“I’ve finished my 3 book Spider Series. If you’re into hot sex and heart pounding adventure please check it out. Available on Amazon. Thank you for your interest and support. D. S. Mitchell aka “Calamity” at Calamity News and Politics.
“There is nothing more inspiring than taking action against injustice.” D.S. Mitchell 2025
“If stupidity got us into this mess, why can’t it get us out of it.” Will Rogers
“If you can’t be a poet, be a poem.” David Carradine
“No god would want a child killed in his name.” D.S. Mitchell 2023
“Without music, life would be a mistake.” Friedrich Nietzsche
“Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair.” ― George Burns
“A politician thinks of the next election – a statesman of the next generation.” – James Freeman Clarke
“I want to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.” Arthur Ashe
“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and it’s beauty.” ― Albert Einstein
“So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House or the Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of Representatives or the media. The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
“Let’s just remember that social security is not the government’s money, it belongs to the people who had it taken out of the checks involuntarily their entire working lives.” Mike Huckabee
“I have insecurities of course, but I don’t hang out with anyone who points them out to me.” ADELE
“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” Christian Grey
“My favorite old car had no reverse gear. It taught me I could only go forward.” Flavia
“Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
“Those who think they can control the mob are fools and are often the victims of their own incitement.” D.S. Mitchell 2021
“A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
“If now isn’t a good time for the truth I don’t see when we’ll get to it.” Nikki Giovanni
“Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is that you are stupid and make bad decisions.” Your mother
“Studying American politics has taught me several disgusting lessons, the first being, money buys friends in Congress. That alone should terrify the American public.” D. S. Mitchell 2021
“My art is my heart.” D. S. Mitchell 2015
“Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.” Arthur Rubenstein
“Every lie is like stepping in a quicksand pit. Every lie as dangerous, as telling the truth.” D. S. Mitchell 2020
“Sometimes when challenged we find out we are capable of the unthinkable.” D. S. Mitchell 2022
“Surround yourself with those on the same mission as you.” Anonymous
“Dimming the lights will not hide the social injustice in America.” D. S. Mitchell 2017
“The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true. So I elect for neither label.” – James Branch Cabell
Smile
"If puppies and kittens don't make you smile, you might consider therapy." D. S. Mitchell 2015.
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
“Every moment is a fresh beginning.” T. S. Eliot
“Voting is like a prayer.” Raphael Warnock 2021
“We are all valuable. The problem is not everyone is smart enough to realize it.” D. S. Mitchell 2021
“I wonder, if you were blind, lost and confused, would you care what color the offered hand?” D. S. Mitchell 2015
“Silence in front of savagery is savagery itself.” Abhijit Naskar
“To be happy and contented, count your blessings, not your cash.” Chinese Proverb
“We can never be too busy to be kind.” D. S. Mitchell 2017
RIP RBG
“The rain falls because the cloud can no longer handle the weight. The tears fall because the heart can no longer handle the pain.” The Wise You
“Let my old days be my best days,” Cousin Lucille
“In no instance have… the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people.” James Madison
“Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.” Charles Dickens
“Thoughtful people are slow to anger, not necessarily less efficient in their killing.” D. S. Mitchell 2019
“Endings are not always bad. Most times they’re just beginnings in disguise.” Kim Harrison
“The United States like so many countries around the world has chosen to give to the few and deny the many.” D.S. Mitchell 2020
“It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. This is true, its called life.” Terry Pratchett
“Trickle down economics is like having three dogs and giving one of them a hot dog, and thinking he’ll share.” Bill Maher
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” John Kenneth Galbraith
“When people start acting as though the past is the same as the present and context doesn’t matter, things start to get dangerous.” Trevor K. McNeil 2020
“Pardoning the Bad, is injuring the Good.” – Benjamin Franklin
“I don’t need to attend every argument I’m invited to.” Unknown
“I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret between the shadow and soul.” Pablo Neruda
“Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” ― Bruce Lee
“I have been far oftener discriminated against because I am a woman than because I am black.” Shirley Chisholm 5/21/1969
“The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they pass unobserved.” ― George Washington
“We only fail when we fail to try.” Rosa Parks
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” Thomas Jefferson
“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” Albert Einstein
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The 7 Social Sins are: Wealth without Work; Pleasure without Conscience; Knowledge without Character; Commerce without Morality; Science without Humanity; Worship without Sacrifice; Politics without Principle.” Frederick Lewis Donaldson
“All evils are equal when they are extreme.”-Pierre Corneille
“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” John F. Kennedy
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” Isaac Asimov
“People without vaginas shouldn’t be able to regulate them.” Unknown
“What this country needs is more unemployed politicians.” Edward Langley, artist
“Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” Abraham Lincoln
“When sleeping women wake, mountains move.” Chinese proverb
“If people stopped searching for things that offended them and started looking for things that inspired them; what a wonderful world this would be.” Night Owl
A Poem For Don and Vlad
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” Booker T. Washington
“To argue with a person who has given up reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” Thomas Paine
“Imagination is the bridge between the things we know for sure, and the things we need to believe, when our world becomes unbearable.” Staceyann Chin
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Steve Jobs
“Inspiration descends only in flashes to clothe circumstances; it is not stored up in a barrel, like salt herrings to be doled out.”Patrick White
“I will not allow my life’s light to be determined by the darkness that surrounds me.” Sojourner Truth
“Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.” Doug Larson
“Law without humanity is injustice.” D. S. Mitchell 2020
“Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear, is the beginning of wisdom.” Bertrand Russell
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” Plato
valuable article
Category: Culture
Part 3-Trump Racism is Bad for America
Part 3-Trump Racism is Bad for America
Part 3-Trump Racism is Bad for America
By T.K. McNeil
I ended Part 2 of Trump Racism Is Bad For America worried that immigrants were being transferred from the United States to foreign prisons without due process. I worried aloud about death squads, concentration camps, and gas ovens. Trump racism is obvious for anyone with eyes, ears, or an X account. We are rocked out of our beds daily by angry and racially inflammatory 2 a.m. Tweets. Trump uses a practiced, coded language of dog whistles and red meat taunts that he pitches regularly to his MAGA hatted support base. The intent, an obviously planned effort to keep them frothing at the mouth, agitated, and ready for action.
