writes General Mattis .
Predictably , President Trump immediately proved him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the same tired , trite insult-laden tweets that he does every time anyone crosses him , lamely attempting to own him by bragging about how great it was to fire him and how little he liked him .
General Mattis , frustrated by Trump ’ s “ limited cognitive ability ” and appalled by Trump ’ s decision to abandon our allies in the fight against the Islamic State , resigned in December 2018 .
The comparison between Mattis and Trump ’ s respective missives speaks for itself .
It is revolting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so callously smearing the man known as America ’ s most beloved Marine , whose only “ fault ” was refusing to go along with Trump ’ s more idiotic and destructive impulses .

On Wednesday night, President Trump took to Twitter to disparage his former Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. The retired Marine Corps General shared his frustrations with the president in a powerful piece published in the Atlantic, correctly describing him as a threat to the Constitution and formally denouncing him for dividing Americans with his appalling threats and insults towards the protesters that have rocked the nation over the past few days.
“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children,” writes General Mattis.
Predictably, President Trump immediately proved him right by going online and penning one of the same tired, trite insult-laden tweets that he does every time anyone crosses him, lamely attempting to own him by bragging about how great it was to fire him and how little he liked him.
…His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom “brought home the bacon”. I didn’t like his “leadership” style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
General Mattis, frustrated by Trump’s “limited cognitive ability” and appalled by Trump’s decision to abandon our allies in the fight against the Islamic State, resigned in December 2018.
The comparison between Mattis and Trump’s respective missives speaks for itself. It is revolting but sadly unsurprising to see the President so callously smearing the man known as America’s most beloved Marine, whose only “fault” was refusing to go along with Trump’s more idiotic and destructive impulses.
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Oregon State tight end kicked off team after audio of him saying “I hate n******s, kill all the gays

Oregon State tight end kicked off team after audio of him saying “I hate n******s, kill all the gays and Muslims” surfaces

With racial tensions in America at the most volatile point they ’ ve been in decades , it is truly infuriating to see casual displays of racism by privileged young white kids when we know where it leads .
Oregon State tight end Rocco Carley has found himself booted from the team after an appallingly racist recording surfaced on social media last night .
In it , Carley affects a thick Southern accent and says “ I hate the southern fried chicken n******s… Man if you tell me what I want all the gays killed goddamn it I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the blacks can stay as long as they do my goddamn field work , f*ck Islam , if I could enforce one f*cking goddamn law I would just get all those n****rs in a chamber and burning the shit out of them.
” Carley tried to explain that he was just joking and called it “ satire ” in his contrite apology tweet .
“ This does not condone anything of what I have said , but I promise to you all that this video does not represent me…I was doing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very satire example of what we all thought it would be funny .
This is no way shape or form makes what I said right.
” That excuse didn ’ t fly with his coaches or school administrators , however .
“ We both agreed this language and attitude is entirely unacceptable , regardless of circumstances or environment .
I spoke with Rocco and dismissed him from the team .
I will not tolerate racism or hate speech , ” said Oregon head football coach Jonathan Smith , who shared the audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
While young men are not known to have the best judgment between the ages of thirteen and — let ’ s be honest — twenty-six , it ’ s hard to understand how these appalling comments could ever be considered “ funny ” or “ satire.
” America ’ s young men need to understand that this kind of language and these kinds of jokes dehumanize other people and uphold the white supremacist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffering , and injustice for so many Americans .

With racial tensions in America at the most volatile point they’ve been in decades, it is truly infuriating to see casual displays of racism by privileged young white kids when we know where it leads.
Oregon State tight end Rocco Carley has found himself booted from the team after an appallingly racist recording surfaced on social media last night.
In it, Carley affects a thick Southern accent and says “I hate the southern fried chicken n******s… Man if you tell me what I want all the gays killed goddamn it I want to kill all the gays and the Muslims, the blacks can stay as long as they do my goddamn field work, f*ck Islam, if I could enforce one f*cking goddamn law I would just get all those n****rs in a chamber and burning the shit out of them.”
A tape has surfaced of Oregon State TE Rocco Carley talking about how he’d like all gays and Muslims to be killed, and getting “all those n****rs in a chamber and burning the shit out of them” https://t.co/zCGhPRbPxl — RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) June 4, 2020
Carley tried to explain that he was just joking and called it “satire”in his contrite apology tweet. “This does not condone anything of what I have said, but I promise to you all that this video does not represent me…I was doing an accent of a southern man and giving a very satire example of what we all thought it would be funny. This is no way shape or form makes what I said right.”
That excuse didn’t fly with his coaches or school administrators, however. “We both agreed this language and attitude is entirely unacceptable, regardless of circumstances or environment. I spoke with Rocco and dismissed him from the team. I will not tolerate racism or hate speech,” said Oregon head football coach Jonathan Smith, who shared the audio with athletics coach Scott Barnes.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
While young men are not known to have the best judgment between the ages of thirteen and — let’s be honest — twenty-six, it’s hard to understand how these appalling comments could ever be considered “funny” or “satire.” America’s young men need to understand that this kind of language and these kinds of jokes dehumanize other people and uphold the white supremacist superstructure that causes so much pain, suffering, and injustice for so many Americans.
h/t to Robert Littal at BlackSportsOnline
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Police with dogs and batons swarm peaceful protestor mid-interview with reporter

Anyone who still doubts that there is a serious police brutality problem in this country need only take a cursory glance through the mountains of footage to hit Twitter over the past few days to see the grim truth of the matter .
For close to a week now , Americans have been gathering in cities across the country to protest the broad daylight murder of George Floyd by law enforcement , and all too often these protestors been met with horrifying displays of state violence .
The police have been regularly tear-gassing and beating them , firing rubber bullets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to ramming people with vehicles .
President Trump has contributed to this dangerous atmosphere by urging police to “ dominate ” the streets and has shown no interest in deescalating the situation or listening to the reasonable demands of the protestors .
Each day that the White House fails to demonstrate proper leadership , more disturbing clips of police behavior emerge .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
Greg Doucette , an attorney and # NeverTrump conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thread of police videos from the protests .
Scrolling through it gives but a glimpse at the heinous actions being carried out by cops in America right now , but what an unsettling glimpse it is .
One of the videos in Doucette ’ s thread is particularly shocking .
It shows a Black man being interviewed by a camera crew with his hands held above his head , peacefully and civilly comporting himself .
While the man is in the middle of explaining who he is a squad of police officers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swarm him and tackle him to the ground .
The cameraman is forced to flee to the side to avoid getting knocked over .
The clip isn ’ t as horrifically violent as some we ’ ve seen , but it does demonstrate the fact that these cops simply don ’ t care if cameras are rolling .
They think they can do whatever they want with impunity .
It ’ s high past time that ceased to be the case .
As more and more videos like this emerge , Occupy Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that readers will have an unvarnished look at what is really going on in their country right now .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

