Racist Ranting Anti-Spanish Creepy Lawyer Gets Awesome Mariachi Party

Aaron Schlossberg, whose vile racist rant went viral, has a very,
very bad week because everybody is hating on him. Good!

I've heard a few people say that maybe we're piling up too hard on Aaron Schlossberg.

Schlossberg is that icky New York lawyer in that viral video ranting against a couple of people because they were speaking in Spanish to each other in public.

Imagine! Hearing someone speak a language other than English in New York City of all places!

Uh-huh.

Well, that video has everybody thinking Schlossberg is a piece of crap, and they're right. And he's had a rough few days because of it. Hounded by the press, his landlord kicking his law office to the curb, everybody hating on him.

It's been suggested it's time to lay off him. However, Schlossberg was exercising his free speech, in a particularly odious way, when he ranted at those people for gawd knows why. And people are exercising their free speech when they're callilng Schlossberg out on his stupidity.

Incidentally, Schlossberg seems to have a habit of ranting at "foreigners" or whatever, so he's finally getting his comeuppance.

And I have to say, some of the protests have been pretty damn fun. I don't know why he just doesn't participate. Yesterday, there was a mariachi party in front of Schlossberg's apartment building. (In a nice touch, whoever manages that building flew a Mexican flag on its roof.)

I also hear the tacos served at the mariachi party/protest in front of Schlossberg's apartment building were delicious.

I'm sure Schlossberg has gotten death threats, which is completely wrong and shouldn't happen. But these simultaneously light hearted and serious protests against Schlossberg are just perfect. And should continue.

Here's a clip of the mariachi event in front of his building yesterday:

Trump's NFL Protest Statement Sticks In My Craw More Than Usual

NFL players in pretty much all of Sunday's game
took the knee in solidarity against Trump

Donald Trump doesn't like it when people disagree with him. And he always sounds off on it.

We should be used to it by now. And the latest dust up should be just another in a long series of stupid Trump sideshows. But for some reason, the NFL protest comments Trump made in Alabama just stick in my craw.

And everybody else. He stepped in it, and everybody is rebelling. It's amazing how many NFL games today are doing the whole kneeling and locking arms thing in defiance against Trump.

Friday night, it was NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest how police often treat African-Americans.

As related in the Daily Kos:

"'That's a total disrespect of our heritage. That's a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,' he said, encouraging owners to act. 

'Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flags, you'd say, Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He's fired,'" Trump said to loud applause.'

So a peaceful protest - protected by the First Amendment - is a bad thing that should be criticized, but marching menacingly as a neo-Nazi white supremacist in Charlottesville is OK?

Twitter the cable "news" outfits and other outlets have been a shoutfest ever since the comments made the light of day.

Once again, Trump - or one of his evil, dumb minions, are trying to get people fired from doing something completely benign: Peacefully protesting, without causing injury, harm or a lot of disruption, really.

That's really something. And so un-American.  A president trying to get private employers to fire people who have viewpoints that he doesn't like.

In the grand scheme of things, when things like Trump's warmongering with North Korea, the suffering of people in post-hurricane Puerto Rico, and Russia's meddling are going on, a jerk like Trump insulting NFL players is not the biggest crisis in the world.

But this has really touched a nerve.  People really cherish the right to speak out, even if they disagree with others speaking out. Sure, some of the right wing wackos on those cable shoutfests say the NFL players who 'take the knee" during the national anthem are somehow disrespecting the flag, which is nonsense.

They actually ARE respecting the flag by participating in their own way to improve the nation. Efforts to make this a better nation are by definition patriotic.

But Trump only cares about his ignorant base. So he caters to them, because the deplorables can only understand the red meat Trump throws at them.

The National Review admits this:

"(Trump) takes a commonly held sentiment - most people don't like the NFL protests - and states it in an inflammatory way guaranteed to get everyone's attention and generate outrage among his critics. When those critics lash back at him, Trump is put in the position of getting attacked for a fairly commonsensical view. 

