Well, well, well – look who’s waking up and raring to go: Mr. and Ms. WOKE! We so-called “woke” people have been the target of far-right politicos and front groups that are frantically trying to ban us and our ideas from America’s political discourse. In the past few years, such thuggish gubernatorial demagogues as Ron DeSantis have perverted the power of Big Government to attack teachers, librarians, public agencies, and even
Donald Trump gave sanction to the perceived grievance, anger, fear and intolerance that has been hiding under the rocks for several decades since the civil rights movement and other aspects of the multi-cultural evolution made such bigotry and intolerance somewhat unacceptable. Trump gave some people permission to come out of hiding.
1) The opposite of "woke" before these shenanigans was "asleep," which is where these demagogues want the public to be (they've about ruined the word "populist").
2) George Carlin was right when he said the powers that be have little interest in a public who can think critically.
3) I live in Texas, where we have cartoon-types running most of state.
4) The dark side of U.S. history should be known.
4a) Slavery (of the first 12 presidents only the Adams's owned no slaves ever).
4b) Constant meddling in Central and South America to the detriment of the inhabitants.
4c) A long list of bigotry against marginalized groups.
Ron who? He may be governor of our neighbor state, but he is a zero, not a hero. What a hopeful sign that most people are already forgetting him and his message. Let us hope we can see the same development with the Maga "movement" and its weak, cowardly, nasty-minded leader. Three cheers for wokeness!!
I encourage the readers of this newsletter to read Rachel Maddow's "Prequel." It examines the tenor of politics in the months/years leading up to our involvement in WW II.f you don't know the history of the Fascist movement in America, you must read this. The whole "America First" slogan is directly from the Fascist forces in this country. Here in Georgia, our benighted GOP legislature is trying to push through a bill to get an official GA license plate embellished with "America First." If we don't resist the modern Facists, we are doomed to repeat a disastrous part of our history.
Great article, Jim. There was always some light at the end of the tunnel, but the fog of the demagogues kept it dim. Now, we're feeling the warmth of the sunlight! We are in the process of making America a country to be admired. We've walked that lonesome valley and now we're climbing to the top of the mountain. The path is paved with admitting our shortcomings of the past and having a goal of liberty and justice for all. We could do it by respecting everyone and working together. God bless America!
There does seem to be a evil axis. But, it lies in the heart of most Americans. People blame leaders, but, who elected those leaders. Most Americans respect authority, when most people in power do not deserve it. Everyone supports the status quo when it only keeps them in shambles. We should not listen to what the man said. We have to demand a new world order. Stop being grateful for the crumbs you are handed. I hear to often ‘ I’m thankful l have a job’. But you do not have a life. People are manipulated everyday.they mistakenly think they have a mind of their own. Recognize that somewhere in the recess of your mind you have self worth and are connected with your fellow man. Come out of the darkness and illuminate the world.
Maga's giving us a gift and I guess they don't know because they're asleep. I love woke, awake to creating DEI and truth, civility, no bullying, the right to choose health for my body, to love/marry who I choose, to no censorship, to choose a religion or not, to celebrate color blindness. Yes woke is being awake, moving forward not backwards!
Ignorance is Bliss. I believe it is treatable but I don't know where to start. Schools used to be the best source of treatment but we have pretty much eliminated that course of medicine . What we actually need is more "socialism" but realistically, that isn't going to happen either. So, eat, drink and be merry.
Good news! What, pray tell, is the logic behind attacks on having a conscience?! Guess it goes with being anti-Antifa; to clarify, set the double negative aside and it's just plain old pro-Fa.
I've been reading about finance. I'd assumed the argument was about how to interpret data and to what degree the econ system should be democratic. Turns out there's no sound reasoning whatsoever behind what the Austrian and Chicago schools assert! (They're who urged deregulation, organized the WTO, approve of empire, and cheer on the neo-Gilded Age.) All simply the wishful thinking of a self-defined superior elite that believes it has the right to rule, the right to determine the econ and political systems for the entire world.