Anyone who still doubts that there is a serious police brutality problem in this country need only take a cursory glance through the mountains of footage to hit Twitter over the past few days to see the grim truth of the matter.
For close to a week now, Americans have been gathering in cities across the country to protest the broad daylight murder of George Floyd by law enforcement, and all too often these protestors been met with horrifying displays of state violence. The police have been regularly tear-gassing and beating them, firing rubber bullets that shred through flesh and have even taken to ramming people with vehicles.
President Trump has contributed to this dangerous atmosphere by urging police to “dominate” the streets and has shown no interest in deescalating the situation or listening to the reasonable demands of the protestors. Each day that the White House fails to demonstrate proper leadership, more disturbing clips of police behavior emerge.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Greg Doucette, an attorney and #NeverTrump conservative, has been compiling a running Twitter thread of police videos from the protests. Scrolling through it gives but a glimpse at the heinous actions being carried out by cops in America right now, but what an unsettling glimpse it is.
One of the videos in Doucette’s thread is particularly shocking. It shows a Black man being interviewed by a camera crew with his hands held above his head, peacefully and civilly comporting himself.
While the man is in the middle of explaining who he is a squad of police officers, wielding batons and accompanied by dogs, swarm him and tackle him to the ground. The cameraman is forced to flee to the side to avoid getting knocked over.
The clip isn’t as horrifically violent as some we’ve seen, but it does demonstrate the fact that these cops simply don’t care if cameras are rolling. They think they can do whatever they want with impunity. It’s high past time that ceased to be the case.
As more and more videos like this emerge, Occupy Democrats will endeavor to share and amplify them, so that readers will have an unvarnished look at what is really going on in their country right now.
2⃣3⃣1⃣: Buffalo, NY: police arrest a man *while he’s being interviewed by the press* *with his hands in the air* Lawlessness pic.twitter.com/26l4yzWhnU — T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 4, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Gen. John Kelly publicly contradicts “nasty” Trump in defense of Mattis: you didn’t fire him!

Last night , President Trump issued a slew of Twitter insults against one of America ’ s most beloved warriors , former Marine General and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis .
Calling him the “ world ’ s most overrated general , ” which is nonsensical in and of itself , the President went on to brag about how great it was to fire him and how little he liked him .
On Thursday , the president ’ s former Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly leaped to his former fellow cabinet member ’ s defense and contradicted the president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired but resigned in protest over Trump ’ s appalling decision to abandon our allies in the fight against the Islamic State terror group .
“ The president did not fire him .
He did not ask for his resignation .
The president has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused .
The president tweeted a very positive tweet about Jim until he started to see on Fox News their interpretation of his letter .
Then he got nasty .
Jim Mattis is a honorable man , ” said Kelly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s honor left unsaid but obvious .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
General Mattis triggered the president ’ s ire last night after he shared his frustrations with the president in a powerful piece published in the Atlantic , correctly describing him as a threat to the Constitution and formally denouncing him for dividing Americans with his divisive threats and insults towards the protesters that have rocked the nation over the past few days .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try .
Instead , he tries to divide us .
We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort .
We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership .
We can unite without him , drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society .
This will not be easy , as the past few days have shown , but we owe it to our fellow citizens ; to past generations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our children , ” writes General Mattis .
While Jim Kelly is responsible for enabling some of the most heinous atrocities of the Trump administration and should face charges for his role in the monstrous child separation policy , we do appreciate him standing up for Gen. Mattis and showing the Republicans of America that even our nation ’ s former military commanders are turning against the President .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

Last night, President Trump issued a slew of Twitter insults against one of America’s most beloved warriors, former Marine General and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Calling him the “world’s most overrated general,” which is nonsensical in and of itself, the President went on to brag about how great it was to fire him and how little he liked him.
On Thursday, the president’s former Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly leaped to his former fellow cabinet member’s defense and contradicted the president, reminding him that Mattis did not get fired but resigned in protest over Trump’s appalling decision to abandon our allies in the fight against the Islamic State terror group.
“The president did not fire him. He did not ask for his resignation. The president has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused. The president tweeted a very positive tweet about Jim until he started to see on Fox News their interpretation of his letter. Then he got nasty. Jim Mattis is a honorable man,” said Kelly in an interview, his opinion on Trump’s honor left unsaid but obvious.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
General Mattis triggered the president’s ire last night after he shared his frustrations with the president in a powerful piece published in the Atlantic, correctly describing him as a threat to the Constitution and formally denouncing him for dividing Americans with his divisive threats and insults towards the protesters that have rocked the nation over the past few days.
“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children,” writes General Mattis.
While Jim Kelly is responsible for enabling some of the most heinous atrocities of the Trump administration and should face charges for his role in the monstrous child separation policy, we do appreciate him standing up for Gen. Mattis and showing the Republicans of America that even our nation’s former military commanders are turning against the President.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Video shows Indianapolis viciously beating unarmed woman protester with batons

Anyone who still doubts that there is a serious police brutality problem in this country need only take a cursory glance through the mountains of footage to hit Twitter over the past few days to see the grim truth of the matter .
For close to a week now , Americans have been gathering in cities across the country to protest the broad daylight murder of George Floyd by law enforcement , and all too often these protestors been met with horrifying displays of state violence .
The police have been regularly tear-gassing and beating them , firing rubber bullets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to ramming people with vehicles .
President Trump has contributed to this dangerous atmosphere by urging police to “ dominate ” the streets and has shown no interest in deescalating the situation or listening to the reasonable demands of the protestors .
Each day that the White House fails to demonstrate proper leadership , more disturbing clips of police behavior emerge .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
Greg Doucette , an attorney and # NeverTrump conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thread of police videos from the protests .
One that has been catching the eye of many viewers shows a squad of police officers in Indianapolis , Indiana brutally assaulting a woman for trying to slip away from one of the cops .
The woman was unarmed and clearly posed no threat to the much larger male officers attacking her , but that didn ’ t stop them from unleashing their full strength on her as they utilized firearm projectiles and batons to subdue her .
It ’ s an incredibly difficult watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These officers must be held accountable .
These men and women we entrust with enforcing the law are supposed to serve and protect , not terrorize .
The badge pinned to their chests doesn ’ t give them the right to assault citizens on a whim .
As more and more videos like this emerge , Occupy Democrats will endeavor to share and amplify them , so that readers will have an unvarnished look at what is really going on in their country right now .
We want to hear what YOU have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us know in our NEW comment section !

Anyone who still doubts that there is a serious police brutality problem in this country need only take a cursory glance through the mountains of footage to hit Twitter over the past few days to see the grim truth of the matter.
For close to a week now, Americans have been gathering in cities across the country to protest the broad daylight murder of George Floyd by law enforcement, and all too often these protestors been met with horrifying displays of state violence. The police have been regularly tear-gassing and beating them, firing rubber bullets that shred through flesh and have even taken to ramming people with vehicles.
President Trump has contributed to this dangerous atmosphere by urging police to “dominate” the streets and has shown no interest in deescalating the situation or listening to the reasonable demands of the protestors. Each day that the White House fails to demonstrate proper leadership, more disturbing clips of police behavior emerge.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Greg Doucette, an attorney and #NeverTrump conservative, has been compiling a running Twitter thread of police videos from the protests. One that has been catching the eye of many viewers shows a squad of police officers in Indianapolis, Indiana brutally assaulting a woman for trying to slip away from one of the cops.
The woman was unarmed and clearly posed no threat to the much larger male officers attacking her, but that didn’t stop them from unleashing their full strength on her as they utilized firearm projectiles and batons to subdue her.
It’s an incredibly difficult watch and a staggering abuse of force. These officers must be held accountable. These men and women we entrust with enforcing the law are supposed to serve and protect, not terrorize. The badge pinned to their chests doesn’t give them the right to assault citizens on a whim.
As more and more videos like this emerge, Occupy Democrats will endeavor to share and amplify them, so that readers will have an unvarnished look at what is really going on in their country right now.
1⃣1⃣1⃣ Indianapolis, IN: a half-dozen police repeatedly shoot and club a protestor for sport pic.twitter.com/ym7G6v5bxp — T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 1, 2020
Different angle on 1⃣1⃣1⃣ out of Indianapolis From this view you can see the cop grope the woman he’s restraining, that’s why she breaks away Then of course a half dozen cops beat her for not wanting to be groped Lawlessness pic.twitter.com/6XXU7qiULj — T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 4, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Lindsey Graham complains that Marine General Jim Mattis has been hoodwinked by leftist media

