Opinion: END OUR NATIONAL CRISIS

Corruption, Anger, Chaos, Incompetence, Lies, Decay
The Case Against Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s re-election campaign poses the greatest threat to American democracy since World War II.

Mr. Trump’s ruinous tenure already has gravely damaged the United States at home and around the world. He has abused the power of his office and denied the legitimacy of his political opponents, shattering the norms that have bound the nation together for generations. He has subsumed the public interest to the profitability of his business and political interests. He has shown a breathtaking disregard for the lives and liberties of Americans. He is a man unworthy of the office he holds.

The editorial board does not lightly indict a duly elected president. During Mr. Trump’s term, we have called out his racism and his xenophobia. We have critiqued his vandalism of the postwar consensus, a system of alliances and relationships around the globe that cost a great many lives to establish and maintain. We have, again and again, deplored his divisive rhetoric and his malicious attacks on fellow Americans. Yet when the Senate refused to convict the president for obvious abuses of power and obstruction, we counseled his political opponents to focus their outrage on defeating him at the ballot box.

Nov. 3 can be a turning point. This is an election about the country’s future, and what path its citizens wish to choose. » | BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Friday, October 16, 2020

Homosexualität in der Geschichte: Von der Antike bis heute

In der Antike gehört Homosexualität zum Alltag – und ist nicht strafbar. Mehr als ein Jahrtausend später im Mittelalter werden Homosexuelle verbrannt, die Nationalsozialisten unter Adolf Hitler verfolgen, misshandeln und töten homosexuelle Menschen. Wie sich der Umgang mit Homosexualität, vor allem der Kontext homosexueller Handlungen, im Laufe der Geschichte gewandelt hat, erfahrt Ihr in diesem Video mit MrWisssen2Go Mirko Drotschmann. Homosexualität als Begriff für gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe ist natürlich viel jünger als gleichgeschlechtliche sexuelle Handlungen und Liebe. Die gibt es vermutlich seit Beginn der Menschheitsgeschichte. Aus der Antike kennen wir einige Darstellungen solcher Handlungen. Die Praktiken sind weit verbreitet, haben aber eine andere Bedeutung als heute. Mirko erzählt Euch von antiken Vasen mit eindeutigen Bildern, homosexuellen Handlungen im Krieg, von Richard Löwenherz, der mit Philipp II. von Frankreich das Bett teilt, um seinen Vater zu verärgern. Dann geht es im Video über Homosexualität in der Geschichte um das christlich geprägte Mittelalter. Im Mittelalter werden Menschen für homosexuelle Praktiken bestraft. Vom Mittelalter und der Frühen Neuzeit an werden Homosexuelle bis weit ins 20. Jahrhundert kriminalisiert, stigmatisiert und verfolgt. Trauriger Höhepunkt ist die Verfolgung von Homosexuellen im Nationalsozialismus. Die Nazis richten eine eigene Behörde dafür ein, die „Reichszentrale zur Bekämpfung der Homosexualität und Abtreibung“. Auch nach dem sogenannten Dritten Reich werden homosexuelle Handlungen in der Bundesrepublik nach §175 des Strafgesetzbuches jahrzehntelang unter Strafe gestellt. 1994 wird der bereits abgemilderte Paragraph 175 in der Bundesrepublik komplett aufgehoben. In der DDR sind Homosexuelle seit 1988 rechtlich gleichgestellt. Mirko spricht auch über die LGBTQ+-Bewegung, die Stonewall-Aufstände in den USA, und damit einhergehende Veränderungen. In diesem Video versucht Mirko, die Geschichte des Umgangs mit Homosexualität nachzuzeichnen.


'Not married but willing to be!': men in love from the 1850s – in pictures »

Notre Dame Faculty Sign Open Letter Urging Judge Barrett to Halt Her Nomination | MSNBC

John Duffy, a Notre Dame English Professor of 22 years, joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss an open letter he drafted that was signed by nearly 100 of his colleagues urging Judge Amy Coney Barrett to halt her nomination process. He explains that "We are not asking her to withdraw. We are simply asking her to pause and to let the election play out and then to be guided by its results." Aired on 10/15/2020.

