Why education is so important

 

....

 

Forget the Woman, Save the Baby

 

 

 

An Apology to Trump Supporters

I owe my Trump-supporting acquaintances an apology. I’ve been critical of the Trump presidency since 2016, and am still exhausted from the experience. But to be fair, President Trump wasn’t that bad, other than when he incited an insurrection against the government, mismanaged a pandemic that killed nearly half a million Americans, separated children from their families, lost those children in the bureaucracy, tear-gassed peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square so he could hold a photo op holding a Bible in front of a church, tried to block all Muslims from entering the country, got impeached, got impeached again, had the worst jobs record of any president in modern history, pressured Ukraine to dig dirt on Joe Biden, fired the FBI director for investigating his ties to Russia, bragged about firing the FBI director on TV, took Vladimir Putin’s word over the US intelligence community, diverted military funding to build his wall, caused the longest government shutdown in US history, called Black Lives Matter a “symbol of hate,” lied nearly 30,000 times, banned transgender people from serving in the military, ejected reporters from the White House briefing room who asked tough questions, vetoed the defense funding bill because it renamed military bases named for Confederate soldiers, refused to release his tax returns, increased the national debt by nearly $8 trillion, had three of the highest annual trade deficits in U.S. history, called veterans and soldiers who died in combat losers and suckers, coddled the leader of Saudi Arabia after he ordered the execution and dismembering of a US-based journalist, refused to concede the 2020 election, hired his unqualified daughter and son-in-law to work in the White House, walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl, called neo-Nazis “very fine people,” suggested that people should inject bleach into their bodies to fight COVID, abandoned our allies the Kurds to Turkey, pushed through massive tax cuts for the wealthiest but balked at helping working Americans, incited anti-lockdown protestors in several states at the height of the pandemic, withdrew the US from the Paris climate accords, withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear deal, withdrew the US from the Trans Pacific Partnership which was designed to block China’s advances, insulted his own Cabinet members on Twitter, pushed the leader of Montenegro out of the way during a photo op, failed to reiterate US commitment to defending NATO allies, called Haiti and African nations “shithole” countries, called the city of Baltimore the “worst in the nation,” claimed that he single handedly brought back the phrase “Merry Christmas” even though it hadn’t gone anywhere, forced his Cabinet members to praise him publicly like some cult leader, believed he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, berated and belittled his hand-picked Attorney General when he recused himself from the Russia probe, suggested the US should buy Greenland, colluded with Mitch McConnell to push through federal judges and two Supreme Court justices after supporting efforts to prevent his predecessor from appointing judges, repeatedly called the media “enemies of the people,” claimed that if we tested fewer people for COVID we’d have fewer cases, violated the emoluments clause, thought that Nambia was a country, told Bob Woodward in private that the coronavirus was a big deal but then downplayed it in public, called his exceedingly faithful vice president a “p---y” for following the Constitution, nearly got us into a war with Iran after threatening them by tweet, nominated a corrupt head of the EPA, nominated a corrupt head of HHS, nominated a corrupt head of the Interior Department, nominated a corrupt head of the USDA, praised dictators and authoritarians around the world while criticizing allies, refused to allow the presidential transition to begin, insulted war hero John McCain – even after his death, spent an obscene amount of time playing golf after criticizing Barack Obama for playing (far less) golf while president, falsely claimed that he won the 2016 popular vote, called the Muslim mayor of London a “stone cold loser,” falsely claimed that he turned down being Time’s Man of the Year, considered firing special counsel Robert Mueller on several occasions, mocked wearing face masks to guard against transmitting COVID, locked Congress out of its constitutional duty to confirm Cabinet officials by hiring acting ones, used a racist dog whistle by calling COVID the “China virus,” hired and associated with numerous shady figures that were eventually convicted of federal offenses including his campaign manager and national security adviser, pardoned several of his shady associates, gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to two congressman who amplified his batshit crazy conspiracy theories, got into telephone fight with the leader of Australia(!), had a Secretary of State who called him a moron, forced his press secretary to claim without merit that his was the largest inauguration crowd in history, botched the COVID vaccine rollout, tweeted so much dangerous propaganda that Twitter eventually banned him, charged the Secret Service jacked-up rates at his properties, constantly interrupted Joe Biden in their first presidential debate, claimed that COVID would “magically” disappear, called a U.S. Senator “Pocahontas,” used his Twitter account to blast Nordstrom when it stopped selling Ivanka’s merchandise, opened up millions of pristine federal lands to development and drilling, got into a losing tariff war with China that forced US taxpayers to bail