Yesterday , The Atlantic published a scathing piece in which Trump ’ s former Secretary of Defense James Mattis condemned the president ’ s ongoing actions as a threat to the Constitution .
The widely respected general wrote that he feels “ angry and appalled ” at what he has witnessed from this administration in recent days as protests against police brutality spring up all over the country .
Mattis denounced the “ bizarre photo op , ” which Trump facilitated by having a crowd of American civilians violently dispersed with tear gas so that he could walk to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aim at Trump personally in the article , identifying him as the “ first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try .
Instead , he tries to divide us.
” The language was the harshest used by Mattis against Trump to date although he has indicated a lack of confidence in this president in the past .
His original decision to resign from this administration was over the president ’ s incoherent and poorly-considered decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ furious manner we ’ ve come to expect from him and lashed out like a child on Twitter .
He claimed that it was an “ honor ” to fire Mattis who is the “ world ’ s most overrated General.
” As usual , the president was trying to paint himself as the only true decisionmaker , since reporting indicates Mattis ’ s actually resigned in protest .
The tweets were peppered with other insults and once again we see that the party that claims to “ love the troops ” really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ useful political props .
The moment a military member—even one as accomplished and patriotic as Mattis—voices an opinion out of sync with the GOP ’ s talking points they become a target for attack .
One might think—if for some reason one still naively held out hope that the GOP can be redeemed—that Republican officials who claim to value our armed services would be quick to rush to Mattis ’ s defense .
Instead , we ’ re seeing a party full of cowards out itself once again .
Add your name to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
Senator Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) , one of Trump ’ s most reliably obsequious toadies , gave a truly pathetic performance on Fox News and tried to paint Mattis as oblivious to what ’ s really going on .
“ To General Mattis , I think you ’ re missing something here my friend , ” said Graham , trying to thread the needle between defending Trump ’ s rhetoric implicitly without directly insulting Mattis .
“ You ’ re missing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every event in the last three and a half years and laid it at the president ’ s feet .
I ’ m not saying he ’ s blameless but I am saying that you ’ re buying into a narrative that I think is quite frankly unfair , ” Graham added .
The senator ’ s argument is patently ridiculous .
Mattis saw the inner workings of the Trump administration firsthand , he doesn ’ t have to rely on reporting or the “ liberal media ” to know that this president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the job he is sworn to do .
Furthermore , it was Trump not the “ liberal media ” that ordered peaceful protestors tear-gassed and attacked just to get a photo op .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

Yesterday, The Atlantic published a scathing piece in which Trump’s former Secretary of Defense James Mattis condemned the president’s ongoing actions as a threat to the Constitution.
The widely respected general wrote that he feels “angry and appalled” at what he has witnessed from this administration in recent days as protests against police brutality spring up all over the country. Mattis denounced the “bizarre photo op,” which Trump facilitated by having a crowd of American civilians violently dispersed with tear gas so that he could walk to a church unbothered by protestors.
Mattis took aim at Trump personally in the article, identifying him as the “first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us.”
The language was the harshest used by Mattis against Trump to date although he has indicated a lack of confidence in this president in the past. His original decision to resign from this administration was over the president’s incoherent and poorly-considered decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.
President Trump responded in the petty, furious manner we’ve come to expect from him and lashed out like a child on Twitter. He claimed that it was an “honor” to fire Mattis who is the “world’s most overrated General.” As usual, the president was trying to paint himself as the only true decisionmaker, since reporting indicates Mattis’s actually resigned in protest.
The tweets were peppered with other insults and once again we see that the party that claims to “love the troops” really only respects them when they’re useful political props. The moment a military member—even one as accomplished and patriotic as Mattis—voices an opinion out of sync with the GOP’s talking points they become a target for attack.
…His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom “brought home the bacon”. I didn’t like his “leadership” style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
One might think—if for some reason one still naively held out hope that the GOP can be redeemed—that Republican officials who claim to value our armed services would be quick to rush to Mattis’s defense. Instead, we’re seeing a party full of cowards out itself once again.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of Trump’s most reliably obsequious toadies, gave a truly pathetic performance on Fox News and tried to paint Mattis as oblivious to what’s really going on.
“To General Mattis, I think you’re missing something here my friend,” said Graham, trying to thread the needle between defending Trump’s rhetoric implicitly without directly insulting Mattis.
“You’re missing the fact that the liberal media has taken every event in the last three and a half years and laid it at the president’s feet. I’m not saying he’s blameless but I am saying that you’re buying into a narrative that I think is quite frankly unfair,” Graham added.
The senator’s argument is patently ridiculous. Mattis saw the inner workings of the Trump administration firsthand, he doesn’t have to rely on reporting or the “liberal media” to know that this president is a chaotic divider incapable of doing the job he is sworn to do. Furthermore, it was Trump not the “liberal media” that ordered peaceful protestors tear-gassed and attacked just to get a photo op.
Watch the embarrassing comments below.
Lindsey Graham's take is that Jim Mattis has been suckered by the anti-Trump "liberal media," just amazing stuff. pic.twitter.com/ckHLZMilIG — Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) June 4, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-04--Social media mocks Trump’s cowardice as more fencing is put up around White House

On Thursday , the nation was greeted with the unsettling sight of 1800 Pennsylvania Avenue being transformed into a fortified complex .
It appears the recent protests that came to President Trump ’ s front door and sent him scurrying into the nuclear bunker for safety were terrifying enough for him that he demanded even more defenses for the building with possibly the world ’ s tightest security .
So in an overcompensating show of cowardice , a huge wall is being erected around the White House and gates installed at the entrance to the street .
President Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ optics or for good taste , nor has he ever exhibited any kind of bravery or resilience in the face of the challenges of his office .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
Thick as a cement milkshake and entirely consumed with his own ego , the symbolism of the fence as a marker of how despised he is by his own people and a testament to his own all-consuming insecurity is likely entirely lost on him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
Here ’ s a collection of how Americans feel about his new wall :

