Who Will Be The First Cabinet Member To Resign?

[RayThom]

My deeply researched and educated guess? Ben Carson. He already has most of the descendants of black "immigrants" in the United States up in arms.

[BoSoxGal]

You couldn't make this shit up! That's THE most Uncle Tom thing any black person has ever said, no?!

[Lord Jim]

[Big RR]

However, the queen can dissolve parliament, correct (as she did (or was it her governor general did) in Australia a while back--I think in the mid 70s); even Trump can't do that. I realize a dissolution could set off a revolution, but then, as I recall, no one stormed the barricades in Australia.

[Bicycle Bill]

Now then, even if Brenda did have powers to affect legislation, which she does not, who would you prefer affecting your rights....

Well, if you're gonna put it *that* way.....
However, we do get to vote for (or against) him; we're not stuck with him for life.
(now if we can do something about some of the barnacles currently occupying seats in Congress, we just might indeed make America great again)
 
BTW — 'Brenda'?  Thought the old gal's name was Lizzie.
And what's with that old picture?  It's the official Coronation portrait from back in the '50s.... just a few short months before I was born.  There's no way she looks anything at all like that any more; not even on the stamps, coins, or currency.

-"BB"-

[rubato]

The world's premier parliament.

The Althing is the first chronologically. :

The Althing (Icelandic: Alþingi) is the national parliament of Iceland. It is the oldest legislature in the world that still exists. It was founded in 930 at Thingvellir (the "assembly fields"), which is almost 45 kilometres (28 mi) east of Iceland's capital, Reykjavík.

Of course yours is such a paragon of wisdom and so deeply respected by your citizens that they persuaded even the poor and ignorant to vote against Brexit, oh, wait. Well you've barely had the vote for 100 years, you'll get the hang of it someday. When you've been voting as long as the Icelanders have, maybe.


yrs,
rubato

[MajGenl.Meade]

More fuss over nothing

Carson, who was confirmed to lead the department earlier this month, heralded the work ethic of immigrants before implying slaves who came to the United States worked harder than others.

"There were other immigrants who came in the bottom of slave ships, who worked even longer, even harder, for less, but they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land,"

Some people are bound and determined to be offended by nothing at all

[Guinevere]

The notion that slaves were immigrants who came here voluntarily is entirely offensive. It re-defines their condition as slaves. It's an alt-fact and it should be corrected. I find your position odd, from Mister "language matters."

[Big RR]

I agree with Guin and also point out that most did not work for a dream for their kids; hell, I'd bet most didn't even want kids who would only be taken away and sold into slavery. They were forced here against their wills and had no opportunity to pursue any dreams, nor any prospect of their defendants doing so. Indeed, when given the chance some were happy to leave this land of opportunity and travel to Liberia where perhaps they could pursue prosperity and happiness. It's ridiculous to maintain otherwise.

[Scooter]

Carson walked it right back after realizing how callous and inappropriate his remarks were, even coming from the patron saint of Oreos.

[Big RR]

Credit to him for doing that; Trumpo would just continue saying the same idiotic things.

[Gob]

These people are politicians, right? Voted for by the American public?

Your system is shite.

[Scooter]

Carson wasn't elected to anything.

[Gob]

My apologies then, they all look the same to me.



Americans that is...

[dales]

[MajGenl.Meade]

The notion that slaves were immigrants who came here voluntarily is entirely offensive. It re-defines their condition as slaves. It's an alt-fact and it should be corrected. I find your position odd, from Mister "language matters."

And also Mr Context matters. He was speaking of immigrants and was perfectly in order to refer to another kind of "immigrant" (use inverted commas) who came in the bottom of slave ships. Not once did he say it was "voluntary" - those in the bottom of slave ships were not volunteers. Presumably he thought people were intelligent enough to know that - evidently not. It is right that he should issue the clarification which I read yesterday because he's being pilloried for a purpose - the agenda of the anti-Trumpists (who usually have a point but not this time)


As for other people's comments, it is utter batshit to claim that slaves in the USA did not have dreams of freedom, equality, success, for themselves and their children, especially. It is racist to declare that. And as a fact, they did have children. About 388,000 Africans were brought into the US as slaves. By 1860, that number was over 4 million and they didn't get here by boat but by the usual natural method. [By contrast, between 11 and 12 million African slaves were brought to the Caribbean and Latin America]

An extremely small minority chose to be "exported" back to Africa. (That chap Douglass had some things to say about the evil of Liberia; nice chap; did a lot for his people).

It is racist to downplay the significant part African Americans played in achieving their own freedom, not as a gift from white men but as a cooperative venture, putting their own lives on the line. Almost 200,000 served in the Union army and there is doubt that the war would have been won without them. Many hundreds of thousands resisted both actively and passively in the South; they walked away. They died in their hundreds in places like Ebenezer Creek.

How odd that white liberals are thrilled when blacks call each other "nigger" - but let one black guy use the word "immigrant" of his own people (no matter what his point) and it's all hands to the abuse pump

[Guinevere]

"Immigrants" inverted commas? You are really stretching --- because immigrant doesn't equal slave, which you understand perfectly well. Trying to do so is an attempt to re-write history, and to minimize the fact that (principally) white men did one of the most horrific things you can do to another human, by enslaving them. I don't give a fuck what color Ben Carson is. I do care when he or anyone else wants to change history by using inaccurate language.

Historical accuracy doesn't take away the achievements of African Americans in gaining their own freedom, or in pushing for civil rights in this country. Women, immigrants, gay/lesbian/trans, people with handicaps, all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the civil rights movement for finally pushing through on equal rights for all.

Not only were there significant Black regiments in the Civil War (come to Boston and we will meet at the site of the Shaw/54th regiment memorial n the Common), but they served in the Revolution too (Rhode Island 1st, and John Laurens, best friend of that Hamilton fellow recruited a brigade of over 3000 slaves to fight the British in South Carolina).

Finally, "Thrilled when blacks call each other nigger?" Show me where, please, as a liberal, I've said or endorsed any such thing.

[Econoline]

“Calling slaves immigrants is like saying, ‘It’s not kidnapping, that person just got a free vacation in a basement!’” -- Trevor Noah

[Crackpot]

Meade it's not just the immigrant thing it is the very concept that they were working "in hopes of a better life". That equation simply didn't exist and it is moronic to pretend otherwise. Hopes for a better life were escape or managing to sufficiently suck up to master and outlive them and be bequeathed freedom. Hard work is just a means to avoid punishment.

To pretend otherwise is unconscionable.

[Lord Jim]

I think that puts it well...