Apr 05

Bonnie And The Brilliant Racial Tension Of 'Big Little Lies'

Posted in: Today's Chili

“Big Little Lies” is one of the most brilliant TV shows to come out in years. It’s also one of the whitest. 

The murder-mystery-drama, which had its stunning finale on Sunday, focuses on five wealthy, beautiful rich white women with not less than beautiful lives. Aside from a few Asian and black characters who are part of the Monterey community’s “greek chorus,” four out of five of the show’s main players ― Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shaliene Woodley and Reese Witherspoon ― are white women. 

There’s only one black lead, Bonnie, played by Zoe Kravitz in a role that reveals her acting chops despite being so seemingly close to our conception of the real life Kravitz: earthy, edgy and carefree. Bonnie, with tattoos and waist-length braids, is the only black mom amongst a slew of predominantly older, white mothers, and it’s a point that, conspicuously, never really comes up. 

“It’s not mentioned, ever,” Kravitz told a reporter for The Guardian in February. “Her race is just not a thing.”

Perhaps for Kravitz, the fact that her character’s race is never acknowledged is refreshing in an industry where she was once rejected for a role in Batman because the directors weren’t “going urban.” For others, it’s a tedious color-blind approach to diversity. As Refinery29 writer Sesali Bowen expressed it, glossing over Bonnie’s ethnicity merely added “diversity in visibility only,” presenting race “as a mere aesthetic difference between people, not one that affects how they interact with the rest of the world.”

It’s true that the show’s treatment of Bonnie was flawed. We see very little from her point of view, except for in the brilliant final act of the show. Here, on the night of the Elvis and Audrey fundraiser, the camera shifts to Bonnie’s perspective as she watches Celeste being manhandled by her husband ― realizing that something isn’t right.  

I often watched the show wondering where the hell in Monterey Bonnie got her hair braided, or if she ever twisted her daughter’s hair at night. Who were her people? And yet, there’s an alternative reading of Bonnie’s apparent racial ambiguity in Monterey. It isn’t pretty. It’s frustrating. And it’s true to life in a way that potentially says more than if we’d gotten a scene that explicitly acknowledged her race.

Because this is how rich, white liberal racism works, right? It’s the racism that dare not speak its name. It’s the racism that deals with race by not dealing with it, by never saying “black” or “white,” by tip-toeing around it even as it manifests itself in petty microaggressions. 

Bonnie’s blackness, her otherness in the eyes of her white counterparts is actually, throughout the series, weirdly at the center of who her character is. She is the exoticized “other,” the beautiful, young, hippie wife who inspires lust in the husbands of Monterey, and jealousy and resentment in the wives.

It’s a jealousy and resentment that hides, just beneath the surface, a racial tension that no one ― not even Bonnie herself, perhaps ― can name, let alone process. No, we never see Madeline complain to any of her friends about Bonnie being a black girl. A woman like Madeline, so dedicated to her ideals of being progressive and open-minded (her obsession with getting “Avenue Q” made for instance), wouldn’t even know how to begin to process how race might feed into her feelings about her husband’s new wife. 

Bonnie’s seeming perfection, her exceeding patience and goodness, works on a different level as well. Throughout the series we get to see these seemingly “perfect” women fuck up repeatedly, we see them have meltdowns, act bitchy, be vulnerable and insecure. We see little of that in Bonnie, a beautiful enigma just there to “make peace.” Though toward the end of the series, we see her peaceful demeanor begin to crack, if only a little, during the well-intentioned peace-making dinner with Madeline and Ed which ends with Madeline literally projectile vomiting on her. In that moment, viewers understood that there must be more to Bonnie, just beneath the surface. 

So much of Bonnie’s existence in Monterey is a demonstration of how black people, black women especially, have to exist in predominantly white spaces. The idea is to not rock the boat. The idea is to placate white fear by being palpable. Bonnie is edgy, but not threatening with her light skin, earthy vibes, and perpetual chillness. Maybe she’s had to be all those things.   

Which makes that final moment, that push, when she exerts a kind of messy, frenzied sort of agency that we haven’t seen throughout the series, all the more powerful. This isn’t to absolve “Big Little Lies,” or any other shows with black characters that choose not to deal with race directly, from “Friends” to “Girls.” It’s quite possible that the show never mentions Bonnie’s race because the writers themselves were unable or unwilling to deal with race, and that’s unfortunate and frustrating. And it’s true: Diversity and inclusion are about more than just about seeing a black face in a white crowd.