On Thursday, the nation was greeted with the unsettling sight of 1800 Pennsylvania Avenue being transformed into a fortified complex.
It appears the recent protests that came to President Trump’s front door and sent him scurrying into the nuclear bunker for safety were terrifying enough for him that he demanded even more defenses for the building with possibly the world’s tightest security. So in an overcompensating show of cowardice, a huge wall is being erected around the White House and gates installed at the entrance to the street.
In addition to the new fencing, which now extends past the EEOB down 17th Street, @abdallahCNN reports that additional concrete barriers have been installed behind existing fencing at 17th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW pic.twitter.com/aoULVLNFF8 — Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) June 4, 2020
President Trump has never had a particularly discerning eye for optics or for good taste, nor has he ever exhibited any kind of bravery or resilience in the face of the challenges of his office.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Thick as a cement milkshake and entirely consumed with his own ego, the symbolism of the fence as a marker of how despised he is by his own people and a testament to his own all-consuming insecurity is likely entirely lost on him, but it wasn’t lost to us.
Here’s a collection of how Americans feel about his new wall:
There is no President in our history that would allow a wall to be built between him and the American people. For a guy who likes to look tough its the ultimate cowardice. — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) June 4, 2020
Absolutely stunning. The walls keep going out further and growing taller. What a message this sends to the nation and to the rest of the world. https://t.co/crpIfyQKNU — Ariane Tabatabai (@ArianeTabatabai) June 4, 2020
Before it’s over, Trump will have erected more fence around the White House than on the border. https://t.co/ONCP0a2XhN — Mark Salter (@MarkSalter55) June 4, 2020
Never in my life did I think I’d see a president so bad, they’d need to erect fence after fence to keep away the masses assembling at the White House gate. https://t.co/oTawWU1OTt — The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) June 4, 2020
Trump is so frightened of the American people that he's having massive fences constructed around the White House this AM. This is not what a US President does- it's what you see from a #FakePresident https://t.co/PPYkoavq2r — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) June 4, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--Trump muddles through roundtable about lobsters from Maine and Canada: “Are they the same lobster?

As the United States continues its descent into chaos , with protestors across the country being assaulted , tear-gassed , and arrested on a daily basis by out-of-control police forces , the president is asleep at the wheel .
When he ’ s not inciting law enforcement to greater acts of violence by telling them to “ dominate ” the streets , he ’ s flitting away his time on inane grievances , Twitter feuds , and truly pathetic brags about his imagined accomplishments .
Today saw Trump ’ s claiming that George Floyd might be “ looking down ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launching of a truly deranged Twitter attack on the mayor of D.C .
Eventually , the president made time to visit Maine where , soon after arriving , he barreled into one of his trademark , bad faith , partisan attacks on Governor Janet Mills .
Without a trace of irony , the president who has been terrorizing American streets with overuse of force by police and National Guardsmen said Mills is like a “ dictator ” who will “ destroy ” Maine .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save the stock market !
The ludicrous criticisms were aimed at Mills ’ s decision to keep some businesses closed over fears of COVID-19 which—despite the fact that it ’ s getting less coverage because of the Floyd protests—is just as deadly , contagious , and lacking a vaccine as it was before .
Trump also signed an order that will reopen approximately 5,000 square miles of water to Maine fishing .
The region was previously closed off by President Obama , who made the region a national marine monument .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his favorite things : sacrificing the environment for profit and undoing part of the first Black president ’ s legacy .
The event also gave Trump an opportunity to do the one thing he ’ s good at : showcasing his own ignorance .
He took part in a roundtable discussion with Maine fishermen and the state ’ s former Republican governor .
While discussing the tariffs levied on American lobster exports by some foreign countries , Trump was informed that Canada and Maine fish lobster from the same body of water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re harvested by different countries .
The president seemed confused by the concept .
“ Are they the same lobster would you say basically ?
Would you say they ’ re equivalent as lobster ?
Is there a difference in size or type ?
Any difference ?
It ’ s the same lobster , ” said Trump , seemingly unable to easily comprehend the idea .
In the broad scheme of things , it was a relatively harmless moment but it did serve as a reminder that our president is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrusted with running the most powerful country on Earth .
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As the United States continues its descent into chaos, with protestors across the country being assaulted, tear-gassed, and arrested on a daily basis by out-of-control police forces, the president is asleep at the wheel. When he’s not inciting law enforcement to greater acts of violence by telling them to “dominate” the streets, he’s flitting away his time on inane grievances, Twitter feuds, and truly pathetic brags about his imagined accomplishments.
Today saw Trump’s claiming that George Floyd might be “looking down” at him happily as well as his launching of a truly deranged Twitter attack on the mayor of D.C.
Eventually, the president made time to visit Maine where, soon after arriving, he barreled into one of his trademark, bad faith, partisan attacks on Governor Janet Mills. Without a trace of irony, the president who has been terrorizing American streets with overuse of force by police and National Guardsmen said Mills is like a “dictator” who will “destroy” Maine.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
The ludicrous criticisms were aimed at Mills’s decision to keep some businesses closed over fears of COVID-19 which—despite the fact that it’s getting less coverage because of the Floyd protests—is just as deadly, contagious, and lacking a vaccine as it was before.
Trump also signed an order that will reopen approximately 5,000 square miles of water to Maine fishing. The region was previously closed off by President Obama, who made the region a national marine monument. By reopening, Trump can indulge in two of his favorite things: sacrificing the environment for profit and undoing part of the first Black president’s legacy.
The event also gave Trump an opportunity to do the one thing he’s good at: showcasing his own ignorance. He took part in a roundtable discussion with Maine fishermen and the state’s former Republican governor. While discussing the tariffs levied on American lobster exports by some foreign countries, Trump was informed that Canada and Maine fish lobster from the same body of water but the lobsters are treated differently since they’re harvested by different countries. The president seemed confused by the concept.
“Are they the same lobster would you say basically? Would you say they’re equivalent as lobster? Is there a difference in size or type? Any difference? It’s the same lobster,” said Trump, seemingly unable to easily comprehend the idea.
In the broad scheme of things, it was a relatively harmless moment but it did serve as a reminder that our president is a clueless manchild who should never have been entrusted with running the most powerful country on Earth.
Watch the bewildering exchange below.
"Are they the same lobster, would you say, basically? Would you say they're equivalent as lobster? Is there a difference in size, or type?" — Trump's unintentionally comedic ignorance is on full display during this roundtable event in Maine pic.twitter.com/3cOibzLgRm — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 5, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--Trump reignites controversy by admonishing Drew Brees for apologizing over kneeling protest criticis

Trump reignites controversy by admonishing Drew Brees for apologizing over kneeling protest criticism

On Friday afternoon , President Trump decided to toss fuel on the fire of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees ’ controversy and publicly declared his support for the athlete while admonishing Brees for apologizing for his insensitive remarks about anthem kneeling protests against police brutality and systemic racism .
The sports world has been rocked the past few days by Brees ’ inexplicable decision to once again reiterate his opposition to the kneeling protests and deliberately miss the entire point of the campaign by his fellow players , instead choosing to delegitimize the acts by smearing them as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bad faith framing that the President and white supremacist media worked so hard to promote .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
“ I ’ ll never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag or this country , ” said Brees , who went on to invoke his grandfathers ’ service in World War II and implicitly made the case that the protests against police brutality and systemic racism was somehow an affront to their courage .
Brees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the sports world at large with his remarks , who deemed them insensitive and inappropriate following the murder of George Floyd by police officers and the nationwide protests that have been raging since his killing .
Trump infamously called kneeling players “ sons of bitches ” and refused to ever acknowledge the true sentiments behind the kneeling protests , thus proving their point and solidifying himself as a president only for white Americans and a white America .
If Drew Brees wants to prove to his teammates and his fans that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America and white Americans , he will publicly disavow the president ’ s message of support .
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On Friday afternoon, President Trump decided to toss fuel on the fire of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ controversy and publicly declared his support for the athlete while admonishing Brees for apologizing for his insensitive remarks about anthem kneeling protests against police brutality and systemic racism.
…We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
The sports world has been rocked the past few days by Brees’ inexplicable decision to once again reiterate his opposition to the kneeling protests and deliberately miss the entire point of the campaign by his fellow players, instead choosing to delegitimize the acts by smearing them as “disrespect to the flag” and using the bad faith framing that the President and white supremacist media worked so hard to promote.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
“I’ll never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag or this country,” said Brees, who went on to invoke his grandfathers’ service in World War II and implicitly made the case that the protests against police brutality and systemic racism was somehow an affront to their courage.
Brees provoked the ire of his own teammates and the sports world at large with his remarks, who deemed them insensitive and inappropriate following the murder of George Floyd by police officers and the nationwide protests that have been raging since his killing.
Trump infamously called kneeling players “sons of bitches” and refused to ever acknowledge the true sentiments behind the kneeling protests, thus proving their point and solidifying himself as a president only for white Americans and a white America.
If Drew Brees wants to prove to his teammates and his fans that he does not also stand for a white America and white Americans, he will publicly disavow the president’s message of support.
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Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--Trump threatens to send in ominous “different group” over D.C. mayor’s treatment of National Guard

