America is slowly loosing control of their democracy and Congress isn’t doing anything! Why hasn’t any Republican stood up to the stooge in chief? As a Canadian I’m horrified at the lost of freedoms that are being infringed and the violence that is being normalized! Frankly shades of a dictatorship being played out for the world at large! 😢
"In that incident, a group of activists entered the Cities Church in Minneapolis and disrupted its Sunday services to protest a pastor at the church, David Easterwood, who also has a job running the local ICE field office."
I will admit that I find entering a place of worship with the intent of disruption violates the 1A rights of others. The parishioners of Cities Church choose to worship (a false) god with a preacher who is a gubmint goon, and they will all have to answer to whatever you call a Supreme being: G-dess, G-d, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the Great Architect, Prima Materia, or whatever for their decision. As the saying goes, your rights end where mine begin.
(I also admit that I find ***organized*** religions rather distasteful. All it does is put an unnecessary layer between a worshiper and their G-dess, and it demands an orthodoxy of the religion's adherents. As Krishnamurti said, of religion, "Truth is a pathless land.")
-----
"what Lemon and Fort did was very standard journalist stuff"
True that. They acted like embedded reporters and not part of the protest itself. And FWIW, I agree that the protesters should have remained outside. By entering and disrupting the service they gave the Right wingnuts the opportunity take the high road (this time) since those entering did violate the right to worship of the congregants as they wish.
-----
"the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division"
Given the actions of the current regime this is a textbook example of an oxymoron.
-----
"The bespectacled agent peering in Fort’s front window is wearing body armor that says DEA on it. Why was a DEA agent serving this warrant?"
He wasn't with the DEA, obvi. It was a standard ruse:
> "Does ICE teach its officers to use ruses?
Yes. ICE agents are taught that they are allowed to use ruses (with very few limits) and are trained on how to conduct a ruse. As part of their training, ICE agents are given suggestions of possible ruses and additional training on how to trick and confuse people.
ICE agents are specifically trained on how to redirect focus and control a conversation. They are taught how to use conversational techniques to confuse people about who they are, what their goals are, and to make people feel like it’s safe or even necessary to let them inside the home or share information with them.
[...]
What kinds of ruses does ICE use?
It is common for ICE to pretend to be local law enforcement. ICE agents often say they are “police” or “law enforcement” and mimic how local law enforcement officers act and dress. In doing so, they hide their ICE badges, or anything identifying them as ICE. They are often dressed in plain-clothes, are wearing similar colors as local police, and/or wear vests that say POLICE across the front.
Can't wait for trump to write an executive order that warrants and shit aren't necessary anymore. Also can't wait for the supreme court to sign off on it because reasons. 😒
Remember when Quakers, et al, sued the U.S. government to keep ICE out of their houses of worship since the Trump Administration has decides it can indeed invade houses of worship in search People of Color who might be undocumented? My how times have changed in the past few months.
I am reminded that that when the Feds were deciding on who to charge for conspiracy for the 1968 demonstrations in Chicago, they considered, but thought better of, charging Paul Krassner, who could level a strong 1A defense as a journalist. These fuckwits are stupiderer and more contemptuous of the Constitution than the DoJ of the guy who would have gotten impeached if he didn't resign in disgrace.
So when, exactly, did Don Lemon deprive the rights of those churchgoers or with force deprive them of their First Amendment rights? Cuz I ain't seeing it.
Remember that Peter Zenger was accused of libel in 1735 for being critical of the corrupt governor, William Crosby. Alexander Hamilton defended him. Telling the truth should not be a crime, but then, we have Nazi cucks like Tom Homan and Stephen Miller in charge and. they could care less about the truth.
OT: In part due to reverence for a fallen goddess, and in part to escape the latest child rape and sex trafficking revelations regarding the Leader of the Free World, here is one of my (admittedly lowbrow) top 10 favorite cinema moments.
RIP Ms O'Hara, your comedic genius will be missed.
FWIW, SCTV was way more enjoyable and funny than SNL... it rates -- in my book -- as possibly the funniest sketch comedy show, or at least in the top five.
OT: where I live (Philly) the average high temperature for this date is 38F. At 3 PM today it has reached its predicted high of 18F. The 10-day says it won’t get above freezing at all. In other news, one of the two creaking old boilers in my building has conked out and I’m sitting here in my winter hat rubbing my hands together. In other news still, I hate winter.
Me too. We're having an unusually long cold snap in the Boston area (sub-32 from Jan 22 to forecast Feb 2, with numerous sub-zero lows), but at least we're more or less equipped for it.
Sunday morning, it's supposed to be a low of 30°F in West Palm Beach (record is 36° in 1909) and 20°F in Daytona Beach (record is 30° in 1936).
I feel bad for those in housing where there is just no way to keep warm. And who often have governments that don't care to spend much on their people's safety and well-being.
“We’re going to pursue this to the ends of the earth.”
What the fuck does Harmeet Dhillon - who wrote that conservative students at Dartmouth were treated like Jews in cattle cars and compared the university's president to Adolf Hitler - know about "the ends of the earth"?
Harmeet Dhillon was Andy Ngo's attorney when he tried to sue 'Antifa' for being his being assaulted on the street in Portland in June 2019. Shockingly, the jury did not find enough evidence to support his claim.
Dhillon then went on to file years' worth of lawsuits about Covid restrictions like quarantines and face mask requirements. She filed a suit for medical against Kaiser-Permanente on behalf of a 'detransitioner'.
Harmeet Dhillon does not know where anything is. Except maybe TV cameras and microphones.
Many, many plutocrat dollars recruiting and supporting right-wing rich kids with 'conservative newspaper' jobs and fellowships. Dhillon was at Dartmouth between the ages of 16 and 20.
Yesterday I called Zorhan Mamdani a walking collection of rightwing snarl words. Your comment here made me realize that Don Lemon is basically the same.
Oh, totally standard. Police, for example, are coached in their lying by states' attorneys. It's blatant, simplistic, and predictable, case after case.
It doesn't even have to get to perjury--no cross examination, no hearsay objections...did an officer hear from someone that they felt threatened, no matter how unreasonable that might be?
America is slowly loosing control of their democracy and Congress isn’t doing anything! Why hasn’t any Republican stood up to the stooge in chief? As a Canadian I’m horrified at the lost of freedoms that are being infringed and the violence that is being normalized! Frankly shades of a dictatorship being played out for the world at large! 😢
"In that incident, a group of activists entered the Cities Church in Minneapolis and disrupted its Sunday services to protest a pastor at the church, David Easterwood, who also has a job running the local ICE field office."
I will admit that I find entering a place of worship with the intent of disruption violates the 1A rights of others. The parishioners of Cities Church choose to worship (a false) god with a preacher who is a gubmint goon, and they will all have to answer to whatever you call a Supreme being: G-dess, G-d, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the Great Architect, Prima Materia, or whatever for their decision. As the saying goes, your rights end where mine begin.
(I also admit that I find ***organized*** religions rather distasteful. All it does is put an unnecessary layer between a worshiper and their G-dess, and it demands an orthodoxy of the religion's adherents. As Krishnamurti said, of religion, "Truth is a pathless land.")
-----
"what Lemon and Fort did was very standard journalist stuff"
True that. They acted like embedded reporters and not part of the protest itself. And FWIW, I agree that the protesters should have remained outside. By entering and disrupting the service they gave the Right wingnuts the opportunity take the high road (this time) since those entering did violate the right to worship of the congregants as they wish.
-----
"the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division"
Given the actions of the current regime this is a textbook example of an oxymoron.
-----
"The bespectacled agent peering in Fort’s front window is wearing body armor that says DEA on it. Why was a DEA agent serving this warrant?"
He wasn't with the DEA, obvi. It was a standard ruse:
> "Does ICE teach its officers to use ruses?
Yes. ICE agents are taught that they are allowed to use ruses (with very few limits) and are trained on how to conduct a ruse. As part of their training, ICE agents are given suggestions of possible ruses and additional training on how to trick and confuse people.
ICE agents are specifically trained on how to redirect focus and control a conversation. They are taught how to use conversational techniques to confuse people about who they are, what their goals are, and to make people feel like it’s safe or even necessary to let them inside the home or share information with them.
[...]
What kinds of ruses does ICE use?
It is common for ICE to pretend to be local law enforcement. ICE agents often say they are “police” or “law enforcement” and mimic how local law enforcement officers act and dress. In doing so, they hide their ICE badges, or anything identifying them as ICE. They are often dressed in plain-clothes, are wearing similar colors as local police, and/or wear vests that say POLICE across the front.
As part of a ruse, ICE agents intentionally lie or mislead you about who they are and that their real intentions are to identify and arrest the non-citizen they have targeted." https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/ice-ruses/#6-does-ice-teach-its-officers-to-use-ruses
fnord
Can't wait for trump to write an executive order that warrants and shit aren't necessary anymore. Also can't wait for the supreme court to sign off on it because reasons. 😒
Remember when Quakers, et al, sued the U.S. government to keep ICE out of their houses of worship since the Trump Administration has decides it can indeed invade houses of worship in search People of Color who might be undocumented? My how times have changed in the past few months.
I thought churches were supposed to be open to EVERYONE. Isn't that the Jesus thing to do?
I am reminded that that when the Feds were deciding on who to charge for conspiracy for the 1968 demonstrations in Chicago, they considered, but thought better of, charging Paul Krassner, who could level a strong 1A defense as a journalist. These fuckwits are stupiderer and more contemptuous of the Constitution than the DoJ of the guy who would have gotten impeached if he didn't resign in disgrace.
So when, exactly, did Don Lemon deprive the rights of those churchgoers or with force deprive them of their First Amendment rights? Cuz I ain't seeing it.
You have to put on your MAGA blinders to see it.
Remember that Peter Zenger was accused of libel in 1735 for being critical of the corrupt governor, William Crosby. Alexander Hamilton defended him. Telling the truth should not be a crime, but then, we have Nazi cucks like Tom Homan and Stephen Miller in charge and. they could care less about the truth.
OT: In part due to reverence for a fallen goddess, and in part to escape the latest child rape and sex trafficking revelations regarding the Leader of the Free World, here is one of my (admittedly lowbrow) top 10 favorite cinema moments.
https://youtu.be/AQXVHITd1N4
Oh Schitt, no.
RIP Ms O'Hara, your comedic genius will be missed.
FWIW, SCTV was way more enjoyable and funny than SNL... it rates -- in my book -- as possibly the funniest sketch comedy show, or at least in the top five.
fnord
It's striking to me that O'Hara and Levy did their best cinematic work so late in their career. They played the long game.
SCTV and Kids in the Hall are in my top 5, along with Monty Python, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and Chaser's War on Everything.
No American shows made my top 5.
Mr. Show wasn't too bad
I completely missed that show altogether, somehow.
Oh, Mad TV wasn't bad and neither was In Living Color.
Except for no muppets. “Speak to me!”
Comic genius.
Put a black armband on your leopard print for Ms. Lola Heatherton
She was/is legend.
OT: where I live (Philly) the average high temperature for this date is 38F. At 3 PM today it has reached its predicted high of 18F. The 10-day says it won’t get above freezing at all. In other news, one of the two creaking old boilers in my building has conked out and I’m sitting here in my winter hat rubbing my hands together. In other news still, I hate winter.
Me too. We're having an unusually long cold snap in the Boston area (sub-32 from Jan 22 to forecast Feb 2, with numerous sub-zero lows), but at least we're more or less equipped for it.
Sunday morning, it's supposed to be a low of 30°F in West Palm Beach (record is 36° in 1909) and 20°F in Daytona Beach (record is 30° in 1936).
I feel bad for those in housing where there is just no way to keep warm. And who often have governments that don't care to spend much on their people's safety and well-being.
Me too
And why did this happen? Well a member there is the head of the MN ICE office. There you have it.
Makes the Westies look sane.
I believe the ICE leader is the pastor, not just a parishioner.
I've read the same.
Clearly that church ignores the part of the Bible where Jesus says, "I was a stranger and you took me in."
They use the New American Fascist Bible:
I was a stranger and you did me in.
“We’re going to pursue this to the ends of the earth.”
What the fuck does Harmeet Dhillon - who wrote that conservative students at Dartmouth were treated like Jews in cattle cars and compared the university's president to Adolf Hitler - know about "the ends of the earth"?
She knows that Trump loves hyperbole.
Harmeet Dhillon was Andy Ngo's attorney when he tried to sue 'Antifa' for being his being assaulted on the street in Portland in June 2019. Shockingly, the jury did not find enough evidence to support his claim.
Dhillon then went on to file years' worth of lawsuits about Covid restrictions like quarantines and face mask requirements. She filed a suit for medical against Kaiser-Permanente on behalf of a 'detransitioner'.
Harmeet Dhillon does not know where anything is. Except maybe TV cameras and microphones.
Another Dartmouth fascist?
What's in the water up there?
Many, many plutocrat dollars recruiting and supporting right-wing rich kids with 'conservative newspaper' jobs and fellowships. Dhillon was at Dartmouth between the ages of 16 and 20.
I'm willing to send Harmeet there on a fact-finding mission. Oh yeah, forgot about that allergy to facts.
Don is guilty of being gay while Black while CNN.
Sentenced to death by MAGA.
Yesterday I called Zorhan Mamdani a walking collection of rightwing snarl words. Your comment here made me realize that Don Lemon is basically the same.
Journalists are cycling in and out on Don's YouTube channel to discuss this bullshit. Even Harvey Levin of TMZ was disgusted/infuriated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9EZ95nQ0QI
Harvey Levin? Mr. Sippy Cup?
One has to wonder at the perjury committed in the grand jury rooms.
Oh, totally standard. Police, for example, are coached in their lying by states' attorneys. It's blatant, simplistic, and predictable, case after case.
"Testalying" as its known.
It doesn't even have to get to perjury--no cross examination, no hearsay objections...did an officer hear from someone that they felt threatened, no matter how unreasonable that might be?
If NextDoor posters had indictment powers
Grand perjury rooms.
They're testing the waters for independent media now- the last bastion of journalism.
Those waters already smell like piss.
Except for Wonkette!