Khatia Buniatishvili: Schubert – 4 Impromptus, Op 90, D 899: No 3 in G-Flat Major

Full Interview: Senator Kamala Harris, Democratic VP Nominee, Talks with Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Senator Kamala Harris, Democratic vice presidential nominee, talks with Rachel Maddow about the campaign, the coronavirus, the Supreme Court, and a certain fly. Aired on 10/14/2020.

US Election: What a Biden or Trump Victory Could Mean for Britain

THE GUARDIAN: It could be the most significant election for US foreign policy since 1940, with huge implications for the UK

The British government has a long history of misreading America – from Lord Palmerston expecting the Confederacy to survive the civil war, to Ernie Bevin being shocked that the US would not pay the UK’s postwar bills, to Tony Blair believing in 2003 that he could ride the US military tiger in Iraq and create a democracy.

Few serving or former British diplomats are confidently predicting the outcome of this November’s presidential election, or even whether an increasingly erratic Donald Trump will accept the result as legitimate. The collective delusion about the 2016 election hangs heavy.

Between now and polling day, two fears will stalk the Foreign Office. The first is of a late October surprise – a Trump military showstopper in the Middle East or the South China Sea, designed to convulse America. The betting is that caution will prevail. “Trump talks very tough, but he has a habit of not following through” said Peter Ricketts, the former UK national security adviser.

The second is of a November impasse – a constitutional crisis as Trump disputes the result. One former Foreign Office staff member said: “It is noticeable that Trump’s most consistent message this election is that it is rigged.” Kim Darroch, the former UK ambassador to Washington and an early Trump sceptic, notes all the preparations being made for a challenge in the supreme court.

All observers agree that if the US can reach a consensus on the outcome, it will be the most consequential election for American foreign policy since 1940. The implications, in turn, for the UK and for the kind of government Boris Johnson will lead are enormous. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Thursday, October 15, 2020

'He Knows': Trump Fixated on 'Likely' Loss to Biden, per Trump Insider | MSNBC

New reporting shows Trump’s inner circle worried he failed to handle Covid hitting the White House, bungled debates over a final stimulus package before the election, and 'blew' his chance to reset the campaign - raising broader questions of whether he is self-sabotaging. 'Art of the Deal' co-author Tony Schwartz discusses Trump’s penchant for hurting himself, how his approach has coarsened over the years, and the wider potential danger facing the U.S. if Trump loses and tries 'to bring us down with him' before leaving office, in this interview with MSNBC's Ari Melber.

Harris: ‘People Are Scared’ of Losing ACA ‘in the Middle of a Pandemic’ | MSNBC

Sen. Kamala Harris discussed the ACA in her opening statement at Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination hearing. Harris said, “People are scared of what will happen if The Affordable Care Act is destroyed.” Aired on 10/13/2020.

Wales to Ban Visitors from Covid Hotspots in England

THE GUARDIAN: First minister says he will act this week if UK government refuses to stop people travelling

People who live in Covid-19 hotspots in England are to be banned from travelling to Wales, the Welsh first minister has announced.

Mark Drakeford said he had asked for the “necessary work” to take place to allow devolved powers to be used to prevent people from travelling into Wales from “high prevalence” areas.

Drakeford claimed people in Wales were “anxious and fearful” and were “clamouring” for action to be taken. He said the Welsh government would act by the end of the week if the UK government continued to refuse to stop people travelling from English Covid hotspots.

He said: “Evidence from public health professionals suggests coronavirus is moving from east to west across the UK and across Wales.

“Much of Wales is now subject to local restriction measures because levels of the virus have risen and people living in those areas are not able to travel beyond their county boundary without a reasonable excuse. I am determined to keep Wales safe.” » | Steven Morris and Libby Brooks | Wednesday, October 14, 2020

VP Debate: Pence Can't Answer a Question

The Vice Presidential debate asked the candidates a lot of important, hard questions. Unforunately, Mike Pence dodged every single one of them.

"Them"

They've played down Coronavirus for you. But, when it affects them they start taking precautions.

"Unmasked"

Rebellion PAC's latest ad. They say vanity is a deadly sin. Trump wouldn't wear a mask because of how it might make him look.

The Dazzling Beauty of Elizabeth Taylor in Iran

In 1976, actress Elizabeth Taylor and then-aspiring photographer Firooz Zahedi journeyed across the world to Tehran. They dined with royalty, toured ancient sites, shopped in the Grand Bazaar, and perhaps most importantly, took a series of photographs that offer beautiful glimpses of Iran before the revolution and provide an intimate portrait of a 20th-century film icon. Though never intended for public view, Andy Warhol published the photos in Interview magazine shortly after Zahedi and Taylor returned from Iran, and in 2012 they were exhibited at LACMA. Zahedi and Taylor remained close friends and he continued to photograph her throughout the rest of her life. In this episode of Expert Voices, Firooz Zahedi shares the stories behind the captivating images of Elizabeth Taylor in Iran and describes how this remarkable experience influenced his now decades-long career as a celebrated photographer. Sotheby’s will offer one of these magnificent photographs, Elizabeth Taylor Dressed as an Odalisque II, in our 20th Century Art / Middle East sale. (30 April | London, 2019)

Belgian Ex-King’s Love Child Wins Right to Royal Title

TATLER: Delphine will now be addressed as ‘Her Royal Highness’ and her two children will also have the title Princess and Prince

Delphine Boël, the Belgian King’s love-child, has won the right to call herself a princess after a seven-year legal battle to prove the former King Albert II, 86, is her father.

Boël, 52, was told she could use the royal title as well as the surname of the former monarch in a ruling by the Brussels Court of Appeal on Thursday 1 October. Boël’s lawyers confirmed that the aristocrat would take King Albert II’s name and be known as Delphine Saxe-Cobourg and Princess of Belgium.

Ms Boël, who works as an artist, has been reported to be Albert's illegitimate daughter since 1997. She will now be addressed as ‘Her Royal Highness’, and her two children Joséphine and Oscar will also have the title Princess and Prince. » | Rebecca Cope | Friday, October 2, 2020

Trump's ‘Hair’ Falls Off

The Secret Princess: King's Love Child in Court Battle for Recognition | 60 Minutes Australia

60 MINUTES reporter Liam Bartlett used to consider the British Royal family to be the masters – and mistresses – of scandal. Now he thinks they may have to hand over their crown to the Belgian Royal family, who have sensationally been ordered to acknowledge and recognise a brand-new princess. However, this decree is not a reason for official celebration on the streets of Brussels because, rather embarrassingly, the new royal is the 52-year-old love child of the former King, Albert II. Back in the 1960s when he was a prince, the supposedly happily married and deeply religious Albert took a long-term lover. Delphine Boel was the surprise consequence of the illicit affair. For most of her life she dutifully kept mum about her lineage, until a bitter falling out with her father changed her mind.

Chyna

China made Trump roll over like a dog.

Il Donald

THE ATLANTIC: The president knows what Mussolini knew: Some audiences crave images that offer false reassurance and over-the-top displays of power.

For reasons that need no elucidation, I spent a few hours this morning watching Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy from 1925 to 1945, performing in the old newsreel clips that now float around the internet. It wasn’t the verbal content I was after, just the imagery. The staged entrances. The gesticulation, the posturing, the arms raised in salute. The beautiful backdrops, the flags hanging from the ancient stone buildings of Rome, Palermo, Verona, Milan.

Il Duce—“the Leader,” the name called out by the crowds in the videos—was a short, balding, unattractive man. But he prepared himself carefully for public appearances, showing a camera awareness ahead of its time. Sometimes he wore suits, but he also wore a wide variety of military uniforms. Presumably to hide his missing hair, he often wore hats—simple berets or more elaborate, ceremonial head coverings, decorated with rooster feathers, animal fur, or national insignia.

He also had a sense of what other kinds of imagery would attract attention. Once, he stripped off his shirt and stacked hay with peasants. He wrestled, playfully, with a young lion. He presided, regally, over the elaborate marriage of his daughter to an Italian aristocrat, Galeazzo Ciano, in a grand society wedding at Saint Peter’s Basilica. Later, he made his son-in-law foreign minister. Later still, in 1944, he had Ciano shot. » \ Anne Applebaum, Staff Writer at The Atlantic | Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Fox & Fiends

Fox News consistently reports lies and reports unverified information as fact. Their “coverage” of Covid19 has revealed just how low they are willing to go to remain in Trump’s good graces.

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak Lay Out Plans for New Lockdown

The Prime Minister has announced a new three-tier strategy for local lockdowns in an address to the nation.

Europe's Coronavirus Surge: Governments Struggling to Contain Sike in Infections

Today we are examining the current situation in France & in neighbouring countries with regards to COVID-19. This as the number of new cases across the continent continues to rise at an alarming rate, prompting governments to implement fresh containment measures.

