For the Record: Patriotism is the Exact Opposition of Nationalism

With Trump perverting the meaning of nationalism and patriotism it's time to define both of the words that have been so abused by the extreme right.

According to Charles de Gaulle, who led Free France against Nazi Germany during World War II and later became president of France,

"Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first."

George Orwell, the author of "Animal Farm" and "Nineteen Eight-Four," described patriotism as "devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life."

He contrasted that with nationalism, which he described as "the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognizing no other duty than that of advancing its interests."

Sound familiar? Think MAGA.

To understand what nationalism is, it's useful to understand what a nation is - and isn't.

* A nation is a group of people who share a history, culture, language, religion or some combination thereof.

* A country, which is sometimes called a state in political science terminology, is an area of land that has its own government.

* A nation-state is a homogeneous political entity most comprising a single nation. One example of a nation-state would be North Korea, where almost all residents are ethnic Koreans.

The United States is neither a nation nor a nation-state. Rather, it is a country of many groups of people who have a variety of shared histories, cultures, languages and religions.

Some of those groups are formally recognized by the federal government, such as the Navajo Nation and the Cherokee Nation.

Two examples of white nationalist groups are the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys - ten of whom were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Another example of a nationalistic group is The Nation of Islam. Black nationalists are as radical as the white nationalists. The Nation of Islam has been characterized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Trump has loudly proclaimed to be a nationalist and that under his regime the U.S. had embraced the doctrine of patriotism.

After reading the above information what do you think about Trump's claims? His misuse of words is part of an overall strategy to redefine their meanings for his cult.

As it stands, I hope you find the information helpful in your daily interactions with others. Kofi Annan put it succinctly when he wrote, "Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family." 

'They're Coming to Take Me Away... Ho-ho, Hee-Hee, Ha-ha'

Back in 1966 there was a silly song that was playing on the radio. 

It had a catchy tune that came to mind today in this era of craziness.

A dude named Jerry Samuels (aka Napoleon XIV) - maybe an ancient "rap" precursor - made #3 on the Billboard chart with a song about the fate of a man who lost his dog.

You can read all the verses here. Or, just check out some of the following for a quick example:

"Remember when you ran away

And I got on my knees

And begged you not to leave because I'd go berserk?

Well, you left me anyhow

And then the days got worse and worse

And now, you see, I've gone completely out of my mind

(Chorus)

And they're coming to take me away, ha! ha!

They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-ha

To the funny farm

Where life is beautiful all the time

And I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats

And they're coming to take me away, ha ha

(Chorus)

They're coming to take me away, ha-ha

To the happy home

With trees and flowers and chirping birds

And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes

And they're coming to take me away, ha ha"

As I mentioned earlier, we live in such crazy times that this could be an anthem for all the loose lunatics running around the country today.

I especially can see re-writing this tune to become an ode to Trump madness. A few changes here and there and by golly who knows? Maybe a number one hit on today's Billboard charts.

As it stands, it sure would be fun to hear a revised version done by one of today's popular rappers.

What Are the Latest Dumb Things Said or Done Recently?

I really have to start the dumb things said or done list with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott because he's a gullible fool.

Abbott was duped by a satire website that he shared on his Twitter feed. What he did was link a story from a satire website called The Dunning-Kruger Times.

Okay. If the name alone isn't enough of a giveaway, the site states outright that it's part of a network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery, adding if you believe that is real, you should have your head examined."

The story Abbott shared said Garth Brooks was booed off the stage at the 123rd Annual Texas Country Jamboree in Hambriston, Texas.

So, Abbott gleefully tweeted "Go woke. Go broke. Good job Texas." 

One big problem.

The jamboree wasn't a real event, and Hambriston isn't a real place.

That didn't deter Abbott who apparently didn't pick up the multitude of clues provided by the website. For the record when he was informed of his stupidity, he deleted the tweet and pretended it never happened.

Moving on...

- Marjory Taylor Greene informed her supporters she is being spied on by her TV! Need I say more?

- GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin challenged a union boss to a MMA fight for charity. Apparently, Mullins can't wait to get his hands on Sean O'Brian who stood up to him recently.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt Mullins was elected for his cage fighting skills. His constituents more than likely expected representation on matters that affected them.

As it stands, the list of dumb things said or done by Americans increases daily and is a subject I will turn to again down the road.

MAGA Has Standards: When it Comes to Performance Art Members Get Serious

It's easy to become a MAGA minion but staying in good standing is another matter.

Believe it or not, there are standards that have to be maintained.

Raw Story recently ran a story by columnist Charles P. Pierce about Elise Stefanik being a "nuisance" because of her "clumsy performance art" bid to exonerate Trump of his impeachments.

That's just a recent example of how the GOP Congressional majority spends their time. They can't tolerate poor performances by their peers who prove to be ineffective actors. 

The theatre group sometimes referred to as The Freedom Caucus is divided on kicking Marjorie Taylor Greene out of their clubhouse and challenging Kevin McCarthy's role as Speaker of the House.

They're also pissed off at Gym Jordan's committee that looked like fools as Democrats shredded John Durham who was supposed to deliver a major knockout blow to the libs. 

To anyone watching the hearing it was obvious Durham wished he was somewhere in the Swiss Alps drinking chocolate in a secret getaway.

Dramatic performances are a must in the MAGA lawmaker's Guide to Sedition (with lots of illustrations for those who can't read). Fiery rants are a rudimentary skill for political puppets who wear red hats and believe Trump was sent by God. (To punish us maybe - but certainly not as a gift.)

Republican lawmakers aren't required to know squat about politics and legislating. GOP Rep. George Santos is one of many examples of that. If you're in trouble with the law that adds extra points for the MAGA minded. Just look at their supreme leader.

I think it's unfair to suggest that Trump supporters don't have standards. They have their marching orders (which are kinda like standards) and do their best to be like their pagan demigod Don of the Many Lies.

As it stands, "Performance art is really more of a command than an invitation." Elvis Mitchell 

House Freedom Caucus is Looking at Cannibalizing Itself

In nature there are a lot of different animal species that routinely cannibalize their own group. 

From chimps to sharks to hamsters, these cannibal animals kill and eat their own for a variety of disturbing reasons.

Cannibalism is one of the most enduring and universal taboos in all of Western culture.

Speaking of... in our Western culture we have a Congress that is stocked with disturbing individuals and even a whole group of GOP cannibals.

According to recent reports at least two hardliners have discussed - and proposed to Freedom Caucus (also known as the Crazy Caucus) Chair Scott Perry - trying to boot members who no longer meet the group's standards.

In layman's terms they think some of their own members aren't crazy enough. What better reason than that to devour their own in an act of ritual cannibalization?

To my delight they are signaling that one target of any ejection push is Marjorie Taylor Greene. Think about that. She's not crazy enough?

Actually, she is, but has picked the wrong people to stand alongside in the turbulent MAGA universe. Like Kevin McCarthy who they think is too aligned with GOP leaders and too critical of the group.

The fact that the group caused a lot of acrimony with its handshake deals McCarthy cut with them to get elected Speaker of the House still lingers. 

The sharks are circling around one another in the Crazy Caucus in a prelude to cannibalistic mayhem in a pathetic surge to find their own identity.

As it stands, the more these crazies dine upon one another the better the outcome will be for democracy.

Why is Robert F. Kennedy Running for President as a Democrat When Republicans Would Love Him?

I just don't get it.

What possessed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run for president as a Democrat? 

He knows the entire Kennedy clan won't support his efforts to upset Joe Biden in 2024.

What's really puzzling is that he would be a viable candidate for the Republican Party that's starting to realize that if Trump wins the election, it would be a "bad look" having a president trying to run the government from a jail cell. 

Setting that aside for a moment there's plenty of other reasons why Republicans would support Kennedy's bid to pollute the White House.

- Right off the bat... it would be a great way to own the libs having the spawn of a famous Democratic family cross over to the dark side.

- He would bring voters, die-hard vaccine deniers (who wouldn't vote for anyone but him), into the GOP circus tent that looks more like a triage center for the mentally ill.

- He has the stuff GOP extremists respect in regard to bad attitudes towards women's rights. Trump set the standard, but Kennedy (it turns out) is worse!

The recently unearthed journal of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (by a family member)exposed years of extra-marital sexual exploits and interactions with 37 women, 16 of whom he slept with.

His wife, Mary Richardson, discovered it and committed suicide last year. Even Trump's sexual exploits appear pale alongside Kennedy's. He had a scorecard of all of his sexual conquests and noted the name of women alongside a 1-10 scale, with 10 indicating intercourse.

Now that we know Kennedy's "lust demons" (his words in the journal) are probably still running rampant with future performances in the West Wing on his wish list agenda he would be a perfect Republican candidate for the President of the United States.

As it stands, I don't think it's too late for Republicans to woo him into their fold as he doesn't have a conscience (see his journal) and capsulizes everything they stand for.

When Does the Stench Get Bad Enough?

Something is rotten in the Supreme Court and the Halls of Congress. 

The stench of corruption and fascism permeates these institutions.

Republican lawmakers spread lies and conspiracies that stinks up the halls of justice and our government. The odor of treason is so strong that our republic has been shaken to its foundations.

Why do I say that? Here's some articles that deserve all of our attention:

- "Beyond Parody": Experts Pound Alito for Pre-Buttal Op-Ed Defending Luxury Trip with GOP Billionaire

- Clarence Thomas Defense Falls Apart: SCOTUS Did Review Case Involving Billionaire Pal Harlan Crow.

- It Doesn't Matter to the GOP Whether Trump's Claims About Hunter Biden Are True

- House GOP Flirts with Jan. 6 Extremism

- Why is the GOP Targeting Researchers Who Study Disinformation?

The question is how we turn MAGA minded cretins away from destroying democracy? 

Trumpism has fouled every corner of government and the judicial system for nearly eight years now. It's going to take time, and determination, to swing back to any sense of normality after the considerable damage done by one man - Trump - to our American way of life.

It's not going to be an easy task. The first step is voting the MAGA parasites out of Congress and state legislatures. 

The second step will involve using truth consistently to fight against GOP conspiracies and disinformation in the media. (See story above about GOP Targeting Researchers Who Study Disinformation).

The stench of corruption and fascism has reached a zenith in our nation. Our republic is running out of time unless more Americans fight back with facts, evidence of crimes, and revelations about the enemy within.

As it stands, it's up to people like you and me to stand up for the principals this country was founded upon.

House GOP MAGA Minions Had to Buy Diapers and Tissue Paper After Hunter Biden Investigation Was a Nothingburger

The crap flew in the halls of Congress as House GOP lawmaker's bowels burst when the 5-Year Hunter Biden investigation didn't end up in jail time.

A chapter of constant harassment of President Joe Biden's son by MAGA morons was closed but it's not the end of the attacks against Hunter.

After a rush order of adult diapers and tissue paper were delivered to GOP members they gathered, briefly mourned, then set out to continue their senseless attacks using invisible witnesses, whistleblowers, and outright lies. 

The same actors, "Gym" Jordan, Kevin McCarthy, James Comer, Elise Stefanik, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and the rest of the crazy caucus are not losing a beat in their abuse of powers by holding kangaroo courts designed to spread lies about President Biden and Democrats in general.

It's the mother of all aboutism.

But that's all they have to deflect from Trump's growing criminal indictments and trials that lie ahead. It's pathetic. It's undemocratic. Yet, they have elected (so far) to go further down the rabbit hole in defense of their supreme leader.

It's the epitome of polarization and weaponization of government with enough irony to go around for a millennium. Jordan's so called Weaponization of Government committee is a slap in the face of reality. It's projection to the nth degree.

We must not forget the corrupt senators who are buying into the madness with unbridled joy. GOP Sen. J.D. Vance is spitefully holding up nominations for DOJ nominees indefinitely until he gets his way.

Year-round consumer of adult diapers, 89-year-old Chuck Grassley keeps talking about damning Biden audio tapes (it's up to 17 now) that he can't produce despite his accusations of President Biden taking a $5 million dollar bribe from a foreign national.