A big factor is the elite's resentment and fear. Fear of the majority--us. A lingering resentment of the New Deal, which was explicitly anti-finance/corporate domination and which brought us Social Security, unemployment insurance, enabled unions, supported small farmers, and other nightmares for the $$$ elite. Same reaction to humane ("socialist"--the horror!) systems in Europe, like national healthcare. BTW, the biz groups NAM and C of C were behind the campaign for right wing versions of Christianity specifically as opposition to the New Deal.
And a big plus is that "woke" came from AAVE, Black American term for awareness of racial and social justice. So of course reactionaries use it as a pejorative.
I like a woke bloke. It is an odd word, but we should all enjoy the use of this word. I think there is a time to sleep, but there are also much to see and hear when you are awake. Awake might be sad, but
being awake means we are woke, which is a nice way to be.
Most everyone thinks that people should get a fair shake regardless of race, sex, etc. BUT "DEI' and "woke" have less to do with that , than with far leftist administrators ruling by decree. The women on the UPenn swim team were threatened "we'll make sure you never get into grad school, we'll make sure you never get a job" by the administration, if they DARED object to a man in their locker room. The board of psychology in Canada pulled Jordan Peterson's license, NOT for professional misconduct but for his personal opinions. (He called one of Pierre Trudeau's lackeys a 'prick' and said that a "plus size" model was "not beautiful") English people have been arrested for saying or posting things the Liberal regime doesn't like. The California legislature passed a bill that would let the State take your children away if a State employee decide to have them 'transitioned" and you did not sign a paper saying you supported the State's decision. This is NOT a square deal for everyone. This is Mao-ism. Absolute tyranny. Possibly even worse than anything trump has in mind for us.
Yes Jim, Republican voters rejected DeSantis and his WOKE rants, but what confuses me is that they've glommed on to Donald Trumps dystopian vision of how life in the U.S. should be if (God forbid) he is re-elected. If there ever was a time in this country for us to be woke, as in awake, aware and vigilant, that time is now.
Donald Trump gave sanction to the perceived grievance, anger, fear and intolerance that has been hiding under the rocks for several decades since the civil rights movement and other aspects of the multi-cultural evolution made such bigotry and intolerance somewhat unacceptable. Trump gave some people permission to come out of hiding.
1) The opposite of "woke" before these shenanigans was "asleep," which is where these demagogues want the public to be (they've about ruined the word "populist").
2) George Carlin was right when he said the powers that be have little interest in a public who can think critically.
3) I live in Texas, where we have cartoon-types running most of state.
4) The dark side of U.S. history should be known.
4a) Slavery (of the first 12 presidents only the Adams's owned no slaves ever).
4b) Constant meddling in Central and South America to the detriment of the inhabitants.
4c) A long list of bigotry against marginalized groups.
4d) The original Wounded Knee massacre.
Ron who? He may be governor of our neighbor state, but he is a zero, not a hero. What a hopeful sign that most people are already forgetting him and his message. Let us hope we can see the same development with the Maga "movement" and its weak, cowardly, nasty-minded leader. Three cheers for wokeness!!
The GOP just doesn’t have a social conscience, haven’t had since the Reagan Revolution. And that’s been a very long time. Just an observation.
I encourage the readers of this newsletter to read Rachel Maddow's "Prequel." It examines the tenor of politics in the months/years leading up to our involvement in WW II.f you don't know the history of the Fascist movement in America, you must read this. The whole "America First" slogan is directly from the Fascist forces in this country. Here in Georgia, our benighted GOP legislature is trying to push through a bill to get an official GA license plate embellished with "America First." If we don't resist the modern Facists, we are doomed to repeat a disastrous part of our history.
What is the adverse of "Woke"? Is it "Dumb" or "Stupid" or both? How about "Ignorant"!
Great article, Jim. There was always some light at the end of the tunnel, but the fog of the demagogues kept it dim. Now, we're feeling the warmth of the sunlight! We are in the process of making America a country to be admired. We've walked that lonesome valley and now we're climbing to the top of the mountain. The path is paved with admitting our shortcomings of the past and having a goal of liberty and justice for all. We could do it by respecting everyone and working together. God bless America!