The George Floyd protests continue to dominate our national conversation as do the daily and seemingly endless incidents of police brutality being inflicted on peaceful demonstrators .
The American people are crying out that our law enforcement organizations are in desperate need of reform to curb their violent tendencies and those very same organizations are responding with tear gas , rubber bullets , and vehicular batteries .
Now , more than ever the country needs Donald Trump to dig deep inside himself and scrounge up some scrap of leadership that he has hitherto proven unable to muster .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ dominate ” the streets , a president who ordered police to tear gas peaceful protestors and members of the clergy so that he could take a leisurely stroll to a church photo op .
At the same time , he ’ s constantly looking for someone other than himself to blame for these crises .
Today , Trump launched a Twitter attack against Washington D.C. ’ s Mayor Bowser ( D ) calling her “ incompetent , ” an interesting choice since it ’ s the word more and more Americans are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president said that Bowser ’ s city budget is “ totally out of control ” and claimed she keeps looking for “ handouts , ” an incredibly hypocritical line of attack considering his own administration has skyrocketed the national deficit and given massive tax cuts to the super-rich .
Trump then pivoted from his boilerplate attacks to zero in on Bowser ’ s refusal to pay for the hotel lodgings of National Guard service members deployed in D.C. because the costs were quickly piling up .
The decision was a reasonable one and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving the people of her city than indulging in Trump ’ s authoritarian pageantries .
The president ’ s tweets theme took a bizarre and ominous turn as , after ludicrously stating that the National Guard spared Mayor Bowser from “ great embarrassment , ” he threatened to send in a “ different group of men and women ” unless Bowser treats the Guard “ well.
” He didn ’ t clarify what “ different group ” he was referring to but it could be reasonably interpreted as a threat to send the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump ’ s will .
His decision to keep it vague allows him plausible deniability on this front but also allows his paranoid MAGA acolytes to read whatever they want into the tweet and project their warped idea of strength onto it .
It ’ s never been more clear : Trump has to go .

The George Floyd protests continue to dominate our national conversation as do the daily and seemingly endless incidents of police brutality being inflicted on peaceful demonstrators. The American people are crying out that our law enforcement organizations are in desperate need of reform to curb their violent tendencies and those very same organizations are responding with tear gas, rubber bullets, and vehicular batteries.
Now, more than ever the country needs Donald Trump to dig deep inside himself and scrounge up some scrap of leadership that he has hitherto proven unable to muster. Instead, we see a president pushing police to “dominate” the streets, a president who ordered police to tear gas peaceful protestors and members of the clergy so that he could take a leisurely stroll to a church photo op. At the same time, he’s constantly looking for someone other than himself to blame for these crises.
Today, Trump launched a Twitter attack against Washington D.C.’s Mayor Bowser (D) calling her “incompetent,” an interesting choice since it’s the word more and more Americans are using to describe his presidency.
The president said that Bowser’s city budget is “totally out of control” and claimed she keeps looking for “handouts,” an incredibly hypocritical line of attack considering his own administration has skyrocketed the national deficit and given massive tax cuts to the super-rich.
Trump then pivoted from his boilerplate attacks to zero in on Bowser’s refusal to pay for the hotel lodgings of National Guard service members deployed in D.C. because the costs were quickly piling up. The decision was a reasonable one and shows the mayor is more interested in serving the people of her city than indulging in Trump’s authoritarian pageantries.
The president’s tweets theme took a bizarre and ominous turn as, after ludicrously stating that the National Guard spared Mayor Bowser from “great embarrassment,” he threatened to send in a “different group of men and women” unless Bowser treats the Guard “well.”
He didn’t clarify what “different group” he was referring to but it could be reasonably interpreted as a threat to send the full U.S. military into D.C. to assert President Trump’s will. His decision to keep it vague allows him plausible deniability on this front but also allows his paranoid MAGA acolytes to read whatever they want into the tweet and project their warped idea of strength onto it.
It’s never been more clear: Trump has to go.
The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who’s budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for “handouts”, is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
…over the last number of nights. If she doesn’t treat these men and women well, then we’ll bring in a different group of men and women! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--New report says West Wing is “frustrated” with Melania for contradicting Trump with messages of peac

New report says West Wing is “frustrated” with Melania for contradicting Trump with messages of peace

It seems no matter what she does , First Lady Melania Trump just can ’ t win .
While she has been barraged with public criticism for her fairly tepid response to the protests that have rocked the nation while her husband unleashes barely disguised racist vitriol and threats of violence towards the protesters , CNN is now reporting that President Trump and his staff are “ frustrated ” with the First ’ Lady ’ s office for “ contradicting ” the president ’ s hostile messaging with her appeals for — checks notes — “ peace , unity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , while the President was busy calling America ’ s governors they looked like “ jerks ” for being “ weak ” for refusing to “ put down ” the protests , Melania was tweeting the following controversial statement : It appears the West Wing believes the First Lady is using the timing of her tweets to publicly contradict her husband while leaving herself plausible deniability .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that makes it seem even more disjointed , ” groused a West Wing official to CNN , who complained that Melania ’ s posts were out of sync with the President ’ s “ LAW AND ORDER ” message .
Her tweets , they say “ [ don ’ t ] help .
It frustrates the West Wing.
” While we appreciate the gesture , there is so much more that First Lady Melania could and should be doing — but just like Trump , she has done nothing but tweet in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perhaps she knows that taking any action to actually promote “ peace , unity , and healing ” would be met with anger from the husband she appears to despise , but that doesn ’ t absolve her of her responsibility to the American people and let her off the hook for wasting the platform that she has found herself upon .

