buzzfeed--2020-08-26--The Republican National Convention Is Creating A False Coronavirus Fantasy

It was not until the final speech of the second night of the Republican National Convention that someone directly brought up the deaths suffered during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I want to acknowledge the fact that since March , our lives have changed drastically , ” first lady Melania Trump said from the White House ’ s Rose Garden on Tuesday night .
“ The invisible enemy , COVID-19 , swept across our beautiful country and impacted all of us .
My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one , and my prayers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I know many people are anxious , and some feel helpless .
I want you to know , you are not alone.
” Her speech stood out on a night , and in a convention , where the pandemic has otherwise been alluded to as a thing of the past .
Over the first two nights , Republicans ’ message to Americans after six months of a failed pandemic response has come down to this plea : Ignore reality .
Trust President Donald Trump .
In the party ’ s messaging , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ventilator in the early phases of the pandemic did not , in fact , suffer — ventilators got to the hospitals that needed them most , the president ’ s oldest son falsely said Monday night .
The president did not sow confusion about masks , treatments , and the severity of the virus — he took decisive action from the outset , several speakers said .
Businesses may still be struggling to survive and the economy may have suffered unprecedented job loss , but it 'll ultimately be fine — Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims distort the truth : There have been almost 6 million reported coronavirus cases in America , and many more people who have been unable to get tested .
Almost 180,000 Americans are reported to have died due to the coronavirus , more than anywhere else in the world .
These numbers have not yet been mentioned at the RNC .
Instead , Republicans this week insist that with Trump , as his son Donald Trump Jr. ’ s girlfriend , Kimberly Guilfoyle , roared Monday night , “ The best is yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glossed over as a temporary blip in Trump ’ s presidency , the fault of a foreign government , a bump in the road that will soon end .
The convention ’ s speakers and videos have engaged in a widespread revisionist history of how Trump led the nation , casting him as the hero of a story that , in reality , is still being fought by nurses in hospital rooms , by seniors struggling and isolated , by parents who are working and homeschooling children at the same time , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they can make rent , by paramedics and transit workers who crisscrossed the streets of major cities transporting people struggling to breathe .
As the Republicans lavish praise on Trump at the RNC , these Americans are barely mentioned , aside from a video with the president and essential workers that aired Monday and when Melania Trump touched on the earlier days of the crisis , thanking first responders and essential workers for taking on risk and putting `` our country first . ''
Instead , at this week ’ s Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US struggle to contain and combat the coronavirus has been hailed as a success story with White House aides like Larry Kudlow referring to an ongoing pandemic in the past tense .
“ Then came a once-in-100-year pandemic , ” Kudlow said , on the second night of the convention , as if to suggest that Americans were dying a decade ago , instead of the roughly 960 people currently dying of COVID-19 a day in the US .
“ It was awful , ” he continued .
“ Health and economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were everywhere , but presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.
” Kudlow , and speakers who raised the virus before him on Monday and Tuesday , emphasized the passing economic hardships of the crisis , with a focus on small businesses that have been able to survive thanks to federal aid that is now running out .
Cissie Graham Lynch , the granddaughter of Billy Graham , brought up the pandemic chiefly to blame Democrats for boxing in religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we saw how quickly life could change .
Some Democrat leaders banned church services while marijuana shops and abortion clinics were declared ‘ essential , ’ '' she said .
The tone of the RNC matches Trump ’ s newly released second-term agenda , which promises a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this year and a “ Return to Normal in 2021 , ” without explaining how the country gets from here to there .

It was not until the final speech of the second night of the Republican National Convention that someone directly brought up the deaths suffered during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I want to acknowledge the fact that since March, our lives have changed drastically,” first lady Melania Trump said from the White House’s Rose Garden on Tuesday night. “The invisible enemy, COVID-19, swept across our beautiful country and impacted all of us. My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one, and my prayers are with those who are ill or suffering. I know many people are anxious, and some feel helpless. I want you to know, you are not alone.”
Her speech stood out on a night, and in a convention, where the pandemic has otherwise been alluded to as a thing of the past. Over the first two nights, Republicans’ message to Americans after six months of a failed pandemic response has come down to this plea: Ignore reality. Trust President Donald Trump.
In the party’s messaging, people who agonized as they waited for a ventilator in the early phases of the pandemic did not, in fact, suffer — ventilators got to the hospitals that needed them most, the president’s oldest son falsely said Monday night. The president did not sow confusion about masks, treatments, and the severity of the virus — he took decisive action from the outset, several speakers said. Businesses may still be struggling to survive and the economy may have suffered unprecedented job loss, but it'll ultimately be fine — Trump will just fix it again.
These claims distort the truth: There have been almost 6 million reported coronavirus cases in America, and many more people who have been unable to get tested. Almost 180,000 Americans are reported to have died due to the coronavirus, more than anywhere else in the world. These numbers have not yet been mentioned at the RNC. Instead, Republicans this week insist that with Trump, as his son Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, roared Monday night, “The best is yet to come.”
The pandemic has been glossed over as a temporary blip in Trump’s presidency, the fault of a foreign government, a bump in the road that will soon end. The convention’s speakers and videos have engaged in a widespread revisionist history of how Trump led the nation, casting him as the hero of a story that, in reality, is still being fought by nurses in hospital rooms, by seniors struggling and isolated, by parents who are working and homeschooling children at the same time, by restaurant waiters risking exposure from unmasked patrons so they can make rent, by paramedics and transit workers who crisscrossed the streets of major cities transporting people struggling to breathe.
As the Republicans lavish praise on Trump at the RNC, these Americans are barely mentioned, aside from a video with the president and essential workers that aired Monday and when Melania Trump touched on the earlier days of the crisis, thanking first responders and essential workers for taking on risk and putting "our country first."
Instead, at this week’s Republican National Convention, now halfway over, the US struggle to contain and combat the coronavirus has been hailed as a success story with White House aides like Larry Kudlow referring to an ongoing pandemic in the past tense.
“Then came a once-in-100-year pandemic,” Kudlow said, on the second night of the convention, as if to suggest that Americans were dying a decade ago, instead of the roughly 960 people currently dying of COVID-19 a day in the US. “It was awful,” he continued. “Health and economic impacts were tragic, hardship and heartbreak were everywhere, but presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.”
Kudlow, and speakers who raised the virus before him on Monday and Tuesday, emphasized the passing economic hardships of the crisis, with a focus on small businesses that have been able to survive thanks to federal aid that is now running out. Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of Billy Graham, brought up the pandemic chiefly to blame Democrats for boxing in religious liberty. "Even during the pandemic, we saw how quickly life could change. Some Democrat leaders banned church services while marijuana shops and abortion clinics were declared ‘essential,’" she said.
The tone of the RNC matches Trump’s newly released second-term agenda, which promises a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this year and a “Return to Normal in 2021,” without explaining how the country gets from here to there.


buzzfeed--2020-08-27--A Refugee From Vietnam Has Been Named The New Leader Of ICE

“ As a seasoned leader with DHS , Tony will ensure ICE continues to safeguard our country ’ s borders from crime and illegal immigration , ” an ICE spokesperson said .
The Washington Examiner first reported the news on Tuesday .
Pham takes over for Matt Albence , a career official who supported President Trump ’ s crackdown on undocumented immigrants .
Trump has often cited his support for ICE and his efforts to restrict immigration in campaign rallies .
The Trump administration has selected Tony Pham , a refugee from Vietnam who went on to oversee a jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Customs Enforcement , officials confirmed Tuesday .
Under the Trump administration , ICE has seen multiple leaders come and go , including Albence , current acting Customs and Border Protection commissioner Mark Morgan , and others , as its profile was raised due to controversial operations and policies .
Albence , like many in the Department of Homeland Security , was leading the agency in an acting capacity .
Pham will continue that by becoming the latest “ senior official performing the duties of the director.
” Pham , who has been leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , came to the US as a young boy in 1975 .
Ten years later , according to an email he sent to ICE attorneys when he first started , Pham and his family became US citizens .
He also emphasized his family had followed the “ lawful path to citizenship.
” The Trump administration has gutted the refugee program , cutting the number of refugees allowed to come to the country this year to 18,000 , down from the target of 110,000 during the end of the Obama administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prosecutor in Richmond , Virginia .
Up until his decision to join the agency , he had overseen the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail , where , according to local media , he tried to institute reforms .
He told ICE attorneys earlier this year that he had a “ prosecutor ’ s mindset.
” Pham takes over during a period in which the agency has seen a major drop in the number of immigrants in its custody .
Last fall , there were more than 55,000 people in ICE custody per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number had dropped to about 21,500 per day .
ICE officials have also been criticized for their handling of COVID-19 within immigrant detention centers .
Medical experts and immigrant advocates have warned that the highly contagious disease puts everyone in detention at risk .
They ’ ve pointed out that detention centers have a lack of necessary space to accommodate proper social distancing guidelines .
ICE has countered that the agency has ramped up testing and released many detainees who are medically vulnerable .
As of late July , nearly 1,000 detainees had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had gotten the disease in custody .
The total number of ICE deaths so far this fiscal year is the highest total since 2006 , when 19 immigrants died , according to ICE records .
Earlier this month , BuzzFeed News reported that since the end of March through the beginning of July , guards at detention centers holding immigrants across the country deployed force — pepper spray , pepper balls , pepper spray grenades — in incidents involving more than 10 immigrants at a time on a dozen occasions .
In total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjected to these group uses of force .

Under the Trump administration, ICE has seen multiple leaders come and go, including Albence, current acting Customs and Border Protection commissioner Mark Morgan, and others, as its profile was raised due to controversial operations and policies. Albence, like many in the Department of Homeland Security, was leading the agency in an acting capacity. Pham will continue that by becoming the latest “senior official performing the duties of the director.”
Pham, who has been leading the agency’s prosecutors since earlier this year, came to the US as a young boy in 1975. Ten years later, according to an email he sent to ICE attorneys when he first started, Pham and his family became US citizens. He also emphasized his family had followed the “lawful path to citizenship.”
The Trump administration has gutted the refugee program, cutting the number of refugees allowed to come to the country this year to 18,000, down from the target of 110,000 during the end of the Obama administration.
The new acting ICE director was previously a prosecutor in Richmond, Virginia. Up until his decision to join the agency, he had overseen the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail, where, according to local media, he tried to institute reforms. He told ICE attorneys earlier this year that he had a “prosecutor’s mindset.”
Pham takes over during a period in which the agency has seen a major drop in the number of immigrants in its custody. Last fall, there were more than 55,000 people in ICE custody per day. As of Aug. 1, that number had dropped to about 21,500 per day.
ICE officials have also been criticized for their handling of COVID-19 within immigrant detention centers.
Medical experts and immigrant advocates have warned that the highly contagious disease puts everyone in detention at risk. They’ve pointed out that detention centers have a lack of necessary space to accommodate proper social distancing guidelines. ICE has countered that the agency has ramped up testing and released many detainees who are medically vulnerable. As of late July, nearly 1,000 detainees had tested positive for COVID-19 and almost 4,000 had gotten the disease in custody.
The total number of ICE deaths so far this fiscal year is the highest total since 2006, when 19 immigrants died, according to ICE records.
Earlier this month, BuzzFeed News reported that since the end of March through the beginning of July, guards at detention centers holding immigrants across the country deployed force — pepper spray, pepper balls, pepper spray grenades — in incidents involving more than 10 immigrants at a time on a dozen occasions.
In total, more than 600 detainees have been subjected to these group uses of force.


buzzfeed--2020-08-26--“The US Is Nowhere”: As The Political Crisis In Belarus Deepens, America Is Conspicuously Absent

Crackdowns and demonstrations continue to roil Belarus after a contested election , but the US seems reluctant to play a role in the push for an autocratic leader to share power and scale back police abuse .
KYIV — As the political crisis roiling Belarus deepened this week with the arrest of two prominent protest leaders and a call for a Nobel laureate to come in for questioning , a top US diplomat met with the self-exiled Belarusian opposition leader in Vilnius , Lithuania .
The meeting between Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minsk defied the threat of a military crackdown and demanded the ouster of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko .
On Sunday , Lukashenko , the mustachioed president who has ruled Belarus for the past 26 years , strode out of a helicopter after the crowd had dispersed wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a rifle that was missing a magazine .
Flanked by an armed entourage that included his 15-year-old son in full body armor and clumsily lugging his own rifle , the president thanked riot police who in recent weeks have terrorized peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and savagely beaten hundreds across the country .
“ They scattered like rats , ” he said of protesters .
The scene , captured by the president ’ s press service , looked like something out of a straight-to-video action movie , but its message was clear : Lukashenko , who claimed victory in the Aug. 9 presidential election despite evidence that the vote was heavily rigged in his favor , has no intention of leaving office without a fight .
And what has the US message been ?
So far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ muddled and muted .
If some viewed Biegun ’ s appearance in Lithuania on Monday as a sign of a greater US role in trying to solve the deepening political crisis in Belarus , they would be mistaken , experts said .
“ The EU is playing the lead role as far as the Western response .
The US is nowhere , ” Nigel Gould-Davies , a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies ( IISS ) who served as the British ambassador to Belarus from 2007 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , EU officials said the bloc would not recognize the results of the Belarusian election , calling it fraudulent .
Charles Michel , the president of the European Council , also promised to sanction individuals responsible for the violent crackdown by security forces that has followed .
Lithuania has gone so far as to refer to Lukashenko as the “ former president ” and led an effort for the EU to recognize Tikhanovskaya as the country ’ s newly elected leader .
That contrasts sharply with the US response , Gould-Davies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clarity and focus coming from the top on Belarus , ” he said , referring to the White House .
Gould-Davies said he believes that could be due in part to the current political climate in Washington .
“ The US has taken strong positions [ on Belarus ] in the past , but there is turmoil and confusion in preelection America , ” he said .
It ’ s also possible , Gould-Davies said , that Belarus ’ s problems are not that compelling to the president .
“ This is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about human rights at all , ” he said .
Trump has not personally expressed support for the Belarusians protesting across the country .
Responding to a question during a press gathering at the White House last week , he said only that his administration was watching the “ terrible situation ” closely .
A week earlier , on Aug. 12 , Trump ’ s press secretary , Kayleigh McEnany , told reporters that the White House was “ deeply concerned by the Belarus presidential election.
” “ Severe restrictions on ballot access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observers at polling stations , intimidation of opposition candidates , and the detention of peaceful protesters and journalists have marred the process , and we urge the Belarusian government to respect the right to peaceably assemble and to refrain from use of force , ” she said .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made similar statements to the press in recent weeks .
But the State Department and the White House have not gone as far as some Democrats and Republicans would like to see .
Last week , former national security adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come out in support of Tikhanovskaya and that US support was key to resolving the crisis .
He also noted that doing so would send a strong message to Russia , where Lukashenko has turned for support as protests against him have grown .
“ President Trump should voice strong US support for the Belarus opposition movement .
The moment for freedom in Belarus is here and it will take our leadership to make it happen .
Russian influence must be checked with American strength and resolve , ” Bolton tweeted .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree with Bolton ’ s sentiment and have looked on in frustration as the US largely ignores events Belarus .
According to a senior State Department official whose portfolio includes Belarus , Washington ’ s tepid response has been met with disappointment by many diplomats focused on the Eastern European region .
Speaking to BuzzFeed News on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters , the official said some of them want Pompeo and Trump to make stronger statements against Lukashenko and in support of Tikhanovskaya and peaceful demonstrators , especially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse .
Some want the State Department to coordinate sanctions against Lukashenko and his top lieutenants with the EU , the official added .
It is unclear whether the US is considering sanctions .
The State Department did not respond to several requests for comment .
A month ago , the US was gearing up to reengage with Belarus and was even poised to confirm its first ambassador to Minsk since 2008 , when diplomatic relations were curtailed after Washington imposed sanctions over worsening human rights abuses .
Julie Fisher , a career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the respect of both Democrats and Republicans , was nominated by Trump earlier this year and has already faced questioning from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee .
But Fisher ’ s confirmation is now uncertain .
And one top lawmaker , Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy , has gone so far as to threaten to block it to send a message to Lukashenko .
“ While I support greater ties between the United States and the Belarusian people , now is not the time to be elevating the diplomatic relationship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
“ Sending an Ambassador to Minsk now , for the first time in over a decade , would signal that the United States condones these actions , and I am prepared to oppose the nomination in the Foreign Relations Committee unless it is withdrawn by the President.
” Andrew Weiss , vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment who previously served as director for Russian , Ukrainian , and Eurasian Affairs on the National Security Council staff during the administrations of presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the right approach .
“ On one hand , you want to stand up for what ’ s right and stand up for protesters and against what Lukashenko ’ s regime is doing to them , ” he said .
“ At the same time , there are not a lot of tools in the West to force what we want to see , which is Lukashenko leaving power .
Telling him he ’ s lost the confidence of Belarusian people probably isn ’ t going to be enough to get him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s words are any indication , the US is not prepared to do that , anyway .
“ The purpose of the meeting [ with Tikhanovskaya ] was to listen , to hear what the thinking is of the Belarusian people , and to see what they are doing to obtain the right to self-determination , ” Biegun was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency .
“ The United States can not and will not decide the course of events in Belarus .
This is the right of the Belarusian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Vilnius , Lukashenko stepped up his crackdown on protest leaders in Minsk .
Reuters reported that Olga Kovalkova and Sergei Dylevsky , two members of the coordination council , a body set up to facilitate the peaceful transition of power from Lukashenko to challenger Tikhanovskaya , had been detained near a factory entrance where workers were striking .
Separately , Belarusian Nobel laureate author Svetlana Alexievich reportedly has been called in for questioning by investigators in a criminal case against the council .
Authorities have tried various tactics to discourage protesters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition movement , the state has brought the military into Minsk , deployed thousands of riot police , threatened employees at state companies that they may be fired for striking , and sent masked security officers to film the faces of demonstrators .
On Tuesday , Belarusian and international human rights groups appealed to the United Nations to intervene after collecting more than 450 testimonials of torture and inhumane treatment in this month ’ s crackdown , according to the Viasna human rights group .
Belarusians have shown resolve in the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , like him , they are unwilling to back down .
Aliaksandr Herasimenka , a native Belarusian and researcher at Oxford focused on social movements and authoritarian regimes , told BuzzFeed News that the protest movement marks a “ political awakening ” after years of repression and bending to the will of Lukashenko .
He said large-scale demonstrations are likely to continue — with or without US support .
In fact , many feel it isn ’ t needed .
“ We are emerging from a post-Soviet haze , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West or the East .
... Belarusians are thinking about themselves and their country.
” Addressing the European Parliament ’ s Foreign Affairs Committee in a live broadcast on Tuesday , Tikhanovskaya said , `` The revolution in Belarus is not a geopolitical revolution .
It is neither a pro-Russian nor an anti-Russian revolution .
It is neither an anti-European Union nor a pro-European Union revolution .
It is a democratic revolution.
” And she said protesters would not back down to Lukashenko ’ s threats of another crackdown .
“ The intimidation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not relent , ” she said .
“ We demand to respect our basic rights .
We demand all political prisoners be free .
”

Some want the State Department to coordinate sanctions against Lukashenko and his top lieutenants with the EU, the official added.
It is unclear whether the US is considering sanctions. The State Department did not respond to several requests for comment.
A month ago, the US was gearing up to reengage with Belarus and was even poised to confirm its first ambassador to Minsk since 2008, when diplomatic relations were curtailed after Washington imposed sanctions over worsening human rights abuses.
Julie Fisher, a career diplomat with extensive experience in European affairs and the respect of both Democrats and Republicans, was nominated by Trump earlier this year and has already faced questioning from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
But Fisher’s confirmation is now uncertain. And one top lawmaker, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, has gone so far as to threaten to block it to send a message to Lukashenko.
“While I support greater ties between the United States and the Belarusian people, now is not the time to be elevating the diplomatic relationship with Lukashenko’s government,” Murphy said in a statement.
“Sending an Ambassador to Minsk now, for the first time in over a decade, would signal that the United States condones these actions, and I am prepared to oppose the nomination in the Foreign Relations Committee unless it is withdrawn by the President.”
Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment who previously served as director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian Affairs on the National Security Council staff during the administrations of presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, told BuzzFeed News he thinks that is the right approach.
“On one hand, you want to stand up for what’s right and stand up for protesters and against what Lukashenko’s regime is doing to them,” he said. “At the same time, there are not a lot of tools in the West to force what we want to see, which is Lukashenko leaving power. Telling him he’s lost the confidence of Belarusian people probably isn’t going to be enough to get him to step down.”
But if Biegun’s words are any indication, the US is not prepared to do that, anyway.
“The purpose of the meeting [with Tikhanovskaya] was to listen, to hear what the thinking is of the Belarusian people, and to see what they are doing to obtain the right to self-determination,” Biegun was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. “The United States cannot and will not decide the course of events in Belarus. This is the right of the Belarusian people.”
As Biegun spoke with Tikhanovskaya in Vilnius, Lukashenko stepped up his crackdown on protest leaders in Minsk. Reuters reported that Olga Kovalkova and Sergei Dylevsky, two members of the coordination council, a body set up to facilitate the peaceful transition of power from Lukashenko to challenger Tikhanovskaya, had been detained near a factory entrance where workers were striking.
Separately, Belarusian Nobel laureate author Svetlana Alexievich reportedly has been called in for questioning by investigators in a criminal case against the council.
Authorities have tried various tactics to discourage protesters. Besides arresting key figures involved in the opposition movement, the state has brought the military into Minsk, deployed thousands of riot police, threatened employees at state companies that they may be fired for striking, and sent masked security officers to film the faces of demonstrators.


buzzfeed--2020-08-26--The Couple Who Pointed Guns At Black Lives Matter Protesters Came To The Republican Convention To Fe

The Couple Who Pointed Guns At Black Lives Matter Protesters Came To The Republican Convention To Fear-Monger About The Suburbs

Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis couple who were charged with unlawful use of a weapon after they were filmed pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters who marched past their home in June , gave a speech at the Republican National Convention that focused on suburban voters and villainized the Black Lives Matter movement .
“ What you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country .
And that ’ s what we want to speak to you about tonight , ” Patricia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech largely focused on scaring suburban voters , a crucial voting bloc in the upcoming election that helped Democrats flip congressional districts during the 2018 midterm elections .
“ The radicals are not content just marching in the streets .
They want to walk the halls of Congress .
They want power .
This is Joe Biden ’ s party .
These are the people who will be in charge of your future and the future of your children , ” Mark told the convention after mentioning that Cori Bush , a nurse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leader in the movement after the police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014 , had won a congressional primary this summer .
Mark referred to Bush as a “ Marxist revolutionary.
” “ They want to abolish the suburbs altogether by ending single-family home zoning .
This forced rezoning would bring crime , lawlessness , and low-quality apartments into now thriving suburban neighborhoods , ” Patricia told the convention .
The line mirrors an attack that President Donald Trump has been making for weeks against Biden in speeches and on Twitter where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biden would build low-income housing in suburban neighborhoods in a not-so-quiet dog whistle .
“ The ‘ suburban housewife ’ will be voting for me .
They want safety & are thrilled that I ended the long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood , ” Trump tweeted in early August .
The attacks focus on Trump ’ s rollback of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule that was enacted by the Obama administration and urged suburban communities to allow low-income housing construction in their neighborhoods .
“ No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be safe in the radical Democrats ’ America , ” Patricia said .
The McCloskeys are personal injury attorneys who live in a private community and are notorious in their community for being extremely litigious — even filing a lawsuit to prevent the sale of the home , where they pointed guns at protesters , to another buyer .
They became famous in conservative circles after pictures of their standoff with protesters went viral in late June .

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who were charged with unlawful use of a weapon after they were filmed pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters who marched past their home in June, gave a speech at the Republican National Convention that focused on suburban voters and villainized the Black Lives Matter movement.
“What you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country. And that’s what we want to speak to you about tonight,” Patricia told the Republican National Convention.
The speech largely focused on scaring suburban voters, a crucial voting bloc in the upcoming election that helped Democrats flip congressional districts during the 2018 midterm elections.
“The radicals are not content just marching in the streets. They want to walk the halls of Congress. They want power. This is Joe Biden’s party. These are the people who will be in charge of your future and the future of your children,” Mark told the convention after mentioning that Cori Bush, a nurse and Black Lives Matter activist who became a leader in the movement after the police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, had won a congressional primary this summer. Mark referred to Bush as a “Marxist revolutionary.”
“They want to abolish the suburbs altogether by ending single-family home zoning. This forced rezoning would bring crime, lawlessness, and low-quality apartments into now thriving suburban neighborhoods,” Patricia told the convention.
The line mirrors an attack that President Donald Trump has been making for weeks against Biden in speeches and on Twitter where the president tweeted that Sen. Cory Booker and Biden would build low-income housing in suburban neighborhoods in a not-so-quiet dog whistle.
“The ‘suburban housewife’ will be voting for me. They want safety & are thrilled that I ended the long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood,” Trump tweeted in early August. The attacks focus on Trump’s rollback of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule that was enacted by the Obama administration and urged suburban communities to allow low-income housing construction in their neighborhoods.
“No matter where you live, your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America,” Patricia said.
The McCloskeys are personal injury attorneys who live in a private community and are notorious in their community for being extremely litigious — even filing a lawsuit to prevent the sale of the home, where they pointed guns at protesters, to another buyer. They became famous in conservative circles after pictures of their standoff with protesters went viral in late June.


buzzfeed--2020-08-26--AOC Shared Her Skincare And Beauty Routine And It’s Impressive For So Many Reasons

`` If you are at all a melanated woman , it 's really hard to find sunscreen because a lot @ @ @ @ @ cast , '' says AOC .
In the video , her go-to is Biore UV @ @ @ @ @

"There’s this really false idea that if you care about makeup or beauty or fashion, that’s somehow frivolous," she goes on. "But I actually think these are some of the most substantive decisions that we make — and we make them every morning."


buzzfeed--2020-08-26--The National Guard Has Been Deployed To Kenosha After Police Shot A Black Man Who Was Walking To His

The National Guard Has Been Deployed To Kenosha After Police Shot A Black Man Who Was Walking To His Car

Wisconsin 's governor on Monday deployed the National Guard to the town of Kenosha , where police officers shot a Black man from behind as he walked to his car on Sunday evening , triggering protests overnight .
In an incident filmed and shared on social media , 29-year-old Jacob Blake is seen walking away from several police officers .
When he opens the car door , an officer grabs his shirt and then shoots him several times from behind .
Blake is in serious condition at a hospital in Milwaukee , according to a statement tweeted by the Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene responding to a `` domestic incident , '' police added .
Blake 's family members have said on social media that he is out of surgery and is in stable condition .
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said that Blake 's three sons were `` only a few feet away '' at the time of the shooting .
`` Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times in front of his children , '' Wisconsin Lt. Gov .
Mandela Barnes said in a press conference Monday .
`` This wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t bad police work .
This felt like some sort of vendetta being taken out on a member of our community .
The officer 's deadly actions attempted to take a person 's life in broad daylight . ''
Gov .
Tony Evers announced that 125 National Guard members would be deployed to Kenosha County by Monday evening to `` support local law enforcement '' after the shooting sparked overnight demonstrations during which police used tear gas against protesters .
`` Every person should be able to express their anger and frustration by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on these calls to action without any fear of being unsafe , '' Evers said in a statement .
He added that this was a `` limited mobilization of the National Guard '' that was focused on protecting critical infrastructure and to ensure `` Kenoshians are able to assemble safely . ''
Kenosha County declared an emergency curfew for Monday , ordering the public to `` be off the streets for their safety '' from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Tuesday .
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified by officials .
The Wisconsin Department of Justice said that its Division of Criminal Investigation will be investigating the shooting .
`` The Wisconsin Department of Justice is vigorously and thoroughly investigating yesterday ’ s officer-involved shooting in Kenosha , '' Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement .
`` I hope for a full recovery for the man fighting for his life . ''
Kaul added that the DOJ will work closely with the Kenosha County District Attorney ’ s Office , which will make the decision on whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a tweet , a man who was identified as Blake 's cousin said Blake was in the ICU .
`` We will not excuse the actions of the Kenosha Police department , but his mother asks everyone to please remain peaceful , '' his cousin said .

Wisconsin's governor on Monday deployed the National Guard to the town of Kenosha, where police officers shot a Black man from behind as he walked to his car on Sunday evening, triggering protests overnight.
In an incident filmed and shared on social media, 29-year-old Jacob Blake is seen walking away from several police officers. When he opens the car door, an officer grabs his shirt and then shoots him several times from behind.
Blake is in serious condition at a hospital in Milwaukee, according to a statement tweeted by the Kenosha Police Department. Officers were on the scene responding to a "domestic incident," police added.
Blake's family members have said on social media that he is out of surgery and is in stable condition.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said that Blake's three sons were "only a few feet away" at the time of the shooting.
"Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times in front of his children," Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said in a press conference Monday. "This wasn’t an accident. This wasn’t bad police work. This felt like some sort of vendetta being taken out on a member of our community. The officer's deadly actions attempted to take a person's life in broad daylight."
Gov. Tony Evers announced that 125 National Guard members would be deployed to Kenosha County by Monday evening to "support local law enforcement" after the shooting sparked overnight demonstrations during which police used tear gas against protesters.
"Every person should be able to express their anger and frustration by exercising their First Amendment rights and report on these calls to action without any fear of being unsafe," Evers said in a statement.
He added that this was a "limited mobilization of the National Guard" that was focused on protecting critical infrastructure and to ensure "Kenoshians are able to assemble safely."
Kenosha County declared an emergency curfew for Monday, ordering the public to "be off the streets for their safety" from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Tuesday.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, but have not yet been identified by officials.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice said that its Division of Criminal Investigation will be investigating the shooting.
"The Wisconsin Department of Justice is vigorously and thoroughly investigating yesterday’s officer-involved shooting in Kenosha," Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement. "I hope for a full recovery for the man fighting for his life."
Kaul added that the DOJ will work closely with the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office, which will make the decision on whether to file charges in the case.
In a tweet, a man who was identified as Blake's cousin said Blake was in the ICU.
"We will not excuse the actions of the Kenosha Police department, but his mother asks everyone to please remain peaceful," his cousin said.


buzzfeed--2020-08-25--Alex Morse Would Like You To Know He Has Sex

Alex Morse would probably prefer to be talking about , well , anything else .
As the 31-year-old mayor of Holyoke , Massachusetts , mounts his left-wing challenge to unseat Democratic Rep. Richard Neal , he ’ d surely rather be spending the last few weeks of his campaign talking about the progressive change he wants to bring to the district ( Morse supports Medicare for All , defunding ICE , and the Green New Deal ) or his powerful opponent ’ s three decades of relative conservatism in Congress .
Instead , he ’ s answering questions from BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content he uploads to his Instagram “ close friends ” stories feature , and the fact that , yes , as a young single gay man , he does indeed have sex , sometimes with men he meets online .
“ It ’ s important to be unapologetically myself — being gay and a young person and someone who has sex , ” he said in a Thursday phone interview , “ and I won ’ t apologize for being gay and using gay dating apps and going on dates with other adult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s 1st District suddenly exploded into national headlines this past week after allegations were made against Morse by the College Democrats of Massachusetts ( CDMA ) and its affiliates at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Amherst College .
On Aug. 7 , the students shared a letter they had sent Morse with the school ’ s newspaper , the Daily Collegian , informing him he had been disinvited from their events .
The allegations — which were vague , anonymous , and unspecified — accused Morse , who worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 in addition to his mayoral work , of matching with students on dating and hookup apps , such as Tinder and Grindr ; having sex with college students ; and making others feel “ uncomfortable ” by adding them on Instagram , messaging them , and adding them to his “ close friends ” on the app .
“ Even if these scenarios are mutually consensual , ” the students wrote , “ the pattern of Morse using his platform and taking advantage of his position of power for romantic or sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unacceptable.
” The news , which landed just three weeks before voters were set to head to the polls on Sept. 1 , quickly caused shockwaves .
Morse swiftly denied any nonconsensual sex and insisted that any students he had slept with were adults and not in any of his classes .
He vowed to cooperate with any investigations but said he would remain in the race .
Still , the damage was done .
The university vowed to investigate , the powerful Justice Democrats group that had backed him said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties , and fellow progressive Jamaal Bowman said he would “ pause ” his endorsement of Morse as he learned more .
Online , Morse was labeled “ a blight on the Left and higher education , ” someone who had worked to “ groom ” students and who was not thinking of his “ survivors.
” He was urged to drop out of the race and resign as mayor .
He was dubbed “ an abuser ” and “ a sex predator.
” But no person has yet come forward with any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , the college students behind the vague , anonymous accusations against the candidate have found themselves in the spotlight .
Fellow members of the UMass Amherst College Democrats told the Intercept and the Republican earlier this week that their chief strategist , Timothy Ennis , had taken a class taught at the university by Neal , Morse ’ s opponent , and was a fan of the lawmaker and was seeking to break into politics through him .
Then , on Wednesday night , the Intercept published a bombshell report alleging the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had been trying since October to find compromising material on Morse in order to “ sink his campaign.
” They reportedly planned to track down his dating profiles and lead him to say something incriminating .
“ I need a job , ” wrote Ennis in messages seen by the Intercept .
“ Neal will give me an internship.
” A screenshot of an Instagram message published by the Intercept showed Morse exchanging polite pleasantries about their respective weekends with Andrew Abramson , a student who would later become the college club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s very clear he ’ s not talking to me for no reason , ” wrote Abramson as he shared the Instagram exchange with associates .
“ Also don ’ t mind me totally leading him on.
” It appeared the students had been trying for months to get the national media to run a story about Morse .
After the Intercept story was published , Business Insider reporter Grace Panetta said on Twitter that she had received a vague anonymous tip via email about Morse in April but had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I just looked back at the email itself , ” Panetta wrote , “ and yep , two of the names on the list of people who I was told had dirt on Morse were the names of the two people The Intercept identified as spearheading this plan.
” Ennis and Abramson did not respond to requests for this story .
They ’ ve both also since deleted their Facebook and Twitter accounts .
The UMass Amherst College Dems also did not respond to a request for comment ; nor did CDMA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hayley Fleming did write an email to members on Thursday night in which she tried to explain how the letter came to be , but also apologized to Morse for the “ homophobic responses ” he had received that she said played on “ inappropriate stereotypes ” about gay men .
“ I apologize for the role that we played in that harm , ” she said .
Fleming said “ several students ” had “ legitimate concerns ” that Morse had a “ pattern of behavior that put college students in uncomfortable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific stories were not being shared due to concerns for their safety .
“ While I can not speak to anyone ’ s motivations other than my own , ” she added , “ I believed that we were acting in good faith to protect the individuals who felt they were subject to inappropriate behavior.
” The Massachusetts Democratic Party is now investigating the origins of the claims against Morse , Fleming confirmed .
But there are allegations that the state party itself may have been involved .
Fleming claimed that the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice of legal counsel , which she declined to specify .
Morse has suggested an attorney from the state party seeking to quash his outsider bid may have advised the students .
A state party spokesperson confirmed to the Berkshire Eagle they had referred the CDMA to legal counsel but insisted they had no further involvement .
But the Intercept reported on Friday that text messages showed Veronica Martinez , executive director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party , had taken “ an active role in directing the group on the strategy behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including coaching on how to interact with the press.
” ( State party officials , including Martinez , did not respond to requests for comment for this story ) .

Alex Morse would probably prefer to be talking about, well, anything else.
As the 31-year-old mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts, mounts his left-wing challenge to unseat Democratic Rep. Richard Neal, he’d surely rather be spending the last few weeks of his campaign talking about the progressive change he wants to bring to the district (Morse supports Medicare for All, defunding ICE, and the Green New Deal) or his powerful opponent’s three decades of relative conservatism in Congress.
Instead, he’s answering questions from BuzzFeed News about his Tinder profile, what content he uploads to his Instagram “close friends” stories feature, and the fact that, yes, as a young single gay man, he does indeed have sex, sometimes with men he meets online.
“It’s important to be unapologetically myself — being gay and a young person and someone who has sex,” he said in a Thursday phone interview, “and I won’t apologize for being gay and using gay dating apps and going on dates with other adult men.
“I won’t apologize for being human.”
The Democratic battle to represent the state’s 1st District suddenly exploded into national headlines this past week after allegations were made against Morse by the College Democrats of Massachusetts (CDMA) and its affiliates at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Amherst College. On Aug. 7, the students shared a letter they had sent Morse with the school’s newspaper, the Daily Collegian, informing him he had been disinvited from their events.
The allegations — which were vague, anonymous, and unspecified — accused Morse, who worked as a UMass Amherst adjunct professor in 2019 in addition to his mayoral work, of matching with students on dating and hookup apps, such as Tinder and Grindr; having sex with college students; and making others feel “uncomfortable” by adding them on Instagram, messaging them, and adding them to his “close friends” on the app.
“Even if these scenarios are mutually consensual,” the students wrote, “the pattern of Morse using his platform and taking advantage of his position of power for romantic or sexual gain, specifically toward young students, is unacceptable.”
The news, which landed just three weeks before voters were set to head to the polls on Sept. 1, quickly caused shockwaves. Morse swiftly denied any nonconsensual sex and insisted that any students he had slept with were adults and not in any of his classes. He vowed to cooperate with any investigations but said he would remain in the race. Still, the damage was done.
The university vowed to investigate, the powerful Justice Democrats group that had backed him said they were “disappointed” and evaluating their ties, and fellow progressive Jamaal Bowman said he would “pause” his endorsement of Morse as he learned more.
Online, Morse was labeled “a blight on the Left and higher education,” someone who had worked to “groom” students and who was not thinking of his “survivors.” He was urged to drop out of the race and resign as mayor. He was dubbed “an abuser” and “a sex predator.”
But no person has yet come forward with any specific or detailed claim against Morse. Instead, the college students behind the vague, anonymous accusations against the candidate have found themselves in the spotlight.
Fellow members of the UMass Amherst College Democrats told the Intercept and the Republican earlier this week that their chief strategist, Timothy Ennis, had taken a class taught at the university by Neal, Morse’s opponent, and was a fan of the lawmaker and was seeking to break into politics through him.
Then, on Wednesday night, the Intercept published a bombshell report alleging the club’s leadership, including Ennis, had been trying since October to find compromising material on Morse in order to “sink his campaign.” They reportedly planned to track down his dating profiles and lead him to say something incriminating. “I need a job,” wrote Ennis in messages seen by the Intercept. “Neal will give me an internship.”
A screenshot of an Instagram message published by the Intercept showed Morse exchanging polite pleasantries about their respective weekends with Andrew Abramson, a student who would later become the college club’s president. “Not overt but it’s very clear he’s not talking to me for no reason,” wrote Abramson as he shared the Instagram exchange with associates. “Also don’t mind me totally leading him on.”
It appeared the students had been trying for months to get the national media to run a story about Morse. After the Intercept story was published, Business Insider reporter Grace Panetta said on Twitter that she had received a vague anonymous tip via email about Morse in April but had decided not to pursue the story. “I just looked back at the email itself,” Panetta wrote, “and yep, two of the names on the list of people who I was told had dirt on Morse were the names of the two people The Intercept identified as spearheading this plan.”
Ennis and Abramson did not respond to requests for this story. They’ve both also since deleted their Facebook and Twitter accounts. The UMass Amherst College Dems also did not respond to a request for comment; nor did CDMA, the state chapter.
CDMA President Hayley Fleming did write an email to members on Thursday night in which she tried to explain how the letter came to be, but also apologized to Morse for the “homophobic responses” he had received that she said played on “inappropriate stereotypes” about gay men. “I apologize for the role that we played in that harm,” she said.
Fleming said “several students” had “legitimate concerns” that Morse had a “pattern of behavior that put college students in uncomfortable situations,” but she said their specific stories were not being shared due to concerns for their safety.
“While I cannot speak to anyone’s motivations other than my own,” she added, “I believed that we were acting in good faith to protect the individuals who felt they were subject to inappropriate behavior.”
The Massachusetts Democratic Party is now investigating the origins of the claims against Morse, Fleming confirmed.
But there are allegations that the state party itself may have been involved. Fleming claimed that the letter to Morse had been written on the advice of legal counsel, which she declined to specify. Morse has suggested an attorney from the state party seeking to quash his outsider bid may have advised the students. A state party spokesperson confirmed to the Berkshire Eagle they had referred the CDMA to legal counsel but insisted they had no further involvement. But the Intercept reported on Friday that text messages showed Veronica Martinez, executive director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, had taken “an active role in directing the group on the strategy behind the letter before and after its release, including coaching on how to interact with the press.” (State party officials, including Martinez, did not respond to requests for comment for this story).


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--Trump Asked For A Chance To Fix America's "Chaos" In 2016. He's Asking For The Same After Four Years

Trump Asked For A Chance To Fix America's "Chaos" In 2016. He's Asking For The Same After Four Years As President.

President Donald Trump before giving his acceptance speech during the final day of the Republican National Convention from the South Lawn of the White House on August 27 .
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump said America was a mess in 2016 and four years later , running for reelection as president , he has the same message : America is a mess .
In his speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination on the final night of the party ’ s convention Thursday , Trump described a country that , while overcoming some challenges , is still facing chaos and `` mayhem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who spoke before Trump , both on Thursday night and in the days before , described “ mobs ” taking over cities and censoring Americans ’ speech , and law enforcement officers in constant danger .
It ’ s the very thing Trump pledged to rid the country of four years ago when he accepted the Republican presidential nomination in Cleveland , Ohio , promising the restoration of “ law and order.
” '' Nobody knows the system better than me , '' he said then of America 's `` rigged '' politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can fix it . ''
And yet , four years later , much remains unfixed , according to Trump and most of the speakers during this week ’ s Republican National Convention .
“ There is violence and danger in the streets of many Democrat-run cities throughout America , ” the president said Thursday night on the White House ’ s South Lawn .
His acceptance speech featured some of the self-celebration more typical of a case for reelection , from the pre-pandemic economy to his efforts against terrorism .
But gloom still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the centerpiece of the speeches from many of the Republicans who spoke before him this week .
Faced with a Democratic opponent in Joe Biden who ’ s edging him out in polls and a global pandemic , Trump , in his 2020 acceptance speech , frequently returned to the warnings from 2016 , placing blame for increased violence in American cities at the feet of local leaders and political opponents , and absolving his own government .
The speakers at the Republican convention over the past four nights have also created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump , in power for the past four years , is the ultimate protector of the American people and even “ western civilization ” as a whole .
Meanwhile , Republicans say , Trump , in power for nearly the past four years , is presiding over a nation in darkness and chaos , scourged by “ mobs , ” “ mass chaos , ” and “ anti-law enforcement bias.
” In effect , Trump and other speakers this week said , America ’ s cities have descended into violence during Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years of Trump as president can prevent things from getting worse .
“ If the Radical Left takes power , they will apply their disastrous policies to every city , town , and suburb in America , ” Trump said .

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump said America was a mess in 2016 and four years later, running for reelection as president, he has the same message: America is a mess.
In his speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination on the final night of the party’s convention Thursday, Trump described a country that, while overcoming some challenges, is still facing chaos and "mayhem" across its major cities. Republicans who spoke before Trump, both on Thursday night and in the days before, described “mobs” taking over cities and censoring Americans’ speech and law enforcement officers in constant danger. It’s the very thing Trump pledged to rid the country of four years ago when he accepted the Republican presidential nomination in Cleveland, promising the restoration of “law and order.”
"Nobody knows the system better than me," he said then of America's "rigged" politics, "which is why I alone can fix it."
And yet, four years later, much remains unfixed, according to Trump and most of the speakers during this week’s Republican National Convention.
“There is violence and danger in the streets of many Democrat-run cities throughout America,” the president said Thursday night on the White House’s South Lawn.
His acceptance speech featured some of the self-celebration more typical of a case for reelection, from the pre-pandemic economy to his efforts against terrorism. But gloom still spilled into his remarks, and gloom was the centerpiece of the speeches from many of the Republicans who spoke before him this week. Faced with a Democratic opponent in Joe Biden who’s edging him out in polls and a global pandemic, Trump, in his 2020 acceptance speech, frequently returned to the warnings from 2016, placing blame for increased violence in American cities at the feet of local leaders and political opponents, and absolving his own government.
The speakers at the Republican convention over the past four nights have also created several contradictory realities. In this one, Trump, in power for the past four years, is the ultimate protector of the American people and even “western civilization” as a whole. Meanwhile, Republicans say, Trump, in power for nearly the past four years, is presiding over a nation in darkness and chaos, scourged by “mobs,” “mass chaos,” and “anti-law enforcement bias.”
In effect, Trump and other speakers this week said, America’s cities have descended into violence during Trump’s presidency, and only another four years of Trump as president can prevent things from getting worse.
“If the radical left takes power, they will apply their disastrous policies to every city, town, and suburb in America,” Trump said.


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--A Large Crowd At President Trump's RNC Rally Basically Ignored COVID-19 Social Distancing Precaution

A Large Crowd At President Trump's RNC Rally Basically Ignored COVID-19 Social Distancing Precautions

BuzzFeed News has reporters around the world bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
President Trump addressed the Republican National Convention from the White House on Thursday as a packed audience largely ignored precautions meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , instead sitting shoulder to shoulder and donning few masks .
An estimated 1,500 people were expected to gather on the South Lawn , including Republican members of Congress , despite DC rules that prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people and require anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state '' to self-quarantine for 14 days .
Those rules , however , do n't apply to federal property , so the White House was exempt from the restrictions .
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 13,000 people and killed 605 in Washington , DC , according to the city 's latest numbers .
Neither the White House nor the Trump campaign immediately responded to BuzzFeed News ' requests for comment .
But a White House official told the Washington Post people who were expected to be close to the president for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested .
Testing for the audience , though , was reportedly nonexistent .

President Donald Trump addressed the Republican National Convention from the White House on Thursday as a packed audience largely ignored precautions meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19, instead sitting shoulder to shoulder and donning few masks.
An estimated 1,500 people were expected to gather on the South Lawn, including Republican members of Congress, despite DC rules that prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people and require anyone entering the city from a "high-risk state" to self-quarantine for 14 days. Those rules, however, don't apply to federal property, so the White House was exempt from the restrictions.
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 13,000 people and killed 605 in Washington, DC, according to the city's latest numbers.


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--Yes, Hurricane Laura Really Did Tear Down A Confederate Monument

In Lake Charles , Louisiana , the fate of a Confederate monument was decided by nature .
Hurricane Laura destroyed the South 's Defenders monument , which stood on the grounds of a courthouse in Lake Charles .
This summer , amid a national reckoning on Confederate monuments , protesters called for the statue to be moved to a museum , a point of view shared by Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter .
The statue was dedicated in 1915 , part of a wave of monuments honoring the Confederacy during the Jim Crow era .
`` When we think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy and enslaved African Americans , ” Cary Chavis , who started one of three petitions to remove the statue , told local TV station KPLC in June .
“ So we have this monument out in front of our courthouse , which is to be a place where people can see justice and fairness and we have a monument that represents slavery in front of it , and that 's not something we should ever support . ''
But on Aug. 13 , the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury voted to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
News of the statue ’ s destruction spread quickly online , much to the joy of people supporting the removal of the monument .

In Lake Charles, Louisiana, the fate of a Confederate monument was decided by nature.
Hurricane Laura destroyed the South's Defenders monument, which stood on the grounds of a courthouse in Lake Charles.
This summer, amid a national reckoning on Confederate monuments, protesters called for the statue to be moved to a museum, a point of view shared by Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter. The statue was dedicated in 1915, part of a wave of monuments honoring the Confederacy during the Jim Crow era.
"When we think about this Confederate monument, it literally symbolizes white supremacy and enslaved African Americans,” Cary Chavis, who started one of three petitions to remove the statue, told local TV station KPLC in June. “So we have this monument out in front of our courthouse, which is to be a place where people can see justice and fairness and we have a monument that represents slavery in front of it, and that's not something we should ever support."
But on Aug. 13, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury voted to keep the statue, the Lafayette Daily Advertiser reported.
On Aug. 27, Hurricane Laura reversed that decision.
News of the statue’s destruction spread quickly online, much to the joy of people supporting the removal of the monument.
“The Confederate general has fallen,” tweeted Davante Lewis, a director at Louisiana Budget Project, a watchdog organization.


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--The H1N1 Vaccine Is A Cautionary Tale For The Coronavirus

