rawstory--2020-01-09--Netflix appeals Brazil judge’s order to pull gay Christ comedy

Netflix filed an appeal to Brazil ’ s highest court Thursday after a judge issued a temporary injunction for the streaming service to pull a comedy that depicts Jesus Christ in a gay relationship .
The film entitled “ The First Temptation of Christ ” , by the Brazilian production company Porta dos Fundos , came out on December 3 and drew strong criticism from conservative politicians in the mainly Catholic country , the church itself and from evangelicals .
It depicts Jesus returning home with his boyfriend Orlando after 40 days in the desert , as Mary and Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 30th birthday .
The satirical comedy was still available on Netflix Thursday .
“ We strongly support artistic expression and we will fight to defend this important principle , which is the heart of great stories , ” a spokesperson for the on-demand platform told AFP .
Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes is handling Netflix ’ s appeal , according to the court ’ s website .
In a statement , Porta dos Fundos said it “ opposed any act of censorship , violence , illegality , authoritarianism ” and vowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eve , the production company ’ s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro were attacked with Molotov cocktails .
No one was hurt .
Police said several men with their faces covered took part in the assault .
Police have identified Eduardo Fauzi as a suspect after analyzing security camera footage .
He fled to Russia .
The federal police asked Interpol Tuesday to issue a “ Red Notice ” for Fauzi , Brazil ’ s state media reported on Wednesday .
Fauzi still did not appear on the public list Thursday .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to police across the world to provisionally arrest a person pending extradition , surrender or similar legal action .
It is not an arrest warrant .
Federal police did not immediately respond to AFP ’ s request for comment .
Judge Benedicto Abicair said Wednesday he was ordering the film yanked for now so as to calm tempers until courts can consider the broader merits of a suit against the movie brought by a Catholic association called the Don Bosco Center for Faith and Culture .
Porta dos Fundos is an award-winning comedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an international Emmy in 2018 .


rawstory--2020-01-09--Trump White House begs government to stop labeling wall construction as ‘replacement barrier’

President Donald Trump hasn ’ t managed to build much of the border wall he swears is under construction .
Instead , the funding that was allocated to deal with the border was to repair the existing fence that runs from south of San Diego to the Rio Grande .
According to the Washington Post , however , Trump really wants the government to stop referring to it as a “ replacement barrier , ” because it flies in the face of his lie about the wall being built .
“ Nearly all of the 100 miles of new fencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrier ’ by CBP , but the White House has asked the agency to stop using that term because it sounds like less of an accomplishment , ” the Post reported .
Trump has tried to promote his wall , saying it was being built , but photos he tweeted ended up being prototypes for the wall instead of the real thing .
During another update on the border wall , Trump ’ s administration reluctantly revealed that very little has been done .
When asked how much of the border fence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan confessed it was just three miles .
Now , Trump ’ s wall is being held up in court because building it means he would have to steal land from Texas ranchers to build it .
As it turns out , even Republican supporters of the president don ’ t want to hand over their land .
Trump ’ s team will have an event in Arizona next week celebrating their 100 miles of new wall , which is neither a wall nor new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has been built over several years prior to Trump .
Which is why Trump ’ s team is begging CPB to hide from Americans that they haven ’ t made any progress .
“ Our goal at the end of 2020 was 450 miles , ” Morgan claimed .
“ It ’ s hard right now to be able to say whether we ’ re still going to be able to meet that goal , but I ’ m confident that we ’ re going to be close.
” Read the full @ @ @ @ @ @

Trained in political science and the law, he has no formal education in disaster preparedness or response. And prior to his current role, he never held a full-time job dedicated to emergency management.
Instead, his main qualification was being chief of staff to then-mayor Alan Arakawa. But in that role, he told Civil Beat Tuesday, he assisted during emergency operations. And he said he participated in online FEMA trainings and workshops throughout the years.
In 2017, Andaya beat out 40 other applicants for the job, Maui Now reported at the time.
As the mayor’s administration was coming to a close, a panel of government officials – which said it was independent of the mayor – chose Andaya for the civil service role.
Civil Beat reviewed Andaya’s experience after historic Lahaina was swallowed by an inferno last week, killing scores of residents and visitors who never saw it coming.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency had the authority to issue siren warnings that might have alerted people. After Andaya’s agency decided not to sound them, many survivors reported they only became aware of the fire when they saw and smelled smoke.
Andaya said sounding the sirens wasn’t an option officials considered because they’re “mainly used for tsunamis.” That’s why they’re mostly located on the coast, he said.
But the state’s own website says the sirens are useful for many kinds of emergencies.
“The all-hazard siren system can be used for a variety of both natural and human-caused events; including tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more,” the site states.
Andaya wasn’t on the island when the fires started, and he hasn’t made any appearances at press conferences since the disaster occurred.
Asked about Andaya’s resume, David Hafner, a retired telecommunications planner for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, questioned whether his relative inexperience affected his agency’s performance in a crisis.
“It’s a good ol’ boy network,” Hafner said. “This time it cost lives.”
Hafner said it’s “absolutely essential” for emergency management leaders to have experience in the field so they make the right decisions both before and after disasters strike.
Not having it, he said, “can lead to grave mistakes in judgment.”
Andaya’s hiring came at a time when Hawaii’s counties had just taken on increased responsibility for disaster response, according to Hafner. State emergency management officials used to be the designated authority to respond to emergencies, he said, but an update to the law in 2014 put the counties in the driver’s seat.
Asked about Andaya’s LinkedIn resume, Colin Moore, a political scientist at the University of Hawaii, said he was shocked by the emergency administrator’s lack of relevant experience. He said the public is owed an explanation.
“It’s a legitimate question to ask why the person leading the county emergency services agency has no clear background in fire, police, public health, the usual emergency services backgrounds,” he said.
“Having that on-the-ground experience, you develop the instincts and the connections to be able to perform a job like this. And if you just have general government experience, there is just no opportunity to have that kind of on-the-ground knowledge that often is really useful in a crisis.”
Andaya said as a former member of the mayor’s cabinet, he was qualified for the job.
“Whenever there was an activation in the emergency operations center, we were involved,” he said. “To say that I have no experience or no background in emergency management is not correct.”
‘Political Influence’ A Concern
Andaya, 52, is from Maui and graduated from HP Baldwin High School.
He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Hawaii Manoa. He also has a law degree from the UH Richardson School of Law, although he never became a licensed attorney, according to the Hawaii State Bar Association’s online database.
He began his career clerking for Maui Judge Artemio Baxa. He then worked for the law office of Lynn Araki-Regan, an attorney who is the wife of Arakawa’s managing director, Keith Regan.
When Andaya vacated his position as chief of staff, it was filled by Araki-Regan, who was by then the county budget director. Regan said he had no involvement in Andaya’s hiring.
From the early 2000s onward, Andaya has held leadership positions in Maui’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns and worked as the assistant to the chancellor of UH’s Maui College, according to his LinkedIn resume. He is married to Rowena Dagdag-Andaya, a former elementary school teacher who served as Maui’s public works director and now works in Maui’s Office on Aging.
Andaya was Arakawa’s chief of staff from 2011 through 2017. That year, the mayor appointed him acting administrator of MEMA, and he became permanent by the end of that year.
In contrast, Honolulu’s emergency management director, Hiro Toiya, has technical training in emergency response, worked for years as a preparedness planner for the Hawaii health department and rose up the ranks of Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management. He worked there for more than seven years before becoming the director.
Asked how he stood out among a pool of 40 job candidates, Andaya said Maui doesn’t have a lot of emergency management professionals to begin with. He noted that he had to take an exam and based on his score was determined to be a finalist.
“You would have to question the civil service process if you can believe that politics was involved,” he said. “This is something that my predecessors have to go through as well.”
Before Andaya was hired, there were concerns in Maui’s political scene that the county was considering someone who wasn’t qualified.
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background.”
Former Maui County Council Chairman Mike White
In July 2017, the chair of the Maui County Council at the time, Mike White, took the unusual step of writing a Maui News column warning that the job of emergency management was too important to be “subject to political influence.”
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background,” White wrote.
“The administration must search for well-qualified candidates who can make a seamless transition in leading our Emergency Management Agency. The stakes are too high and our community has grown to a point where emergency coordination has become quite sophisticated in its implementation.”
In his column, White praised the outgoing emergency management chief, Anna Foust, who had previously worked for years leading the Maui branch of the Red Cross. White emphasized her expertise.
“During her tenure, she used her emergency response experience and training to help guide the county to keep citizens safe during hurricane warnings and watches, flooding events and tsunami warnings,” White wrote.
Civil Beat wasn’t able to reach White for comment.
Panel Of Specialists Chose Andaya
On Tuesday, Arakawa’s former managing director, Keith Regan, said that politics was not a factor in Andaya’s hiring. Asked why Andaya was the best candidate, Regan said he didn’t know because he wasn’t on the hiring committee. But he was adamant there was “zero” political influence in the process.
“This was a straightforward civil service process,” said Regan, who is now the state comptroller.
When Regan ran for Maui County Council in 2015, Andaya was his campaign manager. This year, Andaya wrote a letter of support of Regan’s nomination to state comptroller.
Regan noted that the hiring panel included numerous experts in the field. Maui Now identified them at the time as then-Maui Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu; then-Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray; Elton Ushio, administrator of the Kauai Emergency Management Agency; and Vern Miyagi, then-administrator of the Hawaii State Emergency Management Agency.
At the time, Ushio was quoted by Maui Now as saying Andaya’s “proven leadership abilities, executive level experience, and impressive knowledge of emergency management” made him a great fit for the job. Murray cited Andaya’s familiarity with government processes, his “institutional knowledge of the various emergency incidents” in recent years, and his then-recent work as acting leader of the department.
“These are not people that, you know, are just political people,” Regan said. “They’re people who understand emergency management and are going to make the right choice for the community.”
In a statement, former HI-EMA director Miyagi said the public’s focus should be on working together on response and recovery.
“Herman Andaya and his staff at MEMA are really good people,” he said. “They carried Maui successfully through numerous hurricanes, floods, and other disasters.”
He said the public should wait for the attorney general’s investigation before drawing conclusions.
Civil Beat left messages with the other hiring committee members on Tuesday, but they were not returned. Former mayor Arakawa also did not respond to a request for comment.
“Herman is a very skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, professional individual,” Regan said. “I trust that is making the right decisions … There is no question in my mind that he cares about that community, and he’s going to do everything he can to keep that community safe.”


rawstory--2020-01-09--Conservative columnist bashes Republicans for claim if you don’t support Trump you’re a terrorist

President Donald Trump and his cabinet officials have tried a new tactic against Democrats that harkens back to the Iraq War : If you don ’ t support the president you ’ re a terrorist .
It ’ s something that has infuriated conservative columnist Max Boot .
After Trump and his team decided to kill Iranian Gen. Qasem Suleimani , Democrats began asking questions about whether it would make the Middle East less safe .
Given Suleimani ’ s high profile there was a risk of turning him into a martyr , with fans turning to worship him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or American soldiers in retaliation .
It was among the reasons that previous presidents decided that the risk was not worth the rewards .
In his Washington Post column , Boot warned that the first casualty of war is “ truth , ” and “ dissent ” is the second .
During the Iraq War , questioning whether Iraq really had weapons of mass destruction was labeled treasonous .
France questioned the U.S. decision , saying that they wanted no part of it , prompting former President George W. Bush to proclaim “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ freedom fries.
” Boot recalled that during past wars , things were worse .
“ Loyalists during the American Revolution were sometimes tarred and feathered , ” he wrote .
“ Southern sympathizers in the North during the Civil War were arrested and held without trial .
Critics of America ’ s involvement in World War I were arrested and deported .
Anti-Vietnam War protesters were investigated and harassed by the FBI and attacked by police and blue-collar workers ( ‘ hard hats ’ ) .
” In 2003 , after Saddam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writer James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal claimed that “ the Angry Left ” was “ pretty bummed.
” The language was remarkably similar to Rep. Doug Collins ( R-GA ) and Sean Hannity who falsely claimed that Democrats were upset by the death of Suleimani .
Boot confessed that even his language during the Iraq war was over the top and obviously incorrect .
“ I now cringe when I read that column , because of course the anti-war protesters were right and I was wrong : The invasion of Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a terrible person who deserved what he got , ” he wrote .
Neither Trump nor the GOP has learned from those mistakes .
“ President Trump and his unscrupulous supporters appear intent on repeating them by labeling all critics of his confrontation with Iran as traitors and supporters of terrorism .
After Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer ( D-NY ) complained that he was not given advance notice of the drone strike that killed Soleimani , pardoned felon Dinesh D ’ Souza wrote , ‘ Neither were the Iranians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Trump then retweeted this vile suggestion that Democrats were equivalent to anti-American terrorists .
This week , Trump claimed that “ elements ” of the Democratic Party are ‘ openly supporting Iran ’ — another noxious falsehood.
” It isn ’ t working out well for the GOP .
While some time has passed since the mistakes of Iraq , there are still troops stationed overseas and an entire generation of young people have come home injured mentally or physically .
Trump and Pompeo then tried to find ways to blame former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neither the blame nor the attacks on Democrats seem to be working .
Americans who believe Trump made the U.S. less safe and is being “ reckless ” with his attacks outnumber Trump supporters 2-1 , according to new USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll .
“ The Republican position seems to be that it ’ s fine to attack and undermine a Democratic president in his conduct of foreign policy ( as 47 Republican senators did in 2015 when they sent a letter telling Iran ’ s leaders not to make a deal with Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it ’ s treason to question anything a Republican president does.
” He cited Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs who compared Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) to Benedict Arnold during his Wednesday night show .
Lee merely criticized the administration ’ s briefing and called it dubious in the claim of an “ imminent threat.
” “ It is a shame that this country which is benefiting so much from this president ’ s leadership does not understand their obligations to this leader who is making it possible , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1918 quote from Theodore Roosevelt , who criticized Woodrow Wilson for trying to criminalize wartime dissent .
“ To announce that there must be no criticism of the President , or that we are to stand by the President , right or wrong , is not only unpatriotic and servile , but is morally treasonable to the American public , ” Roosevelt said .
“ So , by Roosevelt ’ s definition , guess who is being “ treasonable ” ?
Hint : It ’ s not Trump ’ s critics , ” @ @ @


rawstory--2020-01-09--Rudy Giuliani uncorks bizarre rant that demands Trump’s impeachment be ‘declared illegal’

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani on Thursday popped up on Twitter to uncork yet another rant against the president ’ s impeachment in the House of Representatives .
In his latest tweet , the former New York mayor demanded that the entire impeachment be declared unlawful via some unexplained legal mechanism that appears nowhere in the United States Constitution .
“ If this impeachment is not declared illegal it would remove the constitutional limitation of crimes on the power to impeach , ” Giuliani wrote .
“ It would allow the House to impeach for policy differences or political leverage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise any challenge to the most illegal , overbroad subpoena from any of the multitude of congressional committees and sub-committees .
Anytime Congress disagrees , it could charge abuse of power.
” In reality , impeaching a president does not necessitate proving that the president committed a specific crime , as the language in the Constitution is intentionally vague about what does and does not constitute an impeachment offense .
In fact , the second article of impeachment against former President Richard Nixon was for abuse of power , which is the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article of impeachment passed by the House of Representatives last year .
Additionally , Trump is not being impeached for “ policy differences , ” but because he allegedly used both the promise of an Oval Office visit and the delivery of military aid to coerce the Ukrainian government to investigate his prospective 2020 political opponent , former Vice President Joe Biden .


rawstory--2020-01-09--WATCH: Newly released video shows ‘Iranian missile’ striking plane flying over Tehran

The New York Times has verified a video that appears to show a surface-to-air “ Iranian ” missile striking a @ @ @ @ @ Tehran ’ s airport , right where a Ukrainian airliner lost all contact before it @ @ @ @ @ video showed a dim light hurling through the air before an explosion that did not @ @ @ @ @ According to the Times , the plane continued flying for several minutes and turned back @ @ @ @ @ the video below , via The New York Times :


rawstory--2020-01-09--George Conway’s anti-Trump group goes after hypocritical Evangelical Christians in new video

George Conway joined with other “ Never Trump ” Republicans to form Project Lincoln , to attack President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ In their first ad , titled “ MAGA Church , ” Trump ’ s ignorance @ @ @ @ @ and the Bible are all on display .
Interspersed with footage of far-right evangelical pastors @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s most anti-Christian statements .
“ Beware of false prophets , which @ @ @ @ @ ’ s clothing , but inwardly they are revenging wolves.
” the ad quotes Matthew @ @ @ @ @ when a CNN reporter asked Trump if he ’ d ever asked God for forgiveness @ @ @ @ @ understand why he would ever need to .
“ Why do I have to repent @ @ @ @ @ to ask for forgiveness ?
” Trump ranted when asked .
It was only the @ @ @ @ @ According to Conway , the 68-second clip is only the introduction of a much longer @ @ @ @ @ and the full video below :


rawstory--2020-01-09--Survey shows richest 1% not necessarily happier, but all that money has convinced them the ‘American

Survey shows richest 1% not necessarily happier, but all that money has convinced them the ‘American Dream’ is real

The number of rich respondents who reported dissatisfaction with their lives was “ statistically indistinguishable from zero , ” while nearly 40 % of low-income people said they struggle to pay their bills .
A new survey sheds fresh light on the wide gulf in how the richest and low-income families in the U.S. view their own life experiences and satisfaction with a full 97 % of the wealthy saying the so-called “ American Dream ” is working for them .
Standard polling typically does not gather much data on the views of the richest 1 % of Americans—those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are so few of them , so researchers at NPR , the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , and the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health over-sampled wealthy respondents in a new study to get a sense of their ideology .
“ People have a lot of views about what the experiences of the most successful people in America are .
But we ’ ve never been , in most cases , able to look at them , ” Robert Blendon of the Harvard Chan School told NPR .
The wealthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Washington Post , with 90 % of people polled saying they were “ completely ” or “ very ” satisfied with their lives and 97 % saying they believed they are either living the American Dream or are well on their way to achieving it .
Those results differed drastically from those for middle-income households , which make between $ 35,000 and $ 99,000 per year , and low-income people , who earn $ 35,000 or less .
Less than half of the poorest respondents expressed satisfaction with their lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same .
The number of rich people who expressed overall “ dissatisfaction ” was “ statistically indistinguishable from zero , ” according to Christopher Ingraham at the Post .
he poll differentiated between “ happiness ” and “ life satisfaction.
” As Ingraham noted , research in recent years has shown that “ happiness ” correlates with income only up to about $ 75,000 , with earners growing no happier after they earn more than that .
“ The new survey ’ s first-of-its kind data on the 1 % shows that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through at least the $ 500,000-a-year threshold , ” Ingraham wrote .
“ The rich might not be any happier than the rest of us on a day-to-day basis , in other words , but they are an awful lot more self-satisfied.
” A number of factors show why low-income Americans report far lower rates of satisfaction with their lives ; nearly 40 % of respondents in this group said they have trouble paying their bills and about a third of them said they struggle to afford groceries .
Wealthy respondents appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those with far fewer resources .
More than half of the richest people said they did not believe it should be a priority for lawmakers to reduce income inequality .
“ I am completely shocked that rich people don ’ t see income inequality as a problem , ” S.E .
Smith , deputy editor of Talk Poverty , tweeted sarcastically .
Only 50 % of Republicans in the 1 % told the researchers they believed the U.S. government should make it a top priority to guarantee healthcare to all Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burden on low-income households , while 48 % of low-income Republicans said this should be a priority .
About 90 % of Democrats across income levels said policymakers should prioritize healthcare for Americans .
Also on Thursday , a separate study from Emory University showed that while rich Americans largely do not concern themselves with what changes can be made to help those with less , one relatively small step could have a profound effect on low-income workers .
After reviewing increases in the minimum wage at the state level between 1990 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wage above $ 7.25 per hour—the federal rate—by just $ 1 could reduce suicides by 27,000 .
Increasing the wage by $ 2 could save 57,000 lives , according to the report .


rawstory--2020-01-09--The GOP has humiliatingly devolved into a PR firm dedicated to cleaning up Trump’s messes by lying t

The GOP has humiliatingly devolved into a PR firm dedicated to cleaning up Trump’s messes by lying to the public

Wednesday was a wild day in politics .
The morning started off with serious fears that the U.S. was about to go to war with Iran .
By lunchtime those fears had petered out ( mercifully ) , to be replaced by the dawning and bizarre realization that the Iranian leadership had offered Donald Trump a face-saving way to back down from military confrontation .
But even more alarming was Trump ’ s White House address , in which he struggled to read his strange and incoherent speech and snuffled so much one might have thought the Teleprompter was blasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late-night show hosts plenty of fodder .
This article was originally published at Salon None of this slowed down Fox News or the Republicans on Capitol Hill from pretending that Trump was a Winston Churchill-like figure , standing strong athwart history against the forces of evil .
On Wednesday afternoon , the White House held an intelligence briefing for members of the Senate to explain why Trump nearly bumbled us into war by impulsively ordering the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani , Iran ’ s top military leader .
I should perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quotes , because reliable reports suggest it was a display of hand-waving and tap-dancing from CIA Director Gina Haspel and other administration officials to distract from the real reason Soleimani was killed , which was Trump is impulsive and careless and thought a high-profile drone killing would be a cool reality-TV stunt to kick off his 2020 re-election campaign .
But the Republicans who went to the briefing — most of them , anyway — walked out and auditioned for next year ’ s Oscars by pretending they just had just borne witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s awe-inspiring brilliance .
Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted that the briefing was “ compelling ” and that anyone who disagrees just opposes “ everything Trump does.
” Sen. Lindsey Graham literally argued that skepticism of the administration ’ s obvious lies is “ empowering the enemy.
” This entire display of obsequiousness is just the latest example of how the Republican Party has been successfully harnessed by Trump .
Now that the failed businessman and reality TV host has a multibillion-dollar machine at his disposal , his main use for it is as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning up one mess after another that he creates by being impulsive , corrupt and callous .
Frankly , if they weren ’ t a bunch of morally bankrupt monsters , it would be tempting to pity Republicans for their compulsion to debase themselves on a daily basis by pretending not to see that their leader is a tantruming toddler with the impulse control of a frat boy who ’ s just downed a six-pack in half an hour .
This Iran debacle is just the latest effort to praise the naked emperor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also the ongoing cover-up effort from Republicans regarding Trump ’ s cockamamie extortion scheme against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , which got the president impeached just last month .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to show no sign of changing his mind about how to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate .
His plan is to not even pretend that it ’ s actually a trial before rushing toward the acquittal that no one who actually consults the evidence believes Trump deserves .
Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi withholding the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get McConnell to do something crazy , like agree to hear witness testimony or consider the evidence in any meaningful way , McConnell is digging in his heels and has declared that the Senate “ will not cede our authority to try this impeachment.
” McConnell obviously knows Trump is guilty and , like the rest of his party , views his role merely as a PR specialist here to make sure his client never faces anything resembling a consequence for his lengthy pattern of criminality .
Which is why McConnell is willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something by refusing to call witnesses .
He is hiding something .
It ’ s just that what he ’ s hiding is so bad that it ’ s better to have people wonder what he ’ s hiding than to expose the truth and remove all doubt .
For a brief , shining moment Wednesday , it appeared that a couple of Republican senators were fed up with having to play the clean-up crew after Trump had created yet another giant mess .
After the let ’ s-pretend-we ’ re-not-being-led-by-a-moron “ intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky , both Republicans , walked out and vented genuine frustration at reporters .
Lee , who was clearly agitated called the experience “ probably the worst briefing I ’ ve seen at least on a military issue in the nine years I ’ ve served in the United States Senate ” and complained that the White House officials had said “ I ’ m sure we could think of something ” for a rationalization if Trump decided , on impulse , to take the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave after 75 minutes while they were in the process of telling us that we need to be good little boys and girls and not debate this in public , ” Lee continued .
It was pretty fun to watch , at least for liberals .
( Fox News , realizing Lee was on a roll , cut away before its viewers could fully absorb that a Republican senator was saying the things loyal Trumpers aren ’ t supposed to admit , even to themselves . )
But despite all the excitement on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real crack in the facade , there ’ s little to no chance that Lee ’ s momentary frustration turns into a lasting desire to demand more from a thin-skinned , impulsive president who can ’ t be bothered to think more than five seconds into the future .
These flare-ups of rebellious urges happen occasionally within the Republican caucus , but they always fall back in line .
Rand Paul , for instance , has been through this cycle before : Acting momentarily like he has a conscience before slipping right back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ menace all Republicans must pretend is a great statesman .
No , in reality this is what the GOP is now : An expensive PR firm dedicated to lying to the public about whether the most powerful man on the planet is a nincompoop .
Its loyalists are sticking by that job , even in the face of said nincompoop committing serious crimes , as he likely did when extorting Ukraine , or even when he flirts with getting us into a catastrophic war , as he did with Iran .
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans will refuse to throw away to defend the snuffling , racist blockhead they call their leader .

Wednesday was a wild day in politics. The morning started off with serious fears that the U.S. was about to go to war with Iran. By lunchtime those fears had petered out (mercifully), to be replaced by the dawning and bizarre realization that the Iranian leadership had offered Donald Trump a face-saving way to back down from military confrontation. But even more alarming was Trump's White House address, in which he struggled to read his strange and incoherent speech and snuffled so much one might have thought the Teleprompter was blasting pollen directly into his nostrils, giving late-night show hosts plenty of fodder.
This article was originally published at Salon
None of this slowed down Fox News or the Republicans on Capitol Hill from pretending that Trump was a Winston Churchill-like figure, standing strong athwart history against the forces of evil.
On Wednesday afternoon, the White House held an intelligence briefing for members of the Senate to explain why Trump nearly bumbled us into war by impulsively ordering the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran's top military leader. I should perhaps put "intelligence briefing" in scare quotes, because reliable reports suggest it was a display of hand-waving and tap-dancing from CIA Director Gina Haspel and other administration officials to distract from the real reason Soleimani was killed, which was Trump is impulsive and careless and thought a high-profile drone killing would be a cool reality-TV stunt to kick off his 2020 re-election campaign.
But the Republicans who went to the briefing — most of them, anyway — walked out and auditioned for next year's Oscars by pretending they just had just borne witness to a magnificent display of Trump's awe-inspiring brilliance. Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted that the briefing was "compelling" and that anyone who disagrees just opposes "everything Trump does." Sen. Lindsey Graham literally argued that skepticism of the administration's obvious lies is "empowering the enemy."
This entire display of obsequiousness is just the latest example of how the Republican Party has been successfully harnessed by Trump. Now that the failed businessman and reality TV host has a multibillion-dollar machine at his disposal, his main use for it is as a crisis PR agency, dedicated to cleaning up one mess after another that he creates by being impulsive, corrupt and callous.
Frankly, if they weren't a bunch of morally bankrupt monsters, it would be tempting to pity Republicans for their compulsion to debase themselves on a daily basis by pretending not to see that their leader is a tantruming toddler with the impulse control of a frat boy who's just downed a six-pack in half an hour.
This Iran debacle is just the latest effort to praise the naked emperor's magnificent new wardrobe. There is also the ongoing cover-up effort from Republicans regarding Trump's cockamamie extortion scheme against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which got the president impeached just last month.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to show no sign of changing his mind about how to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate. His plan is to not even pretend that it's actually a trial before rushing toward the acquittal that no one who actually consults the evidence believes Trump deserves. Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi withholding the House articles of impeachment in an effort to get McConnell to do something crazy, like agree to hear witness testimony or consider the evidence in any meaningful way, McConnell is digging in his heels and has declared that the Senate "will not cede our authority to try this impeachment."
McConnell obviously knows Trump is guilty and, like the rest of his party, views his role merely as a PR specialist here to make sure his client never faces anything resembling a consequence for his lengthy pattern of criminality. Which is why McConnell is willing to look like he's hiding something by refusing to call witnesses. He is hiding something. It's just that what he's hiding is so bad that it's better to have people wonder what he's hiding than to expose the truth and remove all doubt.
For a brief, shining moment Wednesday, it appeared that a couple of Republican senators were fed up with having to play the clean-up crew after Trump had created yet another giant mess. After the let's-pretend-we're-not-being-led-by-a-moron "intelligence briefing" Wednesday, Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky, both Republicans, walked out and vented genuine frustration at reporters.
Lee, who was clearly agitated called the experience "probably the worst briefing I’ve seen at least on a military issue in the nine years I’ve served in the United States Senate" and complained that the White House officials had said "I'm sure we could think of something" for a rationalization if Trump decided, on impulse, to take the nation to war.
"They had to leave after 75 minutes while they were in the process of telling us that we need to be good little boys and girls and not debate this in public," Lee continued.
It was pretty fun to watch, at least for liberals. (Fox News, realizing Lee was on a roll, cut away before its viewers could fully absorb that a Republican senator was saying the things loyal Trumpers aren't supposed to admit, even to themselves.) But despite all the excitement on social media that this might represent a real crack in the facade, there's little to no chance that Lee's momentary frustration turns into a lasting desire to demand more from a thin-skinned, impulsive president who can't be bothered to think more than five seconds into the future.
These flare-ups of rebellious urges happen occasionally within the Republican caucus, but they always fall back in line. Rand Paul, for instance, has been through this cycle before: Acting momentarily like he has a conscience before slipping right back into being a cheerleader for the orange menace all Republicans must pretend is a great statesman.
No, in reality this is what the GOP is now: An expensive PR firm dedicated to lying to the public about whether the most powerful man on the planet is a nincompoop. Its loyalists are sticking by that job, even in the face of said nincompoop committing serious crimes, as he likely did when extorting Ukraine, or even when he flirts with getting us into a catastrophic war, as he did with Iran. There is no bottom here — no dignity that Republicans will refuse to throw away to defend the snuffling, racist blockhead they call their leader.


rawstory--2020-01-09--US believes Iran military accidentally shot down Ukraine airliner

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had “ suspicions ” about the crash of a Ukrainian airliner outside Tehran that killed all 176 people aboard , as US officials reported it had been mistakenly shot down by Iran .
Unnamed officials told US media that Iran fired two surface-to-air missiles at the aircraft as it took off on Wednesday morning , bringing it down in a blaze of flames before it exploded on the ground .
The US conclusion was reportedly based on satellite , radar and electronic data indicating a tragic error .
The disaster unfolded just hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military targets in Iraq to retaliate for the January 3 US drone strike in Baghdad that killed a top Iranian general .
ABC News said an unnamed official called the two-missile scenario “ highly likely.
” Trump didn ’ t directly confirm that conclusion , but strongly hinted at it .
“ I have my suspicions , ” Trump said .
“ It was flying in a pretty rough neighborhood and somebody could have made a mistake.
” “ Some people say it was mechanical .
I personally don ’ t think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said , adding that “ something very terrible happened.
” “ This story of a missile striking a plane can not be correct at all , ” it said in a statement AFP / Nicholas Kamm “ Something terrible happened , ” US President Donald Trump said as evidence mounts that Iranian air defenses may have accidentally shot down a Urkainian airliner killing 176 aboard Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 went down just minutes after takeoff from Tehran airport in the dark early Wednesday , with no radio message from the pilot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aviation Organization said .
“ According to eyewitnesses , a fire was seen on board the plane which grew in intensity , ” the organization added in an initial statement Wednesday .
The Boeing 737 carried 82 Iranians , 63 Canadians , 11 Ukrainians , 10 Swedes , four Afghans , three Germans and three British .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Thursday for a “ full , credible and transparent ” investigation into the crash , and Canada demanded that its own experts be allowed to join the probe .
Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif that Canadian officials need “ to be quickly granted access to Iran to… take part in the investigation of the crash , ” a foreign ministry statement said .
Champagne told Zarif that “ Canada and Canadians have many questions which will need to be answered.
” “ We are calling on Ukraine ’ s Western partners : If you have evidence to assist the inquiry , we call on you to provide it , ” the Ukraine presidency said in a statement .
At the UN , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for its investigators .
Ali Abedzadeh , head of Iran ’ s civil aviation organization and deputy transport minister , said Iran and Ukraine were in the process of “ downloading information ” from black boxes retrieved from the crash site .
“ But if more specialized work is required to extract and analyze the data , we can do it in France or another country , ” he added .
Despite Iranian denials , evidence appeared to mount of an accident involving Iran ’ s air defense units .
Analysts pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrecked fuselage of the aircraft showing multiple apparent puncture holes consistent with a rocket that detonated just outside the plane , blasting shrapnel into it .
The marks closely resembled those on the fuselage of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 , which was shot down in 2014 over Eastern Ukraine by a Russian-designed surface-to-air missile during fighting between Russian-backed rebels and Ukraine government forces .
ISNA/AFP / Borna GHASSEMI A child ’ s shoe found at the scene of a Ukrainian airliner that crashed shortly after take-off near Imam Khomeini airport in the Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think this has a very good possibility of being accurate , ” John Goglia , a former US aviation safety expert on the National Transportation Safety Board , told AFP .
“ Airplanes that have just taken off and have made a climb to 8,000 feet , that ’ s entering the safest period of time in the flight .
So even an engine failure at that altitude should not cause the type of event we ’ ve just observed , ” he said .
The Ukrainian airline crash brought back memories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error .
In 1988 , an Iran Air flight was shot down over the Gulf by a surface-to-air missile fired from the US warship USS Vincennes .
All 290 people aboard , most of them Iranians , were killed , sparking outrage across the country .
The US Navy mistook the aircraft for an Iranian fighter jet .


rawstory--2020-01-09--Reporter busts GOP’s Kevin McCarthy for saying he only met indicted Giuliani henchman Lev Parnas ‘on

Reporter busts GOP’s Kevin McCarthy for saying he only met indicted Giuliani henchman Lev Parnas ‘one time’

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-CA ) on Thursday tried to distance himself from Lev Parnas , but found himself getting busted by a reporter for misstating his relationship with the indicted Rudy Giuliani henchman .
After Adam Klasfeld of Courthouse News asked McCarthy to describe his interactions with Parnas , the top House Republican downplayed his meetings with Parnas as a chance encounter .
“ I guess I met him one time , he came to an event , took a picture , ” McCarthy said .
“ I do events every single day , I do pictures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the money , when we found out he donated it to the campaign , we donated it to charity.
” Klasfeld , however , has found at least two separate events where both McCarthy and Parnas were in attendance .
“ In the pictures below [ with Parnas ] , McCarthy was wearing a suit , ” Klasfeld wrote on Twitter .
“ In the story linked here , McCarthy is wearing a tuxedo at a gala where Parnas and Fruman were honored.
” Parnas in 2018 donated $ 2,700 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when prosecutors allege he was funneling foreign money into the United States to make illegal campaign contributions .
Parnas would later become a central figure in Trump attorney Giuliani ’ s campaign to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden .
Watch the video of Klasfeld and McCarthy below .


rawstory--2020-01-09--The wine industry is freaking out about Trump’s latest fight for a 100 percent tax on all European w

The wine industry is freaking out about Trump’s latest fight for a 100 percent tax on all European wines

Add the wine industry to the farms hurting under President Donald Trump ’ s trade war .
According to Wine Spectator , those in the wine industry came to capitol hill trying to fight off the 100 percent increase in taxes on all wines from the European Union .
Cheese , cosmetics and other products would also fall under the 100 percent tax , as Axios pointed out .
The move was part of Trump ’ s retaliation for European countries subsidizing Airbus , the report claimed .
“ But if they go into effect , the brunt of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies but by Americans , ” Axios reported .
Americans faced the same showdown with vegetables coming from Mexico and electronics coming from China .
In those cases , Trump promised to increase taxes for incoming products , but backed down at the last minute .
“ European winemakers can sell their product anywhere in the world , ” Axios explained .
But in the United States , wine importers , distributors and retailers can only get European wine from Europe .
Natural wine importer Zev Rovine told Axios that the 100 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales .
“ I work with small producers of natural wine that are very popular in Copenhagen and Tokyo , ” he explained .
He explained that those producers would simply sell their products somewhere else .
It could ultimately put him out of business .
There is a concern that wines will increase in price , but worse , there ’ s a risk that they could just disappear entirely .
“ We are fighting not just to be able to drink European wine ; we are fighting for our livelihoods and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” wine importer Jenny Lefcourt wrote in an editorial for the New York Times .
Trump owns a Virginia winery that is currently being run by his son Eric Trump .
When reviewed it was described as “ Welches grape jelly with alcohol.
” Another reviewer called one of Trump ’ s wines , “ Pungent .
Like cheap perfume .
”


rawstory--2020-01-09--Ex-GOP congressman destroys Sarah Sanders’ grasp of the US Constitution: ‘Can’t think of anything du

Ex-GOP congressman destroys Sarah Sanders’ grasp of the US Constitution: ‘Can’t think of anything dumber’

U.S .
Congressman Justin Amash , an ex-Republican who denounced his party and became an independent over President Donald Trump , took on and took down former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday .
Sanders , now a Fox News contributor , blasted a House of Representatives bill that would limit Trump ’ s war powers should he want to take additional action against Iran , requiring him to obtain explicit authorization from Congress .
The legislation largely reminds the executive branch that only Congress , not the President , has the constitutional authority to declare war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s actions against Iran have already , or soon may , lead to all-out war .
“ I can ’ t think of anything dumber than allowing Congress to take over our foreign policy , ” said Huckabee Sanders , who is still closely tied to Trump and dependent upon him for her upcoming likely gubernatorial bid .
“ The last thing we want to do is push powers into Congress ’ hands and take them away from the president , ” Sanders claimed , clearly unaware of what the War Powers Clause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Any Democrat that doesn ’ t understand that America is safer ” after Trump ’ s assassination of Qasem Soleimani , “ is completely naive and completely misses what we need to have in a foreign policy , ” Huckabee Sanders claimed .
She is also apparently unfamiliar with recent polling , which finds by more than a 2-1 margin that Americans now feel less – not more – safe after the assassination .
The results of that poll , as New York magazine makes clear , are devastating .
By a 55 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s killing of Soleimani made the United States “ less safe , ” with nearly one-third of Republicans saying their president ’ s decision had undermined national security .
Meanwhile , 63 percent of voters said that the strike made it more likely that there would be terrorist attacks on U.S. soil , and 52 percent said it made Iran more likely to develop a nuclear weapon .
Congressman Amash ( I-MI ) was not shy in criticizing Huckabee Sanders :

David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement


rawstory--2020-01-09--UK’s House of Commons gives final approval for Brexit deal

Britain ’ s parliament gave final approval to Brexit on Thursday , paving the way for the country ’ s departure from the European Union on January 31 , and ending years of arguments that toppled two governments and divided a nation .
The House of Commons erupted in cheers after MPs ratified Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s divorce deal with Brussels 330 votes to 231 , drawing a line under an extraordinary era of political drama and chaos .
For much of the time since the 2016 Brexit referendum , lawmakers have been at each others ’ throats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain should leave its closest trading partners after nearly 50 years .
Some viewed Brexit with horror , fearing that it stripped them of their European identities and turned Britain into an insular , less important nation .
Others embraced it with fervour , viewing it as a chance to “ take back control ” from officials in Brussels and see Britain regain some of its past might .
Businesses and governments in Europe , puzzled by Britain ’ s struggles over what they viewed as a self-inflicted wound , hoped that Brexit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson ’ s comprehensive victory in last month ’ s general election brought an abrupt end to the turmoil , giving his Conservatives a parliamentary majority with which to push it through .
MPs gave their initial blessing to the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill before Christmas , and the government set aside just three days this week for detailed scrutiny of the complex text .
But few MPs even bothered to turn up on Tuesday and Wednesday , with both sessions ending early , while the government easily saw off opposition attempts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which Johnson effectively gets permission to abandon the European integration project was all but ignored in Thursday ’ s media .
Instead , it became a footnote to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan ’ s decision to quit royal front-line duties — christened “ Megxit ” and shaping up to be equally complicated and divisive .
“ We will be leaving the EU on January 31 .
We will have delivered on the PM ’ s commitment to get Brexit done , ” a government spokesman said , echoing Johnson ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main opposition Labour party , bruised by its worst beating at the polls since 1935 , voted against Brexit on Thursday knowing the battle had been lost .
We “ may not win many votes in parliament just now , but we can win the moral argument ” , said Labour ’ s Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer , a potential successor to Jeremy Corbyn as party leader .
“ Whatever ( Johnson ) says about the wider issues , he must know the government have got this wrong.
” The Brexit bill must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Lords and the European Parliament , which is seen as a formality .
All eyes are now on another major challenge : the negotiation of a new relationship between Britain and the remaining 27 EU nations , which form the world ’ s largest single market .
The Brexit deal covers separation issues such as EU citizens ’ rights and Britain ’ s financial settlement , and sets out an 11-month transition period in which to agree a wider partnership .
Brussels warns the current deadline of December 31 this year is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option to ask for more time .
But Johnson insists there will be no extension of the transition period , saying that Britain must be free of EU rules as soon as possible .
Ahead of talks with Johnson on Wednesday , European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it would be “ basically impossible ” to agree everything within London ’ s timeframe .
“ We will have to prioritise , ” she said in a speech to the London School of Economics university , warning of “ tough talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office indicated that it could accept a partial trade deal .
London did not want the EU ’ s long-standing policy that “ nothing is agreed until everything is agreed ” —intended to stop one side cherry-picking bits of a deal they like—to define the coming negotiations , a spokesman said .
“ We are very clear we want to get on in terms of negotiating a deal , ” he said .


rawstory--2020-01-09--Pot demand in US state of Illinois booms in first week of legal sales

Demand for legal marijuana in Illinois was so strong that many vendors quickly ran out of supplies , as customers spent nearly $ 11 million in just five days since the drug was legalized in the state on January 1 , vendors and officials said .
The sales figure , released by Illinois officials , is more than double the first week of sales in Colorado — the first US state to legalize recreational marijuana in 2014 — which raked in $ 5 million , according to Colorado government figures .
The midwestern state of Illinois became the 11th US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of 2020 .
There are 37 licensed dispensaries in the state , including 10 in Chicago .
On New Year ’ s Day most dispensaries opened at 6 am to discovered customers that had lined up in the cold for hours .
At some locations the line was eight blocks long , with wait times reaching 12 hours .
More than $ 3.1 million in sales on 77,000 transactions took place on opening day , according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation .
Strong demand caused many pot shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , only a few shops remained opened .
Others decided to serve only medical patients until supply could be replenished .
“ Shortages were expected to occur as they have occurred in every other state that has legalized cannabis , ” Paul Isaac , a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation , told AFP .
Under the new law Illinois residents aged 21 and older are able to carry 30 grams of marijuana flower , five grams of cannabis concentrate like hash oil , and up to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that gets users high — within cannabis-infused products like edibles .
Visitors to the state however can possess only half those amounts .
Medical marijuana dispensaries are currently the only place where legal marijuana can be purchased for recreational use in Illinois .
Beginning in mid-2020 Illinois will grant additional licenses to dozens of new stores , processors , cultivators and transporters , according to Isaac .
Marijuana Business Daily projects that the Illinois recreational program could generate up to $ 2.5 billion a year .


rawstory--2020-01-09--Trump-loving evangelicals hit with a scathing admonition for their ‘distorted moral narrative’

Critics of the Christian right often point out how hypocritical the Rev .
Franklin Graham , Liberty University ’ s Jerry Falwell , Jr. , the Family Research Council ’ s Tony Perkins and other far-right white evangelicals are for supporting President Donald Trump despite his history of adultery and the fact that he been through two divorces .
But the Rev .
William Barber , in an October 8 op-ed for The Guardian , emphasizes that selfishly using religion for political gain hardly started with Trump — and that political opportunists have been exploiting religion without shame for generations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Barber ( a Protestant minister known for his work in the NAACP ) writes , “ I am troubled anytime I see Christianity used to justify the injustice , deception , violence and oppression that God hates .
Even if Donald Trump had a perfect personal moral résumé , his policy agenda is an affront to God ’ s agenda to lift the poor and bless the marginalized .
The distorted moral narrative these so-called Evangelicals for Trump have embraced is contrary to God ’ s politics , which have nothing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Barber quickly adds , “ But this misuse of religion is not new .
It has a long history in the American story.
” Back in the 1960s , Barber recalls , the notorious segregationist George Wallace used religion to promote racism — and some pastors made the ludicrous claim that he wasn ’ t a racist , including Dr. Henry L. Lyon in Montgomery , Alabama and the Rev .
R.L .
Lawrence .
Long before that , Barber adds , colonists who supported the oppression of Native Americans as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No one who has read American history can be surprised by the hypocrisy of Evangelicals for Trump , ” Barber asserts .
“ But we can learn from the history how their undoing will inevitably come from their public arrogance.
” One need only read the Bible , Barber explains , to realize how long blatant hypocrites have been wrapping themselves in scripture .
But the reverend also stresses that for all the hypocrites who have stood in the pulpit , there is also a long history of Christians doing good , positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There is a circle of Evangelicals for Trump who speak loudly about values they have long tried to associate with scripture , ” Barber observes .
“ But that circle pales in comparison to the great cloud of moral witnesses that stretches from Moses and Miriam to Micah and Elijah ; from Jesus and the disciples to Frederick Douglass and Lucretia Mott ; from Ella Baker and Martin Luther King to the moral movements for justice and equity in our world today .
These moral witnesses have shown us what it means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect union .
”


rawstory--2020-01-09--Far-right Mississippi governor predicts ‘1000 years of darkness’ if state elects first black senator

Far-right Mississippi governor predicts ‘1000 years of darkness’ if state elects first black senator in over 139 years

When Democrat Mike Espy lost Mississippi ’ s special U.S. Senate runoff election to Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in 2018 , he performed relatively well for a Democrat in a deep red state : Espy won 46 % of the vote .
Espy is running against Hyde-Smith again in 2020 , and far-right Mississippi Gov .
Phil Bryant is predicting that terrible things will happen if Espy wins .
Journalist Joe Jurado analyzes Bryant ’ s hysteria in a January 9 article for The Root , noting that Espy would be Mississippi ’ s “ first black Senator in over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryant voiced his support for reelecting Hyde-Smith in a January 2 tweet , posting , “ I intend to work for @ cindyhydesmith as if the fate of America depended on her single election .
If Mike Espy and the liberal Democrats gain the Senate , we will take that first step into 1000 years of darkness.
” Hyde-Smith , Jurado points out , set off a controversy in 2018 when she praised a supporter ( a cattle rancher ) by asserting , “ If he invited me to a public hanging , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ row.
” Jurado finds that to be a terrible word choice in light of Mississippi ’ s history of lynching and radical oppression .
“ Mississippi has a very long and very violent history of racism : 600 black people were lynched between 1877 to 1950 , the most of any state , ” Jurado recalls .
“ Up until 2017 , the state still had predominately segregated schools .
This makes it all the more unsurprising that the governor believes Mike Espy being elected to the Senate would open the doors of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re talking about the same man who , after Hyde-Smith came under fire for her lynching comments , went on a podium and compared black women getting abortions to genocide .
Hyperbolic racism just seems to be this dude ’ s go-to.
” Jurado writes that Bryant ’ s “ 1000 years of darkness ” remark is an “ interesting word choice when describing the consequences of Mississippi electing its first black senator in over 139 years ” and “ even more interesting when you realize he ’ s doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Remember her ?
She was the lady that said she would be front row at a public lynching.
” Espy is fighting an uphill battle this year : he is competing against a GOP incumbent in one of the reddest states in the U.S .
While Texas is light red at this point and Arizona has evolved into a swing state , Mississippi continues to be deeply Republican .
But as Jurado notes , Espy has a track record .
“ Espy previously ran in the runoff election in 2018 where Hyde-Smith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Espy was an elected congressman from 1987-1993 until President Clinton appointed him to U.S. secretary of agriculture .
Hyde-Smith , on the other hand , is just another racist .
”


rawstory--2020-01-09--Trump welcomes court decision that allows military funds to be used for border wall

President Donald Trump on Thursday welcomed a court decision that allows $ 3.6 billion in military funds to be used to build his signature wall on the US-Mexico border .
“ Entire Wall is under construction or getting ready to start !
” the president tweeted following the ruling by the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals .
A lower court had temporarily blocked the use of the Department of Defense funds for construction of the wall that Trump pledged to build during his campaign for the White House .
Trump ’ s efforts to build a wall along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal immigration have been met with numerous court challenges .
The president declared a national emergency last year and turned to the Pentagon for funding after the House of Representatives refused to allocate all of the money he sought for construction of the wall .
In a statement , the White House described the ruling by the New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit as a “ victory for the rule of law.
” “ The Fifth Circuit has lifted an illegitimate nationwide injunction entered by a lower court , and in doing so has allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using military construction funds , ” it said .
“ We are committed to keeping our borders secure , and we will finish the wall .
”


rawstory--2020-01-10--Iraq asks US for team to prepare troop pullout

Iraq ’ s caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi has asked the United States to send a delegation to Baghdad to begin preparing for a troop pullout , his office said on Friday .
In a phone call late Thursday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , Abdel Mahdi “ requested that delegates be sent to Iraq to set the mechanisms to implement parliament ’ s decision for the secure withdrawal of ( foreign ) forces from Iraq.
” Some 5,200 US soldiers are stationed at bases across Iraq to support local troops preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a broader US-led coalition , invited by the Iraqi government in 2014 to help combat the jihadists .
Their deployment was based on an executive-to-executive agreement never ratified by Iraq ’ s parliament .
But on Sunday , Iraq ’ s parliament voted in favor of rescinding that invitation and ousting all foreign troops .
The following day , US commanders sent a letter to their counterparts in Baghdad saying they were preparing for “ movement out of Iraq.
” The letter said the coalition would “ be repositioning forces over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prepare for onward movement ” .
The Pentagon said the letter was a draft sent by mistake but Abdel Mahdi disputed that account , saying his office had received signed and translated copies .
He has demanded clarification from Washington of its intentions , while the US-led coalition said Thursday that it too was seeking clarity on the legal ramifications of parliament ’ s vote .
Many Iraqi lawmakers had been infuriated by a US drone strike on Baghdad a week ago that killed Iranian Major General Qasem Suleimani and top Iraqi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Days later , Iran fired a volley of missiles at Iraqi bases used by US and other coalition troops , causing damage but no casualties , according to officials .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump attempt to get sexual assault accuser’s lawsuit dismissed slapped aside my New York judge: rep

Trump attempt to get sexual assault accuser’s lawsuit dismissed slapped aside my New York judge: report

An attempt by President Donald Trump to get a defamation lawsuit filed by one of his sexual assault accusers dismissed was slapped aside by a New York City judge on Thursday and is being allowed to proceed , reports the New York Times .
According to the report , lawyers for the president attempted to have the lawsuit filed by writer E. Jean Carroll booted from court in a filing last week that asserted “ New York ’ s courts lack jurisdiction to hear the case because he was not in New York and did not live in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carroll says defamed her.
” According to Carroll ’ s suit , the Times reports Trump is accused of “ hurting her career and reputation in denying her claim that he raped her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s.
” In her ruling , Justice Doris Ling-Cohan of State Supreme Court in Manhattan wrote , “ that Mr. Trump had failed to provide anything — ‘ not even a tweet , much less an affidavit ’ — to support his position beyond his lawyer ’ s statement that ‘ the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House for the past three years . '
” As part of her ruling , Ling-Cohan also instructed lawyers on both sides to proceed with discovery .
You can read more here .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Prince Harry’s wife Meghan returns to Canada amid royal storm

Prince Harry ’ s wife Meghan has returned to Canada following the couple ’ s bombshell announcement that they were quitting their frontline royal duties , it emerged Friday , as the monarch held urgent talks with her family to resolve the crisis .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent an extended Christmas holiday in Canada with their son before returning to break the news this week that they would “ step back ” their royal roles .
The Daily Mail newspaper reported that Meghan flew back on Thursday , having never intended to be in Britain long .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his nanny , and “ she may stay there for the foreseeable future ” , it said .
“ I can confirm reports that the duchess is in Canada , ” the couple ’ s spokeswoman told AFP .
She declined to provide further details , or confirm the Mail ’ s report that Harry was likely to join his wife and son in Canada shortly .
Senior royals were caught off guard by Wednesday ’ s announcement that the Sussexes wanted to seek a “ progressive new role ” and divide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
AFP / The travails of the British royal family Queen Elizabeth II ’ s office issued a terse statement the same evening , saying there were “ complicated issues that will take time to work through ” .
But a palace source on Thursday said the queen had instructed aides to work “ at pace ” with Meghan and Harry and the government “ to find workable solutions ” .
The process was expected to take “ days , not weeks ” , the source said .
Media reports said the queen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involving Harry , his brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles , the heir to the throne .
Harry and Meghan said they intended to continue to “ fully support ” the queen and “ collaborate ” with senior royals .
They also want to keep their home on the queen ’ s Windsor Castle estate as their British base , while aiming to become financially independent .
But questions are being raised about what this means in practice , as their security is paid for by the state and they receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
William and Harry have always held a special place in many Britons ’ hearts because of their mother , Diana , who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997 .
With their wives , Kate and Meghan , they have been viewed as the modern face of the royal family , hailed for bringing fresh energy into the institution .
But the younger prince , who has always struggled with his role , last year revealed he has been growing apart from his brother , who as second in line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different path .
AFP/File / Tolga AKMEN Senior royals were caught off guard by Wednesday ’ s announcement that the couple wanted to “ step back ” from their roles Harry has been open about his mental health issues and he and Meghan last year admitted to struggling with the spotlight following their wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018 and Archie ’ s birth a year later .
The couple have also lashed out at negative news coverage , with Harry calling some of it racist .
They have recently taken several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach by royal standards .
The couple ’ s decision to effectively resign their royal roles follows a turbulent year for the Windsors .
Harry ’ s uncle Prince Andrew announced he was retiring from public duties after a disastrous TV interview about his friendship with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein .


rawstory--2020-01-10--‘Damning’ Boeing documents show employees mocked US regulators

Boeing ’ s 737 MAX plane is “ designed by clowns who in turn are supervised by monkeys ” , a company employee wrote in one of a trove of newly published internal messages .
The communications were released on Thursday by Boeing , whose 737 MAX plane was involved in two crashes that killed a total of 346 people in late 2018 and early 2019 .
They include employees mocking US aviation authorities and bragging that they could get the plane certified with minimal training for pilots .
The documents could further worsen Boeing ’ s relations with regulators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the grounded jetliner to resume flights .
“ I still haven ’ t been forgiven by God for the covering up I did last year , ” one employee wrote in a message from 2018 in reference to dealing with the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) .
“ I know but this is what these regulators get when they try and get in the way .
They impede progress , ” another wrote in August 2015 .
“ This airplane is designed by clowns , who in turn are supervised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , apparently in reference to the FAA .
“ Would you put your family on a MAX simulator trained aircraft ?
I wouldn ’ t , ” a Boeing employee wrote to a colleague in another exchange .
Boeing said in a statement : “ Some of these communications relate to the development and qualification of Boeing ’ s MAX simulators in 2017 and 2018.
” The messages were sent to congressional investigators in the interest of transparency , it added .
The mocking tone of the messages is yet another embarrassment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and worsens its already rocky relations with the FAA .
The plane has been grounded worldwide since March 13 .
“ These newly released emails are incredibly damning , ” said Peter DeFazio , the chairman of the House Transportation Committee , which is investigating the plane .
“ They paint a deeply disturbing picture of the lengths Boeing was apparently willing to go to in order to evade scrutiny from regulators , flight crews and the flying public.
” Probes of the two crashes have focused in particular on the Maneuvering Characteristics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system .
Boeing is now working on changes to that system demanded by the FAA .
In late December Boeing pushed out its embattled chief executive , Dennis Muilenburg , because of tensions with the FAA and replaced him with board chairman David Calhoun


rawstory--2020-01-10--‘Stupid as hell’: MSNBC’s Morning Joe shreds ‘disgusting’ Nikki Haley and Doug Collins for parroting

‘Stupid as hell’: MSNBC’s Morning Joe shreds ‘disgusting’ Nikki Haley and Doug Collins for parroting Trump’s lies about Iran

MSNBC ’ s Joe Scarborough blasted President Donald Trump — and anyone who believes his lies about Democrats and Iranian general Qassim Suleimani .
The president and his Republican allies have been claiming Democrats are mourning the death of Suleimani , who was killed last week in an airstrike Trump ordered , and the “ Morning Joe ” host ripped everyone who ’ s buying those lies .
“ Donald Trump saying that ( House Speaker Nancy ) Pelosi defendants Suleimani — it ’ s a lie , it ’ s a damnable lie , ” Scarborough said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we expect nothing less than that from him .
It ’ s a total lie.
” “ Anybody who believes Donald Trump is just stupid as hell , ” he added .
“ If you believe Donald Trump that Nancy Pelosi ’ s defended Suleimani , let me be very clear — you ’ re stupid as hell .
You ’ re one of those people I say should not be allowed around household appliances .
You will take off some fingers , if not your entire hand .
Don ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump says when he says Nancy Pelosi and the ‘ radical Democrats ’ are defending Suleimani.
” The president is also lobbing slurs at conservatives who have criticized the way Trump ordered the assassination .
“ ( Sen. ) Rand Paul actually doesn ’ t defend Suleimani , but he opposed the attack , ” Scarborough said .
“ ( Sen. ) Mike Lee , by the way , he ’ s a Republican , conservative Republican actually , and the same there .
Libertarian Party , we ’ ll be talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a little bit , they don ’ t defend Suleimani , but they also don ’ t think that a president should be an imperial president and just assassinate people when he damn well feels like it when there ’ s not an imminent threat.
” Scarborough singled out Nikki Haley and Rep. Doug Collins ( R-GA ) for pushing Trump ’ s lie about Suleimani .
“ How shameful , seriously ?
” he said .
“ How disgusting , Nikki Haley .
Nobody is mourning the loss of Suleimani in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen .
If they are , shame on them , but certainly not Nancy Pelosi .
”


rawstory--2020-01-10--Following ‘incoherent’ Trump down the road to war will blow up in Republicans’ faces: conservative

In his weekly column for the Daily Beast , conservative Matt Lewis stated that Republicans are about to make the same mistakes they made when backed former President George W. Bush ’ s war on Saddam Hussein which , in the long run , turned the White House over to Barack Obama .
According to the columnist , President Donald Trump is using the same ugly rhetoric that the Bush administration deployed in the run up to the disastrous war on Baghdad , including bogus patriotic flag-waving and accusations of coddling terrorists .
“ Is it just me , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about by Republicans reminiscent of the run-up to the Iraq war ?
” he began .
“ We see it when Lindsey Graham says that Senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul are “ empowering the enemy.
” It ’ s evident when Nikki Haley suggests that Democrats are “ mourning ” the death of Qassem Soleimani—and when Rep. Doug Collins says Dems are “ in love with terrorists.
” And we see it when Liz Cheney says the War Powers Resolution dishonors every member of America ’ s armed forces .
We see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Benedict Arnold.
” According to Lewis , skepticism is in order with regard to the killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Suelimani based on a claim of an “ imminent threat ” for the Trump administration .
“ It ’ s appropriate to question whether Soleimani ’ s existence posed an imminent threat or whether Congress should have at least been consulted , ” he suggested .
“ Further , it ’ s legitimate to question the wisdom and prudence of killing him , even as almost everyone ( yes , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy .
We still don ’ t know the long-term ramifications .
Reports that a Ukrainian jet taking off in Tehran might have been downed by an Iranian missile adds even more volatility .
We find ourselves in a precarious situation where some rando Iranian lieutenant could accidentally start WWIII.
” “ The irony , of course , is that after initially supporting the Iraq war , Donald Trump has been highly critical of George W. Bush , going so far as to suggest congressional Democrats should have impeached him over the Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s also ironic that the same intelligence community that facilitated the killing of Soleimani ( and the same intel community that allegedly said doing so was urgently needed to prevent future attacks ) has been the focus of so much Trump condemnation.
” Writing , “ There ’ s no telling where this will go , ” Lewis continued , “ Trump ’ s foreign policy is incoherent and inconsistent , so he could revert .
But there is a possibility that we are entering a new election-year phase… When he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war with Iran in order to help insure his own re-election , was Trump really telling us that is what he would have done if he were in Obama ’ s shoes ?
” With that he gave a warning to Republicans who are uncritically backing the president ’ s latest gambit in light of trying to avoid impeachment .
“ If you think the ‘ Dear Leader ’ mentality was creepy when it was merely advancing a self-serving cult of personality , just imagine how dangerous it can be when employed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ‘ war-time president , ' ” he concluded .
You can read the whole column here ( subscription required ) .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Netflix’s Iranian ‘Messiah’ is a gift to Trump and his evangelical base

Amid horrific natural disasters and a global refugee crisis , an Iranian menace emerges .
This might summarize the news cycle at the start of 2020 , but it ’ s also the premise of Netflix ’ s controversial new series Messiah .
Critics have blasted the series for its slow pace , meandering and inchoate storylines , and lack of a clear theological or political message .
Beyond its post-truth smokescreen ( it ’ s unclear whether the central character is the Messiah , the Antichrist , or a con-man ) , however , the show advances a clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Christian Right : America must team up with Israel to defeat Iranian terrorists whose influence permeates the Middle East .
Messiah tells the story of a mysterious messianic figure called Al-Masih ( Arabic for “ the Messiah ” ) , who garners international attention when he attempts to bring thousands of Palestinians in Syria across the border into Israel .
The CIA and Israeli intelligence tail him , first in Israel and then in Texas , trying to expose him as a fraud .
All the while , he attracts masses of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might not actually be responsible for or which turn out to have been ineffective .
The CIA team discovers that Payam Golshiri , dubbed Al-Masih , learned how to be a magician and con-man from his uncle while growing up in Iran , became allied with an anti-capitalist political theorist during a semester at Williams College ( one of America ’ s leading liberal arts colleges ) , and through this “ terrorist ” professor established ties to Russia .
By the final episode , Golshiri is recognized as a fraud and terrorist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith .
But then the season ends with him surviving a plane crash and apparently raising other passengers from the dead .
( Cue season 2 chatter . )
If Golshiri does indeed have superpowers but is also deceptive , he fits the profile of the Antichrist who will come before the world ends , or “ the deceiving messiah ” known as Al-Masih ad-Dajjal in Islamic traditions .
The show ’ s depiction of Golshiri as a Russian operative qua Antichrist is not reliant on Muslim traditions .
It is , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mass-market Christian end-times fantasies have often followed the path paved by Hal Lindsey , whose best-selling The Late Great Planet Earth in 1970 interpreted a pastiche of biblical verses as proof that the end would begin with a Soviet invasion of Israel .
He claimed that the ancient prophet Ezekiel ’ s warning about Israel being invaded by an enemy named Gog from the North must refer to modern Russia .
Even more , this northern enemy could not succeed without the help of Iran , which Lindsey equated with a reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evangelicals have focused more on Russia ’ s Middle Eastern allies than Gog itself .
Tim LaHaye , co-author of the best-selling Left Behind series , and Ed Hindson , Dean Emeritus of the divinity school at Liberty University , devoted much of their 2007 book Global Warning to framing Iran as an evil Islamic threat to Israel , and through Israel to Christianity .
Like other evangelical apocalypticists such as Joel Rosenberg ( author of The Twelfth Imam series ) , LaHaye and Hindson cast the Iranian government ’ s targeting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near .
They contend that Iran is the mastermind attempting to usher in the end-times by establishing a new global caliphate with its capital in Jerusalem .
The book leaves readers with the Christian Zionist idea that American Christians must protect the state of Israel , the Jewish Promised Land , from Muslims in order to secure their own salvation .
The slippage between geopolitical entities and monolithic religious groups in this apocalyptic media , whereby America represents Christians , Israel stands in for Jews , and Iran is a cipher for Muslims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Christian Right .
Reportedly , George W. Bush appealed to the Gog prophecy to justify going to war in Iraq , while the Trump administration ’ s relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem satisfied right-wing evangelicals ’ desires to safeguard the platform of their impending rapture .
The speeches surrounding the move appealed to biblical prophecies as filtered through the lens of modern apocalyptic fantasies .
In his speech before the Israeli Knesset about moving the embassy , Vice President Pence—whom a Haaretz reporter labeled the “ Horseman of Trumpacolypse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel ’ s claim to Jerusalem , implying that Jewish sovereignty over Jerusalem is a prerequisite for the extension of God ’ s promises to Jews to Gentiles—that is , Christians .
He called out Iran ’ s “ evil regime ” as a threat to this Jewish-Christian union .
The notorious Christian Zionist pastor John Hagee soon after affirmed Pence ’ s sentiment in his prayer at the embassy ’ s dedication , saying : Even the Trump administration ’ s ruthless campaign against the congressional “ Squad ” reeks of apocalyptic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world learned about Trump ’ s assassination of the Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani , Trump rallied his evangelical supporters around a pro-Israel , anti-Iran agenda .
He justified his attack on Soleimani as defensive , because the General “ was planning a very major attack … [ and ] as president , I will never hesitate to defend the safety of the American people.
” In the same speech , he repeated his frequent claim that any opposition to Israel ’ s treatment of Palestinians is akin to anti-semitism .
“ Where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he queried , ever so rhetorically , about Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Rashida Tlaib , and Ilhan Omar .
“ These people hate Israel .
They hate Jewish people.
” Trump wants his evangelical base to believe that support for Israel , an evangelical priority , is part and parcel of opposition to Iran—not to mention opposition to progressive Muslims like Tlaib and Omar .
Netflix ’ s Messiah fashions a puzzling drama on the foundation of this problematic apocalyptic narrative about Middle Eastern geopolitics .
There can be little doubt that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Roma Downey , were aware of this , as they call themselves “ Hollywood ’ s noisiest Christians.
” They have produced Christian shows , like The Bible and A.D .
The Bible Continues , and are raising millions of dollars to start a conservative Christian network through MGM .
As the producer of The Apprentice , Burnett is the architect of Trump ’ s celebrity and is presently planning a new show with the president .
Messiah ’ s creator , Michael Petroni , also has a record of working on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the third installment of C.S .
Lewis ’ s Chronicles of Narnia .
Messiah is thus a series written by Christians for Christians .
A Christian Post author even described it as “ packed with several solid teachings and the resounding idea that sin brings punishment.
” The only clear ( but by no means “ solid ” ) teaching this viewer could detect is that any Arab or Middle Easterner might be a terrorist , whether they are an adherent of ISIS or a new-agey faith like Golshiri ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Golshiri ’ s message , presented as duping so many Americans , is a caricature of progressive positions : it ’ s opposed to capitalism , borders , and American military intervention abroad .
The season ends with pious Christian families torn apart and a church in flames , all because Americans trusted the false truths of an Arab intruder—they put their faith in globalization instead of nationalist protectionism .
Messiah is essentially a disgraceful reboot of Cold War-era apocalyptic fiction for the xenophobic , post-truth age of Trump .
The basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prejudices about the role of Iran and Muslims in Christian end-times scenarios .
It ’ s no wonder that Jordan ’ s Royal Film Commission has banned the series and that petitions have arisen condemning the show as anti-Islamic .
If Netflix renews the show for another season , we shouldn ’ t be surprised for a moment if the real “ Chosen One ” tasked with defeating Golshiri turns out to be a stocky , yellow-haired American businessman who builds walls , bans Muslims , and drops drones on Iranian generals .