Protests and resistance. I can hear the audible gasps and protests. I say, better to think it a possibility than to refuse to face the possibility. Trump’s racism has already led to the separation of children from their parents at the Mexican border. He is now sending immigrants to foreign prisons without due process. He has stated flatly soldiers will have his permission to shoot asylum seekers that might potentially hurl rocks at the soldiers. I’m just going to let that percolate amidst your neuron receptors for a couple of minutes.
History must be studied. There is this tendency to fall in love with the past and wish for life as it once was. For those of you who are not old enough to have reached that stage of your life let me assure you, beware, nostalgia is a load of crap. If in 40 years time there are Americans wishing for the good old days when Donald Trump was in power, let me warn you, you are in a world of trouble. Chances are, there will no longer be a United States if people are longing for a president who resembles Fat Bastard more than he does the leader of the free world.
The emergence of Barack Obama: When Barack Obama came into office there was a hope from many sides, particularly moderates that there would finally be that emergence of a color blind America. Unfortunately there was an angry element of the population that was not ready or willing to accept such an outrage. My God in Heaven, there is a black family living in the ‘nation’s house.’ “We” must “do something.” A backlash of white vs all those “uppity” POC quickly coalesced on the alt-right. It quickly became their central purpose to undermine and dismember a hoped for mending of our national division.
Dehumanizing the target is goal one. “Birtherism” bubbled up through the conspiracy theorists. The theory postulated that 50 or so years ago, an all-knowing “group” of Democrats probably funded by George Soros met to bestow false citizenship on a mixed race kid in Kenya who would eventually be smuggled into Hawaii and who would go on to become president of the United States. Such crazy over the top nonsense was fully embraced and pushed with ceaseless passion for more than 8 years by Donald J. Trump. The endless campaign driven by Trump and other alt-righters had the desired results of casting doubt on President Obama’s legitimacy to rule the country. Effectively undermining our first black president was accomplished. Sadly, a repeated lie often becomes a malignancy on the perceived character of the target.
Other factors. Despite the constant attack from the right Barack Obama left office as one of the most popular presidents in American history. A fact that enrages Donald Trump. The fact that the first black man elected president of the United States was to be followed in succession by the most openly racist president in American history is sad and deeply troubling.
Plenty of blame. The 2016 election became a disaster of Godzilla proportions. It would have taken a series of monumental political catastrophes to elect Trump. Unfortunately for the United States that’s exactly what happened. Russian interference, Wikileaks email drops, walking pneumonia, Weiner porn texts, a rogue FBI Director, the first woman candidate of a major American political party, a reality TV has-been all converged together to make the 2016 campaign and election results both extraordinary and unprecedented.
Political infighting. In the final analysis, I blame the Democrats for Trump’s two election victories. The DNC decided to rig their primary process long before the Russians or Comey got involved. The party bypassed a forward thinking man like Bernie Sanders who connected with the future voters of America for a political wife, turned candidate who the GOP had convinced half the country she was the devil incarnate. Bill and Hillary called in a lot of IOU’s to make this outrage happen. HRC was a flawed candidate from the start. As a result of the DNC betrayal, we as a nation have been burdened with Agent Orange and his team of rich and corrupt bullies. The 2016 election of Trump led to a rapidly accelerating radicalization of American politics. Trump’s 2024 win was in many ways a repeat of the DNC betrayal of the primary process. This time, the anointing of Kamala Harris, by Joe Biden. This kind of crap needs to stop. Let the process run its course. Maybe he or she will lose, but at least that person was the choice of the majority of Democrats.
Moving where? Today, May of 2025, we are moving backwards at a neck breaking speed; on more levels than there is room to cover in this space. In 2016, Trump was on a steroid driven attack on the legacy of his predecessor. I see this as vindictive but also as racially motivated. As Trump has gone to great lengths to undo the forward progressive thinking of the Obama administration what has been the positive result? In all areas of policy from abortion, to gay rights, to environmental protections, to civil rights protections are being rolled back. Do you think the LGBTQ community embraces Trump? Women? Minorities? The poor? The sick? The Non-Evangelicals? I don’t think I need to give the answer, because it is an obvious and resounding, no.
Lots of show and theatrical ballyhoo. Despite what he wants us to believe, Donald Trump connects with about 35% of our populace. Yet, because of many voters disillusioned by the rhetoric and high prices decided to stay home and not participate in 2024. And because enough Americans had been convinced the caravans of immigrants would soon overwhelm our southern border Trump won again. And because we were not careful, we are once again suffering under his rule. Using the power of the Executive Order Trump is with each day sweeping away protections for more and more citizens, while attempting to erase DEI and other beneficial programs.
