American Civil War

Birthright Citizenship, A Basic Part Of The 14th Amendment, Lies In Tatters! :(

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Donald Trump’s despicable attack on the 14th Amendment and Birthight Citizenship has won a battle in the right wing, extremist Supreme Court, by a 6-3 vote on Friday.

While it is not final, as the issue has been sent to the lower federal courts for further adjudication, the signs are that a basic right, insured 150 years ago after the Civil War, may be totally wiped out.

The tensions are high on the Supreme Court, with Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson in particular, being highly critical of the majority decision produced by Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

The language utilized by both Justices and the clearcut tone of exasperation at what the Court is doing to promote an Imperial Presidency makes one wonder how thare can be any sense of camaraderie of the Court members toward each other.

It seems clear that the three Justices in the minority, also including Elena Kagan, probably would wish to leave the Court in disgust, but of course, cannot do so, as that would only promote an even more extremist right wing Court.

But it is clear that there are no “happy days” on the Court led by Chief Justice John Roberts, who has clearly presided over a totally disgraceful Court, that will undermine his reputation in the long run of American history!

Shocking, Stunning NYC Mayoral Democratic Primary!

Ronald 12 Comments

New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a mostly obscure politician with only brief experience in government at age 33, born in Uganda of Indian parents, with his father Muslim and his mother Hindu, with him professing to be a Muslim who is pro Palestinian in his views, has stunned the Democratic political establishment in New York City and nationwide, with his shocking, stunning, seismic first round victory in the NYC Democratic Mayoral Primary, over highly favored former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo!

Mamdani, seemingly, came out of “nowhere” and has a seven point lead on Cuomo, with ranked choice voting system adopted by NYC having to wait until July 1 or later, before having a final victory in the primary, but with a solid seven point leader for Mamdani likely to hold up in the end.

The ultimate Democratic nominee for Mayor will be a heavy favorite to win in a city strongly loyal to that party. But present Mayor Eric Adams, under a cloud of corruption, will be on the ballot as an Independent, and Cuomo had previously planned to run on an Indepedent line along with what he hoped would be the Democratic nomination. So if Cuomo does that, it will be a”wild and wooly” campaign, with Mamdani, despite his strong left wing views, likely to win, but no certainty at the result in November.

At age 33, which would make Mamdani the youngest Mayor since John Purroy Mitchel (1914-1917), he would with his Muslim heritage have to combat both Jewish groups that in most cases would be against him; African Americans, who would favor Adams; Establishment figures who would favor Cuomo; and with the likelihood of great conflict in the future between a potential Mayor Mamdani and the Trump Administration.

Ranked Choice Voting is only used widely in three states–Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii, along with a number of states in local elections, and some cities, including Washington DC; New York City; Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; and Oakland and San Francisco, California.

Mamdani, with his Democratic “Socialist” ideas, would be, likely, the most leftist Mayor of New York in modern times, and possibly, of any major city, and with his backing and endorsement by New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, makes “fireworks” likely in NYC politics by the various opposing groups in the city and in the national government.

It reminds one of Mayor Fernando Wood, who served two rounds as NYC Mayor (1855-1858) and (1860-1861), becoming a leading critic of Abraham Lincoln, and a supporter of the Confederacy in the first year of the Civil War as a “Copperhead”, northern supporter of the South against the Union. He even proposed NYC secede from the Union!

Wood also served in the US House of Representatives from 1863-1865, as well as later terms, and promoted continuing opposition to Lincoln and the Civil War, and opposed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, ending slavery. He was also married three times, including his third marriage at age 48 to a 16 year old!

Most certainly, Mamdani will shake up American politics if he becomes Mayor of NYC, with its 8 plus million people, larger than all but 12 of the 50 states in America!

Defense Department Removing Civil Rights Leaders’ Names From Naval Ships An Absolute Outrage!

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is on a tear, working to eliminate all civil rights heroes who have had US naval vessels named after them.

Already, the name of gay icon Harvey Milk is being removed, but this is just the beginning.