It seems no matter what she does, First Lady Melania Trump just can’t win. While she has been barraged with public criticism for her fairly tepid response to the protests that have rocked the nation while her husband unleashes barely disguised racist vitriol and threats of violence towards the protesters, CNN is now reporting that President Trump and his staff are “frustrated” with the First’ Lady’s office for “contradicting” the president’s hostile messaging with her appeals for — checks notes — “peace, unity, and healing.”
For example, on Monday, while the President was busy calling America’s governors they looked like “jerks” for being “weak” for refusing to “put down” the protests, Melania was tweeting the following controversial statement:
Saddened to see our country & communities being damaged & vandalized. I ask everyone to protest in peace & focus on taking care of one another & healing our great nation. — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) June 1, 2020
Brutal stuff.
It appears the West Wing believes the First Lady is using the timing of her tweets to publicly contradict her husband while leaving herself plausible deniability.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
“There’s a feeling of deliberateness to her timing that makes it seem even more disjointed,” groused a West Wing official to CNN, who complained that Melania’s posts were out of sync with the President’s “LAW AND ORDER” message. Her tweets, they say “[don’t] help. It frustrates the West Wing.”
While we appreciate the gesture, there is so much more that First Lady Melania could and should be doing — but just like Trump, she has done nothing but tweet in response to the upheaval across the nation.
Perhaps she knows that taking any action to actually promote “peace, unity, and healing” would be met with anger from the husband she appears to despise, but that doesn’t absolve her of her responsibility to the American people and let her off the hook for wasting the platform that she has found herself upon.
Original reporting by Kate Bennet at CNN.
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--Americans react with horror after Trump implies George Floyd is “looking down” happily at him

For roughly a week now , American citizens have been taking to the streets to protest the prevalent atmosphere of police brutality in the United States .
This civic outpouring was prompted by the murder of George Floyd , a Black man , at the hands of Minneapolis police .
The homicidal incident was caught on video and shows Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes as he begs for him to stop and tells him he can ’ t breathe .
Throughout the disturbing video , the other police officers just stand by , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that so many cops clearly lack , the protestors have been almost universally peaceful .
The state , in turn , has met these protests with a truly shocking wave of violence across the country as cops beat , tear-gas , pepper spray , and fire rubber bullets at innocent demonstrators .
In doing so , the police have inadvertently made the protestors ’ point for them : our law enforcement forces desperately need comprehensive reform .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , Donald Trump has refused to step up and lead .
He knows that siding with Black Lives Matter advocates will alienate him to the racist bloc within his voting base , so instead he has leaned into his authoritarian tendencies and told police to “ dominate ” the streets , resulting in even more acts of violence and further reinforcing the need for more protests .
Trump has proven himself to be uniquely , almost unimaginably , unsuited for the current moment .
During a press conference in the Rose Garden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misunderstands the current crisis .
After bragging about a May jobs reports which showed a decrease in unemployment as 2.5 million jobs were added to the economy and some disingenuous , boilerplate comments about equal justice under the law , the president said that George Floyd might be looking down happy .
“ Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying : ‘ This is a great thing that ’ s happening for our country .
This is a great day for him , it ’ s a great day for everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody .
This is a great , great day , ” said the president .
It really should go without saying but unemployment numbers have absolutely nothing to do with George Floyd being murdered by a policing superstructure that values the lives of people of color less than those of white people .
Adding jobs to the economy doesn ’ t put an end to police brutality and it certainly doesn ’ t bring back those killed at the hands of law enforcement .
It ’ s jaw-dropping that such a statement would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President of the United States .
When asked by reporters how the economy could possibly fix systemic racism , Trump grew irritated and blew them off .
The simple fact is that not only does he have no plan to tackle the problem of racist institutions , he has no interest in the topic .
Come November , he has to go .
Twitter users were predictably stunned by the comments .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section @

For roughly a week now, American citizens have been taking to the streets to protest the prevalent atmosphere of police brutality in the United States. This civic outpouring was prompted by the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police.
The homicidal incident was caught on video and shows Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he begs for him to stop and tells him he can’t breathe. Throughout the disturbing video, the other police officers just stand by, refusing to intervene.
Demonstrating a restraint that so many cops clearly lack, the protestors have been almost universally peaceful. The state, in turn, has met these protests with a truly shocking wave of violence across the country as cops beat, tear-gas, pepper spray, and fire rubber bullets at innocent demonstrators. In doing so, the police have inadvertently made the protestors’ point for them: our law enforcement forces desperately need comprehensive reform.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Throughout it all, Donald Trump has refused to step up and lead. He knows that siding with Black Lives Matter advocates will alienate him to the racist bloc within his voting base, so instead he has leaned into his authoritarian tendencies and told police to “dominate” the streets, resulting in even more acts of violence and further reinforcing the need for more protests. Trump has proven himself to be uniquely, almost unimaginably, unsuited for the current moment.
During a press conference in the Rose Garden today, Trump showed how fundamentally he misunderstands the current crisis. After bragging about a May jobs reports which showed a decrease in unemployment as 2.5 million jobs were added to the economy and some disingenuous, boilerplate comments about equal justice under the law, the president said that George Floyd might be looking down happy.
“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying: ‘This is a great thing that’s happening for our country. This is a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day,” said the president.
It really should go without saying but unemployment numbers have absolutely nothing to do with George Floyd being murdered by a policing superstructure that values the lives of people of color less than those of white people. Adding jobs to the economy doesn’t put an end to police brutality and it certainly doesn’t bring back those killed at the hands of law enforcement. It’s jaw-dropping that such a statement would come out of the mouth of the President of the United States.
I had to clip this because it is unbelievable. President @realDonaldTrump just said this: “Hopefully, George is looking down right and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country. It’s a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody.” #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/6CbGoLJrRg — Vladimir Duthiers (@vladduthiersCBS) June 5, 2020
When asked by reporters how the economy could possibly fix systemic racism, Trump grew irritated and blew them off. The simple fact is that not only does he have no plan to tackle the problem of racist institutions, he has no interest in the topic. Come November, he has to go.
Trump says his "plan" for systemic racism is a strong economy: "We had the strongest economy anywhere in the world, and now we're going to have an economy that's even stronger." Reporter: "Sir, how would a better economy have protected George Floyd?" https://t.co/UZsSRfh8e4 pic.twitter.com/fv5ZLBsevk — CBS News (@CBSNews) June 5, 2020
Twitter users were predictably stunned by the comments.
Hopefully George is looking down right now and can ask God for a well-placed lightning bolt or two. — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) June 5, 2020
I just heard the Trump “hopefully George is looking down” sound and I am SO triggered. I’m just shaking. — Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 5, 2020
Trump struggles to read & sounds psychotic saying George Floyd is happy looking down at the jobs # s. It’s no surprise at this stage of dementia. He’s a public lab rat who’s deterioration will be studied for years. History will harshly judge the enablers who extended his stay. — Tom Joseph (@TomJChicago) June 5, 2020
Dear MAGA Your President cannot ask a dead Black man murdered by the police to look at economic numbers His "Hopefully George" statement is vile, disgusting and offensive as fuck to George Floyd's family and to every Black person walking this earth Fuck trump — ABlackWomanWhoDontGiveAF*ck (@battletested5) June 5, 2020
TRUMP IS SICK! He literally just said: "Hopefully, George is looking down right now in saying this is a great thing happening for our country. A great day for him" No, you sicko, he's not happy. He's dead because of the racism that you have allowed to take hold in America! — Black Lives Matter (@HKrassenstein) June 5, 2020
“Hopefully George is looking down and seeing this is a great day for our country.” So @realDonaldTrump is co-opting the legitimate issues surrounding George Lloyd’s death to brag about the economy. I’d say he couldn’t sink any lower, but he always does.#TrumpPressConference pic.twitter.com/Hv6SQl3IbH — Eric Wolfson (@EricWolfson) June 5, 2020
“Hopefully George is looking down and seeing this is a great day for our country.” Good freaking god. — Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) June 5, 2020
.@JoeBiden reacts to Pres. Trump saying #GeorgeFloyd is happily looking down from heaven given the latest unemployment number today saying: "For the president to try to put any other words in the mouth of George Floyd is frankly despicable." — Marianna Sotomayor (@MariannaNBCNews) June 5, 2020
TRUMP on the jobs report: “Hopefully George [Floyd] is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that happening for our country. This is a great day for him.” Donald Trump is a stain on our country. This is just the latest example. pic.twitter.com/evqll4o3WC — DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) June 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/FrayedBlueJeans/status/1268937613311905793?s=20
Imagine claiming a man murdered by cops would be looking down and smiling as cops assault and gas the protesters his death inspired pic.twitter.com/izixL5vvcd — James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 5, 2020
On POTUS mention of George Floyd today, @MichaelSteele: "It's not only tone-deaf, it's borderline blasphemous in light of what happened to Mr. Floyd. I doubt George Floyd is in heaven looking down going oh, gee, great jobs report. Are you kidding me?" #AMRstaff — Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) June 5, 2020
Trump said #GeorgeFloyd is looking down from heaven and would be happy with these lowering unemployment numbers? What an unrepentant piece of shit… What a collossal, incredible, monumental piece of shit… — Cyrus McQueen (@CyrusMMcQueen) June 5, 2020
George Floyd is looking down from heaven and saying this is a great day??? GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK! — Rob Reiner (@robreiner) June 5, 2020
When the Trump campaign really, really has no grounds on which to criticize me, as opposed to the usual really no grounds on which to criticize me, it calls me a "clown." A+ War Room-ing https://t.co/kRH9SgND0r — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/th3bunnyhunter/status/1268961029536579586?s=20
Trump may have thought George Floyd was an #economist: “Hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country."https://t.co/QsmddYwqZ9 via @BostonGlobe — Mark James Pothier (@markpothier) June 5, 2020
Donald Trump is certifiably looney tunes. Trump said, George Floyd would be pleased with strong jobs report. “Hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying there’s a great thing happening for our country."
Right? Floyd is saying “WTF, I couldn’t breathe.” — laparker (@laparker6) June 5, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--LeBron James claps back at Laura Ingraham for defending Drew Brees’ criticism of kneeling protests