And yet there’s something to be said for the context in which black characters exist; the ways in which they navigate the world they exist in and how white characters they exist in that world with navigate them. Sometimes, the silence can be loud. 

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Apr 05

Husband's Illustrations For Wife Celebrate The Romance In Everyday Life

Posted in: Today's Chili

Since 2010, artist Andrew Hou has been documenting life with his wife Kate in a series of adorable and relatable illustrations.

“Even though we just passed our sixth wedding anniversary in March, surprisingly, both of us still feel like we’re in the dating phase,” the illustrator told The Huffington Post. 

Hou named the series “HJ-Story” after the initials of his wife’s Korean name. It started as a personal blog, but over the past seven years, his work has gained a large following with nearly 500,000 fans on Facebook

In December, the couple ― who lives in Seoul, South Korea ― welcomed their first child, who they named Chase. 

Fatherhood is definitely keeping him busy, but Hou says he plans to keep the series going for years to come. 

“HJ-Story is a personal project that I plan on doing for the rest of my life,” he told HuffPost. “It’s my way of creating a journal to document different stages of my life and to look back on when I get old. There’s usually a little story behind each image that I feel documents my thoughts better than a photo.” 

Below, check out more of Hou’s warm-and-fuzzy illustrations. To see even more of his work, follow him on Facebook and Instagram, or purchase his book on his website.

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Apr 05

No, Elizabeth Warren Doesn't Pay Women Less Than Men

Posted in: Today's Chili

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WASHINGTON― On Equal Pay Day on Tuesday, the Washington Free Beacon misleadingly accused Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) of paying women 30 percent less than men in her own office in 2016. That certainly would be hypocritical of her, as she regularly decries the gender pay gap in America.

But a look at the full salary data for Warren’s office reveals that she has actually paid women slightly more than men during her three years in the Senate. The mean salary for Warren’s female employees since she was elected in 2012 is $44,108, according to publicly available pay data compiled by her office and reviewed by The Huffington Post. The mean salary for men over the same time period was $43,348. This paints quite a different picture from the Free Beacon story, which was gleefully picked up by other conservative outlets, including Fox News, Breitbart and the Daily Caller. 

The Free Beacon claimed women earned 71 cents for every dollar men earned in Warren’s office, based on incomplete salary data from fiscal year 2016. This would be significantly worse than the pay gap in the United States, where women working full-time earn an average of 80 cents on the dollar compared to men. But the analysis only included people who had been employed by Warren’s office the entire year, which excluded, among others, Warren’s all-time highest paid staffer, Mindy Myers. Myers, the senator’s former chief of staff, was earning $170,000 a year until she left in December to become the first female executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The Free Beacon also claimed Warren is only paying one woman more than $100,000, compared to five men. This excludes Tracy Lewis, Warren’s state strategic advisor, who was earning $108,000 before she took a job at the DSCC in February. It also leaves out Haaren Hinck, who worked for Warren for half of last year earning $118,000. And Lauren Miller, Warren’s digital director, earns half of her roughly $120,000 salary from Warren’s senate office and half from the campaign ― but the Free Beacon did not include the latter half in its analysis.

That said, because some of Warren’s top-paid female staffers were promoted to other places in 2016 and replaced by men, that year was not the best her office has performed in terms of comparative mean pay. But even considering those staff changes, the overall pay for the office favors women, and Warren has always paid women as much as men with the same job titles.

A Warren aide said that the senator takes pay equity seriously and that her record speaks for itself. 

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Apr 05

Nikki Haley Asks Russia 'How Many More Children Have To Die' After Syria Gas Attack

Posted in: Today's Chili

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley issued sharp criticism Wednesday of Russian actions in Syria, asking the U.N. Security Council, “How many more children have to die before Russia cares?”

Haley’s statement was a response to a chemical weapons attack the day before in Syria’s Idlib province that killed scores of people, including many children, and provoked international condemnation. The U.S. alleges that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime was behind the killings, dropping sarin gas from its aircraft on the town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Russia has tried to absolve its Syrian ally of responsibility for the attack, saying that rebel fighters possessed the gas and that bombs merely hit a depot storing the agent. Chemical weapons experts and Syria analysts, however, say the Kremlin’s claim is untrue and does not fit the facts of how sarin gas actually works.