Of course, NFL owners firing players on the spot for protesting isn't necessarily common sense, but this where 'seriously, not literally' comes in. Since everyone knows that owners aren't going to do this, Trump's statement registers for his supporters merely as forceful opposition to the protests, not as a specific plan of action."

The flaw with this argument is the critics seem to outnumber the base. A lot of people who once disliked the NFL protests suddenly see their value, or at least can muster some sympathy for them.

Which is why the number one hashtag on Twitter overnight and today has been #TakeTheKnee.

That even NFL owners who supported Trump and even donating to him are not happy with the so-called president's whines.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who previous called Trump a very good friend, said he was "deeply disappointed by Trump's comments."

"I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal.... Our players are intelligent, thoughtful, and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is impactful."

At today's Detroil Lions game, not only did the team take the knee, so did singer Rico Lavelle when he finished singing the national anthem.

Donald Trump loves to cause division. It diverts attention from his misdeeds. So the more we argue among ourselves, the more he loves it. He started another big argument. And he did it classlessly, as usual, by using words like "bitch" and such.

It seems people are still more united than he would like. A few Trump partisans are appalled by the NFL protests, yes, but most of us are watching the First Amendment at work at NFL sidelines of all places.

That's a great thing to watch.

Teresa Kaepernick @B4IleaveU

Replying to @JamilSmith

Guess that makes me a proud bitch!

Eric Ebron 

✔@Ebron85

Does anyone tell trump to stick to politics, like they tell us to stick to sports? Smh.

Ben Gardner @BenGardner87

To be clear, Colin Kaepernick's "crime" is protesting systemic racism and police brutality. Trump called him a "son of a bitch" tonight.

Manny Fidel 

✔@mannyfidel

Trump on Kaepernick: son of a bitch!

Trump on Nazis: they're bad but like lol idkhttps://twitter.com/dcexaminer/status/911407560938442757 …

At Least People Are Keeping Up The Pressure On Trump, So Far

Massive anti-Trump protest at JFK airport Saturday

President Trump said yesterday that his un-American, incredibly poorly thought out sudden ban on Muslims entering the United States is "working out very nicely."

Which is one way to look at it, I suppose.

Another way to look at it is through the lens of reality - what a concept!  There have been a few, um, complications, as I'm sure you've seen on the news.

To review:

--- A federal judge in Brooklyn blocked part of the executive order not much more than 24 hours after Trump issued it.  The judge helped prevent some of the people who had just arrived from being deported, and freed them from a weird airport limbo, because they arrived just as the executive order was implemented.  Federal judges in Virginia, Washington State and Boston have made similar rulings.

---- Speaking of that, the world noticed how incredibly poorly executed Trump's executive order was. Even if you agree with all of its goals. (I surely do not) can you believe you incompetently it was laid out?  My wonderful but dopey cocker spaniel Jackson could have done a better job with implementation.

I'm sure Trump's dopeyness increased his standing in the world, ha!

---- Thousands of Americans rushed out to airports Saturday to demonstrate against Trump's ban and to support refugees. This is a biggie. Mr. Rogers famously said that whenever bad things happen, look for the helpers. There's always helpers. Sure enough, the airports were packed with 'em. Take that, Trump!

It's especially telling that the demonstrations pretty much started spontaneously. No real advocacy group slowly organizing a movement. Just a bunch of Americans heading to the airports to protest. And a bunch of immigration lawyers heading out there with them for some patriotic pro bono work.

This isn't to say I've gone all Pollyanna on everybody. Trump will continue to make everything more dangerous, tilt us toward war and ever-increasing terrorist attacks, wreck the economy, hopelessly smear America's reputation and make us a world embarrassment.

Tough times are ahead because of this.

I just have a small sense of relief, anyway, that many Americans are not taking this sitting down. The Women's March last weekend was "Yuuuuge!!!" as Trump might say, had he supported the demonstration.

