And here’s to the next 249!
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Not a year to celebrate.
Let us be appreciative of the freedoms we still enjoy, and stand and fight together to take back America for ALL Americans! (My mother’s family was forced to flee Nazi Germany in 1938 or be murdered. Never again!)
Tom, We still live in one of the greatest countries in the world with the most freedoms. You wouldn’t have the same freedom to comment the same way if you lived in China, Russia or Iran or a dozen more countries. That’s what makes us great… Freedom of expression and being allowed to disagree with our leadership makes us special. Absolutely a reason to celebrate. Happy 249th Independence Day.
Yes, that’s one of the many things that has made America great since day one and why it is still topping the charts. So where does that leave us now that simply expressing a thought or idea or viewpoint can result in your apprehension on the street by secret police and then kidnapped to foreign prisons without charge. Yeah, I don’t think that’s the founding fathers had in mind. Until recently, virtually everyone understood the 14th amendment and could understand that it applied to “all persons” here, not just citizens.
Happy Independence Day!
Russell, the secret police 👮🏾 have you under surveillance. Be careful what you post ‼️🇺🇸
Happy 4th Eeyore.
Funny after I looked it up 😜
Ah yes, Russell, you’re right! America has apparently turned into a place where secret police roam the streets kidnapping people for having an opinion. Must’ve missed that breaking news headline. Guess I’ll have to cancel my plans to grab coffee later in case I get black-bagged on the way.
Also love how you just breeze past the entire body of constitutional law and centuries of case precedent with “virtually everyone understood the 14th amendment.” Truly impressive legal scholarship there.
Happy Independence Day to you too! May your tinfoil hat keep you safe from the secret police tonight.
Hey Ryan. Sorry your news product didn’t report this story to you, but I’m happy to help. This is from your very own and beloved Fox News product so that’s reliable, right?
https://www.foxnews.com/us/video-shows-arrest-tufts-university-student-allegedly-supporting-hamas
Russell, let’s get a few things straight. First, I never said Fox News is a reliable source, nor have I ever liked Fox News, so don’t pretend you know where I get my information. My independent views don’t need to align with your far-left ideology or with right-wing outlets.
Second, the article you linked actually proves my point. This wasn’t some secret police kidnapping someone off the street for having an opinion. It was ICE making a legal arrest under an executive order targeting foreign nationals supporting designated terrorist organizations. Whether or not you agree with that order is another debate, but the arrest itself was carried out under existing federal immigration law.
She wasn’t abducted for “free speech.” She was detained under legal immigration authority due to alleged violations tied to national security. There are constitutional and due process questions to discuss here, but calling it a dystopian kidnapping is just fear mongering.
And what is it with you people? Why does every policy debate have to be twisted into some dramatic fantasy about fascism? If you don’t like this country so much, go move to the UK where you can get arrested for an “offensive” Facebook post, and that would actually be something to complain about.
1. Her visa was revoked and ICE failed to notify her As is required by law.
2. ICE illegally ignored court orders to release her, just like they ignored the court orders to stop the planes bound for El Salvador.
3. She was not charged with a crime.
4. She was not read her Miranda rights.
5. The police were unidentified. Why do they need masks and secrecy if what they’re doing is kosher?
In this country, one used to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and afforded all rights and protects as they app.y to all persons.
What is it with you people and breaking the law?
You’re always cranky when the Yankees are losing it. Especially last night
How ’bout we wait till October to watch Judge bat .167?
Stay strong Eeyore.
Russell, let’s unpack this:
1. Her visa was revoked due to alleged support for a designated terrorist organization. Visa holders are not U.S. citizens; a visa is a privilege, not a right. Notification procedures can be challenged in court, but revocation itself is legal under federal authority.
2. ICE ignoring court orders is a due process issue worth scrutiny, but that doesn’t make the arrest itself illegal, it makes their compliance questionable. There’s a difference. If courts rule against ICE, they will be forced to act accordingly, as always happens in these legal battles.
3. Immigration detentions are civil, not criminal, so no charges are filed. That’s how immigration law works. It’s not criminal court; it’s administrative removal proceedings.
4. Miranda rights apply to criminal arrests, not civil immigration detentions. Again, learn the law before you lecture everyone on it.
5. ICE agents were identified as DHS officers. Wearing tactical masks is standard procedure in many federal enforcement actions for agent safety and operational security. It’s not some dystopian conspiracy.
Presumption of innocence applies in criminal prosecutions. Immigration detention is an administrative process. Non-citizens are still afforded due process, but it’s under immigration law, which operates differently. If you don’t like how immigration law works, fine, advocate to change it. But at least understand what you’re talking about first.
And seriously, Russell, next time you come at me with this stuff, bring facts; because right now, you’re just bringing feelings.
Jamie Walsh, meet Mahmoud Khalil.
When are you moving to Canada? Remind us of your military service you patriot. Your constant anti American rhetoric is getting stale. Always jumping in with caustic comments with no substance. Lame.
This is over the top Tom.
Long overdue
Ok, if anti-Americanism is your chosen topic for the day, then the below is also long overdue:
“Now there’s some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now.
In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.
In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now.
In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain that they inflict on loyal American workers, they’re rolling back historic Civil Rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society, they’re abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom.
They’re defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands. They’re removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now.
A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government.
They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American. The America that I’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real, and regardless of its faults, is a great country with a great people.