Also likely to have their names scrubbed from naval vessels are the following civil rights heroes:

Thurgood Marshall, first African American Supreme Court Justice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, female Supreme Court Justice, who promoted gender equality and civil rights

John Lewis, Georgia Congressman, who marched for civil rights

Medgar Evers, Mississippi civil rights activist, who was assassinated

Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad Conductor and Union Spy during the Civil War

Dolores Huerta, Labor leader and co-founder of United Farm Workers Union

Cesar Chavez, Labor leader and Civil Rights activist and co-founder of United Farm Workers Union

Lucy Stone, prominent activist for women’s rights and the abolition of slavery

Somehow, something must be done to avert this outrageous set of actions, totally uncalled for, and unAmerican!

It is simply an attack on race, gender, sexuality, and basic common decency of civil rights for all Americans!

The War On Science, Health, Education, Public Safety Is Pure Insanity!

Ronald 39 Comments

After four months of the Trump Second Term Presidency, it is alarming the extent of the war on science, health, education, and public safety, clearly pure insanity!

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has undermined confidence in the ability of the federal government to deal with the realities of science, and with the health needs of 330 million Americans.

The attack on vaccines, and the admitted lack of knowledge of the lunatic, RFK Jr, who admits he should not be paid attention to, and yet is making extreme policy changes, is a danger to all Americans, when and if there is a future health crisis, which likely would be greater than the COVID Pandemic.

Research in the Sciences and Medicine fields is being cut, and many talented scientists and doctors are being forced out of their careers, undermining the future of all Americans.

The war on education, particularly on higher education, is interfering with the search for knowledge, facts, and truth, in a whole host of fields of study. Cultural institutions, most notably but not only, the Library of Congress, are under attack, as well.

American Public Safety is also threatened by cuts in the National Weather Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among other agencies.

America is in unparalleled crisis, in many ways more than since the Civil War, and no easy alternative at this time!

Civil War Ended 160 Years Ago Today, But New Civil War Burgeoning Over Trump Tariff War On Middle And Working Class! :(

Ronald 5 Comments

Today, April 9, 1865–160 years ago—the American Civil War came to an end, with the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

It is sad on this commemorative anniversary that America is engaged in a Tariff War with the entire world, undermining the American and world economy, as well as international diplomacy!

This burgeoning Tariff War endangers a breakdown in American society, as retirement accounts are destroyed, and as the social safety system of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other essential programs lie in disarray, undermining security for tens of millions of Americans.

With all of the guns millions of Americans own, the possibility of a new Civil War is horrifying, but a real possibility.

The tensions against the superwealthy will escalate by the middle and working classes, and the racial, ethnic, religious, and gender tensions that are being provoked, also represent a dire threat to the survival of American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

J D Vance Controversial VP Nominee, Promoting Anti Haitian Immigrant Conspiracy Theory!

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Republican Vice Presidential nominee J D Vance is already perceived as the least regarded and most controversial nominee for Vice President since Sarah Palin, and with a lower rating than both Palin and former Vice President Dan Quayle in public perception.

Donald Trump could have selected a less controversial nominee to be a heartbeat away from the Oval Office, but he chose Vance, who is perpetuating a conspiracy theory about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, that they are eating residents’ pet cats and dogs, a preposterous charge!

Vance, already suspicious due to his chameleon nature, having switched totally in his views of Donald Trump from years ago, also has stated that “Civil War” is still going on in America, and that he sides with the South and the “Confederacy” against “the woke North”.

Vance’s open racism and nativism, and his promotion of division and confrontation is alarming, and his demagoguery will make the upcoming CBS Vice Presidential debate on October 1 a moment of great public attention, when Democratic VP nominee Tim Walz confronts the controversial and divisive Vance!

The South “The Abortion Desert”, Denial Of Basic Human Rights Of Women!

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Just as the American South was the slavery promoters who provoked the Civil War in the 19th century, so now the American South is the “Abortion Desert”, taking away the basic human rights of women, as before with African Americans.