It's also good that some of the leaders, not enough of them, but some of them, are following the protesters. I noticed the mayors of New York and Boston, two cities that have suffered terrorist attacks, are all gung-ho about the anti-Trump protests.  

I swear my slightly dopey but loveable dog
Jackson could run the country more competently
than Donald Trump

Trump's backers often say that people who protest against the president are "snowflakes" who are overly sensitive, and get their feelings hurt over every so-called bold move the president makes.

One of my Vermont friends on Twitter, Caitlin Maroney said that when a whole bunch of snowflakes get together, you end up with a blizzard. You know how disruptive blizzards can be. Don't you, Mr. Trump?

I  hope all these protests remain peaceful. We're playing into Trump's hands, his lie that we've become a nation out of control, if things become violent. All those airport protests were peaceful. More are planned today.

These big demonstrations won't alone get rid of Trump. But each outbreak of peaceful outrage does tear down his authority a little bit. He's big on optics, and these demonstrations are terrible optics for Trump on the world stage.

He'll keep overreaching and being stupid and authoritarian, just like his henchman and shadow dictator Steve Bannon.

People power can win in the end.

Burlington, Vermont Police Chief Has Perfect Response To Protests On Veterans Day.

Burlington, Vermont Police Chief Brandon del Pozo
got veterans and democracy exactly right in
a statement about anti-Trump protests on Veterans Day.  

I'm going to let Burlington, Vermont Police Chief Brandon del Pozo be my unwitting guest blogger today.

Like many cities across the nation, people in Burlington are holding an anti-Trump rally.  

The march against Trump in Burlington is scheduled for today, Veteran's Day. Some people objected to the demonstration being held on Veterans Day.

Here's how del Pozo responded to that objection today on Facebook:

"There's a rally scheduled today at City Hall Park to rebuke what so many feel is the hateful and racist rhetoric of the United States president-elect.

Some people are upset that it's happening on Veteran's Day, a time reserved for somber reflection on the service and sacrifice of so many everyday Americans. 

But I think it's the perfect day for a protest rally. How do you better honor people's legacy than by using something great they've given you?

Protest on Veteran's Day, Americans, if you desire! It's our right, and it was secured by the men and women who are our veterans. It seems like a more profound way to honor them than simply laying a wreath."

By the way, responding to critics on Facebook, del Pozo assured everyone he'd have the same attitude had Clinton won and right wing protesters took to the streets. He also said he has no tolerance for violence. He just wants to encourage peaceful democracy.

Good work, Chief!!!

Another Journalist Arrested, Jailed For Covering Anti-Pipeline Protests In North Dakota.

Filmmaker Deia Schlosberg was arrested in North Dakota
for filming anti-pipeline demonstrators and could face
up to 45 years in prison. Add caption 

Last week, I thought sanity finally prevailed when a North Dakota judge dropped charges against Democracy Now! journalist Amy Goodman.

She'd documented an anti-oil pipeline demonstration by Native Americans that turned rather violent. (Guards for the company building the pipeline pepper sprayed protestors and threatened them with attack dogs.)

Goodman was charged with "rioting," mostly because her film of the incident turned viral, but a judge last week said the charge was unwarranted.

Yay! right?

Um, no.

Another journalist/film maker, Deia Schlosberg, was arrested in North Dakota more than a week ago and faces up to 45 years in jail, charged with conspiracy, along with activists Samuel Jessup and Michael Foster.

Reuters says the criminal complaint accuses Schlosberg of agreeing with Jessup and Foster two weeks in advance to "engage in conduct that would constitute theft of property" and of traveling to the pipeline site in the same vehicle as Jessup and Foster.

According to Reuters and other sources, Schlosberg was taken into custody early this month. For 48 hours, she was reported denied access to a lawyer.

The reports don't make clear what Schlosberg was supposedly going to steal, and of course a documentarian with a point of view would travel with people she's interviewing, and probably agreeing with.

Reuters said the Pembina County Sheriff's Office has repeatedly declined to comment. As if shutting up will make this mess go away.