So we’ll survive this moment.
Now, I have hope because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, in this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like. But there’s enough.
Let’s pray.”
Thanks Bruce.
Wow. Sorry your world is so messed up. Get to the bridge and protest.
The disdain you have for those peacefully expressing their opinions says a lot more about you and your character than it does about those you apparently hate so much.
If the government isn’t going after the free speech of old white conservative men, Tom doesn’t have a problem with it.
Hence, his lack of appreciation of the significance of the detention of Mahmoud Khalil (and others), for simply expressing political opinions.
Tom trumpets his service while slavishly serving cadet bone spurs. He’s a completely unserious person.
Everything that you said is blown out of proportion, go out and touch some grass.
I’m currently sitting in a lovely house in Montana, wind blowing, mountains snow capped, green grass swaying, horses doing horsey things. Great day with my family today. Awesome stuff. And I touched a lot of grass today.
But thank you for your concern. Quite touching.
So your advice to me (in addition to the grass thing,) is for me to trust a narcissistic, incompetent, venial and angry man and the incompetent and vengeful cabal he has plucked from obscurity? Sounds familiar. But I am going to pass. But thanks again for your touching concern.
John, I’m glad you took my advice and actually touched some grass today, sounds like you really needed it. But let’s be clear, no one here is arguing that America is perfect. I just called out how everything you said was blown way out of proportion.
You wrote this dramatic manifesto about persecution, sadism, and “rogue governments,” but then pivot to bragging about your peaceful day watching horses in Montana. You’re living proof that your doom-and-gloom narrative doesn’t reflect reality for the average American.
Also, I never told you to trust anyone. I’m pointing out that your sweeping statements aren’t grounded in facts or law, they’re grounded in vibes and fear. If you want to keep ignoring reality because it doesn’t fit your narrative, that’s on you. Just don’t act like writing poetic comments makes you morally superior.
Anyways, I’m next door in Idaho, maybe I’ll wave to you while you’re out there contemplating the end of the world from your porch.
Dude, you are a troll with a made up name. But thanks for the lecture. And the words I quoted were not my own. You must have missed the part of Troll class that mentioned what quotation marks signified.
Amazing how Russell and Chris manage to go right to the 14th amendment and Mahmoud Khail. I agree with you Russell….the 14th amendment refers to “persons” and not just “non citizens”…. And Chris….as horrible and hateful a person Mahmoud seems also …he does qualify for due process no matter who he is. But more importantly Chris…when are you moving to Iceland since I seem to recall you really love it and would move there in a heartbeat….
Does Iceland not have kids that play? Chris doesn’t like anything that make children happy.
Jamie and Jayne – you two should get a room.
Jamie – the last thing I want to do is leave this country to people like you.
Jayne – that is simply a dumb ad hominem. Let’s stay on topic.
Chris, I am sure Jayne is a wonderful person but I am happily married. You for some reason can only attack people who don’t share you exact mantra. Unfortunate for you to go through life with so much bitterness in your heart.
I thought Kamala’s tweet last night was sad. Funny because she cropped Biden out of the photo, but her message was sad.
“This Fourth of July, I am taking a moment to reflect. Things are hard right now. They are probably going to get worse before they get better.”
On Friday, NASDAQ closed at its all time high. The NYSE composite index is up 14.96% YoY. The 4.1% unemployment rate is unchanged from a year ago. A gallon of gas hasn’t been this cheap since 2001.
I realize not all Americans live in Westport, where even with 7% mortgage interest rates, the average home on the market has surpassed $2M for the first time ever.
You can hate Trump, and you can find all sorts of faults with this latest budget. And a year ago the other team would have said the same about Biden.
As someone who I guess still aspires to America’s highest post, I find her message out of step with most people’s reality and think that if Democrats are going down the doom and gloom path, they’re in for a rough ride.
I appreciate your comment, which doesn’t show they idiocy of your political peers who posted above. Thank you.
I don’t think it is “doom and gloom” to say that we should not be detaining or deporting legal residents without due process. That some of your conservative colleagues are so dismissive of this concern speaks to what is wrong with the country right now. I mean, DJT said he is considering deporting Elon Musk. While I wouldn’t miss the guy for a second, that the POTUS is threatening the richest guy on earth with deportation has a chilling effect on freedom of speech.
As to the big bill (only since you brought it up), the CBO says it will increase the debt nearly $4 trillion. (Let’s set aside that the Republicans pretend to be the party of fiscal responsibility.) That will increase interest rates and drive up the costs of homes, cars, everything. If you disagree with my take, fine – but I think mine is a solid, fact-based, opinion.
You’d think that if the Republicans were so hell-bent on cutting 17 million people off of Medicaid (locals, think “Husky”) they would at least be reducing the deficit, not exploding it.
Yesterday, we had horrific flooding in Texas, 51 are dead and many are missing. The Republicans under Trump cut NWS funding. Local officials have criticized a lack of information from the NWS for not being better prepared. In any case, this is deep red Texas. In 1987, there was a similar flood in the same area that resulted in the death of ten children. If Republicans think that dead children is simply the cost of doing business in order to get tax cuts (and higher deficits) I think they should say so. (Before you suggest I am making a tragedy political, keep in mind the Republicans who blamed Democrats for the California fires – including a Republican member of Westport’s BOE.)
This thread has run its course. It is closed to further comments.