Executive Orders. Trump & choir are ramping up the rhetoric to eliminate the 14th Amendment. He claims he can Executive Order it right out of existence. The question then becomes, if the Supreme Court supports his power to eliminate amendments does that mean he can begin writing new constitutional amendments? Sounds crazy but that’s how dictatorships are born. It’s time to wake up America you are watching the actions of a classic racist demagogue.
30 Ways to Honor Our Heroes
30 Ways to Honor Our Heroes On Memorial Day
30 Ways to Honor Our Heroes On Memorial Day
Editor: Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor those who have died serving in the US. military, both in times of war and peace.
By Cate Rees-Hessel & Wes Hessel
Remember and Honor…
The current occupant of the Oval Office may think the military are “suckers and losers”, but we as a nation under God know differently. Our military gives their all for our country and we remember them this Memorial Day with heavy hearts and extreme admiration.
A Prayer of Thanks for Freedom
“Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious gift of freedom, the freedom to worship, to speak, and to live according to our conscience. On this Memorial Day, we remember with deep gratitude the brave men and women who gave their lives so that we might enjoy these liberties. Their sacrifice reflects the love of Christ, who laid down His life so that we might be eternally free. Help us use our freedom wisely, to serve others, seek justice, and reflect Your light in a world longing for peace. Comfort the families who have lost loved ones in service, and remind them that their sacrifice was not in vain. May we live each day with thankfulness and courage, honoring both their memory and Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Commemorate Before Sun-a-brate
Memorial Day officially ushers in the summer season despite the cooler weather. Here are some fun ways to celebrate this holiday. Let’s honor our veterans that have given their lives in service of our country, making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom…
- Attend a mass or service on Memorial Day – light a candle for a military member that has passed. What better way to honor our fallen service members? Pray for our men and women in uniform.
- Send a card or gift to a military person; those on active duty would love some home baked cookies – older veterans may welcome a visit or small gift. Let those who serve or have served know you care.
- Widows, widowers, and children of fallen soldiers might enjoy a present, also – a batch of cookies or a plant, perhaps.
- Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day, so let’s decorate. Honor the graves of service members with flags or flowers. I even decorate our living room window.
- Red, white, and blue bunting, banners, and decor are great ways to get in the holiday spirit. Doors, patios, balconies, walls, and windows can all be decorated. I leave my patriotic decor up through Flag Day, July 4th, and Patriot’s Day.
- POW and MIA bracelets may be a thing of the past but a nice patriotic pair of earrings or necklace looks pretty for the holiday.
- Picnics and barbecues can be fun. Grocery prices are sky high thanks to Trump’s tariffs, try new economical recipes with less red meat – try grilling fruits and veggies. Keep food safe from warm temperatures, iced or cooled until time to eat salads and cold sandwiches.
- Parades, as well as outdoor concerts and films are free activities for the whole family to enjoy.
- Avoid sparklers or other fireworks by your self – they can cause very serious injuries. No one wants a trip to the ER – that’s no way to celebrate
- Veterans in nursing facilities might like a visit – make a new friend.
- Patriotic films can be found online, on streaming services, and at your local libraries.
- Many pools and water parks open Memorial Day weekend, providing the temperature is warm enough. Use a safe sunscreen (ones containing only zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide are the best) and enjoy water play. Remember SPF lip balm, also. It’s fun to hit the beach, but check conditions and bacteria levels locally before swimming – do the same for lakes. Install a weather app on your phone for quick updates on air quality, temperatures, and storm warnings.
- Pay attention to boating safety if you decide to do some sailing. Keep keys on a floating chain, at least enough life preservers on for everyone in the boat, and a well charged cell phone in a waterproof case with you at all times.
- If it rains, an indoor picnic is just as much fun. Indoor grills are a great way to bring the outdoors inside. A movie with a military theme can be streamed for a fun afternoon.
- Check ingredients before allowing pets any of the celebratory fare. Onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, and chocolate are some of the foods toxic to our fur babies.
- Remember summer is a short season, so patriotic items are usually inexpensive. Some stores will put them on sale after Memorial Day, so you can stock up for the 4th.
- Take a walk in the park, hike, or bike ride – summer is finally here. Some cities have free or minimal fee bike rentals available. Enjoy some sunshine but don’t forget to use a safe SPF.
- Use the long weekend to clean out your garage or basement. Power wash your deck or patio, and outdoor furniture. It’s time to get everything season ready.
- It’s a great weekend to wash the car or the dog in the backyard, weather permitting.
- Start a vegetable and flower garden – fresh vegetables and fruit you grow yourself are nutritious, taste great, and rewarding. And who does not love the look and fragrance of beautiful flowers?
- Don’t forget the insect repellent – check websites like the CDC and Consumer Reports about the safety of the various active chemicals; I still like the Skin So Soft products by Avon, myself.
- If you have allergies to bug bites, food or the like, carry your EpiPen, and your inhaler if your asthmatic. Hotter temperatures can intensify reactions.
- Stay hydrated – water is important in avoiding heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Sunburn cream can be kept in the refrigerator for a nice cooling effect. Lipsticks, lip balms, and eye pencils are less likely to melt if kept cold, also. Toners are more refreshing when chilled, as well.
- I am addicted to indoor plumbing, so camping does not work for me, but if you are inclined to enjoy nature this way, keep safety first and foremost. Know where you are – carry physical maps and a compass. Most cell phones go out of range when far from civilization. Have provisions such as hand sanitizer, wipes, extra socks, antibiotic, and burn ointment and Band-Aids with you, as well as acetaminophen and water with you. You might want to carry a pocket size Lysol for those outhouses. Keep a cooler with ice for anything perishable to avoid dehydration and food poisoning. Nothing can ruin a trip more than an unprepared and unexpected injury or illness. S’mores are great, but bring clean metal sticks to use over the campfire. Respect nature by cleaning up your camp site. Consider a tree hanging shower pack. Personally, I feel a nice camper with a kitchen and bathroom inside at a camp site or a cabin on the campground is a bit more my way of roughing it. Cabins have indoor plumbing facilities; guess I am a hotel kind of girl.
- If you are traveling for Memorial Day, make sure your gas tank is full – carry a tire gauge, jumper cables, and Fix-A-Flat or the equivalent, as well as coolant and water in your trunk. Have transmission and brake fluid on hand, also. Check your vehicle’s oil and get it changed if necessary. Make sure your battery is well charged. Better safe than sorry, is my motto. Keep your motor club and insurance cards handy, too. Be extra cautious this year with Trump’s deportations. There have been American citizens caught in this horrific, racist web of lies.
- Many restaurants have outdoor patios to dine al fresco – search the Internet for money saving coupons and offers. There may be chalkboard specials as well.
- Festival season has begun. Wear your comfortable shoes and carry a light jacket for weather fluctuations. A bag chair or other portable seating is a must, also. Check policies before bringing a cooler. Many venues might require that you carry clear purses or tote bags – leave anything that might be problematic at home or locked in your car, out of sight. Carry a charged portable charger with you. Avoid wearing expensive jewelry, and keep cash and credit/debit cards on your person.
- Enjoy your loved ones, include your fur babies, but make sure pets are permitted at your outdoor events. Check local leash laws, and bring a travel water bowl for Rover or Fluffy, when attending events close to home. When traveling with animals, pack a small favorite toy, disposable litter pan (for cats), and baggies of food. Furry friends likely won’t need clothes in warm temperatures but a cute neckerchief never hurts. Make sure dogs are on a leash and have vaccine information handy. Remember, if you are warm in your skin, imagine how hot they must be in their fur – keep pets hydrated and cool. Bring a cold wet washcloth in a bag or container.
- As a final suggestion, carry a few disposable bags, hopefully sustainable ones, for any trash you may accumulate. Find a garbage can or take the rubbish home to dispose of – never litter or just leave debris behind.
Let’s take care of our planet; God bless America and our service members that actually have made and do make America Great. Let’s all resist the Donald’s military parade on June 14th- we are not a dictatorship we don’t grovel before wanna be dictators or honor them with military parades.
Part 2-Trump Racism is Bad for America
Part 2-Trump Racism is Bad for America
Part 2-Trump Racism is Bad for America
By T.K. McNeil
Trump Racism is Bad for America. I ended Part I of Trump Racism Is Bad For America by wondering aloud if we were about to return to the dark days of death squads, concentration camps, and gas ovens. Trump racism is obvious for anyone with eyes, ears, or an X account. We are rocked out of our beds daily by angry and racially inflammatory 2 a.m. Tweets. Trump uses a practiced, coded language of dog whistles and red meat taunts that he pitches regularity to his MAGA hatted support base. The intent, an obviously planned effort to keep them agitated and ready for action. If nothing else, Trump’s base seems willfully ignorant and obsessed by fear. If Trump senses any ebbing in support he orders an extra rally, or maybe two; re-news attacks on the press; berates everyone from Rachel Maddow to Zelinskyy; but most notably, he intensifies attacks against immigrants, NFL players, entertainers like Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen, threatening “major investigations.” That’s how Trump works.
Trump racism dressed as law and order. Have people forgotten Trump opened his 2016 campaign with an unprecedented tirade against Mexican “criminal, drug mules and rapists?” Trump has revived nativist themes that have not been heard aloud since George H.W. Bush. In 1988 HW supporters used the image of a black killer/rapist Willie Horton to effectively sabotage his opponent Michael Dukakis. Until now, that ad campaign was considered a true low point in political racist tactics.
Jump to today. In a similar tact Trump is replacing the face of black man Willie Horton with the brown face of an illegal immigrant, and convicted cop killer, Luis Bracamontes. Hammering the anti-immigrant theme Trump claims that Democrats will open the country to criminals. Trump’s vitriol is toxic, but Trump is convinced that it was just such rhetoric that secured him the presidency the first time. Instinctively, he keeps pushing the limits of what passes for barely acceptable political discourse toward an ever-darkening place.
More evidence of Trump racism keeps emerging. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney for over a decade and a convict for three years, opens up about Trump racism. On Friday 11-2-2018 Vanity Fair published a damning portrait of the president. According to Cohen, Trump made frequent racist comments, most particularly against blacks. Cohen claimed that Trump frequently used the N word and other demeaning statements made about black people, their intellect, their abilities, their communities and even their countries. Cohen confirmed to Vanity Fair writer Emily Jane Fox that language reported by Omarosa Manigault Newman in her book, “Unhinged An Insider’s Account of the Trump White House” was typically Trump. So, Trump doesn’t limit his hate; he hates everybody that isn’t orange.
Keeping the fire hot. Trump has never stopped his campaigning. He has never become president of all the people. He is president of a core base and his goal is to keep them frightened and angry. He wants them fired up ready to attack whenever and wherever he points his accusatory finger. Trump racism is emerging more clearly as time progresses. Trump’s inflammatory language, reckless “otherism” and dehumanizing xenophobic attacks are clearly designed to divide the country.