The double standard that America holds for Blacks and whites extends to every level of society , and nowhere is that hypocrisy more flagrant than in the right-wing media .
Over the past few days , the sports world has been rocked by controversy over comments made by New Orleans Saints ’ star quarterback Drew Brees in which he criticized the practice of kneeling during the national anthem .
“ I ’ ll never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag or this country , ” said Brees , who went on to invoke his grandfathers ’ service in World War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests against police brutality and systemic racism was somehow an affront to their courage .
This is not the first time Brees has said things in this vein , and they were especially inappropriate in the wake of yet another brutal police murder of an innocent Black man .
Brees ’ remarks immediately sparked a firestorm of outrage across the NFL as his own teammates reacted with disgust and derision , eventually forcing him to apologize the next day .
One person who didn ’ t think he needed to was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anchors , Laura Ingraham .
Ingraham discussed the matter on her show ( not like there ’ s anything else going on in the country right now ) and predictably argued that the backlash against him was “ Stalinist ” and that he should be allowed to have his opinions .
“ Well , he ’ s allowed to have his view about what kneeling and the flag means to him .
I mean , he ’ s a person .
He has some worth I would imagine .
I mean , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totalitarian conduct .
This is Stalinist .
And by the way , on the streets of New Orleans , we ’ re looking at live pictures , they ’ re shouting , ‘ F Drew Brees , ” complained Ingraham .
It will come as no surprise to learn that Ingraham has been not nearly so generous with comments made by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James against Donald Trump ’ s racism , having previously told him that “ nobody voted for you ” and to “ shut up and dribble.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treated comments by white and Black athletes provoked the ire of LeBron James , who took to Twitter to slam her remarks and use them as an example of the appalling racist double standards that America imposes on its Black citizens : The fact that a guy like Drew Brees , who has worked with and relied upon Black athletes at every level of his career , can still not recognize what the protests are about and not understand how his asinine knee-jerk flag worship works to erase what the protesting athletes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the climb for racial equality in America is — especially with people like Ingraham working overtime to push us back down and maintain the white supremacist status quo .

The double standard that America holds for Blacks and whites extends to every level of society, and nowhere is that hypocrisy more flagrant than in the right-wing media. Over the past few days, the sports world has been rocked by controversy over comments made by New Orleans Saints’ star quarterback Drew Brees in which he criticized the practice of kneeling during the national anthem.
“I’ll never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag or this country,” said Brees, who went on to invoke his grandfathers’ service in World War II and implicitly made the case that the protests against police brutality and systemic racism was somehow an affront to their courage.
This is not the first time Brees has said things in this vein, and they were especially inappropriate in the wake of yet another brutal police murder of an innocent Black man. Brees’ remarks immediately sparked a firestorm of outrage across the NFL as his own teammates reacted with disgust and derision, eventually forcing him to apologize the next day.
One person who didn’t think he needed to was one of FOX News’ resident white supremacist anchors, Laura Ingraham. Ingraham discussed the matter on her show (not like there’s anything else going on in the country right now) and predictably argued that the backlash against him was “Stalinist” and that he should be allowed to have his opinions.
“Well, he’s allowed to have his view about what kneeling and the flag means to him. I mean, he’s a person. He has some worth I would imagine. I mean, this is beyond football though. This is totalitarian conduct. This is Stalinist. And by the way, on the streets of New Orleans, we’re looking at live pictures, they’re shouting, ‘F Drew Brees,” complained Ingraham.
It will come as no surprise to learn that Ingraham has been not nearly so generous with comments made by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James against Donald Trump’s racism, having previously told him that “nobody voted for you” and to “shut up and dribble.”
The blatant difference in the way she treated comments by white and Black athletes provoked the ire of LeBron James, who took to Twitter to slam her remarks and use them as an example of the appalling racist double standards that America imposes on its Black citizens:
https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1268616817544531969?s=20
The fact that a guy like Drew Brees, who has worked with and relied upon Black athletes at every level of his career, can still not recognize what the protests are about and not understand how his asinine knee-jerk flag worship works to erase what the protesting athletes are trying to accomplish speaks to how steep the climb for racial equality in America is — especially with people like Ingraham working overtime to push us back down and maintain the white supremacist status quo.
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Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-05--Trump says he hopes George Floyd is “looking down” from heaven happy over job growth

For roughly a week now , American citizens have been taking to the streets to protest the prevalent atmosphere of police brutality in the United States .
This civic outpouring was prompted by the murder of George Floyd , a Black man , at the hands of Minneapolis police .
The homicidal incident was caught on video and shows Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck for several minutes as he begs for him to stop and tells him he can ’ t breathe .
Throughout the disturbing video , the other police officers just stand by , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that so many cops clearly lack , the protestors have been almost universally peaceful .
The state , in turn , has met these protests with a truly shocking wave of violence across the country as cops beat , tear-gas , pepper spray , and fire rubber bullets at innocent demonstrators .
In doing so , the police have inadvertently made the protestors ’ point for them : our law enforcement forces desperately need comprehensive reform .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , Donald Trump has refused to step up and lead .
He knows that siding with Black Lives Matter advocates will alienate him to the racist bloc within his voting base , so instead he has leaned into his authoritarian tendencies and told police to “ dominate ” the streets , resulting in even more acts of violence and further reinforcing the need for more protests .
Trump has proven himself to be uniquely , almost unimaginably , unsuited for the current moment .
During a press conference in the Rose Garden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misunderstands the current crisis .
After bragging about a May jobs reports which showed a decrease in unemployment as 2.5 million jobs were added to the economy and some disingenuous , boilerplate comments about equal justice under the law , the president said that George Floyd might be looking down happy .
“ Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying : ‘ This is a great thing that ’ s happening for our country .
This is a great day for him , it ’ s a great day for everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody .
This is a great , great day , ” said the president .
It really should go without saying but unemployment numbers have absolutely nothing to do with George Floyd being murdered by a policing superstructure that values the lives of people of color less than those of white people .
Adding jobs to the economy doesn ’ t put an end to police brutality and it certainly doesn ’ t bring back those killed at the hands of law enforcement .
It ’ s jaw-dropping that such a statement would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President of the United States .
When asked by reporters how the economy could possibly fix systemic racism , Trump grew irritated and blew them off .
The simple fact is that not only does he have no plan to tackle the problem of racist institutions , he has no interest in the topic .
Come November , he has to go .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

For roughly a week now, American citizens have been taking to the streets to protest the prevalent atmosphere of police brutality in the United States. This civic outpouring was prompted by the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police.
The homicidal incident was caught on video and shows Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several minutes as he begs for him to stop and tells him he can’t breathe. Throughout the disturbing video, the other police officers just stand by, refusing to intervene.
Demonstrating a restraint that so many cops clearly lack, the protestors have been almost universally peaceful. The state, in turn, has met these protests with a truly shocking wave of violence across the country as cops beat, tear-gas, pepper spray, and fire rubber bullets at innocent demonstrators. In doing so, the police have inadvertently made the protestors’ point for them: our law enforcement forces desperately need comprehensive reform.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Throughout it all, Donald Trump has refused to step up and lead. He knows that siding with Black Lives Matter advocates will alienate him to the racist bloc within his voting base, so instead he has leaned into his authoritarian tendencies and told police to “dominate” the streets, resulting in even more acts of violence and further reinforcing the need for more protests. Trump has proven himself to be uniquely, almost unimaginably, unsuited for the current moment.
During a press conference in the Rose Garden today, Trump showed how fundamentally he misunderstands the current crisis. After bragging about a May jobs reports which showed a decrease in unemployment as 2.5 million jobs were added to the economy and some disingenuous, boilerplate comments about equal justice under the law, the president said that George Floyd might be looking down happy.
“Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying: ‘This is a great thing that’s happening for our country. This is a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day,” said the president.
It really should go without saying but unemployment numbers have absolutely nothing to do with George Floyd being murdered by a policing superstructure that values the lives of people of color less than those of white people. Adding jobs to the economy doesn’t put an end to police brutality and it certainly doesn’t bring back those killed at the hands of law enforcement. It’s jaw-dropping that such a statement would come out of the mouth of the President of the United States.
I had to clip this because it is unbelievable. President @realDonaldTrump just said this: “Hopefully, George is looking down right and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country. It’s a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody.” #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/6CbGoLJrRg — Vladimir Duthiers (@vladduthiersCBS) June 5, 2020
When asked by reporters how the economy could possibly fix systemic racism, Trump grew irritated and blew them off. The simple fact is that not only does he have no plan to tackle the problem of racist institutions, he has no interest in the topic. Come November, he has to go.
Trump says his "plan" for systemic racism is a strong economy: "We had the strongest economy anywhere in the world, and now we're going to have an economy that's even stronger." Reporter: "Sir, how would a better economy have protected George Floyd?" https://t.co/UZsSRfh8e4 pic.twitter.com/fv5ZLBsevk — CBS News (@CBSNews) June 5, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-06--Drew Brees publicly responds to Trump and contradicts him: this isn’t about the flag and it never wa

Drew Brees publicly responds to Trump and contradicts him: this isn’t about the flag and it never was

In a surprising turn of events , embattled New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees responded directly to Donald Trump after the president publicly declared his support for the athlete and admonished him for apologizing for his insensitive comments about anthem kneeling protests against police brutality and systemic racism .
Brees took to Instagram and shared the image of a gray square marked “ to President Trump.
” With that image is a message contradicting the president , making it clear that this issue isn ’ t about the American flag and that for far too long that excuse has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of racial injustice and police brutality .
The sports world has been rocked the past few days by Brees ’ inexplicable decision to once again reiterate his opposition to the kneeling protests and deliberately miss the entire point of the campaign by his fellow players , instead choosing to delegitimize the acts by smearing them as “ disrespect to the flag ” and using the bad faith framing that the President and white supremacist media worked so hard to promote .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protestors !
“ I ’ ll never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag or this country , ” said Brees , who went on to invoke his grandfathers ’ service in World War II and implicitly made the case that the protests against police brutality and systemic racism was somehow an affront to their courage .
Brees provoked the ire of his own teammates and the sports world at large with his remarks , who deemed them insensitive and inappropriate following the murder of George Floyd by police officers and the nationwide protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After a day or so of intense criticism , Brees finally apologized — and for once , it looks like he ’ s finally learned his lesson .
We can think of few better ways to make up for his mistake than by publicly contradicting the president and explaining to him what he ’ s chosen to get wrong time and time again for his own selfish political ambitions .
It means a great deal for a guy like Drew Brees , playing for one of the most fanatical sports fanbases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of things , especially in criticism of the President .
Kudos to him for finally seeing the light and doing the right thing .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

In a surprising turn of events, embattled New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees responded directly to Donald Trump after the president publicly declared his support for the athlete and admonished him for apologizing for his insensitive comments about anthem kneeling protests against police brutality and systemic racism.
Brees took to Instagram and shared the image of a gray square marked “to President Trump.” With that image is a message contradicting the president, making it clear that this issue isn’t about the American flag and that for far too long that excuse has been used to distract from the real issues of racial injustice and police brutality.
The sports world has been rocked the past few days by Brees’ inexplicable decision to once again reiterate his opposition to the kneeling protests and deliberately miss the entire point of the campaign by his fellow players, instead choosing to delegitimize the acts by smearing them as “disrespect to the flag” and using the bad faith framing that the President and white supremacist media worked so hard to promote.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
“I’ll never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag or this country,” said Brees, who went on to invoke his grandfathers’ service in World War II and implicitly made the case that the protests against police brutality and systemic racism was somehow an affront to their courage.
Brees provoked the ire of his own teammates and the sports world at large with his remarks, who deemed them insensitive and inappropriate following the murder of George Floyd by police officers and the nationwide protests that have been raging since his killing.
After a day or so of intense criticism, Brees finally apologized — and for once, it looks like he’s finally learned his lesson. We can think of few better ways to make up for his mistake than by publicly contradicting the president and explaining to him what he’s chosen to get wrong time and time again for his own selfish political ambitions.
It means a great deal for a guy like Drew Brees, playing for one of the most fanatical sports fanbases in the Deep South, to say these kinds of things, especially in criticism of the President. Kudos to him for finally seeing the light and doing the right thing.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts