Katherine Johnson, one of the Hidden Figures “human computers”, turned 100 years old this Sunday, August 26th. The Daily Press notes that on Saturday she visited her alma mater, West Virginia State University, for the unveiling of a 7-foot statue in her honor and the creation of an endowed scholarship in her name. During an interview when asked what she thought was the key to such a long and healthy life, her reply was “I’m lucky. Very lucky.” (h/t to AGD) [Read more…]
Senator McCain: Is the Enemy of My Enemy My Friend?
A major public figure has succumbed to brain cancer. And now another round of the American bloodsport of ‘who can be shittiest?’ is underway.
A petulant President Donald Trump has made it clear that Senator John McCain’s death will not bring an end to his scorn. The typical chief executive statement of condolence was squashed. A Tweet and an Instagram post (featuring a photo of Trump) will have to suffice. The flag atop the White House is no longer at half-mast.
History is being re-written to unabashedly sing the praises of “the maverick” and “the last real Republican.” McCain’s existence, as is true with most larger than life figures, was more complicated than that. It is, alas, too easy to fixate on some good deeds when the political world is awash with evil. The late Senator’s empathetic qualities do not negate his willingness to follow his party’s descent into madness most of the time. [Read more…]
The Wages of Inequality Keep Growing: Only Working People’s Power Can Save Our Democracy
It shouldn’t be news to readers of the SD Free Press that life here under the perfect sun isn’t always so easy, particularly for working people. Indeed, as a Bloomberg report outlined last May, “The gap between the have and have-nots in San Diego was the ninth-highest out of 100 cities between 2011 to 2016.”
As usual, this report received not much more than a shrug in the place where happy happens as we were too busy spectacularly failing to address our shameful homelessness crisis yet again while the supply of high-end condos downtown and elsewhere continues to grow. So it goes.
It’s the same old story over and over again here–and everywhere else.
Ammar Campa-Najjar Responds to Fox News Smear and Fear Clickbait Headline
Editor’s Note: Ammar Campa-Najjar has been in the news a lot since Congressman Duncan Hunter was indicted for illegally diverting a quarter million dollars in campaign funds for his personal use. Since there is no way to remove the incumbent from the ballot at this time, Republicans have come up with a “save the seat” strategy. Hunter will resign should he win the November election, clearing the way for a special election in the spring. In order to ensure that GOP voters in the 50th Congressional District don’t have second thoughts about voting for a crook, Faux News used the headline on this story to gin up some fear.
Below is Ammar’s response along with a commentary from Pastor Paul Dabdoub attesting to the candidate’s moral character. For the record, Campa-Najjar never met the man in question, since the grandfather that Fox News has raised from the dead died two decades before the candidate was born.
***
Duncan Hunter Jr. must be desperate. He has to dig back three generations to attack me, all I have to do is look back three days ago at his indictment. Hunter is betting it all on the idea that the people in my district are a bunch of bigoted, backward people. I say don’t underestimate the people of the 50th, I’ve risen to occasion — they will too.
Time Should be Running Out for the President and His Republican Cronies
I began this writing a day after one of the president’s thuggish friends, a man who led his campaign, was found guilty of several counts of fraud, and his personal lawyer and “fixer” pleaded guilty to illegal payments under his direction.
I waited a day to see how the Republicans in the Senate and the House would react, foolishly holding out that they would finally say “Enough” to the lunacy coming out of the West Wing of the White House – considering that the clock should have run out on his presidency months ago.
And all they’ve done so far is claim that a sitting president can’t be indicted when, whether that is true or not, they have the power to take him down. Like they could impeach the sordid clown. [Read more…]
Judgment at Nuremberg – Judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) Delivers the Verdict | Video Worth Watching
Although the cruelties and injustices of this administration haven’t risen to the level of those of the Third Reich, the same principles of justice and moral responsibility apply. While some who support actions such as separating children from their parents might claim it necessary for the protection of our borders, as Spencer Tracy notes in his reading of the verdict:
There are those in our own country too who today speak of the “protection of country” — of “survival.” A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient — to look the other way.
Well, the answer to that is “survival as what?” A country isn’t a rock. It’s not an extension of one’s self. It’s what it stands for. It’s what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult!
Before the people of the world, let it now be noted that here, in our decision, this is what we stand for: justice, truth, and the value of a single human being.
Looking Back at the Week: August 19-25
This week’s edition of Looking Back at the Week contains articles, commentaries, columns, and other work by San Diego Free Press regulars, irregulars, columnists, at-large contributors, and locally and nationally sourced writers on Dirty Duncan, San Diego’s big blue wave, the soda ban, Bank of ICE, Matt Brower, and lots of other grassroots news & progressive views from San Diego’s feisty, all volunteer, slightly funky, community news site. [Read more…]
Aretha Franklin – Nessun Dorma – Sept. 26, 2015 | Video Worth Watching
One More Aretha. At the end of Digby’s Thursday column on Aretha, she notes an unusual incident in Aretha’s career, which highlights her versatility, courage and heart. As reported in Classic FM. during the 1998 Grammy’s, Pavarotti was scheduled to perform one of his signature pieces: Nessun Dorma, but after he fell ill, Aretha, with twenty minutes notice, agreed to go on and perform the work. Here’s a version of that work which was recorded a few years later at a September 26, 2015 World Meeting of Families event with Pope Francis in Philadelphia. [Read more…]
‘White House Press Briefing’ — A Bad Lip Reading | Video Worth Watching
The zany Bad Lip Reader strikes again. Here is a White House Press Briefing as Sarah Huckabee Sanders would have it in her fevered dreams … [Read more…]
A Big Blue Wave Is Building In San Diego | Progressive Activist Calendar August 24 – September 3, 2018
The stretch run for general elections is supposed to start after Labor Day. At least that’s the way it used to be. Activists countywide aren’t waiting for Septemeber this year. Instead, they’re canvassing, phone-banking, and organizing at a level I’ve never seen before. My first campaign volunteer work was for Senator Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential run, and while I’ve taken a year off now and then, suffice it to say I’ve seen a few elections. This one is special.
There are 17 events for progressive-leaning candidates (that I’m aware of) that are directly campaign-related in this week’s calendar. Best of all, there’s a healthy mix of bigger and lesser name candidates: Monica Montgomery (SD City Council D4), Dr. Akilah Weber (La Mesa City Council), Dr. Jen Campbell (SD City Council D2), Ammar Campa-Najjar (50th Congressional District), Consuelo Martinez (Escondido City Council D1), Tommy Hough (SD City Council D6), Nathan Fletcher (County Supervisor D4), Mike Levin (49th Congressional District), Alan Geraci (State Assembly 75th), Michelle Gomez (County Supervisor D5), Jeff Griffith (State Senate 38th), Tazheen Nizam (Vista City Council D4), and James Elia (State Assembly 71st). Do check out these candidates at the links embedded in their listings.
Lest we become solely focused on electoral politics, there are three activist events that jump out at me as especially important. The UNITE for Justice rally (Sunday, August 26) to protest the runaway train that is Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the National City Council Meeting (September 4) provides yet another opportunity to keep the pressure up over the death of Earl McNeil at the hands of police, and the September 8th Rise for Climate Action rally at the Civic Center (September 8) is a necessary reminder of the incredible damage the Trump administration is doing to the environment.
Let’s do this thing, folks! The persistence of our resistance is starting to pay off. [Read more…]
When Truth Isn’t True | Geo-Poetic Spaces
The children
you remember raising
don’t exist
outside the imaginary cages
fake news projects onto TV screens
The sun you believe
rises in the East
Isn’t a fact
it’s science fiction
The voice your ears think they hear
was burned before it could be spoken
by the witch hunt
against freedom of thought [Read more…]
Is Rabbit-Loving Representative Duncan D. Hunter’s Seat In Danger? | Video Worth Watching
San Diego’s own Duncan Hunter Jr. has been making national news lately. Federal indictments seem to have that kind of effect. MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes covered him as part of its “Thing 1 / Thing 2” feature. Part of the coverage included the news that the Cook Political Report has moved Hunter’s 50th Congressional District from “Solidly Republican” to “Lean Republican”, but with a note that there’s a potential to move further! Way to go, Duncan! There’s also some video of Duncan arriving at the courthouse, being greeted by some vocal critics. Yikes! [Read more…]
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