Fear and Loathing is part of the performance. It’s no surprise that we as a country have a scrubbed and shiny public face and a secret horrific Dorian Grey face. That hidden-self, locked in the basement of our national identity is trying to come out of its imprisonment. All the while Trump, our Mad Hatter conductor, has had us on a head spinning ride of public debauchery, corruption and criminality. Trump careens from truth to delusion, to conspiracy theory, and back to racism all in blink of an eye.
Social Fears Are At The Root Of Trump’s Methodology. That said, we all know that there is a portion of the American psyche that hates and fears immigration, that hates and fears the blacks, that hates and fears Jews, that hates and fears POC, that hates and fears the changing demographics of America, that hates and fears tomorrow, that hates and fears the unknown. Those societal fears are what Trump racism feeds on.
The foes of inclusiveness. The ability to whip the mentally susceptible and the White Supremacist extremist fringe into a frenzy of violence is easy to imagine. The increased racial and ethnic violence will become a growing problem as he continues to demonize the “others” in our society. This man has the biggest bully pulpit in the country and he is using it to inflame the worst elements of our society. He is using his position to promote fear and racial tensions as he divides the country with his Trump racist white supremacist agenda.
Part 1-Trump Racism is Bad for America
Part 1-Trump Racism is Bad for America
Part 1- Trump Racism Is Bad For America
Editor: This article is an updated version of a much longer 2018 article. Despite valiant efforts by our society to end bigotry and injustice nothing changes when it comes to hate.
By Trevor K. McNeil
A dark history: After the end of the Civil War a period of Reconstruction was begun in the south. Resistance to the northern oversight quickly formed. Southern activists formed paramilitary groups of White supremacists to thwart forced Reconstruction. Military groups lynched blacks and burned their homes. Disenfranchising and terrorizing the black population was the central goal of the white supremacy groups of the period. Of those 19th century hate groups the Ku Klux Klan was the most infamous. After the cementing of Jim Crow laws the original Klan disbanded, their goals achieved.
A rebirth: New leaders revived the Klan in the 20th century for a new cause. The revival was a defensive reaction to the massive wave of immigrants arriving in America. The “new” Klan refused to limit its hate. The new version of the Ku Klux Klan expanded their targeted hate campaign beyond the Blacks to include immigrants, most particularly the Jews, the Mexicans, the Catholics, the Asians, the Irish, and the Poles. In effect, anyone not white and native-born.
Tell tale surge: There has been a palpable uptick in terms of hate groups since the ascension of Trump and Trump-racism. The Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan claim to be the fastest growing hate group in America, proclaiming their membership numbers have gone up by thousands since Trump was re-elected, particularly in predominantly African-American cities such as St. Louis and Baltimore. Quite simply Trump racism is setting the tone. The re-election of Donald Trump has emboldened hate groups in the United States.
Change is in the air: Attitudes are changing and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. In August 2018 there was a White Power group rally in the small rural Pennsylvania town of Ulysses. The town was proudly awash with Nazi flags and swastikas one year after Charlottesville, Va where a group of “very fine” white supremacists rallied, terrorized the town and left one counter-protester dead.
Trump racism shows itself: Trump racism is right there in his rhetoric. His near constant use of “they” and “them” is classic moral dissociation. He might as well say, “us” and “them”. Is Trump a member of the KKK, or the Nazi’s? Not demonstrably. Evidence indicates Trump Sr, had ties to the KKK. Although there is not direct evidence of such an affiliation for Donald Trump it doesn’t mean it is not true. David Duke, Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan fully embraces Trump and Trump does not criticize the Grand Wizard, because they are all “fine people.”
Racism isn’t such a new thing: There have been many openly racist politicians in American history, at least 10 of them became American presidents. Slowly over the past 60 years public pressure has mounted against hate speech and racial inequality. The N-word was, due to social pressure, going the way of other extinct epitaphs, effectively banned from civil discourse. Until Trump came into office, we as a nation discouraged openly expressed hatred and bigotry. In fact, we wrote laws to punish people for hate crimes.
Times change: No longer would Presidents like William Henry Harrison publicly relive their ‘Indian Wars” exploits of murder and atrocity committed against the continent’s Indigenous Peoples. The display of overt hatred based on ethnic targeting was coming to an end in America…………. Or, was it?
Increased episodes of violence: There are some similarities between the racist ideas of Trump and a particular German Chancellor whom I will leave unnamed so as not to confirm Godwin’s Law. One of the most striking similarities to me at least has been the conduct of Trump’s supporters. I’m thinking most particularly of the Proud Boys. In the lead up to the 2016 election Canadian white supremacist Gavin McInnis and his followers seemed to be instigating violence at rallies across the United States. Watching the Proud Boys I could not help but draw similarities between them and the goon tactics of Hitler’s Storm Detachment, better known as the “Brown Shirts”, prior to the 1933 election in Germany. Whenever a president encourages violence the most likely result, is violence.
Media savvy: As noted by some, Trump is also very similar to a different World War II dictator. Mussolini used “Make Italy Great Again” as a major catchphrase. He was a former journalist. Mussolini, like TV-savvy Trump, knew how to manipulate the news cycle in his favor. While Trump revs up his crowds with screams of “Fake News” Mussolini’s preferred the more traditional guns to the head method of control.
Facism (Fascismo in Italian): Mussolini is the guy that coined the term Fascism to describe his political world view. The main difference noted between Trump and Il Duce is that for the Italian strongman the “state” was all, it was everything. For Trump his only belief seems to be that he should be in total control of everything, which is a lot scarier.
