Saturday, June 22, 2024

Blame Game: Travis Posey!

Arkansas mass shooter has no remorse.

Arkansas mass shooting and the victims. Mad Butcher has confirmed they are temporarily closed. That puts a handful of workers out of jobs. Shoppers would have to travel to Walmart or any other area grocer for food, medicine and cleaning supplies.

"We are deeply saddened by the shooting incident that occurred Friday at the Fordyce Mad Butcher grocery store, which is owned and operated by Houchens Food Group," the statement reads. "We're thankful for the rapid response from local authorities who apprehended the suspect and secured the area. Corporate and store officials are fully cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation. The store will remain closed until the investigation concludes. Please keep our employees, customers, and the Fordyce community in your thoughts and prayers."

No confirmation as of yet, but I am guessing President Joe Biden and the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden will talk with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas to arrange a visit to the city of Fordyce.

A white man shot over 20 people killing three. 

The suspect was shot but will survive his injuries. He is currently in lockup and the Arkansas state authorities and FBI are investigating whether this was a lone wolf white extremist attack which qualifies for a federal sandwich and a DEATH CARD if convicted by the feds.

The state charges also carry the LIFE or DEATH.

The suspect is a 44 year old white man from Cleveland County.

Two victims were identified. A 23 year old single mother and a 63 year old grandmother.

The reports from sources said this shooter was from New Edinburgh, a tiny unincorporated town which has less than 140 residents. He was a truck driver and had a history of criminal charges in New York. He was arrested for possessing a firearm on the military premises of Fort Drum in Watertown. 

The youngest victim was 23-year-old Callie Weems. She was shot and killed while grocery shopping at Mad Butcher, Callie's mother, Helen, confirmed to us. 

Callie Weems was the mother of a 10-month-old daughter and worked as a licensed practical nurse at the Dallas County Medical Center.

Helen said she has known Posey, the suspected shooter, since he was a kid.

Callie Weems was killed. Her daughter will never know her mom.

The second victim was 63-year-old Shirley Kay Taylor. She killed during the mass shooting, confirmed through her daughter Angela Atchley. Taylor was reportedly checking out when she was fatally shot by the gunman.

Atchley told us her mother was a great person, who loved her kids and grandchildren and loved to cook.

"She was the hardest working woman ever," Atchley said.

The White House put out a statement that said, "We are grateful for the law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm's way by engaging the suspect and bringing him into custody. Federal law enforcement is assisting with the local investigation."

This incident happened in the Black belt. 

There were warnings that white extremists were preparing to "stand back and stand by."

They are hoping they trigger a race war which could impact Biden's reelection. They want to put Trump back in because he supported their views when it came to immigration, crime, globalism and Muslims.

The terrorist is a white male. His victims were Black. He was captured with a graze wound to his head but still alive and booked into the county lockup on suicide watch.

The shooting, carried out by a lone wolf, began in the supermarket's parking lot, close to U.S Route 79. The shooter shot 11 civilians, killing three and wounding eight, whose injuries ranged from non-life threatening to critical. Arkansas State Police immediately engaged with the shooter upon arrival. 

To all the Black firearm owners who support the Second Amendment or former president Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential race, I just want to say...

"YOU'RE GONNA BE SHOT BY POLICE TOO!"

The National Rifle Association never reacts to lawful exercise of firearm use when a Black, Hispanic, Arab, Muslim, Indigenous, LGBTQ or underage teen of color is carrying them.

It is automatic dehumanizing from the far right, police unions and the junk food media.

When white men, women or even some Asians are carrying firearms, the NRA is often parading them around like they're heroes and protectors of freedom.

In about 45 states, I believe it is lawful for you to walk down a street with a firearm.

Shirley Kay Taylor was doing routine shopping when the shooter struck.

If you're a Black man walking down the street with a firearm, the random 911 call or the visual spotting from a police officer merits an automatic drawl of a service weapon.

Police officers within seconds are either shooting or premeditated an excuse to use force.

The unions back up their claims of "fearing for their lives" despite the perpetrator not even firing a round. Given that the junk food media loves to paint the aggressor as the victim, the police officer is given the benefit of doubt. The person police shot usually do not get any ounce of doubt. A mugshot of a suspect or a picture of a person posing with money or firearms automatically draws far right conclusions to justification of force.

Even fleeing from police with a firearm and not even pointing at them results in police shootings. 

If a person does survive, the state still charges the person for a crime despite the state allowing open carry and lawful possession.

So I just want to say that the Second Amendment is White, period.

The far right uses to debate gun violence.

A bullet does not care about color. We all bleed red and so many lives are lost to gun violence and Republicans offer no solutions other than "thoughts and prayers" with a touch of "lock em up."

Gun violence is the number one threat in the United States.

I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns. Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases. 

Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.

According to the far rightWhite shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant thugs and criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants. Almost all mass shooters are registered Democrats because they have liked one thing common to the left. Of course, they often share disinformation by using the "Sam Hyde" meme as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white. They say a white person should "protect" from protesters and use of firearms are justified. They say if a shooter is active military or a veteran who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens, the far right automatically assume the gunmen are Black.