Especially with the publicity this latest round of North Dakota anti-First Amendment censorship is getting.

A number of random celebrities are rallying around Schlosberg, including Neil Young, Mark Ruffalo,
and Daryl Hannah.

Whether the celebrities have any influence or not, North Dakota prosecutors really need to brush up on their Constitution.

I'm sure Schlosberg's work has a specific point of view, a slant, a bias, if you will, that North Dakota prosecutors don't like.  I'm guessing for sure she's on the side of the anti-pipeline demonstrators.

Of course those prosecutors are under no requirement to like her work. They, too have the First Amendment right to say she's biased, her journalism is unfair, her work is shoddy, if that's what they believe. They can yell these opinions from the rooftops and we'll all just have to suck it up and let them.

That's the deal in America.

What the state's attorneys and prosecutors in North Dakota can't do is shut journalists and documentarians up via criminal charges because they don't like what they're saying, or the way they're saying it.

State sponsored censorship, anyone?

State's Attorneys in North Dakota are elected positions, and it would be interesting to find out to what extent the oil pipeline companies contribute to their campaigns. I wonder how much those likely contributions are influencing decisions to press charges.

Meanwhile, the protests against the pipelines continue in North Dakota, with or without people filming it. About 80 people were arrested in demonstrations Saturday, says Reuters. 

Cops' Oversensitivity To Criticism Rolls On, Making Our Eyes Roll

Cops turn their backs on New York Mayor Bill de Blasio
as the mayor eulogies slain cop Rafael Ramos.  

Over the weekend, cops in New York turned their backs to the city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, gave a eulogy for NYPD officer Rafael Ramos, who, along with Officer Wenjian Liu, were murdered in cold blood by a deranged guy with a beef against the police.

Earlier this month,  Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins wore a shirt during pre-game warmups that read, "Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford III."

The shirt was in reference to a kid with a toy gun that looked like a real one who was recently shot dead by Cleveland Police, and a Walmart shopper who was holding an air gun (but not menacing anyone.)

And predictably, some of the police union spokespeople practically had strokes being upset over some pretty mild protests.Judging from the reaction by the police union in Cleveland, you'd think Hawkins bombed police headquarters or something.

In the case of de Blasio, police union officials say the mayor has "blood on his hands" for even suggesting there could be some police re-training to prevent deaths like that of Ed Garner, who died in an apparent chokehold during an arrest by the NYPD.

A grand jury declined to indict an officer involved in Garner's death, prompting protests and calls for reform or retraining by de Blasio.

In New York, the pushback from police is at least understandable, since two officers were senselessly murdered. But still, showing such disrespect at a funeral to me is over the top. Especially since de Blasio isn't exactly out there saying all cops are scum.

He's just saying that there might be a problem if people are dying in violent encounters with police over relatively minor crimes.

I don't have any trouble whatsoever with police reacting to, or criticizing news of deaths at the hands of police. It just that some of these protests, particularly the one over Hawkins in Cleveland are really over the top.

The local police union in Cleveland, Ohio
reacted with over-the-top outrage
when Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Andrew Hawkins wore this protest warm
up shirt before a recent NFL game.  

Police Patrolman Union President Jeff Follmer quickly sent out the following statement:

"It's pretty pathetic when athletes think they know the law. They should stick to what they know beest on the field. The Cleveland Police protect and serve the Browns stadium and the Browns organization owes us an apology."

Well, then.

As usual with this kind of fake outrage over a protest like Hawkins' there's some intellectual fallacies here.

"They should stick to what they know best on the field."

So what you're saying is since Hawkins is a football player, he should offer opinions only about football and nothing else?  So does Jeff Follmer have no opinions other than those that have something to do with policing?

I also saw no evidence that Hawkins denies that police protect and serve the Cleveland Browns stadium, so where did Follmer get that?

Anyway, no apology was forthcoming. The Cleveland Browns organization and the NFL said the police are free to express their opinions, and players like Hawkins can express theirs, as long as they do it in a responsible manner.