I have to admit that Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona came up with the stupidest reply yet to the DOJ's decision not to jail Hunter.

Quote: "The announcement of the charges against Hunter Biden were to distract from Special Counsel John Durham's testimony for the House Intelligence Committee today."

Say what? Biggs like the other inflamed Trump minions has an excuse for anything that doesn't play out like anticipated. Telling more lies is their only choice because most have got their heads so far up into Trumps arsehole they stuck for life!

As it stands, we can expect Trump's lawmaker enablers to continue being his defense team until hell freezes over, or Trump's behind bars for life.

Meme This! Cultural Wars Use Humor and Hate

Memes have been around for centuries according to some linguists and are not the spawn of the internet.

Now that we've established how old Memes are let's move on to Richard Dawkins who's credited with introducing the term in his 1976 book, "The Selfish Gene." 

The head of Content at Memes.com explained that Dawkins merely "coined the term for something that's existed literally forever," in a recent interview with the New York Times. "A Meme is just an idea that rips through public consciousness," he said.

The word Meme first appeared in the New York Times Crossword section in 1953 with the clue "Same: French."

Fun fact: In French, the word meme translates to "same" and the Greek word "mimoumai" means to imitate.

Early on Memes tended to be humorous but in the last seven or eight years they've morphed into vehicles of hatred online.

The one thing we know about Memes is they continue to evolve, and the future of Memes is unpredictable.

As it stands, I would also note that Memes are meant to be simple so more people can understand them, for better or worse.

Christain Nationalists Try to Nullify Democracy: 'We Want Believers to Be Writing Laws!'

Forget about the separation of church and state as outlined in our Constitution.

A far-outlier in Christain circles has an extreme theology - that Jesus would never have approved of - that outright refutes the tenets of democracy, replacing them with paranoia, fear, and hate.

The MAGA preacher leading the nationalistic Christain movement is Sean Feucht, a fire-breathing liar who wants to send you and I to hell if we don't bend a knee to his crazy theology.

Another extremist church leader, Jackson Lahmeyer, the founder of Pastors for Trump, the leading group of evangelicals supporting Trump's re-election bid, is working in tandem with Feucht to challenge our republic's existence.

The fact that Feucht has teamed up with Charlie Kirk (certified loon) whose group Turning Points is as anti-American as you can get, shows the pivot from hate propaganda to quasi-religion. A marriage made in hell.

Quasi-religions that go against established societies and beliefs have always been a problem in any civilization. Americans are no exception.

The fact that there are millions of Americans so lost and confused that they embrace extremism in the world we live in today is scary. It's not like we don't already have enough to contend with dealing with extremist politicians and activists.

What do the two groups have in common besides hating and attacking non-believers? Their real leader is Trump - not God. That should tell you everything you need to know.

As it stands, "It's never a good sign when extremism becomes the norm." - Ari Melber

Memo to Dads: You're Right All Day Today

One of the Father's Day privileges I enjoy in my house is being right all day. 

Whatever I say is right. This once-a-year experience charges my batteries for the rest of the year when I'm usually wrong in my arguments.

Celebrating fatherhood on a certain day is nice, but Dad's should also be aware that they have support groups around the country.

Fathers Incorporated

Founded in 2004, Fathers Incorporated develops and produces public campaigns, programming, media, research, and policies supporting fathers and their families. 

This non-profit is also a government contractor that oversees the National Responsible Father Clearinghouse a federal resource for fathers and supporters across the country.

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

Funded through the office of Family Assistance, the National Responsible Father Clearinghouse has free resources and programming for fathers, professionals, government agencies, and other partners in supporting dads and families.

The program has a national hotline at 1-877-432-3411 for fathers to learn about programs and fatherhood in general.

Good+Foundation

Established in 2001 by Jessica Seinfeld, Good+Foundation helps low-income parents and caregivers, especially emphasizing the role of dads in its mission.

Members of the foundation's Fatherhood Leadership council include Jerry Seinfeld, Robert Downey Jr.. Kevin Hart, and Dwyane Wade.

As it stands, have a great day all you dads in the country.