The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, Twitter and they force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican lawmakers who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms. The far right and Republicans exploit gun violence in the Black community for culture wars and racism.

So in closing, expect more.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those police officers who were killed in the line of duty. Those victims who don't get their names or accomplishments mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. We are tracking police violence as well. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

The call number to the White House and U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police. 

Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence. Let them know that we are tired of police officers using immunity when committing death of suspects in custody. Let them know that you are tired of private equity firms getting away with destroying small businesses and long established companies. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel. Let them know you are very tired of your lawmakers embarrassing themselves in the media. You are tired of your lawmakers always being outside their district or state. You elected them to serve their districts and state not travel across the country or to foreign countries on your taxpayer dollars. You are tired of hearing about "Israel having a right to..." and the bogus claims of being anti-semitic or in support of terrorism. You want an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and lawmakers avoid influence from lobbyists.

Elon Musk: The Sexual Predator!

Elon Musk without the hair extensions. Really a creeper.

The Wall Street Journal piece on the controversial billionaire should get the attention of investors, buyers and the U.S. Justice Department and Homeland Security. California,  New York and Texas should launch criminal investigations into Elon Musk. 

The billionaire has allegedly used cocaine, told inappropriate stories, made women do sexual favors for payments and promotions, sleeping with underage girls and forcing workers to watch adult entertainment.

The United Kingdom, Canada and South Africa should launch investigations into whether he used his power to sexually assault women and used extortion, blackmail and intimidation of whistleblowers to stifle any accountability.

If Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, R. Kelly and Danny Masterson fell to their own sexual predatory behavior, so should Donald J. Trump, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Rupert Murdoch and Elon Musk should fall too. Same with Bill O'Reilly, Jesse Watters, Chris Mathews, Matt Lauer, Sean "Softball" Hannity and other predators.

Musk recently fathered his 14th child with a worker at his X Brands. He has confirmed 12 children but there are two Musk haven't confirmed yet.

This is the type of predatory behavior that needs either Texas, California, New York and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to look into.

Eight former SpaceX engineers filed a lawsuit against Musk on Wednesday alleging sexual harassment and retaliation.

Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, “knowingly and purposefully created an unwelcome hostile work environment based upon his conduct of interjecting into the workplace vile sexual photographs, memes, and commentary that demeaned women and/or the LGBTQ+ community,” says the employees’ complaint, which was earlier reported by Bloomberg.

The complaint — which cites many of Musk’s Twitter posts making sexually explicit jokes — claims that Musk fostered “a perversely sexist culture at SpaceX.” Several of the plaintiffs say they “experienced direct harassment that mimicked Musk’s posts.” According to the suit, senior engineers often used phallic language during technical meetings, referring to mechanical parts as “chodes” and “schlongs.”

Being rich doesn't excuse his sexual predatory behavior.

“It was also common for engineers to apply crude and demeaning names to products in an attempt at humor, often at the expense of women and LGBTQ+ individuals. For example, the name ‘Upskirt Camera’ was used for a camera on the first stage of the Falcon rocket that views the bottom of the second stage.” The complaint also cites a video “starring SpaceX’s upper management, including Vice President of Human Resources (HR) Brian Bjelde, President and CEO Gwynne Shotwell, and Elon Musk that mocks and makes light of sexual misconduct and banter.” 

The former employees, who are also pursuing a National Labor Relations Board complaint against SpaceX, collaborated on an open letter in 2022 that raised concerns about Musk’s behavior and the broader company culture at SpaceX. The employees were subsequently fired — and their lawsuit alleges the order to terminate them came from Musk himself. Per Bloomberg, after a human resources official suggested SpaceX conduct an investigation, Musk replied, “I don’t care, fire them.”

After the letter was published, Shotwell emailed two of the letter writers telling them to “stop flooding employees [sic] communications channels immediately,” the complaint claims. Shotwell later sent a companywide email “with the subject line ‘Please stay focused on the SpaceX mission,’ in which she called the Open Letter ‘overreaching activism’ and stated that ‘[w]e performed an investigation and have terminated a number of employees involved,’” according to the suit.

The complaint targets both Musk and SpaceX. “Musk thinks he’s above the law. Our eight brave clients stood up to him and were fired for doing so. We look forward to holding Musk accountable for his actions at trial,” Laurie Burgess, an attorney representing the former engineers, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of a Wall Street Journal report that Musk had sexual relationships with two SpaceX employees, including a former intern he later hired onto his executive team. A third woman who spoke to the Journal said Musk asked her several times to have his children and complained about her work performance after she said no. The woman said she was also denied a raise. 

Shotwell accused one of the women of having an affair with her husband, according to the Journal. After the woman reported this to HR, Shotwell reportedly “told the HR department at SpaceX that she wanted the woman removed from the office of the chief executive,” the Journal’s article says. In a statement to the Journal, Shotwell said the report paints “a completely misleading narrative” of SpaceX’s company culture.

Some former SpaceX employees disagree. In 2021, after a former SpaceX employee published an essay detailing multiple instances in which she was groped by her male colleagues, five former employees claimed there was a culture of sexual harassment at the company. The employees said HR handled complaints poorly. In 2022, Business Insider reported that a flight attendant on Musk’s private jet claimed he exposed himself to her.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Short Order!

