Re: Bernie Sanders' Speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention

 

The political revolution continues, is alive and well, and in the words of a columnist for The Nation, it took a 74-year old Jew from Brooklyn, to show what a real Mensch is.

 

Jay Schaffner

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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And to show us what actual, progressive, meaningful change might have looked like.

 

Vali Buland

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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I am glad both he and Warren are going to be in the Senate. I thought it was brilliant for him to get up and list the things that both he and Hillary are for. As she tries to pivot away from those things, he's there to hold her to it. She picked a right to work, pro-TPP, anti-banking regulation guy for Veep. I wonder who the real Hillary is. He's going big to be holding her to what she has said. Or rather, we all are.

 

Ann

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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A terrific speech.

 

Ray Markey

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

 

 

 

Re: Freddie Gray Death: Remaining Charges Dropped Against Police Officers

 

A travesty of justice.

 

Elizabeth Zitrin

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

 

 

 

Re: Police Incitement Against Black Lives Matter Is Putting Protesters in Danger

 

Why have I been denied access to this online article?

 

Jim Lucas

 

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Some Portside readers reported difficulty in opening this post on our website. We apologize, there were some glitches in the posting of this particular article yesterday. The following link works, opens the article, and is on the Portside website and is accessible.

 

http://portside.org/2016-07-28/police-incitement-against-black-lives-matter-putting-protesters-danger

 

Moderator

 

 

 

 

Re: Donald Trump's Caesar Moment

 

I do not think Trump's speech was unusual or original. US history if full of examples of this type of demigod and the right wing, racist , nationalist movements that they have stirred.  Fortunately to this point unsuccessful in grabbing power.  I do think though that while Trump was a bit slow in reading the teleprompter he did well presenting a classic rendition of the genre - though of course it was better in the original German and the setting of the 1930s - harder to sell, I hope, these days.

 

Peter Orris

 

 

 

 

Re: The Mythology Of Trump's `Working Class' Support

 

Trump has as much to do with the Middle Class as I have to do with disco music - which is to say, nada.

 

Steven Sholly

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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When Trump talks about his "working class" support he means the Fox News Ditto Heads. The "mythology" is that they are the "true" working class, and it's not a mythology that Trump invented. Rush Limbaugh and Roger Ailes invented it.

 

Doug Percival

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

 

 

 

 

Re: Rethinking Recovery: Poverty Chains and Global Capitalism

 

A comparison of translated Hitler speeches  (circa 1933-34) to Trump's acceptance rant would reveal strong similarities !!!

 

Aaron Libson

 

 

 

 

Our Grandparents Fought Fascism - They Didn't Vote for Them

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meme by Robert Standing Eagle Marshall

 

 

 

 

Re: The Sighted and the Blinkered

 

One more clip that the media didn't cover: On Monday, around 500 protesters amidst thousands more got the City of Philadelphia to take down what we thought was the confederate flag (it was actually the state flag of Mississippi). It was a great symbolic victory of sorts, given that in 1964 the Democratic Convention refused to seat Fannie Lou Hamer and the Mississippi Freedom Democrat Party. 52 years later they still have that confederate flag as part of their state flag, yikes! So it was a fitting symbol from one Democratic Convention to the next, to remove that awful flag of slavery.

 

Harold Meyerson can hold whatever opinion he wants, but he's not entitled to make up his facts.

 

The marches and protests outside the convention in Philadelphia have NOT been "almost entirely white and non-immigrant". And his snide way of caricaturing those he disagrees with is simply more of the same snotty arrogance that drive well-meaning people further away from Meyerson's concept of "the Left" that he purportedly represents.

 

Let me submit this brief audio report from the same Sunday march of thousands of people that I did for WBAI radio as part of my rebuttal.

 

It contains interviews with several indigenous people who traveled from reservations in New Mexico, and others from Colorado and Los Angeles. They were leading the environmental march for a clean energy revolution, in which around 5,000 people took part, very spirited, marching the 4 miles in the sweltering heat from City Hall all the way south on Broad Street to FDR park, across the fences from where the convention is being held.

