More of lets keep black people out of work and out of society. Make it so society is racist and segregated again. These white racist think any and all white people should get all the good jobs regardless of how unqualified. These racists claim any black person can’t be qualified for the job … because they are black. They want Jim Crow laws back. They somehow got into power riding the disgruntled anger white vote and now they are trying to push that racism on the rest of us. We have to stop them. We have to stop racism now. Hugs. Scottie
The Florida Phoenix reports:
Florida Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody wants the state agency in charge of investigating violations of the Florida Civil Rights Act to inspect Starbucks’ diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Moody announced the complaint against Starbucks on Wednesday during the governor’s guest host stint on “The Sean Hannity Show.”
“We’re going to make sure that in Florida this quota or hiring and programs that cause every employee to determine whether they are the problem based on the color of their skin, whether that violates Florida’s anti-discrimination laws, and so the matter will be investigated,” Moody said on the radio show.
Read the full article. As noted below, a federal appeals court has already said that DeSantis cannot act against private businesses over diversity practices.
Scottie's Playtime 
They will use whatever law for their own purposes and mask it as ‘Liberty’.
As described by George Orwell in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’, they take words and twist them around.
There can be no rest in the battle for the Heart and Soul of the USA.
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So True Roger. Plus they turn on anyone that was a former allied person who is not completely on board with the next step they want to make.
Roger, it is a fight I wonder if I have the strength for or can make a difference in. Yes my side is much larger than theirs. But they used stealth tactics and other ways to get their people in power. Now they own large sections of the courts which are the true rulers in the US right now, and they totally own the highest court which has become an ideological Christian bigot racist controlled body.
Roger forgive me I shouldn’t impose on you this way. But I wonder with you much more extensive historical knowledge might know how do we in the US, which is so fractured but clearly has the pro-civil rights accepting everyone side is the majority, … fight this minority take over to rule all of us / the country movement? Their goal is a country ruled by their god which they think will bring their god here to take them to paradise. I mean the current right maga movement is all for an authoritarian Christian take over, and the fact is the Republican Party is a minority party … there are a lot more of us than them, but they have the money and right now a lot of political strength plus they have the media outlets to push their views. And in the US profit is king, money for the wealthy is the entire goal of both religious and business interests.
Thanks. If you decide you would rather not answer I understand. I admit I crave your answers as much as a diabetic wants sweets, but also respect your sanity. Loves and hugs for you and your wife. Hugs.
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Hi Scottie.
I will be glad to reply, currently tied up with a few others things today but will try and get back to you later on (probably about 2pm-4pm your time)
Take care you guys.
Roger & Sheila
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Hello Roger. If you have already answered, thank you. But if not please know while I love your comments for the reasoning you put in them and so enjoy learning new things from you, I never want you to feel pressured to respond. I really want to assure you that I want you to comment at your own time and pace because I want you to enjoy the discussion. We are here to have fun and learn. I never want my blog to become a chore for anyone. Loves and hugs to you and Sheila. I hope she is feeling well today. I know you told me she struggles with pain and such. I do also, I understand how that can tear a person up and eat at their energy / joy of life. Hugs. Scottie
PS. I looked ahead and seen you commented already. Still I am going to post this for you, because I never want you to feel pressured here and I want you to know how much I am learning from you. Hugs. Scottie
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Hi Scottie.
Much thanks for your kind words and for your concern about Sheila, I will pass on your best wishes, she will appreciate those.
Yeah, I’ve had may say.
It’s not problem, me having my say. As Jill knows, once I start….
It’s a problem of knowing to know when to stop and how to cool it down a smidge. 😳
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Hi Roger. As you see from how long I write posts and replies, once I get going I rarely know when to stop also.
As for cooling down a smidgen. Oh how do I know that feeling. It was much worse when I was younger. I was taught by the hellhole that the louder more aggressive and stronger the person was, they won any disagreement or argument. I had to train myself out of that and use reason and facts instead of aggression, volume, and anger. At 61, I think I have managed that part. Mostly. Once in a while when wound up over a news story, Ron will gently tell me to back it down and I realize how far up the wall I was climbing. It is so grand to have a loving spouse who understands what I went through and is willing to help me undo all my childhood training.
Side note.
Is it not incredible how long the things we learn in childhood stick with us?
Second side note.
The first time I took Ron to meet the adoptive parents, the mom made a good meal. I made sure to sit between them and Ron. As the meal started the brute father looked at Ron and reached over to the mother and started to fondle and play with her breasts. Clearly to show the gay man that was what a true man does. She then in anger took her fork and jabbed it deep into his upper arm. He kept laughing as the blood ran down his arm.
For me this was a normal meal. I looked at Ron and he slowly wilted, shrank away from them much as I did as a child. Unlike me as a child he did not dive under the table. I could see how shocked he was and uncomfortable. In his family no one raised their voice around his mother and his family loved each other. My family was the most opposite of his possible.