With Florida yesterday putting into effect a strict abortion ban, a woman who lives in the “Sunshine State” must travel to New Mexico, Kansas, Illinois, or Virginia as the closest locations to obtain an abortion, even if in medical distress that could end her life. This affects, in theory, about 4 million women of child bearing age in Florida.

A total of 17 states now completely ban abortion, including the entire South, except Virginia, and with some restrictions in North Carolina.

This is a “new slavery”, putting women “in their place”, under the control of religious extremists and misogynists! Vice President Kamala Harris went to Florida yesterday to denounce the new restrictions on women’s rights to control their own bodies.

The issue of abortion will be on the ballot in many states, including Florida, in the November elections, and it is urgent that this be perceived as THE ISSUE extremely important in the upcoming Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024.

It Looks Like Donald Trump Will Remain On The Ballot: Time For A Vigorous, No Holds Barred Campaign!

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After witnessing the oral arguments before the Supreme Court yesterday in the Trump V Anderson Colorado Ballot controversy, it looks like Donald Trump will remain on the ballot for the Presidential Election of 2024 in all of the 50 states.

It was quite surprising even seeing the liberal Democratic appointments on the Supreme Court, and particularly Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, seemingly skeptical on the matter, although Sonia Sotomayor seemed likely to be in dissent.

It was also quite amazing that Clarence Thomas did not recuse himself on the matter, considering that his wife Ginni Thomas was supportive of the US Capitol Insurrection, but then it is well recognized that Thomas has no ethics, morals, or scruples.

Any time that the Supreme Court is involved in oral argument can lead to speculation on the result, so there could be a surprise decision, but it is clear one should not bet on it.

So it is now time for a vigorous, no holds barred campaign for the next nine months, as American democracy and the rule of law is on trial, in what can be considered the most dangerous times since the Civil War 160 years ago!

Florida Government Declares War On Liberal Arts Curriculum At State Universities!

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Censorship and right wing orthodoxy is the new war on knowledge now being waged by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida State Board of Education, in its blatant attack on the educational curriculum at state colleges and universities.

Sociology has been banned as part of the “core” curriculum, as earlier, Advanced Placement African American history has been rejected as “woke” ideology.

This political attack on liberal arts education is alarming, and it is spreading to other states, who have declared war on “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”.

The replacement for the Sociology survey course is “US History to 1877”, which it is claimed will cover the realities of early American history, but one has to wonder will the “Trail of Tears” action against native American tribes, and the ugly reality of slavery really be covered in the curriculum?

Ron DeSantis, when teaching high school two decades ago, argued with students against slavery being the major cause of the American Civil War; and Nikki Haley, when asked about that conflict failed to mention that slavery was the primary cause of the Civil War, and has said that America is not a racist nation.

So it is clear that mind control and propaganda are winning out over reality and truth in college curriculums in the public colleges and universities in the state of Florida!

The “Lost Cause” After Civil War Again Rears Its Ugly Head In 2024!

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Hard to believe, but the American Civil War (1861-1865) continues to divide America more than a century and a half after its impact on America!

Nikki Haley has trouble realizing that slavery was the major cause of the Civil War.

Ron DeSantis, when a high school teacher two decades ago, told his students that slavery was NOT the major cause of the Civil War.

Donald Trump tells us that Abraham Lincoln should have negotiated with slave owners, as it might have prevented the Civil War, and that Lincoln would not be remembered if it was not for the bloodshed of that war.

The “Lost Cause”, that of “states rights”, was used in the South to propagandize for generations the fact that the South had lost the war, and only was finally overcome in most circles since the 1960s, but now the new MAGA Republican propaganda is reviving the old myth, which justified Jim Crow segregration, lynching, and denial of basic civil rights to African Americans for a century after the Civil War.

Leave it to those who attack DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), and the nation will be going backwards in understanding of our history, and promoting racial reconciliation, so the battle against the “Lost Cause” must be waged!