Haley, who at certain points in her address held up photos showing the bodies of children killed in the attack, also scoffed at Russia’s allegation that rebels were at fault.

“Time and time again, Russia uses the same false narrative to deflect attention from their allies in Damascus. Time and time again, without any factual basis, Russia attempts to place blame on others,” Haley said. “The truth is that Assad, Russia, and Iran have no interest in peace.” 

Haley gave her speech at an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, where the U.S., Britain and France proposed a draft resolution that blames Assad for the attack. Russia is expected to use its veto power to shoot down the resolution, as it has repeatedly done on past occasions when the council aimed to introduce measures against the Syrian government.

Haley concluded her speech with the vague suggestion that the U.S. may act unilaterally if the U.N. fails to respond to Syria’s chemical weapon violations. “There are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action,” she said.

In her few months as U.N. ambassador, Haley, formerly the Republican governor of South Carolina, has issued staunch condemnations of Russia’s foreign policy. Her first public remarks at the council included placing blame on the Kremlin for instigating a surge in violence in eastern Ukraine, and she has said that Russia was involved in the 2016 presidential election. Haley’s message at the U.N. has often been starkly different from President Donald Trump’s expressions of admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his talk of detente with Russia.

Parts of Haley’s remarks on Wednesday closely echoed a speech that former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power gave in December, when she rebuked Russia, Iran, and Assad for their part in atrocities during the battle for the Syrian city of Aleppo.

“Are you truly incapable of shame? Is there literally nothing that can shame you?” Power asked then. “Is there no act of barbarism against civilians, no execution of a child, that gets under your skin?”

Despite Haley’s comments, it’s unclear whether the U.S. will go beyond condemnations in terms of taking action against Assad or pressuring Russia to use its influence to push for a peace process in Syria. The U.S. and the international community have for years issued harsh denunciations of the Syrian government, and of Russia’s military intervention, but these have resulted in few concrete actions. 

Trump also addressed the attack Wednesday, saying that his “attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much” following the gas attack. But the president refused to go into detail about whether the U.S. would take any actions to respond to the killings.

“I’m not saying I’m doing anything one way or the other,” Trump told reporters.

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Apr 05

Minnesota Legislator Who Called Out White Male Colleagues Won't Apologize

Posted in: Today's Chili

Minnesota Democrat Melissa Hortman, the minority leader in the state House, gained national attention this week when she called out her white, male colleagues in the Republican Party for not being on the floor while women of color were giving powerful speeches about a public safety bill. 

“I hate to break up the 100 percent white male card game in the retiring room, but I think this is an important debate,” she said Monday.

At the time, the House was debating legislation that would increase penalties for protesters who block major roads. A number of women gave personal testimony about their experiences and the civil rights struggle. 

Hortman’s comments hit a nerve with her white male colleagues. Rep. Bob Dettmer (R) said she should apologize and Rep. Greg Davids (R) called for her resignation.

“I have no intention of apologizing,” Hortman said in response to Dettmer. “I am so tired of watching Rep. Susan Allen give an amazing speech, Rep. Peggy Flanagan give an amazing speech, watching Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn give an amazing speech, Rep. Rena Moran give the most heartfelt, incredible speech I’ve heard on this House floor, as long as I can remember, watching Rep. Ilhan Omar give an amazing speech … and looking around, to see, where are my colleagues?”

“And I went in the retiring room, and I saw where a bunch of my colleagues were,” she added. “And I’m really tired of watching women of color, in particular, being ignored. So, I’m not sorry.”

Hortman spoke with The Huffington Post Tuesday afternoon, explaining why she spoke up on Monday and what the reaction has been to her comments.

Why did you decide to call out your colleagues, and what reaction are you getting?

We were debating whether or not to increase penalties for protesters. And the women who were speaking were talking about how important protests have been in accomplishing social change, especially for communities of color ― and they were speaking from personal experiences as women of color. We were having a conversation that was very focused on civil rights and obtaining more rights for oppressed people, and that sometimes, protest is the only choice that people have to be noticed and to affect social change.

So it did seem particularly galling that under the circumstances of that debate, the women who were speaking and the people who were ignoring them, that they didn’t just come out and listen.

You talked about the white men who were in the retiring room. How many were there? When did you see them over there?

As leader of the caucus, members of my caucus come up to me and express concern about things that they think I should do something about. So various members of my caucus had come up to me and said, “They’re playing cards in the backroom, and you should do something about this.”

They were literally playing cards?

Yeah. I think it was after the third member who brought it to my attention and thought it was disrespectful to our members ― I went and took a look.

I was pretty irritated. Because it’s not very often we have a debate on the floor of the Minnesota House when during the debate, a hush comes over the body. And anybody who’s on the floor gets that we’re having a very serious discussion about something, and the member who is speaking is giving personal, compelling testimony on an issue that’s important to Minnesotans. It doesn’t happen very often. And that happened, and the floor got very quiet, and the people on the floor were moved by what Rep. Rena Moran and what Rep. Susan Allen were saying.

I texted one of my friends in the Republican caucus and I said, “I think you should really be out here hearing this.” He declined to come out and to bring his mentee out on the floor. And I just thought, “Well, there’s only one way I’m going to get them out here to listen to this, and that’s to call them out.”

I know that Rep. Dettmer called on you to apologize. What were your thoughts when he did that?

I really very considered seriously doing that. And I drafted what I would have said if I had apologized, and I talked about it with my husband this morning ― my white male husband. And he said, “No! You shouldn’t be sorry! You were right. You shouldn’t be sorry.”

And I talked to my leadership team, and I talked to my caucus. Their response is best summed up by one of the texts from my white male colleagues that came last night right after the incident, and he said in all caps, “NEVER APOLOGIZE.”

I represent not just me, I represent a caucus. The thing that made me want to apologize is that we have this thing in politics today that is so divisive and so polarized, and I didn’t want to contribute to that. I wanted to create ― and I still want to figure out how to create ― a healing moment for the Minnesota House of Representatives, where we get to a point where I accomplish what I was trying to do, which is get people to listen to each other and not just talk past each other. You can’t be moved by a moving speech on the House floor if you’re not on the House floor. 

No plans to resign?

No, I thought that was a little crazy. I think Rep. Davids had a tough day.

Have you heard any words of support from any of your Republican colleagues? 

No, not from any of my Republican colleagues. I did walk out to the parking garage with one of the Republican women, and she was very nice to me.

I think women just get it. They know that this happens. It’s happened to every woman. I don’t know if there’s any woman out there it hasn’t happened to. So I think they maybe had a different perspective. I don’t know how their caucus discussion went, but they certainly weren’t interested in pursuing it today. They certainly seemed to back down on demanding any sort of apology from me.

Anything else?

The only thing I would add is the whole point is I wanted to draw attention to the incredible women in our caucus. We have more diversity in our caucus than we’ve ever had. So what I was trying to do was draw attention to the members of that caucus and to the things that they said. I don’t want the attention to be on me. I want it to be on the things that they were saying that were incredible and compelling.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Apr 05

President Tired Of Grimy Old Man Stealing His Glory

Posted in: Today's Chili

Despite several accusations of sexual harassment, President Donald Trump praised Bill O’Reilly, and nobody can tell which person we’re describing in the prepositional phrase at the start of this sentence. President Trump demoted Steve Bannon from his position on the National Security Council, greatly diminishing the administration’s readiness for events predicted by racist French novels from 1973. And Paul Ryan said Republicans are “at the concept stage right now” on repealing Obamacare, so that means they’ve finished with cardio and will be moving to weights next. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Wednesday, April 5, 2017:

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STEVE BANNON DEMOTED – And Rick Perry got promoted. Jennifer Jacobs: “President Donald Trump reorganized his National Security Council on Wednesday, removing his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, and downgrading the role of his Homeland Security Adviser, Tom Bossert, according to a person familiar with the decision and a regulatory filing. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster was given responsibility for setting the agenda for meetings of the NSC or the Homeland Security Council, and was authorized to delegate that authority to Bossert, at his discretion, according to the filing.” [Bloomberg]

Bannon believes we are in the midst of an apocalyptic struggle called the “Fourth Turning” and that a messianistic strongman figure called “The Grey Champion” may already be among us.

BANNON DIDN’T DO ANYTHING ANYWAY: SPIN – Also he was only there to keep an eye on Mike Flynn: further spin. Robert Costa and Abby Phillip: “Two senior White House officials said Bannon’s departure was in no way a demotion and that he had rarely attended meetings since being placed on the council…. Instead, one of the officials said, Bannon was put on the council early in the administration to guide and keep watch over then-national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was tasked with reshaping the operation.” [WashPost]

TRUMP ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY? Unusual, right? Abby Phillip: “President Trump on Wednesday acknowledged that he is now responsible for handling the ongoing conflict in Syria, but would not say how he intends to address Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s apparent use of a chemical weapon in a deadly attack on civilians this week. ‘I now have responsibility,’ Trump said at a news conference with King Abdullah II of Jordan in the Rose Garden at the White House on Wednesday. ‘It crossed a lot of lines for me.’” [WashPost]

Donald Trump is “a confused old man who believes what the TV tells him,” concludes Alex Pareene.

NOTED ASSAULTER OF WOMEN DEFENDS PEER – In an oval office interview with Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman, the president said Susan Rice committed a crime and praised O’Reilly’s coverage of his “wire tapping” lies: “The president then went on to defend Mr. O’Reilly, who has hosted him frequently over the years. ‘I think he’s a person I know well — he is a good person,’ said Mr. Trump, who during the interview was surrounded at his desk by a half-dozen of his highest-ranking aides, including the economic adviser Gary Cohn and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, along with Vice President Mike Pence. ‘I think he shouldn’t have settled; personally I think he shouldn’t have settled,’ said Mr. Trump. ‘Because you should have taken it all the way. I don’t think Bill did anything wrong.’” [NYT]

Reminder that this week we learned O’Reilly has settled multiple sexual harassment lawsuits because he is an awful, awful man. Also, reminder that last week Trump declared that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

PAUL RYAN NEEDS TO GET THAT BACKWARDS HAT – Grace Sparks: “Speaker Paul Ryan’s ratings keep falling in a new Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday. Only 28 percent of American voters said they feel favorably toward the Wisconsin Republican. Fifty-two percent said they view him unfavorably, an 18-point increase from May 2016. Ryan’s unfavorable ratings have been rising since December. Even Rasmussen Reports, whose numbers are often more conservative than those of other pollsters, found him with lower ratings in its March 27 poll.” [HuffPost]

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WELLS FARGO RIPPED OFF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE: LOL – Jamie Lovegrove reports on a House Financial Services hearing on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today: “At one point, [Rep. Jeb] Hensarling had to slam his gavel to stop Republicans from laughing after Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., commended Cordray for sounding the alarm on the Wells Fargo scandal. Republicans have argued that the agency was late to the issue, stepping in after a Los Angeles Times investigation had already uncovered the core of the problem.” [DallasNews]

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DEMS TO MARCH FOR TRUMP’S TAXES – Daniel Marans: “Senior Democratic lawmakers are due to speak at a march on April 15 ― the day when Americans’ tax returns are typically due ― to demand that President Donald Trump release his tax returns. ‘The Tax March,’ as the progressive groups organizing it have dubbed it, will begin with a rally and speeches at the U.S. Capitol, followed by a parade that passes the Trump International Hotel, as well as the FBI and IRS buildings. Over 100 smaller marches are due to take place in cities across the country. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee; Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee; and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) will join a host of faith, policy and grassroots leaders scheduled to speak on Trump’s continued lack of financial transparency.” [HuffPost]

Sometimes when your president is hopelessly corrupt all you can do is go for a long walk.

THIS AD MAKES HOUSE REPUBLICANS LOOK KINDA DESPERATE – About the special election in Georgia. Igor Bobic: “An ad released Wednesday by a super PAC that works closely with the GOP House leadership attempts to tie Democratic congressional candidate Jon Ossoff to terrorism by invoking the image of Osama bin Laden. The 30-second spot from the Congressional Leadership Fund attacks the first-time Georgia candidate for reportedly receiving $5,000 from Al Jazeera, which the ad calls a ‘media outlet that has been described as a mouthpiece for terrorists.’ (Al Jazeera ran films created by Ossoff’s investigative film company, according to the Washington Free Beacon.)” [HuffPost]

REPUBLICAN HEALTH CARE AGENDA DOWNGRADED TO SAD – Things were looking up earlier this week, but now they’re looking down again. Sorry, guys. Matt Fuller: “A theoretical deal between House Republicans and the White House to bring back their stalled health care bill is already running into the same old problem: reality. Conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus looked ready to accept a proposal from the Trump administration that would allow states to opt out of key requirements in the Affordable Care Act ― namely, the essential health benefits and community rating provisions….But GOP leadership spent a good part of Tuesday hearing from moderates who said they could not accept such changes. While those rank-and-file moderates were publicly telling reporters they’d be willing to look at the legislative text of the proposal, some of them told The Huffington Post privately that the community rating change would be a non-starter for them.” [HuffPost]

NO VOTE THIS WEEK – And recess starts tomorrow, whee! Nicole Duran: “House Speaker Paul Ryan indicated Wednesday that the House would not take up a bill this week to repeal and replace Obamacare, and said Republicans need more time to reach an agreement among Republicans this week. ‘We’re at concept stage right now,’ said Ryan, R-Wis.” You had seven years. [Examiner]

PENCE IN CHARGE – Scott Wong and Peter Sullivan: “The Speaker has taken a backseat to Vice President Pence when it comes to this week’s efforts to revive the American Health Care Act, which collapsed last month after Ryan and President Trump failed to cobble together the necessary votes to pass the bill out of the House.” [The Hill]

GORSUCH PLAGIARIZED A BIT – John Bresnahan and Burgess Everett: “Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch copied the structure and language used by several authors and failed to cite source material in his book and an academic article, according to documents provided to POLITICO. The documents show that several passages from the tenth chapter of his 2006 book, “The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia,” read nearly verbatim to a 1984 article in the Indiana Law Journal. In several other instances in that book and an academic article published in 2000, Gorsuch borrowed from the ideas, quotes and structures of scholarly and legal works without citing them.” [Politico]

BREITBART GUY TO WORK DIRECTLY FOR PUTIN – Huh. Rosie Gray: “A former Breitbart News writer is launching a radio show for Russian propaganda network Sputnik. ‘I’m on the Russian payroll now, when you work at Sputnik you’re being paid by the Russians,’ former Breitbart investigative reporter Lee Stranahan told me. ‘That’s what it is. I don’t have any qualms about it. Nothing about it really affects my position on stuff that I’ve had for years now.’” [The Atlantic]

BECAUSE YOU’VE READ THIS FAR – Catch up on the Reichstag Fire.

TRUMP ADMIN WON’T SPLIT FAMILIES AT THE BORDER – Very nice! Roque Planas and Elise Foley: “Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said on Wednesday he is not planning to routinely split up children and mothers at the U.S.-Mexico border, after previously alarming immigrant advocates by suggesting such a policy would help deter illegal border crossings. Speaking before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Kelly said he would separate families apprehended at the border ‘only if the situation at that point in time requires it’ ― for example, if a mother is sick or addicted to drugs. He said he ‘can’t imagine’ doing it unless there is reason to believe a child is in danger.” [HuffPost]

MILITARY WOULD LIKE CONGRESS TO FUNCTION – Joe Gould: “The U.S. military’s top brass warned lawmakers Wednesday it will mean lost lives, halted training and sidelined equipment if Congress punts on spending legislation for this year and forces the military to operate for the next five months under fiscal 2016 levels. Lawmakers must finalize a budget for the remainder of fiscal 2017 by the end of April or trigger a partial government shutdown. In recent days, talk of a continuing resolution to fund the government through the end of September has slowly built in the halls of Congress, raising concerns among defense officials who say that would cause tremendous funding headaches for the military.” [DefenseNews]

SCOTT GOTTLIEB WOULD LIKE TO BE FDA COMMISSIONER – Thomas Burton reports on today’s confirmation hearing for Gottlieb, who has many ties to the drug industry: “Democrats on the panel expressed concern about Dr. Gottlieb’s previous consulting work for the industry. The committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, noted in an opening statement that the nominee has ‘unprecedented financial entanglements with the companies he would regulate as commissioner.’ She also criticized his written position opposing extensive regulation by the FDA of the lab-testing industry.” At least he said vaccines are safe and good. [WSJ]

COMFORT FOOD

– Student paper forces principal to resign

– Indiana’s governor with a puppy

– Only one person saw Shia LaBeouf’s new movie

– Lessons of the hermit

– Everyone hates Pepsi’s new ad

TWITTERAMA

@StevenTDennis: The funding for the government runs out in 23 days.
But first, Congress will go on a 2-week vacay, because that’s how they roll.