But I will say once he learned of my abuse he became very protective and authoritarian with the adoptive parents when I couldn’t speak up for myself. He would quietly and firmly lay down the rules / law to them. Surprisingly they took it from him. When the adoptive father was dying and recognized no one including his wife or me, he still recognized Ron as an authority figure he had to obey.
Dang, as I said I also don’t when to stop. Thanks for reading this far. Hugs. Scottie
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Thanks for sharing those experiences with me Scottie. Ron is obviously ‘quite a guy’. I tip my hat to him.
I still battle with getting wound up, Sheila does warn me and has mostly got me off getting in Facebooks fights.
I still have the internal rages, bit am trying to dampen those down too by placing them in historical contexts and where such ‘solutions’ eventually lead- bad places.
Still with so much Stupidity and Intolerance going on it is difficult to stay ‘cool’
Cue for song:
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Hi Scottie here I am.
This is a difficult one not just for the USA but for many a nation at a crossroads. You’ll not be surprised to realise there is not one simple solution each location and each nation or region faces differing challenges.
For the USA the basic problem seems to be, at the present there is a unconsciously founded coalition of folk who are drawn towards what Trump represents. Since Trump basically only represents Trump, this coalition therefore sees different Trumps:
Thus the problem is. How do the folk who have grown up with ideas of tolerance and progress break down this coalition of folk who roar along Trump because he is basically Trump. And in turn dismiss those who for a combination of all of the above are political opportunists and snake oil merchants making the best of Trump while he is still around?
There will of course be many who have long seen through all this hysteria and are determined to put an end to the warped carnival by vote or by protest or legal action or all three. This is fine and laudable. The question is as you point out what does this opposition do about those in above groups?
Some will try reasoned argument and might well succeed in small increments, but time is not on their side.
The next action might sound unpleasant to some, but since I am steeped in Euro politics and Realpolitik this is my take.
It requires a splitting of those above groups, or targeting those groups which can be split.
Firstly you can forget the Conspiracy groups they are beyond help, they will always find another conspiracy or if challenged too much they just go into a sulk and don’t engage. How can you argue with a Qannon mindset?
Similarly in the White Cisgender extremists, all you can do is isolate them and minimise them back from whence they came.
An opportunity was missed when Boebert made her offensive and blasphemous comments about Christ and guns. Had the opposition targeted high profile evangelicals and insisted they state whether they support her or not and was that not blasphemy? And kept on that might have caused a split. Folk should always keep a look out for an opportunity because there will come another one. Do not let them get away with another bout of Hypocrisy. But it has to be targeted to cause division.
The target which presents the best opportunity are those caught up in the pop-culture in category 3. I have written to Jill about this on several occasions. It is to wake them and their cousins who are currently apathetic and say ‘so what?’. It is to alert them to the fact that those MAGA activists and Fundamentalists will not be content with just having positions of authority, but will expect folk to be seen to support them. Thus are these pop folk or non-voters prepared to see folk they are related and love or good friends be persecuted for being LGBT+. Are they ready to find folk at their door asking when they will be going to church next? And will they be content when all the goodies they take for granted on TV, in book stores and the like are taken from them?
It is using a fear factor and a doubt spreader. But then when the struggle gets to this extent, Nice Folk playing by the Rules might have a moral high ground but they don’t win battles.
It is there essential to raise the profile that what Trump is being propelled by, will come knocking at your door and expect you to be on their side; in fact they will insist. You can’t opt out.
That is the grim message which needs to be directed at The Pop-Culture folk and the currently ‘Nothing to do with me’ people.
It is either this, now, a constant push to show the Right up for what they are and be willing to stop them by vote of descent as a matter of course, or eventually watch as the really angry folk push the peaceful folk aside and with their own guns say ‘OK. Let us sort it out’. And if folk do not think that could happen in The West.
Two words:
Northern Ireland.
We know, We saw it happen.
Ok, I’m guess I’m done here Scottie. Sorry it sounds grim and harsh. but it’s a European outlook and most of the USA still has its roots in Europe.
You guys take care
All the best
Roger & Sheila
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Hi Roger. Thank you, that was well reasoned, easy to follow, and informative. I agree that the democrats as a party can’t seem to hammer a message or press an advantage like the republicans do. Plus as you said the democrats play nice guy and the republicans play ruthless with no regard for consequences or feelings.
The one thing I do worry about is the right is pushing some people on the left to talk violence and guns to fight back. really angry folk push the peaceful folk aside and with their own guns say ‘OK. Let us sort it out’. I am seeing that on gay forums and even here in my comments. While it has been necessary for armed people to protect drag queen story hours, I worry it could branch into our side doing offensive attacks on right wing events. It was like when Antifa would openly brawl with Nazi militias on city streets. It left a bad taste in people’s mouth with the rest of the public. Then the right used it to claim everything they did wrong and got caught was really Antifa not the maga people. Hugs. Scottie
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This is the danger Scottie that the Republican rabble rousers are really not prepared for.
It is a classic mistake to assume the other side do not have their own capacity for extreme actions.
And also to underestimate the effect of pushing down on ordinary folk who reach a snapping point.
If for some reason we were re-planted in the USA one of my priority tasks would be to get a handgun, a responsible training course and have it on hand just in case some Right-Wing style thugs come hassling. Kind of Defcon 4 situation.
I’ve seen more than a few items where folk in the US have taken that option.
Not looking for trouble…..but….
This is why it is essential for the vote to mobilise and also for the Liberal / Democrat wing not to profile / demonise ALL republicans as being with MAGA, Trump and the rest of that pack.
There must be a reaching out of hands across the divides and a consensus. ‘OK. Let’s just tone it down,’
This might mean the Liberal / Democrat wings at ‘street or grass roots’ level talking to moderate Republicans along the lines of:
‘Yes. You can’t vote for Biden on principal. We get that. But please don’t vote for Trump. Then if we do get in. We will promise to keep in touch with you, listen to your concerns and speak up with you to remind the Administration just why they won this election. They owe you folk too,’
It’s a very tough call to reach that level of compromise and trust, and it might mean telling a few on their own Liberal / Democrat side to ‘Shut the hell up….We’re working here with decent folk. If you don’t want a Northern Ireland, you’ll here join us or keep out of the way until Sanity rules again,’
Like I said not easy at all, but there again, when was anything worthwhile easy???
Take care guys.
Roger & Sheila
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Hi Roger. I know there are some reasonable republicans, but danged if I can find them. They are not around me. Look even the normal republicans that claim they won’t vote for tRump are wanting to regress the equality and rights for all non-white non-cis non-straight people. They want to take the society back to 1950 and yet keep the tax rates and lack of rules on businesses we have today which are much less than 1950s. They want to slash food assistance, deny any and all immigration, they want to remove social security and medical assistance for the poor and still give more money to the wealthy. I can’t work with people like that. I sure won’t be friends with them. And look at the things Haley said about tRump and now she is back to kissing his ass. She is going to vote for him. What is wrong with these people. For all his faults and outright denigration of the poor and LGBTQ+ Chris Christi won’t vote for tRump. He is a horrible person and wouldn’t work with democrats for anything that was not giving him his way on everything, but he is not voting for tRump. Still I doubt I could work with him on anything, because he won’t budge one small inch towards the democrats, instead he will insist on getting everything he wants and done his way. Hugs. Scottie
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It is a very hard call Scottie
The Hard Right make the most noise and for the media that makes ‘Good Copy’.
The antics of the Hard Right are also the principal reason for the polarisation within the population, causing the ‘Circling of the Wagons’ effect.
They are currently in a primary role.
You have to go looking. Come up with folk such as Lisa Murkowski of Alaska or Joe Lombardo of Nevada. Of course they are not going to be perfect fits into many liberal / democrats ideals. If however these folk did reach elected offices then that means they have a body of support which means ‘they’ the moderates are out there.
I would imagine it is a lonely life. This is an evil era when loud mouths on the Right support conspiracies and have no problem with violence against anyone who doesn’t suit their narrow views. And if there is one person who is vilified more than a person in the Opposition it’s a person who is in a group but does not agree with the exact view of another group. If I were a moderate Republican for the sake of my family I would keep a low and covert profile.
It is a long and a hard road Scottie, and one which is far from perfect.
Take care you guys.
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Hi Roger. Very true, the loneliest place in a group is the odd person out. I think Lisa Murkowski of Alaska won her seat when she was primaried by a hard right republican, lost, then ran as an independent and won her reelection. So she is reaching a lot of people who are not rabid right nutcases. Hugs. Scottie
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‘Head for the middle ground everybody’
It’s a good starting place.
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Hi Roger. The problem is today the middle ground has been pulled so far right it is what when I was growing up would have been called extreme right. Now it is the middle? SMH. Hugs. Scottie
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This is one of facets of politics Scottie. The change of perceptions in the identity of party (sorry about that I’ve slipped into Analytical Identification mode -stop it Rog’).
Basically folk shift identities. The only stable facets being what do they truly feel, beneath it all.
Now in the UK, as I have said before the Left wing has mired itself so deep in anti-West perceptions that it reacts in a similar manner to MAGA on international politics and its vitriol upon those who do not fit is frightening.
Therefore someone may be ‘conservative’ but still feel socially that ‘Well it’s not for me, But live and let live I say’ then move to ‘Now about those damn taxes and the way the government spends ’em!!’.
What is happening is that those of the extreme are as usual are making the most noise and appear to be making the running. Regrettably the media does love a good scare story too, and the two feed off each other.
The middle ground remains as a concept it’s just that the two polarities have higher profiles and make better copy in the media.
At this stage, a grass roots movement with the Slogan ‘Enough Already. Live and Let Live’ is calledfor
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