Saturday, May 30, 2020

And another day of fighting institutional racism comes to a close:

"For once, Don't Do It. Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism. Don't accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don't make any more excuses. Don't think this doesn't affect you. Don't sit back and be silent. Don't think you can't be part of the change. Let's all be part of the change." -- Nike

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” — Benjamin Franklin

“I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Deaths

US: 105,557 (+1015)

World: 370,918 (+4109)

Countdown: 157 days

A week of distractions from Trump shows a leader in crisis. On Monday, as the nation marked Memorial Day, President Donald Trump mocked his campaign rival for wearing a face mask. On Wednesday, as the national death toll from coronavirus reached a wretched milestone, Trump and his family flew to Florida in an attempted focus on space travel. By Friday, as smoke was lifting in Minneapolis after a night of racial unrest, he announced the United States would withdraw from the World Health Organization. In between, there was a dark suggestion of murder, false conspiracies about voting through the mail, a fight over where to hold his nominating convention and a dramatic escalation of ill will with the very social media platform that facilitated almost all the other diversions in the first place.

Police act like laws don't apply to them because of 'qualified immunity.' They're right. The Supreme Court created qualified immunity in 1982. With that novel invention, the court granted all government officials immunity for violating constitutional and civil rights unless the victims of those violations can show that the rights were “clearly established.” Although innocuous sounding, the clearly established test is a legal obstacle that’s nearly impossible to overcome. It requires a victim to identify an earlier decision by the Supreme Court or a federal appeals court in the same jurisdiction holding that precisely the same conduct under the same circumstances is illegal or unconstitutional. If none exists, the official is immune. Whether the official’s actions are unconstitutional, intentional, or malicious is irrelevant to the test. — Examples are given, and yes, this must change.

Far-Right Extremists Are Hoping to Turn the George Floyd Protests Into a New Civil War. Far-right extremists are showing up, with guns, to the protests against police brutality that have exploded across the country. Others are egging on the violence from behind their computers, urging followers to carry out acts of violence against black protesters with the goal of sparking a “race war.” — And the worst President this country has ever had is stoking the flames.

Trump says military 'ready, willing and able' to deploy to Minneapolis amid protests. Active-duty forces are normally prohibited from taking part in domestic law enforcement, but the Insurrection Act of 1807 allows for a state legislature or governor to request assistance in the event of civil unrest. — Will Americans be okay with the military storming American cities?

U.S. attorney general says outside agitators taking over anti-police protests. — They’re not anti-police protests. Words are chosen for a reason.

Trump announces unprecedented action against China.

Newly Released Transcripts Show Michael Flynn Betrayed the United States.

FBI's top lawyer, Dana Boente, ousted amid Fox News criticism for role in Flynn investigation. Boente was asked to resign on Friday and two sources familiar with the decision to dismiss him said it came from high levels of the Justice Department rather than directly from FBI Director Christopher Wray.

'No Blame?' ABC News finds 54 cases invoking 'Trump' in connection with violence, threats, alleged assaults.

Colin Kaepernick establishes fund to pay legal fees for George Floyd protesters in Minneapolis.

Groups representing infectious disease doctors, pediatricians and general physicians all protested President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization on Friday, saying it will make it harder to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

From AIDS to Covid-19: Trump's decades of spreading dangerous misinformation about disease outbreaks. Donald Trump has spent decades spreading and sowing dangerous misinformation about disease outbreaks -- from falsely suggesting AIDS can be transmitted through kissing to warning Americans not to get vaccinated and falsely suggesting vaccines can cause autism.

A person who attended a packed pool party in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, over Memorial Day weekend — video of which went viral and drew widespread condemnation — has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Antibody Tests Point To Lower Death Rate For The Coronavirus Than First Thought.

Nike is saying 'Don't Do It' in a message about racism in America.

Joe Biden has a chance to make history on climate change. All he has to do is embrace the consensus that’s waiting for him.

Faculty Are Not Cannon Fodder. Despite what they say, administrators have no idea who is vulnerable to the virus.

UK government authorises return of live sport.

Washington state campgrounds will start reopening June 1.

NASA, SpaceX launch astronauts from US soil for the first time in a decade.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.