Le bilan économique de Donald Trump anéanti par le Covid-19

LE MONDE: Editorial. Alors que, fin 2019, les taux de chômage et de pauvreté étaient au plus bas aux Etats-Unis, la crise liée à la pandémie a tout changé. L’économie américaine a besoin d’un plan d’aide, qui est, pour l’heure, bloqué par l’opposition entre républicains et démocrates.

Editorial du « Monde ». Donald Trump fait mine de se réjouir du rebond économique des Etats-Unis : en septembre, la première économie du monde avait recréé 11,4 millions d’emplois, la moitié des 22 millions détruits en mars-avril, lorsque éclata la crise du Covid-19. En réalité, ce chiffre est une catastrophe pour le président sortant : jamais le taux de chômage (7,9 %) n’avait été si élevé à la veille d’une élection présidentielle américaine depuis la deuxième guerre mondiale. Donald Trump a perdu l’un de ses arguments de campagne les plus forts, son bilan économique. » | ÉDITORIAL | lundi 12 octobre 2020

People in Gaza Sifting through Rubbish for Food, UN Head Says

THE GUARDIAN: Palestinians across Middle East suffering unprecedented poverty, says Philippe Lazzarini

People in Gaza are searching through rubbish to find food as Palestinians battle unprecedented levels of poverty, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said.

Across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Gaza and elsewhere, Palestinian refugees are suffering at new depths because of the pandemic, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency chief, Philippe Lazzarini. “There is despair and hopelessness,” he said in an interview.

“In Gaza, people are going through the garbage,” Lazzarini said, referring to reports from UNRWA staff in the enclave. “More people are fighting to provide one or two meals a day to their families.” » | Oliver Holmes, Jerusalem correspondent | Monday, October 12, 2020

Velshi: Vice President Pence Missed the Easiest Hypothetical Debate Question Ever | MSNBC

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi says any politician who won’t promise to accept the election results doesn’t deserve your vote.

Meghan: 'I'm Told I Was the Most Trolled Person in the World'

THE GUARDIAN: Duchess of Sussex speaks of ‘almost unsurvivable’ online abuse she has experienced

The Duchess of Sussex has revealed she was told last year that she was the “most trolled person in the entire world” in a podcast in which she opened up about the “almost unsurvivable” online abuse she has experienced.

Meghan and her husband, the Duke of Sussex, joined three Californian high school students during an episode of their podcast, Teenager Therapy, and discussed topics including mental health stigma, self-care and online abuse.

The duchess said the Covid-19 pandemic, which has closed schools around the world, has meant more time online for many.

She told hosts Gael, Kayla, and Thomas: “Yes, it’s a great way to connect, but it also ends up being a place where there’s a lot of disconnection, you know, I can speak personally to. » | Jamie Grierson and agencies | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Is Trump Putting His Supporters at Risk for Covid? | DW News

White House doctor Sean Conley has said that President Donald Trump is no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus. But the statement did not say the president had tested negative for COVID-19. Trump has resumed his election campaign, addressing hundreds of jubilant supporters at the White House. It was his first public event since contracting the virus - and the president declared that he is 'feeling great.' He told the cheering crowd that the pandemic which has killed more than 210 thousand Americans will disappear soon.

Lessons from the Golden Era of Andalusia [ الاندلس ] | Al Jazeera World

Saadane Benbabaali is an Algerian academic whose ancestors came from what is now the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. He has retired from teaching literature and Arabic at Paris University III. But for 15 years, Benbabaali has led groups of students on annual trips to Andalusia to share his passion and knowledge about the region and its rich history.

He believes that the period of Arab Muslim rule over the Iberian Peninsula was arguably the only time in European history when Muslims, Jews and Christians lived relatively peacefully together, producing a common culture and harmonious society.

He also thinks that the period and place have powerful lessons for what he sees as today's fractured world. … [Cont’d: https://youtu.be/GGotnIfQaQg ]

UK Is at 'Tipping Point' of Covid Crisis, Says Senior Health Official

THE GUARDIAN: Jonathan Van-Tam says UK must act quickly to avoid history ‘repeating itself’

The UK is at a “tipping point” in the Covid-19 crisis and must act swiftly to avoid history “repeating itself”, the deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, has said.

In a stark warning highlighting “the worst is yet to come if we don’t all act now”, Van-Tam said the country was “at a tipping point similar to where we were in March” and that the approach of winter made the situation even more grave.

“Winter in the NHS is always a difficult period, and that is why in the first wave our strategy was ‘contain, delay, research and mitigate’ to push the first wave into spring,” he said. “This time it is different as we are now are going into the colder, darker winter months. We are in the middle of a severe pandemic and the seasons are against us. Basically, we are running into a headwind.” » | Natalie Grover | Sunday, October 11, 2020

‘Everyone Is Fighting’ – How Downing Street Lost Its Grip on a Divided Nation

THE OBSERVER: As public trust falls, No 10 insists on dictating a national response to coronavirus; local leaders believe that they can do better

When he addressed the nation on 23 March to announce a national lockdown, Boris Johnson knew he had most of the British people with him. “Each and every one of us is now obliged to join together to halt the spread of this disease,” the prime minister said in his TV broadcast. “We will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together.”

Six and a half months on, as he prepares to announce the introduction of more restrictions and a new three-tier system across the country – at what ministers say is a “critical” moment – hospitals are filling up and death rates are rising once more.

Unlike March, however, calls for the British people to unite behind a response directed from No 10 no longer command the attention or respect they did then. The many changes in rules and regulations have left people confused and choosing to rely on their own instincts as much as on what politicians tell them. » | Toby Helm, Political editor | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Portugal's Islamic/Moorish Influence

In this documentary, we uncover the influence that 500 years of Muslim occupation had on Portugal and Portuguese culture. We visit some important sights and hear from Portuguese people regarding their views on this significant part of their history. Despite being overlooked at times, the Islamic occupation, known as its Moorish past, has had a huge impact on Portugal.

While in Spain, the seven centuries of Muslim rule is very well-known, in Portugal it typically goes unnoticed. Despite being overlooked at times, the Islamic occupation, known as its Moorish past, has had a huge impact on Portugal.

The Muslims invaded present-day Portugal in the year 711 and established their capital in what is modern day "Silves". A significant part of this documentary takes us to Silves, which is still one of the best places in Portugal to see the influence of the Muslim period. Silves was the main access route to the inland areas of the Algarve, and the Silves castle, which was built by the Almoravid Arabs in the 11th century, is the best preserved and most significant castle in the region. One of Portugal's main tourist attractions are its the beautiful beaches in the Algarve region. The name Algarve itself is derived from the Arabic word "al-Gharb", meaning the West. Portugal was the most Western part of the Muslim Empire and it was officially referred to as al-Gharb al-Andalus, meaning West of Al-Andalus. Nowadays Al-Andalus is often referred to as Muslim Spain, or Islamic Iberia.

It is not just the physical monuments which make Portugal’s Muslim past evident, but you can also find it in the country’s language and culture, even though the entire Reconquest centred around getting rid of Islamic influence altogether. Some Arabic words have permanently entered the Portuguese language, words for sugar, rice, olive oil, lettuce, village, the West and many others. Even Portugal’s most popular holiday spot, Albufeira, gets its name from Arabic, having then been called (Albuhayra) which means the lake in Arabic. The journey also takes us to Sintra, among other places, where the massive Moorish Castle stands. It was built by Muslims between the 9th and 10th centuries, the castle was vital in order to protect its population.

The southernmost region of Portugal was finally conquered by Christians and taken away from the Muslims in 1249, and in 1255 the capital shifted to Lisbon. Neighbouring Spain would not complete its Reconquista until 1492.

Spain Becomes Cannabis Hub as Criminals Fill Tourism Void

THE OBSERVER: With high profit margins and low risk of long jail time, Catalonia is now the marijuana capital of Europe, police warn

The decor is nightclub chic meets Turkish opium den. The lighting, soft pink and electric blue. And, were it not for the sweet waft of marijuana, it could be the lobby of a Las Vegas boutique hotel. In fact, it’s one of Barcelona’s 156 cannabis clubs, known as asociaciónes.

