The hearing of Amy Coney Barrett has been interesting. It has been filled with long debates spanning a myriad of issues from abortion to health care. Republicans presented the front that Barrett is not an ideologue, but a near centrist. Republicans are using the slick tactic of falsely characterizing any dissent with Barreyt's judicial philosophy as equivalent to an attack on her religion, her family, and her friends. That is not the case. People are free in a any society to dissent with anyone's views. Legitimate dissent is not evil. Barrett said that she is an originalist. An originalist is a person who interprets the law on the basis on the time which was it was written. The problem with that philosophy is that back then, black folks, women, Native Americans, and other people didn't have equal rights. The Constitution does change over time. The Constitution once considered black people 3/5s human if they were slaves. The Constitution changed to ban slavery and consider all people equal under the law. That is a simple example of how a totally strict original intent ideology is extremist and archaic. The Internet didn't exist back in the 1700's, but the law does deal with Internet issues constantly. Trump is rather clear that he wants the ACA to be gone, he refuses to say if he would peacefully give up his power to Biden if he loses the election, and that he compared Biden to a person needing to go into an old assisting living facility (which is disrespectful to elderly people and ageist. That is why Trump's support among the elderly population of America has declined). For Amy Coney Barrett to refuse to comment on whether voter intimidation is illegal is telling. Obviously, voter intimidation is illegal, immoral, evil, and just plain wrong.
The Constitution is a living document that has always changed over time with the changing dynamics of the social realities of American society. For example, there are Amendments that banned slavery, set term limits among Presidents, and regulates the age of people who are allowed to vote. Many Senators like Klobuchar told Barrett that voter suppression efforts are readily real in American society now not just back in the day. While this is going, Trump said that he wanted a majority court in his favor in trying to override an unfavorable election result. This would overturn the Constitution. Barrett helped to prepare the legal briefs used by George W. Bush campaign in the Supreme Court decision that halted the vote counting in Florida (which caused Bush to be President in 2000). The GOP said that they promoted a relief bill, but it was rejected because it was anemic not powerful to address the working class and the suffering. Barrett issued rulings that voted in favor of executions, opposition to gun control, and she verbally said that she admired Scalia. So, Barrett is far from a centrist judge. She is what she is.
Trump made the sexist remark that Kamala Harris is a monster. Also, he said that Harris is a Communist. It is obvious that a look at Kamala Harris' policies shows that she is not a Communist. Also, Harris is not a monster. This dehumanization of black women is typical of a sick person like Trump. Trump said that Maxine Waters has IQ, he called Frederica Wilson wacky, he said that Ilhan Omar was out of control, he called Omarosa Manigualt a dog, he said that Stacey Abrams was unqualified, he said that April Ryan was nasty, he said that Abby Phillip wasn't that smart, and he lied and called Yamiche Alchindor a racist. Therefore, these human beings are black women, and they are to be treated with dignity and with respect. That alone should cause anyone to vote Trump out of office.
Trump has no respect for women, black people, or anyone who disagrees with his disturbing rhetoric. Kamala Harris said that the GOP is coming for our pre-existing conditions which is true. While this is going on, class reductionists like Krystal Ball (who ignores that there is nothing wrong with policies and laws addressing both economic injustice and racial injustice too. Eliminating class oppression is good, but that alone won't eliminate racism. In other words, we could eliminate all forms of economic oppression which would be great. Yet, doing that alone will never eliminate racism or sexism. Ball's friend is a notorious far right person Saagar Enjeti) is acting like Biden and Trump are near identical. That is not the case. One person supports Confederate flags and Confederate statues. Another person doesn't. One person questions the existence of climate change. Another person doesn't. One person doesn't even want single payer or even a public option. Another person wants a public option added to the ACA. One person supports a bigoted Muslim ban. Another person doesn't. So, there is absolutely no moral equivalency here. This election is the most important election of our lifetimes. Our rights are on the ballots. People lives are at stake literally. That is why Trump must be voted out office come November 2020.
Days ago was the Birthday of the late Dick Gregory. For decades, he has been a voice for our community. He has talked about health issues, civil rights, human rights, and being against apartheid too. He loved his wife, Lilian Gregory and his 11 children. For a long time, he witnessed the viciousness of racism. Yet, that never disrupted his soul. He came about to speak his mind, and to inspire others to change their own lives. From showing comedy to being put in jail for his civil rights activism, he never feared injustice. He wanted it to be completely eradicated. His knowledge of many subjects have influenced the modern social activists in our time in 2020 too. To his dying day, he believed that more than one person was involved in the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy. Dick Gregory was one of the many leaders who blatantly fought against the evil of apartheid in South Africa. He wrote a lot of literature, toured the world, and lived a long life in service to the truth.
Rest in Power Brother Dick Gregory.
By Timothy
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