@AEdwardsLevy: BANNON FODDER

@JesseLTaylor: Who knew that “Strange Fruit” was about Wild Cherry Pepsi

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Apr 05

How Joe Biden Sees 'Victory' In The Fight Against Sexual Assault

Posted in: Today's Chili

During a call with hundreds of students on Wednesday afternoon, Joe Biden described the sexual assault epidemic on college campuses his “greatest heartache.” 

The former Vice President hosted the call on behalf of his sexual assault awareness and prevention organization It’s On Us, which he started with former President Barack Obama in 2014. Biden spoke passionately about how important it is that we all work to combat sexual violence against women and girls. 

“This issue of violence [against women] has been a dirty little secret that’s been kept in the closet in American culture,” Biden said. “You know what’s going on but you don’t want to interfere.”

If you do not intervene you are an accessory.
Former VP, Joe Biden

The former VP reflected on what it was like to pass the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994 and how the law has helped to reduce violence against women. But when he looked into sexual assault statistics in the U.S. years after VAWA was drafted, he was distraught by what he found.

“I had the most disappointing news that I’ve had as an elected official,” Biden said. “That was that violence occurred on campuses ― women between the young ages of 14 and their early 20s ― nothing had changed. The rate of violence, of rape and abuse, was as high as it was when I drafted the VAWA law.”

So, Biden said, he called a virtual town meeting with thousands of college and high school students from around the country and asked them what he could do to help. Almost all of the students got back to him with the same answer: Get men involved.

“Ergo the phrase: ‘It’s on Us,’” Biden said. “It’s on all of us. It’s on the Chrises and the Joes and the Kyles; everybody on campus, everyone in the country who sees this violence occurring has an obligation to intervene. If you do not intervene you are an accessory. If you do not intervene you are sanctioning what happens.” 

On Wednesday’s call, the former VP discussed It’s On Us’ week-long activist event called Spring Week of Action that kicked off on April 3. As part of the Spring Week of Action, college and high school campuses across the country will be engaged with It’s On Us by hosting 609 events on 153 campuses in 42 states. 

This issue of violence [against women] has been a dirty little secret that’s been kept in the closet in American culture.
Former VP, Joe Biden

Biden told the student activists on the call that it was them who could lead the way in changing the culture, adding that college and high school campuses should be “the safest place in the world.” 

In summation, Biden defined what “victory” means to him when it comes to tackling the issues of sexual violence and assault:

I’m always asked by the press and by a lot of people: “When do you know there’s victory, Joe?” Well, you know, there’s always going to be violence, but here’s how I measure victory: Victory will be achieved when not a single solidarity woman who is abused, violated, physically or mentally, asks herself “What did I do?” It is never, never, never, never the woman’s fault. No man has a right to abuse women under any circumstances. Period. 

Victory, Biden added, will be achieved when “no man attempts to rationalize his brutish behavior based on culture, tradition or the law.”

“There is no justification here or anywhere in the world for a culture that allows the abuse of women and girls.”

Head over to It’s On Us to learn more about the organization. 

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Need help? Visit RAINN’s <a
href=”https://ohl.rainn.org/online/”>National Sexual Assault Online
Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s
website.

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Apr 05

Two Openly Gay Candidates Notch Historic Wins In Alaska Election

Posted in: Today's Chili

Two victorious candidates for Anchorage, Alaska, city assembly are the first openly gay people elected to public office in the state’s most populous city.

Christopher Constant, 45, and Felix Rivera, 27, both won seats on the 11-member Anchorage Assembly by wide margins in Monday’s municipal election. 

The wins were hailed as historic by the Victory Fund, a political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of LGBTQ officeholders. 

