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Daily Archive: 13/05/2018

Sunday

13

May 2018

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COMMENTS

What I’m Reading – May 13, 2018

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Trump Embarrassing the Nation and Harming People

““But yeah, it ticks me off for this reason— I’m at a point where it’s like, you know what, if he doesn’t want to reach out to me, nobody has the obligation to offer condolence. To me, in his position, it would have been the right thing to do, but no one’s obligated. “However,” Guttenberg said, “don’t use my daughter’s life for a political moment, and that’s what he did, and that pisses me off.”” These Families Of Parkland Shooting Victims Are Still Waiting To Hear From Trump (by Remy Smidt and Brianna Sacks for BuzzFeed News)

“The manual also now includes language stating that when considering recommendations to transfer transgender inmates to facilities in line with their identified gender, officials will consider whether such placement would “threaten the management and security of the institution and/or pose a risk to other inmates.” The changes, which were first reported by BuzzFeed News, also include the addition of the word “necessary” to guidelines about when institutions will facilitate medical treatment.” Trump administration rolls back rules protecting transgender inmates in federal prisons (by Avery Anapol for The Hill)

The Ridiculousness of Brexit

“Like thousands of British retirees living in European Union countries, Barlow, 72, could lose access to his private pension unless U.K. and European negotiators reach a deal that allows the payments to continue after Brexit. With less than a year before the official exit date, the two sides haven’t even started discussing the issue of cross-border financial services, leaving pensioners like Barlow unsure about the future.” U.K.’s Retired Sun Seekers Risk Losing Pensions After Brexit (by Julie Edde for Bloomberg)

Ridiculous Immigration Decisions

“In 2016, Mohite applied for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), paying £2,500 for the premium, one-day service. At her interview, the Home Office pointed to a tax amendment she had made in 2013, after she discovered that her accountant had failed to declare both her pre-declared employment income – on which the taxes had already been paid – and her £15,300 income for self-employment of 2010 to 2011 on her self-assessment tax returns. “It was a very clear error – why would I choose not to declare an income on which I had already paid the tax? – and was picked up straight away by a new accountant I hired in 2013,” said Mohite. “I paid the sum right away.” Despite HMRC having accepted her £4,089.80 amendment without fines or sanctions, the Home Office used the same amendment to not only reject Mohite but serve her with a section 322(5).” Pharmaceutical specialist loses job and home due to tax error (by Amelia Hill for The Guardian)

Racism and Xenophobia

“Anne-Marie Waters of the For Britain Party (who had a very visible presence at the rally) shocked me with her claims of a New World Order, bringing out the old anti-semitic canard that big business and the Far Left are in cahoots to usher in a new authoritarian age. Personally, she seemed unhinged. Terrifyingly, she got a huge response.” A Day for Fear (by Mike Stuchbery)

“One or more people had broken in and spray-painted “Allah Scum,” a racial epithet and other slurs on various surfaces, including the master bedroom door upstairs, the wall of the master bathroom, the refrigerator and a counter top. Police suspect charcoal lighter fluid had been used to set fire to a staircase, according to a report.” ‘Allah Scum’: KC Muslim family leaves new home after hateful slurs, arson ruin it (by Max Londberg or The Kansas City Star)

Racism and White Fragility

“Braasch called the police when she saw Lolade Siyonbola sleeping, which resulted in Siyonbola being interrogated by police for nearly 20 minutes as they attempted to verify her student status. Despite demonstrating that she had a key to her room, a working Yale email address, and a student ID, the police questioned Siyonbola until they got confirmation of her student status in the school’s database. Apparently, her name was spelled wrong in the system, delaying their ability to definitively verify her student status.” ‘I Love Hate Speech’: Sarah Braasch, the white woman who called police on Black Yale grad student for napping in dorm, defends slavery and supports burqa ban in writings (from The Grio)

““‘Harassing’ is definitely the word I would use. He was verbally harassing her,” said Brown’s co-worker, Kevin Simmons, who was busy making drinks at the time of the incident. Moneta paid for his order and promptly left the store. Ten minutes later, Brown says she received a phone call from Joe Van Gogh owner Robbie Roberts, who told her he had been notified about the incident. Brown says she apologized again and “took full responsibility.” Three days after the incident, Brown and Simmons were called into a meeting with Joe Van Gogh human resources representative Amanda Wiley and told that they were being fired.” University official allegedly didn’t like the music in a coffee shop, forced firing of barista (by Melanie Schmitz for Think Progress)

“”I want to make it crystal clear today that it is not acceptable to use these words in print or aloud about African-Americans, especially not by elected officials. As representatives of this great state of Arizona, we are held to a higher standard,” Bolding asserted. He was joined on the floor by fellow Democratic Rep. Geraldine Peten, who stood in agreement and chimed in with Bolding’s statements. To no one’s surprise, their comments were interrupted by a fellow legislator, who said Bolding and Peten were “out of order” and violating House Rule 19. The legislator claimed Syms was “impugned” because she was “accused of using a racial slur.”” The Only Two Black State Representatives In Arizona Called Out White House Member For Using N-Word And Were Reprimanded For It (by Maya J. Boddie for Blavity)

“And then there is a type of trauma inflicted on women of colour that many of us find among the hardest to disclose, the one that few seem willing to admit really happens because it is so thoroughly normalised most people refuse to see it. It is what that writers’ festival audience member was demonstrating, and what blogger and author Luvvie Ajayi called the “weary weaponising of white women’s tears”. To put it less poetically, it is the trauma caused by the tactic many white women employ to muster sympathy and avoid accountability, by turning the tables and accusing their accuser.” How white women use strategic tears to silence women of colour (by Ruby Hamad for The Guardian)

“Video recorded by Michelle Snider on April 29 shows a white woman standing in the East Bay’s designated BBQ zone as she tells a group of black family and friends that they cannot hold a BBQ there using a charcoal grill. One of the men was accused of “trespassing” by the irate woman while on the phone with the police, Kenzie Smith told KRON-TV. The woman hurled several racial epithets at them and told them they’d soon be going to prison for their Sunday afternoon actions.” Video: White Woman Calls Police on Black Family’s BBQ for ‘Trespassing’ in Oakland Park (by Benjamin Fearnow for Newsweek)

“According to WFAA, the restaurant’s manager asked the couple to give up their table because a white “regular” wanted it. The Wimbreys refused. Wimbrey says that after that, the manager became angry and asked them to leave the establishment, before threatening to call the police on him and his wife. Wimbrey believes his race has something to do with the way he was treated that night. “I do believe it’s because of who I am and how I look that they asked me to move tables,” said Wimbrey.” The Manager Of A Texas Restaurant Told This Black Couple They Had To Leave ‘Because I Don’t Like You’ (by
Tonja Renée Stidhum for Blavity)

Equality

“First, I’ve just gotta tell you: If you’re making that argument to anyone who’s actually played any high-level basketball, you’re going to seem really ignorant. But I also have a simple response to it — which is that I’ve been in the NBA for 17 years. I’ve won two championships … I’ve played with some of the best players of this generation … and I’ve played under two of the sharpest minds in the history of sports, in Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich. And I’m telling you: Becky Hammon can coach. I’m not saying she can coach pretty well. I’m not saying she can coach enough to get by. I’m not saying she can coach almost at the level of the NBA’s male coaches. I’m saying: Becky Hammon can coach NBA basketball. Period.” An Open Letter About Female Coaches (by Pau Gaso for The Players Tribune

Sex Work

“For many consensual sex workers, losing these free or low-cost advertising platforms means losing the ability to work indoors and the ability to screen clients ― two major factors that contribute to a sex worker’s overall safety. (People being forced or coerced into prostitution also benefit from client screening and not having to work on the streets, the bill’s opponents point out.) Sex workers also rely on the safety tool of communal “bad date lists” ― websites where sex workers share information on bad or dangerous clients. Sex workers say these too are being shut down in the wake of FOSTA’s passage.” ‘This Bill Is Killing Us’: 9 Sex Workers On Their Lives In The Wake Of FOSTA (by Emily McCombs for Huff Post)