Search Results for: BID

Coronavirus in Chief: A presidential drive-by and other desperate stunts that put lives at risk for theater

Apparently the closing argument from the Trump campaign for his reelection was supposed to be that the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, was overreacting to coronavirus, making fun – for example – of his insistence on wearing a mask and staying distant from others. Trump was supposed to project strength in the face of the pandemic, suggesting that it has been way overblown by Democrats who oppose his administration and who are thus responsible for the faltering economy. Then, of course, coronavirus began to spread like wildfire through Trump’s own inner circle after the Rose Garden celebration on September...

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Decency and Democracy: Responding to political sycophants who designate empathy as a disability

Sympathy is the ability to put yourself in the place of another and understand someone else’s feelings by identifying with them. With empathy, you put yourself in another’s shoes, often feeling things more deeply than if you just felt sympathy. For about a minute today I found myself feeling sorry for Donald Trump. The poor man is now “battling” COVID-19, the pugilistic verb is showing up all over the news. He is in the hospital. He is out of shape. He is 74 years old. His chief of staff reportedly says his symptoms are “very concerning.” Joe Biden is...

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The suburban response to protesters masks a century of housing discrimination in Milwaukee

“You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative.” – Dr. King’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail, April...

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Conspiracy Theories: Misinformation floods social media following Trump’s alleged COVID-19 diagnosis

The surprise October 2 announcement that President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 sparked an explosion of rumors, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that in a matter of hours had littered the social media feeds of many Americans. Tweets shared thousands of times claimed Democrats might have somehow intentionally infected the president with the coronavirus during the debates. Others speculated in Facebook posts that maybe the president was faking his illness. And the news also ignited constant conjecture among QAnon followers, who peddle a baseless belief that Trump is a warrior against a secret...

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Podcast: Voices in Union – Episode 100220

Voices in Union: with Reggie Jackson and Maria Hamilton – is a weekly podcast that focuses on the African American Diaspora in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It connects local concerns to national trends on social justice, and educates the general population on the historical context of those issues. The program’s purpose is to build understanding, with a message of hope and reconciliation, and to offer underrepresented voices a platform to be heard. Milwaukee Independent · Podcast: Voices in Union – Episode 100220 This episode includes a discussion about the embarrassing behavior of Donald Trump at the first debate with Joe Biden,...

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The Sick Man of Democracy: Trump tests positive for COVID-19 before attending planned Wisconsin rallies

With deaths related to COVID-19 spiking in Wisconsin, infection rates pushing double-digits, and hospitals alarmed over capacity issues, Donald Trump still planned to travel to the vital swing state on October 3 for two political rallies during a pandemic, until White House doctors determined that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. President Donald Trump announced on October 2 that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus and were quarantining, a stunning revelation that plunges the country deeper into uncertainty just a month before the presidential election. Trump, who has spent much of the...

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