occupydemocrats--2020-05-31--Twitter users clap back at Ivanka Trump after her attempt to distract from her father’s divisiveness

As her fury-filled father raises the tension in this country to new levels of divisiveness , Ivanka Trump is playing the calm and collected card , tweeting out inspirational Bible verses like Senator Marco Rubio on a bender and with likely just as much sincerity .
Having converted to Judaism when she married her husband Jared Kushner , it ’ s only natural that Ivanka chose a selection from the Old Testament to respond to the nation-wide protests and unrest in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd .
Her tweet this morning was a follow-up to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
In her tweet this morning , the president ’ s daughter switched from “ justice ” to “ the Lord ” as the healing element that can help solve the pain that decent Americans feel after watching the video of four Minneapolis police officers presiding over the deliberate killing of an unarmed black man .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
If Ivanka thought that her display of piety would earn her or her father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved her atrociously wrong .
Many replied to her post with dueling Bible verses .
Others replied with plain old snark .
The unelected White House fixture got more than she bargained for when she sent her tweet , but sympathy was not part of the deal .
It ’ s difficult to make allowances for the entitled child of one of the most reviled men in America — someone with whom she shares half her DNA — particularly when her false piousness contrasts so heavily with the everyday behavior of her family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unofficial political appointee in the Oval Office , the nation can eject her from the White House simultaneously with her father by the simple act of voting for the Democratic candidate in November ’ s election .
As they say in the Book of Nike : Just do it !
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As her fury-filled father raises the tension in this country to new levels of divisiveness, Ivanka Trump is playing the calm and collected card, tweeting out inspirational Bible verses like Senator Marco Rubio on a bender and with likely just as much sincerity.
Having converted to Judaism when she married her husband Jared Kushner, it’s only natural that Ivanka chose a selection from the Old Testament to respond to the nation-wide protests and unrest in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd.
Her tweet this morning was a follow-up to a post she made on the situation on Friday.
People in Minneapolis are hurting for a reason. Justice is how we heal.
My heart goes out to George Floyd‘s family and all Americans who are hurting. — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) May 29, 2020
In her tweet this morning, the president’s daughter switched from “justice” to “the Lord” as the healing element that can help solve the pain that decent Americans feel after watching the video of four Minneapolis police officers presiding over the deliberate killing of an unarmed black man.
“This is what the Lord said: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you.” 2 Kings 20:5 — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) May 31, 2020
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
If Ivanka thought that her display of piety would earn her or her father much sympathy or credit, Twitter denizens proved her atrociously wrong.
Many replied to her post with dueling Bible verses.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” Matthew 7:15-16 — Tina -#BlueWave2020 (@trcfwtt) May 31, 2020
making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? #TrumpResignNow #GeorgeFloydWasMurdered — Middle Aged Divorced Jesus (@Divorcee_Jesus) May 31, 2020
https://twitter.com/egheitasean/status/1267126228349186051?s=20
“When the wicked rule, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:2 — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) May 31, 2020
Line 16-17 . “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 The time is coming when all that is in your house, everything that your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried off to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. — Tired of Crap (@njgypsyg) May 31, 2020
“never trust a shiksa” (My Grandmother, 4:23-67) — Moscow Mitch's Shell Corporation Is People Too (@opus17) May 31, 2020
Others replied with plain old snark.
https://twitter.com/James_Beasley/status/1267157822753603590?s=20
and take the rest of the #trumpcrimefamily with him! — CMMorgan #NeverAgain (@SoCallls) May 31, 2020
Go fuck yourself. Tony 5:31 — Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 31, 2020
P.S. Bring me a few buckets of KFC too — Trumpy Trumpy (parody) (@outofcontroljb) May 31, 2020
P.S. Bring me a few buckets of KFC too — Trumpy Trumpy (parody) (@outofcontroljb) May 31, 2020
https://twitter.com/MonicaLogallmon/status/1267151657860816896?s=20
Where was g*d when the pandemic started & your father decided hate rallies, golf, and calling it "the new democrat hoax" Where is g*d while more than 100,000 Americans have died? Where was g*d when a reporter got her eye shot out by a copy while she was doing nothing but her job — Zoe "Proud Human Scum" (@DeepInTheHills) May 31, 2020
The unelected White House fixture got more than she bargained for when she sent her tweet, but sympathy was not part of the deal.
It’s difficult to make allowances for the entitled child of one of the most reviled men in America — someone with whom she shares half her DNA — particularly when her false piousness contrasts so heavily with the everyday behavior of her family.
Luckily, Since Ivanka is just an unofficial political appointee in the Oval Office, the nation can eject her from the White House simultaneously with her father by the simple act of voting for the Democratic candidate in November’s election.
As they say in the Book of Nike: Just do it!
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-05-31--Trump decides on target to blame for violence at anti-police brutality protests in Sunday tweetstorm

The AntiChrist is ranting on about anarchists .
With the nation inflamed over the police murder of George Floyd — and literally in flames in many cities — Donald Trump is nearing the end of the mission expressed clearly by his former chief political strategist Steve Bannon when he declared himself a Leninist : While Bannon is long been physically gone from the White House , his ethos has carried on , both in Trump ’ s response to the demonstrations that have erupted into violent frustration and in his purposeful and pitiful failures to lead the federal government to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic .
Although the demonstrations across the country over the past few days have been primarily peaceful outpourings of rightful protest against the blatant murder of an unarmed black man begging police for his life — just the latest in a long string of extrajudicial killings of African Americans by unrestrained “ peace officers ” — many reports have surfaced that the looting and violence that emerged in the evening hours of some protests were instigated by outside agitators with no connection to the aims of the protestors .
While some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremists who were using the protests as a way to advance their calls for a “ Boogaloo ” — the perversion of a name given to a particularly funky strain of 60s salsa music into a term for a race war , likely Civil War II — Trump has decided that its politically useful for him to blame the unrest on the left-wing radicals known as Antifa , standing for anti-fascist .
One must wonder why it isn ’ t obvious to everyone that if Trump is anti-Antifa , then he must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly profane —when it comes to defying decades of cultural norms that regard those who were responsible for the deaths of millions in Nazi Germany , its occupied territories , and Franco ’ s Spain as among the most condemnable villains who stalked the earth during the 20th century .
With the disruptive protests extending to the gates of the White House , Trump must be getting nervous and losing sleep , judging from the tenor of his tweets yesterday and the fact that he didn ’ t send his first original tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Naturally , his first target of the day was the latest distractive bogeyman he ’ s setting up to deflect the blame that should properly be aimed his way .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
A real president would be at least trying to unite the nation during these divisive times , but Trump simply sees divisions as a tool to exploit to try to retain and expand his own power .
With the National Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas , pepper spray , and rubber bullets — often indiscriminately and without warning — against peaceful protestors and even journalists frantically displaying their press credentials , Trump ’ s praise of the tactics being used for crowd control is most certainly Profa .
Somehow Trump encourages the anarchy when it is a bunch of his own maskless white-skinned supporters armed to the teeth with automatic weapons who are storming the Michigan State Capitol demanding the right to get a haircut and spread COVID-19 together in bars and restaurants , but when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an end to the entrenched police practice of murdering unarmed citizens because of the color of their skin , well , that ’ s a bridge too far for this morally obtuse president .
Trump escalated his pro-fascist propaganda campaign with his next tweet .
With this tweet , Trump is apparently officially repudiating his opinion — stated after the murder of Heather Heyer by a neo-Nazi in Charlottesville , Virginia — that there are “ very fine people ” on both sides of the political spectrum and is taking a definitive position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With this tweet , many people in the not-very-United States will be designating Donald Trump and his administration as a Terrorist Organization .
In his continual effort to avoid responsibility of any kind — an effort that makes you wonder if anything besides the pomp , glitz , and power made him want to become president in the first place — Trump denied any accountability for fomenting violence through his own tweets and public statements and instead pinned the blame on his favorite target , the media .
As usual , one must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discern the true meaning of the president ’ s statement .
The trick is to substitute Trump ’ s own name for that of the target that he is attacking in any given social media post and then the actual state of reality is revealed to you .
It is indeed Trump himself who is doing everything within his power to foment hatred and anarchy — although the use of a word like “ foment ” indicates that some more literate member of his political staff wrote this particular tweet .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand what he is doing , that he is the ultimate “ FAKE NEWS ” and a truly bad person with a sick agenda , we can easily work through him to “ GREATNESS !
” That “ GREATNESS ” can only be achieved once we remove him from office , a prospect that still makes November seem way too far away to wait for .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

The AntiChrist is ranting on about anarchists.
With the nation inflamed over the police murder of George Floyd — and literally in flames in many cities — Donald Trump is nearing the end of the mission expressed clearly by his former chief political strategist Steve Bannon when he declared himself a Leninist:
“Lenin wanted to destroy the state and that’s my goal too,” Bannon once said. “I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of today’s establishment.”
While Bannon is long been physically gone from the White House, his ethos has carried on, both in Trump’s response to the demonstrations that have erupted into violent frustration and in his purposeful and pitiful failures to lead the federal government to take the obvious measures needed to minimize the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the demonstrations across the country over the past few days have been primarily peaceful outpourings of rightful protest against the blatant murder of an unarmed black man begging police for his life — just the latest in a long string of extrajudicial killings of African Americans by unrestrained “peace officers” — many reports have surfaced that the looting and violence that emerged in the evening hours of some protests were instigated by outside agitators with no connection to the aims of the protestors.
While some people believe that these provocateurs were far-right extremists who were using the protests as a way to advance their calls for a “Boogaloo” — the perversion of a name given to a particularly funky strain of 60s salsa music into a term for a race war, likely Civil War II — Trump has decided that its politically useful for him to blame the unrest on the left-wing radicals known as Antifa, standing for anti-fascist.
One must wonder why it isn’t obvious to everyone that if Trump is anti-Antifa, then he must be Profa — pro-fascist or proto-fascist, but certainly profane —when it comes to defying decades of cultural norms that regard those who were responsible for the deaths of millions in Nazi Germany, its occupied territories, and Franco’s Spain as among the most condemnable villains who stalked the earth during the 20th century.
With the disruptive protests extending to the gates of the White House, Trump must be getting nervous and losing sleep, judging from the tenor of his tweets yesterday and the fact that he didn’t send his first original tweet on Sunday until just after Noon.
Naturally, his first target of the day was the latest distractive bogeyman he’s setting up to deflect the blame that should properly be aimed his way.
Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night. The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
A real president would be at least trying to unite the nation during these divisive times, but Trump simply sees divisions as a tool to exploit to try to retain and expand his own power.
With the National Guard and state and local police using tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets — often indiscriminately and without warning — against peaceful protestors and even journalists frantically displaying their press credentials, Trump’s praise of the tactics being used for crowd control is most certainly Profa.
Other Democrat run Cities and States should look at the total shutdown of Radical Left Anarchists in Minneapolis last night. The National Guard did a great job, and should be used in other States before it is too late! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Somehow Trump encourages the anarchy when it is a bunch of his own maskless white-skinned supporters armed to the teeth with automatic weapons who are storming the Michigan State Capitol demanding the right to get a haircut and spread COVID-19 together in bars and restaurants, but when it comes to people of all races demanding an end to the entrenched police practice of murdering unarmed citizens because of the color of their skin, well, that’s a bridge too far for this morally obtuse president.
Trump escalated his pro-fascist propaganda campaign with his next tweet.
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
With this tweet, Trump is apparently officially repudiating his opinion — stated after the murder of Heather Heyer by a neo-Nazi in Charlottesville, Virginia — that there are “very fine people” on both sides of the political spectrum and is taking a definitive position on the side of the fascists.
With this tweet, many people in the not-very-United States will be designating Donald Trump and his administration as a Terrorist Organization.
In his continual effort to avoid responsibility of any kind — an effort that makes you wonder if anything besides the pomp, glitz, and power made him want to become president in the first place — Trump denied any accountability for fomenting violence through his own tweets and public statements and instead pinned the blame on his favorite target, the media.
The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
As usual, one must use the Trump tweet secret decoder ring to discern the true meaning of the president’s statement. The trick is to substitute Trump’s own name for that of the target that he is attacking in any given social media post and then the actual state of reality is revealed to you.
It is indeed Trump himself who is doing everything within his power to foment hatred and anarchy — although the use of a word like “foment” indicates that some more literate member of his political staff wrote this particular tweet.
The good news is that now that we understand what he is doing, that he is the ultimate “FAKE NEWS” and a truly bad person with a sick agenda, we can easily work through him to “GREATNESS!”
That “GREATNESS” can only be achieved once we remove him from office, a prospect that still makes November seem way too far away to wait for.
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We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Trump toady Matt Gaetz gets censored after demanding we “hunt” antifa “terrorists”

Amazingly , you don ’ t need to have any particular knowledge of the law to be a lawmaker .
Yet , one would think that someone who began his career as a lawyer — albeit a Fort Walton Beach , Florida lawyer — would have at least a smidgen of familiarity with some of the most basic constitutional concepts of civil liberties and the Posse Comitatus Act which prohibits the use of federal military personnel to enforce any sort of domestic policies within the United States , especially since that law has been on the books since the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , Congressman Matt “ DUI ” Gaetz ( R-FL ) has never let pesky laws get in his way before , so it was not the least bit surprising to read the tweet sent today by the GOP operative with his nose so far up Donald Trump ’ s butt that one would have believed that he was a proctologist rather than a lawyer before getting into politics .
So far only Trump and his enabling cronies have made the erroneous designation of Antifa as a terrorist group , so Gaetz ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premise that was most likely posted to prove to the president what a loyal lapdog the Florida congressman truly remains .
Since Antifa is a loose movement without a formal structure , calling it a group is as ludicrous as the evidence-free accusations of terrorism that Trump , Attorney General William Barr , and Rep. Gaetz are bandying about .
Moreover , since the United States does not even have a set of laws defining what domestic terrorism actually is — since all of our terrorism statutes apply exclusively to foreign terrorism — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be likely to be able to convict anyone accused of domestic terrorism as opposed to any specific underlying crimes that may have been committed .
Outside of the fact that the armed forces are prohibited from “ hunting down ” the citizens of their own country — assuming that any commanding officer could find military personnel compliant enough to be willing to fire upon fellow Americans if they tried — Gaetz ’ s dehumanization of his alleged terrorists into hunting targets demands its own special level of condemnation .
This is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much time palling around with Donald Trump Jr. , so militaristic are his hunting fantasies .
Besides , anyone who looks at America ’ s disastrous foray into the Middle East over the last two decades and thinks that military intervention reduced terrorism rather than inspiring a whole new generation of terrorists to view the United States as the ultimate enemy is as delusional as , well , Donald Trump .
Apparently , the newly-empowered content checkers at Twitter found issues with Representative Gaetz ’ s post as well , since they just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the type that almost gave the president a coronary when his first tweet got tagged with it .
It ’ s only in the public interest if the shame of having sent such a reprehensible tweet leads to Gaetz ’ s being voted out of office in November .
Gaetz likely regards the new warning notice on his post as a badge of honor , bonding him ever more closely to the president whose boots he loves to lick so much — metaphorically speaking , of course .
Unfortunately , Twitter ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glorification of violence means that all of the comments on the post have been turned off , so we won ’ t be able to share the seriously snarky replies that the congressman received in response to his ill-advised tweet .
Suffice it to say that perhaps Gaetz is lucky that the comments on the post were eliminated .
They may have been enough to drive him to drink , something he has considerable experience combining already .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Amazingly, you don’t need to have any particular knowledge of the law to be a lawmaker.
Yet, one would think that someone who began his career as a lawyer — albeit a Fort Walton Beach, Florida lawyer — would have at least a smidgen of familiarity with some of the most basic constitutional concepts of civil liberties and the Posse Comitatus Act which prohibits the use of federal military personnel to enforce any sort of domestic policies within the United States, especially since that law has been on the books since the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878.
Still, Congressman Matt “DUI” Gaetz (R-FL) has never let pesky laws get in his way before, so it was not the least bit surprising to read the tweet sent today by the GOP operative with his nose so far up Donald Trump’s butt that one would have believed that he was a proctologist rather than a lawyer before getting into politics.
Now that we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East? — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 1, 2020
So far only Trump and his enabling cronies have made the erroneous designation of Antifa as a terrorist group, so Gaetz’s tweet is based on a false premise that was most likely posted to prove to the president what a loyal lapdog the Florida congressman truly remains.
Since Antifa is a loose movement without a formal structure, calling it a group is as ludicrous as the evidence-free accusations of terrorism that Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and Rep. Gaetz are bandying about.
Moreover, since the United States does not even have a set of laws defining what domestic terrorism actually is — since all of our terrorism statutes apply exclusively to foreign terrorism — it’s unlikely that any prosecutor would be likely to be able to convict anyone accused of domestic terrorism as opposed to any specific underlying crimes that may have been committed.
Outside of the fact that the armed forces are prohibited from “hunting down” the citizens of their own country — assuming that any commanding officer could find military personnel compliant enough to be willing to fire upon fellow Americans if they tried — Gaetz’s dehumanization of his alleged terrorists into hunting targets demands its own special level of condemnation.
This is a congressman who may be spending way too much time palling around with Donald Trump Jr., so militaristic are his hunting fantasies.
Besides, anyone who looks at America’s disastrous foray into the Middle East over the last two decades and thinks that military intervention reduced terrorism rather than inspiring a whole new generation of terrorists to view the United States as the ultimate enemy is as delusional as, well, Donald Trump.
Apparently, the newly-empowered content checkers at Twitter found issues with Representative Gaetz’s post as well, since they just slapped a warning notice on the post of the type that almost gave the president a coronary when his first tweet got tagged with it.
“This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”
It’s only in the public interest if the shame of having sent such a reprehensible tweet leads to Gaetz’s being voted out of office in November.
Gaetz likely regards the new warning notice on his post as a badge of honor, bonding him ever more closely to the president whose boots he loves to lick so much — metaphorically speaking, of course.
Unfortunately, Twitter’s designation of the post as a glorification of violence means that all of the comments on the post have been turned off, so we won’t be able to share the seriously snarky replies that the congressman received in response to his ill-advised tweet.
Suffice it to say that perhaps Gaetz is lucky that the comments on the post were eliminated. They may have been enough to drive him to drink, something he has considerable experience combining already.
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We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Trump reinforces White House with soldiers and armored military vehicles ahead of tonight’s protests

Yesterday , as protests against police brutality sprang up in cities across the United States , Donald Trump fled to the presidential bunker .
The demonstrators outside the White House eventually dispersed but are expected to return tonight and our craven president is absolutely terrified .
Trump ’ s profound lack of leadership over the past few days shows no signs of improving and it appears his plan for dealing with this current crisis is throwing blame at others , fecklessly tweeting , and cowering inside the White House .
Never has it been more undeniable how uniquely unsuited for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star really is .
As nightfall approaches in Washington D.C. , the president is making it abundantly clear how much he fears the American people .
Military trucks loaded up with soldiers have rolled onto White House grounds to reinforce its defenses .
The videos and images are shocking and look more akin to news coverage of a dictator struggling to maintain control of a third world country than anything we should expect from an American president .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , true to form , is far more interested in protecting his own neck than in serving the country he swore to defend .
It would be a simple matter for him to come out in support of police reform , for him to say that cops need to stop extrajudicially murdering Black people in our streets , or for him to urge police to stand down tonight and resist what is clearly an urge to escalate these conflicts .
But he hasn ’ t done that because he is a moral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing up for what is right will alienate his base , many of whom voted for him because of his vile racist rhetoric .
There ’ s no telling what tonight holds in store , but one thing that is certain : President Trump bears a great deal of responsibility for all of this .
He is no leader and right now this country is in desperate need of one .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

Yesterday, as protests against police brutality sprang up in cities across the United States, Donald Trump fled to the presidential bunker. The demonstrators outside the White House eventually dispersed but are expected to return tonight and our craven president is absolutely terrified.
Trump’s profound lack of leadership over the past few days shows no signs of improving and it appears his plan for dealing with this current crisis is throwing blame at others, fecklessly tweeting, and cowering inside the White House. Never has it been more undeniable how uniquely unsuited for the Oval Office this washed-up reality television star really is.
As nightfall approaches in Washington D.C., the president is making it abundantly clear how much he fears the American people. Military trucks loaded up with soldiers have rolled onto White House grounds to reinforce its defenses. The videos and images are shocking and look more akin to news coverage of a dictator struggling to maintain control of a third world country than anything we should expect from an American president.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Trump, true to form, is far more interested in protecting his own neck than in serving the country he swore to defend. It would be a simple matter for him to come out in support of police reform, for him to say that cops need to stop extrajudicially murdering Black people in our streets, or for him to urge police to stand down tonight and resist what is clearly an urge to escalate these conflicts. But he hasn’t done that because he is a moral and physical coward. He knows that standing up for what is right will alienate his base, many of whom voted for him because of his vile racist rhetoric.
There’s no telling what tonight holds in store, but one thing that is certain: President Trump bears a great deal of responsibility for all of this. He is no leader and right now this country is in desperate need of one.
At 5:05 pm, I counted 9 two and a half ton military trucks carrying troops in tan uniforms and helmets pull off 17th Street into the White House grounds. — Brian Bennett (@ByBrianBennett) June 1, 2020
Military trucks with soldiers have moved in place to protect the White House. I worked in the White House, and I’ve never seen anything like this. This does not look like America. This looks like a scene from Tiananmen Square in China in 1989. pic.twitter.com/9EznSriUJo — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) June 1, 2020
Armoured police vehicles moving into position outside the White House pic.twitter.com/9Ar6eCjmqr — Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) June 1, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Republican Governor Charlie Baker gets emotional in takedown of Trump’s brutish comments

After Donald Trump told a conference call full of local mayors and governors from across the country that they were “ weak , ” “ fools , ” and “ jerks ” if they didn ’ t respond to the violence and destruction that has been the collateral damage of the outpouring of anger and grief following the police murder of George Floyd with repressive strongarm tactics of domination , it wasn ’ t surprising to see Democratic governors like J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to condemn the president for his wrong-headed authoritarian solutions to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , however , fairly astonishing to witness the Republican president being strongly condemned for his stance by one of the nation ’ s top GOP governors .
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker ( R ) didn ’ t restrain himself in the least in when he spoke with The Boston Globe after listening to the president push a right-wing-baiting law and order agenda that would have made Richard Nixon proud .
“ I heard what the president said today about dominating and fighting , ” Baker told The Globe .
“ I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incendiary words like this from him , but I ’ m not .
At so many times during these last several weeks , when the country needed compassion and leadership the most , it simply was nowhere to be found .
Instead , we got bitterness , combativeness , and self-interest .
That ’ s not what we need in Boston , it ’ s not what we need right now in Massachusetts , ” he said , appearing to choke up , “ and it ’ s definitely not what we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Unlike the president — whose inability to express empathy for other human beings has been linked to his malignant narcissism personality disorder —Governor Baker reacted to the blatant murder of an unarmed black man by four Minneapolis police officers with the compassion that one would expect from any decent human being , calling Floyd ’ s death a “ horrible tragedy.
” The governor ’ s words of understanding of the righteousness of the protestors ’ grievances do not mean that the few people who instigated the violence and looting during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commonwealth .
Asked by a reporter if he regrets not having spoken up about Trump ’ s shameful comments and tweets earlier , Baker defended his record in letting his views be known when he disagrees with the president .
America ’ s Republican governors have been mostly supportive of Trump and his political patronage , but they certainly have a better track record than the obsequious GOP Senators who have tripped over themselves to protect and serve the president no matter how outrageous and heinous his statements may be .
Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican party can overcome their reluctance to criticize Trump when he says or does something so outlandishly beyond the pale .
Otherwise , they will find themselves consigned to the dustbin of history where the president and his criminal cabal are soon likely to find themselves .
Original reporting by Jaclyn Reiss at The Boston Globe .
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Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

After Donald Trump told a conference call full of local mayors and governors from across the country that they were “weak,” “fools,” and “jerks” if they didn’t respond to the violence and destruction that has been the collateral damage of the outpouring of anger and grief following the police murder of George Floyd with repressive strongarm tactics of domination, it wasn’t surprising to see Democratic governors like J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to condemn the president for his wrong-headed authoritarian solutions to the legitimate grievances of the demonstrators.
It was, however, fairly astonishing to witness the Republican president being strongly condemned for his stance by one of the nation’s top GOP governors.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) didn’t restrain himself in the least in when he spoke with The Boston Globe after listening to the president push a right-wing-baiting law and order agenda that would have made Richard Nixon proud.
“I heard what the president said today about dominating and fighting,” Baker told The Globe. “I know I should be surprised when I hear incendiary words like this from him, but I’m not. At so many times during these last several weeks, when the country needed compassion and leadership the most, it simply was nowhere to be found. Instead, we got bitterness, combativeness, and self-interest. That’s not what we need in Boston, it’s not what we need right now in Massachusetts,” he said, appearing to choke up, “and it’s definitely not what we need across this great country of ours either.”
Unlike the president — whose inability to express empathy for other human beings has been linked to his malignant narcissism personality disorder —Governor Baker reacted to the blatant murder of an unarmed black man by four Minneapolis police officers with the compassion that one would expect from any decent human being, calling Floyd’s death a “horrible tragedy.”
“The injustices that Black Americans experience every day and their devastating cumulative effect don’t care about state boundaries,” Baker said. “We all have an obligation to see and address these issues.”
The governor’s words of understanding of the righteousness of the protestors’ grievances do not mean that the few people who instigated the violence and looting during the protests will have free reign in his commonwealth.
“To the criminals and cowards that tarnished that night’s peaceful protest, I expect your day in court will come soon,” he said.
Asked by a reporter if he regrets not having spoken up about Trump’s shameful comments and tweets earlier, Baker defended his record in letting his views be known when he disagrees with the president.
“I think my comments today kind of speak for themselves,” Baker explained. “I’ve spoken out more than once, and probably more than many of my colleagues.”
America’s Republican governors have been mostly supportive of Trump and his political patronage, but they certainly have a better track record than the obsequious GOP Senators who have tripped over themselves to protect and serve the president no matter how outrageous and heinous his statements may be.
Let’s hope that more members of the Republican party can overcome their reluctance to criticize Trump when he says or does something so outlandishly beyond the pale. Otherwise, they will find themselves consigned to the dustbin of history where the president and his criminal cabal are soon likely to find themselves.
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Original reporting by Jaclyn Reiss at The Boston Globe.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer blasts Trump for sowing hatred after unhinged phone call

Over 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 , unemployment is rampant , and the greatest cities in the country are burning as protestors and police clash over the recent murder of George Floyd .
Meanwhile , President Trump is completely absent on the national stage , sending out sporadic tweets and refusing to address the nation the way a real leader should .
Yesterday , the man whose entire presidential brand is built around a “ tough guy ” persona grew so afraid of the protests that he actually retreated to the presidential bunker for a while .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike a balance between respecting the protestors ’ constitutional right to gather with the desire to limit property damage and fires .
The police are consistently making matters worse by firing rubber bullets and tear gas at peaceful demonstrators and even running them down with vehicles in some situations .
The powder keg is fizzling and the president lacks the courage to do anything .
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Instead , Trump is trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
Leaked audio from a conference call between Trump and several governors and mayors this morning shows the president calling these officials “ weak ” and demanding that they due more to quell the growing unrest and “ dominate ” the protestors .
It was the pathetic rhetoric of a man incapable and unwilling to lead and proved once again how unfit for office Donald Trump really is .
Now , Governor Gretchen Whitmer ( D-MI ) , a woman who has been targeted by the president in the past , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone call .
She released a statement denouncing his language in no uncertain terms and slammed his lack of leadership during “ one of the darkest periods in our lifetimes.
” Whitmer urged Americans to heed the words of former President Obama , who released an essay outlining how this current moment can be harnessed to facilitate real change .
She also made it clear that Trump is making matters worse right now .
“ Instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests , President Trump told governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would be ‘ overridden.
’ He said governors should ‘ dominate ’ protesters , ‘ or you ’ ll look like a bunch of jerks , ’ ” Whitmer said in her statement .
“ The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors , who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic.
” The governor went on to accuse Trump of spreading division .
She called for the country to come together ( which is something the president himself should be doing ) .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be gravely concerning to all Americans , because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division , which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction , ” said Whitmer .
“ We must reject this way of thinking .
This is a moment that calls for empathy , humanity , and unity.
” Now , more than ever we need more leaders like Whitmer and far fewer like Trump .
At this point , the best thing that Trump can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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Over 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, unemployment is rampant, and the greatest cities in the country are burning as protestors and police clash over the recent murder of George Floyd.
Meanwhile, President Trump is completely absent on the national stage, sending out sporadic tweets and refusing to address the nation the way a real leader should. Yesterday, the man whose entire presidential brand is built around a “tough guy” persona grew so afraid of the protests that he actually retreated to the presidential bunker for a while.
Meanwhile, state and local officials are struggling to strike a balance between respecting the protestors’ constitutional right to gather with the desire to limit property damage and fires. The police are consistently making matters worse by firing rubber bullets and tear gas at peaceful demonstrators and even running them down with vehicles in some situations. The powder keg is fizzling and the president lacks the courage to do anything.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Instead, Trump is trying to shunt the blame for this crisis onto others. Leaked audio from a conference call between Trump and several governors and mayors this morning shows the president calling these officials “weak” and demanding that they due more to quell the growing unrest and “dominate” the protestors. It was the pathetic rhetoric of a man incapable and unwilling to lead and proved once again how unfit for office Donald Trump really is.
Now, Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), a woman who has been targeted by the president in the past, is speaking out over Trump’s unhinged phone call. She released a statement denouncing his language in no uncertain terms and slammed his lack of leadership during “one of the darkest periods in our lifetimes.”
Whitmer urged Americans to heed the words of former President Obama, who released an essay outlining how this current moment can be harnessed to facilitate real change. She also made it clear that Trump is making matters worse right now.
“Instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests, President Trump told governors to ‘put it down’ or we would be ‘overridden.’ He said governors should ‘dominate’ protesters, ‘or you’ll look like a bunch of jerks,’” Whitmer said in her statement. “The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic.”
The governor went on to accuse Trump of spreading division. She called for the country to come together (which is something the president himself should be doing).
“The president’s dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division, which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction,” said Whitmer. “We must reject this way of thinking. This is a moment that calls for empathy, humanity, and unity.”
Now, more than ever we need more leaders like Whitmer and far fewer like Trump.
Gov. Whitmer: "The president's dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division, which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction." — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 1, 2020
At this point, the best thing that Trump can do for his country is resign immediately.
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Trump appears to endorse Tom Cotton’s appalling idea to use the military to quash protests

As riots and protests continue to rage across the country over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin , the response from the right-wing has been fairly predictable .
There are those who reluctantly accept that the treatment of George Floyd was appalling but who condescendingly share photographs of Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s marches and say things like “ THIS IS A PROTEST ” as if they wouldn ’ t have cheered his assassination — and then there are those who openly fantasize about violently suppressing the protests and killing even more black men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latter camp is Senator Tom Cotton ( R-AR ) , who prompted mockery on social media after calling for the 101st Airborne Division to be deployed to deal with these “ Antifa terrorists ” that the President and his team have decided are responsible for the vandalism and the looting .
Unsurprisingly , President Trump himself endorsed this appalling idea this afternoon , shortly after blaming state governors for “ weakness ” and demanding they take harsher steps to stamp out the protests .
Undemocratic and authoritarian to his core , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joining the sociopathic Cotton in fantasizing about the United States military massacring Black protesters en masse .
Rather than even attempt the difficult task of leading this country and bringing its people together after a horrific police killing , Trump has given up entirely and is content to let Rome burn while he cowers in the White House ’ s nuclear bunker , confident that if he simply tweets angrily enough the vehicles of state violence will restore order .
Having spent his entire real estate and entertainment career bullying and buying his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — into submission , Trump has had much less success trying to force the media and the people of this country into doing as he wants .
His behavior throughout a year beset by crisis has made it unequivocally clear to everyone that he is both unfit and uninterested in the job he has been elected to do , and he ’ s about to find out the hard way that the police aren ’ t going to be able to save him from a humiliating defeat this November .

As riots and protests continue to rage across the country over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, the response from the right-wing has been fairly predictable.
There are those who reluctantly accept that the treatment of George Floyd was appalling but who condescendingly share photographs of Martin Luther King Jr.’s marches and say things like “THIS IS A PROTEST” as if they wouldn’t have cheered his assassination — and then there are those who openly fantasize about violently suppressing the protests and killing even more black men.
One prominent figure who falls into the latter camp is Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), who prompted mockery on social media after calling for the 101st Airborne Division to be deployed to deal with these “Antifa terrorists” that the President and his team have decided are responsible for the vandalism and the looting.
Anarchy, rioting, and looting needs to end tonight. If local law enforcement is overwhelmed and needs backup, let's see how tough these Antifa terrorists are when they're facing off with the 101st Airborne Division. We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction. — Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) June 1, 2020
Unsurprisingly, President Trump himself endorsed this appalling idea this afternoon, shortly after blaming state governors for “weakness” and demanding they take harsher steps to stamp out the protests.
Undemocratic and authoritarian to his core, it’s no surprise that Trump is joining the sociopathic Cotton in fantasizing about the United States military massacring Black protesters en masse.
Rather than even attempt the difficult task of leading this country and bringing its people together after a horrific police killing, Trump has given up entirely and is content to let Rome burn while he cowers in the White House’s nuclear bunker, confident that if he simply tweets angrily enough the vehicles of state violence will restore order.
Having spent his entire real estate and entertainment career bullying and buying his enemies — and his sexual assault victims — into submission, Trump has had much less success trying to force the media and the people of this country into doing as he wants. His behavior throughout a year beset by crisis has made it unequivocally clear to everyone that he is both unfit and uninterested in the job he has been elected to do, and he’s about to find out the hard way that the police aren’t going to be able to save him from a humiliating defeat this November.
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--2020-06-01--Illinois’ Governor challenges Trump to his face in phone call over his awful protest response

“ Oh , I asked her for water , oh , she brought me gasoline.
” — Howlin ’ Wolf At least one of the governors who participated in a call with Donald Trump this morning — where the president urged local authorities to “ dominate ” the protestors against police murders of unarmed black men and where he called the collected mayors and governors “ fools ” — immediately called Trump out on his own foolish rhetoric .
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker ( D ) couldn ’ t keep silent after the president told the local leaders that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of jerks ” if they did crack down hard to keep unrest under control .
He confronted Trump right on the conference call by saying that he is “ extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that ’ s been used ” by the president in his public pronouncements and social media posts about the demonstrations and the violent aftermath that erupted from small numbers of participants in the primarily peaceful groups of protestors .
Gov .
Pritzker demonstrated a rational approach to dealing with the unrest as he brow-beat the president for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests against police brutality with more of the same .
“ It ’ s been inflammatory , and it ’ s not OK for that officer to choke George Floyd to death , but we have to call for calm .
We have to have police reform called for .
We ’ ve called out our National Guard and our State Police , but the rhetoric that ’ s coming out of the White House is making it worse , ” Pritzker told Trump on the call .
“ And I need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there .
And we ’ ve got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that we ’ re addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters .
That will help us to bring order.
” Not unexpectedly , Trump bristled at the public criticism in a forum that included many of the nation ’ s top local government officials .
He responded as petulantly as a grade-schooler to the explicit critique of his lack of leadership .
Trump conjured nightmares of Republican administrations past with his Nixonian and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ law and order ” as the solution he offered in reply to Pritzker ’ s plain-spoken accusations of incendiary presidential rhetoric .
The president has continued to politicize the protests by claiming that the violence that has emerged after long days of peaceful marches is the work of left-wing extremist groups and Antifa , ignoring evidence that at least some right-wing provocateurs have been involved in instigating destruction and looting .
Calm is likely the last thing on Trump ’ s mind as he seeks to exploit the conflict to bolster his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crashes around him and unemployment is soaring .
With the unemployment issues giving many protestors lots of free time in which to express their rage at the injustices not just involving physical violence against minorities but at the economic inequality that sustains those injustices , Trump and his Republican supporters would rather see the protestors housed and fed at government expense in prisons — “ You ’ ve got to arrest people .
You have to try people .
You have to put them in jail for 10 years and you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president told Pritzker and the other people on the conference call — than provide meaningful stimulus relief to tide them through a crisis his own inaction enabled .
Trump ’ s words and actions merely reinforce the certainty that his administration has no intention of bailing out anyone but corporations and billionaires while leaving the average American to fend for themselves as homelessness , poverty , and hunger are projected to rise to levels unseen in this country since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
We asked for water , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stoke the flames of frustration and fury .
You can read the full transcript of the exchange between Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Donald Trump in the attachment to the tweet below .
Original reporting by Tina Sfondeles at The Chicago Sun-Times .
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“Oh, I asked her for water, oh, she brought me gasoline.” — Howlin’ Wolf
At least one of the governors who participated in a call with Donald Trump this morning — where the president urged local authorities to “dominate” the protestors against police murders of unarmed black men and where he called the collected mayors and governors “fools” — immediately called Trump out on his own foolish rhetoric.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) couldn’t keep silent after the president told the local leaders that they were “going to look like a bunch of jerks” if they did crack down hard to keep unrest under control.
He confronted Trump right on the conference call by saying that he is “extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that’s been used” by the president in his public pronouncements and social media posts about the demonstrations and the violent aftermath that erupted from small numbers of participants in the primarily peaceful groups of protestors.
Gov. Pritzker demonstrated a rational approach to dealing with the unrest as he brow-beat the president for his emotionally immature, instinctual response to fight protests against police brutality with more of the same.
“It’s been inflammatory, and it’s not OK for that officer to choke George Floyd to death, but we have to call for calm. We have to have police reform called for. We’ve called out our National Guard and our State Police, but the rhetoric that’s coming out of the White House is making it worse,” Pritzker told Trump on the call. “And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there. And we’ve got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that we’re addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters. That will help us to bring order.”
Not unexpectedly, Trump bristled at the public criticism in a forum that included many of the nation’s top local government officials.
He responded as petulantly as a grade-schooler to the explicit critique of his lack of leadership.
“OK, well thank you very much, J.B. I don’t like your rhetoric very much either because I watched it with respect to the coronavirus and I don’t like your rhetoric much either. I think you could have done a much better job, frankly,” Trump managed to reply, as if his own COVID-19 statements hadn’t displayed his true incompetence for the entire world to witness.
Trump conjured nightmares of Republican administrations past with his Nixonian and Reaganesque prescription of a heavy dose of “law and order” as the solution he offered in reply to Pritzker’s plain-spoken accusations of incendiary presidential rhetoric.
“If we don’t have law, we don’t have a country,” Trump said, eliciting loud guffaws from anyone who has witnessed his utter disregard for the rule of law in his own administration.
The president has continued to politicize the protests by claiming that the violence that has emerged after long days of peaceful marches is the work of left-wing extremist groups and Antifa, ignoring evidence that at least some right-wing provocateurs have been involved in instigating destruction and looting.
Calm is likely the last thing on Trump’s mind as he seeks to exploit the conflict to bolster his own sinking political fortunes as the economy crashes around him and unemployment is soaring.
With the unemployment issues giving many protestors lots of free time in which to express their rage at the injustices not just involving physical violence against minorities but at the economic inequality that sustains those injustices, Trump and his Republican supporters would rather see the protestors housed and fed at government expense in prisons — “You’ve got to arrest people. You have to try people. You have to put them in jail for 10 years and you’ll never see this stuff again,” the president told Pritzker and the other people on the conference call — than provide meaningful stimulus relief to tide them through a crisis his own inaction enabled.
Trump’s words and actions merely reinforce the certainty that his administration has no intention of bailing out anyone but corporations and billionaires while leaving the average American to fend for themselves as homelessness, poverty, and hunger are projected to rise to levels unseen in this country since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
We asked for water, and Trump gives us gasoline. The better to stoke the flames of frustration and fury.
You can read the full transcript of the exchange between Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Donald Trump in the attachment to the tweet below.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Tina Sfondeles at The Chicago Sun-Times.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Louisville police, National Guard shoot and kill Black chef known for giving free food to cops & hom

Louisville police, National Guard shoot and kill Black chef known for giving free food to cops & homeless

The nationwide protests and riots against police brutality have been met largely with more police brutality over the past few days .
The countless incidences of wanton cruelty and shocking violence from police officers in every city — including a consistent and deeply alarming pattern of targeting reporters and journalists — have made the protesters ’ anger all the more justified .
Those tensions are unlikely to abate following the murder of yet another Black man at the hands of a trigger-happy and unrestrained police force .
David McAtee , 53 years old , was shot and killed early this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire this morning on a crowd outside of a Dino ’ s Food Mart .
Police say that someone in the crowd opened fire on the cops and Guardsmen and they “ returned fire , ” hitting and killing McAtee .
Unconfirmed reports say his body was left in the street for over twelve hours .
No police or National Guardsmen were injured .
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McAtee owned the barbeque stand right next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well known for giving the police free meals as well as his work feeding the homeless .
His mother , Odessa Riley , told the Louisville Courier-Journal that her son was a “ pillar of the community ” and “ left a great legend behind .
He was a good person .
Everybody around him would say that .
My son didn ’ t hurt nobody .
He didn ’ t do nothing to nobody.
” “ He was one of the ones who would donate all his time and all his food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take it and he wouldn ’ t charge because it was for the neighborhood…Mr .
McAtee ’ s legacy is something that can not be duplicated or replaced…There are only a handful of people who care about the community the way that he did , ” said Middletown resident Greg Cotton Jr. His death is yet another outrage by the Louisville Police , who just a few months ago brutally gunned down EMT nurse Breonna Taylor as she slept in her bed and arrested her boyfriend , who thought he was firing at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house with a no-knock warrant .
Gov .
Andy Beshear has ordered an investigation into the shooting and urged the release of the bodycam footage as soon as possible .
The killing of David McAtee is yet another tragic , horrifying reminder of why the protests are taking place and why so much enmity is being leveled against police forces who claim to “ protect and serve ” their communities but murder upstanding Black citizens on a regular basis .

UPDATE: Louisville Mayor Greg Fisher fired Police Chief Conrad in the hours after police killed McAtee.
The nationwide protests and riots against police brutality have been met largely with more police brutality over the past few days. The countless incidences of wanton cruelty and shocking violence from police officers in every city — including a consistent and deeply alarming pattern of targeting reporters and journalists — have made the protesters’ anger all the more justified.
Those tensions are unlikely to abate following the murder of yet another Black man at the hands of a trigger-happy and unrestrained police force. David McAtee, 53 years old, was shot and killed early this morning after police and National Guard opened fire this morning on a crowd outside of a Dino’s Food Mart.
Police say that someone in the crowd opened fire on the cops and Guardsmen and they “returned fire,” hitting and killing McAtee. Unconfirmed reports say his body was left in the street for over twelve hours.
No police or National Guardsmen were injured.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
McAtee owned the barbeque stand right next to the Dino’s and was well known for giving the police free meals as well as his work feeding the homeless. His mother, Odessa Riley, told the Louisville Courier-Journal that her son was a “pillar of the community” and “left a great legend behind. He was a good person. Everybody around him would say that. My son didn’t hurt nobody. He didn’t do nothing to nobody.”
"My son didn't hurt nobody. . . Like I said earlier, he fed all @LMPD. The police would come up to his shop and talk to him and be with him. He fed the police. He fed them free. He fed the police and didn't charge them nothing. My son was a good son." — Odessa Riley #DavidMcAtee pic.twitter.com/qbsUYT2JFv — Philmonger (@phillipmbailey) June 1, 2020
“He was one of the ones who would donate all his time and all his food, everybody could just come up and take it and he wouldn’t charge because it was for the neighborhood…Mr. McAtee’s legacy is something that cannot be duplicated or replaced…There are only a handful of people who care about the community the way that he did,” said Middletown resident Greg Cotton Jr.
His death is yet another outrage by the Louisville Police, who just a few months ago brutally gunned down EMT nurse Breonna Taylor as she slept in her bed and arrested her boyfriend, who thought he was firing at burglars after the cops broke into their house with a no-knock warrant.
Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered an investigation into the shooting and urged the release of the bodycam footage as soon as possible.
The killing of David McAtee is yet another tragic, horrifying reminder of why the protests are taking place and why so much enmity is being leveled against police forces who claim to “protect and serve” their communities but murder upstanding Black citizens on a regular basis.
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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--2020-06-01--Ocasio-Cortez condemns NY police union for threatening & doxxing Mayor de Blasio’s daughter

The protests against police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a law enforcement officer have spread throughout the country ’ s major cities .
The escalated clashes between activists and police have in turn given birth to a wave of shocking police brutality , with countless clips emerging of officers beating peaceful protestors , maiming them with rubber bullets , and even hitting them with moving vehicles .
In their ruthless campaign to enforce their so-called “ order , ” the cops have made it painfully clear just how badly our policing system in America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quo isn ’ t working and until our government officials recognize that fact and take action innocent people are going to keep dying at the hands of the police .
A crucial first step in fixing this problem will be tackling police unions .
In their current form , they exert an outsized political influence on our cities and justice system and often prevent bad cops from being held accountable for violent misdeeds .
Until these unions are seriously curtailed or even abolished , real change is almost impossible .
A shocking example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes be was provided by the Sergeant Benevolent Association , an NYPD union , over the weekend .
The SBA tweeted out a police report containing the personal information of Chiara de Blasio , daughter of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio after she was arrested for joining in the protests .
De Blasio himself has long been a target of the SBA and their disdain for the Democratic mayor is well known .
The tweet has since been deleted .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock market !
The stunningly irresponsible move not only put Chiara de Blasio ’ s life in danger but also demonstrated what a vindictive , petty organization the SBA really is .
If they can ’ t be trusted with this kind of personal information without abusing it , how can they be trusted to fairly police the streets of New York ?
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) retweeted thee SBA story and correctly called the behavior “ indefensible.
” She condemned the union for publicly threatening Ms. De Blasio and pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 billion budget is clearly not helping maintain the peace since police officers seem incapable of any kind of real de-escalation .
Her criticism is spot on and the city of New York has to take a long hard look at how its tax dollars are spent on policing .
Something needs to change and it needs to change now .
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Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

The protests against police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a law enforcement officer have spread throughout the country’s major cities. The escalated clashes between activists and police have in turn given birth to a wave of shocking police brutality, with countless clips emerging of officers beating peaceful protestors, maiming them with rubber bullets, and even hitting them with moving vehicles.
New York: #BlackLivesMatter protesters demonstrate peacefully with their hands up. An NYPD cop pulls a man’s facemask down and pepper sprays him directly in the face for no reason. pic.twitter.com/jrsNEQNdS9 — Chad Loder (@chadloder) May 31, 2020
In their ruthless campaign to enforce their so-called “order,” the cops have made it painfully clear just how badly our policing system in America needs serious systemic change. The status quo isn’t working and until our government officials recognize that fact and take action innocent people are going to keep dying at the hands of the police.
Holy shit the NYPD just attacked the protesters for no reason. Oh my god. pic.twitter.com/P3wRjZg1xy — Nate Igor Smith (@drivenbyboredom) June 1, 2020
A crucial first step in fixing this problem will be tackling police unions. In their current form, they exert an outsized political influence on our cities and justice system and often prevent bad cops from being held accountable for violent misdeeds. Until these unions are seriously curtailed or even abolished, real change is almost impossible.
https://twitter.com/LasVegasLocally/status/1267210841595604992?s=20
Share widely: National guard and MPD sweeping our residential street. Shooting paint canisters at us on our own front porch. Yelling “light em up” #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForGeorge #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/bW48imyt55 — Tanya Kerssen (@tkerssen) May 31, 2020
A shocking example of just how terrible these unions can sometimes be was provided by the Sergeant Benevolent Association, an NYPD union, over the weekend. The SBA tweeted out a police report containing the personal information of Chiara de Blasio, daughter of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio after she was arrested for joining in the protests. De Blasio himself has long been a target of the SBA and their disdain for the Democratic mayor is well known.
The tweet has since been deleted.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
The stunningly irresponsible move not only put Chiara de Blasio’s life in danger but also demonstrated what a vindictive, petty organization the SBA really is. If they can’t be trusted with this kind of personal information without abusing it, how can they be trusted to fairly police the streets of New York?
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) retweeted thee SBA story and correctly called the behavior “indefensible.” She condemned the union for publicly threatening Ms. De Blasio and pointed out that the NYPD’s $6 billion budget is clearly not helping maintain the peace since police officers seem incapable of any kind of real de-escalation. Her criticism is spot on and the city of New York has to take a long hard look at how its tax dollars are spent on policing. Something needs to change and it needs to change now.
Last night the NYPD Sergeants’ union *publicly threatened the mayor’s daughter* while they held her. Indefensible. If police budgets bought peace, the $6 *billion* NYPD budget would’ve bought the most sophisticated de-escalatory operation in the world. Clearly, it didn’t. https://t.co/wjl8MG059w — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 1, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Audio leaks of Trump blaming “weak” governors, urging harsh crackdown on protesters

People are laughing at Donald Trump now , making him more dangerous than ever , since nothing triggers this emotionally unstable , ego-consumed president more than ridicule .
The laughter comes from the obvious contrast between Trump ’ s tough-guy rhetoric and his cowardly behavior as protests , chaos , and unrest finally have reached the White House gates while the president cowers in his basement bunker , hiding like Hitler did as the allied forces reached Berlin at the end of World War II .
Trump took his easily ridiculed mobster schtick to a group of U.S. mayors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it was easy to see that the outbreaks of violence among the otherwise mostly peaceful protests around the country had angered and rattled him as he berated the local authorities for being “ weak , ” according to CBS News .
Rather than attribute the righteously-angry unrest to the camel ’ s back-breaking straw of the police murder of yet another unarmed black man , Trump instead said of this type of citizen uprising that “ the only time it ’ s successful is when you ’ re weak and most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the mass arrest of protestors , insisting that without a show of major force , the demonstrators will “ run over you.
” “ You have to dominate , if you don ’ t dominate you ’ re wasting your time .
They ’ re going to run over you , you ’ re going to look like a bunch of jerks .
You have to dominate , ” Trump told the conference call attendeees .
“ You ’ re making a mistake because you ’ re making yourselves look like fools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
But a lot of you , it ’ s not – it ’ s not a great day for our country , ” Trump said , according to CBS News .
“ You know when other countries watch this , they ’ re watching this , the next day wow , they ’ re really a push over .
And we can ’ t be a push over.
” One would think that as a baby boomer who lived through the turmoil of the anti-war protests of the 1960s , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of strong-arm tactics that he is advocating , given their ultimate failure in stemming the tide of public opinion against the legitimacy of the Vietnam War .
That sort of lesson learned from past history seems impossible for a president who has reacted as usual with his ego-bruised emotions rather than any reasoned analysis of the situation and the most effective way to solve the root problems at its core .
Trump demonstrated his idea of what “ STRENGTH ” looks like with an ominous warning about what may be about to transpire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later today .
Trump may not have helped his case in persuading the mayors and governors on the call to use maximum force against demonstrators — the very source of the problem that caused these protests to begin with — by calling them “ fools , ” but his attempt to shame the local authorities into taking the kind of action that he himself has no legal right to order due to the Posse Comitatus Act , may eventually backfire if any of the police reactions devolve into Kent State-like massacres .
Response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bellicose saber-rattling against the violent protestors — that he claims are all members of Antifa despite evidence suggesting that right-wing extremist “ Boogaloo ” advocates are involved in turning the peaceful protests into disruptive looting fests to advance their calls for a race war — brought exactly the type of ridicule that will surely further stoke the president ’ s fury as # CowardinChief , # BunkerBaby , and other derisive hashtags began to trend on Twitter .
Cable news fans are likely to be sitting glued to their TVs tonight to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do something that people haven ’ t seen before .
For a president obsessed with ratings , Trump seems to forget that the chant of “ the whole world is watching ” is not meant as a sign of positive approval , but a warning of accountability .
If any protestors are injured or killed by police after Trump ’ s conference call , the blood will lay entirely on the president ’ s hands .
UPDATE !
: The leaked audio from Trump ’ s call has finally been released .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ below .
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People are laughing at Donald Trump now, making him more dangerous than ever, since nothing triggers this emotionally unstable, ego-consumed president more than ridicule.
The laughter comes from the obvious contrast between Trump’s tough-guy rhetoric and his cowardly behavior as protests, chaos, and unrest finally have reached the White House gates while the president cowers in his basement bunker, hiding like Hitler did as the allied forces reached Berlin at the end of World War II.
Trump took his easily ridiculed mobster schtick to a group of U.S. mayors and governors on a conference call this morning and it was easy to see that the outbreaks of violence among the otherwise mostly peaceful protests around the country had angered and rattled him as he berated the local authorities for being “weak,” according to CBS News.
Rather than attribute the righteously-angry unrest to the camel’s back-breaking straw of the police murder of yet another unarmed black man, Trump instead said of this type of citizen uprising that “the only time it’s successful is when you’re weak and most of you are weak.”
The president called for the mass arrest of protestors, insisting that without a show of major force, the demonstrators will “run over you.”
“You have to dominate, if you don’t dominate you’re wasting your time. They’re going to run over you, you’re going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate,” Trump told the conference call attendeees. “You’re making a mistake because you’re making yourselves look like fools. And some have done a great job. But a lot of you, it’s not – it’s not a great day for our country,” Trump said, according to CBS News. “You know when other countries watch this, they’re watching this, the next day wow, they’re really a push over. And we can’t be a push over.”
One would think that as a baby boomer who lived through the turmoil of the anti-war protests of the 1960s, Trump would realize the futility of the sort of strong-arm tactics that he is advocating, given their ultimate failure in stemming the tide of public opinion against the legitimacy of the Vietnam War.
That sort of lesson learned from past history seems impossible for a president who has reacted as usual with his ego-bruised emotions rather than any reasoned analysis of the situation and the most effective way to solve the root problems at its core.
Trump demonstrated his idea of what “STRENGTH” looks like with an ominous warning about what may be about to transpire in Washington DC around the White House later today.
“We’re doing it in Washington, DC. We’re going to do something that people haven’t seen before,” Trump said in a mad combination of P. T. Barnum and Mussolini.
Trump may not have helped his case in persuading the mayors and governors on the call to use maximum force against demonstrators — the very source of the problem that caused these protests to begin with — by calling them “fools,” but his attempt to shame the local authorities into taking the kind of action that he himself has no legal right to order due to the Posse Comitatus Act, may eventually backfire if any of the police reactions devolve into Kent State-like massacres.
Response to the news of Trump’s bellicose saber-rattling against the violent protestors — that he claims are all members of Antifa despite evidence suggesting that right-wing extremist “Boogaloo” advocates are involved in turning the peaceful protests into disruptive looting fests to advance their calls for a race war — brought exactly the type of ridicule that will surely further stoke the president’s fury as #CowardinChief, #BunkerBaby, and other derisive hashtags began to trend on Twitter.
lol big words from little #BunkerBoy — SQL Duck (@SQLDuck) June 1, 2020
President Trump appears to have seen footage of police officers throwing women to the curb, speeding cars into crowds, firing rubber bullets at reporters, and pushing a man with a cane to the ground — and has said: “Yes. We need more of that." — Matt Viser (@mviser) June 1, 2020
In case we needed more evidence that Trump doesn't understand the difference between power and strength. — Pé (@4everNeverTrump) June 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/LiamMcBaen/status/1267482696478932992?s=20
Cable news fans are likely to be sitting glued to their TVs tonight to see exactly what Trump meant when he promised to do something that people haven’t seen before.
For a president obsessed with ratings, Trump seems to forget that the chant of “the whole world is watching” is not meant as a sign of positive approval, but a warning of accountability. If any protestors are injured or killed by police after Trump’s conference call, the blood will lay entirely on the president’s hands.
Expect Trump to deny any responsibility whatsoever.
UPDATE!: The leaked audio from Trump’s call has finally been released. You can hear it in the clip below.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Sarah K Burris at RawStory.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-06-01--Tom Cotton’s 2020 challenger claps back after Cotton demands 101st Airborne deal with protests

As riots and protests continue to rage across the country over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin , the response from the right-wing has been fairly predictable .
There are those who reluctantly accept that the treatment of George Floyd was appalling but who condescendingly share photographs of Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s marches and say things like “ THIS IS A PROTEST ” as if they wouldn ’ t have cheered his assassination — and then there are those who openly fantasize about violently suppressing the protests and killing even more black men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latter camp is Senator Tom Cotton ( R-AR ) , who prompted mockery on social media after calling for the 101st Airborne Division to be deployed to deal with these “ Antifa terrorists ” that the President and his team have decided are responsible for the vandalism and the looting .
Cotton , once the leader of the so-called “ 47 traitors ” who attempted to derail President Obama ’ s nuclear peace deal with Iran , is infamous for the deranged enthusiasm with which he pushes for a military solution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
It is morbidly laughable to see him come to the conclusion that “ invade America ” is his solution to the nationwide protests against the white supremacist institutions that Cotton fights to uphold— and painfully ironic , seeing as Cotton had spent his entire bloodthirsty career celebrating and pushing for the destruction of Muslim communities across the world .
This is a man whose worldview is so warped that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the instruments of state violence being utilized to murder its citizens without trial or charge is to kill even more of them , and it ’ s terrifying to think that this man is in the United States Senate and making decisions that affect the entire nation .
His 2020 challenger , independent progressive Dan Whitfield , quickly took to Twitter and put warmonger Cotton in his place .
Due to an embarrassing interparty conflict , there is no Democratic Party challenger for Cotton in the next election cycle , leaving Whitfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitfield on Twitter and donate to his campaign here .

As riots and protests continue to rage across the country over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, the response from the right-wing has been fairly predictable.
There are those who reluctantly accept that the treatment of George Floyd was appalling but who condescendingly share photographs of Martin Luther King Jr.’s marches and say things like “THIS IS A PROTEST” as if they wouldn’t have cheered his assassination — and then there are those who openly fantasize about violently suppressing the protests and killing even more black men.
One prominent figure who falls into the latter camp is Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), who prompted mockery on social media after calling for the 101st Airborne Division to be deployed to deal with these “Antifa terrorists” that the President and his team have decided are responsible for the vandalism and the looting.
Anarchy, rioting, and looting needs to end tonight. If local law enforcement is overwhelmed and needs backup, let's see how tough these Antifa terrorists are when they're facing off with the 101st Airborne Division. We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction. — Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) June 1, 2020
Cotton, once the leader of the so-called “47 traitors” who attempted to derail President Obama’s nuclear peace deal with Iran, is infamous for the deranged enthusiasm with which he pushes for a military solution to all of America’s foreign policy problems.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
It is morbidly laughable to see him come to the conclusion that “invade America” is his solution to the nationwide protests against the white supremacist institutions that Cotton fights to uphold— and painfully ironic, seeing as Cotton had spent his entire bloodthirsty career celebrating and pushing for the destruction of Muslim communities across the world.
This is a man whose worldview is so warped that his only response to the communal outrage at the instruments of state violence being utilized to murder its citizens without trial or charge is to kill even more of them, and it’s terrifying to think that this man is in the United States Senate and making decisions that affect the entire nation.
His 2020 challenger, independent progressive Dan Whitfield, quickly took to Twitter and put warmonger Cotton in his place. Due to an embarrassing interparty conflict, there is no Democratic Party challenger for Cotton in the next election cycle, leaving Whitfield as his main challenger.
https://twitter.com/DanWhitCongress/status/1267451183851089921?s=20
Follow Dan Whitfield on Twitter and donate to his campaign here.
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--2020-06-02--Melania tweets about religious freedom the day after her husband’s cops tear gas a priest

We now find ourselves in the darkest days of the Trump presidency with disturbing indicators that things will only worsen in the coming weeks as our wannabe strongman leader leans more and more into his authoritarian inclinations .
COVID-19 is raging through the American population with over 107,000 dead already and the economy is in tatters .
Simultaneously , our cities are being ripped apart at the seams as civilians protesting police brutality are tear-gassed , beaten , maimed by rubber bullets , and run over by vehicles wielded by law enforcement officers who seem far more interested in escalating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a country in crisis .
With America teetering on the edge , President Trump fled into his bunker over the weekend than overcompensated for his cowardice yesterday by ordering cops and National Guardsmen to violently disperse a peaceful protest so that he could stroll to a church for a photo op .
In the process , members of the clergy were caught in the melee and were subjected to tear gas and expelled .
Today , Trump decided to manufacture another pointless religious photo op as he and First Lady Melania visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shrine .
Once again he failed to lead any kind of prayer or Scripture reading and proved unable to offer any kind of statement that might convince frightened Americans that he has the current national situation under control .
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump ’ s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors !
Washington ’ s Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory was less than impressed with Trump ’ s stunt .
“ I find it baffling that and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fashion that violates our religious principles , which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree , ” said Gregory in a statement .
Perhaps even more embarrassing for Trump than the Archbishop ’ s remarks was the behavior of his own wife .
As the cameras snapped , First Lady Melania Trump appeared as if she ’ d rather be anywhere else in the world .
Wearing big sunglasses , she looked at the photographers stone-faced , so clearly displeased to be there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her to smile .
She responded with the barest curling of her lips .
That said , a little visible discomfort isn ’ t enough to absolve her of the damage she ’ s doing by enabling and supporting her monstrous husband .
In what appears to be a weak attempt at damage control , the First Lady ’ s Twitter account later blasted out images of her and Trump at the shrine with the ridiculous claim that they had “ honored the life & legacy of Saint John Paul II.
” Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting “ religious freedom ” is rendered particularly ironic by his violent actions yesterday .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

We now find ourselves in the darkest days of the Trump presidency with disturbing indicators that things will only worsen in the coming weeks as our wannabe strongman leader leans more and more into his authoritarian inclinations.
COVID-19 is raging through the American population with over 107,000 dead already and the economy is in tatters. Simultaneously, our cities are being ripped apart at the seams as civilians protesting police brutality are tear-gassed, beaten, maimed by rubber bullets, and run over by vehicles wielded by law enforcement officers who seem far more interested in escalating the violence than resolving it. We are a country in crisis.
With America teetering on the edge, President Trump fled into his bunker over the weekend than overcompensated for his cowardice yesterday by ordering cops and National Guardsmen to violently disperse a peaceful protest so that he could stroll to a church for a photo op. In the process, members of the clergy were caught in the melee and were subjected to tear gas and expelled.
Today, Trump decided to manufacture another pointless religious photo op as he and First Lady Melania visited the Catholic Saint John Paul II National Shrine. Once again he failed to lead any kind of prayer or Scripture reading and proved unable to offer any kind of statement that might convince frightened Americans that he has the current national situation under control.
Add your name to tell states and police to reject Trump’s calls to use violence against peaceful protestors!
Washington’s Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory was less than impressed with Trump’s stunt.
“I find it baffling that and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree,” said Gregory in a statement.
Perhaps even more embarrassing for Trump than the Archbishop’s remarks was the behavior of his own wife. As the cameras snapped, First Lady Melania Trump appeared as if she’d rather be anywhere else in the world. Wearing big sunglasses, she looked at the photographers stone-faced, so clearly displeased to be there that it prompted her husband to ask her to smile. She responded with the barest curling of her lips.
That said, a little visible discomfort isn’t enough to absolve her of the damage she’s doing by enabling and supporting her monstrous husband.
Trump asks Melania to smile during today's photo op. pic.twitter.com/B59YeDHKRM — The Recount (@therecount) June 2, 2020
In what appears to be a weak attempt at damage control, the First Lady’s Twitter account later blasted out images of her and Trump at the shrine with the ridiculous claim that they had “honored the life & legacy of Saint John Paul II.” Her insistence that she and her husband are protecting “religious freedom” is rendered particularly ironic by his violent actions yesterday.
.@POTUS & I honored the life & legacy of Saint John Paul II at @JP2Shrine today. His passion & dedication for religious freedom is a legacy that we must protect for people around the world. pic.twitter.com/XsgrIc7QnC — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) June 2, 2020
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