The first lesson of any vaccination program ?
“ You have to get people on board with getting the vaccine.
” First reports of the outbreak were dire , spreading from a foreign country with a 41 % mortality rate and triggering a crash race for a vaccine .
The year was 2009 , and the illness was the H1N1 flu , the last time the US rolled out a new nationwide vaccine in response to a pandemic .
That 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine , produced in a $ 2 billion sprint from April to November of 2009 , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 presidential election .
Last week , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted that the Obama and Biden team ’ s response to the emergence of the pandemic flu strain — which ultimately killed more than 12,000 Americans — was “ FAILED.
” Scientists stress that the comparison is not entirely valid , in large part because of the vast differences between the flu strain and the novel coronavirus .
But as the US prepares an unprecedented national rollout of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines , with millions of doses already being manufactured in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine — with its low coverage rates , up-and-down demand , and initial shortages followed by oversupply — serves as a cautionary tale for both Joe Biden and President Donald Trump .
“ Nothing went flawless or perfect , and the deaths were tragic and disappointing , ” said Howard Koh , a former Obama administration Department of Health and Human Services official .
“ There were a lot of challenges , but everyone pulled together , which I worry about now.
” On Wednesday , the CDC ’ s Advisory Committee on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warp Speed coronavirus vaccines and outline strategies for inoculating the first wave of people — most likely healthcare workers — with their first doses , if they prove safe and effective .
“ The H1N1 vaccine experience is only partly applicable to COVID-19 , but it does offer the lesson that a strong communication plan needs to be in place ahead of time , starting , well , now , ” said health communications expert K. Viswanath of Harvard ’ s T. H. Chan School of Public Health .
Biden has pledged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and distribution , if elected .
( His campaign did not provide a response when asked about the 2009 vaccine , which was largely managed by federal science officials . )
The Trump administration ’ s Operation Warp Speed has invested around $ 8 billion in developing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 so far and promised to deliver 300 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine to the US by January .
( Operation Warp Speed ’ s federal leaders backtracked on this pledge in a New England Journal of Medicine report on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doses , where many of its candidates are two-shot inoculations , by July . )
“ A huge lesson from H1N1 is that it takes just a tremendous amount of work and preparation that all has to be done ahead of time to roll out a new vaccine , ” former HHS official Nicole Lurie of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations told BuzzFeed News .
( Lurie is a medical adviser to Biden but emphasized she was not speaking on behalf of the campaign . )
“ You really have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for shipment.
” In reality , the Obama administration response to H1N1 was well run , University of Michigan medical historian Howard Markel told BuzzFeed News , featuring regular updates from medical officials to the public and producing a vaccine in record time .
“ There really was terrific communication and coordination between state , local , and federal health officials , ” said Markel , who sat on an outside expert panel monitoring the response as it happened .
Markel added that the Trump criticism of Biden for the Obama administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misplaced , since the Trump administration has overseen a pandemic response that has led to more than 177,000 Americans dying .
Despite those deaths , public confidence in a coronavirus vaccine ’ s safety is in poor shape , with 35 % of Americans saying they wouldn ’ t take a free vaccine from the FDA , according to a recent Gallup poll .
Similar safety concerns led to a disappointing rollout of the H1N1 vaccine , amid dissipating fear of an influenza strain that turned out less deadly than was initially feared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but a lot less people ended up getting the vaccine than they should have , ” Markel said .
“ That ’ s the first lesson of any vaccination program : You have to get people on board with getting the vaccine.
” In some ways , the 2009 H1N1 outbreak was a reverse image of the novel coronavirus pandemic : While it wasn ’ t even clear to the world that SARS-CoV-2 spread from person to person until weeks into the outbreak , the earliest cases of H1N1 emerged in a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a report of a disease that struck 6.5 % of patients with critical cases and killed 41 % of those .
The H1N1 outbreak spread to the US , Canada , and Europe by April of 2009 , with the CDC releasing a successful test for the virus globally on the first day of May .
( In the case of SARS-CoV-2 , the CDC ’ s first batch of tests turned out to be botched . )
By June , the flu virus had reached 75 countries , leading the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The demand for a vaccine was borne from those first few months — April , May , June , everyone wanted a vaccine , ” said Markel .
In another difference from COVID-19 , the 2009 flu targeted the young rather than the old , with 85 % of deaths occurring to people younger than age 60 .
The elderly turned out to have greater immunity due to childhood infections with a distantly related H1N1 influenza strain .
Clinical trials of H1N1 vaccines began in July of 2009 , with federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a rollout .
But since the flu virus is heavily seasonal , cases faded in the northern hemisphere with summer , and with it , public concern over the virus faded as well .
By August , a poll found that only 40 % of parents planned to get the H1N1 shot for their children .
Meanwhile , right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh and comedian Bill Maher were among those bad-mouthing the risks of the rapidly developed vaccine , raising popular fears .
The US H1N1 vaccine was just as safe as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have shown .
In early October , the Obama administration first began distributing the vaccine with only 2.4 million doses available and , facing an early fall flu season , recommended children and pregnant women be prioritized for the two-shot vaccine .
The result was a surge in demand in some places with not enough supply .
Former HHS official Lurie said the agency ended up placing observers in manufacturing facilities to oversee production .
`` There are going to be delays no matter whatever happens , '' Lurie said .
By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distributed only 23 million doses .
When hundreds of millions of doses later became available , demand for the vaccine died down , leaving a patchwork of coverage around the country .
In Rhode Island , about 85 % of children were vaccinated while in Georgia , home to the CDC , only 21 % were .
`` One lesson of H1N1 is that when supply is more plentiful , people are less likely to want it , '' said Lurie .
`` It 's just human nature to really want something more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means you have to keep working to get people vaccinated even after you have ironed out supply problems . ''
In the end , while 40 % of adults got the single shot for the seasonal flu in the 2009 flu season , only 23 % were vaccinated against H1N1 , according to the CDC .
“ That was a failure , and a main driver was a perception of safety , ” said Rally Health behavioral scientist Ezequiel Galarce , who led a 2011 study finding low vaccination rates among Black and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a risk-to-benefit calculation that people make about vaccinations , with a huge emotional aspect , ” he added .
“ I think we will see that now , just like then.
” “ What keeps me up at night is that the first vaccines are going to roll off the assembly line , or gon na roll off first , because they were the easiest to construct and the fastest to mass-produce , ” not the most effective or best ones , Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine expert Paul Offit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
The FDA has set the bar for approval of a COVID-19 vaccine at 50 % effectiveness in blocking transmission of the virus .
But to halt an epidemic , a coronavirus vaccine should prevent at least 70 % of infections as long as at least three-quarters of the population is inoculated , according to an American Journal of Preventive Medicine analysis released on Tuesday .
“ We are facing mountains of misinformation we didn ’ t have then , ” said Viswanath .
Like any vaccine , coronavirus inoculations will doubtless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occasional fevers .
That ’ s normal .
But how will reports of those totally foreseeable side effects play out in today ’ s social media–amplified world of viral conspiracy theories and organized anti-vaccine campaigns ?
“ I worry all of these things will come together to undermine a coronavirus vaccine , ” said Viswanath .
What ’ s more , the politicization of the pandemic , with masks , hydroxychloroquine , and death rates from COVID-19 all becoming matters of partisan disagreement , points to a likely politicization of vaccines as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine flipping with ownership of the White House .
Others fear Trump pressuring the FDA to release a shoddy vaccine in a desperate bid for reelection .
The chaos of FDA scientists likely resigning over the decision , vaccine trial scientists protesting , and loud blowback from outside vaccine experts , all of them facing off with a Trump campaign now down by more than 7 % in an average of national polls , would be awful , said Koh , wrecking the trust in vaccines that is the first condition needed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society of America warned FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn against taking such a step in a letter released on Wednesday .
“ Making a vaccine available before sufficient safety and efficacy data are available could significantly undermine COVID-19 vaccination efforts and seriously erode confidence in all vaccines , ” it read .
Hahn ’ s credibility has come under fire in his handling of an emergency authorization for use of blood plasma as a treatment for COVID-19 , where he bungled the statistics about its effectiveness amid political pressure from Trump .
He apologized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised eyebrows on Wednesday by promoting a vaccine advisory committee meeting on Oct. 22 , in a Twitter thread touting enrollment in the vaccine candidate trials .
“ We really will need national unity of some kind , to have high vaccination rates , ” said Galarce .
“ Sometimes the messenger matters more than the message , ” he added .
Short of the “ October surprise , ” there are plenty of pitfalls pointed out by the 2009 experience .
Both the CDC and the National Academies of Science , Engineering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccines more easily available to Black and Latino people , trying to avoid disparities seen in the 2009 vaccine rollout .
The key to that effort will be reaching out to community leaders and finding out how to make the vaccines more accessible , so that people don ’ t have to take three buses and stand in line for hours to get a shot .
“ It ’ s a lot easier to remove barriers than to increase people ’ s motivation , ” said Galarce .
At Wednesday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for refrigeration raised concerns about the shelf life of the first two vaccines in the Operation Warp Speed pipeline , one made by Pfizer and one made by Moderna , which could lead to the kinds of shortages that plagued the H1N1 vaccine rollout .
Advisory committee members were asked to consider scenarios for the rollout of the two vaccines as soon as October .
If both vaccines were successful , that would provide 35 to 45 million doses — enough to inoculate half that many people because the vaccines require two shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Given local COVID-19 outbreaks and varied capabilities to store vaccines , the CDC ’ s Nancy Messonnier said federal officials will need to “ leave state local health departments some flexibility to deal with their own local situations ” during the coronavirus vaccine rollout .
She recalled the H1N1 experience to make this point , calling it “ very different but with certain similarities.
” The individual calculus that people did in 2009 drove older folks away from getting a shot , because H1N1 was widely seen as dangerous only to the young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of that calculation for a coronavirus vaccine , with young people deciding to skip a shot because of their lowered risk , potentially undermining herd immunity .
The rise of anti-vaccination attitudes among parents , as well as the drastically lower chances of serious illness in children , could also reduce inoculations among kids .
Such decisions undermine herd immunity to the virus , because infected kids can pass along the coronavirus .
One important step is letting people know right now that the FDA and CDC are planning an intense vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Kathryn Edwards , scientific director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program .
Her program will be headquarters for a consortium with six other schools running a 24-hour hotline for doctors with any safety questions once a coronavirus vaccine is available .
At the CDC ’ s vaccine meeting , officials described a number of FDA , CDC , and Defense Department programs to watch for any signs of adverse events in vaccines , ranging from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System ( VAERS ) , created in 1986 , which tallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , stood up by Lurie and other officials in the H1N1 crisis , which collects rapid reports of adverse vaccine events from Medicare and insurers , feeding them directly to federal overseers .
On top of building the vaccine safety hotline system , Edwards also participates in the safety monitoring of one Operation Warp Speed vaccine that is currently in clinical trials and planned for testing in 30,000 patients .
“ We are really seriously looking for any concerns .
I work from Sunday to Saturday , and so do a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ People should know this .
”

Scientists stress that the comparison is not entirely valid, in large part because of the vast differences between the flu strain and the novel coronavirus. But as the US prepares an unprecedented national rollout of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, with millions of doses already being manufactured in preparation, the story of the 2009 vaccine — with its low coverage rates, up-and-down demand, and initial shortages followed by oversupply — serves as a cautionary tale for both Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
“Nothing went flawless or perfect, and the deaths were tragic and disappointing,” said Howard Koh, a former Obama administration Department of Health and Human Services official. “There were a lot of challenges, but everyone pulled together, which I worry about now.”
On Wednesday, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met to discuss two Operation Warp Speed coronavirus vaccines and outline strategies for inoculating the first wave of people — most likely healthcare workers — with their first doses, if they prove safe and effective.
“The H1N1 vaccine experience is only partly applicable to COVID-19, but it does offer the lesson that a strong communication plan needs to be in place ahead of time, starting, well, now,” said health communications expert K. Viswanath of Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
Biden has pledged to add $25 billion toward vaccine development and distribution, if elected. (His campaign did not provide a response when asked about the 2009 vaccine, which was largely managed by federal science officials.) The Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed has invested around $8 billion in developing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 so far and promised to deliver 300 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine to the US by January. (Operation Warp Speed’s federal leaders backtracked on this pledge in a New England Journal of Medicine report on Wednesday, setting the goal as 300 million doses, where many of its candidates are two-shot inoculations, by July.)
“A huge lesson from H1N1 is that it takes just a tremendous amount of work and preparation that all has to be done ahead of time to roll out a new vaccine,” former HHS official Nicole Lurie of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations told BuzzFeed News. (Lurie is a medical adviser to Biden but emphasized she was not speaking on behalf of the campaign.) “You really have to be ready months before the vaccine is ready for shipment.”
In reality, the Obama administration response to H1N1 was well run, University of Michigan medical historian Howard Markel told BuzzFeed News, featuring regular updates from medical officials to the public and producing a vaccine in record time. “There really was terrific communication and coordination between state, local, and federal health officials,” said Markel, who sat on an outside expert panel monitoring the response as it happened.
Markel added that the Trump criticism of Biden for the Obama administration’s handling of the 2009 pandemic seemed misplaced, since the Trump administration has overseen a pandemic response that has led to more than 177,000 Americans dying.
Despite those deaths, public confidence in a coronavirus vaccine’s safety is in poor shape, with 35% of Americans saying they wouldn’t take a free vaccine from the FDA, according to a recent Gallup poll. Similar safety concerns led to a disappointing rollout of the H1N1 vaccine, amid dissipating alarm about an influenza strain that turned out less deadly than was initially feared.
“It was a success, but a lot less people ended up getting the vaccine than they should have, ” Markel said. “That’s the first lesson of any vaccination program: You have to get people on board with getting the vaccine.”


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--I Caught My Husband Using My Photos To Catfish Another Woman — WTF Should I Do?

So my first question is whether you have anyone else in your life , be it a family member or @ @ @ @ @ provide a little support right now — whether it 's helping out with childcare , @ @ @ @ @ , or offering a safe place for you and your son to stay while you @ @ @ @ @ I do n't know whether you 've told any loved ones about what 's going @ @ @ @ @ but I think you should , because they might be able to give you a @ @ @ @ @ .
Please do n't feel like you have to navigate this by yourself .

So my first question is whether you have anyone else in your life, be it a family member or a friend, who can provide a little support right now — whether it's helping out with childcare, giving you a small loan, or offering a safe place for you and your son to stay while you get on your feet. I don't know whether you've told any loved ones about what's going on in your marriage, but I think you should, because they might be able to give you a vital safety net right now. Please don't feel like you have to navigate this by yourself.


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--I Saw “Tenet” In A Movie Theater. This Is What It Was Like.

In Toronto , where I live , movie theaters have been open for a few weeks .
They are restricted to a maximum of 50 people per screening to assure proper distancing from others .
You are required to buy your ticket in advance and you have to wear a mask the whole time .
I had been skeptical about going , but when Warner Bros. announced that it was releasing Christopher Nolan ’ s latest blockbuster Tenet in Canada , I knew I had to go see it .
So this past Wednesday , I strapped on my fanciest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cinema .
All around the theater lobby , there were nervous glances from masked faces .
A couple told me they were not sure this was the best idea , but they needed a shred of normalcy , and this is where they turned for it .
“ I haven ’ t seen a movie in a theater , literally since last year !
” one of them said .
The wait in the lobby was filled with excitement but also uncertainty , each of us glancing carefully at the distance between our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slowly , we took our turns navigating hand sanitizer stations .
The regular movie snacks were on offer , but few opted in — I imagine because they didn ’ t want to think about removing their mask , even momentarily , to munch on a handful of popcorn .
Once we were ushered into the theater , I sunk into my seat , let my shoulders drop , and settled in for an actual blockbuster on an actual big screen — and it was absolutely everything I needed .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nolan ’ s 11th film is a delicious feast of battles and twists and time-bending .
Its nameless protagonist , played by John David Washington , embarks on a mildly absurd mission to prevent a devastating war ( “ A nuclear holocaust ?
” he asks ; “ No , something worse , ” he is told ) .
It ’ s ambitious in scale , much like Nolan ’ s previous offerings Interstellar and Inception ( and suffers from the same pacing issues ) , though it ’ s significantly less warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous Nolan films , the ambition is the sell : You don ’ t see a Nolan movie because it ’ s going to get an Oscar nod ; you see a Nolan movie because he ’ s going to attempt a wild feat that few directors would .
He ’ s a risk-taker in terms of concepts ( “ a heist ... in your mind !
” ) and unparalleled in creating a thrilling spectacle .
Tenet is enjoyable for the same reason Evel Knievel is fun to watch : One minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this , and the next it ’ s motherfucker , he pulled it off .
You should see Tenet where it ’ s safe to do so .
It ’ s wildly fun .
So I waited and waited , patiently moving my hopes slightly , protecting them from the wind .
Then the announcement came : Tenet will have international release first , followed by a staggered US release .
Here in Canada , where the coronavirus response has been substantially saner , movie theaters began to slowly reopen in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promising .
And on opening day , I was there .
The bad news is : The sweet thrill of the summer movie now comes with an asterisk .
An uncomplicated joy has become complicated .
Before deciding to see Tenet , my wife and I had to have a serious conversation about whether we were both comfortable with the decision .
We ’ re all going to have to have those conversations now .
The good news , though , is that even with a mask on , Tenet kept me on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were seated far away from me , I still saw them jumping with tension .
The feeling of a theater chair , the rush of anticipation when the trailers end and the movie is about to begin , none of that went away .
I can ’ t tell you whether Tenet ’ s arrival in US theaters next week will be enough to rescue Hollywood from a very bad summer .
In all likelihood , 2020 will go down as a year that the film industry — and , frankly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to forget .
But leaving the theater , I overheard a group of eight people , who arrived separately and didn ’ t seem to know each other , all masked and standing apart , excitedly talking about the thrills of the movie , analyzing it , breathlessly sharing their favorite parts .
They were trying to make sense of the ending .
They were marveling at the premise of the big movie they had just seen .
It was a little different and a little the same : Somewhere in the darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its thing .
●

But it’s this whole “where it’s safe to do so” business that’s the bigger question. We haven’t had to imagine a summer without a movie that everyone saw since Jaws came out in 1975. For 45 years, the summer blockbuster has given us something to orbit around, a Movie Event, a common reference point, a conversation starter. On a good year, we get several. But since the pandemic took over our lives, the virus has become the only conversation.
The internet has now been inundated with odes to the movie theater. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman penned this effusive tribute to “a temple, a cave, a womb, a big dark space that conferred, just by being there, the magic of invisibility.” In the New Yorker, Richard Brody reminded us that a theater creates exigency: “A film dropping online does so with little actual urgency, because it will (in general) remain available ... whereas a theatrical release is an emergency.”
And the necessity of the theater in the modern era, at least in the Before Times, is twofold: One, you might miss the film in the actual theater; but two, and perhaps more pressing, is that you might miss the window of conversation for a film. In the case of blockbusters, with films jockeying for position every week, people love to be part of the digital chatter that emerges after a big film drops. Marvel in particular mastered this with its Avengers universe, each of its new releases dominating the conversation. There is a real FOMO that kicks in if you can’t participate.
The classic blockbuster, of course, is not without its criticisms. While its long-rumored death has been entirely exaggerated, blockbusters on the whole tend to have a diversity problem, have been charged with draining creativity from the film industry, and accused of getting less enjoyable.
While I’m aware of these problems, I was particularly looking forward to the blockbusters of 2020. We’ve been seeing fewer white men anchor blockbusters, but this summer had an even bigger opportunity to further those efforts: Marvel had Black Widow on offer, Disney had Mulan on the schedule, DC was pushing Wonder Woman 1984 — to say nothing of Tenet, a $200-million film starring a Black man not named Will Smith! We had all of this coming, and a new installment of the Fast and Furious film franchise, possibly the most diverse blockbuster franchise around.
But I am speaking a language of summers past here, with all this hoping and excitement. The pandemic extinguished those with the quickness. The signs of trouble started coming in fast. First, James Bond got moved from an April release to November. F9, the ninth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise, was moved from Memorial Day to April 2021. Mulan was delayed by months. Top Gun and A Quiet Place 2 got pushed back to next year. I knew things were bad when even Marvel, the undisputed titan of every summer, moved Black Widow from a May release to November.
As the restrictions stretched on, and other titles pushed their release dates, there was one outlier. Tenet held steady to a mid-July release. Nolan penned a beautiful ode to movie theaters in the Washington Post. They will “need our help,” the director wrote. The narrative became: Tenet will be the savior of the theater. The movie was a beacon of hope — yes, the coronavirus is wreaking havoc, but Nolan will take it on. His defiance became my defiance, too.
Eventually, Nolan blinked. Mid-July became late July, became early August, and in the US, the film will be released in early September (allegedly). Even critics began to accept the idea of a summer without blockbusters. Hell, maybe it’s a good thing we won’t be getting these big movies anyway, some wrote.
The tenuous future of Tenet — and by extension, the tenuous future of the movie theater — emboldened streaming services to make a play for replacing that popcorn flick theater feeling. While Netflix offered Charlize Theron in The Old Guard, Apple TV+ gave us Tom Hanks in Greyhound. These films were positioned as a way to keep the blockbuster alive. The move worked very well. And fine, millions of people streamed the films. They just…don’t feel like blockbusters. They feel like action movies you watch at home.
Even though I have a reasonably sized TV and am an adult capable of making popcorn at home, it quickly became apparent what the theater experience offers: not a single distraction. In a theater, it’s just you and the movie. At home, my phone is just a stretch away, while my cat insists on sliding across the apartment floor for absolutely no reason. The volume has to be low enough for my daughter to sleep, unless I’d like to watch the movie with headphones on, on a small laptop screen. In other words, outside the theater, real life happens, and it tugs at you in a million little ways, so that the best you can do is give 78% of your attention to a movie. That’s under ideal circumstances. But a cinema is an invitation to forget what’s behind your immediate walls.


buzzfeed--2020-08-28--The "I May Destroy You" Finale Emotionally Broke Me In The Best Way

And in a recent interview with Vulture , Michaela explained what it was like to write these endings and the @ @ @ @ @ `` I had to let it go , and realize that I was still alive @ @ @ @ @ , and the trauma did not need to define me .
I could let go @ @ @ @ @ would still be here . ''

And in a recent interview with Vulture , Michaela explained what it was like to write these endings and the series as a whole: "I had to let it go, and realize that I was still alive if I let it go, and the trauma did not need to define me. I could let go of the trauma and I would still be here."