Which stooge will be Trump's veep?

Former president Donald J. Trump has narrowed his candidate choices to three men.

Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), former vice president Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are out.

Trump has three choices.

1. An Ohio senator who once called Trump, "America's Hitler." Only in office for less than two years having no accomplishments, constantly trolling, pointing an AR-15 in the sky to shoot down a 10 ton surveillance balloon and wrote self reliance books. He is a millionaire and pals around San Francisco and Cincinnati area elites. A self described loyalist now, said it is good for Trump to enact political revenge. He also supports Israel and its invasion of Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and Syria.

2. A Florida senator who was called "Little Marco", mocked for wearing Cuban heel boots, getting a bottle water after he got winded in his Republican Response to then president Barack Obama's State of the Union, called himself a huge fan of Lil Wayne (whom he had Trump pardoned) and supports Israel and its invasion of Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and Syria.

3. A North Dakota governor who has little accomplishments but is probably the safest choice. Fairly conservative and milquetoast in nature. This governor has sided with Trump after he was convicted in New York on fraudulent documents.

J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum, three men with flaws. Flaws that may help or hurt Trump. 

Pence said he will not support a 2024 Trump bid. I am certain he might change his mind if his former boss picks a running mate that actually controls him.

In interviews with NBC News, more than a dozen sources wired into the process described an intensifying debate over the strengths and weaknesses each candidate would bring to the ticket.

A third prospect, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, remains in contention, sources said. But doubts about his enthusiasm for the job and concerns about navigating a constitutional hang-up that would require Trump or Rubio to establish residency in another state have persisted in ways that could jeopardize his chances.

Marco Rubio won his senate reelection in 2022. But since Rubio and Trump live in Florida, he gets 35% of pick chance.

Publicly, Trump has said he expects to announce his choice closer to, or at, the Republican National Convention, which begins July 15 in Milwaukee. But three sources familiar with discussions said timing remains a topic of debate. One option is for Trump to announce days earlier — immediately after his July 11 sentencing on 34 felony counts — in an effort to quickly move past a damaging news cycle. 

A source said, however, the pick could also come before the sentencing in an attempt to generate a fundraising windfall that’s divorced from Trump’s sentencing or the convention, both of which his allies expect to drive significant donations. Another source said that scenario was unlikely out of fear that his legal troubles would quickly drown out any news bounce from his running-mate reveal.  

The campaign’s VP deliberations have been closely guarded and, given Trump’s love for the element of surprise, could veer abruptly in other directions. 

“As President Trump has said himself, the top criteria in selecting a vice president is a strong leader who will make a great president for eight years after his next four-year term concludes,” senior Trump campaign adviser Brian Hughes said in a statement. “But anyone telling you they know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying unless that person is named Donald J. Trump.” 

Internally, a key point of tension and indecision is balancing the desire for a running mate who is non-threatening against the desire for someone who also can be considered the future of Trump’s movement, a source familiar with the search said. That tension, the source added, runs throughout the campaign, including with Trump.

Burgum, Vance and Rubio have been at the top of Trump’s shortlist for weeks, as first reported by NBC News. But with the convention now less than a month away, jockeying that ranges from public auditions to behind-the-scenes maneuvering has crescendoed as speculation — some of it idle, some of it informed — swells among those eagerly awaiting Trump’s decision. Other candidates previously viewed as prospects, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, might remain on the periphery of contention but are not discussed with the same intensity as Burgum, Vance or Rubio, according to sources. 

On Thursday, Burgum campaigned on Trump’s behalf in battleground Michigan, while Vance appeared with Trump at a fundraiser in Cleveland. The audience there clapped approvingly when Trump asked whether he should select Vance as his running mate, a source who was in the room said. 

Rubio spoke last week at a birthday celebration for Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida. His rocky history with Trump from when they ran against each other for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016 has also resurfaced, with a person close to Trump in recent weeks reinforcing to him Rubio’s history of negative comments, according to a person familiar with the matter.  

J.D. Vance won his senate bid in 2022. Vance is a likely choice given Ohio is more Republican friendly and it is a direct play for the Midwest. He gets a 45% chance.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief White House strategist and host of a podcast that is popular with GOP voters, listed Burgum, Vance and Stefanik among “top-tier folks running hard” to be picked.

“Unlike 2016, [there is a] deep bench of talent,” Bannon said. “Looks like a Cabinet being formed. There will be lots of consolation prizes for these killers.”

Burgum, largely unknown outside North Dakota a year ago when he launched his own long-shot presidential campaign, has rocketed to the top tier in part by proving himself up for anything. 

He has popped up with increasing frequency on right-leaning talk shows, as well as at Trump rallies and GOP chicken dinners. He trekked twice to New York for Trump’s trial on charges he falsified documents, which ended last month with convictions on all counts. And next week, Burgum will headline a “video conference” for Trump, at which the price to participate in a Q&A session via Zoom is $25,000, according to an invitation obtained by NBC News.