out farmers, claimed that his losing tariff war was a win for the US, ignored or didn’t even take part in daily intelligence briefings, blew off honoring American war dead in France because it was raining, redesigned Air Force One to look like the Trump Shuttle, got played by Kim Jung Un and his “love letters,” threatened to go after social media companies in clear violation of the Constitution, botched the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, threw paper towels at Puerto Ricans when he finally visited them, pressured the governor and secretary of state of Georgia to “find” him votes, thought that the Virgin islands had a President, drew on a map with a Sharpie to justify his inaccurate tweet that Alabama was threatened by a hurricane, allowed White House staff to use personal email accounts for official businesses after blasting Hillary Clinton for doing the same thing, rolled back regulations that protected the public from mercury and asbestos, pushed regulators to waste time studying snake-oil remedies for COVID, rolled back regulations that stopped coal companies from dumping waste into rivers, held blatant campaign rallies at the White House, tried to take away millions of Americans’ health insurance because the law was named for a Black man, refused to attend his successors’ inauguration, nominated the worst Education Secretary in history, threatened judges who didn’t do what he wanted, attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci, promised that Mexico would pay for the wall (it didn’t), allowed political hacks to overrule government scientists on major reports on climate change and other issues, struggled navigating a ramp after claiming his opponent was feeble, called an African-American Congresswoman “low IQ,” threatened to withhold federal aid from states and cities with Democratic leaders, went ahead with rallies filled with maskless supporters in the middle of a pandemic, claimed that legitimate investigations of his wrongdoing were “witch hunts,” seemed to demonstrate a belief that there were airports during the American Revolution, demanded “total loyalty” from the FBI director, praised a conspiracy theory that Democrats are Satanic pedophiles, completely gutted the Voice of America, placed a political hack in charge of the Postal Service, claimed without evidence that the Obama administration bugged Trump Tower, suggested that the US should allow more people from places like Norway into the country, suggested that COVID wasn’t that bad because he recovered with the help of top government doctors and treatments not available to the public, overturned energy conservation standards that even industry supported, reduced the number of refugees the US accepts, insulted various members of Congress and the media with infantile nicknames, gave Rush Limbaugh a Presidential medal of Freedom at the State of the Union address, named as head of federal personnel a 29-year old who’d previously been fired from the White House for allegations of financial improprieties, eliminated the White House office of pandemic response, used soldiers as campaign props, fired any advisor who made the mistake of disagreeing with him, demanded the Pentagon throw him a Soviet-style military parade, hired a shit ton of white nationalists, politicized the civil service, did absolutely nothing after Russia hacked the U.S. government, falsely said the Boy Scouts called him to say his bizarre Jamboree speech was the best speech ever given to the Scouts, claimed that Black people would overrun the suburbs if Biden won, insulted reporters of color, insulted women reporters, insulted women reporters of color, suggested he was fine with China’s oppression of the Uighurs, attacked the Supreme Court when it ruled against him, summoned Pennsylvania state legislative leaders to the White House to pressure them to overturn the election, spent countless hours every day watching Fox News, refused to allow his administration to comply with Congressional subpoenas, hired Rudy Giuliani as his lawyer, tried to punish Amazon because the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post wrote negative stories about him, acted as if the Attorney General of the United States was his personal attorney, attempted to get the federal government to defend him in a libel lawsuit from a women who accused him of sexual assault, held private meetings with Vladimir Putin without staff present, didn’t disclose his private meetings with Vladimir Putin so that the US had to find out via Russian media, stopped holding press briefings for months at a time, “ordered” US companies to leave China even though he has no such power, led a political party that couldn’t even be bothered to draft a policy platform, claimed preposterously that Article II of the Constitution gave him absolute powers, tried to pressure the U.K. to hold the British Open at his golf course, suggested that the government nuke hurricanes, suggested that wind turbines cause cancer, said that he had a special aptitude for science, fired the head of election cyber security after he said that the 2020 election was secure, blurted out classified information to Russian officials, tried to force the G7 to hold their meeting at his failing golf resort in Florida, fired the acting attorney general when she refused to go along with his unconstitutional Muslim travel ban, hired Stephen Miller, openly discussed national security issues in the dining room at Mar-a-Lago where everyone could hear them, interfered with plans to relocate the FBI because a new development there might compete with his hotel, abandoned Iraqi refugees who’d helped the U.S. during the war, tried to get Russia back into the G7, held a COVID super spreader event in the Rose Garden, seemed to believe that Frederick Douglass is still alive, lost 60 election fraud cases in court including before judges he had nominated, falsely claimed that factories were reopening when they weren’t, shamelessly exploited terror attacks in Europe to justify his anti-immigrant policies, still hasn’t come up with a healthcare plan, still hasn’t come up with an infrastructure plan despite repeated “Infrastructure Weeks,” forced Secret Service agents to drive him around Walter Reed while contagious with COVID, told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” fucked up the Census, withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization in the middle of a pandemic, did so few of his duties that his press staff were forced to state on his daily schedule “President Trump will work from early in the morning until late in the evening. He will make many calls and have many meetings,” allowed his staff to repeatedly violate the Hatch Act, seemed not to know that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, stood before sacred CIA wall of heroes and bragged about his election win, constantly claimed he was treated worse than any president which presumably includes four that were assassinated and his predecessor whose legitimacy and birthplace were challenged by a racist reality TV show star named Donald Trump, claimed Andrew Jackson could’ve stopped the Civil War even though he died 16 years before it happened, said that any opinion poll showing him behind was fake, claimed that other countries laughed at us before he became president when several world leaders were literally laughing at him, claimed that the military was out of ammunition before he became President, created a commission to whitewash American history, retweeted anti-Islam videos from one of the most racist people in Britain, claimed ludicrously that the Pulse nightclub shooting wouldn’t have happened if someone there had a gun even though there was an armed security guard there, hired a senior staffer who cited the non-existent Bowling Green Massacre as a reason to ban Muslims, had a press secretary who claimed that Nazi Germany never used chemical weapons even though every sane human being knows they used gas to kill millions of Jews and others, bilked the Secret Service for higher than market rates when they had to stay at Trump properties, apparently sold pardons on his way out of the White House, stripped protective status from 59,000 Haitians, falsely claimed Biden wanted to defund the police, said that the head of the CDC didn’t know what he was talking about, tried to rescind protection from DREAMers, gave himself an A+ for his handling of the pandemic, tried to start a boycott of Goodyear tires due to an Internet hoax, said U.S. rates of COVID would be lower if you didn’t count blue states, deported U.S. veterans who served their country but were undocumented, claimed he did more for African Americans than any president since Lincoln, touted a “super-duper” secret “hydrosonic” missile which may or may not be a new “hypersonic” missile or may not exist at all, retweeted a gif calling Biden a pedophile, forced through security clearances for his family, suggested that police officers should rough up suspects, suggested that Biden was on performance-enhancing drugs, tried to stop transgender students from being able to use school bathrooms in line with their gender, suggested the US not accept COVID patients from a cruise ship because it would make US numbers look higher, nominated a climate change sceptic to chair the committee advising the White House on environmental policy, retweeted a video doctored to look like Biden had played a song called “Fuck tha Police” at a campaign event, hugged a disturbingly large number of U.S. flags, accused Democrats of “treason” for not applauding his State of the Union address, claimed that the FBI failed to capture the Parkland school shooter because they were “spending too much time” on Russia, mocked the testimony of Dr Christine Blasey Ford when she accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, obsessed over low-flow toilets, ordered the rerelease of more COVID vaccines when there weren’t any to release, called for the construction of a bizarre garden of heroes with statutes of famous dead Americans as well as at least one Canadian (Alex Trebek), hijacked Washington’s July 4th celebrations to give a partisan speech, took advice from the MyPillow guy, claimed that migrants seeking a better life in the US were dangerous caravans of drug dealers and rapists, said nothing when Vladimir Putin poisoned a leading opposition figure, never seemed to heed the advice of his wife’s “Be Best” campaign, falsely claimed that mail-in voting is fraudulent, announced a precipitous withdrawal of troops from Syria which not only handed Russia and ISIS a win but also prompted his defense secretary to resign in protest, insulted the leader of Canada, insulted the leader of France, insulted the leader of Britain, insulted the leader of Germany, insulted the leader of Sweden (Sweden!!), falsely claimed credit for getting NATO members to increase their share of dues, blew off two Asia summits even though they were held virtually, continued lying about spending lots of time at Ground Zero with 9/11 responders, said that the Japanese would sit back and watch their “Sony televisions” if the US were ever attacked, left a NATO summit early in a huff, stared directly into an eclipse even though everyone over the age of 5 knows not to do that, called himself a very stable genius despite significant evidence to the contrary, refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and kept his promise, and a whole bunch of other things I can’t remember at the moment. Did I mention he attempted a coup?