Where are we headed?: Mussolini was shot and killed by partisans as he attempted to escape Italy for Switzerland, just 2 days before Hitler killed himself in Berlin. I’m not suggesting Trump will commit suicide, or be shot, but Trump’s racism frightens many historians. Less than 100 years ago a drug crazed demagogue set the world on an irreversible path to world war. Race fueled hatred stoked by Hitler led to death squads, concentration camps and gas ovens where 6,000,000 Jews were exterminated. Take notes people. History really does have lessons. We only need to pay attention to them.
Part 2- Trump Racism is Bad For America-by Trevor K. McNeil @www.calamitypolitics.com
WATCH FOR IT!
The Danger of Indifference
The Danger of Indifference
The Danger of Indifference
By D.S. Mitchell
Writer, Teacher
Elie Wiesel, teacher, writer, philosopher and Auschwitz death camp survivor, told the US Congress in a speech in 1999, “indifference can be tempting-more than that, seductive. It is much easier to look away from victims. It is after all, awkward and troublesome to be involved in another person’s pain and despair.”
Forgotten
Furthermore, “to be indifferent to that suffering makes the human being, inhuman. Indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor-never the victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner, the starving children, the homeless refugees-not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their despair by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity, we betray our own. Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment. Where I came from, society was composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims, and the bystanders.”
Then and Now
Today’s bystanders are no different than the “bystanders,” of the past; wanting more than anything to look away from the victims, to look anywhere but in the direction of the suffering.
I frequently hear my friends and even those in power claim to be “a good person.” “A person with a heart,” I am repeatedly told.
Why is it then, we continue to ignore the plight of the war ravaged Ukrainians and the mass murder of the Palestinians in Gaza, or the starving children of Sudan? The photos of the pain and destruction is horrific. We have all seen television clips of bloodied, crying, starving, and even dead children. I have seen their pain. I have heard their cries.
A Plea to America
My simple plea to America; shed the hate and grow the love. Get involved, call out the offenders and the perpetrators, do not turn away, do not be silenced. Remember, it could be you, instead of them, ducking bombs and searching for a dead rat to eat. There is no comfort in being 5,000 miles from their wars, not if you are truly a “person with a heart.”
America are you listening, are you seeing, or are you destined to become just another group of bystanders?
USAid
We are the wealthiest country on earth and the home of the most generous people on earth and our basic instinct is to help, not turn away. The American people want to help. Sadly, the richest and the most powerful of the 1% want big tax breaks, and they plan on gutting services, not only USAid, but also health care, disability assistance, and food from the poorest in this country.
The New Resistance
We were once the light of the world; now we ignore the homeless and the starving here and abroad. Come on America, don’t continue to look away, show your heart, show that “goodness” we always hear about. Don’t be a bystander, be an activist, be a demonstrator, be a protestor.
The New Resistance to Trump’s cruel and disastrous agenda is active and growing. Join the fight to save our democracy from the oligarchs and the dictators. Join the fight to save lives; not destroy them. Join the fight for universal health care. Join the fight against homelessness. Join the fight for voting justice. Join the fight to save public education. Join the fight to save Due Process.
Find your cause and hit the streets. Enlist support of your friends and neighbors. Everyone, but a few die hard MAGA’s dislike what’s happening. We need to prove our numbers; hit the streets, be visible. Carry a sign. Hit Facebook. Call your congressman, Call your Senators. If you have a FaceBook page create a support section for the warriors in the field, post pictures of local protests.. You can’t hear silence. Make noise. As Arthur Ashe said, “disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.”
Campaign Lies
Trump lied when he said he’d end the wars in the Ukraine and Gaza; “on day one.” Yet, the wars go on, he has not contributed in one way to a just end in either of those conflicts. Trump lied when he told voters that he would not touch Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security. After a meeting with hold outs Trump personally twisted arms at a meeting on the Hill, leading to the House passing a bill that would destroy health care for millions of Americans. The estimate runs from 8-13.5 million Americans, bringing with it the closure of nursing homes across the country and a new round of rural hospital closures.
The destruction and gutting of our government and destruction of our social safety nets was not what anyone in their right mind voted for.
I understand the forces opposing the soldiers of good are powerful but if the many leave the ranks of the bystanders and join the war against Trump cruelty and lawlessness we can win the battle for due process, human decency, and justice.
Let’s Be Real
The list of needs for a country of 350,000,000 million human beings eliminates any further discussion of return to small government. The list of proposed cuts to basic services will effect everyone, but those most hard hit will be the already suffering. Stop turning away. Stop being a bystander.
WORD CHAIN-Black to White
WORD CHAIN-Black to White
WORD CHAIN-Black to White
By D.S. Mitchell
Political blogging requires mostly research and the desire to tell the world all of your political theories. Ideas you are driven to share with people who may or may not support your theories. I try to provide discussion, analysis and relevant topics from current U.S. political news. But, sometimes, I like to play, so for this session here are a few word chains, related in some twisted way, to the current political situation. LOL.
I can change black to white, by changing one letter at a time: black, blank, blink, clink, chink, chine, whine, white
I can change give to take, by changing one letter at a time: give, live, like, lake, take
I can change tears to smile, by changing one letter at a time: tears, scars, stars, stare, stale, stile, smile
I can change poor to rich, by changing one letter at a time: poor, boor, book, rook, rock, Rick, rich
I can change hate to love by changing one letter at a time: hate, rate, rave, cave, cove, love
Fun and amazing, huh?