DeSantis a horrible authoritarian wannabe!
There does seem to be a evil axis. But, it lies in the heart of most Americans. People blame leaders, but, who elected those leaders. Most Americans respect authority, when most people in power do not deserve it. Everyone supports the status quo when it only keeps them in shambles. We should not listen to what the man said. We have to demand a new world order. Stop being grateful for the crumbs you are handed. I hear to often ‘ I’m thankful l have a job’. But you do not have a life. People are manipulated everyday.they mistakenly think they have a mind of their own. Recognize that somewhere in the recess of your mind you have self worth and are connected with your fellow man. Come out of the darkness and illuminate the world.
Maga's giving us a gift and I guess they don't know because they're asleep. I love woke, awake to creating DEI and truth, civility, no bullying, the right to choose health for my body, to love/marry who I choose, to no censorship, to choose a religion or not, to celebrate color blindness. Yes woke is being awake, moving forward not backwards!
Ignorance is Bliss. I believe it is treatable but I don't know where to start. Schools used to be the best source of treatment but we have pretty much eliminated that course of medicine . What we actually need is more "socialism" but realistically, that isn't going to happen either. So, eat, drink and be merry.
Good news! What, pray tell, is the logic behind attacks on having a conscience?! Guess it goes with being anti-Antifa; to clarify, set the double negative aside and it's just plain old pro-Fa.
I've been reading about finance. I'd assumed the argument was about how to interpret data and to what degree the econ system should be democratic. Turns out there's no sound reasoning whatsoever behind what the Austrian and Chicago schools assert! (They're who urged deregulation, organized the WTO, approve of empire, and cheer on the neo-Gilded Age.) All simply the wishful thinking of a self-defined superior elite that believes it has the right to rule, the right to determine the econ and political systems for the entire world.
A big factor is the elite's resentment and fear. Fear of the majority--us. A lingering resentment of the New Deal, which was explicitly anti-finance/corporate domination and which brought us Social Security, unemployment insurance, enabled unions, supported small farmers, and other nightmares for the $$$ elite. Same reaction to humane ("socialist"--the horror!) systems in Europe, like national healthcare. BTW, the biz groups NAM and C of C were behind the campaign for right wing versions of Christianity specifically as opposition to the New Deal.
And a big plus is that "woke" came from AAVE, Black American term for awareness of racial and social justice. So of course reactionaries use it as a pejorative.
DeSantis born without a brain???? Or did his Mama drop him on his head when he was a baby.....
I like a woke bloke. It is an odd word, but we should all enjoy the use of this word. I think there is a time to sleep, but there are also much to see and hear when you are awake. Awake might be sad, but
being awake means we are woke, which is a nice way to be.
Most everyone thinks that people should get a fair shake regardless of race, sex, etc. BUT "DEI' and "woke" have less to do with that , than with far leftist administrators ruling by decree. The women on the UPenn swim team were threatened "we'll make sure you never get into grad school, we'll make sure you never get a job" by the administration, if they DARED object to a man in their locker room. The board of psychology in Canada pulled Jordan Peterson's license, NOT for professional misconduct but for his personal opinions. (He called one of Pierre Trudeau's lackeys a 'prick' and said that a "plus size" model was "not beautiful") English people have been arrested for saying or posting things the Liberal regime doesn't like. The California legislature passed a bill that would let the State take your children away if a State employee decide to have them 'transitioned" and you did not sign a paper saying you supported the State's decision. This is NOT a square deal for everyone. This is Mao-ism. Absolute tyranny. Possibly even worse than anything trump has in mind for us.
Yes Jim, Republican voters rejected DeSantis and his WOKE rants, but what confuses me is that they've glommed on to Donald Trumps dystopian vision of how life in the U.S. should be if (God forbid) he is re-elected. If there ever was a time in this country for us to be woke, as in awake, aware and vigilant, that time is now.