Category: Terrorism

Athenae, Bigotry, Immigration, Immoral Values, Terrorism, Urban Hellhole

All the Times Nothing Happens

Allison Hantschel

I started a new job in April, one that necessitates my taking the L downtown each day. I’ve been riding the train off and on since we moved here, and never had a problem except when with out-of-town friends or family members who already think I am about to be raped and murdered every day here in the urban hellhole. Like I bring my mom on the very touristy Red Line, and of course that day there’s a guy peeing off the end of the platform and singing. Yesterday the train was crowded, rush hour bodies crammed next to one another … Continue reading All the Times Nothing Happens

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media, Terrorism5 Comments

Can We Stop Speaking for The Terrorists?

Allison Hantschel

Shut up, Tom Friedman:  Appearing on Imus in the Morning Tuesday, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman told host Don Imus that he believes that Islamic State wants Donald Trump to win the presidency. “The bad guys know just what they’re doing,” Friedman said. “They wanted [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] because that would radicalize the situation even more. And I fear that ISIS will believe that Trump would radicalize the situation even more.” I don’t actually think it’s okay to speculate about who ISIS wants to be president. Because first of all, ISIS wants to be president, itself, and second, if ISIS is … Continue reading Can We Stop Speaking for The Terrorists?

Athenae, Stupid Republican Tricks, Terrorism4 Comments

What’s On the Table for This Fight

Allison Hantschel

SHUT UP, PACK YOUR THINGS, AND GET OUT, RON JOHNSON:  Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) insisted Monday that he wasn’t comparing the 9/11 terror attacks to his re-election bid in comments he made over the weekend, instead blaming his opponent for trying to “politicize” those comments. Johnson praised the passengers of United Flight 93 while addressing the Wisconsin Republican Party on Saturday, saying that it was “American” of them to hold a vote before confronting hijackers and taking down the plane on 9/11, The Associated Press reported. “November 2016 we’ll be taking a vote. We’ll be encouraging our fellow citizens to … Continue reading What’s On the Table for This Fight

Athenae, Bigotry, Propaganda, Race, Religion, So Called Liberal Media, Stupid Everything Tricks, Stupid Republican Tricks, Teabaggery, Television, Terrorism4 Comments

On Fighting For Those Who Fight Against You

Allison Hantschel

Charlie:  Before beginning, and in fairness to the good people of Menomonie, Wisconsin, whose voting record we examined earlier Tuesday afternoon, let us remember that Texas is the home office for climate denialists among our elected representatives. It begins at the top with Tailgunner Ted Cruz, who’s been spouting the stupid on this subject heavily for the last few weeks. It runs down through Governor Greg Abbott and indicted attorney general Ken Paxton. And it runs deeply through the Texas congressional delegation, which includes some leading intellectual giants like Lamar Smith and Louie Gohmert, although, to be fair to those other worthies, … Continue reading On Fighting For Those Who Fight Against You

Athenae, Bigotry, Campaign Notes, Elections, Stupid Blue Dog Tricks, Stupid Everything Tricks, Stupid Republican Tricks, Terrorism3 Comments

It Can’t Be Said Often Enough: Trump Was Not a Surprise

Allison Hantschel

Not if you’d been paying attention in any way:  A 2006 report by the Institute for Policy Studies found that, in 2005, CEOs of the largest U.S. private defense contractors continued to profit from the ongoing wars. Defense CEO pay was 44 times that of a military general with 20 years of experience and 308 times that of an Army private in 2005. Generals made $174,452 and Army privates made $25,085, while average defense CEO pay was $7.7 million. In contrast to wealthy individuals who became even wealthier, those who were sent to do the actual fighting comprised disproportionately high … Continue reading It Can’t Be Said Often Enough: Trump Was Not a Surprise

Athenae, Kids Today, Language, So Called Liberal Media, Terrorism1 Comment

Oh Yeah, Why Aren’t You Praying for THIS?!!!

Allison Hantschel

An explosion in a Pakistani park today, and instantly: WHY AREN’T YOU TWEETING ABOUT THIS OH YEAH THEY AREN’T WHITE:  A suicide bomber killed at least 52 people, including many women and children, at a public park in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday, according to government officials and police. The blast occurred in the parking area of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, a few feet away from children’s swings. Around 150 people were injured in the explosion, officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Pakistan has been plagued by a Taliban insurgency, criminal gangs, and sectarian … Continue reading Oh Yeah, Why Aren’t You Praying for THIS?!!!

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media, Stupid Republican Tricks, Terrorism5 Comments

Brussels Attacks and American Journalism Right Now

Allison Hantschel

Following #Brussels attacks, @TedCruz speaks out against @POTUS, @realDonaldTrump: https://t.co/Y2fDxeL8sx pic.twitter.com/qzStBiL5kQ — CBS News (@CBSNews) March 22, 2016 It is a miracle we have any allies left at all. Like, fuck us right now. I mean, it is not that we don’t know what these people are, and we are putting them on our air anyway, to say their garbage, and then we are all shocked and outraged and whatnot, as if we didn’t ask them to be exactly this. When people ask why our politics is the way it is, we can point to the way we normalize and … Continue reading Brussels Attacks and American Journalism Right Now

Athenae, Big Damn Heroes, Bigotry, Immoral Values, Kids Today, Political Crack, Race, So Called Liberal Media, Stupid Republican Tricks, Teabaggery, Terrorism6 Comments

On Standing Up

Allison Hantschel

I have new neighbors. All I knew about them until a few weeks ago was that they had tiny children, wore hijabs and said hello as we passed one another in the alley. That’s my relationship with most of my neighbors, to be honest, especially in the winter months when we all just want to get inside as quickly as possible. A few weeks ago, however, we had dinner. They only moved here a few years ago, for work and school. We talked about our kids, about schools, about learning other languages and our first encounters with other cultures. Kick … Continue reading On Standing Up

Athenae, Bigotry, Elections, Immoral Values, Stupid Republican Tricks, Terrorism1 Comment

Where Do Trump Supporters Go From Here?

Allison Hantschel

The scary thing about Trump is not what if he wins, but what if he loses? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ll put everything I have including my body on the wheels to make sure that happens, but I’m starting to think we need some kind of plan for these people: They’re riled and they’re pissed, and it’s not that they’re wrong to be. Their jobs have gone away, their houses are full of lead and asbestos, their neighborhoods aren’t good enough for grocery stores or restaurants, their schools have holes in the roofs and water in the basements, … Continue reading Where Do Trump Supporters Go From Here?

Athenae, Elections, So Called Liberal Media, Stupid Everything Tricks, Stupid Republican Tricks, Terrorism1 Comment

Donald Trump’s Fascism is So Much Ruder Than Yours!

Allison Hantschel

A few things to note this morning before we begin: Serious guys purge 1000s of Florida voters, battle family end-of-life decisions & hawk a 3rd family invasion of Iraq https://t.co/pp5zwFdiKK — Adam Weinstein (@AdamWeinstein) December 8, 2015   From Tommy’s Monday post: In impolite company I call them “Sand N****rs”.   Indiana Gov. Mike Pence:  Indiana Gov. Mike Pence says he’s asking a Roman Catholic archdiocese to not bring a Syrian refugee family to the state. Pence met for about an hour Wednesday at his Statehouse office with Indianapolis Archbishop Joseph Tobin amid a dispute over the Republican governor’s order … Continue reading Donald Trump’s Fascism is So Much Ruder Than Yours!

Athenae, Stupid Blue Dog Tricks, Stupid Republican Tricks, Syria, Terrorism2 Comments

Democrats Who Voted for SAFE Act are Cowards & Traitors

Allison Hantschel

Once upon a time:  What I want to know, what I want to know, is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting the President’s unilateral intervention in Iraq? What I want to know, is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting tax cuts which have bankrupted this country and given us the largest deficit in the history of the United States? What I want to know, is why the Congress is fighting over the Patient’s Bill of Rights?  If the Patient’s Bill of Rights passes, is a good bill, but not one more person … Continue reading Democrats Who Voted for SAFE Act are Cowards & Traitors

Athenae, Terrorism8 Comments

There’s Only One Way Out and You Need to Come In

Allison Hantschel

In a letter to Ryan, Ben Carson — the retired neurosurgeon and a Republican front-runner — called for Congress to block funding for any programs “that seek to resettle refugees and/or migrants from Syria into the United States, effective immediately.” “Until we can sort out the bad guys we must not be foolish,” Carson said in a news conference in Nevada. Bombing isn’t working and yelling isn’t working and sure as fuck policing what everybody else is Tweeting and Facebooking isn’t working, and if you wanna scream MUSLIMS SUCK at a football game to make yourself feel better, okay I … Continue reading There’s Only One Way Out and You Need to Come In

Athenae, Terrorism5 Comments

Democrats Will Always Have to Answer for Republican Insanity

Allison Hantschel

All day yesterday, it was WHY WON’T OBAMA SAY THE WORDS, and then last night at the Democratic debate, three people who have an infinitely better chance of being president than any Republican ever were challenged to SAY THE WORDS GOD DAMN IT. What were the words? Dickerson presses Clinton on “radical Islam,” Clinton says “We are at war with jihadists…We are at war with violent extremism.” #DemDebate — DJ Judd (@juddzeez) November 15, 2015 Apparently if you say “radical Islam” the war is instantly won! ISIS then is all “oh shit they are on to us” and they all … Continue reading Democrats Will Always Have to Answer for Republican Insanity

Athenae, Terrorism5 Comments

The Ordinary Kindness of Paris

Allison Hantschel

I took four years of French in high school. I’m telling you that and if you know me, you know I have a tin ear for languages. At my best I spoke some restaurant kitchen insult-Spanish and a little reporter Arabic, brokenly, though I worked in Spanish- and Arabic-speaking communities for years. Encountering speakers of other tongues, I relied heavily on hand gestures and hoped that my utter haplessness would seem charming. I tried books, tapes, flash cards; never got any better. It was only exacerbated by marrying a linguistic savant: Mr. A went to Brazil for a week and came back … Continue reading The Ordinary Kindness of Paris

Athenae, Current Affairs, Economy, Immoral Values, Terrorism3 Comments

This Is Why I Have No Patience for Small Talk, Thoughts & Prayers for the Victims, or Cable News Theme Songs

Allison Hantschel

This. This right here. #NeverForget911 pic.twitter.com/2DBDz8FFgv — Jamie East (@mrjamieeast) September 11, 2015 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js   Marriott faux-pologized, natch, as did a bunch of other obnoxious assholes who did obnoxious asshole things like this, who took something that we still don’t even fully know what it was and turned it into an excuse for a mattress sale or whatever. This is why I get so angry at the easy sentimentality and angel-wing GIFs and shit. The survivors are still surviving, and we’re offering them muffins. For half a fucking hour. A. Continue reading This Is Why I Have No Patience for Small Talk, Thoughts & Prayers for the Victims, or Cable News Theme Songs

Athenae, Big Damn Heroes, Congress, Elections, Immoral Values, Stupid Republican Tricks, Terrorism, War in Iraq5 Comments

On Disqualification

Allison Hantschel

Everybody is just so shocked and horrified that someone would say something mean about a veteran who served bravely and was hurt in the war:  Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says Donald Trump’s comment that Sen. John McCain is not a war hero should disqualify him from the 2016 presidential race. “It’s not just absurd, it’s offensive. It’s ridiculous. And I do think it’s a disqualifier as commander-in-chief,” Rubio said in an interview Sunday with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.” The Florida senator was the latest Republican White House contender to hit Trump after the real estate mogul said Saturday that … Continue reading On Disqualification

Athenae, Terrorism

The War Isn’t Over

Allison Hantschel

We’re still failing the survivors:  “In more than 20 years, the VA attempted to reach just 610 of the men, with a single letter sent in the mail,” NPR reporters said. “Brad Flohr, a VA senior adviser for benefits, says the agency couldn’t find the rest, because military records of the experiments were incomplete. There was no identifying information, he says. No Social Security numbers, no addresses, no … way of identifying them.” But an NPR research librarian, working just two months using VA’s own list to scour public records, found more than 1,200 of the subjects. The radio journalists … Continue reading The War Isn’t Over