Burgum has impressed Trump with his loyalty, looks and money. He was the first of Trump’s most credible primary challengers to endorse him, and he has the central casting appearance of a dashing businessman-turned-governor who once sold a software company in a billion-dollar stock deal.

The arguments for Burgum are mostly about Trump: The former president enjoys spending time with the governor, Burgum is unlikely to ever outshine him, and Burgum’s struggle to break through in the primaries suggests he wouldn’t be a likely heir apparent who draws attention from Trump in the latter years of a second administration.

With few clues coming directly from Trump, Republicans are reading tea leaves from his allies. Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone posed for a photo last week for Burgum — a brief break from his efforts to promote his first choice, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.“I … really like @GovDougBurgum,” Stone posted on X after he and Burgum both spoke at a GOP event in Florida.

Burgum is telling associates that he is “just hoping there’s a place for him” in a Trump administration, said a person who has spoken with him recently. But, this person added, Burgum’s demeanor suggests he “thinks he has a great shot” at the VP slot. 

Vance, who also attended the trial and has headlined several Trump fundraisers while maintaining a steady TV presence, has something no other contender has: a Trump family member openly advocating for him.

Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, promoted Vance for the job on his podcast last month and in a March interview with the New York Post (whose editorial board this week endorsed Burgum).

“I’ve advocated for you for all the reasons you’re talking” about, Trump Jr. said while interviewing Vance on his podcast. “I really want to see, like, the JD Vance-Kamala Harris vice presidential debate. There’s some other nice people that could be vice president, I guess.” 

“I’ve advocated for you for all the reasons you’re talking” about, Trump Jr. said while interviewing Vance on his podcast. “I really want to see, like, the JD Vance-Kamala Harris vice presidential debate. There’s some other nice people that could be vice president, I guess.” 

Trump Jr., who is close with Vance, routinely reposts him on social media. And while other family members, especially former first lady Melania Trump, might have equal or greater influence over the selection, Vance has caught the attention of another Trump son, Eric, and his wife, Lara, who co-chairs the Republican National Committee. Both have reposted him or shared his TV appearances with their social media followers in recent weeks — something they haven’t done for Burgum or Rubio.

Then there’s Rubio, an attractive — and perhaps more traditional — option because of his potential appeal to Hispanic voters, suburban women and the older-guard Republicans who ruled the party when he was a finalist to be Mitt Romney’s running mate 12 years ago.

But Rubio never showed up at court for Trump’s criminal trial, unlike Burgum and Vance. (His team didn’t reply to a request for comment on why he didn’t go.) The residency issue could be trickier than it appears on paper, given the nuances of the Electoral College, which doesn’t allow electors to vote for a presidential and a vice presidential candidate from the same state. And Rubio’s suggestive comment about Trump’s “small hands” during the 2016 presidential primaries is the kind of schoolyard taunt Trump might not want to reward with such a plum offer.

Rubio’s case could be helped, though, by his relationship with top Trump campaign strategist Susie Wiles and other Florida GOP politicos working on or closely with Trump’s campaign. And Rubio still has champions in Trump’s orbit. 

Doug Burgum can make some noise but no enthusiasm. He has a 20% chance.

“Marco is 100% in the game,” said one Republican operative in Florida. “Right now, I would have to call JD Vance the favorite, but if the residency thing was not an issue, I’m fairly certain Marco would be the guy.”

A source who has spoken with Trump about the running mate search described the residency factor as an issue that is easy to fix as long as Rubio relocates. The source added that Rubio was impressive in defending Trump on TV during the trial, which was as valuable to Trump as attending in person.

“Trump saw him on TV night after night, including the night of his conviction,” the source said. “If he sees you on TV, he doesn’t need to see you in the courthouse.”

Burgum would be a better fit in the Cabinet, the source added. Vance, at 39, has a “big future,” but “Trump needs fighters in the Senate.”

Those and other considerations are part of the calculus in evaluating Burgum and Vance. Both also have records of criticizing Trump.

Burgum has in recent weeks walked back comments in an interview last year on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in which he said he wouldn’t do business with Trump, because “it’s important that you’re judged by the company you keep.” In an interview this week on Fox News, Burgum said he “only really got to know [Trump] as a person” after having spent more time with him on the campaign trail this year.

Vance, who was on record voting for independent Evan McMullin for president in 2016, has a particularly lengthy history of Trump-bashing. But he has since said that Trump proved him wrong and that most of the criticism was aired by rivals during his 2022 Senate campaign — a race in which Trump endorsed him in a crowded GOP primary. Many fervent followers of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement have embraced Vance as one of their own.

“JD is the only person in the final three — Rubio, Burgum, JD Vance — that is a popular elected official in the blue wall, and he’s also under the age of 40,” prominent pro-Trump activist Charlie Kirk, noting Vance’s Midwest base and potential appeal to younger voters, said last week in an interview with NBC News. “So I’m on Team Vance.”

Others see fundraising as Vance’s weakness. National Republicans spent tens of millions of dollars on his 2022 Senate race after Vance struggled to match his Democratic opponent’s fundraising. Two sources questioned whether Vance’s far-right politics might be a turnoff to more establishment-minded donors.