I wonder if Donald Trump can change treason to impeach by changing one letter at a time, or impeach to imprison?
Join The New Resistance; protest, protest, protest. I want to encourage all of those who aren’t hospitalized or dead, to hit the streets on June 14th, 2025 to protest Trump’s 92 plus million dollar military-personal birthday parade. Millions of dollars for phony adoration while his administration terrorizes our veterans, the disabled, the sick, the poor, the disenfranchised, hungry children, and the elderly, with loss of funding for basic health care and other safety net services. We as a nation don’t have to take this shit. Destroying our democratic government and promised benefits for millions of Americans in exchange for tax benefits and special government contracts to a handful of sociopaths and oligarchs seems out of balance. It is clear that the billionaire values his needs above those of his country and his fellow equal citizens. There are more of us than there are of them. It is time we remind them of that fact. Show your outrage; make a sign, find the sneakers, and tell Trump, Musk, and that whole billionaire cabinet to suck dick.
Calamity Clown/ AKA D.S Mitchell
**Thank you Rod L Evans, Ph.D for your permission to use your work on this website. (Displayed word chain taken directly from his book Tyrannosaurus Lex). Look for it.
Trump’s Tariffs and a Whole Lot More Mess, Part 2
Trump’s Tariffs and a Whole Lot More Mess, Part 2
Trump’s Tariffs and a Whole Lot More Mess, Part 2
By Cate Rees-Hessel
The Donald continues to perpetuate hatred, bigotry, chaos, and stupidity in the Oval Office. I can barely keep up with Trump’s growing list of atrocities, below you will find just a couple of them highlighted. Trust more is coming in part three of this series as we continue to persevere in the wake of the worst president in history. We must resist against Trump’s evil regime of terror:
Acts of Terrorism
- Trump’s administration deported adorable 2 year old toddler Maikelys’ parents with no evidence of any criminal activity; this precious child had both a mother and a father but now little Maikely is in the foster care system. We must seek impeachment now…
- Trump has attacked Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and, of course, Bert and Ernie – the Trumpsters want to see programs such as Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and Sesame Street off the air for teaching our children empathy and kind behavior, attacking PBS and NPR who they feel will eliminate objective reporting on the illegal, incredibly stupid, and very cruel things that the Trump administration keeps doing. “The Donald” has signed yet another completely ridiculous “executive order” with no legal basis; this particular order is a claim zeroing out any Federal funding for the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio, which we all grew up with and have the utmost respect for. We must seek impeachment now…
- Per NBC News via the Free and Fair Democracy PAC, “The Supreme Court has given Donald Trump the go-ahead to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military. Yes, that’s right—the convicted felon who called veterans ‘suckers’ and ‘losers,’ showing nothing but disdain for those who’ve sacrificed life and limb for our country. Let’s ensure that the real heroes—regardless of gender identity—are respected and honored for serving honorably despite being stabbed in the back by the likes of Donald ‘Bone Spurs’ Trump.” We must seek impeachment now…
- The orange haired monster wants to reopen Alcatraz as a federal prison, much to the chagrin of many Californians and other Americans. We must seek impeachment now…
- A healthy 31 year old North Carolina woman by the name of Elisabeth Weber discovered that her fetus had no heartbeat for weeks. Despite the fact medical diagnosis confirmed a non-beating heart, Elisabeth announced when she did not naturally miscarry medical help was denied to her in accordance with the very strict anti-reproductive freedom laws in place. In an interview with People Magazine, the Greenville resident said she felt she was carrying her a son – she has three daughters. In 2018 her baby boy died of SIDS; her husband Thomas and her wanted this child – they even let their landlord know they would need a larger rental. In late March, only nine weeks pregnant, there was no detectable heartbeat – her fetus three weeks earlier had ceased growing. Mrs. Weber, having been told that she was, “definitely having a miscarriage”, was still turned away to suffer through at home. Bedridden and nauseous, she went back to the ER at almost ten weeks. She asked for a D&C (dilation & curettage) – this procedure removes dead tissue from the uterus. Nearly 6% more infant deaths occur where restrictive abortion bans are in place. Her story, like many others, is frightening and sad. This is not pro-life. We must seek impeachment now…
Please look for part three of the diabolical Trump series, coming soon…
Trump’s Tariffs and a Whole Lot More Mess, Part 1
Trump’s Tariffs and a Whole Lot More Mess,
Part 1
Despicable and Disgusting:
Trump’s 100 Day Highlights
Editor: I want to thank my friend Cate Hessel for allowing me to join her in trashing the Orange tinged monster that has manifested his bloated ass into our government.
By Cate Rees-Hessel with D.S. Mitchell
I want to talk about Trump’s disastrous first 100 days in office. His continuing attempts to destroy our democracy weigh heavily on the shoulders of our nation. This horrific excuse for a “president” displays his racism, anti-Semitism, anti-LGBTQ, and misogyny openly. 140 Executive Orders in his first hundred days. The Trump Administration has acted not only illegally but unconstitutionally. His actions are intended to destroy our democratic institutions, slow down our economy, gut public education, roll back protections for public health and our threatened environment, in addition to putting health care and Social Security benefits at risk for millions of senior and disabled Americans. And that’s just the start. The Trump administration is impacting the arts, universities, scientific research, and cultural organizations across the country. He and his allies are running a game of bait and switch, look here, no over there. Overwhelm us. Nothing new, just unprecedented intentional chaos and absurdity and cruel lawlessness with the intent to overwhelm the system. As more of us flow into the streets in protest of Trump’s disgusting agenda, I feel we are moving toward Martial Law; bone-chilling imaginings. Bone-chilling fear for those who dare to speak up, but we must speak up, before we can’t. This isn’t Russia, yet.