Then Hawkins unintentionally made the police union guy look incredibly stupid when Hawkins eloquently explained his protest and his shirt to ESPN after the game.

Hawkins basically said a call for justice should not offend or disrespect anybody, that he respects every police officer who "protects and serves all of us with honesty, integrity and the right way."

"My wearing the t-shirt was a stance against wrong individuals doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons to innocent people."

He went on to say that his mother taught him as a youngster the unfortunately reality was there are bad police officers scattered among all the good ones.

Hawkins says he gets it that officers must make snap decisions under difficult circumstances, that it can't always work out perfectly and it's a hard situation to be in.

"But if the wrong decision is made, based on pre-conceived notions or the wrong motives, I believe there should be consequence."

Then there's this Hawkins said that goes to the heart of the matter, something Follmer doesn't seem to understand:

"I have a two year old little boy. The same two year old little boy that everyone said was cute when I jokingly threw him out of the house earlier this year. That little boy is my entire world. And the Number One reason for me wearing the T-shirt was the thought of what happened to Tamir Rice happening to my little Austin scares the living hell out of me. 

And my heart was broken for the parent of Tamir and John Crawford knowing they had to live that nightmare of a reality. So, like I said, I made the conscious decision to wear the T-shirt."

Well, then.

And when I say "Well, then." I mean it in a totally different way than when I was mocking Follmer.

Hawkins thoughtful comments are why people are up in arms over police shootings. As if that wasn't obvious.

All this publicity over police shootings have officers feeling under siege. That includes the good officers who really do protect and serve, who are thoughtful, who are professional, who find ways to somehow show grace under life and death pressure.

But criticizing, or just raising questions over why so many black people seem to die at the hands of white police officers isn't indicting every police officer in the nation. I also think these questions are actually good for all police officers.

Wouldn't they want to weed out the bad cops and promote the good ones? Maybe instead of whining, the police unions who get the vapors and are ready to faint at the slightest criticism can offer their own ideas for reform.

It seems like police and other other law enforcement have been pretty unscathed by public scrutiny over the years and maybe that's made some of them think they are above the law, which is ironic.

Or maybe a few of them don't want things to change, and think maybe it's OK if some black people get killed on the streets at the hands of white officers.

Some of the police union leaders/squawkers doth protest too much. If you overreact that much to some people practicing their First Amendment rights, maybe you're trying to squelch the attention that could lead to reforms.

I really hope that's not what's going on.

Idiotic Couple Mocks Eric Garner During News Report

Today's New York Daily News
Front Page was graphic, but much
more tasteful than an idiotic
couple mugging for the cameras
behind a journalist reporting on this.  

Gawker calls them America's Worst Couple and it's hard to disagree.

The couple in question were two of those types of idiots who make goofy gestures in the background as a television reporter gives a live update.

In this case, WPIX-TV reporter Allison Kaden was giving an update on demonstrators near the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, which had its lighting ceremony Wednesday evening.

That lighting ceremony happened as demonstrations continued across New York City and elsewhere against a grand jury decision in which a New York cop was not indicted despite fatally choking Eric Garner.

That move was caught on videotape as police tried to arrest Garner on suspicion of illegally selling cigarettes.

Anyway, Kaden was giving her update on the demonstrations and the tree lighting, when a couple moved into position behind Kaden and on camera, the guy cartoonishly pretended to choke the woman, who cartoonishly reacted by waving her arms and faking a scream

What a classy couple. I'm sure they thought they were hilarious.

The Internet is pretty unforgiving, and I'm sure this couple will be identified soon, and all hell will break out. They'll get death threats, lots of flame, lots of harassment on line and elsewhere.

No, this couple doesn't deserve death threats or harassment. But shame on them!

The video of this moronic couple is below, but to soften this up, I also posted an image of the excellent New York Daily News front page today which uses Garner's last words "I can't breathe!" as he was being choked by the cop.

Here's the stupid couple video: