truthout--2020-08-21--DNC Featured Most Native Speakers Ever, But Native Issues Remain Under-Addressed

This year ’ s Democratic National Convention ( DNC ) has had more Native representation than any other in the party ’ s history .
Native delegates were included in the opening roll call , Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez was one of 17 opening keynote speakers , and two Native American Caucus meetings held on August 18 and 20 featured rising stars in the party , like Minnesota Lt. Gov .
Peggy Flanagan ( White Earth Ojibwe ) , the first ever Native woman elected to the House of Representatives , New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland ( Laguna Pueblo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ho-Chunk ) , who has also been celebrated as the first openly LGBTQ woman elected to Congress from Kansas .
“ There are so many times I ’ ve been the only Native American in the room , but not this time , ” Haaland said during Tuesday ’ s caucus meeting .
Native people , especially women , are running for office in record numbers this year .
Native men have served in Congress , but as members of the GOP .
The Democratic Party may be beginning to accept that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer ignore the original peoples .
“ Just seeing our Native folks stepping up … I ’ m looking forward to when we have more Native women serving in the House and the Senate… .
We ’ re happy to be the first , but we won ’ t be the last , ” said Davids .
“ Native women have been leaders since time immemorial and it ’ s just the rest of the country catching up to us , ” said Flanagan .
Despite these advances , she also said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minnesota , I take two breaths .
The first breath is a deep breath to acknowledge the responsibility of being in this role .
The second breath is a breath of protection , knowing that I ’ m walking into a building and an institution that wasn ’ t created by us or for us , but in many ways was created to eliminate us.
” While American Indian and Alaskan Natives represent less than 2 percent of the total U.S. population , the community is a strong voting base that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Minnesota are going to come down to just a couple hundred votes , ” said Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego , chairman of the Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples .
“ Our tribal leaders will make a difference.
” Empowering Native voters and ending their disenfranchisement appears to be more of a priority for the caucus and Democratic Party than it has been in previous election cycles .
A panel featuring Indigenous youth , moderated by Idaho senatorial candidate Paulette Jordan ( Coeur d ’ Alene ) , centered on getting out the Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance as approximately 42 percent of the American Indian and Alaskan Native community is age 24 or younger .
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that the “ Native American vote will make the difference , especially the Native American youth vote.
” Sam Lopez ( Tohono O ’ odham ) affirmed that Native youth have a significant role to play in helping to decide the election , but many need resources like education on the voting process and transportation to the polls .
One of the most controversial participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the caucus despite her years of unfounded appropriation of the Cherokee and Delaware nations .
Caucus Chair Rion Ramirez ( Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians ) introduced Warren as a “ champion for Indian Country , ” despite the fact that Warren has yet to right the wrongs she committed by falsely claiming Cherokee and Delaware ancestry .
Given many Native grassroots activists ’ continued frustration with Warren over this issue , her inclusion on Tuesday shows an insensitivity within the party to ongoing critiques of Warren and how her ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ highly destructive to Native people.
” It remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party is ready to take substantive steps — steps that go beyond embracing more Native representation — in order to confront its racist and colonizing history and present .
The various caucus meeting speakers repeatedly stated that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be good for Indian Country .
Some Native people are skeptical , though .
Harris has a record of going against the sovereign interests of California tribal nations .
Many Native people haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama-Biden administration .
Not only did the administration advance the Keystone XL Pipeline , but it also sat silently for months as Native people , accomplices and media were arrested , brutalized , and physically and sexually assaulted while trying to defeat the Dakota Access Pipeline ( DAPL ) .
There are still Native people , such as Red Fawn Fallis , who are serving time for resisting DAPL .
Tuesday ’ s caucus meeting even included the song “ Stand Up/Stand N Rock ” in a get-out-the vote video , as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant role in DAPL .
Tuesday ’ s meeting also included former Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman Dave Archambault , who served during the NoDAPL resistance , on a panel for environmental justice in Indian Country .
All the panelists claimed Biden is good for the environment and Indian Country .
However , in the past , Biden has supported fracking and the use of gas as a clean-burning fuel , a fact that scientists and environmental organizers have repeatedly disputed .
The Democratic Party also dropped from its platform the proposal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , Thursday ’ s caucus meeting did address a number of issues important to Native communities .
The meeting featured a number of non-Native speakers , such as Van Jones , Mark Ruffalo , California Rep. Barbara Lee and Dr. Jill Biden .
This suggests the party has realized the importance of not only the Native vote but also coalition work .
The devastating impact COVID-19 has had on American Indian and Alaskan Native communities was a topic of discussion , as was funding for Indian Health Services and infrastructure to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The devastating impact of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls was also discussed , with Nevada Sen. Catherine Marie Cortez Masto saying , “ Too many of our Indigenous women and girls are murdered and missing and we don ’ t have the data or the resources.
” There is a dire lack of data on how many Indigenous women and girls , Two Spirits included , are missing and murdered .
The resources to tackle this problem have been greatly denied to Indian Country .
Indigenous women are being murdered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including a complex rubric of policy and Supreme Court case law that has effectively tied the hands of tribal government to protect their people while the U.S. has essentially given a free for all to all non-Natives to commit violence on our lands .
Masto continued that she was pleased to partner with former North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Savanna ’ s Act , which would give resources to law enforcement and tribal nations to combat this violence .
However , those in Indian Country know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our lands play a large role in this crisis .
These projects bring a transient workforce of overwhelmingly non-Native cisgender men to Native lands who then often take part in the sex trafficking and violence against Native womxn and people .
The rates of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls are higher near the man camps .
Both Heitkamp and Murkowski support resource extraction .
Heitkamp even supported DAPL .
This suggests that the party still hasn ’ t come to terms with the role it has played in this genocide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watchers to vote for Biden because he ’ ll stand with Indigenous communities in the fight to end the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls .
( Accusations of sexually predatory behavior against Biden , including sexual assault , went unaddressed . )
Missing from the caucus meetings , and the convention as a whole , was the topic of police violence against American Indian and Alaskan Native people .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that American Indian and Alaskan Native people suffer the highest rates per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Minneapolis police officer directly responsible for George Floyd ’ s murder , was also one of five officers placed on a three-day leave after having been involved in an incident in which another officer shot an Alaskan Native man .
The American Indian Movement , an influential grassroots organization founded in 1968 , was created in response to the police violence that American Indian and Alaskan Native Minneapolis residents suffered .
Ignoring Biden and Harris ’ s stance on law enforcement is a move that could hurt the party with further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all too familiar with the other end of a police baton or the feeling of gas hitting their lungs .
The Democratic Party appears to be amping up its efforts to get the Native vote .
Whether it will be able to persuade Native people to turn out en masse for Biden and Harris remains to be seen .

It remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party will take real steps to confront its colonizing past and present.
This year’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) has had more Native representation than any other in the party’s history.
Native delegates were included in the opening roll call, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez was one of 17 opening keynote speakers, and two Native American Caucus meetings held on August 18 and 20 featured rising stars in the party, like Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe), the first ever Native woman elected to the House of Representatives, New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk), who has also been celebrated as the first openly LGBTQ woman elected to Congress from Kansas.
“There are so many times I’ve been the only Native American in the room, but not this time,” Haaland said during Tuesday’s caucus meeting.
Native people, especially women, are running for office in record numbers this year. Native men have served in Congress, but as members of the GOP.
The Democratic Party may be beginning to accept that it resides on Native land and can no longer ignore the original peoples. “Just seeing our Native folks stepping up … I’m looking forward to when we have more Native women serving in the House and the Senate…. We’re happy to be the first, but we won’t be the last,” said Davids.
“Native women have been leaders since time immemorial and it’s just the rest of the country catching up to us,” said Flanagan. Despite these advances, she also said, “When I walk into the capitol in Minnesota, I take two breaths. The first breath is a deep breath to acknowledge the responsibility of being in this role. The second breath is a breath of protection, knowing that I’m walking into a building and an institution that wasn’t created by us or for us, but in many ways was created to eliminate us.”
While American Indian and Alaskan Natives represent less than 2 percent of the total U.S. population, the community is a strong voting base that could determine elections. “Arizona, Florida and Minnesota are going to come down to just a couple hundred votes,” said Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, chairman of the Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples. “Our tribal leaders will make a difference.”
Empowering Native voters and ending their disenfranchisement appears to be more of a priority for the caucus and Democratic Party than it has been in previous election cycles. A panel featuring Indigenous youth, moderated by Idaho senatorial candidate Paulette Jordan (Coeur d’Alene), centered on getting out the Native youth vote, which is of particular importance as approximately 42 percent of the American Indian and Alaskan Native community is age 24 or younger.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that the “Native American vote will make the difference, especially the Native American youth vote.”
Sam Lopez (Tohono O’odham) affirmed that Native youth have a significant role to play in helping to decide the election, but many need resources like education on the voting process and transportation to the polls.
One of the most controversial participants was Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who spoke during the caucus despite her years of unfounded appropriation of the Cherokee and Delaware nations. Caucus Chair Rion Ramirez (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians) introduced Warren as a “champion for Indian Country,” despite the fact that Warren has yet to right the wrongs she committed by falsely claiming Cherokee and Delaware ancestry.
Given many Native grassroots activists’ continued frustration with Warren over this issue, her inclusion on Tuesday shows an insensitivity within the party to ongoing critiques of Warren and how her ways of talking about Native identity have been “highly destructive to Native people.”
It remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party is ready to take substantive steps — steps that go beyond embracing more Native representation — in order to confront its racist and colonizing history and present.
The various caucus meeting speakers repeatedly stated that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be good for Indian Country. Some Native people are skeptical, though. Harris has a record of going against the sovereign interests of California tribal nations. Many Native people haven’t forgotten the broken promises made by the Obama-Biden administration. Not only did the administration advance the Keystone XL Pipeline, but it also sat silently for months as Native people, accomplices and media were arrested, brutalized, and physically and sexually assaulted while trying to defeat the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). There are still Native people, such as Red Fawn Fallis, who are serving time for resisting DAPL. Tuesday’s caucus meeting even included the song “Stand Up/Stand N Rock” in a get-out-the vote video, as if to erase the Democratic Party’s significant role in DAPL.
Tuesday’s meeting also included former Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman Dave Archambault, who served during the NoDAPL resistance, on a panel for environmental justice in Indian Country. All the panelists claimed Biden is good for the environment and Indian Country. However, in the past, Biden has supported fracking and the use of gas as a clean-burning fuel, a fact that scientists and environmental organizers have repeatedly disputed. The Democratic Party also dropped from its platform the proposal to end tax incentives for fossil fuels.
However, Thursday’s caucus meeting did address a number of issues important to Native communities. The meeting featured a number of non-Native speakers, such as Van Jones, Mark Ruffalo, California Rep. Barbara Lee and Dr. Jill Biden. This suggests the party has realized the importance of not only the Native vote but also coalition work.
The devastating impact COVID-19 has had on American Indian and Alaskan Native communities was a topic of discussion, as was funding for Indian Health Services and infrastructure to ensure access to clean water and high-speed broadband. The devastating impact of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls was also discussed, with Nevada Sen. Catherine Marie Cortez Masto saying, “Too many of our Indigenous women and girls are murdered and missing and we don’t have the data or the resources.”
There is a dire lack of data on how many Indigenous women and girls, Two Spirits included, are missing and murdered. The resources to tackle this problem have been greatly denied to Indian Country. Indigenous women are being murdered and going missing for many reasons, including a complex rubric of policy and Supreme Court case law that has effectively tied the hands of tribal government to protect their people while the U.S. has essentially given a free for all to all non-Natives to commit violence on our lands.
Masto continued that she was pleased to partner with former North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Savanna’s Act, which would give resources to law enforcement and tribal nations to combat this violence. However, those in Indian Country know that the man camps that resource extraction brings to our lands play a large role in this crisis. These projects bring a transient workforce of overwhelmingly non-Native cisgender men to Native lands who then often take part in the sex trafficking and violence against Native womxn and people. The rates of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls are higher near the man camps. Both Heitkamp and Murkowski support resource extraction. Heitkamp even supported DAPL. This suggests that the party still hasn’t come to terms with the role it has played in this genocide.
Many of the caucus speakers urged watchers to vote for Biden because he’ll stand with Indigenous communities in the fight to end the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. (Accusations of sexually predatory behavior against Biden, including sexual assault, went unaddressed.)
Missing from the caucus meetings, and the convention as a whole, was the topic of police violence against American Indian and Alaskan Native people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that American Indian and Alaskan Native people suffer the highest rates per capita of police violence.
Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer directly responsible for George Floyd’s murder, was also one of five officers placed on a three-day leave after having been involved in an incident in which another officer shot an Alaskan Native man.
The American Indian Movement, an influential grassroots organization founded in 1968, was created in response to the police violence that American Indian and Alaskan Native Minneapolis residents suffered. Ignoring Biden and Harris’s stance on law enforcement is a move that could hurt the party with further left and frontline Indigenous voters who are all too familiar with the other end of a police baton or the feeling of gas hitting their lungs.
The Democratic Party appears to be amping up its efforts to get the Native vote. Whether it will be able to persuade Native people to turn out en masse for Biden and Harris remains to be seen.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-08-21--DeJoy Has “No Intention” to Reinstall Sorting Machines, Mailboxes

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday that he has no plans to reinstate mail sorting machines in U.S .
Postal Service ( USPS ) facilities , nor to replace public mailboxes that have been removed across the country .
Questioned by Sen. Gary Peters ( D-Michigan ) about whether the dozens of sorting machines that were removed from USPS facilities throughout the U.S. , would be restored or not , DeJoy responded in the negative .
“ There ’ s no intention to do that , they ’ re not needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peters ’ s question .
DeJoy also faced scrutiny for the removal of many publicly placed mailboxes across the country .
When pressed on why USPS was removing the mailboxes , DeJoy claimed he had only learned about it after the fact .
“ I was made aware when everyone else was made aware , ” DeJoy said .
In spite of his claim to ignorance , DeJoy still defended their removal as a “ normal process that ’ s been around 50 years.
” DeJoy also sought to assure lawmakers that mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we head into the election season , I want to assure this committee , and the American public , that the Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation ’ s election mail securely and on time , ” DeJoy said .
But that contradicts what the USPS told 46 states last week , when it warned that the recent changes to sorting and delivering mail could result in some ballots not being delivered to officials on time to be counted in this year ’ s general election races .
News of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also announced earlier this week .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-California ) wrote a series of tweets about her conversations with the postmaster general , noting that “ he admitted he has no intention of replacing the sorting machines.
” While DeJoy suggested on Friday that mail sorting machines weren ’ t needed , despite their ability to organize as much as 36,000 pieces of mail per hour , postal workers have expressed differing opinions , with one clerk in Iowa describing how mail was “ beginning to pile up in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
DeJoy , who is a major donor to President Trump and the Republican party , had begun a series of so-called “ reforms ” to the USPS this summer , which included fewer work hours , changes to mail delivery and the removal of mail sorting machines .
The reforms were suspended after mounting outrage of delays in mail delivery and threats of lawsuits from 20 states ’ attorneys generals .
A number of critics have warned DeJoy ’ s moves were not simple cost-reduction reforms for the USPS but rather intentional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans unsure of its effectiveness .
The severe disruption to mail service , coupled by Trump ’ s clear opposition to mail-in voting , prompted former President Barack Obama to weigh in on the matter .
“ What are Republicans doing where you are so scared of people voting that you are now willing to undermine what is part of the basic infrastructure of American life ?
” Obama said during a podcast hosted by his former campaign manager David Plouffe .
In addition to the potential electoral and democratic fallout that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delays in mail delivery have already resulted in disastrous outcomes for many who depend on the Post Office .
Several individuals have reported that their prescriptions , bills , packages and other items have faced severe delays , with some veterans reported having waited more than two weeks longer than typical for the delivery of their medications .

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday that he has no plans to reinstate mail sorting machines in U.S. Postal Service (USPS) facilities, nor to replace public mailboxes that have been removed across the country.
Questioned by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) about whether the dozens of sorting machines that were removed from USPS facilities throughout the U.S., would be restored or not, DeJoy responded in the negative.
“There’s no intention to do that, they’re not needed,” DeJoy said in response to Peters’s question.
DeJoy also faced scrutiny for the removal of many publicly placed mailboxes across the country. When pressed on why USPS was removing the mailboxes, DeJoy claimed he had only learned about it after the fact.
“I was made aware when everyone else was made aware,” DeJoy said.
In spite of his claim to ignorance, DeJoy still defended their removal as a “normal process that’s been around 50 years.”
DeJoy also sought to assure lawmakers that mail-in ballots would be counted. “As we head into the election season, I want to assure this committee, and the American public, that the Postal Service is fully capable of delivering the nation’s election mail securely and on time,” DeJoy said.
But that contradicts what the USPS told 46 states last week, when it warned that the recent changes to sorting and delivering mail could result in some ballots not being delivered to officials on time to be counted in this year’s general election races.
News of plans not to reinstate sorting machines was also announced earlier this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) wrote a series of tweets about her conversations with the postmaster general, noting that “he admitted he has no intention of replacing the sorting machines.”
While DeJoy suggested on Friday that mail sorting machines weren’t needed, despite their ability to organize as much as 36,000 pieces of mail per hour, postal workers have expressed differing opinions, with one clerk in Iowa describing how mail was “beginning to pile up in our offices” as machines were being removed.
DeJoy, who is a major donor to President Trump and the Republican party, had begun a series of so-called “reforms” to the USPS this summer, which included fewer work hours, changes to mail delivery and the removal of mail sorting machines. The reforms were suspended after mounting outrage of delays in mail delivery and threats of lawsuits from 20 states’ attorneys generals.
A number of critics have warned DeJoy’s moves were not simple cost-reduction reforms for the USPS but rather intentional attempts to disrupt mail-in voting or make Americans unsure of its effectiveness.
The severe disruption to mail service, coupled by Trump’s clear opposition to mail-in voting, prompted former President Barack Obama to weigh in on the matter.
“What are Republicans doing where you are so scared of people voting that you are now willing to undermine what is part of the basic infrastructure of American life?” Obama said during a podcast hosted by his former campaign manager David Plouffe.
In addition to the potential electoral and democratic fallout that may result from changes to the USPS, delays in mail delivery have already resulted in disastrous outcomes for many who depend on the Post Office.
Several individuals have reported that their prescriptions, bills, packages and other items have faced severe delays, with some veterans reported having waited more than two weeks longer than typical for the delivery of their medications.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-08-21--Facebook Has Begun Purging Accounts Tied to Anti-Fascist Groups

On Wednesday a number of anarchist Facebook accounts , some of which were associated with the antifascist movement , were removed without warning .
These included It ’ s Going Down — a widely followed news and media platform publishing original content and reprinted analyses about “ anarchist , anti-fascist , autonomous anti-capitalist and anti-colonial movements ” — and the longstanding anarchist group CrimethInc , which describes itself as “ a decentralized network pledged to anonymous collective action.
” The removal of these anarchist accounts was part of a general purge , which also included many far right accounts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories that have inspired violence .
In a vaguely worded statement , Facebook said it was removing “ accounts tied to offline anarchist groups that support violent acts amidst protests , US-based militia organizations and QAnon.
” The purge is part of a new policy change that targets what Facebook describes as “ growing movements that , while not directly organizing violence , have celebrated violent acts , shown that they have weapons and suggest they will use them , or have individual followers with patterns of violent behavior.
” Facebook states the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrated significant risks to public safety but do not meet the rigorous criteria to be designated as a dangerous organization.
” Facebook said it removed almost 800 groups and 100 pages connected to QAnon , a popular far right conspiracy theory that has been linked to many acts of violence , including murder , arson and kidnapping .
Additionally , “ For militia organizations and those encouraging riots , including some who may identify as Antifa , ” almost 1,000 groups and over 500 pages were removed .
A larger number of accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had restrictions placed on them .
This is the first time a coordinated removal of multiple U.S. anarchist and antifascist accounts has happened on Facebook .
In addition to It ’ s Going Down ( IGD ) and the CrimethInc Ex-Workers Collective , banned accounts include the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front , which has organized some of the recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Portland , Oregon ; Enough is Enough , a German anarchist news platform ; various chapters of the John Brown Gun Club , an armed left-wing community defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the anarchist think tank Center for a Stateless Society ; and accounts for the radical musicians Sole , Time , and Calm ( the latter two belong to freelance writer Chris Steele , who has been published in Truthout ) .
News about more may emerge later .
Some have questioned whether the purged anarchist and antifascist accounts were sacrificial lambs thrown to conservatives in order to stymie claims that Facebook is discriminating against them .
The Rhode Island John Brown Gun Club said , “ Facebook has deleted our page as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” ( Far right accounts that were banned included armed groups like the Oath Keepers , New Mexico Civil Guard and 3 % Security Force . )
Others , however , analyzed the situation differently .
In a joint statement , CrimethInc and It ’ s Going Down claimed , “ This has nothing to do with stopping violence and everything to do with cracking down on social movements and everyday people getting organized in their communities.
” They drew attention to how Facebook ’ s language mirrored recent statements from Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded this crackdown in a series of social media posts explicitly blaming anarchists and anti-fascists for the countrywide wave of protests precipitated by persistent police violence in the United States.
” The joint statement from CrimethInc and It ’ s Going Down also accuses Attorney General William Barr of attempting to “ muddy the issue ” by “ lumping anarchists and anti-fascists together with far-right militias who explicitly support the state and especially the current administration.
” This enables the Justice Department “ to demand resources with which to crack down on those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defending communities ” being attacked by those same militias and conspiracy theorists , the two groups argued .
Indeed , Facebook ’ s statement alternately refers to “ Antifa ” and “ anarchist ” groups ; but while there is overlap between these movements , the two are not synonymous .
Trump , however , has referred to them interchangeably in recent statements .
( The situation was not helped when in late July , Democratic candidate Joe Biden also called for “ anarchists to be prosecuted.
” In the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political ideology . )
Cooper Brinson , an attorney at the Civil Liberties Defense Center , told me that “ Equivocating collectives like IGD and CrimethInc with violent fascists and white supremacists is ridiculous .
The far right has killed hundreds of people in the last few decades and nearly 40 people just in 2019 .
Anarchists and antifascists , on the other hand , have not been linked to a single murder in at least the last 25 years.
” David Neiwert , a long-time far right monitor , wrote “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ betrays how Facebook fundamentally doesn ’ t grasp the issue .
The far right thrives by spreading disinformation .
One of the underrated aspects of Antifa is that [ it ] spreads accurate information about the bad actors on the far right.
” It ’ s Going Down pointed out that it is “ a news platform — not a group — we cover , interview , and publish reports about contemporary autonomous social movements .
Violence is coming from the State and the far-right — we don ’ t ‘ aspire ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d like to see it end.
” Writer Kit O ’ Connell tweeted , “ Great to see Facebook is finally cracking down on the scourge of… *checks notes* rappers that are into permaculture.
” ( In a video , the rapper Sole says he is an anarchist who supports Black Lives Matter , but “ I haven ’ t broken any laws , I haven ’ t called for any acts of violence.
” ) NYC Antifa claimed , “ Facebook doesn ’ t care about ‘ violence ’ or its role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” noting the platform recently refused to hand over documents to the United Nations about its role in facilitating the 2016 Rohingya genocide in Myanmar .
Elsewhere , Facebook has been condemned as a vector of misinformation about COVID-19 in addition to numerous other conspiracy theories .
Facebook is not a favored platform for antifascists in general , and there have been a number of calls over the years to move antifascist accounts off the platform to more secure ones , but many have nevertheless relied on it .
Brinson said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these platforms in the first place .
While Facebook may be an effective medium for some types of organizing , it has also been one of the State ’ s biggest tools to identify , track , and target anarchists and leftists .
If this is the moment liberation movements resign Facebook to the collective dustbin , we may all be better off for it.
” Whether this initial purge is the harbinger of larger things to come remains to be seen .
But Mark Zuckerberg ’ s repeated pandering to Trump does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ramps up his election rhetoric against antifa and anarchists .
And if a second Trump term comes , it is likely to unleash not just more bans from platforms eager to curry favor with the administration but also increased attention from Justice Department and local prosecutors intent on repressing progressive social movements .

It remains to be seen whether this initial purge is the harbinger of larger things to come.
On Wednesday a number of anarchist Facebook accounts, some of which were associated with the antifascist movement, were removed without warning. These included It’s Going Down — a widely followed news and media platform publishing original content and reprinted analyses about “anarchist, anti-fascist, autonomous anti-capitalist and anti-colonial movements” — and the longstanding anarchist group CrimethInc, which describes itself as “a decentralized network pledged to anonymous collective action.” The removal of these anarchist accounts was part of a general purge, which also included many far right accounts, including those associated with paramilitaries and conspiracy theories that have inspired violence.
In a vaguely worded statement, Facebook said it was removing “accounts tied to offline anarchist groups that support violent acts amidst protests, US-based militia organizations and QAnon.” The purge is part of a new policy change that targets what Facebook describes as “growing movements that, while not directly organizing violence, have celebrated violent acts, shown that they have weapons and suggest they will use them, or have individual followers with patterns of violent behavior.” Facebook states the action will include those “that have demonstrated significant risks to public safety but do not meet the rigorous criteria to be designated as a dangerous organization.”
Facebook said it removed almost 800 groups and 100 pages connected to QAnon, a popular far right conspiracy theory that has been linked to many acts of violence, including murder, arson and kidnapping. Additionally, “For militia organizations and those encouraging riots, including some who may identify as Antifa,” almost 1,000 groups and over 500 pages were removed. A larger number of accounts and hashtags in all three categories also had restrictions placed on them.
This is the first time a coordinated removal of multiple U.S. anarchist and antifascist accounts has happened on Facebook. In addition to It’s Going Down (IGD) and the CrimethInc Ex-Workers Collective, banned accounts include the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front, which has organized some of the recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Portland, Oregon; Enough is Enough, a German anarchist news platform; various chapters of the John Brown Gun Club, an armed left-wing community defense group; a number of members of the anarchist think tank Center for a Stateless Society; and accounts for the radical musicians Sole, Time, and Calm (the latter two belong to freelance writer Chris Steele, who has been published in Truthout). News about more may emerge later.
Condemnation swiftly followed.
Some have questioned whether the purged anarchist and antifascist accounts were sacrificial lambs thrown to conservatives in order to stymie claims that Facebook is discriminating against them. The Rhode Island John Brown Gun Club said, “Facebook has deleted our page as part of this ridiculous ‘both sides purge.’” (Far right accounts that were banned included armed groups like the Oath Keepers, New Mexico Civil Guard and 3% Security Force.) Others, however, analyzed the situation differently.
In a joint statement, CrimethInc and It’s Going Down claimed, “This has nothing to do with stopping violence and everything to do with cracking down on social movements and everyday people getting organized in their communities.”
They drew attention to how Facebook’s language mirrored recent statements from Donald Trump, saying the president has “demanded this crackdown in a series of social media posts explicitly blaming anarchists and anti-fascists for the countrywide wave of protests precipitated by persistent police violence in the United States.”
The joint statement from CrimethInc and It’s Going Down also accuses Attorney General William Barr of attempting to “muddy the issue” by “lumping anarchists and anti-fascists together with far-right militias who explicitly support the state and especially the current administration.” This enables the Justice Department “to demand resources with which to crack down on those who are on the front lines of defending communities” being attacked by those same militias and conspiracy theorists, the two groups argued.
Indeed, Facebook’s statement alternately refers to “Antifa” and “anarchist” groups; but while there is overlap between these movements, the two are not synonymous. Trump, however, has referred to them interchangeably in recent statements. (The situation was not helped when in late July, Democratic candidate Joe Biden also called for “anarchists to be prosecuted.” In the United States, you can not be prosecuted based on political ideology.)
Cooper Brinson, an attorney at the Civil Liberties Defense Center, told me that “Equivocating collectives like IGD and CrimethInc with violent fascists and white supremacists is ridiculous. The far right has killed hundreds of people in the last few decades and nearly 40 people just in 2019. Anarchists and antifascists, on the other hand, have not been linked to a single murder in at least the last 25 years.”
David Neiwert, a long-time far right monitor, wrote “This is outrageous. Equating antifa with QAnon betrays how Facebook fundamentally doesn’t grasp the issue. The far right thrives by spreading disinformation. One of the underrated aspects of Antifa is that [it] spreads accurate information about the bad actors on the far right.”
It’s Going Down pointed out that it is “a news platform — not a group — we cover, interview, and publish reports about contemporary autonomous social movements. Violence is coming from the State and the far-right — we don’t ‘aspire’ for more of it, we’d like to see it end.”
Writer Kit O’Connell tweeted, “Great to see Facebook is finally cracking down on the scourge of… *checks notes* rappers that are into permaculture.” (In a video, the rapper Sole says he is an anarchist who supports Black Lives Matter, but “I haven’t broken any laws, I haven’t called for any acts of violence.”)
NYC Antifa claimed, “Facebook doesn’t care about ‘violence’ or its role in spreading bigotry and literal genocide,” noting the platform recently refused to hand over documents to the United Nations about its role in facilitating the 2016 Rohingya genocide in Myanmar.
Elsewhere, Facebook has been condemned as a vector of misinformation about COVID-19 in addition to numerous other conspiracy theories.
Facebook is not a favored platform for antifascists in general, and there have been a number of calls over the years to move antifascist accounts off the platform to more secure ones, but many have nevertheless relied on it.
Brinson said, “it was bad form to organize on these platforms in the first place. While Facebook may be an effective medium for some types of organizing, it has also been one of the State’s biggest tools to identify, track, and target anarchists and leftists. If this is the moment liberation movements resign Facebook to the collective dustbin, we may all be better off for it.”
Whether this initial purge is the harbinger of larger things to come remains to be seen. But Mark Zuckerberg’s repeated pandering to Trump does not bode well — especially if the president ramps up his election rhetoric against antifa and anarchists. And if a second Trump term comes, it is likely to unleash not just more bans from platforms eager to curry favor with the administration but also increased attention from Justice Department and local prosecutors intent on repressing progressive social movements.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-08-21--Biden Vows to Fight COVID, Climate, Racism and Economic Meltdown

AMY GOODMAN : The Democratic National Convention ended with former Vice President Joe Biden speaking in Wilmington , Delaware .
Ella Baker , a giant of the civil rights movement , left us with this wisdom : “ Give people light and they will find a way.
” Give people light .
Those are words for our time .
The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long — too much anger , too much fear , too much division .
Here and now , I give you my word : If you entrust me with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best of us , not the worst .
I ’ ll be an ally of the light , not the darkness .
It ’ s time for us , for We the People , to come together .
And make no mistake : United , we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America .
We ’ ll choose hope over fear , facts over fiction , fairness over privilege .
I ’ m a proud Democrat .
And I ’ ll be proud to carry the banner of our party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s with great honor and humility I accept this nomination for president of the United States of America .
But while I ’ ll be a Democratic candidate , I will be an American president .
I ’ ll work hard for those who didn ’ t support me , as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me .
That ’ s the job of a president , to represent all of us , not just our base or our party .
This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an American moment .
It ’ s a moment that calls for hope and light and love — hope for our future , light to see our way forward , and love for one another .
America isn ’ t just a collection of clashing interests of red states or blue states .
We ’ re so much bigger than that .
We ’ re so much better than that .
Now nearly a century ago , Franklin Roosevelt pledged a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment , uncertainty and fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virus , FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail , and he believed America could , as well .
And he did .
And we can , as well .
This campaign isn ’ t just about winning votes .
It ’ s about winning the heart and , yes , the soul of America — winning it for the generous among us , not the selfish ; winning it for the workers who keep this country going , not just the privileged few at the top ; winning it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a knee on the neck , for all the young people who have known only America being of — in rising inequity and shrinking opportunity .
They deserve to experience America ’ s promise .
They deserve to experience it in full .
You know , no generation ever knows what history will ask of it .
All we can ever know is whether we ’ re ready when that moment arrives .
And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced — four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , a perfect storm : the worst pandemic in over a hundred years , the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression , the most compelling call for racial justice since the ’ 60s , and the undeniable realities and just the accelerating threats of climate change .
So , the question for us is simple : Are we ready ?
I believe we are .
We must be .
You know , all elections are important .
But we know in our bones this one is more consequential .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an inflection point , a time of real peril , but also of extraordinary possibilities .
We can choose a path in becoming angrier , less hopeful , more divided , a path of shadow and suspicion , or — or we can choose a different path and , together , take this chance to heal , to reform , to unite , a path of hope and light .
This is a life-changing election .
This will determine what America ’ s going to look like for a long , long @ @

AMY GOODMAN: The Democratic National Convention ended with former Vice President Joe Biden speaking in Wilmington, Delaware.
JOE BIDEN: Good evening.
Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, left us with this wisdom: “Give people light and they will find a way.” Give people light. Those are words for our time. The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long — too much anger, too much fear, too much division. Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I’ll be an ally of the light, not the darkness.
It’s time for us, for We the People, to come together. And make no mistake: United, we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America. We’ll choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege.
I’m a proud Democrat. And I’ll be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election. So, it’s with great honor and humility I accept this nomination for president of the United States of America.
But while I’ll be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I’ll work hard for those who didn’t support me, as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me. That’s the job of a president, to represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment. It’s a moment that calls for hope and light and love — hope for our future, light to see our way forward, and love for one another.
America isn’t just a collection of clashing interests of red states or blue states. We’re so much bigger than that. We’re so much better than that.
Now nearly a century ago, Franklin Roosevelt pledged a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment, uncertainty and fear. Stricken by disease, stricken by a virus, FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail, and he believed America could, as well. And he did. And we can, as well.
This campaign isn’t just about winning votes. It’s about winning the heart and, yes, the soul of America — winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish; winning it for the workers who keep this country going, not just the privileged few at the top; winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of a knee on the neck, for all the young people who have known only America being of — in rising inequity and shrinking opportunity. They deserve to experience America’s promise. They deserve to experience it in full.
You know, no generation ever knows what history will ask of it. All we can ever know is whether we’re ready when that moment arrives. And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced — four – four historic crises, all at the same time, a perfect storm: the worst pandemic in over a hundred years, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the most compelling call for racial justice since the ’60s, and the undeniable realities and just the accelerating threats of climate change.
So, the question for us is simple: Are we ready?
I believe we are. We must be.
You know, all elections are important. But we know in our bones this one is more consequential. As many have said, America is at an inflection point, a time of real peril, but also of extraordinary possibilities. We can choose a path in becoming angrier, less hopeful, more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion, or — or we can choose a different path and, together, take this chance to heal, to reform, to unite, a path of hope and light. This is a life-changing election. This will determine what America’s going to look like for a long, long time.


truthout--2020-08-21--The People Who Help Run Our Elections Are Regularly Receiving Death Threats

Jared Dearing , the director of Kentucky ’ s Board of Elections , had little to do with Louisville , the state ’ s largest city , having only one polling place for the June 28 primary .
It was a county decision , and it made sense .
In-person turnout was expected to be low during the pandemic .
The polling place , a convention center , offered multiple locations to cast ballots , and transportation by bus there was free .
Nevertheless , as luminaries from LeBron James to U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar , D-Minn. , tweeted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters , threats poured into Dearing ’ s office .
“ You ’ re too scared to answer your phone , ” one man said in a voicemail message from a blocked number .
“ Go find a gun and kill yourself .
Every person that didn ’ t get to vote because of you should get to beat the shit out of you.
” The man , who identified himself as a Washington , D.C. , resident , expressed hope that Dearing , a “ bigoted whore , ” would be mangled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another voicemail , the same caller predicted that every member of Dearing ’ s staff , whom he called “ evil fucks , ” would be damned for eternity .
“ Y ’ all are going to hell .
God sees you .
He sees you committing voter suppression , and that is a mortal sin.
” Such abuse isn ’ t limited to Kentucky .
Across the country , election administrators and their staffs are facing unprecedented attacks , much of it from outside their jurisdictions , from both left- and right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American politics has reached such a fever pitch that the bureaucrats who operate the machinery of democracy — and largely lack the authority to change it — are harassed and threatened in language that would be out of place even if they were candidates espousing extremist views .
This pressure , along with health concerns , is prompting an unusually large number of election officials to step down , thinning the ranks of experienced administrators at a turbulent time when they are dealing with record numbers of absentee ballot applications , which in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dearing , a Democrat who supports voting by mail during the pandemic , stayed on the job , but he was rattled .
“ It was disturbing , ” he said of the threats .
“ Elections are always tense , but this year was something different .
There is a new and increasing level of acrimony , specifically directed at administrators.
” In Washoe County , Nevada , a mailed-in ballot for the state ’ s May primary had “ SEALED WITH COVID SPIT ” written on the outside of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a threat , ” said Deanna Spikula , the county ’ s registrar of voters .
The ballot was not counted , and the envelope was turned over to police .
There was insufficient evidence to bring charges against the sender , said Michelle Bays , chief investigator for the Washoe County district attorney ’ s office .
In Evansville , Indiana , after an activist named Janet Reed sent out hundreds of absentee ballot applications in May that allegedly sought to deceive voters into registering as Democrats , recipients who assumed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to flood its phone lines with furious accusations of malfeasance .
“ We have received many calls at the election office irate with our staff , and [ they ] think it ’ s our fault that this is happening , ” County Clerk Carla Hayden told the Election Board in a May meeting .
“ They ’ ve been cursed at .
They ’ ve been hung up on — all kinds of things , which is really unfortunate because they ’ re working very , very hard and helping extra hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do with trying to fix this error that someone else made.
” Reed , who did not respond to a request for comment , has been charged with felony election fraud .
Oregon ’ s state election director , Steve Trout , said he has been harassed on the phone and social media by people wrongly accusing him of , among other things , changing voters ’ party affiliations without consent .
A conspiracy theory website , Gateway Pundit , spread the allegations , which originated with a group called My Party Was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters had changed their registration years before or they were automatically registered through the state ’ s relatively new system , which doesn ’ t require them to specify a party .
“ The threatening calls and emails are an annoyance that take time away from our important election duties and do not help improve elections in any way , ” Trout said in an email .
“ They also reduce our ability to assist voters with real questions and issues.
” Elections administrators say that morale is the lowest they have ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cohen , the director of the National Association of State Election Directors , acknowledged the pressure in a tweet from NASED ’ s account , saying , “ We knew 2020 would be hard for election officials , but it ’ s been more challenging than ever imagined.
” More than 20 local election administrators have resigned or retired since March 1 , citing burnout , stress or health concerns , according to a ProPublica survey .
In Alabama , which pays state employees an extra $ 165 or more a day to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee County Circuit Court Clerk Mary Roberson recently gave up this side job .
Roberson cited the stress of a lawsuit filed against the state and county by the League of Women Voters to expand vote-by-mail options , according to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill .
A federal judge dismissed the case this month .
After the lawsuit ended , Roberson told Merrill , “ I think I ’ ve had about as much fun as I can stand , ” he said .
Roberson did not respond to a request for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , Texas — the state ’ s most populous county — resigned in May , less than halfway through her first term , as she tried to navigate a massive increase in voting by mail while beset with complaints from Republican activists .
Her resignation letter cited personal health concerns .
The longtime clerk of Payette County , Idaho , resigned effective June 1 , the day before ballots for the state ’ s primary began to be counted , pointing to health concerns and frustration with new software the state had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just been a very trying primary , ” she told local media .
Multiple election officials in Milwaukee quit after a chaotic Wisconsin primary in April .
The coronavirus has also taken a toll .
The clerk of Jackson County , Kansas , was infected with COVID-19 and was quarantined during the state ’ s August primary along with several other members of the staff .
The county treasurer stepped in to run the office .
After serving for 39 years , the clerk of Marion County , West Virginia , resigned on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her health and the disappointment in not being able to be more instrumental in probably the most difficult election in 100 years weighed on her , ” her deputy told local media .
And in Montgomery County , Tennessee , the clerk resigned in June , two years into her four-year term , after her mother died from complications of COVID-19 .
“ The time has come for me to concentrate on my health and family priorities , ” she wrote .
Neal Kelley , the election director of Orange County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-June and hospitalized .
“ I had a very high fever and night sweats for three or four days , and then it became breathing issues , and then what caused me to seek out medical help was when I started getting these muscle aches and joint pains that almost paralyzed my body , ” he said .
It took him three weeks to fight off the virus .
Still , he only took a few days off work .
“ In my job , we have to work all the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was able to start working from home , ” he said .
“ I was literally in bed with my laptop , plugging away .
I was virtually in the office everyday.
” As he was recovering , he oversaw the building of a full-scale model of a voting center , so that his staff could test social distancing scenarios and run drills for poll workers .
The near-daily false assertions by President Donald Trump and members of his administration about widespread vote-by-mail fraud have spurred much of the backlash against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a total set up to cheat !
!
Democrats are a disgrace !
!
How is everyone receiving mail in ballots being allowed ?
?
” one voter said on Facebook in response to Connecticut ’ s secretary of state encouraging voting by mail .
Dwight Shellman , who manages county services for the secretary of state ’ s office in Colorado , wrote on Twitter on July 30 , “ It is tedious & exhausting to work your ass off to ensure , in your own , small way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & exercise their franchise in whatever environment the future holds , only to be undermined daily by lies & disinformation from your own President .
Argh.
” A county election administrator , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , said , “ I go into work every single day wondering what I ’ m going to see [ Trump ] tweet.
” The official added , “ I have a thousand things to do , and I know that I ’ ll spend at least an hour of my day fielding calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right or questions from the media who think they need to report on what he said.
” Especially frustrating to election administrations is that many of these angry calls come from outsiders who vote in other jurisdictions .
On Georgia ’ s primary day , June 9 , a state election call center received more than 1,000 calls by noon .
About one-fourth were not from Georgia numbers , and these calls lasted several seconds longer on average than those from in-state numbers .
An analysis of calls to Kentucky ’ s elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same pattern .
Nearly one-third came from out-of-state numbers , and those took an average of about three minutes , almost 20 seconds longer than in-state calls .
Plus , residents of other states , including Oregon , Colorado and California , emailed dozens of complaints to the board about what they viewed as voter suppression tactics .
“ We will sue , ” a California resident emailed Dearing .
“ My father is a Kentucky Lawyer .
And this is gross .
You should know how you are being seen by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , and probably , by God.
” One caller also evoked the Lord .
“ Whoever caused this should be hung from a tree .
That ’ s right , lynched , ” the man told Dearing in a voicemail .
“ Jesus thinks you ’ re a piece of shit.
” That voicemail came from a blocked number .
Other callers insulted Dearing ’ s staff members , subjecting them to long , curse-filled tirades , he said .
Unaware that a receptionist was Black , one caller labeled her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Louisville convention center largely handled the voting without problems , and there were no lines for most of primary day .
Afterward , some of the critics offered belated praise .
The state Democratic Party — which had stoked fear over Louisville on social media and elsewhere — put out a press release saying that “ other states should be reaching out to Kentucky for advice , as a potential blueprint for scaling up pandemic-safe voting for the November elections .
”

Jared Dearing, the director of Kentucky’s Board of Elections, had little to do with Louisville, the state’s largest city, having only one polling place for the June 28 primary. It was a county decision, and it made sense. In-person turnout was expected to be low during the pandemic. The polling place, a convention center, offered multiple locations to cast ballots, and transportation by bus there was free.
Nevertheless, as luminaries from LeBron James to U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., tweeted in outrage about the supposed disenfranchisement of Louisville voters, threats poured into Dearing’s office. “You’re too scared to answer your phone,” one man said in a voicemail message from a blocked number. “Go find a gun and kill yourself. Every person that didn’t get to vote because of you should get to beat the shit out of you.” The man, who identified himself as a Washington, D.C., resident, expressed hope that Dearing, a “bigoted whore,” would be mangled in a flaming car crash.
In another voicemail, the same caller predicted that every member of Dearing’s staff, whom he called “evil fucks,” would be damned for eternity. “Y’all are going to hell. God sees you. He sees you committing voter suppression, and that is a mortal sin.”
Such abuse isn’t limited to Kentucky. Across the country, election administrators and their staffs are facing unprecedented attacks, much of it from outside their jurisdictions, from both left- and right-wing voters and activists. The polarization of American politics has reached such a fever pitch that the bureaucrats who operate the machinery of democracy — and largely lack the authority to change it — are harassed and threatened in language that would be out of place even if they were candidates espousing extremist views. This pressure, along with health concerns, is prompting an unusually large number of election officials to step down, thinning the ranks of experienced administrators at a turbulent time when they are dealing with record numbers of absentee ballot applications, which in most places must be processed by hand.
Dearing, a Democrat who supports voting by mail during the pandemic, stayed on the job, but he was rattled. “It was disturbing,” he said of the threats. “Elections are always tense, but this year was something different. There is a new and increasing level of acrimony, specifically directed at administrators.”
In Washoe County, Nevada, a mailed-in ballot for the state’s May primary had “SEALED WITH COVID SPIT” written on the outside of the envelope. “We took that as a threat,” said Deanna Spikula, the county’s registrar of voters. The ballot was not counted, and the envelope was turned over to police. There was insufficient evidence to bring charges against the sender, said Michelle Bays, chief investigator for the Washoe County district attorney’s office.
In Evansville, Indiana, after an activist named Janet Reed sent out hundreds of absentee ballot applications in May that allegedly sought to deceive voters into registering as Democrats, recipients who assumed that she worked for the elections office began to flood its phone lines with furious accusations of malfeasance.
“We have received many calls at the election office irate with our staff, and [they] think it’s our fault that this is happening,” County Clerk Carla Hayden told the Election Board in a May meeting. “They’ve been cursed at. They’ve been hung up on — all kinds of things, which is really unfortunate because they’re working very, very hard and helping extra hours. And some of it has to do with trying to fix this error that someone else made.” Reed, who did not respond to a request for comment, has been charged with felony election fraud.
Oregon’s state election director, Steve Trout, said he has been harassed on the phone and social media by people wrongly accusing him of, among other things, changing voters’ party affiliations without consent. A conspiracy theory website, Gateway Pundit, spread the allegations, which originated with a group called My Party Was Changed Oregon. In fact, the voters had changed their registration years before or they were automatically registered through the state’s relatively new system, which doesn’t require them to specify a party.
“The threatening calls and emails are an annoyance that take time away from our important election duties and do not help improve elections in any way,” Trout said in an email. “They also reduce our ability to assist voters with real questions and issues.”
Elections administrators say that morale is the lowest they have ever seen. In early July, Amy Cohen, the director of the National Association of State Election Directors, acknowledged the pressure in a tweet from NASED’s account, saying, “We knew 2020 would be hard for election officials, but it’s been more challenging than ever imagined.”
More than 20 local election administrators have resigned or retired since March 1, citing burnout, stress or health concerns, according to a ProPublica survey. In Alabama, which pays state employees an extra $165 or more a day to manage absentee ballot applications and mailings, Lee County Circuit Court Clerk Mary Roberson recently gave up this side job. Roberson cited the stress of a lawsuit filed against the state and county by the League of Women Voters to expand vote-by-mail options, according to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill. A federal judge dismissed the case this month.
After the lawsuit ended, Roberson told Merrill, “I think I’ve had about as much fun as I can stand,” he said. Roberson did not respond to a request for comment.
The elections director in Harris County, Texas — the state’s most populous county — resigned in May, less than halfway through her first term, as she tried to navigate a massive increase in voting by mail while beset with complaints from Republican activists. Her resignation letter cited personal health concerns. The longtime clerk of Payette County, Idaho, resigned effective June 1, the day before ballots for the state’s primary began to be counted, pointing to health concerns and frustration with new software the state had rolled out. “It’s just been a very trying primary,” she told local media. Multiple election officials in Milwaukee quit after a chaotic Wisconsin primary in April.
The coronavirus has also taken a toll. The clerk of Jackson County, Kansas, was infected with COVID-19 and was quarantined during the state’s August primary along with several other members of the staff. The county treasurer stepped in to run the office.
After serving for 39 years, the clerk of Marion County, West Virginia, resigned on July 1. “The COVID situation and her health and the disappointment in not being able to be more instrumental in probably the most difficult election in 100 years weighed on her,” her deputy told local media. And in Montgomery County, Tennessee, the clerk resigned in June, two years into her four-year term, after her mother died from complications of COVID-19. “The time has come for me to concentrate on my health and family priorities,” she wrote.
Neal Kelley, the election director of Orange County, California, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in mid-June and hospitalized. “I had a very high fever and night sweats for three or four days, and then it became breathing issues, and then what caused me to seek out medical help was when I started getting these muscle aches and joint pains that almost paralyzed my body,” he said. It took him three weeks to fight off the virus.
Still, he only took a few days off work. “In my job, we have to work all the time. So once I got past the fevers, I was able to start working from home,” he said. “I was literally in bed with my laptop, plugging away. I was virtually in the office everyday.” As he was recovering, he oversaw the building of a full-scale model of a voting center, so that his staff could test social distancing scenarios and run drills for poll workers.
The near-daily false assertions by President Donald Trump and members of his administration about widespread vote-by-mail fraud have spurred much of the backlash against state and local election administrators. “It’s a total set up to cheat!! Democrats are a disgrace!! How is everyone receiving mail in ballots being allowed??” one voter said on Facebook in response to Connecticut’s secretary of state encouraging voting by mail.
Dwight Shellman, who manages county services for the secretary of state’s office in Colorado, wrote on Twitter on July 30, “It is tedious & exhausting to work your ass off to ensure, in your own, small way, that US citizens can safely vote & exercise their franchise in whatever environment the future holds, only to be undermined daily by lies & disinformation from your own President. Argh.”
A county election administrator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “I go into work every single day wondering what I’m going to see [Trump] tweet.” The official added, “I have a thousand things to do, and I know that I’ll spend at least an hour of my day fielding calls from angry voters convinced he’s right or questions from the media who think they need to report on what he said.”
Especially frustrating to election administrations is that many of these angry calls come from outsiders who vote in other jurisdictions. On Georgia’s primary day, June 9, a state election call center received more than 1,000 calls by noon. About one-fourth were not from Georgia numbers, and these calls lasted several seconds longer on average than those from in-state numbers.
An analysis of calls to Kentucky’s elections board ahead of the primary shows the same pattern. Nearly one-third came from out-of-state numbers, and those took an average of about three minutes, almost 20 seconds longer than in-state calls. Plus, residents of other states, including Oregon, Colorado and California, emailed dozens of complaints to the board about what they viewed as voter suppression tactics.
“We will sue,” a California resident emailed Dearing. “My father is a Kentucky Lawyer. And this is gross. You should know how you are being seen by the rest of Kentucky, the rest of the world, and probably, by God.”
One caller also evoked the Lord. “Whoever caused this should be hung from a tree. That’s right, lynched,” the man told Dearing in a voicemail. “Jesus thinks you’re a piece of shit.” That voicemail came from a blocked number.
Other callers insulted Dearing’s staff members, subjecting them to long, curse-filled tirades, he said. Unaware that a receptionist was Black, one caller labeled her a racist.
As it turned out, the Louisville convention center largely handled the voting without problems, and there were no lines for most of primary day. Afterward, some of the critics offered belated praise. The state Democratic Party — which had stoked fear over Louisville on social media and elsewhere — put out a press release saying that “other states should be reaching out to Kentucky for advice, as a potential blueprint for scaling up pandemic-safe voting for the November elections.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-08-21--Biden Isn’t a Progressive. The Question Is How Far He Can Be Pushed.

By now , teeming bacteria on the volcanic floor of the Mariana Trench have heard that last night was the speech of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s life .
It was , and he exceeded expectations .
At his best , Joe Biden gives speeches the way good carpenters build bookcases : All sturdy right angles and nothing too fancy .
Last night , certainly in awareness of the stakes , Biden found a new gear .
His rhetoric did not soar , but he was evocative in his passion .
He did not say the words “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his opponent in tatters all the same .
On a night requiring maximum performance , Biden built the bookcase with no wood screws left over .
Nowhere was this more evident than when Biden put on pads and a helmet and charged straight at the COVID-19 crisis .
In a country filled with millions of voters who are bone-weary of bad news , Biden gave them some more with no varnish , splinters and all .
It was a risk , but after months of bald-faced lies and equivocation from the administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight dope , finally , from someone who calls himself a leader .
“ As president , the first step I will take will be to get control of the virus that ’ s ruined so many lives , ” said Biden .
“ Because I understand something this president doesn ’ t .
We will never get our economy back on track , we will never get our kids safely back to school , we will never have our lives back , until we deal with this virus.
” Biden reeled off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confront the pandemic if he wins in November , many of which should have happened months ago : Rapid testing , personal protective equipment for all who need it ( in a bleak historical counterpoint to “ a chicken in every pot ” ) , safely opened schools , experts who can speak without fearing for their jobs , and a national mask mandate until the virus is under control .
Biden ’ s November opponent , by contrast , spent yesterday blundering around the country like a bat lost in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Scranton , Pennsylvania , Trump said of Biden , “ He left .
He abandoned Pennsylvania .
He abandoned Scranton .
He was here for a short period of time , and he didn ’ t even know it.
” Joe Biden was 10 years old when his family moved from Scranton to Delaware after his father lost his job .
Things got positively apocalyptic from there .
“ If you want a vision of your life under [ a ] Biden presidency , ” Trump snarled , “ think of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anarchy of Portland , the bloodstained sidewalks of Chicago , and imagine the mayhem coming to your town and every single town in America.
” It reminded me of George W. Bush-era Republicans who claimed Bush protected us from terrorism while omitting the hole in the sky above Lower Manhattan .
Trump fans don ’ t like masks , but they do blinders like a catwalk model does heels .
The four days of the Democratic National Convention came off like they were on rails , technologically seamless and deeply moving in places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17-person keynote , the children speaking their hearts and minds , punctuated by towering speeches from Michelle and Barack Obama and other party heavyweights , all came together in what may very well become the prototype for conventions in the 21st century .
Yet all the championing of Black Lives Matter , of better health care for all , the warnings of looming climate catastrophe , and the shouted alarms on the existential threat to democracy itself posed by the president of the United States , does not change the fact that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishment for the sole purpose of nominating a center-right ticket .
It is what it is , as Trump says of the dead and Michelle Obama says of Trump .
It was a magnificent TV show that will be the measuring stick for next week ’ s Republican mayhem convention — I mean , would it surprise you if the GOP had a convention panel featuring Kid Rock and Scott Baio coughing on each other to “ prove ” COVID is fake ?
— but as every adult except Trump knows full well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Biden administration would have to be pushed , and pushed hard , by progressive activists from day one .
I can only laugh into my sleeve whenever Trump tries to describe Biden/Harris as some secret Trojan horse for socialism ; he may as well accuse Biden of being Batman .
BLM showed us how effective grassroots protest can be in the face of entrenched power , and we will all likely need to flex those muscles again .
That being rightly said , I have been giving a great deal of thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Esquire ’ s Charles P. Pierce .
“ Biden has been an influential Democrat through all of this .
He has been a loyal party man , ” wrote Pierce .
The thrust of his argument is that Biden wallowed in the muck of Clinton-era economic neoliberalism and Republican “ law and order ” brutality because that is where the party was headed , and he went with it .
This is no excuse for the gruesome pieces of legislation bearing Biden ’ s name from those years , but that blade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ [ H ] ow sincere do you believe Joe Biden is in his newfound adoption of positions that would have been unthinkable 20 years — or 20 months — before [ ? ]
” asked Pierce .
“ If he thinks that ’ s where the party ’ s headed , he will go along .
His history proves that he will , and that he likely will do it with gusto.
” Thin gruel , to be sure , but progressive House leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her allies have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidenced again by this year ’ s round of primary victories .
Biden reads the wind well .
If it continues to blow leftward , and if Mitch McConnell finds himself either in the Senate minority or fully unemployed , a President Biden may decide to blow with it .
Stranger things have happened , and if COVID has taught us anything , it is that government does the most damage when it does nothing in a crisis .
That lesson will still have teeth in January , and for many long years @ @ @

By now, teeming bacteria on the volcanic floor of the Mariana Trench have heard that last night was the speech of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s life. It was, and he exceeded expectations.
At his best, Joe Biden gives speeches the way good carpenters build bookcases: All sturdy right angles and nothing too fancy. Last night, certainly in awareness of the stakes, Biden found a new gear. His rhetoric did not soar, but he was evocative in his passion. He did not say the words “Donald Trump” once, but left his opponent in tatters all the same. On a night requiring maximum performance, Biden built the bookcase with no wood screws left over.
Nowhere was this more evident than when Biden put on pads and a helmet and charged straight at the COVID-19 crisis. In a country filled with millions of voters who are bone-weary of bad news, Biden gave them some more with no varnish, splinters and all. It was a risk, but after months of bald-faced lies and equivocation from the administration, it was grimly satisfying to hear the straight dope, finally, from someone who calls himself a leader.
“As president, the first step I will take will be to get control of the virus that’s ruined so many lives,” said Biden. “Because I understand something this president doesn’t. We will never get our economy back on track, we will never get our kids safely back to school, we will never have our lives back, until we deal with this virus.”
Biden reeled off a litany of actions he will take to confront the pandemic if he wins in November, many of which should have happened months ago: Rapid testing, personal protective equipment for all who need it (in a bleak historical counterpoint to “a chicken in every pot”), safely opened schools, experts who can speak without fearing for their jobs, and a national mask mandate until the virus is under control.
Biden’s November opponent, by contrast, spent yesterday blundering around the country like a bat lost in the daylight. At a rally just outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Trump said of Biden, “He left. He abandoned Pennsylvania. He abandoned Scranton. He was here for a short period of time, and he didn’t even know it.” Joe Biden was 10 years old when his family moved from Scranton to Delaware after his father lost his job.
Things got positively apocalyptic from there. “If you want a vision of your life under [a] Biden presidency,” Trump snarled, “think of the smoldering ruins in Minneapolis, the violent anarchy of Portland, the bloodstained sidewalks of Chicago, and imagine the mayhem coming to your town and every single town in America.”
It reminded me of George W. Bush-era Republicans who claimed Bush protected us from terrorism while omitting the hole in the sky above Lower Manhattan. Trump fans don’t like masks, but they do blinders like a catwalk model does heels.
A Biden administration would have to be pushed, and pushed hard, by progressive activists from day one.
The four days of the Democratic National Convention came off like they were on rails, technologically seamless and deeply moving in places. The delegate roll call, the 17-person keynote, the children speaking their hearts and minds, punctuated by towering speeches from Michelle and Barack Obama and other party heavyweights, all came together in what may very well become the prototype for conventions in the 21st century.
Yet all the championing of Black Lives Matter, of better health care for all, the warnings of looming climate catastrophe, and the shouted alarms on the existential threat to democracy itself posed by the president of the United States, does not change the fact that this convention was run by a center-right Democratic establishment for the sole purpose of nominating a center-right ticket.
It is what it is, as Trump says of the dead and Michelle Obama says of Trump. It was a magnificent TV show that will be the measuring stick for next week’s Republican mayhem convention — I mean, would it surprise you if the GOP had a convention panel featuring Kid Rock and Scott Baio coughing on each other to “prove” COVID is fake? — but as every adult except Trump knows full well, TV shows are not reality.
A Biden administration would have to be pushed, and pushed hard, by progressive activists from day one. I can only laugh into my sleeve whenever Trump tries to describe Biden/Harris as some secret Trojan horse for socialism; he may as well accuse Biden of being Batman. BLM showed us how effective grassroots protest can be in the face of entrenched power, and we will all likely need to flex those muscles again.
That being rightly said, I have been giving a great deal of thought lately to an article written last March by Esquire’s Charles P. Pierce. “Biden has been an influential Democrat through all of this. He has been a loyal party man,” wrote Pierce. The thrust of his argument is that Biden wallowed in the muck of Clinton-era economic neoliberalism and Republican “law and order” brutality because that is where the party was headed, and he went with it.
This is no excuse for the gruesome pieces of legislation bearing Biden’s name from those years, but that blade also has a keen second edge. “[H]ow sincere do you believe Joe Biden is in his newfound adoption of positions that would have been unthinkable 20 years — or 20 months — before[?]” asked Pierce. “If he thinks that’s where the party’s headed, he will go along. His history proves that he will, and that he likely will do it with gusto.”
Thin gruel, to be sure, but progressive House leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her allies have a great deal of momentum at present, evidenced again by this year’s round of primary victories. Biden reads the wind well. If it continues to blow leftward, and if Mitch McConnell finds himself either in the Senate minority or fully unemployed, a President Biden may decide to blow with it.
Stranger things have happened, and if COVID has taught us anything, it is that government does the most damage when it does nothing in a crisis. That lesson will still have teeth in January, and for many long years to come.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-08-21--USPS Workers Told Not to Reinstate Mail Sorting Machines in Internal Email

Despite a promise from United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to suspend his controversial efforts to “ reform ” the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) , workers and management at post offices across the country are being told they can not reinstate mail sorting machines at their facilities .
An internal USPS email obtained by CNN told postal workers not to reassemble the machines without authorization from postal service leadership .
“ Please message out to your respective Maintenance Managers tonight .
They are not to reconnect/reinstall machines that have been previously disconnected without approval from HQ Maintenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting from their plant manager , ” Kevin Couch , a director of maintenance operations at USPS , wrote in the email .
The message to post offices was sent the same day that DeJoy promised to suspend changes at facilities throughout the U.S .
Although the order specifically prohibited putting the machines back to work , at least one facility in Dallas , Texas , attempted to reinstate its mail sorter .
However , it was unable to do so because a required part for the machine was missing .
DeJoy has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decommissioning of more than 600 sorting machines , as necessary to reduce costs for the USPS , but a number of these changes appeared to be directed at hindering mail-in voting for this year ’ s presidential election .
Recent comments from President Donald Trump , after DeJoy received widespread criticism , heightened those suspicions .
The postmaster general halted his plans after 20 states ’ attorneys general threatened a lawsuit against him .
Citing his wish to “ avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail , ” DeJoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
However , some post offices appear to have continued dismantling machines .
Even if his so-called reforms are halted for the time being , DeJoy is poised to make a number of other controversial changes to the USPS after the election , according to sources with knowledge of his future plans for the agency .
These changes include curbing discounts to nonprofit organizations , creating higher pricing rates for residents of Alaska , Hawaii and Puerto Rico , and requiring first class stamps for election ballots .
DeJoy would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big retailers .
DeJoy is set to testify before Congress on Friday to discuss his controversial adjustments to USPS .
In addition to discussing the removal of sorting machines , he will also answer questions related to other measures he implemented that resulted in slower mail delivery , including cutting hours for postal workers , reducing office hours and removing postal boxes in several cities .

Despite a promise from United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to suspend his controversial efforts to “reform” the United States Postal Service (USPS), workers and management at post offices across the country are being told they cannot reinstate mail sorting machines at their facilities.
An internal USPS email obtained by CNN told postal workers not to reassemble the machines without authorization from postal service leadership.
“Please message out to your respective Maintenance Managers tonight. They are not to reconnect/reinstall machines that have been previously disconnected without approval from HQ Maintenance, no matter what direction they are getting from their plant manager,” Kevin Couch, a director of maintenance operations at USPS, wrote in the email.
The message to post offices was sent the same day that DeJoy promised to suspend changes at facilities throughout the U.S.
Although the order specifically prohibited putting the machines back to work, at least one facility in Dallas, Texas, attempted to reinstate its mail sorter. However, it was unable to do so because a required part for the machine was missing.
DeJoy has defended his “reforms,” including the decommissioning of more than 600 sorting machines, as necessary to reduce costs for the USPS, but a number of these changes appeared to be directed at hindering mail-in voting for this year’s presidential election. Recent comments from President Donald Trump, after DeJoy received widespread criticism, heightened those suspicions.
The postmaster general halted his plans after 20 states’ attorneys general threatened a lawsuit against him. Citing his wish to “avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail,” DeJoy promised to suspend his reforms until after the election. However, some post offices appear to have continued dismantling machines.
Even if his so-called reforms are halted for the time being, DeJoy is poised to make a number of other controversial changes to the USPS after the election, according to sources with knowledge of his future plans for the agency. These changes include curbing discounts to nonprofit organizations, creating higher pricing rates for residents of Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and requiring first class stamps for election ballots. DeJoy would also charge higher rates on delivering packages from big retailers.
DeJoy is set to testify before Congress on Friday to discuss his controversial adjustments to USPS. In addition to discussing the removal of sorting machines, he will also answer questions related to other measures he implemented that resulted in slower mail delivery, including cutting hours for postal workers, reducing office hours and removing postal boxes in several cities.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.