“These historic wins in Anchorage will reverberate throughout the entire state of Alaska,” Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, Victory Fund president and CEO, said in a statement Tuesday. “There are currently zero LGBTQ elected officials serving in all of Alaska ― so Felix and Alex will be much needed voices when they take office.” 

Anchorage, with a growing population of more than 300,000, is home to the most diverse census tract in the U.S., with the highest concentration of Alaska natives, Latinos, Asians and Pacific Islander-identifying transplants. The city also boasts refugees from Africa, East Asia and the Middle East. 

Rivera said several other Alaskan cities and villages have elected public officials who are gay (though perhaps not openly). He will also be the Anchorage Assembly’s only non-white representative.

Rivera said it’s time Anchorage’s public officials reflect the city’s diversity of ethic backgrounds, religions and sexual identities. 

While waving campaign signs to passersby on Monday, Rivera said a homeless man tearfully approached him, upset because his parents had kicked him out of the house when they learned he is gay. 

“It’s such a moment ― now that we have two openly gay elected officials  ― that we can shed a light on this problem,” he said. 

“We’ve made some excellent strides, but it always feels like we’re in the middle of a battle,” Rivera said. He noted that the conservative political group, Alaska Family Action, recently backed a measure to roll back bathroom-choice protections for transgender people. 

“We always have to prove that we’re deserving of equal protection and equal rights,” Rivera said. “Without access, you really can’t have justice. And without equity, how can we claim to call ourselves a morally superior society.” 

Both Rivera and Constant ran in competitive races where the incumbents had reached their term limits. Rivera won 47 percent of the vote in a four-way race; Constant won 51 percent in a six-way race. 

Both men’s campaigns emphasized typical municipal issues, not sexual identity, Rivera noted. Rivera said he focused on the city’s growing homeless problem and public safety. Anchorage homicides hit a record high in 2016. 

Victory Fund says Rivera’s sexual orientation was raised as a negative factor by one opponent ― Don Smith, a 77-year-old former state legislator who Rivera said had “a lot of name recognition.”  

Smith attacked Rivera’s advocacy for immigrant and refugee rights and made what Rivera said was a “Trump-like” argument that Rivera’s policies would “unleash murderers and rapists on the streets.” 

Rivera said he hopes the Anchorage election momentum sparks change at the state level. Alaska is one of eight states that have never elected an openly LGBTQ state legislator. 

“If we don’t advocate for ourselves, no one else is going to do it,” Rivera said. “That’s the next phase Alaska.” 

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Apr 05

Girl Reports Escaping Kidnapper By Jumping From Truck Onto Highway

Posted in: Today's Chili

A California man is facing kidnapping charges after authorities say a 13-year-old runaway jumped out of his moving truck and onto a highway, prompting him to call 911.

Timothy Marble, 50, of Napa, reported the girl’s escape about 5:40 a.m. Saturday after he said she fled his vehicle and refused to come out of some bushes, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said.

Once deputies arrived at the scene in Bodega Bay, the girl emerged covered in road rash. She accused Marble of sexually abusing her, injecting her with meth and scratching his name into her leg with a knife.

“His name was still visible for the detectives,” the sheriff’s office said in a release.

The child said she met Marble at a Napa gas station early Friday morning after running away from home following an argument with her mother Thursday night.

Marble allegedly offered to give her a ride. After accepting the lift but refusing his sexual advances, she reported, he tied her to a tree and sexually assaulted her, the sheriff’s office said.

Over the next 24 hours, she told officers, he continued the assaults inside his truck and forced her to take drugs. Deputies took her to a hospital, where she was reunited with her mother.

“He has a different side of it, but there’s definitely probable cause in making the arrest,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Crum told the San Francisco Chronicle. “His accounts of the event differed somewhat. Some corroboration and some distortion.”

Marble, who authorities said is a convicted felon with a rap sheet that includes drug charges, was arrested and faces 11 felony counts of sexual acts with a minor, kidnapping and child abuse. He is being held without bail with no attorney listed. Authorities said this is his first sexual assault charge.

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Apr 05

Germany backs fines for social networks that ignore hate speech

Posted in: Today's Chili

Germany is backing its crusade against online hate speech with some legal clout. The country’s cabinet is backing a proposed law that would fine social networks up to €50 million (about $53.3 million) if they don’t block or remove illegal hate s…

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