Athenae, Terrorism, War in Afghanistan, War in Iraq1 Comment

Remembering the War the Way We Have To

Allison Hantschel

This is the one I think of:  Washington (CNN)One former employee of the private Blackwater Worldwide security company was sentenced Monday to life in prison and three others to 30 years each behind bars for their roles in a 2007 mass shooting in Baghdad that left 17 people dead. A federal jury convicted the four in October after a lengthy trial that saw some 30 witnesses travel from Iraq to testify against the security contractors. Prosecutors accused the men of illegally unleashed “powerful sniper fire, machine guns and grenade launchers on innocent men, women and children.” Senior U.S. District Court … Continue reading Remembering the War the Way We Have To

Athenae, Immoral Values, Law/Justice, Race, Terrorism8 Comments

Turning Our Backs

Allison Hantschel

USA Today. Josh Marshall on police unions and their rhetoric about the mayor:   The idea that police demand reflexive support from the city’s Mayor against large segments of or even the majority of the people they’re sworn to serve and protect simply makes no sense. The people of New York and the NYPD are two groups which by definition must coexist. They can do so well or poorly. But they cannot be rid of each other – even though segments of both groups seem to wish they could. The conflicts over policing are ones that need to be worked out at the … Continue reading Turning Our Backs

Athenae, Race, So Called Liberal Media, Terrorism3 Comments

When Killings Happen

Allison Hantschel

So it’s time for politics now.  It’s time for finger-pointing, now. It’s time to talk about violent rhetoric and the impact of words and it’s time to talk about how we talk about what we talk about. Now. Not when Gabrielle Giffords was shot, or the children in Newtown died. Not when Timothy McVeigh blew up a building. Not when George Tiller was gunned down. Those times, those were not the times for politics. For finger-pointing. For reflection or re-examination or change or care. Now. Now it’s the time. Now it’s the time for disclaimers: Of COURSE nobody should shoot … Continue reading When Killings Happen

Athenae, Immoral Values, Terrorism6 Comments

Grossest Response to the Release of the Torture Report

Allison Hantschel

What is “Politico bending over backwards (or maybe forward) to let Bush off the hook,” Alex?  The Senate Intelligence Committee report finds that the “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” program escaped effective scrutiny by outsiders long after its inception in 2002, with CIA records showing that President George W. Bush was never briefed by the agency on specific techniques such as waterboarding until 2006. Top Bush administration officials such as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell were not told of the practices until September 2003. AFTER WHICH THEY KEPT FUCKING DOING IT. And if Rumsfeld found out in … Continue reading Grossest Response to the Release of the Torture Report

Athenae, Bigotry, Race, Religion, Terrorism4 Comments

Smaller

Allison Hantschel

This week, we got just a little bit smaller:  KENNESAW, Ga. — There will be no mosque in Kennesaw. At least not right away. The Kennesaw City Council voted on Monday to reject the request of a group of Muslims seeking to establish a worship center in the city. Anti-Islamic demonstrators outside of Kennesaw City Hall made it clear that they believe an Islamic worship center is not welcome in Kennesaw. The local Islamic group wanting to rent the retail space for their worship center agreed to every limitation that the Kennesaw city attorney wanted to impose, including a two-year … Continue reading Smaller

Athenae, Bigotry, Guns, Immoral Values, Law/Justice, Terrorism

A Nation Under The Law

Allison Hantschel

– owners of people. Stalin’s purges were under the rule of law. Jim Crow was under the rule of law. Nuremburg was under the rule of law. — Hubbit (@hubbit) November 25, 2014 Obama last night:  First and foremost, we are a nation built on the rule of law.  And so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury’s to make. There are Americans who agree with it, and there are Americans who are deeply disappointed, even angry.  It’s an understandable reaction.  But I join Michael’s parents in asking anyone who protests this decision to do so … Continue reading A Nation Under The Law

Adrastos, Boardwalk Empire Recaps, Film, Fog Of History, Terrorism4 Comments

Boardwalk Empire Thread: Van Weirdo, R.I.P.

Peter Adrastos Athas

BE Devil You Know

I didn’t get the memo about the final season of Boardwalk Empire being only 8 episodes. I learned it *after* the dramatic events of last night and now I understand why they put the pedal to the medal.

I tried to resist using this post title but I could not. Van Weirdo has been living on doomed turncoat copper/gangster borrowed time since season-2 but I won’t go into the *other* big event of Devil You Know until after the break.

Continue reading “Boardwalk Empire Thread: Van Weirdo, R.I.P.”