But other than that. . .

Please copy and paste. Whoever wrote this deserves credit but I don't know who it is ~ Author unknown

Banning books

 Utah Bans 13 books. (I need to go out and get these.)

Oklahoma revoked this teacher's license for standing up against book bans. She's not backing down. 

 

Just Vote

WE WON'T CHANGE THE MINDS OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS WITH FACTS, LOGIC OR APPEALS OF DECENCY. 

IF THEY COULD BE INFLUENCED BY THESE THINGS, THEY WOULDN'T BE TRUMP SUPPORTERS. 

BUT WE OUTNUMBER THEM AND WE CAN SHOW AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER, AND EVERY NOVEMBER FROM NOW ON.

They have not won.

"Like all fascists, they know that if they can just convince you that the fight is already lost, they win." 

Discussion thread here.

Teach the Bible? ALLL of the Bible?

 https://www.reddit.com/r/teaching/comments/1duwkzi/oklahoma_teach_bible_w_malicious_compliance/

 

Oklahoma Orders Schools to Teach the Bible

How to Truthfully Teach History Now that Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters Orders Schools to Teach The Bible:

Oklahoma Superindentent Ryan Walters Orders Schools to teach the Bible so students will learn the “substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution. Immediate and strict compliance is expected,” the memo noted. Walters continued at a state Board of Education meeting Thursday, saying, “We’ll be teaching from the Bible in the classroom to ensure that this historical understanding is there for every student in the state of Oklahoma.”

Teaching the Bible in Oklahoma:

Ryan Walters must be a true Consitutionalist and believer in education. How grateful we should feel that we now are required to teach our children the role religion played in our nation’s founding–Specifically: how the Founding Fathers, many professed Deists, wanted a strict separation of Church and State. By examining their own words and writings, Ryan Walters might cause students to learn about how:

*George Washington assured a Jewish Congregation there will be no mandated Christian state-religion. *Jefferson wrote his own Bible removing supernatural elements and pens the Act for the Establishing Religious Freedom. *Benjamin Franklin reflected on the loss of his faith and the importance of religious tolerance in The Parable Against Persecution. *James Madison requested that state funds not be used for religious institutions. John Locke combined his religious faith and religious tolerance from the empirical methods of the Age of Enlightenment. *John Adams assured Muslims that America and Islam were friends and not enemies. *to Compare and Contrast the American Constitution and The Ten Commandments to see which laws appear in both, and which don’t, while also comparing ancient laws like Hamarabi’s code to see the development of morality and laws through the ages. *And so much more

The Separation of Church and State:

There’s no need to fear teaching the Bible as a Historical Document. Students will learn that The Founding Father’s never intended America to be a Christian nation. Students will learn how differing Founding Fathers had differing religous beliefs and created the laws of the Constitution to protect freedom of religion. Surely this is what Ryan Walters intends by his edict: To educate the future of America as to the true history and beliefs of The Founding Fathers: The Christians, The Deists, The Atheists, the Unitarians, the Undeclared. Because Ryan Walters is an honorable man, as are they all honorable men. Surely, no honorable man would be intending this edict in an attempt to be un-Constitutional or for nefarious ends? Only the ACLU knows…

Malicious Compliance:

In the event that Ryan Walters intends to force one religion over another in the United States of America, there is no need for any Roman knives in the senate. We, as teachers, can teach The Bible. Teach how The Bible demands the death penalty for wearing mixed fibers in Leviticus (Sorry, Timmy, your cotton/nylon blend P.E. shorts condemn you to eternal damnation). Teach how Thomas Jefferson said, “Every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty … they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon.” So teach honestly about the founding fathers and The Bible and see what happens. The Sun is the greatest disenfectant. Ryan Walters: Come towards the light…

This is a list of resources for those in need of an abortion

 

This is a comprehensive list of resources for those in need of an abortion

Update I guess I've been mass reported for posting these links over Reddit becuase they've suspended my account for "violating content policy". I've tried to appeal multiple times but they don't even reply. Please keep posting these links, now that Roe has been overturn we need them more than ever.