The idea was a quiet place where you could buy and smoke marijuana, often grown by members, and only on the premises, but many are now businesses and, police say, fronts for drug mafias. With the collapse of tourism, the cannabis business is one of very few thriving in Catalonia, but beyond the low lights and chilled vibe of the associations, darker forces are in play. An internal report by the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police, claims “Catalonia is the epicentre of Europe’s illegal marijuana market” and has become a net exporter of cannabis to other European countries. » | Stephen Burgen in Barcelona | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Republicans Express Fears Donald Trump Will Lose Presidential Election

THE GUARDIAN: Ted Cruz says he’s afraid of ‘bloodbath of Watergate proportions’ as John Cornyn slams Trump for ‘creating confusion’ over Covid

Ted Cruz fears an election “bloodbath”. His fellow top Republican senator Thom Tillis is talking in terms of a Joe Biden presidency. And even Mitch McConnell, the fiercely loyal Senate majority leader, won’t go near the White House over Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus protocols.

Individually, they could arguably be seen as off-the-cuff comments from Trump’s allies attempting to rally support for the US president just days ahead of a general election that opinion polls increasingly show him losing.

But collectively, along with pronouncements from several other Republicans appearing to distance themselves from Trump, his administration and its policies, it reflects growing concern inside the Republican party’s top tier that 3 November could be a blowout win for Joe Biden and the Democrats.

“I think it could be a terrible election. I think we could lose the White House and both houses of Congress, that it could be a bloodbath of Watergate proportions,” Cruz, the junior senator for Texas and former vocal critic of Trump, said in an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Friday. » | Richard Luscombe | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Berliner Barbetreiber klagen gegen Sperrstunde

Wegen der hohen Corona-Infektionsfälle wird ab diesem Wochenende in Berlin eine Sperrstunde eingeführt. Knapp zehn Bars haben einen Eilantrag beim Berliner Verwaltungsgericht eingereicht, um gegen die Verordnung zu protestieren. © AFP

Bernie Sanders: Our Healthcare System Is 'Dysfunctional, Cruel and Wasteful’ | MSNBC

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont discusses Trump’s taxpayer-funded treatment for COVID and why the United States’ lack of universal healthcare is actually the “radical” exception worldwide

Donald Trump's Guide to American History | NowThis

President Donald Trump claims to have a high IQ and is among the smartest presidents ever, so let's go through his American history lessons and see how incorrect they are.

In US news and current events today, President Donald J. Trump has claimed to be the smartest, most intelligent president in US history, though his knowledge of the country's past leaves somewhat to be desired. From his defense of Andrew Jackson, complete misunderstanding of the Confederacy and why the Confederate Army was fighting in the Civil War history, and numerous other inaccuracies about world history and U.S. history, this President Trump history lesson will no doubt leave you dumber about the state of history. For President Trump, smart is a state of mind, and while many have cast doubts on the President's intelligence, we'll let this Trump history lesson speak for itself.

Fmr. CIA Director Brennan on Why He Will Not ‘Relent in His Criticism’ of Trump | Deadline | MSNBC

Former Director of the CIA John Brennan explains the threat to national security that Trump poses as president and warns that Trump has “taken the pages out” of the playbooks of many authoritarian leaders he has observed. Aired on 10/07/2020

Trump Falsely Claims He's Cured and Plans New Campaign Events | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Trump is planning a White House 'Law & Order' event on Saturday and an in-person rally in Florida on Monday as the plans for the next Biden-Trump debate fall apart. Aired on 10/09/2020.

There's a Social Pandemic Poisoning Europe: Hatred of Muslims

THE GUARDIAN: If anti-Muslim prejudice is not targeted, steps to counter racism in Europe in the wake of BLM protests will be meaningless

Rarely does the EU act so swiftly. Less than four months since the killing of George Floyd in police custody and the Black Lives Matter campaign that spilled into Europe and galvanised continent-wide protests, the EU is appointing its first ever anti-racism coordinator. This brilliant idea will make little sense, however, if anti-Muslim hatred is not part of their portfolio. Because instead of building a “truly anti-racist union”, as the president of the European commission, Ursula von der Leyen, would wish, we have so far built an anti-Muslim one.

Prejudice against Muslims exists in every corner of Europe. Not only do we collectively devalue and discriminate against Europeans who follow Islam, but the incidence of violence against Muslims is increasing.

We have known since the refugee and migration crisis of 2015 and the jihadist terrorist attacks in France, Spain and Germany that Muslims suffer from an exceptionally bad reputation in our societies. In 2019, research conducted for the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Religion Monitor yet again confirmed widespread mistrust towards Muslims across Europe. In Germany and Switzerland, every second respondent said they perceived Islam as a threat. In the UK, two in five share this perception. In Spain and France, about 60% think Islam is incompatible with the “west”. In Austria, one in three doesn’t want to have Muslim neighbours.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) confirms these findings in its most recent paper on the rise and meaning of hate crimes against Muslims. So does Europe’s police coordinating body Europol: in 2019, far-right terrorism soared.

What is more surprising is how quickly anti-Muslim racism has turned violent. » | Patrycja Sasnal and Yasemin El Menouar | Monday, September 28, 2020

As Virus Surges in Europe, Resistance to New Restrictions Also Grows

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Public health officials say “pandemic fatigue” presents a real challenge to countries trying to enforce new measures meant to slow the virus while avoiding national lockdowns.

LONDON — France has placed cities on “maximum alert” and ordered many to close all bars, gyms and sports centers on Saturday. Italy and Poland have made masks compulsory in public. The Czech Republic has declared a state of emergency, and German officials fear new outbreaks could soon grow beyond the control of their vaunted testing and tracing.

Across Europe and beyond, Covid-19 has come roaring back, and, as happened last spring, officials are invoking restrictions to try and suppress it. But this time is different.

Still reeling from the economic, emotional and physical toll of nationwide lockdowns that brought the Continent to a virtual standstill, government officials are finding that the public might not be so compliant the second time around.

In some places new restrictions are accepted, albeit grudgingly, because the alternative — new nationwide lockdowns — would only be worse. But there is widening skepticism that the public would even go along with such a drastic step. » | Marc Santora and Isabella Kwai | Friday, October 9, 2020

We All Deserve the Health Care Trump Received at Walter Reed

Mr. Trump, guess what? The Walter Reed Hospital that you were at, where you claimed you got excellent, high-quality care, that is a 100% government-funded, government-run, dare I say, “socialist,” facility.

Trump Boasts He Is 'Perfect Physical Specimen' and Claims to Be 'Immune' to Covid

INDEPENDENT: 'When you catch it, you get better and then you're immune,' the president falsely claimed

Donald Trump made a series of claims regarding his health after he was hospitalised for three days due to the coronavirus, and the claims included calling himself the “perfect physical specimen”.

The president went on a phone call with Fox Business on Thursday morning when he was asked if other Americans would have access to the coronavirus treatments he received while at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for three days.

“Yeah they’re going to get it,” he said about the treatments, adding: “I’m back because I am perfect physical specimen and I'm extremely young, and so I am lucky in that way.”

Mr Trump went on to state other aspects of his health that he claims helped him fight the novel virus, including having no “heart problems” and no “diabetes”. » | Danielle Zoellner | Thursday, October 8, 2020

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor - IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Jewish Community Fears Rise of Anti-Semitic Violence in Germany | DW News

One year after an attack on a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle, the head of Germany's domestic security service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), has warned that Germany is experiencing a "steep rise" in anti-Semitism.

On October 9, 2019, an armed 27-year-old man attempted to shoot his way into a packed synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. A well-secured door prevented him from carrying out an attack inside. The man then killed two bystanders before fleeing and later being taken into custody. Last week, a man dressed in military fatigues attacked a Jewish man outside a synagogue in Hamburg.

DW talks to Marina Weisband, member of the German Green Party and also a member of the Jewish community in Berlin.

Trump Insider Cohen Exposes Plan to Jail Rivals in 2020 | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen joins MSNBC's Ari Melber to discuss Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and asserts he's "reckless with power." Cohen also discusses rival lawyer Michael Avenatti in this special interview.

Trump Unmoored Calls for Indictment of His Political Opponents | Morning Joe | MSNBC

The president on Thursday called for AG Barr to indict Joe Biden for the 'greatest political crime in the history of our country.' Trump also called for the indict of former President Obama. The Morning Joe panel discusses. Aired on 10/09/2020

John Brennan Reacts to Trump's Call to Have Biden Jailed | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Trump and his campaign have unleashed new attacks on Biden and other Democrats accusing them of a 'treasonous plot' with the president saying Biden should be jailed less than one month before Election Day. Aired on 10/08/2020.

Donald Trump Has No Understanding of What Service Is': Gold Star Father | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Gold Star father Khizr Khan, whose son, U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq, reacts to Donald Trump's suggestion that he was infected with the coronavirus by Gold Star families at a White House event. Aired on 10/08/2020