“A lot of donors that have been resistant to go all in but are now generally supportive of Trump don’t understand the Vance logic,” said a source who is plugged in with donors. 

Vance has worked to demonstrate stronger fundraising aptitude. A recent Silicon Valley event, which started with a goal of $5 million, hauled in $12 million, a source familiar with the fundraiser said.

Friday, June 21, 2024

Blood In The Black Belt: Mass Shooting In Fordyce, Arkansas!

Those brave enough caught the shooter committing a massacre in Fordyce, Arkansas.

Another mass shooting in the United States. 

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and the U.S. Representatives of Arkansas were notified of this mass shooting in Fordyce, Arkansas.

A city with a 55% Black population. The city with 4,100 residents.

Three people were killed and 10 wounded in a mass shooting Friday outside of a grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas, state police said. Two law enforcement officers were among those injured, but their conditions are not life-threatening, police said in an afternoon press conference.

Arkansas State Police responded to the Mad Butcher grocery store at 11:38 a.m. local time on Friday. Upon arrival, officers engaged in a shooting with the lone suspect, authorities said. 

A video clip from the scene appears to show a man in the parking lot armed with a shotgun firing at officers, who were returning fire.

The shooter was injured and has been taken into custody, police said, adding that the suspect's injuries aren't considered life-threatening. 

The eight civilians who were wounded have injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to extremely critical, Arkansas Department of Public Safety Director Mike Hagar said at the briefing.

"This situation is secure and it's contained. There are no active threats to the community," Hagar said.

The Fordyce Police are accused of being yellow.

One witness, David Rodriguez, was at a gas station next to the grocery store when the shooting started. He told CBS News he pulled into the gas station and "heard some popping," and at first he thought it was fireworks. Then, he said, he heard the sirens and saw the police pull up and "people just started running all over the place."

Rodriguez took out his cellphone and started filming moments after he heard the shots. "There is someone lying in the parking lot shot," he can be heard saying.

Rodriguez told CBS News, "It was quite a scare." 

Ken Vanderzwalm, who worked three doors down from the grocery store at a lawn mower supplier, told CBS News several people ran into their shop when the shooting started, "crying and screaming." Vanderzwalm, a former police officer, who said he was armed, said he let the people know they would "be safe" inside the building. 

"We had a lot of kids who were really traumatized," he said.

Vanderzwalm said he was pretty shaken up and described it like "something you see on TV," where shots were being continuously fired. 

Sanders said on social media: "I have been briefed on the tragic shooting in Fordyce, and I'm in constant contact with State Police at the scene. I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives. My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this."

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said special agents from the ATF's New Orleans field office are at the scene and providing assistance in response to the shooting.

The White House put out a statement that said, "We are grateful for the law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm's way by engaging the suspect and bringing him into custody. Federal law enforcement is assisting with the local investigation."

This incident happened in the Black belt. 

There were warnings that white extremists were preparing to "stand back and stand by."

Lucky to be alive. Man shows the damage a semi-automatic firearm does.

They are hoping they trigger a race war which could impact Biden's reelection. They want to put Trump back in because he supported their views when it came to immigration, crime, globalism and Muslims.

The terrorist is a white male. His victims were Black. He was captured with a graze wound to his head but still alive and booked into the county lockup on suicide watch.

The shooting, carried out by a lone wolf, began in the supermarket's parking lot, close to U.S Route 79. The shooter shot 11 civilians, killing three and wounding eight, whose injuries ranged from non-life threatening to critical. Arkansas State Police immediately engaged with the shooter upon arrival. 

To all the Black firearm owners who support the Second Amendment or former president Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential race, I just want to say...

"YOU'RE GONNA BE SHOT BY POLICE TOO!"

The National Rifle Association never reacts to lawful exercise of firearm use when a Black, Hispanic, Arab, Muslim, Indigenous, LGBTQ or underage teen of color is carrying them.

It is automatic dehumanizing from the far right, police unions and the junk food media.

Mad Butcher was a massacre.

When white men, women or even some Asians are carrying firearms, the NRA is often parading them around like they're heroes and protectors of freedom.

In about 45 states, I believe it is lawful for you to walk down a street with a firearm.

If you're a Black man walking down the street with a firearm, the random 911 call or the visual spotting from a police officer merits an automatic drawl of a service weapon.

Police officers within seconds are either shooting or premeditated an excuse to use force.

The unions back up their claims of "fearing for their lives" despite the perpetrator not even firing a round. Given that the junk food media loves to paint the aggressor as the victim, the police officer is given the benefit of doubt. The person police shot usually do not get any ounce of doubt. A mugshot of a suspect or a picture of a person posing with money or firearms automatically draws far right conclusions to justification of force.

Even fleeing from police with a firearm and not even pointing at them results in police shootings. 

If a person does survive, the state still charges the person for a crime despite the state allowing open carry and lawful possession.

So I just want to say that the Second Amendment is White, period.

Well is it ironic?

A bullet does not care about color. We all bleed red and so many lives are lost to gun violence and Republicans offer no solutions other than "thoughts and prayers" with a touch of "lock em up."

Gun violence is the number one threat in the United States.

I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns. Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases. 

Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.

According to the far rightWhite shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants. Almost all mass shooters are registered Democrats because they have liked one thing common to the left. Of course, they often share disinformation by using the "Sam Hyde" meme as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white. They say a white person should "protect" from protesters and use of firearms are justified. They say if a shooter is active military or a veteran who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens, the far right automatically assume the gunmen are Black.

It takes a fool. Sarah Huckabee Sanders allowed it to happen.

The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, Twitter and they force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican lawmakers who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms. The far right and Republicans exploit gun violence in the Black community for culture wars and racism.

So in closing, expect more.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those police officers who were killed in the line of duty. Those victims who don't get their names or accomplishments mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. We are tracking police violence as well. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

The call number to the White House and U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police. 

Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence. Let them know that we are tired of police officers using immunity when committing death of suspects in custody. Let them know that you are tired of private equity firms getting away with destroying small businesses and long established companies. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel. Let them know you are very tired of your lawmakers embarrassing themselves in the media. You are tired of your lawmakers always being outside their district or state. You elected them to serve their districts and state not travel across the country or to foreign countries on your taxpayer dollars. You are tired of hearing about "Israel having a right to..." and the bogus claims of being anti-semitic or in support of terrorism. You want an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and lawmakers avoid influence from lobbyists.

Trump Claimed Dead And Gone Joan Rivers Voted For Him In 2016!

Trump with Ivanka and Joan Rivers. The former president got confused again.

I really believe Joan Rivers deserved her unfortunate fate. She was a comedian who said some really racist things about former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. She literally made a career off of insulting Americans with tasteless rants and body shaming.

Rivers died from a botched surgery. 

She was a Zionist who once said that Palestinians deserved to die regardless of the war crimes Israel committed. She said racially offensive remarks about Black women, Indigenous women and Arab women. 

She was given millions in movies, clothing line and clout.

Yet, she and daughter Melissa Rivers spent countless amounts of money for plastic surgery. Rivers was not shy about her surgeries. She even joked about them.

Former first lady Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, Lara Trump, Venessa Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Marla Maples, Ivana Trump, Laura Ingraham, Kristie Noem, Laura Loomer, Tomi Lahren, Caitlyn Jenner and Cheryl Hines are notoriously spending millions on plastic surgery.

Rivers endorsed Trump's attacks on Barack Obama during his 2012 election. Trump was on the birther nonsense. She was considered a liberal Republican because of her support of LGBTQIA issues and suicide prevention.

Rivers said Obama was the first gay president and referred to Michelle as a transwoman.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that besides bringing laughter to millions of people around the world, she was "proud of her Jewish heritage". Trump attended her funeral and tweeted that she "was an amazing woman and a great friend".

Trump even claimed that Rivers voted for him in 2016.


Just one thing, Rivers died in 2014.

Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh interviewed Trump in November for Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass. The book, which was released on Wednesday, explores the business mogul's time hosting the reality show The Apprentice.

Rivers won Season 2 of the star-studded spin-off show, Celebrity Apprentice, in 2009. Trump mentions Rivers in the book, suggesting the Daytime Emmy winner "might have been a Republican."

"I know one thing: she voted for me, according to what she said," Trump claimed in Apprentice in Wonderland.

During an appearance on CNN's The Source on Wednesday, Setoodeh said he'd "interviewed Trump more than any other journalist since he'd left the White House."

Dead and gone.

Setoodeh interviewed the Republican politician six times, beginning in May 2021. He described the process as "challenging," calling the 78-year-old's recollections as "meandering and confusing."

"He's goes from one story to the next, he struggles with the chronology of events," Setoodeh told host Kaitlan Collins. "He seems very upset that he wasn't respected by certain celebrities in the White House, and then he'd go to a story about The Apprentice."

"There were some cognitive questions about where he was and what he was thinking," Setoodeh continued. "He would from time to time become confused."

Collins asked Setoodeh about the section on Rivers, to which he replied: "He definitely told me and declared that Rivers voted for him when he ran for president.

"Joan Rivers died in 2014, so she would not have been able to vote for Donald Trump."

Steven Cheung, Trump's communications director, told Newsweek: "This is nothing more than Fake News being peddled by those who suffer from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Biden and his loser cronies should stop using cheap fakes to gaslight the American people."

Sean "Softball" Hannity spent all month trying to convince his dwindling viewers that President Joe Biden isn't prepared for the debate that he and Trump are scheduled for CNN on Thursday. The softball said that Trump is "fit and prepared" and is facing a "3 on 1" battle where the moderators and Biden will challenge Trump. The softball, Republicans and Trump have ran on the Biden is senile old man for months. When Trump fails to remember his former physician and rants about sharks, they turn back to Biden being corrupt and it carrying out a mission through the Justice Department to destroy the former president.

Joan Rivers would have been proud to see Trump and Republicans whip up chaos.

Her life was based off their ignorance.

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Feds Raid Oakland Mayor's Home!

Feds came a knocking on Sheng Thao's door. The Oakland mayor also has a recall to deal with too.

That's not good.

Winners and losers of 2024.

Democratic mayor of Oakland, California had a no knock warrant and FBI raid of her home. The mayor of California's 8th largest city, Sheng Thao had her home raided on Thursday.

Thao is the first Hmong American to be mayor of the city. Under Thao's term, Oakland lost the MLB A's to Las Vegas. The previous mayor Libby Schaaf also had the NFL Raiders move to Las Vegas and the Golden State Warriors move to San Francisco.

Oakland has 447,000 residents. It also had a mass shooting on Juneteenth.

The U.S. Justice Department is tight lipped on what Thao did during her mayoral or council member term. It comes also as a recall effort is underway.

Agents served warrants at Thao's house on Maiden Lane in the city's Lincoln Highlands neighborhood at around 5:30 a.m. 

In an emailed statement to CBS News Bay Area, the FBI said, "The FBI is conducting court authorized law enforcement activity on Maiden Lane. We are unable to provide additional information at this time." 

Just after 10 a.m., several FBI agents emerged from the home carrying boxes as news crews staked out positions across the street. It was unclear what the agents were seeking or what was seized. 

Federal agents also served warrants at a nearby home on Viewcrest Court in the city's Ridgemont neighborhood and at the Embarcadero offices shared by the Vietnamese American Business Association (VABA) and California Waste Solutions which manages the city's curbside recycling program. 

The San Francisco Chronicle reported another search at the Skyline Boulevard home of VABA chairman David Duong, who is also CEO of California Waste Solutions. 

The owner of the Viewcrest Court house is listed as Andrew Duong, the son of David Duong. Both VABA and California Waste Solutions list multiple members of the Duong family on their leadership teams. 

FBI agents and IRS criminal investigation special agents  carried out about 20 boxes of seized materials, many of which had "Andy Duong" written on them.

California Waste Solutions has previously been investigated over campaign contributions to Oakland city officials, including Thao when she was a city councilmember, according to Oaklandside. A company staffer who identified herself as Teresa Hoang said the firm was cooperating with authorities and that it was "confident the government will conclude that they are not involved in anything unlawful." Hoang is also listed as a VABA director.

Andy Duong has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, which includes photos with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Gavin Newsom.

Hoang also said the Duong family has "dealt with a lot of injustice over the past three decades" and is confident no wrongdoing will be found.

"This isn't the first time we've had to deal with stuff like this. Every time we've come out clean," Hoang said. "The officials know more than anybody right now what the investigation is about."

CBS News Bay Area reached out to Mayor Thao's office for a response to the raids. Thao was a no-show Thursday morning at a scheduled press conference in San Francisco on affordable housing with the mayors of San Francisco, San Jose and Berkeley. 

The raids come two days after the Alameda County Registrar of Voters announced there were enough signatures on a petition to recall Thao from office to move the process forward.

Supporters of a recall blame the mayor for not doing enough to fight crime which has led many businesses to close down in the city. They also blame Thao for the city's failure to apply for millions of dollars in state money to fight retail crime.

Thao was also criticized for firing former police chief LeRonne Armstrong and not hiring a replacement for more than a year. On Thursday, Armstrong called the FBI raids "a sad day for the City of Oakland" in a prepared statement.

"Oakland is a city in crisis. Crime, violence, shootings, uncontrolled homelessness, unmitigated encampments, the budget deficit and more," said Armstrong. "The biggest obstacle to overcoming these crises are the failures of leadership in City Hall. Even before today's news, some city leaders have done nothing to help--and much to hurt—our city. Oakland needs leadership with a plan to address public safety, leadership who works with businesses, and leadership that's prepared to meet our challenges with a vision for the future of Oakland. In this moment we must unite and work together to move our great city forward."

KPIX correspondents Kevin Ko and Lauren Toms contributed to this report.

RFK, Jr.'s Campaign Dwindling Down!

Kennedy may be out of campaign cash.

Winners and losers of 2024.

The independent candidate for president failed to meet the requirements to debate on CNN and his fundraising is drying up. The Republicans and Democrats are siding with their nominees.

President Joe Biden and former president Donald J. Trump will debate next Thursday in what may be their only time [depending on Trump's reactions] on CNN.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will not be on the stage. 

Biden will only have one conspiracy theorist to debate not two. 

The deadline to qualify for the debate was 12 a.m. EST Thursday. To qualify, candidates must “appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote thresholds to win the presidency” and receive at least 15% in four qualifying national polls prior to the eligibility deadline, according to a CNN news release.

Kennedy had received at least 15% in three qualifying polls and was on the ballot in six states, making him eligible for only 89 electoral college votes, according to CNN.

Kennedy filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission in May claiming that CNN was making “prohibited corporate contributions” to the Biden and Trump campaigns violating federal campaign finance law and negotiated with the two campaigns to exclude other candidates, including him, from the debate stage.

Kennedy and his wife actress Cheryl Hines.

He asked that the FEC take actions no later than Thursday and keep CNN, Biden and Trump from holding the debate “until the parties have come into compliance with the Federal Election Campaign Act,” according to the complaint.