 

I end the piece with a short interview with a 6 year old girl from South Philadelphia.

 

Trying to convey the excitement of being in Philly at this VERY interesting historical juncture, and providing space for people to express for themselves, rather than the typical news story where the reporter becomes the voice of god telling you what to think about it all. (I was at the Democratic Convention police riot in Chicago in 1968, too, when I was 19 years old. Thus far, much different here.)...

 

Mitchel Cohen

 

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It is very exciting in Philadelphia. People are doing a wide range of protests, those who participated in the Confederate Flag (Mississippi Flag) protest said it was their favorite moment. People marching saw the flag, were angered, sat down and Philadelphia sent in a team that got lifted up and took the flag down. Police are playing it very smart, the opposite of the Republican Convention last held here. Letting protests proceed with minimal police restriction.

 

A lot of open debate about inside vs. outside the Dem Party. At least in the places I have been, the outside the party view is winning. Some think Sanders shows the left is so close to taking over the Dems -- but this is just not true. Sanders ran a great campaign but the Dem rigged system worked and will be re-worked to make sure it continues to work as it has since 1982 when it was put in place. It is a false path that looks easier than building our own party, but it leads into a Democratic cul de sac where people will find themselves trapped. This is how the Dems kill movements, they want the anti-Wall Street, living wag, student debt, Black Lives Matter and other protests to go inside the party where they will disappear  A lot are staying outside, and those movement will continue to grow under Clinton term which will be a presidency of protest. Too many are no longer falling for the Dem Party. The Wikileaks DNC leaks on top of the Sanders primary campaign experience have exposed too much of their corruption and people cannot be fooled as easily. At least that is true for many of them -- enough to build the movement rather than shrink it. That is how it looks now, we'll see as it develops.

 

Kevin Zeese

 

 

 

 

Re: Sanders' Campaign in the Balance

 

what unutterable reactionary garbage -- lets do a half vote for fascism. And this passes for an  "acceptably left" contribution? I would vet the author first and find out if he is funded by trump or the koch bros -- who are also funding "bernie bro" hate Hillary crap in WV.

 

shame for printing this crap.

 

John Case

Harpers Ferry, WV

 

 

 

 

Re: Friday Nite Videos -- July 22, 2016

 

More rounds of Trump-bashing ahead.  Portside posts its share.  But are we really concerned that Donald Trump may win the election?

 

Then we have to focus more on defeating Hillary Clinton.  Her campaign is now boosting Donald Trump into the catbird seat.

 

I am STILL a supporter of Bernie Sanders.  But he does make mistakes.  He can correct his biggest one so far and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat next week, if he is politically nimble.

 

Now that Wikileaks has exposed the crooked Clinton campaign (which even stoops to anti-Semitism), Bernie has a chance to rescind his ill-timed and disgusting endorsement of Hillary. And convince Clinton's superdelegates once and for all to switch to Sanders and save us from Trump and a Republican takeover.  I worry more about who rides in on his coat-tails than Trump himself - although he is a worrisome mystery indeed.  Trump must be seen fairly to appreciate the full peril.  For many reasons, and for many voters, he is a very attractive candidate.  Whether we like to admit it or not.  Exaggerating the negativity impedes understanding the Trump phenomenon.

 

Like them or not (I don't, in principle), why were the Democratic Party superdelegates invented - to stop someone who won the primary through chicanery and fraud.  It has not occurred before, at least with this degree of transparency, but now is such an occasion.

 

If Sanders and his campaign do not take advantage of this opportunity at Philadelphia next week, we will wind up with Trump.  He will make use of those DNC emails if Sanders doesn't.  Bernie must beat Donald to the punch or November is liable to see a GOP KO.

 

Dave Ecklein

 

 

 

 

Re: Clinton Must Go Bold - and Go Left - For VP; Is Clinton a Progressive? Not If She Chooses Tim Kaine

 

VP is largely ceremonial unless your last name is Cheney. It is certain Sen. Warren will not abandon her seat, but someone like that would help. Anti TPP is a plus which would eliminate Tim Kaine. Clinton needs a known quantity in a swing state. It remains an enigma.

 

Ben Eli Osterberg

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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Safe is silly in a time where critics of the status quo are able to rally numbers and passion. Save the Supreme Court, Hillary-- go for a VP like Watren or Brown.

 

Chuck Weed

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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Given where Trump is coming from Clinton must go Left. Time for Sanders to be more visible and involved in the Democratic Campaign.

 

Joe Grogan

Bolton, Ontario-Canada

 

 

 

 

Re: The Big Boom: Nukes and NATO- We May Be at a Greater Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe Than During the Cold War

 

Thank you for your review of William Perry's book. Vital. I will get out and buy asap. I'd like you to be aware of and please feel free to share the below link to a recent documentary on those who've tried to halt nuclear weapons from the start.  Together these works may awaken the movement and sense necessary for humanity not to learn the hard way about this vast waste and incalculable horror.   Please help, and share. Thank you

 

Here is the direct link to watch "Good Thinking" online.

 

Here is the website.  

 

Anthony Donova

 

 

 

 

Re: Failed Coup and the Clear and Present Danger of Turkey's Nukes

 

There is something wrong with the statement that the weapons are hydrogen bombs and the output is 170 ktons. Hydrogen bombs are rated in megatons.

 

bicycle nut

 

 

 

 

Re: WNBA Players Refuse to Talk Basketball in Protest of Fines for Black Warmup Shirts

 

I LOVE my WNBA sistahs!!

Excellent story on their calm and cool insistence on standing for Black Lives!!

 

Pam Brooks

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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The Tradition of Black Athletes Who Stand Up for Black Lives 

 

A few years ago, in an interview with The New York Times' William Rhoden, National Football League Hall of Famer and longtime political activist Jim Brown said: "I think within the next three or four years, there'll be a major coming together of some Black athletes and entertainers to really have a platform that can bring about a whole different awareness." 

 

Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James took the stage at the beginning of the recent ESPY Awards ceremony, and made an impassioned call for an end to the violence, perhaps signaling that Black athletes were coming together to speak about racial inequities and social justice, as Brown predicted. [see the following article on Truthout, The Tradition of Black Athletes Who Stand Up for Black Lives.]

 

Bill Berkowitz

 

 

 

 

Re: Striking a Blow Against Debtors' Prisons

 

what century are we living in

 

Jim Price

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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We can't have these freeloading Cadillac Granny Queens undermining the profit margins of private prisons which not only boost awareness and reverence for the market economy, but also reward many of the most special people in our society.

 

Edward Graves

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

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If I'm not mistaken, there's no lead summarizing the date the lawsuit was filed and the date a court ruling against it was made - elementary journalism.

 

Ellen Cantarow

 

 

 

 

Re: Stop Using That One Study to Pretend Racism Doesn't Exist in Police Shootings

 

Agreed. But headline should read "single study" not "one study".

 

Bill O'Malley

Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

 

 

 

Re: Remembering a Dutch Partisan

 

A beautiful story, and important to remember.

 

David Bacon

 

 

 

 

Re: What The U.S. Could Learn From Cuba About Ending Zika

 

Please see our web page. Just trying to establish the purpose of what appears to be a scientific impossibility being claimed by Cuba (of course this being just shortly after Cuba being opened to tourists from the USA) of TOTALLY ELIMINATING NEW ZIKA CASES AS A RESULT OF FUMIGATING AND OTHER MEASURES.

 

We here at the Mindful Dissenters would love to offer counter information that is based upon scientific DATA and extrapolate the Zika virus to the West Nile Virus and offer simply one thought to consider.

 

The Zika virus having spread as swiftly as it has recently can only be an indication that the virus is already endemic in the Wild Bird population and cannot be eliminated by killing mosquitos simply because any new mosquitos emerging from the pupa stage every twenty four hour period will be able to acquire the virus (both or either of them actually) from the wild bird (and as a consequence the other game and even domestic warm blooded animals) population.

 

Cuba would have every reason on the planet to lie about this; TOURIST DOLLARS/EUROS/AND ANY OTHER MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE.

 

Portside would be doing a better service by allowing us to submit a story on the subject.

 

Thank you for all that you do.

 

Rev. James "Jake" Harrison

co-founder The Mindful Dissenters

 

 

 

 

Re: #StopArmingIsrael

 

2,300 Palestinians killed in Israel's 2014 counter-attack on Gaza. The BDSers deny the reality of hundreds of Hamas rockets being fired first.

 

Stan Nadel

 

 

 

 

Women's Boat to Gaza is Now a Reality

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dream of sending a women's boat to break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza has moved one step closer to reality--but it's a big step. The Women's Boat to Gaza, a project of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, has acquired its first boat. The Amal-Hope is scheduled to set sail with 15 women, from Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 14.

 

In Barcelona, members of the Palestinian solidarity community will send off the Amal-Hope on its journey around the Mediterranean before heading for Gaza.

 

In 1998, Barcelona was 'twinned' with Gaza, with the goal of fostering international support. In 2005, a park called the Barcelona Peace Park was inaugurated in Gaza. The park was destroyed by the Israeli military in the 2009 Israeli attack on Gaza. The park was rebuilt in 2010. As her name suggests, Amal-Hope will send a message of hope--and an international demand that the Peace Park and the whole of Gaza must never be bombed again.

 

Schedule of Events in Barcelona:

 

Monday 12 September - Music and festival at the port

Tuesday 13 September - Non-violent resistance workshops, local speakers and tour of the boat

Wednesday 14 September - Local ceremony and departure

 

The Women's Boat to Gaza will carry prominent women, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire, award-winning U.S. playwright Naomi Wallace, New Zealand parliamentarian Marama Davidson and Norwegian author and former sports star Gerd von der Lippe. The vessel will visit ports in the Western Mediterranean before reaching the shores of Gaza around October 1.

 

The Women's Boat to Gaza is a Freedom Flotilla Coalition initiative. By launching a women's flotilla, women from all over the world aim to highlight the undeniable contributions and indomitable spirit of Palestinian women who have been central within the Palestinian struggle in Gaza, the West Bank, inside the Green Line and in the diaspora.

 

Gaza has been under Israeli blockade for the past decade, during which Israel has also launched countless attacks against the besieged population, turning their life into a nightmare and a continuous struggle. Through Freedom Flotillas and other maritime missions, we have brought international attention to their suffering and their resistance.

The Women's Boat to Gaza seeks not only to challenge the Israeli blockade, but to also show solidarity and bring a message of hope to the Palestinian people. With the support of women, men, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and women's collectives and events around the world, we will make this happen.

 

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is composed of civil society organizations and initiatives from many countries. We have been challenging the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza for years and are committed to continue the struggle until the blockade is unconditionally lifted and the Palestinian people everywhere regain their full rights. 

 

Wear our t-shirt, logo on front, Women's Boat to Gaza, in all our coalition languages on back. Men's and women's styles and sizes, available now, $25 plus $5 postage. Contact Kit Kittredge, marnykit@gmail.com to order.

 

Ask about discounts for bulk orders to sell at fundraising events. Our U.S. national goal is $30,000.  Please help by holding a fundraiser in your community.  We can send fliers and a powerpoint presentation on Women's Boat to Gaza for the program. We ask for your continued support and donations to the Women's Boat to Gaza.

 

Our fiscal sponsor is Nonviolence International, 501(c)(3), tax ID 52-164578.  Donations by check can be mailed to:

Women's Boat to Gaza

c/o Nonviolence International

4000 Albemarle Street, NW, Suite 401

Washington, DC 20016