We whirl
on turning earth
circling sun
until the buzzing hive
hums honeycomb light
The universe expands
as we contract
into needles of pirouetting grass
where feet float
and poems write themselves
on the colorless pigment of waves [Read more…]
Two Deja Vu Showgirls of Nashville highlight the absurdity of the gun laws in the state of Tennessee by contrasting the ease of selling an AR-15 with that of selling a couch dance (fully clothed). [Read more…]
By Mark Sumner / Daily Kos
On Wednesday night CNN had a Townhall-style debate in which NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch appeared to scowl at grieving parents and prove once and for all that the organization she represented was exactly as awful as it seems. No matter what approach was made, no matter how much either logic or grief was brought to bear, Loesch refused to consider anything that would put any limits on the sale of any weapons system whatsoever.
Loesch’s guns-at-any-cost whoppers hit a nadir when she responded to a comment that the Second Amendment was written at a time when firearms consisted of muskets by claiming that the Revolutionary War period was far more advanced than people believe:
“At the time there were fully-automatic firearms that were available, the Belton gun and the Puckle gun.”
Born the same year as the groundbreaking case of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, integration for Ruby Bridges and so many others was impeded by resistant southern states until early 1960 — the year the federal court formally ordered desegregation in Louisiana.
Bridges became one of six children in New Orleans to pass the entrance exams required to attend an all-whites school. Of the six children, two decided to remain at their current school, and three — who would become known as the McDonogh Three — were transferred to McDonogh Elementary School. Bridges was sent to William Frantz Elementary School by herself. Despite legal pressures, the school delayed Bridges’ admittance until November 1960.
Bridges father Abon at first was not supportive of the idea, fearing for his daughter’s safety; however, Bridges mother Lucille was adamant, saying it was important “for all African-American children.” [Read more…]
Parkland Survivor Sam Zeif speaks with MSNBC’s Brian Williams on the 11th Hour. “You don’t walk around at night with an AR to feel safe. You walk around at night with an AR to kill people. In this case, the day—2:25 pm, February 14th, 2018.” Sam just turned eighteen. Do you think he’ll be voting in the next election? [Read more…]
It was hard listening to the remarks today from Parkland students who survived a school shooting a mere week ago; it was devastating listening to the father of one of those students who was murdered tell us that he visits his daughter in the cemetery now. It was also a heart crushing rebuke to hear from parents who had lost a child at Columbine (19 years ago) and Sandy Hook Elementary (5 years ago).
When everyone who wanted to speak was heard, Trump asked if there were any recommendations about what should be done. An adult (who was that guy?) was ready to jump in with a solution—more guns! Arm the cafeteria worker, volunteers or guidance counselors if teachers didn’t warm to the idea. [Read more…]
In the early 20th Century, African Americans were primarily featured in stereotypical and unflattering roles, such as comic clowns or in black minstrelsy — shows performed primarily by whites which mocked and demeaned black people as inferior. The first all-black sitcom to appear on television in the 1950s, Amos ‘n’ Andy, is demonstrative of this racist trend, and was taken off the air after roughly 70 episodes due to protests by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other groups.
It would be 20 years before black sitcoms would officially take root in American television. In the 1970s, That’s My Mama, Good Times, Sanford and Son, What’s Happening?, and The Jeffersons all appeared on major networks. In the 1980s, sitcoms such as The Cosby Show [sorry], A Different World and Frank’s Place in the 1980s worked to eliminate stereotypic portrayals of blacks, but were still very much seen as black shows despite featuring white actors in side character roles.
Dr. Alvin Poussaint, a psychiatrist who for years has studied the effects of racism in the black community, states that while black sitcoms became more common, the sharp image of segregation was still fostered. Furthermore, he says:
It is also telling that white Americans do not find all-black dramas appealing, even though the networks have tried to launch a number of such dramas over the years. White audiences apparently are comfortable seeing blacks in all-black sitcoms but not in all-black dramas, which depict the serious and human dimensions of the black experience, and do not reinforce common stereotypes.
When Teresa Gunn performs her one woman show Teresa Gets a Boyfriend at City College’s Saville Theatre on Saturday, February 24, she will take on the universal and often time worn themes of looking for love, finding love and trying to keep love.
Creative storytelling makes old stories new and Teresa Gunn is a consummate storyteller. Twenty years ago the San Diego recording artist and educator undertook a series of one woman performances as fundraisers for the nonprofit Musicians for Education/Street of Dreams. She refers to this series as the Trailer Park Queen Project. [Read more…]
Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC’s The Last Word, notes that “The families of American soldiers killed in battle get $100,000. American teachers killed in massacres in schools just get their names taken off the payroll.” [Read more…]
By Rebecca Pilar Buckwalter Poza / Daily Kos
Republicans stole the Second Amendment. Over the course of 30 years, the right waged a war on political, legal, and academic fronts to redefine that amendment, contrary to history, text, and precedent, as creating an individual right to bear arms. Of course, none of those efforts, nor their aggregate effect, would have been enough to accomplish the right’s aims without a far-right ideologue on the Supreme Court, the late Justice Antonin Scalia, to codify them.
The right’s misappropriation of the Second Amendment ranks among the most stunning legal feats in U.S. history. [Read more…]
Here’s another student voice from the Parkland, Florida, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, site of the February 14th mass shooting. Cameron Kasky speaks with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “Our community just took 17 bullets to the heart.” [Read more…]
At least three national protests are being organized in the wake of the Valentine’s Day killings in Parkland, Florida. Each is different in scope and substance, and all deserve support. And, no, three protests is not too many.