Kennedy and running mate Nicole Shanahan have so far managed garnish 8% of the vote.

Kennedy is denounced by his family. His own children and cousins support Biden.

Last month, Biden and Trump agreed to the CNN debate and a second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC, bypassing the nonpartisan commission that has organized debates for nearly four decades.

After winning a coin toss, Biden's campaign chose the right podium position, meaning that he will be on the right side of viewers' screens, with Trump on the left, according to CNN. Trump's campaign then opted to deliver his closing statement after Biden.

Both campaigns have agreed to appear at podiums, and microphones will be muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.

La Louisiane met les dix commandements dans les écoles publiques!

The Louisiana government impose religion in public schools.

Louisiana Puts The Ten Commandments In Public Schools!

Christian nationalism has spread down in the Deep South. The results of Democrats not taking elections seriously. The results of a government that is going through an overreach. It is radicalism and religious intolerance. America faces a crossroads come 2024.

With Project 2025 and Greater Israel being essential threats to the world, the choice is clear. Vote like your life depends on it. 

Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana has only been in office less than a year and he is already a headache to President Joe Biden. He is literally daring the U.S. government to sue him for violating the Constitution.

Landry and Republicans signed off a law requiring public schools to have the Ten Commandments in vicinity. It is a clear violation of the "separation of church and state."

It means that Muslims, Jewish, Hindus, Satanists, Buddhists and other religions are subjected to a law that shows favoritism towards Christianity.

Landry signed into law on Wednesday requires a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities.

“If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses” who got the commandments from God, Landry said.

Opponents questioned the law’s constitutionality and vowed to challenge it in court. Proponents said the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. In the language of the law, the Ten Commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.”

The posters, which will be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025.

Under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. The posters would be paid for through donations.

The law also “authorizes” but does not require the display of other items in K-12 public schools, including: The Mayflower Compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as America’s “First Constitution"; the Declaration of Independence; and the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government in the Northwest Territory — in the present day Midwest — and created a pathway for admitting new states to the Union.

Not long after the governor signed the bill into law at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Lafayette on Wednesday, civil rights groups and organizations that want to keep religion out of government promised to file a lawsuit challenging it.

The law prevents students from getting an equal education and will keep children who have different beliefs from feeling safe at school, the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation said in a joint statement Wednesday afternoon.

“Even among those who may believe in some version of the Ten Commandments, the particular text that they adhere to can differ by religious denomination or tradition. The government should not be taking sides in this theological debate,” the groups said.

Jeff Landry signs Christian nationalism into law.

The controversial law, in a state ensconced in the Bible Belt, comes during a new era of conservative leadership in Louisiana under Landry, who replaced two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in January. The GOP holds a supermajority in the Legislature, and Republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push through a conservative agenda.

Similar bills requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah. However, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, no state besides Louisiana has succeeded in making the bills law.

Legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms are not new.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose.

The Louisiana government impose religion in public schools.

Louisiana Puts The Ten Commandments In Public Schools!

Christian nationalism has spread down in the Deep South. The results of Democrats not taking elections seriously. The results of a government that is going through an overreach. It is radicalism and religious intolerance. America faces a crossroads come 2024.

With Project 2025 and Greater Israel being essential threats to the world, the choice is clear. Vote like your life depends on it. 

Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana has only been in office less than a year and he is already a headache to President Joe Biden. He is literally daring the U.S. government to sue him for violating the Constitution.

Landry and Republicans signed off a law requiring public schools to have the Ten Commandments in vicinity. It is a clear violation of the "separation of church and state."

It means that Muslims, Jewish, Hindus, Satanists, Buddhists and other religions are subjected to a law that shows favoritism towards Christianity.

Landry signed into law on Wednesday requires a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities.

“If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses” who got the commandments from God, Landry said.

Opponents questioned the law’s constitutionality and vowed to challenge it in court. Proponents said the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. In the language of the law, the Ten Commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.”

The posters, which will be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025.

Under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. The posters would be paid for through donations.

The law also “authorizes” but does not require the display of other items in K-12 public schools, including: The Mayflower Compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as America’s “First Constitution"; the Declaration of Independence; and the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government in the Northwest Territory — in the present day Midwest — and created a pathway for admitting new states to the Union.

Not long after the governor signed the bill into law at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Lafayette on Wednesday, civil rights groups and organizations that want to keep religion out of government promised to file a lawsuit challenging it.

The law prevents students from getting an equal education and will keep children who have different beliefs from feeling safe at school, the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation said in a joint statement Wednesday afternoon.

“Even among those who may believe in some version of the Ten Commandments, the particular text that they adhere to can differ by religious denomination or tradition. The government should not be taking sides in this theological debate,” the groups said.

Jeff Landry signs Christian nationalism into law.

The controversial law, in a state ensconced in the Bible Belt, comes during a new era of conservative leadership in Louisiana under Landry, who replaced two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in January. The GOP holds a supermajority in the Legislature, and Republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push through a conservative agenda.

Similar bills requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah. However, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, no state besides Louisiana has succeeded in making the bills law.

Legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms are not new.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose.

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