Despicable and Disgusting Trump 100 Day Highlights
- Trump was handed a booming economy per all the financial gurus and within 100 days of taking office Trump has tanked the stock market, started a trade war leading to tariffs that are predicted to raise prices on consumer goods, worsening inflation, the GDP now in a tailspin and egg prices skyrocketing. Russia and China don’t have tariffs, do they?
- Immediately upon taking office, Trump reversed President Biden’s $35 cap on insulin for seniors.
- Giving Elon Musk access to Social Security, Medicaid, the VA, and other legally protected records.
- Allowing Elon Musk to run our country while Trump himself is out playing golf.
- Massive deportation of innocent people, many with legal status or U.S. citizenship, being sent to foreign prisons without due process. We aren’t being shown proof of criminal elements being deported.
- Insulting and berating Ukraine President Zelensky, on national television, a man who has served heroically during his nation’s crisis, with ultimate dignity and compassion. Two qualities Trump has shown he does not possess.
- Having a judge arrested for not complying with “The Donald’s” racist agenda.
- Wasting money on a military parade (for his birthday!) in his self-created poor economy. An estimated $100M, plus post-parade clean up and repairs to damaged concrete and asphalt.
- For planning another run in 2028, when it is unconstitutional for a president to run for a third term. A man of 82, well into his dotage is not the face of the future.
- Disrespectful of Pope Francis’ memory – falling asleep at his funeral, wearing a blue suit, and walking on the sacred rug meant only for clergy. Never afraid to confirm his ignorance and social stupidity.
- Stripping funds from PBS and NPR.
- Outrageous funding cuts from the African American museum.
- Making moves to get rid of the Department of Education.
- Stopping funding for medical research at labs and universities across the country while exploiting a child who has cancer.
- Attacking Social Security with a horde of 20-year-old hackers.
- Attacking SNAP. A program that is good for the giver and the recipient. Farm to Hungry Americans. Such basic support for the needy in America is vital.
- Moving to defund the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which protects consumers’ food supply and keeps our food safe, as well as regulating pharmaceuticals. The absurdity of this action is beyond words.
- Continues to sell Made in China junk and is blasphemous in signing and selling the word of God for profit. Where are the watchdogs in Congress authorized to constrain this heathen?
- Defunding library grants. I love my library.
- Trump’s ridiculous, racist insistence that the Gulf of Mexico be changed to the Gulf of America. I saw a protest sign that called it the Golf of America with an AI-generated cartoon rendering of a bloated golf club swinging Donald Trump.
- Appointing a complete moron to fuck up the workings of the CDC and National Institute of Health (NIH).
- Taking away the funding for the National Suicide Prevention line – we need that service now more than ever before.
- Defunding DEI programs and threatening companies and universities that continue such instruction.
- Slashed funding for our colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning.
- Cut veterans’ benefits.
- His constant attacks against the LGBTQ and trans communities.
- Empty cargo ships from China, thanks to outrageous tariffs, mean no work for truck drivers, retailers, or dock workers.
- Made sure egg prices went sky high.
- Signed a presidential memo directing his Attorney General to investigate ActBlue in an attempt to silence MoveOn, a progressive political organization.
- Trump wants to be king in a country that never had one, by choice. His recent comment, “I run the country and the world,” is frighteningly sociopathic.
Don’t blame me, I voted for Kamala and Tim. But I’ll move over if you want to join the protests against this outrageous administration. We all must resist, resist, resist. We all must protest, protest, protest. We all must join every march, sign every petition, vote in every election to come, and stand firm in our fervent prayers for impeachment. We are better than this, America…at least we proclaim to be.
Letting Go
LETTING GO
Letting Go
By David L. Shadrick
My mother has been in my closet since last August.
I think that’s disrespectful. But, letting go isn’t easy. First, we have the problem of where to spread her ashes. All she told me was that she wanted to be spread ‘among the wildflowers’. Unfortunately most wildflower fields are in parks or other places that have restrictions against spreading human remains. This leaves private property, unfortunately the only property available to me is our gold mine in Railroad Flats, California. The gold mine is owned by the Shadrick side of the family not the Staggs; and quite honestly Dad may not have wanted her there. He and mom had a very contentious divorce, and I don’t think either of them are interested in spending eternity together.
After months of anxiety I think my brother and I have settled on a place to disperse mom’s remains. While it may be illegal, we’ve decided to take the risk and release her ashes into the Rogue River wilderness of Southern Oregon.
Quite honestly I can hardly wait for this to all be over. I need this to happen, because the responsibility of this task feels like an anvil on my chest.
“Goodbye Mom.”
RIP, Carlie (Staggs) Clayborn
OBITUARY
Mom’s accomplishments include: the first woman stockbroker at Kidder, Peabody, Portland, OR. Chairwoman for National Cerebral Palsy Association, Member of the Million Dollar Club in Real Estate Sales, Santa Rosa, CA. BA in Business, SSU. These outstanding accomplishments took place in the 1970’s, when thanks to the Women’s Movement, women were beginning to break into those coveted ‘men’s jobs’. Carlie was a pioneer in life and myself, my brother Randy, and my sister Sheila know that mom will shine bright in her new home.
