Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Not Allowed: Mentioning That Trump Voters Are Racists, Etc

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Yesterday, NY Times reporters Jeremy Peters and David Kuhn were busy defending Trump voters by insisting they’re not all racists. OK, they’re not all racists and let's forget that Carl Paladino was a Trump campaign co-chair. Did anyone ever say they all were? Some are and some aren’t. But they were all willing to overlook racism, xenophobia, homophobia and right-wing extremist, that’s for damn sure. But don’t dare upset the poor widdle snowflakes by calling them out for it. Fascists need a hug too, amirite?

What about the anti-Semitism? Are we allowed to talk about that… yet, Jer? A couple weeks ago we looked at a neo-Nazi, explicitly anti-Semitic storm brewing in backwater Montana, state that gave Herr Trumpf a massive 274,120 (56.5%) to 174,521 (36.0%) win over Clinton. Trump won all but 6 of the state’s 56 counties. Flathead County is the 4th biggest, in terms of population, in the state. How white is Flathead County? 0.15% of the population is black… that white. Trump got 30,079 votes county-wide and Hillary supporters numbered less than half— only 13,233. The two “biggest” towns are Kalispell and Whitefish. Does Whitefish— ironically something New York Jews eat for breakfast on Sundays if they’re not in a lachs mood— sound familiar? It should. Trumpist Neo-Nazis have some plans for Whitefish.


Ugly Hitlerite wants to run for Congress in Montana


The Flathead Beacon is covering the biggest story to hit their county in years, reprinting the bipartisan letter signed by the state’s most prominent Democratic and Republican leaders:
An open letter from Montana’s elected leaders
December 27, 2016

Dear Fellow Americans,

As we close out this year and look toward the future, we as Montana’s elected leaders are focused on the values that reflect our true character. Therefore, we condemn attacks on our religious freedom manifesting in a group of anti-Semites. We stand firmly together to send a clear message that ignorance, hatred and threats of violence are unacceptable and have no place in the town of Whitefish, or in any other community in Montana or across this nation. We say to those few who seek to publicize anti-Semitic views that they shall find no safe haven here.

We offer our full support to the Jewish community, Montana families, businesses, faith organizations and law enforcement officers as they ensure the security of all our communities. We will address these threats directly and forcefully, putting our political differences aside to stand up for what’s right. That’s the Montana way, and the American way.

Rest assured, any demonstration or threat of intimidation against any Montanan’s religious liberty will not be tolerated. It takes all Montanans working together to eradicate religious intolerance.

We are encouraged that so many Montanans from a variety of religious backgrounds have joined us in condemning this extreme ideology.

God bless the great state of Montana and the United States of America.

U.S. Senator Jon Tester
U.S. Senator Steve Daines
U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke
Governor Steve Bullock
Attorney General Tim Fox


No one wants to see Trump neo-Nazi supporter Richard Spencer run for the Republican congressional nomination in the special election to replace Ryan Zinke, who is likely to be confirmed as Trump’s Interior Secretary. But it isn’t just high-ranking Republicans and Democrats that want to distance themselves from the anti-Semitism.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes also joined in condemning “hatred and bigotry.” The tribes issued a statement saying they stand with Montana’s elected leaders in sending a clear message that “ignorance, hatred and threats of violence are unacceptable and have no place in the town of Whitefish, or in any other community in Montana or across this nation.”

The messages come on the heels of a recent proposal by a white supremacist website to organize an armed march in Whitefish next month. The publisher of The Daily Stormer, Andrew Anglin, said he planned to organize a march for the second week of January. The march would be “against Jews, Jewish businesses and everyone who supports either,” Anglin wrote, though he has since said he could call off the march.

The website, which is a neo-Nazi platform that features images of Hitler and the Auschwitz death camp, has also posted a call to “take action” against the community’s Jewish residents and local businesses, posting personal contact information and slurs in an effort to launch an Internet “troll storm.”

The website says the troll storm is in response to local residents harming the business interests of the mother of Richard Spencer, a part-time Whitefish resident who is a vocal leader of the so-called alt-right movement, which blends racism and white nationalism. The Daily Stormer is not affiliated with Spencer.

Anglin has accused a local realtor and nonprofit Love Lives Here of trying to sabotage a Whitefish real estate venture owned by Sherry Spencer. The chairman of Love Lives Here denies organizing any pressure or protests against Sherry Spencer’s office building.

According to Love Lives Here, the Daily Stormer posts have unleashed a torrent of harassment against local businesses and community members, including threats of violence via social media, phone calls and emails.

Officials with the Whitefish Police Department are monitoring the situation. The communication is mostly coming from Internet accounts on the East Coast and nothing illegal has occurred locally, according to authorities.

Police Chief Bill Dial said his department has received a significant amount of inquiries about the potential march in Whitefish along with residents expressing concern and anxiety.

“I can empathize with people. It’s not a comfortable situation,” he said.

Dial said his department is working with federal and county law enforcement authorities to devise a plan if the armed march does occur.

“I’m hoping for the best, planning for the worst,” he said.

“If they do come, we’re just hoping it’s a peaceful march. I’m sure there will be those protesting at the same time.”

He added, “It’s our job to make sure we keep the community safe and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Love Lives Here and the Montana Human Rights Network are co-sponsoring an event on Jan. 7 in Depot Park in Whitefish. Organizers of the event are calling it a community gathering to celebrate diversity and take a stand against racism and other forms of oppression. The event will include speakers and live music.

Earlier this month, the city of Whitefish signed a proclamation firmly declaring Spencer’s views and those of the alt-right are “a direct affront to our community’s core values and principles.”
Societal divisiveness, including racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, extreme nationalism have always been tied up with conservatism and, of course, fascism. Without them candidates running on economic platforms like Trump's-- entirely serving the exclusive interests of the 1%-- would have no chance of winning elections.



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3 Comments:

At 6:46 AM, Anonymous Hone said...

To all of those Jews who voted for Trump, of which some unfortunately are relatives of mine, beware. You think we are safe because of his son-in-law? If only. Pure stupidity. Let's hope that things do not go that far. History has shown that hatred of Jews is always hovering just beneath the surface. Let's make sure we strongly stand by our Muslim citizens and other ethnic groups as well if we really care about stopping these hate filled zealots.

And to all those Trump voters who put him in office, no excuses for you, let alone sympathy for your stupidity and ignorance. You think he is going to help you? The lying, cheating, woman hating, egocentric con man who screwed virtually everyone he ever associated with and most banks will not touch with a ten foot pole? How did you not see this when it was glaring and in your face? Reality and words are meaningless to him. He thinks he can make his own reality and say anything to get what he wants and unfortunately you proved him correct. He will not stand by much of what he said. All he cares about is enriching himself, and certainly not helping working people, whom he views as beneath him. What does he know about the working world? We are all going to suffer greatly from your votes - many working people especially, like the retired coal miners who are losing health insurance. Many white people, I may say. Coal miners were a big voting block for him and now you have that coal billionaire and violator of safety standards that resulted in many miners' deaths in his cabinet! With hope and luck, perhaps you will eventually see the light, and the Dems will, too, and stand up to him and the Republicans. The first 100 days will be DREADFUL.

 
At 9:11 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

The problem is that racism has deep roots not only among conservatives but also among the white working class. In fact, working class racism was central to Democratic Party rhetoric and ideology as early as the 1840s and 1850s. Working class Democrats -- including radical labor activists -- also played an active role in the anti-Chinese vigilantism of the 1870s and 1880s. Such destructive tendencies come to the forefront when economic pressure/suffering escalates. In fact, the United States might well have turned to fascism during the Great Depression if Roosevelt hadn't acted (and spoken) so forcefully on behalf Americans who were suffering hard times. A party that truly addresses the economic plight of working people (of all backgrounds and racial groups) won't be able to end racism altogether, but might prevent it from dominating American politics.

 
At 8:44 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well done, Rachel.
Also should note that after Lincoln was elected, southern racists suddenly became Democrats. That actually allowed the D pluralities from '32 until '68.
In the mid-'60s, LBJ muscled through his "Great Society" reforms which included Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts that even he realized would "lose them the south for a generation" -- he was wrong only in the duration. All those southern racists suddenly became Rs again and the Rs, already misanthropic, welcomed the hate.

Nixon and Reagan both made a point of appealing to and empowering the racists, though more subtly than drumpf did.

And what you distilled about FDR is exactly what was so remarkable about him. He was born rich and ran as the modestly better elitist in '32. But he DID govern to the benefit of the powerless being destroyed by the powerful.
Impossible to imagine drumpf making such a reverse pivot.

 

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