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Sir,I have great respect and admiration for one who has the nerve to tie his own hands and then walk out and let a brute brutalize him. I have to respect him, because he's doing something that I don't understand. What he's doing is beyond my power to even comprehend. It would be like putting handcuffs on me and putting me in the ring and telling me to fight Cassius Clay, or Sonny Liston, nonviolently. I don't think I could do it, and whoever could do it, you know power to you.
Malcolm X; Advice to a Nonviolent Heckler; January 7, 1965.
In his note to Wolf Blitzer, former CIA director John Brennan stated, By his words and his actions, Mr. Trump is putting our national security and our collective futures at grave risk. Five Joint Chiefs of Staff have put out individual statements, saying that anti-Semitism, racism, and other types of hatred are unacceptable. And informed sources have reported that the three Generals in Trump's cabinet Mattis, McMaster, and Kelly have agreed that if one resigns, the other two will follow suit.
Any one of these things would be highly unusual, by itself. Any two would seem to be sending a message. All three is a unique example of a coordinated message, both to the administration and congress, and to the American people.
When Trump was transitioning from candidate to president, it was reported that he asked the military leaders what good nuclear weapons were, if we never used them? This stands alone as the most extraordinarily ignorant question any president-to-be has ever asked. It has not slipped the minds of the JCS when Trump threatened nuclear war with North Korea.
It has also been reported that Trump is unhappy with the Generals' proposed plans for the US military in Afghanistan. This includes Trump's complaining that the US isn't allowed total access to Afghanistan's natural resources. What hasn't gotten enough media attention is that a small group in the White House has proposed allowing Erik Prince's mercenary forces to totally replace US troops there on a for profit basis.
Keep in mind Prince's secret meeting with a Russian leader close to Putin, to set up communications between the Trump administration and Moscow. See below link:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/blackwater-founder-held-secret-seychelles-meeting-to-establish-trump-putin-back-channel/2017/04/03/95908a08-1648-11e7-ada0-1489b735b3a3_story.html?utm_term=.25f98c020bdb
Now, all of this could be coincidence so long as we accept Malcolm Nance's rule that coincidence takes a heck of a lot of planning.
Retired FBI agent Michael German has been a guest on CNN since last weekend. He served as an undercover investigator who infiltrated the alt-right movement. He has stated that Trump is definitely sending dog whistles in the alt-right's direction. (He also questioned why a militarized police force was unleashed upon the Occupy Movement, and a more passive one was tasked with dealing with the armed alt-right in Charlottesville?)
Consider all of this within the context of the recently released National Security Council memo, produced in May, titled POTUS & Political Warfare. It claimed that the Deep State, aided by Marxists, were attempting a coup. Now, let's take that two steps forward: first, it claims the Mueller Investigation is an unfair attack on Trump; second, it was part of a larger, coordinated effort by Trump supporters to call the alt-right to take to the streets. See:
http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-memo-that-blew-up-the-national-security-council-2017-8
I will not link any of that nonsense here on DU. However, I note that Malcolm Nance recently spoke about it on the Stephanie Miller show. Mr. Nance stated that the intelligence community has been monitoring discussions on the dark web. People can access the same general information by googling pin head Roger Stone's recent guest appearances on some of the alt-right web programs, available on the dull-wit web.
More, when a shit head like David Duke tells Trump to look in the mirror, and remember white people elected him, we can dismiss it out of hand, because Trump got a larger percentage of both the black and Latino vote than either McCain or Romney
...or we can recognize that more than one half of white women, and almost two-thirds of white men, did vote for Trump. Now, that's crazy. He shouldn't have gotten more than 5% of the vote.
Thus, it is no coincidence that Trump exhibits a compulsive attraction to the other white nuclear power, Russia. Perhaps his worshiping of Putin influences his thoughts on the advantages of being cozy with Erik Prince and other neo-nazi/KKK types?
All of this brings us back to the quote from Malcolm. It is a sad fact that some of our community including some people with good minds are still bellyaching about who supported who last November. One person said that a group she dislikes aren't going to be let off the hook. We're all on the same hook, so long as Trump is in office. If you can't deal with that at this late date, you are handcuffing yourself. You are handcuffing your mind. And you are handcuffing your own ability to defend against the evil that is Donald Trump.
Wouldn't it be better if the DU community came together now and harnessed the strength that we have? If we engaged in on-going internet lobbying of elected officials and journalsts.
Peace,
H2O Man
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)Is there a "how to" manual anywhere on this site?
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)We could identify a topic that we agree upon -- for example, that we support the Mueller investigation -- and use that as a foundation. Then, we could focus on one person in the House or Senate on a given day. Everyone could either e-mail or call that person's office (or do both). People could send a simple statement provided here, or make one of their own.
Perhaps it would encourage that elected official to work to impeach Trump. Or perhaps the message would be about the use of Amendment 25: Section 4.
In our e-mails or calls, we request a response, and inform the politician's office that we plan to report on their response (or lack thereof) on an internet political discussion & action site.
It might sound small in scope, but as Rubin used to say, small doors often open into large rooms.
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)organizing this stuff?
You and Me are far better at organizational constructs than I, especially within the context of the DU community. From 2004 to '08, I was. But starting in '08, lesser and lesser people agreed with me, based largely upon primary considerations.
The exception, of course, was when my cousin & his son were shot in the "road rage" incident. DUers contacted the DA and Judge in record numbers, in a display of human decency that made a huge, very positive impression upon the local legal community.
What I am good at is things such as "ideas" and, if I might be so bold, communications. My handbook for grass roots organizing -- available for free on the internet -- outlines exactly how a group can influence politicians, the media, and public opinion. I've been pleased at the number of groups that use it.
What is interesting to me this morning is that no one has commented upon the connection between this OP, and the most important part of Rachel's reporting last night on MSNBC.
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)about Erik Prince and the proposed mercenary occupation of Afghanistan that is being discussed later today at Camp David. And she connected it with the events with the KKK-neo-nazis.
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)How is it connected?
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)discusses that very point, and connects it to the threat neo-nazi/ ku klux klowns/ Trump pose.
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)but it doesn't look very active.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)But DU:GD seems a better option, at least to me.
coeur_de_lion
(3,666 posts)So let's you and I and Me. (you know, Me)
band together and do something every day.
You in?
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)G_j
(40,366 posts)and certainly will be, if we can't work together to deal with an emergency.
Can't keep your eye on the prize while your casting blame. The solutions are in the present.
"Be Here Now," as Beatle George often noted. It's not the past.
If there was a fire in a neighborhood, or a flood, would anyone really ask their neighbor who they supported in previous elections before helping them? The same should hold true in this most un-natural a disaster known as Trump.