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    myopicprophetMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 3:23pm

    They’ve always been around and ready to party, Trump just lit the cross on fire.

    #MakeAmericaHateAgain

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      MatisyahuSeriousmyopicprophet
      7/05/18 3:29pm

      again would imply it had stopped at some point, but if you are a poc in this country, you know it never did - it was simply sanctioned at the highest level and rebranded as patriotism.

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      BlackMage2030myopicprophet
      7/05/18 3:53pm

      I would say it’s more like the party was lagging, losing some steam... and Trump was the guy who brought in the fresh keg of shitty beer and a liter of Everclear. The cross was always there on fire, but now it’s a party.

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    duckonajunebugMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 3:35pm

    Michael, the thing I love most about your writing is how impervious it is to jargon. Your example of ‘unpack,’ above, is what I mean.

    I worked in marketing for the last 15 years and I had a sign on my door that said:

    “’Robust’ describes coffee, not data or timelines.

    ‘Ladder’ can only be used as a verb when referring to pantyhose. You can not ‘ladder up’ or ‘ladder down’ to people.

    “’Granular’ refers to sugar and possibly flour but, again, never data.

    ‘Impactful’ is not a word, doesn’t need to be a word, and should never be used by any right-thinking person.”

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      fair_n_hite_451duckonajunebug
      7/05/18 3:57pm

      Ugh.  I’ve never heard the “ladder up” expression - might be a local thing.  But I’m now on my guard.

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      duckonajunebugfair_n_hite_451
      7/05/18 4:05pm

      Look out for this one too: ‘calendarize,’ meaning ‘schedule,’ e.g., “I am going to calendarize that meeting with my boss.”

      Reply
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    skefflesMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 3:52pm

    It is also why “debating” with racists (you know, those youtube freeze peach guys) also normalizes it, same way that altright evangelists want to “teach the controversy” over evolution. If you do then you normalize racism and creationism as something that is up for grabs, when obviously it is total bullshit. Too many liberals and progressives fell into that trap post 9/11 that somehow you could debate and convince the nascent altrighters with facts, but that was never their goal; they just wanted to get their hateful opinions on the board as something you could debate in polite society.

    Don’t fall for it again. Please.

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      Rooo sez BISH PLZskeffles
      7/05/18 5:11pm

      Who’s doing that? I don’t know anybody with sense who does that. Some people are literally too busy dodging bullets to indulge in that kind of time-wasting nonsense.

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      blerdlineRooo sez BISH PLZ
      7/05/18 6:06pm

      There are people out there that think they can reason with bigots and racists.

      But a wise man once told me don’t argue with fools.

      Reply
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    BlaqntelligenceMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 4:28pm

    Donald trump is the walking talking embodiment of the worst of this country while, white america, raised on the whitewashed bullshit they call history, are the only ones truly dumbfounded by this “new” normal.

    The rest of us?

    Old news...#wetriedtotellyou.

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      iculookinBlaqntelligence
      7/06/18 2:08am

      Yup, the only people who are surprised by this are the ones who haven’t been paying attention.

      Reply
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    GreatScottMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 3:10pm

    Yes; we klan.

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      Rooo sez BISH PLZGreatScott
      7/05/18 5:12pm

      Damn, boo

      Reply
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    BrwnskngurlMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 4:48pm

    I agree with your essay, Michael. I also think the anonymity of the internet and the explosion of technology contribute greatly to people acting out their racism....and Dump’s use of Twitter and his media manipulation to cover his klan rallies, etc., allowed people to read it, feel it, type it up and send it out, in a few swipes! Once their emails, Facebook postings and Twitter feeds got infested w/ hate, and they found so many “like” racist minds out there, they figured they could act on it publicly too and, in some cases, with impunity. Their president encouraged it and even agreed to pay their legal fees! 

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    BiturbowagonMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 9:55pm

    The racist orange santorum-covered abomination is validating and empowering the racists among us. He is not normalizing racism among the general population, but certainly among the racist population.

    OTOH, the Frothy One is energizing many good people to oppose him and to oppose the normalization of all this garbage.

    Let’s hope there’s enough good people to counteract all this hatred and bigotry (and more). Let’s work towards a more perfect union.

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    Squib308Michael Harriot
    7/05/18 3:19pm

    Ahh, see, you need to _change the conversation_ in order to _change the narrative_, then all will be well. /s

    45 administration is watching a continual train wreck that just keeps going. Right now the train wreck keeps pushing other trains off the track, speeding through train yards, jumping tracks. (add other train crash metaphors that sound good to you)

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      LastTimeAroundSquib308
      7/05/18 3:22pm

      I am _literally screaming_ about this topic right now. Screaming.

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      Squib308LastTimeAround
      7/05/18 4:01pm

      I may know what you’re feeling - you can only handle so much and then have a breakdown of some sort. Screaming, yelling, hitting something, whatever. Then get back up & take some more. Sound accurate?

      Reply
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    rusholmeruffianMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 4:42pm

    The Beyhive newsletter doesn’t tell 16-year-olds that condoms are evil. Contrary to what they say about the influence of rap music, even among people who listen to “Bodak Yellow,” the percentage of people who eschewed dancing in favor of making “money moves” is very low in the black community.

    JUST HOOK IT TO MY VEINS.

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    thelasthalfdonutMichael Harriot
    7/05/18 6:09pm

    Anytime someone said “He says what we’re thinking.” I said, Oh, you mean racist bullshit?? White America has always been racist, they just pretended they were genteel. He just made it acceptable to say this shit out loud. Racists aren’t afraid anymore. Unless you catch them on video.

    Reply