This is a list of resources I’m compiling for people who need an abortion. If you know of any other resource not listed here please let me know and I’ll add it to the list.

Please repost & share with as many people as possible in whichever platform you want (feel free to bookmark these sites, print out this list, write it down or take screenshots in case it gets deleted), so those who are denied access to safe abortion know there's help for them and how to access it ♡

• r/auntienetwork is a network of people who can help provide assistance in a handful of ways to those who need help with an abortion.

• Aidaccess consists of a team of doctors, activists and advocates for abortion rights that help people access abortion or miscarriage treatment. They send the pill worldwide for $110/90€

• Planned Parenthood Unplanned Pregnancy - A Comprehensive Guide

• Plan C provides up-to-date information on how people in the U.S. are accessing abortion pills online

• Ceinfo, Emergency Oral Contraceptive Doses for Birth Control, U.S.

• Ceinfo, Emergency Oral Contraceptive Doses for Birth Control, International

• Abortionfunds connects you with organizations that can support your financial and logistical needs as you arrange for your abortion.

• Yellowhammerfund is an abortion fund and reproductive justice organization serving Alabama and the Deep South.

• Teafund Texas Equal Access Fund provides emotional and financial support to people who are seeking abortion care.

• Gynopedia is a nonprofit organization that runs an open resource wiki for sexual, reproductive and women's health care around the world

• Womenonweb online abortion service can help you do a safe abortion with pills.

• The Satanic Temple stands ready to assist any member that shares its deeply-held religious convictions regarding the right to reproductive freedom. Accordingly, they encourage any member in Texas who wishes to undergo the Satanic Abortion Ritual to contact them so they may help them fight this law directly.

• Carafem helps with abortion, birth control and questions about reproductive healthcare. They do consultations online and send abortion pills on the mail.

• Frontera Fund makes abortion accessible in the Rio Grande Valley (Texas) by providing financial and practical support regardless of immigration status, gender identity, ability, sexual orientation, race, class, age, or religious affiliation and to build grassroots organizing power at intersecting issues across our region to shift the culture of shame and stigma.

• Buckle Bunnies Fund provide practical support for people seeking abortions. H help with transportation, funds to help with hotels, lodging costs and emergency contraceptive funds to actually go towards abortion.

• The Afiya Centers mission is to transform the lives, health, and overall wellbeing of Black womxn and girls by providing refuge, education, and resources. Theye act to ignite the communal voices of Black womxn resulting in our full achievement of reproductive freedom.

• Lilithfund is the oldest abortion fund in Texas, serving the central and southern regions of the state with direct financial assistance for abortions.

• Needabortion provides resources about where to get an abortion (financial help and transportation) and how to get help getting an abortion in Texas.

• Jane’s Due Process helps minors in Texas with judicial bypass for abortion, navigate parental consent laws and confidentially access abortion and birth control. They provide free legal support, 1-on-1 case management, and stigma-free information on sexual and reproductive health.

• Fund Texas choice helps Texans equitably access abortion through safe, confidential, and comprehensive travel services and practical support.

______________________________________________________________________________

Please beware of websites that sell fake abortion pills and fake clinics run by religious groups where they lie and spread misconceptions about abortion to trick people into keeping their fetus. They also promise help and resources that never materialize. The best way to avoid these fake clinics is learning how to recognize them, so I’m linking a couple of short documentaries on the subject that include hidden camera footage exposing their deceptive tactics:

• The Fake Abortion Clinics Of America: Misconception

• Crisis Pregnancy Centers: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Note- Some of these websites may be blocked in your country by your internet service provider. You can bypass this block using a VPN like this one, it's free, safe and easy to install. To get rid of banners and pop-ups you can install uBlock Origin and Popup Blocker. They work on most browsers, on phone as well on PC and it takes a few seconds to install them.

The King Can Do No Wrong

 

Freedom from and for religion

 

That didn't happen. But if it did, it wasn't that bad. But if it was bad, it was long ago so you should forget it. Why are you so emotional?