Amid horrific natural disasters and a global refugee crisis, an Iranian menace emerges. This might summarize the news cycle at the start of 2020, but it’s also the premise of Netflix’s controversial new series Messiah. Critics have blasted the series for its slow pace, meandering and inchoate storylines, and lack of a clear theological or political message. Beyond its post-truth smokescreen (it’s unclear whether the central character is the Messiah, the Antichrist, or a con-man), however, the show advances a clear and dangerous geopolitical narrative that panders to the Christian Right: America must team up with Israel to defeat Iranian terrorists whose influence permeates the Middle East.
Note: spoilers ahead!
Messiah tells the story of a mysterious messianic figure called Al-Masih (Arabic for “the Messiah”), who garners international attention when he attempts to bring thousands of Palestinians in Syria across the border into Israel. The CIA and Israeli intelligence tail him, first in Israel and then in Texas, trying to expose him as a fraud. All the while, he attracts masses of followers by performing apparent miracles that he might not actually be responsible for or which turn out to have been ineffective.
The CIA team discovers that Payam Golshiri, dubbed Al-Masih, learned how to be a magician and con-man from his uncle while growing up in Iran, became allied with an anti-capitalist political theorist during a semester at Williams College (one of America’s leading liberal arts colleges), and through this “terrorist” professor established ties to Russia. By the final episode, Golshiri is recognized as a fraud and terrorist, causing his followers to abandon their faith. But then the season ends with him surviving a plane crash and apparently raising other passengers from the dead. (Cue season 2 chatter.)
If Golshiri does indeed have superpowers but is also deceptive, he fits the profile of the Antichrist who will come before the world ends, or “the deceiving messiah” known as Al-Masih ad-Dajjal in Islamic traditions. The show’s depiction of Golshiri as a Russian operative qua Antichrist is not reliant on Muslim traditions. It is, however, indebted to right-wing Christian apocalyptic fantasies.
Oh my Gog
Mass-market Christian end-times fantasies have often followed the path paved by Hal Lindsey, whose best-selling The Late Great Planet Earth in 1970 interpreted a pastiche of biblical verses as proof that the end would begin with a Soviet invasion of Israel. He claimed that the ancient prophet Ezekiel’s warning about Israel being invaded by an enemy named Gog from the North must refer to modern Russia. Even more, this northern enemy could not succeed without the help of Iran, which Lindsey equated with a reference to Persia.
Since 9/11, Armageddon-anxious evangelicals have focused more on Russia’s Middle Eastern allies than Gog itself. Tim LaHaye, co-author of the best-selling Left Behind series, and Ed Hindson, Dean Emeritus of the divinity school at Liberty University, devoted much of their 2007 book Global Warning to framing Iran as an evil Islamic threat to Israel, and through Israel to Christianity. Like other evangelical apocalypticists such as Joel Rosenberg (author of The Twelfth Imam series), LaHaye and Hindson cast the Iranian government’s targeting of Israel as proof that the end is near. They contend that Iran is the mastermind attempting to usher in the end-times by establishing a new global caliphate with its capital in Jerusalem. The book leaves readers with the Christian Zionist idea that American Christians must protect the state of Israel, the Jewish Promised Land, from Muslims in order to secure their own salvation.
The slippage between geopolitical entities and monolithic religious groups in this apocalyptic media, whereby America represents Christians, Israel stands in for Jews, and Iran is a cipher for Muslims, has significant political purchase among America’s Christian Right. Reportedly, George W. Bush appealed to the Gog prophecy to justify going to war in Iraq, while the Trump administration’s relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem satisfied right-wing evangelicals’ desires to safeguard the platform of their impending rapture.
The speeches surrounding the move appealed to biblical prophecies as filtered through the lens of modern apocalyptic fantasies. In his speech before the Israeli Knesset about moving the embassy, Vice President Pence—whom a Haaretz reporter labeled the “Horseman of Trumpacolypse”—drew on scriptural texts to justify Israel’s claim to Jerusalem, implying that Jewish sovereignty over Jerusalem is a prerequisite for the extension of God’s promises to Jews to Gentiles—that is, Christians. He called out Iran’s “evil regime” as a threat to this Jewish-Christian union. The notorious Christian Zionist pastor John Hagee soon after affirmed Pence’s sentiment in his prayer at the embassy’s dedication, saying:
“[L]et every Islamic terrorist hear this message: Israel lives. …Let it echo down the marble halls of the presidential palace in Iran: Israel lives.”
Even the Trump administration’s ruthless campaign against the congressional “Squad” reeks of apocalyptic conspiracy theories. A day after the world learned about Trump’s assassination of the Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, Trump rallied his evangelical supporters around a pro-Israel, anti-Iran agenda. He justified his attack on Soleimani as defensive, because the General “was planning a very major attack …[and] as president, I will never hesitate to defend the safety of the American people.”
In the same speech, he repeated his frequent claim that any opposition to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is akin to anti-semitism. “Where do these people come from?” he queried, ever so rhetorically, about Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar. “These people hate Israel. They hate Jewish people.” Trump wants his evangelical base to believe that support for Israel, an evangelical priority, is part and parcel of opposition to Iran—not to mention opposition to progressive Muslims like Tlaib and Omar.
Packed with ‘don’t trust a Muslim’ theology
Netflix’s Messiah fashions a puzzling drama on the foundation of this problematic apocalyptic narrative about Middle Eastern geopolitics. There can be little doubt that the show’s producers, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, were aware of this, as they call themselves “Hollywood’s noisiest Christians.” They have produced Christian shows, like The Bible and A.D. The Bible Continues, and are raising millions of dollars to start a conservative Christian network through MGM. As the producer of The Apprentice, Burnett is the architect of Trump’s celebrity and is presently planning a new show with the president. Messiah’s creator, Michael Petroni, also has a record of working on Christian programs like Miracles, The Rite, and the third installment of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
Messiah is thus a series written by Christians for Christians. A Christian Post author even described it as “packed with several solid teachings and the resounding idea that sin brings punishment.” The only clear (but by no means “solid”) teaching this viewer could detect is that any Arab or Middle Easterner might be a terrorist, whether they are an adherent of ISIS or a new-agey faith like Golshiri’s.
It’s also worth noting that Golshiri’s message, presented as duping so many Americans, is a caricature of progressive positions: it’s opposed to capitalism, borders, and American military intervention abroad. The season ends with pious Christian families torn apart and a church in flames, all because Americans trusted the false truths of an Arab intruder—they put their faith in globalization instead of nationalist protectionism.
Messiah is essentially a disgraceful reboot of Cold War-era apocalyptic fiction for the xenophobic, post-truth age of Trump. The basic framework of its story reinforces dangerous right-wing prejudices about the role of Iran and Muslims in Christian end-times scenarios. It’s no wonder that Jordan’s Royal Film Commission has banned the series and that petitions have arisen condemning the show as anti-Islamic.
If Netflix renews the show for another season, we shouldn’t be surprised for a moment if the real “Chosen One” tasked with defeating Golshiri turns out to be a stocky, yellow-haired American businessman who builds walls, bans Muslims, and drops drones on Iranian generals.


rawstory--2020-01-10--Iran denies Ukrainian plane downed by missile

Iran ’ s civil aviation chief denied Friday that a missile downed a Ukrainian airliner which crashed killing all 176 on board , dismissing claims of a catastrophic mistake by Tehran ’ s air defences .
The declaration at a press conference in the Iranian capital came after Britain and Canada pointed to what they said were signs of an accidental missile strike .
“ One thing is for certain , this airplane was not hit by a missile , ” Iran ’ s civil aviation chief Ali Abedzadeh said .
The Boeing 737 crashed on Wednesday shortly after Tehran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response to the killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Baghdad .
It is Iran ’ s worst civil aviation disaster since 1988 when the US military said it shot down an Iran Air plane by mistake , killing all 290 people on board .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that multiple intelligence sources indicated that an Iranian missile downed Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 after it took off from Tehran .
But Abedzadeh rejected the allegation , saying that “ any remarks made before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plane ’ s black box flight recorders ) … is not an expert opinion.
” Trudeau ’ s comments came as video footage emerged that appeared to show the moment the airliner was hit .
The footage , which The New York Times said it had verified , shows a fast-moving object rising at an angle into the sky before a bright flash is seen , which dims and then continues moving forward .
Several seconds later an explosion is heard .
Citing information from allies as well as Canada ’ s own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have been hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile .
“ We know this may have been unintentional .
Canadians have questions , and they deserve answers , ” Trudeau told reporters .
He was backed by other Western leaders , including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who said mounting evidence supported a missile strike , which “ may well have been unintentional ” .
US President Donald Trump indicated that Washington officials believed the Kiev-bound Boeing 737 was struck by one or more Iranian missiles before it ditched and exploded outside Tehran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said late Thursday it had received formal notification of the crash from Iran and would send a representative to join the investigation .
Iran ’ s foreign ministry earlier invited US plane maker Boeing to “ participate ” in the probe .
The flight went down in the dark just minutes after takeoff , with no radio message from the pilot to indicate distress , according to the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization .
It was carrying 82 Iranians , 63 Canadians , 11 Ukrainians , 10 Swedes , four Afghans , three Germans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the United States and Iran , the disaster unfolded just hours after Tehran launched ballistic missiles towards bases in Iraq housing US troops .
Iran retaliated for the January 3 US drone strike in Baghdad that killed a top Iranian general .
The Iranian government said the missile strike scenario made “ no sense , ” however , arguing that several internal and international flights had been sharing approximately the same airspace .
Tehran later asked Ottawa to share its information with Iranian investigators .
Trudeau said Canada was working with allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The families of the victims want answers , Canadians want answers , I want answers , ” he said .
“ This government will not rest until we get that.
” Canada ’ s transportation safety board on Thursday said it had accepted an invitation from Iran ’ s civil aviation authority to join the inquiry .
Trump would not directly confirm what US intelligence was saying privately .
“ I have my suspicions , ” Trump said , adding that “ somebody could have made a mistake.
” But unidentified officials told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronic data indicated Tehran ’ s air defence units downed the aircraft .
Ukraine called for United Nations support for a broad investigation , and sent 45 crash investigators to Tehran to take part in the inquiry led by Iranian authorities .
Investigators are pursuing several possibilities , including engine failure , a missile strike or an act of terror .